August 2, 2019

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Claudia according to my phone, everyday life family, friends, life, santa fe, summer, summer break, travel, traveling, vacation 2 Comments

this year for our family summer vacation instead of heading towards europe or the ocean, we headed west towards the desert

a little out of character for this ocean girl but for some reason, those desert vibes were calling me

and i am so glad they did

santa fe is filled with so much beauty!

i loved the architecture, all the details around it, the art, the colors, the food, the weather…. eighty five during the day, no humidity and cool nights

so many things to do in town and so much to do out of town too

hot springs, hikes in beautiful national parks, all under a gigantic blue sky!

and the best part?

our miami friends got to come meet us and we got to spend some much needed time together and as a family got to experience something new

it was a week filled with santa fe memories i will forever cherish

happy friday friends!

ps- i took a lot of pictures with my phone. this is a short instagram summary of our trip. we also went to the georgia o’keeffe museum and to Taos. we tried going to the georgia o’keeffe house/studio however tickets were sold out for the whole week we were there. next time!

our airbnb was pretty awesome

after dropping our bags off we quickly went out and stocked up the house with all sorts of fresh goodies

coffee mornings in santa fe

shopping on canyon rd

there are beautiful details everywhere you look in santa fe and i fell in love with every blue door i saw

fell in love with all the windows too

and all the details….

there were many matching outfits

celebratory times for being all together again

many delicious meals

a trip to the rio grange gorge

many outings around town

a trip to bandelier national monument

jemez hot springs

laundry down time at home

a night of amazing flamenco at el farol

and meow wolf

my santa fe souvenirs home in asheville. so many fun things to see and buy there!

July 24, 2019

west virginia

Claudia according to my phone, everyday life family, life, summer, summer break, West Virginia 4 Comments

hello, hello, hello!!!

you may have noticed that it has been very quiet around here

we just returned from a two week trip out west and i didn’t take my laptop with me (or either one of my cameras. shocker!)

anyway, we are slowly adjusting to our regular home life and the eastern time zone

i have tons of phone pictures to share and i hope that i actually get to because i’ve been pretty bad at that (i never finished sharing our trip to spain last summer….)

prior to heading out west, we had the most wonderful week with family in west virginia

it was the perfect getaway to start us on our summer vacation mode

hope you are having a great week and a great summer so far!

2.5 mile morning walks with my walking partner

morning raspberry picking

more morning walks

and afternoon pond dips

i painted some new pieces

reunited with her favorite sister cousin

pond fishing sessions

sister cousin photo shoots

rainy afternoons on the porch swing

good skin, good hair, no makeup

we had a great fourth

family picture july 2019

June 28, 2019

around here

Claudia according to my phone, around here Asheville, auntie K, family, Frida Kahlo, friends, home, life, Nashville, Perry Farrell, summer, summer break 2 Comments

you guys, nashville with one of my besties and Perry was so much fun!

i kind of wish i was doing it all over again this weekend

we have had a pretty chill week here at home

Lily has been in music camp all week from 9-4pm and has been loving it!

William and i will be going to see her perform with her band/class this afternoon and i cannot wait to see her sing

hope you all had a great week

happy weekend!

Perry was amazing because that is just who he is

okrrrrrrrrrrrrr….

morning walks and flowers are still a thing

early morning weeding sessions

and afternoon tiedye skies

yup

i painted some new kimonos this week

cool summer mornings out here

and quiet summer afternoons in here

my sexy chef

nashville was a blast

our high school friend wrote a book and we found it in knoxville while having lunch on the way back to asheville

she and i met in seventh grade. having her around makes everything better

June 21, 2019

around here

Claudia according to my phone, around here Asheville, family, friends, life, Spring, summer break 2 Comments

one of my oldest girlfriends arrived yesterday and today we will get in the car and drive to nashville where we will be seeing Perry Farrell perform live tonight

going to see a favorite with a favorite

what more can a girl ask for?

happy friday and happy weekend friends!

spring. still winning

what father’s day looked like

cool slow mornings

hung up more art. you should too. it’s important

a sleepover with a good classmate

portugal memories from three years ago

pre father’s day parents night out

a visit to see a favorite friend/local jeweler

i bought new earrings and i am obsessed with them

a hair trim waiting to happen

Lily went to baking camp this week and not only did she love every minute of it but she also brought home the most delicious baked goods every day

day two of baking camp

day three of baking camp

the last time i saw Perry Farrell was in 2011 in miami during art basel with a then 1 year old Lily. see you soon Perry! can’t wait

June 14, 2019

around here

Claudia according to my phone, around here Asheville, friends, home, life, Spring, summer break 2 Comments

last saturday at our friend’s end of the year party, there was an altercation between Lily and a classmate where personal boundaries were pushed and disrespected

parents had to get involved and a he said/she said situation is never easy

phone calls and texts were exchanged throughout the week, feelings and emotions were high but eventually on wednesday Lily and her classmate met up (with parental supervision) and Lily got to share her truth, her feelings and got her power back

it’s important more than ever to talk to our children about respect and consent

so proud of our girl for being strong, standing her ground, facing someone who scared and disrespected her and for speaking her truth

happy friday friends

us

a favorite breakfast

spring is still my favorite season here

third grade girlfriends now rising fourth graders

quiet screened in porch moments

and quiet kitchen moments too

we have created a rummikub monster. she wins more than she loses

rainy days inside. it rained for at least four days straight

but eventually the rain stopped and the sun came out

a sushi lunch date by myself

Lily is in full summer break mode waking after 9am every morning

a day spent downtown

mexico memories from this week one year ago in playa del carmen

slow summer break mornings

2.5 mile long morning dog walks

wild blackberries found on our walk

last night’s delicious tuna poke bowl

right now

June 7, 2019

around here. so long third grade

Claudia according to my phone, around here Asheville, family, home, life, Lily, school, Spring 6 Comments

well friends, here we are

today is the last day of third grade

although i am so ready for summer break, i kind of wish third grade could go on forever

it’s been the most wonderful school year so far

Lily had the most amazing teacher/class and my heart is breaking already for when she will have to say goodbye later today

there will be many tears for sure (there always are)

Lily has grown so much this school year

not just in height (4″) but emotionally, artistically, academically… all with such confidence

she has risen all year!

we are so very proud of her

now if only time could just take it a bit easier on me

happy friday and happy weekend friends!

spring is still winning

Lily season on our front yard

when little cousins come to visit

miami memories

spain memories

kitchen poetry sessions

last monday of third grade

last tuesday of third grade

last car pick up selfie of third grade

last thursday of third grade

homemade end of the school year teacher gifts

stronger every day

these three have been riding to school every morning since we moved here during Lily’s kindergarten year. Next year there will be less one because she will be in middle school. we now have a rising sixth grader, a rising fourth grader and a rising third grader. love these vibrant girls

May 30, 2019

around here

Claudia according to my phone, around here Asheville, family, home, life, Spring 4 Comments

i feel like it’s been quite some time since i have done one of these “around here” posts

life has been good

it’s spring

spring makes everything better (anything but winter, really)

after tomorrow Lily will have only one week left of school

it’s been a great school year for her

she has had the most wonderful teacher and i am expecting many tears from Lily on that last day (she LOVES her teacher)

summer plans were hard to agree upon and hard to come together but for the most part they are figured out and i am excited for them

that said, i need to figure out more beach and ocean time

this weekend we are expecting family and we are so looking forward to it

hope you are all having a great week so far

i am off on my walk with foxy and then coming back to do some youtube exercise video (been trying to be good and do that every day)

have a happy one friends!

spring is by far my favorite season here in asheville. hate winter, fall is ok, summer is too damn hot with no access to the ocean, but spring…. spring is glorious!

peonies from our garden. i loved peony season this year

our two hibiscus trees are like small daily miami offerings in asheville

what school mornings look like

what weekend mornings look like

a rainbow filled corner

Lily is still consistently creating amazing art

what mother’s day looked like this year

what memorial day looked like this year

a car selfie. William and Lily call me Elton with these glasses on but i don’t mind

what weekends sometimes look like

what after school looks like when there are no after school activities

this year’s ballet four will be next year’s ballet five

despite everything i still miss miami and the ocean every day

May 10, 2019

miami. spring break twenty nineteen. part two

Claudia everyday life friends, life, Miami, pool, spring break, vacation 2 Comments

our first morning at our airbnb, was spent at the pool with Savannah

it felt like old times

it felt organic and how things should be

me with the girls in water

it is how i think of Lily with her miami bff

i always think of them in water

after some much needed pool time and vitamin d, we went and grabbed lunch at a very familiar place to us

also surrounded by water

which also felt organic and what the norm should be

because being surrounded by water is what feels organic and normal to me

no matter how long i live in these mountains for, not a day goes by when i don’t long for that to be the norm again

happy friday and happy mother’s day to you mamas!!!!

views i miss waking up to

lunch at our usual with amazing views

April 25, 2019

miami. spring break twenty nineteen. part one

Claudia everyday life Beach, friends, life, Miami, ocean, spring break, vacation 4 Comments

two weeks ago (already?) Lily and i got in the car at 7am and drove 12.5 hours straight from asheville to miami where we arrived at 7:30pm

even though the car radio/gps system did not work and only my phone was used, even though Lily’s i-pad did not work the whole entire drive, we are badass road warriors who made the trip in one day by only making three quick stops

because long car trips are something we have done with Lily since she was one month old, she has always been a great car rider

that said, as she has gotten older, she just keeps getting better and better and road trips with her just keep getting more and more fun

so yes, we arrived in miami at 7:30pm on thursday two weeks ago and eighty degree weather and car windows down never felt so good

neither did that sweet miami air

our airbnb was not booked until the following day so we drove to surfside where we spent the night with dear friends

we couldn’t have asked for a better welcome and a better way to start our spring break

ps- not pictured: our trip to publix after we left our friends’ home, checking into our airbnb and a much anticipated reunion between Lily and her miami bff Savannah as well as friday happy hour in our old hood

welcome to miami

i met these two lovely people in 2002 when i interviewed with Min for a sales position at a high end jewelry store. she quickly not only became my manager but a good friend. their daughter was the same age as Lily is now when we met. 15 years of friendship later, their daughter is now 26

friday morning. i miss waking up to a miami jungle

breakfast

their daughter Lulu is a wonderful artist. she and Lily love doodling together

i have a thing with window sills….

the beach! the beach! the beach! omg it had been so long…. too long

post beach outdoor shower

hi

April 5, 2019

around here. february & march

Claudia around here Asheville, family, home, life, Winter 4 Comments

friends, it is finally april

i have been anxiously waiting for this month for so long

not just because spring is usually in full bloom in april but also because our spring break will finally take place

which means miami

yes we are going back

forth year in a row

this time we are staying the whole week and i am so looking forward to beach time, pool time, sunshine, palm trees, old friends, old hang outs…. i am looking forward to going home

yes, home

after living in miami for almost fifteen years (the longest i have ever lived anywhere), i still consider miami my home

i cannot wait

just one more week…

happy friday friends!