So Many Flowers

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

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

{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

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

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

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

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?