reading my tea leaves

paper hearts.

2012-01-27T15:08:00.001-05:00

i scrounged around in the boxes under our bed and found these guys from last february. new city, new wall.

the sun's coming out in bits and bursts today and i'm home from work, tying up loose ends and making doctor's visits. nothing extraordinary, just the routine stuff.

wishing you all a lovely weekend.

other things:
this awesome duo, just in time for love day.
if you can get your hands on this piece, do.

potions.

2012-01-25T07:35:00.000-05:00

i love new beauty potions as much as the next lady, but sorting through all the stuff out there can be more than a little overwhelming. sometimes i just want someone to tell me what to use. in hopes that i can help spread the good word, here are two products i've been using for the past few months that i'm particularly taken with.

cold spring apothecary's dry shampoo is just about my favorite thing. james thinks it's a little heavy on the patchouli, but i don't mind a bit. it's filled with nice ingredients that i don't have to worry about and it works, too. it's especially good as a little post-workday freshener and it does wonders for hair that's been smushed under a wool hat all day. next time i have some time away from work, i'm taking a little trip to cold spring. i'm fairly certain i'll take home with me every single thing i find.

lush's full of grace serum is another recent favorite. the little bar doesn't require any special packaging and it leaves your cheeks feeling silky smooth. seriously useful for new york city apartments where you can't control your heat. also, it's mighty sweet looking.

other things:

skin deep for thoughtful consumers.

a paraben primer.

change starts with your underwear.

ps. those jars? found intact buried beneath the ground at my mom and dad's!

sparkles.

2012-01-24T09:27:00.000-05:00

sparkly confetti on church steps, sunday morning. tiny reminders of someone's the night before.

other things:
i'd take any of these.
thinking about these.

snowy snouts.

2012-01-23T08:03:00.000-05:00

we finally got some snow this weekend. a little of the powdery stuff didn't stop these pink snouts from rooting around. and the little bit of time i spent with the friendly beasts on saturday made the treacherous drive to the farm feel worth it.

other things:
i met this guy back in december. vegan cum butcher.
bacon scarves.
amazing snow sparkles.

ko'oko'olau.

2012-01-17T15:59:00.001-05:00

100% hawaiian ko'oko'olau herbal tea. a gift brought back to me from hawaii. it's mild and restorative and i've been drinking it by the mugful. mahalo for the tea.

lunch, lately.

2012-01-12T06:58:00.000-05:00

kale. washed in cold water. drizzled in lemon juice and olive oil. a shave or two of pecorino or parmesan, a pinch of salt and pepper. eggs and bread to round things out. a remedy for what ails me and then some.

other things:
eat more kale.
stunning citrus from hungry ghost.
habanero tequila. with grapefruit juice. a nice accompaniment to lunch. no?

sidewalk stories.

2012-01-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

cast-iron newel posts. painted and peeling. welcoming folks home.

other things:
an exhibit: context/contrast
architectural transitions

letters.

2012-01-10T10:19:00.000-05:00

yesterday, a letter in the mail from one of my very favorite people. nothing pulls at the heartstrings quite like a typed-up letter, does it?

other things:
* love notes.
* a gilded alphabet.
* letters on transit street.
* new york diaries. what's a diary if not a letter to yourself?
* my new favorite pens. in brown and grey.

tisane de tilleul.

2012-01-09T12:19:00.000-05:00

a cup of linden tea on a quiet morning.

the right thing for easing into the day. even better for easing out of it.

cedar birds.

2012-01-06T07:44:00.000-05:00

found in a box of old things. wintry inspiration for a tiny space.

and other things:

* these blossoms already have me itchy for spring breezes.
* winter scenes caught on film.
* a seriously impressive list of hot chocolate recipes.
* my tribute to the stars.
* and this piece, which i've been thinking about non-stop since sunday.

night sky.

2012-01-05T07:31:00.000-05:00

in reverence for winter's dark skies, a tribute to the stars:

* this special-edition calendar via allison. $5 from each purchase goes here.

* the new york premiere of our friends' amazing film, the city dark. go see.

there will be telescopes and stargazing post-film. and me.

* these necklaces by julie.

* these embroidery kits. {and best wishes that jessica gets back soon}.

* the place i got my first honest-to-goodness view of the night sky. more here.

* these favorite words from shanna.

* this backwards zodiac.

go find some darkness. look up.

photo courtesy of little bright studio.

sidewalk stories.

2012-01-04T07:38:00.000-05:00

christmas detritus. all shapes and sizes. making room for something new.

other things:
* mulchfest
* a second chance

holler & squall.

2012-01-03T13:58:00.001-05:00

in between picking up champagne and cornichons for our new year's eve festivities, james and i popped into neighborhood shop, holler & squall. it was as lovely inside as the view into its windows suggested and i'm currently coveting woolly blankets and the warm glow from wee vintage lamps. yes, even more than usual.

other things:
* a quirky source for edison bulbs in nyc.
* a smirky article on edison bulbs in nyc.
* more woolly blankets.
* and this gorgeous sweater. because.

new beginnings.

2012-01-02T10:07:00.000-05:00

i'm a sucker for new beginnings. this year: it's gonna be a good one.

happy new year.

2011-12-30T11:42:00.000-05:00

we'll be ringing in the new year with a sweet winter garland because decorations are not just for christmas only.

also:
a concert for peace.
fireworks.
bread baking.
letter writing.

happiest new year to each of you.
thanks for spending another year with me in this space.

bits and baubles.

2011-12-28T11:29:00.000-05:00

christmas at my parents' house.

egg nog.

2011-12-21T16:53:00.000-05:00

i know. for some people there's nothing less appetizing. but for me, egg nog is pure delight. it's memories of childhood christmases in a frosty glass. yes. woolly tights, velvety dresses, scratchy headbands, and egg nog mustaches on four little girls. that was christmas eve at my house.

this version is easy and rewarding to make at home. just be sure to use fresh eggs from a nearby farm. if you're feeling fresh, add a splash or two of bourbon (we like this one). grate fresh nutmeg atop and enjoy.

holidays by post.

2011-12-13T13:07:00.001-05:00

because you can't always be near to everyone you love.

wintergreen.

2011-12-12T11:49:00.000-05:00

1. fallen black birch branches.

2. a jar.

3. boiling water.

4. honey.

5. wintergreen in a cup. good for what ails you and tasty, too.

box elder.

2011-12-06T14:40:00.001-05:00

lately, i've been pining after cozy things around here. little somethings to snuggle up with. this box elder sweater from kinship press looks just right. to be paired with oversized socks and a mug of hot chocolate.

jasmine blossom tea.

2011-12-05T18:04:00.000-05:00

scrappy.

2011-11-29T15:10:00.000-05:00

left-over boxwood branches tucked between lavender and driftwood: makings for a wee wintry garland.

boxwood and cedar.

2011-11-28T14:50:00.000-05:00

trips to my parents' house almost always mean foraging.

i take walks to the beach to collect sea shells, tuck a pair of scissors into my pocket to gather cedar clippings, and yank down bittersweet brambles from neighbors' yards.

its the thing i miss most about small town living. something tells me my neighbors here wouldn't appreciate the occasional neighborly pruning of their boxwood shrubs. at home, there's so much green around i'm pretty certain no one really notices.

i brought a bag full of cedar and boxwood back to brooklyn after thanksgiving and this morning, with the window flung open, fashioned our tiny abode a fittingly tiny wreath. fa la la.

mulling spices.

2011-11-23T12:48:00.000-05:00

a tiny holiday gift that packs an impressive punch. plop a bag of mulling spices into a burbling pot of cider or wine and set the tone for an entire evening of cozy merriment. simple instructions, below, with plenty of room for creative additions and omissions.

happy thanksgiving, friends.

1. gather the spices.
{equal parts cinnamon, allspice berries, cloves, cardamon, and orange peel}.

2. crush the cinnamon.

{a folded bit of waxed paper and a cast iron pan does the trick}.

3. prepare the muslin sachets.

{available at most grocery stores. cheese cloth tied with cooking twine works, too}.

4. fill the bags.

{two tablespoons or so of the combined spices will do}.

5. tie up the bags.

{make sure they're tied nice and tight}.

6. add some simple instructions.

{apple cider is delightful, but a good vin chaud never hurt anyone}.

7. bestow tiny bags of holiday cheer to friends, family and neighbors, alike.

milk chocolate.

2011-11-22T14:30:00.001-05:00

here's a confession. i like my chocolate the way i like my coffee: milky. in fact, the creamier it is, the better i like it.

this tea-infused milk chocolate from the tea room fits the bill. its subtle flavors come out if you let the chocolate sit on your tongue--savoring each bite for just a moment longer than you normally might. and beyond the taste, the chocolate comes in a pretty sweet little package, don't you think?

sage.

2011-11-15T09:50:00.000-05:00

it's the perfect time of year for sage.

sage in soups. sage in stuffing. sage in corn bread.

i'm craving this soup. and a veggie-only version of this pot pie.

you?

the north fork.

2011-11-09T21:35:00.002-05:00

james and i have a thing for islands. we met on one, so we chalk it up to that.

for james's 30th birthday on tuesday, i took him on a much-needed getaway to the north fork of long island. we stayed at the lovely north fork table and inn where we enjoyed a delightful dinner and a superior breakfast as well as a delicious night's sleep in a room where we didn't hit our heads upon getting out of bed in the morning {read more about our tiny abode here}.

we hiked along dunes, cuddled with horses, sipped local wines, hitched rides on ferries, and took countless walks down long docks. and yes, we survived to tell the tale.

< two fifty: life in a tiny apartment.

2011-11-01T17:32:00.000-04:00

survival tip #6.

rearrange what you love.

i've been saving these cardoon flowers and craspedia for weeks (er, months). they've been in bottles on my dresser, bottles on my windowsill, and bottles on my countertop. last week i decided they needed to be in bottles on my wall. they're way up high on the half wall of our loft and they're the best thing i could think of for a tricky space. what's old is new again.

farm anatomy: a farmy giveaway

2011-10-28T07:24:00.002-04:00

julia rothman's new book, farm anatomy, is the kind of book you just want to curl up with. add a woolly blanket, a mug of tea, and a fresh-out-of-the-oven cookie and you've got the perfect recipe for passing an hour or two on a cloudy autumn day.

when storey publishing sent me a copy of farm anatomy to review a few weeks ago, i knew exactly what recipe i'd make. i set to work whipping up a batch of julia's oatmeal crisps to savor bite by delicious bite as i flipped through the pages of her colorful, farmy tome. {recipe, here}.

equally wonderful for those already intimately accustomed to the finer facts of farm life and for those who would rather admire farm life from afar, julia offers cheery illustrations and simple how-tos in her delightful new book.

see other posts on the farm anatomy book tour, here.

enter to win a signed copy of farm anatomy by leaving a comment telling us your very first farmy memory. the winner will be randomly selected. please make sure to leave contact information or a link to your email in your note! congratulations to the winner: brooke of wily wiley!

chocolate mint.

2011-10-24T14:47:00.001-04:00

lately i've been enjoying quiet cups of infused chocolate mint in the early afternoon. rich and warm and perplexingly chocolately. what's your go-to cup for a weekday afternoon?

sidewalk stories.

2011-10-18T11:46:00.001-04:00

sun-dappled pumpkins.

just when i thought that pumpkins on stoops was a thing reserved for suburban cul-de-sacs and sleepy new england villages, my neighborhood pumpkin brigade proved me wrong. happy october.

cider.

2011-10-17T17:21:00.001-04:00

it's cider week in new york.

born from glynwood's larger apple project, cider week means a whole slew of events, tastings, and programs to celebrate the hard ciders brewed in new york's hudson valley. the idea behind the project is pretty simple: "saving orchards with cider."

i'm not sure we'll make it to the events happening around the city this week, so james and i are celebrating with a few bottles of doc's draft, brewed by warwick valley winery and distillery in warwick, new york. we've been enjoying their original hard apple cider, but i couldn't help but to tuck a bottle of their pear and black currant ciders into my shopping basket, too. so far, so delicious.

what about you? any cider fans out there?

oatmeal.

2011-10-14T07:00:00.004-04:00

it's been an oatmeal kind of a week.

oatmeal in cookies. oatmeal in apple crisp. oatmeal in my cereal bowl, warm and salty-sweet.

here's the thing about oatmeal. it's cheap. one of those bulk items you can fill your bag with and still walk away from the register feeling mildly like you've gotten away with something. less than a dollar will get you enough of the stuff for a whole week of baking and cereal-making.

breakfast this week has been simple: rolled oats, stirred together with milk over a hot stove. a pad of butter, a sprinkle of salt, a spoonful of brown sugar, and a hefty handful of raisins makes the perfect breakfast for a chilly morning. as my dad would say, it sticks to your ribs.

{coming soon: an oatmeal cookie recipe as part of this book tour. and in the meantime, a post for those of you who would prefer to simply smear oatmeal over your cheeks}.

billy button.

2011-10-10T12:23:00.000-04:00

the only remaining flowers left from a bouquet delivered to my door last week. craspedia, otherwise known as billy button. just about the cutest name for a flower that there is. no?

coffee or tea?

2011-10-06T20:28:00.002-04:00

on a recent morning, james and i whiled away an hour in one of my favorite neighborhood haunts. while our laundry spun in the washing machines a few buildings down, we sat and enjoyed a warm breakfast. the chill in the air was just enough to justify a second steaming cup of something and in the end, i couldn't decide which one i thought was prettier. coffee or tea?

comfort.

2011-10-04T10:37:00.000-04:00

apples. cinnamon. brown sugar. butter. flour. and oats.

the simple ritual of turning the apple in your hand, peeling away the ruby skin. the sound the knife makes as it slices through the white flesh of the fruit, the gentle thump of the apple cubes hitting the bottom of the dish.

there's nothing quite like apple crisp when it comes to comfort food.

after an incredibly busy two weeks, all i wanted was a weekend in our apartment to stir a pot of bubbling soup, to listen to the hiss of the apple crisp in the oven, to sip red wine around a table with my family.

many thanks to the amazing bloggers who wrote such lovely stories about the time they spent at the event i've been preparing for the past five months. sweet satisfaction.

lights.

2011-09-29T07:52:00.000-04:00

i walked by this alley on a walk the other day and even in the daylight i could imagine a sweet autumnal dinner party. woolly socks and scarves, twinkling lights, and roasted vegetables gobbled before the night breezes cool them off. i'd take it.

sidewalk stories.

2011-09-27T07:30:00.006-04:00

september roses.

{a little bit ragged. but still here}.

< two fifty: life in a tiny apartment.

2011-09-21T08:22:00.000-04:00

survival tip #5.

splurge on pretty towels.

upon entering our apartment, guests* are met with towels hanging unapologetically on the bathroom door. we never remember to close the thing and so it gapes open leaving fuzzy, mismatching towels for all the world to see.

well, no more. we bought four turkish beauties here, and haven't looked back.

mostly. james would be the first to tell you that these towels offer a rather different post-shower treatment than their terrycloth cousins. they require more work. a little more vigorous drying. slightly more aggressive sopping up of water from soaked locks. they're not perfect, but they're awfully pretty. and they dry faster than any towel i've ever used, which means they smell better, longer. major points.

* thought our place was too small for entertaining? this past weekend we squeezed eight people into this lil' place. plus a baby. that's right folks: 9 beating hearts in fewer than 250 square feet.

rose geranium.

2011-09-20T07:18:00.001-04:00

for me, this has been the summer of rose geranium. we grow it on the farm where i work and it's been used with equal enthusiasm in flower bouquets and fruit jams. i can't get enough of it. it's lovely. sweet and fragrant and not nearly as expensive as the rose it smells like.

in an effort to surround myself with its sweet scent for as long as possible, i took a bunch home last week and set to work on making an essential oil and an exfoliating salt scrub. just the sorts of thing i'll need to keep my spirits up as the days get shorter.

while the oil sits on my windowsill, steeping, i thought i'd share a recipe {of sorts} for the salt scrub:

rose geranium sea salt scrub

1/2 cup (or so) sea salt

1/2 cup (or so) grapeseed oil

a generous handful chopped rose geranium

pour sea salt in your preferred jar, enough to fill it. add grapeseed oil to salt until thoroughly wetted. {if you prefer, you can substitute olive or jojoba oil}. to stir, dump the mixture into a small mixing bowl and add a large handful of your chopped and bruised geranium leaves. if you're not convinced you'll use the scrub quickly, you might consider adding dried leaves which have less risk of molding. truth be told though, you're going to want to slather yourself in this scrub every chance you get, so i'm not sure the drying bit is necessary.

once mixed, put the mixture back into the original jar. tighten your lid and then use with wild abandon as soon as possible.

{a caveat, equally important for those living with a partner and those living without one: make sure the tub is well rinsed after using. you only thought a banana peel was slippery. this stuff is the real deal. rinse and repeat}.

walking.

2011-09-13T22:29:00.000-04:00

welp. at this point there's pretty much consensus. i've been spending entirely too much time sitting. too much sitting at my desk. too much sitting in traffic. too much. and i have a very hurt back to prove it.

but never fear, i'm on the mend. pretending the physical therapy office is an exclusive spa is helping matters considerably {yes, i did consider bringing my own aromatherapy candle into my appointments. this one's my new favorite}. when i'm not busy receiving mandatory deep tissue massages, i'm walking. a lot. in the past two days, i'm fairly certain i circumambulated the entire borough of brooklyn. twice. and while i didn't pass any caterpillars or sweet-eyed horses, all that walking did remind me of a farmy stroll i took with friends earlier this summer. a little nod to a passing season.

food.

2011-09-06T11:48:00.000-04:00

all photos by ray ray mitrano.

during the hurricane last week, james and i sat mostly bored in our tiny apartment. we had beeswax candles and a deck of cards at the ready in case the power went out and stores of non-perishable food, just to be safe. we weren't too worried about food, though. our kitchen table full to brimming with yellow, orange, red tomatoes, patty pan squash, and other goodies from the farm market where james had worked on saturday morning. while the storm raged, i shot photos of squash blossoms and waxed poetic about the delights of the season.

but in those same moments, the hurricane was wreaking havoc just upstate. hector tejada, the farmer responsible for the bounty we munched on while we waited out the storm, has since lost every last inch of this season's harvest. flood waters devastated his crops and ruined his greenhouse.

in just one day, an entire season's worth of work wiped utterly away. a livelihood taken from farmer and farm hands in one unapologetic swoop.

unobservant passers-by might not notice hector's missing tent at the fort greene farmer's market this fall. they might walk by the empty spot on the corner of dekalb avenue and never know that the plant that bore them a delicious tomato last week, is now caked in clay, the sun-ripened fruit rotting on the vine.

if you have spare change, consider donating it to grownyc's campaign.

and if you're not in the habit, thank your farmers the next time you buy a tomato. it's an awfully big gamble they've taken to bring it to you.

more articles on hurricane damage to farms here and here.

squash blossoms: a story.

2011-08-29T07:00:00.002-04:00

soft and rumply and gone before you know it.

and that last bit? that's the best part about eating with the seasons. participating in the fleeting wonder of a tiny moment. the squash blossoms, the knobby heirloom tomatoes, the sugar baby watermelons--we'll have them all again, but in just a few weeks the next time will be a long way off.

james has been working for a farmer who drives down from his place on the hudson river to sell in fort greene. weekly boxes of squash blossoms have been only one of the perks. we've been eating the blossoms in our salads, sauteed with sweet corn and folded into quesadillas, melted down into fresh summer pasta sauces. we haven't fried them yet. but soon. and then poof. they'll be gone as quickly as they came and we'll be on to enjoying the next best thing.

rosa rugosa and other things.

2011-08-23T21:53:00.001-04:00

we spent the past two days at my parents' house, soaking up late august goodness. fools will tell you summer is slipping away, but anyone who knows anything knows that things are really just getting good.

rosa rugosa--probably the first latin plant name i learned, and among the few i've had the ability to retain. must be something about the way it rolls off the tongue. at this time of year, the bright pink flowers have shriveled away, leaving the fruit of the rose hip to ripen in the august sun. if you have the good fortune of walking by a rose hip-covered dune in next few weeks, breathe in deeply. one whiff will have you bliss-bound.

and if you overhear anyone grumbling about summer's end, remind them of your friend erin because tonight she painted her toenails red, rubbed aloe vera on a sunburn, and ate roasted tomatoes 'til her stomach ached. if that doesn't say summer, i don't know what does.

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-08-05T07:30:00.001-04:00

1. these peanuts.

{because they were boiled. i think technically these are from last week. but my weeks have a way of running into each other lately. so there's no telling}.

2. this novel.

{because there's nothing quite so luxurious as reading a novel in the evening after work}.

3. this daytime picnic.

{because we managed to find a cool spot on a hot day. and because it meant daytime novel reading. perhaps an even greater luxury than post-work novel reading. the jury's out}.

4 . this dusky picnic.
{because it made up for an unexpectedly long day of work. also, two picnics in one week is mighty nice}.

5. these keys.

{because they don't share the most beautiful spot in the apartment, but they're nice reminders that i carpooled up to the farm twice this week}.

egg cream.

2011-08-01T17:32:00.001-04:00

today, my first brooklyn egg cream. i'm thinking of it as a rite of passage. and surprisingly for a beverage that must have the most unappetizing name known to man, it was actually pretty good. guzzled down with a grilled cheese and good company at brooklyn farmacy, it completed a perfect lunch.

tied up with string.

2011-07-28T07:44:00.001-04:00

one of the nicest things about ordering tiny goods made by hand is the love and care with which they're packaged. this week's addition to our wee space was no exception. expertly sent by shanna, her words a bright spot in our very dim apartment.

ps. there's something about wilting flowers, isn't there? still beautiful in their old age.

< two fifty: life in a tiny apartment.

2011-07-26T14:05:00.000-04:00

survival tip #4.

only buy beautiful cleaning supplies.

i'm a pretty deliberating shopper. i'm not exaggerating when i say that almost every purchase i make is one i labor over: where did this come from? how long it travel? who made it? how long will it last? can i afford it? is it sustainable? it can be a little bit overwhelming.

but in a tiny apartment with limited space, the beauty and utility of even everyday cleaning supplies is important. unable to stash ugly plastic brooms or scrub brushes into a pantry or closet, i've become obsessed with slowly finding long-lasting replacements for the plastic-handled accoutrements i've been toting around since college. the sticking point being, of course, that throwing all formerly purchased scrubbers to the landfill only for the sake of beauty is, alas, also not a sustainable solution. the process, therefore, has been slow. and this tip is more of a warning to any readers just starting out: that pink plastic broom might seem like a cheap solution now, but chances are it'll hang around for longer than you want it to.

two of my go-to places to shop for lovely and durable home goods are brook farm general store and the green depot. as it turns out, things that are made to last, are also usually easy on the eyes.*

*if any one has any tip for a beautiful toilet brush: i'm all ears.

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-07-25T14:03:00.000-04:00

just a little late: five things that made my week.

1. these plums.

{for reminding me that summertime might bring extreme heat waves, but it also brings fresh fruit}.

2. these cardoon flowers.

{for being so other-worldly. and adding a little spunk to the old apartment}.

3. this grainy photo.

{because i finally brought my bike to new york. so grainy photo or not, i needed to document my inaugural ride}.

4. this weather report.

{because even if only for a night, it showed a drop in temperatures. welcome relief}.

5. this coffee.

{because james was able to share a cup with me on a 'saturday' morning that to the rest of the world was a monday}.

what little something made your week?

souvenirs.

2011-07-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

the best part about a night away from the city? the treats you get to bring back with you.

in this case, flowers from my mom's garden.

i've more or less abandoned my bouquet project. {may and june just slipped by}. but for the record, i wouldn't mind carrying a bouquet just like this.

< two fifty: life in a tiny apartment.

2011-07-20T07:00:00.001-04:00

this is not a tip. this is a plea.

the awesome and creative folk over at brooklyn based and theSweeten have paired up to host a contest that offers one lucky winner the opportunity to have their new york or brooklyn apartment spruced up with local wallpaper manufacturer, flavor paper's, beautiful goods.

i've entered in hopes that our loft {in which we cannot stand up}, might get a chance at some glory. truth be told, it's a really difficult space. not only is it extraordinarily warm for sleeping {not to mention moving around in}, but it's proven a bear for decorating. and i feel like the help of expert or two wouldn't be such a bad thing. if you're willing, hop over to theSweeten and let them know you're rooting for me. the prize goes to the entry with the most facebook likes!

little escape.

2011-07-19T10:31:00.000-04:00

yesterday: a quick trip to my parents' house to pick up my bicycle, commune with the flowers, and eat dinner at the beach. and the real upside? working on the weekends means jaunts to the country without fighting the traffic. i'm starting to get used to this.

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-07-15T20:38:00.000-04:00

five little things that made my week.

1. this perfect sandwich.

{pickles, salsa, avocado, fancy mayo, and on and on. a vegetarian sandwich that did not include pesto or grilled veggies. finally}.

2. these farm flowers.

{because when they start peeping through the fence to say hello, i know it's really summer}.

3. this note (and surrounding objets).

{because on my day off i finally got around to writing a few notes. the old-fashioned way}.

4. this other note.

{because i got it in the mail this week from one of my faraway sisters. and because it's awfully cute}.

5. these red sandals.

{because sometimes the sidewalk needs some cheering, and red summer sandals are just the thing to do it}.

what little something made your week?

parfait.

2011-07-13T07:00:00.002-04:00

as you can probably imagine based on the date of this post, its been several weeks now that the rhubarb pictured has been languishing in our crisper. purchased during the height of rhubarb season, it wasn't until yesterday that i finally got around to doing something with it.

too hot to do anything more, i decided on a simple compote: water + sugar + rhubarb + heat.

paired with creamy yogurt and topped with brown sugar, it was just the tangy treat we needed.

better late than never, right?

< two fifty: life in a tiny apartment.

2011-07-12T10:03:00.000-04:00

survival tip #3.

find creative storage solutions.

do you know what this is?

it's a surfboard. in a bathtub.

we keep our surfboard in our bathtub. all the time.

it's made to withstand water, right? the jury's still out on whether we're geniuses or just plain disgusting. feel free to weigh in.

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-07-08T07:00:00.001-04:00

five little things that made my week (or two).

1. this bridge.

{because i finally got to walk over it. with james. on our anniversary}.

2. this birthday bouquet.

{because it was such a thoughtful gesture from a farm friend. and just right}.

3. these hydrangeas.

{for coordinating themselves so well with the mailbox}.

4. this pizza.

{because even though i mentioned it before, it bears repeating}.

5. these raspberries.

{because, yes folks, they're ripening in new york. and they're delicious}.

what little something made your week?

iron works.

2011-07-07T07:37:00.000-04:00

i've been searching for a quick and easy solution for dressing the one window that we have in our tiny space. a few weeks ago, on an afternoon stroll through the old neighborhood, i stumbled across this little workshop and took a peek inside. though i wouldn't say the guys inside were exactly accustomed to the kind of request i made, within ten minutes i left with exactly what i was looking for. you don't get what you don't ask for, right?

as for the rest of the project, stay tuned.

celebrating, lately.

2011-07-06T04:58:00.000-04:00

on friday, my birthday wish to endure a very long line for some of the most delicious pizza i've ever had. and on monday, a red, white, and blue bicycle ride around governor's island and a walk across brooklyn bridge. more on that, later.

nameless.

2011-06-29T07:47:00.000-04:00

yesterday, i caved and bought flowers from the flower shop. i told myself that this summer i would only bring home flowers from farm stands. but yesterday was so hot and the apartment was so dark midday that it needing some cheering.

i repeated the name of the flower the whole way home so i could share it with you. but this morning, somehow, it escapes me entirely. so here they are, white flowers, without a name.

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-06-24T07:30:00.001-04:00

five little things that made my week.

1. these fake flowers.

{because they were displayed utterly unironically in our hotel room in jersey. and i liked that}.

2. this newspaper.

{because even though it's appeared on this list before, this week i read it sitting barefoot in brooklyn bridge park}.

3. these lights.

{because every night they look different. and every night i'm as happy to see them}.

4. this turtle.

{because james spotted her laying her nest. proof that nature perseveres in the big city}.

5. this strawberry amuse-bouche.

{because even though the meal that followed wasn't stellar, the sweetness of this little treat still lingered}.

what little something made your week?

< two fifty: life in a tiny apartment.

2011-06-23T07:30:00.001-04:00

survival tip #2

hide your clutter.

or hide his clutter. or her clutter. regardless of whose clutter it is, it simply can't be left out and about.

in a tiny apartment an errant hair elastic can feel like it's encroaching on your living space. enter the file folders and magazines of your well-meaning but disorderly life-partner, and it's enough to make you go batty. in our case, a simple wine crate tucked under the couch does the trick to keep the peace. no one needs to see the pile of papers tucked messily within. out of sight, out of mind. mostly.

happy summer.

2011-06-22T06:54:00.000-04:00

i had a different post planned for today. but last night, as we finished the dinner we brought to enjoy by the river, this happened. on the first night of summer. and things like this just can't go unrecognized. here's to a summer full of happy accidents.

cape may.

2011-06-21T07:30:00.002-04:00

just a few more shots from our weekend in new jersey. there's something about beach towns. they get me every time.

a postcard.

2011-06-20T10:42:00.000-04:00

from new jersey. just a smattering of the things we saw on our mini-adventure to the garden state. and proof that even a gray-skied day can finish with a pretty extraordinary sunset.

stinky.

2011-06-13T07:30:00.000-04:00

this weekend, some rare time off to enjoy the wedding of a friend and a luxurious sunday stroll through our new neighborhood. in the late afternoon we popped into stinky bklyn to taste their selection of stinky goodness and came home with an aged gouda and a delightfully crystalized prairie breeze cheddar. just what we needed.

< two fifty: life in a tiny apartment.

2011-06-09T07:51:00.000-04:00

the apartment we moved into just more than a week ago, is under two hundred and fifty square feet. and that includes the loft where we keep our bed. i'll give you just a moment to contemplate that level of coziness.

digested?

needless to say, squeezing ourselves into an apartment roughly five times smaller than the last one we lived in has presented some challenges, so i thought i'd start a little serialized survival guide. nothing extraordinary, just a few tips for keeping sane in a tiny space. i hope you'll indulge me.

here goes:

survival tip #1

tiny pots.

every apartment needs a little something green to liven up the place. and when you live in under 250 square feet, there needs to be a definite emphasis on the little. no room for your grandmothers beautiful stoneware crock. on my day off, i made my way over to grdn on hoyt street and picked out three tiny air plants to fit inside my tiny mudpuppy pots. so far, the little beauties are getting along just fine and taking up decidedly little space. which is a good thing, because that's all there is anyway.

sidewalk stories.

2011-06-06T18:33:00.000-04:00

roses from around my new neighborhood. some of them are past their prime, but all of them robust enough to allow for a monday morning photo shoot. it's my first day off since we made our move to the big city and so much has happened since the last time i last wrote. we're busy nesting and exploring and finding our way, but so far we couldn't be happier in our new city. many good things to share with you all, soon. thanks as always for sticking around. xo.

city girl, country girl.

2011-05-16T21:32:00.000-04:00

well, i think i've held you guys in suspense long enough. i still have some photos of the listen closely project to share, but i couldn't hold in my exciting news any longer, so those will have to come later. i'm headed back to the farm for the summer, and could not be happier. james and i scouted out apartments in the city last week and we're going to become brooklynites by june. lots of things to do between now and then so posting might be light for awhile, but i wanted to let you know what i've been up to and get you excited for lots of city girl, country girl posts! xo.

supplies.

2011-05-13T17:03:00.000-04:00

just got back from a few days away, spent trying to prepare for a pretty exciting change. more on that when everything's firmed up. for now, a few outtakes from flower arrangements i made for the listen closely project. flowering quince is so beautiful it makes me nearly weep. you?

listen closely: stories of a lifetime.

2011-05-09T09:06:00.000-04:00

this weekend marked the culmination of a project my friends and i have been working on since september. in 2007, 100 pairs of rhode islanders sat down to record stories with the national storycorps project. the center where we do our graduate work houses the collection of interviews and we were tasked with finding a new way to present these stories to the public. over the past eight months we've listened to stories, edited sound clips, strategized our choreography, wrestled with wireless speakers and ultimately, we successfully planned a guided audio tour to feature stories from the rhode island collection. we staged our performances in the historic nightingale-brown house and stamped out instructions for our intrepid participants on manila tags. the most important instruction? just to sit back and listen. {more photos from the performances to come}!

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-05-06T08:15:00.001-04:00

five little things that made my week.

1. this magnolia

{because set against the building where i take all my classes, it couldn't be more beautiful. i'm going to miss this place}.

2. these tags.

{and all the other last minute details it took to make our opening night go without a hitch. two more nights to go. a post to follow}.

3. this little guy.

{because my mom gave him to us for luck. so far, so good}.

4. this little pile of driftwood.

{because i brought it home in my pocket from the beach. the perfect accessory for my desk}.

5. this valentine.

{because it arrived yesterday, after being lost in the mail for nearly three months. awesome, no}?

what little something made your week?

cinco de mayo.

2011-05-05T08:53:00.000-04:00

a few weeks ago james and i came home after a long day out and all we really wanted was a little snack. we didn't have anything in the way of store bought treats, so we decided to make our own, quickly. corn tortillas, cut into triangles, brushed with a little bit of vegetable oil, sprinkled with sea salt and chili powder, and baked until crispy. it was just what we didn't know we wanted and ready before grumpiness set it.

since 1920.

2011-05-04T10:12:00.000-04:00

{aunt carrie's, narragansett, ri}.

{season's first lobster roll}.

{the view of point judith from aunt carrie's}.

nothing says new england summer like a hot lobster roll smothered in butter and devoured in minutes. after our day on block island last weekend, my friends and i stopped into aunt carrie's in narragansett. we brought cold beers and ordered a basket full of crab cakes to start things off right. aunt carrie's has been serving freshly caught point judith seafood since 1920. the beachy atmosphere and abundance of red and white paper baskets overflowing with fried seafood reminded me of my days in high school as a waitress at the clam castle {a clam shack in my hometown with dreams of grandeur}.

i've got some exciting news to announce which will mean a new england summer isn't in the cards for me this year, but in the meantime james and i are trying to squeeze in one last trip to the beach. james will mostly surf and i will mostly eat crab cakes.

markets of new england.

2011-05-03T08:32:00.001-04:00

photos by christine chitnis.

last summer, christine had the kind of new england summer that i'm busy only dreaming about. it was filled with ice cream cones and freshly caught lobster, sunburns and farmer's markets, and most of all, lots of writing. in markets of new england, just launched today, christine chitnis catalogs her experiences at fifty different artisan and farmers' markets across new england. i've had the pleasure of getting to know christine through her blog and over a cup of coffee, and i cannot wait to get my hands on this tiny volume. if you're planning your own new england summer {or just hoping to live vicariously}, i'd suggest starting by taking a peek at christine's book. the photographs alone will be worth it. get your own copy, here.

blue and gray and green.

2011-05-02T08:34:00.000-04:00

the colors of the sea. i don't remember the first time i read sarah, plain and tall, but these words from have echoed in my head ever since.

this weekend, a trip to block island for a conference. we went by ferry and cruised up and down the island's hills by bus. i'm not sure when it'll happen, but i think i'm destined to live on an island eventually. i've spent time on islands, but only for a few months at a time, when the romance of the place hadn't worn off by the time i had to leave. but still i think island life might be exactly what i need: everything i need in one place. the sea to lull me to sleep at night and to keep me company in the sunlight.

what do you think? could you make it on an island?

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-04-29T09:52:00.000-04:00

five little things that made my week.

1. this red sand beach.

{because it means i was home, if only for a day}.

2. this easter bunny.

{and the other one, too}.

3. these blooms.

{because the streets near our house have positively exploded}.

4. these eggs.

{because just when i thought there was nothing, nothing to eat. i found them}.

5. these new clippers.

{because i don't usually buy things on a whim, but chelsea convinced me}.

what little something made your week?

something new.

2011-04-28T16:50:00.000-04:00

i finally took the leap to get a domain name of my very own! my blogspot url will redirect here automatically, but if you use a reader, you might want to update the link! as always, thanks for reading. so glad to have you along.

dogwood.

2011-04-28T11:02:00.000-04:00

two weeks ago i had my dad cut a big branch from the dogwood tree in my parent's back yard. i shoved the thing into the backseat of the car and made my way back to providence, hoping that a warm apartment would encourage it to bloom. seems like my being away in philly last week was just the space it needed to unfurl. when i came home there were dogwood blossoms by our bedside. just what i had hoped for.

love letters.

2011-04-27T08:30:00.001-04:00

i got to spend a few days in philly last week and seeing these murals was by far my favorite part of the trip. love letters to a city painted by forty different artists and visible from the elevated train. just the sort of thing that gets me smiling. read more about the project, here.

coterie.

2011-04-26T08:37:00.001-04:00

if you haven't seen it yet, hop over to jane's new shop, coterie. it's filled with just the kind of forever-objects that i love--little treasures to last a lifetime. enjoy.

{all images via coterie}.

begin again.

2011-04-25T10:49:00.001-04:00

the perfect weekend away. and yesterday, a day that actually felt like spring. the week's off to a good start.

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-04-22T08:19:00.000-04:00

five little things that made my week.

1. daffodils.

{you knew this already. but they really brightened up the place}.

2. this candle.

{because my cousin gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this week. we tried to keep this candle burning during her labor (it was a long one)}.

3. this gingerale.

{because it means i got to go on a little adventure. more on that next week}.

4. these magnolias.

{because a carpet of petals is a nice carpet indeed}.

5. this bottle of milk.

{because for the past two weeks james and i have both been traveling (and on different schedules). coming home to a full bottle of milk made the empty house feel less lonely. the chocolate bunnies were nice, too}.

what little something made your week?

april's bouquet.

2011-04-20T09:45:00.000-04:00

the funny thing about getting engaged is that suddenly everyone wants to know every detail of your pending nuptials. maybe this is not funny. maybe it is normal. but truth be told, james and i haven't had much time to devote to planning. so, while we're thrilled to be engaged, the ins and outs of the big day have definitely taken the back seat to things like, oh, finishing grad school and finding gainful employment. nary you fear, friends and family, we will get to planning soon enough.

in the meantime, all of the spring flowers popping up have gotten me dreaming about the kinds of flowers we might have. i'm hoping to do most of the flowers myself, so i've decided to test out a bouquet a month for the rest of the growing season. {no, we have not decided when we are getting married, but i'm pretty committed to having local flowers, so i'm thinking the bouquets might help us along}.

april's bouquet? why daffodils, of course.

eggs.

2011-04-19T09:30:00.002-04:00

there are a lot of sweet tutorials about coloring eggs this time of year. but i'm tempted to say that nature does it best. what do you say?

a house lit up.

2011-04-18T07:30:00.000-04:00

i wrote my own daffodil story last year. this year, an excerpt from someone else. it reads rather nicely aloud, if you're in the spirit:

Yes, a favourite flower must be a spring flower--there is no doubt about that. You have your choice, then, of the daffodil, the violet, the primrose, and the crocus. The bluebell comes too late, the cowslip is but an indifferent primrose; camelias and anemones and all the others which occur to you come into a different class. Well, then, will you choose the violet or the crocus?

...My favourite flower must adorn my house; to show itself off to the best advantage within doors it must have a long stalk. A crocus, least of all, is a flower to be plucked. I admit its charm as the first hint of spring that is vouchsafed to us in the parks, but I want it nearer home than that. You cannot pick a crocus and put it in water; nor can you be so cruel as to spoil the primrose and the violet by taking them from their natural setting; but the daffodil cries aloud to be picked. It is what it is waiting for.

...Other flowers must have foliage to set them off, but daffodils can stand by themselves in a bowl, and their green and yellow dress brings all spring into the room. A house with daffodils in it is a house lit up, whether or no the sun be shining outside. Daffodils in a green bowl--and let it snow if it will.

from "daffodils," by a.a. milne.

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-04-15T18:31:00.001-04:00

five little things that made my week.

1. this basil.

{because even though i may have gone a little crazy with the seed sowing and i'll have to thin; it's growing}.

2. this keep cup.

{because this guy arrived in the mail a few weeks ago and i've been using it daily. so great}.

3. this stamp.

{because i had to buy a stamp set for a school project and it's conveniently useful for other sorts of projects, too}.

4. these signs of spring.

{because if you know anything about me by now, you know i can't get enough of this stuff}.

5. this new scarf.

{because after an unsuccessful shopping trip to find "interview" clothes, it was a nice little reward for a frustrating hour}.

what little something made your week?

lightning paw.

2011-04-13T10:29:00.001-04:00

i first read about olo fragrance in anabela's space this winter and i've been dreaming about being doused in sweet smells ever since. i finally mustered the courage to order a new fragrance by mail, and last week a little bottle of lightning paw arrived at my doorstep. heather, the genius behind olo, describes lightning paw as "free-spirited and feminine without even trying to be." that sounded just right to me, but it was the promise of scents like bergamot, vanilla, and jasmine that really lured me.

i can assure you, i have not been disappointed. my little bottle reminds me of warm afternoons in wilmington--just the sort of thing i need to be reminded of on grey days like this one.

perseverance.

2011-04-12T08:17:00.000-04:00

yesterday on my walk to class i spotted these sweet little guys finding any which way to grow. so tiny. so unbothered by the looming mass of stone and brick above and below them. trying to find inspiration in their optimism this morning. trying hard not to get bogged down by the unfinished details of the projects i'm working on. trying to think in solutions, not problems. it's harder than it looks.

my week in objects (mostly)

2011-04-08T08:35:00.000-04:00

five little things that made my week.

1. these little alyssum sprouts.
{because they sprouted up so very quickly. and even haven't died yet}.

2. these colorful bowls.
{and the carrot cupcakes they helped me make}.

3. these cloth bulk bags.
{because they were expertly made by sarah at yellow bird design. and they're just right}.

4. this unblended smoothie.

{and the blended version too. refreshing and tasting of summer}.

5. these new clogs.

{because this week it's been warm enough (barely) to wear them sockless}.

what little something made your week?

la maison de coco.

2011-04-06T07:56:00.000-04:00

on last week's impromptu trip to newport, i decided to poke my head into a shop along the aptly named bellevue avenue. what i found could not have been more delightful: an entire shop dedicated to tea-infused chocolates. being in the shop reminded me of afternoons i've spent in france, whiling away an hour with a good friend over a cup of hot tea or coffee.

if you ever find yourself wandering in newport, stop into la maison de coco. the bergamot flavored truffle was delightful and the freshly brewed coffee just right.

a little change.

2011-04-05T07:18:00.000-04:00

last week i decided i could use a change in scenery, so i added a few fresh bits to the wall above my desk. a newspaper clipping featuring wendy hollender's illustration {stay tuned, she says there's a print version coming soon}! a sweet thank you note from lisa. and a scrap from a seed packet. little additions that say spring is on the way.

just because.

2011-04-04T08:52:00.001-04:00

this weekend, i took a quick trip: to see an exhibit. to stalk the city's first signs of spring. to eat good food. to take a walk to a neighborhood i hadn't poked about in in a long while. but mostly just to be with two of my very favorite guys.

a postcard.

2011-03-31T08:22:00.000-04:00

it's been awhile since this little space has showcased much more than what exists in the confines of my apartment. it's been more of a nose to the grindstone type of year than one filled with rambling adventures. but with the blessed arrival of a break from school work, i had the chance yesterday to take a little drive to newport and have myself a walk about. i snapped photos of whatever suited my fancy and tried to soak up as much of the sun as i possibly could. and i even made time for a sweet treat.

so, here it is--a postcard from newport--from me, to you. today i'm off on another adventure, this time to my forever love, new york.

until soon, e.

spring cleaning.

2011-03-30T08:10:00.000-04:00

i've been trying my best to incorporate these old standards into my cleaning routine.

essential oil.
baking soda.
vinegar.
and elbow grease.

suffice it to say, vinegar is a miracle worker.

for recipes, humor, and more detailed descriptions about how to use these bad boys and others like them, buy raleigh's book which i crowed about last year. it's still just as great.

spring break.

2011-03-29T09:15:00.000-04:00

means time to bake cookies. these ones, made with chocolate chips and cranberries. some things are good.

worth it.

2011-03-17T09:24:00.000-04:00

i'm swimming in work over here and need to take a little bit of time away from this space to concentrate on work that comes with deadline. but i thought i'd pop by to leave you all with something a little more hopeful. and nothing is as hopeful as a tangle of sticks transformed. wishing you sunny days.

lately.

2011-03-15T08:26:00.001-04:00

i'm puzzling over how entire cities can be wiped from the landscape. feeling scared in the face of it all. and struggling to find the right words.

update: a list of some ways to help, here.

my week in objects (mostly).

2011-03-11T09:44:00.000-05:00

five little things that made my week.

1. this iris.
{because it was taken directly out of a bunch of irises purchased by a friend and given to me. now that's the spirit}.

2. this milkshake.

{because the addition of a banana and peanut butter make it feel almost saintly}.

3. this book of feminist fairy tales.

{because i have to tell a story for one of my classes and this little volume proved as good at 26 as it was when i was 10. creases to prove it}.

4. these other branches.

{because really, you can't have too many}.

5. this sweet almond oil.

{move over moisturizer. this nectar from the gods wins many times over}.

what about you? what little something made your week?

tangled.

2011-03-10T14:11:00.001-05:00

i've had more evening meetings than i can count lately. but after last night's i was sent me home with a whole tangle of forsythia to help cheer up the place. i can't wait for these branches to turn yellow.

photos from a speeding car.

2011-03-08T10:39:00.000-05:00

i know that photos of snow might seem a little bit passé, but the new york state thruway was showcasing plenty of the wintry white stuff yesterday, and i don't mind saying it's still pretty lovely to look at. in other news, we're back now from the wedding and filled with lots of inspiration. first on our list of things to do? figure out how to incorporate some raucous family circle dances. opa!