Altamira | Hamburg, Germany

A Tuesday evening at Altamira in Hamburg is my idea of perfection.  A sunny atrium, a table covered in a variety of savory dishes, tasty spanish wines, house sangria and great company.  Katrina, Svenja, Moritz, Henni, Marco and I spent the evening stuffing ourselves full of tapas, drinking and laughing harder than I've laughed in a long time.  It was one of those evenings that made me sit back and smile - I'm so grateful for this life.  And I'm so happy to share evenings like this with such good people.

Katrina knocked over a chair on the way out.  Moritz helped, I documented.

the Harbor

We grabbed croissants and coffees and found a quiet bench on a dock in the Ulster.  We sat and chatted and soaked up the sunshine as we gathered our coats around our necks.  Hamburg was chilly that week and it was especially cold on the water.  Still, our visit wouldn't be complete without a ferry trip around the harbor.  We took a bus down to the docks and made our way through the gathering crowd as the boat drifted in and lowered the ramp.  The upper deck filled quickly, but we managed to grab seats near the railing.  The ferry trudged along through the wind across the harbor, pulling up right beside the Dockland Building and letting us off.  We climbed all seven flights of stairs to the top and took a few quiet moments to take in the harbor from above.  Then, we turned and ran back down to the ferry, narrowly making it on board before it disembarked.  Tourists crowded the decks with their cameras and I click-clicked at the buildings over their heads before joining my friends for the short ride back.

Lately. And why this week is so great.

morningscapes // rainy daze
the studio got a serious cleaning yesterday // being one with the turf at Dietz Stadium

Lately

 (via my iPhone)

• Last night, this beautiful lady called me at 9:30 from the Florida Keys with some very exciting news.  For someone who deals with engagements quite a bit more than the average individual, you'd think I would be a little more collected and less like a thirteen year old girl.  I can't help it though.  I'm so, so happy for my friends - it's hard not to jump up and down with excitement!
• I spent last weekend with my Mom and the rest of my Georgia family.  My niece had her fourth birthday party (photos to come) and I spent all of Friday night and Saturday covering things in glitter, hanging crepe paper and icing cupcakes.  Then, on Mother's Day, I parked myself right next to my Mama and stayed there until it was time to go to the airport.
• I checked in for my flight on my phone en route to Savannah and found that I had somehow ended up in first class on BOTH legs of my trip home.  I'm not really sure how it happened, but I certainly wasn't complaining.
• This week is the last week of the 2012 lacrosse season.  It's hard to believe I'm wrapping up my fourth year of coaching - my very first freshmen girls are graduating this year!  How did that happen?!  As much as I'm sad to see them go, I couldn't be prouder of them.
• My favorite San Franciscan magazine editor is heading into New York this week and I fully intend to monopolize a few hours of her time on the East Coast.
• And as if this week wasn't already awesome, I'll be wrapping it up on a plane, on my way to see my best friend, some of my favorite clients and a lot of wine and croissants.

Glitter wine bottles inspired by Bijou // photos of Paris from an old album of my grandmother's.
Yogi tea & croissants // little feet in sparkly shoes

hydrangeas at my Mama's // airplane essentials
delicious Poppy's burger // surprise visit from my favorite Germans

sleepy puppy // fueling my recent Paul Newman obsession
MacCarren Park with one of my fav photog friends // concoctions in the kitchen

pretty city // Tito's in Beacon is delicious
Behind the scenes at a Bijou shoot // Bannerman's print - a gift for my papa.