Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween all!  Since we live in a high rise with approximately zero children around, we are being lame and not passing out candy or dressing up.  But that won't stop me from sharing one of my favorite pictures of Halloween past.

Me and my big brother-points if you can guess what we are!

This week started off kind of crazy with hurricane Sandy barreling down on the east coast, but we were lucky that we maintained power, despite some pretty intense winds.  Given what residents in New York and New Jersey are dealing with, we feel very fortunate to come out of the storm unscathed.

Hope you had a wonderful halloween!

Greece: Ancient Akrotiri & Perissa Beach

We decided that we wanted to spend our last day on Santorini riding around in style, so we rented a four wheeler for the day.  We actually wanted to rent a moped, but neither of us have a current motorcycle license and neither of us were smart enough to just lie about it, so we ended up with this festive four wheeler.

Badass, for sure.

Our first stop was ancient Akrotiri, an archeological site of a Minoan (3000-1100 BC) civilization on Santorini.  The town was simultaneously decimated and preserved in approximately 1450 BC when a volcano erupted, burying the town (I believe the same volcano gave Santorini its crescent shape and drastic bluffs).  Although Akrotiri is widely known as Santorini's Pompeii, no bodies have been found in the ash, leading historians to believe that the residents had ample warning of the volcano's eruption.  

Ancient Akrotiri remained undiscovered until 1860, when quarry workers found buildings while removing ash for construction of the Suez Canal.  Excavations of the town, however, did not begin until much later in 1967.  After the protective roof over the site collapsed in 2005, the site was shut down to the public until April 2012.  We considered ourselves lucky to be able to experience this historic part of Santorini.

Friday Favorites

I'm back for another installment of things that are piquing my interest this week.

Lightroom 4

B&H Photo

I downloaded a free trial of Lightroom 4 because I read so many positive reviews of it online and I wanted something fast and easy to edit the numerous pictures we've taken on recent vacations.  I normally edit every photo in Photoshop, which I have had for several years, but it can be such a chore.  Once I figured out a few tricks in Lightroom, I was in love.  It can really do wonders for your photos with just a few easy tweaks.  I only have a few days left on my thirty day trial, and I'm hoping I can find a way to justify purchasing the software so I can use it from now on.

Greek Yogurt 

Via Serious Eats

We ate Greek yogurt (with honey) daily in Greece and it has been my mission since returning to the states to find something that tastes half as good as what we ate on our trip.  So far I have tried Fage, Oikos, Greek Gods, Chobani, and some brand called Siggi.

I am sad to admit, but I don't think the yogurt here will ever taste the same as the yogurt in Greece.  The 'Greek' yogurt here is made from cow's milk whereas real Greek yogurt is made from goat milk.  I told Brian that the only solution is to buy a goat so that we can start making our own yogurt and cheese.  Goat names are welcome in the comments.

"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"

Taste of Country

I can hear my husband letting out a frustrated sigh as he reads this already (he is not a fan of Miss Swift).  I listened to this song once last night on Spotify and I woke up with it in my head.  The lyrics are far from groundbreaking or sophisticated (excessive use of the word like is just infuriating), but damn if Taylor doesn't make some catchy songs.

Walking Dead

Wikipedia

We don't have cable, so Brian and I just caught up on Season 2 this week.  This show gives me nightmares, but I can't seem to stop watching it.  I find myself rooting for the zombies when the characters do something totally stupid (I'm just going to go walk in the woods without telling anyone for fun!), but I still love Rick and Daryl.


Your turn, what are you loving this week?

*for the record, I'm not getting paid to endorse any of these things, but I wish I were.

Greece: Oia, Baxedes Beach & The Most Beautiful Sunset in the World*

*According to our guidebook

Before I get to the good stuff, I need to educate you a bit on Santorini geography.  I promise, this lesson has a purpose, I'm not just trying to bore you.

Thanks for the map, google

So, we stayed in Fira, which is roughly in the middle of the island on the left coast.  We wanted to spend our day in Oia, concluding the day with a spectacular sunset for which Oia is famous.  Our guidebook suggested that the footpath from Fira to Oia is 'enjoyable'.  You can read my opinion of the walk in a bit.

Friday Favorites

I'm taking a short break from posting about our Greece trip* to channel my inner Oprah and discuss a few of my favorite things this week.  This might become a weekly feature, because I tend to get fixated on things and I need a place to share my enthusiasm without driving my husband crazy.  Well, even more crazy.

Babel by Mumford & Sons

Mumford & Sons new album Babel.  It was released while we were still on vacation, and I bought it pretty much as soon as we returned.  Aaaaand I have not stopped listening to it since.  In fact, I might be listening to Babel as I write this.  There's just something about their folksy style and emotional lyrics that I just can't get enough of.  Plus, they use a banjo a lot.  Based on the tremendous sales the album has experienced, I doubt I am not alone in my obsession.

Green Cardigan

Old Navy-buy one now

It's finally that time of year when the lightweight cardigan I carry around at all times is more likely to be worn than shoved into my purse in case of emergency.  And, more often than than not, I am wearing this perfect green cardigan from Old Navy.  I fell in love with the color (obviously, it's green), but the $20 price tag told me it was fate.  There's even a 20% off coupon right now, so I may go pick up more colors.  A girl can never have too many cardigans, right?

Iced Coffee

I know that cold weather will be upon us soon, but I have no plans to give up this iced concoction any time soon.  I actually don't drink caffeine on a normal basis, but I love coffee, as long as it's not hot (weird, I know).  Normally, I will make a large batch of decaf coffee early in the week and use the remainder as the week continues (I went to Starbucks today as a treat, yay Friday).  I've even been getting fancy and making my own syrups to add a kick of flavor.  I made some delicious pumpkin syrup last weekend to remind me that it is indeed fall even if I'm not quite ready to admit it.

Scandal

Tv Guide

I had to throw a tv show in here.  One of my friends here mentioned how much she loved this show, so when the first season popped up on our Netflix streaming, I thought I'd check it out.  The first season is a mere seven episodes (?!!? that's not a season, that's a miniseries, people) so I watched the whole thing within a couple of days and was hooked.

The second season is about four episodes in and I love it.  I think the combination of politics, drama, being based in DC, and Kerry Washington being a badass while always looking impeccable is perfect.  I was hesitant when I saw Shonda Rhimes created it (I couldn't take her work seriously after she killed Meredith then brought her back to life in season 3 of Grey's Anatomy),  I find myself tuning in every week for more.

Post Apocalyptic Young Adult Trilogies

Via Barnes & Noble

I love reading YA books because they are quick, entertaining (ie: I don't have to think), and are usually full of mushy teenage romance that sucks me in every.single.time.  After I finished the Hunger Games trilogy earlier in the year, I became enamored with this whole post apocalyptic craze that seems to be everywhere these days.

I've read Divergent and Insurgent (Veronica Roth), and Delirium (Lauren Oliver) in the last few weeks and just picked up Matched (Ally Condie) today.  For some reason, all of these are trilogies.  I don't know when trilogies became all the rage, but apparently if you write post apocalyptic YA novels with a heavy emphasis on teen romance, you must make it a trilogy.  Now you know.


What are your current obsessions?  Does anyone share in mine?  Anyone else notice the prevalence of green in post besides me?  Looooove!

Happy Weekend!

*I totally underestimated how difficult it would be to narrow down, compile, and then write about all the adventures we had in Greece, so I'm going to regroup this weekend and find a new

Greece: We Arrive!

Our trip to Greece was my first time abroad, which was both exciting and fear inducing for me.  I consider myself to be a pretty good flyer, but the twelve hour flight from Philadelphia to Athens was far longer than any flight I have ever taken.  I think the flight to Puerto Rico was the longest I had taken before this trip, and it was a meager five hours (about half of which was waiting to take off in Atlanta).

Before I could take the longest flight of my life, I had to take the shortest flight of my life from DC to Philly.  Seriously, the flight was like twenty five minutes.  The plane was so small, we had to board by using the steps.  The only time I had seen planes being boarded by their steps is on tv, so this made me feel  like a very important dignitary.  It doesn't take much to make me feel important, clearly.

My fellow dignitaries boarding...very slowly

Why Greece?

So, before I tell you all about our Grecian adventures, I thought I would bore you explain why we chose Greece for our vacation.  

I know.  I know.  Like I need to explain it.

I'm Shipping Out to Boston

Yes, we are leaving for another much shorter, yet very much anticipated trip to Boston (in case the title didn't give it away).  We actually had this trip planned and booked before our Greece trip, but I didn't realize how soon after getting back we would be off again.  Not that I'm complaining, I love traveling, especially when it is to visit awesome people.

Awesome person we're visiting (1 of 2) on the left/ Awesome person I married on the right

Brian's brother has lived in Boston for about 3 years, and we have wanted to visit him for a long time.  Unfortunately overseas deployments (him) and wedding/bar-taking/joblessness (take your pick-us) has prevented us from visiting until now.  

So, sorry for the lack of posts this week, but I promise to be back with stories and pictures of Greece!  It took a lot of time, but I managed to get all of my pictures edited and ready for the internets.

Happy Weekend!  Anyone else traveling for the holiday* weekend?

*I know some people don't consider Columbus Day a holiday, but our federal government does, so I call it a holiday.

Reunited and it Feels So Good

I missed a lot of things while on vacation (our comfy bed, the ability to flush toilet paper, the little things), but the thing I missed the most was my wedding set.

Photo by Jamie Grant Photography

That's right, I left my wedding and engagement rings at home and opted to buy and wear a 'stand in' ring for our vacation.  Although I wasn't really worried about anything happening to my 'real' rings while we were in Greece, I didn't want to worry about them at all.  Not while swimming in the ocean, not when my fingers were swollen from the immense heat and I couldn't wait to take my rings off, and not when walking to our hotel Athens in a seedy area at night.

So, I bought these rings to wear during our vacation.