champagne bubbles

I think...

2012-01-29T16:20:00.000-08:00

...that an apple with some almond butter, cucumber slices sprinkled with salt, and San Pellegrino is one of the loveliest afternoon snacks you can have.

...that Ikea was designed to test the limits of human sanity. I swear that place drives me bonkers.

...that fresh flowers are unnecessary when you have stunning eucalyptus branches all around

...that Sherlock is one of the best damn shows around.

...that it's really good we left Berkeley when we did.

...that I made I really, really, really good decision marrying this man. He's so good to me.

...that my hot pink shoes make getting back in shape somewhat more exciting.

...that it's time for me to sign off the computer and enjoy the rest of the day with my man.

Happy Sunday, friends.

This Week...

2012-01-26T07:13:00.000-08:00

...has been intense.

1. our new door mat 2. my breakfast of choice lately 3. obsessively working on the violet 4. my commute (alcatraz)

It may not look like it from these pictures, but things have been going crazy in my life. I'm in need of a small vacation badly. A couple of days away with Damir would be nice. We could go to the snow and cozy up in a cabin for a night or two, play cards and drink hot chocolate with Baileys. That sounds amazing. But I'll just keep dreaming, for now. This is a huge year for us and we need to stay focused. I feel a little bit like I may be hitting a breaking point — and I'm in need of a solid routine in my life that involves waking up really early (more on this later) and getting more things done. For one, the Olympics are coming up so quickly (ahh!) and Damir has really stepped things up this year, so I'm making it a priority of mine to make sure to cook good, wholesome, healthy food for him all the time. What you put into your body = what you get out of it, right? The good news is this weekend is supposed to be beautiful and I plan to spend as much of it outside as possible.

A few things on the internet:

// The Violet's Winter launch went brilliantly and we were totally overwhelmed with how positive everyone's feedback has been. Thanks for that, you guys. We've got a free download for you on the site right now, if you happened to like Ashlee's {Live} 2012 piece. :)

// Here's a recipe for my very favorite marinated olives — the ones that converted Damir into an olive-lover. They're a little spicy, fyi. Also, check out this kale and burrata bruschetta that I am obsessed with.

// Damir's on twitter and Facebook! I'd love it if you could support him in anyway. :)

// Jenni posted about these awesome photography tips delivered to your inbox. I immediately signed up. What a cool service!

And now I'm off to get ready for work. Because I've really sucked at getting dressed properly this week. Thank goodness for lipstick and working in an office where business apparel is unnecessary.

The Violet | Winter 2012

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's up!

This issue was a labor of love, really.

I love this magazine wholeheartedly

We have an amazing team that has come together for this sweet magazine and I am truly so grateful for them. We had to put together rather quickly—and with my move, wedding, new job, and other massive life changes, it's kind of a miracle that it came together at all.

Thanks to my wonderful managing editor, copy editor and contributors. I'm so lucky to know you all and I admire each and every one of you for your talents and your passion in life! Love you, seriously.

Hope you enjoy, friends!

The Violet | Winter 2011

Hope you have a cozy weekend!

2012-01-20T15:25:00.000-08:00

The rain has finally hit us. Big time. It's perfect. My plants are happy and so am I. Last night we heard the rain pounding on our roof and the eucalyptus nuts falling like crazy (my favorite sounds in this house as we're surrounded by towering trees).

Hoping you all have a wonderful, cozy weekend with people you love. The Violet's winter issue is launching next week so that's how I'll spend my weekend (happily).

For the weekend:

I'm obsessed with this blog and the new shop that just launched. I want everything.

Spaghetti aglio, olio, e peperoncino that I made for my job.

If you haven't read this yet, you should. It took me a while to get to it, but it is changing my world. I studied this stuff in college, but his writing makes these issues undeniable.

A Cup of Jo's travel posts are getting me itching to go on a trip.

Ann Marie's blog is just magical. Her photography and writing are so thoughtful. Another one of those reminders to slow down and savor life.

This is a very important post on The Violet. It means a lot to us so if you would take time to read it, I'd be most appreciative!

XO,

Camilla

Life is as sweet as a box of chocolates.

2012-01-19T21:18:00.000-08:00

Currently eating See's candies (only a couple) and watching Human Planet–Mountains with my husband in our home. It's raining outside and the candles are lit.

On my mind right now:

Some days I think simple, slow lives that are dependent on the natural world are the way to go. maybe not entirely, but in part. it's good to know where our resources–food, water, energy–come from so that we have more respect for them.
The world is an unbelievably beautiful place. I spent part of my evening on my favorite blog catching up on all of their adventures. These two are some of the bravest, most inspiring people I know.
I think it's really interesting how so many people's identity is connected to what they do for a living. It takes courage to really face our insecurities and get to know ourselves and our dreams, worries, fears, hopes. I think that we all need to be brave and find out who we are outside of work. It's a process that requires active effort, but the outcome is worth it. When all your identity eggs aren't in one basket, I think it's easier to find peace, and life becomes more fun.
It's almost Friday, and that makes me breathe a little easier.
This rain we're getting is so good for my soul and for my garden. It feels good, smells good, sounds good. It's nice to know that winter is finally here.

Random? Perhaps, but my mind kind of works like that. And I like it.

Have a lovely night, day, moment–wherever you may be when you're reading this!

[photo by Kimberly Geneviève–one of the many incredible photos from our engagement shoot]

[GIVEAWAY] Shabby Apple "Spanish Steps" Dress — CLOSED

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I've done a giveaway on here, so I'm pretty excited about this one.

I've been a fan of Shabby Apple since I got into this whole blogging world. I love their approach to clothing. It's so feminine and exciting. Today you get the chance to win the "Spanish Steps" Dress! It's one of my favorites! I love how delicate and pretty this dress is. It has a special quality that reminds me of a great vintage dress.

To enter, like Shabby Apple on Facebook, visit their site, then come back here and tell me what your favorite item on their site is (I can't wait to find out!).

For an extra entry follow Shabby Apple on Twitter and leave a comment letting me know that you did so!

You have until next Wednesday, January 25th to enter.

This giveaway is for U.S. readers only! Sorry international friends! I'll make it up to you soon. :)

Good luck, friends!

XO

UPDATE: Lacey is the winner!

Lacey, please send an email to salem.camilla[at]gmail[dot]com. Congrats!

Thanks for playing, everybody.

One month down, a life time to go :)

2012-01-17T20:02:00.000-08:00

First of all, let me just say: no, we are not gonna be counting down and celebrating every month of our marriage (publicly) but this first month has been quite a doozy, so a post seemed necessary.

Tonight we had our first married night out to dinner together. Yep, in a month we have only seen each other a handful of times and I like to think that keeps things feeling new (finding the positive in our situation).

My favorite parts of being married so far:

living with my best friend who happens to be a real hunk
having said hunk pick me up from the ferry/bus everyday after work
his positivity and how it picks me up out of any foul mood i'm in

because then I feel so lucky to get him the rest of my life

planning and dreaming up all of the fun things we get to do together
aaaaaand gardening together - so fun

To my dear, sweet husband,

Thanks for marrying me! You're awesome.

Photo by The Manchiks

And another week begins...

2012-01-16T06:56:00.000-08:00

Another week is beginning.

Even though I've been working at this job for over two months now I still haven't accepted the fact that weekends only consist of two days (whose idea was that, anyways?) and I rarely get to be in my home while it is daylight.

The good news is I'm doing what I love day in and day out. The bad news is what I love happens to be food and with the new job, the stress from the wedding/move, and the holidays, I've managed to gain 6 pounds or so. It's not so much, and it could be much, much more but I'm going to have to do something about that (like find time in the day workout).

So this week and probably next week it's going to be all about walking everywhere, finding time to do yoga, eating healthy meals like this one (so good!), and drinking a ton of water. A little shift in habits post holiday season craziness is necessary, anyways.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Oh, by the way, Damir comes home today and I haven't seen him in almost 3 weeks!

[view from my home as I'm getting ready for work – do you understand why I don't want to leave it?]

[Our Wedding] Invitations

2012-01-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

Our invitations were a tough point in the wedding planning process.
I wanted something really specific: simple, clean, and representative of our relationship.
Looking for people and places to design and print our invitations proved to be a worthless endeavor.
I can't believe the prices some of those places charge — what a joke!
So I took on the task myself with the wise graphic guidance of my mom.
I designed our invitation (and all the pieces within it) and we went to Center for the Book for printing.
I'm a big fan of letterpress, and was thrilled that we were able to find an affordable option.
We chose the green color because it's Damir's favorite.
And the hand symbol in my culture is supposed to ward off the evil eye.
(It ended up working quite well)

Our invitations consisted of:
Invite
Helpful Info Card
RSVP & Addressed Envelope
This Marriage by Rumi

I'm so thrilled with the simplicity of our invitations.
They're not too fancy or pretentious, much like our marriage.
And I'm grateful for my mom for her help and guidance (and sometimes nagging) along the way!

This Marriage

By Rumi

May these vows and this marriage be blessed.

May it be sweet milk,

this marriage, like wine and halvah.

May this marriage offer fruit and shade

like the date palm.

May this marriage be full of laughter,

our every day a day in paradise.

May this marriage be a sign of compassion,

a seal of happiness here and hereafter.

May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,

an omen as welcome

as the moon in a clear blue sky.

I am out of words to describe

how spirit mingles in this marriage.

Shedding Old Skin and Creating a New One

2012-01-10T21:33:00.000-08:00

Many creatures do it.
They shed their outer layers and grow a new one.

Humans do it too.
In fact, it's one of my favorite things to do.

I'm a big believer in recreating myself to better portray who I really am inside.
Often we get side tracked and distracted by the happenings of everyday life.
Work, love, what the media and other blogs tell us to do.
But inside, we seem to have the same values, hopes, dreams, beliefs, great loves.
It's just a matter of peeling back the layers and showing those things to the world.

Lately I've been feeling like I need to shed my outer layer.
So much has happened.
So much has changed.
And even though they're all good things – or maybe, especially because they're all good things, I feel a need to strip down a bit. To simplify. To recreate. To watch, listen and learn.

Someone once told me that the things we admire in others are actually qualities that we possess.
We're recognizing those similar qualities in another person and appreciating them.
Even though we can't appreciate them in ourselves.
I don't know why but this concept is so liberating to me.
It means that when I admire someone for their appreciation for the outdoors and their ability to put down the work/computer/phone/tv/distraction, I have those qualities as well.
And I can show them to the world because they're already in me.

These days I want to work in my garden.
And explore this beautiful, beautiful area we live in.
And sit on our porch drinking tea and reading.
I want to write – oh, how I want to write just because I have so much to say.
I want to have our friends over for parties.
And shake up cocktails and laugh like a crazy person.
I want to cook colorful, bright, wholesome meals from scratch.
And fall in love with my new husband over and over again.
(which will happen regularly because he's magical)
I want to wake up before the sun and stretch my body.
I want to care for it, and honor it, and celebrate it.

We're lucky creatures, we are.
We are able to make the choice to shed our layers and create something new.

My Favorite Breakfast

2012-01-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

These days I wake up excited to get out of bed and eat breakfast.
(Should I be embarrassed because of that? I'm not...)

My very favorite way to start the day involves:
a green monster
a piece of toast with nonfat cottage cheese, cracked black pepper, and tapatio
green tea goji berry (and of course my tea tag wisdom to start the day)
and an orange, because they're in season, and I keep getting sick

What's your favorite way to start the day?

[ps. wedding posts coming soon! i just need to find time/daylight to take a picture of our invitations!]

it's the little things

2012-01-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

My home certainly isn't where I'd like it to be aesthetically (yet) but I am aware of the fact that these things take time. We still have a couch to order, and to somehow figure out the nightmare storage situation in our bedroom and bathroom, but those things will come!

For now, I'm focused on how much I love my West Elm laquer tray with my beautiful carnations and candles, my simple ikea coffee table that provides the perfect storage for all of our board games, and my Yogi tea in my favorite mug. It really is the little things in life that mean the most. I know that's cliché to say, but it's true.

Happy Sunday everyone!
(best day of the week)

P.S. Feel like some apple cider to warm up your day? Head over to The Violet blog for a bright recipe.

How is it already January 7th?

2012-01-07T09:35:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or are the days going by way too quickly.

I mean, in 10 days I'll be officially married for one month - yet I've managed to spend all of 6 or so days with my new husband? So strange...

Maybe it's because life is so busy with my job, the Winter issue of The Violet getting ready to launch, and still getting settled into our new place.

The good news in all of this? Damir comes home in one week and I'm learning how to be even more of a multi-tasker than I already was. Nice!

I want to do a little something here on the blog. Now that my dream wedding is over I want to share with you all of the elements of it, from invitations to choosing my dress to our See's candies favors for our guests. I felt kind of weird about sharing it all before, because I wanted to make sure everything actually happened and worked out, but now I think I'm cool with it. Hope you don't mind!

Now I'm off to enjoy my Saturday. First stop, the grocery store!

Ciao.

[picture of me by Morgan when we rang in the New Year together in LA. I'd kill for that weather right now...what's happening to me?]

Your Cold & Flu Cures! (thanks for these, btw)

2012-01-02T21:16:00.000-08:00

When I got sick the week before my wedding, all of your recommendations were beyond helpful and it worked! I felt much, much better by the day of my wedding. As promised I'm bringing all of your cold and flu cures together in one big list, so that just in case you get brought down by a winter bug, you're covered!

Thanks again for being amazing readers and help me out when I really needed it.

Love you all!

Zicam, zicam, zicam
Sleep, sleep, sleep
Oregano Oil: apparently this is really really nasty but it works
Sleep and taking two alka seltzer tablets on the day of the event
Hot toddy
Rescue remedy from Whole Foods
Light exercise
Take a thin pair of cotton socks, get them wet, stick them in the freezer for ten minutes, put them on, put thick wool socks over those, and get in bed. Your body will start trying to warm your feet up, and that's what gets your blood flowing.
Goldenseal root (GROSSEST THING EVER)
Gypsy tea: honey, lemon and top shelf whisky (this sounds amazing)
Jamba Juice Cold Buster smoothie
Drink water so that you pee the three C's (clear, copious, and consistent)
Advil Cold and Sinus (last resort)
Neti pot (have you guys tried this before??)
Hot bath with epsom salt and eucalyptus/lavender oil
Green monsters
Eat a clove of raw garlic or chop it on top of things like popcorn
Have a glass of hot water with half a teaspoon of tumeric and 2 tablespoons of honey
Afrin
Ayervedic recipe: In a small pot boil 2 halved lemons, peppercorns maybe 10, about an inch of grated ginger, and if you like add honey
Positive thinking :) love this...
Benadryl
Spinach, carrot, parsely juice or wheatgrass juice
Z-pack

I love that so many of these ideas are natural and holistic! You guys rock!

Moving on to 2012...

2012-01-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

I think 2012 is going to be quite a year.
Though it seems kind of hard to top last year, I have faith that this is going to be our year.

So many amazing things happened at the end of 2011:
* new job writing about food all day
* new home (with no sex neighbors)
* new husband
* Damir winning 2 silver medals at European Championships because he's an effing rockstar
* our dream wedding coming true

But I think that this year has a lot in store for us. It's our first year as a married couple and we have the London Olympics to look forward to, getting our new little home in order, and a whole bunch of adventures.

Onto resolutions:

I'm a huge fan of any and all opportunities to re-evaluate and take control of things. I love the feeling that comes with being resolved to make changes for the better in my life. And over the past few years I've made many, many changes. This year I want to...

Take creative projects seriously. Make things happen.
Hike, garden, read, play, be.
Find time for yoga/exercise in my new schedule.
Set aside time for just writing.
Be adventurous in the kitchen.
Show people that I love them.
Radiate joy and confidence.

I'm ready for you, 2012!!!

For more resolutions from The Violet team, click here.

2011 Was Magical, Indeed.

2011-12-30T23:04:00.000-08:00

I rang in 2011 in Paris with family and good friends and it was wonderful.

I made Damir some good luck cupcakes for his last season as a Cal Bear.

I became completely hooked on making pizza from scratch.

I got a job at lululemon and fell in love with yoga.

There were tough times, yes, and my family and friends were there for me throughout.

I launched The Violet and now we have 3 issues out!

The Green Monster continued to be an important part of my life. :)

I started cooking lots of delicious food, like shrimp with garlic, tomatoes and parsley.

I went to Minnesota to watch Damir kick serious ass at NCAA's.

Damir and I traveled down to LA and I learned how to pack good food for a road trip.

We harvested oregano and lavender from my parents' house.

And I practiced my gardening skills.

I watched the most wonderful twins in the world grow up and become wonderful toddlers.

I traveled to Slovenia, Bosnia, and Croatia for the third time and it was epic.

These two brilliant, beautiful, inspiring ladies came to visit me in Berkeley!

My honey wowed me with his crepe-making abilities.

Damir carved his first pumpkin...and loved it. (His is in the middle.)

I fell in love with how beautiful Marin is.

My amazing friends threw me a bridal shower.

My mom and I cooked an amazing Thanksgiving dinner (even though I was brutally hungover)

We had our engagement pictures taken 2.5 weeks before our wedding. :)

We bought a shrub of a Christmas tree that I loved so much.
I got a job at YumSugar as an assistant editor.
I finally moved from Berkeley after 6+ years of living there.

...

and then I married the love of my life and it was perfect.

Thanks for the memories, 2011.

You were the best, ever.

Sparkling Champagne Cupcakes on YumSugar

2011-12-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

Had a ton of fun making these the other day.
Go on over to YumSugar and grab the recipe!

Seriously...go!

Just so you know...

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

We've got some delicious recipes for New Years Eve up on The Violet today by Molly.
Make sure to go check it out!

Christmas Eve Breakfast

2011-12-29T22:39:00.000-08:00

this christmas eve we started the day off in my most favorite way!
we had algerian pancakes (made by my dad) and hot coffee under the heaters on my parents' porch.
it was my in law's first algerian pancake experience and it's safe to say it went very, very well.
a bit of shrub/tree decorating was involved as well.

there's just something about family time that makes me feel whole inside.

delicious algerian pancakes don't hurt, either. :)

p.s. that last picture is of our sweet, new home and also, i've decided that the sound of a dishwasher running is one of my most favorite things in the world. how have i lived so long without one?

Life is sweet: Holidays

2011-12-28T20:24:00.000-08:00

The holidays were delicious, to say the least...

[follow me on instagram: camillaleila]

Krompirusa...and a little bit about life

2011-12-28T20:11:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law is the master of Bosnian cooking. Specifically, I am referring to her ability to make dough, stretch it paper thin, fill it with all kinds of goodies like ground beef and onions, or cottage cheese, or potatoes (like we see below).

While she was here, I swear she would wake up at the break of dawn and start cooking and we would all wake up to glorious savory pastries for breakfast (one of my favorite things ever).

I managed to capture the process on film. Enjoy. I know i did! ;)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This morning I dropped Damir off at the bus to the airport at 4:30 in the morning. He's officially off to training camp...again. We have yet to spend a New Year's Eve together. The bright side of this sad fact is that we have something new and lovely to look forward to. A first among a lifetime of firsts!

We bought our first piece of furniture for our new home together: a simple, black, $40 Ikea coffee table that I am head over heels in love with. I've lit the candles on it and I'm watching The Holiday tonight all by my lonesome. But you know what? I'm surprisingly okay with it. I think I needed some alone time. Even though I'm already missing my beyond handsome, wonderful husband, this alone time is good for me.

Today I also baked cupcakes for work. Be sure to check YumSugar tomorrow to find out what I made.

xoxo,

C

We like to garden.

2011-12-27T21:57:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it may be freezing cold outside.
But you better believe we're going to try to grow our own damn vegetables.
While Damir's mom was here, we took advantage of her rockstar gardening skills and had her help us plant our first bed. We planted lettuces, onions, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, garlic, and a bunch of other stuff that I can't really remember...but hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised when it all starts popping up. Oh, and I definitely stuck an onion in the ground in hopes that it would spawn a bunch of green onions.

To be honest, I'm not sure if anything will grow – though I've had some success in the past. The weather is just so unpredictable these days, and I'm worried about our little seeds out there. I plan to visit them every morning before work.

Tonight I got a taste of what it's like to harvest from our own garden. My dad set up a little herb garden for us before we moved in. We've got thyme, rosemary, and oregano so far. And being able to walk outside and pick a sprig of fresh thyme for our portobello mushroom burgers tonight was just refreshing and lovely. I can't wait to harvest more!

Current events and a walk through the dark forest...

2011-12-27T14:38:00.000-08:00

Last night my in laws left.

Tomorrow Damir leaves for 2+ weeks for a high-altitude training camp.

And I'll have our new little apartment to myself which is bittersweet really.

It was such an amazing few weeks having everyone around us - sharing our first Christmas together,

working on our little garden, having our dream wedding, exploring the bay area...

It's been a crazy month and a half, indeed.

But today was the first day since I can remember that I just was in my element.

Today I woke up, made tea, watched the news, got to work, watered our new garden, and now we're off to Berkeley for a few errands. I'm grateful to be working from home these next three days and in my spare time I'm doing all that I can to get our place in order. I know these things take time, and I'm willing to give it time.

I've got so much to share here on the blog (seriously, I have a list of posts I want to write up).

For now, I'm going to show you some scenes from our very cold walk through the dark forest.

I love seeing this place at different times of the year – this time, we even found ice and scored a beautiful bunch of bay leaves!

P.S. I don't know if you guys have noticed, but The Violet's blog has been on fire lately! Be sure to check it out when you have a moment :)

Merry Christmas to All!

2011-12-24T22:44:00.000-08:00

Today was one of those really busy, but wonderful days.

I'm sitting in bed right now with the heater blasting and Damir is playing video games,

getting some much deserved man-time (he's been with 3 girls nonstop for a while now).

The day started with breakfast on my parents porch under the heaters with my in-laws.

We ate Algerian pancakes and enjoyed them fully.

We finally decorated our little shrub of a Christmas tree that I'm so in love with,

and now it looks quite proud and happy to be adorned with ornaments.

Then Damir and I ran around getting last minute presents for people, and running quick errands,

like a real married couple – it was so fun.

We came back and got to work on our garden. We planted one of the beds full of goodies.

My mother-in-law is a brilliant gardener, so we took full advantage of her being here. ;)

We finished the night with lots of manhattans, cracked crab and lamb chops (surf 'n' turf), gift exchanging, and a roaring fireplace.

Now we're all way too full and happily cuddled up in our beds.

I plan to re-watch the Jimmy Fallon SNL episode because it was that amazing,

and thank my lucky stars – and God – for all of my many blessings.

Because life is really, really good right now.

Oh...and we're wishing all of you a very sweet holiday with people that you love and lots and lots of delicious food. ;)

Wedding Instagrams...Obvi.

2011-12-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

Just because...

clockwise:

*rocking our new gold bands (we kept things simple and we love them)

*my little Fifi, all dressed up like an Algerian princess

*the view from the penthouse the next morning – FOG!

*the very handsome men in my life playing pool together

that last picture makes me so happy I can't even stand it!

instagram username - camillaleila

[on nesting]

2011-12-22T22:35:00.000-08:00

So now that I officially tied the knot with the most handsome man I know,
I can't help feel this desperate and undeniable urge to start the nesting process.

We're so fortunate to be living in a sweet one bedroom apartment next to my parents house.
They are generously letting us live here while Damir trains for the London Olympics,
which works for me because that means I won't be completely alone while he travels,
and we're able to save money and have a semi-peaceful first year of marriage.

Let's break this down, shall we?

The plus sides:

the most incredible view of the bay, seriously.
dishwasher (this is probably my favorite thing ever)
huge garden
free and easy parking
laundry in our basement
getting to curl up in bed with my husband every night

The down sides:

almost zero storage – we need to get creative here (tips would be appreciated!!)
...that's all I can think of

So overall this is a really, really great thing.

But I feel a little anxious to get to setting things up just the way I like them.

I keep having to remind myself that this is a process and it's okay if things are a little crazy,

for a little while, at least.

I mean, we're newlyweds, our house doesn't have to be perfect, yet.

Right?

A Preview of Our Wedding

2011-12-20T18:06:00.000-08:00

I simply couldn't resist sharing this preview of our wedding photos on my blog.
I loved every aspect of my wedding – really, I did. I wouldn't change a thing.
But I especially loved my choice of photographers (and this was very important to me).
We worked with Yuriy and Julia Manchik (Yuriy Manchik Photographers) and it was a dream.
They were so incredibly helpful to me in preparing for the wedding and what needed to happen.
And even more than that, I was so excited to finally meet them after having been long time blog friends.
This preview captures the beauty and the joy that I felt during that whole day.
I am so thrilled with these pictures I can hardly stand it! I started crying when I saw them.
I feel really lucky to have been able to work with a couple that I admire and appreciate.
And I highly, highly, highly recommend working with them if you have any upcoming photography needs.

I mean it.

P.S. I love my husband.

All photos taken by Yuriy Manchik Photographers

I have a hot husband...officially

2011-12-19T21:58:00.001-08:00

;)

We did it!
We got married!
And it was my dream wedding.
It was so wonderful and imperfect and nontraditional.
I can't wait to share more about it with you.

But the best part of it all?
I get to crawl into bed tonight with my amazing husband.

(ps thank you so much for all of your tips on how to get better. I'm going to round them up for you! I felt a lot better by the day of the wedding so thank you!)

Thanks for the pic, Graham!

i need your help!!!!

2011-12-13T23:27:00.000-08:00

It's 11:30 pm, 3 days before our wedding and i'm sitting here clutching a cup of ginger, lemon, honey tea wrapped up in a blanket. I can't stop sneezing and my nose won't stop running.

Yes.

Even though I took more emergen-c this week than I ever have before and took every precaution I could think of, this stupid stupid stupid freaking cold got to me.

So I want some tips. How can I kick this in less than 3 days? I've got goldenseal (I almost vomited choking that sh*t down), wellness formula (smells like death), emergen-c, water, tea...I don't know what else I can do.

I guess the bottom line is, no matter what, on Saturday I'll be marrying the love of my life. Who cares if I sneeze through my vows, right?

Right???

our little christmas bush.

2011-12-13T07:35:00.000-08:00

I couldn't pass this little cutie up at whole foods.
I mean, look at it! It was the last table top tree, and it was all alone, and nobody wanted it.
It's just about the cutest little tree/bush I ever did see.
And now it happily has a home in our new apartment.

Can't wait to move in there on Sunday!

4 days left! What?!?!?!

Holiday Live Giveaway!!!

2011-12-09T07:58:00.001-08:00

I don't normally blog about this sort of thing.
But I had to make sure you all knew what was going on today at my office!
Cause I think it's pretty flippin' cool.

PopSugar is hosting a LIVE gift guide show with lots of fun giveaways!
So I think you should all tune in and try to win a little something for the holidays.
Plus, it'll be a cool to meet the editors of this awesome network, right?

Anyways tune in if you can!
Click here for more info.

Oh...and don't forget to follow YumSugar on Facebook and Twitter.
We also love Instagram (username: heyyumsugar) and Pinterest!
It's pretty much where I'm talking all things food, these days.

Best Movie of All Time

2011-12-04T20:38:00.001-08:00

Midnight In Paris.

No joke, I've seen it 5 times in theaters.

I just saw it again today, cause it's playing in our local theater.

And I already ordered it on blu-ray.

I'm in love with this movie – the music, the cinematography, the story line, the cast.

If you haven't seen it, you should.

For those of you who have seen it, you know how totally bitchy Rachel McAdam's character is?

I feel like I can get like that sometimes, and I always am reminded not to ever be THAT horrible by this movie.

It also makes me realize I want to live in Paris in the 1920s.

And that I have a crush on Hemingway. Sexy.

P.S. Damir left for Poland today for an important race. Go Dugi!

Just want to say thanks...

2011-12-04T20:29:00.001-08:00

...for all your sweet comments on our engagement pictures
...for being awesome readers and getting excited with me about my upcoming wedding (less than 2 weeks!!)
...for putting really cool stuff out on the interwebs for me to get inspired by
...for reading my random scribbles and things – this blogging has really been therapeutic for me over the past few years
...for being my friends

instagram of my sister on moving day
i think it's so pretty.

ps. i'm using tumblr now to have a place to organize my instagrams visually.
it makes me really happy.
find it here.

Engagement Pictures...2.5 weeks before our wedding.

2011-11-29T06:54:00.000-08:00

Okay so we're a little bit late on the whole engagement pictures thing.
I know.
We're getting married in 2.5 weeks.
How did that come up so quickly?

But seriously, it was so fun working with Kim and Andre.
They're amazing people, first and foremost.
I can't wait to hang out with them more.
And I was really nervous in front of the camera.
I guess I prefer being behind the camera.
We were really awkward at first but they made us feel so good and relaxed.
It was a wonderful experience and I couldn't be happier with the results.
Also, they're the cutest team to watch in action.
I love how they work off of one another and support each other.
I highly, HIGHLY recommend working with them.

To see more photos, check out Kim's blog.
And follow their LA adventures here.

Photography by Kimberly Genevieve.

The Perennial Plate

2011-11-28T19:53:00.001-08:00

Have you guys heard of the Perennial Plate? My friend Vanessa tweeted about them a few weeks ago and now I'm completely obsessed.

It's a wonderful weekly documentary series all about socially responsible and adventurous eating. It's absolutely wonderful – one of those things that gives me serious champagne bubbles in my veins. I just love seeing people do what they love. And I love people who put themselves out there and create things. And I really really love the message behind all of their episodes. Educating people about food and food issues is high priority on my list!

Check out the video above – it's a funny little twitter montage, and be sure to watch the rest of the episodes (there are 81 in total!).

'Twas a Very Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-27T15:45:00.001-08:00

This year my mom and I pulled off our most delicious meal yet.

The turkey was incredible. Even better than last year's.

Once you go heritage, you never go back. (more on them here)

We had like 10 different sides that were flavorful and colorful.
The cheesecake...oh the cheesecake was to die for. I wish you could have tasted it.

The fire was roaring and there were beautiful flowers everywhere.

We made manhattan's just like my grandfather used to.

And I made another killer batch of cheese diablo wafers,

just like my nana used to.

It was really special.

And there is just SO much to be thankful for!

Past Thanksgivings:

2010

2009

first 8 pics taken with instagram.

username: camillaleila

From where I stand.

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

From where I stand...

Life is feeling a little out of control.
I've just moved out of my sweet Berkeley apartment that I lived in for 2 years.
At first I was a little bit sad.
But then my horrible neighbors decided to wake me up at 3 am for one final performance.
(If you don't know what I'm talking about, read this)
So now I'm nothing but thrilled.
My whole life is packed away in the basement.
Damir leaves on Wednesday for 2 and a half weeks and doesn't come back until 5 days before the wedding.
I'm getting used to what it means to have a full time job.
That is, weekends are the only time to really get anything done.
We get to move into our new little place in a couple of weeks.
Although we won't officially be living together until we're married.
So I'm currently living out of suitcases in my sister's room.
Sorry Kenza.

But right now, I'm curled up under a fuzzy blanket with a manhattan and the fire roaring at my parents house and all is lovely.

I'm going to be a bride!

2011-11-26T17:25:00.001-08:00

A couple of weeks ago my dear friend Leah organized a wonderful bridal shower for me.

Truthfully I didn't think I would be having a bridal shower because I'm doing things so nontraditionally with regards to the whole wedding. So it meant so much to me that she took the time and energy to gather all of my dearest friends together so they could meet before the wedding.

She made homemade chicken enchiladas, amazing salads, and even green monsters. There was lots of wine and we sat on her balcony and enjoyed laughs and stories together. My mom brought delicious cupcakes and gorgeous flowers. It was such a lovely time and I was really touched that everyone came out to get together. Morgan even flew up just for the occasion and I was so excited to get to spend some time with her!

It was so cool to be able to have all of the wonderful women in my life meet one another and I'm really happy that this little piece of tradition crept into my wedding.

Exactly 3 weeks until I'm a married woman!

"Change in all things is sweet." – Aristotle

2011-11-21T22:30:00.001-08:00

Right now I'm banking on Aristotle being correct.

(see above quote)

Because change is kind of nightmare right now for me.

There is just so much going on and it all snuck up so quickly.

Moving. Wedding. New Job (and everything that comes with it).

It's all really good stuff though and so I feel really blessed.

A few iphone shots lately:

Wintery nail polish and my engagement ring – soon to be a wedding ring.

My apartment is in boxes. I'm living out of a suitcase, essentially.

Grey, lacy tights that I love.

Little bits of Christmas all around.

Have a great week everybody!

Sometimes I close my eyes and imagine I'm in Paris.

2011-11-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Jamie Beck's Snapshots of Paris make me want to go back to my favorite city in the most exceptional way. I crave a cheese plate and a bottle of wine with my dad at Cafe de Flore on Blvd Saint Germain and I yearn for lunches at Le Danton. In fact, lately I my daydreams have consisted of moving there in, say, 3 to 5 years.

I wonder what Damir would think of that...

Jamie also makes me realize I really should take out my camera more, if for no other reason than to capture how sweet the things around me are.

image via From Me To You

Precious Bottle Stoppers

2011-11-18T15:30:00.000-08:00

How incredible are these bottle stoppers from RadLabs | New York?

I covet these.

Crazy Frenchies

2011-11-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies). Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.

I know Joanna already posted about them.

But I have probably watched this trailer 20 times.

We all know how much I love a good documentary.

And this one looks freaking amazing.

And freaking insane.

And also maybe a little bit stupid?

But the cinematography is completely stunning.

And my goodness, do I love the French language.

Thoughts?

'Tis the Season...

2011-11-17T20:09:00.001-08:00

I'm usually not one for wanting material things. But this year I find myself bookmarking things left and right. Here are some of my holiday wish list items. Prepare for another collage of things I want soon.

The Lost Art of Real Cooking.

Madewell Flowerlace Dress.

Potted Succulent.

Urbanears Headphones (white).

La Rochere Napolean Bee Goblets.

Topshop Tux Blazer.

What's on your holiday wish list this year?!

Thankful.

2011-11-15T21:28:00.001-08:00

With Thanksgiving just around the corner it seems fitting to write a thankful list. After all, I have so much to be thankful for these days. And so much coming up in the near future!

My new job. It's incredible. I'm blessed.
The cold weather we've been having. Fall is here!
Saturday Night Live on Hulu. Emma Stone was hilarious last weekend.
Live music.
That everybody was safe following the shooting at our school today.
My amazing friends that threw me a great bridal shower this weekend.
Lingerie. I have a newfound appreciation for slips. (Do you have favorites?)
My morning cup of trail mix.
Moving out of Berkeley in 2 weeks!
Marrying the love of my life in 4 weeks!
Thanksgiving!!! I'm so excited for our wonderful heritage turkey from last year.
Fairy lights...as always.

That's all for now! Pictures from this weekend coming soon. :)

xo,

Lately...(inspired by Stacey)

2011-11-10T23:41:00.001-08:00

I really loved this post of Stacey's.

So I decided to do one of my own...

{Lately}

* I've been way more adventurous with regards to trying new foods.

Last night, at Gather, I had rabbit meatballs in broth with stinging nettles.

Amazing.

* I've been eating those Cuties from Trader Joe's religiously.

* I'm trying really hard to get some kind of a routine going.

I want to be cooking most of my meals for myself still,

but I need to find my rhythm with this new job.

* I love this new job.

Seriously.

* I'm finishing up wedding details...it's coming so soon!

Today I got to try on my whole ensemble again.

I die. It's so amazing.

* We're getting excited for the big move at the end of the month to Marin.

No. More. Berkeley.

(It's bittersweet, really.)

* I really appreciate reading time on the subway.

* I really don't appreciate having to stand up for the entire commute.

And having trains stop underwater.
In earthquake country.

*My personal style is going to evolve with this job, that's for sure.

No more daily uniform of yoga pants and flannel shirts for me!

(Again, this is bittersweet...)

What are you up to, lately?

* * *

Just to let you know...

2011-11-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

...I'm in love with my new job.

I love what I'm doing.
I love the people I'm working with.
I love the office space - it's like something out of a movie.
I love my desk and I can't wait to make it pretty.
I love waking up early and making tea.
I love taking public transportation to the city, and reading on the train.
I love getting dressed for work and having a reason to look good.

It's quite wonderful and I feel very blessed.

Want to know what I'm doing?
I'm working over here as the assistant editor!

Right up my alley.
Lots of good recipe ideas over there, guys.
Be sure to check it out!

Happy Sunday!

2011-11-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

It's my favorite day of the week...
Fall is finally here...
We're going to go be with family today in Marin...
It's a holiday in our culture...
I had a wonderful evening last night with my soon-to-be hubby...
We ate burgers and drank cocktails and talked and laughed for hours...
I start my dream job tomorrow...

Basically life is good.
I hope it is for you as well. :)

Happy Sunday!

xo,
Cam

(some shots from breakfast on my parents' porch last Sunday
and my sweet, sweet cousin Fifi, singing to us)

Clear skin, here I come...

2011-11-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

I'm 24 years old (I'll be 25 in February) and my skin breaks out like a teenager. It's something I'm super self conscious about and it actually makes me really sad. Truth be told, I'm not very good about my skin. I sometimes forget to take my makeup off at night, and I haven't followed a strict skin care regimen...ever. I'm a picker. I know, it's so gross.

But now with a wedding coming up in a month and 2 weeks, and a new grown-up job, I figure it's time to...well...grow up. And with that comes clear skin. Here are some of the natural ways that I've found to be effective in this endeavor.

Coconut Oil - Although it may seem counter-intuitive to put oil on a break out, as it turns out, our skin breaks out because it is out of balance. And coconut oil helps with that. It also helps prevent premature aging and I am A-okay with that. The coconut oil above is the brand that I use and I'm crazy for it. I use it as an all-over moisturizer. Added bonus? It smells like a tropical vacation!
Water - Okay, you know I'm a huge proponent of drinking more water. Most people are somewhat dehydrated all day long. And water helps with a number of health issues, including skin. Read the {Be Well} article of The Violet for more info on why you should be drinking more water and some tips on how to do it! I'm obsessed with my Lifefactory glass water bottle (pictured above).
Strawberry - I read about this sweet tip when doing research about celebrity skin care secrets (a weird pastime). But anyways, it was too wonderful to pass up, so I gave it a try and I swear my skin glowed happily the next day. Take a bite out of an organic strawberry and then rub it all over your face. The seeds exfoliate and the strawberry is filled with antioxidants do wonderful things for your skin. Plus it's fun. And delicious.
Other things I'm trying are maintaining a MOSTLY vegan, unprocessed diet, drinking lots of green tea, and trying really hard not to pick. Oh! And of COURSE the green monster is back in my life :).

My skin is by no means perfect, yet, but I'm hoping with a steady regimen and healthy tricks, I'll be glowing by the wedding.

That time the Bay Area was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen...

2011-11-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

Here are last of the pictures from this past weekend.

We drove up to a park up at the top of Mount Tam and watched the beginning of the sunset.
I'd never been up there before so I was blown away by how stunning it was.
We could see everything. And it was all so breathtaking.

Listening to Wherever You Will Go by Charlene Soraia

* * *

I had a reader recently ask me to write up a post on the cultural differences between me and Damir.

I thought this was a really interesting inquiry because we have kind of an unusual situation.

I'll break it down for you first:

I am half Algerian, one quarter Irish and one quarter Italian and was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. I really identify with my Algerian side.

Damir is 100% Bosnian but was born and raised in Slovenia.

So the funny thing is as Damir and I got to know each other, we realized we have more in common culturally than anyone we've ever met before even though we're from vastly different places. At least when it comes to the big things like religion, values, family. We are exactly on the same page when it comes to those things. The things we disagree on are minor details like whether or not you always have to peel potatoes (I say you don't because there are great nutrients in the skin!!) and clothes, maybe.

The truth is, this is one of the biggest reasons I wanted to marry him. Because I knew that with my unique viewpoint on my religion and my culture, it was going to be very hard to find somebody who would understand and accept where I come from and where I am currently. But then Damir came along and it was wonderful.

Of course those little differences (like peeling vegetables) get annoying, but they're also what life is all about. And any relationship will have them.

My Dad has always told me something that stuck with me my whole life. He explained to me that for a relationship to work the two people can't be looking at each other the whole time, they need to be looking in the same direction. Common goals and values are the most important thing in a long term committed relationship. Two people can come from very different places, but as long as they are looking in the same direction and want the same things out of life, it can work. I think that is very wise advice.

A Very Cool Gift Idea...

2011-11-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Kim and Andre spent a few days at my place while they were up here.
And we had such an amazing time with them (even though Damir and I are totally awkward in front of a camera).

They thanked me in the sweetest way by going to this wonderful shop down on fourth street
and buying a great box of organic farro bucatini, organic tomato puree, and a great bottle of red wine.
Essentially they bought us dinner in the most thoughtful way.
And I thought it was incredibly classy and cool.

Gonna store this gift idea away for the future.

Thanks Kim and Andre, it was amazing!! :)

the dark forest in the fall is just magical.

2011-10-31T08:51:00.000-07:00

we went for a nice walk through the dark forest this weekend...damir, my sister and me.
i've only ever been during the spring or summer.
but fall, oh fall, was a completely different experience.
the paths were covered with brown crunchy leaves.
and there was that crisp autumnal smell throughout the forest.
it was a little bit darker than before and a little bit cooler.
it might just be my favorite time yet.
i can't wait to move to marin and visit this place all the time.

"The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with nature."
Joseph Campbell

We like our Halloween weekend with Algerian Couscous.

2011-10-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was Free Fall.
It's the one weekend every year where the boys have no practice and are encouraged to get out of Berkeley and have a little bit of a life.

Naturally, I really love Free Fall.
Last year we spent it in New York City with our dear friends Graham and Claire. And I got to meet Meg!
This year we took it a little easier and spent the weekend in Sausalito with the family.
We hiked, explored, ate good food, carved pumpkins, and drank mulled wine (made by Damir!).

Saturday, we enjoyed a big family dinner on the porch of Algerian style couscous - a tradition in our home. It was one of the best couscous dinners my dad has made...so warm and satisfying.
We ate a side salad of lettuce harvested by Damir - he's taking an urban agriculture class - and it was quite excellent.

Gosh the men and my family are magnificent.

I lit all of the candles and Damir carved his very first pumpkin (the one in the middle)! We roasted the seeds and snacked on them today.

Lots more pictures of the weekend to come...because...well...it was wonderful.

The best Allstate commercial to date...

2011-10-26T23:05:00.000-07:00

gosh this ad cracks me up.i'm a huge mayhem fan,but this one just kills me.

Sweet Success.

2011-10-26T22:55:00.000-07:00

We had a really exciting day.

And so we closed it with a sweet dinner (just the two of us).
A Snickers bar for him.
And a Cherry Garcia bar for me.

Loved it.

Tomorrow we're having our pictures taken by this lovely lady and her man.
I'm a little nervous.
I feel more comfortable behind a camera...this I'm sure of.

Instagrammed...Instagrumpt...

2011-10-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

1. My Gap jean jacket is my favorite item of clothing

2. Enjoying a mint milkshake before he got introduced on the field of AT&T park

3. Our invitations are ready! I am obsessed with them and I love the fact that we designed them.

4. This year I carved a Jackie-O-Lantern.

5. The field from Saturday's football game. Couldn't see a thing.

6. A glass of rose.

7. Damir is a master crepe maker.

8. Toppings for our crepes. More like a dessert buffet.

9. Those dimples, they kill me.

10. I love home. Can't wait to be there in 1 month!

instagram username: camillaleila

The Violet | Fall 2011

2011-10-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

The fall issue is up!

And I can go back to being a human being again.
This one was a hard one for me.
Especially with the wedding coming up and so much to do for that.
But I'm happy with it and I hope you all love it.

First step to becoming a properly functioning person?
Grocery store. For sure.
Then shower. :)

Follow The Violet on Facebook and Twitter.

Currently...

2011-10-19T17:42:00.000-07:00

...my apartment is in a state of complete disarray as a result of searching for this passport.
...I have so much work to do but I can't seem to focus on anything besides the mess that is my apartment.
...I have a million envelopes to address but I have so much work to do but I can't seem to focus on anything besides the mess that is my apartment.
...I have a massive pimple. Seriously, it's huge. And embarrassing.
...I kind of want to cry, but I'm too tired to expend my energy like that.
...I will DEFINITELY be ordering dinner for delivery tonight (there's no way I'm cooking).

ahhhhh!!

(but at least I have my twinkly lights and 5 seasons of Bones on Netflix to keep me calm)

***UPDATE: I FOUND THE PASSPORT! Thanks to Bones. Now I want to be a forensic anthropologist and fight crime. We can officially get our marriage license! Also we ordered indian food and it was amazing.

On being productive...

2011-10-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

Do one thing everyday that takes you in the direction of your dreams.

That's what I tell myself when I get caught up with the fact that I'm not where I want to be yet in my life. I figure...I can do what I need to do everyday, because that's where I am right now, and still do little things that move me in the direction of where I want to be.

Whether it's a little writing, or a little researching, or sending out emails to people I need to contact, those little things, done day by day, lead me towards my dreams and make me feel incredibly productive.

It works for me.

[speaking of which - The Violet's Fall issue is coming out very soon!]

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Sundays are also for walking around campus...

2011-10-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our walk through campus yesterday.

As much as I can't wait to move out of Berkeley, I will certainly miss this campus.

After all it was the place where Damir and I met, dated, fell in love, got engaged, etc.

It's a special place.

...

But I'm still excited to move.

P.S. that brick building was in Mary Poppins!

Sunday Night Movie: Vanishing of the Bees

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Vanishing of the Bees - Trailer from Bee The Change on Vimeo.

So our pick for our Sunday night movie last night was this documentary on honey bees. Damir loves bees and honey and I love anything having to do with food and food politics (a Michael Pollan appearance was a happy surprise for me!) and we both LOVE documentaries. We ate our homemade pizza and munched on stove-popped popcorn and got totally taken into this world of little fuzzy bugs.

They are such fascinating creatures. And boy are they important. This movie served as yet another reason to make the right choices in life. Also we wouldn't mind having a little organic beehive as a part of our future homestead/olive orchard in the south of France (we dream big in this family).

Vanishing of the Bees is currently available on Netflix Instant Watch! :)

Sundays are for eating crepes...

2011-10-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

I've talked before about how much I love Sundays.
It's the best day, designed for spending time with loved ones and enjoying life.

Damir and I are celebrating Sunday to its fullest today!

We both had a lot of work to do but we've already enjoyed a big crepe breakfast together, a walk through campus, and tonight's agenda involves a movie night complete with homemade pizza and stove-popped popcorn (a new tradition).

Most of the time I'm the one in the kitchen.

But when crepes are on the menu, Damir is the star.

And I can't believe he can flip the crepes in the air. Such a pro! (he didn't even drop one...)

I sat there this morning enjoying my crepe with nutella, banana, raspberries, and homemade whipped cream (breakfast? yeah it was more like dessert), and I got really excited that we'd just created a new thing for our soon-to-be family. And I'm pretty excited for all the Sunday crepe extravaganzas to come!

P.S. My super star crepe-maker is now on twitter! Follow him here. And since he's such a rockstar swimmer, he's got a Facebook fan page as well. :)

P.P.S. Still lots of good stuff in the my little shop!

**UPDATE: This is what Damir did this morning to make the crepes: Mix together 2.5 cups of flour, 3 cups of milk (or 2 cups of milk and 1 cup of water), 1/2 tsp salt, 3 eggs, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp baking soda. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Put batter in refrigerator for 10-20 minutes. Lightly oil pan and heat over medium heat. Using 1/2 measuring cup, pour batter in hot pan and swirl pan around to get an even layer. Let cook about a minute then flip (the bottom should look like it does in the pictures above). Cook again for about a minute. I know this isn't very scientific but the recipe is in Slovenian and getting Damir to sit down and tell me exactly what he did was not easy. :) Good luck!

Clothes, clothes and more clothes.

2011-10-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

I know it seems to be the thing to do these days...
But I'm getting ready for a big move and a big marriage,
which translates to a shared closet.

So, I'm working on cleaning my life out a bit.
First step = clothes.
Next step = housewares.

Have at them :)

Letterpress.

2011-10-12T22:15:00.000-07:00

Letterpress from Naomie Ross on Vimeo.

For our wedding invitations (yes the invitations for the wedding that I rarely talk about on this blog...it's still happening) we decided to get them letterpressed at the San Francisco Center for the Book (we have a friend who runs the place). I was so excited to go visit last week and see all of the incredible machines. I so appreciate letterpress, but I admit that I don't know that much about it. Luckily the SFCB offers courses on all things printing. How very cool is that?

I came across this beautifully filmed video on Pia Jane Bijkerk's blog (surely one of the loveliest blogs I've seen) and I fell even more in love with this art form.

Fall.

2011-10-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

honestly it still feels like summer here in the bay area.

but i'm fully prepared for fall to show up.

please show up.

soon.

I can't wait to move.

2011-10-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

we're getting married in december.

we're also moving in december.

we're moving to the sweetest little home right next to my parents.

it's a temporary spot while damir trains for the olympics.

he'll be back and forth from europe and we figure that

this will be a happy place for us to start our life together.

plus i'll be very close to family so i won't get lonely.

i can't wait to live in marin.

i can't wait to live in something bigger than a studio.

i really can't wait to decorate the place together.

i know for sure i want a lot of white walls

framed photos and paintings

a sweet office nook

books and bright accessories

and houseplants.

i love houseplants.

i never understood the value of pinterest until now.

and by the way i'm hooked.

username: camillaleila

Healthy Chicken Breast & Cabbage Slaw

2011-10-11T12:42:00.000-07:00

There is this place in Oakland called Bakesale Betty's and they make a MEAN fried chicken sandwich with cabbage salad/slaw. The cabbage salad is loaded with parsley and jalapenos and it's dressed with oil and vinegar making it one of the tastiest combinations ever. It's a once-in-a-while kind of meal...I've got a wedding coming up in 2 months, come on now.

But I crave it constantly. So I decided to try to make a healthier version of it, with all of the same flavors minus the frying and the bread (the fun part, boo!). I took a boneless skinless chicken breast, baked it, then I made a cabbage slaw of my own and served them together. The combo of flavors was so good it even got my sister's approval (and she's one of the pickiest eaters I know). And it was light and satisfying at the same time.

I've been wanting this everyday since I made it the first time.

Here's what I did:

2 Boneless skinless chicken breast
Salt (I use about 1 tsp per breast)
Pepper
Olive oil

Take the chicken breast and place it in a pyrex baking dish. Poke holes in it with a fork. Massage a good amount of salt into the breast (this is important!), sprinkle with pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Place in a 375 degree oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.

1 Red onion
1 Head of Cabbage
Jalapeno (seeded)
Parsley (handful, chopped)
Canola oil (about 1/2 a cup)
Red wine vinegar (about 1/2 a cup as well)
Salt
Pepper

With a mandolin (a great great kitchen tool!) slice the red onion and jalapeno very thinly. Cut the cabbage into thin shreds. In a large bowl let the onions soak in vinegar until soft (about 15 minutes). Throw in cabbage, jalapeno and parsley. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside and let this sit for about 10 minutes before serving so all of the flavors can come together.

Serve chicken breast on on a plate with a big bunch of cabbage salad on top.

Sooooo gooooood.

Instagrammed.

2011-10-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

Just a few of my favorites lately.

Happy Fall!

username: camillaleila

Sweet Weekend.

2011-10-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

Another weekend, another wonderful meal on the porch (actually 3).

Now that the weather is changing we have the heaters up so we're nice and toasty while we eat.

It's one of my favorite things to do these days.

(Living there is going to be amazing!)

I learned a lot of things over the past few days including but not limited to:

How to make peanut brittle, caramel corn, and chocolate truffles
That I still hate blue cheese and probably always will
Hot dogs and I are no longer friends. Sad day.
Marshmallows are really not so easy to make from scratch
I'm the happiest when I'm around my family

And lastly...and most importantly:

I'm really satisfied with where my life is right now. For the first time in a long time (maybe forever) I'm in no hurry to move forward. I want to be present, work really really hard in the direction of my dreams, and just enjoy the moment. I spend a lot of time tired or stressed or frustrated and that is wasted time that could be spent playing yahtzee with my man or eating more delicious family meals on the porch. So no more of that. Life is too precious and sweet to waste it. And the future is going to come quickly enough...

Speaking of life being sweet and precious, how gorgeous are those flowers up above? They pretty much scream fall and they make me smile.

Have a gorgeous weekend!

2011-10-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a whirlwind of a week...working on wedding planning, and the fall issue of The Violet, applying for jobs (fingers crossed that I get my dream job!), having meetings left and right for various things, and just working through my very long, very involved to do list. But it always feels better to be busy, right?

This weekend is going to involve:

Wedding planning (t-minus 2 months and 10 days!)

Homemade candy (for the fall issue!)

Tennis and/or ping pong (there's no way Damir will let me get out of it with this sunny weather)

Porch sittin' and eatin' (pictured above from a previous weekend)

And watching the Blue Angels soar over the bay.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Mushroom Foraging

2011-10-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

Remember his Plum Jam video?

Well Carl Pendle has done it again.

I watched this Mushroom Foraging video first thing when I woke up this morning. Maybe it was the fact that it was raining outside and it was early in the dark morning but I was almost moved to tears by how simple and perfect this is. I mean this is what life is all about...and how lucky are we that something so essential to our lives (finding, cooking, and eating food) is so immensely pleasurable, and as Carl proves, beautiful.

Thanks for sending this my way, Carl.

Keep up the brilliant work!!

Follow Carl on Twitter.

Stupid Internet...

2011-10-05T16:46:00.001-07:00

I'm posting from my phone right now because comcast has decided to make my life harder than it needs to be. My apologies for the lack of posting...things should get back to normal soon. I've been assured that my wireless router is on it's way (though I was already assured that and of course, the order had not been placed).

Anyways...I'm going back to the world of no Internet connection.

Be back soon!
(I hope)

Decadence.

2011-09-27T20:27:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of words in the English language thatsatisfy my palette just simply speaking them, or writing them.

One of them happens to be decadence.

The dictionary defines the word as “luxuriousself-indulgence”. (Indulgence is another one of those palette-satisfyingwords). I mean really, how delicious is that? Luxurious self-indulgence. Somepeople may say that it’s a selfish concept…and they’re right. It’s totally andcompletely selfish.

But sometimes, as I’m learning, it’s kind of important, evenvital, to be a little bit selfish. And if we can find little ways to live amore decadent lifestyle, causing no harm to the people that we love, then Idon’t see why we shouldn’t! Think about it, if we could find a way to make themundane, repetitive, even menial parts of our day into little luxuries, lifewould become a whole lot sexier wouldn’t it?

It’s a funny idea that my morning cup of green tea or mybefore-bed routine in the bathroom at night have helped to make my life sexier,but they really have. And the truth is, it’s not like I’m doing anythingdifferent than before, but the way I’m thinking about these little dailymotions is what has changed.

Here are some ways I indulge:

Morning tea in my favorite mug.
Making my bed daily so that I have a fluffy, cozy, lusciousbed to crawl into at night.
Fairy lights all over my apartment.
Fresh flowers. (I actually prefer the inexpensive ones atthe grocery store.)
Bubble baths while watching my favorite shows on Netflix.
Shelling cranberry beans. (I know this one is weird, but I just love it).
Sleeping with the windows open so that I can feel a coolbreeze.
A glass of wine or a beer on occasion, just because.
Lit candles. And lots of them.
Spilled Milk podcasts in the car.
Dark chocolate.

How do you indulge?

Double Rainbow.

2011-09-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

While on a spontaneous overnight trip to Lake Tahoe this weekend (more on this soon), we were lucky enough to encounter an amazing double rainbow.

Apparently, a double rainbow is a sign from the cosmic universe that something great is about to happen and that one good thing will lead to another.

It's also a symbol of transformation. This seems pretty appropriate given my current state of mind.

Either way...it was seriously stunning.

...

2011-09-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

I've got so many things on my mind right now. Good things, bad things, confusing things, exciting things. Just so many things.

I've been thinking and thinking and I just can't wait to get it all on paper.
Or a computer screen. But for some reason, I'm a little stuck.

Hopefully I can get it out soon. And I will surely share it here.
But you know that already...

:)

[pic of my life lately: dark rooms, candles, work, and a whole lot of thinking]

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2011-09-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wishing you the very best birthday, Dad!

I love you soooooooo much.

And I am so lucky to have you as a father.

Now hurry up and come home from your business trip

so that we can celebrate properly!

Famous Slovenian Donuts...

2011-09-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

One day, this summer, when were driving from Ljubljana to the town where Damir lives, I heard him and his sister mumble something in Slovenian, and then suddenly we were pulling off at the next exit. I kept seeing signs for this donut shop (as if it was a tourist attraction - it is) and I was assured that these were the most famous donuts in Slovenia and every Slovenian knows about them. So naturally we got 8 of them (they're HUGE) - 4 with blueberry preserves, 4 with apricot. And we happily continued on our journey back to Damir's home, donuts in hand.

You guys,

They. Are. So. Good.

One of these babies with a cup of coffee is probably the best way to start any day. Or end it. Or celebrate the middle of it.

And now I feel like I've been inducted into this super secret Slovenian society because I know about these donuts. So I guess you're in the club too!

P.S. I had a giggle at the name of the place...immature.

Hi, can we talk about the best show ever for just a second....?

2011-09-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

...and the fact that all four amazing seasons are currently on Netflix Instant watch right now?

I am one happy camper.

My freshman year at Cal, my roommate (and one of my best friends), Claire, introduced me to this fictional world of frizzy curly hair, perfect NYC settings, beepers instead of cell phones, soft-spoken "hi's", Benjaaameeeeeeen and Javier, way too many sweaters, Dean & Deluca, torrid love triangles, oh the list goes on and on.

I am of course talking about Felicity. Definitely top 3 in my favorite shows ever.

I'm kind of useless right now because all I want to do is get lost in this world.
And go back to college.
And be in NYC.
And wear sweaters have curly hair.

To be honest, my freshman year was brutal. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong did, in a really big, sad, important way. And life as I knew it changed forever. So I formed kind of a weird attachment to this show - cause it was my happy place in a really dark time. But regardless, it's a great show.

Now tell me...Ben or Noel?
I say Ben. Always and forever.
Though I am a sucker for a man with full lips and Scott Foley sure has those.

And if you have zero clue as to what I'm talking about right now, I implore you to go on Netflix and waste away in front of the TV for the next few days...

Hiking in the mountains of Slovenia...

2011-09-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

Okay so my Slovenia posts kind of abruptly stopped.

Sorry about that.

But today I wanted to share some of the stunning photos from our family hike up Ursla Gora - a mountain just outside of Damir's town. It's the second time I've hiked it and I will definitely say that this go around was about a million times easier than the last time. My favorite parts of the hike include: 1.) stopping at the freshwater spring coming out of the side of the mountain for a refreshing sip on the way up 2.) a quick snack and swig of rakija (snaps) at the picnic tables about 2/3 of the way up 3.) finally reaching the top and enjoying a cold beer and yummy snacks prepacked by the best mother-in-law-to-be ever 4.) the crisp, cool, clean, refreshing air at the top 5.) getting back to the car and heading to a local spot for some piping hot, rich stew followed by streudel to fuel us back up. (notice how almost all of my favorite parts revolve around food or drink?)

Oh gosh I want to go back RIGHT NOW.

Oh how I love these pictures.

Recently...

2011-09-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

I was the luckiest girl in the world and got to hang out with two of my very best friends.

They're beautiful and I love them.

We shopped.

and talked.

and shopped some more.

and then ate and ate and ate.

Oh my gosh I'm still full.

And I got to take them to all my favorite spots.

And here are some pictures:

I had the best time and I only wish we lived 5 minutes from each other.

Did you read that Jas and Stacey? Please move closer.

Thanks.

Craving fall...

2011-09-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

Like, really though.

I've lived in the Bay Area long enough (my whole life) to know not to get too excited when the rest of the country starts getting cozy in their boots and scarves, making things like chili and soups for dinner and baking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Because let's get real...it's still freaking summer here.

And even though I really really appreciate perfect heirloom tomatoes and corn on the cob and cutoff shorts, I'm ready for some damn cold weather, here.

Bring on the pumpkin patches and sweater-wearing and reds and oranges and yellows!

Side note: Jasmine and Stacey are coming to visit for a few days, tomorrow! We've been looking forward to this get together forever. I miss them terribly all the time and I'm super excited to be able to see their pretty faces.

Another side note: have you joined in The Violet's weekly challenge? Commit to a healthy, happy life with me! Here's the thing about these goals...it's all about trying. So what if you can't last a whole day without eating dairy or meat, at least you opened yourself up to the possibility of it and tried something new? So what if one day you forget to drink an extra liter of water...at least the other 4 days you were super hydrated! With these goals, I'm gonna make sure I focus on what I DO accomplish, instead of what I don't. Yayyyy for goal setting!

Girl Weekend.

2011-09-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend was full of ups and downs. I'm not gonna lie.

But thanks to my beautiful, talented, and brilliant girlfriends, I managed to survive.

And I don't think I've laughed so hard or made as many weird memories in a very long time.

We...

drank way too many cosmos (they.were.so.good.)

ate a really delicious dinner in the city at my favorite restaurant

stayed in a beautiful hotel and had a PJ party

had brunch at Marketbar the ferry building

(i ate a burger)

got a tour of our wedding venue at The Fairmont

had loads of girl talk

made a million plans for fun adventures in the future

So, Lindsay, Leah and Annika - I love you girls more than you know.

Thanks for the best weekend ever.

Today is a bad day.

2011-09-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

Today is one of those days that I feel like punching someone or pulling my hair out.

I wish I could be one of those girls who handles problems and insecurities with grace, or who laughs at them and says "soo don't have time or the energy for this right now" and goes about her day unaffected.

Instead, I am the girl who dwells. The one who comes up with hundreds of horrible scenarios in her head and doesn't sleep all night so she decides to clean the kitchen at 3:30 in the morning. I'm the girl who can't calm her mind down for a second and the thoughts just got way more out of control. I'm the girl who is a crazy, insecure, unattractive control freak. The one who wants revenge instead of taking the high road. I'm a monster.

I hate that girl. I so wish I wasn't that girl.

Today is going to be a very hard day for me. And I think it will involve a lot of food - particularly chocolate...and wine....

Surprise!

2011-09-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday night we had a little surprise get together for our friend Guy. It was his birthday and his amazing girlfriend planned the whole thing. There were smart cocktails (that turned into not-so-smart cocktails) and we all got dressed up.

Definitely one of the best nights I've had in a long time.

Definitely loving the people in my life right now.

Definitely love the devil-like glare in so many of our eyes in this picture...haha!

--------------------------

I'm off to the South bay today for a little meeting.

And planning to have a mellow evening before Damir leaves for Vegas tomorrow.

(yuck)

--------------------------

Have a beautiful Thursday! :)

3 really really really good years.

2011-09-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

Happy 3 year anniversary, babe!

I am so nuts for you.

(this is the last anniversary we're gonna celebrate be for we're hitched!)

pic taken in Slovenia
on a giant mountain

Plum Jam by Carl Pendle

2011-09-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

I spotted this video on Bright.Bazaar earlier today and then was thrilled when the creator emailed me to let me know about it. So I thought I'd share it here as well...

I love the simplicity of it, and the natural beauty. I love the colors. I love the whimsy.

What a cool way to showcase recipes.

Thanks Carl!

I've been all about the videos, lately, huh?

A couple of new things on the internets...

2011-09-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of really cool things by really cool people that I wanted to share.

My sister and her friends Claire and Olivia (our fall {Embellish} contributors for The Violet) started a new blog where they photograph stylish teens from their high school - inspired by The Sartorialist. I love this idea and I love how they describe the concept: finding interesting things in the same place everyday. I've already seen several posts that I'm crazy for (like this one - those boots!!). Go check it out!

Another new site that I'm crazy for right now is by one of my best friends, Claire. Also known as the Culinary Goddess, Claire started this new blog to document her food adventures as she hops from coast to coast. Her NY eatery reviews make me drool and want to get on the next plane and go visit her. I'm really loving this blog of hers and I'm pretty sure you will too. East West Eats.

My inbox scares me.

2011-09-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

No but seriously. My inbox scares me, lately.

It's funny how the little things like answering emails are the things that completely paralyze me. It's not like they take much thought or effort to answer but the sheer volume of emails stops me in my tracks. And then they pile up which causes way more stress and anxiety. (I know, I know, stupid problems)

So I've come up with a little routine to combat this problem:

Wake up.
Make coffee/tea.
Put Bravo on TV(it calms me).
Open computer.
Deep breath.
Answer every email from the previous day/night that I didn't get to.

That way, I am always caught up and I never drown in emails.

I like this plan.

Oh, and you know when you sign up for emails and it seems like a really good idea at the time, but then you end up never reading them and they clog your inbox and you want to pull your hair out? (Dramatic much?) Anyways, I've figured out the solution to this also...just read them. Read them as they come and then delete them. And you know what? I've found out that it was in fact a good idea to sign up for Saveur emails - because I already have 3 new recipes I want to try. And I do in fact appreciate my calming YogaJournal tips.

Sweet.

Happy labor day to you and you and you!

2011-09-05T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hi you beautiful bloggers.

I kind of can't believe that September is here and we're already 5 days into it. It's going to be a totally crazy month for me, and I finally feel like I am back in the swing of things here in the Bay Area. That Europe trip really threw me off...but I still have a lot more to share of it here.

Anyways, last week was really wild BUT I did get to pick up my wedding dress (still waiting on the bolero) because the salon that I bought it from is closing down all their stores nationwide. So now I need to get my own alterations done. I'm not stressing. We also worked with the Fairmont to figure out the way the wedding is going to go down and my head is still spinning from that conversation. I am not into wedding planning.

In other news:

We had the best surprise birthday party ever for our friend Guy this weekend. It was one of the best nights I've had in a really long time and I have to say I have some really awesome people in my life right now.
Damir and I get to celebrate our 3 year dating anniversary on Wednesday. Can't believe that.
Really happy that fall is starting to make an appearance - but let's be real - this is the Bay Area and Indian Summer is about to hit us. (We always have a hot September, when all I really want is to wear tights and sweaters)
My mom is going tomato-crazy and canning every single tomato she can get her hands on. I'm not complaining though cause I love cooking with those all year long. It's like summer in a jar.
I need to post more recipes on this blog. I've been slacking. Sorry.
I'm taking this labor day to get stuff DONE. I've lit a candle (above) and I'm not moving until I work through this list. It feels good to be productive.

K bye.

P.S. Don't forget to send in your fall instagrams for The Violet!

Eat, Learn, Move

2011-08-31T17:04:00.000-07:00

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Didaf&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p> By Rick Mereki, Tim White and Andrew Lees.

My mom sent me the Move video - and I subsequently found the other two, afterwards.

I know I just got back from my own awesome travel experiences. But I already want to go back and see more.

There is just so much that I want to experience in this lifetime.

P.S. How cute is that Andrew Lees (the main guy)??

Where the Hell is Matt?

2011-08-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

Maybe you've all seen this before. But my friend Graeme sent it my way this morning.

And I've watched it like 4 or 5 times since.

It makes me so emotional.
And happy.

Oh the world is such a beautiful place!!

Today is not a good day.

2011-08-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

Last night I was woken up at 3 am (again) because I thought an earthquake was happening.

My upstairs neighbors are the most inappropriate, inconsiderate jerkoffs I've ever experienced in my life. And I'm pretty sure they're filming an adult film up there or something, because there is NO NEED to be THAT loud at 3 am every.single.night. So I called my landlord, had him come to hear just what I was going through - he agreed it was effing ridiculous. And I really hope it's taken care of otherwise I'm not sure what I'll do.

Because if you all could see me now, you'd be scared. I'm a disaster running off of no sleep + jet lag + being sick. And I kind of want to beat someone up today.

(Not really, but kind of)

Bottom line is: I do not like to be woken up night after night because of someone's really loud lovemaking. I get it, they're into each other, and he's a freaking marathoner or something by the sounds of it....congratulations to them. But can't they get it over with earlier? So that I'm not repeatedly woken up and involved?

Gosh, I hope they read my blog.

And I missed swimming. :(

:(

Yogi tea wisdom of the day:

2011-08-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

"To be great, feel great and act great."

Simple.

Genius.

Here's my current dance-party-alone-in-my-closet song.
Highly recommended to make you feel great.

(warning, some profanity)

i love blog design

2011-08-28T23:06:00.000-07:00

it's one of my guilty pleasures. there's something about putting together the puzzle pieces (HTML, photoshop, etc) that is super enjoyable for me. it might explain why my blog is always changing...

the other morning, while suffering from intense jetlag, i redid my BFF Morgan's blog. she's a rockstar volleyball player/model living in LA and we wanted her blog to be clean, and happy, and sophisticated. now i'm obsessed with it.

take a look. :)

[Some Notes on Traveling]

2011-08-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

The window seat is the best seat because I can lean against it and angle my legs so that I’m actually somewhat comfortable. The aisle sucks because my legs go into it and people hit me every time they walk past.
“…There are no rules. It’s like check-in at an Italian airport” – Jack Donaghy, 30 Rock. I now understand this reference after having spent FAR too many hours in the airport in Rome. Let’s just say Paris CDG was my beacon of hope and everything good in the world after that experience.
I really like airplane food and how it’s all packaged. It completely goes against everything I believe about food, but still, I like it.
However, after I eat it, my stomach goes crazy and then I realize I don’t like it.
The guy next to me on the 11 hour flight home from Paris didn’t get up to pee once, and he drank wine, an aperitif, pepsi, and lots of water, so I’m not sure what was going on there.
I have the ability to watch 6 movies in a row. (loved The Adjustment Bureau, Never Let Me Go is really upsetting, and Midnight in Paris is STILL just as good the third time you watch it)
The new Airbus a380 feels like a spaceship. A cool space ship. But unloading a plane with over 500 passengers is not a small task and takes for-freaking-ever.
Never bring as many books as you think you should…because chances are you won’t read them and you’ll be carrying them all over the airport wishing you weren’t so silly. Speaking of that, I need a massage desperately from lugging my 5 books around (I only even touched one of them)
I really hate that awkward moment when you’re falling asleep and your head drops and you suddenly wake up and the person sitting next to you laughs at you. Sigh…
I respect people who fly long haul flights with babies. There was a woman on my flight with a baby AND a toddler, traveling alone, with a car seat. Needless to say she had her hands full and I helped her carry her stuff off of the plane and to customs. That is, I helped after I watched 5 or 6 men walk by without even offering…
No matter how much you love where you’ve been traveling to, it ALWAYS feels good to come home. (I just can’t wait for home to be in France one day…)

Hrvatska

2011-08-26T17:36:00.000-07:00

From Sarajevo, we left for a very long, very hot drive to Croatia. We've been on three different islands together (Hvar, Krk, and now Brac)...I know, we're really lucky. This trip was seriously awesome. We had a ton of fun exploring together, swimming in the beautiful adriatic, eating pizza after pizza after pizza, and one night we actually ended up drinking 2 bottles of wine (and some beer - read: HUGE hangover the next day) and playing cards for 5 hours straight. With no internet access we really got to spend some quality time together and talk and laugh a lot.

Only a couple of complaints...my period started the DAY we got there. And she was not kind to me. But whatever, happens to everyone. Also, sometimes that heat can get really overwhelming, especially driving in it. Luckily, the ocean is perfection. Clean and refreshing and cool and perfect. I want to go back now.

I'm already thinking of which island to visit next year :)

We took a car-ferry from Split to the island of Brac. - the interior of the ferry had air conditioning (aka heaven). Always fun. From there, we drove 30 minutes across the island to the town of Bol. Incredible.

There is so much natural beauty in this place. These pictures are killing me. I REALLY want to go back now.

Oh...life....

2011-08-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

I don't really know what happened to this photo...

but I still love it.

Damir,

Can we hike together all of our lives?

K thanks,

[hiking in Slovenia]

Bosnia, Part 2

2011-08-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

[first picture is from our drive down to Sarajevo from Tuzla, the rest are from Vrelo Bosne]

We spent the last day of our trip to Bosnia down in Sarajevo (one of my very favorite places). It's a really incredible city, filled with a lot of life and history. We were a couple of hours ahead of the rest of the family, so we found a hotel cafe with internet, caught up on a few emails, then went to check out Vrelo Bosne.

We took a carriage ride (with a horse!) down a 3 km treelined road and ended in this massive park with some of the clearest water I've ever seen. Essentially it is the spring of the River Bosna and it quite literally gushes out from a grouping of rocks. I had no idea about this place until we went to see it. The park was massive and people were playing frisbee and having picnics and there were gorgeous swans everywhere.

It was lovely and I'm really glad I got to experience it.

The rest of our time in Sarajevo was spent enjoying the BEST cevapcici in the world at this one little restaurant we went to two years ago and hanging out with family (and the cutest newborn baby ever!). Damir and I were happy campers. I never seem to be able to capture the historical center of Sarajevo in pictures - I'm always there at night and I never feel like I can do it justice. It's really one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, and if you ever have the chance, it's a must see. You'll be able to see the bridge where World War I started, the transition from Turkish rule to Austro-Hungarian rule (literally it's like you time travel through the city), some of the most gorgeous and peaceful mosques all lit up, you'll hear music and eat great food and experience something really real.

Damir and I dream of having a little flat in Sarajevo one day...

PS it's 5:20 am right now and we've been up since 4. ahh jetlag...

On having a long engagement...

2011-08-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

There are some days when I can't wait one more second to get married.

Okay, there are a lot of those days.
(Really, can you blame me?)

But the truth is...
I'm really grateful that we've had such a long engagement and I wouldn't have it any other way.
It's been exciting to have a fiance, and have the intention to get married,
while we work through little issues and prepare for a life together.
Because let's be real, no couple is perfect, and we certainly have our issues.
We've grown a lot in the past 11 (or so) months of being engaged,
and the best part...?

I am more sure than ever that I have the man I want to spend my forever with.

P.S. I know I don't talk about it a lot on the blog...but I absolutely cannot believe our wedding is in less than 4 months. It's going to be incredible and I can't wait.

Bosnia, I love you.

2011-08-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

[taken directly from my travel journal]

My future children are half Bosnian.

That's a fact that I think about a lot.

It might help explain this strange, deep, unexpected connection that I have with this country. I take a lot of pride in the fact that I'm marrying a Bosnian.

As I'm writing this, I'm sitting on a plastic chair in front of Damir's grandfather's house in a village which could certainly be described as rural. I can hear rooster crowing - maybe he is confused because it is well past morning - probably the same rooster that woke me up at 5 am this morning. And I'm desperately waiting for the herd of sheep that I spotted yesterday to walk by again so I can snap a picture of proof. I just ate a bowl of ridiculously delicious soup that was cooked on a wood burning stove. And I haven't had internet access in days.

I call myself a city girl. A woman always on the move with too-big dreams who can't sit still with no plan for even a moment, let alone live without the constant distraction that is 3G. I'm the chatty one who can strike up a conversation with just about anyone - about anything. I like energy and vibrancy and life.

And yet, here I sit, today, with no other thing to do than enjoy the company of my future family with no escape from the now through my iphone. With no ability to fake my way through interactions by talking about mindless crap that I don't really care about because, well, I don't speak the language. With very different - but very real - energy, vibrancy, and life all around me in the laughter and the gardens and the work being done on houses and the trees being weighed down by heavy, sweet fruit.

There is real life here - whether it's in a morning cup of strong coffee or a game of street soccer. It's a good reminder for me that sometimes it's necessary to just slow down and live - instead of constantly searching for my dream life. It's not easy to remember these things back home.

But the good news is that my future children are half-Bosnian....so clearly we'll have to bring them at least once a year for a visit:)

And now...here are far too many pictures...but I can't get over the beauty in this country.

I find so much happiness in these pictures. We spent the first few days in Bosnia near Tuzla in the countryside. And then we went to spend a day in Sarajevo (but more on that soon). I loved spending time with Damir's family - I'm pretty sure I have met more of his than my own. I got to try on traditional Bosnian clothes (Dimije) and shell beans on the front porch which is one of my favorite things to do in the world. We picked plums (sljive) and pears (kruske) and enjoyed them right there. We escaped off to Damir's dad's town for a little afternoon nap in their house. We slept on the floor one night like I did when I was a little girl in Algeria (I used to think it was so much fun) and we drank SO.MUCH.COFFEE. I loved everything about it and I'll remember this time always.

a new favorite.

2011-08-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love this picture...

...and this man!

[August 2011 * Urslja Gora]