JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH

No, this is not a sponsored post, but I can't get enough of posting photos from my Kapadokya balloon experience. All those gorgeous primary colors and bold geometries made for some fun photos.

KAPADOKYA SUNRISE

BAM!... we're BACK to Turkey. I did promise a month of Turkey, and I plan on delivering on that promise. There are SO many awesome places I have yet to share, that I will definitely run mid way through November. 

Yes, it was this crowded! And, yes, it was a long way down filled with very sharp pinnacles!

KAPADOKYA BALLOON SUNRISE

Very few things will get me up BEFORE sunrise. Can't think of any, actually, except a hot air balloon ride. 

As you may remember from "My favorite things about Turkey" post, the hot air balloon ride in Kapadokya was indeed MY FAVORITE THING. So, naturally, I have a lot of photos to post about the experience. And, by a lot, let me tell you I spared the other 500. Kidding... Sort of! You would be surprised how many photos can actually be taken on a fairly short hot air balloon ride. A lot.

I photographed the balloon from every angle imaginable. It's just so big, bright and bold, the perfect model for this blog. It was amazing to see the other balloons so close to us (though..not too close. We didn't hit!) We were floating above breathtaking scenery (more on Kapadokya tomorrow) but the balloons themselves were incredible.

SILVERLAKE WALKING TOUR

To raise money for the new Unique LA space, Unique LA and Alissa Walker offered a walking tour of the Silverlake Stairs. Luckily, a friend of mine had an extra ticket (Thank you, Jeanetta!) as I had forgotten to book one in my pre-Turkey craziness.

Despite my deep seated aversion to waking up early on a Saturday morning and hauling myself to Silverlake at the crack of 10:00am, the trip was definitely worth it. A few grad school friends are MAJOR fans of Alissa Walker's style and urban writing, so I especially wanted to take a tour of her hood through her eyes. I had participated on a meetup of the Silverlake Stairs a few years ago (and that was an interesting day filled with more than a few crazy stories) but this time I was hoping for a more "educational" version. This was NOT the Sierra Club Singles, a hoard of 100+ Meetup goers barreling  down Echo Park boulevard, dressed inappropriately in flip flips or heavy leather boots, all under the 90 degree Los Angeles noon sun. Yes, that was definitely a different story, perhaps to be revisited on another day.

Instead of hipster jeans and pick up lines, we had Alissa Walker's insights into the eclectic neighborhood. We learned about foraging along the old railway lines, hearing that conifers needles are indeed edible. We observed picking the peppercorn clusters off an overflowing tree, and the importance of foraging for plants above a dog's reach. I probably won't be foraging in the Los Angeles wilds any time soon, but I enjoyed the lessons and the walk.

After off roading for a bit, we visited Deborah's Silverlake home. I will feature this gorgeous home on an upcoming post. I always love going inside unique homes, peering into how people live and style their residences. Deborah is a renown urban planner so she had an especially interesting perspective into the history of her home and the family who had built it.

Leaving the home tour, we hiked up and down several staircases, admiring the vistas and the flowering plants. We then walked down to the Silverlake reservoir, sharing refreshing natural sodas, while learning about the newly planted drought resistant park. It was quite an eventful Saturday: all this before I usually get back from Pilates!

Thank you Unique LA and Alissa Walker for such an inspiring day! 

SILVERLAKE STAIRS

A few photos of the Silverlake Secret Stairs, a Unique LA tour led by Alissa Walker last Saturday. We got a truly unique view of the city as we climbed several beautiful, historic staircases throughout Silverlake and Echo Park. I definitely enjoyed the stunning views, eye-opening architecture, and beautiful flora.