Holiday Gift Guide: For the Zombie-phile in your life. (This one isn't for everyone. You've been warned.)

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I debated posting this gift guide. For awhile. I had another one planned, one with lots of pretty things. One with swoon-worthy goodies for you and your loved ones...but then I thought: "hey, it's Sunday. The Walking Dead is on tonight. Let's talk about zombies instead." In fact, today is an even bigger Walking Dead day than normal, because tonight is the mid-season finale. Which means that come Monday night when I get to watch the episode they're going to inevitably kill off a character that I love and I will be all tears and emotions instead of tacos, and I hate that. Le sigh. Hashtag that one emphath problems.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with zombies...a zombie-phile, if you will. I love not only the genre that George Romero created in the 60s, but also the humble beginnings of zombie movies in the 30s that revolved around voodoo-ism. I know I can't be the only one, so this gift guide is for those people on your list. The sometimes eclectic. The ones who can get in arguments over zombie theory with a passerby on the subway. The ones who know what their weapon of choice would be during the zombie apocalypse. The ones who when they hear "Don't Stop me Now" by Queen immediately want to watch "Shaun of the Dead." 

I promise to return to normal programming tomorrow. Swear. Lots of pretty things. Girly things. Cute baby things. In fact, there may even be something like a quite normal coffee mug or swoon-worthy sweater in tomorrow's gift guide. But for now, just humor me and my love of all things zombie culture. Maybe you'll find something for the hard-to-buy-for-with-very-specific-tastes on your list. Thanks bunches and bunches. 

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Everyone loves a good parody. This one happens to tug at my zombie loving heart strings. I wouldn't mind switching up the Very Hungry Caterpillar routine that we currently find ourselves in at the House of Hadron...

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More awesomeness from Hopewell Creek! I can't wait until Oswin is old enough to pretend that we are defending our house from a zombie invasion. I'm pretty sure that zombie bomb would be my weapon of choice...just kidding, that's for one time use. But it'd be great in the zombie fighting arsenal.

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For all my Romero fans out there. A t-shirt is almost always the best way to show your fandom, am I right? Have you seen them all (and his remakes)?

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...because it's always more fun to be able to say "well it happened differently in the comic..." Look into your heart you know it to be true! (Also, it is very different in the comic, so it's definitely worth a read if you're into the show.)

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This is my favorite board game of all time. It turns out that Dan is a surprisingly good zombie. "Last Night on Earth" is a great game to bring out after a dinner party if you've got friends who think they are good enough at strategy to survive the zombie apocalypse.

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For the lover of all zombie culture and history. This book takes you back to the beginning of zombie culture, with movies like "White Zombie" (1932) that started it all.

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...and since we're talking "White Zombie," why not get them a copy? It's amazing how much the genre has shifted over the years.

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...because it's even cooler in French. (I'm a bit biased though, I have this same poster in our foyer).

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This zombie cookie cutter would make a great stocking stuffer for the zombie fan in your life...and I bet zombie snickerdoodles taste delicious.

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Don't you even try to tell me that he isn't your favorite...unless you're a walker, because then I get it. 

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A pretty little cross stitch pattern to make your own little dedication to those who fought at The Winchester...

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I love a good map, especially when Alternate Histories gets their hands on it. I'm also really loving this print about the zombie wall in Ocean City, NJ...

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...or if you've got an extra six grand, go big and get 'em this pinball machine. I can already think of the perfect place for it in our house, wouldn't you agree Dan?

More gift guides tomorrow! Remember, pretty things! Promise!

A la prochaine friends...

Honey 

Holiday Gift Guide: The Outdoorsy Family Who Dreams of Living in a Cabin on a Mountaintop

Oooh it's my favorite time of the year! The time when everyone is sharing their Holiday Gift Guides! I love to see what fun finds everyone around the web is coming up with...especially when those guides are thematic. So, without further ado, let's kick off this season's "I'm an Outlaw, Not a Hero Holiday Gift Guides," shall we?

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I've been swooning over the Hudson shirt from Hatch since it was released. It's plaid, it's cozy, and it can be worn before, during and after pregnancy. (Hatch is certainly brilliant at that trifecta.) What better way to say chic cabin living!

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A little felt toy campfire set from Hopewell Creek for the kiddo (or the kiddo at heart). This way they can practice camping out and making the perfect fake smores, even if it's just in the living room.

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How about some Nordic Elk measuring cups for all of the from scratch pies and jams they will make in their dream cabin one day?

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For when someone in the family is feeling a little crafty, these conifer stamps from Yellow Owl Workshop would do the trick! 

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This Chore Coat from Pointer Brand looks great whether he's chopping wood or running out to grab some coffee and donuts on a Saturday morning...

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A little love letter to the mountains never hurt anybody. Inspiration ready and waiting on their bookshelf or rucksack...

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The Little America Bag from Herschel Supply Company is just perfect for holding the aforementioned love letter to the mountains, a thermos of coffee, or a diaper clutch. 

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Babywearing is synonymous with adventuring for our family. Strollers don't do so well on trails filled with rocks and sticks. Sakura Bloom is our go-to, but if you've been reading this blog for any length of time that shouldn't surprise you.

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An herbarium would help that outdoorsy family to document and learn about the different plants, flowers and wild herbs they come across while adventuring...

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...and you can never go wrong with a pair (or four) of classic Wigwam socks...

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These alpine mittens from Knitting With Wolves make me want to curl up by a fireplace...

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...with this vintage blanket from Robin Cottage . 

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Create that cabin smell and feel in your humble abode with this cabin spray, crafted from real plants and trees by Juniper Ridge.

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Let's not forget to keep those little heads warms and cozy too! Briar Handmade makes some of the best bonnets around, and this limited edition winter bonnet does not disappoint.

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Every adventurer needs a way to warm up after being out in the cold. This enamel pot from Falcon is just cute and rugged enough to make that post hike cup of tea.

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Just in case anyone forgets her love for CMC...

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Stag heads and Swiss crosses. Obviously this crib sheet made the list (and Oswin happens to have these sheets in a different color...she approves). 

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Not too many things are better than a cold mountain hike, except maybe a cold mountain hike accompanied by warm soup. This insulated food flask from Hydroflask will keep your friend's food hot enough to warm their bones before heading back down the mountain.

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Perfect little notebooks for that outdoorsy family to reflect in nature, draw, or dream of the mountains while riding the subway.

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A bright little cabin mug to bring a little sunshine to any grey day. 

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This sweater from United by Blue is just asking to sit out on a cabin porch with a hot cup of coffee...I wouldn't mind obliging. 

So there you have it friends, a gift guide for all those adventuring folks in your life. Stay tuned for more holiday gift guides coming up!

A la prochaine friends...

Honey 

PS: This is NOT a sponsored post. These just happen to all be items from shops that I truly dig, and thought you might too. 

Expat Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving dear friends! How was your turkey day? We spent ours here in SwitzerFrance, and kept things pretty low key. A friend of ours came over to break bread for the second year in a row, we watched the Eagles completely trounce on the Cowboys, and Oswin sat at the table in her high chair like a big little kid. Oh, and if you follow me on Instagram you know that our friend worked up to best guest ever status by unknowingly bringing some Pennsylvania beer to the festivities. Felt just a bit more like home this year...

This was our fourth year in a row celebrating my favorite holiday away from friends and family, and it's always a bit bittersweet. We do everything we can to make the holiday special, which typically involves incorporating traditions from back home. We sometimes have to work hard to find staples like cranberries or even the turkey, but thanks to the expat network here in SwitzerFrance you can find pretty much anything you need. We always spend the early afternoon streaming the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade while working in the kitchen, and watch football once the parade has finished. We have a tiny kitchen and a teeny European fridge, so making Thanksgiving dinner takes a very scheduled division of labor and a list of who needs the oven when. I think that's all part of the fun though. We drink far too much coffee, negotiate when each one of us needs to be in the kitchen, and we're off like two mad chefs in the kitchen.

And now I sit here on a lovely Friday with another list in mind: holiday decorating! I'm excited as can be that tomorrow we will partake in another tradition of ours, purchasing and decorating our holiday tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. I can't wait to get those cat burglaring Santas up on the walls, and maybe find another to add to the collection this year. It's always such a walk down memory lane to take out the ornaments as well, as all have either been made by  us or purchased at different European Christmas markets. I love taking out each ornament and reliving whatever experience that one in particular resulted from. I'm a complete nerd and have a list written out describing each ornament, which market it was purchased at, and when. Yes I'm a bit OCD, but I also don't want to ever forget the stories behind these special ornaments, especially now that our collection has gone from just a few to quite a few.

This also means that the European Christmas Markets are soon to be opening up, and we've got a few on our list this year. Some old, some new, all pouring piping hot vin chaud or gluhwein in festive mugs. Last year we went to the Christmas markets in Freiburg (Germany), Basel (Switzerland), Mulhouse (France), Thoiry, and Annecy. I can't wait to get on the road and get some new ornaments to add to the growing collection. I'll be posting more about the European Christmas Markets very soon, so stay tuned!

I hope that wherever you are in the world, surrounded by family or not, that you had a warm, delicious, cozy and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. I'm very thankful for all of you, whether you stop by every once in awhile, or have gone from reader to close friend. The blogosphere is pretty cool in that it can bring us all together and share a little bit in each other's lives. Thanks for sharing in mine.

A la prochaine friends...

Honey   

A sunny day trip to Annecy

In yesterday's final blog post for the Sakura Bloom Sling Diaries, I wrote about the theme of travel...

...specifically, in part, the bliss of travel. To me, travel bliss is something different than merely being happy with traveling. To feel bliss while traveling is to be in a place that gives you a certain feeling that I just can't describe. It's something you just feel to the core of your soul when you're there. It's relaxation combined with happiness combined with the feeling that you've come home.  

The little town of Annecy is one of those places for me. 

There's just something about it. The second we begin walking through the park towards the lake, a park that is often filled with families having a picnic or running and playing, I just feel at home, like I belong there. 

That little town of canals is somewhere I could live in a heartbeat. Annecy is a very active city, with running and biking trails along the lake, and a ton of roller bladers to boot (yep, that's still a thing here). Paddle boats and swans dot the lake, tiny boats fill the canal by the carousel, and the town, the shops, it's just all so magical to me. I love to grab a renverse at Cafe des Ducs when we arrive, stare at the Bastille in the canal (who knew you could fall in love with a prison!), and people watch. 

It's where you'll find me swooning over every piece of ceramics in one of my favorite shops. It's where it seems I can always find fig gelato. It's where you feel like you can get lost on all the ancient cobblestone and winding alleys and hills. It's where we always find something new, no matter how often we make the daytrip. It is the Venice of France, and oh so much more. 

Pardon me while I wax poetic over one of my favorite cities in the whole wide world. So now it's your turn: what cities bring you absolute travel bliss? 

A la prochaine friends...

Honey