FALL ACROSS THE POND

This Fall I did not have a chance to head upstate and pick apples or get away to do any number of Fall activities.  SO, when I arrived to Geneva I was blown away with the beauity of the Fall in Switzerland. The Fall experience was EPIC!!!

Happy Fall!!!

Mel

We HEART Geneva

Last week G & I took a trip to Geneva, for a bit of girl time and decor time.  I will say Geneva did not disappoint.  WE hit up a few thrift shops and had a day trip out into the country.  Ginger and I about fainted when we came into contact with a thrift that had more to offer in rugs, then one could image, for very LOW prices.  

Here are a few of my favorite pics so far….

GOTTA LOVE THOSE ALPS

MEL

UP IN THE AIR

FLYING OUT OF CALIFORNIA AT SUNSET IS DREAMY. TAKE A LOOK.......

HAPPY FLYING!!!!

Summer Magic

When you're a kid summer can not come soon enough, and summer days are wonderfully long.  As the mama, my goal is to fill our days with a bit of discovery, magic, and above all fun.  After all, summer comes and goes too quickly.......

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AZ : QUICK GETAWAY

Last weekend the Rev. had a wedding to perform in AZ. The timing was just right, since the weather is breaking and our family was happy to see us, if just for a few hours. I was pretty excited for the wedding weekend, because truth be told I had NEVER actually been to Care Free or Desert Mountain Resorts. I am from the Valley, but this was my first time. 

The resort and scenery did not disappoint, and with a wacky week ahead of us, this was just the right time to stop and smell the 

cactus.  The sunsets and views were mesmerizing.  I had forgotten how captivating AZ's big sky can be, and you literally feel as though you are in a desert snow globe. If the views weren't enough, an AZ storm rolled though. The cloud formations were incredible. 

The wedding was beautiful. The Rev. and I had a great time, enjoying the views, making new friends, and connecting with a place we are from. 

Mil Besos,

Mel

The Summer Light

Since I am from AZ, I am always drawn toward the light. I love the light that creeps into our home early in the morning and lingers in the kitchen until 7:30 PM during long summer days. Last week the kids and I were invited to a private lake upstate. We arrived around 5:30, just in time to watch the sunset slowly over the course of two hours.  The light was magical!

I don't know about you, but as the sun fades earlier each day as we approach September, I get a little sad. The end of summer reminds us another full Fall is about to begin and my Ninos are growing much to quickly. Enjoy the last few summer days ahead. 

Besos,

Mel

Maine & Back

The Rev. and I are finally back to NYC. Sorry we have been a bit MIA around Mel & Liza. Rest assured we have some great event ideas coming up and much more. For today here are a few of my favorite pics of Maine. 

 Have you ever visited Maine?  It is truly as idyllic as the film Charlottes Web and beyond. 

CATSKILLS HOT SPOT

The Rev. and I are away for a little vaca up in the Hudson River Valley. If you don't know of the area, it is a must!!! We are feeling very relaxed and my "to do list," has been IGNORED. Now that we are heading into week two of vacation, it is time to do a little work, so when September hits I will be prepared.

 A little work a day keeps the CRA CRA away. 

While we have been away, our meals have been exceptional. We are living our "Farm to Table" dream.  Each morning we head down the mountain pick up an espresso and then to Story Farms for produce, eggs, and cheese. 

In addition to the wonderful food, wild flowers are growing everywhere. Next week on my to-do list is to stake out my favorite local floral farms in the Woodstock area. I can't wait!

Now, I will let you in on a little secreto: if you are planning on making your way up the Hudson, my numero UNO favorite place to eat is....

The West Coast Tour: Seattle Part Uno

Last week the Ninos and I took a quick trip to visit my sister in Seattle. We had never traveled to WA before and were not sure what to expect. My sister, being the fabulous host she is, planned a weekend of relaxing beach time that engaged our curiosity. 

After a quick bite of chowder we headed to the Seattle Aquarium. If you have little ones with curious minds, this is definitely the place you want to hit next time you're in Seattle. 

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Summer Survival: A Quick Trip to AZ

The ninos and I have been on a whirlwind tour of the West. We began our journey in San Diego (dreamy beaches & perfecto weather), then on to Disneyland, and now we are taking a respite in the desert for a few days before we head to Seattle. 

During our excursion I came down with a terrible virus, which lead to vertigo, and I landed in the ER to get my head figured out, all very exciting.  Now that I am in AZ, I am taking time to stop and smell the roses, oops, I mean cactus. The Rev. insisted I take it easy, which does not come naturally, and I have taken his advice and took the day to walk along my favorite desert spot, the 

Wind Caves, just a few miles away from my parents' home.

Check out my favorite AZ spot.....

Traveling con Niños: San Diego

The Rev. and I are on the West Coast for a week or so, taking in the rays and having some family time. When traveling with Ninos, I always prefer to travel JetBlue. The seats, accommodations, and service is just lovely. I don't know about you, but when I am traveling with little ones, the experience can be a bit overwhelming. 

via Life Magazine (Shirley McClain)

My solution to keep the stress level to a minimum is to always pack light, have the Ninos in charge of their own luggage, and have plenty of snacks loaded with protein. The kids are always excited to travel, so at times their energy level can be off the charts, at least for me anyway. 

The Roof Top Garden: Gramercy Park

A few months back I told you all we have begun planting on our roof top. My expectations were low. I thought it would be a great project for the Ninos, and who knows-- maybe we will grow something successfully. 

To my surprise, we have actually grown food we enjoy eating. We have a variety of green beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and the list goes on…. Check it out, we are quite proud of our roof-top garden. Not bad for beginners…

Summer Pack Away

The niños and I are packing up and getting ready to head west. Before we hit the road, I want to be prepared, especially when traveling with little ones. 

Step Uno: Pack Light & Well……

Flea Market Finds & Happy Homecoming

After nearly a month of being out of town, we are finally HOME!!!  The trip was wonderful, with so many happy reunions with old friends, reminiscing while strolling through our old neighborhoods and revisiting our favorite restaurants.  But the four weeks we spent in Europe were full of emotional roller coaster riding, too, since we were so nervous about Jady's oral exams and thesis defense at the theological faculty at Humboldt.  After all of this work-- years of reading and studying and then writing and editing his thesis-- the whole PhD comes down to passing these comps at the end... so hey, no pressure:)  We had the best time celebrating together after he passed, and now we're just getting used to the weight and wondering having been lifted.  It's over, and now he's Dr. Koch!

I know I've been posting a lot about this whole doctoral degree adventure, which has juuuuuust about nothing to do with what Mel & I normally share on the blog:)  Since Jady's degree is what brought us to Germany and enabled us to live in Europe for as long as we did, and because I'm so proud of him and this major accomplishment he has just finished, it's such a huge part of our lives that I felt like I had to share it with you all.  And also, it makes sense of how little I've been able to post lately!

We did a pretty good job of not loading up our suitcases *too* much by buying things on our trip, but I was thrilled to get to take a trip back to a flea market we used to visit in Berlin on Sunday afternoons.  The Mauerpark, situated in a narrow field where the Berlin wall used to stand, is a crazy combination of antiques, crafts, cold war memorabilia and straight up junk.  The whole thing feels a little seedy, but it's worth pushing your way through the eclectic crowds for the chance of discovering some great finds.  This time I went back with a purpose-- to find the Moroccan guy with a stand full of pretty, colorful bowls trimmed in silver.  I bought one of these bowls years ago when we lived in Berlin and always meant to go back for more.  

The one I have is kind of a medium sized serving bowl in one of my favorite pale turquoise shades of blue.  

Thankfully, our guy was still there, right where he used to be!  I knew I couldn't manage to schlepp home a suitcase full of enormous pottery, so I focused on the tiniest bowls and tried not to look at the fun serving pieces.

In the end I was proud that I restrained myself and thrilled to bring home a few little dishes in a variety of blues.  The two sizes would be perfect for putting out nuts, sauces or dips-- but I'm also tempted to steal one or two of them to hold earrings on my dresser...

xo

Liza