This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it.
After reminiscing over photos from our trip to Greece last year, I decided to attempt to make the Mediterranean version of the dish as opposed to the italian version? with ground lamb and rice stuffing and a slightly sweet tomato sauce to top it off. The flavors were pretty much there.. from a dish that we had several times in Mykonos. *note to self - next time let it bake just a bit longer.. for that fall apart bell pepper texture.
ever since me and the hubby have been traveling i've loved learning at least a bit of the language prior to the trip- so i at least know a few good phrases in italian, french, spanish, czech, korean, japanese (turkish and croatian were just a bit too hard!) out of them all, i learned the most korean- well mainly because i do enjoy their dramas and music. but it was also a good thing since it seemed most of the people there spoke the least amount of english out of the places we've traveled.
anyways for the past several weeks me and my buddy Dru, started taking a korean language class courtesy of the local korean education center.. our first session just ended.. and it was quite fun.. looking forward to signing up for the second session too - check out the ridiculous class video we filmed on our second to last class. (i also started learning how to use AfterEffects prior to editing this video - CHECK DEM SKILLZ OUT)
so this happened last saturday while attending a banquet - so the guy may not have actually been that creepy - but just the dialog itself.. i could not resist. i mean scary yet flattering right? OR he just has photographic memory skillz, while i on the other hand could barely remember that i took a jazz appreciation class.
prague - charles bridge with view of the castle at night.
so we're back from our latest holiday in London and Prague, and perhaps our last overseas getaway for awhile. it's been absolutely fantastic doing an annual trip like we have been for the past few years.. but we may hold off for awhile.. with the new house.. and who knows maybe time to settle down and start a family next year. but we'll let life lead us down that path.
the trip was great.. a bit more laxed than our usual trips. where i tend to have loose itineraries packed full of 'suggested' things to do. with the move and all other life, starting a business stuff in the way, i didn't look too much into our destinations until the week of. of course we had planned on spending quite a bit of time with the family. the hubbys sister and husband have lived there for over 10 years now, and these trips are really the only time we see them. plus now there is a niece and nephew... with adorable british accents.. which also makes them hard to understand along with them being only 2 and 4. we did some shopping, and some site-seeing around town, while spending evenings in with the family. we did dine at St John's and had the best madelines EVER. also i went to see Matthew Fox (swoon) in a play at vaudeville theatre near the westend, while i tried to be a groupie and went to the backstage door after... only to be told that he wouldn't be coming out that day. we wandered the streets, checked out Windsor, and then..
a few days prior to our prague getaway, T had caught some sort of gastroenteritis.. and is still currently recovering. it did manage to put quite a damper on the trip, but he pushed forward... going with me to all of the main sites in prague.. and watching me eat smoked pork knuckles and drinking pints of czech beer.. while he had to resort to still water and soup. he was a champ. thanks hubby! i even forced him to go out at night to charles bridge so i could get this shot.
we returned to london.. which was an arduous task. here's a note for you all - never take easy jet. it was our first time.. and unlike southwest which is also technically a free for all for seats.. this is literally one big mob of people trying to queue up for a seat.. except at the prague airport they don't have enough people working.. so it is not a line. also they don't tell you what gate you're at until it's boarding time.. where at that location is where you go through security checks as well. (so how is the plane supposed to leave on time) so naturally the plane was running late.. it was time to board and there were still people getting off. once we were finally all boarded, there was one extra person aboard who was not on their list. SCARY. anyways they kicked him off (how'd he get on the plane??) and then rechecked all the seats in the surrounding area and overhead compartments.. for 'surprises' luckily there was none. but that held us up even longer for an evening flight.. where we needed to make it back to gatwick before the trains stopped. it was a stressful rush, but we somehow made it back at 1am to the sister's flat. and spent the remainder of the trip in London.. with a bit more shopping.. and resting. it was a good trip, not without it's disappointments, but a good trip still. it's not our 'last' overseas holiday.. but maybe just for awhile. i mean there is still much to be seen on this side of the world anyways.
so in addition to the whole photography and cinematography thing, i've been dabbling in graphic design, from wedding paper goods, to prints TO BE FRAMED AND HUNG ON UR WALL. all made with love. my friends have been my test subjects.. as recently that's been their gifts. HERE'S A PRINT. I MADE THIS.
you're probably wondering where i've been.. so here's the obligatory dramatic short. we were under contract to sell our house, went under contract to buy a house, went on vacation in September and had a good time in Greece and even better time in Turkey. 2 weeks after we returned.. we sold our house, the day after... i got laid off, we cancelled the contract on purchasing said new home. in one day went from future plans known to jobless and technically homeless all at the same time. sounds scary right? ok so i probably thought so myself at first too. but really it has just changed things completely. finally giving me that slim chance on doing something different. something creative. something i've ultimately wanted to do. i mean srsly who really wants to test software and programs every day. i mean it's work. and work is good. and my old job had the best coworkers evar. so for those days after when i was sentimental and sad.. it was because of them. also luckily for us we were able to lease back our house from the new owners. and i went on pursuing photography/graphic design/ styling/cinematography over the last few months. it may be going slowly, but steady enough for an upstart.
now it's march, i video'd my first wedding, then second, turned 30, got some new equipment, and moving into a new house.. things are looking better and brighter each day. resets can be good man.
