Travel Notes: Weekend in the Catskills

Swimming hole–Oak Hill, NY.

Yellow wildflowers, babbling brook.

To file under ‘cottages I’d die to own’.

Country greens.

Sweetest little wildflower.

Petite purple flowers.

Grey Fox funny money (one funnel cake, extra powdered sugar, please).

Country backyard. Can you even imagine?

Sunday Times to close out a lovely weekend.

July in the City

How I’ve been making the most of it…

Cool evenings in Mom & Dad’s BK backyard oasis.

With lots of wine and cheese.

Munching sun-sweetened strawberry’s at the Park Slope farmers market.

And heirloom tomatoes.

Plus, taking full advantage of the last remnants of peony season.

Exploring the abundant NYC street fares, rather then bemoaning them.

And arguably the best sartorial facet of summer–saying farewell to pants til September.

Weekend Reading

image via

* This blog has the most over-the-top gorgeous food photography ever.
* This post on how our Instagram’s present themselves versus what is actually happening behind the scenes is hilarious #guiltyascharged.
* Late to the party but peeingpantslaughing over the Beyonce Voters blog.
* Loving the simplicity of this gentle reminder on perspective.
* Dying to grab drinks and oysters on this historic boat.
* A Madeline exhibit? My childhood heart is swooning with joy.
* Holy wanderlust. America, you’re beautiful.

Travel Notes: Cape Cod Weekend

This year I celebrated the fourth of July in Orleans, Cape Cod–a pretty little seaside town right on the Cape’s elbow.

My big family rented an appropriately big, grey-shingled house on Nauset inlet and we all piled in–aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends and babies.

I spent the long weekend kayaking on the bay, enjoying morning coffee on the rental’s slice of private beach (while snapping away with my new camera), collecting smooth white stones at Nauset beach, roasting s’mores over the fire pit, drinking copious amounts of wine (my aunt and uncle brought cases all the way from Sonoma), digging into my fat stack of summer books and magazines, and of course the best part of the trip–enjoying the company of my hilarious, wonderful family.

There’s something about family vacations by the sea that makes you feel like a little kid again–and like the world really is a simple, happy place once you strip away the noise and get back to basics. Xx.

Below, some weekend highlight in photos:

Sunset over the Nauset inlet.

Green grass, bare feet, asparagus ready for the grill.

Real men wear (drink) pink.

Sandy jacks.

Beautiful beach grass, Nauset beach.

Mama digging into the most recent issue of Porter.

Starting the day with a walk down to the beach (with camera & cup of coffee).

Katy matching her tunic/wine to the sunset.

Nothing says summer like al fresco happy hours that stretch well into the evening.

 

Three Little Things

The “big picture” — that illustrious vision of our future that we spend years cultivating and honing in on is exactly what it’s name suggests–honkin BIG.

When I look to the future and to all the things I want–(booming editorial career, novel in the works, MBA under my belt, West Village townhouse, summer cottage on Nantucket – no sweat)–I’m excited, but more to the point, I’m totally overwhelmed.  

I’ve found that the best way to keep a cool, level head when thinking to the future is simply enjoying the little picture(s) to the fullest. I don’t have that big picture yet…but I’ve got lots of pretty little ones.

Below, 3 micro-miracles that made this week:

Roses from my parents garden (+ loving my newest ebay score: this beautiful white marble column vase)

M in pink @Juventino

Daddy/daughter happy hour dates @ Sidecar

Weekend Reading

image via  

* I need to eat this watermelon gazpacho
* Crushing on design firm Redmond Aldrich
* Take me to this magical “castaway chic” beach pad in the Bahamas
* Wanting to try this very ambitious diy project (shirt of my dreams)
* Cannot wait to dig into my juicy, new beach read We Were Liars
* Loving this quote gallery (for indulging my inner Pinterest geek)
* Cracking up over @mylifewithbradleycooper
* Coveting this perfect summer dress and these perfect cereal bowls