San Fran, Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia

And, yea. I'm a little behind on the whole "recapping thing." Apologies on that one.

ferry building via courtney khail

So next up we went to San Fran. I'd like to go ahead and say the Golden Gate Bridge is amazing to me. I couldn't stop staring at it while we drove across. Although we weren't there for too long, we definitely managed to cram a ton into it while we were there. That may be because the people renting the apartment before us left us tickets for one of the touristy open top buses so getting around was super easy. (Side note, while touristy, I really recommend them. Really easy, you don't have to deal with driving, and you may actually learn something while you get to stare off at "the sights." My sister and I did one in Paris as well and it was just as lovely.)

via courtney khail

Favorite part of all (aside from the Atlanta Braves beating the Giants while we were there) was the Ferry Building. J. stocked up on Blue Bottle Coffee, we sampled olive oils at Stonehouse, and we had by far one of the best sandwiches ever at Boccalone which we enjoyed outside over looking the water. We also couldn't help ourselves and picked up bread from Acme to go with our Boccalone salami for an "on the road" snack. The rest of the time there was a blur, but we ate at Tartine, wandered around Chinatown, went to Coit Tower (personally I'd find views elsewhere) and pretty much just meandered around. Which is one of our favorite things to do, but may drive other people crazy.

Tunnel view, Mist Trail, and the view after we got lost via via courtney khail

After San Fran, we went to Yosemite National Park which was amazing. The campsites weren't as wonderful as other parks (though we lucked out again and were right on a creek) the views were absolutely stunning. We normally hiked about 7-10 miles a day and stayed 5 days so we were really able to see the whole park. We hiked past some of the prettiest waterfalls ever (the Mist Trail is gorgeous,) ate lunch on the top of Sentinel Dome, lounged in hammocks by a secluded river, and even got lost in the backwoods of the meadows (which ended with us summitting a mountain and witnessing one of the most beautiful landscapes ever.) It was awesome.  If you're ever heading that way and would like to know of a hike or two to do, just let me know. I'd be happy to give you more information.

I felt so little

Sequoia and Kings Canyon via courtney khail

After Yosemite we drove to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. I thought we had seen giant trees before, but nothing came close to the mammoth trees that are there. I felt so small! While we were there we decided to do two super short touristy "hikes" (i.e. short, crowded and paved) that took us to the world's largest tree (by volume,) as well as the nation's Christmas tree and gave us the opportunity to both walk through and drive through a tree (which I was really excited about) so it was worth it. The absolute best part though, is that since the rest of the park is pretty secluded so you can take your time exploring. I would definitely recommend taking the drive through the National Forest as well as Kings Canyon. By far the most spectacular views from the entire trip. We could have stayed there forever.

Of course, Vegas was calling our names so we didn't.

From the Studio: Portland, Crater Lake, the Redwoods and Hwy 1

Cargo in Portland via personal collection

After Mt. Rainer we drove south to Portland. I was already pretty excited about it, but I had no clue exactly how much we were going to love Portland. (Hint, we loved it a lot. Like loved loved, which we all know is way bigger than regular love.) We stayed in the Northwest Downtown area which was extremely walkable and full of boutiques and restaurants, and spent a ton of time just walking up and down the streets and exploring the shops and restaurants. Speaking of the restaurants, we ate at Besaw's the first night and it was fabulous.

Northwest Portland via personal collection

We were only staying for 2 days so the next day was jam packed. First, we met Chelsea for breakfast at Broder where both the company and the food was amazing. (Seriously, Chelsea is such a great person. I'm so happy we finally got to meet!) After a two hour breakfast (sorry for keeping the table so long Broder!) J. and I made our way around town dropping into places like Ink & Peat (such a beautiful store and the owner Pam was so nice to talk with) Powell's Books (holy cow it was massive. Almost overwhelming with how many books are there!) and Cargo (such a fun store) as well as many fantastic boutiques and vintage stores on 26th. After dinner at a really cute Mexican restaurant, we pushed on and were able to meet up with one of our friends from Glacier for a few drinks before turning in for the night.

trying to figure out where we were via personal collection

Crater Lake via personal collection

We woke up early the next morning and drove to Crater Lake. We'd heard such good things about it, but we think we stayed one day too long. While the lake is stunning (absolutely breathtaking. I've never seen water that blue before!) there aren't really many hikes to go on that aren't paved and even those are few and far between, but we did find one that took us to a beautiful waterfall and another that took us to these amazing other worldly ash formations called the Pinnacles. It's definitely something you should see, but I wouldn't advise staying for a super long time if you want to have a lot to do. Now, if you want to lounge around and read all day, it's perfect. And our campground store had the best strawberry slushie/smoothie things ever so if you're there, you need to get one. Or three.

The Redwoods via courtney khail

Beautiful whale via courtney khail

After Crater Lake we drove to the Redwoods, which isn't so much one park as many different spread around parks and national forests. It was incredibly beautiful though and while we were hiking through one of the forests, I couldn't help but think at any second E.T. was going to fly over us in a bike. We also were able to see a gray whale that had made it's home under a popular bridge, which was really moving. She was so ethereal and graceful and it was such a treat to see her, but I couldn't help but feel a little sad given that she probably really wanted to find her way back to the ocean, but couldn't figure out how to get there.  Hopefully the rangers have helped her by now. On our way to Highway 1 the next morning, we were also able to see part of the area Jurassic Park was filmed and got to drive through the Avenue of the Giants to see some of the oldest, giant redwoods, which for science nerds like us, was awesome!

Pacific Coastline via courtney khail

Pacific Ocean via courtney khail

Speaking of Highway 1, we decided to take that down to San Francisco instead of the main interstate and I'm so happy we did. J. had already been down in before so he drove and let me stare of the window/point/gasp. What a breathtaking scenery! The coastline is just so gorgeous and I couldn't stop taking photos. It was like everywhere you looked was worthy of a new shot! We made sure to stop every so often to take it all in (and of course I ran and played in the water because I'm a 2 year old) and even picked up lunch to eat over looking the water. And can I just go ahead and say that I now know why "cows are happier" in California? They live on the most beautiful oceanfront property! Only place you'll see cows grazing on a multimillion piece of land. Of course after 7 hours of winding roads, we hopped off Hwy 1, got on the main interstate and were soon crossing the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco...

road trip part 3: Glacier, Seattle, and Mt. Rainer

view from above the Going to the Sun Highway via courtney khail

Oh, Glacier. By far one of my favorite parks; it’s just so gorgeous! We arrived early so we checked out campgrounds and then drove Going to the Sun highway. It’s only open for an incredibly short window (otherwise it’s too dangerous to travel on because of snow and ice) but if you can drive on it, do it. The views are absolutely breathtaking! If you’re a little scared of heights (or can’t drive and look at the same time) there is also a shuttle which is super helpful. We actually took the shuttle a few times for further away hikes, which works out well since you can then sleep the 1.5 hrs it takes to get back down to camp. And after a 10 mile hike, that’s a huge selling point.

We ended up getting a campsite right on Lake McDonald (thanks to another super early morning of site stalking) and were lucky enough to have amazing views and meet some great people while we were there. We actually met up two weeks later with one of our “neighbors” when we were in Portland. Because we were spending a decent chunk of time in the park we were able to really explore all of it. We took the boat ride at Many Glacier (that took us to the trailhead of the hike where we got to see 3 grizzlies playing in the snow,) drove through the aspen forests via the (incredibly long and curvy) outer roads of the park, hiked to one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen, saw tons of wildlife (goats, bears, elk, etc,) hiked across a glacier, and got to swim in a glacial lake (which was crystal clear and beyond freezing cold.)

hiking through the snow via courtney khail

A really cool “hidden” jewel of the park is that it actually goes into Canada as well. Of course, we didn’t think to bring our passports, but we heard about this little town called Polebridge (population 25) that you hit right before the Canadian border. It was rumored to have one bar and one mercantile store that is home to the best huckleberry pastries ever. They weren’t lying. I could have eaten the huckleberry turnovers ever single morning. Can’t say much about the bear claws though because they never made it into our bag. The drive out there takes a really long time, but it’s super secluded and incredibly beautiful. In addition to a black bear and a wolverine (which you never get to see) we were also greeted with the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen.

sunset on the road from polebridge via courtney khail

After Glacier, we drove to Spokane, WA for the night (strangely empty on a Saturday afternoon, but then really busy- like 5 bachelorette parties kind of busy- at night.) If you end up there, stop by the Peacock Room for dinner or a drink and take in the view. In addition to two stuffed peacocks on the bar, the bar houses an impressive stain glass ceiling featuring a peacock feather motif. The next morning we drove to Seattle. Of course, we didn’t realize that it was Sea Fare that weekend so the bridge we were taking to the city was closed. We ended up off the interstate and lost in a residential area while the Blue Angels flew over us. Really cool to see, but kind of frustrating since we really wanted out of the car. Thanks to a random volunteer (who laughed when we said where we were trying to go) we found our way to another interstate that took us into the city. After checking into the hotel (The Maxwell which was be yond amazing and I would recommend to anyone) we walked the city, strolled in and out of shops and had an amazing dinner at Peso’s in Queen Anne.

space needle via courtney khail

pikes place market via courtney khail

If you find yourself in Seattle here are a few things I wouldn’t miss:  stopping by Fran’s Chocolates at the Four Seasons and having a salted caramel (holy goodness) seeing the city from Columbia Center (not the Space Needle) wandering around Pike’s Place Market and having breakfast at Three Girls Bakery (we stopped there every time we could for the ham and cheese croissants,) having lunch at Potbelly (the best sandwiches ever. I still think about them) and if you don’t mind driving a little bit- the Tacoma Glass Museum.

view from the columbia center via courtney khail

glass ceiling at the Glass Museum

After spending a few days in Seattle, we drove out to Mt. Rainer National Park. Once again, we lucked out and got a super private site right on a river. It also happened to be a really clear day (not common) so we were greeted with wonderful clear views of Mt Rainer. As for the park, it was completely different than any other one we’d seen by then. It was super lush, almost rainforest-y, and magical in a fairy tale kind of way. That may seem like a weird way to describe it, but that is exactly how it felt- almost Midsummer’s Night Dream-ish. The color of the plants were almost unreal how bright they were, there weren’t a lot of people so it felt like you had the park to yourself, the views were breathtaking, the vegetation would be super thick and then would open up to spectacular waterfalls or lakes- it was just so beautiful. If you haven’t been, you should definitely check it out.

mt rainer via courtney khail

hiking in mt rainer via courtney khail (see what I mean about the colors?)

the water is actually 10 stories down from where I took the photo via courtney khail

And now that I’ve already written more than planned, I’ll hold off on telling more until next week.  Hope you enjoyed!

studio sneak peek: commemorative road trip map

both images via courtney khail stationery and design

Before I start recapping everything, I wanted to show you a little something I painted to commemorate our trip. I love the whole putting pins into a large map thing, but since this was more about the journey than the specific places, I thought it deserved something a little more special. Plus, I have a soft spot for maps so I figured why not bring in a fun colorful one?

We're back! and happy birthday

this perfectly describes J. (He is playing with a fountain on our honeymoon) via my personal collection

Hey everyone! We're officially back. We'll be taking the next few days to recoup and unpack (do you ever feel like you need a vacation after your vacation?), but recaps will start on Monday. I have so much to share with y'all!

Most importantly though, today is my husband's birthday!!! (!!!!) I cannot wait to celebrate with him. Happy birthday, honey!!

Hope you all have a wonderful labor day weekend. See you next week!

Guest Post: Chelsea from frolic

Chelsea's blog {frolic!} was one of the VERY first I ever read. (It was also the first blog I advertised on and the blog that sent me my very first really big order so I kind of have a soft spot for it.) I love how light and airy it was (and is) and it's still one of the blogs I make sure to check daily. Not only is Chelsea a fantastic blogger, but she's also an incredibly talented event designer and a commercial floral and prop stylist (and she does weddings so someone go get married and hire her- promise you will not be disappointed.)  And even though as of right now we haven't met for real (I'm writing this before the fact, but by the time it's published we will actually have met in person! Yay road trips and Portland!) I already consider her a friend. She's just that nice and real of a person. And cool. Did I mention she up and moved to Sweden for a little while? Yea. See what I mean? She's cool. Thanks for posting, Chelsea!

One of my warm weather rituals is to flee work and head to the park at dinner time. I take my food to the green grass and watch the sailboats on the river. The smaller boats are my favorite and I like to dream about owning one. But for now, they help provide a peaceful moment during busy days and a way to savor this short season. Happy summer!

Photos and post by Chelsea Fuss of Frolic!

Craving: Floating Lanterns

via flickr

Yea, yea, I know. I am on a vacation RIGHT now, but even so I saw this photo and immediately mentally started planning our trip to the Loy Kratong Floating Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Isn't this breathtaking?

Guest Post: Kathleen from the mirthmobile

The story of how I met Kathleen is one of the best examples of "wow, what a small world it is." You see, I found her then wedding blog on another site that my work had been featured on and every few days would find myself checking in to read how everything was going with planning. Around the same time, I went to watch soccer with my sister and two of her friends- one of which was Emily. Fast forward a few months and while looking through photos of Emily's younger sister's wedding on Facebook I realized that I'd already seen them. On Kathleen's blog. Because they were of Kathleen's wedding. So yea. All that time we were each reading a "strangers" blog, our sisters were actually hanging out in real life. Small world, right? Anyhow. When we found that out we quickly made lunch plans, went to Lavish together, and have kept in touch via emails, twitter, and the blogs all while trying to make real plans again sometime soon. So when it came to having a "blog friend" guest post, I knew I wanted to have Kathleen stop by since if it wasn't for her blog, (and our sisters) we'd never have become real friends to begin with. And if you haven't read her blog yet, go do that now.You'll thank me when her old timey Tuesdays bring back familiar childhood memories!

Hey y’all! I’m honored to be here guest-posting while Courtney is off with her husband exploring the open road. The only instruction she gave me was to write something that had to do with summer, so here goes!

One of the highlights of my summers has always been an extended-family beach trip to the coast of South Carolina. For as long as I can remember—with the exception of a few summers during our college years—we’ve decamped to a place called DeBordieu for a week with my dad’s cousins and their kids, who range in age from a year or two younger than me to a year or two older than my big sister. Sometimes my dad’s folks and his cousins’ parents came too. As much fun as these trips were back in the day, they’ve been even more awesome in recent years since we’ve all graduated to grown-up status and added a few hilarious spouses and adorable babies to the mix. The only drawback is that the bill we run up at the package store is markedly higher than it used to be.

After so many years vacationing together, we’ve developed a few hallowed beach traditions, most of them revolving around food. We aren’t going to the beach this year—the cousin calendars didn’t jive, alas!—since it's August (aka beach time) I’m bringing the beach to my place via this classic family recipe.

The quintessential DeBordieu crowd-pleaser is something we call Beach Nachos, usually served as an appetizer. They could not possibly be simpler, and they could not possibly be more delicious. You will need:

• 1 bag Nacho Cheese Doritos
• 1 hunk jalapeno jack cheese, grated
• 1 small can green chiles

Doritos, really? you might be thinking. Yes, Doritos! Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. Plus, Beach Nachos carry the seal of approval of Aunt Connie, our family’s resident health nut, so they can’t be all that bad.

I digress. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the Doritos on a rimmed baking sheet or jelly-roll pan and sprinkle as much grated cheese as you like over the chips, followed by the green chiles. Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt and some of the edges of the chips begin to brown. Remove the nachos from the oven, place the pan on hot pads in the middle of the table, and get the hell out of the way lest your arm get taken off by the hungry masses!

Of course, just as cookies are for the recently health-conscious Cookie Monster, Beach Nachos are a sometime food. That’s part of what makes them so special—and also what makes it okay to ravenously wolf down fake-cheese chips covered in actual cheese a few times every summer.

*all photos via Kathleen

Guest Post: Ginny from My Favorite Color Is Shiny

Okay, so technically Ginny is way more than just the blogger behind My Favorite Color is Shiny-she is also an amazingly talented stylist whose work can be found all over- both on the internet and in print. In addition to her styling company and her blog she also writes the "What's in Your Toolbox" column over at Design*Sponge -which is one of my personal favorites because the focus is on creatives. (I know what you're thinking. When does she find time to sleep? Answer- I still don't know.) I was lucky enough to meet her at Lavish last December and was instantly taken with her laid back, easy going- yet still somehow bubbly- personality. A lover of sequins and love (she married her childhood sweetheart) her blog focuses on the romantic and the beauty of the past. Thanks so much for dropping by Ginny!

currently i am beyond obsessed with the lost generation during the 1920s in paris( thank you midnight in paris). i have been reading hemingway and visualizing what life must have been like during that golden era. can you imagine being surrounded by those artistic icons during their heyday? my husband argues he'd rather live in 1960s detroit during the birth of motown. anyway, this is a collection of treasures i would love to pack in a steamer trunk and time travel to la rive gauche in 1926. and i sure wouldn't mind rubbing elbows with the fitzgeralds, picasso, and gertrude stein.

sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Guest Post: Kelly from Design Crush

Kelly was one of the first people I "met" in the blog world. She ran a giveaway of my note cards waaay back when and we've kept in touch pretty much ever since (thanks, Twitter.) Through new logos, new layouts, and various hair cuts, I've watched Kelly's blog morph and grow into the amazing-ness it is today and have loved every second of it. She always finds the coolest things! So if you haven't checked out Design Crush yet, make sure you do that asap. (fyi- Kelly posts all day long whenever she finds inspiration so feel free to check more than once a day.) Thanks for stopping by Kelly!

via bookshop folk

10 Summer Essentials:

-iced tea

-copious amounts of fresh fruit

-cocktails, cocktails, cocktails

-plenty of fans close at hand

-at least two pairs of big sunglasses

-my super wide-brimmed white canvas sunhat

-black flip flops

-as many sundresses and skirts as possible

-at least one good roadtrip

-a lightweight quilt on my bed

Thanks so much for having me visit, Courtney!

Craving: firestarter kit

via magpie & rye

Packing for a trip like ours- where it's not a matter of days, but weeks- you have to get super creative because space is really limited. (Throw in the fact that our stuff includes two complete different types of clothes, camping equipment, food, etc. and it gets even that much more complicated.) Every square inch is planned and used to it's greatest capacity- socks are stuffed in boots, pots nest within themselves, etc. etc. So when I saw this, I was instantly draw to it's simplicity and ease of use. Of course the kit isn't really practical for a long trip (it's in a glass tube and only has 15 matches) but even so, I can't help but crave it for it's beautiful and compact design.