bklynstitch

Brooklyn Bites

2012-01-26T10:55:00.000-05:00

***This will be my final post on Bklynstitch but you can now follow me on my new and approved blog Bow & Arrow.***

Before we left, I wanted to share my favorite restaurants in Brooklyn. With thousands and thousands of restaurants to choose from it's hard to name all of my favorites but here are my top ten.

If you're looking for a strong cocktail paired with a really tasty cheese and meat plate, Hotel Delmano in Williamsburg is a great place to go.

Have a hangover? Brunch at Lodge in Williamsburg is the perfect cure. Get the Egg Sandwich that comes with a fried heirloom tomato and cliantro-cashew pesto. It's amazing.

Ok, so this isn't a restaurant but there was no way I was going to do a whole post of my favorite places to eat in Brooklyn and not mention Choice in Clinton Hill. It's a French market filled with amazing looking pastries and made to order sandwiches. I never leave without getting a chocolate croissant...or two.

Diner in Williamsburg is another go to brunch spot for us. Their menu changes daily so I can't recommend an exact dish but anything I've ever had there was pretty amazing.

Again this isn't a restaurant but I had to mention it. The Brooklyn Flea has so many amazing vendors but our favorite is Asia Dog. They serve Asian inspired hot dogs that make for a perfect lunch. My favorite? The Sidney which is Thai style and comes with relish with mango, cucumber, red onion, cilantro + crushed peanuts and fish sauce. Makes the usual hotdog with ketchup and mustard look pretty boring huh?

This is a horrible picture but I couldn't leave Traif in Williamsburg off the list. The first time we went there, they served us a shot of bacon broth and were sold. If you like bacon, you're going to love this place. Trust me.

Other favorites are Olea and The Smoke Joint in Fort Greene and Caracas and Carino in Williamsburg.

What I'll Miss About NY

2012-01-24T11:54:00.001-05:00

**For the next few days I'll be blogging both here and on my new blog. I hope you'll follow me there!

Although I'm extremely excited to be moving someplace new, there are so many things that I will really miss about the place I've called home for the past 8 years. Most importantly, I'll miss being on the same coast as our families and our friends that have become like family. I'll miss the amazing food that is always just a few steps away, the culture, and being able to walk absolutely everywhere. I'll miss our apartment and even our cute, little doorman who's greeted me home every night. I'll miss the Sunday night dinners that Brett and I have with our greatest of all friends, Dave. And before I get too teary eyed I'll let the following photos do the rest of the talking...

Brooklyn has been so good to us and I feel pretty damn lucky to have lived here for as long as I did. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly things I won't miss but I think the good out-way the bad too much to list those. I've been looking at our move not as if we're leaving New York but as we're just talking a break from it. It's pretty exhausting living here and sometimes you need to leave in order to really appreciate it.

With that said, the next few days will be spent packing up the rest of our things and saying "goodbye" to our friends so that we can leave super early this Sunday.
And because this town has spoiled me with good food, I will be posting a few of my favorite restaurants. Stay tuned!

Looking Forward To

2012-01-18T21:17:00.001-05:00

**For the next week I'll be blogging both here and on my new blog. I hope you'll follow me there!

1. Our New Home

2. Being Organized. After this move, I think I'm going to try to be as organized as possible. Any tips?
3. Working From Home
4. Weekend Trips to Yosemite National Park, Napa, Lake Tahoe, Big Sur
5. Growing a Garden
6. Exploring a Whole New City - What should we check out first?

Top Left // Top Right // Middle Left // Middle Right // Bottom Left // Bottom Right

We're Moving!

2012-01-16T10:15:00.000-05:00

**For the next week I'll be blogging both here and on my new blog. I hope you'll follow me there!

After almost three years of talking about living someplace new, we've finally decided to move. We've spent the past few months trying to decide where our new home should be. We thought about Asheville, North Carolina, we looked at L.A., we even thought about Burlington, Vermont. But none of these places seemed to feel right for us. We finally came to a decision two weeks ago. (Nothing like last minute huh?)

Starting February 1st, Brett and I and all of our things will be driving across the country to our new home, San Francisco! I'm excited, I'm nervous, happy and the tiniest bit sad. But we're mostly excited to explore a whole new city and everything San Francisco and it's surroundings have to offer.

I spent the past weekend packing up box after box and getting rid of so many things that I didn't even know we had. It's really hard getting rid of all the stuff that you've accumulated over the years but when you only have a little car and trailer to carry all your things in, it's pretty important to only take the things you love.

When we leave in two weeks, I hope to share photos and the progress of our travels across the country here on my blog. Hopefully the internet will allow for that... And as for saying goodbye to Brooklyn, ya, I'm not quite ready for that yet.

P.S. Speaking of getting rid of some of our things - I'll be selling my Gocco Printer on ebay this week in case anyone is interested. Feel free to email me at bowarrowdesigns@gmail.com for more details.

(Photos from our California Trip in 2010.)

Weekly Picks

2012-01-13T14:32:00.003-05:00

**For the next two weeks I'll be blogging both here and on my new blog. I hope you'll follow me there!

A few things that caught my eye this week...

1. Vamoose has a new collection coming out soon and from the looks of it, it's going to be goood.

2. Doesn't this afternoon snack of a croissant, ricotta, honey and fig sound amazing?

My love for croissants was renewed after our trip to Greece. We had one every morning.

3. What I wouldn't give to hear all the amazing speakers at ALT summit next week. Maybe next year...

4. Rifle Paper's new Valentine's Day cards are too cute.

5. Loving the Year in Review design by Amanda Jane Jones.

6. My sister turned me on to Jetsetter and now all I want to do is go on vacation.

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Cabin Fever

2012-01-12T16:18:00.000-05:00

**For the next two weeks I'll be blogging both here and on my new blog. I hope you'll follow me there

By Peterssen/Keller Architecture.

Dear Future Apartment

2012-01-11T13:23:00.003-05:00

**For the next two weeks I'll be blogging both here and on my new blog. I hope you'll follow me there!

One // Two // Three // Four

Only 21 days til we move!

Two Weeks Notice

2012-01-10T15:53:00.000-05:00

**For the next two weeks I'll be blogging both here and on my new blog. I hope you'll follow me there!

Today I quit my job...for the past 4.5-5 years I've been working as a graphic designer in a big advertising agency in Manhattan.

I've had a job ever since it was legal to start working (13 in NY). I've worked in many restaurants, babysat, worked on a farm, tried my hand in retail (totally not for me) and had design internships all throughout college. I'm very thankful for being as lucky as I have been with getting work but now it's time to make some changes.

For the past two years, I've gone to work everyday and then went home to work on my etsy work. It wasn't easy but because I did, I can now do what I love to do full time. In two weeks, I'm trading in the steady paycheck, paid vacation days and amazing health benefits to be my own boss. It's time. I know it's not going to be easy but I feel prepared. Well, as prepared as I possibly can be. My website is up, my inventory of envelopes is ridiculous and my sketchbook is full of new designs for the shop.

So when I said that 2012 was going to be all about changes, I meant it.

Oh, and there's one more crazy change that's happening in my life but I'll tell you more about that another time...thanks for reading! (Image Source)

Flecks of Gold

2012-01-10T15:28:00.002-05:00

**For the next two weeks I'll be blogging both here and on my new blog. I hope you'll follow me there!

1. Baby Moccasins // 2. Mousepad // 3. Venice Sign // 4. Gnome // 5. Wristlet // 6. Sweater

We've Moved!

2012-01-09T15:54:00.002-05:00

Well, it's that time my friends! Bklynstitch has been very good to me but now it's time to move on to bigger and better things. Introducing the new Bow & Arrow blog. It's a work in progress but I hope you'll follow me there. Thanks for reading!

Happy Friday!

2012-01-06T15:03:00.004-05:00

Happy Friday friends! I know I mentioned that I would be announcing the new blog today but that will have to wait til Monday. It's been quite the week. Thanks so much for all the wonderful comments about my new shop! Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Amazing workspace found here.

A Roxbury Barn

2012-01-05T11:02:00.003-05:00

This Dutch-style barn turned second home is pretty amazing if you ask me. It's really close to where a few friends and I brought in the New Year. More on that later. You can read more about this home here.

All images are from the NY Times.

Moving Out

2012-01-04T13:11:00.002-05:00

This morning while brushing my teeth, I realized that we only have 28 days until our lease is up. We have renewed our lease 3 years in a row now and every time we've been on the edge about leaving but this time we're actually going to be moving out. I'm super pumped to be leaving our cramped apartment and can't wait to have a fresh start someplace new. Now the question is where should we move?

I love Dabito's apartment in Los Angeles and will be sure to use his blog as inspiration when decorating our new place.

A Christmas Gift

2012-01-04T11:17:00.000-05:00

For Christmas we gave both of our parents our wedding photo album. We ended up using the photo book template from Pinhole Press. They took quite a while to put together but I was really happy with the results. Now we just have to make our own wedding album and we'll be set!

Introducing Bow & Arrow

2012-01-03T14:56:00.000-05:00

After two years in the making, I am very proud to announce my new shop, Bow & Arrow. Ever since designing my sister's wedding stationery back in 2006, I fell in love with designing weddings. For the past few years, my dream has been to open my own stationery shop and now it's finally happened.

I want to send a huge thank you to my amazing husband, Brett, who helped every step of the way. From the design stages, to the photography, to designing the website and for encouraging me when I completely doubted this whole thing. He's helped me through it all and I certainly could not have done it without him. I also want to thank my family and friends who've been behind me 100%.

So to all you brides and grooms out there looking for unique wedding stationery, I'm your gal! You can view the new website here!

P.s. I'll be announcing the new blog at the end of the week...stay tuned!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T11:26:00.000-05:00

2011 was an amazing year. I saw my little sis graduate college, surprised my mom for Mother's Day in North Carolina, saw my older sister marry her best friend in Nantucket, planned a wedding, found out I was going to become an Aunt (again!), became a "Mrs." and honeymooned in Greece. It's hard to believe that all of that happened in one year.

So now it's a new year and with that some changes - a new blog (that I will announce on Friday), a career change and hopefully a new place to call home. I have some big plans for 2012. So here's to hoping! What are your plans for the new year?

Design found here.

The Holidays Are Here

2011-12-23T10:17:00.000-05:00

The presents are wrapped and they're under our tree but I have to admit I'm still not completely in the holiday spirit. I'm not sure if it's because of the 60 degree weather we've been having here or if it's because we're not going to my Mom's this year. Hopefully it hits me soon!

We're off to a fancy lunch with some cocktails at Balthazaar's in Soho. Then we're having my sister-in-law and her family over for the night. Six people in our 700 sq.ft should be interesting... Then it's up to the cabin we go.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and thank you so much for all your sweet comments throughout the year! Your readership means more to me than you can imagine. Happy Holidays!

Sleepy

2011-12-21T16:46:00.000-05:00

As the shortest day of the year approaches (tomorrow), I'm finding myself getting sleepier and sleepier. All I want to do is lie in bed and watch old episodes of Bored to Death. These photos gave me serious bedroom envy as our bedroom currently looks like a Crate & Barrel stock room (wedding presents). We're very much looking forward to moving to our next apartment - whenever and wherever that may be.

Images found here.

Madewell Spring 2012

2011-12-19T11:43:00.000-05:00

I love how cheerful Madewell's Spring line is. See more looks here.

Burlington, VT

2011-12-17T11:30:00.001-05:00

We had to make a slightly spontaneous and quick trip to Burlington, Vermont the past couple of days. The main street looked so cute as it was all decked out for the holidays. But now we're back in NYC and about to have a "NY Christmas" with my in-laws. I can't remember the last time I actually saw the Rockefeller tree. Should be fun!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Busy Bee

2011-12-13T13:59:00.000-05:00

The next week or so I may be a bit absent from my blog because things are finally coming down to the wire. In 3 weeks, I will be launching my new company which means that I have a ton to finish before then. What is this new company you say? Starting January 2012, I will be launching my new wedding stationery shop and along with that, a new blog. To say I'm excited is a huge understatement and for the next few weeks I am actually excited to work my butt off.

With that said, I'll leave you with this adorable cabin that reminds me of the cute English home that was in one of my (embarrassingly) favorite holiday movies, The Holiday.

Image found here.

Happy Friday!

2011-12-09T13:39:00.001-05:00

This might be the first winter I'm actually excited for. I've always hated the cold but this year I'm going to embrace it and just layer up as much as possible. After many balmy days here in NYC, it's finally starting to get a little cold and it's helping to put me in the Christmas spirit. What are you up to this weekend?

Here's what's on my agenda:

Pizza and Wine with some Friends

Another Weekend-Long Photoshoot (I'm hoping to share some sneak peeks soon.)

Picking Out and Decorating our Christmas Tree

Finish looking through this month's Rue Magazine

and Possibly a Trip to 3rd Ward to check out the craft fair and say "hi" to my dear friend.

Hope yours is lovely!

Images found here and here.

Green Gardens

2011-12-09T12:11:00.001-05:00

Ever since my Mom gave me a clip of my Grandparents jade plant, I've turned into a bit of a plant-a-holic. From the clipping, I've made about 5 big jade plants and even used them for my wedding favors (all 100 of them!), as seen above. To be honest, I really don't know all that much about maintaining plants but somehow I've gotten lucky and they're all still alive to this day. I owe most of it to all the sunlight my apartment gets. I really look forward to the day that I can have a huge garden.

Here are a few of my favorite plant accessories.

1. // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6.

Home Envy

2011-12-09T09:15:00.001-05:00

In love with this clean, white and black home.

Catskills Barn

2011-12-07T16:21:00.001-05:00

This is everything I'd ever want in a home.

Found here. All images are from the New York Times.

An Outfit For

2011-12-07T12:45:00.001-05:00

...or perhaps a good outfit for picking out your Christmas Tree.

1. Sweater // 2. Gloves // 3. Earrings // 4. Bangles // 5. Boots // 6. Tote // 7. Pants

Wild Retreat

2011-12-05T13:30:00.000-05:00

How amazing is this retreat in British Columbia? Seems like the perfect getaway to me.

Out On The Weekend

2011-12-04T17:58:00.001-05:00

The baby shower was a success! We ended up making these lasagne cupcakes with salad and garlic bread and I used this recipe for the carrot cake. My sister's belly is getting mighty big and I have to say it's pretty cool to see your sister pregnant. We all had a great time and I was sad to say goodbye to everyone. Only one month to go before we meet the new babe! Hope you had a lovely weekend as well.

Boston Bound

2011-12-01T16:46:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow I'm headed out to Boston to meet up with my family. We are hosting a baby shower for my sister, Meghan, in Boston. I'm pretty pumped to see her big belly, eat carrot cake and celebrate with a glass (or two) of wine with my mom. Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Image

Cabin Love

2011-11-30T13:31:00.001-05:00

Tell me this isn't the most amazing cabin you've ever seen. It looks straight out of a fairytale.

Found here.

The Midwest Treatment

2011-11-28T20:58:00.001-05:00

When I find a good tumblr page it's dangerous. I spend way too much time "flipping through" pages of images just because. One of my new favorites is the Midwest Treatment. If you like flannel, the outdoors and all around classic Americana, I suggest you check it out.

Out On The Weekend

2011-11-28T10:30:00.000-05:00

The trip to the cabin was refreshing as ever. We woke up early every morning, ate lots of Thanksgiving food, went on hikes and played this game (which is hilarious) multiple times. How was your holiday? Everyone ready for the big holiday rush? I'm sure not...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T10:23:00.001-05:00

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! See you on Monday!

Images from here and here.

I Could Live Here

2011-11-23T10:17:00.001-05:00

Club Monaco's latest store display. Isn't it beautiful?

Found here.

Kordal Knitwear

2011-11-22T15:33:00.001-05:00

I adore this look.

Knit Turban from Kordal. Nars Illuminator and lipstick can be found here and here.

Holiday in the Catskills

2011-11-21T15:17:00.001-05:00

This will be my first Thanksgiving I don't go home to my mom's house. I'm a bit sad but at the same time I'm relieved that I don't have to travel very far. On Wednesday, Brett and I will be driving up to the cabin for a much needed 4.5 day weekend away from the city.

Thanksgiving is obviously a time to think about all the things you're thankful for and I must say that I'm really grateful for the cabin. If we didn't have a place to go outside the city, I think the both of us would go a little crazy. Being amongst trees and breathing in fresh air is the best kind of stress reliever.

How are you spending the holiday?

Images found here, here and here.

Out On The Weekend

2011-11-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

After taking a few months off from posting weekend pics, I thought it was about time to bring them back. This weekend was exhausting as I spent most of it working. We had a big photoshoot for my new company (details coming soon I promise), had homemade martinis and pizza, and enjoyed an amazing lemon poppy doughtnut from Dough. Seriously the best doughnut ever.

How was your weekend? Can you believe Thanksgiving is on Thursday?

Happy Friday!

2011-11-18T12:11:00.001-05:00

It's getting pretty cold here in NYC and all I want to do is layer up and drink some chai. This weekend is going to be spent mostly working and getting ready for Thanksgiving. I'm beyond ready for a few days of relaxation. What about you? Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Images found here and here.

Hats

2011-11-17T12:25:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been thinking about hats and how they are most often an unused accessory. I find them really fun to wear and bring a lot of personality into an outfit. Usually, I just wear them during the cold months but I think it's time I become a "hat person". What do you think? Are you a hat-wearer?

1. // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6.

Thanksgiving: Diner Style

2011-11-16T15:02:00.001-05:00

In the latest issue of Sunset Magazine, they featured a unique way to celebrate Thanksgiving dinner - diner style. I'm pretty traditional when it comes to Thanksgiving so I'm not sure this would work for me. Still looks pretty tasty though... do you ever change it up for Thanksgiving?

Photos from Sunset Magazine.

Santa Barbara Apartment

2011-11-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

Loving this light-filled, Santa Barbara apartment found here.

Another Fall Outfit

2011-11-15T10:13:00.001-05:00

Pair this with a chunky knit cardigan and you got yourself a nice Fall outfit. I'm pretty sure that watch is going on my Christmas list.

1. Tee 2. Bag 3. Sunglasses 4. Necklace 5. Boots 6. Watch 7. Bell Bottoms

A Fine Feast

2011-11-14T13:20:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't this table make for the most perfect Thanksgiving feast?

Happy Friday!

2011-11-11T10:55:00.001-05:00

Friday, thank goodness! Fall is in full effect in NYC right now and I'm hoping to enjoy every bit of it this weekend with some spiked apple cider. What are you up to this weekend?

Here's what's on the agenda for the weekend.

Finish this book series. I'm going to be sad it's over because these books have been the best books I've read in a long time.

Start crafting a few ideas for my sister's upcoming baby shower.

Stare (and probably drool) at the latest Lonny Magazine.

Start pulling together our Thanksgiving menu. Anyone have any favorite recipes they'd like to share?

Branding for a project that I'm dying to tell you about - so soon, so soon.

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Image found here.

Stylizimo

2011-11-11T10:26:00.001-05:00

Stylizimo is one of my new favorite blogs. It has such great and simple D.I.Y. ideas and is a good source for decorating. When we move to our next apartment (who knows when that will be) I'm hoping to make this table. So easy!

In Neutral

2011-11-10T15:24:00.001-05:00

Loving these looks. So simple and clean.

Found here and here.

A Sweet Feature

2011-11-10T09:59:00.000-05:00

I feel so honored to have had our wedding featured on Whitney and Dustin's blog yesterday! Brett and I are so happy with the results. They really did an amazing job and were so easy to work with. Thanks again Whitney and Dustin!

And for those of you who are stopping by for the first time - Welcome to Bklynstitch!

Studio Envy

2011-11-09T18:38:00.000-05:00

After years and years of sitting on the same ugly and uncomfortable office chair, I think it's time for a new one. This one looks pretty inviting. Don't you think?

Found here.

Happy Fall Y'all

2011-11-08T15:27:00.000-05:00

Just took a stroll around the neighborhood and happened upon this humongo leaf. Don't you just love this time of year?

Airy Attic Apartment

2011-11-07T10:30:00.000-05:00

How pretty is this attic apartment?

Found here.

Happy Friday!

2011-11-04T14:17:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday ma dears! What are you up to this weekend? Wouldn't this mimosa bar be a perfect idea for a bridal shower or for a brunch with your favorite gals? I might have to try this someday soon.

Here's what's on the agenda for the weekend.

Bake something pumpkin-y

Break out the winter clothes. (It's getting pretty chilly round here.)

Attend Natalie and Amy's NYC blogger party.

Watch the NYC marathon. (They run a block away from my apartment!)

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Santorini in Brooklyn

2011-11-04T10:12:00.000-04:00

Last night Brett and I decided to celebrate our 2 month wedding anniversary with some delicious Greek food at Santorini in Williamsburg. The decor and flavors brought back all the amazing memories we had on our honeymoon. If you're in the area, for the next month they are hosting a "Greek Bailout" and you pay what you think the food is worth. Pretty cool if you ask me. We'll be back for sure.

2012

2011-11-03T11:38:00.002-04:00

Every year at this time, I start searching for next years daily planner and every year I just end up buying a boring, black, ordinary planner. My search for 2012 is over. How amazing is Jessica Hische's Pocket Planner? Hopefully it won't be on back order for too much longer.

Found here.

End of October

2011-10-31T16:52:00.001-04:00

Is it me or has October completely flown by? This past month has been a bit nutso for both Brett and I. I try not to talk too much about our personal lives on this little blog of mine because I find it a little weird but here's a little glimpse into why I haven't been blogging as much lately.

First off, remember this post about moving into a new apartment? Well, we decided not to go with the apartment for a few reasons. Number one being that the landlord seemed to be slightly, if not completely crazy, and called us everyday to have hour long conversations about bathroom tile. Number two because Brett decided to quit his job of 6 years in advertising and we figured moving and renovating an apartment would just add more stress.

Along with all of that, I've been working on a new and exciting business venture which I cannot wait to tell you about. Once I think everything looks polished and perfect, I'll announce it here. Hopefully that will be before the new year. (Can you believe Thanksgiving is in almost three weeks?! eesh!)

Oh yes, and how could I forget - Happy Halloween! Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Print above sold here.

Happy Friday!

2011-10-28T10:21:00.002-04:00

Happy (almost) Halloween! This weekend we're headed to Connecticut for a wedding and then we both have dates with our computers for the rest of the weekend so we can finish up some big projects we've been working on. Hope you have a lovely weekend! Are you dressing up?

Image

The Stable

2011-10-27T11:41:00.002-04:00

I want to go to there. My list of places to visit is growing and growing. Malaysia is now on the list.

Found here.

Layered Look

2011-10-26T14:13:00.002-04:00

So I have a slight obsession with bangles. I've never actually counted, but I would say that I have about 30-40 different bangles. If I forget to put one on before I head to work, I feel slightly naked for the rest of the day. Although I'm sure some people would think that the layered looks above are a little too much, I love them. The more jewelry the better in my opinion.

Photos from here and here.

Cabins + Cottages

2011-10-25T15:40:00.001-04:00

After spending a beautiful fall weekend upstate at my inlaws cabin, all I can think of is one day having our very own little cabin. Upstate New York is gorgeous this time of year.

Photos from here and here.

Still Here

2011-10-20T17:02:00.000-04:00

Soooo it's Thursday already and I haven't posted once this week. Whoopsy. Sometimes you just need a break right? I'm going to take one more day off and will be back on Monday. Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Photo from our engagement shoot.

Happy Friday!

2011-10-14T18:24:00.000-04:00

Today has been a weird day, a very weird day. It's one of those days that you question why the heck you're doing what you're doing. Does that ever happen to you? I would go into detail about why I'm saying this but it's too soon for that and hopefully I can explain it all in the near future. My apologies for being so vague and confusing - it's been a very long week.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and I will see you on Monday.

Image of quote found here.

Brooklyn Slate Company

2011-10-13T10:02:00.001-04:00

We received one of these fun cheese boards for our wedding from one of my good friends. I love the simplicity of it and their packaging. Their lookbook makes my stomach grumble. Thanks Gretch!

Fifty People One Question

2011-10-12T10:33:00.000-04:00

I'm going to take a break from blogging today since it's my birthday! But I will leave you with this sweet video and ask you this: if you could wish for something to happen by the end of the day what would it be?

I could think of a million things but to keep it simple I'll say that I wish to have a slice of cake. I'm pretty sure that can be taken care of :) Have a lovely day!

Check out more of this amazing video series here.

Our Wedding Day

2011-10-11T12:02:00.000-04:00

Brett and I were married on September 3rd. It was by far the most exciting and intense day of my life. I will absolutely never forget it. Here are a few of my favorite photos taken by Whitney and Dustin Deal from Oh, Darling.

Apartment Found

2011-10-10T15:41:00.000-04:00

After only a few weeks of searching, we finally found our apartment! And would you believe it's an apartment in the same building we live now? We feel so lucky to be able to just move boxes here and there since the apartment is just a few stairs away.

The apartment that we're moving into hasn't been rented in 2 years and because of that it is in need of some renovation and lots of cleaning. Since the landlord was willing to lower the rent, we agreed to help with the renovation and for the next 3 weeks we'll be designing and redoing the bathroom and kitchen. It's sort of like a dream come true since she's letting us design the whole thing.

Over the next few weeks, I'm hoping to share with you some of the work that we'll be doing. The first project is the bathroom which will be a black and white theme - sort of like the first photo above.

Photos from here and here.

Happy Friday!

2011-10-07T12:52:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday Friends! This week was exciting because we finally received our wedding photos. I'm hoping to share them with you in the next coming weeks but for now, here's a little sneak peek into our day.

Here's what on the agenda for the weekend.

More apartment searching and packing

A trip to the farmers market

Apple Cider Floats

Read of good chunk of Hunger Games. (I can tell this book is going to be really good.)

Finally Get Around to Reading the New Issue of Rue

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

All photos were taken by Oh, Darling!

An Outfit For: A Fall Day

2011-10-07T12:27:00.001-04:00

1. Blouse 2. Fedora 3. Envelope Clutch 4. Bracelet and Watch 5. Boots 6. Skirt

Everything But the Kitchen Sink

2011-10-06T14:38:00.000-04:00

The dreaded apartment search has begun... Recently a few (non NYers) have asked me if searching for an apartment is fun and exciting. You would think having a fresh start and seeing different apartments across the city would be fun. But it's not.

To be honest, I really can't complain all that much because we really haven't physically gone to see many places yet and the few that we have seen were actually a lot nicer than we imagined. But $300 application fees and paying thousands of dollars to someone that showed us the apartment for 5 minutes has turned us off. I was explaining to my sister that finding an apartment in NYC is like finding a needle in haystack. Just when you think you've found the perfect place and have already decorated the place in your head (or on graph paper, I'm a designer, I can't help it), you come to find out the rent is double what they advertised online. This happens all the time and it's the main reason why we haven't moved in 3 years.

After hours of online searching, I think I found one of my favorite ads. It had nice photos of a renovated apartment, in a desirable part of Brooklyn, that was bigger than a closet and was going for a really reasonable price. After thinking this may be the one, we scrolled down and it read: "What's the catch? There is no bathroom sink." Really? Oh New York, what we do for you...

Photos from here and here.

Playing With Your Food

2011-10-06T10:16:00.000-04:00

The other day at work, I was working with an art director on a ad that was all about cookies. We started talking about the styling of everything and he was telling me all about the photoshoot and the food artist/stylist he worked with. He was explaining how the artist brought in a huge tool kit and sat and painted these cookies for about 4 hours. He said she had every kind of baking decoration you could ever imagine. I figured she went to school for cooking or baking but to my surprise she studied sculpture. It makes sense if you think about it.

It got me thinking that in my next life or if I could start all over again I would love to be a food stylist. I know it sounds like a super tedious job but at the same time it's sounds like so much fun. And how can you not like working with food?

All of the above photos were found on one of my favorite food stylists and photographer's site, Fish Food/a> by Teri Lyn Fisher.

Polka Dots

2011-10-05T13:06:00.003-04:00

Items going Clockwise: Marimekko Bowl Clutch Bralette and Undies iPhone Case Dress

Trying Something New

2011-10-04T11:52:00.000-04:00

For the past couple of months I've really been interested in dying my hair. I haven't been able to commit to a color but am hoping to do so soon so I can just do it already. Since I've never dyed my hair it's a bit scary but I think I am just going to go for it. Which look do you prefer?

Photos found here and here.

Happy Friday!

2011-09-30T16:04:00.000-04:00

It's Friday...what a relief! This week was quite the work week and now it's finally time to relax and enjoy the weekend.

This is a ridiculous photo from a wedding I went to this summer. As you can see, I have three awesome sisters and one awesome mom and they live far, far away and I miss them...a lot. Lately I've been kind of sad that we don't get to see each other that much because whenever we get together, we have so much fun and turn into big dorks - as seen above. This feeling always happens after some big event like holidays or weddings. I just wish I could call one of them up on the phone to meet for tea or to go shopping. For now I guess I'll just have to count down til we all reunite for Thanksgiving. Ouf!

Here's what's on the list for the weekend:

Enjoy Some Burgers While Watching the Yankees Kick Butt Here

Bake a Carrot Cake - As Per Request

Have Brunch with a Friend Here

Work on Wedding Invitation Designs for the Shop

Begin the Dreaded Apartment Search

What are your plans for the weekend?

Kove Knitwear

2011-09-29T16:56:00.003-04:00

A few birthdays ago my sisters gave me an amazing cowl scarf. Amazing might be an understatement as I've worn it every single day, every winter, for the past 3 years. I think this year I might change it up a bit and add another cowl into the mix. I love the ones sold at Kove. Those boot warmers are looking pretty comfy too.

For the New Place

2011-09-29T10:43:00.000-04:00

Next month we're moving into a new apartment (that is if we can find one). Brett and I have lived in the same apartment for three and a half years with all our hand-me-down furniture so I think it's time for a few new things. Here are some things I've had my eye on.

1. Ferry from Ardrossan Harbor Print 2. Eames Chair 3.Book Shelf 4. Chevron Throw 5. Vintage Clock 6.Credenza 7. Vase

Get the Look: Fall Outfit

2011-09-27T15:42:00.001-04:00

Pair all of this with a nice pair of jeans and you have yourself a perfect Fall outfit.

1. Leather Jacket 2. Fedora 3. Scarf 4. Nail Polish

5. Racerback Tank 6. Warby Parker Sunglasses

Top image found here.

Toto Print Company

2011-09-27T10:46:00.000-04:00

One of my very good friends, Dave, has opened up his own printing shop right here in Brooklyn. He's one of the most talented people I know and I hope you take a few minutes to check out his work. If you're ever in need of something screen printed, he's your man. All posters seen on his site can be purchased here.

Living in a Treehouse

2011-09-26T14:03:00.000-04:00

Doesn't this look like one of the coolest and coziest bedrooms you've ever seen?

It's A Girl!

2011-09-26T11:31:00.001-04:00

I am more than happy to announce that one of my sister's is having a baby girl! It's the very first of our family so you can imagine how excited we all are to meet the little lady. Here are a few things I've had my eye on for her. She's going to be one styling (and seriously spoiled) chick. Congrats Meg and Kal!

1. Onesie 2. Brooklyn Tee 3. Gold Sandals 4. Stacker Toy 5. Whale Bookends 6. Dotted Dress

(My Weekend Posts will be back in a few weeks as my camera is being fixed.)

Happy Friday!

2011-09-23T13:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday friends! And First day of Fall! This is the best time of year isn't it? Apples, pumpkin spice, sweater and boots...yes, these are the things that make me happy. It's been so fun sharing all our honeymoon photos with you this week.

Here's what's on the list for the weekend:

Celebrate Brett's Grandpa's 80th Birthday

Attend a good friends housewarming party

Bake pumpkin whoopie pies

Find a good book to read - any suggestions?

Sleep in and make pancakes

What are your plans for the weekend?

Honeymoon: Athens

2011-09-23T09:47:00.000-04:00

After a quick plane right back to Athens, we headed for the Plaka one last time for some souvenirs. Since we were pretty wiped from all the traveling we'd been doing, we decided to just hangout at the hotel pool and watch the Acropolis from afar.

Overall, I don't think we could've asked for a better honeymoon. It's certainly a trip I will never forget. Thanks so much for letting me share all my photos with you. I hope you've enjoyed them!

Honeymoon: Mykonos

2011-09-22T14:00:00.000-04:00

Mykonos was our last island to visit. It's an island known for it's nightlife and beaches. Although we didn't stay up to witness it, we were told that everyone starts going out at 3am for the night and stay out to 8am. This baffles me. We loved the town of Mykonos with it's really cute shops and small tavernas. Everywhere you turned there was another cute alley to turn down.

The second day we were in Mykonos we rented a quad and drove all around the island and visited about 4 of their beaches. We called it the "mini red shark" after Brett's first car. Isn't it cute?

For lunch we stumbled upon a middle of nowhere fishing village that consisted of a few fishermen's houses and a seafood restaurant. I don't think I'll ever forget this lunch. Besides a nice German lady, there was no one else at the restaurant (as you can see it was hard to find a parking spot). She sat at the table next to us. While we were waiting for our food, we both heard a yelp and looked over and saw that 2 goats had jumped up on the German ladies table. Brett had to shoo them away so she could eat her meal in peace. It was hilarious. Unfortunately, I was a little too late getting a good picture of this.

We ordered tzatziki and fried shrimp. It was the best shrimp we've ever had and we're pretty sure it was caught that day.

Then we drove around the island some more and headed to town to watch the sunset.

Below is a picture of Mykonos' Little Venice. Everyone goes here to watch the sunset and sip some cocktails.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's final post on Greece...

Honeymoon: Santorini Part3

2011-09-22T10:30:00.000-04:00

On our final day in Santorini we went on a sailing tour called Thalassa. With the tour, we were able to hike up the volcano, swim in some (not so hot) hot springs, eat some Greek mezze and learn a little bit of Greek dancing. It was the perfect way to end our stay in Santorini.

Mykonos photos up next!

Honeymoon: Santorini Part 2

2011-09-21T12:29:00.000-04:00

Watching the sunsets from our balcony was one of my favorite parts of the trip. This photo was actually taken on the day of my mom's birthday. I was sad that I couldn't celebrate with her. But Mom, you see that extra glass of wine? Yea, that one was for you!

Another huge perk of our hotel was their complimentary breakfast. They let you order pretty much anything and delivered it to your balcony every morning.

After breakfast, we rented a car and headed for the Red Beach and the Black Beach. The red beach had some random rocks in the middle of the water that you could sit on if you felt like it.

Then we headed to Oia to one of their many wineries.

Then it was time to head back to the hotel from some downtime.

Stay tuned for one last post on Santorini. I hope you're enjoying the photos so far!

Honeymoon: Santorini

2011-09-21T10:30:00.000-04:00

Out of all the islands we visited, Santorini was my favorite. The views, the colors - they were just amazing. I would go back to Santorini in a heartbeat. The people were so nice and the food was so fresh. We ended up booking our hotel through Mr. and Mrs. Smith and it was the perfect place to stay. I highly recommend staying there if you are heading Santorini.

After a short ferry trip from Crete, we headed straight to our hotel to drop off our bags before exploring the island. The floor tiles were so fun. Wouldn't they be great for a bright kitchen floor?

After checking in, we headed to Thira, the largest town in Santorini. It was about a one hour walk from our hotel. It was super hot and the walk was definitely not the easiest but I didn't care. We were in paradise.

Once we made it to the main part of town, we did a little shopping and had some gyros for lunch.

Since I thought it was too beautiful out to take a cab back, I made Brett walk the 3 miles home. He wasn't too happy but it was worth it once we got to the hotel pool.

Santorini photos part 2 coming up next...

Honeymoon: Crete

2011-09-20T12:06:00.000-04:00

Next up, Crete! After taking a quick flight from Athens, we picked up our little rental car and headed towards our hotel. We really had no idea what to expect when it came to any of the places we picked but when we arrived at the hotel and were greeted with glasses of champagne, we knew we picked the perfect spot.

For all your future honeymooners out there, I just want you to remember one thing - mention the word "honeymoon" as much as you possibly can. Even if it doesn't make sense in sentence form just do it. The perks are pretty amazing. We were fortunate enough to be upgraded to the honeymoon suite that had it's very own private pool and complimentary spa package.

We weren't really expecting to hangout at our hotel that much during our stay but after seeing everything it offered, we figured we'd save the exploring for the other islands and just hang by the private beach.

I'm finally getting used to seeing Brett with a ring on his finger.

The beautiful view from our room.

The last day we were there we decided we should probably try to see at least a little bit of Crete so we ventured to the Cretan Olive Oil Farm. We saw their 17 different varieties of olives and learned how olive oil is made. Many Christmas gifts were purchased here - get excited sisters.

Then we headed back to our hotel for some spa time and swimming. ...honeymoons rule.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Santorini photos.

Honeymoon: Athens

2011-09-19T14:48:00.001-04:00

Ready to hear about our honeymoon? For the rest of the week I plan on sharing our photos from each of the places we visited. I hope you enjoy!

We left for our honeymoon the Monday after our wedding. By then we both felt completely exhausted and all we wanted to do was sleep. Luckily all our flights were on time and we were somehow upgraded to first class on both of our flights to Athens. The honeymoon was off to a great start.

When we first arrived to Athens, we headed straight to the Plaka which was full of fun shops and cafes. This was my favorite part of Athens.

See those bowls? Yea, I was obsessed with them. I wanted to buy all of them. They were a little pricey but we ended up getting 3.

Our first Greek meal: Greek salad and Lamb Souvlaki (This is where our obsession for tzatziki began.)

Then we headed to the Acropolis which was amazing to see after we'd learned so much about it in art history back in college.

It was an exhausting day especially after flying all night so we headed back to our hotel from some drinks by the pool. This was the view from our room. Brett and I both agree that Athens is prettier at night.

See you tomorrow with our pictures from Crete!

Home

2011-09-19T10:45:00.000-04:00

Yasas! We're back from our honeymoon and happier than ever. I'm now a "Mrs", my nose has turned into one big freckle and we both feel so refreshed and so loved. The past three weeks have been so amazing and we cannot thank our family and friends enough for making our wedding day so special. It feels shockingly good to be back in NY and back to normal life.

We took about 2,000 photos on our trip and I hope to share a few of them with you this week. Hope you've all had a great three weeks! Can't wait to hear what you've all been up to.

Photo by my lovely friend, Alana Davis.

See You In Three Weeks!

2011-08-26T14:43:00.000-04:00

Well the time has come...in 8 days I'm getting married!! So from now 'til then I have a lot of things that I need to take care of and I think it's important to soak in as much of this next week as possible and for that reason I'm saying so long! I'll be back up and blogging in full force once we're back from our honeymoon. Til then sweet friends!

Image source unknown.

Hudson, New York

2011-08-25T10:26:00.001-04:00

Hudson, New York is an interesting place. I, for one, am a fan. It's a really cute, old town that has been revamped and restored to the way it was back when it was a thriving town in the 40's and 50's. It's a town full of cute shops (lots of antiquing), bars and great restaurants. We're big fans of the architecture. Isn't that house beautiful?

The barn we rented for our wedding is actually located right outside of Hudson. So when I saw this post by From Me To You, I was excited. In less than a week, Brett and I will be heading up to Hudson to start decorating and and begin all the wedding festivities.

Here is a short list of places we like in Hudson: (naturally they are mostly places revolving food)

1. American Glory

2. Verdigris Tea Shop - they have the best scones I've ever tasted!

3. PM Wine Bar

4. Mod Hudson

5. Swoon Kitchenbar

All photos were taken by From Me to You.

My (Hipstamatic) Weekend

2011-08-22T10:30:00.006-04:00

Brooklyn City Hall for our marriage license, Jones Beach, some DIY action and homemade enchiladas. How was your weekend?

Almost There

2011-08-18T16:17:00.000-04:00

Clearly I have been neglecting my blog all week. That's due to the fact that I am pretty preoccupied with last minute wedding details and trying to wrap up our plans for our honeymoon. Right now, I kind of feel like a little kid waiting for the first day of school (times a million.) I'm ready for everything to start happening!

To say I'm an anxious person is sort of an understatement but this past month, I've felt surprisingly calm. I really thought that I would be one of those people that couldn't sleep a wink weeks before my wedding but luckily this isn't the case! (Except for waking up at 3am the other night with a table number design idea. Hah, opps.!) Thankfully I'm off for the rest of the weekend and am going to try my best and take some weekend photos for you. So I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for reading!

P.s. Isn't this a perfect outfit for Greece? Image

Happy Friday!

2011-08-12T14:35:00.000-04:00

So working 60+ hours this week was not in the plan but it's ok because it's Friday. It's time to go to the beach and sip some cocktails. We have 22 days left til the wedding and I've got the butterflies! Have a great weekend!

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Beach Bum

2011-08-09T10:49:00.000-04:00

Proof that I've always been a beach bum!

My Weekend

2011-08-08T16:01:00.000-04:00

There was a wedding on Saturday and my bridal shower on Sunday. It was busy busy busy but it was one of the greatest weekends I've ever had. A huge thank you to all my family and friends for making my shower so special! Only 25 days to go folks!

An Early Weekend

2011-08-04T14:13:00.000-04:00

It's a short week again for me. I'm so excited because in a few hours I get to see my Mom and little sis! They are coming up for the weekend for a bunch of reasons. Tomorrow is my second (and hopefully last) dress fitting, then on Saturday we get to meet up with the rest of my sisters and attend an old family friends wedding. Then on Sunday, my sisters are throwing me a bridal shower! I'm very much looking forward to this family filled weekend. It's just what I need. Hope yours is lovely!

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Our Wedding Invitations

2011-08-03T12:38:00.000-04:00

With only a month to go, I think it's a good time to share our wedding invitations that we designed. Overall, wedding planning really hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be but the invitations were definitely one of the harder parts. Being a designer and designing your own invites can be pretty stressful as you want them to be absolutely perfect. We were pretty happy when we got them back from the printer and we were even happier once they were out the door.

The invitations were letterpress printed on 130# Strathmore paper by Paper Boutique.

Aria

2011-08-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

Normally I would say that I'm not a cruise person but I have to say this little cruise is now at the top of my vacation list. Cruising around the Peruvian jungle and ending up in Machu Picchu sounds pretty alright to me.