Norway!

 This definitely tops my list of favorite vacations - there was culture, bike rides, dates, adventure, hiking, eating, meeting relatives, and non stop laughing. There were over 500 pictures and it hurt to cut out so many but I think this is good or you'd get way bored!
Have a great monday!

London Part B: the gorilla part and the demise of my street cred

Even gorilla's eat healthy breakfasts!

 Jen =)

 tourist pic!

I can't describe the weirdness that is wearing a Gorilla suit in the tube and around London. Guess you will have to sign up for the race next year and see!? 

London Part A: the Un-gorilla part

You guys, London completely stole my heart, I wasn't prepared for that! We had the best time. Plus, it was ridiculously refreshing to hear English everywhere and know what the heck was going on around me for once :)

-We stayed in Fulham
-We ate fish and chips, Indian food, pasties, bananas (aahaha), thai, and had a traditional tea experience

-We rode on the back of a bike thing - in a cart!

-Got to do some dancing ;)

-Infiltrated the Maddox Club - funny story!

-Paid a lot for cabs, oops

-Shopped...a lot. 

-Ate the best cupcakes at Hummingbird Cafe

-Shopped around Portobello Market in Knotting Hill
-I did not like Oxford St. one bit - Primark was batsh&% crazy.

-We had our hair done (as finding a good stylist in Switz is nearly impossible) and we loved it!

...and so much more. yet, I still have a huge list for the next time I return
Oh, and of course ran around in a Gorilla suit...those pics coming soon =)

Links & Things/Swiss Sundays...

I'm all packed and ready to visit London for my first time! I've written down all of your suggestions (huge thanks) and will report back on Tuesday!  The Great Gorilla Run is on Sunday...we'll see how that goes =) Maybe I'll be back with a gorilla picture or 2...or maybe I should be asking how much monies you'd pay to see them ;)
Ok, now I just have to get on the airplane...fun fact - I'm terrified of them, my stomach and heart already feel tight :(
But anyway, here's a 'swiss sunday-but-on-friday' picture that I had to take when I saw this scooter in Zurich the other day - I'd love to see who is driving that around!

*I like the internets*

• Have you met Marcel the shell with shoes on? I dare you not to fall in love =) (via)
• The BEST desk I have ever seen.
• Need a cuter camera bag? Check out Epiphanie or Jo Totes
• Herding cats in Ikea...this is the most random thing I've seen in awhile...
• Cool Nikon iPhone cover
• City maps cut by hand
• Speaking of maps, you have to see my map related question and The Flickrite's awesome answer to it!
• Cute puppy alert ;) 

And way special thanks' to
Bella Gets Real
Selma, Crazy Little World of Mine
Cocktails & Orgies
Tragic Fairy Tales
for the awesome blog awards while I was away =) Thanks!

The above pictures are from a trip we took with some friends to the Alsace Region of France where we camped and did some wine tasting!
~
Quick version of catch up or I'll write a book and we don't want that!

• Have had visitors at my place for the last month
• Just said goodbye to the last round a couple days ago
• I have no idea where to begin with catching up anything
• It was so fun but entirely exhausting, as if you hadn't heard me whine about it yet!
• I was in Cinque Terre twice in the past month. 
• I got to walk around Milan for 2 hours - only went in to the American Apparel...ashamed. 
• I drove a manual car in to Milan and down to CT...I can do anything now. 
• I've eaten in the last month what I usually eat in one year, I'm sure...
• My reader has over 2,000 things to read in it...
• I didn't get that job =( Turns out I need to speak gooder German...;)
• Finding a job in der Schweiz is almost impossible but can be done, so I'm hopeful. My degree doesn't transfer here so I've been applying to HR's and admin assistant positions all of who want fluent German, of which I don't have. I have to talk down my resume. But, we moved here knowing I might not be able to work...so I'm not upset or anything! But...I am learning german....
• And now...I go read your blogs!
• Oops, I wrote a book..

Cinque Terre Part dos - so Italy Sunday

Besides all of the good family photos, Italy is just an amazing and colorful place to take pictures that can end up on walls or like in art galleries (hi, art galleries...call me!)...or something =). No matter where you point your camera in Italy you're almost guaranteed to get a decent shot!

I missed you!

Well hello! I have sure missed you all and reading your blogs. It's safe to say my reader is bursting at the seams and I can't wait to catch up!
We've been having a fun time with Mark's family. I don't know where to begin with the million pictures that I took of Cinque Terre in Italy - so I'll let them speak for themselves and tell you that you must put it on your "to do" list! 

Playing out on the rocks =)

Train ride to dinner in Vernazza

the entourage

breakfast!

These all came from my sister in law's camera and were edited by me. I'll post some of my own tomorrow! 


Oh, and remember that you can get free shipping at Brooklyn Thread until the end of August! Just let her know that you're a Village reader in the notes at check out and she'll refund you the shipping cost!

Pa-ree

So, does this make you want to visit Paris with your favorite people like it does me?!
Blogger meetup in Paris?

If the video doesn't work you must check it out HERE!

(P.S. Thanks Daisy Dayz & Laugh, Live, Dream, Take for the lovely blog awards :))

Mumford & Sons/Montreux Jazz Fest

Seeing Mumford & Sons last night was just as amazing as it was 2 months ago. They are, hands down, the only band right now that I would brave crowds of smelly drunk people for (and that we did)! I've decided that I would love to see them somewhere in the US now - I feel like crowds here in Switzerland aren't as wild and obnoxious as they would be at home - maybe it's that Swiss reserve I keep hearing about - or maybe us Americans really are just as loud and crazy as people here say we are =)

And...Montreux is gorgeous!! It was the 2nd time I've been there and I just keep loving it - from the city stacked on the hill side, a couple of castle looking buildings in view, the unpretentious downtown area to the cute clothing/food booths set up along the river walk - there is so much to see and so many cafe's to try! My favorite is the churro stand - last time, don't judge me, but I ate 5 churros to myself! This time I contained myself and just had a crepe for dessert.

So, I wasn't so hot in the picture taking department...because...as Nikki would say, "I had more than 2 drinks". But I tried...just had to wade through eleventythousand pictures of random things. Enjoy!

My hot date.

Let me introduce my favorite thing about Switzerland - the lakes and how everyone is always swimming in them. If there is a lakeside - you can jump in - no silly rules and fences and danger signs! You will find people, businessmen, jumping in during their lunch breaks.

Crepes...le sigh...

Look who I ran in to, my DREAM bike!!!!

A moment of silence please, for how amazing Cevapcici is...

Bar seating areas set up along the lake

Some what I wore action
{H&M sequin vest, Zara basic white tee, H&M boy shorts, Gap flats}

Sorry for the picture overload!
Have a good day...or else!
P.S. And you guys, here's my Twitter {@okVillage}