Archive for September, 2011

Up until the reading of the vows, I had not yet shed a tear.  My voice started to shake a little as I read my vows to Lucas, but as soon as I heard him recite his, the tears started to flow.  He was really nervous about expressing his love to me in the written word, but I do not think he could have said anything more perfect.

*Click the image to enlarge the print in order to read his vows

Then it was time for the exchange of rings.  I adore the story behind our rings, which you can read here.  My brother, who was our ring bearer, brought the rings over to us.

And before he left to return to his spot next to Julie, I gave him the world’s biggest hug.

Our Dad was clearly moved during this moment.

Lucas was the first to place one of the ring’s on my finger and proclaim,

With this ring, I thee wed, as a symbol of my love, I give to you all that is mine, all the days of my life.

It was then my turn to say the same thing.  I repeated the above line in Spanish and just as I was about to say it in English, our band began to sing “Ave Maria.”  My heart stopped, as I was unable to put the ring on Lucas’ finger.  Lucas had warned me the day before that there was going to be at least one moment during the wedding where something went wrong, but that instead of viewing it as a negative thing that we should view it a funny story to tell.  With terror in my eyes, I looked at him smiling and then our guests began to laugh as well once they realized what had happened.

I decided in that moment that he was right, this was definitely going to be a funny story to tell, thus I started to laugh as well.

The band stopped, let me finish, and then at the right time began to play again.  All that was left now was the kiss to seal the deal.

A few summers ago, I graduated from high school and did not know what to do.  Rather than entering the job market or beginning to study in a University, I decided to go on a trip around the world.  Making my way through Europe and the Middle East, I then found my way into South East Asia where I met up with a friend that I knew from my school days.  Deciding on seeing something together, we went to explore the sights of Kuala Lumpur.

Having packed little more than a small travel bag, we both chose to do as much as we could on foot, discovering the real Malaysia along the way.  Perhaps the most sticking image of the city is the enormous Petronas Twin Towers located in its center.  Absolutely gorgeous from every angle, we decided to make our way up to the 88^th floor.  Looking out at the entire city from the most recognizable building in the region, we knew that we started things off on the right foot.

Next on our trip, we wanted to see something rather unique yet calming.  Asking a local about visiting such a place, we were directed to the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park on the outskirts of the city.  Being the largest aviary in the world, the park features a huge array of birds in all shapes and sizes.  A great place to relax, that is if you do not mind the odd squawk, you can even feed some of the birds for a small price.  Very well maintained and highly entertaining, it was certainly a sight to see.

Feeling famished, we decided to eat out in Kuala Lumpur.  Trying to find something local, we stumbled upon the Bijan.  A great authentic place; the restaurant had a friendly staff and offered an array of dishes from spiced chicken to durian fruit ice cream.  With most dishes costing between $15-30, you can get a seriously good meal in a fantastic environment.

Lastly, we wanted to do something with a little more tradition.  We made our way to the largest museum in the country: the Islamic Arts Museum.  A truly brilliant sight to behold, it features some of the most intricate and ornate pieces of work in the Islamic world.  It is a very busy place, but some patience can go a long way, as there is a great deal to see.  It was the highlight of my trip and I would highly recommend going.

Michal Kniec, after completing a History degree in Canada, decided that a little change of scenery would do him some good and moved across the world to Manchester.  Now studying law, he loves to write, cook, and travel as much as possible on this pale blue dot.

Lucas and I were not supposed to join hands until Karen and Seba told us to later on in the ceremony.  However, the second we were next to each we could not help but want to touch each other in some way, even if that meant messing up the ceremony a tiny bit.  I vividly remember looking into his eyes and thinking there is no other place in this world I would rather be in this moment.

Karen and Seba formally welcomed our guests and thanked them for traveling all over the world to be with us on our special day.  I had guests from as far as China and Australia!  Then my parents stood up and gave us their blessing.

I loved our ‘officiant’s message’:

Today, we celebrate the love that Lucas and Andrea discovered 6 years ago here in Buenos Aires, which has brought them to this day.  With love that deepens even more through the years, may they become one in sharing themselves with each other and yet remain truly two in their own uniqueness.  From this day forward they are connected and they will walk this walk called life, hand in hand, committed as husband and wife eternally.

And then it was time for us to exchange our vows.  We decided early on in the wedding planning process that it was important to both of us to write our own vows and that we would not share them with each other until the ceremony.  I decided to say my vows in Spanish first, because I knew that once I said them in English I would begin to cry and there was no way I would be able to get through reading them in a foreign language.

*Click the image to enlarge the print in order to read my vows

Once I was finished, I breathed the hugest sigh of relief — I had been nervous about saying my vows in front of everyone for a year!  Now I could not wait to listen to Lucas’.

Lately, I have been watching a reality show on Spanish television called Peking Express.  The essence of the show is teams of two competing against each other to be the first to reach a destination (this season they are headed to an African city, despite the program’s name).  And I must mention that they are traveling without money!

What amazes me most about this show is the fact that the contestants generally are not travelers, in fact most of them are from a Spanish city, town, or village who work in a normal job and live perfectly monotonous Spanish lives.  So, the spectator can observe how the traveling pairs have to obtain free transport, free accommodation, and free food.  Moreover, they have to do all this faster than the other teams, thus you can imagine how stressful this situation has the potential to become.

This show does a good job of showing that even though traveling seems cool and relaxing, it can also break apart friends and families.  The following are several things one should think about before traveling with another person:

• Who you are traveling with: First question one should ask themselves before deciding to engage in travel is, “Do I want to travel alone or with someone?”  If you travel alone, then the trip is solely up to you, but if you decide to travel with someone else, then you must choose your company well.  I am sure you will agree with me on this point: even if you really get along well with someone, you are likely to eventually get annoyed by even your best friend.
• Why are you traveling: Taking a weekend getaway at a 5-star hotel in the Balearic Islands is much different than renting one of the apartments in Rome for a moth and from there starting your adventure towards another destination.  Here is the difference: you can do the first option with practically anyone, but you can only do the second option with very few.  Depending on the purpose of your travel, your potential partner will have to fulfill other requirements.
• What conditions are you traveling under? The more money, the less trouble.  If you have lots of money to spend, once you come across any kind of difficulty, you can normally solve it quite easily and no trouble occurs with your traveling partner.  But when things go wrong, it is very easy to start shouting at the other person. Patience is a virtue.
• Where are you traveling to: Again, it is not the same to stay in New York, Paris, or Rome apartments than with a tribe in the middle of the Sahara where conditions can really get difficult.

Wherever your next destination will be, and despite the risk of hating your travel mate at some point, you must consider that if you experience such an adventure with someone, two things can happen: 1) you will not feel like seeing that person ever again or 2) s/ he will be your best friend forever.

What would your perfect travel mate be like?

Maria Climent is a 26-year-old Catalan lady.  After studying translation, she decided her life was odd enough to became a humor scriptwriter and by default, a blogger.  This is how she is now a mother of no one and a better person.  She also cooks her meals.

Europe is one of the best destinations in the world to visit, as with so many countries clustered in one spot, you can fit a lot of sightseeing into one tour.  Since Europe has been a leading continent throughout eras, there is a huge amount of history to explore, iconic cities to discover, and famous landmarks to visit.  And whilst some cities in Europe can be very expensive, there are ways to keep your costs down.

Costs vary vastly across Europe and you will find that even though London may be one of the most expensive cities in the world, Lisbon is one of Europe’s cheapest.  This means that with careful planning before you depart, you can pick destinations depending on your budget.  By visiting a range of cheaper places such as Spain and Portugal, you can make your money go further.  Even if you want to visit places such as London and Paris, spending just a few nights there before moving on to other cities will allow you to get the most out of your travel fund.

One way to keep the costs of travel down is to compare car rental prices.  At first glance you may believe that hiring a car is going to be the most expensive way of traveling around, especially when you factor in the cost of petrol, insurance, and other requirements.  However, depending on how much traveling you intend on doing, public transport costs can quickly start to stack up and you could find that hiring a car is actually cheaper.  In addition, driving can certainly be more enjoyable.  Plus, if you are traveling with a group you will be able to regularly swap drivers and easily explore the beautiful routes between countries.

If you are not a keen driver and want an alternative, which will allow you to visit many places, then a railway pass could be a great idea.  Rather than having to pay individually for every journey, rail passes allow you to access the expansive European train network and choose the best times of travel for yourself.  If you arrive at a destination and want to spend a little longer or less time, having a railcard will allow you to hop on the next service whenever you want rather than having to wait until your scheduled journey takes place.

A great deal of forethought should be put into travel if you want to keep costs as low as possible.  One of the biggest mistakes is to leave things until the last minute, as not knowing what you are doing, where you are going, or what you want to see will result in costs soaring.  By putting together a thoughtful itinerary ahead of schedule you will be able to effectively plan your journey, deciding the best order to see places, and taking travel costs into account.  By researching first and taking advantage of cheap car hire and rail deals, you will be able to save a vast amount on holiday expenses.

My heart was aflutter with anticipation as the first few notes of our procession song, Pachelbel’s Canon, began to play.  I could hear Lucas and the rest of our wedding party talking, but I could not see them.  Part of me wanted to eschew tradition and come out of hiding to give him a gigantic kiss before walking down the aisle and yet the other part of me — the part that won in the end — decided to use those last moments alone to take in everything that was happening.  I cannot put into words what it felt like knowing that the distance Lucas and I had been incurring for six very long years was now coming to an end.

Since neither Lucas nor I are religious, we had the freedom to create a ceremony that was incredibly personal and only included exactly what we wanted it to.  While I was in Graduate School in New York City, I befriended a remarkable woman named Karen Chase, who happened to also be a wedding officiant.  When I told her that I was getting married last year she immediately said that as a wedding present she wanted to officiate our wedding.  It was the best present I could ever ask for!

Our ceremony was both in English and Spanish, thus we asked the husband of my wedding planner, Julie, to help Karen with the translating.  Seba, is a famous radio journalist and radio news announcer, in Buenos Aires.  You have never heard a voice, until you have heard his.

Seba and Karen

It was twilight when the ceremony started and you could feel the romance in the air.

Lucas' Grandmother and Father

Matias (Lucas' youngest brother)

Marcos (Lucas' oldest brother)

And then my handsome soon-to-be husband escorted his gorgeous Mother down the aisle.  I love the following photo, because you can see how proud she is of her son.

Once Lucas’ wedding party had processed, it was then time for mine.  I have talked in great detail over the years just how much my brother, Alex, means to me.  I am blessed with many extraordinary girlfriends, all who deserved to be my Maid of Honor, however I could not have imagined anyone else other than my brother fulfilling that special role.  He not only escorted Julie, my Matron of Honor, but he was also our ring bearer.

The idea of just my Father walking me down the aisle did not feel right to  me, as I did not like the idea of one man passing me on to another man and my Mother is as equally important to me.  So, I had both of them walk me down the aisle; first my Mom and then my Dad (the aisle was not big enough for all three of us to walk together).

With a final kiss from my Father, we were ready for the ceremony to officially begin.

Which is your favorite photo?

I am sure that everyone has heard this sentence many times in all its variety, “You should travel now, otherwise when you are older and you have children you will not be able to do it.”  Maybe it is an obvious question, but I will ask it anyway: Why do we have the firm belief that once we have children we cannot travel anymore?  That we must settle down, establish a home, and raise our children with the tranquility of a nice neighborhood in the suburbs?

I do not aim to criticize this kind of lifestyle, which is actually what the majority of people do, I simply would like to know why not traveling with your children is supposedly better?  I believe as a modern society we may have been too influenced by TV or films where teenagers appear to have problems adapting to their environment, because they have been moving from one school to another.

The other day I was talking about this with a friend who is now traveling around Europe with her 5-year-old son.  I took the opportunity to visit them, as they were staying in one of the apartments in Madrid before making their way to Budapest.  She told me there is a huge process of learning when it comes to traveling, especially for children, who absorb everything they see.  I thought a lot about our conversations and here are my conclusions from what she explained:

When children travel, they become more open-minded from seeing different cultures, traditions, foods, and people firsthand.

Adaptability: When traveling, we cannot always do something that makes everyone in the group happy, and if there are children amongst this group, they will understand that they must learn to adapt for the sake of peace.

Tolerance: On a trip, people traveling together spend a lot of time together.  This strengthens emotional links and everybody learns how to adapt to the others’ needs.

Flexibility: Normally children do not deal very well with frustration, but in situations like this they will probably feel as though they belong to a group and therefor must be flexible.

Patience: Patience is probably one of the most important features needed to travel comfortably.  During a trip there are many moments of waiting that children will eventually get used to it.

Thus, think twice before leaving your kids with the grandparents at your apartments in Madrid, New York, or Vienna, as they could be missing the experience of their lives!

Maria Climent is a 26-year-old Catalan lady.  After studying translation, she decided her life was odd enough to became a humor scriptwriter and by default, a blogger.  This is how she is now a mother of no one and a better person.  She also cooks her meals.

Hi, my name is Andi and I am a detail addict. . .

It is true, as I am about as detail oriented as they come.  I tried my absolute hardest to not be one of “those brides” who obsessed over every.single.minor.detail, but I did.  Kyle, my wedding photographer, wrote a lovely post about all of my wedding details, however I thought I would do one from my perspective as well.

One of the reasons that I chose Faena Hotel + Universe, is because I thought it would be the perfect backdrop for our travel themed black tie wedding.  And I was right, it was absolutely a modern day fairytale.  Thus, welcome to the extraordinary world of Philippe Starck’s Faena, otherwise affectionately known as ‘Oz’.

Once our guests arrived they were immediately greeted with a glass of champagne.  I loved the idea of my guests enjoying some bubbly — my favorite drink — during our ceremony.

Then they were led to a table that had three photo frames with our engagement pictures in them, which they were asked to sign with words of love and wisdom.

Did you notice the vintage map airplane and butterfly shaped confetti sprinkled about?

After they were finished with the “guest books,” they were led to their golden bamboo seats on the terrace just in time to watch the sun begin to set.  On either side of the chairs were trees decorated in red, twinkling lights, as well as large Moroccan lamps filled with candles.

As our guests were seated they were given a program and a paper cone filled with pink and red rose petals (the colors of our wedding).  Once the ceremony was finished, they would throw the petals on Lucas and I as we walked down the aisle as husband and wife.

To let our guests know that the ceremony was beginning, we had a band play Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.”

And then it was time for the procession to begin. . .

I will share the details of the reception in a later post, however if you would like a sneak peak check out Bridal Musings, where my wedding has been featured!  I must also acknowledge Julie, my wedding planner extraordinaire, who is equally if not more obsessed with details than I and who graciously helped me plan my wedding from start to finish.

Prague is a city where culture and clubs reside together in perfect harmony — making it an ideal city break!  With this in mind, when the time came for me to visit Prague I was determined to pay as much attention to the history and architecture as the beer and nightclubs.  To my delight this was no challenge.

My destination, Prague, being the capital of the Czech Republic and home to over 1.3 million inhabitants, is certainly in no shortage of historical landmarks.  A particularly good one (and made more desirable by being free) is the St. Vitus Cathedral.  The cathedral is a prime example of Gothic architecture and does wonders for the city’s skyline.  The Cathedral is part of Prague Castle, which consists of palaces and churches and is a great way to take in a whole load of Czech culture in one location.

Situated on the Vltava River, another important landmark in Prague, is the famous Charles Bridge.  Up until the 19^th Century it was the sole way of crossing the river.  Its claim to fame now is the various films and music videos it has provided a backdrop for.  If it is good enough for Kanye. . .

The Old Town Square is the prettiest square around and once you have climbed the clock tower and checked out the spectacular view, it is just as enjoyable to relax and take in your surroundings in one of the many adjacent cafes or bars.

Nightlife in Prague is where the city really gets going.  It is able to boast the largest nightclub in Central Europe, Karlovy Lazne.  With five floors to choose from — all with their own style — it is virtually impossible not to stay until the bitter end, even if they do start sweeping up around you.  Other highlights include: Lucerna for the best 80′s night in the city, Roxy for big name DJs, and N11 for underground hip hop.  With such a diverse club scene, Prague attracts a huge range of people, including a growing number of stag and hen parties.  If clubbing is not your thing, then there are plenty of pubs and bars all over the city which provide a more understated night out.

So there you have it, nightclubs and history can live side by side without squabbling, but I defy another city to do it as well as Prague.

Maeve O’Donnel is from London and a recent University graduate whose interests include traveling and buying too many clothes.  She is now hoping to take over the world of journalism.

My dream destination is always the beach.  Of course, I have a few favorites scattered around the globe, however it really does not matter which beach I am at, as long as I am able to dip my sand-covered toes into the water.  My Beautiful Adventures is a blog dedicated to adventures in any shape or form, but its niche is definitely luxury travel.  That is why I could not be more excited to share with you one of my most beloved luxury travel item’s that is perfect for a beach getaway!  Let me introduce you to LottyB Mustique and her exquisite wearable art.

Lotty Bunbury is a talented designer who draws inspiration from her travels around the world, as well as her island home of Mustique.  Each item is a print of an original hand painted design by Lotty.  As stated on her website, “her work is famous for beautiful craftsmanship, presentation, and attention to detail; LottyB defines the casual, elegant chic style that is Mustique.”  I could not agree more with this sentiment and I believe you will too after reading this review.

I have been dreaming of owning a LottyB masterpiece for years, so imagine my delight when it arrived.  I decided to choose a kaftan from the brand new Leaves & Egret Collection.  The box it came in was almost as fabulous as the kaftan itself!

This is what Lotty had to say regarding the Leaves & Egret Collection:

The kaftan is made from sheer, ultra-thin, chiffon silk.  The print is absolutely stunning, so much so that I guarantee when I wear it to the beach for the first time someone will come up to me within an hour and ask where I bought it.

While it is designed to be a coverup over swimwear, it can also be worn over a pair of jeans or leggings — a fashionable choice that can take you from the beach to a night out on the town.

If you want to be the most stylish woman on the beach or you simply want to spoil yourself, I strongly recommend purchasing something from LottyB Mustique.  To learn more about the collection visit LottyB Mustique on Facebook.