Tag Archives: Travels

Paris Photo Diary 01: An Afternoon At Our Apartment

February 13, 2013

Paris Diary 1 Lisa Devlin

After spending more than a week in London, it was time to climb aboard the Eurostar and head off to Paris. A little more than two hours later, we were cutting across the city, heading straight for the mighty Arc De Triomphe.

Our turn of the century apartment was right around the corner and our favorite part of the building soon became the glass-walled mini elevator that zoomed up alongside the twirling staircase (every time I climbed in, I felt like I was entering a time machine to another dimension).

Paris Diary 1 Lisa Devlin

Instead of staying in a hotel, we switched things up for this leg of the trip and partnered with Go With Oh which is a company specializing in rentals in most major European cities. I always feel like staying in a hotel is very sterile and a little too perfect — it doesn’t really give you a true feel for the city. While my experience with other apartment rental services has been somewhat spotty, the apartment we found through Go With Oh was absolutely spotless, impeccably decorated and stocked with all the basics we could ever need including food, stacks of towels and yes…plenty of toilet paper. When you’re traveling for long stretches of time, those little details make all the difference. You don’t want to go out searching for them when you’re flat out exhausted!

Paris Diary 1 Lisa Devlin

Paris is the most beautiful city I’ve ever traveled to, hands-down and I knew we wouldn’t be content actually lounging around — there was far too much to document! We invited along the dream team of Lisa Devlin, Shell de Mar and hair and makeup whiz Elbie van Eeden to capture all the details our amateur photo skills could not. While I can get a great snapshot, I’m well aware of my limitations and know when to call in the pros.

Paris Diary 1 Lisa Devlin

The entire apartment was awesome but I gravitated mostly to the quirky kitchen. Why I am I laughing? If you know me, it’s obvious that I can’t cook to save my life. At our house, Joey’s in charge of all the cooking (and he’s damn good at it!) So the whole time we were shooting, I was cracking up at what he’d think of the absurdity of it all.

But that kitchen! It was perfectly frozen in the late 50s with a brilliant red tiled backsplash and baby blue floors. If I called that apartment home, I wouldn’t change a thing. What I love about Paris is that there’s an emphasis on preserving the past. In America, we’re constantly after the next best thing, tearing everything down in our path. In my mind, this kitchen didn’t need any “updating,” it was already a masterpiece!

Paris Diary 1 Lisa Devlin

This outfit was actually a look I’d pieced together from Buffalo Exchange! I hate clutter and am constantly trading in my old clothes — over the last six months I picked up this vintage silk shift dress and sheer cross patterned blouse with my store credit. I love it when that happens! Pulling together a look doesn’t have to be expensive.

Paris Diary 1 Lisa Devlin

Kat is never subtle, ever! While taking a seat between the floor length drapery, she wore a custom made pink ombre tutu from Ouma, a grey t-shirt from Whistles and a belt from H&M. She then changed things up with a black sequined sweater from Manoush. When we were out shopping, I approved of this purchase, telling her it reminded me of something Michael Jackson would wear (the highest complement!)

Paris Diary 1 Lisa Devlin

Gala was drawn to the large white double doors in our place which were so chic (why can’t places in the U.S. be this amazing?) She wore a tutu dress, also by Ouma and hopped around like a crazed ballerina (must’ve been the bags of sugary treats she was downing!)

Paris Diary 1 Lisa Devlin

In other news, I’m glad I left my hair this long for our trip (I was basically trying to channel my beauty icon, Priscilla Presley) but man, I need to get a haircut! BAD. I’m feeling more like Cousin It than sleek; this crazy mane needs to be shaped up!

Portlanders, where do you go for a great haircut?? Spill your secrets!

Credits:
Photography: Lisa Devlin
Hair and Makeup: Elbie van Eeden
Apartment: Go With Oh

Snowdrifts & Smiles: The Blogcademy London Recap!

February 6, 2013

First Things First

There’s an epic recap of The Blogcademy London ahead but before digging in, I wanted to start this one out a little differently. I’ve been back from Europe for about a week now and the full experience is just starting to sink in. If you’d asked me what I wanted to do with my life five years ago, I might have not been able to string together the thoughts perfectly but the overall consensus would have been along the lines of The Blogcademy because in my mind, my dream job combined combined branding, teaching and blogging — I just didn’t know a job like that actually existed back then.

What I’ve realized since launching The Blogcademy last August is that some of the best things in life aren’t planned. Sometimes, the right people come along who happen to have similar mindsets and opportunities present themselves. And even if an idea seems far-fetched and maybe even impractical, it’s our job to take the reigns and convince ourselves that it is possible. A sense of community is so important when you’re taking big steps into unknown territory and that’s part of the reason why we emphasize group activities and lots of Q&A in the workshops — because as adults, we’re aware that not everyone on the outside will “get us” but having a tight-knit group of people that believe in what we’re doing works wonders.

While all the photos from the workshop look fun and glamorous (Shell de Mar has a way with the camera!), I’m not going to sugarcoat it — putting on a workshop on another continent was stressful! This is real life and little things always go wrong when you’re putting on an event of this size. But we did it and I couldn’t be more proud of the 60 enthusiastic students that braved the snowstorm and dived into the 16 hours of class. The days were long and we were so exhausted by the end we could barely move (I’m sure the students felt the same!) but you know you’ve found your calling when you wake up the next morning and are excited to do it all over again.

This introduction isn’t really about me though, it’s about you and it’s about taking those chances — if you have one of those crazy dreams, block out the noise and write it all down and plan and plot and find a way to make it happen because life is to short to wonder “what if.” A year ago, The Blogcademy didn’t even exist. Now, we’re coming off of three sold out dates and thankful that this world of blogging not only brought us together but created friendships with many of you that last far beyond the classes.

If you’re open and willing, opportunities will present themselves not only in blogging but also relationships, business and in life.

Recap Time!

Onto the recap — the two London workshops were all kinds of awesome (I’m running out of adjectives here!) and we spent a total of four days bonding with our 60 students over blogging, cupcakes and business advice but carrying on about the experience really doesn’t do it justice — in a way, I’m at a loss to really sum it all up. Instead, here’s what our “Blogcadets” had to share about the experience in their own words…

“Well I have to say that it was officially the greatest weekend I’ve ever experienced! I have never in all my days, felt so inspired or excited in my life. My head is jam packed with ideas, my notebook is full and my head is now covered in sparkly bows and bunny-ears”. —Emma Rose Black

“When I initially booked in for my Blogcadet training, I was concerned about the cost – but I left utterly satisfied, and genuinely convinced that the time, effort and sheer volume of actual applicable, real-world advice that you packed into our little London jaunt was worth its weight in gold. The result: I feel so well-equipped with the guidance I need to take my blog to lofty, Eiffel Tower-ish heights, and invigorated and energized to get my butt into gear and do it!” —Caroline Gallatly

“I didn’t realise just how much I learned until I found myself slipping advice learned from The Blogcademy into everyday conversations that didn’t have anything to do with blogging. I’m totally going to be ‘that girl’ who keeps talking about ‘this one time at The Blogcademy’…” —Xandra Burns

“Don’t be fooled by the pink sparkles and bunny ears, there’s nothing frivolous about The Blogcademy. Real business advice from three successful professional women who are doing it their way… in fabulous shoes.” —Scarlett Nymph

“Just being in the same room as Gala, Kat and Shauna makes you feel like you can do anything.” —Emily Fisher

“I don’t think I learnt as much in a year at Uni as I did from The Blogcademy girls in two days. That’s where I think The Blogcademy really shines, we were given real life scenarios and case studies and things were explained in perfect detail. It is blatantly obvious that the three lovely teachers know what they are talking about because they have lived and breathed it for years.” —Stephanie Hind

“Something inside has clicked. I’ve done B-School, I’ve read numerous books & listened to countless voices, but the bringing together of like minded souls is something really special. So for now I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the time, energy & love you put into The Blogcademy. It truly feels like a gift that will keep on giving and one that will enable me to grow and pass on the gifts I have for the benefit of others.” —Jayne Rusby

“Words like fabulous, inspirational, glittery, engaging and epic are all accurate descriptions of The Blogcademy but they do not come close to describing the life changing experience that came in the turquoise packaging.” —Georgina Webb

“I would love to tell all the bloggers out there who are writing in any other language than English that The Blogcademy´s awesomeness totally translates and that there is so much to learn, regardless of one’s language.” —Julia Safronova

“Being a bit of a natural cynic, I was a little worried about spending a not-insubstantial chunk of money on a two day course. I need not have feared. This was, and I’m not exaggerating, the best money I have ever spent – an investment in my blog, yes, but much more importantly, in myself.” —Lucy Loves

Getting schooled!

Surroundings Matter

We held both events at Curtain Road Studios in Shoreditch and the staff and space were incredibly charming. What we’ve learned since our first Blogcademy is that the space you hold your event in is just as important as everything else — the days of instruction are long and the more comfortable everyone is, the more engaged and excited they’ll be.

The Goodie Bags

Of course, there’s always a bag of treats to perk our attendees up over the long weekend and our sponsors really delivered!

The custom screen printed tote bags and phone cases were by Awesome Merchandise, the rings were courtesy of Finest Imaginary, Thimble & Fred and Pugly Pixel, Moleskine notebooks were from Finest Imaginary, sparkly hair bows were courtesy of Crown & Glory, the glitter collars were handmade by Alexandra King, the eye shadows were courtesy of Sugarpill, the shoe clips were by Head Full of Feathers and the CD of Photoshop actions was courtesy of Lisa Devlin.

And Charlotte of Restoration Cake deserves an extra special shout-out for braving the snowstorm to deliver bundles of cupcakes, each individually wrapped for the students. They really made our days extra special…especially when that dreaded post-lunch coma hit!

We Adore Our Students!

If you couldn’t already tell, our Blogcademy graduates are an energetic, enthusiastic bunch and have a lot to share about their workshop experiences! We’ve been keeping touch with them through our private Facebook forum and gathered up their blog posts below:

1. You Can Wear Fluffy Cat Ears When You Grow Up 2. Glitter Bows and Bunny Ears Galore! 3. Blogcademy Chit Chat 4. One Of The things That Impressed Me The Most… 5. When Is The Reunion Party!? 6. Four Big Reasons I Loved The Blogcademy 7. Where Dreams Become A Reality 8. Surround Yourself With The Right Influences 9. Inspired to Action 10. Confessions of a Blogcadet 11. Words of sparkle 12. Things I Learnt at The Blogcademy 13. Be Inspired 14. Take The Initiative 15. Dreaming Big 16. The Best Dream I Ever Had 17. Blogcademy: Who Needs University? 18. How To Get The Most Out of Blogcademy. 19. The Blogcademy 20. We Were Taught… 21. The A-Z Of The Blogcademy.

A few overachievers made videos as well and they are so incredibly rad:

1. Confessions of a Blogcadet 2. One Big Huge Thank You and 3. Emma Talks The Blogcademy.

The Class Photo

Of course, no Blogcademy is complete without the class photo! What a stylish bunch!

London #1 (Class 2), March 19th – 20th

London #2 (Class 3), March 23rd – 24th, Photo by Emily Quinton

Behind The Scenes

The Blogcademy London would like to thank the following folks for making our event extra memorable:

Photography (except where stated): Shell de Mar Photography
Video: FX Media
Venue: Curtain Road Studios
Decor Items: The Tea Set and Peach Blossom
Cakes: Restoration Cake
Flowers: Hayford & Rhodes
Guest Speaker #1: Lisa Devlin
Guest Speaker #2 : Emily Quinton

Up Next: Portland & LA!

Illustration by Veronica Dearly!

What a long post — did you make it this far?! A few weeks have gone by and we’re still exchanging excited emails with graduates and watching as their blogs blossom. It’s been a truly awesome experience and when you’re blogging, I’ve always felt that the sense of community is so important.

Now, we’re busily planning a workshop in Portland followed by LA and we’d love it if you could join us for an action-packed weekend of learning, blogging and branding — register here! Hope to see you on the west coast!

The Week In Pictures: 2.1.13 | Paris Edition!

February 1, 2013

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

Oh, Paris! After we finished our two London workshops and then headed out to the English countryside for a talk at the farm (the farm is getting its own dedicated post — just you wait!), it was time for Gala, Kat and I to move onto Paris for a few days’ worth of R&R.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

While London felt very Americanized to me, Paris is always another world together. Paris is one of the only places I’ve ever been that’s even better than what the history books and travel guides convey.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

While it’s great to plot your voyage to make sure you don’t miss anything on your list, the truth is that you could aimlessly wander the city and be just as happy because every cafe, every sign and every menu has so much charm. Overall, Paris feels untouched by the big corporate chains that have overrun a lot of other cities. It’s as if the forces of the city join together to perfectly curate every last detail — the French understand the art of presentation like no other.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

Last time I was in Paris, Gala and I stayed in the Hotel Du Petit Moulin in Le Marais and its themed rooms were very charming. This time around though, we partnered with Go With Oh and stayed just 2 blocks from the Arc De Triomphe. I still remember the first time I saw my parent’s photos of the Arc De Triomphe from when they visited in the 80s and it’s one of those structures you have to see in person to really grasp the scale.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

On our first day in Paris, we met up with my friend and client Juliane Berry who, as a wedding photographer, knows all the best spots. This time, she took us to the Siene River, Louvre and Palais Royal. When I spotted those striped columns, my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

As I stood back and watched Juliane shoot Kat, I knew the photos were going to be good — she has a way with capturing those quintessentially Parisian moments.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

From there, we made a pit stop at Angelina to get out of the rain and sip their world famous hot chocolate that we’d heard so much about. Angelina is a hotel and restaurant from the early 1900s and the ground floor features their incomparable sweets selection.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

All of the recommendations we got from friends were spot-on; this is a must see place that feels very regal and frozen in time.

As we skipped down the streets humming George Michael tunes (obsessed!) we also made stops at Fauchon (a mecca for food lovers — this post by Luxirare sums it up well), Colette (great for art and design books, magazines, modern gifts and tech accessories).

Oh, Vine!!!

To our delight (and the internet’s horror), Vine launched while we were in Paris and to commemorate the occasion, we danced a whole lot, wore crowns at the Eiffel Tower, drank extremely bitter espressos, guzzled wine, let our inner ballerinas loose and got a little mental with our greetings.

Paris will always exude romance, elegance and a sense of magic to me — I’m glad I got to experience it this time with friends who love the city as much as I do.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

Recommended In Paris

Transportation between countries: If you’re traveling between London and Paris, take the Eurostar. Affordable, efficient and easy, there’s a lot less hassle involved than flying. Use your downtime on the train to grab one of the free Paris maps on the train (above) and map out your moves!

Accomodations: We bypassed hotels this time for Go With Oh, which is similar to Air BnB in Europe. The apartment we found through them was pristine, clean and decorated better than most hotels. With a well-stocked kitchen, a cozy bath and a large living room, we felt right at home in Paris and were just two blocks from the Arc De Triomphe. If you’re looking for an extra special experience beyond the usual hotel fare, rent an apartment.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

Food: Paris is blessed with cafes on nearly every corner and we had great luck at every single one we tried. As you get closer to touristy areas, expect to pay a few Euros more. Many have meal specials with wine, an appetizer and dessert included for a flat rate — when in Paris, eat!!! And then, loosen up your pants and eat some more.

For Early Flights: Be warned that the city stays awake till late and if you have to travel home at the crack of dawn, taxis are nearly nonexistent. We awoke to find the streets dark and silent the morning we left Paris and were thankful we’d planned ahead and googled a car service.

Getting Around: A lot of taxi drivers don’t speak much English so if you have somewhere you need to be, find the closest popular landmark to tell them or write the address down so they can read it. If you’re up for it, the Metro is efficient and never as packed as cities like New York and London.

Nubby Twiglet Paris 2013

I just arrived home to Portland last night and am still coming down from my Paris high. Have a great weekend, everyone! I’ll be sneaking in lots of cuddles with Joey & Rocky — these two weeks were the longest we’d ever been apart. While I love traveling, it feels great to be home.

Any plans for this weekend?

The Week In Pictures: 1.18.13

January 18, 2013

Nubby Twiglet Week In Pictures London 2013

Greetings from London! I can’t believe I’m finally here. I’m looking out my bedroom window and the city is dusted in snow. Kat and Gala are sound asleep in the next room over but I skipped over so many time zones to get here that I’m having a hard time adjusting to this new schedule.

Traveling is a funny beast — I love it and it’s a passion of mine but I feel the same over and over again. Planning a trip is fun. The anticipation is even better. Then, the week before I leave, I go into total freak-out mode, checking my suitcase repeatedly, racking my brain and hoping I remembered everything. Like my passport and various chargers. And that I called my bank to let them know that if they see charges pop up on another continent, it’s not fraud. And that I booked my ticket for the right day. All that stuff. Then, once I’m on my way to the airport, the nerves kick in. Will my flight leave on time so I can make my tight connection? But by the time I’ve landed, the fear is gone and I’m ready for the adventures to unfold.

I arrived in London Thursday morning and though it’s my first time, I feel like I’ve been here before. There’s so many small things that remind me of New York. And so many familiar comforts including chain restaurants and stores from home (for better or worse!) But then I notice all the charming, quirky details. And the beautiful sense of history. And the hustle & bustle that makes Portland feel like it’s moving in slow motion. I’ve only been here a day but I’m already falling in love with this city. It’s even better when you’re exploring it with two of your closest friends.

Back to Portland for a second — a few days before I left for London, we dogsat this little gremlin, Raleigh. He’s a sweetie but also very different from Rocky. While Rocky is a picky eater, Raleigh licks every plate clean at least 3 times and I hear him clanking dishes together at 3 in the morning, snorting and licking them clean again! Haha.

We spent yesterday buying Oyster cards, riding the tube and getting acquainted with London. Of course, no maiden voyage is complete without a stop at Topshop in Oxford Circus which has the coolest dressing rooms I’ve ever seen.

Oh, and a stop at Selfridge’s too which has the most amazing shoe section. Just check out that silver jumbo-sized stiletto!

We’re off for the day to prep for The Blogcademy tomorrow — our excitement is in overdrive. Have a great weekend, everyone! I’ll be snapping photos in London all week and can’t wait to share more soon. xo

Off To London!

January 16, 2013

The time has come for me to make my maiden voyage to London and join Kat & Gala to host The Blogcademy! Instead of waking up to a pile of emails from them every morning, we’ll be face-to-face in a London flat for close to two weeks, quite possibly having the most epic sleepover ever. London will be all new to me and I can’t wait to see what it has in store.

Our big plans mostly revolve around the two workshops and we will also be giving a special condensed chat about all things social media at photographer Lisa Devlin’s retreat, The Photography Farm (tickets are still available if you’d like to join us!)

After all that fun in London, we’re off to Paris for 4 glorious days. I’ve been looking forward to this trip across the pond for MONTHS and can’t believe it’s finally time. While I’m on vacation, I’ll still be popping in occasionally. And for even more holiday hijinks, please feel free to follow along on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Bon Voyage!