THE TOURISTS

you would think that living somewhere for an entire year would entitle you to 'local status,' but that never quite happens because you know your leaving is imminent. when mitch and I first arrived here, we should have taken the time to explore like tourists do. walking down the boardwalk in search of the perfect macrame coverup. sipping coconut water right from the source. having people take our picture in front of sandy beaches. but we never did. until yesterday. yesterday, mitch finished up with his tests early and rather going to swim in the waves (which is our standard go-to activity around here), we opted for something we never got the chance to do before, which was all of the touristy things. I think when we moved here I was a little too focused on not appearing like a tourist. I wanted to fit in. be one with the island and all that. but as I realized our time here is winding down, I find myself wanting to take more pictures and drink more coconuts (figuratively because, in truth, I didn't really like them).

after getting a very sweet lunch at one of our favorite places to eat on the island, we drove down to little divi bay, which is probably one of the swankiest parts of our side of the island. mitch had always seen it from afar but had never been, so we finally decided to stop. the infrastructure surrounding the place is perfection. it's condos, but it's also little beach shacks that make your stay on our island feel more authentic. and for whatever ecological or geographical reason, this beach has the coolest marbled sand that looks wet even when it's dry. not to mention it sticks to you like nothing else! for this reason, mitch and I decided not to lay out here and move onto the boardwalk, which is where all the cruise ships roll in.

everyone on the boardwalk is extremely friendly and helpful and we set out in search of coconuts. being honest, real coconut water was not what I expected. maybe I expected something sweeter or fresher tasting, but to me, it just tasted bitter and old. mitch finished mine off as we discussed what a miracle it is this island has coconuts. here they are surrounded by salty, undrinkable water on all sides, and yet they were given a source of clean hydration right there in the coconut. amazing. then we walked and walked past shop after shop as I searched for the perfect white, macrame coverup, which has yet to be found, whilst having passersby take our picture in front of the crowded beach. and then, assessing the crowd, we actually drove all the way back to our own little beach on the other side of the island for some relaxation because being a tourist is actually kind of exhausting. and then we went home to a perfect night in full of pizza and diet coke (mitch must love me or something) and sabrina, which we had forgotten completely, so we were both really into it.

and then it was wednesday! which means a whole day of hard work and sunshine followed up with girls night tonight. we've been watching the bachelor and is it just me or does this season seem a lot more crazy than the bachelorette last season? and I feel like just because he's a farmer, doesn't mean that all of the dates should be farm themed. just a thought. have a wonderful day and thanks for reading!

love, arielle

APARTMENT SWEET APARTMENT

there are so many beautiful interior design inspos floating around the blogosphere. you know the kind that always tend to drop your jaw as you stick them straight to your pinboard? well this isn't really one of those instances. I didn't design this space. I didn't pick out the furniture. the utility bill doesn't even come in my name. but it's our new apartment and we're kind of in love with it. welcome to our home!

about a month ago, I mentioned that mitch and I moved. it was a mad dash kind of thursday morning that ended with a flight back to the states. where we were living before was absolutely perfect on paper--it was equipped with an "american" kitchen (which I think means that it's just big and has big, western appliances), granite countertops, and was over 1200 square feet. on paper, it sort of sounded like the perfect place. it had the pool and the view and the 24-hour security. and leaving canada for the caribbean, I didn't care what it costed, I wanted the comforts of home. well, one year later, I can honestly say that just because something is more expensive doesn't mean you're going to be happier with it. I guess I just had to learn that the hard, pricey way. despite the beautiful view from that gorgeous pool area, our last apartment had very little natural light and tight visiting restrictions. I actually had to fill out paperwork just to have friends over! and then december came and our contract was up and it was time to move into someplace brighter, accessible, and albeit, cheaper. and through what can only be considered divine intervention, we got this place. it's not right out of a magazine and it isn't pinnable in the least, but it's ours and unlike the place that came before it, it actually feels like a home.

our apartment is never short of a quilted gift (or two). my mom is so crafty that she can whip up just about anything you want in a few short hours. so you'll notice a lot of brightly colored fabrics and original pieces in this home and the home to come, I'd guess.

the grout lines are a force to be reckoned with as far as cleaning is concerned and there isn't a lot of space to spread out, but this kitchen does have everything we need. and still makes room for my cookery books.

one feature of our new kitchen that I can't get enough of is our gas stove! before, the only time I'd ever had one within my reach was during my culinary classes, which were a few years ago now, and I loved how much power and freedom it gave. it's wonderful! I've actually cooked every night but one since we've been back on the island and I think this stove has something to do with it.

I have always wanted to live in a place with stairs and this is my first time. the only time I regret it is after 'leg day' at the gym.

and those beams! I could have done an entire post about my love for those beams, but I thought you guys would find that incredibly dull. in all seriousness, mitch has found me just lying on my back gazing up at all those beautiful beams.

the whole loft design is such a cozy one. and it finally has mitch and I on the same sleep schedule. we are still deciding if that's a plus ;)

and there's our amazing view overlooking the lagoon. 

and that's our home. I realized just recently that I actually never shared our previous apartment. probably on the account that it was always so dark that a decent picture seemed impossible. we could not be happier to have moved! on a different note, happy tuesday! this week is block week and has mitch studying up a storm while I am surprisingly busy with this and that and am trying to plan a moment to stop and watch netflix. what's keeping you busy this week?

love, arielle

A PERFECT WINTRY SUNDAY IN THE CARIBBEAN

 

there was church that was went to and a home to come home to. there were holiday candles burning and christmas music playing and a heavenly pot roast roasting. and of course, there was a gorgeous sunset setting. like all the sunsets down here do. all of these intangible aesthetics helped in making sunday one lovely wintry sunday despite the current, constant eighty-two degrees that lingers over our little island--a wonderful relief since I thought that by moving down here, we would be opting out of all of that christmas cheer until we arrive home in less than ten days. less than ten days. can you believe it? in the next ten days, we will pack up and move apartments, mitch will take his third set of comprehensive finals, and we will have completed three semesters (one year) of medical school whilst living on this toasty warm island. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with us. I knew mitch could do it all along, but I was a little skeptical about myself. as you probably well know, I'm not nearly the trooper he is.

here are a few other reasons this past sunday was such a wintry one ::

one :: the smell of the last of my autumn apples cooking and baking  away in my kitchen.

two :: watching I'll be home for christmas with jonathan taylor thomas (may he rest in peace). mitch and I are such 90s kids.

three :: turning on the air conditioning to enjoy a cup of hot cider.

four :: a handsome husband studying for his last set of blocks, which he took yesterday.

five :: freshly washed and folded laundry in perfect, little stacks crowding the coffee table.

six :: this year's annual christmas devotional. so many beautiful messages delivered just in time for this beautiful, essential time of year.

seven :: the smell of detergent as we drifted off to sleep.

and how have your week's been so far? ours started off with mitch completing his final set of blocks and a celebratory dinner with friends. now, all that stands between us and the states are his final comprehensive exams and then we'll be on the first plane home for a jolt of cooler weather. needless to say, I'm a little giddy about it. 

let me know how your weekends were in the comments below. happy tuesday!

love, arielle

THOSE WAVES...

 ...were ginormous! by far, the biggest waves I ever saw. a product of hurricane gonzalo's aftermath, I'm sure. there was something about those waves that made mitch and me start using words like "stoked" and "gnarly," which so isn't us, but I think I understand the west coast a little bit better now. 

admittedly, I was a little overconfident as I was stepping into the water with the sole intention of getting my hair wet. I grew up on the gulf of mexico--fighting off strong rip currents and body surfing my way back home--so I really, truly thought I could handle myself. but those waves? they were kind of intense. of course, mitch was like a kid in a very salty candy shop. as for me, I was getting thrashed around like a jelly fish losing all of its tentacles in my quest for land. and later, after the sea had spit me out with scrapes ( yes, scrapes ) all down my legs and two pounds of sand in my swimsuit bottoms ( tmi? ), I laid down and took a nice, long, deserved nap on the seashore.

as for the rest of our weekend, the only way to describe it is easy. we finished one series on netflix, mourned its loss, and started a new one. speaking of which, have any of you guys seen scandal? it's pretty intense. we are already through the first season, which is sort of embarrassing now that I think about it. and what would a true lazyish weekend be without a night of homemade pizza and caramel apples? not a very good one, that's for sure. and the best part was that mitch sort of ignored studying and played all weekend long. 

kind of amazing. and unheard of. it's like we get to know each other all over again.

I hope all of your weekends were just as exciting and easy as ours was. and I apologize if you're so over beach views. truthfully, this is what we look at everyday and there isn't much else to choose from. have an amazing monday. oddly enough, I'm pretty excited about it.

love, arielle

GONZALO || THE CALM AFTER THE STORM

the generator is running. the internet is streaming. the water is flowing clearly and freely from the faucets. and I can't help but feel so grateful for how well we fared before, during, and after hurricane gonzalo's brief residence on our tiny island. it wasn't without some difficulty, mind you. monday night, we were thinking of hitting head to pillow a little early out of respect for mitch's upcoming tests. mitch got up to turn on the air conditioning and came back into the bedroom asking for help sweeping the water out of our living room. this seemed really odd considering we live on the third floor of a concrete building, but sure enough, there was water flowing into our living room rather rapidly. turns out, the drain on our balcony was clogged with debris causing our tiny porch to act as a somewhat dirty, tepid jacuzzi. the next three hours of our lives consisted of moving the furniture back...and then back again, repeatedly unclogging the drain outside, sweeping the water out with dustpans, and a very inventive little contraption honed by the husband, himself--two swiffers with a towel tied in between, so as to achieve maximum sweeping capacity. this was then minorly thwarted by the man upstairs' own flooding coming down through our electrical, which was both scary and exciting. all while a hurricane blew through the trees making those palms dance like they were stuck on an episode of soultrain and the sky followed suit with some of the funkiest back-lightening you've ever seen. all I've got to say is, gonzalo has moves.

throughout the panicking, sweeping, draining, and later, cleaning process, mitch and I felt this immense sense of camaraderie and teamwork. he even commented, later, that that is what it means to be husband and wife. not that you have to stand outside, soaking wet, in three inches of water, while leaves pelt you in the face and lightening flashes all around to prove yourselves as a team, but that overcoming obstacles together is what being married is all about, isn't it? and it definitely makes life a little more exciting. we're already laughing about it, actually.

because of the storm, mitch's tests were put off for two days, so we'll be celebrating later tonight with some dorky movie marathon, no doubt. and I'll be scavenging the island for candy corn because, a) what is october without it? and b) I'm a determined one when it comes to celebrating things the right way. I hope all of you are having a wonderful week. it's good to be communicating with the outside world, once again!

also, we are in desperate need of new movie-marathon suggestions. any thoughts?

love, arielle

WEEKEND EXPLOITS || SOMETHING NEW

^^ driving across the longer bridge on the island, mitch insisted I get a few snaps of this gorgeous sunset ^^

^^ but then, as we got closer to home, the sky started showing off, so we had to stop and get a few more ^^

this weekend certainly was a good'un. it was chalk full of long naps, green smoothies, gym time, knitting, an heirloom carrot cake recipe, some homemade sushi, one breathtaking sunset, and the key to any good weekend--time with mitch. now that his first round of tests are over, I see quite a bit more of him and I love it. it's like, 'oh hey, you! oh, that's right. we're married!' I think the second coolest thing about this weekend is that most of the things on this list are new. I actually taught myself to knit friday afternoon whilst watching the originals on netflix ( which is not nearly as good as the vampire diaries, in case you were wondering ). and then there's that carrot cake, which is actually an old family recipe, but new to me. it was fairly delicious, though I think I'll make a few tweaks next time around. and mitch is well on his way to being a sushi expert because although he ( claims he ) has never made it before, his rolls looked suitable for any restaurant dining experience despite an incredibly dull knife. I swear, that guy is good at everything! and I mean, everything! yes, it certainly was a good weekend. and now the mister is back to school and I'm catching up with all of you before I head off to start my day. I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend! tell me all about it in the comments :)

love, arielle

WEEKEND EXPLOITS || WHAT LIFE IS LACKING :: SHELL EDITION

I spent a lot of this weekend thinking about blessings and how lucky my husband and I have been since moving to this strange, faraway rock. mitch is working extremely hard and making respectable grades while in medical school. we have both been safe and healthy and well-fed. we have people that love us and I know that god is looking out for us on a daily basis. rarely do I look at my life and feel like it's lacking anything really important. and I didn't know it was until I was talking to a friend of mine who has been to every single beach while on the island ( which is quite a feat ) collecting some of the most beautiful shells I have ever seen! no joke. she has a huge, whole conch; a whole sand dollar; a starfish; several sea urchins; and a bunch of shells I don't even know the names of. that's when it dawned on me that I have become such a creature of habit in such a short period of time. after a short seven months, I had already adopted the philosophy, "oh, how nice. another beach." I guess you could say that I sort of stalled in the exploring department. my life has been lacking a little adventure. and shells. so consider this my midyear resolution to become more adventurous. more into collecting shells than living inside one.

embarrassingly enough, the beginning of our hunt was not very promising. we drove around aimlessly searching for a beach we had never been to and came across one behind a fairly swanky hotel. after watching a very skittish crab and attempting to catch him throwing sand at us on my camera roll, I started my search. at first, it looked completely fruitless shell-less. and it was. walking further into the water only reaffirmed this previous realization. for a second, I thought the blurred, dark, crunchy things under my toes might be just what I was looking for, but no. they were large chunks of volcanic rock. oh well, I'll get 'em next time. we did, however, visit a new beach. and honestly, it was fun just driving around with mitch talking about life and exploring new territory. very pioneerish of us, if you ask me. 

the rest of the weekend was spent watching netflix, reading harry potter, and messing around in the kitchen. I get in these moods where I just can't seem to bake and cook enough. and now, it's monday. and like most weeks, I have set so many mundane life-laundry goals and hopefully, unlike most weeks, I will actually knock all of them out. actual laundry accompanied by cleaning the home, running everyday, and filling out lots of permanent resident paperwork that I've been putting off. it is a little daunting. all while trying to get a little more brown before our holidaying in a couple of weeks. how are you guys spending your monday? hope all is well!

love, arielle