new look, new year

Happy 2011!

While our blog recently underwent a little face lift and we now have a permanent home at ampmcrafts.com, we have been totally MIA for the last month. We know it, we acknowledge it & now we're moving forward.

We were super excited to launch our own website. It's been sometime in the making, something we've been wanting to do for a long time. Now that's it's up and running, we already have plans for some new items that will be posted in this coming year.

2011 is going to be the year of new beginnings, a new chapter to the life of am & pm.

We started it off with a Holiday in Spain (props to the Counting Crows & this version of the song!). It was my first holiday there, and four years tardy for pm. Needless to say, it was time for us to go. We were able to escape the cold and enjoy family, friends, food and wine. Ah, it was wonderful. I hadn't realized just how wonderful it was until we came back. Why did we come back? ;)

Our holiday in Spain, also was a holiday from all responsibilities. We paid our rent in advance, and since all other expenses are on pre-paid accounts, we could sit back and enjoy. We very rarely checked our email and as you can tell from our social media efforts, we stayed away from most technology. Fact is: pm and I need a break.

Prior to our trip we were running in so many directions I am surprised that we even made it to Spain without forgetting the clothes on our back and gifts for family. Or worse case scenario: our passports. I will admit, that was a close call the day we left.

We will post photos soon-- as soon as we finish the rolls and get everything developed. I think this time we took more film photos than digital. My love for doing things the old-fashioned way doesn't lead to the immediate results. I am hoping the photos will be worth the wait.

Along with posting photos, we'll also be posting some of our goals for this space for the new year. Since we haven't had time to think about new year's resolutions (other than to eat more vegetables and cut back on meat for the time being), we haven't had time to post anything here yet either. It will come. After all, all good things come to those who wait.

Rather than make a long post longer, we'll be back. Soon.

I may take a holiday in Spain / Leave my wings behind me / Drink my worries down the drain / And fly away to somewhere new.

Ode to Ireland

In lieu of Saint Patrick's Day, I thought it would be appropriate to reminisce about Ireland. First off, I've just got to say - you haven't had a Guinness until you have one on tap in a small Irish pub. It becomes much more than just a beer - it becomes part of the culture, part of the way of life. In my case, having had travelled on a very limited budget, it also become dinner.

I don't think I had ever seen such lush greenery in all of my life as I did on my trip to Ireland. My roommate from Spain and I decided to travel to Ireland for our first jaunt out of Spain. Both being from Irish heritage, it was an easy decision to make.

We started off our trip in Dublin. We didn't leave until we had done the Guinness Tour. This tour, while a bit pricey, it totally worth it for the views on the city (with beer in hand!) once you complete the tour.

After wandering the busy streets of Dublin, we headed west to Galway. (I am sure Galway is much different now, as I am sure it has become much more of a tourist destination. I could sense it coming when we were there.) What a beautiful coast city! I felt like in the 2-3 days we were there we walked around the entire city. We also found a great restaurant that seemed to be a "locals-only" joint - thanks to a tip and invitation we received from a local. I guess it's no surprise that the place highlighted Irish cuisine - meat & potatoes. The people were all very friendly - so friendly I don't believe we were allowed to pay for any of our drinks at the local pubs. :)

From Galway we took a day trip to the Aran Islands. Some of my most fond memories of all my time spent in Europe include our trip to the Aran Islands. I remember it being an absolutely beautiful day. We took the ferry over and rented bicycles. We certainly put plenty of miles behind us and captured plenty of photos of scenery, livestock, and more along the way. Our trip to the Cliffs of Moher was also a delight, unlike the cave tour.

It's days like today that I like to remember this trip, and dream of the next time I travel across the pond for another visit. Until then... Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone!

Big city, small world

Note: This is not a tilt-shift (boy, it would be nice to have one of those lenses!). It's a photo of a miniature.

I guess this particular photo makes me think about how small we are in relation to everything, yet how interconnected everything is at that same time. Our existence in the universe is a mere dust spec, but our impact can be so much greater.

I am often reminded about a family trip to Italy. As we meandered through many long and narrow streets in quest for the city's "best gelato," I happened to run into an old friend from college. What are the odds that on a small street in Rome I'd run into a friend from across the big pond? Well, slim to none. Not to mention that my family and I were completed lost, my friend was not. It certainly was very pleasant surprise. Even if the gelato place had already closed for the day, it was a sweet reunion with a friend. :)

It's an experience like that which reminds me of just how small the world really is. You can live in a big city surrounded by strangers, but then venture out some given day and run into a familiar face. It's truly fascinating!

Where is the most random place you have run into someone you know?