Author Archives: Wendy

One Year Blog Anniversary

January 2015 marked the launch of Looks and Leaps. Our blog may not be the fanciest, but we are proud that we’ve learned to develop and operate it ourselves. We write our own content and take our own photos. We showcase different perspectives on travel, fashion and other fun topics from Looks and Leaps family members. It has been a fun collaborative and creative space and we encourage other families to give it a try!

On our one-year anniversary, a special thank you to everyone who reads our blog! Thank you to all contributors! Thanks to all who took the time to send a (non-spam) comment, and to those relatives and friends who have shared kind words! Read on for some fun facts/ statistics to date. Continue reading →

5-4-3-2-1 Fix It!

by Wendy
Just like the old television character “MacGyver” who was constantly using everyday objects to get himself out of trouble, here are a few tricks I’ve used to temporarily fix various clothes and beauty issues. I can’t guarantee they’ll work in every situation, but you may find something to inspire an even better solution. Above all don’t give up – you can pull it together before you fall apart. Usually. Continue reading →

2015 Weekend Trips

by Wendy
Follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps

December is flying by. As the new year approaches I love to think back over the previous 12 months and remember the fun times. Over the course of 2015, I was lucky to have many weekends of travel. We took about 8 trips to see Jack’s family and 5 trips to see mine, plus had a ball hosting family visiting us in DC. We introduced my sister and nephew to one of our favorite local escapes from the city. We had wonderful trips to Spain, France, Utah, New York City and Hilton Head, which are captured in the blog. I love reading over these old posts – this was part of the reason for starting a blog in the first place. There were a few more weekend trips I wanted to call out for their specialness. Continue reading →

My Favorite Reads of 2015

by Wendy
A couple of years ago, I realized I was spending a little too much time on CandyCrush and television reruns. So I set a goal of reading at least 12 books a year, kept a list and got back into a habit I didn’t realize how much I missed. As Sunny points out in her excellent post, books inspire trips and provide a window to unfamiliar lifestyles and cultures. When reviewing what I read over the past 12 months, I realized how many are translations or stories that take place in other countries. Reading is in itself a form of travel, and I have loved that aspect since I was a kid. Here are my top favorites from 2015. Not necessarily all published in 2015, but the best ones I happened to read. I haven’t written about books since school, so I’m out of practice. As a result everything below will be brief. Continue reading →

Feeling at Home in Madrid

by Wendy
Follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps

My husband Jack said I am a collector of cities. I love trying to find a connection to the energy and color and diverse daily scenes of cities I visit. Cities offer reinvention and reassurance. They spark imagination. You learn to share your living space with others, while you’re also challenged to showcase uniqueness. There is an art to living in a city.

Madrid is the city we’ve visited most often in Spain. It is magical to me. History and cutting-edge are side by side. The landmark plazas and modern restaurants. The seedy and the sophisticated. The architecture and museums. It can feel like New York City, a night owl’s haven, a refuge for the weird, a sense that there is always a new discovery no matter how many streets you wander. I’ve heard other visitors sound less enthusiastic, but I love Madrid and will always try to claim it as one of my cities. In my mind I pretend that I’m more than a tourist. Instead, Jack and I have a relationship with Madrid, we’re on familiar terms. There’s no real must-see must-do list. We keep the camera-crazy gaping to a minimum and instead, play it cool. Well we try. Here are some city scenes/observations from our recent stops at the beginning and end of our fall road trip. Continue reading →

Welcoming Travelers at Home

by Wendy
follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps

Jack and I lived in a one bedroom apartment in the heart of DC for about 10 years. Despite the limited space, we always enjoyed hosting family and friends from out of town. I think nearly 20 different guests crashed on our Ikea fold-out sofa in the living room – many during multiple visits over the years. I loved that apartment, but one of the best things about moving to a house is having a designated guest bedroom. Our rowhouse is not big, and everyone still shares a bathroom, but having a real bed and door that closes gives travelers a little more space during longer visits. My sisters April and Sunny and their families are our most frequent visitors, and I love that their kids consider our casa their home away from home. I’m still learning how to be a better hostess, but here is my strategy for making friends and family feel welcome. Continue reading →

St. Jean de Luz: Princess or Surfer Girl

by Wendy
During our road trip this past September, we drove across the Spanish border to spend a few days in St. Jean de Luz. We were looking forward to seeing this small coastal town in the French Basque Region. We listened to Euskadi radio as we drove through mountain tunnels and watched the scenery turn greener. I’d say expectations were high. Continue reading →

Pictures of Pamplona Post

by Wendy
Follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps

Jack and I were in Pamplona for one night – probably less than 24 hours total. We usually try to avoid those kind of short stays, but it was a road trip with a full itinerary and we wanted to visit this famous capital of Spain’s Navarre region. Here are a few photos of our time in this elegant city.  Continue reading →

Playing Hooky from Thanksgiving

by Wendy
A few years ago, Jack and I decided to do what we always talked about (and surely you have too) and go to the Caribbean for the long Thanksgiving weekend. We love our families, we love spending the holidays with them, we love the traditions, so this was a difficult choice (and one that can make you feel a little guilty). The previous months had been especially busy – work stress, a milestone birthday and resolved health issue – and it felt like the right time to take advantage of that extra day off after Thanksgiving and escape for a 4 day break. Continue reading →