the good life

Home for the Holidays

2012-01-21T04:05:00.000-08:00

HOME! We had the whole weekend to spend together and it was unforgettable. Lots of relaxing, eating, laughing and enjoying the time together. The matching pajamas topped it off just right!

A belated Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

Addie was in full form on Christmas day, laughing, talking and so outgoing. She would open a gift and say "whoever gave me this, I'm going to hug them". Adorable! When it came time to try on some of her new princess clothes, she turned into the most modest little thing. It was precious.

My favorite picture with Uncle Ricky and Aunt LeeAnn- this was the same day she entered and said "I think I'm going to be shy around Ricardo". I think not. =)

After Christmas we drove to see the Odom's in Nashville, I'll have to upload the dual family pic- but this is one of my fav's!

and the 2nd annual Christmas at Cracker Barrell with Kellye O!

Christmas in New York

2012-01-21T03:26:00.000-08:00

Our first stop on the way home for the holidays..... New York City!

a trip to NY wouldn't be complete without a Hoboken dinner at J.R's! My heart just melted when Ricardo played "Here comes the sun" on the Juke Box- memories from our wedding weekend....

courtesy of my past 2 years of hotel points, we indulged and stayed at the Waldorf

the sites and sounds were the perfect kick-off to our Christmas Holiday

to try out something new we headed over to Williamsburg in Brooklyn for a nice walk and yummy Pizza!

Espana with the Walters!!

2012-01-13T00:15:00.000-08:00

What a treat! Liz and Chris came to visit right before the holidays and we had so much fun playing host and showing off our city. In usual "Riches" fashion, we hit Madrid, Patones del Arriba, El Escorial, Segovia and Avila. In 3 days! Lots of fun!!

We started with tapas at Mercado de San Anton and then on to Mercado San Miguel. In the middle.... battling the thousands of people out to see the Christmas market.

later to see the night time view of Palacio Real and la Catedral.

Sundays are a perfect day trip to Patones (a little village destroyed during the war with amazing mountain views and a very old time feeling). Great food as well!

Such a sunny day in Segovia. We did a quick walk by the Roman Aqueducts (still standing from the 1st century!), ate some Segovia famous Cochinillo at Meson Candido, the cities oldest restaurant (1786) and spent the day visiting the cathedral, Alcazar and enjoying the walks thru the town.

love this pic! we were trying to make sure we didn't have shadows on our faces!

and a quick quick trip to Avila to see the old city walls still standing- of course, i don't have a picture of the walls.... just the bakery!

take 2

2012-01-12T23:56:00.000-08:00

one of these days we're going to take a good picture..... Silvia and I have the worst luck with self-timed shots, asking strangers and generally just not coming out with a good pic.
it does capture a nice winter day in Madrid quite well though. complete with starbucks!

90 cent wine

2011-12-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

Yes. Lorca might not be known for much. But we ate plentiful and highly enjoyed our 90 cent glasses of wine! Ricardo had been recording a new album here in Madrid over the past few months. While in the process he got a call from a promoter announcing that his band had one a contest and out of over 400 bands they were selected to produce an album. Another album aside from the one he's currently working on. So off to Lorca we go for a quick 4 days in the studio. I decided to tag along.... work from the road.... and see what Lorca had to offer. 90 cent wine.

this was taken from a church near the studio. Lorca had a devastaring earthquake last year. There are cracks in almost every building you see.

Ricardo playing in the studio

Love Division live in Barcelona

2011-12-20T12:13:00.000-08:00

A nice November day.... a concert in Barcelona.... and a great excuse for a day off to walk around the city.

Starting the day with a croissant de chocolate and a nice cafe con leche in the plaza

a visit to the Market La Boqueria

Paella on the beachfront with Javi and Ani (our good friends from Madrid), followed by drinks with Susana (a friend/past colleague of mine from Maersk)

Then a weekend of Rock n' Roll with the boys

a special tribute to the past- with Ricardo on drums!

Autumn Colors

2011-12-20T11:09:00.000-08:00

Fall has come and gone, but I'm still catching up! One Saturday in October......

Captured this as Mom and I were leaving the house- a beautiful light fog on the lake
We were on our way to Addie's 8:30 soccer game- Dad is the coach and these little ones were adorable. At some point believe I even ended up on the field to get them in the right direction.
Then a nice drive to the mountains, just in time for some amazing colors.

Love this picture of the Richards while we were out skipping rocks
mom found the cheer uniform I wore when I was her age- love this and the amazing fall days!

Beautiful Bali

2011-12-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I went to Bali and when I left..... I just knew I would return. This place has my heart. I love the beautiful scenery, the beaches, the rice fields, the mountains, the small villages you pass on the way to your next destination. The people are so warm and inviting, that you instantly become best friends with every taxi driver, waiter or hotel staff. Bali.... I will be back.

here is a view of our villa overlooking the rice terraces and bamboo forest, about 30 min outside of Ubud- a very relaxing and quiet spot. For sure in my top 5 favorite places i've stayed. Morning yoga was included along with local village walks and cooking classes. They grew all of their own vegetables on the local grounds.

on the way out of town, a beautiful site

after my last trip to Bali, I swore off monkeys. These were much cuter and more tame

Mom and I having dinner in Ubud

followed by a performance of the Balinese Dancers

a day of Temples

2011-12-20T09:44:00.001-08:00

We packed it in this day! Temple after temple and amazing views along the way. The locals were preparing for a Hindu festival and bringing their offerings to prepare. Great memories.

We began at a local coffee farm near the village we were staying at.

along the way we passed a few locals preparing for the festivities

We then visited the Tirta Empul Temple just outside of Ubud. It's known for the holy waters.

and then a stop to the Elephant Cave

return to Indonesia

2011-12-20T09:31:00.000-08:00

After a weekend in Singapore, I headed south to Jakarta for a week of work. Mom joined a few days later to enjoy the city life of Jakarta. I think her favorite part was the amazing buffett at the hotel! =)

The Indonesian cuisine is quite an art display. Many small dishes to share with the group. Mom, Anders and myself found a very traditional place to celebrate our last night.

Mom and Me

2011-12-15T02:32:00.000-08:00

The Richards hit Singapore! Mom joined me on one of my last trips to Asia. What a great opportunity to build in a little vacation time around my work weeks. I started out in China and met Mom in Singapore for the weekend! Here's a few highlights from our trip......

Walking on the promenade and overlooking the Marina Bay Sands.

Lunch at the famous Raffles Hotel

A trip to the Singapore Botanical Gardens

Work.

2011-12-01T12:53:00.001-08:00

Work is prevalent in life these days. I spend 70-80% of the month on the road. And while I love what I do- it has taken a toll........ Today I was asked what I love about my job. This trip to Qingdao, China, being my next trip in the blogger role, summed it up for me. The people. My colleagues have become some of my best friends (and family=) Being able to meet so many new and diverse people has changed and expanded my life beyond words. I can't imagine not having lived these experiences and I am blessed to have a job that let's me travel the world seeing amazing places and meeting such great people. With that said, next year brings a life of balance.

Catching up.

2011-11-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

This seems like ages ago- August at the lake! We were fortunate enough to spend a nice long weekend at a dear friend's amazing lake house in Georgia. I am beyond blessed to have such amazing girls to share my time with. Even though the trips are few and far between..... they keep me going for ages!

Makeover

2011-11-15T06:12:00.000-08:00

Wow- 3 months have gone by already! I used to be quite up to date on my travels, but my travels have gotten the best of me lately. So I've decided to continue my next batch of post starting with a site makeover. I've had a few really amazing trips lately, so I'll get caught up before the holidays takeover!

I've also cleaned up my links- so blogger friends if you decide to go back "live" again, let me know so I can re-add you. Also have a few new links that I've added from some great blogs I've been following on Travel and Fashion.

And speaking of makeovers! Check out Ricardo and I modeling at: http://www.cassandrakennedy.com/index2.php?v=v1#/home/
Cassandra did my hair and makeup for the wedding- and an Amazing job she did!

More soon.....

Greece 2011

2011-08-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Off we go to Greece for a cultural weekend in Athens, a getaway trip to Santorin with the Uth's and to meet up with the Italy crew in Thessaloniki for Eleftheria and Leftheris' Big Fat Greek Wedding!

Athens: a trip to the Acropolis, Temple of Zeus, and the Original Olympic Stadium

What an amazing place! Santorini (Oia is where we stayed) was EVERYTHING you can imagine. Oia is known for the best sunsets and they did not disappoint. Our resort was right on the northern tip of the island with an amazing view. We had small cave houses to hideaway in and spent the days shopping, swimming in the sea, "hiking" up and down the cliffs, sailing, massages and enjoying the most delicious mediteranean meals. What a great time we had with Shereen and Henrik!

there is a reason I love turquoise

I adore this picture of Ricardo

this was right after our "Titanic" pose moment

and after a wonderful break to the islands, we were so excited to meet up with Ele, Katia, HC, Henning, Banu and finally meet Leftheris before the big day

Ele the morning of

The Riches all dolled up! Ele and Leftheris were married at the Greek Orthodox Church behind us. A beautiful ceremony- For the ceremony, the bride and groom entered the church first, going straight into the ceremony and all the guest coming in behind. What a different experience from the Protestant and Catholic weddings we've been to. The service was mostly words that came out thru song, changing of the halo rings and circling of the pulpit. It was so interesing to see a new tradition take place.

EME reunion w/ Katia, Shereen, Henning, Fede, Banu and friend

The Newlyweds at the outdoor dinner and reception- a perfect evening and a great way to wrap up the week in Greece

Happy Birthday America!

2011-08-18T07:47:00.001-07:00

Home for the holidays! Summer holidays!! July 4th at the Richards- an annual tradition.

Jack, Lynn, Addie and Ricky- we missed you guys.

the "kids"

enjoying some time off

and the fam

Our House......

2011-08-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

We are loving our new pad!! Now accepting visitors for the fall!

a view of the courtyard

still some work to go, but a nice cozy start

the office, which is wayyy nicer than the previous couch location!

Ricardo's music room

our kitchen, which gets fully utilized (every 2 weeks when i'm home)

our dining/living room with a view of the city and mountains

and now on to our most favorite parts! the lounging area

and rooftop terrace (with baby pool and all!)

We grilled this weekend on my new birthday Weber (thanks dad!)

and well- it's just 2 of us, but we went a little crazy!

Blooms and Friends

2011-08-10T02:14:00.000-07:00

Looking back on the springtime, a few fun memories to take along.....

a view from the Garden of Engberg

and a nice BBQ with friends from work. Nothing like Denmark in the spring and summer!

what a suprise when I returned from the honeymoon- the guys couldn't make the wedding, so we celebrated with wine in the cafeteria! and some awesome scandinavian decor for our new house! w- Johan, Denis and Thierry

Marga and Natalia threw an amazing 20's theme birthday party in Madrid!

Boda de Maria y Asier

2011-08-10T01:59:00.000-07:00

The Wedding of Maria and Asier in Bilbao

Ricardo walking his sister down the aisle, a beautiful bride and an amazing fiesta with dinner and dancing and a suprise concert from Love Division!

Honeymooners- Part II

2011-07-13T09:01:00.001-07:00

after chasing destinations in New Zealand, we're off to Fiji for 5 days. 100% Relaxation.

We flew into Nadi, the main island- here's a little view from the sky

The first few nights we stayed at the Radisson Resort on the main island. Fancy dinners, walks on the beach, afternoon massages... the usual ;-)

we then took a 5hr ferry to the Yasawa Islands- close by they filmed "Castaway" and "Blue Lagoon". The Fiji waters were crystal clear and just the right shade of Turquoise

the Blue Lagoon Resort was run by locals of that island who performed local song and dance one of the evenings

we spent our days snorkeling around the coral reef right in front of the resort (from land it just appeared to be dark coral spots- but just below the water were such bright colored fish and plants everywhere) and then lounging around in the hammocks

this is one of the sights from the movie "blue lagoon", once we were in the main cave (seen here), you then had to dive under to get to the other parts- about 5 seconds underwater and total darkness as you arrived on the other side- we were a bit nervous!

on our last day we attended a hurch service- there are apx 100 people on the island, predominantly Christian and we went to a Methodist serive led in the local language- quite a different experience

one last walk on the beach and it was time to set sail! we were not ready to leave at all!!

and one final amazing sunset in Fiji before flying back home as Newlyweds!

Honeymooners- Part 1

2011-07-13T04:57:00.001-07:00

While I was busy planning a wedding, he was busy planning a honeymoon trip. As we both are quite busy traveling during the year, we thought we'd do something to make it extra special- a suprise! Ricardo was able to keep the secret all the way up to our 2nd flight and then it was revealed- 2 wonderful weeks in New Zealand and Fiji!

It all began in an RV! 8 days driving the North and South Island, starting in Auckland. We had plenty of room to sleep, eat, shower (though we stayed "mostly" in camping areas and were able to use their facilities).

first stop Rotorua to see the volcanic fault line- bubbling mud and active geisers.

our plan was to cross to the south island straight away, the weather would say otherwise. due to strong winds the ferries were canceled, and though a big hiccup in our travel plans (new flights, return the RV to a new location.... a few good things came from this- 1) we were able to see Auckland in the daytime from a beautiful lookout, 2) we were able to visit a nearby wine village of Martinborough, 3) we had a day/night to relax a bit and 4) when we finally made the ferry- the weather was incredible- sunny and blue skies and by far the most amazing ferry ride you would ever imagine- rolling hills, green mountains- everything you think of NZ!

here is a view from the ferry across Cook Strait.

on the drive to Christchurch we stopped to see the Seals sunbathing along the coast.

and an impromptu stop to take a whale watching flight. we were clearly on our honeymoon! =)

we drive alot on this trip. and while we spent quite alot of time in the RV, the sights we passed were unbelievable. the scenery continued to change and change. here we were toward the southern tip of NZ, almost to Milford Sound when we passed a lake reflecting the mountain.

Milford Sound- Fjordland National Park- where we took a cruise to the Tasman Sea

The following day we took a bus to the park, boat across the lake, bus thru the mountains and then arrived at Doubtful Sound. One of our most favorite parts of the trip. Surrounded by mountains and waterfalls, the boat cut off the engine, everyone was silent for a few minutes and it was one of the most peaceful moments I can recall.

we then began our track back stopping at the Petrified forest, Waterfalls and several look out spots along the way.

A great start to a new life together. Next Stop- Fiji.

We do!

2011-06-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

Thru the eyes of many, this is our wedding story. Thanks to my hand full of photographers who help us relive this special day. (Christy, Linda, Henrik, Rod, Natalia, Padre Jose and Neil)

April 23, 2011
Liberty House Restaurant, Jersey City, NJ
After a long rainy morning, the rain dries up and Ricardo and I meet for pictures. No nerves once we were together. It's all finally come into place!

We are soon joined by both of our familes to begin the celebration. And I must say, despite from different worlds, speaking 2 different languages, it was a perfect match.

Instead of a guest book, we decided to map out the places we've traveled to together and have our guest leave us postcards.

While I'm waiting in the bridal suite, the most beautiful flowers arrived from my friend Katia from Russia. My PMI colleagues, that I do consulting work with, sent flowers as well. Such a special treat. Shereen, coming all the way from Egypt, was by my side thru everything!

Jack, Lynn and Lee, my 2nd family, were such a special part of this event and helped make everything turn out as amazing as I could have ever imagined.

Mom, Dad and I were quite relaxed before the ceremony.

My little flower girl kept us entertained- here she was showing how you turn into a princess if you turn around and touch the mirror.

and as the ceremony begins, the sweetest picture is captured.

I love this image as we start the walk down the aisle.

We were so happy. I mean so happy.

We had a duet for the cocktail hour. The girl on harmonica came for free! As the musicians were leaving, they didn't say "congratulations"- they said "the little girl has a very special talent, i hope they pursue that". She had more charisma that night then I've ever seen before.

and soon after I walked down the aisle, the sun came out! We were able to enjoy the music and most amazing appetizers overlooking New York City. Here we are with a few of our guest.

my UT gals and their hubbies.

the Engberg family from Sweden.

this is one of my favorite pictures with some of our friends who came from Spain.

Henrik and Shereen helped out with so much this week, relaxing me was amongst the top!

Silvia and Jesus came from Spain the night before for less than 48hrs- it meant the world!

An amazing night time view with all my aunts, uncles and cousins. How lucky we are!

Ani and Addie became best friends.

Christy! oh Christy! My "honorary" matron of honor. She and Javi gave amazing speeches (even with only 2 days notice) Que se besen!

Our cake from the cake boss. I forgot to warn Ricardo about the cake feeding tradition!

our first dance to "Perfect Day" by Lou Reed.

and the Father-Daughter dance to "My Girl"- Somebody hasn't lost their touch.....

Ricardo and his mom joining in!

and finishing off the song with "my little flower girl"

a lovely view of Liberty House at night.

and after a long night of dancing, the after party continues..... I love this picture for so many reasons. The group of friends sat around the fire pits, talking, laughing, enjoy a few of the stock-pile of beverages. I'm sporting my yellow "after party" all-stars. In the background you have Ricardo trying out a "version" of "Hey Jude" and Oscar some tunes that kept us entertained for a while. Paco is nicely relaxing to the left of Mackenzie (who I'm trying not to lean against her broken arm (that occured 2 nights prior). All my friends, all his friends- finally together for 1 night. And maybe the only time this will ever happen. It's just a bunch of good friends enjoying the evening together. And that's what it was all about.

And so in the end, we live happily ever after.....

Almost time!

2011-06-05T08:11:00.001-07:00

Breakfast with the girls, manicures and pedicures, mimosas at the W and that's just the morning! What a great way to start of the day with some of my absolute closest friends! Silvia arrived the night before from Spain, Shereen a few days earlier from Egypt, Nashville, Atlanta, LA and Philly represented as well! Love these ladies!

then it was time to get ready!

Mom and Lynn spent the whole morning doing the centerpieces and my bouquet (which turned out gorgeous!!), then joined for the finishing touches.

It's showtime!

Pre Wedding Events- Johnny Rockets!

2011-06-01T12:12:00.001-07:00

Not your traditional rehearsal dinner... but an American classic! We just love Johnny Rockets- a favorite from our Hoboken days. So why not bring all cultures together to enjoy a nice burger and chili cheese fries =). The night was wonderful. Good food with great people!

Pre Wedding Events- Double Decker in NYC

2011-05-29T06:46:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have scripted a more perfect kick-off to the Wedding Weekend! Double Decker Bus, sight-seeing in NYC, all with our closest friends and family! I could relive these moments over a million times!

Pre Wedding Events- Love Division Show

2011-05-22T06:26:00.001-07:00

We had SO much fun being able to celebrate with all our friends and family! What wonderful memories of the weekend!!

Ricardo kicked off the 3-day celebration with a concert in the city

We got married!

2011-05-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

A week in New York, the Wedding of my dreams, and 2 weeks of honeymoon! What an amazing month it's been and I can't wait to share it with all of you who couldn't be there with us. (and relive the moments for those of you who were!)

We arrived a week early to "relax" a bit before the big event. That started well =) with free tickets to Sister Act on Broadway, PJ Harvey in concert, a nice dinner at le Cirque a few shopping trips and a visit to Highland Park in the Meat Packing district. The Richards and de Abiega's finally met with a kick-off dinner at Liberty House Restaurant. A great night with our families

Danish days

2011-04-06T01:34:00.001-07:00

Weekend getaway to the South of Denmark with the girls from Genoa! (now via Germany, Greece and Egypt). Sooooo relaxing, we only left the house for 2 hours on Saturday to enjoy the hot tub. We had 3 years, 2 babies, 2 engagements and a few new jobs to catch up on!

w- Shereen, Ele and Katia at the Uth's Summer House in Rodby

then off to Copenhagen for work...... dinner with Thierry, Denis, Dani and Sarah before leaving

Showered at Sangria's

2011-03-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

March 19, 2011

My Wedding Shower at Sangria's in Market Square

Thanks so much for the ladies who helped put this all together! and for all of you who came by or sent your blessing for Ricardo and I. It meant soooo much and will be such wonderful memories to have of this time of celebration! We missed all of you who couldn't make it.

This blew me away- the most beautiful flowers, photo display, cupcakes, recipes left for me to practice in my new role and words of advice. All so thoughtful!to Lynn, Kellye, Christy and Mom- you are my wedding angels in disguise!The Richards clanMy sweet friend Casey from home A crowd shot- not just neighbors, but dear friends

Mrs. Tammy- my 4th grade teacher, neighbor and forever friend

oh ladies. you have all grown to be such key women in my life- The girls of ADPi, 9 years and going strong! Ole'!

last but certainly the light of our life- Addison Grace- My Flower Girl in Action!

Thank you ladies in my life! 26 days from today!

flight home

2011-03-28T13:20:00.003-07:00

I didn't take any pictures of me lounging on the couch after 5 weeks traveling.... but I did capture this great shot on the way home- flying over the Alps!

LeeAnn-Moon in Thailand

2011-03-23T05:03:00.000-07:00

Between my work trips to Dubai and Bangkok, I took a 2 day breather at one of the Thai beaches- Kao Yao Yai. 2 things Expedia doesn't tell you..... 1- it's an all couple's resort (it was....) and 2- you can only get there by a local boat and then back of a pick-up truck. It was so very relaxing and a perfect weekend getaway. Then I headed off to Bangkok.....

relaxing pool side in Koh Yao Yai

just in time for Easter at the market in Bangkok (yes- they're real!)

this is how I felt after a few hours as well!

an evening dragon boat ride thru the back canals

friendly little fella we passed on the way

there were temples everywhere we passed- even by the nearest swimming hole

monk in the making

view at sunset before flying back home

Middle Eastern days

2011-03-07T04:23:00.000-08:00

A week of work in Dubai... not bad after a cold wintery week in Copenhagen. After the workshop, Ricardo came to visit and we got to visit some of the highlights in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the surrounding desert area. With Dubai having 90% of the population as expats, it was a nice and easy start to the Middle East. Dubai was essentially built from the sand up, so everything is quite new and modern. We were able to try a bit of the middle eastern cuisine and loved it, but

most of the restaurants are Indian, European and American. The place is quite impressive!

and I thought Rockwood was the only place still with a Hardee's! off to Abu Dhabi for the day and avisit to the world's largest Mosque. We had to go covered, but they did let us inside. Quite an impressive place. With our new friends Mohammad from Saudi and his wife Olga from Kazakstan

Abu Dhabi at nighta Middle East ATM!

desert safari- sand bashing in the 4x4's, dinner, hookah and belly dancers (and a snapshot of us in local dress!)

a day around Dubai- the world's only 7 star hotel

local deliveries at the river near the Gold and Spice Souks

the fountains outside of Dubai Mall

The Burj Khalifa (currently the world's tallest building)

and a view from the top before we fly out

back to Madrid- atleast for a few days....

2011-03-07T04:08:00.000-08:00

Silvia and I met for dinner at Gumbo Ya Ya in Madrid and then out to see Ricardo's show w- his previous band Deadline Vegas.

For you photographers out there- how do I take good shots in the dark with stage lighting? Not 1 turned out from the concert!

Hoorah for Girls Weekend!!!

2011-02-15T22:53:00.000-08:00

This picture sums it up! Girlfriends meeting up in LA for a weekend for a nice getaway!! We're all friends from UT and each year we do a girls weekend trip. This year our friend Liz (living in LA) invited us to her place to experience the Hollywood Hills and the Boulevards. How lucky we were to have sunshine and warm weather all weekend and a great host to show us around. Here's a short story line.....

After a night of catching up, we head to Moonshadows in Malibu for brunch on the coastWe then head to a local vineyard for some wine tasting and creative pictures courtesty of my friend Katy (www.katysouthern.com) That night we head to Chateau Marmot for a special suprise "Bachelorette" night out- dinner, champagne and a visit to Hotel Rooseveltthe next day.... we couldn't bypass In-n-Out burgers (a west coast treat!)

and a visit to overlook LA and the Hollywood sign
that night was the Golden Globes. We didn't exactly make it to the Red Carpet- so we created our own GG party at BOA- a sleek celebrity dining spot on Sunset Blvd. and "Bachelorette" part 2- Lingerie shower and a night out on the town! These gals are the best. We might not see each other as often as we liked- but when we do- it just picks up from where we left off. Thank You girls for such a great weekend!

Muchas Fiestas!

2011-01-27T13:18:00.000-08:00

Here's to the start of a great 2011! Celebrating New Years and Ricardo's Birthday in Bilbao with the de Abiega's. Delicious spanish tapas for a traditional New Year's dinner (followed by 12 grapes at the strike of midnight) and a weekend of skiing in the Pirrenes.

Christmas Vacation

2011-01-04T03:13:00.000-08:00

Home for the holidays and lovin' it!
no cell phone or internet, eating yummy food (a bit too much), meeting good friends, a little wedding planning, spending time with the fam, christmas parties with the neighbors, and even a little snow.

Cracker Barrel with Kellye-O
Lunch out with Lynn, Suz, Addie and Mom (before the 1st and final fitting!)Making cookiesAddie and Babaw- I'm not sure who the gift was for =) Merry Christmas from the Richards!

Holiday Heat

2010-12-20T01:49:00.000-08:00

off to Manila- Despite the 90 degree temperatures, it still oddly was beginning to look a lot like Christmas. It's a very big holiday there- lots of christmas decorations, parties, music and shopping. and must say a nice change from last week's weather.

dinner with the team the city Transportation

Divisoria market- more for the culture than the shopping

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

a week in Copenhagen (snowy and cold, but completely in the holiday spirit)- Christmas Party, a nice Swedish dinner w/ the Engberg's and a week of training.

HOME!

2010-12-12T18:46:00.000-08:00

Home for Thanksgiving! and this time I brought my fiance :-)

started with the Cake Boss in Hoboken to sample some yummy cakes and pick out our design. Mauro's in the background, but we didn't know who he was at the time (thus cutting him out) the new World Trade Center already on the 40th floor!

Home in time for Turkey! Addie before she had to give Ricardo his shots =)

learning golf with Babaw- she had us rolling!

we didn't plan to meet up with Meghan- but glad we ran into her at the game

our good friends Jack, Lynn and Lee hosted an engagement party for us after the game. Such a great night with family: Mom and Dad, Rod, Suz and Addie, Aunt Linda and Uncle Steve, cousins Sissy and Annie and their families and adopted family Tammy and Eddie =) Luckily we get to celebrate with you again in April!

visit to Chengdu, China

2010-11-30T05:11:00.001-08:00

what a whirlwind! US, Spain, Denmark and China before heading home for the Holidays. Here's a few shots from my trip to the Panda breeding center, dinners out with colleagues and a bit of chinese entertainment.

what a way to nap! they were absolutely adorable- though very lazy guys!

these excercise parks are all over china for adults to use- how funny!

hot pot dinner (famous in the sechuan region)

a changing faces dancer at the chinese opera house

Weekend in Paris

2010-11-16T17:34:00.000-08:00

both of us have been here many times, never together. I had to be in Copenhagen for 2 weeks, Ricardo in Madrid- so being the abnormal people we are- we picked a weekend destination with the latest Sunday flight times. We were lucky enough to stay with our 2 close friends, Oscar and Esther. Wonderful weekend with food, wine, friends and beautiful sights. (not so great weather!)

at the Louvre

getting in the holiday spirit! cannot wait to be home for the holidays!

Return to Isle of Palms

2010-11-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

Cross over the Ashley River to paradise. I love this place and this is what i daydream about in the cold winter days in Copenhagen (ehhem.. now for example). Before moving out of my place in Charlotte, I took a week at the company house in Wild Dunes. A few days with Mom & Dad, a few with Shereen & Henrik- all the way from Cairo- and a few days relaxing with Christy. and we also managed to buy a Wedding dress in between! (sooo wish i could post our fun pictures with mom, linda, gladys and christy, my photographer). Soon!!!

Good Times in TN

2010-10-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

Lovin' me some Tennessee! celebrating Addie's bday w/ a new parisian suitcase :-), tailgating with the gals and cheering on the Vols w/ big brother.

Argentina stole my heart!!

2010-09-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

the trip begins in Buenos Aires- La Boca neighborhood, good times with our friend Santi, and a crazy Soccer game

we're then off to Patagonia-Bariloche where a nice suprise awaits!! (having lunch by the lake when he popped the question!)

el Calafate- for a horseback ride and trip to Glaciers National Park/ Perito Moreno Glacier for ice hiking Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, we went from completely cloudly to the most wonderful day! and a drive to El Chalten to see Fitz RoyNeedless to say, this was one Unforgettable trip! I am so happy i get to share all these wonderful memories with Ricardo and even more excited about the daily life to come!! one lucky gal.....

"The Good Life" just got better!

2010-09-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

Back from an unforgettable trip to Argentina. We spent a few days in Buenos Aires before heading south to Patagonia. and as if it weren't already an absolutely incredible trip-

we got engaged!! below is a picture of the lake area where it happened. I am so excited to share the news with everyone and even more excited to marry my best friend next spring!

more pics to follow.....

Winter in August

2010-09-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

and in the southern hemisphere..... it's cold! but full of life!

La Boca

carting with the Green Belts

dinner at Santi's w/ Ole

Tango at Cafe Tortoni

Summer Scenes- Copenhagen July and August

2010-09-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

In the summer...... no finer place. Copenhagen can be such a great place with warm, sunnny weather. Day light last until 11:30, restaraunts open out onto the streets, the entire

city walking around and enjoying the summer air. I spent all last week meeting up with old friends for dinner. a good reminder of why i do what i do. enjoy the summer scenes.

Time keeps on slipping....

2010-08-17T04:09:00.000-07:00

i left Charlotte end June for my summer tour. Spent the week of July 4th in Tennessee, a few weeks in Spain, Argentina, then Denmark. Getting ready to repeat the cycle once more before returning in time for Football season! and I wonder why the summer flies by......

Love Division at El Granito Festival

at the beach near Valencia

waterfront bar on the F1 track in Valencia

Evening with friends from the office

Celebrations

2010-08-17T03:38:00.000-07:00

A visit to the royal gardens at la Granja de San Ildefonso and a night of flamenco at the famous Corral de la Moreria- The big 3-0, Spanish style.

Party in Spain- World Cup 2010!!!! (lucky jersey #7!)

2010-07-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

Party in the Basque Country!

2010-07-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Visit to Getxo for Torron and Katalin's wedding- Felicidades!

Party in the USA!

2010-07-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

The Richards on the 4th of JulyVisit from the Goan's How cute are they?

Addie and Daddy

Driving Babaw's Boat

Addie's Talent Show

Leading the 4th of July Parade

Au revoir!

2010-06-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

Denis' Goodbye BBQ on Lake Wylie w/ Denis, Ria and Kevin.

Return to the Big Apple

2010-06-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

I'm on an American Roll! I'm really enjoying my domestic travel for the summer. Had 2 days in the city. Really wanted to sight see, really wanted to work off the nachos from last night! Decided to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Not a bad view to keep me moving.

Wedding at St Pete's

2010-06-13T05:40:00.000-07:00

Don Ceasar Resort, St. Pete Beach, Florida. Weekend with the girls and gals! and ohhhh- what a wonderful weekend for Jess' wedding.

Guess Who? Guess Where?

2010-06-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

10 years later....... a blast from the past!

Dollywood and a new baby!

2010-06-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

I've been so lucky to build my work around visits to Tennessee. This time a weekend visit to Dollywood with mom and a quick drive to Nashville to meet precious baby Will!

Nowhere like....

2010-06-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

New York City in the Springtime! Spent a nice Saturday afternoon shopping on 5th Ave, watching the performers in Central Park, Pizza in Little Italy and enjoying some Jazz in the Village. Why not pack it all in 1 day! Back in 3 weeks for a more relaxed version.

a stroll in the parkquick stop by Hoboken and the CharthouseQueen Mary passing by....

a little bit of everything- Spain in the Spring

2010-05-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

This was such a great week with so many wonderful memories and gorgeous sights! and it's my 2nd home away from home. So here's to you Spain- you never fail to impress.

a visit to the Sidreria in Asturias

Words cannot describe this moment... Live in Concert! The coast of Asturias I made a promise, so I have poke a little fun of myself this time. The key focus here is not the fact that I make a very strange looking dinosaur, but these are actual dinosaur footprints discovered by the coastline. Please focus on the footprints- quite amazing!! "breathtaking" and the happiest cows in the worldPicos de Europa and the lakes Covadonga

Cangas de Onis

and last but not least.... los toreros

Home is where the heart is.

2010-05-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

China has the Great Wall, South Africa has the safaris- but Tennessee has home cooking, the sunsphere, dogwoods, bluegrass, good friends and Family. Home at last!

Last Stop- Qingdao and Hong Kong

2010-05-02T13:26:00.001-07:00

back to Qingdao as last stop of the 2 month escapade! a quick week, a detour thru Hong Kong and baby I'm home!! 2 months brought so many adventures, new cultures, friends, experiences. I might have just learned as much in these 2 months as in the last 2 years. It was a long journey- but oh so worth it.

a view of Qingdao- sight of the 2008 Olympic Sailing Events

dinner out and 1 final night in Hong Kong

Beijing

2010-04-28T01:14:00.000-07:00

I went into Beijing with low expectations- and a bit cautious of jumping from the Bali sunshine to the China smog. (Luckily we missed the sandstorm by 2 days) But the 5 days we spent there were incredible. There are so many historical sights and interesting things to see. And eventually we got used to the "oh-so-different" Chinese culture. Here's a few of our favorite places.

quite sure we were the first Westerners they'd ever seen

Tianamen Square

2008 Olympic Stadium- "The birds nest"

Walking around the night Market

outside the Forbidden Cityat the Summer Palace a hike to The Great Wall The Temple of Heaven

with a few of our fans. We would be standing around and people would come up and ask for a photo. I mean like 4 or 5 times a day. Again- assuming we might have been the first western experience for them? Chinese Acrobats- while we enjoyed our Pekin Duck

Singapore Stopover

2010-04-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

is this rotation sounding a bit familar? indonesia, singapore, china, repeat...... (breathe) This time I took Ricardo as we are on our way to China. Just a quick stopover for the day- but a nice little visit to their 3,000 shopping malls and nice riverfront walk. Good times.

Ubud

2010-04-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

Ubud is located in central Bali- a quaint village surrounded by terraced rice fields. It's an artistan village where everywhere you turn you see wood carvers and sculptors. It's also home to my new favorite resort- Furama Villas. We had 2 short days to see the Hindu temples, volcano and enjoy a little downtime at the pool (right outside our door!!) and maybe another quick stop for a massage :-)

the poolside Villadaytrip to Mount Batur- the active Balinese volcano Tirta Empul- sacred waters

Gunung Kawi Templethe joining pool villas- your private pool opens to the main one!Traditional Balinese Dancing-

an accidental Friday night find that ended our Indonesia stay perfectly!

Lombok

2010-04-18T17:13:00.001-07:00

off to Lombok- a small island off the coast of Bali. We had heard so many fun things about this place, we couldn't miss it. Even if we had to fly over for only 24hrs! It was worth it. We spent the day traveling to the local villages for a more off the track feel.

Ricardo and I on Kuta Beach

with my new friend Eddie

Demi Moore, Ghost, that's all they kept saying as I was talked in to making my own pottery.
locals working the rice fields

Vacation Time! We begin with Sunshine.

2010-04-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

For the first time, in a while, I left a place craving more. I love indonesia. The people are helpful, friendly, and live with smiles on their faces. And there is so much to see- beaches, mountains, villages..... After spending some time in Jakarta for work, I had the opportunity to spend 5 days on the islands of Bali and Lombok. I also was lucky enough to have a special guest join me for a few weeks! Let's start with Bali...

Our first 2 days we stayed in Nusa Dua at the Hotel Nikko- the hotel was built on the cliffside overlooking the Indian Ocean. My favorite part- the amazing seaside massages, Ricardo's- the super cool slide

Uluawatu Temple- I wanted to take more creative pictures, but we had a slight issues with the Monkeys. They were everywhere and would take any loose items: hats, cameras, even an earring from a lady who kindly warned us to not have anything out. Nonetheless it was breathtaking. (the Temple, not the Monkeys)

We arrived to Bali during Nyepi Day (Balinese New Year and Day of Silence). This meant for 24 hrs the entire island shuts off with no electricity and everyone staying in their homes. The goal is to make the evil spirits believe no one is there, more spiritually it is a time for reflection and meditation. Even for tourist you are not allowed out of the property. The previous day there are many festivals and parades where Ogoh-ogoh's are built and paraded thru the towns.

back to Jakarta

2010-04-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

after Qingdao it was straight to Jakarta for the 2nd week of our workshop. I must say- Southeast Asia has won my heart! We loved these guys and once again had a great week. I hated to leave- but vacation awaits!!

dinner at a local rib joint

enjoying the last night out- how fun are these gals?!!

and this would be me trying cow brain!! ahhhhhh

Chickety China- Part I

2010-04-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

My first trip to China. A week of work. and a visit with my old friend from Charlotte, Roy Wu. We arrived on the last day of Chinese New Year, just in time for Fireworks! It was cold in Qingdao though, so most of our evenings were spent trying out local Chinese cuisine- no General Tsao's, but we did have fun with the chicken feet and ox tongue!

S.A. and Mozambique: The rest of the story

2010-04-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

Although it was a short stop over, the trip was an unforgettable experience! We sadly left South Africa and drove to Maputo, Mozambique for a 3 day workshop. Now that on the otherhand...... something i'll never forget as well. Though it was more the frustration of being held up in customs for 3 hours, not being able to get anything accomplished, and knowing that you were being taken for every penny you had! I can't explain to you what it was like to go from a luxurious safari reserve to the Mozambique border crossing. Surreal. Luckily the workshop was a success and we were able to enjoy a few nice evenings out with our African colleagues- enjoying the Maputo Prawns!

"Roughin' it" on the evening drives with our ranger and tracker (note the nifty makeshift bar they arranged for us!)

Birthday breakfast (his) with my traveling partner Anders

Traditional song and dance from local villagers (this topped it off for me!)

One of my favorite things to do was capture shots of our wonderful meals

and then there was Maputo! just a shot while driving thru to our hotel.

with our colleagues from Maersk Mozambique

these were the Prawns!!!

S.A.: The Animals

2010-03-29T05:29:00.000-07:00

Breathtaking! Courtesy of my new Nikon I was able to capture some amazing shots! My new favorite animal- the Zebra; their skin is sooo beautiful. The toughest tracking- the leopard; our guides were determined for us to find a leopard and even went off on foot to hunt it out of the bush. The reserve is known for sighting "The Big Five", and we were lucky to catch them all in the 2 days: Rhino, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, and Elephant. The Zebras and Giraffe's were our added bonus. and the Baboons wouldn't sit still long enough for a good shot. I have some nice bird photos as well- but they just didn't stack up against these beauties! Kruger park is roughly the size of Virginia, so while there are some fences keeping the animals out of the local villages, they have great freedom to roam around in the wilderness. (and no animals were harmed in the taking of these photos =)

South Africa: The Place

2010-03-13T00:32:00.000-08:00

off to South Africa. We had a training in Mozambique the next week, so we took a diversion to spend a few days on a Safari. loved it. I cannot even explain how amazing the place was. and so thankful that I bought my new camera before the trip. We spent 2 nights- all inclusive with meals and drinks, morning safari (5:30am) and night safari (sunset), with guide and tracker. Awoke in the morning to the baboons running around the roof and terrace and led back by security in the evenings "just in case".

Ulusaba Safari Lodge: Sir Richard Branson's Private ReserveRock Lodge- the sister lodge where we enjoyed a nice lunch

Thoughts from the Copthorne hotel.

2010-03-03T06:10:00.000-08:00

I woke up the other morning from a bad dream. I was in the hotel lobby in a panic b/c I had a pocket full of room keys and couldn't remember the room number. This is pretty much the past weeks in a nut shell. I know my blogs have been a bit "random" these days. 1 day Tennessee, the next Qingdao?? Not sure i even knew where that was before this trip. But none the less, it's been a heckuva trip! I'm exactly 1 month in and exactly 1 month to go.

So what am i doing? One theory is i'm a few months away from my 30th! So perhaps it's a feeling of seeing the world before then. =) Actually though, the job i took 10 months ago ended up being the jackpot! I'm 1 of 4 consultants in our company who has been tasked with implementing Process Improvement in our organization. This means lots of workshops, trainings, and guiding others in our organization to think a bit differently about what they do in their jobs. We're doing this globally, thus the reason for the hop scotch across the map. I love it. I'm meeting such interesting people, trying out foods I would have never considered, and seeing parts of the world that aren't typically on top of the "to-do" list. and when I return in April, it slows down quite alot. So now is my time and i'm taking advantage of it. For you never know how long the door will be open.

Having said that- I am quite tired, sometimes not sure where I am when I wake up, and feel that i'm sometimes running on full speed when others around are walking around. I miss my friends, my family, my Ricky, and my little Addie who is now talking more than I do!

And......I crave sweet tea.

Freezing!

2010-03-01T05:55:00.000-08:00

You've probably seen this location before- but not with the man swimming in the ice by the boats! (see bottom left of 1st boat). That's a Copenhagen winter for you! We went from 95 degrees in Singapore to around 15 degrees in Copenhagen in apx 12 hours! Luckily the best part awaits us- South Africa here we come!

Singapore for the day

2010-02-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

24 hours in Singapore on our way from Jakarta to Copenhagen for work. Just in time for Chinese New Year's Eve...... the Peach Blossoms at the Quay..... and a taste of the Singapore Sling at the famous Raffles Hotel. We stayed at the Hilton on Orchard Street, right in the heart of the shopping district or Asia's 5th Avenue. After a long walk thru the city, managed to relax by the pool before flying out.

1st of 23 flights! Jakarta....

2010-02-14T05:50:00.000-08:00

I survived the first week! and quite nicely I must say..... On February 3rd I left Knoxville for 61 days on the road for work (and a few vacation stops). 6 flights later and I arrive in Jakarta for a week of Process Excellence workshops with 21 participants from Southeast Asia. Luckily after 48 hours of flying I was able to get a $20 massage at the hotel! That's 1/8th of what we paid at Opryland!!

Looking at the pictures makes me miss these guys already. What incredible hospitality from Indonesia and such friendly people. We managed to get out a few nights for some local Indonesian cuisine. A bit spicy, but quite tasty. Satay was my favorite. I'm back again in 4 weeks, so I'll try to be a bit more creative and take a few more shots of the crazy traffic scenes.

We hang around in London Town......

2010-02-11T06:26:00.000-08:00

In between 2 weeks in Copenhagen for work and 3 days in Charlotte to pack and pay bills..... I managed to meet a close friend of mine in London =) So with 48 hours, what do you do??? Everything! Walked thru Hyde Park, Fish and Chips for lunch, Shopped around Oxford Circus, Tea and Crumpets (or maybe it was a Cappucino....), Took the London Eye for a nice sunset view, strolled by Big Ben (Parliament), dinner out and caught the late show of Mamma Mia. Day 2........ (breathe....) catch a train to Cambridge to see where Ricardo spent a year in college, walk the campus, visit the old town, back to London for an evening at Camden Market and a nice Thai dinner out. so nice to have someone to share the weekend traveling with.....

Girls Weekend 2010!

2010-02-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

The Annual Girls Weekend- this year at Opryland Hotel where we enjoyed 2 nights together- dinner, clubbin' =) and a relaxing day at the spa...... It was so nice to be around the girls again, catching up on the past few years. Looking forward to L.A. in 2011!

2010! Ringing in the decade

2010-02-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

3 weeks in Spain! Quite a nice way to start the new decade. We had our traditional New Years in Bilbao and to celebrate Ricardo's birthday on Jan 1st! Knitted a scarf, read a book, watched 4 or 5 movies, went bowling, went skiing, went to the Guggenheim, and spent some time with my girlfriends- Silvia and Sara. A very needed time to rest and get ready for the adventures of 2010! Stay tuned....

at the Guggenheim in Bilbao

lunch at Maria and Hacier's

apres ski in the Pirrenes, our favorite place for Pinxos

3 feet of snow in 24 hours- it was beautiful, but prevented an extra day of skiing

Christmas in.....

2010-01-22T12:25:00.000-08:00

Tennessee! Which I might be biased, but it was the best location of them all. It was great to have some days to play with Addie, hang out with Rod and Suzanne, have our traditional Christmas with the Bowman's, and wake up on Christmas morning at HOME!!! I might be all over the place these days, but the one thing I'm grateful for is that my work schedule has allowed me lots of extra downtime to spend in Tennessee. Mom, Rod, Suz, and Addie sent me off to Spain from the airport. What a treat. I'm so used to traveling alone, you can't imagine how nice it was to have them come along with me.

Christmas in.......

2009-12-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

Guaruja, Brazil- My LAM guys are awesome! They really know how to put the worries away and just enjoy..... We worked hard. We played hard. Everyone checked out on Friday morning, but I decided to celebrate the end of 3 weeks on the road in style- a good book, a hammock, some live samba music, and a nice fruity drink.

Christmas in......

2009-12-20T16:23:00.000-08:00

Copenhagen, Denmark- a week of Green Belt Workshops, Global Climate Summit chaos, dinners with my favorite colleagues, and shopping in my favorite boutiques. Christmas in this place is 1 of a kind!

Christmas in.......

2009-12-20T15:57:00.000-08:00

Birmingham, England- A week of project work, yummy dinners, meeting up with some good friends, and the German Christmas Market.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-12-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ricardo came to visit and we traveled to TN (via Chimney Rock) to celebrate Rod's bday with Suzanne and Addie, made a quick visit to "See Rock City", and enjoyed a few days at home w/ Mom and Dad and some wonderful homecooked meals (ooohhhh so yummy!). We topped if off with a lot of shopping and a visit to the Oak Ridge Museum of Science and Energy (for the History buff!). Nothing like home for the holidays! look how little Addie is growing- it's so sweet to hear her talking so much. See you guys soon!

Tennessee Autumn

2009-11-18T17:17:00.000-08:00

a week home also meant a visit to Pigeon Forge (shopping and the Apple Barn), Celebrating a very special birthday w/ mom (Dinner on Thursday with the family and a weekend at Opryland hotel!), and a Puppy Pawty w/ Gaines.

the Old Mill in Pigeon ForgeBirthday Dinner w/ the family

Dinner at Opryland Hotel
(more picst to come, Mom's were much better- I'm so missing my camera!) Baby Gaines 1st Birthday

an afternoon w/ the girls a shot with the birthday boy!

a new love for bumble bees

2009-11-16T16:38:00.001-08:00

Halloween at home and a little Chuckie Cheese.

La Rioja!

2009-11-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

I think this picture says it all. Amazingly beautiful and oh so deliciously sweet! =) But couldn't help but add a few other highlights from a weekend trip to Rioja. One of the most famous wine regions in the world- located in the Northern part of Spain and known for their outstanding red wines. They also have delicious food, amazing architecture, and some of the most beautiful vineyard landscapes. I know everyone raves about Tuscany. But I was more than impressed by La Rioja.

from the Rioja museum of wine culture

a hike to Suso and Yuso Monasteries

you know it's harvesting season when.....

Dinner at Los Agustinos in Haro, Spain. Originally a monastery, turned into hospital, turned into prison. And now one of the best restaraunts around. La Hospederia- the oldest winery in Spain, dating from the late 1800's. They still produce the wine as they did 100 years ago.

Marques de Riscal- designed by Frank Ghery (architect of the Guggenheim)

amazing hotel and my favorite spanish wine producer!

(thinking of going? make reservations months in advance!!) a view from the museum of wine culture

In Reverse.... Girls Weekend

2009-10-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

a few weeks have passed with some wonderful weekends. Going in Reverse.....

Charleston Weekend- We've been planning this for months now and what a needed time with the girls. We missed our planner- Christy. Can't wait to see the rest of you guys in January! It was so hard to narrow it down to just a few pics.... What a hilarious and wonderful weekend!

Isle of Palms w/ Meghan and Mackenzie (at Wild Dunes)

the day in Charleston: lunch- shopping- dinner?- drinkslunch at the Vendue Rooftop

Nitrotini's at the Market Pavillion (-320F degrees!)

a Tribute

2009-10-21T12:43:00.001-07:00

In 2006 we had a reunion with my Mom's family. This weekend we will meet again to pay tribute to our sweet Grandmommy who passed away on Monday. Such a strong woman with a heart of gold...... she will be missed.

Mexico- part dos

2009-10-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

after a week back in Charlotte- it's off for round 2. First stop- Mexico. This might all sound like dejavu- and actually feels that way as well. The new job is helping to build an process improvement program in the company, so it's workshop after workshop these days. They're setup in 2-week segments. 1 week and back again a month later. So here's for Week 2 in Mexcio City.

the Latins- never a dull moment

One of my favorite memories. Ricardo's aunt, Maria Pilar, received a prestigious award for her service to the community. She helped set up a program outside of Mexico City that provides housing and fellowship for the elderly and less developed communities. How lucky that I was there during the same time to join them for the presentation. And what a challenge to push my Spanish skills to the limits! Below w/ the aunts and cousins living in Mexico.

a quick trip to Budapest

2009-10-01T04:13:00.000-07:00

after leaving Bratslava we headed to Hungary to meet up with Ricardo's family. We spent 3 days in Budapest visiting Castle Hill, walking along the Danube, enjoying a nice afternoon at the baths, and discovering the most amazing hidden spots of Eastern Europe. I had no idea that Budapest would have so much to offer- but it was a wonderful trip!

a view from the "Buda" side

with Ricarardo's mother, sister, and the famous aunts!

Maria and I in the cable car

the view from castle hill

gates to Andrassy Ut.

the terror museum, where the kept prisoners from the communist and facist regimes

statue park- removed from the city after the fall of the communist era

and a nice relaxing visit to the hungarian baths

5 years!

2009-09-17T19:16:00.001-07:00

It all begain in the wilderness of Denmark, a homeade tent for 10, and a cold can of spaghetti. Thanks for sharing your cookies with me Rick! You Rock (literally)

the Riches in Budapest last week

fleeing the border

2009-09-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

After leaving Vienna, we decided to side track a bit to visit nearby Bratslava, Slovakia. It was only 30 minutes off our path, so we couldn't pass it up. We spent a short afternoon around the old town and enjoying a nice lunch. To our suprise they were having a local festival and parade with the traditional Slovakian dress. Not bad for a suprise visit to a town you've never heard of.

First Stop, Vienna

2009-09-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

Just back from holidays, a journey around central and eastern europe with Ricardo and his family. Vienna is a beautiful antique city- around every corner is the most spectacular site, palace, museum, opera or garden you've ever seen. Home of Mozart, Wiener Schnitzel, Weiner Sausages, and Apple Strudel. Wien is actually German for Vienna, thus the name Wiener.

the streets of Vienna

Cathedral

Royal Palace Parliament

taking a break at Museum row Belvedere Palace Apple Strudel cooking demonstration

the Gardens of Schonbrunn Palace

the Palace overlooking Vienna

Mexico: Work, Margaritas, and Great Friends

2009-09-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

Straight from Brazil to Mexico. I'm working with a group of consultants to transition the work we're currently doing with them. I love my job, really it has been such a good move for me. And while I haven't spent more than 1 weekend in Charlotte and am exhausted, the opportunity is wonderful. Luckily I got to spend some time with my friends Ana and Carlos while I was there.

Dinner at Casa Maria

w/ Margaritas and Mariachi music!

Can you believe the size!
a wonderful dinner with Ana and Carlos
(i've known these guys for 7 years now)!

Brazil, a view from the car and hotel windows

2009-08-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

Just returned from 2 weeks on the road for work. First stop, Sao Paulo and Santos, Brazil. 99% of my time was in meetings and dinners, but the other 1% was fabulous. I spent a week in Rio and Santos 6 years ago for my vessel tour with work, but this time was much more rushed. As seen thru the looking glass, as this was as close as I got!

Sao Paulo from top of the Hilton

Santos from the car window- yes, this is exactly how i felt.

oh look, there's the beach....... and..... now it's gone.

i felt bad for not having any pictures of me in Brazil, so here ya' go! in transit.

1 Packed week- US style

2009-08-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

Asheville, Charlotte, and Charleston. Ricardo came to visit and besides eating at our very favorite restaraunts, we got to see the family (Richards and Migioia's), some Charlotte friends, try out the new car =) and head to Charleston for a little Re lax ation. Lovely time! Only complaint- too short!

A walk on the beach at Isle of Palms

Lunch in Asheville with Mom, Dad, Rod, Suz, and Addie. She's waving hi to "Fricardo" here. the cutest thing you can imagine. When he left, she called and said "Where's Fricardo?". I melted. We have a family picture from Grove Park, but not sure who's camera.

Swingin' in Charleston Grove Park Inn- My new (to me) Toyota Solara with Dad and the MiataDinner with the Migioia's at Hyman'sLunch in AshevilleOur stay at Middleton PlantationsThe Inn at MiddletonRainbow row, a carriage ride, and a bike trip around Charleston (check out Ricardo sporting the cruiser in the bottom right corner =)

Weekend in Madrid

2009-07-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

Before July comes and goes.... here's a quick look at a wonderful birthday weekend in Madrid! I think i've planned every birthday since i was 5 years old, but this year was a special treat planned by Ricardo. I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful the day was. take a peek....

It started with fresh orange juice and pancakes =)

(and a beeeautiful bag from Loewe's- see below picture in Retiro)

Then a suprise visit to Medina Mayrit, a Hammam/Arabic Spa in Madrid

http://www.medinamayrit.com/site/banos/presB/

lunch at Plaza Santa Ana- our favorite! croquetas, bravas, claras, the works! a nice afternoon at Retiro park

and one last suprise to see Lucinda Williams in concert

(we saw her 2 years ago at Radio City)

and before i left.... a nice day at the pool with my friend Silvia

San Fermin 2009

2009-07-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

After July 4th I headed off to New Jersey for a session with work. From there it was off to Pamplona, Spain for "Running of the Bulls". So here's a little picture of how the 24hrs went upon arrival. 10:00am- Arrive to Madrid, few hours nap, conference call, then 4.5hr drive to Pamplona. We arrive around 8:30, meet up with friends, and head to dinner around 10:30. Dinner was in a traditional clubhouse where the local men prepare us a nice Spanish meal. After dinner, a few drinks until about 3:00a.m. We head out to the festivals until 6:00 where the friends head back to the house (they've done this many times before....). Ricardo and I stay up- the Running doesn't start for a few hours. We finally take our place around 7:30. (Don't worry- we're not actually anywhere near the bulls, but just within the streets, so we can say we did it. 7:55, gun goes off, gates open and running begins. 7:55.5, LeeAnn gets thrown out by cops for wearing a bag (which could be a potential hazard). 7:56 we run around the outside to reach the plaza so we can atleast see the bulls run in. 8:02, the bulls arrive and so do we. Quick snap shot, and then the other events inside the plaza. 9:45, we make it home to finally rest! I'm not quite sure how we stayed up the whole night. I'm not even quite sure I did this in college. None the less, what an absolutely amazing experience! Next time, I think I'll just park it around 7:00 as an observer. But the ambiance was like nothing you can imagine.

in sequence of events: dinner

on our way to run, no idea who this guy was- but loved the costume!

in preparation......

and we arrived just in time to actually see the bulls

and after the enter, they release the small bulls

July 4th 2009

2009-07-08T20:02:00.001-07:00

Like Christmas in July! How wonderful it was to be home, relaxing on the lake, spending time with family. I could have used a few more days and wish I could have caught up with friends along the way. Time just goes too quickly! Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!

The Richards

Funfetti cupcakes were delish!

You can actually see her growing in this picture!
what a sweet sweet little girl

and then there was 1

2009-07-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

32 bands, only 1 survive. Meet Love Division..... 1st place of the 2009 Gruta 77 Competition in Madrid, Spain!! proof that hard work and determination do pay off!