Aruba

C and I spent five days in Aruba over last weekend and it was a dream.  We were there to attend a wedding and we used it as an opportunity to get in some vacation time too.  We didn't do much except for swim and read under a cabana.  I experienced less of the culture in Aruba than in any foreign country I've ever visited, including Canada.  Regrettably, I didn't get to taste any traditional Aruban cuisine.  However, I did get to go out on the town via party bus the first night.  That was super fun and something I'd never done.  This was also my first time attending a beach wedding and I really think it's a fantastic way to get married. They were basically on vacation with a bunch of friends and family so the couple really got to spend ample time with their guests.

bird interaction

parasailing

I've never held three parrots at one time and it was my first time parasailing.  We could see huge sea turtles swimming way out in the ocean.  I was having so much fun and the weather was so beautiful that I really didn't want to come back to the grind.  After getting settled on the plane, a flight attendant asked if we could move over one sweet so the prime minister and his wife could sit across the aisle from each other.  He was very cordial, shaking our hands and telling us we were always welcome back.  I would be happy to go back any time.

Personal Finance

Lately I've been reading a lot of personal finance blogs and I thought I'd list a few of my favorite.

Two Cents - Lifehacker  This one is just a lot of random tips on how to save money from everything from where you get the most savings at Costco to when you'll get the most for selling your old iphone.  

Afford Anything  This blog is about people to quit their office jobs and make money work for them rather than working like a dog for the money.  

Mr. Money Mustache  The most interesting of all the money blogs, it's also the most judgmental. This guy retired at 30 so he and his wife could stay at home with their baby.  The author really puts me in my place and inspires me to rethink my spending.  Sometimes this blog can be really frustrating for me.  People who realized in their early twenties that they shouldn't take out student loans put me to shame.  Nevertheless, I have an abundance of faith in better late than never and I am applying as many of the mustachian principals as I can live with.

Seen This Summer

Gone are the days when I have absolutely nothing to watch during the summer.  I am very thankful for this and I wanted to share some of my favorites of this past summer that I hope will return. They're not going to be nominated for any Emmys, but they sure serve their purpose of entertaining me for a good twenty minutes.

Candidly Nicole brings me immense joy.  I am a huge fan of Nicole Richie.  I have her book and I find every single thing she ever says to be hilarious.  I hope her show never ever goes away.  It's the first thing I've watched on VH1 since 2005, or maybe longer.  Mystery Girls doesn't even attempt to have great writing but I will watch Kelly and Donna on any show they do together til the day I die.  Young and Hungry is just super cute.

Laduree Soho

Last Sunday, A and I had one of the most delightful brunches I have ever experienced.  We went to Laduree Soho where you can now indulge not only in french macarons, but all sorts of tasty french delights.  We stopped in a couple weeks prior and I got an Ispahan to go.  I had never had one before. It's a french dessert with rasberries and lychee and it is possibly the greatest dessert I have ever tasted. This time we sat down and I had a sandwich followed by a pastry.

Club Champs-Elysses

St. Honore Rose Framboise

Both were served on lovely Laduree China and both were scrumptious.  I will definitely be returning soon.