INSPIRATION: Catskills Cabin

Last week Patrick and I took a short trip into the Catskills for a few days. The home we stayed in was beautiful and secluded - the perfect place to enjoy a few days in the woods. With minimal, modern decor and warm cabin-inspired touches, it was a perfect example of a mix of modern and rustic.

Nordica: Kapelluhraun

"I'm so excited for this adventure, the first in a lifetime of adventures together."

Nordica: Reykjanestá

We climbed over sharp, black lava rocks to watch the waves crashing. A bitter wind followed us as we headed towards the cliffs and up a narrow path to the top, where we could see the little island Eldey, where the seabirds nest.

Nordica: Seltún + Gunnuhver

The geothermal fields were otherworldly, volatile, and apocalyptic - with soil and mud ranging from white to blue to bright yellow and red, bubbling, boiling, and steaming. The air was thick, and the smell of sulphur overpowering. We tiptoed across the vents and hiked further up and over a moss-covered hill until we were nearly able to see to the coast.

Nordica: Raufarhólshellir

Our day in the Reykjanes was unforgettable - from ice caves and sea cliffs to geothermal vents and lava fields. We started off by climbing into the Raufarhólshellir, a 5000+ year old lava tube filled with ice stalagmites and mountains of snow. Shielded from the wind, it was calm and quiet in the cave - the only noise was the dripping water from the icicles hanging above us.

The Hidden Pool: Seljavallalaug

One of the most memorable experiences I had in Iceland were swimming at Seljavallalaug. It is one of the oldest outdoor swimming pools in Iceland, and is filled with hot spring water that drips down from Eyjafjallajökull.

Into the Ice: Svínafellsjökull

After driving further east, we arrived at Skaftafell National Park to begin our climb up the Svínafellsjökull glacier, one of the outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Iceland, which covers more than 8% of the country. After strapping on crampons and grabbing ice axes, we started on our way upwards into the ice.

The Blue Lagoon

We spent a day down in the Blue Lagoon in the Reykjanes. It's a gorgeous geothermal spa surrounded by black lava rock and filled with sulfur and silica that's amazing for your skin but really awful for your hair! My hair ended up getting soaked because I had a massage (and felt like straw for a day - think beach hair but three times as dry) but two or three hair masks later it was back to normal.

Adventure: Iceland

We're heading on a two week getaway to Iceland and, armed with a suitcase full of photo and video equipment, started out exploring Reykjavik by heading to the top of Hallgrímskirkja to get a view of the city.

home

so i bought a house. i have a lot of work to do.

from mexico, with love

i wish i would have taken more pictures, but i was too busy soaking up sun and napping in the hammock on my balcony.

rhode island sound

living fossils

we found the entire remnants of a horseshoe crab at the beach. i was surprised because usually i only come across bits and pieces or tails. patrick spent a lot of time digging for sand crabs (or mole crabs) and collecting shells and stones to mix in with the soil for our new cacti. i spent most of the day in and out of the water. i like watching the mussels burrow back into the sand when the waves go out.

helvete

before heading to find the former location of helvete (the black metal record shop where euronymous founded deathlike silence productions), i translated a quick note online that was supposed to say (but i'm sure the translation is shaky) "is this where the music store 'helvete' used to be? 56 schweigaardsgate yes? they played music in the basement. they wrote 'BLACK METAL' on the wall. is it still there?"

56 schweigaardsgate

the location is now a coffee shop and bakery. i had a danish and a cup of coffee while trying to figure out the best way to ask the owners about the store's former life as the hub of the black metal scene. after speaking to the owner, he was nice enough to tell me to go around the back where he would open the gate and bring me downstairs. it was really just an average, unfinished cellar. except that emperor, burzum, and mayhem had all been in the basement when euronymous founded deathlike silence productions in it.

ascending the south tower

for about two euros you can climb the 533 steps of the south tower of the cathedral to the very top, about 100 meters up, passing through the bell chamber that houses the st. peters bell, which at 24,000 kg is the largest freely swinging church bell in existence. it is a long climb (especially when you're carrying a bag with your cameras and laptop) and once i had walked up and back down my legs wouldn't stop shaking.

love padlocks along the hohenzollern bridge

lovers travel to the hohenzollern bridge in cologne to attach padlocks onto the fence separating the rail and pedestrian sections of the bridge and throw the keys into the rhine.

bordeaux streets

Canelés de Bordeaux

Canelés de Bordeaux are petite pastries with a caramelized crust and cake-like interior. when i was in france, i spent a good deal of time munching on macarons and eating Italian-style ice cream, but had been told by a few friends that i simply had to have canelés while i was in the city most famous for them.

My friend Jerome scribbled out a map to get to Baillardran, a bakery in Bordeaux that specializes in canelés.



While I was there, I picked up a handful of canelés and several different macarons. Violet, mimosa, almond, raspberry, chocolate, and rose. Delicious!

lacanau beach

15 rue marengo, bordeaux, france

the little flat that i stayed in while in bordeaux was in the st. michel district, only a few minutes walk or a few tram stops from the gare saint-jean, and not even thirty seconds from basilisque saint-michel. the apartment was so lovely and bright. the windowpanes and shutters were covered in peeling white paint. i would throw them open every morning to let the sun stream in.



i loved the little kitchen. i never bought the same bottle of wine twice. once every few days i would walk down rue saint-james to the boulangerie for a loaf of fresh bread. i liked going out for a coffee and chocolate filled croissant.