Little Bird

Gabriel Rucker, the genius behind Le Pigeon, now has another restaurant open in SW Portland. It's called Little Bird and I can't wait to try it out with my dear friend Anne in just 10 days! How exciting to be homeward bound. All the same, I am actually really sad to be leaving my darling J and my home here in Switzerland for three weeks. Just think, when we arrived here almost exactly one year ago, I was rather nonplussed with the decision and didn't anticipate staying more than one year. Now I'm genuinely happy to be here and I'm feeling really at home and settled, which is a truly lovely outcome.  

Aren't those photos of Little Bird just delicious? Mmmm. You can read about Le Pigeon in this post, which was coincidentally written during the time when J and I were deciding to take the plunge and move to Switzerland. I'm so glad we did. 

When was the last time you took a leap of faith? Did it work out as you had expected? What prompted you to go ahead despite the risks?

{photos from here}

{Swoon} California Bungalow

I cannot stop dreaming of white and pink and mahogany decor in a light-drenched, airy home after reading this post. Doesn't designer Chris Barrett's California bungalow just make you swoon?!

Oooh la la. I'm as smitten as can be. 

{photos from here}

Leather Gift for J

I had the most difficult time not spilling the beans before the fact and completely gushing to J that I got him the Roberu iPhone case he's been dreaming of for our anniversary.

I'm glad I managed to contain myself, because watching him open it and seeing how much he loved it was a real treat!

Next up some photos from our anniversary train journey around Switzerland. 

Chic SPF

After reading this article, I decided to get (even more) serious about sun protection. Naturally, I already use a moisturizer with sunscreen, but a couple of months ago, I added a super sexy Stetson hat to my sun protection routine. I absolutely love it!

It's a men's hat and my head is so unbelievably gigantic, I have to wear a men's LARGE! Strange, but true. I love wearing a hat because I don't get a burn in my part line and it boosts my protection efforts on my face. 

If you're not wearing sunscreen on your face everyday, you really need to cultivate this anti-aging, anti-skin cancer habit. Here are a few suggestions for you.

For foundation-like coverage, use Clinique City Block. It packs a lot of SPF punch with a whopping broad-spectrum protection factor of 40, and it gives moderate to full coverage. 

To look positively luminescent and have flawless invisible coverage, use Lancôme Teint Miracle. It feels like silk on your skin, but it's best for winter use as it only has SPF 15.

For no-tint, anti-aging, use Arbonne RE9 Advanced Restorative Day Crème. It goes on smooth and matte, has an SPF of 20 and is suitable for drier skin types as it's very moisturizing. Added bonus, it will stop those pesky wrinkles in their tracks!

Enjoy your summer - and remember, sun protection and the pale skin that goes with it are ultra-chic!


{photos from here and here and here}

On the Fence

I'm really embarrassed to say this, but I'm on the fence as to whether or not I want to keep J's anniversary gift to me this year. It's not that I don't like it; I'm just not sure I can pull it off. It seems very fancy and impractical to me, which is hilarious because he chose it because he found it understated and practical. 

It's a very beautiful, very lovely key case from Burberry.

Inside there are four hooks to attach keys and on the exterior is a leather strap with a key ring at the end which can either be folded inside or left hanging out. It also has two inner pockets and one outer pocket which would be great places to stash 20 francs, or a little to-do list or a love note. 

It is a fact that I lose my keys at least once everyday, so it really is a very thoughtful gift on darling J's part. It's so pretty. It seems like something that dirty metal keys would ruin. And now since I haven't scratched it up by forcing my keys onto its perfect hooks and rings, J frowns and says I don't like it. Oh no! I should just go ahead and enjoy my beautiful gift. Honestly, I don't know what is holding me back.

Darling reader, what do you think? Understated yet practical luxury? Am I a fool not to put it to use tout de suite?

{photos from here}

Clean and Modern Email

Gmail is updating their look at last! It's definitely the best web based email around and now it will look good, too.

Now if I could just clean out all of my old folders and gunk I've got in my archive... How do you keep your email neat and tidy? Are you a deleter? A filer? Or, like J, a 1,208 new messages in the Inbox sort of organizer?

Three Years Ago Today

www.amysinisterra.com

I must admit that the first two years of marriage were rough. But, just like Carrie and Mr. Big, we got through the terrible twos and now we are onto the thrilling threes. I have never been happier. I feel so fortunate to have married my best friend and confidant. He is a true partner to me and gives me so much support, encouragement and love each day. Thanks for being an amazing husband, J! I love you.

Home, Sweet Home!

Last weekend we went to measure our new apartment and afterward, while sitting lakeside, I found myself experiencing immeasurable delight. J said that of course I felt that way because we're moving into what is really going to feel like our first home. And I must confess, I think he is right! We have moved every year (at least once!) since we have known each other. That's eight years of U-Hauls, new apartments, getting settled, dismantling, and doing it again. This time we know we'll be staying put for three years. What a delightful feeling, indeed.

J in the kitchen, which is being updated this week!!

Living room with incredible hardwoods.

Living room from other side. Woodburning stove!

Bedroom with amazing parquet floor.

Second bedroom (and the current tenant finishing up packing!)

I'm really looking forward to the process of getting settled and creating a space we can call home. Next up, some pictures of the adorable neighborhood!

Anniversary Week

This week J and I are celebrating our third marriage anniversary. First, a few pics from our rehearsal.

We are going out for dinner tomorrow night to exchange gifts. This year's gift is leather. We both can't wait to give each other our gift!!

Tomorrow some wedding pics. All photos by Amy Sinisterra Photography. 

Snail Mail is for Lovers

photo from www.usps.com

How gorgeous are these stamps? I love sending letters, but here in Switzerland, at 1,90 CHF ($2.25) per letter to America, it's so much cheaper to call! What a sad truth. I hate to see the art of letter writing disappearing into oblivion, but perhaps these fabulous stamps will help letter writing make a come back! They are Forever stamps and I'm more than a little tempted to buy up a bunch and tuck them away for future letter sending.

I'm dreaming of sending letters today. Love letters to J, heartfelt letters about my life in Switzerland to good friends, witty letters to pals. 

When was the last time you sent a handwritten letter? When was the last time you received a handwritten letter? Who did you write to or who was it from? Did you receive a reply?

Summer Shoes

These sweet little shoes are headed my way and I don't intend to take them off for the rest of the summer.

photo from www.birkenstockusa.com

What's your go to summer shoe? What matters more to you when it's hot - style or comfort?

Endspurt

You know that immensely difficult last push through a long and arduous task, like say the school year if you're a teacher? Well, in German they actually have a word for it: Endspurt. It translates very well. In Switzerland, people will wish you a "good endspurt" much like you might wish someone a happy birthday.

I'm taking all the wishes for a good endspurt that I can get. These days, J and I are just SO tired! Really, we are seriously running out of steam.

Luckily when trying to push through an endspurt, there is a breakfast that is fast, easy as pie and gives you lots of energy right through lunchtime. Just the ticket. Thank you, oatmeal, for being so wonderful!

Traffic Jam

I probably have the most beautiful 15-minute-walk "commute" in the world. But like regular commutes, it has its drawbacks. Every once in a while, I'll be a little late to work due to running into these folks. It's okay. They make up for the setback in cuteness.

New Home

We could not be happier about our new apartment in Seefeld. It is definitively the most desirable neighborhood in Zürich and utterly impossible to get into - especially at an affordable price. One evening we were riding the bus to a party at a friend's house and I got to thinking about how I'd like to live in the city. As nice as Adliswil is, it's a suburb and I just don't do suburbs! I'm a city girl, through and through. I looked up at J and said, "You know what will happen? Someone we know will be moving and then we'll take over their apartment and it will just work out that way and we'll get an amazing place."

Less than three weeks later we got an urgent call at 10 pm from some friends. Their neighbor was moving and if we wanted to get this place we had to act fast. We viewed the apartment the following evening and got the application in the mail the following day. Things fell effortlessly into place from there.

I was a little shocked to discover the total non-existence of equal opportunity housing policies here in Switzerland and extremely shocked to see people's reactions. At work and among friends, we got everything from sincere congratulations - you'd think we'd just completed our doctorate - to jealousy and whispering of the not-so-subtle variety. Waiting to hear back about an apartment you really, really want is hard enough, but having to endure remarks like, "An affordable apartment in Seefeld? Do you even have a chance? What makes you think they would they choose you?" is horrible. You might be asking yourself right now, how does one respond to that? I'll tell you. With a confident smile and an enthusiastic "It's not advertised! Our friends recommended us. They've been in the building for six years. Isn't it great?!" Oh, it's fabulous, darling!

I can scarcely count the ways this move is going to be wonderful, but definitely near the top of the list is decor. I have missed the vintage charm of our beautiful apartments in Portland more than I can say and our new place has serious charm: Original parquet floors from 1865, a wood burning stove from the same era, tall old windows with deep window sills, wainscoting! Elements such as those deserve decor that is warm, a tad modern to off-set the historical feel and cozy. Here's what I've got in mind.

photos from ikea.com and pendelton-usa.com

With the exception of the striped wool throw, which J and I saw in Sunset Magazine and immediately became completely obsessed with, all of the furniture and decor come from IKEA. The coveted striped throw is from Oregon's own Pendelton Woolen Mills. And did I mention it's 100% pure Merino? {swoon!}

When brainstorming what's important to us in a living room, we both agreed that cozy is paramount, hence the high pile wool rug, the Pendelton throws and the comfy couch where you can really snuggle up. It's also extremely important to us that our television not be the focus of the room. In fact, we don't even want it to be visible, so the cupboard will keep it tucked away and out of sight when we are not watching a movie rental from iTunes. In order to add a little warmth to the top of the cabinet, I envision the blue pitcher vase on top and a stack of books. I just love an artfully selected stack of books. To keep things from being too drab or plain, the red lamp gives a punch of color! Finally, the sofa table with its gooey golden glow will keep the sofa away from the wall and create depth and dimension in the room without the couch feeling like it's just out in the middle of the room on its own. I think it's going to be delightful!

What are your top priorities when decorating? What does your ideal living room look and feel like? What sort of "living" does your living room cater to?

Capsule Coffee

I'm now the proud owner of a capsule coffee maker and it's my new best friend. They're prohibitively expensive new, but I found this used model from an American relocating back home. She was sad she couldn't take it with her.

That fancy shmancy red orb is the Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee maker and all the boxes are filled with little capsules that you put into the machine and then flip it on and presto! A fresh cappuccino or latte machiatto. Yum! J is such a sweetie and when we got home after picking it up, he automatically made space for it in the shelf above his beloved kettle. Joel is a purist and drinks French Press coffee and lots of tea. I'm not that sophisticated and I tend to run with the trends, so I'm a Dolce Gusto kind of gal. 

Here's a cappuccino in progress. It takes two capsules, first a milk capsule to make the frothed milk almost all the way to the top, then follow up with the espresso capsule to finish it off. Wow. The milk is actually foamy and delicious and this machine is so completely cool. I am in love!

Saturday Morning

Saturday morning is my favorite of all mornings. Friday nights we get a lot of sleep and then wake up on our own (no alarm!) and snuggle until we're ready to get out of bed. I'm especially happy this Saturday because it's raining and cloudy and inside feels so cozy and warm with a cup of strong coffee.

Today I tried a new recipe from my America's Test Kitchen Cook Book. I made the Cream Biscuits, which they promised would be fast at only 30 minutes start to finish and light. They were both. If I had taken them about just a few minutes earlier, they would have been a bit moister and chewier, but they were not the least bit dense or heavy. Overall very impressive, especially because I used Schär Gluten Free flour! Because I was on a roll, I also whipped together some pork breakfast sausages that I adapted from this recipe. I prefer the Hot version, but I up the sage and omit the MSG - of course! 

All in all, a pretty perfect morning if you ask me. What do you do on Saturdays? What are your weekend rituals?

Vision Boards

I thought the movie, "The Secret" was a crock. Some of the basic principles were good - positive attracts positive, negative attracts negative. But, unlike "What the Bleep Do We Know?" I found that "The Secret" focused mainly on attracting money and things and that is not all that inspiring.

Recently, I decided to give my goals definition and intention and thought I would make a vision board. In "The Secret" the vision boards are mainly composed of photos of gigantic houses, diamond rings that resemble flashlights and Hawaiian beach scenes. How do you represent "Organized, peaceful home" with a photo on a board? 

Because our lives are so visual, I still wanted to give the vision board a try. I think that having a picture collage reminder of the things I'm working toward and desire will not only keep my mood positive, but also focused on the path and on track. Making a vision board is easier said than done!

In the end, one of the best ways I've found to attract more positivity is through gratitude. Taking a few minutes at the beginning or end of the day to recall five things I'm grateful for is surprisingly powerful. What are you feeling thankful for? Make it a great day!

Arbonne

I wholeheartedly love cosmetics. I really can't think of a more gratifying way to spend money than on beauty products. Seriously. Having a bad day? Week? Month? Go get a makeover, buy yourself some shiny, good smelling beauty products and you'll feel amazing! 

To that end, I was very excited to get a package in the mail recently from my dear friend Amy. 

YAY!

Amy is an Independent Consultant with Arbonne and she sent me all sorts of goodies. 

OMG!

Just look at all that fabulous stuff! Sea Source Detox Spa bath salts, RE9 skin care sample set, make-up, protein powder -  and more!

Sometimes it can take me a while to try a new beauty product because I have such dry, sensitive skin. Trying something new always carries an element of risk with it. But Amy was in qualification to get a FREE white Mercedes Benz through Arbonne, so I thought to myself, "Hey, I need a moisturizer with sunscreen for the summer, I might as well support Amy and see if Arbonne has a nice one." WOW! Do they ever! 

Arbonne is amazing! Who knew?!

That is my new RE9 anti-aging moisturizer with sunscreen and next to it is an Arbonne lip polish. The moisturizer is lovely, anti-aging and contains no parabens or other crap. That is because, I learned from reading a bit about Arbonne, all of their products are pure.safe.beneficial. meaning they're sourced from natural ingredients that are good for you. Wow!

Last summer Amy gave me a tube of that very lip polish as a going away gift and I promptly fell in love with it! Then tragedy struck and I dropped it on hard tile floor and it broke. I've been missing it ever since. I must say that Arbonne's lip gloss is the absolute BEST lip gloss I've EVER used! It's glossy and has lots of shine, but it's not the least bit sticky. How is that possible, you ask? I have no idea. But it isn't. It's not sticky! Best of all, it's moisturizing (yes, moisturizing!), so I can put it onto bare lips and it feels good and looks great. Talk about a dream product! 

But it's not just a dream product, it turns out Arbonne is a dream brand!

photo from arbonne.com

That is the RE9 Advanced skin care set. It's the skin care line that my ahhhhmazing moisturizer with sunscreen is a part of and happily Amy sent me a sample of the whole line so I could try all the products out together. No joke, people, this stuff is incredible. I used the sample kit for seven days and seven nights and I couldn't believe the difference. Naturally, I ordered up the full-size kit on the spot. I had to! No really, I had to! How could I not when the word "blackhead" was quickly vanishing from my vocabulary?! 

I can't even begin to tell you how revolutionary this skin care line is. That must be what RE stands for - revolutionary. My skin is smoother than it's ever been. The RE9 seems to have pulled all the impurities and blackheads right out leaving behind invisible pores and total radiance. It's to die for. Best of all, you only need the tiniest amount to see results. The sample kit is only supposed to last three days and three nights, but I managed to get a whole week out of it. Amazing! I am counting down the days until my full size set arrives. 

So...are you curious about that FREE white Mercedes?! 

They did it! Amy and her team are now an Arbonne Region and I, for one, am so delighted for her. The Arbonne Opportunity is incredible! Seeing what this company has done not only personally for my skin (in just one week!) but the phenomenal ways that it has touched Amy's life, I will definitely be joining Arbonne as soon as I get back on US soil! In the meantime, I'm a total believer in Arbonne's incredible pure.safe.beneficial. line of products and will continue supporting the Amy Everett Region!

If you are interested in the Arbonne Opportunity or want to try some incredible Arbonne products on your own skin, visit Amy's Arbonne Website. She will be more than happy to introduce you to Arbonne products and the company. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Spring Has Sprung!

The weather in the Zurich area has been ridiculously gorgeous the past week or so. It honestly feels like summer and what could be better than a picnic lunch on a bench by the lakeside? Nothing, apparently, as that is what everyone and their dog is up to these days in Zurich! 

I'm so happy to see winter long gone and long spring days here. Warmth, light in the evenings, strolls with just a light sweater or wrap, the feeling of the sun on my face. It's glorious. As J said, it's a miracle every year to see the buds form and watch everything burst into life. I couldn't agree more. 

Best thing since sliced bread.

Today I received my first grocery delivery and it's safe to say I may never go to the store again. Last night all it took was a little time, a few clicks and today all of my groceries arrived on-time, lovingly packed and I didn't have to carry anything up two flights of stairs!

This being Switzerland, one of the payment options is to be sent a bill via email. I do have to say I love the level of trust when it comes to money in this country. 

It did take some time to select everything, about an hour and fifteen minutes from start to finish. That's still less time than it would have taken to go to the store and I was at home in my slippers! Coop @ home has a 100 chf minimum for delivery and an 18 chf delivery fee. If you order more, the delivery fee drops and I paid only 13 chf. As J said, we probably saved 13 chf in impulse buys just by not being physically in the store. Very true! And really, those were some heavy items. Having them brought up the stairs right to our door is worth every cent (or rappen as they say here in Switzerland). 

I'm hooked. Only online grocery shopping for me. It really is the best thing to happen to the grocery store since sliced bread!

Woo Medicine

I am currently recovering from what is possibly the worst head cold I have ever suffered from. The doctor sent me to the pharmacy to get a few things. The first item was Triofan, a fabulous nasal spray with a decongestant in it. If it weren't for Triofan, I think it's very possible that I might never have slept again!

photo from topwell.ch

Triofan is your standard drug. It's a pharmaceutical with xylometazoline hydrochloride in it, which is why it works so rapidly and makes breathing so easy possible again. 

The doctor also told me to get something else: Weleda Doron Drops for Cough. 

photo from weleda.ch

These are definitely NOT a pharmaceutical. In fact, they fall into a category that many would describe as "woo." These drops are not a Homeopathic, but an anthroposophical medicine. If you have not heard of Anthroposophy, it was started by Rudolph Steiner, who also founded the Waldorf school movement. I definitely consider Steiner to be 100% woo and I'll admit that after doing my masters thesis on his Waldorf movement, I am not a big fan of his educational philosophies. This makes me a bit biased against anthroposophical medicine.

That said, I like that doctors prescribe this stuff here. As a first course, it's always better to pursue the over-the-counter nasal spray and drops route rather than to take antibiotics!  Initially, I was unbelievably impressed at how effective the drops were, in fact, I couldn't believe it. But that was before I had read the Triofan box and realized it had bona fide drugs in it. 

Now, I am not entirely convinced that the drops work. Here is why: I took the drops at the same time as I took the Triofan. My cough was caused by mucus dripping post-nasally into my lungs and then being coughed back up. Yuck. So when the Triofan cleared up the nose, Ahhhhh, naturally the cough went away too. 

The next time I have a cough I'm looking forward to taking some of these drops and seeing what happens. Given how acute my pain and misery were yesterday, I am very thankful for the Triofan and its drug content. 

Overall, I think Switzerland has a really good balance of western medicine and alternative therapies. Yes, many people consider homeopathy, naturopathy and acupuncture woo, but these therapies can and do work for a lot of conditions.  I am an especially sensitive person so holistic medicine really appeals to me as it investigates how the body is functioning as a whole and how a disruption in one area can have repercussions in other areas of the body.

That is not woo, it's just common sense!!

Happily, I have a supplement on my insurance that covers alternative therapies. As healthcare reform moves forward in the US, I hope that this is something that will become possible at home, too. I'm happy to pay a bit extra each month to have access to acupuncture, naturopathy, massage and so on. And in the end, it probably saves the insurance companies a lot of money. When people pursue preventative measures that are natural it's just plain cheaper than traditional western medicine that involves lots of costly pharmaceuticals and technology. 

So, bring on the woo - and the drugs! They can work together. 

Craving Home

I've been pretty homesick lately. Here are a few of the things that I crave, want, need and hate living without.

Mail Order 

I love getting things in the mail. Especially packages filled with clothes from J.Crew, stationery from Minted, frivolous lovelies from Kate Spade, lovely smelling geranium cleaning products from Mrs. Meyer's, kitchen gadgets and makeup from Macy's, and the list goes on and on. Best of all, when in America, these things come with manageable US price tags instead of prohibitively outrageous Swiss ones! 

Whole Foods

photo from wholefoods.com

It's such a treat to walk into Whole Foods and buy super fresh produce that doesn't go bad within 12 hours. I love the Panko Bread Crumbs in a little can. Organic stuff that is affordable! Essential oils, Bach Flower Remedies, local meats. I do miss Whole Foods, even if they are corporate. 

My Kitchen Appliances

photo from kitchenmixersreview.com

It's tough to bake a cake or make cookies without my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer that J and I got from my mom at my bridal shower. Other coveted items? Food processor and crock pot. I am not going to re-buy these things here. Mostly because I can't re-buy these things here. Do you know that a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer is more than $600 in Switzerland?  See for yourself. Ouch!

Top Loading Washers

photo from maytag.com

I know that front loading washers are more efficient, but I don't like them. After having a front loader for the past six months I firmly believe that top loaders get clothes cleaner (faster) and make fewer holes in them. 

Chipotle

This is probably my favorite food on the planet, and it's definitely my most missed food now that I'm in Switzerland. I am crazy for Chipotle's crispy barbacoa tacos with green tomatillo salsa, cheese, sour cream and lots of lettuce. And I always get a side of those delectable black beans, rice tossed with lime juice and finely chopped cilantro and roasted vegetables. Heaven in a little basket.

It's true that the grass is always greener! Living abroad really helps me to appreciate home like never before. I think that this time around will do it for me and when I return, I'll be happy and content to settle in and put down roots once and for all. Until then, I have learned a lot about Mexican cooking. Be on the lookout for a post about that soon!

Stretching Menus

My New Year's resolution is to stick to our monthly budget. I'm very good at making budgets thanks to the handy and intelligent Excel spreadsheet. And it does gives me such a great feeling of satisfaction to know that everything is accounted for and planned out. The problem is that once that fateful payday has occurred and I've made the requisite transfers to our savings account and US account to pay our student loans, then everything goes to pot. Somehow, we wind up spending more than I had planned, and along with the overspending seems to come a lot of wasted food. Why didn't I freeze that leftover chili? I completely forgot about those tender asparagus spears! Clunk, thud, it all goes in the garbage. Bad.

This weekend we're having one of our favorites: Roast Chicken. Typically, we only get two meals out of a roast chicken and then wind up wasting the rest because it becomes unappealing having sat in the fridge covered in saran wrap for too long. Not this chicken! It's a free range chicken from France and I intend to get every last Franc out of it.

Tonight we'll have the roast chicken with vegetables, same tomorrow. Then, I'm going to pull the rest of the chicken from the carcass and make Oriental Chicken Salad from Nourishing Traditions. 

Do you think I can get more from this chicken? Please send me your ideas! I hereby declare 2011 the year of waste not, want not.