Yosemite!

I FINALLY, after all these years, made it to Yosemite!!

San Jacinto!

That's me on top of the world!

CABINOLOGY goes to Ecuador

Behold... Ecuador!... :-)

The AMAZON:
The big splurge of this budget backpacking trip was well worth it. Below are our adventures with Sacha Lodge:

One day we saw a group of monkeys outside of our cabin. We couldn't resist and followed them out into the jungle. Along the way we saw the most incredibly colored butterflies a person could imagine. Shades of neon pink and blue, we never knew existed. Also a little capybara friend! ...We found out later that we weren't supposed to wander away from the lodge when we showed our guide where we'd gone... "Anaconda River"!!!

BANOS:
After a bizarre all-day hike, my travel buddy and I found our way to this incredible structure on a volcano in Ba nos, Ecuador.

 

Here I am on a swing that swings (with a loud creaking sound) off of the cliff, overlooking a stunning valley below. There was a separate building with a friendly volcano ranger living inside. He invited us in to show us his collection of lava rocks and newspaper clippings and to meet his cats! Cats everywhere! ...Always a good idea if you're going to inhabit a cabin. I learned that the hard way in Santa Cruz when I was in between cats and got my clothes eaten by rodents! Ew.

Peru

Hey, I never posted any CABINOLOGY from Peru last October. You wanna see? :-)

There's a ton more, so this post may grow and change a little. :-)

Next stop is Ecuador. Leaving in a few weeks!

I'd like to have these experiences...

Landscape Rosewood Journal

This Jack Spade journal is perfect for filling with sketches of cabins and nature. It's even scented to smell like wood!

¡Cabins!

Check out these incredible cabins in Guadalupe, Mexico!

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/18486/gracia-studio-endemico-resguardo-silvestre.html

good taste

This weekend my landscape architect/artist friend gave me a tour of one of his client's homes in Pacific Palisades, CA. Beautiful!

Pioneer Log Homes of B.C.

I prefer a rustic cabin over anything too shiny and big. Pioneer Log Homes of B.C. has some fancy ones AND some smaller ones that look just right for me...

(are those lumberjacks?!)

Method Homes

I have been obsessed with owning my own someday which leads to accidental research. Method Homes is based in Seattle and they do some cool eco-friendly and affordable homes...

http://methodhomes.net/

Today's Picks ...Snuggle Season!

If you're looking to slip something sexy under a cozy sweater while lounging around the cabin this holiday season:

1. Tis the season to curl up on the couch... and how about keeping the t.v. off and opening a book, instead? Siddhartha, was my first Hermann Hesse book and is still my favorite. These Dover Thrift Editions are super affordable. They're physically a bit smaller than your average book. Perfect stocking stuffers.

2. Princesse Tam Tam!!! The very thought makes me want to go lingerie shopping in Paris! But... since I have no travel buddies, I'll just have to get the good stuff from Bloomingdales.

3. Only Hearts. Helena Stuart, you goddess, you. I would love to slip into this little chemise right now.

4. My little secret... the men's department has some of the coziest sweaters. Check out this cardigan from J.Crew.

5. Hello perfect pointelle legwarmers from Free People. On-trend and so luxuriously comfy.

6. Hue always has quality, affordable, over-the-knee socks. Available at Bare Necessities among other places.

7. Honeydew outdid themselves with these beautiful lace bralettes. Available at Madewell etc.

8. Potentially the most affordable bra. I get these by the handful at American Apparel. 

9. Whoa. I can't get over this romper from Free People. The only thing practical about buying it is how much I would love to wear it.

TREND NOTE: bralettes to counter the push-up craze. Nothing about a smaller chest needs enhancement, thank you.

Tumblr

Highlights from the CABINOLOGY Tumblr...

Pencil house

CABINOLOGY spotted at a holiday charity auction tonight.

Hiking Temescal Canyon

Today some friends and I hiked Temescal Canyon in Pacific Palisades. (The only Palisades trail I'm willing to share on the Internet/with non-locals.) It was amazing... and grueling. I'm so out of shape since I stopped wanting to hike alone! (That ends now. There haven't been any new mountain lion sightings.) ANYWAY! This isn't a diary and I do have a point! ... We hiked a higher version of the loop than I've ever done before (general rule being start at the left and stay to te right after the waterfall) and when we got to the top there was a big rock to climb. Here we found a new version of the sweeping city+ocean views Temescal has to offer. It was breathtaking! Our (barefooted!) hiking guide had even brought us each a perfect apple to munch while looking out over the Pacific. The real highlight, however, was an unnatural one. A fire department helicopter came cruising over the hills while we were on the rock. For a good time we were ABOVE the helicopter even. Finally, it came so close we could see the people inside through the glass!... and then it swooped overhead and left us back with our peaceful view.
I'm trying to not always be one of those people who sees the world through my iPhone, so I was sans camera for the whole thing, and it did feel good, but that means you'll have to use your imagination.


...There are cabins in Temescal too! I took this photo on a previous visit:

Jalopy Cabins

One of a kind cabins made of 90+% reclaimed materials! Awesome!

http://www.jalopycabins.com/

http://www.jalopycabins.com/

Today's Picks!

1. This Vince sweater I spotted at Bloomingdale's has lurex in the stripes... but it's still soft! No scratchiness at all. Leave it to Vince to make yet another sweater I can neither afford, nor resist.

2. I've been eyeing this terrarium from Terrain for well over a year now, but waiting to find out where my next job will be before buying it. I think it's time to either get it anyway or make my own.

3. Check out this up-and-coming jewelry site, Wolf + Moon and you'll be ahead of the pack.

4. It's a perfect cabin blanket from Terrain. Need I say more?

5. Nature-y cups/mugs are the best to drink tea from. This one is from Terrain.

6. Fancy honey is great for yourself and impressing guests. It also makes a unique gift. This is from Savannah Bee Company. Yum! (My mom says the Orange Blossom is fantastic.)

7. I want a wardrobe of Ash. This color reminds me of my favorite crayon when I was little. Available at Shopbop.

8. These grey ones are made of animal-friendly canvas and I love the color. Also at Shopbop.

Santa Ynez Day Trippin' Part II: Cold Spring Tavern

Cold Spring Tavern, in the Santa Barbara Mountains, is a restaurant my family has visited and loved for years. We even had Thanksgiving there one year, long before I became a vegetarian. I love the place and hadn't been since starting CABINOLOGY, so I ate a lot of good food and took a lot of cabin photos. So many photos, that I had to make a series of collages to make it easier to share most of them. I can't wait to go back soon.

Catalina Island, CA

The weekend did not go as planned... we went to Catalina Island instead of Palm Springs!

The trip was great. We took a motor boat out on the water to look for hidden coves, spotted garibaldi and other fish, played mini golf, bowled, played arcade games, explored the island via golf cart, vegged on the beach, etc! We happened to arrive on the day of the local arts festival in Avalon, so we listened to live bluegrass music and checked out crafts and games. There's also a Jazz festival going on during most weekends in October right now, so there were musicians and instruments everywhere we looked. We stayed at the Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel, which I've been eyeing for years now. It's not fancy... it's like a cross between a friend's ranch house and a motel... but I love it. The atmosphere is so natural and it has the best views of any hotel on the island. It almost felt like camping, but with a few more amenities at hand. I'm looking forward to staying there again.

http://www.zanegreypueblohotel.com/

And, of course, the CABINOLOGY...

Today's Picks!

I sure hope someone designs a cool knock-off of this Thakoon jacket I'll never own! Here's the tea I bought at Lupicia in Century City last weekend, and the Pendleton bag that just made the top of my wish list. At the end of the season I'll be digging through the men's sale rack at J.Crew for XS/S sweaters like this one with the adorable toggles. (Men's sweaters have been a wardrobe secret of mine since I discovered Bloomingdale's men's *washable* marino wool on sale several years ago.) Lastly, can these wedges please appear in my closet and be comfy enough to wear? I am so impressed by the attention to detail in the design. They're perfect.

Today's Picks!

I get a lot of pleasure out of sifting through online stores and picking out my favorite pieces anyway, so why not share them! 

1. Plaid is in right now and flannel is so cozy for Fall. This shirt from the J.Crew Factory is at the top of my wish list.

2. This Vince top from Saks Fifth Avenue is so clean and simple.

3. This Gryphon tunic from Saks Fifth Avenue is ridiculously lovely over leggings.

4. Someone, please give me this gorgeous bra! Top Secret available at Anthropologie.

5. So simple! VeraMeat at Urban Outfitters.

6. I burned these Illume Avocado Mint candles from Anthropologie all summer and I'm still enjoying them into Fall. Illume is my favorite candle brand. (I'll be posting cold weather scents soon.)

7. I need these Joie boots! Great beige color and I love the back lacing. Available at Intermix.