Since touching down back in the Bay Area the summer has been a flourish of activities. I head back to Dublin in a few days, and realized in the past three months I will have been on 18 flights. Whew. This was certainly an incredible summer filled with lots of celebrations and time with family-the best sort of vacation! And while I’m sad to be leaving the US, I I’m pretty ready to get back to something more resembling normal. Because so much has happened in the past several weeks the best way I can think to sum up the whirlwind is in photos. So here is the past few weeks!

Amongst thesis-ing, I took ample opportunities to be crafty, which along side baking is one of my favorite ways of decompressing. After staring at a computer screen for far too long, a wander through the backyard picking flowers was a great way to keep sane.

I also tried Indigo dying for the first time. I love Indigo-but don’t love the price tag. Though the process is certainly involved it ended up being pretty simple, and super satisfying. Now my closet is flush with various shades of Indigo. Inspired by the Japan issue of Kinfolk.
Also from Kinfolk-these tissue paper Cherry Blossoms were really simple, and while making a huge bouquet would probably be extremely tedious, it might just be worth it-they’re pretty stunning-and really cheap. A great alternative to flowers that only last a week (minus the lovely smell).

We spent summer evenings dining outside at home, which since we live in Dublin feels like the ultimate luxury. I’ve always been perplexed by the abundance of outdoor dining in Dublin, and more, how many people brave the weather. Maybe our California skin just can’t quite adjust-but it’s something we seriously miss.

We managed one side trip while in California, to Big Sur! I had never been, and while it’s a bit of a drive for a day trip it was a wonderful city break. Despite the incredible vistas we’ve been privileged to witness, there is nothing quite like the California coast. Sure, some of it is nostalgia and love of one of the places we consider home, but really- it’s simply stunning, every time.
We ate lunch at Post Ranch Inn-a fabulous hotel we’d love to stay in one day. The seaside perched rooms are all super unique, the hotel blends perfectly with the surroundings, and who wouldn’t love waking up to this view everyday?

We bid farewell to San Francisco, an always bitter sweet experience, and headed off for the East Coast.

For all the traveling I’ve done, I’ve never been to our Nation’s capital. Unless you count a layover where we ate Falafel (ohmygosh was that delicious). I’m a terrible domestic tourist, and since one of my best friends from Grad School lives just outside of D.C. she decided to rectify the situation.

It was HOT the entire weekend, and we only hit the highlights-but it was a lot of fun. On the west coast I never feel inundated with “AMERICA!” So it was strange to see so much of it. Well, not strange, it is the capital-just strange to me. Plus, everything was just so old and steeped in history, something the west coast doesn’t have as much as-at least not so obviously.

We were also able to wine taste in Loudon County, which apparently, is the richest county in the states. And wow-it’s absolutely stunning. Living in NYC and only once making it to New Jersey (well, Hoboken-which was…an experience) I never associated the East Coast with nature-which is silly because its absolutely gorgeous!
And of course, we ate. Really well. Blue crabs in Maryland. Delicious.

Family Meal-we came for the fried pot pie fritters (What? Brilliant.). Everything was great though, including a full selection of “adult” milkshakes. Which, bourbon + ice cream is pretty much a recipe for success.

My friend lives in a rural-ish area outside of D.C. So naturally, we spent the week roaming around her mini farm, which has chickens! And ducks! And a sweet golf cart to putts around the ground. And naturally, bon fires and s’mores.

Last, we headed to NYC for Alex’s brother’s wedding. It’s been two years since I’ve been, which is totally unacceptable. I LOVE this city, and I was so excited to be back on its streets. The view above, from the apartment where we stayed-not bad!

While my ability to navigate the city has seriously diminished, it felt like I never left. Though it was a brief visit, it left me hankering to return. That. Skyline. Gets me EVERY TIME.

Plus, we got to get all dressed up-which I love doing-it was a week of family, food, pampering and celebrations.

I haven’t been to many weddings, and most of my fabulous lady-friends are single so weddings are not typically on my social schedule. They are, however ALL over my social media-every weekend someone’s friend is getting hitched. When did I get so old? When did this start happening? And as a non-wedding person (I would look hilariously awkward in any sort of wedding dress and generally hate attention) it was a lot of fun to see the other end of the California Casual spectrum. It was lavish, beautiful, elegant, very New York. Very, comme il faut.  My only regret was never making it to the raw bar (how tragic is that?). Such a great celebration of family and love.

And now, I’m helping my baby sister move into college (WHAT?). Only a few more days stateside, I can’t even fathom where this summer has gone, but it’s been absolutely amazing.

And with that.

A picture of a cat in a bag.

He decided this was a good choice.