Sunday, September 29, 2013

Just Another Fall Friday

Ahhhhh what a lovely fall weekend it has been. Sitting here this morning with some pumpkin spice coffee, my senses being assaulted by the amount of fall scented candles in the apartment today (thank you, Homegoods!). Here are a few snaps from my Friday after work. We did a bit of wandering, just enjoying the weather and watching the afternoon turn to evening. 


Oh, and this amazing 70s dress is now in my shop so check it out.


Snake must have just eaten... look at that bulge! haha


Nothing smells quite like farm fresh apples in autumn.


Winding down the evening in a little dive somewhere downtown.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!! 

Monday, September 23, 2013

Pork Two Ways

A couple on a budget still wants to have a nice big roast dinner on Sundays.
For the first time, I attempted to cook a whole pork shoulder into tender, moist, succulent (I swear I'm not trying to make this sound sexy, it's just happening. I mean, it IS pork. These things happen)...

Disclaimer: sorry for the photo quality, I was in too much of a hurry to grab my camera today, so my iphone did the job. 



I have truly, truly outdone myself this time. *Pats self on back*
On Sunday morning, I put this behemoth in the oven. 7 hours later...


A whole pork shoulder. Which then became the Sunday roast dinner (ahem, see below)...


Whose astronomically tender leftovers were repurposed (I mean, there are like 9 lbs left, I'm going to be eating pork in various dishes for a week)... into the below Asian delight. 
This is a wonton noodle soup bowl version I made for my honey... mine sported GF rice noodles and a squeeze of lime. I could probably eat noodle bowls every day of my life. Tomorrow will probably be pork tacos. (Taco Tuesday, duh!). Loving this whole one-meal-lasts-a-week thing. We can eat well on a budget without a casserole dish in sight! 



Friday, September 20, 2013

Juicy.



Have you ever tried "real" grapes? Not the ones on grocery store shelves; no, I'm talking about the mouth-puckering, vibrant smelling grapes used in juice and wine making. If you haven't, you should. Quick! While they're in season- get your hands on some. You won't regret it. 

A local vineyard brought juice and fresh grapes to the farmers' market this past weekend. I smelled their stand before I saw it, whipping around instantly at the distinctive scent. It took me back to childhood walks in the woods with my father, and the smell of the wild grapes along the edge of the water in the fall.

I spent all afternoon slowly eating a bunch, careful to save all of the seeds. I'll be really excited if I can manage to get some vines growing next spring. 


I love the label on this bottle. Maybe I won't refrigerate the next one, tee hee...


Please excuse my gross burn wound scab thing on my hand. Such is the life of the (unprofessional) chef.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Sunshiney Saturday

I embraced the perfect September weather on Saturday and dragged my hungover honey out of the apartment for a nice long walk. We stopped at the farmer's market in Park Slope to pick up some yummy stuff for our week's meals, and then sat on a park bench enjoying the afternoon light while some kids played baseball and a dog romped around with its family nearby. It smelled, looked, felt, and was, the most quintessential autumn afternoon. Few things make me happier than people watching in a park, with a scarf around my neck and a pumpkin spice latte in my hand. 




Monday, September 16, 2013

So Glad it's Plaid



So it's no surprise (to me, at least) that my seasonal obsession this year is PLAID. Buffalo check, tartan, classic or grunge, blue or red, green or yellow - I am grade A obsessed with plaid at the moment. I'm like a tiny Paul Bunyan, but instead of a blue ox, I have an endless supply of pumpkin spice lattes and a predisposition for climbing trees.


Also, it's apple cider season! Words cannot fully describe how much this thrills me. 


A couple glimpses of some AMAZING new vintage skirts and dresses- plaid abundant! - that are new in my shop. Go check em' out!!


How gorgeous is this plaid? It's a 1970's maxi skirt that I'm so in love with. And it's for sale!


Tights are back in season! Be prepared to see oodles of them on my legs in the weeks/months to come <3 

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Seasons Change





I love the changing leaves. Every year, I wait like a kid on Christmas Eve to see the first shades of orange peeking through the foliage. Even here in NYC, though the trees aren't as plentiful as the hills of my hometown, it feels like autumn. The crisp air this past weekend, the clear sky, the way the sunlight makes everything seem gilded in the late afternoon... I could sit on a park bench taking it in, all day. All day. 

Friday, September 13, 2013

Lunchventure



It's not uncommon in NYC to stumble upon the production set of a movie, tv show, or commercial. Frequently I will walk down a street with movie trailers or equipment parked along the curb, and don't give it two thoughts. I've even accidentally strolled onto the set of a commercial and was loudly (lol) told to move... so yesterday's events didn't come as a surprise. Headed to a lunch in Bryant Park with Kate yesterday, we had to relocate from our favorite lunch spot under the trees because an episode of The Face was being filmed. It's always so interesting to watch how much effort and time just goes into framing one shot, or some B-roll. The entire time that we were sitting nearby, it seemed like nothing was happening, but dozens of people ran all over making minuscule adjustments in the sweltering sun. Part of me wished Naomi Campbell would have shown up while we were there, but I didn't have the luxury to wait around.  


Couldn't Naomi have shown up for like, 5 seconds so I could snap a photo??


The hustle & bustle of 6th ave at lunch...


I was LOVING Kate's vintage dress. 

Monday, September 9, 2013

Take Me Home


No matter where I end up, who I end up with, and what I end up doing there... I will always trace my roots back to the dirt roads in the heart of Pennsylvania. This past weekend I took Steve to meet my siblings & father, and to see a little bit of where I'm from. As he put it, "it's a different world." 

There is so much beauty, so much peace and quiet, and so much fun to be had down the back roads that lead to the places I love so much - made even better by spending my time there with people that I love so much. As happy as I am to be back home after so much traveling, it is my favorite place to escape the nonstop hectic lifestyle in the city we currently call home.




The trees showed a hint of fall (besides the chill in the air) : the first changing leaves. 


Even though he was on crutches from a foot injury, we went for a little stroll in the woods behind my family's home.



Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Colors of the Weekend



I barely got any sleep this past weekend, but for a pretty good reason. My neighborhood is predominantly West Indian in heritage, many residents being first- and second-generation immigrants, and Labor Day weekend coincides with the West Indian Parade (and neighborhood-wide festivities). So many brilliant flags, wonderful people, music at all hours of the day & night, and delicious food - this basically sums up an exciting and colorful weekend that I have always looked forward to since I moved to Brooklyn 3 summers ago. 


                             

Greener Grass

     

Can't believe that the hot days, the lemonade, the fresh herbs on the windowsill and the accidental sun tans are a thing of the past already this year. Well, almost. I tend to be sad to see summer go, but it's always easy to step back through a photo or two and remember some spectacular moments. 
And while I mourn the loss, I know that September brings with it a few of my favorite things... 

The grass is always greener in another season.


                    

So Long Summer


Labor Day weekend swooped in and whisked  the summer days away. I didn't even see it coming. 
These past few weeks have just flown by... so many changes, all of them wonderful, and I'm so grateful for the 3000 mile gap that has finally been closed. 
So, yesterday, my honey, my ex-roommate, and I took a quick train ride down to Brighton Beach to soak up some of the last rays of late-afternoon summer sun.