somewhere north

Spring Forward

2012-03-09T17:39:00.000-05:00

Is it starting to feel like spring where you are? We've had an extremely mild winter in NYC, so I've already seen lots of crocuses and daffodils in bloom here and there.

Here's hoping that a late snowstorm doesn't come in and ruin the fun (although I have missed snow this year). Don't forget that we set the clocks back on Sunday! And the days start getting longer, which is just fantastic. Happy weekend, friends.

Images: 1, 2

Wednesday Pick-Me-Up

2012-03-07T17:33:00.000-05:00

This song never fails to put me in a good mood. Really, the whole Graceland album
will do that, but especially Diamonds. Hope it helps you get through the rest of "hump day." :)

What To Worry About

2012-03-05T23:59:00.000-05:00

In a letter written to his 11-year-old daughter, Scottie, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote out a list of what Scottie should worry about, not worry about, and a few things to think about. His list of things to worry about is very short:

Worry about courage
Worry about cleanliness
Worry about efficiency
Worry about horsemanship

Doesn't it give you such a sense of what he valued, just from what he thinks is worthy of worry? It's an interesting perspective to think about what's worthy of one's worry, when I think our tendency (my own, at least) is to worry regardless of whether or not a thing merits worry or not.

On the flip side, the list of what not to worry about is much longer. It includes dolls, boys, popular opinion, mosquitos, flies, and "insects in general." Ha! You can read the full list here.

Via What A Peach. Don't Worry print via Olly Moss, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrait via.

Google Doodlers

2012-02-29T16:40:00.000-05:00

I love that the Google Doodle is pure fun. There's no real reason that Google's logo needs to change with holidays and the like, but it says so much about the company ethos that they do it anyway. Here's a video about the artists behind the Doodles (spoiler alert: you may get a little verklempt at the end :)

Doodles via Google, video via Mashable.

Nail Candy

2012-02-27T22:32:00.000-05:00

I'm completely obsessed with the French nail polish blog Pshiiit—which I have no idea how to say out loud without sounding vulgar, but the Internet seems to think it's some sort of French onomatopoeia (any French-speaking readers know what it means?). They post such fun and pretty nail polish ideas, even though I can't necessarily read what they say about them! I can't wait to try a few.

Via Kate Miss' Pinterest.

Put A Ring On It

2012-02-24T14:06:00.002-05:00

I have a pretty low key weekend planned (um, it might involve the second Hunger Games book) but if I were going out to a fun party, I'd want to wear this pretty rose gold cocktail ring. Isn't it great?

Happy Weekend! I hope yours is full of fun plans (be they of the cocktail ring or good book variety :)

Dance With Somebody

2012-02-24T10:39:00.001-05:00

My friend Bethany sent me this song this morning and it was the perfect way to start an otherwise dreary day. Of course, everyone loves the original (and how awesomely 80s was that video?!) but this cover by Ben Rector is so fun, I've been playing it over and over. Hope it gets your morning off to a great start!

A Surprise Wedding

2012-02-23T09:37:00.001-05:00

From what I've heard, it sounds like it's pretty stressful for a guy to orchestrate the perfect proposal. So could you imagine also planning the wedding to immediately follow the proposal?! That's exactly what this oh-so-sneaky groom did for his bride.

After he proposed, Dave walked Heather across the beach to their waiting friends and family. And they got married, right then and there! However, he was also prepared for the worst. If Heather said no, he figured they'd just have a "small but slightly awkward party." :)

I think this is a terrific idea. What about you? Would you jump at the chance to get the wedding over with right away, or want to wait to plan a big shin dig?

Via Simple Song. All photos by James Moes.

Pancake Day

2012-02-21T10:29:00.002-05:00

It's Pancake Day! No, not National Pancake Day (which is apparently next Tuesday, according to IHOP, who seems like a source with a rather vested interest) but Pancake Day, also called Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday. It's the day before the Christian season of Lent begins, and it's commemorated in some traditions by eating pancakes because they use up the types of food people often give up for Lent.

I took a tiny break from my Hunger Games cocoon this weekend to make the blueberry pancakes in the picture above, and I plan on having pancakes for dinner tonight as well. If you want to do the same, here are some great-looking recipes to make sure you properly observe Pancake Day.

Oatmeal Pancakes

Blue Corn Jalapeno Pancakes

Banana Bread Pancakes

Mmm...happy Pancake Day!

(A Hunger Games) Weekend in Pictures

2012-02-20T21:29:00.000-05:00

Despite it being a three day weekend, I have very little to show you. Aside from Lady Liberty there (as seen from IKEA in Brooklyn) and some un-photographed giggle-y dinners with friends, my weekend looked like this...

I started The Hunger Games on Saturday, and finished the first book this afternoon after an impromptu sleepover (no talking, all reading) that turned into reading all day and not really leaving my bed a whole lot. Have you read the series? I'm totally hooked.

Mason Mug

2012-02-16T23:51:00.000-05:00

This is pretty genius. Cuppow is a reusable plastic lid that turns a Mason canning jar into a travel mug. Um, why was this not thought of sooner?! Just this afternoon I spilled my drink down the front of my shirt while drinking out of the wide-mouth of a Mason jar (also, there may have been some general clumsiness involved). Since Mason jars are everywhere lately, and so practical for carrying and storing liquids, this just makes perfect sense. I'll take two, please!

Via Fast Company.

One Last Valentine

2012-02-14T09:45:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've seen tons of Valentine's ideas around the Internet lately, but I hope you'll indulge me in just one more. My friend Tracey handed these out at our Valentine's day lunch this weekend, and they were quite a hit. Such a cute idea!

Happy Valentine's Day :)

(A Valentine's) Weekend in Pictures

2012-02-11T09:20:00.000-05:00

{cupcake delivery}

{cupcakes ready for the party}

{eleanorasaurus}

{balloons and snow flurries}

{tiny cakes, completed}

{tiny cakes for valentine's day girl's lunch}

{galentine's day presents}

{red polka dot nails}

It was a weekend full of parties. First, I made and delivered cupcakes for Ellie's 1st birthday party and got to peek at all the cute decorations, even though I couldn't stay for the party. Sunday was more cake and more partying, this time with tiny cakes for a Valentine's lunch with girlfriends. It was bitterly cold in New York this weekend, so I was glad I had a few excuses to stay inside and eat chocolate cake.

Post-It Love

2012-02-10T12:16:00.001-05:00

What an adorable waste of paper :) Have a great weekend!

A Tiny Cake For Your Valentine

2012-02-08T10:31:00.001-05:00

This weekend I'm having some girlfriends over for a little Valentine's Day lunch (or Galentine's Day, really), since all the pink, red and hearts of Valentine's Day are more fun for girls anyway. Looking for a special treat to end the meal, I decided to make miniature cakes for everyone.

There's a little extra effort involved in frosting such a tiny little cake, so they definitely say love more than a cupcake or a box of chocolates, I think. They'd be a sweet way to end a homemade Valentine's Day dinner date.

Especially if you go ahead and gild the lily by making a simple chocolate ganache to pour on top.

There are two ways to make these tiny cakes, each with their advantages and disadvantages. If your local big box store carries 4 inch cake pans, that's the easiest way to make these cakes, especially if you're just making two small cakes (use the leftover batter to make cupcakes and freeze them). Advantages: easier to frost. Disadvantages: more oven time, since they'll have to be baked in shifts.

I only have one small cake pan, so it would have taken me forever to bake each layer one by one. Instead, I poured the batter into a sheet pan with a 1 inch rim and baked it. Once the cake had cooled, I used my largest biscuit cutter (or a larger circular cookie cutter) to cut each individual layer. Advantage: saves on baking time. Disadvantage: a crumb-y mess to frost.

Either way, the result is a cute little treat perfect for celebrating love, friends, or both :)

The Valentine Channel

2012-02-07T10:36:00.000-05:00

"Hey Girl, did you know I have my own channel for Valentine's Day?"

This is pretty brilliant: Time Warner Cable is offering an entire channel of Ryan Gosling for Valentine's Day. Throughout February eight of his movies available are On Demand, so you can make sure you get your February fill of the meme-worthy star whether you have a valentine or not. It's definitely cheesy to watch The Notebook on Valentine's Day... right?

Image via here

(Hearts & Footballs) Weekend in Pictures

2012-02-06T20:44:00.001-05:00

{test valentines}

{crafting supplies and coffee}

{always so many birds at tracey's place}

{watercolor chevron painting}

{more valentine tests}

{polka heart}

{brooklyn heights valentines}

{superbowl party with king cake, a plastic baby, the brooklyn bridge and a pup}

I said last year that I don't really get that into Valentine's Day, which is still mostly true. But this year I'm giving in to the pink and red. Hence the Valentine crafting session on Saturday. Balanced out with some beer and tater tots eating during the Super Bowl, for a well-rounded weekend. Hope yours was lovely!

Instagram photos via Kate and Dara.

The Big Game

2012-02-03T14:16:00.000-05:00

There's a big game this weekend that millions of Americans will gather around television sets across the country to enjoy as one nation: The Puppy Bowl. Ok, so yes, there is another big game happening, but let's talk about one that we can all enjoy, not just those of us who like football.

If you're not familiar with the highlight of a dog lover's year, let me explain. The Puppy Bowl runs at the same time as The Super Bowl every year and features a bunch of adorable puppies frolicking on a miniature football field. That's it! Four hours of puppies. It's pretty much the greatest. Let's take a look at some standouts in this year's starting line up:

All the dogs in this year's Puppy Bowl are shelter dogs available for adoption, which I love. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the Super Bowl party I'm going to won't be showing the Puppy Bowl, so I'll just have to catch the highlights on Monday. And when I do, this puppy voice will definitely be happening.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Top photo via here for Animal Planet, all other photos from Animal Planet

New York Texture

2012-02-02T09:38:00.001-05:00

When I first saw these images, I found myself itching to reach out and touch them (I'm a terrible gallery-goer). French artist Daniel Castan adds resin to acrylic paint to make it dry quickly, so he has to work quickly. The result is these gorgeously textured paintings that mirror the pace of the city they capture. His site is in French, but it doesn't appear that he's showing these pieces in the US anytime soon, so we'll all just have to stare at our computer screens for a bit.

Via My Modern Met

Toms Ballet Flats!

2012-02-01T08:15:00.000-05:00

Finally! Toms is making ballet flats! If you couldn't tell by my exclamation points, or my love for my new ballet flat tote yesterday, I'm a huge fan of ballet flats. If winter weather in NYC didn't stop me, I'd wear them year round.

Do you wear Toms? Everyone says they're so comfortable!

Lovely Surprises

2012-01-31T15:28:00.001-05:00

I've mentioned before that I don't always love surprises. But surprise presents for no reason at all are a totally different thing. On Sunday night at church, two friends brought me two presents and they were just too lovely not to tell you about.

First, my friend Murph (who is an amazing baker) made these sweet cupcakes for friends and I was one of the lucky recipients. Had she simply handed me a cupcake I would have been pretty excited, but there's just something that feels extra special when someone goes to the extra effort of making something look pretty. Isn't that box great? (It's kind of like these.)

And then my friend Bethany handed me this lovely tote that caught my eye back in November when we went to Fifteen Eleven while we were in DC for Thanksgiving. I gushed and gushed about how cute it was, but bought some gold twine instead (just too much to choose from at that store!). Anyway, I absolutely love it, and my oh-so-thoughtful friends. They made a random Sunday night so cheery!

Weekend in Weather

2012-01-31T11:13:00.000-05:00

This weekend I intentionally made very few plans, and gave myself plenty of time to do a whole lot of nothing. It was restful and refreshing. It was also, however, boring as far as photos are concerned. So, I leave you with Friday's weather, as seen from the office where I'm freelancing (hence the florescent lights visible in the window). It seemed like every time I turned around the weather had changed and the sky looked completely different and altogether breathtaking.

Blue Skies

2012-01-27T16:50:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't this fun umbrella brighten a rainy day? I had a rainy, wet walk home from work last night and it would have been lovely to look up and see a blue sky, even if only inside my own umbrella. If it came in yellow, it would be my dream umbrella.

Happy weekend, friends! I hope your skies are blue.

New York Bucket List

2012-01-27T01:03:00.001-05:00

Living in New York there's lots to see and do. But somehow, I end up going to the same places over and over. And while I love my favorite coffee shops, restaurants, and museums, there's lots of places I always mean to check out but forget about when I find myself with a few free hours. So, if you'll indulge me in recording my New York bucket list here (more posts to come!), I hope you'll find something interesting to check out too, whether you live here or are planning a visit.

The Empire State Building

I guess I should start with one of the big ones, that nearly every tourist who comes to Manhattan has done...The Empire State Building. After living here for five years, I still haven't been! I've always been deterred by the crowds, but I recently heard that the building stays open until 2 a.m. The idea of ending a fun night out with stunning views of the city (and the place where Annie & Sam met) sounds much better than the tourist-y outing I was envisioning! Definitely need to make this happen soon.

The Heather Garden, Fort Tryon Park

After going up to Fort Tryon Park to visit The Cloisters earlier this month, I wondered why I've never been up there before. The park feels like a little vacation from the city, and I'd love to see the Heather Garden in bloom.

Lady Mendl's Tea Salon

When I was in high school, my best girlfriends and I frequented our town's Victorian-style tea room for scones and endless pots of blackberry tea. Between those fun memories and a semester in London, I've always loved traditional afternoon tea. I've never had it here in New York and Lady Mendl's (in The Inn at Irving Place) looks like a quaint place to start—a little less intimidating than tea at The Plaza!

How about you? Are there places in your hometown you've never been, but you want to?

Image 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7

Winter Blues

2012-01-26T00:51:00.001-05:00

I'd love nothing more than to be enveloped in a world of white, but since snow is not in the cards these days I'm finding myself drawn to winter-y blue imagery. There's something alternately calm and harsh about blue in winter, isn't there? So different from the brightness of summer.

Photo 1, 2, 3, 4

(A Snowy and Cozy) Weekend in Pictures

2012-01-23T15:47:00.000-05:00

{bean boots' first exposure to snow}

{there is finally an ihop in manhattan}

{my friend's balcony in brooklyn}

{coffee by the bowlful + pastry}

{coffee, finished}

{tiny icicle on a tiny lightbulb}

We got our first little snowfall of the winter here in New York this weekend, and it was a great excuse to stay inside and do cozy things. Like look at the snow :) And eat pancakes, and pastries, and drink coffee out of bowls. Really, snow = carbs in my book.

A Beautiful Day In This Neighborhood

2012-01-20T13:30:00.000-05:00

Isn't it funny when a memory comes out of nowhere? Riding the subway this morning, I started thinking about an old Esquire profile of Fred Rogers that's stayed with me since I read it in college. In it, Tom Junod describes a time when Mr. Rogers took the subway with a friend when they couldn't get a cab in the rain. Once on the subway, they found themselves in a packed car, full of mostly school-aged children on their way home. Recognizing Mr. Rogers, the children began to sing. "They just sang. They sang, all at once, all together, the song he sings at the start of his program, 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' and turned the clattering train into a single soft, runaway choir."

If you have an hour to spare and feel like smiling, you can read the entire profile here.

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope it's a beautiful day in your neighborhood :)

Cardigan photo via The Fred Rogers Company

(A Tardy) Weekend in Pictures

2012-01-18T21:53:00.000-05:00

{nearly all my friends are texans, some of them have texas waffle irons}

{bloody mary #1. don't worry, there were more}

{can you spot the dinos?}

{check out the jazz hands on the t-rex}

{"shhhh, a cardinal!"}

{marshmallow making}

{peanut butter marshmallows}

Pretty much all of these pictures are from Saturday, when I holed up in a friend's apartment eating Texas-shaped waffles, making peanut butter marshmallows, and receiving dino-themed presents. It was too cold to do anything outside, which explains the lack of photos from Sunday. Too cold to take out the camera! I'm not even sure if it would have worked. But I love a good all-day hangout sesh, so if that's what below freezing temperatures bring, bring it on.

Ron Swanson

2012-01-17T23:31:00.000-05:00

I've had a slow start to the week after the long weekend (I've been doing that a lot in 2012, I need to get on the ball), but I'll have a Weekend in Pictures post up soon. In the meantime, direct your attention over here to a website looping the greatest Ron Swanson scene ever.

Via Aziz Ansari

A Triple Pink Cake

2012-01-13T15:03:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. January is supposed to be about leafy greens, juice fasts and resolutions, not cake. But I made another Very Pink Cake for my friend Bethany's birthday and I couldn't not show it to you just because we're all supposed to be eating salads right now.

Last year's cake was pink inside and out. This year, I knew I had to top it with something pink-er. After the rainbow cake this summer, I started thinking about making the inside three different shades of pink.

I bought three different shade of pink gel food coloring, but as you can see (in the pic I stole from my friend's Instagram...thanks Murph!) that resulted in three pretty different colors of pink cake, not the three shades of the same pink I was envisioning. I corrected that with the frosting, just using varying amounts of the one shade of pink food coloring and attempted to get sort of an ombre look to the frosting.

With the addition of some sparklers, the triple pink cake was quite a hit at the party. Now, let's all dream of cake while we eat our kale salads.

Guys: Put This On

2012-01-12T13:11:00.000-05:00

This is a post for the guys, but I also think that gals who like a well-dressed guy will like this too. Put This On is a men's fashion blog that does a great job of explaining the ins and outs of dressing well. I love the eBay round ups they post, and this list of 25 basic clothing rules (see numbers 18-20, especially).

Phones at Dinner

2012-01-10T11:34:00.000-05:00

This is such a genius idea: the next time you're out to dinner with friends, have everyone place their phone in the middle of the table. The object of the game is to leave the phones untouched for the rest of the meal, but here's the kicker: the first person to pick up their phone during the meal is responsible for paying for everyone's dinner!

Would you try it? I'm a little Miss Manners-y when it comes to phone etiquette, so I love the idea of doing something that shows people how often we want to look at our phones. You know all the vibrations and beeps from the middle of the table would start to drive you nuts! Or, you could just get one of these phone cases that blocks reception :) Full game rules here.

(A Sunny) Weekend in Pictures

2012-01-09T17:09:00.000-05:00

It's been a slow start to the New Year for me, so I was really excited when a trip up to The Cloisters with a few friends inspired me to pull out my camera. The late afternoon light was just so amazing, I felt totally refreshed and creatively revived. Um, wow... cheesy. But true. I took about a thousand pictures of the George Washington Bridge.

I've wanted to go up there forever, and I'm so glad I did—it was so peaceful and pretty. It made me want to put together a list of the other places on my NYC "bucket list." I think I'll post them here as I think about them, so I don't forget!

Hello, Hello

2012-01-09T09:58:00.000-05:00

Hello, hello! Anyone else have a harder time than usual getting going after the holidays? The past two weeks have felt like one long Sunday. Anyway, I'm excited to be back from my unintentional extended blog break today with a new Weekend in Pictures post and regular posting this week. Happy (belated) New Year!

Sparkly Cocktails

2011-12-29T21:25:00.003-05:00

Do you have big New Year's plans? I think I'm keeping it low key this year with a girly slumber party with a few close friends. Even though I'm staying in, I'd love to toast the New Year with a sparkly cocktail. These are some cherry bellinis (prosecco + cherry juice and a maraschino cherry) I made for a friend's birthday party, and I think the sparkly rim would be perfect for a New Year's Eve party.

You'd just need some edible gliter (I got mine at a local baking supply store) to rim the glass with the way you would with salt on a margarita. Voila! Instant party sparkle.

Original idea via Pinterest, of course.

Miracle on 22nd St.

2011-12-23T12:28:00.000-05:00

Just one last little bit of Christmas cheer before I sign off for the holiday weekend. What would you do if you suddenly started getting hundreds of letters addressed to Santa? It happened to a couple in Chelsea and I love that they reacted with generosity instead of cynicism. Merry Christmas, indeed!

12 Days of Christmas: A Recap & Day 12

2011-12-23T09:59:00.001-05:00

On the 12th day of Christmas my roommate gave to me...

Some delicious molasses cookies, that I ate right away with my coffee. And...

An I.O.U. for pretty brass earrings, that didn't quite arrive in time. Pretty sure I'll love them. Thanks, Megan!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 11

2011-12-22T23:30:00.000-05:00

On the 11th day of Christmas my roommate gave to me...

These pretty measuring cups that stack to look like a milk bottle. I love them! Thanks, Kaylie :)

A Tale of Two Christmases

2011-12-21T15:12:00.000-05:00

Before a flight home for Christmas a few years ago, I downloaded the audiobook of David Sedaris' Holidays on Ice. (I love his writing, but I love it even more when he reads it aloud.) It was definitely the best/most hilarious flight home I've ever had. I laughed out loud! By myself! On an airplane! Anyway, two of Sedaris' Santa-related stories have stuck with me and I wanted to share some of my favorite bits. Like I said, they're better when he reads them, so I've included audio links as well.

From SantaLand Diaries, when Sedaris worked as an elf at Macy's SantaLand:

Again this morning I got stuck at the Magic Window, which is really boring. I'm supposed to stand around and say, "Step on the Magic Star and you can see Santa!" I said that for awhile and then I started saying, "Step on the Magic Star and you can see Cher!"

And people got excited. So I said, "Step on the Magic Star and you can see Mike Tyson!"

Some people in the other line, the line to sit on Santa's lap, got excited and cut through the gates so that they could stand on my Magic Star. Then they got angry when they looked through the Magic Window and saw Santa rather than Cher or Mike Tyson. What did they honestly expect? Is Cher so hard up for money that she'd agree to stand behind a two-way mirror at Macy's?

From Six to Eight Black Men, recalling a conversation with a Dutch man about the Saint Nicholas celebrated in the Netherlands:

Unlike the jolly, obese American Santa, Saint Nicholas is painfully thin and dresses not unlike the pope, topping his robes with a tall hat resembling an embroidered tea cozy. The outfit, I was told, is a carryover from his former career, when he served as a bishop in Turkey.

One doesn't want to be too much of a cultural chauvinist, but this seemed completely wrong to me. For starters, Santa didn't use to do anything. He's not retired, and, more important, he has nothing to do with Turkey. The climate's all wrong, and people wouldn't appreciate him. When asked how he got from Turkey to the North Pole, Oscar told me with complete conviction that Saint Nicholas currently resides in Spain, which again is simply not true.

If you have 15 minutes to kill, listen to him read Six To Eight Black Men, it's worth the time.

Images via the Google Life collection.

12 Days of Christmas: Day 10

2011-12-21T14:29:00.001-05:00

The tenth day of Christmas is my final day to give my roommates a present, and traditionally on our last day we each do slightly "bigger" presents. So, on the tenth day of Christmas I gave my roommates...

Gift Certificates to Pinhole Press! Both Megan and Kaylie are getting married this year, so I thought this would give them lots of options to make something wedding related, like a guest book or a photo book with pictures from their honeymoon. Merry Christmas, roomies!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 9

2011-12-21T08:48:00.000-05:00

On the ninth day of Christmas my roommate gave to me...

Teeny monogrammed notecards! They're from In Haus Press and I think they're just perfect for a quick hello or thank you note. Thanks, Megan!

Washi Tape Candy Boxes

2011-12-20T15:21:00.000-05:00

For my candy boxes this year, I wanted to do something a little different. I usually wrap the boxes and decorate with ribbon, but I thought it might be more fun to decorate the actual box with (every blogger's fav) washi tape. I just used the tape to create the designs I wanted and voila! Pretty boxes with no need to wrap.

I really like how they turned out! And it doesn't hurt that they're filled with lots of sugar :)

12 Days of Christmas: Day 8

2011-12-20T10:12:00.000-05:00

On the eighth day of Christmas, my roommate gave to me...

A gift card for a Saturday movie (in NYC, matinee-price movies are only on the weekends and only before noon) and movie snacks! Maybe I'll use it to go see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (one of my favorite books ever that's now a movie) sometime soon. Thanks, Kaylie!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 7

2011-12-19T16:29:00.000-05:00

On the seventh day of Christmas, I gave my roommates some pretty mercury glass votive holders (from here) for a little glimmer on their bedside tables.

I was photographing at dusk (which here in the Northeast is about 4 p.m. these days), so my pictures of the wrapping turned out awful and I'm not bothering to post them. But the waning daylight worked out really well for photographing lit candles :)

12 Days of Christmas: Day 6

2011-12-19T12:55:00.000-05:00

On the sixth day of Christmas my roommate gave to me...

Coveted smokey-blue nail polish (Essie Bobbing for Baubles) and the best peppermint lip gloss ever. Thanks, Megan!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 5

2011-12-16T16:37:00.000-05:00

On the 12th day of Christmas, my roommate gave to me...

Cute, cozy mittens, perfect for throwing snowballs. Thanks, Kaylie! (And have a happy weekend, everyone!)

12 Days of Christmas: Day 4

2011-12-16T14:38:00.000-05:00

It's my turn again, so the ol' "on the fourth day of Christmas my roommate gave to me..." thing doesn't work when I'm the one doing the giving! So, on the fourth day of Christmas, I gave to my roommates...

Sparkly star socks! (They're from Gap, but appear to be sold out on their website.)

12 Days of Christmas: Day 3

2011-12-14T17:35:00.000-05:00

On the third day of Christmas, my roommate gave to me...

A sweet ornament and cash towards a cupcake at our local fav. Thanks, Megan!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 2

2011-12-13T14:23:00.000-05:00

On the second day of Christmas my roommate gave to me...

A pretty soy candle, made locally! Thanks, Kaylie.

12 Days of Christmas! Day 1

2011-12-12T17:26:00.000-05:00

It's time for the 12 Days of Christmas! The 12 Days of Christmas is the way my roommates and I exchange gifts. We exchange stocking stuffers every day for the 12 days leading up to when the first roommate goes home for Christmas (a slightly longer description here). This year, I went first.

Since both Megan and Kaylie are getting married in the Spring and moving to Brooklyn, I thought these Kate Spade "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" sleep masks would come in handy on their flights back from their honeymoons.

Fun, right? 11 more days to go...

(An Uptown) Weekend in Pictures

2011-12-12T00:36:00.001-05:00

{early christmas presents}

{live! chickens!}

{207th st. station, built in 1906}

{inwood, manhattan}

{gifts sorted, wrapped, and ready to be given}

{white lights and garland}

I spent most of my weekend waaaaay uptown in Inwood, the neighborhood at the tippy-top of Manhattan. Some friends and I were helping out with an Angel Tree event, getting hundreds of presents ready to be given out to kids in the neighborhood with an incarcerated parent. It was really fun to spend a whole day wrapping presents for a good cause, and seeing a little bit of a neighborhood I don't end up in much (live chickens for sale!).

My roommates and I started our 12 Days of Christmas gift exchange over the weekend, which I'll be sharing throughout this week and next, along with regular posting.

Blue Christmas

2011-12-09T18:41:00.002-05:00

Yay, it's Friday! My friend Katie recently said December feels like the fastest month and I really think she's right—it's flying by. Every December I get a little panicky that there won't be enough time to do everything on my "Christmas Bucket List." I want to watch all my favorite Christmas movies (there are quite a few), listen to all my favorite Christmas music (um, again, that's a lot), drink enough eggnog, see the store windows on 5th avenue, the list goes on... So, to get a little closer to getting it all accomplished, here's a pretty version of a pretty (but sad!) Christmas song from one of those Swedish girl bands, First Aid Kit. Happy weekend, everyone! I hope you get to do something festive.

PS - Didn't you love Trae's gift ideas for guys? I'm in awe of all the cool stuff he found. Maybe I'll actually get my dad a present this year, instead of fretting about it all month and then finally deciding he'd be happier if I made him dinner.

Holiday Gift Ideas: For The Guys #3

2011-12-09T16:39:00.002-05:00

{Just a quick reminder that my friend Trae is guest blogging a series of gift ideas for dudes this week. Enjoy! -Liz}

For The Tech

Low: I got this last year and it is a great addition to my home entertainment system. You can stream Pandora from your iPhone, share pictures and rent movies from iTunes (since Netflix went all crazy and jacked up their prices). {Trae is super bitter about Netflix...}

Medium: My good buddy Rick turned me on to this little jewel from Jawbone. I was pleasantly surprised at the clarity and power this small and stylish guy can put out.

High: The ultimate gift for your gadget-minded guy is, of course, the iPad 2. It took me a while to find a place for this device in my everyday life, but now I absolutely love it and continue to find new ways to use it.

For The Home

Low: These stainless steel pint glasses are great for anyone who hosts a lot of BBQs or is outdoors a lot. They're a great alternative to the frat guy Solo cup and keep your beer icy cold.

Medium: On the "old is new theme," these cloth extension cords remind me of something I would find at my grandmother’s house...and steal. Great alternative to the cheap hardware store version.

High: Keep that man cave smelling nice with this candle in a vintage British Army soap tin, wrapped in camo. (If you don't live near one of their retailers, this one from Barney's will do the trick.)

For The Reader

Low: I’ve followed this blog for several years now and they are working hard to preserve the style and skills of being a true modern day gentlemen. Both these books are a great read: The Art of Manliness and Manvotionals.

Medium: Stock his library with these beautifully designed classic novels by genius designer/typographer Jessica Hische.

High: The debate of iPad versus Kindle could go on forever, but the Kindle Touch is great for the reader who doesn’t want any distractions—just a good story.

For The Foodie

Low: If he is a grill master, he’ll love this meat tenderizer and bottle opener. These are good for any man in your life, dads included.

Medium: You can’t go wrong with bourbon, but take it up a notch and get him these great whiskey rocks.

High: Tired of drinking vodka sodas and beer? Give him this great leather-bound cocktail book (or the less expensive paperback version) from the famous PDT in New York City and you’ll be drinking some of the best cocktails north of the Mason Dixon line.

{Vintage giftwrap image via hmdavid on flickr}

Holiday Gift Ideas: For The Guys #2

2011-12-08T11:47:00.001-05:00

{Just a quick reminder that my friend Trae is guest blogging a series of gift ideas for dudes this week. Enjoy! -Liz}

For The Gamer

Low: If your man is into poker or just likes playing the occasional game of "Go Fish," why not let him do it in style? Theory 11 has some high quality cards that would be great for a stocking stuffer. My favorite is the Sentinels deck.

Medium: These things are great for passing the time (way better than the old fashioned twiddling your thumbs) or relieving stress. Perfect desk accessory for the young professional or a creatively inclined dude.

High: All things old are new again. Why play Words With Friends when you can play the original? This version is classy enough for the girl to keep in the house and will stand the test of time. If the price tag is a little much for you, the bookshelf version is just as nice.

Manscaping

Low: When I do have hair (September-May), I use this styling cream recommended to me by my barber at Freemans Barber Shop in NYC (some of the manliest dudes I know). It works great and my wife loves the smell of sage in the morning.

Medium: This is one to keep an eye out for. While the limited edition box is sold out, the subscription to Birchbox Man will soon be available. Another idea for an I.O.U.—it’s going to be great!

High: A straight shave from The Art of Shaving is a great experience to give. Perfect for the guy who has everything or for the guy who doesn’t want anything.

For The Traveller

Low: Again, Liz and I are on the same page, but I decided to butch it up a bit with this manly luggage tag from Colonel Littleton. It's simple and masculine.

Medium: Give the gift of power to your man...and I’m not talking about power tools. I recently started to travel with an extension chord and it's changed my life, but I’ve got my eye on this roll up version from Restoration Hardware. I love being able to charge my camera, phone and computer all at the same time.

High: If your guy is on the road for work or pleasure, he should carry his documentation in style. Let’s face it, the US passport isn’t the most exciting thing to look at, so give him this passport holder from J.Crew to keep your jet setter classy.

{Top image via The Art of Manliness, shaving image via falcon}

Holiday Gift Ideas: For The Guys #1

2011-12-07T18:56:00.000-05:00

When I was coming up with ideas for my Holiday Gift Ideas posts, it was pretty obvious that they were skewing feminine. Rather than scraping together the few things I could think of for the dudes, I decided to phone a friend.

So, my friend Trae Watlington will be sharing his gift picks for the rest of the week. Thoughtful, stylish, and one of the nicest guys I know, I knew Trae would come up with some great gift ideas. And, boy, did he ever! I'm so excited to share them with you. Take it away, Trae!

I know buying gifts for a guy can feel a little intimidating at times, but here are some ideas that should set you up for success with your significant other, boss, friend, and even your dad.

Growing up my brother and I always categorized our Christmas lists by price in order to get the most bang for our buck, so I decided to keep the tradition alive. Each category has a low, medium and high priced option.

For The Adventurer

Low: Liz and I had the same idea, but this is how dudes do hand warmers. Great gift for the non-smoker who has always wanted a Zippo.

Medium: Every guy needs Survivor Kit, whether he admits it or not. This one is great because it has all the essentials, plus you get a great water bottle out of the deal.

High: Who says camping has to be roughing it? These tents are pricy, but chances are you won't run into another camper with the same one. I support Americana, but there are some pretty interesting designs to choose from.

Be sure not to leave your man in the woods without the proper tools. This custom made axe from Best Made Co. looks like Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor and Kate Spade had a child and named him Hatchet.

For The Music Lover

Low: Whether your guy is trying to learn the guitar or he's already a pro, he can appreciate these leather guitar picks. I haven’t tried them myself, but they're supposed to have a richer, warmer tone.

Medium: Get him a year subscription to Spotify Premium (cheaper than that crazy Netflix) so he can listen to the latest and greatest music wherever he wants, on or offline.

High: I can’t leave the house without my iBeats. Walking everywhere in NYC requires a constant soundtrack, and these do the job at a decent price. If you want to really surprise him, give him an I.O.U for the highly anticipated Executive Edition.

Accessories

Low: These are great iPhone cases. Style and function at its best, without the high price tag. My favorite is this NYC one, but the selection is endless.

Medium: Replace that bottle opener key chain of his with this classic. I went to the Pop Up Flea last weekend and saw the guys from Billy Kirk making these by hand. Great quality and timeless design.

High: I have a lot of photographer friends who flipped out when I shared this camera strap. Hold Fast Gear from Tulsa knows how to make a manly product. Check out the Money Maker for those of you that are giving to a professional.

{Guys, that was just the first post. There are two more of these coming. Who else thinks Trae needs his own blog? Let him know in the comments! - Liz}

Holiday Gift Ideas: Part Three

2011-12-06T11:00:00.000-05:00

I'd probably own four or five of these Sharon Montrose animal prints, if I could ever narrow my favorites down to just four or five. She captures animals in the most amazing ways.

These cashmere hand warmers are much cuter than the throw-away ones from the drug store, for a perpetually cold-handed friend. Bonus: they're reusable!

Pretty wrapped stone earrings.

This is definitely a splurge, but the Nespresso Citiz espresso machine is so sleek, and perfect for small spaces.

Personalized luggage tags (with a cheeky message) would be perfect for a jet-setting friend, or newly married couple. You can personalize both sides: one with name and address info and the other with the message of your choice.

(Birthdays & Brooklyn) Weekend in Pictures

2011-12-05T14:33:00.000-05:00

{sparklers on another very pink cake}

{sparkly cherry bellinis for the birthday girl}

{more celebrating, cake batter fudge}

{afternoon light and pretty books at tracey & greg's new place}

{christmas decorations in carroll gardens}

{drink more egg creams. dessert at brooklyn farmacy}

A very pink cake, sparkly cocktails (posts on both of those soon!), a relaxing afternoon in Brooklyn, and eating too much fried food, also in Brooklyn. Hope your weekend was lovely!

Holiday Gift Ideas: For You

2011-12-02T17:11:00.000-05:00

I have two more Holiday Gift Idea posts for you, but I stayed out a little too late (and drank a little too much champagne) at a holiday party last night and didn't get the next one together before my head hit the pillow. In the meantime, I wanted to share these Christmas candles that I love. I'd buy them for myself, so my apartment can smell Christmas-y all winter, but you could certainly buy these for a friend if you're feeling more generous than I am :)

Paddywax Library Collection: Charles Dickens. I'd reread A Christmas Carol while burning this one.

Paddywax Woodland Collection: Forest. This smells the way your house does the day you bring the Christmas tree home, without being overly strong or fake-smelling.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Again, not a sponsored post. I just really love Paddywax.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Part Two

2011-12-01T09:43:00.000-05:00

This black & gold cocktail ring would be a sweet, simple gift for budget gift-exchanges, like with coworkers. The earrings are pretty too!

I'm obsessed with these quirky pillows from Coral & Tusk. I like that they're fun without being "novelty."

These bird dessert stands are so elegant and dramatic. Plus, they make me think of this funny video.

Harney & Sons makes amazing tea that comes in pretty tins. Their Holiday Tea tastes like all the best parts of Christmas, and I think the Paris Tea would be a cute gift for a Francophile friend.

Who wouldn't love this big, cozy scarf?

I tried not to include two lockets, but I just really like them both! This gold one from Madewell has just the right amount of sparkle.

Really, sometimes a girl just needs a flask. (These disposable ones are a bit more discreet.)

Holiday Gift Ideas: Part One

2011-11-30T10:43:00.000-05:00

I had so much fun "researching" (um, basically online shopping for hours) these gift guides that I couldn't limit my finds to just gifts for moms or gifts for girly girls. So, over the next three posts I'd love to show you my favorite finds. Random, fun, beautiful gifts for the lovely ladies in your life. (Stay tuned for a gift guide for the dudes next week!) Here we go...

Simple, wear everyday earrings: Stars & Ampersands.

Color Blocked Leather Tote. The orange is so striking and fun.

Acanthus Chevron Locket. Gold + chevron = awesome.

The Storymatic, a fun, sometimes hilarious storytelling game to play with friends.

Echo Side Bow Touch Gloves modeled here by the always glamourous Jamie Beck on From Me To You. I'd get the pink ones.

I'm not normally a fan of novelty gifts, but this Mischief Managed mug is a pretty clever one for the Harry Potter fan in your life.

A pretty geometric print scarf for a pop of color to stand out against the gray, winter weather around the corner.

A fun striped iPhone case that you can customize with a monogram or a name.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Stocking Stuffers

2011-11-29T13:39:00.000-05:00

To kick off a week of holiday gift-giving ideas, let's start with stocking stuffers. Even though stocking stuffers are often an afterthought, I think it's fun to think of something small and inexpensive that the person receiving it will actually use and enjoy. So, those are my standards for the gifts below. I'm morally opposed to the silly stocking stuffers that stores put out at this time of year (like jar openers and cheesy desk calendars), so you won't find any of those here!

These Mercury Votive Holders are so pretty. They'd add a little bit of vintage-y glamour to a bedside table or bookshelf.

Aren't mittens so much more cozy than gloves? It feels like you're really committing to being outside for awhile. These colorful Pom Pom Gloves would be fun to throw snowballs in.

I think these Tie Breaker Coins could come in handy for a quite few people on your list. It would be a funny gift for roommates or newlyweds.

This understated Glitter Top Coat is festive for holiday parties, but I like it even more in February when my nails (and, let's face it, the rest of me) could use a pick me up.

It's pretty hard to go wrong with chocolate. I love Chocolove bars, especially the Raspberries in Dark Chocolate and the Almond and Sea Salt.

Bright and colorful Kate Spade coasters are fun and playful for holiday parties (wouldn't they be perfect for a New Year's party?) but they'd also fancy up any party any time of the year.

I know gift certificates are a hotly debated gift giving topic, but I'm wholeheartedly for them. Especially when it's a gift certificate to Pinhole Press, where the recipient can make everything from wine bottle labels to beautifully bound books.

I'm still in the market for more stocking stuffer ideas for this year's 12 Days of Christmas with my roommates, so I'd love to hear your stocking stuffer ideas in the comments!

Top photo via small::bird. All other photos from their respective sites. PS: No one has paid me to say any of this :)

Holiday Gift Ideas

2011-11-29T09:23:00.002-05:00

I'm tickled pink (um, tickled red and green?) to share a few holiday gift giving ideas with you this week. First up: stocking stuffers! Then some pretty, funny, useful and tasty gifts for the ladies in your life—moms, moms-in-law, friends, wives and girlfriends. I think giving a really good gift is one of the most fun ways to tell someone you like 'em a bunch, so I hope these gift ideas help you do just that.

Photo via The Twinery.

(Thanksgiving) Weekend in Pictures

2011-11-28T09:21:00.001-05:00

{thanksgiving nails, dc mug}

{rolling pie dough on the washer}

{traditional post-thanksgiving dinner viewing of Elf}

{day after thanksgiving strolling}

{christmas tree stand, chelsea}

{decorating the tree}

{megan hanging her new ornament, similar to the new jewelry on her left hand}

How was everyone's Thanksgiving weekend? Mine was full and lovely. After a six and a half hour bus ride to D.C. on Wednesday night we got to work making a pumpkin cheesecake and pie crusts until the wee hours of the morning. The next day was spent christening my friend's new kitchen (they had just moved in that week!) with its first Thanksgiving dinner. After a lazy day wandering around Old Town Alexandria, I came home to New York to get a Christmas tree with my roommates. Friends came over to help us trim the tree while drinking mulled wine and eating snickerdoodles. There was even a dramatic re-telling of the story of the Christmas pickle.

And then, just like that, it was Christmas. I have lots of Christmas-y things planned for Somewhere North, including a few gift guides and the 12 Days of Christmas. I can't wait!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T11:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Let's be thankful for fall weather, the last of the leaves falling off the trees, cinnamon, and that perfect Thanksgiving bite (for me it's turkey + cranberries + stuffing). And honestly, I'm pretty thankful for blogs. Thanks for reading my ramblings, I have so much fun writing these posts for you!

Adoptable Dogs

2011-11-23T10:14:00.001-05:00

My friend (from grade school!) Lisa Teso is a truly gifted photographer. She recently linked to some photos she's taken of adoptable dogs at two shelters in Portland, and they are seriously tugging at my heartstrings. Honestly, with pictures and pups like these, how are there any adoptable dogs left in Portland? I want them all.

Portland readers, don't you think a happily wagging tail would make a good addition to your Thanksgiving festivities? More photos (with adoption links) here & here.

Last Minute Thanksgiving: Pies

2011-11-22T14:18:00.001-05:00

Somehow, every year, I spent a lot more mental energy than is necessary on a strange inner battle: the desire to have just the right amount of dessert at Thanksgiving. I'm the Goldilocks of the Thanksgiving pie table.

It's silly, really, because my sane, non-Thanksgiving-crazed self can definitely tell you that there is no such thing as too many pies at Thanksgiving. But every year, worried that there might be too many, I scale back my plans. Be ye not so stupid. If you're not sure if there will be enough pie, make one of these. I won't tell anyone if you use store-bought crust.

Easy Peasy
* Classic pumpkin pie is about as easy as it gets, and tasty.
* What would Thanksgiving be without pecan pie?
* Skip the pie and throw together a fall-spiced Pear Crisp.

Show Stoppers
* Swap out the traditional apple pie for this Apple Cider Cream Pie.
* French Silk Chocolate Pie, to die for. Every dessert table needs chocolate, yes?
* This Pumpkin Cheesecake has completely replaced pumpkin pie at my Thanksgiving table. Swap the topping for fresh whipped cream.

Photos by Blue Window Creative, Smitten Kitchen.

Last Minute Thanksgiving: Sides

2011-11-22T10:50:00.003-05:00

Normally at this time of year (the days before Thanksgiving) I can hardly hold a decent conversation because I'm so distracted by all the Thanksgiving tasks floating around in my head. I've hosted Thanksgiving at my home for the past four years and tend to have a tight grip on the preparations, so by the Tuesday before the feast my mind is swimming with all the things I want to pre-chop, the pie crusts to be made ahead of time, and gee, I hope there will be enough wine.

But this year I'm taking a break from the craziness of hosting a large gathering and going to visit a friend in D.C. for a quiet, small Thanksgiving. So, with my mind unburdened from its usual pre-Thanksgiving crazies, I thought I'd give you some last minute recipe ideas just in case you're undecided or (like me) worried there won't be enough food. Let's start with sides.

Easy Peasy
* Roasted Brussel Sprouts. Add some cripy bacon and toasted pecans to be fancy, if you want.
* A super simple cranberry sauce with orange.
* I've served a version of this fennel salad every year and it's always a hit.

Show Stoppers
* I didn't grow up in a mac & cheese at Thanksgiving household, but this recipe was a welcome addition to last year's table.
* The Pioneer Woman's sweet potatoes have converted many a sweet potato hater. I usually cut back on the sugar a bit.
* Cornbread stuffing with a healthy dose of bacon fat. As Ina Garten would say, how bad can that be?

Photos by Braedon Flynn

(Leaves & Sunlight) Weekend in Pictures

2011-11-21T10:10:00.000-05:00

{autumn}

{shadows & sunlight}

{can't get enough}

{piano across america}

Fall, you are just really great.

A Year In New York

2011-11-19T01:57:00.001-05:00

Even though I'm feeling wanderlust-y, I still love, love, love where I live. Which is maybe why this video, shot over the course of a year in New York, makes me a little teary (in a good way). I think the music helps, it's one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite albums of this year.

Happy weekend, everyone! After watching this video, I feel like I need to get out and enjoy this wonderful, big, dramatic, heartbreaking, strange and magical city.

via stephmodo

Wanderlust

2011-11-17T00:53:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure what it is about fall, but it always makes me want to travel. Maybe it's the desire to wring one last bit of something out of the year with a trip abroad, but for some reason I seem to get a serious case of wanderlust around this time of year.

Unfortunately, my budget does not approve of me going adventuring whenever I feel like it, so I'm just dreaming for now. Here's where I'd go if someone handed me a plane ticket tomorrow.

{prague}

{scotland}

{copenhagen}

{stockholm}

{bern, switzerland}

I definitely gravitate to European cities when I think about fall & winter travel. This list would look entirely different in June! I'd love to hear, where do you dream about going when you feel wanderlust-y?

Bonus: Wouldn't it be amazing to stay at Stephanie's La Maisonette in France? It's in the top photo. I just think it looks so beautiful!

photos via Orangette, Tabi**chu on Flickr, National Geographic, diesmali on Flickr & Pinterest.

Swedish Girl Bands

2011-11-15T09:32:00.000-05:00

The title of this post makes it sound like I might know a thing or two about Swedish girl bands. That's not true at all. I really only know of these two. A more apt title would be "Swedish Girl Bands Who Have Become YouTube Sensations by Singing Beautiful Covers" but that's rather long.

Anyway, just some beautiful music for your Tuesday morning. There must be something about the cold Swedish air that makes for beautiful harmony singing.

(A Foliage-Heavy) Weekend in Pictures

2011-11-15T00:02:00.002-05:00

{jumping in leaves on the way to the Met}

{the fall color spectrum in central park}

{central park leaf peeping}

{fall, you kill me}

{celebrating my roommate's engagement!!}

{before I die wall, brookyln}

Until all the autumn leaves have fallen, I think my Weekend in Pictures posts will be very foliage-heavy. I just can't get enough! I'm so glad that fall color comes rather late to New York City. We get to enjoy it on road trips and in tiny glimpses in October, but it comes alive in November. It sticks around until Thanksgiving when it can give way to Christmas color and lights. Love. It.

Did you have a foliage-filled weekend, friends?

So Many Flowers

2011-11-10T11:43:00.002-05:00

Oh my. I'm not sure if a blossom party is a "thing" in Europe (international readers, help me out!), but I would like to make it a "thing" in my life. I love the idea of doing a theme party for no reason—not connected to a holiday or anything, just for fun. I feel like you could do something like this with other simple, beautiful things like streamers, stripes, or confetti.

via Kinfolk

Mermaid Tail

2011-11-08T16:13:00.000-05:00

Nadya Vessey is a competitive swimmer who had to have both of her legs amputated due to a birth condition. Now, thanks to a conversation with a child about mermaids and Weta Workshop, she's swimming again with this amazing prosthetic! Just amazing.

(Fall Cabin) Weekend in Pictures

2011-11-08T00:40:00.000-05:00

{fall leaves, finally}

{outhouse on the property, thankfully no longer in use}

{main st., saugerties}

{hiking out to the saugerties lighthouse}

{bean boots on the trail}

{barn turned artist's studio}

{tiny pinecones!}

{passed out pup}

Over the weekend (at a cabin outside Saugerties, NY) some girlfriends and I were playing a somewhat made-up game of see-how-well-we-know-each-other questions. Someone would ask a question to the group, everyone would write down their answer, then the question-asker guesses which response belongs to which person. Most of the answers were hilariously funny, others let you get to know your friends a little better.

After a weekend of walking over crunching leaves in heavy boots and watching fading sunlight stream in through old farmhouse windows, I'm rethinking one of my answers. To the question "what is your heaven on earth?" I'd like to change my answer to simply "fall."

On The Road Again

2011-11-04T15:55:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday! I'm headed out of town this weekend, to the Hudson Valley, and I'm really excited to see lots and lots of fall leaves (hopefully!) and drink wine on the porch all bundled up. I hope your weekend plans are lovely too :)

Thanksgiving Table

2011-11-04T00:12:00.000-04:00

Is it too early to start talking about Thanksgiving? I hope not, because I've definitely started thinking about it. I love hosting Thanksgiving dinner for friends in my apartment, but the one thing that's a little bit lacking is a table. It's cozy and fun with lots of people scattered around the living room feasting, but it would be so amazing to have a big table for everyone to sit at (and not have to balance plates on their laps!).

In my dream Thanksgiving, I'd have the Goliath Console/Dining Table. Would you believe that the dining table above collapses down to the size of a console?! Genius! (You can see a video here.)

Is it awful for me to wish that IKEA would come up with an affordable copycat?

NYC Dating in the Movies

2011-11-01T23:50:00.000-04:00

After watching Annie Hall this weekend, it was interesting to see this post on Brokelyn that calculates the cost of dating in popular NYC movies.

The dates in You've Got Mail were the cheapest, mostly because they don't technically "date" each other for most of the movie. Upper West Side guys, take note: you can make a gal swoon with You've Got Mail-themed dates and spend less than $20!

Halloween in Chelsea

2011-11-01T01:16:00.002-04:00

I hadn't planned to write a post about Halloween, but walking home tonight with the last few trick-or-treaters it was too much fun to not show it to you.

That's not misty air, or subway grate steam, there was a fog machine creating that effect.

Someone's haunted front stoop. I'd guess they figured no parent would let their kids go into some guy's apartment for a haunted house, so they set it up out front. Complete with a fog machine, and a guy pretending to be a fake mummy until just the right moment when he'd jump up and scare the heck out of the kids. And, um, a girl with her camera.

I saw a few of these signs around the neighborhood. At one bodega, I overheard Ariel say, "I don't believe them!" as she charged into the store, bright red wig askew on her head.

Dia De Los Muertos papel picado banners hung in the window.

I wasn't able to take a picture the best costume of the night, because I was too stunned by its awesomeness to get out my camera. Earlier in the night, when tons of kids were out trick-or-treating, I was approached by a tiny Harry Potter. He looked back at his Dad and asked if he could cast a spell on "that lady." His Dad looked at me for my approval and I nodded. Tiny Harry thrust his wand in my direction and bellowed "Expecto Patronum!" His Dad then stepped forward and unrolled a silver stag made out of shiny silver paper. I was almost too impressed to react properly, then remembered my Harry Potter-fan self and tried to slink away like a proper Dementor. Killer costume, kid!

I'm curious, what good costumes did you see this year?

(Snowtober) Weekend in Pics

2011-10-31T23:23:00.000-04:00

{fall light and fall leaves, friday}

{the very next day, snow and fall leaves}

{snow falling outside of church, after a friend's wedding}

{snow out the window at the reception}

{sparkle nails, mimosa in a mason jar}

{gray day, bright outfit}

{intense halloween decor, sunday}

Snow! It snowed before Halloween this weekend! I didn't take the forecast all that seriously, then at my friend's wedding Saturday morning when the congregation turned to watch the happy couple walk down the aisle, we all saw big, white flakes falling. It was a pretty magical way to end a wedding ceremony. And, a really good excuse to stay in and watch Annie Hall that night. Annie Halloween!

Sunday the snow was gone and I got to see two of my favorite musicians perform in an intimate "house" show that was one of the most inspiring things I've seen in awhile. Seriously, if you have the chance, see Derek Webb & Sandra McCracken if they come to your town.

How was your Halloween/Snowtober?

Happy (Halloween) Weekend!

2011-10-28T11:45:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween weekend, friends! I thought of one more thing to add to my earlier list: The Monster Mash! We heard it while walking through the corn maze last weekend and I got all giddy—such a fun song. Enjoy your festivities this weekend :)

Halloween Grinch

2011-10-28T00:36:00.001-04:00

In the past couple of years, I've started to think of Halloween as gross. I get kind of complain-y about it. There's way less kiddie cuteness and way more (completely inescapable, in New York) slutty drunkenness, and I tend to avoid it all together. But the good kind of Halloween, with trick-or-treating, exchanging candy with your siblings, and eating your yearly quota of candy corn, really is fun. So, in an effort to stop being such a Halloween Grinch, here are my own personal reminders of why Halloween doesn't deserve my boycotting.

Hocus Pocus. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and a talking cat. It's really all you could want in a Halloween movie, especially if you grew up in the 90s.

Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins: the best proportion of chocolate to peanut butter all year.

Kids in costume. There's nothing cuter than seeing how excited a kid gets about a whole holiday devoted to dressing up and eating candy. And I love when kids think of their costumes themselves. A friend's son is being a "Spiderman Dragon" this year, and last year a kid in Brooklyn told me he was a robot clown.

Nostalgia. It's impossible to see kids in costume and not think back to your own days of trick-or-treating. The picture on the right of my little sister dressed as a tiger feels like a snapshot of the best parts of Halloween as a kid: elated to be up past bedtime, with a pile of candy that's all yours.

What about you? Are you a Halloween Grinch or Halloween lover?

Images: top photo by ash2276, Breakfast at Tiffany's dress by atutudes, Max costume by The Radical Thread Co. Last two photos by my dad, who was undoubtedly saying "show me some teeth!" as he clicked the shutter.

Power House

2011-10-27T08:50:00.000-04:00

A house with stripes: cool. A house that powers itself and the house next door (via wind and solar energy) and seeks to model "self-reliance, sustainability, and creative problem solving" to a struggle Detroit neighborhood: very cool. It's the first (of many) projects by Power House Productions, a Detroit-based non-profit using artists to stabilize and revitalize their neighborhood. They're reclaiming abandoned spaces and giving them new purpose in the community. Check out this squash house they made!

Downton Abbey

2011-10-25T12:21:00.000-04:00

Have you been watching Downton Abbey? I'm a little late to it (it aired in the UK last fall and the first season already aired on PBS in the US) but I finally gave in to the hype and watched the first three episodes this weekend.

Oh. My. Word! So, so good. It's set in the early 20th century at the ginormous country home of the Crawley family and mixes historical events (the Titanic sinks in the first episode) with the day to day life of an aristocratic family and their servants. I've always loved a good British period drama, and this one is heavy on the drama. Plus: killer costumes and sets.

Really, if you haven't watched it yet, hop to it! You can stream it online via Netflix or Amazon in the US. Hurry, new episodes start in January!

(Mazes & Music) Weekend in Pictures

2011-10-24T13:50:00.001-04:00

Believe it or not, there is a farm in New York City. Not a rooftop farm or a community farm, but a real farm that's been around since 1697. How crazy it that?! I spent Saturday there with some friends, getting lost in the corn maze, feeding farm animals and going on the weirdest hayride ever (mostly because I couldn't get over the fact that we were still in the city). Then on Saturday night I continued the Americana-y feel of the day by seeing Gillian Welch play at the Beacon. It was incredible. How was your weekend?

Pumped for Pumpkins

2011-10-21T19:38:00.000-04:00

I'm going pumpkin picking this weekend (and to a corn maze!), so I thought a little Great Pumpkin would be appropriate. Don't worry, Linus. I don't plan on killing any of them.

Have a great fall weekend, everyone!

Dad Sayings

2011-10-20T15:15:00.000-04:00

When I saw this poster on Kate's Pinterest, I immediately thought of my dad. Isn't "Hold Your Horses" such a Dad kind of saying? If they also made a "Dream On, Alice" poster I could have a wall in my home as an homage to my Dad (he would simultaneously get a kick out of that and find it strange).

What kind of funny or eye-rolling things did your Dad say when you were growing up? If you say you're cold, hungry, or tired around my dad you can be guaranteed a hearty handshake and a "Nice to meet you, Hungry, I'm Ernie." Which kind of cracks me up now, but was totally the last thing I wanted to hear as an angsty pre-teen.

Neon Tide

2011-10-19T00:05:00.002-04:00

Wow. How amazing would it be to see a bioluminescent tide in person?! So beautiful and strange.

I've wanted to swim with bioluminescent plankton ever since Maggie wrote about it. I mean, with descriptions like, "I lift my hands above the surface, and loose-diamonds tumble down my arms" how could you not? Come on, swimming with sparkles? Sign me up. Who wants to go to Puerto Rico next summer?

Update: Check out this guy surfing in it!

Squirrel Watching

2011-10-18T11:17:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry, but I have no Weekend in Pictures post for you today. The only pictures I took this weekend were of squirrels. Um, kind of an embarrassing amount of pictures of squirrels. The pine tree in our back garden grows berries in the fall, and it attracts tons of squirrels and birds.

I feel like my grandma (she was an avid birdwatcher) when I catch myself standing at the window forever, watching eight or nine squirrels run all over the tree, hang upside down, and fight over the berries. In spite of feeling like an old lady, it really is sort of fun to watch!

If I Had a Boat

2011-10-14T14:32:00.000-04:00

It's still wet and rainy in the Northeast, which puts me in the mood for quiet, beautiful music. I've been listening to James Vincent McMorrow's album "Early in the Morning" constantly, it's perfect for rainy days. I especially love the song "If I Had A Boat." I want to listen to it while wearing these pretty nautical earrings.

Happy weekend, everyone! I hope you have some wonderful things planned.

PS: It just occurred to me that I've been posting about the rainy weather a lot lately. Oops! I guess it's time for me to invest in some footwear for rainy days, which I've yet to do!

The Falling Rocket

2011-10-13T17:24:00.000-04:00

{Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket, James McNeill Whistler, 1875}

Isn't this painting gorgeous? I'd want it to hang over my bed if it weren't already hanging in a museum.

MFEO

2011-10-13T00:34:00.000-04:00

After walking home through rainy Manhattan streets and catching a glimpse of the Empire State Building glowing, barely visible through the fog, I had a hankering to watch Sleepless in Seattle. I had forgotten how funny the kids are in that movie!

(Jonah on the phone with Dr. Marsha Fieldstone, while his Dad is on a date)

Jonah: He's kissing her on the lips. My Dad's been captured by a ho!

Ha! What's your favorite rainy night movie?

Images: Screenshots from Sleepless in Seattle

Making a Wedding Cake: Part II

2011-10-12T16:51:00.000-04:00

After months of planning, worrying and buying way too much butter, Wedding Cake Day was upon me. My biggest concern was getting the tiers there without anything cracking or breaking. Oh, did I mention the reception was being held in another borough? It was. The cake had to get from the west side of Manhattan to the east side of Queens.

Thankfully, I have very good friends who helped me get all three tiers into a cab, and also kindly flirted with the cab driver to get him to drive very slowly and smoothly (a major miracle, if you've ever ridden in an NYC cab). I put the crumb-coated cakes in individual boxes and then we held the cakes and our breath in the back of a cab. We arrived at the reception site with the cakes still perfectly intact. Hooray!

After the cab ride was over and I could breathe again, I set to work assembling and frosting the cake. I love frosting cakes, but frosting a giant one was more fun than I thought it would be. I kept exclaiming, "this is so fun!" to no one in particular.

While I was in my own little world of frosting joy, a few engaged couples were wandering around and looking at the venue. One of them looked at me and said, "Oh, the baker would know! How many people are they expecting tonight?" I was thrilled that they thought I was a professional! But then, a little later, another couple came by and the groom asked for my card. Eeee! I probably should have been a little cooler about the whole thing and given him my email address or something. Instead, I smiled like a goof and told him I wasn't a professional, just a friend of the bride.

After the frosting was done I cascaded some yellow & white ranunculus, baby's breath and greenery down the front of the cake and called it a day! Well. Actually, I went home, showered, and changed from Nervous-Cake-Baker to Happy-Wedding-Guest-Who-Needs-A-Drink.

All in all, making a wedding cake was (honestly!) really fun. And I'm really happy that my friends could have a cake they liked and that it tasted good (why is that so rare in wedding cakes?). So, congratulations to the Kings! Thanks for trusting me to make a giant cake. I loved it.

Making a Wedding Cake: Part I

2011-10-12T01:11:00.001-04:00

Oh my. I did it! I made a wedding cake! Crazy.

I've been dreaming about making a wedding cake for ages. After making the groom's cake for a friend's wedding this summer, I was even more excited about someday making a wedding cake. So when Tracey said, "Hey, you could do our wedding cake!" I jumped at the chance. I've had so much fun with this project and I'd love to share the behind-the-scenes details with you! (I'll write about the day-of-the-wedding details next, if those interest you too :)

Thankfully Tracey and Greg were very laid back about the whole thing, and weren't looking for something super fancy or perfect. That really freed me up to focus on how it would taste, knowing if my frosting style is a bit homemade-looking, that's ok. We decided on a fall-flavored cake, with a tier each of carrot, pumpkin and apple cake covered with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting.

After the question of flavor was answered, I turned to the Internet to answer the million other questions I had. Like, how does a three-tiered cake not cave in on itself? And how on earth am I going to get a giant wedding cake from my apartment in Chelsea to the venue in Queens? The Internet was very helpful. Thankfully, Queen Deb had already attempted this feat and I learned (as always) a lot from her.

After the Internet taught me about using dowels (I used straws) to keep the cake from caving in on itself, I made a full-sized test cake. Which was maybe a bit insane/wasteful, but turned out to be the best thing I could have done for my sanity and my confidence level. I tested all the recipes, built the cake, figured out that it was super easy to hide the cake boards in between each layer, gained confidence that it wouldn't cave in, and saw how the frosting would behave after sitting out all day in a warm apartment. As a little cheat, I only frosted half of the test cake.

After the test cake survived the day in my apartment without anything catastrophic happening, I took a giant box of it over to Tracey and Greg, who gave it the thumbs up. Then I threw the rest away (I know! I'm sorry) and waited nervously for the wedding day to make the real deal. Oh, and I suppose since this is the behind the scenes post I should tell you that I made all the cake a week before the wedding day and froze it all. It worked beautifully—cake is much easier to move around when it's frozen solid, it thaws to taste exactly the same as it did when it went in, and it allowed me to enjoy the pre-wedding festivities without having to come home to bake nine cakes at the end of the night.

I think I've bored you enough with the details for now (or, if there's anyone out there like me, fascinated you), more on how it all went down later today.

(Wedding-y) Weekend in Pictures

2011-10-10T17:16:00.000-04:00

{lingerie party decor}

{bachelorette party dinner}

{refueling between festivities}

{three tiers of wedding cake in a cab}

{venue preparations}

{a lovely dress}

{it's good to be king}

This weekend was all about a wedding. The bachelorette party, rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, reception set-up and finally the ceremony that married two of my favorites. It was a wonderful day, filled with all kinds of laughter, tears, and dancing (that one's a rarity for me!).

Oh, and I made a wedding cake. No big deal. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. :)

Light and Sleep

2011-10-06T09:50:00.000-04:00

It's pretty much a no-brainer that light effects how we sleep. How many of us could fall asleep in a brightly lit room? When I'm winding down for the night I usually switch to dim lighting, but I never really thought about the light coming from my computer. It turns out, the blue light that emanates from our computers and phones is not very helpful when you're trying to fall asleep.

Lately I've been using this great app called f.lux, which changes the light your computer produces based on the time of day and where you live. Writing this post in the wee hours of the morning, my screen is casting a soft, orange glow on my hands instead of an intense blue-white light. It's really nice and calming.

photos by Sofia Ajram

A Little Bit of Knope

2011-10-05T11:36:00.000-04:00

Just a little bit of hilarity for your Wednesday morning. I've been inhaling season two of Parks and Recreation on Netflix lately, it's so funny. I may have laughed out loud at this part around 1:30 a.m. this morning, hopefully I didn't wake up my roommates!

PS: Watch the same thing here, on a loop. Then die laughing.

Whimsy

2011-10-04T18:45:00.000-04:00

Gorgeous, whimsical images from photographer Tim Walker. I never knew I wanted to have a camp out in a library, but now I need to!

via Hello, Friend

Weekend in Pictures

2011-10-03T22:47:00.000-04:00

{rainy saturday}

{wedding cake baking}

{lower east side, morning sun}

{ha! hanksy}

{soho signage, blue sky}

{west village signage, blue sky}

As planned, I holed up in my apartment on a rainy saturday and baked a wedding cake. (The picture of cake up there is technically not from this weekend, it's from last week's test cake. But I couldn't keep talking about the cake and not give you a tiny peek at it!) Sunday was thankfully-finally-truly fall weather, which was celebrated with brunch and a long walk through the West Village. I'm so glad I scheduled cake baking on the rainy day, not the gloriously fall day!

Rainy Weekend

2011-10-01T01:35:00.000-04:00

It looks like New York is in for another rainy weekend. Which is fine by me, really, because I'm spending all of saturday baking a wedding cake (more on that soon!). Plus, I love falling asleep to the rain, like I'm about to do now. Outside my window, it sounds just like this. Happy (rainy) weekend, friends.

Image: Rainy Night print by Blanca Gomez.