New Blog Format

Hello everyone! I hope you've had a lovely LONG weekend! Joseph and I spent the weekend hanging out with family, taking photographs, and in general relaxing. With all the scanning of old family photos and taking new photos, I did two fun things this weekend.

1. I finally got back my Flickr page and 2. I've been playing around with a new blog format that is more photo friendly than Blogger. We've landing with my new blog on Wordpress, which is more photo-centered than anything else.

Here is my new blog, temporary title V&N (it will change when I think of something creative) which I'll slowly be switching over to. I'll keep you updated on the progress!

Sad Passport Belonging To

Yes, it is Stace's annual tradition of getting the travel itch, the travel bug... I've been anchored down and I really, really miss going to Europe and exotic far away lands where the warm air hits your legs and cheeks, the air smells of spices and you pass people just waiting to be known.

As usual, Kate Spade also has the travel itch, and makes me want to get on a plane this very moment. Destination: anywhere!

✈

Her new collection, I Resolve to Wear Out My Passport, is perfect for my trip to a tiny island off of Portugal, don't you think? A girl can dream, can't she?

photos via http://meghanmcneer.com/

The Young Victoria

The Young Victoria

I need another English historical drama to get me through the month of January! I've made Joseph watch the entire Forsyte Saga, Series 1 with me throughout the winter break, but I'm hungry for more! Maybe I'm having a Masterpiece Theater withdraw since the cancelation of our cable. There's nothing wrong with a little bit of "dandy" and refined culture now and then! Queen and Country, right?

J.Crew in Lonny Magazine

It's too bad I don't work in this J.Crew Collection store in New York City*... featured in Lonny Magazine.

*Currently changing my mind about looking forward to work (in a mall, in the suburbs).

And the Yarn Goes KABOOM!

It goes by many names, knit graffiti, yarn bombing, guerrilla knitting, yarn storming...

Typical Christmas dinner conversations include talk of delicious food and drink, thankful wishes to friends and family, and remembering holidays past. But yarn bombing? College boy stalking strategies? Parities in our mouths - who's invited to yours? These are topics on our plate when eating with Jaren and Patrick.

Joseph hadn't been aware of our neighborhood knit graffiti at City O'City until this morning, after our conversation with Patrick about knit bombing, or yarn bombing. I'm a fan of this colorful, soft, and non-harmful rebellious artistic solidarity. It shows a certain spirit that captures the love of the process, not the immortality of the artwork. I'm attracted to those things that are temporary, fleeting, and non threatening. The artists that plant their bombs around our neighborhood is called the Ladies Fancywork Society. They seem to be a gang of free spirited knitting and crocheting girls who have a flare for saturated color and a whimsical sense of humor. But on the international scale, I ADORE the ladies of Knit the City! Their videos are the best!

You can watch an ABC video (yes, national news, which is weird) and read all about Yarn Bombing at Knit the City, Yarn Bombing.com, Visual Culture, Ladies Fancywork Society, and ArtYarn, just to name a few.

ABC Yarn Bombing in Denver video

Oh Blogs, How I Love Thee

Alfred was obviously underdressed for his induction into the Adventurers Hall of Fame

Alfred, Louis and Francois after 12 years of preparation were surprised to find a cafe at the top of mount Everest

icons on the mountain

I've basically spent my day off/cold recovery doing the following:

1. Skype Mother
2. Drink tea
3. Opt not to shower
4. Deposit at bank
5. E.F. library to pick up my treasure trove of CD's, movies, and books
6. Fill Hans with gas, oil, windshield fluid
7. Target Rx cold meds and Kleenex
8. Lunch with Joseph
9. Watch Charlie Rose feat. Wes Anderson
10. Blog, read blogs, Facebook
11. Think about going to Fado's for Irish music/dance with friends tonight

I've discovered some new-to-me blogs that I just adore. Very Sasek, I must admit, but after all, he's got a good thing going, why mess with it? I love this aesthetic, these new blogs and artists. Thank goodness for creativity! Why didn't I think of these?

Matte Stephens (1&2)

Call Me Max(3)

Wayne Pate(4&5)

Rifle Paper Co. and Blog(6)

Post Christmas Blues

All year I look forward to two things, my birthday (of course) and the holiday season. I love the city decorated in pretty lights, the way houses smell of ginger, cinnamon, and pine, drinking warm spiced wine, the long relaxing break from school, and the feeling of being close to family and friends. When everything is all said and done, I'm a little sad to see it all go back to normal. The lights are taken down, Christmas trees are put away (thanks Martha Stewart K-Mart xmas tree for another good season), and we must go back to work. I'm looking forward to 2010. Frankly, 2009, you were a bit difficult... CHEERS TO A NEW YEAR, but first...

Here is a little Christmas wrap up of our holiday going-ons in Denver! Thank you so much family and friends for the jubilant celebrations!

Christmas Eve with the Pings Family

Traditional Buche de Noel, Grandpa's fruit cake, and a night of numerous games including Christmas quiz, white elephant, and The Price is Right!

Christmas Day Events

Christmas morning mountain harvest french toast, free-range applewood smoked bacon, Bon Bonerie opera cream coffee using Apple's Irish coffee service! We spent the morning playing Scrabble, watching Rick Steve's European Christmas and The Royal Tenenbaums, lunch at The Bagel Deli - lox and latkes, and Christmas Dinner with Jaren and Patrick's family!

Making my new traditional Mario Batali's Mrs. Bean's Famous Nutmeg Ginger Apple Snaps (Joseph and Patrick approve)

Merry Christmas

To all my friends and family, whom I miss so so much today, I hope you have the happiest of holidays with your loved ones. I'll be thinking of you all on this wintery white Christmas day.

♥ Stace

Denmark Christmas Stamps

I can't say what these have to do with Christmas, but I like the look of them nonetheless.

Today I FINALLY did some Christmas shopping for hostess gifts, family, and Joseph. It feels good to be simple this year - not getting involved in the "hype" as Jaren calls it.

I feel like some years I have worried so much about how many things I am getting this or that person, that I forget sometimes that Christmas time is about relaxation and spending quality time with my family and friends. Of course I would love to give amazing gifts that people really need and would make them smile, but this year is tough for not just us, but for so many people. So I think simplicity is sincerely making me feel weightless and very happy.

"It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good-humour."
- A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens