taking a break

Hello Dear Readers.

Today, I wanted to let you know that I am going to be taking a bit of a break from the blog. I am taking a creative hiatus, you might say. I am not sure how long this break will be, but I thank you in advance for your understanding.

Sara

date night photo booth

Saturday night, we went out on a date. Yes. Josh and I still go on dates after almost three years of marriage. And we love it. It's our favorite time together. Sometimes we stay in, play games and have a bottle of wine. Sometimes we get all dressed up and go out on the town. Either way, it's the best time. Ever.

I am so lucky to be married to my best friend. Anyone that will do a random photo shoot with me in the middle of a hotel lobby {while people pass by looking at us like we are crazy} is my kind of people! Especially, when the inspiration for the photo booth comes from a tapestry. The one hanging on the wall behind us. Isn't she gorgeous? I wanted to take her home with me. Bad. Really bad. They secure those things to the wall really well! {Wink!}

travel log: the hoover dam

Over the weekend, we took a short drive to the Hoover Dam. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and we were able to enjoy it with the top down and music turned way up. You might enjoy knowing that our playlist consisted of Celine Dion's The Essential Collection. Yes. There is a reason. I wanted to see her in concert while here in Vegas, and her shows have been cancelled until June because of a problem with her vocal chords. So, my amazing hubby suggested we listen to her on the drive and that would be almost the same!

I have to be honest, I was a little reluctant to go to see the Hoover Dam. I mean, how amazing could it be to see more large rocks and mountains with water flowing through them? Okay. Pretty gosh darn amazing. I absolutely loved it. It took my breath away. Not to mention how inspiring and humbling it is to know that men risked their lives to build this brilliant feat of engineering to make the world a more convenient place for you and I. Incredible. Just incredible. I would go back in a heart beat.

I hope you have been enjoying all of the travel logs. I know there have been a lot! And there will be more! When we get back to Cali, there will be more fun design blog posts coming! I promise.

guest blogger: simone chavoor of tiny-ass apartment

Ah, spring.  When a young woman's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of… Swiffers.  Spring cleaning might not be as romantic as a Tennyson poem, but at least you'll have that light, happy feeling when it's all done.

Hi!  My name is Simone Chavoor, and I run a small-space interior design blog called Tiny-Ass Apartment.  Sara's asked me to share some spring cleaning tips with you, and I'm most happy to oblige!

First thing's first: you should not be spring cleaning.

End of post?  Nope!  The truth is, you should be doing every-day cleaning.  I know, I know, that sounds like it sucks, but let me finish.  I didn't say you had to clean the whole apartment every day, did I?  You see, people think that small homes are easier to clean, and in a way they are.  But clutter piles up FAST in a small space, and there's less room in which to hide it.  You're not going to be able to get away with waiting for the seasons to change before you break out the ol' broom and dustpan.  And so, a little bit every day goes a long way.

There are lots of ways to make this less painful.  You should designate a time of day when you feel the most cleaning-productive.  Me, I like to clean up after I've gotten ready in the morning, just before I leave for the office.  It lets me dawdle a little with a legit excuse!  Next, designate different areas of your home to be cleaned on different days.  Maybe Monday you throw your laundry in the wash, Tuesday you wipe down the bathroom, Wednesday you clean up all those dishes you've been "meaning to do"…  One thing I will say, though: make your bed every day.  I can't quite explain it, but a neat, tucked-in bed goes a really long way to making your place feel clean.  It also helps you look forward to sliding into it after a long day…

You can also motivate yourself by creating a "cleaning playlist."  Figure out about how long it takes to clean each area, and create a playlist with that same duration.  That way you know that by the time you hear to Outkast's "So Fresh and So Clean," your room should feel the same.

But even after breaking up your chores, you can still find yourself faced with those that you reaaaally don't want to do!  Well, ask yourself: why not? Why don't you like that particular chore?  I remember I used to hate doing the dishes with a passion.  I'd avoid it for as long as I could, but couldn't put my finger on why.  Then I realized it was because of my fingers!  My hands would get really dry after scrubbing dishes, and unconsciously I kept trying to avoid the cause of my discomfort.  So, I bought myself a pair of dish gloves, and voila -- dishes weren't so bad after all.  (Folding laundry's now at the bottom of my list…)

I hope that helps kickstart your new cleaning routine.  It might not cause you to have a sweeping romance with your broom (pun intended), but at the very least you'll be platonic friends.

travel log: brunch in paris

I am beginning to understand that the reason people are drawn to Vegas is so they can become someone else or at least be somewhere else, even if just for a little while. You can have drinks in New York, dinner in Paris, then be transported back in time to have dessert with Caesar at his Palace. What other city can deliver all of that in one night? Magical, isn't it!

Today, the mister and I decided to go to Paris for brunch. I mean, why not? No plane tickets to buy, no bags to pack. We didn't even have to save for six months to be able to go. We just hopped in our car and drove to Paris. {I might not ever be able to say that enough, unless we ever actually live in France!} We spent the morning enjoying the lovely weather, each other’s conversation, and the oddities of the people passing by. And by oddities, I do mean a woman holding a Boa Constrictor around her neck. EEEK! 

We dined at Mon Ami Gabi. I did some research when we got home {and by home, I do mean our hotel} and found out that they have other locations in Illinois, Virginia, and Maryland. Also the name of the restaurant translated into English means, "my friend". Any place you can drink champaign before noon and not be frowned upon is my friend indeed.  

Au revoir! 

life lately: in the vegas

Road trip to The Vegas. 

Staying three weeks while the mister is here for work. 

Only 4.5 hours from our house. 

Sweet. 

I think I will be leaving here having gained 30 pounds. 

The food here is amazing. 

I have not been to once place we did not LOVE the food. 

Don't be fooled buy this pic. 

It looks warm, but is has been very chilly. 

Today, Josh's flight got cancelled due to heavy winds. 

Burrr.

Work. Work. Work. 

We are not your typical Vegas goers. 

Most people come to live it up for a few days and leave. 

I did laundry yesterday. 

No one does laundry in Vegas. 

I had no idea how much fun shopping was here. 

It is so fun to window shop.

When we win it big...maybe I will shop there. 

Hehe! 

We are having a great time. 

inspired by: kate spade

I am sorry for the very late post today. I've been trying to shake a terrible headache all day long...without any success. So, with that said, I am just going to post this amazing pic from inside the Kate Spade store in Vegas. If I could live in one of her stores, I would. Their decor is always positively amazing. 

I have kind of a large obsession with typography. And this wall art takes it to a whole new level. Talk about an object lesson! Adding each of the items in place of their word is absolutely brilliant. If I could have somehow taken this off the wall and left the store without anyone noticing it, I would have. It is such a great reminder to not just think outside the box, but to not over-think the box either.