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| This curved firewood holder is perfect. Via |
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| I love the painted Brick Via |
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| The firewood storage is beautiful. Via |
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
It's hot outside, and I'm dreaming of cooler weather
Friday, July 24, 2015
Two quick trips
In the past week, we took two very short little trips out of the city. We had a friend's baby shower this weekend in Philadelphia, and decided to make it into a 24 hour trip. We spent the night at home Sunday night, and then got up early to drive up to Syracuse to look for a house for our move upstate. Both of these trips were quick and didn't allow for too much exploration, however we still found a few gems in both cities.
Philadelphia
Dining:
-We ate lunch when we got in from our amtrak ride at V Street, delicious and cheap vegan food.
-For a good cup of coffee, we stopped into La Colombe in Rittenhouse Square near our hotel.
-Great green juice and more at P.S. and Co.
Hotel:
-We wanted to keep costs down for this and stayed at Club quarters which was within walking distance to everything we needed.
Activities/Sights:
- I highly recommend the Magic Gardens , unique from any museum I've been to, and it's super cheap.
Philadelphia
Dining:
-We ate lunch when we got in from our amtrak ride at V Street, delicious and cheap vegan food.
-For a good cup of coffee, we stopped into La Colombe in Rittenhouse Square near our hotel.
-Great green juice and more at P.S. and Co.
Hotel:
-We wanted to keep costs down for this and stayed at Club quarters which was within walking distance to everything we needed.
Activities/Sights:
- I highly recommend the Magic Gardens , unique from any museum I've been to, and it's super cheap.
-Good place to run, Schuylkill River Park
We did not go to the Liberty Bell or Independence Hall, as we have been to both of these on past visits.
Upstate NY/Syracuse/Ithaca
We are house hunting for a new home in Syracuse, because my husband is being transferred there. Neither of us had ever been so we spent most of our time that wasn't spent with the broker, simply driving around. We found a few gems in the down time we were given.
Dining:
Syracuse:
-Strong Hearts Cafe, great Vegan dining option
-Lofo, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, farm to table, vegan/vegetarian friendly
- Of course we had to go to the original Dinosaur BBQ for my husband, which was a little tricky for this vegan, but I figured out some options.
-We took a little drive out of downtown and ended up in the beautiful suburb of Cazenovia and ate at this cute little Scottish Inn which had great outdoor seating.
-I was able to find a great Juice/Smoothie bar outside of Syracuse in Dewitt.
Ithaca:
- I finally made it to Moosewood after cooking and baking from her book for so long.
- My husband was not in the mood for more vegetarian, so for our picnic, we picked up lunch for him here at the Ithaca Bakery.
-On the drive out of Ithaca, we stopped at the conveniently located Six Mile Creek Winery, where tastings are only $3!!!
Activities:
Syracuse:
-After two full days of looking at houses we needed some fresh air, so we drove to these falls and took a short walk in the woods.
Ithaca:
-We had a picnic in this park overlooking the lake.
I'm looking forward to finding more hidden gems upstate when we move later this fall.
Ithaca:
-We had a picnic in this park overlooking the lake.
I'm looking forward to finding more hidden gems upstate when we move later this fall.
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| Philadelphia Magic Garden's |
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| Chittenango Falls |
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| Six Mile Creek Winery |
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| 100% Vegan breakfast from Strong Hearts Cafe. |
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Knitting corner
We found a house that we like, and should they accept, there is a space that would be the perfect knitting corner in the small living room. When I was in New Hampshire a few weeks ago, I did some antiquing and picked up the perfect dresser for Christians room, and a small pie safe for my yarn and knitting supplies.
This side of the living room could house our Cuba chair with sheepskin, the new pie safe for my yarns and several of our house plants to warm it up. It will be a long winter in northwest New York, so I plan to do a lot of knitting by the fire. Inspiration below.
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| The only picture I snapped of my pie safe and Christian's dresser |
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| Via |
Thursday, July 16, 2015
A ten of a day
Last night, Christian woke up on the hour, every hour. I was determined that I would not let that ruin today. In the end, today was a perfect 10.
To start, the weather was perfect, it felt a little like fall this morning. I believe that what we put in our bodies directly affects both our mood, and our energy; so to begin the day I made an Acai bowl topped with tons of colorful fruits and some nutty granola. This gave me the boost I needed to walk the dog in the park, and run with the stroller shortly there after, on only a few hours of sleep.
I was able to squeeze in some knitting and soak up some vitamin D in Central park while Christian napped under the trees finishing what could be the perfect Christmas Sweater. Now I'm on the lookout for a Dala horse Stocking pattern for Christmas (I know it's July) , if anyone has come across one, please let me know!
Being vegan means I need to constantly look for ways of adding protein to my diet through alternate sources. To stay fueled I roasted some cauliflower with turmeric and several other spices, as well as some tofu, and sautéed broccolini and Bok Choy with a little tamari, so good! Since I started nursing I've been on a little bit of a sugar kick, which I'm trying to curb, but today I allowed myself a treat, and made these incredible Flourless Black Bean Avocado Brownies from Ambitious Kitchen.
We are headed to Philadelphia for the weekend for a baby shower ,and are turning it into a mini vacation. Since we won't be home for a few days, I had to empty the refrigerator and realized I had the perfect ingredients for a summer Panzanella. I had beets I needed to use and through those in, I wouldn't do that again. Williams Sonoma has a good recipe if you've never made one before.
Looking forward to exploring Philadelphia and trying out their new Vegan restaurant for lunch. Have a great weekend!
To start, the weather was perfect, it felt a little like fall this morning. I believe that what we put in our bodies directly affects both our mood, and our energy; so to begin the day I made an Acai bowl topped with tons of colorful fruits and some nutty granola. This gave me the boost I needed to walk the dog in the park, and run with the stroller shortly there after, on only a few hours of sleep.
I was able to squeeze in some knitting and soak up some vitamin D in Central park while Christian napped under the trees finishing what could be the perfect Christmas Sweater. Now I'm on the lookout for a Dala horse Stocking pattern for Christmas (I know it's July) , if anyone has come across one, please let me know!
Being vegan means I need to constantly look for ways of adding protein to my diet through alternate sources. To stay fueled I roasted some cauliflower with turmeric and several other spices, as well as some tofu, and sautéed broccolini and Bok Choy with a little tamari, so good! Since I started nursing I've been on a little bit of a sugar kick, which I'm trying to curb, but today I allowed myself a treat, and made these incredible Flourless Black Bean Avocado Brownies from Ambitious Kitchen.
We are headed to Philadelphia for the weekend for a baby shower ,and are turning it into a mini vacation. Since we won't be home for a few days, I had to empty the refrigerator and realized I had the perfect ingredients for a summer Panzanella. I had beets I needed to use and through those in, I wouldn't do that again. Williams Sonoma has a good recipe if you've never made one before.
Looking forward to exploring Philadelphia and trying out their new Vegan restaurant for lunch. Have a great weekend!
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| I added a little sea salt right as they came out of the oven, so good! |
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| Turmeric Cauliflower recipe inspired by |
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| Summer Panzanella |
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| Just need to block this baby cable knit. |
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Dining room inspiration
We are heading up to look at houses next week, which I am so excited about! I love looking at real estate; the good; the bad, and the ugly, I love it all. I can't help, but rearrange furniture in my mind when I walk into a space, its' a habit I can't break.
The majority of the houses we are looking at, have actual dining rooms, which will be great for entertaining in the winter months when family comes up to visit for the holidays. Here are some dining rooms that I plan to use for inspiration.
The majority of the houses we are looking at, have actual dining rooms, which will be great for entertaining in the winter months when family comes up to visit for the holidays. Here are some dining rooms that I plan to use for inspiration.
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Monday, July 13, 2015
Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, student project
I am taking a short break from being a buyer to be home with my son; however I can't help, but still look around for young new designers. This student project looks like a win right out of the gate in my humble opinion.
The flux collection from Tine Daring Hounsgaard, this console would double beautifully as a bar.
The flux collection from Tine Daring Hounsgaard, this console would double beautifully as a bar.
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| Flux Collection, image via |
Sunday, July 12, 2015
My favorite knitting pattern websites for baby knits
There is nothing more motivating than having your own baby to get you knit crazy. There are so many adorable baby knits out there, although I will say more for girls than boys. These are my favorite sources for patterns and inspiration. What are some of your favorites? Here are a few of the knits I've made for Christian.
www.paelas.com
www.purlbee.com
www.raverlry.com
www.shop.pickles.no
www.mamainastitch.com
www.retromummy.com
www.carole.barenys.com
www.paelas.com
www.purlbee.com
www.raverlry.com
www.shop.pickles.no
www.mamainastitch.com
www.retromummy.com
www.carole.barenys.com
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| Sleep sack pattern via |
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| The Elf Vest, so cozy for fall/winter layering |
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| Henry's Sweater |
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| I went for it, color wise with this Bobble sweater |
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Antique shopping on Rte 4
We are going to be moving into a house sometime in the next few months, from a small apartment. As someone who loves furniture and home accessory shopping this has me excited, because that means I have a new space to decorate. My husband has reminded me that, just because I am going to be moving into more space, does not mean that a furniture shopping spree is in my future, though I wish it were.
We will need more furniture, however my husband has challenged me to furnish with quality pieces we will keep, but on a moderate budget. I am up for the challenge and began my first hunt yesterday while visiting my parents in New Hampshire. My mother and I drove out to the antique shops along route 4 and found some gems. I picked up a beautiful solid wood pine dresser for Christian's room for $150 bucks, a gorgeous vase for $10 and several other great pieces for next to nothing.
I plan to hit some more antique and thrift shops over the next few months to start collecting for the new home. These were some of our favorite stops from yesterday.
Merry Hill Farm , Donna is so helpful and has a great eye.
R.S. Butler's trading company
Christie's Antiques and Gifts
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| The home accessories from yesterday's hunt |
Friday, July 3, 2015
Marrakech
Last year for my 30th birthday I was able to convince two girlfriends to fly to Marrakech for 3 days with me from New York. It was a whirlwind trip, but we saw so much in those few days.
It is not easy to get there directly, the least expensive and quickest way is going through Madrid on American/Iberia airlines. You will have a long layover in the Madrid airport on the way there and most likely need to spend a night in Madrid on the way home like we did.
Hotel:
We stayed at Palais Dar Donab and loved it. It was clean, great proximity to everything and serene. Staying in a Riad in the Medina is a must, to get a feel for this old city.
Where to eat:
Breakfast was complimentary at the hotel, so we ate there each morning.They offered a huge spread that held us over until lunch each day.
Lunch: In the Medina we ate at these two places, Nomad Marrakech and Terrace des épices . For our third lunch we ate at La pause Marrakech (cash only).
Dinner: The first night we were so tired from traveling for 20 hours that we ate at the hotel. The second night we had an incredible dinner at El Fenn, I can not recommend it enough. Get there early for a drink and soak up the view. On our last night we had another incredible meal at La Maison Arabe, they also offer cooking classes if you have the time.
Buy plenty of bottled water, it is dry and hot, and you will get dehydrated. We didn't drink enough of it.
Sights/Activities:
Ben-Youssef Madrasa Beautiful building. You might get a little lost on your way there, but for a dollar someone will gladly show you the way.
La Pause- If you have the time, spend a night or a full day here. We did an afternoon with lunch; time at the pool and camel rides. It is cash only.
Jardin Majorelle- So this is on everyone's must see, but to be honest, we were all disappointed. The shop across the street on the other hand was very cool.
Palais El Badi- Cool old palace, in ruins. Can easily be walked through in 30 minutes.
Lalla - Great purses, clutches and travel bags, very close to the Nomad restaurant.
The best shopping where bargaining was not permitted, was here.
Check out the Spice souk, I ended up with a canister of saffron for under $10 that will last me a few years, and of course go rug shopping.
Remember to never take the first price that you are offered when shopping. I personally do not like to haggle, but you have to do it. I would start at 50% of what the initial offer was, and we would work our way up from there. Be prepared to walk away in order to get the price you want, chances are they will come after you and give you the best price.
I also reccomend for women to dress in long dresses with a wrap or pants/skirt, with a top where shoulders are covered.
It is not easy to get there directly, the least expensive and quickest way is going through Madrid on American/Iberia airlines. You will have a long layover in the Madrid airport on the way there and most likely need to spend a night in Madrid on the way home like we did.
Hotel:
We stayed at Palais Dar Donab and loved it. It was clean, great proximity to everything and serene. Staying in a Riad in the Medina is a must, to get a feel for this old city.
Where to eat:
Breakfast was complimentary at the hotel, so we ate there each morning.They offered a huge spread that held us over until lunch each day.
Lunch: In the Medina we ate at these two places, Nomad Marrakech and Terrace des épices . For our third lunch we ate at La pause Marrakech (cash only).
Dinner: The first night we were so tired from traveling for 20 hours that we ate at the hotel. The second night we had an incredible dinner at El Fenn, I can not recommend it enough. Get there early for a drink and soak up the view. On our last night we had another incredible meal at La Maison Arabe, they also offer cooking classes if you have the time.
Buy plenty of bottled water, it is dry and hot, and you will get dehydrated. We didn't drink enough of it.
Sights/Activities:
Ben-Youssef Madrasa Beautiful building. You might get a little lost on your way there, but for a dollar someone will gladly show you the way.
La Pause- If you have the time, spend a night or a full day here. We did an afternoon with lunch; time at the pool and camel rides. It is cash only.
Jardin Majorelle- So this is on everyone's must see, but to be honest, we were all disappointed. The shop across the street on the other hand was very cool.
Palais El Badi- Cool old palace, in ruins. Can easily be walked through in 30 minutes.
Lalla - Great purses, clutches and travel bags, very close to the Nomad restaurant.
The best shopping where bargaining was not permitted, was here.
Check out the Spice souk, I ended up with a canister of saffron for under $10 that will last me a few years, and of course go rug shopping.
Remember to never take the first price that you are offered when shopping. I personally do not like to haggle, but you have to do it. I would start at 50% of what the initial offer was, and we would work our way up from there. Be prepared to walk away in order to get the price you want, chances are they will come after you and give you the best price.
I also reccomend for women to dress in long dresses with a wrap or pants/skirt, with a top where shoulders are covered.
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| Our hotel |
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| Camel riding at La Pause |
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| Rug shopping heaven |
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| Ben-Youssef |
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Wall Paper
We just got word that my husband is being transferred for work and transferred very quickly. I am overwhelmed by the fact that we need to get our current apartment fixed up, packed up, and rented out in two months, three weeks of which we aren't home. On the other hand I have always loved looking at real estate and am excited to find a new home to set up.
I started to do a little research for our new home in an area I know nothing about and noticed that many of these home's interiors were covered in wallpaper. I have never installed or lived with wallpaper, but I think there is something kind of cozy about it. Not all wallpapers are created equal, however there are some very cool wallpapers out there nowadays. Although I have no intention of wallpapering our sons room in sports paraphernalia, or something we would have to take down in two years, I think it could warm up a bedroom to have some soft patterns. These are some that I would be open to paper the walls of our future home in.
I started to do a little research for our new home in an area I know nothing about and noticed that many of these home's interiors were covered in wallpaper. I have never installed or lived with wallpaper, but I think there is something kind of cozy about it. Not all wallpapers are created equal, however there are some very cool wallpapers out there nowadays. Although I have no intention of wallpapering our sons room in sports paraphernalia, or something we would have to take down in two years, I think it could warm up a bedroom to have some soft patterns. These are some that I would be open to paper the walls of our future home in.
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