How to Have Afternoon Tea

1.

Gather your favorite group of girls. Yes, girls. Because although our cups are now china not plastic and filled with actual tea, we’re all still little girls at heart.

My favorite girls are my mother and sister.

Check!

2.

Do it yourself.

I think everything in life tastes better when you work for it. Yes, tastes. I’m not ashamed to admit that a large part of my enjoyment of life comes from food. Baking it, cooking it, sharing a meal with others, experiencing the flavors and cuisines of other cultures. It’s divine.

Doing all the prep work was not only fun but oh-so-rewarding when we finally sat down to devour it all.

{Apron suit up!}

3.

Set a fancy table.

Don’t go half way on a tea party. Get out the lace table clothes, the wobbly candle sticks and the china tea cups. Trust me, it’s more fun.

4.

Reap the benefits.

Our fantastic tea consisted of scones, cream cheese and salmon sandwhiches, cucumber sandwhiches, olive sandwhiches, strawberries and lavender chocolate truffles, all homemade. Well, except for the strawberries and truffles. The scones were particularly delicious, and we splurged (our money and our extra hours of penance at the gym) on Devonshire cream. Oh my goodness, I can’t even tell you.

{Strawberries and cream. For real.}

5.

Food Coma. Self-explanatory.

Sunday high tea was a definite success!

Scary Beautiful

I was able to spend the past week at one of my favorite places--our cabin in the mountains.

There was plenty of star-gazing, card-playing, hiking, reading, and all sorts of other good things.

And then there was this:

Dad: By the way, did you hear about the murder that happened across the street a while ago?

(Open-mouthed horrified stares from Jen & I.)

Me: ….And you’ve been letting me sit on the back porch by myself at 12am every night to star gaze?!?!

Turns out we were in no danger. It’s all good…well, not so good for the murder victim. It was one of those scorned lover seeks revenge situations. If I can’t have you, nobody can have you. Crazy stuff like that. No bueno.

We spent Father’s Day hiking. I’d try to describe it for you, but I think these pictures taken by the man of the hour himself (Dad) will do a better job. Never been to Colorado? Eat your heart out:

{The family that hikes together, stays together.}

{Climb every mountain! Yeah, I had to.}

{Snow ball fights in June.}

{Where we eat lunch. Aint no thang.}

After all the rigorous hiking, Jen and I felt we needed to soak our feet in the cool mountain stream.

Cool. Ha! Try FREEZING.

1.) Blood freezes as we step in the water.

2.) Quick! Take the picture. TAKE IT ALREADY.

3.) Get the heck out of the water.

...But hey, our feet did feel better. Even if it's 'cause we couldn't feel them anymore.

Any way you want it {that's the way you need it}

You know what I miss?

Bloggin’.

But with the start of summer, I needed a break. From everything. Well, everything but frantic job searching and Visa-applying. However, I not only needed the (permanent?) break from school but a break from my norms. Homework, internet, tv, more homework, rinse and repeat.

The past couple of weeks feel like a rapid eternity, equally dragged out and gone in the blink of an eye.

So far summer is off to a productive, frantic, stressful and joyful start. Yes, all at once. My days have consisted of an endless check list of things that need to get done, but also several pleasant “to-dos,” including a wealth of time with my sister, and lots & lots of pleasure reading. My favorite thing about any school break and now post-grad life is being able to read for fun without it distracting from all of my stressful school work. So I’ve been taking advantage and reading books like they’re oxygen.

I’ve been reading “Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal” (Philosopher’s Stone) right now to practique mi espanol.

{This is my lovely rocking chair that I read in.}

Summer-So-Far Highlights:

Shopping Irresponsibly

{TJ Maxx}

{Ann Taylor Loft, clearance! It sparkles silver & gold. I love it.}


{Target aka Mecca}

My Aunt’s Wedding & the Beach

After permanently leaving Memphis, I ventured back down South to Louisiana for my Aunt’s wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and it was wonderful to see all the people who love my Aunt and her family gathered together to celebrate.

{Silly faces run in our family.}


{My stunning Aunt and cousins! Candids are my favorite.}

{Cousins!}

{Cousin Anna and her "special" boyfriend, Kevin. I kid, he's normal. Maybe.}

After the wedding, family gathered at a Palace-sized beach house for a week of relaxation and swimming. I have no pictures from the beach. It’s sad, but also not. I was just too relaxed to be bothered. Kevin set up a couple of hammocks. ‘Nuff said. When I wasn’t swimming or sleeping I was rocking at karaoke with the cousins + Kevin. We dominated with “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

Sister Sister Sister

…That’s not three sisters, just my exuberance for the time I’m getting with my one and only hermana. When Jen rolled into town, one of the first things she did was gift me with two packs of cigs. ‘Cause that’s just how we do.

Candy cigarettes, of course. What were you thinking?


Together we’ve been shopping, lounging at my favorite book store (Tattered Cover), watching HIMYM, walking the pups, and enjoying vast quantities of goofyness.

We also experienced Costa Vida for the first time:



We made sure to get an official Lauren recommendation before we went. Girl knows what she's talking about--steak salad, ranch, everything on it and medium sauce. My tummy was delighted.


While we both enjoyed it immensely, and neither of us have said this aloud, I think we’re still Qdoba girls at heart. I’m craving a queso chicken burrito as I type…or maybe chicken tortilla soup…

So that’s a taste of what my life has been like the past couple of weeks. A very eclectic and non-conclusive taste. Now I think I’ll float away on a cloud of summer heat, iced-tea and Glee tunes.

Tell me, how are you doing this summer day?