::unexpected::

One of my favorite Brooklyn spots is Rooftop Farms in Greenpoint. Nestled on the roof of some tall building on Eagle Street is a farm oasis that supplies area businesses and locals with produce. On most Sundays, you can volunteer on the farm. The last time I visited, I planted lettuce seeds and harvested tomatoes, while looking at the Manhattan skyline. Pretty unexpected and glorious if you ask me.

::lost & found::

I stumbled upon this image on the side of a stoop in Fort Greene the other day. Just had to share....

::southern comfort::

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of watching a very special person in my life get married. She is from Greensboro, NC and is therefore why the ceremony was held there. I've never been to the south prior to this little adventure and was overcome by the hospitality and laid-back pace. Although the home-made peach cobbler was delicious, one of my friends preferred a visit to Sonic! All in all, a really sweet escape.

::green thumb::

The final leg of our family trip was to Victoria Canada. There, we visited the well-respected Butchart Gardens. Believe it or not, much of both the design and creation of these luscious grounds was done by the very woman who owned the home on the premises. Now, dozens of hands work to trim, prune and snip the foliage into perfection. Just before leaving Victoria, we had the chance to walk down some of the impressive streets and came across souvenir shops and one chalk artist that made me feel as though I was back in New York. "May I take your picture?" I asked using my best manners. "If you pay me," he replied. :)

::stunning::

After being in Seattle for the blink of an eye, my family and I headed to Alaska. I'm not sure that I have ever seen more beautiful scenery in all my life. One of the biggest highlights of the trip was going rafting on rapids in the embrace of snow-capped mountains (mom - I had to show your adorable picture here.) The other highlight was going on a bike ride within the beautiful Alaskan forest. The only thing stopping me from moving here is, well, it being really cold and difficult to live in these parts during the winter! Minor technicality!

::west coast vibe::

I recently went to Seattle and was a little enamored with the open-air market and blue grass music being fiddled in between the cherry stands. What other set of farmers take such pride in their produce that they handpick the items for their customers so that no delicate piece of fruit is bruised by a novice hand? The only thing stopping me from moving is a little rain and cloudy skies :)

::getting stitched::

I made two cross-stitches recently for two special friends. Once I found some sample alphabets and shapes on Martha Stewart's website, I couldn't stop! You better look out - I'll try stitching your initials to your shirts when you're not looking...

::stuffed::

There's nothing like weekend cooking and eating the leftovers the next few days during a busy work week. One of my favorite dishes to cook up is stuffed squash/zucchini. To make, cut the top off of round globes like above or cut longer varieties in half. Next, scoop out all of the seeds and add to your compost. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add olive oil, chopped potatoes, onion and garlic. I like to cover my saucepan with a smaller one in order to make the potatoes really soft and crispy (just like my mom likes them!) Incorporate a few handfuls of chopped cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the mixture once it is golden. Add a healthy heaping of chopped parsley after taking the mixture off the heat. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed-out squash cups, drizzle with some olive oil, finely chopped chives and parmesan and bake at 350-400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Enjoy :)

::brain freeze::

Inspired by my many visits to People's Pops at the Brooklyn Flea, I began making my own home-made popsicles in my Brooklyn apartment. My most recent batch consists of pureed mango and a sprinkling of raspberries from the green market. Freeze them up and they'll go right to your head and heart. Too bad my brother doesn't live nearby, as I wish I could scream "brain freeze!" with him like we did as kids.

::made by hand::

Last weekend, I ventured to the annual Renegade Craft Fair in Williamsburg. I like thinking about time and the way that it passes by the cyclical events that have become a part of my New York life. This fair is such a special part of my year, as the artists that come together to sell their crafts are so incredibly talented.

::history class::

It's been a while since I went to the Museum of Natural History. It's been even longer since I went to a museum without 60 children and a constant need to do a head count. A few weeks ago, I went to visit the birds, rhinos and ostrich with a few friends. What a breathtaking place. How lucky am I to live in a place that has such sights in my own backyard?

::a lotta fun::

Lotta Jansdotter, graphic designer and artist extraordinaire, opened up her studio in Brooklyn a few weeks ago. I was giddy with excitement to see such beautiful patterns on fabrics, stationary and even filing folders! What talent!

::food at the flea::

Last weekend, I made my (often) weekly trip to the Brooklyn Flea. While there, I ate some delicious gourmet tacos and a homemade rhubarb & ginger popsicle from People's Pops. Yum!

::a visit to the farmer's market::

One of my favorite things to do on Saturdays is to visit the Grand Army green market. It makes me feel like I'm living right next to a farm, even though I'm a little pea in a big city. The plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables makes me feel very inspired to cook!

::scenes::

one of my favorite things to do is to rearrange parts of the decor in my apartment. i find it relaxing and satisfying and, at times, a little too consuming (!). i'm constantly getting new ideas of how to make more interesting compositions on my walls and how to make studio living more comfortable/efficient. here are a few of the most recent scenes of my space!