happy friday

November 22, 2013 in TRAVEL, INSPIRATION

Sending luck from U street. Have a great weekend!

wanderlust wednesday: washington, D.C.

November 20, 2013 in TRAVEL, INSPIRATION, IN THE STUDIO

http://instagram.com/p/gvLmOLEp31/ Wandering with my sister in Washington, D.C. Follow her @valeretxe. She'll be blogging here soon!!

The latest from #etxe

November 14, 2013 in TRAVEL, INSPIRATION, IN THE STUDIO

Wanderlust Wednesday: The Alhambra

November 13, 2013 in TRAVEL, INSPIRATION, IN THE STUDIO

The Alhambra, Granada, Andalucía, Spain

Travel time from Madrid to Granada by train: 4-5 hours. Ideal trip length: A week if you want to explore Andalucía. Tips: Book in advance. Visit at night and during the day.

"Everything here appears calculated to inspire kind and happy feelings, for everything is delicate and beautiful. The very light falls tenderly from above, through the lantern of a dome tinted and wrought as if by fairy hands." Washington Irving, Tales of the Alhambra

There is so much history and there so many stories you can find online. I found an old post of mine -- too funny:

Granada was everything you can imagine, and more . . . again I will try and show you with my pictures and not my words :)

One night a bunch of us had our own botellón because we were too lazy to walk over to where the actual botellón was taking place . . . What is a botellón you may ask? It is basically just where people gather to drink, BYOB style . . . yet Christina and I (she is a friend that goes to NW) get fanta and vodka because it tastes much better. When you go to the little stores to buy the alcohol they actually ask you how many cups you want and give you ice. Technically,drinking in the streets is illegal, but everyone does it anyway. The cops even came to our botellón! But, as usual, they just walk by, make sure everyone is happily drunk and socializing, than leave---only in Spain.

Hope my travel blogging has gotten better, for now loving the #nostalgia. And now, back to laundry.

Follow my Alhambra pinboard on Pinterest:

Wanderlust Wednesday: Caves of the Thousand Buddhas

November 06, 2013 in TRAVEL, INSPIRATION, IN THE STUDIO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R29A0GyLYlE Mogao Caves, Gobi Desert, China

Travel time from downtown Dunhuang, China by bus: about 40 minutes. Ideal trip length: As long as they let you stay. UNESCO Heritage Site since 1987. Tips: No cameras allowed. Take a flashlight and wear walking shoes/clothing. Be ready for sun and crowds if you are going in the summer.

A monk once had a vision of 1,000 buddhas bathed in gold. So he started digging...

Read this National Geographic article about the Mogao Caves: Caves of Faint--In a Silk Road oasis, thousands of Buddhas enthrall scholars and tourists alike to learn more.

And yes, there is an app...check it out here

the beach + west coast + design = easy love affair

November 05, 2013 in TRAVEL, INSPIRATION, STYLE, IN THE STUDIO

I grew up in Arizona, but would often spend my summers on the beach with my cousins in SoCal. Every year I'd look forward to the return to Bolsa Chica, where we would stake out all day and all night, arriving clean in our bathing suits and driving home with sand stuck in all our layers. I have always been drawn to the beach--the infinite sand, the sun that bakes, the resourcefulness of finding things you need when you forgot to bring them, the random assortment of people sharing the space, the predictable tide, the unpredictable wind, that bonfire smell that stays stuck on your hoodie forever, the shells you collect that inspire dreams, the infinite cycle of life.

The notion of a beach, the ocean, that massive body of water that separates land...is a hard thing to conceptualize, but I think it is precisely this complicated environment that has inspired much of what we call west coast design. Sustainability, mixed-media, industrial chic, casual function and inspired reuse are a few prominent themes at the New West Coast Design 2 (NWCD2) exhibit that just opened at the Museum of Craft and Design.

Featuring 60 works from artists/architects/interior, fashion, industrial designers/craftspeople of California, Oregon and Washington, the show is a nice sampler of what is currently going on in the world of west coast design. I was impressed by the variety of pieces and creators. The new museum space is just gorgeous, small enough to be intimate but big enough to wander a bit. Check it out (each photo below links to artist/designer) and then check out the West Coast Craft show next weekend to find even more designers--I'll be there with Etxe and my friend Jane who makes mixed-media collages.