Escape

I have recently gotten the opportunity to visit Zurich for work, and I allowed myself an extra day to explore the city and meet with a very dear friend of mine. This was my first visit to Switzerland, and I can tell you right now that I do not want it to be my last.

I find it really hard to put into words how  beautiful this little town is, especially bathed in golden autumn light. You can walk along the Limmatt river, crossing back and forth over the different bridges to the old part of town and the main shopping street. There are cobblestone streets, and hidden alleys. There is no shortage of restaurants, offering  plenty of choice, my favourite part being the café chairs in front of the restaurant, covered in lambskins for when it gets cool, where you can sit people-watching and enjoying delicious lattes.

The weather was also just right for a little cruise on Lake Zurich, which gives you glimpses of perfect Swiss towns nestled along the shore with beautiful gardens, and incredible views.

Around every corner is a beautiful view, a peaceful spot to just sit and absorb it all.

Here are few glimpses I also shared on Instagram.

P.S. I did not see any yarn shops....bummer...

The city that never sleeps

I could not resist giving you a glimpse of our recent NYC get-away. Babysitters are hard to come by, so when my mom agreed to watch the kids for 3 days, we jumped at the opportunity to plan a little excursion. New York was a logical choice for us, I never get enough of this city. There is always more to see, more to do.

This time around, we walked the high line, explored the West Village, got our first taste of Brooklyn, and enjoyed our first Broadway show. It was a relaxing, yet exhausting getaway.

New York never disappoints. 
It also does not need words.
So enjoy the photos.

A Love of Travel

I love travelling. I was lucky. As a child I would accompany my grandmother on her yearly visit to her sister in Germany. This was a huge deal at the time, as Romanians were not free to travel across the border. My first trip with her was at the age of 3, and I looked forward to our vacations every summer. I still remember the thrill of boarding a plane, knowing that only a few hours later we would touch down in another place, experience a whole new reality, different smells, different routines, different customs. I think that these trips are at the root of my “wanderlust”, and I will be eternally grateful to my Oma for opening my eyes to the joys of travel.

I want to do the same for my children, I want them to experience the world and all it has to offer, to learn about , become immersed in other places, places that will broaden their horizons and teach them about life. My oldest has been  to a few places with us already, but I noticed that, of course, at this young age, his memories fade, he forgets about his trips. That made me wonder about what the best way would be to help him hang on to these memories.

Sightseeing is not always easy with children, they have little to no patience for exploring a museum, walk the streets of a new city but I found a way around that. What works for us is pretending that we are on a treasure hunt. We give Aidan a map and tell him he needs to help us find a specific location. It gives him the sense that he is in control of our explorations, and what child does not love that? I find it helps him cement those memories more, as he was not just a follower, but a leader.....Or maybe he's just getting older...that is of course entirely possible, but I like to think I have come across a genius idea here!

And now the maps that he's used to guide us, are a treasure in themselves. So I thought I'd incorporate them into his room's decor. I came across this tutorial for folding origami hearts, and tried it with the maps. Once framed and properly labelled, they are the focal point of his room, and he proudly shows them off.