Keep Dreaming...

By Natalie

With so many different decorating styles and personalities out there, it’s always a bit of a surprise to find someone whose aesthetic tendencies match almost exactly with your own. That’s how I felt when I stumbled upon one of Apartment Therapy’s recent articles featuring Margaret Roach’s Upstate Garden Home. I have to say, my initial surprise and delight upon finding these pictures were almost immediately replaced with sheer, all-consuming envy.

Can someone please tell Ms. Roach that I would like to own her house, and all of the things inside of it? I could offer her about $100 for the whole thing, which I happen to think is a pretty good deal.

Sigh.

While I keep dreaming, check out these photos which came from the Apartment Therapy Website. If you’d like to see more, and read a little about the place, click here. Hope you enjoy it!

The Girl…

by Emi

If you’ve been living in a literary cave for the past year or so you might have somehow missed hearing about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. It is actually a series of three books, the other’s being The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. The author Larsson was Swedish, so the books were translated from Swedish and take place there as well. Larsson actually died shortly after delivering the three books to his publisher, Random House/Knopf. The books are centered around two characters Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Bloomkvist. Salander is a young, super petite, “alternative” living, social outcast who specializes in computer hacking and private investigating. Bloomkvist is a respected middle aged investigative journalist. The stories are a mix of mystery and thrillers. Each book is around 600 pages, and can be a little dense at times, but overall are very entertaining. They are a great “summer/beach” read, or perfect with a cup of coffee (you’ll understand that reference if you’ve read the books). I’ve been lugging my copy of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest on the train against my better judgment, but now I’m too engrossed in the story to not use my hour of train reading everyday on it. Books two and three are not continuations of the first plot line, but having the background knowledge of the characters and their relationship is helpful when reading the other books. Also I think you need to know the first plot because you won’t be sympathetic to the characters without it. I’m currently 1/3 of the way through the last book, and I know Natalie starting reading the second book recently..

I don’t want to get into the plot because it can be rather complicated, and I don’t want to give anything away, but if your intrigued you can start with the movie version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which is a foreign film in Swedish now streaming on Netflix. The movie is pretty close to the original story, leaving out some of the slower parts of the book. You won’t recognize any of the actors in the film unless your quite familiar with native Swedish actors, but the movie is good. The plot is a little twisted, so if you’re the sensitive type, maybe this isn’t the story for you, but I would give it a shot. Soon Hollywood is going to remake the first movie. I’m really hoping it doesn’t suck as much as the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. Both of those Dan Brown books were super entertaining, and in theory should be great movies, but it just did not translate. I’m already skeptical about the supposed casting of Lisbeth Salander. Lisbeth is supposed to a super petite, flat chested, black haired, goth dressed girl with lots of tattoos. I thought the Swedish actress was pretty spot on, but I’ve heard rumors that they’ve casted Carey Mulligan, who is a cute little English rose, and doesn’t look nearly tough enough for the part. I’ll wait to pass judgment until I see the film because as well all know a little bit of costume and make up can do wonders with a great actor, but as is usually the case, the films are never as good as the books. So my suggestion is read it! It’s better than watching reruns on TV.

Looks like she would have a dragon tatoo...

Doesn't look like she would have a dragon tattoo...

Italy.

by Emily

This summer seems like a whirlwind of weddings, humid days, long hours at the office and very little downtime. And suddenly I've found myself going to Italy next month. We have no plan to speak of, and it's terrifying, yet exciting. We're going to Rome, Florence and Venice. I'm scrambling to figure out what to see, eat, and experience since it will be my first trip there. Any suggestions? All of this thinking makes me hungry...

Photos courtesy of avasfoodcritic.com and myrecipes.com

My New Obsession

by Natalie

I recently discovered the website called ModCloth, which specializes in retro and vintage style clothing. Oh my god. I am telling you, I have wasted literally hours falling head over heels for almost every piece of clothing they have on their site, especially the dresses. Here are some of my current favorites:

One of the best parts of this site is that they update their stock constantly, and there are always new goodies to find. The only downside? I don't really need any new dresses! You all should buy some, so I can live vicariously through you.

If I can do it...

by Liz

I came across this wonderful summer dessert idea a couple weeks ago and can't begin to express how great it is. You are well aware I am a dessert fiend, so when I find something a little bit healthier than the norm, I fully embrace it.

Banana ice cream! With only one (or two) ingredients!

Basically all you do is cut up bananas, freeze them, then dump them in the food processor and you have a tasty treat. There are even step-by-step instructions here for those of you who like me, lack the required skill sets to cook like a normal person (they even specify that you should peel the banana first).

Naturally I put WAY too much peanut butter in my first batch so I'll have to give it another go this weekend. Seriously though, you should really try this. It rules.

(Photos by The Kitchn)

For Future Collecting

by Emi

If you’ve read one of my previous posts, then you’ll already know I’m really into silkscreened posters and screen printing. I like the craft of printing, and I like the generally modern playful subjects. For Christmas this past year I even gifted a beautiful bird collage from Natalies' sister's BF Kevin, aka Art Arracht, and another random silk screen artist I found at the Union Square Christmas Market (who's name I shamefully don't remember!). This past weekend though while going through my usual blogs I noticed some really beautiful and fun prints from some really talented illustration artists. I also came across some beautiful book collaborations for Penguin Books. I would love to start collecting some of these art prints to mix up my poster collection, but I’ll probably have to build some more walls first…

Anna Bond "Hat Collection"

Jim Tierney "King Azaz"

Jim Tierney "Cheese Lover"

Stan Chow "Headless"

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Part of the Penguin Hardcover Classics
Designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith

My One and Only Tribute to Frankies

by Emily

If you live in NYC, and tend to read food blogs/publications pertaining to local eateries, you've most definitely heard of Frankies Spuntino. Conveniently enough, my boyfriend resided in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn for two years, so we had the pleasure of eating at their Brooklyn establishment on occasion.

I like Frankies. I do. Do I LOVE Frankies, like everyone else seems to? Mehhhh....I tend to be more enthused by menus that actually change, and incorporate more of a seasonal approach, with varied ingredients.

There is something to be said, however, for their appreciation of really basic, enduring dishes. And one of the more memorable things I've had the pleasure of eating over the years is their tomato sauce.

Recently, they published a cookbook of their recipes for avid fans and devote patrons who just can't seem to get enough. Luckily, I don't need to buy it to get the one recipe that my boyfriend and I garner as a simple, yet show-stopping dish.

Behold Frankies' Tomato Sauce, which we patiently "mothered" for 4 hours over medium heat, and then sealed into jars for the coming months.

Love This Look

by Liz

Remember that time I posted about how much I love the simplicity of a French woman's style? Just scratch that, because I'm all about this look. I love the piles of jewelry. It somehow works, the trench tones it down just enough. My only concern is that I'd manage to look like a little girl playing dress up instead of awesome like her.

Check out her ring! Just like the one I posted a few weeks ago.

(Photo by The Sartorialist)

My Savior

by Emi


There are a couple of things I rely on daily to help me get through the day like coffee, Garance Dore, my ipod, and Labello lip balm. I am a lip balm devotee. I can't live without it, and I am not a makeup person. I buy three things: Fiberwig mascara (the best Japanese mascara!), Chanel nail polish, and Labello lip balm. I used to be a Blistex only user, but my last trip to Italy changed that. I was originally introduced to Labello in college by my roomate Jess. I don't know how she found out about them, but she used to order them online every once in a while for us. That habit got a little expensive and difficult to order online, so I eventually switched back to Blistex. While in Italy I lost my lipbalm so I went to a supermarket and discovered they had Labello for around 3,00 euros. By the end of the trip I had purchased a handful more. This spring with my Labello stash going low, and I had to ask my boss to pick some up for me in Berlin. That's how much I love it. I have people smuggle it in for me.

Labello is actually a German brand even though Labello means the beautiful in Italian. My favorite is the dark blue Classic Care. It's just really velvety smooth, moisturizing, and has a really mild scent. I hate having some stinky purfumey smell sitting under my nose. My boss brought me back the Hydro Care. The sales person told him it was better. I like it just fine, but better it is not. Soon a German colleague is visiting me, and she is going to bring me Soft Rose, which I'm hoping doesn't really smell like roses, but just imparts a nice subtle rose color. Labello comes in a wide variety of purposes and colors. Next trip to Europe I will definitely be bringing back more Labello. Maybe I'll go crazy and collect them all. They just came out with a Lemon and Olive style. Color me intrigued. If your interested you can find out more about Labello here.

Garden In The Sky

by Emily

I'm excited. Things are growing, blooming and ripening right before our eyes...the results are amazing. The little balcony that I lovingly refer to as our "garden in the sky" is looking better day by day! Here are some photos - we felt like proud parents the day we picked our first bright red tomato. The next one is due sometime later this week. I love gardens, and greenery in general.

Drink it up.

by Emily

My latest discovery within the realm of mixology - St. Germain. Elderflower seems to be the new "it" flavor. A shot of this mixed with either riesling or champagne, is definitely the way to go. Top it off with a bit of lemon zest, and some seltzer, and you've got yourself a ridiculously delicious spritzer. Highly recommended for the hot, humid days of summer, this could very well be the best beverage I've come across in a long time, and I'll definitely have some on hand for the 4th!

Check out their website - I especially love this cocktail recipe description.

New Shirt!

by Liz

In my quest to get through my fabric stash I finished this shirt last night:

It is a free pattern I found over on Burdastyle, a really great place for patterns and project inspiration. This one was the Port Elizabeth cap sleeve top. You can download the pattern for yourself here. The shirt was super quick to make, however the fabric I picked was really fussy so the hem and neckline were a bit annoying. I plan on making a bunch of these in varying lengths. For better or worse, crop tops are starting to surface again and somewhat back in style but I've been seeing them worn with long layers underneath (thank god) so this is my attempt at something like that. I don't know if you can tell in the picture, but the shirt ends at my natural waist.

Sarah, who designed the pattern, has a blog and etsy shop with more patterns for sale. So cute! I also emailed her a couple questions about my pattern downloads and she was so friendly and responsive. I highly recommend trying them for yourself. Can't wait to see what else she comes up with. Here are pictures of two more of her patterns.

Betty's Bay Tunic

Camp's Bay Smock Top

(Photos by Goldfinch and Eagle)

Daydreaming...

by Emi

Recently I've been doing a lot of daydreaming about my next vacation. All this talk about Paris and World Cup has got me psyched for my next Euro trip. I requested last week some vacation time for September, and now I can't wait. This time I am tentatively planning for Denmark, Amsterdam, and Berlin with my two buddies Liv and Mary Anne. I haven't done northern Europe before, and I am super excited. My mom lived in Copenhagen for a summer back in the day, so it would be great to see the same places as her pictures. Liv is part Danish, and has family in Denmark, so we'll get to hopefully stay with some of them. I love going to foreign countries where you know some of the locals. You get a really interesting, special experience that you wouldn't be able to get when your just a tourist. Some of the places I want to visit in Denmark is Copenhagen (duh!), Tivoli Gardens, the Carlsberg Brewery, The Hamlet Castle, Hans Christen Andersen's house, and Lego Land to name a few. I hear Copenhagen is a very walkable city, and I think one of best way to get to know a place is to just walk around exploring. Copenhagen is also famous for bicycles as well. I've never ridden a bike in a foreign city, let alone New York City, so I think it would be a lot of fun if the three of us rented some bikes for a tour around the city one afternoon.

Tivoli Gardens


Carlsberg Brewery


Kronenberg "Hamlet" Castle

Amsterdam is going to be our other big stop. Amsterdam is pretty infamous for a couple of things among them "coffee shops," the Red Light District, canals, Van Gogh, Anne Frank, and pancakes! All of which I hope to enjoy. I'll probably just stroll through the Redlight District and just window gaze, but I'll definitely make an appearance there (I kind of can't imagine what that area must be like. I'm definitely intrigued.). I think it might be fun to try and stay in a boat hotel on one of the canals. September is the start of their off peak season there, so I hope we'll get a chance to enjoy the city without tons of tourists. It's a small city, so I think three days would be perfect.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam's Red Light District

Lastly I'm hoping to get to see Berlin for a day/night. My company's head quarters are in Berlin, so I would love to take the quick hour flight from Copenhagen to Berlin for a day and get to meet everyone. Plus after doing some quick Kayak pricing, it only costs $54 round trip!! How could I not go for that price. I've heard Berlin has a ridiculous night life that rivals NYC (said by some Germans), so I'm going to have to stop by our office, check out some World War II artifacts, and then afterwards test that theory. I'll be sure to report back.

Berlin's Brandenberg Gate

Overall I think this is going to be another amazing trip. Liv, Mary Anne, and I got a taste of what our adventure could be like in February when we went to visit Liv for the weekend of snowboarding in Old Forge. Considering the small scale of Old Forge and the fun we had, I figure if I multiply that by a thousand that should be a good estimation of what's in store for September.

Paris, Day Four

By Natalie

Today we took the RER and Subway to Versailles. What a mind-blowing place. Started with a quick dash through "Dauphin's Chambers" and followed that with with a guided tour of the King's personal chambers and the chapel. We were supposed to see the opera house, but the chapel was a back up when the electricity failed! Ryan says our tour guide reminded him of an older version of Bruce Willis' girlfriend from Pulp Fiction.

After we finished in the Castle, we walked the grounds; I didn't realize how big and grand they are! We had ten-minute rain showers on a roughly forty minute rotation, which actually worked out for the best - there were less crowds, cooler temperatures, and a very romantic atmosphere. We had a great view of boats on the water, illuminated by sun showers and hazy skies. When we were exploring, we stumbled upon a tiny outdoor cafe hidden in the bushes. We stopped for a glass of chilled red wine and a chocolate crepe. There were cute cats roaming the courtyard, but they were pretty much our only company - the threat of rain kept most of the other visitors safely indoors.

We then headed back to the 1st arrondissement and hit the "big three" in the Louvre; Winged Victory, Venus de Milo, and the Mona Lisa. Checked out the Egyptian exhibit too.

We got back to our apartment around 7PM, had amazing falafel for dinner in Le Marais at a place called L'As du Falafel. It was a marathon day!