A Furtastic Voyage

Let's go on a furtastic voyage, shall we?  Come on... Why say no when it feels so good to say yes??

(Psh, faux fur of course.. faux ain't no foe of mine!) 

Clockwise from left to right: Black Wool Faux Fur Trim | Faux Fur Funnel Snood | Denim Fur Padded Overcoat | Faux Fur Mink Travel Blanket | Fur Collar Oatmeal Cardigan | Red Bowknot Worsted Coat with Faux Fur Lapel | Fur Lined Black Raincoat | Gray and White Faux Fur Coat | Alice + Olivia Evana Coat with Fur Trim | Faux Fur Headband | Blue Fur Coat | Snow Faux Fur Earmuffs | Duffle Coat with Fur Hood

FAUXNOMINAL, right?!

I GUESS I'm in the mood for something decadent and warm if fur is where my thoughts are wandering to... Maybe I should just settle for a food substitute with those attributes instead.. Hmmm.  We shall see.  Anyway, these fur items are hot (in more ways than one)!  So maybe you should get them while the going's hot!  Ahh, I can't stop! Won't stop....  

... So I'll just sign off for now.  Laters!

Here We Go A Wassailing!

Today is a special day on here because I am "giving away" a family recipe.  Gasp! I know, tsk tsk, Keeley Kraft!  But you know what?  You guys deserve it!! You've been good all year, haven't you? ;)  A few days ago I overheard a few friends talking about wassail and quickly inserted myself into the conversation as this is something I. KNOW. ABOUT.

My grandmamma used to make wassail around the holidays and my mama carries on the tradition every year and serves it at her annual holiday party.  And every year whenever I'm passing by the wassail pot, I always hear someone ask:  "Now, what exactly is wassail?"  Which invariably incites someone else chiming in with the lyrics:

"Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green;
Here we come a-wand'ring
So fair to be seen.

Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail too"

... Which garners feigned recognition while a confused expression still remains on the face of the questioner.   So today, I'm here to set the record straight!

Wassail refers to both the drink of wassail and the salute "Waes Hail" meaning "be you healthy" in Old English.  The drinking of wassail is a fundamental part of the act of wassailing, which is an ancient southern English drinking ritual performed as a way to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year.

This "ritual" is performed through a ceremony that involved singing and drinking to the health of the trees in hopes that this might make them thrive better.  More specifically, that through wassailing, the cider apple trees will be awakened and coincidentally, the evil spirits will be scared away thus ensuring a good harvest the following autumn.

     I think this is an adapted ritual where they attach a beer tap to a tree???  I like it!

During the ceremony, it is traditional for a wassail King and Queen to lead the processional song/tune (which is either played with instruments and/or sung) from one orchard to the next.  In each orchard, the wassail Queen is lifted into the boughs of the tree where she places toast soaked in wassail from the "clayen cup" as a gift to the tree spirits (and to show the fruits created the previous year).  (Um, fun!  Can I be the wassail Queen??)

The drink of wassail boils down to a hot mulled punch (no pun intended :). Historically, the drink was a mulled cider made with sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and topped with slices of toast. Modern recipes begin with a base of wine, fruit juice, or mulled ale, sometimes with brandy or sherry added and apples or oranges are often added to the mix as well.

My G-ma's recipe isn't the traditional recipe to a T (hint: we add rum), but I would argue it's the best one.  So without further ado, I present you with the b̶e̶s̶t̶ recipe for Wassail to help you ring in the Yuletide spirit:

CHRISTMAS WASSAIL

1 1/2 QUARTS OF CRANBERRY JUICE
1 GALLON OF APPLE CIDER
(4) 6 OZ CANS OF FROZEN ORANGE JUICE
8 CUPS OF WATER
5 TABLESPOONS OF SUGAR
1 TEASPOON OF ALLSPICE
AND A PINCH OF CINNAMON

Add all ingredients to a large pot and heat on the stove.  After heating AND while it's still on the stove, add rum if desired.

Slice oranges and stud them with cloves so they float on top of the wassail.

Caution: drink "spiked" wassail with caution as the taste of the alcohol can be strongly disguised!

So, there you have it!  Sometimes the best recipes come with the simplest of instructions ;).

Now, bring on the holidays!

A Bird in the Hand...

....Doesn't Compare to a Day in the Bush!  Boom. Humor.

I hope you guys liked yesterday's post because I heard proverbial crickets up in here in the way of reactions from y'all.  But instead of reading into that and possibly adapting (pssh... who does that?), I'm forging on with the original plan of making today's post an extension of yesterday's.  So, if you all were trying to send me a message, it did't work!  But, you can head back here tomorrow when "normal" posting will resume, if that's any consolation.

... So, now that we've gotten that out of the way, where were we?  Oh yes, I believe I had just finished telling you all about how my mom and I went to sleep in cozy little beds and dreamt of sugar plums in our excited little heads after a pampered day at the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.... The following morning, we were awakened with a knock on our door bright and EARLY!  We opened the door to this other little room that acts as a "buffer room" between the outdoors and the bedroom.  (I presume that the concept behind this, is to prevent "indecent exposure"/awkward moments between guests and staff personnel, lest a guest might answer a knock on the door otherwise indisposed.  But this way, the staff can drop off room service or other items you may have requested, in the little room, notify you with a knock and then gracefully exit - allowing you to retrieve the delivery dressed (or undressed) in whatever your current state may be).  Upon this particular knock, we opened the "interior exit door" to find coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits as our wake up call.  Hardly a literal "wake up call" by any means!

We then dressed in a minimum of 5 layers each (as it was quite brisk outside) and headed, with escort, to meet our guide at our designated Land Rover for the day.  I should explain that it is recommended for guests to utilize the resort's armed and trained escorts when moving about the premises as it's not uncommon for wild animals to roam freely onto the property.  Unfortunately/Fortunately we did not come face to face with any wild, and potentially dangerous, species but man, wouldn't that have been a cool story if we had? :)  Apparently, it happens more often than you'd think!

But anyway, it's pretty much standard on these safaris to head out at the break of dawn as that's one of the prime times to spot animals.  So we headed into the Crater at an ungodly hour and as we made our way to our breakfast spot, we happened upon an elephant that came out of nowhere... as much as elephants can do that.  We parked on a stretch of the path and watched as a lone elephant snacked from a fairly nearby tree.  AND THEN... all of a sudden, she must have decided she wanted to walk off her meal and proceeded to head right towards where we were parked.  At a disconcerting speed, I might add.  Not wanting to startle the elephant but also not wanting to stand in her way, our guide slowly backed the jeep up.. but not before I got this action shot:

Oh yeah.... Wham Bam, Thank You Ma'am!

I also got this shot:

And some other sweet snaps:

As I'm sure you've probably already discovered on here, I'm not a great photographer and to date, the photos I took on this safari jaunt characterize my photography peak, so you're just going to have to endure my not-so-humble photo brags in this particular post.  Sorry I'm not sorry :).

After this semi-dramatic event, we had worked up quite an appetite and headed towards our breakfast spot in the bush.  Upon arrival, our guide jumped out of the car and began setting up a full on breakfast buffet under this tree in the middle of the grass.  I have always had this romantic fantasy that I would one day have the unique experience of dining amidst tall grasses and open plains with campaign furniture and fancy serving ware while the threat of dangerous animals wandering by loomed, so this scenario was overwhelmingly exciting for me.  #livingontheedge  

Following our feast, we spent the day driving around and catching some epic pics of various animals... Here's another gem I'm proud to put my name to:

And even saw a group of wildebeests drive out a lioness who had just killed a gazelle was trying to protect her kill.  But the most insane part of the day was when we pulled up and parked mere steps away from this feeding frenzy (Fair Warning: this video is NOT for the faint of hearted.  A lioness is literally eating a wildebeest... so if you never planned on seeing that in your lifetme, DO NOT watch this video):

After sitting witness to some pretty unbelievable scenes that are a natural way of life for animals in the wild, we had lunch at another spot in the bush and eventually had to say goodbye to our amazing guide and the luxurious lifestyle we were becoming too accustomed to.

The Ngorongoro Crater Lodge Safari experience was magical for so many reasons but most impressive was how much they took care to make every single detail exceptional. They made the adventure of looking at wild animals so much more than a car ride with binoculars... And that is why I recommend doing your research on different safari companies that offer packages in the same area because the details can totally make all the difference in your experience!

RAWR!

Crater Chic

I am SO SO sorry if you tuned in yesterday hoping to read about a sweet safari spot in Africa, only to find yourself disappointed by the same post as the day before up on the screen.  I got caught up in the throes of a h̶e̶l̶l̶i̶s̶h̶ super fun DIY project and, true to form, a disaster of sorts ensued, causing the fix to monopolize more of my time than I had allocated (let's just say: paint got where it shouldn't have.. Naughty paint!).  Of course, I will be posting about said DIY project once (if) it gets finished, but for now let's get to down to the reason you hopefully stopped by for in the first place: Luxury in the African Bush.

As I promised in Monday's post, I am going to share with you one of the places I stayed when I was on safari in Africa.  I've had the insane fortune of being able to "safari" in several African countries and in time, I hope to recount most of the safari experiences on here but because I don't want to take away from any one of those adventures by lumping them all together, I'm going to spread out their moments in the sun.  And actually, because the particular place I mentioned in Monday's post was so over-the-top incredible in a myriad of ways, it qualifies for two days worth of posting on here - A DOUBLE WHAMMY, if you will.  So today I'm going to talk about the accommodations themselves and tomorrow, will discuss the safari aspect and with that, the merits of being selective when choosing a safari company.

Now, color me high-maintenance or just a design aficionado (let's go with the latter) but I have never understood what people are talking about when they argue that the place you stay is a just a place to rest your head and thus, don't factor it heavily into their travel plans... As if!   I don't say that to mean I don't want to leave the hotel room when I go somewhere, not at all!  In fact, I consider myself to be an "active traveler" and would consider it a travel FAIL if I didn't get out of the hotel and see what the world outside it had to offer...  But to me, where you stay is just as important as what you do while you're there.  There is just something that feels magical about getting comfortable in foreign place and sleeping in a luxurious and unusual space when you're in a faraway... or even not so faraway land.

So enough of my ramblings.. I know that's not why you come here!  Let's start with an breathtaking photo.

Yes.. this is le "resort" that I've been leading up to for too many paragraphs.  Frankly, if that doesn't scream otherworldly to you, then I'm at a loss for what to try and impress you people with! :)  Now I'm not going to make any bones about it, this place is not cheap.  However, after I finished out my 3 month volunteering stint in Uganda, my mom came out to Eastern Africa 10 days prior to my dad and sister eventually joining us.  During the time it was just her and me, we went to Tanzania and had the opportunity to visit Arusha, Zanzibar and the Ngorongoro Crater (where the aforementioned resort lies) and this resort, aptly named the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, was the highlight and SPLURGE of our portion of the trip... but after our stay, we determined it was completely justified (from the viewpoint of two people who believe where you stay matters :).

The Ngorongoro Crater is located in the Northern part of Tanzania and is a conservation area.  The crater is a large volcanic caldera and is recognized as one of the seven natural wonders of Africa.  It is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and the unique variety of wildlife that can be found there.  The area is home to members of the Masaai tribe.  We had to take a very very tiny plane there.  When we arrived in our glorified air minibus, we were greeted at the landing strip with this:

Even though I look terrible, how amazing is that spread???

The resort had sent our guide, to meet us with snacks and the first of several adult libations. 

I HAD to sample the local beer, obviously!

We then drove for another hour and a half into the Crater.  Once we reached the resort, the entire staff was waiting out front singing as we pulled up and handed us delicious fruit drinks as we got out of our Land Cruiser.

(My apologies for the shaky and grainy amateur video).

As our bags were whisked off, we got a tour of the premises and were then escorted to our hut.  Which looked like this:

The bath had already been drawn, the fireplace was lit and a bottle of champagne was waiting on ice ("waiting" may not be the appropriate word choice :).  Perhaps I neglected to mention until now that this place is all-inclusive?  Silly me, how could I possibly forget that!

As you've probably gathered, the scene was set for romance.. and was wasted on my mom and me.  Not to say I didn't enjoy the rose petal path from the bed to the bathtub or the candlelit room adorned with roses abound!  Just another reason to go back again with a lovah! ;) 

Just to prove that the place really is as amazing as it appears online... That's our photo and this is the professional of the same scene:

It was OUT. OF. CONTROL. y'all!

After my mom and I each took our time in the tub with unparalleled views, me especially as I had not had a proper shower in 3 months after bathing with a bucket outdoors several times a week, we headed to the cocktail hour that was hosted on the veranda for all guests.  We enjoyed delicious canapes and cocktails before heading into the dining room for a unforgettable three course meal.

This was so uncanny, I can't help but mention it:  At met a couple from Boulder, Colorado (where I'm from) sitting at the table right next to us at dinner.  The gentlemen was even wearing a University of Colorado (my alma mater), sweatshirt.  Holla!

After dinner we "retreated" to our hut where the turndown service had left hot water bottles under our sheets to heat up our beds.  I just want to clarify here that, during this time of year, in this part of Africa, it was actually QUITE chilly.  But the hot water bottles and the uber soft comforters more than made up for it.  My mom and I went to sleep just to make sure we hadn't actually been sleeping the whole time and merely dreamed it all!

Now here are some photos for you patient folk:

Next up: Safari in the Ngorongoro Crater tomorrow!

Tour de Glance

This past weekend I went on a homes tour throughout Hermosa Beach + Manhattan Beach, California (AKA: my 'hood).  The tour is an annual city holiday tradition that is put on by a local women's organization and consists of a homes tour that winds through the South Bay of Los Angeles and allows you to peek into the lives of Manhattan Beach's elite :).  I have been on home tours before and have always enjoyed them as they are undoubtedly inspirational for collecting design ideas and intriguing to get a glimpse of what's behind normally closed doors.  It's also kind of interesting to go through the home of a complete stranger.. and try not to feel  jealous of their seemingly perfect lives.  Because that didn't happen to me at all... ;).

I was SUPER stoked for this tour especially, because I had heard a rumor that my #1-dream-house-of-all-time, which takes up several plots of land, is complete with a pool, uninterrupted ocean views, is a literal step from the sand, is impeccably "architectured," is located on "The Strand" (our version of a boardwalk/sidewalk running down the coast at the edge of the sand) and is reportedly owned by "the Sketchers guy" (whoever that guy is) was on the tour in years past and therefore might be on it again this year.  Spoiler alert: it was not on the house lineup this year.  But, that did not spoil my enthusiasm at all!  I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed, set for an adventure with my mimosa-filled red SOLO cup in hand.  Despite the torrential downpour that ensued, we had a large group of awesome ladies who were not about to let the weather rain on our parade.  And I mean that literally.

On the contrary, I was very excited to wear my red Hunter rainboots which get very little action in mostly-sunny-California.  You can tell I was overall unprepared for the elements however, by my lack of headgear... Notice how everyone's hair looks perfectly coiffed and except for mine which is more akin to a wet dog:

Anyway, either we weren't allowed to take pictures inside the homes or I just assumed we weren't because.. I didn't.  Did I mention we were drinking mimosas?

But I did manage to find these photos of the outside of the homes online, which might give you a sense of the experience? I'm hoping?

What actually ended up happening was this: at the second house we went to, they were giving away a free safari for two in Tanzania.  Having been on a safari in Tanzania myself, I got caught up in a conversation with the woman who was putting on the raffle and as everyone else toured the house and got onto the shuttle to head to the next destination, they realized I was missing and sent someone in to come find me.  Whilst I was being retrieved, the shuttle driver got all angsty and left in a huff, leaving me and my friend to wait interminably for the next shuttle.  After that fiasco, we all decided it was high time to go enjoy a delicious lunch at my favorite restaurant, MB Post and our tour train kind of lost steam after that.  We half-heartedly finished out the tour after lunch by seeing the last house and checking out the wine tasting tent (of course) but as soon as I got home I retreated into a food coma which lasted the duration of the day.  So that's the story of my Manhattan Beach holiday homes tour experience.  All in all , I had a great time hanging with an all-girl posse, enjoyed delicious food and beverages and managed to ease a little more into the holiday spirit, so the day was win in my book.

But, I am sorry I couldn't conjure up a more interior design relevant post out of this ripe- for-content adventure... I guess you could say day drinking and wild animals got in the way.. Story of my life.  :)

To make it up to y'all however, and in keeping with today's post, I'm going to post tomorrow on one of the places I stayed on safari in Tanzania that got me all excited when talking to the raffle woman about it and caused me to miss the shuttle.  So trust me when I say, YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON THAT!  The teaser is that it is right on par with Giraffe Manor, which if you don't know how awesome that is, you can find out in my post about my stay there, here.

#happymonday