me encanta arequipa.

Arequipa felt like a Peruvian Italy to me. We loved the atmosphere and ended up extending our stay, just because.

We sampled (fancy) cuy at the famous ChiCha. Along with actual chicha morada.

Other good eats: The Creperie, Mamut (chorizo) and that one pizza place...

Strolled down streets that begged to be strolled.

Literally followed our noses to a McDonalds.

Found an imitation Irish Pub that had satellite television so we could watch OU beat UCONN. We were the only two people in the bar most of the night.

Stayed at Hostel Bothey - probably our least favorite hostel of the trip, but that's going off of a really good scale.

And we spent a crazy firework-filled New Years in the Plaza des Armas: we're talking no rules. Everyone out on the church steps with bottles of wine and fistfulls of fireworks they bought on the corner. So fun!

viajes en peru de milka: arequipa.

Of all the Plaza de Armas(es) in Peru, this one was our favorite. Pigeons and all.

cabin fever.

Grapefruit, avocado and arugala salad.

Yellow rose headboard.

Bangle.

Pumps you could never match with anything.

The snow days got to me. I may have gone the very definition of stir crazy. 

I looked at a lot of blogs. A lot. Hence the inspiration pictures piled up on my desktop.

And I noticed that a lot of blogging involves coveting things you can't afford and a lifestyle you don't have. (Also a weird obsession with stationary and print making). I literally got to the point where all the pathetic hankering made me nauseous. 

Not that there's anything wrong with dreaming, but...

Don't just blog it. Be it.

p.s. As far as real life inspiration goes, the next time you're at The Wedge on Western, look for Chelsea (server) or Kassidy (hostess), these girls have such great personal style and knock my socks off every time I come into work. Refreshing.

viajes en peru de milka: monastario de santa catalina.

A favorite day.

Discoveries around every corner.

So happy.

And in love.

monastario de santa catalina.

We spent an entire morning wandering around the Monastario de Santa Catalina in Arequipa, so picturesque - I loved the bright colors, the red geraniums everywhere, portraits of dead nuns (apparently they're only allowed to be depicted after death), views of Arequipa's mountains and volcanoes, honeysuckle...

Paintings of Saint Jerome and Saint Christopher became our favorites to see throughout the trip, they almost became like old friends.

I would highly, highly, highly recommend making time to explore it.

Another really good stop in Arequipa is the Museo Santuarios Andinos where you can see the incredibly well-preserved body of "Juanita," the first of fourteen Incan child sacrifices to be found in the mountains of South America.