Rome; day 1

We arrived in Rome around 11:30 at night, which meant that we had been traveling for about 36 hours straight. Yes...we voluntarily opted for a 10 hour layover in Amsterdam, thinking "Wow..what a great way to see the city without having to actually stay here!" Stupid, stupid, stupid! After about 2 hours of wondering the city and visiting the Anne Frank House, Nick and I were so tired, we couldn't see straight. I think a combination of anticipation for our upcoming travels and unlimited movies on the airplane kept us without slumber for the entire 11 hour flight. Oops...bad decision. Being on the verge of tears wondering around Amsterdam, I quietly requested to my travel partner that we head back to the airport and find a nice little dark corner to sleep in. He obliged. Lucky us, we scored two super sweet, lazy-boyesk chairs in our terminal and napped for a good 3 hours before boarding plane for the 2.5 hour remaining flight to Rome.

Needless to say, by the time our taxi dropped us off in front of our B&B (a 5 story building that looked like every other building in Rome) we were thrilled. Shower and bed...here we come!

Our first morning in Rome, we woke up in glorious splendor. A night full of deep sleep, sun shinning in through the window and the city bustling below us…we were refreshed and ready to go. Ricardo, our B&B host, was preparing our breakfast on the terrace. A simple fair of really, really hard white toast (I think this crunchy little squares come out of a package), a warm, flaky cornetto (with a hint of orange), butter, jam, yogurt, fresh squeezed orange juice and of course, cappuccinos. We really weren’t expecting much, since Italian’s aren’t too big on breakfast, but considering neither of us had had dinner, we were pleased.

Since our B&B was a hop, skip and a jump away from the Coliseum…it made sense to take Rick’s advice and hit up the trio tour: The coliseum, the Forum and the Palatine Hill. Once we located a kiosk that sold a Roma Pass (admission to 2 museums, ruins, or the like AND free transportation for 3 days) and a quick lunch we were in the Colesseum.

Purchasing the pass was key to bypass the extraordinary line that filled the corridor. Imagine a line if the world series were at Safeco field…LONG! We also decided to purchase an audio tour since neither of us were too informed with details regarding the Colosseum. Rick was right; the commentary was a bit dry, but informative non-the-less. We circled the Colosseum twice…one on the upper and lower levels, while a British accented woman shared the history of gladiator matches, wild animal hunts, the hierarchy of social class seating arrangements and various building materials. Though the Colosseum was amazing to see, we were ready to move on…2 full days in Rome isn’t much to see all there is to offer.

The Forum was next and thanks to Rick’s walking tour, we were well informed as to what the “rubble” used to be, without having to purchase another audio tour. From massive structures built for famous men, to market places meant to proclaim opinions, to Caesar Augustus’ burial sight…it apparently was the place to be back there in 500bc. This may not look like rubble (some was some wasn't, but I guess it just goes to show that they really knew how to build them way back when...)

The Forum lead directly into the Palatine Hill, which honestly was my absolute favorite of the three. Things were green up there. Gardens, walking paths guided by trimmed bushes, orange trees and fabulously tall trees that kinda look like big dinosaurs, I was thrilled to see life after all the brick and mortar and marble. We forwent the audio tour and though slightly dissatisfied with Rick’s description of the expansive area, it was still fun to explore and be wowed by the intricate details of the structures that remained.

By now, Nick and I had had it and were ready for a change of pace. Enough with this 2000 year old stuff..bring on the now! So we hopped on a bus (always an adventure finding the right one, the right place to stand to get on it and getting to our final destination) and headed to Piazza de Popolo: This is one of Rome’s trendiest places to be (they were currently prepping the piazza for an event)…stuffed to the gills with gorgeous stores (aka expensive) and locals out on a stroll. So we strolled, goggled at the fun and FUNKY current styles, hit up the Spanish Steps and hunted down our dinner location. Yes…a bit confusing with all the alleys, street names on the buildings that look like alleys, and the like, but we ended up at a great little spot on Rick’s suggested list, just as the rain started to pour down hard...nothing our huge patio umbrella couldn't handle though.

Of course I had heard that it is appropriate to order multiple courses (antipasti, primo piatte, secondi) plus coffee and dessert, and considering our hunger level, we did: Bruschetta to start, then the ravioli in butter and sage for me and fresh egg noodles with bacon, black pepper and Parmesan for Nick, then pork chop – to share, then sauteed eggplant and zucchini, all to be consumed with Vina Rosa and un café. Yumm. No really….yummm. They keep it simple there, maximizing the taste of the high quality ingredients. Butter and sage made my ravioli perfect. The bacon on Nick’s pasta had a delicious crunch to it that had me reaching across the table with my fork between bites of my own dinner. We also discovered that we had ordered too much food. It may be insulting to not order a meat dish next time or no dessert, but honestly, I would rather finish every meal (breakfast included) with Gelato. Va bene!

It was about 11pm by the time we left our quaint little restaurant. We strolled home, eager to see what we would stumble upon during the 2 mile trek. The thing about Rome that amazed me the most was around each corner was another fabulously old structure...just sitting there...to be looked at....like this: Amazing!

Just as a side note...I did in fact get pooped on by a pigeon our first day it Italy. But to the Italians, this is considered good luck. So I went with it. It was also a wonderful reminder that totting along anti-bacterial wipes would be a good idea. From the that day on, we were fully stocked. Just in case.

Nick and I chatted a bit during dinner regarding Italy and the things that make it fabulous (from my entire 24 hour exposure thus far). Here’s a few high points:

· Though it may appear to be chaotic, the locals have an overall aura of peace…even while driving

· The maximization of space is incredible…the alleys are safe, well lit and used frequently by all people all the time, the majority of people drive smart cars or Cinquecentos or mopeds, homes are smaller, but no one seems to mind since the minute they step out onto the curb anything they need is basically at an arm’s reach.

· You can walk everywhere…and if you don’t feel like it, the transit system is rather straight forward.

· Gelato is on every corner...it’s like the American version of Starbucks

· Buildings that are 3000 years old are just here…sitting around while people walk past them like they belong there (and they do of course, but it is just crazy to get my head around it)

There's more...but really, I could write all day, so I'll save some for later.

We're Back and Better Than Ever!

Italy has come and Italy has gone. "How was it?" you ask. In a nutshell: Perfect. We loved every single moment of our trip together. Sure...it rained, we got lost, we were hungry, cold, tiered, confused, we couldn't find a bathroom when we needed to go, we had our "conversations," but in reality...times like those are so minuscule compared to the overall wonderfulness of our experience. In fact...they usually add a spark of adventure that makes it that much better. We saw things we have longed to see for years. We experienced things we had no idea existed. We explored until we were exhausted. We ate, swam, played, drank, bused, trained, walked, scootered, read, chatted, prayed and relaxed well. But most importantly of all, we lived a life FULLY and COMPLETELY together for 3 solid weeks. Our marriage strengthened and our inner joy overfloweth with adoration for one-another. Yes...that may sound cheesy, but you asked (kinda). I guess that happens when the biggest concern of each day is: "What do you feel like doing today?"

So...for you to-the-point people: "How was Italy?" is quite easily summed as absolutely the BEST vacation we have ever been on.

For you detailed people: "How was Italy?" will be answered via blog over the next week or so as I gather my thoughts, organize our photos and post. Be patient with me. Writing about everything we did is impossible. Writing about some things we did is slightly easier, although my frustration with surface with each word I type because sometimes there are just not enough words to describe the awesomeness we experienced. Either way, check back every so often...you are bound to get the info on each town we visited, weather you choose to read it is completely up to you!

Pure Bliss Dessert as Josh Durias' April Spotlight

Yesterday I felt like a movie star. A camera clicked at high speeds with big umbrella flashing brightly as I melted, mixed, frosted, garnished and packaged client dessert orders in my downtown kitchen. Josh Durias of Josh Durias Photography, a fabulous Whatcom County-based photographer, decided a while back to look beyond the "wallpaper" of local business here in the Ham and actually embrace the Be Local campaign. So, without wasting a moment's notice, he started to get to know these businesses and feature them on a monthly basis via Spotlight on his blog. Lucky for me, Pure Bliss Desserts was his April choice. We had a great time, swapping business-start up stories, as well as sharing our passion for supporting the local businesses here in Bellingham as he clicked away. Check out his blog, his talent and then perhaps go pay one of his Spotlights a visit. Small businesses thrive because people like you and me choose to support them!

As Josh says...here's a nibble of his post:

Andi Vann is owner and operator of Pure Bliss Desserts and serves Whatcom County. She specializes in cakes, cupcakes, pies, tarts, dessert bars, cookies, and cream scones (YES.). You can visit her site to get her full menu.

Thanks Josh! You ROCK!

Wigs for everyone!

My mom is a very sassy woman.

NOT via tongue or attitude. VIA style.

Just a to give you a clear example: On her 55th birthday she asked me if I would accompany her to get her nose pierced. I accepted. She has had a sparkly nose ever since and Rocks it well!

During my last trip to Steilacoom, I was sitting on my mom's bed catching up on our last few weeks of life. She casually mentioned wearing a new wig for a little dinner gathering she threw for her sisters. "A Wig???!! Where is it? Can I try it on?" I shouted immediately. 30 seconds later, it was on my head and I was tickled pink. Talk about a girl's dream for instantly long hair. It was long, slightly curled, with awesome highlights. I showed Nick and he was not impressed to say the least (he's a bit too natural for synthetic hair). Mom and I laughed and laughed, and then she busted out ANOTHER ONE! This one was much shorter...more fitting for her current style. Then my sister arrived and we had some fun.
Nick said that we fast-forwarded time by 20 years...two sisters...hanging in the kitchen...with their very different "Mom" hair cuts. Ha!

As a side-note...Ami and Charlotte got some good bonding time. You know how Charlotte likes to cuddle...but this was ridiculous. Ami carried Charlotte around in a hugging position for a good 20 minutes and our bear was in heaven. I guess they both needed a little extra love that day.

EASTER

The Mag 7 celebrated Easter this year in Ridgefield/Salmon Creek, WA helping Matt, Ami and Delya move residences. We packed boxes, moved boxes, ran shuttles, organized, strategized, took Starbucks runs, attended church in an old Mervyns and even managed to fit in an Easter Egg hunt. Our Easter Bunny had the best time directing the 36, 33 & 29 year olds to find their golden egg: You're hot...getting hotter...hotter even now....Ohh cold, cold, cold! It was great!After 4 days straight of constant movement, we left Matt, Ami and Delya in their new "we're in transition trying to figure out where we want to live" rental home looking totally and utterly chaotic. But hey...our job was complete: Move the stuff from one place to another. The remaining organizing job is up to them...looks like Matt is ready to have at it!

Pure Bliss Desserts' New Digs!

I just recently passed my 2nd anniversary of Pure Bliss Desserts. It has been quite the journey…feeling like I have been baking as a business owner much longer than I actually have. When I look back to the beginning months, I never imagined the tremendous learning curve that comes with owning a business. How do I market myself? How do I keep track of customers and orders and money? What do I say at a meeting with a potential client? What makes me different/special/unique in the dessert world? Being a Psychology major with minimal business exposure (I took Econ 206 in college and that’s it) I learned quickly to tap into resources to help me get on the right path. As time passed…more questions came, but thanks to the good Lord’s guidance and amazing advisors, more answers came, helping through the bumpy road of decision making.
My most recent HUGE answer to prayer is landing my very own kitchen!!! No more sharing with other caterers. No more calling ahead to reserve the space. No more toting my ingredients back and forth. Pure Bliss has settled herself in a cozy kitchen downtown and loving it!

As a general update:
~Cake of the month continues to offer Bellinghamsters an amazing deal on REALLY GOOD cake. ~Keep your eyes peeled for April’s featured cake coming soon!
~Creative Cookies are distributed to coffee stands across Whatcom and Skagit County

A few local hot spots are now featuring Pure Bliss Desserts:
~Honey Moon Tasting Room has Pure Bliss Cake and Tartlets
~Banditos Burritos has various Pure Bliss Cookies
~The Anker Café has a nice spread of Pure Bliss options…from dessert wedges, to cookies to muffins and scones to accommodate their new opening time: 7am.

Yes I do love what I am doing and thank God each day for the challenges and joy comes.

Tissue Anyone?

Remember a few months back every corner you turned there were warnings (threats really) of the feared Swine Flu? You couldn't flip a channel, read a newspaper headline or walk into a drug store without seeing the words Swine Flu/H1N1/Vaccination/Hospitalization/whatever! People were inundated with talk of the worst flu season ever. After weeks and weeks of talk, I knew 3, count it 3, people plagued with this illness. I thought we all got away easy on this trip...until now.

Last week the Flu, Head Cold, unknown illness, and the like swept across what seemed to be everyone in the Vann "circle of trust," and them some! We are talking gobs and gobs of friends and family struck down with sickness. We knew of people taking their babies to the walk in clinic due to random vomiting and other gory projections. We knew of adults taking a trip to the ER for IV injections to replenish fluids. We heard of more people at home sick, hugging the toilet and napping in the same week, than we probably did in the entire year last year. It was terrible. E-mails for prayers went out. Phone calls to cancel gatherings were made. The epidemic had hit and it hit HARD. Nick and I were amazed and grateful that we were at our peak of health. Our daily does of vitamins (Multi, Vit C, Vit D & Fish Oil), exercise, leafy green eating had paid off...we were living it large and untainted by the swooping plague. And then...luck run out...well, My luck that is.

I blame it on our quick little trip to Steilacoom and dwelling with 3 sick-with-different illnesses family members. I think my body was doing the best it could to fight off infection, until we were in the car on the way to church and there was slim to no chance I was going to get out un-tainted. My father, most recently diagnosed with walking pneumonia was hacking in the drivers seat (Ummmm...learning about that little piece of information would have been helpful BEFORE planning our trip home). My mother, coughing and sneezing in the passengers seat. My sister in the back sniffling her little heart out...all with Nick and I in the middle, staring at each other with fear in our eyes hoping for a small miracle: The germs leaking out through the cracks of the car and skidding across the freeway rather than marinating in the clean air we were currently breathing in. No such luck on the right side of the car...those germs clung to me and has left me with a bit of head cold.

For the record, I am NOT down and out for the count. I am not in any form to be in the ER or hugging the toilet or even napping 24/7. If anything, I consider my little sniffle to be a minor inconvenience...a slight cold, just passing by. This is either due to my ignorance or my Positive Psychology tendency: My behavior will follow my attitude. And my attitude is I am not going to get any more sick than the slight tiredness, with a few sneezes and sniffles that I currently have. Although, my little episode has reminded me of how horrible it is when you are not at your 100%. The exhaustion from getting out of bed to make toast. The dizziness while picking something up off the floor. The inability to TASTE food. The constant tenderness under your poor, little nose. The banishment from your significant since their desire of health overrides any sort of desired affection. So if anything...this little blog is for all my friends and family suffering through whatever YUCK you currently have. Persevere...it can't be long now until your health overcomes you! And when in doubt...convince yourself that when you wake up tomorrow you are going to be healed! A little Positive thought can go a LONG way regarding health!

To Sew or Not to Sew

Last week when Nick was out-of-town for work, I decided to get a few projects done around the house during my free time in the evening. I touched up the trim paint in a few rooms, wiped down all the doors in the house (those are filthy if you take the time to look at them), painted a portion of the "bump out" in our bedroom and some other stuff. I decided to get some courage up and actually bust out the sewing machine I borrowed from my parents for a sewing project I have avoided for the past 2 years...for good reason.
See...in our bedroom, there is a bump out (same as mentioned above) with a bench and a nice window. When we bought this house, I was convinced that that would be my reading place...or a place to sit and ponder the world. I must be honest and admit that I have never sat there to read or ponder, but instead I use it as a clothes holder...typically at night when I am too tired to put them away. Although, Charlotte puts it to good use on a daily basis as the guard dog extraordinaire headquarters. Atop this bench adorns a cushion that is horrifically covered in demin (well...it's faux demin I am sure...but either way...it's ugly). One of the first things I DID do when we moved in was purchase a nice, silky sage green piece of material to cover the said demin. Though this beautiful covering goes well with our bedroom, it is a thorn in both Nick and I's sides with it's constant untucking/rippling/dishevelled manor. Each day we tuck it in, only to discover it has disheveled itself once more (only Charlotte is to blame, I am sure). This may seem like a petty and insignificant thing to be frustrated about (which it is) but I suppose we get worked up about it because there is such an easy fix: Sew it so it forms to the cushion like a fitted sheet, rather than it's floppy, stubborn companion...the loose sheet.
Now...back to last week: With my projects quickly dwindling down, I gussied up the gumption to create a fitted sheet for the bump out. It was awful. I am the furthest thing to a seamstress there is. No really. People shouldn't allow me to get withing a 10 foot range of a needle and thread. It's not because I am inherently bad at running a straight line down a sewing machine (see photo below) or anything, it's just that I lack the care and finesse it takes to ensure that whatever I am sewing is going to actually fit or match up or look good or anything else you expect when two ends of material meet. I am not a time-taker on these sort of projects. I just want them to be done. So once I hit the "good enough" marker, I take the next step, which, naturally, only ends up taking 3 times as long because I did not take the time to do it right the first time.
Instead of boring you with the nitty-gritty details of my fatal attempts to sew silky fabric, I will just say that it is done. It may be ugly and may not last long, but it is done. The good news is this project falls into the unseen category; the only category I will allow myself to be in. Unseen category include sewing projects that won't blatantly show my naivety/impatience. I wouldn't ever dare sew a skirt,a shirt or anything...that is what Anne Marie, Kristen, Ami, Holly, Diana or my dad for crying out loud are for (wow...my friends are talented!). No, I sew the insides of jacket pockets because my keys keep on falling out or something really elementary like buttons. Luckily, my horrific seams are covered up by the cushion itself, so the untrained eye would think it is a nice fitting sheet instead of 8 different sew lines on two corners to make it fit, with the back two corners stuffed down because I just wanted to be done and the front is all that really matters anyways. Few. Glad that is over with.
I told Nick what I had done (with a great sense of accomplishment I might add) and he asked to keep my parent's machine a bit longer so he could hem some pants. "Ha!" I exclaimed. "You can hem those pants and mine right along with it darling!" Thank goodness that we each posses different talents.

The bump-out:

A visual of my sewing giftedness: My keys will for sure stay in my pockets now!

29 and Feeling Fine!

Growing up, my parents always did an amazing job making me feel like my birthday was MY DAY. The whole day....from morning until evening...it's all about Andi. This ideology could have set me up for some major disappointment in the future, but my hope is that I have some groundedness and ability to flex, so as each birthday rolls around, I try my best to adapt to my surroundings and take it all in stride. This year was no different when I woke up to 29 and shouted: " Woohoo it's my birthday but I MUST remember to be flexible!!!" This isn't to say that anything too drastic happened...I am just a believer that if you set high expectations, you are bound to be disappointed. Please note that this theory does not apply to all avenues in life...usually just things like Birthdays, New Years Eve Parties, Halloween Parties, or the Perfect Date that you have been planning for months.

Since MY DAY fell on a Saturday, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to tour Seattle. Nick and I discussed our itinerary a few weeks prior to my birthday and booked the appropriate tickes: Hit up the Pacific Science Center (PSC)...take in an iMax movie...eat some delicious food, walk around the city...you know the usual. I invited my family to join in the festivities, because after all, they are some of my favorite people ever...AND Ami's birthday is 2 days following mine, so it would just be weird to not celebrate together.

Rather than type out the play by play...I like the idea of highlights for this day:
-It happened to be Educator's Day at the PSC meaning people in the Education field and their guests could get in for FREE! Thanks to Ami, we got to partake in that opportunity.

-After 3 weeks of great anticipation to watch AVATAR on iMax, we were taught a great lesson on making seamless plans: Don't. The iMax broke the day before and would not be showing our movie. Bummer! Just another reason to be flexible.

-I got my first hamburger experience at Dick's. Only don't ask for no mayo - they don't do special orders. Flexible, flexible, flexible!

-After giving mom and dad the tour of the Colonnade, dad is currently trying to set a date to meet up in Seattle and borrow one of our bikes with "shocks in the front and back" so he can play. What an adventurer!

-It was confirmed that without Nuvi (our handy car navigational system) there is no way we could get to Gas Works Park. Wow...Seattle can be so very confusing!

-The Madator is one of the BEST fusion Tex-Mex places around...yummmmm Verde Carnita Enchiladas and way too many chips! (You should go...locations in Ballard, Tacoma and Redmond)

-My parents and sister spoil me rotten! I scored some amazing Cake Stands (amongst other things)...perhaps one day I will post a blog with photos of them. They are gorgeous!


Matt teaching Delya a valuable lesson in being Camouflage:


Dad and I feeling rather small:


Sometimes the exhibits are just too exciting!!! I mean look at Nick...he is enthralled learning about Walking Sticks:

Dad and I spent a significant chunk of time in the Butterfly House. I think he enjoyed the sitting and I enjoyed the warmth...plus it was pretty cool when a butterfly landed on your shoulder, shin or shoe:

Valentines Day

Valentines Day in the Vann household is not blown out of proportion with heart shaped paraphernalia or chocolate boxes from the floor to ceiling. Instead, we tend to emphasize on the togetherness with perhaps a little extra attention to detail than any other regular day. This year was no different:
A lazy morning woke me up at 8:45am (record breaking for me) with clanking in the kitchen. I padded into the dining room to find my hubby prepping waffles and mixing cream in my coffee...what a guy! There were roses, candles, champagne and some schmoopy words written on heart shaped red construction paper cut out waiting for me as well. Cupid did not appear like last year, nor did my "Chef of Love" like the prior to that...but having Nick bust out the red apron and scamper around the kitchen as I watched him and read the newspaper out loud was just as good.
Since life has been on the busier side lately (summer wedding cake gigs = multitude of winter consultations and tastings at Starbucks/Woods/our house) we decided to use this special day for hitting nature a little harder than the quick 2 hour bike ride on Galbrieth. With rain jackets on and snacks in the back pack, we headed to Chuckanut Drive for one of our favorite local hikes: The Oyster Dome. A steep and rugged 3.5ish miles one way, with some rain, planted us at the "dome" as the skies were clearing up. It was chili, but easily overlooked when the beautiful Sound is staring you in the face (the sandwiches/carrot & hummus/chips helped too!). We spent a majority of our climb up discussing in depth AVATAR...the fabulous movie we finally got to see at the iMax in Langley the previous night (attempt #4 mind you - apparently that's not a movie you can just show up at the theater for...planning is involved) and watching Charlotte hike double the distance as she ran ahead then ran back to see why her pack was moving so very slow, just to turn around and run ahead again.
The hike down was euphoric...that may be a strong word to use when describing a descend that was so muddy and slick, it required 3 points of contact (two legs and and hand or two hands and a leg...or sometimes to hands and a butt), but really it is the best word to describe it. I have a thing for using my body as a tool to explore the earth that God gave us. What made it even better was having Nick and Charlotte there. We got to talk extensively about heavy topics and laugh at silly things with no distractions except for the occasional "feel this soft moss" or "look at the weird moving blue algae in puddles" observations mid-conversations. There were no phones ringing, no e-mail to check, no laundry to switch. It was the perfect way to celebrate togetherness with my Valentine. And, just as every marriage should have it's occasional moment or two, I feel in love that much more with Nick yesterday. He makes me laugh, he "gets" me, he is willing to get a little dirty when his wife requests a hike on the rainiest day of the week and he doesn't complain a bit when make him the deal: You wash that dirty dog...I will make dinner! Thanks babe...you're the BEST!