Snow Day

It has been such a glorious and lazy Saturday. I woke up to snow already falling, and it's been coming down pretty steady ever since. Bagheera and I have been surfing social media, watching Anthony Bourdain's Places Unknown on Netflix and eating junk food . . . all in our PJs. I recently purchased a book called A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book, and it's exactly what it sounds like. It was created by the lovely ladies from A Beautiful Mess, an online blog that I recently discovered (I'm a little late on the train, I guess) and love! It's made me want to fall in love with my camera all over again, and experiment with it in ways I was too afraid before. Although it's been snowy outside, I've been trying to keep my mind busy inside, and when Anthony's wit was getting to me, I stepped away from my computer and started snapping some pictures. So, I'm going to try to pair my pictures with some things to keep you occupied on a snowy day inside. Or, to just update on the things I've been filling my little bit of extra time with (while also showing you my living space too).

Sort through your magazines. If you're like me, then you have piles of magazines that need looking through and gotten rid of. I have a hard time parting with them because there are always so many useful things that I think, "Oh, but one day, I'll want to refer back them for X project or Y recipe." And maybe one day I will, but that's why I have files for those sorts of things. I don't need the whole entire magazine, ads and all. So, it's always nice when I find the time to read through, and rip out the pages with the delicious-sounding recipes or interesting decorating ideas, and then discard the rest.

Catch up on social media. I seem to be finding more and more blogs or YouTube channels to follow lately, and then always find that I'm just too busy to keep up with them. My weekends are usually the time I have to catch up with the blog posts or the videos, and it's always so enjoyable. I like to have a warm mug of tea handy, and a cozy sweatshirt to snuggle into. Some of my favorite blogs/YouTubers lately have been: (1) Maiedae, a creatives-driven website run by two best friends who are also new moms. I find their pictures, print shop, and posts to be absolutely beautiful. (2) A Beautiful Mess, along the same lines (and I think the inspiration to) Maiedae. (3) PostSecret, my ritual Sunday morning reading. (4) Domestically Blissful, a blog full of vegetarian and vegan recipes run by a former classmate. Her recipes sound delicious and her pictures and advice are lovely. (5) Jenna Marbles because who doesn't like a little bit of outrageousness and laughter? (6) John Oliver, originally a part of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he broke away to make his own faux-news show/youtube channel. I love his brutal honesty, but also his cynical style of delivering news is fantastic. (7) Jaclyn Hill for when I want to learn new make-up techniques from da best. Seriously, I love her personality and her make-up styles are out of this world. (8) Lastly, Makeup by Alli, another make-up channel. She's a bit more toned down and natural in her style. I like her aura and the looks she creates :)

Go Shopping. Online, of course. I recently purchased some great online things (and scoping out more as we speak). I picked up probably my favorite calendar of ALL time from Rifle Paper Co., and I already can't wait until the year is over so I can frame the pictures. They are SO gorgeous! I also got a little notepad that brightens up even the most dreary winter's day when I use it. The next thing wasn't an online purchase, but can be found there, and was picked up the last time I was at World Market, I found these adorable burlap star lights that just add the right kind of homeyness to my dining room. Click the links to access the goods! Other online shopping favorites are Target (they're having a great sale on beautiful weekend and tote bags from Faribault, a Minnesota Wool Mill company), Herschel Supply Co., and Lush.

Tend to your houseplants. My usual houseplant water day used to be Wednesday, and then I had classes on Wednesday nights. Then, it was Thursday. But then those ended up being one of my heavier homework nights. Then, it moved to Fridays, and sometimes it stays Fridays. However, most of the time, I find myself having the most time to actually prune, water, and turn/move my houseplants on the weekends. I pruned my orchid, and straightened up my succulents this afternoon, and felt incredibly accomplished afterward.

Clean your spaces. Only if you must! But sometimes the best way to ensure a complete day or evening of relaxation is to clean your space! I know if I'm trying to study or be productive, I have to clean whichever room I'm in to ensure the utmost amount of productivity. Even if what you're doing is anti-productive, being able to go to sleep that night knowing cleaning won't be waiting for you in the morning can sometimes be the best lullaby.

Cozy up and watch some movies! If all else fails, make some delicious food and have a movie marathon. That's always one of my favorite things to do on lazy weekends, but especially if it's snowing outside.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you're staying warm, especially if you're on the East Coast where the snow just won't seem to let up. I keep on having such scandalous thoughts of spring - oh, to be able to open my windows and let the crisp new air with its beautiful freshness come and dance through my house. To see flowers poking through the soil, and spreading their gorgeous petals toward the sunshine. Shorts, skirts, and t-shirts without long sleeves! I cannot wait! Oh, and let's not talk about breaking out the flip-flops.

Here are some more photographs that I took from today (or another day *ahem* the first one below)! :)

Playing around with light, thanks my new photo book! Who thought I'd be messing around with the ISO settings, what?!

I love the fact that my house is old enough to have these radiators as a source of heat.
They're beautiful, and unique and add such a great vibrance to each room.

A sign a former student gave me as a thank-you gift. I have it hanging in my office.

Star Lights from World Market!

My cilantro is making a comeback :)

In my office - these signs were projects that my US History students did. They had to recreate WWII Propaganda posters, adding their own flair of creativity.

Happy adventuring! xoxo

Longhorns and Legacies

A week ago today, I was in the air on my way back from a wonderful trip to Texas. The high school I work at was taking their students to a basketball tournament at Southwestern Adventist University, and I happened to secure an extra ticket. I didn't go as a chaperone, a sponsor, or anything remotely affiliated with HVA, because, well, I had other intentions. Some of my students from JCA now attend Southwestern, the ticket price was cheap, and I just couldn't pass it up. I accurately managed to convince them I wasn't coming down, and then surprised everyone. It was such a perfect trip that filled my heart to the brim with love, laughter, and joy. I was able to see my students and old co-workers who still live in the DFW area. I left feeling incredibly fulfilled and like maybe, just maybe, I could make it through the rest of the school year.

While I was down, my old roommate and I took a day to explore a few things from Fort Worth and Dallas. We only had a day, so we didn't see a ton, but what I did see left me excited for a more in-depth experience the next time. I've been into downtown Dallas before, but not much in Fort Worth. So, here's my tips on what to see and do next time you find yourself in the DFW area!

Fort Worth
1. Go to the historic Stockyards. When my roommate, Melissa, told me about how LIVE Longhorns are taken down the center of the street in the Stockyards, I almost lost my mind. "Really?! Live cows down the center of the street?!" She looked at me as any person would look at a slightly deranged tourist and replied, "They're not cows, Ashley. They're Longhorns." This was such a cool thing to see! And it's exactly how it sounds. Of course, it's solely a touristy thing, but it was certainly an experience worth the time. Also around the Stockyards is Billy Bob's, which is Texas's largest honky tonk; The White Elephant Saloon, where the first major gun fight in Ol' Texas broke out and where some episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger was filmed; Leddy's Boots and Saddles, which literally has wall-to-wall selections of boots, saddles, suits, and other fine items; and, if you're lucky, you can drop in on a live auction - fast-talking auctioneers and all.

Loved photographing this guy! He had the perfect Texas accent, and was such a trooper! Totally ready for a photo-op!

2. Sundance Square. In the spring and summer, this beautiful city square seems idyllic for coffee and a nice evening with friends. The mural, the water, and the overall atmosphere makes you feel like you're not in the center of a huge metropolitan area, and gives you the opportunity to pleasantly recharge amid the bustle. According to Melissa, it's also a great place to sit and enjoy the live music you can hear wafting through the streets on summer evenings.

3. Fort Worth Water Gardens. These were beautiful! Even though the leaves were all off the trees, this would probably be the Central Park to my New York City if I lived in Fort Worth. The movement and the sound of rushing water is lovely. Visiting convinced me to work on my photography so that next time, I can get those wonderful shots of water rushing in a long-exposure picture. It's going to happen. Anyway, it's definitely worth a visit and from atop of its highest point, you can get some stunning panoramas of the city.

Dallas

1. Dealy Plaza & the Sixth Floor Museum. Even though I have mixed feelings about John F. Kennedy, seeing one of the most iconic places in US History is certainly worth the stop. It's almost breath-taking when you see the X's on the road where the gunshots were fired. Although we didn't go through the museum (which costs $16) due to time, just walking around the site and reading the plaques was fine by me. If you're into conspiracies, look for people standing on the sidewalks adjacent to the fatal X holding newspapers. They're ready and willing to tell you what they know about the assassination that took place there.

2. Meyerson Symphony Center and the Art District. Although I didn't go this time, in the years that I worked in Texas, it was an annual thing to go to the Meyerson for a concert (put on by our own students). It is a magnificent concert hall with fantastic acoustics and overall sound delivery. If you want to get dressed up and go to a symphony, do it here. It's amazing! Also, a place I will visit next time is Klyde Warren Park. Abundant with food trucks, an outdoor library and a dog park, it seems like the perfect green space in the midst of what can be a chaotic Dallas.

3. Pioneer Plaza. I only say this because I love Longhorns. I mean, I was literally squealing like a little girl in Fort Worth. These 49 bronze Longhorn statues are a dedication to Texas's lengthy "cowboy" history, and apparently one of the most photographed parts of the city. If you're not into that, I guess you could go to Arlington to check out the Dallas Cowboys' monstrosity of a stadium too . . .

Anyway, as I mentioned before, I had such a wonderful time in Texas. There are SO many things to do and see. I picked up a million and one pamphlets on the DFW area that I'll be sure to study for next time. There's the Dallas Zoo, and Six Flags Over Texas -- the list seems never-ending. And don't get me started on the cuisine! Exquisite barbecue (can exquisite even be used in front of barbecue?), live music, and quaint hole-in-the-wall coffee shops. The diversity is endless! If you're in the area, tell me what you experienced and loved, so I can add it to my list!

A glimpse at the Water Gardens.

Melissa, my former roommate and awesome tour guide.

Happy Adventuring! xoxo

French Macarons - A First

So remember on December 17, 2014 when I said I would update you soon on what my mom and I were doing for our Christmas tradition? Yeah, me either.

I do apologize for the absence! As I mentioned before, my mom and I spend at least a day or two every holiday season baking goodies for the families. This year, we decided to really push ourselves and attempt French Macarons. Surprisingly, we did really well. Our only hiccup was that our oven, when put on "bake" acted like it was on "broil" and only wanted to cook things from the top. After we solved this problem, things got progressively easier.

We used quite a few resources online to make the "perfect" French Macarons from blogs to youtube videos. I'll link the sources below! But beware before you take on a big project like this! Macarons are very time consuming until you can get a system down, and they're oh-so-delicate. It took us between 2-3 hours to make one batch of 24-28 cookies. Although they aren't that expensive to make, when you pay $2 or more for one cookie, you're really paying for all of the time and care that went into making them. It's certainly made me appreciate these delicacies on a totally new level!

We made three flavors: Mint Chocolate, Raspberry, and Salted Caramel. Our third flavor was originally going to be Eggnog to keep it more holiday-oriented, but the Salted Caramel ended up being my favorite one. We simply made an almond flavored cookie and then added Jif's Salted Caramel hazelnut spread in the middle. They were delicious!

Anyway, enjoy the adventure of creating French Macarons, if you decide to embark on such an adventure! It was certainly one for my mom and I!

Resources:
Food Nouveau - YouTube Video
Martha Stewart's Recipe
Popsugar on French Macarons