Florida

Back from Florida with T., and will post tomorrow regarding our awesome adventures, after we return from another adventure into Boston (this time the North End)!

Stay safe, travellers!
~ Ms. Always Traveling

P.S. Olivetti is back is business.

Traveling. Summer. DAY ONE (but kinda actually two).

What a day.

Today has been one heck of a day. Heading into Chinatown at a solid 10am, T. and I made it to yum cha with plenty of time to spare. It was delicious, as always. But we made a bit of a mess...

After that, we headed to Tremont St and absorbed some window-shopping in the sunshine of the desolate street before asking the locals for the best shop for icecream. "Picco" was the place to be, we were informed, and so we went.

It was amazing.
We had cinnamon, passionfruit and dark chocolate. All highly recommended.

Then we headed to see "Hotel Nepenthe", a fabulous performance complete with the original cast. Great show.
We then headed back towards home to meet up with a friend, grab some more icecream...

...and then home to shuck some corn for a delicious outside dinner.

What an incredible first day.
And it only gets crazier tomorrow!

Send some mail, and go into the city; whichever is yours!
~ Ms. Always Traveling

He's here!!

He's here.
We're off to Chinatown.

~ Ms. Always Traveling

Almost there!

I received some rather cute mail today, from some friends that I haven't heard from in a very long time. I shall be seeing them soon, so it was a lovely surprise. I hope that after this summer, they'll be eager to write again.

Today, I also sent out a letter to a person who I won't be able to communicate with for this week. I just love the stamp. Somehow I managed to get through all (minus one) of my Great Film Director stamps already! I can't believe it, honestly. Craziness. But, I guess it gives me an excuse to buy some more then, aye?

I can't wait to send some mail from Florida this week. It is going to be quite lovely!! Got to love that Floridian heat and sporadic rainfall. Love it.

Send some mail today!
~ Ms. Always Traveling

T-Minus 3 Hours

T. is currently in flight. He'll be here in three hours, as long as his flight doesn't get too disrupted by this strange change of weather!

Unbelievable.
~ Ms. Always Traveling

T-Minus 23 Hours

T. flies in a few hours.
He'll be here in 23.
Safe travels, T.! See you very soon!
~ Ms. Always Traveling

Today, I received word from Cambridge Typewriter Co. that my lovely Olivetti has been serviced and is ready to be picked up. Due to the fact that today is the last business day this week, and that T. arrives tomorrow, and then we're headed out of town, I won't be able to pick up the gorgeously fixed typewriter until Wednesday. However, when I do -- it shall be tremendous. I can't wait. Typed letters shall be sent out.

Fair warning.
Cheers--
~ Ms. Always Traveling

Giving Gifts -- s.u.m.m.e.r.

Eight of the eleven handmade envelopes.
Each filled with something different.
Happy Summer, bud.

~ Ms. Always Traveling

T-Minus One

The wonderful T. will be here tomorrow. I am finding it hard to fathom. Incredible.
As soon as he arrives -- summer begins.

Uncanny.

Safe travels, T.--and see you very soon indeed!
~ Ms. Always Traveling

Summer Bucket List #103

Summer Bucket List #103
Read the other books I've been meaning to read.

I already previously posted about my wanting to finally get around to reading my aviation books, but this is another post about wanting to read the other books I've been meaning to read. There are quite a few.
The first is a book I have read possible four or five times already. I love it. By the ever-hilarious and extremely curious Bill Bryson (a man who I would invite to my "Top Ten People To Eat Dinner With" meal in an instant), In A Sunburned Country (otherwise known as Down Under depending on the publication house) reminds me of home every single time I read it. His style of writing captures the essense and truly embodies every character and location he writes about, in all of his books--of which I am a fan of each--which allows me to relive the experiences of Sydney, and the greater Great Brown Land, in such a wonderful way. I started it again this morning, after finding a hard-cover copy of it to add to my collection. Love it as much as ever, if not more considering that my dear Aussie Amigo shall be here in less than 72 hours!

The second and third I haven't begun yet, but they are:

• 1984 by George Orwell
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The fourth I have already started and, like In A Sunburned Country, I have already read it many, many times. By one of my other absolute favourite authors, Roald Dahl, The Great Automatic Grammatizator is another beautifully awesome book. A collection of 13 of his bizarre and truly tremendous stories, it provides me with an endless current of gorgeously strange stories. In true Dahl fashion.

The fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth are more books along the similar trains of thought. Each of them promise to be fabulous.

• At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson (yet again. You can never get enough. Truly.)
• Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (on a recommendation by the lovely B.)
• Babyhood by Paul Reiser
• Lunch In Paris by Elizabeth Bard

If I have time this summer, I intend to read all of these books. I can't wait.

Any suggestions for something else I should be reading? If it wasn't already obvious, I love travel and humour.

Read up, readers!
~ Ms. Always Traveling

Scorcher

Yesterday and today, the temperature here in Massachusetts (and most of New England, I've heard) has been boiling. True scorchers! (The perfect weather for T. and my travels!!)

So yesterday, I decided to take a trip to Rhode Island to a beach. Seems like everyone else on this side of Indiana had that very same idea, because the beach was crazily crowded. My crew and I had no clue that it was going to be ... quite ... so ... packed ...

Regardless, it was a fabulously warm day and the sea breeze--plus shade from the rainbow-hued umbrella, as well as wonderful company--made for a tremendous day.

In two days time, I'll be able to share such a summer joy with the wonderful T.! I can't wait!!

My Northern Hemisphere readers: send some mail, read some books, and soak up that sun!
My Southern Hemisphere readers: send some mail, read some books, and I'll soak up that sun for you!
~ Ms. Always Traveling

Outgoing

Some more outgoing, to international destinations.

To the lovely land of my heart and home; Australia:

And to the beautiful "Espana":

I can't wait to hear back from these lovely new penpals!
What mail have you sent today?
          ~Ms. Always Traveling

T-Minus 5 Days

I can't believe that T. is going to be here in five days. It's incredible.
First stop; Boston. Second stop; Florida. Onwards and upwards from there.

Can't wait to see you, T.!
~ Ms. Always Traveling

Where Travel Takes You

A rather important letter went out today, to the Editor-In-Chief of the wonderful magazine, AFAR.

I like this envelope quite a fair bit.
              ~ Ms. Always Traveling

Happy Dad's Day

To a great man;
Happy Father's Day 2012.

~ Ms. Always Traveling

T-Minus Eight Days

The wonderful T., is going to be here in eight days. I can't believe it.
I've missed him so much, and we're gonna have a blast!
Time to TRAVEL IT UP!

               ~ Ms. Always Traveling

A Letter On Its Way

I'm pretty proud of this Featured Piece.
I used the theme of "Theatre" for the envelope, and a bunch of "Travel" themes for the card inside.
Basically, I received a simple unused card+envelope from a penpal, redecorated it, and sent it to another penpal. I love being able to be creative with the gifts of the mailart world; it's fabulous.

I think a lot of my inspiration came from the mini film poster, performance ticket stub, and Great American Filmmaker stamps that I had sitting on my desk, waiting to be used. Here's what I came up with:

 The front of the envelope, decorated in a mail-art fashion.

 A beautiful Billy Wilder stamp...

 The back of the envelope, beginning to transition from "Theatre" into "Travel"...

 Card inside the envelope. The bike part was already on the card, but I wanted to mess around with it a little... So I did!

 And then inside the card...

A message to let my penpal know I'm heading to Europe!

I had a fabulous time making this piece, and I feel like it encompasses two of my favourite things, which is tremendous! I don't know if I'll be able to send it out now! Just kidding -- I just hope that my recipient likes receiving it as much as I liked sending it!

What do you think?

Send more mail--it's summer for goodness sake!
               ~ Ms. Always Traveling

Mail and Typewriters

I received two beautiful presents from my mother this week, both which I would like to share because they are so gorgeous.

First is a pendant of a beautiful typewriter. And -- the carriage moves.

The second is a United States Postal Service recognition pin, given to Postal employees who went above and beyond the call of duty. I love it.

Aren't they gorgeous?
Gracias, mi madre!

Go "beyond the call of duty"--send some mail.
                   ~ Ms. Always Traveling

Stamp Love

I received some stamps in the mail this week, inside envelopes from my penpals who know my love of "THE STAMP". I thought I'd share some of the ones that stuck out to me the most--

This Walt Disney one (USA) made my heart melt, quite simply because it tells of a time much before mine. The colours and decoration of the illustration-cartoon atop illustraion-portrait, and the intensity of those colours left me grinning all morning.

 I love moose(s). They, and giraffes, are my favourite animals. So this one from Poland had me smiling too.

Love the colouring and the hand-cancelling of "Oh ja!" from this stamp from the Netherlands.

I LOVE that this one has a small silver imprint in the top right hand corner. Simple, but effective.

Stamps--gotta love 'em!
          ~ Ms. Always Traveling