The Year in Pictures

From top to bottom:
1) Cherry blossoms in North Carolina, April
2) Santorini, June
3) Donkey in Santorini, June
4) Rocky Mountain National Park, September
5) Great Smoky Mountain, November
6) Bodrum, Turkey, June
7) Ephesus, June
8) The Grand Bazaar, Turkey, June
9) Venice Beach, California, May
10) The Blue Mosque, Turkey, June
11) Tulum, March

John G. Shedd Aquarium

I am embarrassed to say that I have lived in Chicago for nearly 25 years, and I have not once visited the Shedd Aquarium until two days ago. It is located practically in my backyard and supposedly the best aquarium in the world. Over this past weekend, we spent a morning there and had such a blast.

Located in Chicago's Museum Campus near the city's beautiful lakefront, this education-oriented attraction holds every conceivable kind of fish and water mammal in approximations of their natural habitat. The highlights for me: the exhibit simulating the banks of the Amazon River during the rainy season and seeing my favorite creatures--penguins, dolphins and seals. What a shame it took me so long to visit this gem.

Greek Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

Without a doubt, there is nothing as delicious and comforting as a bowl of risotto. This risotto (recipe courtesy of the May 2009 issue of Cooking Light) is no exception. Its ingredients (feta, shrimp, asparagus, dill and sweet onion) result in a flavorful and flawless meal.

While enjoying this Greece-inspired dish, I pretended I was there, a picture-perfect place. Photos from our trip there in June 2009:

New Slippers

I saw the above slippers from Acorn in a catalog, and I immediately knew that I had to have them. Why? Simply because they remind me of the slippers I saw all over Turkey, one of my favorite travel destinations ever.

I ordered them and as soon as I had them on, I knew that they were worth every penny. In addition to their Turkish-inspired, embroidery-embellished appearance, I love how warm and comfortable these slippers keep my feet. They are quite pricey for slippers, but their cushioned insoles, skid-resistant outsole, and boiled wool material make them beyond worthy.

Happy Turkey Day!

Early tomorrow morning, we are leaving to visit family for Thanksgiving weekend. I have been so excited about this trip to North Carolina. I can't wait to see family I have not seen in months and get away from Chicago and its baggage (noise pollution, traffic, dreary weather, etc.) for 4 whole days!

New Mexico

Inspiring desert vistas. Delicious Southwestern cuisine. Spectacular Pueblo architecture. Fascinating history. Rich culture. There is much to love about this great state. I visited about a year and a half ago, and to this day, I often think about how blessed I felt while there. It was my first trip anywhere after recovering from an auto accident, so the dork in me feels quite sentimental about this special place.

Anyway, via one of my favorite blogs, I learned about this darling book, New Mexico: A Guide for the Eyes. In my opinion, it is not just a travel guide, but a coffee table book as well as it offers plenty of amazing photography. The author and photographer, Elisa Parhad, is a cultural anthropologist. So as you would expect, the book is quite informative and interesting. I enjoyed reading about a place I loved so much. I did not have this book during my first visit, but I am planning to go back as soon as possible. This book will surely make my second experience that much richer.

Some of my favorite photos I took from our visit:

Lonely Planet's The Travel Book

This book was a recent impulse buy, and I have no regrets. It is a travel guide on steroids covering every country in the world from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. The photos are inspiring and beautiful.  The better part: it lists entertaining and valuable facts about each country. Did you know Hong Kong consumes more oranges than anywhere else on earth? And that in Japan, it is polite to slurp loudly when eating soup or noodles? And that Honduras is experiencing the most rapid urbanization in Central America?  

Macro Photography

Last Christmas, the Husband gave me a macro lens I've been eyeing. I was excited and sure that I would immediately learn how to use it. Well, I was wrong.  Ninety-nine percent of the photos I took were embarrassingly bad. Finally, about 11 months later, I decided to do something about it and take an all-day class on macro photography (administered by the Chicagoland Digital Photography Meetup Group for $70).  I learned a ton today.  The most important lessons: go completely manual (both exposure and focus) and tripod is a necessity.  Yes, I have a lot left to learn, but I'm proud that today, I was able to shoot this photo.  Yay!

Boulder Highlights

Boulder, Colorado holds a place in my husband’s heart. He lived there while attending CU and loved everything about that experience. Our Labor Day weekend two months ago there was special as it was his first time back since graduation. He was also excited about showing me his old stomping grounds.

We hiked (Chautauqua Park), shopped a little at Pearl Street Mall, stayed at a great hotel (Hotel Boulderado), and ate lots of delicious food (Aji for Latin, Brasserie Ten Ten for French, Lucile's for Cajun/Creole, Tee and Cakes for cupcakes, Moe's Bagels for bagels, Mountain Sun for beer and The Sink for pizza). In short, perfect!

Rocky Mountain National Park

The highlight of our recent trip to Colorado: Rocky Mountain National Park.  We spent a day at the park driving Old Fall River Road and Trail Ridge Road, the park's two main attractions.  Both roads offer visitors adventure, inspiring views and wildlife sightings.

First, we drove Old Fall River Road, a narrow and steep one-way 11-mile road that is mainly gravel, punctuated with several switchbacks, and slow-paced (speed limit is 15 miles per hour). It is a journey up to the alpine world.  At the end, it joins with the 48-mile Trail Ridge Road. Eleven miles of this impressive highway is above tree line (elevation of about 12,000 feet) where conditions are similar to the Alaskan Artic. The road offers plenty of marked pullovers to enjoy the beautiful and sweeping views. Simply put, our time at the Rocky Mountain National Park was remarkable.

Here are my favorite photos: 

Tre Kronor

On my wish-list: to travel to Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, and other Scandinavian destinations. Until that is possible, I at least have Tre Kronor close to me. It is a wonderful neighborhood restaurant that serves authentic and delicious Scandinavian meals with a lovely outdoor seating. Perfection.

Los Angeles Top 5

Before I post about our Labor Day weekend, I supposed it makes sense to discuss our Memorial Day weekend in Los Angeles (sidenote: it was also my birthday weekend!). It was only a 48-hour trip. The main purpose was to attend a good friend's housewarming party. During our remaining free time, I did have tourist-y plans. But unfortunately, I fell victim to a fever and I had to spend a lot of time inside the hotel room. Oh well. I was not able to do everything I wanted, but they were certainly highlights:

1) The Bazaar - What an incredible restaurant experience for my birthday! Delicious food? Cool atmosphere? Great service? Check, check and check!

2) Inn at Venice Beach - During a previous trip to Southern California, I fell in love with the Venice Beach area. So I decided for this trip to stay in Venice Beach. No regrets whatsoever. It is a charming hotel (check out their courtyard below) in a great location (check out the nearby canal and beach below).



3) Tour of movie stars' homes - I can't take credit for this idea. Because I was sick and could not do much, the Husband suggested we buy the below map and just drive around looking for stars' homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air.
4) Pinkberry - I've been wanting to try their yogurt for the longest time. I finally had my chance, and I was not disappointed.
5) On the way to The Bazaar, I saw Crumbs. Being a major cupcake fan, of course, I had to try theirs. Below is their strawberry-banana cupcake, and it was heaven!

I was a little disappointed that I was so sick during this trip, but oh well. I will have more on my to-do list for my next visit.