A Bit of Home in London

Over Thanksgiving, we had the pleasure of hosting Rose, a good friend from San Diego, in our little flat for just over a week - and it was lovely! We explored our favorite spots in London, now properly decorated for the holidays (ticking a few things off our London bucket list), and even squeezed in a quick girls'-only trip to Paris. From the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace, to afternoon tea at Harrods and shopping at Cath Kidston, the Churchill War Rooms, the National Gallery, and the musical Chicago (starring Ugly Betty's America Ferrera!)...to the tip top of the Eiffel Tower, an evening river cruise on the Seine, Christmas market desserts on the Champs-Elysees, the Orsay Museum, and plenty of art and souvenir shopping...to a small, organic Thanksgiving turkey that just barely fit in our London-sized oven, and the rest of the holiday meal fixings...we did it all :). Having a bit of home here for Thanksgiving was a true blessing indeed, and we can't thank Rose enough for having taken the time to visit us! A few pics from our adventures in both London and Paris....

Thanks again Rose! Love you!

-B&B

"Friends are people who go on conspiratorial shopping sprees together, diving in and out of shops totally beyond their price range, and end up eating oozing cream cakes with only just enough money to get home." -Charlotte Gray

Land of the Sea

Tucked away between Scotland and Norway, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean to the west, the North Sea to the east, and the Norwegian Sea to the north, Shetland is an absolute breath of fresh air, literally. Having just spent 4 days with our friend Ruth, in her mum's family home in Scatness, at the very southern tip of the mainland isle (Sumburgh Head), I'm finding myself at a loss for words, words to describe the beauty and serenity of this seaside hideaway. It's a place where nature is alive, thriving, and completely unbridled. The sea crashes into every cliff-side crevice around the island, while simultaneously rolling onto sandy bay beaches, and showering the air with a salty spray. The wind runs completely wild, gale force at times, whipping, pushing, and pulling anything and everything in its path. The sun pokes through at its own will, casting shadows on the sea and cliffs, rising and setting over drastic and expansive landscapes. The mainland's one two-lane highway is furnished on both sides with small villages, roaming livestock with the sea at their backs, and rolling green hills, dotted with artisan knitting shops and ancient stone architecture. Shetland is a place with deeply rich stories to tell, boasting generations of hard-working fishermen, knitters, and farmers, speaking in Shetland tongue; its tightly-knit communities are modest and simple, yet full of pride, and rightfully so. It really is a sight to behold, with all the senses.

We spent our four days, over Brandina's birthday, indulging in a modern Little House on the Prairie lifestyle. We cooked lavish breakfasts and dinners - all with locally grown food - took a daily walk or hike equipped with waterproofs and wellies, and drank excessive amounts of tea. We chatted, read, played Scrabble, completed a 1,000 piece puzzle, carved pumpkins, and sang aloud to an old Drifters CD (well, Ruth and I sang...Bryan just watched and chuckled a bit). Huddled inside by about 4 pm each day, we listened to the nightly storm rage outside, pummeling down with rain and wind, clearing by morning and allowing a bit of sun to grace our leisurely breakfast routine. We even ventured into the town of Lerwick one day, popping in and out of small, crafty shops, touring the Shetland Museum, and taking the opportunity to photograph all sites along the way - in particular, the short and stocky Shetland ponies. Even with hundreds of photographs to show, I fear that we've hardly done justice to this breath-taking place....

Views from the House

At the Lighthouse
(some photos displayed purely as evidence of the wind!)

Our trip up North to Lerwick

Hiking out to St. Ninian's Isle
(a tiny island physically connected to the mainland isle
by a natural stretch of sand, called a tombolo)

An Overcast Beach Walk along the Bay

Hike out to Ness of Burgi
(a walk straight down from the house,
alongside and towards the sea)

We'd just like to express a massive, heart-felt thank you to Ruth and her Mum, for inviting us to share in this family tradition of rejuvenating, wholesome holidays in Shetland. Thank you thank you thank you!

-B&B

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

East Side Story

Like a young adult having come to terms with an exceptionally tumultuous past, seemingly embracing the motto "that which does not kill me, will make me stronger," and looking towards the future with a profound sense of pride, the city of Berlin has a bit of a tortured spirit, but is soaring into a modern, present day with drive, passion, and creativity. Determined not to be bound by what can only be described as a heart-wrenching past of division, confusion, and physical destruction, Berlin is sensitive to its history and aware of its roots, but facing completely forward these days, modern and sleek. As a result, it is lacking the antiquated, elderly charm of an old European hub, with only a few architectural remnants of pre-war history, now with a futuristic skyline of multiple glass stories and abstract lines. Even its Holocaust memorial, while profound indeed, bears little resemblance to the past, in favor of modern materials and design. Berlin appears to still be formulating its identity really, trying to merge where it has come from to where it wants to be, rebelling a bit against prior oppression, and somehow saying to itself and to the world, that the best revenge is to just live well.

Berlin is really and truly unlike any other European city that we've visited. While we had a lovely trip last weekend with some friends of ours, and had the distinct pleasure of touring the city with a wonderfully open, knowledgeable local Berliner, we struggled a bit to really embrace and fall in love with the city as a whole, which is a bit unusual for us. We were surprised by the lack of old world European charisma, and yet inspired and excited by the youthful spirit of many of its residents, while also humbled and slightly saddened by the historical implications of its post-modern events. Throughout the weekend, we found ourselves a bit confused at times as to how the city really fits together, emotionally and physically. Perhaps like many of us find ourselves in our early 20's, Berlin is exciting and youthful, though still trying to carve out an identity. While the city seems to be lacking the degree of self-confidence and stability that often comes with age, despite having plenty of life experience, it's forging ahead as energetic and optimistic as ever. The food ranges from more modern German fare to heavy Bavarian cuisine, the city stays alive throughout the night like Madrid, and the architecture is just in a world of its own, pieced together like your first apartment out of college.

However, one thing we did find, that we absolutely will never forget, was the East Side Gallery, the paintings on remaining sections of the Berlin Wall - paintings that portray the entire range of human emotion - love and hate, anger and relief, hope and pride, sorrow and pain, laced throughout with a bit of satire and spite, and absolutely overflowing with heart. It really was a sight to behold, and remains unlike anything else we've experienced in our European travels. To us, it was perhaps so powerful because it represented exactly how we felt in the city - saddened, excited, humbled, and curious all at the same time. Not surprisingly, the majority of our photos were taken at the East Side Gallery, and it will forever remain the most vivid image we have of Berlin.

-B&B

"Many small people, who in many small places, do many small things that can alter the face of the world." - East Side Gallery artist, Berlin

Apple Days Are Here Again

Opting to ring in the autumn season with something a bit traditional (despite our nearly un-traditional 80 degree weather at the moment in London), two weeks ago we ventured in search of Apple Hill, or at least the closest British equivalent we could find (as some of you may know, Apple Hill is a Northern California icon, a place dear to us both). Our search took us a bit outside of London, via train and ferry, to Yarmouth, a small seaside town on the western end of the Isle of Wight. Taken aback by our luck in weather, a sunny break during a rainy week, we hopped aboard an open-top bus, relished in the sight of an absolutely stunning, windy coastline, and spent an afternoon at Afton Park apple farm, picking 3.5 kilos worth of Discovery apples (which are actually pink on the inside), strolling through their gardens, sampling apples straight from the tree, drinking freshly pressed apple juice, indulging in a few apple pastries, and purchasing a few homemade jams and chutneys...alas, no caramel apples in sight, but a lovely sunny Saturday indeed. We spent the night in a tiny, 17th century Victorian-style guest house, formerly the town hall of Yarmouth, and bumbled around the town's streets, known for unique artisan shops selling locally-made crafts, sailing equipment, and homemade chocolates. And, in true apple harvest style, we spent over a week upon our return eating apples in some capacity - homemade apple sauce, sauteed apples with cinnamon and sugar, apple and balsamic salad, and of course, a few trusty apples with peanut butter...

Afton Park

Needles Park Coastline

Town of Yarmouth

Lymington Pier, ferry port on the UK mainland

-B&B

"For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad." ~Edwin Way Teale