I have long been a huge IKEA fan - their groundbreaking furniture design combined with their global logistics have defined at least two generations of budget-conscious design aficionados. Today, they wowed me on yet another level - clever marketing. Just another reason to love IKEA (my other reasons include: chocolate almond cake, KARLSTAD couches, and the coolest napkins on the market)!
Houston and Dallas' rivalry goes way, waaaaaaaaay back. And that's quite the norm, isn't it? There seems to often exist a natural rivalry inclination when two substantial cities are housed by the same state (Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, anyone?). I have also observed that Americans are not the only ones prone to such comparisons either: I hail from Bulgaria and my growing up was marked by the rivalry between Bulgaria's capital Sofia and my hometown Plovdiv, or as the locals would call it, the cultural capital of Bulgaria (notice that innocent jab? Just couldn't help it...).
So, having lived in Houston for 6 years now, you can imagine the preconceived notions I had about Dallas without even setting a foot in it. And despite the long and rather uneventful drive to get there, my experience was a great reminder to always keep an open mind when traveling.
Downtown Dallas is quite charming! And contrary to popular belief, the Dallas I saw did not take itself seriously at all. The Downtown area boasts a natural contrast of old and new that I am always particularly fond of. It also displays some of the oddest pieces of art I have ever seen (pun intended, please see strange Eye Sculpture above). And, being the garden lover that I am, I truly enjoyed the small parks in between the skyscrapers which offered such a refreshing and minimalist area for rest.
I know that rivalries are natural and common... But why not be able to appreciate it all?
Who has fun packing, right? Well, I travel quite a lot for work and I have finally conquered the dread of getting ready by finding joy in the never-ending struggle to fit it all in my carry-on. And if you think about it, the challenge can be so much fun.
Pictured above is what I will actually be bringing to an upcoming trip to Dallas. I tend to keep it simple and have everything in the same color combination so that I can recycle the shoes, pants and jacket. Three different outfits, eleven articles altogether!
And given how much fun I had putting these outfits together and taking their pictures, I would not be surprised if I kept doing it for all my upcoming trips! Like I said, fun indeed!
Back in October, I finished my post about San Francisco with a "To Be Continued..." It is now February and I couldn't be happier to be back to this inspiring and creative city. This time around though, the weather was more than cooperative! And such a sunny and cool day presented the perfect occasion for a visit to the Golden Gate Park.
I thought staying at Union Square was a wise choice until I decided to visit the Golden Gate Park on foot! Typically, a 5-mile walk would not scare me. In San Francisco, however, it is a whole another story. And despite the grueling walk and changes of elevation, seeing the park itself was well worth the pain.
Here were my favorite things to experience:
My mom had a dream of visiting San Francisco since her early days as an architect. Next best thing was to see her daughter visit the fog city... Speaking of which:
End of October is cold and foggy in San Francisco. Yet I fell in love! I spend a mere day in this soaked with culture city and it left me craving for more. The stacked rows of gorgeous houses, the steep streets adorned with vegetation and character and the stunning unobstructed views... all working in inexplicable harmony to capture your gaze.
I would call San Francisco magical. And I will end this post with some wishful thinking...
To be continued....
Hello! My name is Katya. Welcome to my blog! Kaya Boutique is about home design, tasty food, travel adventures and some DIY projects, or all the things that make life creative and colorful.
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A few months back, a co-worker of mine convinced me to join my company's Spartan Race team. He didn't talk it up much: he mentioned it's a long-ish run with a few fun obstacles. You know, no big deal. Something someone who runs as much as me should complete more than easily (read, you don't really need to train for it). Ha ha ha.