Perks of Parks in Madrid

Hey guys!

I’m writing this post from my couch in Chicago. But I was just in Spain where I was finally reunited with my best friend for a short three weeks over the holidays. While I was there, I completely fell in love with Retiro Park. Retiro is like the Central Park of Madrid. So its HUGE, and has so much going on.

In the center of the park is a gorgeous man-made pond with rowboats people can rent by the hour. I opted out of taking one for a spin because I was alone. So instead I decided to plant myself next to a statue for some one-on-one time with my book, Sharp Objects (written by the same author as Gone Girl, and so so good).

Shannon came with me on my second trip to the park, and we got to see the Glass Palace, which is basically a huge building made of glass that looks so cool when the sun is shinning. The Glass Palace is owned by one of the huge art museums here in Madrid called the Reina Sophia (free with a student ID if you’re under 25!). When we went, they were featuring an American Horror Story fashioned trailer complete with beyond creepy music, a life size wax women, and way too many dancing puppets. Check out Shannon’s Vine here to get a better idea.

After the Palacio de Cristal we wondered around some of the park, and were BOTH pooped on by a Spanish bird. Luckily, a super friendly Spanish couple was eager to help us and spent a solid five minutes cleaning it off us, and asking if we were okay (maybe that’s what they were saying, it didn’t take long for me to realize my 5 years studying spanish were pretty much useless).

If you find yourself in Madrid, a day spent in Retiro is a day well spent (without actually spending any euros)!

Update: Where have we been…?

Sorry, sorry, sorry followers of Yours Truly, Twins. There has definitely been some radio silence on this blog for a few months now, but I swear we have a good excuse. Kayla has been working her butt off at school, and just finished her bachelors degree 2 weeks ago! She even has a full-time job offer at a fancy advertising agency *rockstar much?* and I have been living in Spain…

I started a new blog with my boyfriend about our lives in Spain, if you want, you can check it out here.

BUT, Kayla is coming to Spain for 3 whole weeks! She gets here on Tuesday, so watch out for some twin-filled blog posts about our adventures throughout Europe!

P.S. here are some twin photos “blast from the past” edition to hold you over until next week:

 

4 Spanish Trends I’m Dying to Try

Spanish fashion is very similar to American fashion, but there are definitely some pieces I’ve noticed that are SUPER popular here & aren’t a big deal in the States (yet). Being the shop-a-holic that I am, I feel like it’s my duty to try out these trends, okay maybe I’m just using my abroad experience as an excuse to shop, but potato potahto …. Also, as you’ll see in the following photos I have become kind of a creep #sorrynotsorry.

1. Printed Joggers

 

I know these bad boys are starting to gain traction in the US, due to the billion fashion blogs I follow, but they are already a big f*ckin deal here. Must get a pair! Printed joggers are like an acceptable way to wear pajamas outside and still look chic.

2. Baby Doll dresses

 

I’ve noticed that a lot of women wear dresses here, maybe more so than in the states. I am in love with these super simple swing dresses that look flattering on any figure, and it’s pretty much like wearing a giant t-shirt in public while still looking adorable (do you see a pattern in my fashion taste…?).

3. Shoes!

 

Sweet booties + printed joggers = fall must have

 

The Spanish’s shoe game is solid. Look at all these fun pairs that I creepily took pictures of while on the metro! I neeeed them all. Also, shoes are less expensive here, and there are a ton of little shoe stores sprinkled throughout the city.

 

4. Swing Tops

 

Last but not least, the flowy top. I’ve noticed the bohemian style is super in here, which I loveee. The teacher I work with actually has the best bohemian style ever, but we don’t know each other well enough for me to take a picture of her outfits everyday…

 

 

Summer’s Last Hurrah: Austin, TX

Hey All!

I was lucky enough to say farewell to summer 2014 with my Andy in Austin, TX.  We try to take as many trips to as many new places as we can and as cheap as possible. Austin is an  amazing city for twenty somethings like us! Its like the entire city is one giant Wick Park/ Logan Square, where every bar has an outdoor patio decked out in string lights!

We had  a fantastic time, but couldn’t get our Midwest bodies to adjust to 100 degree weather. Here are a few highlights from our trip that you should definitely check out if your heading to Austin

1. Pools & Springs

It didn’t take long for us to realize its nearly impossible to be outside during the day if you are not in some kind of water. But not to worry, Austin has a ton of really fun and gorgeous places to go if you’re trying to beat the heat.

We paddle boarded on Lady Bird Lake (not as hard as I thought it would be), took a drive to Hamilton Pool,visited Barton Springs, another natural spring right in Austin.

Hamilton Pool 

 

Paddle Boarding on Lady Bird Lake 

2. Lodging & Transportation

Andy and I stayed at an AirBnb with a young couple who lived just a few miles from downtown. The room was only $45 a night (sooo cheap) and we were able to use their fridge, coffee, and TV! This was our second time using Airbnb and I would totally recommend it if you’re traveling on a tight budget.

So Andy and I aren’t 25 or older, so renting a car would have cost us our souls. BUT Austin just got Lyft and Uber, which made getting downtown and back super cheap. If you’re traveling to a big city, check and see what ride share programs they have and you could save yourself from wasting a ton of money on rentals.

We also rented a ZipCar for one day to get to Hamilton Pool. Its a really good idea to get a membership to ZipCar or Enterprise because you can rent cars by the hour AND they cover insurance and gas! Not a bad way to get around town.

3.  Food & Drinks

Obviously saving the best for last, FOOD and DRINKS. Let me tell you, Austin has no shortage of delicious food (TACOS) and craft cocktails, and the best part is they’re supa cheap. My favorite places were recommended by my friend who is from Texas (thanks Dacy!). The first being a hamburger place with all fresh local ingredients and buns made in house called Hopdoddy Burger Bar. We also went to a fantastic ice cream shop, Amy’s. It was decked out in superhero and cartoon creations and had a photo booth (I can never pass up a good photo booth)! It was a great place to beat the heat and enjoy a treat.

Amy’s ice cream 

Rainy St. Bar

Yellow Jacket Social Club

Here are a few more pics!

Baylor Street Art

 

 

Salt Lick BBQ

 

Austin knows whats up

 

Congress Bridge (home to the largest bat colony in North America-so squeaky!) 

BBQ Pit at Salt Lick

 

What was the highlight of your summer?

5 Reasons Why Summer 2K14 Was the Best

5. Leo Burnett fiestas

 

I met the coolest people this summer during my summer internship at Leo Burnett. I was lucky enough to become super good friends with my intern group family. I’ll definitely miss them, but I know our paths will cross again.

4. Spain gave me permission to live there

I GOT MY VISA! After months of planning, gathering paperwork, and jumping through a dozen other hoops, I finally have my wonderful, beautiful visa.

3. Logi and I celebrated 5 whole years together!

 

WOAH! Logan and I have been together for 5 years now. It’s amazing how much we’ve changed and grown since we first started dating. I’ m supa lucky to have this goofball in my life. And even after 5 years I still like him 😉

2. My roommate was also my BFF

Kayla and I got to spend soooo much time together this summer, which was absolutely amazing. I leave for Spain in a little over a week, so this summer was some good quality sister time before I leave. I’m so lucky to be a twin, and to have Kayla as my other half.

1. We welcomed Asiago to the Waisath Clan

If you don’t follow me on Instagram, maybe you aren’t aware of my obsession with Asiago. Kayla adopted Asiago from Paws in June, and it’s been super fun watching him grow and play and be crazy (I know I sound like a weirdo cat lady). There’s something about having a pet that brings a certain life to your home, and you can bet our little crispy nugget has brought a lot of joy to our apartment.

 

Was this the best summer ever for you?! I hope so!

 

You’re never too old for a petting zoo

So a couple weekends ago, Kayla, Logan, and I put on our explorin’ boots and set out for some mini adventures. After a half dozen stops or so on the red line and we were in Chinatown! They were having their annual summer festival, and like most Chicagoans, we are suckers for a good street fest . Obviously the best part of the festival was this little petting zoo! Look at Kayla cuddlin’ up to a lil piggy and cow friend (take note: Kayla is not smiling at the child trying to feed the piglet, but rather giving the poor toddler side eyes).

 

I had never been to Chinatown, and didn’t realize it was such a huge, vibrant neighborhood. The festival was packed with culture *wooooot,* and local cuisine, but  we decided to eat at a local place instead of one of the booths.

 

This place was INSANE (sorry, can’t remember the name). No one spoke English, there were cooked ducks (with their heads still on) hanging in a giant oven, and a ton of people speaking Chinese. And those are the things that made this place awesome! I got this super tasty shrimp and egg rice dish at the low low cost of $4!

 

Logi bought this super tasty Chinese desert. I think it was called Lotus Paste? Either way it was delicious and unique.

 

 

The weekend fun doesn’t stop there. Logan and I also toured around a small neighborhood called Andersonville. It feels like a charming suburb, but It’s really just a quick trip down Clark street. Andersonville has a lot of charming boutiques, cool restaurants, and a bunch of hipsters.

 

My favorite part about Andersonville is this Mediterranean place. Chicken schwarma wraps for $4!!! Nomzzzz

 

Have you explored any new neighborhoods?

 

 

Introducing: Prince Asi

“Can I haz cheeseburger?!”-Asiago

Hello all!

If you follow me on Instagram, or are my friend on Snapchat you are well aware I adopted a kitten a few weeks ago. Asiago *yes, like the cheese* is the cutest fuzzball around and I  am completely obsessed with him. This little guy has already managed to cause me loads of stress, heartache, but most importantly, love.

I adopted my little nugget from PAWS, a local animal shelter. After a fantastic first weekend with Asi he started acting really lethargic. He wasn’t interested in any of his toys, and pretty much slept for two days straight.  This sent me into a complete state of panic, and I rushed him to the vet. The doctor told me he had lost weight since I had been there for his wellness exam four days earlier, and his blood tests came back saying he was anemic. The vet told me he likely had contracted FIP, a deadly virus that kills cats in a matter of weeks *cue heartbreak*. I was devastated, and spent a lot of time sobbing at home and blasting John Legends ‘All of Me‘ while drying my tears on my sick furry baby. The next day I took him to the vet to have another test that would confirm he had been exposed to the virus.

Over the next several days, Prince Asi began to act like a normal, healthy kitten running, jumping, playing, and exploring. All of us were completely surprised since the vet was practically convinced he had contracted the deathly virus.

A few days later we got the results of the blood tests,  negative *YAY*.  We celebrated by getting the little man a laser pointer (his new fav).  Though he was negative for FIP, we still weren’t sure what was causing his anemia. I went to the vet this week and it turns out he’s no longer anemic! During this whole ordeal PAWS has been so helpful and offered to pay for all his tests (close to $650).

Asi’s glamour shot

We still have no idea what was wrong with him those few days, but I am so happy he is a healthy kitten! Although I’m not a fan of his 6AM wakeup calls via kitten paw slaps to the face, it’s amazing the life that one fuzzy ball of love can bring to a home.

Here are some of the hundreds of pictures we’ve taken of the nugget. Enjoy!

Asi loves to cuddle!

Asi is convinced this glass was made for him. Its purrrrfect!

 

Teach me how to henna

 

Kayla and I have been suffering from some major tattoo envy, but we are weenies and can’t actually commit to putting something on our bodies FOREVER. So how do we get our temporary tattoo fix without resorting to those little temporary tattoos you apply with some hot water? Henna. For our henna project we used “India’s Best Dulan” henna; I bought it in Madison, WI, but I’m sure you can find a tube of it on Amazon.

Step 1: Channel your inner artist

Cut the very tip off the henna tube and start designing your henna tat. You’ll need to free-hand the henna design. Do not trace the tattoo with pen first, because the henna has a weird reaction with pen ink, and it won’t turn out right (I speak from experience). 

 

Step 2. Patience is a virtue

Leave the henna alone for a hot minute (probably like 30 minutes), or until it’s dry and flaky. 

Step 3: Brush that dirt (henna) off your shoulder

After a little while, the henna will dry and start flaking off your body. This is where you can start brushing it off. The henna ink is a dark brown, but it’ll stain your skin a dark orange color *neattt*

 

Step 4: Look cool & cultured

Sorry guys, most people know what henna is, so they won’t think you got a tattoo. But I can guarantee you’ll look pretty cool and read up on the history of henna so you can be cultured too. 

 

 

 

Sunshine & Samples

Summer in the city is off to a great start, minus this week of constant overcast. A few weekends back we forced ourselves out of bed and went to the farmers market in Lincoln Park! Chicago is full of markets, almost every neighborhood has their own (Logan Square’s market is next on our list). The absolute best thing about farmers markets are all the *free samples* If you love trying jams, cheeses, and other yummy treats, make sure you pull yourself out of bed early at least one Saturday this summer to check out any of the Chicago markets. Shannon and I both got purple asparagus, which was super fresh and delicious on the grill. Andy got a cherry tomato plant, which weaka I get all the free tomatoes I want this summer (these plants produce like crazy so you get the best bang for your buck!). Click here to find a farmers market in your neighborhood!     *Alert: Dog lovers* The  second best thing to free samples are definitely all the pups at the market!

Andy and I grilling our fresh and tasty food from the market! How do you usually spend your Saturday mornings?

Shannon’s Summertime Wishlist

1. Embroidered blouses // 2. Mini backpack // 3. Statement earrings // 4. Black romper // 5. Sandal booties 

Summer has finally hit the midwest with full force, and I couldn’t be happier about it. This winter was a long one for us, so it’s pretty amazing to finally enjoy the outdoors again (yay for outdoor seating, patio bars, and long walks around the city). A new season means new items that I have been oogling over. I keep noticing embroidered tops around the city, and can’t wait to get my hands on a flowy number like this old navy one. Carrying a purse around the city can hurt one of my shoulders, so a fun little backpack like this one would be a good investment. Statement earrings, because duh. I love me a good romper, and I think I need a plain black one that could be dressed down for daytime, and dressed up for a night on the town. Last but not least I have been eyeing these summer sandals for MONTHS, but still don’t have them for some reason…

Do you have any summer items on your wish list?