Weekend Snapshots.

We were gifted an absolutely beautiful weekend here in the city. While the unexpected crisp air and strong rays of sun were strangely reminiscent to the early days of Fall, I have to admit my heart skipped a beat when I suddenly realized that reaching into the back of my closet to pull out those cowboy boots of mine was actually fair game. Love when this crazy weather pattern seems to fall in my favor!

While the majority of my day was unfortunately swallowed whole with errands, somewhere between the purchase of a 10-pack of mini toothpaste tubes and a stop at the market to replenish my stock of granola on Saturday (Game on, travel schedule. Game on.) I found myself near the Promenade with a bit of time to spare. A stop by my favorite neighborhood cafe, an avocado sandwich & a tall, cold glass of cider later, it really started to feel like a Saturday. Here are a few snapshots from my little detour--

Thank goodness for those moments of easy calm & quiet.
Oh weekends, how I love you so.

Happy Weekend.

If there's one thing I'm looking forward to this weekend, friends, it's being here. Being home. April came and went in a whirlwind fury and just one quick look at my schedule for the month of May shows much of the same crazed amount of travel. It's going to be a hectic couple of weeks ahead-- jam-packed with a whole host of wonderful things, no doubt-- but knowing that I have two days ahead of me to spend amidst the familiar, indulging in some favorites, and enjoying the little creature comforts of my world here in Brooklyn warms my heart to no end.

Wishing you & yours a wonderful weekend ahead.
xox

The Forest Feast.

A part of my heart has always been in this city-- feeding off of the constant hum of the streets and the electricity in the air. Ever since I was a little girl, I've been drawn to the buzz, to the culture, to the life here. There's just something about the way this city makes both your head and your heart swell with big ideas & lofty dreams that's intoxicating to me. But as much as my heart will always love New York, there's a part of me that also yearns for a life of simplicity. A life away from the lights and the concrete; a life spent more quietly, more connected to the people and the earth that surround me. I know that this chapter of my life is meant to be spent here-- is meant to be shaped by my experience in this city-- but one day, one day, there's a cabin nestled within a large, open landscape that will call my name and I'll know it's time.

With that said, it's no surprise that my heart skipped a beat when I first came across The Forest Feast a few months ago and that connection to author/photographer Erin Gleeson and her story was a natural one. After establishing a life here in New York as a freelance photographer oftentimes working within the world of the culinary arts, Erin found herself on a plane bound for California this past Fall where she and her husband were relocated. Settling into a little cabin in the woods outside of Palo Alto, Erin realized a large lifestyle change was before her and a door leading into a creative world, unlike anything she had in New York, was opening. Drawing upon her experience as a photographer in the food kitchens of New York and the new found inspiration within her new world of CSA boxes, walks in the woods, Adirondack chairs & back porches, The Forest Feast was born.

A food blog filled with beautifully executed "photographic recipe illustrations", The Forest Feast is a fresh breath of simple, organic air that you can't help but love. Thanks to Erin who graciously allowed me to share a few of my favorites below--

 

To read more about Erin and the inspiration behind The Forest Feast, be sure to check out her interview over on Weldon Owen. 


Recipes, Photos and Illustrations by Erin Gleeson from The Forest Feast, www.theforestfeast.com

Kinfolk Dinner: Austin.

Well, if there was ever a way for Texas to truly catch my Northern eye, I should have known it was bound to be through a Kinfolk lens. Take a look at these gorgeous photos from Kinfolk's most recent dinner in Austin this past March--

Oh, I just can't get enough. I swear, if I'm ever in town for longer than 3 days at a time and the weather simultaneously decides to be kind (which has proven to be a taller order than one might think), I'm just going to have to pull out a giant blanket and gather some friends for a picnic. What better way to enjoy a warm weekend evening than with good food, chilled wine, and a host of candlelit mason jars? Oh my, please & thank you.

For more photos from the Austin series, click here. And if you haven't yet seen the photos from the Brooklyn or Portland dinners, you're in for a treat.

Scenes from the Weekend.

Just a few photos from my wonderful weekend spent at home here in New York. It's been far too long since I've found myself with a full weekend to get out & explore, and Saturday's endless sunshine & cloudless skies provided just the opportunity to do so. Gosh, I've missed this city.

 

1 & 2 -- A stop off at Smorgasburg in the morning with a dear friend led to some 3's Company Triple Berry Jam from Anarchy In A Jar and a mouth-watering, taste bud bursting Cemita from Cemita's Mexican Sandwiches and Tacos

3 -- A look over the East River.

4 -- A quick trip to Fish's Eddy.

5 & 6 -- Some greenery and blooms at the Union Square Market.

P.S. If you couldn't tell, I finally bit the bullet and jumped on the Instagram bandwagon. I hate to admit it, but I feel a strong addiction coming on. Feel free to follow me, here!

Happy Weekend. Happy Brunching.

One of my favorite things about the weekend is that tiny excess of time I finally find myself with to wander into a cozy cafe or favorite local joint for a bite to eat with good friends. After a week of hustle and bustle, there's just something so refreshing about leisurely-paced meals spent fueling your mind & body with wholesome food and long conversation. And as every New Yorker knows, there truly is no better place or way to do so than over brunch.

Needless to say, when I stumbled across this incredible brunch round up by Alice over on her beautiful blog Lingered Upon, I just had to share. Don't these meals almost make you want to skip on ahead to Sunday just so you can start indulging? Oh sweet deliciousness.

So, my fellow New Yorkers, what's the verdict? What's your favorite go-to spot?

Wishing you & yours a wonderful weekend and Happy Brunching ahead.
xo

Fancy Pops.

I stumbled upon these beautiful yogurt pops over on A Subtle Revelry the other day and am totally obsessed. Not only is this a totally genius way to add some sophisticated flair to an already delectable summer treat, but (wait for it) the directions are totally goof-proof! This little DIY project has most certainly found itself at the top of my list for those weekend summer soirees!

 

P.S. For those of you who have yet to jump aboard A Subtle Revelry's bandwagon, do yourself a favor and hop on over to take a peek. Not only is Victoria's blog totally wonderful down to its very core, but her DIY guides for every season are unlike anything you'll have the good fortune of coming across. Enjoy!

Mixtape. (No. 6)

Sorry for the absence, friends. It's been one of those weeks-- far too many things on the plate & far too little time to stop on by for a bit to say hello. I do hope you've been well!

After three weeks spent on and off the road, I woke up this morning unexpectedly realizing how ready I am to get back to Brooklyn-- ready to get back home. I miss the familiar warmth & comfort of my apartment; the ebb and flow of my neighborhood. It's funny how even the littlest of details can start tugging at your heartstrings after a while, isn't it? Regardless, I think the hectic nature of all this travel has started to slowly take its toll a bit.

With Wednesday still two days away, I've got the following mix of familiar sounds and melodies on steady repeat to keep me chuggin' along until my wheels touch down in New York. Here's to a productive week ahead for us all, friends. Be back soon.
xo

No. 6 from joie.de.vivre on 8tracks.

Museum of Flight -- Damien Jurado

Sooner or Later -- Mat Kearney

Apologies -- Jack Savoretti

Day Glo -- Brazos

Something About The Fire (Carlos Serrano Mix) -- Adele vs. Daft Punk

Between Two Lungs -- Florence + The Machine

Heirloom -- Sufjan Stevens

This (Album) -- Ryan Montbleau Band

Streets of Philadelphia -- Bruce Springsteen

On Through The Dark -- Mesita

Cats and Dogs -- The Head and the Heart

Ottoman -- Vampire Weekend

Southern Comfort.

In this stage of my life-- where work, travel & transition have continued to take center stage-- it's amazing the wonders that the small details of a long weekend spent at home can do for the soul. The way the breeze seems to blow more sweetly when you're sipping wine on the deck of your favorite vineyard with a view of the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains before you; the way that time spent apart simply disappears when you're sitting next to a best friend, bent over a table in the kind of laughter that leaves your stomach in stitches; the way those weekend days seem to linger extra long when afternoons are spent lazing on the back porch drinking mimosas & playing boardgames; and the way those familiar tastes of Easter-- Dad's roasted leg of lamb & Mom's sweet strawberry rhubarb crumble-- instantly bring you back to that feeling of being a 6-year old twirling across the backyard under the warmth of the sun's golden rays, wearing your Easter Sunday best.

It takes time to build a home: time to bring life to new traditions in a new place, and time to find the right people to share those traditions with. And while each day spent in this little neck of the Brooklyn woods brings me a bit closer to having that here, I'm not there quite yet. It is going to take time. And, I believe, it's meant to. And while I journey down that road of discovery, it's a bit of southern comfort knowing that Virginia will always be waiting for me.

xo

(p.s. While I was home, I managed to find some time to sneak on over to Tuckahoe Plantation for a bit. Not surprisingly, those beautiful spring blooms proved too hard to resist. Enjoy!)

 

 

 

 

Satsuma Press.

I'm a total sucker for letterpress. Total. Sucker. So when I came across Satsuma Press the other day, I knew I was in serious trouble.

A one-person design and letterpress studio based out of Oregon, Satsuma Press is run by founder Lynn Russell whose intention has always been to create "good, simple design that is pleasing to the eye and the mind; refreshing color and lush paper; plenty of open space and quiet, graceful beauty". Mission accomplished, friends. Aren't these pieces just unbearably irresistible?

 

 

 

Check out the Satsuma Press shop, here. And creative genius Lynn Russell's journal, here.

Bon Iver. (Live Session.)

Alright Bon Iver fans, if you haven't yet been fortunate enough to stumble upon the following, prepare to fall head over heels. Recorded at AIR Studio's Lyndurst Hall-- a church designed in 1880 by Victorian architect Alfred Waterhouse, famous for New York's Natural History Museum-- the following session strays away from Bon Iver's usual large-scale, instrumental performances and instead provides an intimate showcase of founder Justin Vernon, bandmate Sean Carey, two pianos & a pair of incredible vocals.

A truly mesmerizing set of interpreted Bon Iver classics like Babys and Wash alongside an absolutely beautiful cover of Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me not only make this clip worth a listen, but will assuredly leave you begging for many a subsequent repeat.

Hoping you enjoy this as much as I have these past two days. xo