31 January 2010

on a lighter note...









Jorge had a business meeting in Bilbao on Friday, so I decided to tag along. I only managed a few shots because I was checking out all the sales... I love you, but 50%-70% is way too tempting... ;)

Hope you are having a nice weekend!

27 January 2010

corner view "favorite hangout"



My favorite hangout? Home sweet (and warm) home. The weather has been so grey and cold that I haven´t even ventured out for a coffee. I´ve been spending more time cooking, baking, organizing, and working on a few projects that I had been putting off. I leave you with one of my favorite hangouts on the internet. The Selby.com- Todd Selby is one of my favorite photographers. (I know, I´m preaching to the choir here.) A few more reasons why I like to hang out here. Well, at the moment, Daniel is playing the piano, Sara is studying at the dining room table, Jorge is reading the Harvard Review in "his chair", and The Coco is in a very cute position on the sofa.... For me, it doesn´t get much better...

Next week´s theme is "sweets". Francesca, do you mind picking the next one. Thanks!

Happy day everyone!

23 January 2010

kiss and tell



This morning I was walking down the street and suddenly remembered how I used to ride a 4 year old Sara around on the back of my bike. I´d use a rolled up towel as a cushion for her to sit on and she´d hold onto my waist with her little hands and jabber (talk) away about whatever she´d happen to see.

What is one of your favorite memories?

P.S. Thanks for all you lovely comments. Puna- if you are out there, I can´t get to your blog.

P.S.S Mr Linky sounds good. Now if someone could just explain to me how it works... but you must hold my hand, talk very slowly, and remove all shiny objects....

¡Dos besos muy gordos!

20 January 2010

corner view "personal style"


My personal style... hmmm I have to think about that one. At the moment, I´d have to go with my personal favorite... keeping warm... I would love to be one of those girly types that always has perfect hair, make up, shoes... I really admire them, seriously.... But I never seem to have the time, or the energy... or the right pair of shoes... I wear a size 12 (42) shoe. Can you imagine me walking around in heels? (Even if I could find them, which I can´t.) Watch out small children!!...
I´m always on the lookout for the perfect tee. (H&M´s come pretty close.) I love soft sweaters, my trusty Levi´s (They´ve been around since the 1920s. Old Levi was onto a good thing...), and scarves... I covet scarves. If I don´t have something draped around my neck I feel naked... and cold...
I´m smiling because I just remembered my gig with Ralph Lauren... If you could see me then...

Next week´s theme is "my favorite hang out." I´m in San Sebastian today. I´ll be around soon to visit and pick up some tips.

Sending you all a big hug!

18 January 2010

a little spanish culture



These are called Gigantes (giants) and Cabezudos (big headed one... best translation I got at the moment... they are still carrying the heads in the picture). They are usually brought out during fiestas. The gigantes are paraded around and the cabezudos run after children trying to scare and hit them with large bean bags. It´s pretty funny to watch. Jorge saw them coming and got a twinge of fear leftover from the good old days...

Thanks for your great comments in the last post. I can tell my kids to move their tushes so many different ways now. Which is when they usually stop doing what they are doing and break out into a dance. They are soooo funny...

¡Dos besos!

15 January 2010

kiss and tell



I used to have a gym teacher in school that would call your bottom, derriere, "fanny". Which cracks me up... What is your favorite word for bottom? Around here we like the Yiddish version "tush". As in, "You´re late, move your tush!"

Happy weekend!

¡Dos besos!


13 January 2010

corner view "holiday"

The holidays in Spain start at Christmas and end on the Three King´s Day, which is January 6th. It´s a time where family and friends get together to eat, drink, and be merry. There are not many traditions, most families make their own. (The one common theme is deciding on whose side of the family to spend dinner and lunch. But I guess that´s traditional every where.)

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day lunch; Lots of food, wine, and the King´s speech on television.

New Year´s Eve and New Year´s Day lunch; Lots of food, wine, and at a little before midnight everyone turns on their televisions to listen to the 12 chimes of the Puerta del Sol´s clock in Madrid. Then, at midnight, they eat 12 grapes, one for each chime, to bring in the New Year.

Three King´s Day; Lots of food, wine, and children wake to presents left in their shoes by the three kings.







(This is Roscón, the typical cake eaten on The Three King´s day... There is a little toy hidden in the cream of the cake. Whoever finds it, has to pay for the Roscón. The kids each had a piece, and then I ate the rest... Which is probably why I found the surprise...)

Next week´s theme comes from Brinja, by way of Cabrizette. The idea is "what we are wearing." So how about if we call it, "your style." Thanks Cabrizette!

Happy Corner View!









11 January 2010

just a reminder



Corner View starts on Wednesday and the theme is "holiday."

P.S. Thank you for all your lovely comments... Jorge calls you my imaginary friends.
If I were to have imaginary friends, they´d be kind, smart, supportive, creative, (very) funny...
Hey! He´s right!... Lucky me...

¡Dos besos!

08 January 2010

honest scrap



I was tagged, a while ago, by kathy and leonor, two bloggers that I really admire, and know for sure that if we lived in the same town we´d be coffee buddies. I have to post 7 things about myself. Here´s what I came up with lying in bed awake at 3 am...

1. My real name is Jane Louise. My friends call me Jane. My Dad called me Janel. I miss that.

2. On my first visit to Spain, Jorge didn´t tell his parents I was visiting. They found out from his grandmother... who found out from the butcher... small towns.

3. Funny wedding story. My wedding gown got sent to Mexico and I got the Mexican´s dress. It was sent to my in-law´s house. My mother-in law took a sneak peak at what she thought was the wedding gown of her future daughter-in-law. She was accosted by 20 kilos of feathers, sequins, and beads. To this day I wish I could have seen her face.

4. I have a mean streak that comes out once every 10 years.

5. I have no short-term memory. The other day I spilled laundry detergent on the floor. I took out the broom and thought, "while I´m at it I´ll sweep the whole floor." When I reached the detergent I thought, "good thing I decided to sweep, because there´s some soap on the floor."... OK this freaks me out a bit...

6. I´m a crier. I cry at tv commercials, the departure and the arrival gates at airports (don´t ever leave me waiting...), a nice gesture, the Oscars, the Olympics, but never watching films. What´s that about?

7. One reason I love photography is because I love the idea that you can capture a moment in time and put it in your pocket forever. Which, someone with no short-term memory can really appreciate.


05 January 2010

most men bring flowers...



Welcome to my world...

(We are all sick here... So I´ll be visiting you in my pyjamas... Hope you don´t mind...)

03 January 2010

skiing in astún, spain








The bad news is that we couldn´t ski because it rained the entire time.
The good news is that we got to hang out in France. (Mostly in Pau, and other smaller towns- which I can´t remember the names to.)
That, and I am now the reigning Parcheesi champion of the world...

¡Dos besos!

01 January 2010

kiss and tell



Any New Year´s resolutions?

I´ve decided to accept that living in Vitoria (for the past 10 years) is not a temporary gig, and that we are probably going to be here for a while. My resolution is to finally hang some curtains...

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year. I raise my glass to all of you!

¡Dos besos!

pink

I knew a girl who was blue. So she painted her world pink. xoxo