shadow boxes

Shadow boxes are something like an adult version of dioramas, they allow you to get your creative juices flowing a bit instead of simply popping a photo in a frame. The use of three dimensional objects really transforms a snapshot into an experience....and puts to use all those little scraps of memorabilia that you collect and usually put in a keepsake box out of sight. 

I put together a shadow box this past weekend to immortalize a small sliver of my husband's and my honeymoon. Those 10 days in paradise were so incredible and meaningful (not to mention ridiculously FUN) that every time we talk about it or think about it we are able to experience just a little bit of that feeling of bliss....so why not bring that smile of remembrance to our faces daily when we look at our shadow box?  We brought back quite a few trinkets from that trip in my dramatic attempt to hold onto as much of it as possible, so I had a lot to work with when it came time to put together the shadow box. The only problem was that the shadow box suddenly seemed SO tiny when I laid out all my Antiguan treasures.....and I still have a box of memorabilia, but that will go in the beautiful handmade, Antiguan mango wood box that my husband bought me while we were there. Smile.

honeymooning bliss

Galley Bay Resort in Antigua

I had a feeling my honeymoon would be fun, but I had NO idea it was going to be such a surreal state of bliss. It was incredible! I should pat myself on the back for the months of researching and hundreds (literally!) of reviews I read about different locations and resorts, because it definitely paid off! I narrowed my search down to the place with the shortest plane ride and best weather--3 hour plane ride and 85 degrees with no rain all year. And our resort, Galley Bay, was as amazing as the hundreds of rave reviews I read claimed it was!

There's really no way to share the story of a 9 day honeymoon.....the long conversations, the life planning, hashing out our parenting philosophies, inside jokes over drinks, romantic, PDA-ridden dinners, playing on the beach like children...I think this only covers about 1/4 of the experience.

Our daily routine didn't seem to alter much the entire time though: sleep in, enormous pile of pineapple and enormous omelet, beach, fresh fish lunch, more beach and/or pool, lazing on the balcony reading and writing, his and her shower (I must have this in my future home!), dress up for dinner (and watch Alex react to a different dress each night, so much fun;), tropical drinks and champagne at the teepee bar, stroll home along the beach staring at the bright Antiguan night sky.

One of the greatest things about being on your honeymoon, especially when you don't go until a few months after your wedding and you think all the fun is over, is being congratulated repeatedly. We were greeted with the best glass of champagne I've ever had in the reception area only seconds after arriving, but when we got to our room we also found this adorable hand-written note and a bottle of champagne to enjoy at our leisure....even better, another one was delivered to our doorstep the next day as well.

The best part of being congratulated in Antigua though, is that the people truly mean it. I was overwhelmed by the genuine, warm, friendly natives and our vacation was incredibly enhanced by these sweet island folks. The island culture was a beautiful and welcome change from the unfriendly extension of Manhattan that we live in.

We stayed on the top floor of this beach villa, the perfect choice so we could enjoy the privacy of our balcony....so peaceful first thing in the morning or while lounging together, listening to music and talking into the night.

Our room could not have been any better. Terra-cotta tiles to cool your hot feet, an amazingly comfortable bed, gorgeous photography on the walls, a bathroom the size of my living room and kitchen combined (with his and her showers and a hot tub, yes please!), a swanky living room and kitchenette and the breathtaking views from our balcony of the perfectly teal Caribbean waters...oh, and a tiny Christmas tree!

Here's the lovely pool that felt like lounging next to a swimming hole in the middle of a rainforest.

Three things that will forever remind me of Antigua: pineapple, coconuts and fish. I suppose it makes sense to associate tropical fruits with tropical islands, but I had no idea how insane my craving would grow each day. I seriously could not get enough pineapple or coconuts. I consumed two large plates of pineapple every day, and couldn't stop ordering the best drink I've ever had: coco locos. Mmmmm! And I have to say, fish is incredibly different when it's caught fresh every day and prepared with island sauces and herbs.

One notable experience was the couples coconut cocoon spa treatment we had in a little hut. They scrubbed us from head to toe with a coconut sugar scrub, then poured warm coconut milk over us and cocooned us in warm wraps while massaging our heads. The treatment was finished off with a couples shower and coconut oil massage. Ahhhh.....

This was a very long list of rules posted on the beach. But, I absolutely love the second to last one: "Please respect mother nature. The sea is beautiful, and powerful." Oh yes it is! It's obviously beautiful, but the waves were extremely powerful. The last two days the waves reached what I feared were tsunami levels (totally not though, haha!) and they had to make a sandbag barricade around the boardwalk to keep the waves from crashing into the restaurant....but they still crashed in. It was quite exciting and mesmerizing to watch; but I'm not going to lie, I was pretty scared. I kept having flashbacks from the movie Hereafter (with Matt Damon).

These are "tiny" waves.

There's nothing like a fruity, tropical beverage from a teepee bar right on the ocean, right? It's the picture of an island vacation and I enjoyed it far more than I anticipated. I don't even drink, but I couldn't help but indulge in yummy coco locos (coconut creme, light rum, pineapple juice). And I've never had so much champagne in my life! But, hey....it was my honeymoon:)

The best part of the trip hands down, though, were all the fun, romantic, hilarious, lively, intimate hours and days of connection I experienced with my husband. We do spend a lot of time together at home, but this was so different! We were completely removed from life and melted into one another in a new way that left us feeling more bonded than ever.....I guess you'd call that married:) At any rate, there was so much playing and laughing and uncontrollable affection and praise. Ahhh......

All in all, I came home with an endless store of memories that will make me smile for the rest of my life.

back from paradise

The contrast between the paradise I just returned from and the New England reality I actually live in, couldn't have been more drastic than it was the past two days. Alex and I returned from sunny, tropical Antigua, where it is always 85 degrees, and were greeted with an insane blizzard (I wish I had pictures!) that left us snowed in at my father-in-law's country house for 2 days. My body has been in a complete state of shock, attempting to be flexible and cameleon-like, but it feels more like confusion.

That sense of confusion is something I love about traveling though. I love to observe others' ways of life--the unique practices, thoughts, cuisine, conversations, landscapes, music and character that define a different culture and/or country. It's a total sensory confusion as you taste, see, hear, smell and touch a life that is foreign to you. And, in Antigua, the culture is rich and all my senses were in a state of bliss. I have so many stories to tell, but I'm going to leave it short and vague today as I attempt to re-acclamate to my life and unpack my chaotic-looking household.

merry christmas!

Photo by Natalie Schlegel (Connecticut 8/10)

Today is our last morning on the beautiful and tropical island of Antigua. We will enjoy breakfast on the beach, a long walk in the sand and maybe a quick swim before spending the rest of our Christmas Day on an airplane back to the States.

Happy holidays everyone! I hope all those who celebrate Christmas are enjoying a warm, cozy day filled with smiles from loved ones and delicious food!

islands away from life

Antigua and Barbuda Map Pendant by XO Handworks

For an incredibly visual person, such as myself, being in Antigua is so psychologically symbolic as I have a clear picture in my head of being on a tiny island in the middle of the Caribbean sea, totally separated from my home continent. It is as if I can barely recall my daily routines, concerns, or thoughts, because I am so far removed from them. I am left with a quiet peace so close to a never-ending meditative state.

Right now, I can't be reached by anyone I know, I can't run into reminders of anything familiar, I can't attend to any of my pressing obligations. I suppose that is a true vacation from life, something I do not experience very often. My husband and I travel regularly, and are always off on a long road trip or weekend away, but we rarely "vacate" our lives. Our love of adventure pulls us toward active vacations and experiences, rather than enjoying a span of days without planning, schedules, telephones or clocks. The only time I experience this true sense of "vacation" is during our hikes on quiet mountains or at the end of a soothing yoga practice.

We all need moments of vacation to recharge, gain perspective and savor life. And you don't need to travel all the way to Antigua to enjoy that. A simple half hour in the bathtub with the lights off or a walk in nature can provide you with the pause from life we all need, but rarely take. I remind you today to take a break, even from the activities you enjoy. Take some time to be inactive and filled with silence.

Today's Etsy Picks: Island treats, vacation dreams, and relaxation inducers.

Caribbean Islands, Shea Butter Cold Process Soap by Skin Journey

Caribbean Island Botanical Perfume Oil by Skin Journey

Island Vacation Silky Body and Hair Mist by Bubble Tub

Lavender and Flax Eye Pillow by Ophelia's Apoth.e.cary

Meditation Bath Salts with Rose Petals by Thy Local Organic Pagan

Calming and Relaxing Moonglow Lullaby Balm by Little Yellow Yarrow

Coconut Isle Cold Process Soap by Lippincott Soap Co.

Zen Ultimate Bath, Body and Massage Oil by Spa Goddess

honeymoon

Photo by Lauren Stagnetti

Today I woke up at 3:30 am…..on purpose. We are off to Antigua for our long-awaited honeymoon and I cannot wait! Thanks to a great deal of planning and writing in advance, I have my blog set up to continue posting while I'm away, so keep coming back to read!

It will probably be quite difficult for me to not be writing my blog while I’m away. I know it’s my honeymoon (and I intend to savor the heck out of it!), but I really look forward to the part of my day when I sit down to write. Recently my blog has taken a different turn than I originally anticipated, but I wanted to let it go where it wanted to go….you know, trust the process. I try to put my blind faith into “the process” of everything, believing that I am being led. And I have to say that, since allowing my blog’s focus to meander off the path I set out for it, I have become so much more dedicated (and obsessed) with it! Wherever it leads, one thing I know is that I want to write for an audience so I'm going to keep going.

But, I am going to be on a strict no-blog-writing diet while I’m away with my sweet husband for 9 days in paradise…..and the lack of internet service on the island will prevent me from any possible slip ups. Alex and I will be working on writing our book while we are away though, and that is something I am really looking forward to! Perhaps it isn’t your typical honeymoon activity, but for us, having days on end with nowhere to go and nothing we’re obligated to do provides us with the space we wish we had regularly to create, create, create!

Don’t you worry though, we will get in PLENTY of beach lazing, salt water swimming, husband vs. wife tennis matches, shuffleboard, gorging on island food, steel drum dancing, fruity drinks, massages…..oh and even a boat ride that will drop us off on a deserted island for a day of beach fun, hiking and a lobster dinner cooked for us in the middle of nowhere.

I will for sure have TONS of photos and stories to tell when I return!

Today's Picks: Honeymoon Treats from Etsy:

Edible, Warming, Lickable Massage Oil by Sobe Botanicals

Just Married Bikini by Island Bride Shop

Honeymoon Roll On Perfume Oil by The Dirty Housewife

Tropical Palms Weekender by Sew Posh Designs

Rustic Copper Do Not Disturb Sign by Buttermilk Hollow

the most wonderful time of the year?

As per usual, Christmas has exploded across the country. Every year, before our turkeys can even speak their last gobble, we are gearing up for the next holiday. It always feels so rushed to me, except for this year. Our house is intentionally devoid of any sprigs of evergreen, jingling bells or sparkly snowflakes. Half out of convenience and half out of holiday avoidance, Alex and I scheduled our 8 day honeymoon to fall over Christmas break. His work ethic, handed down through the generations of his family, only allowed us to take a few days in Vermont after our wedding last month. We do have the luxury of Alex's 16+ weeks of vacation time he gets every year so I wasn't too disappointed.

This December instead of spending our holiday shuttling around the eastern seaboard in an attempt to spread our love (way too thin) amongst far too many family abodes, we will be heading off to the glorious island of Antigua. Here (below) is the unbelievable resort where we will be relaxing instead of packing our car to the brim with hand wrapped presents, allergen-free casseroles, our sanity, and bags filled with books and DVDs to occupy the many moments we've escaped to hide in a guest room somewhere. Yes, we will be holding on tight to our sanity this year, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

I have to say, the holidays seem to cause more anxiety, stress and exhaustion than they do joy and celebration....at least in my family. There is always the battle over where the event will be held, who will go to which house on what day and for how long, the lists of gift requests that you know you are going to be guilted into buying, but can't actually afford, the awkward moments with relatives or family friends that you inevitably face no matter how hard you try to avoid, the arguments over what to cook because every member of the family has different diet restrictions and food allergies. There are also all the elephants in the corner of every gathering....without a doubt someone has lost a job, ended a relationship, gotten into some kind of trouble, been single for too long, had a falling out with someone sitting at the table across from them that was never actually resolved, passed out at the dinner table from the combination of the wine and the Xanax they needed to take just to get through the holidays. I also find that in my case, being a 30-year old newly married woman, there is the lovely new struggle of overbearing parents who can't quite let go of their "babies." My blood pressure has risen just writing this.

So, instead, I will be enjoying the view from my balcony in Antigua this year.

I am looking forward to spending my days running in the warm sand, snorkeling in the turquoise water, exploring the island, enjoying a massage for two on the beach at sunset, dancing the night away with my incredible husband....ahhh...it's going to magic!

Although, I will feel a slight nostalgia for the pieces of the holidays that I do enjoy, like visiting our warm, cozy house in Maine. It is always buried in deep snow by December, which gives you all the reason in the world to hunker down by the fire, watch the ocean roll in and out over the ice-covered rocky beach, drink hot cocoa to your heart's content, cook and bake the day away, and play some board games with your family.

Our house in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

How much do you love the porthole window??

Something else I will miss: my dad's week-long display of Christmas sweaters and socks.

I will also hold a soft spot in my heart for the Christmas season, because it is when Alex and I fell in love two years ago, and it is when he proposed to me last year. The first thing we did when we arrived at the Maine house last Christmas was pop open a bottle of champagne and toast our engagement. It was one of the happiest moments of my entire life!

Such a blurry, poor quality picture (please excuse!), but it was difficult to capture the night Alex proposed to me given my hands wouldn't stop shaking and the apartment was pitch black, aside from a trail of tiny candles. Love him!

I hope you all survive the next month of holiday preparations (that is if you celebrate)!