Photos

January 5, 2011 In Photos

hello, i’m diane and i’m a stamp addict

I was so intensely focused on making sure I had everything just perfect before I sealed the priority mail envelope today, I forgot to take a photo. I wanted to fully document my passport renewal process, but now all I have to show for it is this:

Passport Renewal Delivery Confirmation

…my Delivery Confirmation Receipt. Better than nothing. I was thrilled to find out even though I had to send my current passport away, it comes back with the new one. When the woman at the post office told me I had to send my delightfully stamped, stickered and bent companion away to get a new one, I probably looked like a kid who just found out there’s no such thing as Santa Claus: horrified and heartbroken. She assured me that I’d have my precious blue book of traveled miles back in just 4 to 6 weeks. Whew!

When the nice girl at Kinkos handed the photos she took of me to send along, I thought- what?! THAT is the pasty white, winter skinned and chubby cheeked girl who will be staring back at me for the next 10 years on this mucho important document? Great. Then I remembered that I’d only ever be looking at that photo while at some kind of border patrol or customs station, which would mean that I’d be on my way to adventure somewhere. Suddenly I could care less whether I looked like a purple panda, a booger face, or a pasty white chunk head. I just happily skipped out the door knowing once again, that the world is my oyster…

0
0
January 3, 2011 In Canada, Photos

the passport streaker

I gasped and nearly jumped out of the shower buck naked this morning when I remembered my passport expires in a few weeks. I had asked the postal clerk when I was in Ketchikan, Alaska in August about current passport renewal policies knowing that mine was coming up on expiration, but I had simply forgotten about it since then. Considering I think it’s near tragic when I hear about anyone I know not having one, I’ll go without food before I’ll let my mini book of freedom and exposure kick the bucket. Not having a passport is like going without health insurance: It’s just not smart. I wrote about this here nearly 2 years ago . After Googling “Number of Americans with passports” again today, I am shocked to learn that the miniscule number of my fellow Americans who even have the power to cross the U.S border hasn’t changed.

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduations- (That’d be the perfect time for one!), Secretaries Day, Bastille Day- whatever, give the gift of life. (Yes, like child birth or blood donation: The gift that keeps on giving.)

Trust me, your kids will thank you down the road for saying no to the latest iPhone and yes to a family vacation hiking around South America, going on an African Safari, or heck- simply crossing the Canadian border in your minivan to see some gorgeous mountains and their first ever sea plane. Here’s the first one I had ever seen. I screeched with delight when I turned the corner driving through Canada this summer and saw it. I am 32 years old and I still screeched over a sea plane:

Sea plane on the Alaska Highway

Think it looks cool from a simple photo on my blog? Live in person and taking off for flight while standing right beside it was a hundred times cooler. There will never be an “app for that.

Me? Hugely passionate about how travel can open eyes and change lives? Just a teeny bit.

2
0
January 2, 2011 In Photos

totally!

I cracked up when my intern Sarah sent me this photo today from a book she was perusing at Barnes & Noble. Come on- this is hilarious. Don’t be offended by the eff-bomb:)

Photo from art book

Quite befitting after the trip of a lifetime I just finished eh?

Ms. Sarah~

Can I ever say thanks enough for being that amazingly talented random stranger who dropped into my life 6 months ago to help to prep me for my last frontier and the one who still helps me when I need it now? I can’t wait to see where your road leads. All I know is it’s going to be a colorful and good one, and I plan on being one of your biggest fans. Keep those dreams flowing…

0
0
December 31, 2010 In North Carolina, Photos

don’t stop get it, get it

(I love that song.)

I’ve got surprises coming throughout January and a new BLR look coming on Monday!

CHEERS!!! (I am raising a glass and clinking here.)

***My new favorite cocktail for a celebration like New Years Eve:
*2 ounces vodka
*4-5 ounces of fresh lemon and simple syrup or store bought lemonade
*Shake over ice
*Pour in martini style or fun glass of your choice
*Drizzle 1 ounce of red wine (pinot noir best) over the back side of a spoon onto side of glass (this will make a pretty red ring around the top of glass.)
*Top off with drop of bubbly. (I’m a big prosecco fan.)
*Sip and enjoy!

Not the greatest photo, but the Crackberry only does so much:

Cocktails for NYE at Stefani's

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!!

0
0
December 29, 2010 In Maine, Photos

get your bubbles ready!

Our bottle of bubbly on the coast of Maine

I took this photo while in Portland Maine 2 summers ago. My Mom, Brother, Sister and I walked by a fabulous little wine and cheese shop while perusing the streets and thought grabbing a bottle of bubbly, a baguette and some manchego cheese would make for a good snack and relax pit stop on the sunny afternoon overlooking the water. Isn’t the sweat coming off the bottle perfect? During this cold winter, it makes me dream of warm summer days lying in green, green grass and sipping deliciousness while spending time with people I love.

Cheers to popping some bubbly, and all the great adventures to come!

0
0
December 25, 2010 In Photos, Videos

good girls get magnum bottles of wine

In time for Christmas (I mean Santa is watching right?) I’ve been a good girl and gotten back into my regular running routine again:

So the irony of me mentioning my Napa wine diet this fall and getting back into good habits? After my run, FedEx Santa delivers this to me:

Alexis Cab. Magnum gift from Swanson!

I guess I was such a good girl, Santa Swanson couldn’t resist sending me a big ol’ treat. YUM!

To my Swanson Sisters~

I love you! What a great surprise. Thank you, thank you. Miss you all tons and I will save this for a very special occasion. I have an idea what that occasion that will be, but you’ll have to wait to find out…

Bubbles to all and to all a good night!

0
0
December 24, 2010 In Cool companies, Photos, Virginia

two j’s doin’ good

I have friends that do the coolest things. If I was ever cool, like even one bit- it would only be because of the variety of interesting and remarkable people I have in my life.

Take Justin for instance. He is a musician and has been a part of Silly Bus for years while educates and entertains kids through music. He also volunteers for other community projects and oh yeah, he’s a career guy too. Justin is way funnier than he realizes and it’s always a blast to catch up with him. We had coffee recently and he brought this CD that he had just finished to me as a gift:

Flashlight Tag Christmas CD

Flashlight Tag Christmas CD

This CD is GREAT. I can’t lie, I’m not a big holiday music super-fan. I don’t usually bee-bop to Rockin’ R’ound the Christmas Tree the day after Thanksgiving until Santy comes, but I am all about the Flashlight Tag tunes. (I have to say I am a sucker for some banjo.) Listen to Twinkle Lights here or get in touch with the guys to get a copy of the CD. This is a must have in your holiday collection.

In more news on interesting pals doing exceptional and unselfish work, meet my friend Jocelyn, owner of Green Duck. She has recently finished up a HUGE project at the World Equestrian Games. With over 500,000 visitors to the games, can you imagine all the waste? Well, Jocelyn and the crew she worked with managed to collect 175,000 pounds of materials to keep them out of the landfill. Yay! Watch the video with Jocelyn busy at work here. Next time you’re noshing at your favorite local restaurant, or your socializing at that annual fundraiser you go to, remind the people in charge if they don’t already- to forget the styrofoam devil and order their food packaging from Green Duck. If you are green, you are cool. Enough said.

My Christmas gifts? Learning from, looking up to, and spending time with people like these two. They are inspiring kids, making art, respecting community and living consciously. That is my satisfying pile of wrapping paper. What more could I ask to be surrounded by?

0
0
December 23, 2010 In Photos, Vermont

vermont gets voted over?! gasp!

Why oh why?

Check out my fellow wanderers, my soul peeps in love with adventure: Alex and Luke. I have written about them before. I just saw this note on their website. WHAT?! “poor Vermont just kept getting voted over time and time again…”

(Insert stake through the heart.)

This is a travesty. Come on my fellow Vermonters or whatever non-Vermonters out there who are lovers of the green mountains, delicious cheese, ice cream, fun country frolicking in fields of organic produce and progressive mindset and lifestyle (just to name a very few amazing things!) We need to send lotsa notes to Alex and Luke and rally them to Vermont or bust. It looks like they will be staying for 2 months in New Hampshire starting 1/2/11 so it will be easy for them to hop, skip and jump on over.

Dear Alex and Luke~

Look at me in Vermont in May. Don’t I look like I’m having fun and in gorgeous scenery? See what you have to look forward to?!

In Vermont on Lake Champlain

My fellow Vermonters and I would like to cordially invite you here to Blue Lollipop Road so we can fill you in on all the best places to see, eat, visit- you name it, in the great VEETEE. Lets be in touch eh? Any question you might have, myself and my crew o’ Green Mountain Gringos peeps have you covered. Never again will Vermont be voter over!

Here’s to your bomb-diggidy awesome start of 2011 at the Balsams and in our neighboring New Hampshire!

~Diane

0
0