Leith faux fur jacket (similar here and here), L'Academie silk camisole (similar here and here), Velvet skirt (similar here and here), Black tights, Jimmy Choo heels (similar less expensive version here), Clare V bag
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Q&A for Alyssa
Tor: What’s something you learned while traveling in 2017? Alyssa: Besides continuing to be proven right that you're my favorite travel buddy ever? This year, I learned that travel really does inspire me the most. I have always been a born traveler (despite my flying fear), but our travels this past year confirmed to me that I really do thrive the best while on the go. I think it's the passion I have to share the world with the world. It gives me a flutter in my travel heart when I read comments from readers who consistently use our travel guides or travel posts to book their next trips. Another thing I learned while traveling this year was to open up more, and so we added the travel vlogs. I had no idea I would become addicted to making travel vlogs and that they would be in such high demand. Tor: How did your fashion evolve in 2017 and what was your favorite look? Alyssa: Every year my style evolves more and more. I thought I had figured out what it was last year (in 2016), but it turns out that my style continued to evolve in 2017, too. I learned to do what's exactly in my Instagram bio - be unapologetically romantic, feminine, and adventurous. I equate all three to my style evolution this year. It's hard to narrow down to one favorite look, but among my favorites were this look from springtime, this look from Napa, this look from Mexico, this comfy sweater look, this look from Iceland, and this Downton Abbey inspired look. Tor: If you could go back in time to this time last year, what advice would you give yourself? Alyssa: KEEP TRAVELING AND WATCH DOWNTON ABBEY. I'm just kidding. But not really. I'd tell myself to slow down a bit and get some sleep. My biggest issue is I am very much like my father in that I am a bit of a workaholic, and ideas and dreams for the blog are always on my mind. It began to impact some of my sleep this year but I was always feeling so inspired! I'd lay in bed and think about all kinds of content ideas, outfits, travel ideas, etc. and I couldn't/wouldn't shut my mind off. With that said, I would tell myself: "Calm down, go to sleep, and put everything into motion in the morning. There's no rush. This isn't a competition. You've got plenty of time." Most importantly, I'd tell myself to ENJOY LIFE. You only live once, so continue to make the most of it as best you can. Tor: What challenges do you foresee in 2018? Alyssa: Instagram's algorithm. Oh wait, is that not an acceptable answer? Darn. I foresee the same challenges I mentioned above about being a workaholic... I need to balance my personal life and professional life better because right now it seems the professional life outweighs the personal one. I want my site to continue to be successful, but I also want to be successful outside of The A List, too. I also always seem to get writer's block at the same time each year, so one challenge I may have for the new year is to not let myself get to that point and let the inspiration keep coming. Tor: What are you looking forward to most in 2018? Alyssa: I cannot wait to show the best Finland has to offer in a few weeks to kick off 2018. I am also looking forward to our trip to Rome and then the UK at the time of the royal wedding. I am hoping we will make it to Asia at some point in the new year, as well as finally gut our downstairs and renovate, renovate, renovate. I am also looking forward to the new kinds of newsletters I will be sending out as well as new features on the blog. I am always looking forward to welcoming new readers to The A List, too. Most of all, I am looking forward to another year of marriage with you, traveling the world together, loving on our fur babies Renly and Daenerys, and being the crazy, nerdy goofballs we always are. [gallery link="none" columns="2" size="full" ids="15199,15204"]
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Q&A for Torrance
Alyssa: If you could go back and relive any memory from 2017, what would it be? Tor: Probably the road trip from our first Iceland trip in January. We decided pretty last minute to double the distance we were originally planning to drive. We drove past waterfalls and through frozen volcanoes and reached the Diamond Beach to watch the sunset. Then there was the somewhat nervous drive back to our hotel in the dark, as it began snowing. Iceland was still new and mysterious and I felt like I was on another planet. It’s a day I’ll remember forever. Alyssa: What was most challenging for you this past year? Tor: It was a challenging year for my acting career. I spent the first half wondering when my new show Still Star-Crossed would premiere. Then it did, and sadly it didn’t catch on the way we hoped and was canceled. Six months shooting in Spain in 2016, and it was over and done just like that. 2017 didn’t bring much new work. I like to be busy so it took a bit of a toll on my soul. On the plus side, it gave me time to travel. Balancing acting and travel did provide some stressful scheduling moments, but it all worked out in the end. Alyssa: Pick 3 words to describe 2017. Tor: Challenging. Humbling. Necessary. Alyssa: What are you looking forward to most in 2018? Tor: We’ve got a couple of fun trips lined up already to Finland and to Italy, but I’m excited to see what comes in between. Some of the most exciting things in our lives pop up really last-minute. Often I’ll have no more than a week’s notice to pick up my life and move it to a new city, and then we improvise from there. A lot of our travel is influenced by where our home base ends up. Alyssa: What is at the top of your wish list for 2018? Tor: Nobody understands how tirelessly you work on The A List, so I’d love to see it grow even bigger this year. On a personal level, I’d love to continue to improve as a photographer. I’d also love to book a new series or movie to pour my heart into. And I’d love to take some of the lessons I’ve learned this past year to delve into both on a deeper level. Oh, and if everything aligns properly, I’d love to finally get to Asia.
We wish all of you a very happy New Year, and we also thank you all for being such loyal, devoted, awesome readers! The A List wouldn't exist without any of you. We wish you all the best, and let's take 2018 by storm! Happy New Year!
xoxo, Alyssa and Torrance
Photos by Felicia Lasala.
With only 1 day to go until we ring in 2018, we decided to do a little New Year’s Q&A with Alyssa and Torrance to reflect on our favorite memories of 2017 and what we are looking forward to in 2018. I asked Tor 5 questions, and he asked me 5 questions. Let’s see how each other answered them (and how similar our answers are)!
Leith faux fur jacket (similar here and here), L’Academie silk camisole (similar here and here), Velvet skirt (similar here and here), Black tights, Jimmy Choo heels (similar less expensive version here), Clare V bag
Q&A for Alyssa
Tor: What’s something you learned while traveling in 2017?
Alyssa: Besides continuing to be proven right that you’re my favorite travel buddy ever? This year, I learned that travel really does inspire me the most. I have always been a born traveler (despite my flying fear), but our travels this past year confirmed to me that I really do thrive the best while on the go. I think it’s the passion I have to share the world with the world. It gives me a flutter in my travel heart when I read comments from readers who consistently use our travel guides or travel posts to book their next trips. Another thing I learned while traveling this year was to open up more, and so we added the travel vlogs. I had no idea I would become addicted to making travel vlogs and that they would be in such high demand.
Tor: How did your fashion evolve in 2017 and what was your favorite look?
Alyssa: Every year my style evolves more and more. I thought I had figured out what it was last year (in 2016), but it turns out that my style continued to evolve in 2017, too. I learned to do what’s exactly in my Instagram bio – be unapologetically romantic, feminine, and adventurous. I equate all three to my style evolution this year. It’s hard to narrow down to one favorite look, but among my favorites were this look from springtime, this look from Napa, this look from Mexico, this comfy sweater look, this look from Iceland, and this Downton Abbey inspired look.
Tor: If you could go back in time to this time last year, what advice would you give yourself?
Alyssa: KEEP TRAVELING AND WATCH DOWNTON ABBEY. I’m just kidding. But not really. I’d tell myself to slow down a bit and get some sleep. My biggest issue is I am very much like my father in that I am a bit of a workaholic, and ideas and dreams for the blog are always on my mind. It began to impact some of my sleep this year but I was always feeling so inspired! I’d lay in bed and think about all kinds of content ideas, outfits, travel ideas, etc. and I couldn’t/wouldn’t shut my mind off. With that said, I would tell myself: “Calm down, go to sleep, and put everything into motion in the morning. There’s no rush. This isn’t a competition. You’ve got plenty of time.” Most importantly, I’d tell myself to ENJOY LIFE. You only live once, so continue to make the most of it as best you can.
Tor: What challenges do you foresee in 2018?
Alyssa: Instagram’s algorithm. Oh wait, is that not an acceptable answer? Darn. I foresee the same challenges I mentioned above about being a workaholic… I need to balance my personal life and professional life better because right now it seems the professional life outweighs the personal one. I want my site to continue to be successful, but I also want to be successful outside of The A List, too. I also always seem to get writer’s block at the same time each year, so one challenge I may have for the new year is to not let myself get to that point and let the inspiration keep coming.
Tor: What are you looking forward to most in 2018?
Alyssa: I cannot wait to show the best Finland has to offer in a few weeks to kick off 2018. I am also looking forward to our trip to Rome and then the UK at the time of the royal wedding. I am hoping we will make it to Asia at some point in the new year, as well as finally gut our downstairs and renovate, renovate, renovate. I am also looking forward to the new kinds of newsletters I will be sending out as well as new features on the blog. I am always looking forward to welcoming new readers to The A List, too. Most of all, I am looking forward to another year of marriage with you, traveling the world together, loving on our fur babies Renly and Daenerys, and being the crazy, nerdy goofballs we always are.
Q&A for Torrance
Alyssa: If you could go back and relive any memory from 2017, what would it be?
Tor: Probably the road trip from our first Iceland trip in January. We decided pretty last minute to double the distance we were originally planning to drive. We drove past waterfalls and through frozen volcanoes and reached the Diamond Beach to watch the sunset. Then there was the somewhat nervous drive back to our hotel in the dark, as it began snowing. Iceland was still new and mysterious and I felt like I was on another planet. It’s a day I’ll remember forever.
Alyssa: What was most challenging for you this past year?
Tor: It was a challenging year for my acting career. I spent the first half wondering when my new show Still Star-Crossed would premiere. Then it did, and sadly it didn’t catch on the way we hoped and was canceled. Six months shooting in Spain in 2016, and it was over and done just like that. 2017 didn’t bring much new work. I like to be busy so it took a bit of a toll on my soul. On the plus side, it gave me time to travel. Balancing acting and travel did provide some stressful scheduling moments, but it all worked out in the end.
Alyssa: Pick 3 words to describe 2017.
Tor: Challenging. Humbling. Necessary.
Alyssa: What are you looking forward to most in 2018?
Tor: We’ve got a couple of fun trips lined up already to Finland and to Italy, but I’m excited to see what comes in between. Some of the most exciting things in our lives pop up really last-minute. Often I’ll have no more than a week’s notice to pick up my life and move it to a new city, and then we improvise from there. A lot of our travel is influenced by where our home base ends up.
Alyssa: What is at the top of your wish list for 2018?
Tor: Nobody understands how tirelessly you work on The A List, so I’d love to see it grow even bigger this year. On a personal level, I’d love to continue to improve as a photographer. I’d also love to book a new series or movie to pour my heart into. And I’d love to take some of the lessons I’ve learned this past year to delve into both on a deeper level. Oh, and if everything aligns properly, I’d love to finally get to Asia.
We wish all of you a very happy New Year, and we also thank you all for being such loyal, devoted, awesome readers! The A List wouldn’t exist without any of you. We wish you all the best, and let’s take 2018 by storm! Happy New Year!
xoxo,
Alyssa and Torrance
Apart from your careers in which you both do an excellent job, I wish you to succeed in two things: first that you get some more sleep, and then that you get to go to Asia! 😜
Congrats on another great year for the A List and Happy New Year! xoxo
Thank you so much! Happy New year!
I love these photos of you and Tor! 😍 Thank you for always sharing your adventures with us; you’re always an inspiration! Happy New Year! ❤
Thank you! And you’re welcome 🙂 Happy New Year!
I just spent a week in Rome over Thanksgiving and have to say that my favorite restaurant was Papa Rex, located just outside of the Vatican at Via Aurelia, 87, 00165. Highly recommend dining there if you and Torrance get the chance…it can be a “Readers Choice” feature, Lol! I look forward to all of your upcoming adventures in 2018…Happy New Year!!! 🎉
Thanks for the recommendation! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year’s to the two of you, and the fur babies too. May you dream big, and accomplish all that you commit to, and all your endeavors be positive, and happy. Even during “Renovations”!💝
Thank you so much! Happy New Year!
You are so lovely together! You really are a beautiful couple. Have a magnificent New Year!
Best wishes from Poland!
Thank you! Happy New Year!
Hey! You guys inspire me so much. I have to ask that when you are coming to Finland. Are you going to Lapland or south Finland? And Happy New year to both of you! ❤
Hi Satu! We are doing both Lapland and southern Finland!
Welcome to Finland! Winter wonderland😊❤️☃️
Thank you! We cannot wait to be there in 2 weeks!
Thanks for sharing all these favorites of yours! Could you share which sunscreen you use on your face? (Of if you use a day moisturizer with SPF?) I have been looking for a new daily
sunscreen solution. Thanks!
Oops! Somehow posted this on the wrong page! 🤦🏻♀️
I’ve discovered your website months ago and love it. I love to see your travels, the beautiful pictures you post and your articles are always so interesting. I wish you both the best for this new year. Ohhhh and Belgium is also a great place to visit 😉 xo
Okay, you and Torrance are adorable, you look STUNNING in these photos, and this is basically just the coolest way to ring in the new year in a blog post. Can’t wait to see what 2018 brings!
I follow you on insta and I read 2 of your article and everytime you made me smile. Your happiness is communicative. I hope you will accomplish aller your wish ,I wish for Torrance to get a new role, he is such an amazing actor and person ,he deserved it.
Sorry if there are some mistakes I’m french and I’m learning english.
Gorgeous pictures! You two truly are inspiring & your chemistry really shows in this photoshoot! <3
Hope the first couple months of 2018 have been good to you!
Love,
Sabrine
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Happy New Year 2019