Tea Time 03.09.15
One of my favorite things to do is sit down with my grandma and a hot cup of tea to chat about life, travel and adventures. Grandma Pat is definitely to blame for my tea addiction, coconut allergy, and wicked case of wanderlust, so I wanted to start this Tea Time series in her honor. My goal is to share some highlights from my week–all the things that made me smile, warmed my soul, or brought about inspiration. All of the sweet little things that could easily come up during a tea time in Tucson. Enjoy!
Out & about
I've lived in the presence of peacocks for nearly two years without knowing, and I wish I could properly describe how that makes me feel. I'm not sure why, but for as long as I can remember, peacocks have been one of my favorite birds. I'm enraptured by their hues and I could spend hours taking pictures of them and hoping to catch a loose feather. I've been to Madrid's Retiro Park more times than I can count, and never once did my peacock radar sound off. When I recently heard that these creatures thrive in a corner of the park, I made my way there as quickly as I possibly could. Low and behold, dozens of them were roaming around unbeknownst to me. I fully intend to spend all of my free time there as peacock paparazzo until I can catch one fanning those glorious turquoise feathers.
Flying high
One of the highlights from our trip to Istanbul was simply the air transportation. I've always been an American Airlines girl--it kind of runs in my blood--but my experience with Turkish Air threw flying onto a whole new level. When you find yourself receiving first class treatment in coach seats, it's difficult not to find yourself smitten. Not only were the seats stuffed with ample cushion and some decent leg room, each seat had its own screen for watching hundreds of movies (that is no exaggeration). It was the most impressive selection of films I've ever seen on an airline. They started the flight by offering every passenger a Turkish Delight. This was followed by airplane food that actually tasted really good--a salmon salad, mozzarella stuffed eggplant, and cheesecake. Aaaand this also included free wine, spirits, beer, freshly squeezed orange juice, or homemade mint lemonade. WHAT? It was the first time I ever secretly looked forward to a four hour return flight home.
'Grammers
One of my all-time favorite Instagrams to follow is @NorthwestMommy. Stasha shares photos of her stylish son, Julian, two massive Newfoundlands, Max and Bruce, and an occasional horse, in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Whether the photos are of behemoth dogs galavanting through picturesque backdrops, or Julian and company posing in front of their garage, I love the images she captures and how it lights up my feed.
On my radar
I've been to Vegas several times, but never once as a 21+ adult. Forget about all the fancy hotels, the gambling, the drink specials... If I return any time soon, the first place you'll find me will be here, where neon goes to die, at the Neon Museum. I've realized most of the places that I have "on my radar" are there because they offer unique opportunities for photography, and what a dream visiting this graveyard would be with all of its electrifying colors, fonts, and figures.
We leave for Edinburgh, Scotland, on Friday! If you have recommendations, send them my way. Cheers to a quick week leading to a great weekend!