Frankfurt Christmas Market

December 9, 2016 sofijaburton2 Comments

Friends,

I have just gotten back from Germany and still relishing the sights and sounds of the Christmas markets there. The mulled wine, the fried breads, and pretzels. Bratwursts in every shape or form. Ginger breads, candied apples, chocolate covered marshmallows… If you are into Christmas, this is the time to go (if you don’t mind cold and cloudy days, and crowds of people…). The markets typically start in the last week of November, so airfares are really low for this time of year. Every town seems to have one; bigger cities like Frankfurt and Cologne have several. Castles often have their own little market on different weekends. I went to buy Christmas displays from the region Erzgebirge (high quality wooden handcrafted pieces), and to drink Gluehwein (mulled wine). Locals mostly go to eat at the food vendors. 🙂 Here are some pictures from Frankfurt.

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Even Santa gets hungry sometimes… _mg_6703 _mg_6707 _mg_6700-1

There are children’s rides there, too. So it is really a place the whole family can enjoy. Just remember to dress warm.

Have you been? I hadn’t since I left Germany over 20 years ago. Being there again and smelling all these familiar smells send me down memory lane.

Have a wonderful Christmas season,

Sofija

Rapberry Picking in Mora, New Mexico

September 12, 2016November 4, 2016 sofijaburtonhome-schooling, homeschooling, kid's fashion, Mora, new mexico, outdoors, Raspberry Picking, style, summer, TravelLeave a comment

We went Raspberry picking last weekend and we were surprised how much fun we had. Take a look.

Upon arriving you get a small bucket to collect the raspberries. You fill those and at the end they get weighed and you pay by the pound. We paid $6 per pound. Everybody gets a row assigned to pick their berries. We were shown how to properly pick the raspberries off the stems. Tasting is allowed; we tasted A LOT.

After we were done picking we went to the store to pay for our 4 lb we had collected. There was a small shop that served raspberry sundaes. So good!!

I recommend bringing bug spray and sunscreen.Which we forgot and paid for the next day.

Be sure to check Salman Raspberry Ranch’s website before you go, fields and stores are not always open. They update daily.

Have a lovely day,

Sofija

Exploring Taos Pueblo and the Gorge With my Youngest

August 8, 2016 sofijaburtonLeave a comment

School is starting up again in my part of the world. Before we go back to shuttling kids and preparing lessons we decided to take one last trip to Taos. We took our Canadian friends who had not been to the Taos Pueblo. Only our youngest came along. She travels really well and generally makes herself at home anywhere. Watching her play at the Pueblo made me think of how children might have grown up there.

Currently only 10 families still live in the Pueblo. However lots of tribe members live outside but keep homes for ceremonies and for selling hand made jewelry, pottery, dream catchers, and other things. Thankfully, one person was selling lemonade, as it was getting quiet warm while we were there.

She kept running from shop to shop chatting with the store owners…

The logs were a favorite…

After touring the Pueblo we headed to the Rio Grande River Gorge. On the way is the Taos Mesa Brewery, a really fun quirky place out in the middle of nowhere, with good food. And for people like me, they have good cider, too. We happened to be there while life music was playing.

The Gorge. As seen from the bridge.

Not for the faint of heart…Hold on to your children!! Do not drop your lap dogs…

Lots of vendors along the road. But my favorite is this traveling bus/coffee shop.

A huge thanks to my husband for driving us 6+ hours and for being a great tour guide!! You are the best!

After the Gorge we took the High Road to Taos back to show our friends Chimayo. And we had some appetizers at the famous Rancho de Chimayo restaurant. A super cozy place. My husband bought their cook book so I can expect home-made chili sauce in my near future….

If you don’t mind being gone all day, this is how you can do Taos is one day. I have to say though, my favorite place to eat lunch in Taos is at the Bavarian.

Hope you all have a great start into the new school year!!

Sofija

Tashi is wearing a dress from H&M, shoes from the Children’s Place.

A Photo Shoot with the Girls in Taos

July 22, 2016July 22, 2016 sofijaburtonadobe church, children's fashion, new mexico, San Francisco de Asis Mission, Taos, TravelLeave a comment

Friends,

Last week the family spend the day in Taos. The hubs took our 12 year old son river rafting on the Rio Grande, while I took the girls to Taos. They had a blast. First they humored me with a photo shoot of yet another adobe church, and then they got rewarded with Slushees and a trip to their favorite playground. Here are some pictures…

First we dropped the boys off along the Rio Grande to go river rafting. They had a blast and I would highly recommend this for older kids. There are two ways to get to Taos coming from Albuquerque or Santa Fe: the High Road, and the Low Road. While I am a huge fan of the High Road, I have to say the Low Road is pretty awesome in the summer, as well. There is a little rafting shack with a coffee shop; there is Heron Brewery, and cute little fruit stand next to it. Lots of places to stop and linger along the Rio Grande. And places to picnic right by the river, too.

After dropping them off, we headed to San Francisco de Asis Mission Church in Taos. It is easy to miss, you don’t see it from the road, thus I have passed it a few times without knowing. Georgia O’Keeffe painted this church and Ansel Adams photographed it. I can see why…

san francisco de asis mission church in taos, nm

I love the softness of the adobe churches and the white and beige detail of this church. So lovely.

A random house near the church with the signature blue shutters and red chilis hanging from the roof.

What a great day!

This summer we didn’t really have time or finances for a vacation. Day trips like this make a staycation a lot more bearable for me. Exploring new places and spending a lot of time in the pool is what gets me through the long and hot New Mexico summers.

Have a great day,

Sofija

Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu, New Mexico

July 16, 2016July 16, 2016 sofijaburtonart, Georgia O'Keeffe, Ghost Ranch, madewellLeave a comment

If you are visiting or live in Albuquerque or Santa Fe add this to your list of day trips. It is so worth it. From Albuquerque Abiquiu is about a 2 1/2 hour drive north. From Santa Fe it is only an hour away. The drive up there is beautiful.

Before arriving at the Ranch we stopped at Lake Abiquiu to cool off. It is a small man made lake, which is pretty much all you get in this state. But the water temperature was perfect on this hot day. Come here early on a weekend, it fills up fast in the afternoon. We shared the beach with several large groups.

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Leaving the lake the ranch wasn’t much further up the road. The drive was stunning.

The famous painter Georgia O’Keeffe owned a small piece of Ghost Ranch. She drew inspiration from her surroundings, going on long walks every day and painting what she saw. Being here it was easy to see how one would be creative living here.

There is a dude ranch on the property. I was told by visitors it was made for the movie City Slickers.

The Presbyterian Church owns the property now. There is a lot going on, plan to spend some time here: scheduled hikes and tours, retreats, different museums; there is a even a pool.

I asked my 12 year old to take a picture of me and my husband. I recently decided to be more intentional to not only take pictures of the kids when we go places but also the two of us.

The view from the parking lot.

We didn’t have time to really explore that day, which gives me an excuse to come back. Maybe stay overnight or participate in a creative retreat…

For us it was the perfect staycation destination. We are pretty much home this whole summer so I am trying to go on interesting day trips. This would also make a great field trip destination with the museums, or the art education.

Have a great day,

Sofija

I’m wearing…

Dress: Madewell

Hat: Anthropologie

Tote: Madewell

Los Poblanos, the Perfect New Mexico Summer Escape

June 5, 2016 sofijaburtonDestination Wedding, Farm to Table, Los Poblanos, New Mexico Travel, Travel2 Comments

Los Poblanos is many things, most of all a great escape, a relaxing way to spend your day with your best friend, your partner, your mother. The restaurant has fresh farm to table food, the shop is full of lavender products, the grounds invite to stay. Oh, and there is an inn, too, making it the perfect place for a destination wedding.

The tree lined entrance alone is worth a visit.

The shop

The lavender field

The Inn

The view of the mountains from the parking lot. IMG_2561 (2)

Their lavender hand soap is my favorite. My husband and I have eaten here for our anniversary, it was lovely.

Have a great day,

Sofija

Volosko, Croatia

May 6, 2016May 6, 2016 sofijaburtonCroatia, europe, Istria, traveling in Europe2 Comments

This time last year I was in Croatia, and right about now I am really itching to go back. If the weather is as nice as it was for us, it is the perfect time to be there. No crowds, everything is still a little sleepy, however the locals are busy going about their days, which to me adds to the whole experience.

I imagine most of us have special places from our childhood that we are drawn back to. Volosko is one of those places for me. It is a tiny fishing community right next to the resort town Opatija, where we used to go to the beach when I was a child. Small, narrow passages, a little harbor with colorful boats, art galleries, restaurants by the water, and in the last 10 years it has also become a foodie destination.

This is my favorite approach from the top, descending down into the village with these great views of the Adriatic Sea.

I love this beach for the views but the water is not the cleanest, since it is nestled between the port city Rijeka and the harbor above. I found cleaner beaches with clear water in Cres and Mošćenička Draga. Those are all pebble beaches, so bring water shoes.

volosko, croatia

Every pathway has a glimpse of the water. I love these narrow walkways, it feels so intimate. There will be laundry drying, cats sleeping, little flower posts everywhere.

There are great places like Plavi Podrum right by the water (above picture: the restaurant with the blue awning), but I wanted to try a new to me place. Konoba Tramerka was a great farm to table find through my favorite travel website Frank About Croatia. Tucked away in a maze of little passages it was not easy to find. But ask the locals for direction, they will point you to it. I loved the old brick building and the cozy atmosphere inside. My favorite was the appetizer punjeni njoki s pršut (Gnocchi filled with ham – local ham that is, as in they know the pig farmer personally). As I was drooling over their olive oil, my waiter immediately called his supplier and arranged a couple bottles for me. I brought two bottles of Mate home and wished I had ten more. Later I found out Donald Sutherland had dined there and raved about the Risotto. On my list for next time. konoba tramerka, volosko volosko, croatia volosko, green shutters

How cute is this local mural, depicting Volosko?

My mom is heading there as we speak, I’m so jealous. Have you been to this area, anything I missed?

Have a wonderful day,

Sofija

Modern General, Santa Fe

March 25, 2016March 28, 2016 sofijaburtonLocal Shops, Santa Fe, style, Travel1 Comment

I have a new favorite store in Santa Fe: Modern General. It has quality gardening and kitchen tools, but it also serves as a lunch and meeting space. And their smoothies are so good. And super healthy.

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I was surprised to see Hartwood here, a cook book from a restaurant in Tulum, Mexico. I’m kind of Tulum obsessed and I had seen the book mentioned on Instagram. So cool to find it here. modern general 4 modern general collage

It’s a good place to bring kids. My youngest felt really comfortable here. And she liked that healthy smoothie, too. So now I’m thinking I need the recipe for my picky 12 year old who never eats vegetables. _MG_3726 modern general 5.jpg modern general collage 2 _MG_3711

I love when a store owner puts so much thought into design and purpose. If you find yourself in Santa Fe, be sure to check it out. It is not too far from the plaza and the train station.

Have a great day,

Sofija

All pictures taken by Sofija Burton

Desert Child

March 12, 2016March 12, 2016 sofijaburtonhome-schooling, kid's fashion, New Mexico Travel, Travel, White Mesa2 Comments

I have been thinking a lot about what it means to raise children in the desert. It is such a unique experience and one that I never anticipated. I grew up in Germany in a city near a dense forest. Everything was small, green, and urban. New Mexico is almost the opposite. It is vast, brown, you can see for miles and miles, and it is wild. There is hardly any grass, just a sea of rocks. I wonder if the surroundings will affect their views on life. Will they see this world as big and limitless and be eager to discover it?

Bringing Tashi to White Mesa made me realize how much at home she is in this terrain. There was no: “I’m bored, what is there to do?” She immediately started walking and interacting with her surroundings. She could have spend all day there.

She found some chalky rocks and was delighted that she could draw pictures with them.

She decided the rocks would make excellent furniture. Here she is holding a couch, but it looks more like a telephone….

I have been reading a lot about forest pre-schools in Europe. Children spend all day outside in the woods. I guess my children have been going to rock school…

Have lovely day,

Sofija

On :

Pants: H&M

Top: Olive Juice

Vest: Old Navy

Cat Socks: Gymboree

Shoes: Hand me downs

On the Road…

February 9, 2016 sofijaburtonLeave a comment

There is nothing quite like going places with sisters. They fight, they annoy each other, but oh, they have so much fun. They are together and they know how to have a good time…

“There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars…”

-Jack Kerouac