cookies and cream cookies

i have been on a baking frenzy the past couple of weeks! 

i love the lingering smell of freshly baked cookies that fills our home

i find cooking and baking very therapeutic

nothing makes me happier than conquering a recipe

and watching other people marvel in its yummy goodness

last night i made "cookies n' cream" cookies 

brown sugar cookies with chunks of oreo and mini marshmallows

im thinking next time ill sandwich two cookies together with cream filling (like a moon pie) 

milks favorite cookie just got a little better!

feeling the love today

i'm sure everyone who is in love feels they are the luckiest gal/guy in the world. so what is it about my relationship that is so different? what is it that we share that is extra special? perhaps theres no difference, but to me its something exceptional. its the way he always holds my hand while hes driving, its the way he looks at me; its the way he takes things slow; the made-up language that we've formed; the way he calls me "dah-ling"; the way he always texts me to let me know he's working late; the way he loves scotch and chocolate; its the way he does, instead of says.. the love that we both share for traveling; the way he supports my hobbies (even those that are short lived); its how talented and confident he is; its the way he listens when i'm sad; the way he never yells or responds negatively; the way he helps me pay for things when he knows I'm struggling just to relieve some stress; its the trust; its the way he always says "i love you" and "good-night" before falling asleep; its the way we laugh; the home we've made together; the way he always makes me feel safe...

the list never ends. he is perfect, perfect for me. there is no other guy on this planet that could ever live up to his standard. yes, i am a lucky gal and he is a lucky guy. we are two lucky ones to have what we share.

three years

happy anniversary to my nearest and dearest

you bring happiness to my everyday

thank you for always being by my side

through the good and the bad

my heart is yours always and forever

this morning we had a sweet breakfast together

with spinach, onion, mushroom, tomatoes and seaside cheddar omelets!

three years, go us!

\

the curious cosmonaut

hello dear friends

and happy happy friday!

i'm looking forward to this long weekend

of sunny weather, relaxing, and getting things done that ive been putting off

id like to encourage you all to head over to taylor's newest blog

curiouscosmonaut.com

exploring the convoluted mind of a curious cosmo,

you're sure to find amusing, interesting tales of the day and the life

happy weekend!

the getty

there is no better place to be on a clear l.a. sunday

than overlooking the westside at the getty museum

the getty is one of l.a.'s gems

a place to feel like you can get away

with being less than a mile off the 405!

its one of my favorite places to people watch

on a clear day you can see just about everything

the ocean, downtown...

and the architecture and gardens are enough to leave you feeling cool

taylor and i walked through some exhibits

he sketched some, i wandered about with my camera...

and then spent a long time lounging on the grass

doing what we love to do best

eavesdropping on all the little conversations going on around us

making up scenarios for all the people in our little story titled "sunday at the getty"

 

 

a little breakfast love

good morning!

and happy valentines day to you.

this morning i woke early to cook taylor french toast

as part of his valentines day gift

but not just any french toast - french toast made from fresh, buttery croissants!

i got the idea a week or so ago from one of my favorite food blogs, food coma blog

valentines day is a sweet day; a day to show that special someone just how dear they are

the boy and i like it simple on this day - a sweet note and extra hugs in the morning

are enough to make this gal happy

....and a yummy breakfast!

and okay, a few little gifts don't hurt...

but as long as theyre little...and thoughtful

hope you have a beautiful day!

beach and the city

similar to los angeles, barcelona has the beach and the city-vibe going for itself

you can be in the city center one min, and the beach 10 mins later

all in walking distance

i admired the barcelona alleys,

the old buildings and the simple details

i love how the reflection of the blue sky

reflected so remarkably in the windows of each building.

i have hundreds of barcelona alleyway photos, but don't want to flood you with too many...

 our hotel was in the marina

we had a delicious paella (barcelona's signature dish)

with a bottle of galician wine, some appetizers, and ending with desserts (on the house!)

all should know that my new preferred poison is alberiño, thanks to our tapas tour guide

it is the best, best, best wine.

i can ramble on how much i love it, but just do yourselves a favor and try it out

it wont disappoint.

side note: in barcelona, lunch is their biggest meal, you have appetizers, a main dish, dessert and coffee. lunch lasts forever, which doesnt bother me a bit! the more time to finish a bottle of wine, the better!

which leads me to another side a sub-side note: its hard to find a glass of wine in barcelona, everyone serves bottles, so each day taylor and i split a bottle of wine and had the rest of the day to wander the city in drunken merriment and bliss (no wonder i loved barcelona so much!)

gaudi in barcelona

gaudi gaudi gaudi!

i can never get enough of gaudi!

we spent the early day, everyday, visiting something gaudi

for those of you that don't know - gaudi was a spanish catalan arhictect in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

his work is fascinating - leaves you speechless

casa milà (better known as la pedrera) was incredible

i dont even know where to begin!

i guess i'll say my favorite part was the roof top

giving you a 360 view of barcelona

the interior and its details were amazing.. from its structure to the door handles

gaudi sure did get it right!

and then there was parc güell, a park situated on a hill of el carmel

there are gardens

and architecture

and an old aqueduct 

... and hiking!

(designed and built by antoni gaudi between 1900-1914)

and saving the best for last

we spent our final day in barcelona

visiting gaudi's casa batlló

a building restored by gaudi, built in 1877

this building is remarkable

inspired by underwater life, there are no straight lines what-so-ever

the details are phenominal

the rooms, well.. i wish they were mine

it was almost impossible to get a bad shot here, with my super-wide angle lens (thanks tay!)

i can only hope and dream, that one day i will get to return...

but until then

these photos will keep me happy...

good food, good wine, good city

barcelona is land of good food, tapas, chocolate ("xocolate"), wine...

everyday that we woke up i was excited to what amazing foods were were going to eat

i'd say the best thing we did was take a tapas tour

with a local food journalist

she walked us around the city for 5 hours

explaining the history, the foods...

our favorite stop was a tiny little cheese shop were we enjoyed some fine spanish cheese and wine

we had a bunch of foods that i thought i didnt like 

(anchovies, squid, jamon...)

but little did i know, i just wasn't having the good stuff!

we finished off with some famous spanish cocoa treats and champagne that kissed our tongues

this is the night i fell in love with barcelona

and it will forever have a piece of my heart.

 spanish goat cheese (i wish could remember the name and region!)

 pintxos!

 padron peppers

squid

tomato, capers and onion

fried anchovies

macaroons

bonbons

chocolate-y goodness lollypops

chocolate pastries galore!

meat shop

all sooorts of goodies shop