New Years in Hanoi, and our first day of riding

 Picking up gear at the Explore Indochina offices

New Years in Hanoi

Motorcycle part heaven

My Russian Minsk

Not a bad place for a lunch break, huh?

For our first night on the road, we stayed at with a Thai family in an amazing stilt house. Aside from getting bit by a dog, it was a great experience!

Fabric scrap balls in a local market

Stunning colors on some vietnamese embroidery

A day in Hanoi

View from the hotel...not too shabby!

A very fancy hotel...which we are not staying in.

Inedible dogs wear sweaters, edible dogs wear sauce.

Cheap beers at breakfast

Cheap beers at lunch

Flying to Hanoi, via Tokyo

Best airplane dessert ever!

Flying over Alaska.

Tokyo airport food = delish.

Smoking duty-free cubans in the Tokyo airport lounge.

Hi-tech toilets...with bidet, music, and possible boob spray? I don't want to think about the bathroom situation in which all these options would be necessary.

Finally, a bed. 

valentine's brunch inspiration

I'm already so excited for the Valentine's Day brunch I'm throwing on the 12th! I leave for Vietnam tomorrow, so I will not be writing, but as soon as I return its going to be serious valentine craft time. Here are some inspiration photos I've gathered- definitely leaning towards a pink + metallics + lace theme, along the same lines as the valentines I made the other day.

I love these pumpkin pancakes, but I'm definitely going with classic pancakes. They'll be heart-shaped, of course!

a snowy, lazy weekend

Chicago finally got some snow, and I spent the weekend baking and taking cold, snowy cigar walks with the dogs. On Saturday, I drove out to the small town where I grew up so I could spend a little time with my parents before I leave for Vietnam. 

I love going to this bar in town- it feels like going back to 1970 and bumming around in somebody's living room. It certainly helps that dogs are welcome!