SCOTLAND.

What a beautiful country. Edinburgh was mesmerizing with its old cathedrals, a castle built atop an old volcano, tiered parks with people reading and eating, peeking down secret alleys and staircases that you only find in Europe. We took the train to a few other places as well, enjoying the view you'd likely overlook while traveling by car. The wedding we were there for was set on a stunning property, and the ambiance was so casual and friendly. Men wore kilts as I was hoping they would, as I needed something to fulfill my stereotype. This time of year, the sun sets around midnight and rises again around 4am, so its tough to adjust your body clock. We watched a lot of the World Cup, which I didn't mind as the energy towards the sport over there makes it fun. Time goes by more slowly when you are away from home. It was refreshing to be away from the phone and constant internet access. I loved having Hugh to myself, and not feeling like there is something else I should be doing. We need travel breaks, a new space, whether they are one hour or fifteen hours away.

This trip was not about food. A menu is typically a lot of starch and hearty meats, so we made a lot of picnics from the market. I have no complaint about this, I love picnics. We both enjoy sitting somewhere new and reading, people watching, and sharing

Kinder Buenos

. If you have traveled overseas, this chocolate candy is all over the place. It's far from healthy, but I am a sucker for the chocolate and hazelnut combo.

I am excited to be back here; anxious to get in the kitchen and make up for the vegetables I've been lacking in the past two weeks. Thanks for being patient, recipes coming soon!

US.

I made a bold claim on my last birthday. I just threw it out into the universe: this was going to be the best year of my life. We celebrated with a surprise party on a boat dock with hummus and brownies, Hugh had designed this site, I got a laptop so I could invest in said beautiful site, I had settled into my studio and I felt ready for life to start happening. Feeling like a 'grown up' clicked that very day. This was my life, my decisions, my relationships to chose to nurture. It was as if I had just cracked the chapter of life being about my passions and doing things I most sincerely cared about. Which brings me to the end of that birth year. In short, the year has been...unexpectedly expected. Yep. I knew last birthday that God was going to do big things, that I may feel uncomfortable, but it would be good. I've made an out-of-character career move, this site has fed me (both literally and figuratively) and most importantly, I have fallen so deeply and wholeheartedly in love with Hugh that my heart may explode. I wish you could know him, because he is hilariously witty, sincere, honest, obviously talented, exceedingly hot and selfless in ways you maybe wouldn't know unless you were me. He gives me the best bites of his food; like the cheesy corner of the pizza, the nub of the sandwich that has even proportions of all the goodies inside or let's me eat half his dessert after I said "I didn't want any", yea... I'm a lucky girl because after eating all his best bites, he wants to marry me.

There was a hilltop picnic, where we dug out of the same tupperware bowl having forgot plates, and alas, he let me eat the best bites. We took in the view and assessed this past year, 'the best year of my life', which I wasn't sure it was, until he got down on a knee. I didn't like seeing him alone down on the floor, and since I knew what was happening at this point, I barnacled him with a gigantic hug and listened to his sweet words. I have a gorgeous ring that he designed, and I am going to spare you the rest of the sap that still seems too good to be true. This is the real thing. We learn to love by being shown love, and I am marrying my mentor in that. So there is no recipe, no stunning picture of produce or a rant of how I love greek yogurt. He is mine and it's the best year of my life. My cup overflows.

AWAY.

I needed this recent trip to San Francisco for a number of reasons. A few I didn’t realize until I was home, back into my routine. It is a city of passion; of a good handful of crazies, but people are themselves. A man singing, full volume, while walking down the street. A number of open kitchens, inviting diners to watch chefs of all levels, articulate their craft. People playing musical instruments by the Embarcadero, eyes closed and internalizing the music they're creating. There seemed to be more ‘life’ happening than you see on a given day in a suburbia, and I loved it.

The intention was to make a quick trip, as Hugh had a engagement session to shoot, and the remaining free time was very food focused. Following a number of recommendations from Heidi, we were well fed. Hugh holds Anthony Bourdain in high regard, (it’s tough not to trust someone so frank),so we trekked a number of miles to his recommendation for Red Java Hut. I can get giddy about food destinations, and this was Hugh’s turn to be giddy. Can you tell how interested I was by the pictures below?He is a man of consistency, and regardless of the variety up there, I think he always settled on some form of pizza or cheeseburger the entire three days.

As I mentioned, the passion truly comes through in the food. Perfect cappuccinos, some of the richest ice cream I’ve tasted (thank you for your spot on description, Tea!), and certainly an affinity for seasonal and local ingredients. I looked up about two dozen menus, and I think ‘sand dabs’ were on every single one. There is a food culture in San Francisco that even those not intrigued by gastronomy, can respect. I had no idea there was a sand dab season. Thank you, San Francisco.