Utila

We've been in Utila just 5 days now and it feels like it's been months. We spend our first night at a really nice place a bit outside of the main strip and decided to move in. The dive shop we're diving with offers free accommodations to divers so we figured we'd save a few bucks and stay there. Needless to say, there's a reason why the accommodations were free. After Will and I started describing it as a meth lab regularly, we decided we had it within the budget to stay somewhere nicer. For $20 a night we have an amazing, clean (and quiet) room down the street. It overlooks the ocean, has a private dock and the owners are lovely. If you find yourself here, we highly recommend Rubi's, they folded my pile of dirty laundry when they cleaned this morning for Christ sake.

I had my first dive on the island a few days ago, waking up at sunrise, and it was absolutely beautiful. We saw rays, turtles, millions of fish, and apparently just missed a whale shark. Will is in class underwater at this moment and should be certified by noon today. I don't think either of us realized just how much work dive school is, and although I'm so happy he's doing it, and so excited to dive with him tomorrow, it's been a bit odd being in school on vacation. It'll all pay off though when we're diving tomorrow, and next week in Belize.

Our first day here we rented a golf cart (one way most people get around, aside from scooters) and cruised the island. The guy who rented it to us made clear that "a few beers while driving ok" so we grabbed a few and went exploring. The main hub of the island is tiny compared to the whole thing, which stretches on and on with both beautiful coastal homes and properties, and in land to farms and homes on the hill. There's even a small airport on the island, if the ferry, (locally know as the vomit comet) doesn't appeal to you. My mind has been racing with ideas of how to buy a house and work down here after seeing how cheap a home on the water is.

There are several deserted islands I hope we can make it to before we ship off, where a fisherman will drop you and a cooler on a deserted island at 11 or so and pick you up and sunset. It's sounds pretty awesome, and I hope we have time to squeeze it in. That all depends of course, on how we get to Belize, which we're still figuring out. I'm remembering now how there is a long cheap way to get around, and a short expensive way, and when you're on a 3 week holiday it's probably best to fork over the cash. On that note, I'm off to look up flights to Belize and will most likely report back once we've made it there. Cheers!

coffee and crazy drivers

To break up our trip a bit from Antigua to the coast of Honduras, Will and I stopped in Copan, a small colonial town just across the border, about 6 hours by bus, 4 hours by crazy mini-bus. There are several ways to get there, one which involves a "1st class" luxury bus, with a bathroom, and reclining seats. Then there's the mini-bus option, a glorified minivan with a driver who dreamed as a child of being a Nascar driver, but settled for blindly passing trucks on mountain highways. Have you ever experienced a double pass? As in, the car you're in is passing a car that's already passing a car. It's something, let me tell you.

After we miraculously made it to Copan we rose early and headed to Finca El Cisne, a coffee plantation tour we had heard good things about from a couple we met at Earth Lodge. The tour was awesome, most of it on horse back, then to the top of a mountain where most of the beans grow, and ending at hot springs. The owner has had the plantation in his family for at least 3 generations, and it's a huge operation. They grow, harvest, peel, peel again, peel once more, and dry, before shipping around the world. The farm also includes a huge variety of other fruits and veggies, as well as cocoa beans, which I hadn't realized, are enormous. The horse back tour took a break for coconut water, and ended with a home cooked lunch by the owners mom, easily the best food we've had so far. A long, amazing day, I would highly recommend.

earth lodge

To sum this place up, if you're ever in Antigua, you must visit the Earth Lodge, it's that amazing. The views are beyond anything I've ever seen, the food is great (served family style) and if you can get a night in the treehouse, jump on it, it's one of the coolest places you'll ever sleep. My brain is officially in vacation mode and so relaxed that sentences and proving difficult, so here is a list of what we've encountered in 24 hours here:

- There is an active volcano (Fuego) that smokes every once in a while (pic below)
- We encountered a 6 year old girl hacking at a tree with a machete larger than her, needless to say I've never been afraid of a 6 year old until today
- The village surrounding the Earth Lodge is spread out by steep dirt paths, of which women hike up with babies on their back. After hiking up one without a small child attached to me, I have mounds of respect for these ladies.
- Did I mention the view?
- My day consists of eating, drinking, reading and relaxing
- The lodge is on an avocado farm, so naturally avocado is in everything, including dessert
- There are hundreds of airplants living in the trees, almost all of them 2 feet around
- I could live here

Antigua, Guatemala

We arrived in Antigua late last night and settled into our hostel before heading for some grub. We ended up at a little Mexican place for tacos, beer, and a commemorative shot of Tequila for ol' Dan. Getting home was interesting as every street looks exactly the same, even more so in the dark with a few cervesas in you.

We wandered around Antigua today, seeing the town square, ruins and various churches. This town is something special, it's so beautiful and quaint with it's cobble stone roads and amazing old architecture. The pace is slow and the weather is ideal, sunny not too hot, perfect for slowly wandering around.

Unfortunately the majority of my pictures are on my camera, and I'm actually writing this from my phone (our hostel has free wifi- very cool) but I can share a few shots, one of which is from the rooftop garden I'm sitting in this very moment!

We're headed to The Earth Lodge in the morning, a little place about 20 minutes away on an avocado farm, Heather told us about, and were staying in a tree house so I'm sure I'll take a million pictures. Adios until then!

and we're off!

We fly out in the morning! Now to start packing... Check back for updates I'll be trying to add pictures whenever I can!

Cheers!

-M&W

white out

I love the simple white wash of this home, it's so bring and clean, I could definitely see myself living here. Not to mention they made a disco ball look like it belongs in a living room, which is pretty impressive.

via Agent Bauer

can, and will

found here

almost done

This week has been insane, to say the least. I've had a ton of work to catch up on, projects to finish, and being sick on top of it. But it's all ok because we'll be jettin' out of here in just a few days.

image found here

design crush

I've had a major design crush on the work from Urban Influence for a while, these holiday wine labels are a perfect example why.

found here

bend weekend trip

Vintage typography and clear mountain days? I'm sold.

.

Dan- 

Thanks for always making me feel part of the gang, you'll never know how much that meant to me. You will be missed, but never forgotten. 

Love, 

Marty

visual mixtape

These posters by Noa Emberson caught my eye this afternoon.

orange ya glad?

1 // 2

remember summer?

I just got a roll of film developed from this summer I took on my toy camera. One of things I like about film is the unpredictability, and having to accept the over exposed and out of focus. Also, looking at film from months before is always a cool way to reflect on that time. Ahh summer, how I love you.

madewell

As always, January rolls around and I'm more that ready for winter to be over. Spring it on the mind and this collection from Madewell is making me even more anxious to get to out of the grey.

1,2,3

Beautiful integration of type + photo. Found here.

cocktail info graphics

This is pretty cool, it's actually an iphone app ($1.99) with info graphics breaking down the ingredients in 35 most common cocktails. There is also a poster available. Check it out here.

desktop calendars

I'm diggin these simple desktop calendars from our paper shop. 

hello year

I'm not one for resolutions. I will not join a gym because the calendar says it would be a good time to start. Let's be honest, I'll never join a gym, regardless of the time of year. I won't set myself up for disappointment by setting lofty goals and stressing myself out trying to reach them. What I will do, is make a point to keep doing the things I love, and not loose sight of them. I'll continue to take pictures, take trips, blog, cook, sew and read. I'll continue to make dinner with friends and visit those in other states. I'll continue to dream about buying a house, about starting a business, about supporting Will in his career ventures. I'll continue to live the life I'e been working on for 25 years and I'm excited to see where that takes me. Here's to 2012 and all it might offer this year. Cheers!