Trains: 1, Planes: 0

Did you know, Amtrak allows you to check up to three (3)- fifty (50) pound bags at no additional cost, and carry-on up to two (2) fifty (50) pound bags!

I was so pleasantly surprised, I read the policy three (3) times.

(Not that I would advise anyone to check/carry 250 pounds of cargo, even if you have no shame. But wait, what if you needed to ship 3 parcels, and bought a phantom ticket under your name, but all so you could check your bags through...hmm. These are some average bedtime thoughts, friends.)


And only $10 for each additional parcel, should you find yourself packing like Rachel Zoe for trips.


In a nutshell: I DIE for trains.

Advertising WIN

This is just fantastic. Wholly agree.

Also, Air New Zealand has this new campaign promoting their new Economy Skycouch. It's called "Who Would You Spoon?"


Oh Kiwis...your humour is whimsically unbeatable.
As are your accents ;)

Beyonce was onto something...

If I were a boy, I'd hop over to Cambodia and Thailand right now. I'm so close, it's killing me!

That is all!

Peace out, continental US!

Part I of my Pacific Ocean 2010 travels commences today!

See you all in a week!

Here's to napping naysayers

"Napping should have the status of daily exercise."

-James Maas, Cornell University sleep expert

Read full article here.


Here's to a restful, content weekend.

It was storming today, so I'm hoping to get some quality hammock time in tomorrow (and maybe a run too).

Pictures forthcoming from my daytrip to Ogunquit and Kennebunkport, Maine.

XO

La città d'acqua

Right now, it's too windy to go boating, so I sit inside looking at fashion, travel and photography blogs.

Venice is one of my favorite places in the world. It's utterly intriguing...the water, the antiquity, the food, the itty little streets and alleyways that limit transport to walking and scooters.

I backpacked there a while back with a friend, and while I was there I swore I could never go back until I was with my husband...it's just too romantic! hehe.

And so naturally I loved what the Sartorialist said about this dashing bel uomo:

(via Sartorialist)

'It seems every time I return from Italy I want to watch "The Talented Mr. Ripley" to see if my Italy was as beautiful as the Italy in that movie. In one of the final scenes of the movie Marge has coffee with Dickie's Dad at Caffe Florian on San Marco Square in Venice. That spot is still so beautiful (if you can block out the tourists).
This young waiter was standing at the cafe and instantly I thought of the movie and how this "type" of young man has probably been working the Cafe Florian for the last 100 years.'

Now please read further about what his girlfriend Garance Dore said about Venice, cozying up at the Piazza San Marco (link here).

Come romantica, no?!

Oh, and on a funnier note...since 'getting photographed by the Sartorialist' is quite literally on my own '30 before 30' list...I realize this could very well be a reality.

Just read HERE on what The Pipeline by Refinery 29 puzzled together...

hilarious!
xoxo

Edelweiss, edelweiss...

I'm letting down my whimpers...I'm taking my curlers out...

Maybe The Sound of Music is my favorite movie, ever.


EVER.

Cliche?


Maybe I felt like watching it the other day...

Maybe I was thinking about an old high school friend who shares a SOM obsession, wondered what she was up to, and behold, she had a new Facebook album up of a recent trip to Austria...

Maybe I want to go to Vienna/Salzburg/etc right now too.

Maybe I just want to be an Austrian fraulein.



Maybe I think Brookie has a telopathic powers because she texted me the other night wanting to watch it with me.

Maybe my sophomore year here Emily, Brookie and I went on a bike ride and belted SOM songs. And some people clapped!

Maybe when I was little I used to sing "So Long, Farewell" and inched my way backwards up the stairs like Gretl.



Also, I would do the "Do Re Mi" dance jumping up and down stairs...I was a budding choreographer, yep.
I would also sing "Confidence" sprinting around the house, charting my abrupt stop.
("...And all those children, heaven bless them, they will look up to ME...")


Maybe I have the 40th Anniversary edition and maybe I've watched watched all 6 hours of the special features. Twice.

That footage of Gretl being carried out of the water after they capsize that canoe?
Totally candid.

The house? Two different ones used for front and back.



Maybe I still have a crush on Freidrich...even though he's old and I suspect he's gay (from watching the special features)...


Maybe I loooove Uncle Max.



Maybe I think the nuns are genius.



Maybe when I was about 5, I loonnnnged to be 16, then 17, then 18...but those years have sinced passed.

My aunt Lisa and Cousins Elizabeth, Lola, and M.E. at THE gazebo...love!


Maybe I'll be eternally jealous of Liesl's rebellious 16-year-old love life.
(Click HERE for a full gallery of her and dreamy-yet-misguided Rolf)


Maybe one of the other reasons why I think Gwen Stefani is hella cool is because of the Wind It Up music VIDEO....



Maybe I've always thought Christopher Plummer was a fox.



Maybe I want to fashion a romper out of drapes and have a picnic in the countryside.

Who else loves SOM? C'mon...

Colliding worlds of love

New dress from the Park City BCBG outlet, check. 

New Vanity Fair with plenty of juicy Madoff scoop, check. 

Flight to San Jose, check. 

Only my hippie intellectual cousin Dana and her dear new husband Marcos could bring together the free-lovers of NorCal, native Brazilians and venture capitalists and lawyers of Manhattan, Boston and DC to one place...

SANTA CRUZ!

It has been an incredible weekend of love and family fun! 

Even though I did manage to get my groove on to the awesome music by SambaDa, my nephew Luke, however, was upstaged by all the Brazilians (Marcos' parents, in their 70s, go out dancing nearly every night until 1 or 2 in the morning). 

Although, the wedding cake sugar rush left Luke in fits of giggles as I finally was able to coax him into swinging around and bouncing on my shoulders on the dance floor.  

I will post pictures when I get them. XO

Machu Picchu opens my floodgates

When I was home last week, I was semi-chastised by my mom, who told me I have to pipe down my traveling.

To paraphrase, "You can't willy-nilly think you can or should go just anywhere because you have a passport."


I almost cried.
Traveling is my oxygen.

It did not help to get Gchat-ted by Emmy J from the Peru airport ... telling me to join her!

And then I see this...

The traveling gods are really really naughty sometimes...



In other news: NYC Half-Marathon August 16...


any takers??!!

Career change

Just kidding!!!!!

My latest obsession/dream is to write for the TMagazine, the Travel Mag of the NY Times' Style Mag.

Check out at all the breathtaking sumptuous photography!

Chicago has never looked so chic (clever title too).

Slovenia: who knew?!

Can I please re-locate to Liechtenstein. Now. Well, not really...but freakishly gorgeous countryside.

Oh to be a Missoni...(so jeal of Margherita)...

Breathtaking Bali...



Take me away!!!