New Hot Track of the Sumall (Summer into Fall)

This is my new obsession of a song. I love contradicting songs in which the music is so happy, however upon listening to the lyrics do you unveil a tragic story. Such good lyrics and an equally amazing video to accompany their poetic thoughts. Some people are true artist and this one is so whimsically and thoughtfully created that it's a brilliant winning combination. 

Trouble Sleeping. Scotland's on my mind.

Plannning for a two week trip to a different country is a hard thing to master. Especially since my family and myself specifically are the kings and queens of overpacking. How do you pack for weather that is so durastically different from your own, have enough clothes for two weeks, leave enough space (and weight) for souvenirs and room to move your boyfriends things home after living there for a year? Figuring out the best way to beat jet lag has been my latest obsessive thought late into the evening. I have been to Scotland three times and had a horrible, sleepless time trying to beat the jet lag the first go. The second time worked out perfectly, but only because of my mistake of waiting till the last minute to pack and staying up all night with no sleep, was I able to sleep the entire plane ride and then suffer no jet lag problems. This time, I am flying at night and need to figure out the best way to beat my sleeping problems. All this food for thought has made me restless and unable to sleep. Therefore some peaceful and happy images are putting my mind at ease of these racing thoughts.

Goodnight all

Dream Job

One day, I would love to be a visual designer for Anthropologie. However, you have to have visual merchandising experience before they hire you. I have been fortunate enough to be able to do the Visual Merchandising at Papyrus (the card store) and make and install the window displays. The current theme is "back to school" so we made kites for the occasion. Here are some photos (bad ones at that since I have a knack for breaking anything mechanical) of my window!

Waking Henry Paul Scholte

I would like to raise a glass to Cap (Henry Paul Scholte) who passed away today. He lived life to the fullest and with the happiest of outlooks. My family drank a glass of Scotch tonight to celebrate his life (the way he would have like us to). Hopefully I can re-live the wake toast in Waking Ned Devine in Nairn, Scotland in a few weeks, where Cap often travelled and toast to his memory the proper way. May he rest in peace.

Some Daily Inspiration

I think everyone could learn a lesson from this.

I love henna. What a great way to capture it as well. 

So peaceful and beautiful. Lots of wonderful colors as well. 

What a happy warm thought. 

How fun would this dress be to wear

Shark Week

As always, shark week is a crowd favorite. I came across this the other day and thought it was adorable.

Redneck Yacht Club

In the backwoods of Missouri, lies the Ozark Lake hidden beneath a sheet of luscious trees. After a glorious week at this little gem, I have come returned back to Denver refreshed and ready to get back to the swing of things for the remaining two weeks before Scotland. Looking back on the week and reminiscing, I feel so lucky to have had my college friend Rachel sporadically drive down from St. Louis for a few days of fun. Every year, I try to take  a picture of the sunset every night, and then determine the best sunset of the week. I managed to capture the sunset only 6 of the 7 nights. Here are the ones that I liked the best.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3 was filled with bubbles

Day 3 (again)

Day 4

My attempt to take a sunset photograph too late on the boat on day 5

Day 6 there were storms in the distance which made for cool clouds but not lots of color

The last day, we were out boating and I missed the sunset... but it was similar to day 6 with little colors. 

Now to get business together for my upcoming trip!

Off to the Lake of the Ozarks!

A lake adventure to the backwoods of Missouri for my July trip is ideal location when the U.S. is under current record heat waves. Nothing like ramped humidity, bugs, and 83 degree lake water in the midst of these conditions to set you right again and relaxed. This is the typical response I receive when I talk about our annual family reunion, however, it is a little hidden gem of a vacation and one of the best summer hot spots I can think of. It sounds like it would be a terrible time to visit Missouri, but when you are living on a lake for a week wake-boarding, water skiing, jet skiing, belly boating and cruising the lake, the conditions are ideal. A refreshing beverage, music, family and friends, a pole in the water and a day filled with non-stop sweets and appetizers is more relaxing than most trips I have taken. On average trips, you spend most of your time stressing about itineraries, flights, hotels, food and making sure you take in every sight you can possibly squeeze into the trip, which after all is said and done and you return home, is more exhausting than if you had stayed at home in the first place. I am definitely not saying I don't enjoy the rush of the novelty sights, but that rather it isn't a relaxing vacation. 

This year, our family friends were unable to join us and this left us without a boat for the week and renting as our only option. Most of the time, my brother, sister, and I go out for most of the day playing around, but because we were not born before 1984, were all required to take a boating safety course. The website made it sound like an easy 3 hour class. This was not the case, and after 9 hours of "class" I am finally a registered safe boater and can drive the boat. 

After that nightmare was finally over, it was time to get mentally and physically prepared for leaving at 2 in the morning for a 13 hour roadtrip. I couldn't help but listen to the song "Redneck Yacht Club" by Craig Morgan because after all, that song was written about the beautiful Ozarks. I have officially declared it this years theme song, even though most of my family despises country. I am very much looking forward to taking my daily sunset photograph to replace last years winning sunset photograph on my wall. Time to make finally packing arrangements before taking off soon! I also only have 24 days left to SCOTLAND!

A view off of the dock out our door. Nothing like waking up to this view. 

Inspiring Things

I love images. I love even more that people are so creative and see so many beautiful things that others pass by and never give any mind to. A truly great image is hard to come by. But when you see one, one that gives you chills or emotionally strikes a chord, those are the ones which can change your perspective, your mood, your mind, uplift you in so many ways and those are the true treasures that that one person was so kind to share with those who are willing to see them. Here are some that I came across today in my searches.

This one is by far my favorite. Who wouldn't want to spend every moment staring at this. 

What a creative take on abby road 

What a perfectly simple daily motto to aspire to live by.

What a great composition as well as color palette. 

I would love to feel her emotions at this very moment; so happy, free, and uninhibited. 

What a beautiful painitng. He is able to capture the liveliness of the cities energy with the vibrant colors and her feeling of aloneness all the while giving a great sense of darkness. 

All my inspirations for the moment, but more to come. 

With only weeks away, I guess it would be a good time to start planning an amazing trip on a rather modest budget. There are so many places that I would like to see and only two weeks to accomplish it. A friend suggested a book called "Europe on a Shoestring" which helps to make the most out of your trip as well as your money. It has been very informative, however, I desire much more exotic and off the beaten path destinations than these books offer. If I had to create a list of which countries I want to visit most, I would probably go

1. Austria

2. Switzerland

3. Spain

4. Greece

5. Italy

But what is the best city within those destinations is the question. I have been doing all the research I can, but how do you know if the pictures actually represent the city as a whole. More often than not, that one picture is the city at its best. Just like in (many) movies how all the funny parts are in the trailer and there isn't anything else funny left in the movie. It's hard to compare the two though since a real life experience is always better and the what you make of the situation determines the memories so any place has the possibility for life changing experiences. As of now, my number one destination is Salzkammergut region. There are many quaint little towns within the region, but Salzburg is most likely due to airport locations. 

Hopefully we will make a stop in Luzern, Switzerland next.

or perhaps Lugano, Switzerland 

My boyfriend, Ryan, has a good friend from Rome, so most likely we will be stopping there and have a true Italian take us around. Following that, Barcelona Spain will wrap up the tour. He is excited about the beach, and I more so than that, am stoked to see the work of Gaudi. Now, I just need to plan it all out. Ready, set, go!

The Countdown

Hi, I'm Ali. I'm 23 years old and graduated last spring from Lawrence University. I have been wondering trying to figure it all out since then. It's been quite an adventure, quite literally and am closing in on a year of exploring and traveling somewhere every month. As of September, it will all be over, and I will have to actually try and be a contributing member of society and go on the next big adventure of trying to figure out which way my heart is calling me in this crazy, wild, and gigantic world. Till then, I am on the countdown to my finale. Scotland and hopefully many others. With my adorable boyfriend graduating from Heriot-Watt in August, we will set out on adventures visiting friends and finding new ones along the way. Till then, I am back again stressfully working every odd job I can and crafting as many things to pay my way one last time.