Category Archives: Loving

04Jan / 2012

Hello 2012, I’m happy to see you!

Dearest pals,

Can you believe it? Another year has come and gone….

I’m not one for making or keeping resolutions but this year I really want to push myself to do LOTS of fun things in this amazing city. Here’s what I propose, will you join me? -

Enjoying the outdoors -

Last year I didn’t do the Philharmonic in the park (because they skipped last year), I didn’t go to any outdoor movies and barely made it to Prospect Park! There’s so many lovely outdoor options (most that are free) during the Spring, Summer and Fall, this year, you’ll have to stop me from sleeping on park benches (too much?)

Doing the touristy stuff

Us jaded New Yorkers take for granted all the activities that are considered tourist attractions. Yes, they’re full of camera and backpack toting families but how about we play hooky from work and explore some of these options on less crowded days? The above are photos I took during my trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. It was so relaxing and lovely and since we did it on a Monday getting around was a breeze.

Getting lost…

Too often we’re rushing around to get from point A to point B. What about leaving the house and just wandering around with no schedule or final destination in mind? During the Fall I took a long walk and made my way to the Columbia Street waterfront in Brooklyn. I saw the above bakery and promised myself I would make it back….except that I forgot to write down the name of the bakery…eek…so maybe on one of our adventures we can search for it again?

Happy New Year!

M

Posted by in Go see this, Just plain pretty, Lazy days, Loving

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09Dec / 2011

Gift Guide – Unlucky in Love Brother (or coworker)

D – I LOVE this! And yes, I totally hate that I didn’t come up with the idea myself.  I have to say, a bachelor’s best bet to finding love is spiffing up his apartment. There’s nothing worse than meeting a really cute boy and then you see his apartment and it’s a total fail. I saw this nifty candle in the MOMA store and thought it was a really great way to make a room feel romantic without being too obvious, and it kinda makes the guy seem outdoorsy which is always a bonus -

Posted by in Gifting, Loving

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09Dec / 2011

Gift Guide – Unlucky in Love Brother

We all have the one.  The one on your holiday list that you just can’t get excited about shopping for this year.  He may not be in the merriest of spirits: whether it’s your brother who has had a lean year in the lady department, or a brother-in-law you hardly know, or even your best guy friend who is feeling a little low, this dude could use a laugh! Most certainly, a chick will make him crack a smile. And a flock of chicks? He would be indebted to you forever!  And indebted to him would be the family that receives this charitable gift of the actual feathered friends through Heifer International, whose eggs will help feed them for years to come. In one fell swoop, you have turned this lazy man into a philanthropic idol and aided the world’s hunger crisis. I think we have a winner!

Posted by in Gifting, Loving, What if

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08Dec / 2011

Gift Guide – New Girl Crush

S! I love those!

Speaking of flea market finds, this book would make a great gift for your new girl crush. It says “I’m design inclined yet laid back – and I think you are too! Let’s be BFF’s” ;)

Toodles, J

Posted by in Coveting, Gifting, Just plain pretty, Loving

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08Dec / 2011

Gift Guide – New Girl Crush

Ooh, D! I just love that. Reminds me of some little treasure you might come across while browsing a Parisian vintage store. Which would be the obvious shopping destination to find the perfect trinket for your new gal pal! As a transatlantic trip might be over doing it just a tad, I think it is best to opt for something simple, useful and stylish. I think these glasses are adorable. And would look even more lovely filled with a splash of pinot noir shared amongst friends.

Posted by in Coveting, Loving

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08Dec / 2011

Gift Guide- New Girl Crush (D’s take)

M-

Totally cute idea. I heart Madewell, they even have a cute page of 12 days of Madewell gift ideas (in fact, the matching blanket stripe tote is very you, M with the cross-body strap style and cool striped colors–hint, hint to the hubs). I was thinking along the lines of jewelry too but a little more quirky but still practical. I was gifted a sweet little crystal catch all from Fishs Eddy that sits in my kitchen and I use all the time for my rings and things. This one from Urban is sort of fun and unexpectedly sweet, don’t ya think?

Posted by in Coveting, Gifting, Loving

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08Dec / 2011

Gift Guide – New girl crush

You know when you meet a woman who is so cool you really want to be friends with her but you don’t want to show her how much you like her? With the holidays fast approaching you want to give her a killer gift but nothing too serious (e.g a BFF necklace). I saw the below jewelry roll and thought it was a slam dunk. Cool shop? Check. Something every lady needs? Check. Totally Casual? Check.


Posted by in Coveting, Loving

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27Oct / 2011

It happened today…

Dear M -

That moment when I knew I’d been in New York for a long long long time.

I remember thinking to my 22-year old self that I would have these “I used to do this” kind of conversation with someone someday…I just didn’t realize it would happen, well, now?

I was talking to a younger co-worker about going dancing. Seemed simple enough. Before I knew it I had launched into a serious diatribe about our beloved Don Hills.  Sigh.  I was recalling a “once was” time about something that is just a shadow of it’s former glory.  Sigh, again.

Do you remember the nights of TisWas?  When Blur , Pulp, Supergrass and Stereophonics ruled the dance floor (along with the MacCulkin brothers)?  Blogger William Gone writes “The club was also a destination for stateside fans of Britpop. In the dark and Anglophobic days of the early-’00s garage rock movement, the Tiswas party kept the Union Jack fluttering over the local club scene. Billed as an “indiepop electro dance party,” Tiswas was friendly to English bands and New York groups with transatlantic sympathies. The Strokes, Interpol, the Mooney Suzuki, A Place to Bury Strangers, The Realistics and other popular New York bands all played Tiswas before achieving international fame. Spacehog — a British band living in the United States — rocked the party, as did Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr.”

We were there…we lived through that.  We had a front row seat. Before it was taken over by The Misshapes.  This place suited us, not too pretentious, not too underwhelming.  Great music, good atmosphere and fantastic people.  You felt like you belonged there. There was a promise of a good time.  We made up a band there one night and convinced passersby that we were going somewhere.  That they should come to see us. That we needed to be seen.  Don Hill’s broke Jenny’s nose and prevented her from going to war.

I couldn’t have said it better…so, for now, I’ll leave you with an obituary of one of NY’s greatest venues. Or am I really mourning myself?

 

Toodles, J

Posted by in Coveting, Feeling Nostalgic, Loving, Pop Culture

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12Oct / 2011

The Brooklyn Flea

Another month of the Brooklyn Flea outdoors and then it’s to 1 Hanson Place! You’ll always find a treasure at the Flea. I love the mix of found objects and locally made goodies. A few favorites…

A lovely clog …

Creepy, cozy offerings from Hunters and Gatherers…

Some locally made benches…

Some shades…

A piece of furniture with a story to tell…

xxo, M

Posted by in Coveting, Go see this, Lazy days, Loving

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10Oct / 2011

Take Me Home, Country Roads!

Dear M,

This weekend we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary.  Seems like yesterday.

We decided to take another trip upstate to explore some more towns. So up the Taconic we went (again) and found ourselves in the lovely nautical town of Hudson.  Nautical, you say? Yes, it seems odd but after noticing the adorable whales that adorn every street sign, I got to wonderin’…we’re on the Hudson River, right?  Turns out this town was one of the most lucrative whaling towns outside Nantucket in the 19th century…even though it’s over 120 miles from the ocean.  Apparently, it’s smell and debauchery said it all – whales, ship captains and sea shanties were the regular for many years here in a town that was once one vote away from being the state capital! Here’s an article to edumacate you more (I won’t bore you with the deets).  Hudson looks and feels like a little portside town in Maine…my kind of place!

We stayed at The Front Street Guest House right off of Warren Street.  It had so much 19th century charm!

We ate breakfast at MOD cafe and drank the famed Hudson Strongtree Coffee.

After that, we strolled down Warren Street to check out the many antique shops and boutiques.

Then, after a hearty nap, we ambled down to the river to watch the sunset (how romantical!)

Then, we had one of the best dinners I’ve every had (no hyperbole!) at Swoon Kitchenbar. We ate from their ever-changing farm-to-table menu. We closed the place down!

The next day we had breakfast (and more Strongtree Coffee) at Cafe Le Perche.

Then, on our way out of town we toured Olana, the home of Hudson River School artist, Frederick Church.  This place was astounding, with views of The Catskills and The Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Inside was just as breathtaking, they designed the entire interior based on trips they took to the Middle East.  Very dark and cozy…I want one!

After a brief stop for lunch at a local diner…

We stopped for some apples and butternut squash at the coziest farmstand we could find. I couldn’t pass up an apple turnover…

Hudson was so relaxing and I was so glad to spend some anniversary time with Mr.V – but man, was I happy to be home in the BK. Home is where the heart is!

Toodles, J

Posted by in Beautifying, Coveting, Craving, Go see this, Loving

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