Photo Muggin'

love a goody bag full of souvenirs for parties. Little gifts to use during celebrations or to take home and remember the weekend. So when we all gathered for my mother's birthday at the beach, it was a perfect opportunity to try photo transfer coffee mugs and fill them to the brim with goodies.

To create the cups, you must first pick that perfect family portrait and scale it down small enough to fit on your cuppo. Then print out multiple copies on regular computer paper.

My grandfather was quite the looker, no?

Cut off any excess paper around the photo and using ModPodge photo transfer medium, coat the mug and the photo completely.

Place the picture face down on the cup, coat the back, and allow to dry overnight or as close to 24 hours as possible.

Using a sponge or wet rag, wet the photo back completely while pressing down on the photo. Once soaked, pull the paper off of the mug. It will come off leaving the colored photo transferred on the mug. If it leaves a paper residue, use your finger to gently rub it off or if you have any under the sink, an oil based furniture polish will also remove the film and remove the dull of the photo.

Blot the mug dry and coat with a clear acrylic coating - do your best not to spray the entire mug (the rim or inside) only the photo needs covering.

Using a sharpie, I added  "Edisto Beach Trip 2014" and popped the mugs in the oven at 350 degree F for 25 minutes - which will not hurt the photos, but if you have any extra glue will turn it brown (ew!) Use a Goof-Off cleaner to clean them up and then add all the extra Kahlua bottles, coffee pods, and wine charms from there.

Great family gifts for cheap! 

Beltline Brunching Atlanta

Spring has slowly been creeping in and we have been able to spend a few Sundays brunching in the beginnings of the spring sunshine. I was proudly anointed "Brunch Planner" of the crew - most likely due to the amount of restaurants I veto on a weekly basis (I refuse to step foot in Midtown). Nevertheless, I am very proud and have taken the job seriously as the weather warms and the outside playtime beckons.

The one spot I have visited each weekend is the newly opened BeltLine along the East Corridor of the city. The BeltLine is a multi-use trail that is redeveloping lands around Atlanta and connecting much of the city. It is an amazing idea for Atlanta, which is known for its addiction to cars and can only credit Marta as a transportation alternative.

Seriously, once it took me 40 minutes to fly from Nashville to Atlanta and 90 minutes to take Marta from the airport to my house. But this isn't about Marta, or why they didn't think to build an express train to the airport - how great would that be?

 

The BeltLine runs along a previously used railway corridor and will be a continuous loop that will transverse over 22 miles for running, biking, and skating once completed. There will be trails to connect neighborhoods to the BeltLine and in the future plans also propose a light rail for additional transport.

Although all of these factors make me a strong supporter of the project, the best addition is the space that is being revived. Old warehouses are being developed into establishments such as Ponce City Market - a spot I cannot wait to try and 13 city parks will be expanding the green space of our "City in a Forest."

How great will it be for dinners out on the trolley, runs in the evening, and grabbing drinks and walking home along the BeltLine? Atlanta, you got me falling in love with you all over again.

  

Although the BeltLine isn't finished, we have been able to get to know every brunch spot, shop, and quirky stops along the way. And some of our favorite restaurants are located along the BeltLine and I love any opportunity to go more often.

Start your walk in Inman Park and stop for brunch at Parish. Bring a bottle of wine or order your mimosas and bloody marys and sit on their wooden benches they have set up along the BeltLine. Sit, people watch, and chat your hangovers away. This is my favorite spot along the path and they need more benches already!

Head towards Piedmont Park, stopping in at Paris on Ponce to do a bit of antique scavenging and grab water for your puppies and yourself. There are doggie water bowls and free water (and coffee if you need the boost) for all. If I could only afford one of these beautiful pieces. For now I will just lust over them...

Make your way to Piedmont Park to lay in the sun, grab beers at Parktavern, and throw the Frisbee and stay until evevning. Catch your friends and favorite kickball teams for Sunday games or start an impromptu game of your own. You'll always find others wanting to join in the park.

As the sun sets on your day, walk back to Inman Park and grab dinner and drinks at Barcelona Wine Bar and sit by their outdoor fireplace to enjoy their half priced wine on Sundays!

If it gets alittle chilly, grab one of their complementary blankets and cuddle up with your friends. Enjoy the Spring chill while you can because it won't last long in Atlanta!

What are some of your favorite brunch playgrounds?

Stuck in Qatar and being saved by travel points

Disclaimer. Everyone always ask me how I fly so often. Although I ramble about travel hacking a good deal and it has decreased the anxiety, I usually fly standby.

Don't shake your head and vow against it at this point. Yes, delta-bratting may have gotten me lost in the world a few times, but it also has given me the world. And for as many bumps and schedule crushing stories I have, there are 22 countries (and 174 to go) worth of exciting adventures, first class seats, relationships, and life changing moments that I never would have been able to do otherwise. So a little nervous standby action is definitely worth the trouble. 


And I will never give up being a Delta Brat. It is in my blood and I do love the anxiety of it. When it goes well, its great but when it goes bad - you are going to have to get creative. Which is how Katie and I ended up in Qatar. Doha to be exact!

But how beautiful is this place?! I love how a haphazard mistake in travel planning, a delayed plane-train-bus fiasco, or a route change can make your trip a million times better and you end up finding a favorite place or a favorite travel story to tell over and over again.

 

And I love a good travel story. 2014 seems to be the year of the travel story for me and I have already been saved (financially anyways) due to my recent attempts at travel hacking. Before our international adventure to Africa we began the never ending quest for flight points. Although a loyal Skymiles member, we applied for a Chase Sapphire Card to earn double points on all traveling and dining while we were away. Check my travel hacking post for more information, but I cannot recommend this card enough if you are a traveler and/or contemplating trips in the near future.This is the best travel card on the market right now.

And HUGE news in my world: as of May 1st, American Express will also waive all foreign transaction fees.

With our Chase cards, we were able to get very discounted seats RT from Johannesburg to Cape Town on South African Airlines (I won't mention the lost luggage SAA or the 15 hours it took to have it delievered...Grrr) and a FREE emergency flight from Dulles to Atlanta on US Air after 32 hours, over 20,000 miles, and multiple days of traveling.

But, when you are traveling you end up making great friends and spend the multiple 15 hour flights roaming around the Middle Eastern plane you are on "galley hopping" for wine.



Or watching the continent of Europe pass by. 

 

Or roaming with your new favorite travel buddies in matching socks. Oh, Qatar Airlines you are the greatest for providing us matching socks.

And since my 40,000 were not deposited yet into my bank, this was all done just by using the points I earned during our trip to Africa. However, Chase does have a 60 day policy to retroactively pay yourself back using points. Once deposited (it take 2-3 cycles), I used them to pay for our flight from Doha, Qatar to Washington D.C - meaning multiple, worldwide FREE trips. All it takes is swiping your card (which you are anyways) and ANYONE can fly as often as I do and spend a day along the Persian Gulf - or find your own new favorite place to travel.

Plus, I knocked off another continent! South America I am coming for you soon...

Vine Hopping Stellenbosch

I admit it, I have my vices and I would like to keep each and every one.


Stellenbosch agreed that I should not give them up and provided me the best red wine I have tasted (and also the cheapest!) of anywhere in the world.

Stellenbosch is a valley east of Cape Town that is home to the best and largest producing wine vineyards in the continent. It is situated on the banks of a river and hidden from the strong ocean winds that can plague Cape Town leaving the vines to grow under the protection of Table Mountain. And it is everything you are imagining and more.

There are over 200 wine producers and vineyards so you won't be able to hit them all but after spending the afternoon vineyard hopping, these are some of our favorites.

Starting at Annandale, this vineyard is owned by a world famous, fifth generation rugby legend who doesn't sell his wine to the public. His accountant, Pierre, does the wine tastings and he only provides wine for his favorite tasters.

and the royal family. The only wine served at the wedding of Prince Albert and Charlene of Monaco in 2011, this was a left over bottle that we convinced Pierre to open. Named Chalbert (Charlene+Albert - get it?!) it was a favorite for good reason.

The estate is a horse farm and reminded me of my southern home in Aiken.

This should top your list of vineyards in the region and tell Pierre I said "Hello!"

Our next stop was Middelvlei, where we were welcomed by a tortoise and a wallaby at the front door (yes, really) and walked into a cozy den with a fireplace and a friendly braii on the veranda.

 After filling our tummies and slowing the wine effects, we were taught the wine making process and siphoned out our own wine from barrels.

 And barrels...

Which is where things got ....silly. In the best way they could.

On to Fairview, this vineyard was located in Paarl and was the most "corporate" of the bunch. It was crawling with tourists, had a full shop of cheese and jams, and a restaurant that served a limited, but delicious menu.

We did a standard tasting, had a selection of six wines that were each paired with a cheese for R25 or $2.30USD.

Can I do this tasting over and over again for $2.30!?

On the return to Cape Town, Katie and I won a bottle of wine that we shared with the flight attendant in our group that was retiring on KLM the following day.

I just love those flight attendants.

And I love red wine from South Africa. When you go, drink lots of pinotage. Or an even better suggestion, just bring me back some pinotage.

Bring me back all of the pinotage. And Pierre. 

Holi dance parties

Katie and I experienced all four seasons in two weeks time - which didn't help the packing situation. We left Atlanta in the fleeting days of winter to arrive to summer in the southern hemisphere and arrived home in the first (chilly) but nonetheless spring days. But while away we celebrated the coming Autumn during Holi Fest.

Holi is a Hindu religious ceremony that celebrates the coming Spring with vibrant colors and powders that are covered over your body and thrown into the sky. Not wanting to be left out of all the fun, Cape Town hosted their own Holi events to celebrate the coming colder days of Autumn with a perfect African backdrop.

We painted the town red (really it was yellow, and red, and blue...)

and attended the Holi One Festival, a concert that was taking place on the steps of Castle of Good Hope. The Castle is not of royal decent (we can't all of our own castles like I do) but a colonial post for ships to resupply as they rounded the Cape of Africa.

 We purchased new plain, white tees (with a London Underground logo because why not?!) to destroy in the madness of Holi Fest and after moments inside we were running and giggling so much that I couldn't catch my breath. But it may have been from the powder in my lungs.There was a "powder free" zone for the less brave but the moment you crossed the line you were fair game to everyone.

At one point a German walked up to us, decided we should not have sleeves on, and ripped them in one quick tug. It was quite the surprise but made for cute new tank tops for summer in the states that we are obviously very excited for.

It was a perfect way to celebrate Autumn our Spring a few days early on the opposite side of the globe and check Holi off that bucket list of mine. I didn't know Holi was going to need so much scrubbing with soap and water though...

South Africa 2014

I think I must have been too excited and had to post updates about penguins and my favorite market before I ever said that I have been in South Africa for two weeks! Katie had Spring Break and I had too much time saved up at work so we decided to leave the cold winter weather for summertime and views like this that were summoning us across the equator.

We made the long 17 hour flight to Johannesburg to visit Nicola in Johannesburg, go on safari, roam through Stollenbosch, swim with sharks, and lazily lay on the beaches of Cape Town. A word of warning before you make this trek: Cape Town will capture your soul. It is a bustling, bohemian, surf town with the casual vibes of a ocean city and the pull of a popular cityscape.

Pull up delta.com and use your points to leave ASAP. 

 

There are endless amounts of activities to do here and down the surrounding coast and I will most likely ramble for many posts about my favorite places to go and things to do, but these are the experiences you can't miss and the BEST ways to maximize your stay:

1. BAZ Bus 
If you are willing to travel around a bit and are open to traveling as I do, bouncing from one hostel to the next, making best friends every night, and traveling on the cheap - check out BAZ Bus. I wish someone had mentioned this before we went but it is on the agenda for my next trip to South Africa. The bus is a Hop On/Hop Off traveler bus that you can purchase 7 or 14 day tickets and travel the eastern cape - starting and ending in Cape Town in the south and Kruger in the North. This is the best and cheapest way to experience everything off the "tourist route" and it includes discount hostel stays along the way.

2. Safari 
You're in Africa. Go on a safari, see the BIG 5, and take beautiful pictures.

Try not to get too close.

If you are near Johannesburg on your way into or out of South Africa, make the trip to Kruger.  If you don't have a car, catch City Bug from the OR Tambo Airport to Nelspruit. If you have a booking at Kruger they will pick you up from here and take you into the park. Stay a few nights to enjoy the park if your schedule allows.

 

If you travel the coast by Baz Bus or after renting a car, stop at Addo Elephant Park. Just search their hashtag on Instagram if you are unaware of your love of elephants. Plus, the stay is $145 for three nights, not including park fees.

The best outside of Cape Town is Aquila - this is a game reserve and not a safari as you may be imagining so make sure you book accordingly. Day safaris will run you around $225 but you will see the Big 5 and it does NOT include transportation from/to Cape Town.

3. Stay in Camps Bay 
Green Point is also nice, close to the V&A waterfront, and easy to grab a cab to Lion's Head or up to the vineyards. However, Camps Bay is your beach paradise, a quick walk to beautiful beaches and the best spot if you want bars and nightspots as part of your stay. The views here are unreal and you can rent out a house or apartment on the cheap through AirBNB. Book early if you are going in the summer months, Camps Bay is small and these places fill up fast!

4. Dinners/Drinks/Stops along the Way
 Go to Mzoli's in the Gugulethu township for a real South African braai (BBQ) and dancing. Grab dinner on Long Street at Mama Africa, sit in the room with the nightly band, buy their CD, and split the Wild Game Grill with the table. 



 Feast on crocodile, springbok, ostrich, kudu with a side of pap, an authentic South African polenta like dish.Grab sundowners at Cafe Caprice in Camps Bay, enjoy the sunset and stay until closing or head over to Long Street to enjoy local breweries on the rooftop bar at Grand Daddy Hotel.

5. Hit the markets- and leave lots of room in your suitcase
Shop at Greenmarket square for all your African trinkets, drums, and more jewelry than you care to admit you bought. It is located off Long Street - you can't miss it. Go right before closing at 5pm when everyone is ready to make a deal and go home. We went back three times.

Do they tourist thing and make it over to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. This place is a mall on the wharf but our favorite spot was Market on the Wharf of endless food pop-ups, juice bars, and treats.

And please do not forget to go to Old Biscuit Mill on Saturday morning!

6. Get on your feet!
Hike the 3 hour, one-way trek up Table Mountain (one of the new 7 Natural Wonders of the World), bring your sundowners and snacks for the sunset, and catch the last tram back at 8pm. Be careful though, if the tablecloth (clouds) descend on the mountain, they will shut the tram and you will be hiking back - possible in the dark!

 

With views like this, it is worth the risk. If you are in need of an extra thrill, take a trip up Table Mountain and then take a leap of faith - try paragliding or abseiling off the top for the best views of Cape Town. You will never regret an Abseil trip!

But then there's Lion's Head. Hike this. Hike it twice but know it isn't for the faint of heart. The 45 minute one way trek is a climb. You will use chains, ladders, and throw yourself up boulders to make it to the top.

 

It is worth every step and scratch along the way. The climb is empowering and the views as you sit and dangle hundreds of feet above the ocean are breathtaking.

Just remember your flashlight for the climb down. This in the dark isn't for the clumsy.

 

 7. Stollenbosch and Constantia

 

Oh, wine routes of South Africa. Stay a night in Stollenbosch if you are able and grab Vine Hopper, a Hop On/Hop Off that shuttles you between vineyards throughout the day at your own schedule. Or take a transfer from Cape Town and tour through the region with Bikes n' Wine (because what is better then wine and bikes?) or Wine Flies (or both!). This place is unreal and South African wine is the best I have had in the world - and I can be a wine snob.

Head to Constantia to visit Groot Constantia, the oldest vineyard in the country, buy a bottle of wine and then head to Kirstenbosch, the largest botanical gardens in the Southern Hemisphere to attend one of their Sunday night concerts during the summer.

8. Sharks
The top activity to do in South Africa? Your trip will not be complete without Great Whites! These tours will take you to Gansbaai, provide your wetsuits, and get you up close to one of the most beautiful and terrifying creatures on Earth. The water in Cape Town is colder in the summer because of the ice melting in Antarctica (crazy right!?) but will provide for the best visibility in the water. Brave the chill and jump in!

Cape Town is a dream and there are countless more reasons it is #1 travel destination for 2014. We have already began planning our trip back for December.

Summer, you can't get away from me....