Gothenburg // Part III

The last leg of our trip to sweden was filled with sightseeing and taking in all we could of sweden's beauty. Ryan and I spent a full day visiting the archipelago off of gothenburg's coastline. We took a ferry out to brännö which is one of the larger islands situated off of west sweden. Ferries and boats are the only way to access the islands which helped us mentally slow down and take in the coastal scenery.

(the deck on our ferry heading out for a day of island hopping  /  ryan and I  /  a little dock along our way  /  trying not to get blown away on the ferry's deck)

(some of the typical red and white houses which are scattered all over the archipelago  /  two of my favorite houses on brännö; the dark one was a bit modern and the white was very nautical 'east-coast' beach home  /  some of the dozens of bikes lined up near the dock  /  the marina) 

There are no vehicles allowed on brännö so everyone walks or uses bikes to get around. Ryan and I walked up and down the narrow streets on the island and fell in love with the dreamy coastal homes, small sheep farms, quaint gardens and classic swedish houses. The island felt like the ideal place to escape to for a weekend or long vacation away from it all. After a lot of walking and exploring, we stopped into 1 of the 2 restaurants available for lunch and had a delicious fish soup, perfect for the brisk day. 

(gorgeous gardens were just past these old painted fences  /  a huge bread and butter tray before our lunch on brännö  /  our seafood soup, so warm and comforting on a cool day  /  another house I swooned over while exploring)

In the late afternoon, we made our way back to gothenburg for our last evening in sweden. We were introduced to the neighborhood of haga while dining with some of ryan's work collegues earlier in the week, so, we made our way back to that area for dinner at taverna averna. It was a beautifully decorated italian restaurant that had a super tasty buratta salad. The evening wrapped up at heaven 23, the bar in our hotel which is on the 23rd floor of the building. We found ourselves up here a few nights during our trip, to take in the amazing views of gothenburg and to watch the sun set, at 10:30p. 

(these stunning purple blooms are all over gothenburg and are as large as my face  /  one of the historic churches in the haga neighborhood of gothenburg  /  ryan and I at our last dinner in sweden  /  an antique door that I only wish I could capture more accurately in photo, it was so beautiful  /  a little courtyard restaurant off of the main walkway)

Just like so many of our travels before, this trip was filled with endless highs and memorable moments that I will treasure forever. I could not have a better husband and travel partner who's interest and adaptability fall in-line with mine so well. We had the perfect amount of activity and relaxation, just enough adventure to keep things exciting and of course, stunning sights everywhere we looked. This might be our last trip for a while as we prepare to have our bebe this september but I could not have asked for a better 'last hoo-raw'. #babymoon 

(late-night sunsets from an amazing view  /  ryan and I having drinks at haven 23 (don't worry, mine was a mocktail)  /  the sun setting over gothenburg  /  a shot of our hotel, the gothia towers)

Gothenburg // Part II

After a couple of days exploring gothenburg, ryan and I had a very rare and extremely exciting weekend planned. My cousin anna who is an incredible soccer player, was recently recruited to play for a swedish team, mere hours away by train. It worked out perfectly for us to hop on a train and head to central sweden for a weekend of soccer and catching up with family across the globe.

(left to right: our train from gothenburg to karlstad  /  the Östra bron bridge which is the largest stone bridge in europe  /  a beautiful church we stumbled upon  /  goddess of peace; the most well-known statute in karlstad)

Ryan and I took a train to karlstad; a larger town 30 minutes from where anna lives and plays soccer. She met us for the evening as we explored the charming city and had a very delicious dinner at kitchen & table, a restaurant by marcus samuelson. It was ironic and truly amazing to meet up with family in another country. Anna stayed with us at our hotel for the night and we all fell asleep talking, laughing and telling stories about her adventures in sweden over the past couple of months. It was honestly one of the top highlights of the trip.

(a beautiful building in town  /  one of the many european styled buildings in karlstad  /  dinner at kitchen and table  /  the covered patios which lined the city center in town)

Anna had a soccer game on sunday which we could not miss so, after a yummy breakfast at our hotel, anna headed out early to get ready while ryan and I spent the rest of the morning taking in the sights. We made our way to karlskoga just in time for the game. Ryan had never seen her play before, even though I had talked to him about what an established and good player she was. Only a couple minutes into the game ryan says to me, 'wow, she is really good' and I don't know why but I felt so much pride watching my cousin running up and down the field. Anna scored 2 of the team's 4 goals and had an assist too. Their team walked away winning 4-1 and anna was named the day's m.v.p.

(a bunch of shots from anna's game)

Sadly we could not stay long after the game because we had to jump on a train back to gothenburg. For our ride back, ryan got us tickets in the first class section which was a real treat; we had a private pod to relax in as we took in the gorgeous swedish countryside and even visited the bar cart which had live music. It was the perfect ending to the weekend; a 2-day trip that I will never forget either.

(waiting for the train back to gothenburg  /  our first class digs on the train  /  one of the very small quaint towns from our trip  /  beautiful scenery  /  ryan and I traveling the swedish countryside)

I have one more post to share on our sweden #babymoon so come back here monday. 

And because I am a very proud cousin, here is some really cool compilation footage of my cousin college soccer career. 

Gothenburg // Part I

Our trip to sweden has come and gone but it honestly was a once-in-a-lifetime getaway that I have spent so much time thinking and dreaming about since getting back stateside. I am horrible at editing down pictures to share so, I have decided to break up my vacation recap into multiple posts so I don't totally overwhelm or bore you. Hang on tight, here we go...

(the view from our hotel, the gothia towers, on the 29th floor. sorry for the poor photo quality, these were taken through glass)

A little background on our decision to go to sweden for our #babymoon... ryan's company has their european offices based in gothenburg and he was asked to book a trip in june. So, before you know it, we were booking an additional plane ticket and extending his business trip to create our last international vacation before our little bebe arrives. Traveling when you are 6 months pregnant brought on a couple challenges but I think I will save those details for a follow-up post.

(left to right: a snap of the cobble stone streets which are everywhere in the city  /  sunny afternoon walking by the paddan canal  /  overflowing irises found during one of my lost jaunts  /  me, the day we landed  /  ryan while at dinner at 8:30p in the sun on a patio  /  ryan's cheeseburger and fries... with an extra large serving of tasty aioli)

We arrived in gothenburg right as the rainiest and most brutal month of weather in history was literally wrapping up. 'Summer' was upon us and in sweden that meant temps in the high 60's and the sun was out... which we learned quickly was a very big deal. Every restaurant and cafe patio was crowed with people soaking in the sun, even when the wind kicked up or the temps dropped into the high 50's. I packed a lot of pieces I could layer together which worked out nicely for our 10-day vacation.

(more images of the padan canal and the stunning botanical gardens which run along side the canal)

Ryan had 2 days of work on the front end of our trip which left me to do a little exploring on my own. I learned quickly that I need to work on my map reading skills and also to check my 'tourist ego' at the door because in fear of looking like a complete sightseer with my map out, I got lost many times while venturing out on my own. Now, I have to admit, getting lost was not the worst thing ever because I stumbled upon some great parks and shops along the way and got in a lot of extra exercise by walking additional miles looking for my destination. However, it was a bit frustrating at times.

(ryan's company threw a big party in conjunction with sweden's big mid-summer festival; we got dressed up for an awesome evening and party)

Below are some highlights of our trip along with some fun facts we learned along the way. I have a lot more sweden to share so come back tomorrow for installment.

Trip highlights:

- The city of gothenburg is the 2^nd largest in sweden; it is bustling with every mode of transportation you can think of which is great for getting around (and it’s super affordable)

- The sun does not set in the summer months until 10:30p which was a nice placebo to our jet lag, allowing us to see and do a lot more in the evening hours

- If you enjoy fresh seafood like oysters, salmon, shrimp and cod, there is no better place

- There are hundreds of islands called an archipelago that are scattered up and down sweden’s coast; we loved jumping on a ferry for a day of island exploration

- The entire city is covered in cobble-stoned streets… while gorgeous, plan on comfortable walking shoes

- I would highly suggest taking a train into the center of the county; all of the beautiful small towns and vast country side was awesome to see

Interesting Facts:

- Swedes love their coffee and sugary treats; they even have a name for it… fika. Fika is taking a coffee break in the afternoons with a friend to talk and relax together before getting back to your work/schedule

- A customary greeting upon meeting or interacting with anyone is ‘hey hey!’

- Everyone speaks english but nearly all signage is in swedish

- The entire country is gorgeous! Men are super g.q. and put together while the women have the most stunning skin and dress incredibly fashionable

- Swedes love butter! Many dishes are served in rich cream or butter based sauces and every meal comes with bread and butter.

- The summer months are precious and sweeds will spend every possible moment outside. Every restaurant has outdoor heaters and cozy blankets to keep you warm as the evening passes.

- There are very strict alcohol restrictions and laws… .02 is the legal limit. So, most people will not even have 1 beverage while out because the fines are so steep. 
- Over the course of our trip we took planes, trains, trams, buses, ferries and taxis to get around... and there are bike lanes on every street in the city

Puerto Vallarta // Part II

I am back today with more photos from our trip to puerto vallarta. I had such a hard time narrowing down the excessive number of photos we took and I still feel like I am missing so many. 

I think my love for sunsets was resurrected from this trip. Nothing will ever compare to the intensely beautiful sunsets ryan and I got to experience in greece on our honeymoon but puerto vallarta sure did put up a good fight. Every night we hurried down to the beach to watch the sunset over the water. This was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip... listening to the waves crash upon the shore, seeing the sky kaleidoscope through the color spectrum and reflecting on the day in near silence.

(the sun starting to decend upon the ocean, along with yet another palm tree  /  the afternoon sun flooding into our hotel room  /  ryan and I enjoying drinks at the sunset bar one evening  /  waves crashing onto the beach in shades of yellows and blues)

For the last night of our trip, we headed off the hotel's property for a truly delicious meal at bistro teresa, one of puerto vallarta's best restaurants. This quaint open-air spot sits high upon a hill overlooking the coast which gave us the perfect vantage point for yet again, another stunning sunset. We stuffed ourselves with some of the freshest seafood, had wonderful conversations and even a bit of a thrill when trying to pay the bill... our small snafu will forever remind me to call our bank before we leave the country. Luckily everything worked out and we were able to get a nice little laugh out of the entire experience.

(sunsets in every color imaginable  /  liz, peyton, ryan + I before we had dinner on our last night  /  electric blues and pinks to melt into during dinner  /  the entrance to bistro teresa)

Truly our trip was one for the record books... we took lemons (the dreary weather) and made lemonade, laughed for hours, enjoyed tons of activities together and just made endless memories I will forever look back on with a smile. Oh and those sunsets, I don't think I will ever forget those!

(I heart the sunsets of puerto vallarta  /  ryan and I on our first night after the clouds passed and we went to the beach to enjoy our first sunset together)

Puerto Vallarta // Part I

Our week in puerto vallarta was the best mental and physical break... one that I desperately needed and so grateful to have taken. The initial idea of a getaway originally came from ryan's younger sister who wanted to jet-set somewhere for her college spring break. Ryan and I jumped on the chance to escape the cold so, before we knew it, our trip with ryan's mom + sister was booked... sun and sand was on the horizon. 

(infinity pools and a white sand beach; the perfect view upon arrival to our hotel  /  stunning bougainvillea  /  banana plants growing on the property  /  a view of our hotel from the beach  /  the teak walkway we took to our rooms everyday)

We stayed at the brand new, ultra chic and boutique-like, hyatt ziva in puerto vallarta. First off, we were in love with the modern design, open-air spaces, gorgeous landscaping, updated rooms and of course, the quarter-mile stretch of private beach that was perfectly positioned in a small cove. However, what stood out the most was the amazing customer service we received from every employee on site; their superior service truly left an impression and was a highlight of the trip.

(my view from my pool chair  /  beautiful palm trees everywhere we looked  /  peyton and I soaking in the sun at the pool one afternoon)

Our arrival to puerto vallarta was not the tropical sunshine we had all hoped for and much of our trip was overcast with a bit of rain. But we made the most of it and more than made up for the deary weather when the sun did come out to play. I finally got to do some sea kayaking and we all spent a morning on a pretty intense hike up to a 40ft waterfall. It was quite the accomplishment and a fun experience I will never forget.

(me on the open water in my sea kayak  /  one of the many tasty meals we ate each day  /  essentials for an afternoon at the beach  /  another stunning view from the pool... with a boat just off the coast)

On one of the more gloomy days of our trip, we headed into town for some sightseeing. We found a beautiful church in the center of town that was a prominent landmark for puerto vallarta. With it also being peyton's first visit to mexico, we felt it was only necessary to bring her to senior frogs for a true 'tourist trap' experience. Over-sized cocktails and ridiculous balloon 'hats' made the trip a complete success on my account. 

(liz, peyton + I just off the water  /  a view of downtown puerto vallarta from the rocky coast  /  the malecon boardwalk with liz, peyton and ryan)

(the beautiful church of our lady guadalupe  /  vibrant parrots we saw while walking along the boardwalk  /  flag lined streets with stained glass windows in the background  /  our senior frogs experience)

This post is pretty photo-heavy and I still have so much more to share. Come back over to the blog tomorrow for more photos, fun and details of our amazing trip.

Rocco In The Snow

Denver got a serious cold front that moved in after christmas and lingered for nearly a week. The temps were in the mid-teens for days but at least it snowed which somehow made the freeze feel a bit more appropriate. 

I have mentioned before that rocco is obsessed with squirrels but this obsession was taken to a new level last week. Apparently 12-degree weather does not stop a 3lb dog when a pesky squirrel taunts him in the back yard from up in a tree. I was able to grab my camera and capture some of his fun before he got too cold. Rocco literally stopped in his tracks after about 10 minutes outside and ryan had to go out and get him. My poor little boy and his love for squirrel chasing.

 
 

 

Food Is Beautiful

Food truly is beautiful. The textures, colors and vibrancy only add to the delicious flavors that come from their bounty. Photographer emily blincoe has shot some stunning images of just this in her latest collection, 'arrangements' that I just had to share. I seriously am salivating at those gorgeous heirloom tomatoes right now.

 

Memorial Day

(via) I would love to claim this is me on the beach looking so carefree and beautiful but sadly, it is not.

Here's to a wonderful memorial day weekend!

Hopefully you are celebrating and remembering all the service men and women who gave their lives protecting the freedom of our country. I know my weekend will be spent with family and friends, sprinkled with a bbq or two, (fingers crossed) a little r+r and then some time alone, thinking about my late-grandpa who was a tanker in the us army. 

See you all back here next week!

A View From the Top // Golden Gate

Have you seen these amazing photos from the top of san fran's golden gate bridge? The pictures are breathtaking and showcase the iconic bridge from a previously unseen perspective. Being a bit scared of heights, these pictures, which were taken by an anonymous photographer, make me happy to be on solid ground. Check out the full story and more photos here. My love for san francisco runs deep through me and these photos make me yearn to go back soon.

(all images via the bold italic) 

To see my post on san fran's other iconic bay bridge lit up with its led light show, click here.

No Longer a 20-something // Almost

I am soon going to be 30. 
As in, I will no longer be in my 20s.
Seriously, in 11 days I will be entering an entirely new decade of my life. 

(via)

I have had some pretty stellar things happen to me in my 20s and I am feeling a bit nostalgic about it. I graduated college cum laude when I was 21. I got my first real job out of college at 22. I bought a house at 25. I got engaged at 26 and then married at 27. I became a mom to my baby rocco at 28. My 20s were some of the best years of my life and I hope that this new decade will continue to bring me success, happiness, surprises and milestones.

My bff beth did an awesome series leading up to her birthday, writing about some of the best birthdays of her past and I am 100% ripping her off and stealing this idea. (sorry and thank you!). In the coming days I am going to be taking all of my readers down a birthday memory lane while also posting about my fears, hopes, trepidations and goals for the decade I will inevitably be entering. Buckle up, it is going to be a fun ride.

(via)

The 50 Best Things to Eat and Drink Right Now

Want to know a secret about me? My favorite magazine to read is GQ. It has tons of great articles, interesting interviews, endless fashion ideas (for me to share with my husband) and the best part... an amazing pulse on the food world. 

(images via: cronut  /  lobster roll  /  meringues  /  taco)

GQ just came out with the 50 best things to eat and drink right now and I was salivating as I read through the list. Pork dishes flooded the top 50 with pork belly sandwiches, smoked bbq and even pigs' tails. Fish from some of the best restaurants across the country were featured and vegetarian dishes had a great showing as well. Oh, and denver got some love too with frasca food and wine's chocolate meringues.

Below are some of the items that really caught my eye and are making me very hungry...

2.  chinese pork belly sandwiches - butcher & bee, charleston, sc

8.  brisket taco - briskettown, brooklyn

23. the cronut - dominique ansel bakery, nyc

30. meyer shrub shandy - atera, nyc

32. lobster roll - hinoki & the bird, los angeles

36. chocolate meringues - frasca food and wine, boulder, co

to read the entire article, click here

Lights on the Bay Bridge

(sources top to bottom:  1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5)

When you think of san francisco, (my favorite city... ever) one of the first images that probably pops in your head is the beautiful golden gate bridge.  You sadly might not even think of the bay bridge which links up san fran to oakland and the rest of the bay area.  

Well, after last night that is all changing because the bay bridge got a major upgrade for it's 75th anniversary.  Artist leo villareal created a never-repeating light display that was installed on the bay bridge and the grand lighting was last night.  The 25,000 LED light sculpture is 1.8 miles wide, 500 feet tall and will be on display every night until 2a for the next 2 years.  It is also expected to bring in $97mil to the city's economy and only costs $15/day to run, all funded by private donations.

These pictures do not do it justice so watch this video.  I can only hope/pray/wish to visit san fran in the next 2 years to see this beautiful live art with my own eyes.  So stunning and one more reason that 'I left my heart in san francisco'.

For more info on the bay lights, click here.

Love Sparkles

I found these amazing images that could not fit more perfectly into my Valentine's Day series.  I just love how the photographers (professional and novices) have created some of the most beautiful images through aperture and exposure length.  

(from top:  1  /  2  /  3  / 4  /  5  /  6  /  7)

Love sparkles... literally.

Rocco // New Camera Photos

Last night Ryan and I made a trip to the pet store to pick up a new bag of Rocco's favorite sticks.  He loves these things and the excitement he gets when we give him one is serious entertainment in our house.  

Rocco was looking exceptionally cute last night prancing around the house with his stick (he is such a proud boy) and really 'hamming it up' so, I decided to grab my new fancy camera that Ryan gave me for Christmas to capture the moment.  

I might be a bit bias but holy-cow is Rocco just the cutest boy!  Oh... and as for the camera, I still don't know all the functions but I was impressed with the quality of these photos.  For the camera novice, I feel like I did a pretty decent job.