NYC Crushes

Brunch at Prune...Chicago Matchstick Bloody Mary & Spicy Stewed Chickpeas...yes please!!

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings at the Apollo, yes, you heard me right!!

Ramen at Momofuku after...

(let's not talk about the disastrous meal at Ko the last time I was in NYC!)

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, wearing this shabd scarf everyday and scoring some $15 Karen Walker knockoff sunglasses at In God We Trust

almost walking out of No. 6 with 2 pairs of clogs but being good and only splurging on one...

The atmosphere and music at Vinegar Hill House - sometimes bad service and okay food can be overlooked with Pavement & The Replacements blasting away...

Staying in Brooklyn...I usually get to crash with my friend Stacy in Dumbo (seriously this is her view - swoon!) but this time we stayed at the nu hotel - right at Smith & Atlantic...so many good shops nearby (my faves Bird, Layla, Steven Alan, dear fieldbinder), bigger rooms, near the subway and less than Manhattan prices

all the beautiful flowers on the High Line and eating chocolate, peanut, espresso, sea salt ice cream at the Cookshop Stand

never, never getting tired of visiting John Derian's home store and wanting to move in...

still having a mile long list of places I didn't make it to but so happy to come home to a backyard full of Lila and Lilacs

xoxo

PS - a huge thanks and shout out to Stacy & Kat, of course, and the awesome Laura from Cherrypatter who made sure I knew all the right spots to eat at...if you are headed to NYC, live there, or just want to dream about it make sure you check out her blog!!

Current Crushes

Crystal Towers Earrings...would go with everything...

Open Shelving...via sfgirlbythebay

Pretty Camis - lyell via Arrow + Arrow

eating like Cannelle et Vanille

diy filaments lights @ design*sponge

MWM crystals & lasers in Paris...via finePRNT

stripes & flowers...via The Neo-Traditionalist

New Willie Nelson - Country Music

Everyday Obsessions {14} - Joy Stark

Remember my friend Joy of the delicious Thanksgiving feast?  Well, I've been secretly wishing she'd start doing more columns for Pretty Mommy but you know, she's well, a little busy - working, biking, baking, schooling, rowing, running around Boston...so I was super excited for her to share her everyday obsessions and I'm hoping for a little more Joy in the future ;)

In my closet

Tee: Any brightly-colored v-neck.
Jeans: Loving my Loomstate revelation fit jeans which are skinny without being leggings and don't stretch out too much.
Accessory: Sunshine and Shadow neon tie-dyed scarf, so versatile, adds a punch to any outfit. Looc has them in Boston.
On my feet: Michelle turned me onto Loeffler Randall shoes and they've been a nasty indulgence (albeit, infrequent) ever since.
Also, I couldn't survive the non-stop rain we've been having in Boston without a classic khaki trench coat and the very elegant Pare umbrella my best friend gave me several years ago.

Beauty Secrets
Skin: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser is effective, yet gentle and smells like cucumbers
Make up: The glow I get from riding my beautiful bicycle everyday.
Scent: Kai, when I remember

In my kitchen
Cookbook: Alice Waters Chez Panisse Vegetables, a must-have if you subscribe to a CSA and the Rebar Modern Food Cookbook, an incredible vegetarian cookbook from a restaurant in Victoria
Gadget: Inexpensive Japanese mandoline makes slicing and dicing vegetables and fingers incredibly fast.
15-minute recipe: Guacamole: Mince: Serrano pepper, 1/2 small white onion, 1/2 cup cilantro; Combine with juice of one lime, 2 ripe Haas avocados, pinch of salt.
Can't live without ingredient: Just got turned onto smoked paprika and I want to sprinkle it on everything!

Home
Walls: A work in progress. However, I love the Tara Donovan poster I bought to remind me of her incredible exhibit at the Boston ICA.
Bedding: John Robshaw
Flowers: I adore peonies and french tulips

Favorite Design Source: Michelle!

Pop culture extra credit

On my nightstand: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. I just started reading it and it's so delicious I can't put it down.

On my tivo: I don't have a Tivo, but I'm slowly trying to get caught up on Mad Men.

On my iPod: Lately I'm listening to Band of Horses, Bon Iver, Mates of State, Peaches, Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kid Cudi, Beirut and Passion Pit the most.

N'Awlins / NYC and some tunes

A few months back we made plans to head to New Orleans for Jazz Fest this weekend...but as the airline prices crept up we cancelled and are headed to NYC instead for a short trip next week...Jazz Fest is amazing if you ever have the chance to go...the food is unbelievable (get the Cochon de Lait Poboy) the people super friendly and the eclectic lineup is usually out of this world...I like to skip the headliners and head for the smaller stages...trad jazz is always fun with it's umbrella parade, the zydeco stage is a party, the gospel tent raises the roof...just wander around and you always discover something new...I'm also a huge fan of the city having been many times before and after Katrina - it'a without a doubt a national treasure and has the most character of any US city...I guess I'll just listen to some Preservation Hall instead...

On to NYC - I've been dozens of times for buying trips and to hang with my friends but never with my husband...never visited most of the major tourist attractions as I generally prefer to hit the pavement and just wander, eat and drink...and I've rarely left the lower Manhattan/Brooklyn area...my only visits uptown have been to Barneys ;), the Moma, and the Neue which I loved...what would you do with a weekend in New York? where to eat? stay? shop?  I want to stay at the Ace but I think Chris will roll his eyes at paying $250+ for a "cheap room" to be in hipster haunt...

PS - This was just on the radio and totally reminds me of Siamese Dream era Smashing Pumpkins, no?
and I'm really digging this Jakob Dylan/Neko Case CD even though I always thought the Wallflowers were pretty bland...very beautiful!