We Have Arrived!

It's official - we are in Seattle and the house hunt has begun!  My posts will continue to be spotty until we get the housing situation figured out.  Needless to say that is distracting me considerably but it's also very fun.  :)  More on that soon...

I have a lot to share with all of you from our travels but I have to get the pictures organized, among other things, so that will take a while since that is falling lower on the priority list right now.  :)  A few quick comments though: 

Hong Kong was good, but Bali was better.  Bali was incredibly rich in authenticity -- much more than I expected it to be, given how many tourists they host.  That meant that we definitely got a good dose of Asian culture, while also enjoying a lot of beachy relaxation time.  The people were also consistely friendly, helpful and oh-so-happy.  It was a fantastic experience. 
Here are just a few pictures for now - this doesn't do Bali justice AT ALL but it's a little taste.  I promise to be back soon to regular blogging programming with more from our trip as well as other design inspirations when life gets sorted a bit!

Culture was found at every turn...

Great wildlife for family adventures... 

 and endless shopping!

Thanks so much for the wonderful comments that came in while we were away.

I really ppreciate the supportive comments and well wishes, and enjoyed reading them!

Book Review: Great Destination Reads

via The Selby

In case anyone is planning a trip to a great destination coming up (or wishing you could go there), I thought I'd provide some of my favorite destination-based books that I have enjoyed over the last few years. 

I have to warn you - these are not light, easy-reading books.  Rather, these are stories that (hopefully) will really draw you into that location and time...which is, to me, what makes a book really worth reading.  Here goes:

Shantaram by David Gregory Roberts - set in India.  One of the best books I have read in a long time, but also very edgy.  It really shows the underbelly of India, so it's a unique read.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett - set in civil-rights-era South.  If you haven't read this already, you MUST.

The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst - set in World War 2-era Poland.  Great intrigue, colorful characters and lots of politicking!

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende - set in Chile.  A South American woman's transition to America, composed beautifully.

Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - set in China,  It's about Chinese foot binding rituals and more.  My feet hurt as I type this!

Winter in Madrid by C.J. Sansom - set in - obviously - Spain, during the Franco dictatorship. Very mysterious and intriguing.

Rebecca's Tale by Sally Beauman - set in England covering two timeframes in the 20's and the 50's.  A beautifully written mystery and love story that also examines the changing societal norms in England during that time.

I could be pretty darn happy curling up here and enjoying a good book!

If you want to see ideas for cozy reading nooks, you can look here.

What is the best book you have read lately?  I'd love to know!