Hi folks! I wanted to let everyone know that I’m going to continue this blog adventure at a new site called Cynema Travels. It’s been a great ride here on the Daily Cynema, but I’ve found that as the kids get older and our lives get busier, it’s much harder to blog about everyday life. Cynema Travels will be much more focused on travel, hikes, and gear (with the same shenanigan-style storytelling that you all have become accustomed to). I’m excited about the new blog direction and I really hope that you’ll come on over to the new site to join in the fun!
My Life
Messy Artist
This picture is proof that a second child changes you. With Parker, I remember being so dang clinical about everything. Art was done in a sterile environment. I would drape furniture and rugs with plastic before any potential mess could be made and a speck of paint on a location other than the paper would set my eye to twitching. So ridiculous, right? Ah well, you live and learn. With Lexi, I set her at a table with her paints and brushes, drape a smock over her, and let her go to town. While she’s painting quietly in her room, I have a chance to fold that 6th load of laundry, answer some emails, and look up recipes (because for some crazy reason, my family expects to be fed daily).
When I walked back into her room and saw that she turned herself into a living canvas, I laughed. She was so obviously enjoying herself, the paint was non-toxic, and I had just enjoyed an hour to myself. So, instead of hauling her off into the bath tub, I grabbed my camera to memorialize her art….and my growth as a parent.
Pumpkin Patch
One of the coolest things about living in the country is that the pumpkin patches here are –wait for it– actual pumpkin patches. In my former urban life, the common practice was for churches and other organizations to bring in pumpkins by the truck load. Here, pumpkins stay on the farms that grew them. It changes the feel of the pumpkin picking process entirely.
We went on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, but we were only one of four families looking for pumpkins. This reduced the sense of urgency and speed with which the process occurred. No lie, there used to be so many people fighting for pumpkins at our Florida pumpkin patch that it felt like an Easter Egg Hunt! Not so in our sleepy mountains. Here, leisure is king.
Parker spent some time building a pumpkin snowman and Lexi spent her time trying to find the perfect baby pumpkin. Girlfriend is all about the babies.
Once their pumpkins were picked, they had little patience for photographs (I maaaaay have a tendency to over-document things). 
On the way back to the car, we passed this super cool old truck. Alas, this is the only pic I snapped before losing the little humans’ attention entirely. I made a mental note to go back and do an actual shoot in front of that truck — it’s pretty glorious.
Now, all that remains is the carving of the pumpkins. The good news is that with our cool fall temps, the pumpkins won’t rot before Halloween. Excellent.
A Life Worth Living
When I was in 5th grade, I distinctly remember walking into a library and having the realization that all of the world’s knowledge was at my fingertips. I could learn languages, facts about countries, stories about survivors… I only had to have the time and the motivation to do so. I began to read voraciously and never stopped.
To this day, I don’t understand two things: wasting time and being bored. Learning is a gift, not a chore–and there is so much knowledge to be had! People think I’m nuts because I wake up at 4am. How could I not? There are already too few hours in my life on this earth and frankly, I don’t want to squander a single one. I have this sense of urgency as if there won’t be enough time to see, to feel, to know.
When I see people who just move through this world without purpose; neither happy nor sad…just there…it blows my mind. It’s like being a survivor of the apocalypse. I want to yell, “WAKE UP! Life is beautiful even when it’s tragic.” And so I find myself moving through this world seeking others who aren’t just alive, but who are truly living. When I find them, I exhale. I’m not alone after all.
Fall Foods
This week feels like the first real week of fall. Last night was the first night that our heater kicked on and my drive to work this morning was punctuated by the first hint of gold, burnt orange, and blazing red leaves. I don’t know what it is about fall, but something about this particular season makes me want to hang out in the kitchen; cooking and baking for hours on end. In this spirit of overcooking, I thought I would re-share some of our family favorite recipes that are perfect for these brisk days. Oh and don’t worry, even if you’re still dying of heatstroke down in Florida, just crank up the AC and pretend with us, won’t you?
Euvarlakia (Greep Meatball Soup)
I hope that this gives you some cooking inspiration! I know that I’m happy to finally have the urge to cook homemade meals because let’s be honest, there a limit to the number of days in a row that I feed my kids cheese quesadillas. Oi.
Hiking in Grand Teton National Park
Exactly one year ago, I was staring at this gorgeous mountain range in person. I think I never got around to editing this final batch of pictures because the Tetons held a sacred, secret memory for me. I don’t mean that in a secret squirrel kind of way; just that they were so damn serene and I was so at peace while I was there that it felt strangely intimate to share the pictures with the world. With that said, this wouldn’t be much of a travel blog if I didn’t show you where I traveled, am I right?
(Oh, in case you missed the first couple of posts about this trip out west, you can find them here and here). After our first glimpse of the Tetons (and driving around in glee and taking 100 pictures), we drove all the way through the park to find our campgrounds. We had decided to stay at the Headwaters Lodge and Campgrounds because they had these *new* nifty little camper cabins.
We had tents with us, but I felt uncomfortable leaving our tent set up when we were going to be gone for the entire day that we were there. The camper cabins were perfect! They had bunk beds with a thin mattress pad, a fire pit, a picnic table, a parking spot, and – most importantly – a locking door. Bonus! As an aside, there was very little cell service in the Tetons and none at all at our cabin, but we were there for a break from the world and a break is what we got. It was actually very nice.
Once we had unpacked the car, we decided to head over to Old Faithful because Headwaters is actually halfway between Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. We actually drove past the Continental Divide to get there, which was very cool.
When we first arrived, there were very few people at the viewing area. That’s because we had just missed the last eruption (I think they happen every 90 minutes or so). So we waited…and waited…and waited…and hordes of people arrived.
The irony in the waiting process is that Old Faithful with start to bubble and spit for a good 30 minutes before it actually erupts. What that means is that while waiting, you have to endure 30 minutes of people gasping and jumping up with their cameras. It’s safe to say that we were in full-blown ridiculous mode during the waiting game, which is the only way that I can explain the below picture. I thought it would be funny if it looked like I was drinking from the water fountain. I don’t think I succeeded and yet I still have to share it with you because it’s apparently the only freaking picture I have of the eruption?! Hysterically, you only have like 30 or 60 seconds to snap pics before having to wait another 90 minutes for another shot.
Once our hysterics (theatrics?) were done, we drove around Yellowstone to explore before heading back to our campsite to settle in for the night.
The next morning – bright and early – we drove down to Jenny Lake to catch the ferry that would deliver us to the mountain range side of the park. There was a foot path that allowed you to walk along the outside of Jenny Lake, but it was under construction while we were there, so we opted for the ferry.
We decided that we were game for about an 8-10 mile hike, which meant 4-5 miles into the range before turning around and heading back. It was breathtaking. Truly, words cannot explain the exquisite beauty that we witnessed so I’ll just show you instead (and you’ll see why I wanted to keep it to myself).
I mean, come on. Between you and me, I could camp there for months and never get sick of the views. I would say that I could stay there forever, but it snows up to 20′ in the winter so let’s just say that in August, it’s divine.
We didn’t see any bears (although we did see evidence of them everywhere), but we did see two moose (meese?) during our hike.
Can you see him in the river? This bull moose was easily twice as tall as my Subaru. It’s funny how I spotted him – we were walking along the hiking path when I heard a big splash to my left, I looked over just in time to see an enormous, shiny rump step into the water. This picture was actually taken as I (keeping a very large distance between us) walked back along the path to get a good look at him.
He was gorgeous and it was a pretty intense reminder that we were on his turf so we made plenty of noise on our way back so that we didn’t catch any creature unaware.
The last part of this pictorial road trip journey will be sharing the drive back through several more National Parks. I promise that it won’t take me a full year to get around to it….in fact, I think I’ll go ahead and write it now.
Commuting
During the study abroad trip to London, Paris, and Munich, I didn’t set foot in a car. We used public transport a fair bit, but more often than not, if we needed to get somewhere, we walked there. Some days, we walked upwards of 10 miles and it felt so dang good to use our own motive power for movement.
When I landed back in our small town, I was determined to use my car as infrequently as possible. It felt so ridiculous to me to hop in the car for super short trips. Luckily, our house is in the downtown area so it’s completely feasible to use my own two feet for any number of things. In the past month, I’ve walked to restaurants, breweries, the park, the pool, the pharmacy… you name it and I’ve walked there.
This fall, I’ve decided to step up my game and start commuting to work on my bike. Sounds crazy, right? Don’t worry, I’ve completely thought it through and on days of torrential rain or snow, I can carpool with the Irishman since we work on the same campus. I can also walk to pick up the kids from school and we can all ride home with the Irishman with my bike packed up on the bike rack.
Would it be easier to just drive? Yes. With that said, it feels so good to start my day with a ride and it feels doubly good to know that I’m going somewhere and not just riding in circles for fun. I think the key to fitness is to live as active a lifestyle as possible. I mean, the idea of the gym seems more and more foreign to me. Why would I run on a treadmill when I can run to or from somewhere that I need to go? Why would I save biking – one of my most favorite things to do – only for days when it’s convenient? I’ll let you know how it goes, but I’m super excited about this experiment.
Zucchini Blossom and Feta Omelette
Greetings from Greece! We’re in the middle of our summer holiday where I’ve been beaching it with the kids and furiously finishing the last chapters of my book. I’d taken a wee hiatus from bogging –and from the Internet in general– with the intention of catching everyone up on our adventures when we returned to the states. And yet here I am; compelled to hop on the blog to tell you something that has blown my mind.
Zucchini blossoms.
Before I delve into the joys and wonder of this edible flower, I should remind you that I know next to nothing about growing my own produce. If you’ve been reading here for a while, you already know that my knowledge of growing things is pretty much limited to herbs and the hardest-to-kill house plants. I have always wanted to attempt a garden of my own, but haven’t made it a priority.
Here on the island, however, we have the luxury of enjoying a well-developed garden without having to deal with the planting. Since my parents are here for only three months, they have someone plant the garden months before they arrive so that when we get here, it’s bounty is plentiful. Along with zucchini, we have cucumbers, bell peppers, eggplant, hot peppers, green onions and cherry tomatoes. If you also consider the cherry, pear and apricot trees that produce, we can exist almost solely on what we grow.
Okay, back to the zucchini blossoms. If you’ve ever planted zucchini, you know that each plant produces an abundance of vegetables. Each zucchini grows at the stem of the flower (or so I hear) and by cutting the blossoms, you’re controlling the number of zucchini that you will have. This is a good thing because there are only so many zucchini that you can eat in any given week. I’ll confess that I didn’t give eating the blossoms a second thought until a couple of weeks ago when we went to a restaurant run by my childhood friend. In typical Greek fashion, we ordered a dozen dishes (family-style) based on the recommendation of the chef. One of the dishes he brought out was a zucchini blossom stuffed with cheese and then fried. Oh. my. word. It was so decadent and delicious. As I was exclaiming my delight, my mom casually mentions that we have at least a dozen blossoms in the garden every morning.
Suddenly, my summer mission became clear: Learn how to cook zucchini blossoms a dozen different ways. The first recipe I wanted to share with you is this zucchini blossom and feta cheese omelette. It is honest to goodness the most delicious omelette I’ve ever had, which is saying something since I really don’t like the taste of eggs.
The ingredients are simple: farm fresh eggs, a splash of milk, zucchini blossoms (one per egg), feta cheese, salt and pepper. (pretend that you see feta in the picture above)
First, crack your eggs into a deep bowl, add a splash of milk and beat with a fork until they’re well-blended and airy. Next, dice your zucchini blossoms (discarding the base) with a sharp knife and add them to the egg mixture.
Crumble a chunk of feta cheese (I use about a one square inch piece per egg) in the egg mixture and season with salt and pepper. Mix everything together well and set aside.
In a medium-hot pan, melt a tablespoon or two of butter.Add the egg mixture to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and be patient.
The omelette is done when the middle is no longer runny.
Serve it up with some feta cheese for garnish, then sit back and wait to be completely and utterly surprised at how tasty this is! Next up, I’m going to try to recreate the cheese-stuffed fried blossoms that started my obsession. I’ll keep you posted on the progress, but I’m determined to have nailed it before we leave in a couple of weeks. Cross your fingers!
Packing for Europe like a pro
Okay folks, this post has been a long time coming. If you’ve been reading here for a bit, you know that I travel. A LOT. Whether it’s three months in Greece or ten days in Hawaii, I have packing smartly down to a science. My next trip departs in 5 days and I’ll be heading to London, Paris and Munich for 16 days before heading over to Greece for 5 glorious weeks. Regardless of where I go, my guiding principles are as follows:
1. Always bring less than you think you need. When you’re getting dressed on any given day, I bet you gravitate towards the same 5 or 6 outfits. They’re probably comfortable, stylish, don’t bunch or ride up, and you feel good in them. Your closet is probably filled with things that you love on the hanger (or wearing for 5 minutes), but that you ultimately reject for one reason or another. When narrowing down what to pack, do not bring anything that falls into this second category. I promise that if you don’t wear it at home, you’re not going to wear it abroad.
2. You can buy almost anything in a pinch and chances are that you will. If you forget ___________ or you decide you should have brought one more ____________, I can almost guarantee that –unless you’re hiking through Kenya– you can probably find what you’re looking for wherever you’re traveling to. The last time that I spent two months in Paris, I had to buy a second suitcase to bring back all of the cute and cheap clothes that I bought during my stay. With that in mind, I generally recommend that you actually bring less than you’ll wear if you know that you’re the kind of person who likes to shop.
Okay, now that we’ve established the ground rules. I always, always, always start off with a packing list. If it’s not on the list, it doesn’t get packed, plain and simple. This serves two purposes. It keeps me organized once I’m there (I bring a copy of my packing list with me) and it keeps me from adding “just one more thing” x 10. I should add that this is generally the amount of stuff that I bring whether I’m traveling for a week or three months. You can always find a laundry facility and the way that I see it, tracking down a laundermat or using the hotel washer is more convenient than hauling around a 60 lb. suitcase.
My Packing List
In your carry-on (if you are checking your bag): Wear your heaviest clothing/shoes
- 1 change of clothes
- 2 pairs of underwear
- something to sleep in
- Snacks
- Meds
- Entertainment (book/kindle/etc..)
- Toiletries
- Gum
- Hand sanitizer
- Passport (plus a copy of your passport!)
- Camera (or phone for photos) + charger
- Directions to hotel/route to get there
Ideally, you want to anticipate your bag getting lost, so include what you’d need to get you through the first couple of days. I’m not saying your bag will get lost, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. You know, the whole Murphy’s Law thing.
Medicines to bring (ALL TRAVEL SIZED):
- Imodium AD (or similar antidiarrheal)
- Gas-X
- Stool softener
- Pepto Bismol
- Antihistamine (Benadryl, Claritin,…)
- Tylenol, Advil, etc…
- Bandaids, Neosporin
- Cold meds – NyQuil, DayQuil,…
- Melatonin
- Z-pack or other antibiotic from your dr.
Can you easily find a pharmacy in the country you’re visiting? Probably. Do you want to try and find it if you’re feverish or have diarrhea? Probably not. I bring everything on the list above for every trip and I can guarantee you that I’ve used all of it at one time or another.
Toiletries to bring (ALL TRAVEL SIZED):
- Contact solution/case
- Feminine products
- Toothbrush/paste
- Shampoo
- Soap
- Hairbrush
CONVERTOR for whatever country you’re visiting. UK is different from mainland Europe, which is different from Africa. (Also, if you’re bringing a hairdryer/hair straightener – be mindful that US outlets are 110 volts and international outlets are 220 volts. If your small appliances aren’t equipped to handle both, you’ll fry them unless you also get a transformer.
Clothes to Pack (this is typically a week’s worth):
- 5 socks
- 7 undies
- 3 shorts or capris
- 5 shirts/tanks/polo (combo of those)
- 2 dresses that can be dressed up or down
- 1 jeans (if you want to bring 2, wear one on the plane)
- 1 Chacos/ flip flops
- 1 comfortable walking/hiking shoes
- 1 “medium weight jacket”
- 1 fleece shirt/jacket
- 1 rain coat and/or mini-umbrella
- 3 pairs of jammies
- bathing suit if appropriate
If you’re concerned about being photographed in the same clothes multiple times, bring decorative scarfs or a cardigan to switch up your looks. I promise you, if anyone overpacks, it’s in the clothes arena. My recommendation is to try on everything that you plan on bringing and to wear it for a full day. If it’s uncomfortable for any reason whatsoever, don’t bring it. I know that a lot of people will say, “But Cyn, I like to have options.” To which I respond: you’re on the trip of a lifetime, I promise that you won’t care one lick what you’re wearing once you’re actually there.
Are you still with me? Okay, onto the next category: how to pack it and what to pack it in. I have a very specific system for packing and it involved heavy-duty gallon sized Ziploc bags. Here’s what I do:
I lay out all of the clothes that I’m bringing and I separate them by type: dresses, shorts, shirts, jammies, etc… Then, I fold them neatly lengthwise and roll them up as tightly as I can manage. I should add that I typically only bring lighter types of fabrics specifically for this reason. Once it’s rolled up, I neatly put it in the bottom of the Ziploc bag. I do this for as many things as I can fit into one bag and still get it closed (I got all 5 shirts in one bag). Then, I zip the bag 3/4 closed before sitting on it to get all of the air out. While I’m sitting on it, I zip it the rest of the way. This way, I’m left with a neat stack of bags instead of a pile of clothes. I can see clearly what I have and I can grab just those items instead of having to dig through everything to find something.
Let me add a note here about shoes. I, under no circumstances, bring more than 4 pairs of shoes. I typically bring my Teva wedges–which look like dressy sandals–, my Merrell low-top hiking boots (very well broken in), Frye flats, and a pair of flip flops. Now, if I was going to bring a big pair of shoes like boots, I would plan on wearing them both on the plane and on travel days between countries. They’d never get packed because they take up waaaay too much space. All of the shoes you bring should be well worn prior to your departure. Trust me here, you do not want to bring shoes that you have not tested over an 8 hour day. My cut off for buying new shoes is one month before departure and then I wear them for a couple of hours every day. There is nothing more agonizing than painful feet when you’re traveling.
Now that I have my clothes situated. I need to decide what to pack them in. It may seem unconventional to a lot of Americans, but I always pack in a hiking backpack even if I’m not technically backpacking and here’s why – the vast majority of places that I travel to have public transport and uneven roads. If you bring a 50 lb. rolling suitcase, plan on taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel and back again because let me tell you, the Paris Metro and the London Tube were not designed with large suitcases in mind. As a result, they often do not have elevators conveniently located. What that means is that you may find yourself hauling your luggage up and down many flights of stairs (or as my friend, Meg, did in Paris, simply hurling it down the stairs).
Also, it’s just plain easier to navigate a city when your hands are free. And my final sales pitch for getting a backpack (because if I’m doing it, I think everyone else should be, too) is that having to carry your stuff on your back is probably the best inducement of all to stick to your packing list.
I have used a number of backpacks over the last 20 years and I have finally found one (after many, many months of research) that might just be the best travel backpack ever made. Oh yeah, this is NOT a sponsored post, I just love everything about this backpack. Okay, back to business. Meet my Vaude Cimone 45+10 (for a total of 55 liters of space):
Hey look, a Lexi cameo!
Let me quickly walk you through the features. First and foremost, it is an organizational dream! The worst thing about the typical backpack is that you can’t find anything or get to anything once it’s packed. Not so with this Vaude. Check it.
Here’s the very front pocket:
Immediately behind that from pocket is a zipper that gives you access to a separate compartment. I use this for shoes, belts and accessories, but it could also easily be used for laundry. If you don’t need the separate compartment, you just simply unzip that orange zipper and it’s a separate compartment no longer.
You can stuff the main compartment from the top:
Or, you can also access the main compartment by a zippered panel in the front. *Sorry for the blurry photo – I was in a rush to snap these shots and had a child hanging on my leg*
There are also two exterior zippers for things that you might need to have quicker access to.
While you’re wearing the pack, you can access two zippered side pockets on the hip strap that can hold your phone or money:
Also on the exterior of the bag are two water bottle pockets. I keep water in one and an empty coffee Thermos in the other so that I can get a cup of joe at my earliest convenience.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, here is what really sold me on this bag. The top detaches….and becomes a hanging toiletry bag.
I kid you not. Is that not the coolest and most useful feature that you have ever seen? I’m seriously in love with this bag. Here’s me wearing it, shot courtesy of the Irishman (who also had a child sitting on him).
The backpack is adjustable based on your height and while it looks fairly compact on me, keep in mind that I’m 5’11”. With that said, with a properly fitted pack, I could carry 40 lbs. all day long because the weight is distributed evenly between your hips and your shoulders.
Now then, for my final words of wisdom. Whatever suitcase/backpack you bring, do not pack it to the gills. It will just be harder to repack and you won’t have any room for souvenirs. Pack it about 3/4 full and you’ll be good to go.
I’m happy to answer any and all questions you might have!
*PS – pardon any typos. I wrote this furiously, but wanted to make sure I got it written up as I know a number of you are looking for guidance for your upcoming trips. As always, thanks for stopping by and reading.
Miss Lexi is Threeee!
Well, well, well, Miss Lexi is three. I wish I could say that the first three years flew by, but let’s be real. Honestly, her birth feels like a lifetime ago and I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way. As families with multiple kids know, when your second (or third, or fourth,…) offspring arrives, it’s as if they’ve always been there. This little miss, in particular, has made her presence known for every single day of these three years. It’s amazing how much energy and laughter (and screaming) that she has added to our world. She is a force to be reckoned with and, as you can see above, marches to the beat of her own drum.
If you’ll recall, when I first found out I was having a girl, I was terrified that I would have a small tyrant wielding a Barbie and bossing the boys around. I chuckle now, in a maniacal way, because that’s exactly what she is. And adorable, angelic-looking, tiny Titan who will move mountains with her will. It’s amazing how different two children can be. I sometimes worry about Parker because he has such a gentle heart and cannot yet conceive of the fact that sometimes, people are mean on purpose. He isn’t helpless, not by a long shot, but he is sensitive. I can honestly say that I do not have that same fear for Lexi. She is determined, independent, and has the heart of a lion. She won’t get hurt, she’ll get mad. Somehow, I think that mad is safer.
Both of my loves have changed a lot over the last three years, but one thing has remained the same. These two love each other with ferocity. Sure, they have the occasional sibling squabble, but more often than not, they are kind to each other and fiercely protective of one another.
So regardless of how hard the transition was from one kid to two (very hard), I’m glad that they have each other. Happy birthday, sweet girl. Thanks for keeping us on our toes.
Daily Cynema 
