Posts Tagged ‘pictures’

UK Vacation Day 10 recap

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Alright, finally wrapping up the UK vacation from this fall. Our last day there was just to pack and get ready to go. I managed to wake up before the alarm, shower, and get breakfast. We finished packing and then went off to Pizza Express so I could get a pizza to bring home. I was too freakin’ yummy to pass up. We showed up a little before they opened and I got to watch them bring up some dough they were going to make the pizzas with. On our walk back to the hotel, I decided I had to try the Malteser McFlurry and the Sweet Chilli Wrap, which are unique to the region. I didn’t know they had onion rings too! Why don’t they offer those in the US? Then it was off to the airport via the tube. We got a chance to hang out at the Star Alliance lounge for a bit before boarding our plane and heading back stateside.

[See all the rest: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8 and Day 9 recaps.]

doubletree by hilton victoria hotel bed

From staying at hotels, I’ve learned that I definitely want a king-sized bed.

uk outlet with switch

US outlets should have switches too.

round bowl sink sitting atop bathroom counter with water running

Love these kinds of sinks on the counter.

large showerhead extending from ceiling raining down water

I need one of these showerheads at home!

giant white hotel towel

Wow, they may not have much space but they sure have giant towels.

doubletree by hilton victoria hotel toilet

Cool flushing buttons for the toilet.

two red british telephone booths on streets of london

Of course, those eye-catching phone booths.

front of pizza express restaurant in london

Deeelicious.

guy walking up stairs holding trays of dough for pizza express pizzas

Bringing up the dough!

girl happily holding pizza express takeout box

Yes, I brought it on the plane. No it did not smell up the place (was cold by then).

beautiful brick cathedral in victoria region of london

Lovely brickwork.

maltesers mcflurry ad on cash register at london mcdonald's

Ooo, malty goodness.

fruit stand on streets of london

Such a pretty fruit stand!

reflection in window of london tube underground

Pigging out even as I prepare to leave the country.

british mcdonald's choices with wrap and onion rings

McOnion Rings!

london tube underground oyster cards

Returning our Oyster cards for a refund on the balance.

guy carrying two suitcases one in each hand up out of order escalator

When the escalators become stairs, he becomes super strong.

interior of london heathrow airport

Oops, went to the wrong floor.

electronic collection station for bottles, sharp objects, and other banned goods at london heathrow airport

It’s so fancy I got distracted/confused and did it wrong. :-/

automatic airport security gates at london heathrow

Wow, who needs TSA when you can just use these cool machines to check IDs and boarding passes?

london heathrow airport seating area

The waiting game.

walking in airport hallway lined with stores towards departure gates

Wandering around looking for where to request a VAT refund.

sending off mail in large red royal mail box

Mailing off our VAT refund form! Never got it repaid, oh well.

entrance to star alliance lounge at london heathrow airport

One of the few times we get to use the lounge, might as well take advantage!

free candy jar with british flag shape

British candy.

barstools and tables in star alliance lounge

Entering the more casual part of the lounge.

bowls of chicken wings and pork ribs under heat lamps

Loading up on hot food.

trays of chilled food on ice

Had some chilled options too.

large heated pot of soup

Ooo, soup!

fridge with glass doors showing sodas and beers inside

I’m sure if we drank alcohol we’d be happy.

star alliance lounge area with single person couches and tables

A really nice seating area where we snagged a table.

schweppes bitter lemon drink can

Hmm… not sure if I like bitter lemon.

pile of pizza box, bags of chips, and mcdonald's bag

Stocking up on snacks for the road.

goodbye signs in london heathrow airport

Many farewell messages along the long walk to the gate.

gate b33 in london heathrow airport

Here we go!

two pairs of feet propped up on wall in airport

Propping our feet up for the ride.

sheet of white clouds viewed over plane wing

So bright and beautiful up here.

airplane meal with coca-cola soda, salad, chicken and vegetables, potato side, bread, and water

Meal time!

airplane meal with salad, beef and vegetables, bread, and orange juice

Panda of course gets beef.

airplane snack box with chips, candy, and sandwich

A snack to tide us over.

map of flight route on tv screen of airplane

Hey, we’re almost over my old town of Brewster, not far from Danbury!

bright glare of sun from window of airplane

The sun shining furiously.

reflection of front of united plane on engine off wing

Staring out, I noticed the reflection of the front of the plane in the engine.

sunset from airplane at washington dulles iad airport

Hello, Dulles.

rows of airplane seats from back

Not quite time to disembark.

bright blue virginia police lights viewed from back of taxi

On our taxi ride home.

365great Day 320: videos

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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365great day 320: videosWhen changes over time or audio components are key to understanding a point, nothing works better than a video to convey that message. Whether it’s watching the sequence of certain actions or seeing and hearing something happening, they’re able to offer a different experience beyond pure visual or auditory things. Today when I was heading back to the office after a morning in DC, I took a few seconds to get to the edge of the Potomac and see the iced over water for myself. It wasn’t until you got close and actually heard the creaking of the ice as it heaved against itself that you really felt the power of such a large surface being frozen. A video can share that feeling far more readily than just a picture or an audio recording. Likewise, with things like the way people move or how their eyes light up as they laugh – these are experiences best shared with the visual and auditory components synced up as they are in real life. It’s far more powerful that way and I’m glad that’s one way we can share parts of ourselves. It makes for far greater memories recorded.

365great Day 319: good timing

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , ,
2

365great day 319: good timingWhen the pieces of a puzzle fit together well, it’s a beautiful thing. Likewise, when timing works out for whatever stage of life you’re in and whatever you want to do, it’s pretty amazing. It happened to me again today and I am so grateful. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been struggling to feel like I’m good at what I do at work. I was trying to work on improving my cold calling skills, but it was draining my energy and leaving me feeling unsure of myself. My manager and the CEO noticed I was struggling and knew I needed to experience some “wins” so they sat down with me and coached me. I felt much more confident, but was still doing something that I’m not strong in and wasn’t planning on doing long-term. For the time being, I wanted to put forth effort to learn and improve and try to be good at it, but I knew that a year from now I probably wouldn’t want to still be going at it. I felt like I was at the right company, but perhaps the wrong position. For the sake of learning and growth, I felt it was best to push through this tough period and see where it led me.

Then today I was pulled aside to meet with the CEO, my manager, and the marketing manager. As it turns out, they’ve been discussing my skills and positioning within the company and decided to do exactly what I was trying to figure out how to do: pivot. They see I like to write and strategize and socialize and tap into creativity to solve challenges, so they’re going to put that to work as I do more marketing and account management in a tweaked role. I was shocked (in a good way) by this sudden change, but I couldn’t have hoped for a better situation. I mean, I was preparing to read up on other roles I might want to do so I could approach the CEO and my manager with not just the problem (I don’t think my strengths are being utilized), but a proposed solution (areas in the company I think I could contribute more in). Instead, they kind of did that for me! It just so happened that a growing need in marketing was just the sort of thing that I could succeed in. I really love my company for how they noticed these things, thought about what can change, and acted before I got too worn out. I knew there were better ways I could contribute to our goals and now I’m repositioned to do what I’m good at and enjoy more! This also coincides with the start of a new year, a move to the new office (one of the cool rooms pictured), and my pending move to the new condo. So many new beginnings! It’s great timing indeed.

365great Day 318: hot chocolate

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , ,
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When I want a hot drink that’s sweet, I almost always go for hot chocolate. 365great day 318: hot chocolateI love that rich goodness and it comes in so many varieties that it’s fun to experiment. Hot chocolate is always best with milk for a super creamy texture and better taste. I like to try ones like this s’mores one and others that have chai flavoring or other include marshmallows and whipped cream. I can almost never have more than a small cup though because it’s so strong. Still, it’s an awesome drink to have on a cold day – so soothing and wonderful. They make for a great treat in the winter!

Scatterbrained (and reviewless)

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , , ,
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I really need to keep better track of things. Back at the end of August, I was so caught up in our vacation to the UK and then starting my new job that I completely forgot I was supposed to get one more blissmobox. Due to a customer service issue I’d contacted them about previously, they’d agreed to give me one bonus month. My normal subscription ended and they had to handle that last one separately, but the customer service guy was going on vacation too. We agreed to pick it up when I got back (but I totally forgot).

I was reviewing my blissmobox reviews, trying to finish them off (finally) but for the life of me I couldn’t find pictures for the May box (so you’ll just have to watch my YouTube unboxing video if you’re curious). Then I decided to check to make sure all other reviews were accounted for and I found that I was supposed to get Rejuvenate & Repair for August… but I never did! Oops. No wonder I can’t review it.

fabletics asaro leggings in black

Definitely not capris.

Earlier, I had been planning on posting a review for a Fabletics outfit that Panda gifted me, only to find that the bottoms I got weren’t the ones that were supposed to come with the outfit! As I was confirming the name of the item for an accurate review, I wondered why mine were long enough to go past my ankles but the ones in the picture only reached halfway down the calf. I dug up the tag from those pants and noted that they’re Asaro leggings. My outfit was supposed to include the Lima Capri instead. So, I’m holding off on the review until I get this sorted out and hopefully Fabletics will correct their mistake and send the capris like they should have. It’ll be a test of their customer service how they handle this issue – I’ve removed the tag and already worn the leggings, so I can’t return them. Bad service would leave me with what I got while great service would send me the original bottoms I was supposed to receive. Good service would probably give me some sort of credit to offset me getting my next outfit. Out of this world service would give me credit AND send me the capri.

What do you think I can expect?

365great Day 317: Escape Monthly

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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365great day 317: escape monthlyI’ve been with Escape Monthly since they started with their first box in August 2013 and it’s been a fun ride so far! Each month, they’ve carefully chosen products that reflect the spirit of a certain region and almost every single product is actually made there (if not all of them). Products include a bit of personal care, a bit of food or snacks, a bit of home goods, a bit of random items, and always a guide book for that area. The vibe of each box has been different based on the theme of the month and it’s been lovely trying products from all over the place. So far it’s mostly been US cities and states, with one international box focused on Italy. I hope they mix in more international destinations as time goes on! I also love their referral program, which has earned me quite a bit of money back. 🙂 Awesome tours of cool destinations AND recurring commission for referrals? That’s great!!

Any haircut goes

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , ,
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What kind of hair cuttee (aka hair salon customer) are you?

I’m probably the most easy-going you’ll find. Get foam in my ear? No problem. Leave water dripping down my face? That’s ok. Cut my hair more or less than I hoped? I’ll take it anyway. Color my hair a shade that’s not so great? Let’s just go with it. I mean, short of giving me a pixie cut I don’t think I could ever walk out of a hair salon unhappy with my new ‘do. Sure there are times I love it and times I just like it, but hair grows back and it’s not a big deal to me if it’s not quite how I envisioned (or even close). The nice thing about hair is that with so many strands, they kind of fall into place by themselves.

wet hair clipped forward ready to get cut at salon

I’d like three inches off, please.

I enjoy getting my hair cut at a salon. Any salon, really. I don’t care if my stylist is young or old, male or female, trendy or dated… I’ve had them all and I generally come out looking the same. I’ve had my hair cut and/or colored in China, America, and France too, all with similar results. I once got to try getting a haircut from students at a beauty school too. What I’ve found is that I always get my hair washed with hair products that smell fabulous, I always sit for at least an hour as they snip away at what seem like imaginary bits of hair, and I always come out with poufy hair. I love coming out with a lighter feeling on my head (and sometimes a brighter color too). I love the fragrant products that they use to shampoo, condition, spray, and style my hair with. I love sitting in that chair thinking absentmindedly, observing random details around me, and testing my willpower to not scratch that itch.

If they offer me a drink or magazine, great. If not, I entertain myself with my thoughts. It’s a chance for me to be still and let the world around me hustle and bustle away. Sometimes I watch as they snip off my hair and brush it this way and that way to get whatever angle. Sometimes I just zone out staring at a hair brush or clip. The one thing I never do is critique what they are doing. If they decide to part my hair differently from how I came in, I roll with it. If they are too afraid to cut as much as I’d like, I accept I’ll keep longer hair. If they have fun going at it and end up snipping away more length than intended, I just think of how I’ll grow into it. A hair stylist could seriously give me short short bangs, pink streaks, and a choppy cut and I’d still enjoy it.

That’s not the impression I get about most customers though. So I wonder, what type are you? Do you worry each time you book an appointment that you’ll come out looking too this or that? Do you always book the same person at the same place because you don’t want to change? Do you cringe as too many inches of hair starts falling to the floor? Or are you like me and take it however it comes? Do you go in with a general guideline of what you’d like and then let go? Do you watch as things don’t go as you imagined and decide that you’ll like it anyway? Do you book anyone anywhere as long as they have a decent price and time slot available?

365great Day 316: Dropbox

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , ,
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365great day 316: dropboxCloud storage has become such a useful tool that seamlessly links files across my devices. When I take a picture on my phone, I can easily have it all uploaded and stored automatically in Dropbox so I never have to worry about manually doing it. All of that is automatically synced with my laptop so I can start accessing those files quickly and easily. With all the free storage I’ve earned, I have well over 20 GB of storage that is perfect for my needs. Dropbox was the first cloud storage solution I ever used and it still remains my favorite, though I had to find others for the times when I wanted to download a video onto my phone from the app (it doesn’t allow me to do that as of yet). In all other aspects, I find it to be the best option for my needs. They offer a great service!

Sign up with my referral link and get an extra 500 MB of free space in your account (I get extra space too!): https://db.tt/UxCtxNI.

Blue Apron January 7th Delivery review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , ,
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Ok, this time I managed to get this review up about two weeks after cooking the meals. I’m getting better! I enjoyed each of these dishes and would definitely recreate parts of each at some point. The Thai soup was awesome and I’d make more with a ton more rice next time. The turkey meatloaf was tasty and better than expected. I loved the roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach – sides that I could eat again and again. Finally, the steak fajitas were fabulous! The whole wheat tortillas were perfectly soft and I devoured the taco-fajita hybrid we had going on.

Blue Apron is just under $60 per box and comes with 3 meals of 2 servings each. That’s $10 per meal serving! Boxes are sent weekly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). After ordering a few times, they will offer free meals you can send to friends (but no referral program).

collage of blue apron thai coconut shrimp soup with lemongrass and red curry recipe card

The first one we tried was this yummy soup.

collage of blue apron thai coconut shrimp soup with lemongrass and red curry ingredients and meal being cooked

I never knew lemongrass is kind of purplish inside!

blue apron thai coconut shrimp soup with lemongrass and red curry finished product

It was just enough spicy and not too creamy.

collage of blue apron turkey meatloaf with roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach recipe card

I’ve never had turkey meatloaf before, so this was intriguing.

collage of blue apron turkey meatloaf with roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach ingredients and meal being cooked

Yum, the meatloaf and potatoes and spinach made for a well-rounded meal.

blue apron turkey meatloaf with roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach finished product

All good, but the sides were the best.

collage of blue apron top round steak fajitas with guacamole and whole wheat tortillas recipe card

Then it was fajita time!

collage of blue apron top round steak fajitas with guacamole and whole wheat tortillas ingredients and meal being cooked

Loved the use of whole wheat tortillas.

blue apron top round steak fajitas with guacamole and whole wheat tortillas finished product

All kinds of wonderful tastes blending.

365great Day 315: derma e

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , ,
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365great day 315: derma eWhen I saw this microdermabrasion scrub that some Ipsters were getting one month, I knew I just had to have it. I’ve had microdermabrasion treatments before, but never saw a scrub like this, so I was intrigued. When I got it, I was thrilled. It’s a rich creamy texture that applies smoothly and those fine little beads scrub unlike any other. It smells fabulous with a light citrus scent and I love scrubbing away with it. Just a little is all you need to cover your entire face, so it will last and last for many uses. My skin felt immediately softer and finer afterwards and I couldn’t have asked for a better feeling. I love that their products are natural and I can’t wait to try more in their line! They all look great. 🙂

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