currently coveting ...

Now that the weather is getting cooler, nights curled up on the couch are calling for a cozy blanket to be included.  And since this past Spring I threw away the one and only throw we owned (a gorgeous white, wool number) because it shed so badly it was like we had another pet in the house, it's suddenly dawned on me how much we are lacking in this department.  I saw this Multistripe Point Blanket from the Hudson Bay Company recently and fell in love. My nationalistic pride is probably a major contributor to my adoration for this heavy wool throw, as it symbolizes Hudson Bay's beginnings in Canada. It could also be that it exudes a somewhat nautical/beachy vibe, but it's heavy composition makes it completely appropriate for the winter months.  Either way, it would look great on my white couch and will be perfect for the cool nights ahead. 

yay

If you're into it, you're into it.

pommes frites

This past weekend, John and I went to one of our favorite places in the East Village - Pommes Frites.  They make the absolute best french fries in New York, and the constant line outside the door is a testament to this. (I used to live around the corner from here and could smell them from my window - believe me, it was an exercise in self-control).  This tiny restaurant serves authentic Belgian fries and offers an absolutely gigantic list of unique dipping sauces that are a far cry from the usual ketchup.  We ordered the Vietnamese Pineapple Mayo, Sweet Mango Chutney Mayo, and the Irish Curry, and they were honestly all so good that it was hard to choose a favorite (if I had to though, I'd go with the Mango).  It's tricky to get a seat as the interior is quite small, but there are plenty of neighboring parks where you can grab a seat and ponder which sauces you'll try next time.

weekend notes

wandering through Union Square

The past two weeks/weekends have been so busy that it was nice to have a weekend without any agenda other than catching up on errands and long overdue tasks.   Most of the weekend was spent working on the website (even though it's pretty basic, I cannot tell you how proud I am of it so far and can't wait to share it with you soon.  Let's just say working with code is something I never saw myself trying to tackle ;) On Sunday, we had a bit of a reprieve with a trip to one of my favorite food stops (check back tomorrow for details) and a wander around Union Square, where it was so nice to sit on one of the park benches and watch the world go by. 

love white candles - thanks andy!



adorable old men playing chess in the park



finally found - perfect black leather bag at Century 21

Union Square by night

style inspiration: brigitte bardot

Brigitte Bardot is famed as a 60's bombshell, but not enough credit is given to her casual attire. An original bohemian trendsetter, she captured the perfect mix between carefree and put-together, which is an obvious ode to the French laissez-faire era she lived in.  It also goes without saying that her hair, which is still so iconic today, was a major aspect of her personal style and was one of her most distinguishing features.  I love that she balanced her coquettish hairstyles, as well as her frequent use of bold lipsticks and winged eyeliner, with more definitively masculine pieces, such as crewneck knitted sweaters and cropped trousers, to create a look that was somewhat disheveled but still incredibly provoking. 

chicken burrito pizza

Last night we were craving Mexican, but didn't want to resort to our standard variety nachos or fajitas, so we decided to try a recipe I had torn from a health & fitness magazine that looked not only delicious, but was super nutrionally-packed, as well (recipe here).  All of the different elements, from the pico de gallo to the whole wheat crust, worked wonderfully together, and it was a nice departure from more traditional mexican-influenced flavors.  We used to have "fajita fridays," but now we're thinking it should be "pizza wednesdays" instead.

refresh

As I keep mentioning, John and I are preparing to leave New York in a few months to take on an exciting new project that we're both very much looking forward to.  Over the past few months, I've revealed some hints as to what this new endeavor is (seen here), as well as one of the developments that we will be working on (seen here).  Today, I'm going to let you in on another project that we will be working on, which is an outdoor shower.  Here are a few of the images that are currently inspiring me, and that I hope to take at least a few ideas from for our own attempt at such a great outdoor feature.  It's relaxing just looking at them, don't you think?