central europe: part I.

there are two kinds of adventures. the first kind is long and drawn out. you settle down, explore nooks and crannies, dive in so deep you can almost trick yourself into thinking you know a place. the second unfolds more like a whirlwind. it's a pavement-pounding, train-hopping, sight-seeing kind of adventure that leaves you breathless and tired as much as energized and inspired. this last trip definitely falls into the latter category. 4 cities in 8 days. first up: PRAGUE

view into malá strana | an organ grinder on the charles bridge karlův most 

vine gone to seed on the hike up to prague castle pražský hrad | st. vitus cathedral katedrála svatého víta

the view from petřín hill

tram | streetlight and building on ujzed street

metal door | view crossing jiráskův most
trdelník

terracotta roof in the jewish quarter josefov

sweet treats at chococafe on liliova street | vintage czech postcards

sidewalk stones

train platform | glimpse at the old station

highlights: 
*mala strana: it's czech for "lesser town," but don't let the translation fool you into thinking it's not worth a visit. we liked tooling through the streets in the evening after dark. and the walk back over the charles bridge was delightful.
*petřín hill observation tower: i'm seriously afraid of heights, but the view of the city from the top was breathtaking and definitely worth the emotional energy.
*the municipal house obecní dům: gorgeous to look at and host to a fancy cafe. next time, we'd skip the breakfast and dive head-first into the dessert cart.
confessions:
prague was a little bit tough for vegetarians. we ate our weight in pastries and staropramen and are not ashamed to admit we found solace in vegetarian and italian restaurants. goulash is not for everyone.
where we stayed:
jurys inn: simple, clean. what it lacks in charm it makes up for in proximity to city-center and foamy cappuccinos.
czechinn: clean, modern, affordable. we stayed here just one night. highly recommended, if slightly far afield.

special thanks to olivia and to rachel and d. for fantastic suggestions. you guys are good.

You have read this article places / travel with the title . You can bookmark this page URL http://newbieny.blogspot.com/2012/03/central-europe-part-i.html. Thanks!

moving image.

cait and i got a fantastic tour of bratislava, slovakia yesterday from radana, bratislava-native and photographer-extraordinaire. when i return i'll share more,  but in the meantime, here's a peek at our visit. cait accidently shot video instead of taking a photograph of me with radana, so i edited a little montage of our afternoon adventure. more soon!

You have read this article bratislava / movie with the title . You can bookmark this page URL http://newbieny.blogspot.com/2012/03/moving-image.html. Thanks!

ahoj!

just dropping in to say a quick hello with photos shot by phone. candy colored buildings, blue skies, and teeny tiny cobblestones. there's lots more where these came from, but i'll give a proper update when i get back. hope things are sunny where you are.

e.

You have read this article places / travel with the title . You can bookmark this page URL http://newbieny.blogspot.com/2012/03/ahoj.html. Thanks!

march.

james and i went to my parents' house this weekend to hatch wedding plans. there were many cups of tea and the snow drops were popping up in such abundance i had to walk on tip-toes to be sure not to crush them.

this morning, it's chilly and spring feels a long way off. but that's always the way with march, isn't it? predictably unpredictable.

other things:
stephanie always gets it right.
listening to this on repeat. minute two, especially. loud.
endlessly impressed by maria. this was what i needed.

You have read this article life with the title . You can bookmark this page URL http://newbieny.blogspot.com/2012/03/march.html. Thanks!

other places.

i've been spending time on instagram lately. you know the deal: bits and pieces of days captured in images. in case you want to follow along, you can find me at readtealeaves. if facebook or twitter are more your speed, i try to be there, too.

in fact, if you follow me on twitter, you might know that i'm planning a very impromptu trip to central europe {many thanks to the encouragement of twitter friends}. by planning, i should clarify that i'm jumping on a plane this wednesday with my sister, a wing and a prayer. i'm looking into bringing my phone along and sharing glimpses of my adventure along the way.

ps. did you see this weekend's article on bratislava? we'll be there. prague, budapest and vienna, too. if you guys have recommendations, we'd be thrilled to know them.

xo.

You have read this article blog business / places with the title . You can bookmark this page URL http://newbieny.blogspot.com/2012/03/other-places.html. Thanks!

my week in objects (mostly).

1. this coffee.

{and two others like it. because it was made just right. just for me}.

2. this dying flower.

{because it's nice to know there's beauty in decay}.

3. this leather guitar pick.

{because in a tiny apartment, it's important that things that get left everywhere are nice to look at, too}

4. these luggage tags.

{because they let our friends and family know when we're getting married. we're getting married. in august}.

5. this love letter to brooklyn.

{because i'm a sucker for love letters, especially on city walls}.

what about you?

postscript: that felt good. if you've been around these leaves for awhile you know this is a series i'd abandoned. there are some things that are not congruous with an hour++ commute to work and back each day, and photographing the mundane details of a week are one of them. but now that i have the chance, i think i'd like to be back at it. it's a series i started back when i first began my blog and i'm not sure if it's tired or played out, but i'm trying hard to remember the reason why i began it in the first place and go with that. gut instincts.

other things:
the women of tend are back at it. glad.
more about the love letter to brooklyn.
lovely photos of a sweet evening i caught the tail end of.
i'd like to dress like this. always.

You have read this article life / my week in objects with the title . You can bookmark this page URL http://newbieny.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-week-in-objects-mostly_2.html. Thanks!

< two fifty: life in a tiny apartment.

store thoughtfully.

we've moved together four times in five years.

in every new space, there's a temptation to rush to the local container store and buy a new solution. the perfect shelf for that perplexing 10" deep closet, or a shoe rack that fits just-so in the wardrobe your landlord lent you.

but if you're anything like us and you haven't exactly found your dream home, it's worth a pause.

right now, we have two beautiful old soda crates hidden in our closet where nobody can see them. they're filled with shoes and towels and it's kind of a shame that they're not getting time in the limelight. but i think of it this way: chances that the perfect solution for one apartment will be perfect in the next are super slim; so i might as well invest in something nice to look at, even if it is hidden for awhile. and in the next apartment? maybe we'll have more than 250 square feet. if that day comes, i'd rather have a beautifully patinaed crate to show off than one of those awful plastic drawer thingys.

{post script. living in new york city means your clogs get really dirty. alas}.

You have read this article home / life in a tiny apartment with the title . You can bookmark this page URL http://newbieny.blogspot.com/2012/03/two-fifty-life-in-tiny-apartment.html. Thanks!