It’s back! After lunch with a friend a few weeks ago and her bringing these up, I decided to bring back the magazine format for holiday gift ideas. While these are usually the most time consuming project of the year and the main reason why I haven’t done one since 2020, it’s also such a joy to find such unique gift ideas and compile them into a 90’s-esque catalog. I highly suggest viewing in full screen mode for the full experience and hope you enjoy!
We Painted Our Dining Area & Suddenly I Want to Host Thanksgiving…
We recently painted our sunroom (which has also functioned as a dining area) a beautiful dark green color and I was NOT sure how it would all turn out but I was hoping for the best. After many days of painting it, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out! It feels sophisticated in a Beauty & the Beast library way. I feel like it now needs a ladder and a bookshelf. However, we are hosting Thanksgiving for the first time ever in this house and I couldn’t help but dream of tablescapes and all of my favorite people gathered around the table in here. I wanted to make sure I had enough plates and everything so I ordered one more set of these (a classic favorite of mine) and, while adding those to my cart, came across several other items that would be perfect for the holiday hosting season!
We used these plates for a Friendsgiving last year and they’ve remained a favorite ever since. I love the fact that this pattern also comes in just about every type of dish you could need…
There are closet staples like a white tee or a denim shirt and, similarly, there are home staples. As I was looking back through my order history on Wayfair the other day, I noticed that there were several items that I had ordered on multiple occasions because they happened to work perfectly in multiple rooms. I thought it might be helpful to share a list of items that I consider a “home staple”, items that work in different rooms. These items aren’t necessarily the most exciting to shop for but they can still make a big impact.
Whenever I decorate a room and need a curtain rod, I find myself just re-ordering this one. It’s simple but feels elegant and just works anywhere. I love the antique brass finish and the price-point isn’t bad either!
Ceiling Medallions I’ve Ordered More Than Once
I’ve used this specific ceiling medallion in at least 3 different rooms in our current home and previous apartments. I love the floral detailing and, if you paint it, it can look like it’s been there forever. If you’re looking for a smaller option, I really love this one.
Wooden Moulding to Add Character
I’m always adding trim to walls around the house and, when I do, there are a few that I frequently gravitate towards. I like to use this one or this one for a chair rail and then this one for any picture frame moulding above or below the chair rail moulding. It’s also nice to just get it delivered sometimes rather than going to your hardware store and cramming it into your car.
A Classic Floor Lamp
I love a timeless floor lamp that feels traditional but you can swap the lampshade for something more fun or keep with the classic one that comes with it. I have this floor lamp in multiple rooms and it’s just a good option that has an antique-inspired look.
Timeless Dishware That Works For Multiple Holidays
I have these dishes and, once fall rolls around, I find myself using them for everything. The floral pattern is fun to mix with other patterned napkins or table linens and the brown coloring feels a little more fall/winter than the blue/white.
Garland That Never Goes Out of Style
I have used this garland year after year. Some garland can feel like it’s too trendy but this one is simple enough to dress up differently each year with different color/textured ribbon and lights.
A Tray for Anywhere
This marble tray is stunning in person and is perfect for organizing jewelry on a dresser, items on a nightstand, or on a coffee table. It just works in so many different places and the details really feel more expensive than it is.
Bedroom Details That Feel Classic
These details technically really only work in a bedroom but they felt classic enough to include in this list!
At the start of summer, I set out on a hunt for the perfect outdoor dining table. Something made of teak wood, something that would stand the test of time (and weather) and I eventually found this one at Birch Lane, who happens to be having a big Friends and Family sale this week from 8/9-8/13! I paired it with this outdoor rug and it opened my eyes to the quality and design that Birch Lane offers.
As I was browsing the Friends and Family Sale, I couldn’t help but round up a few pieces I’ve been eyeing for other spaces around the home…
I’ve been dreaming of a striped bench in our kitchen and saw this one is included in the sale! The linen fabric options that they offer for so many pieces of furniture is stunning… we have this bed in a burgundy linen fabric and it’s a perfect addition to any bedroom.
I have endless home projects in the works as we’re 7 months in from our move from NYC to NC and sometimes don’t know where to start or what takes priority. Sometimes it’s where we spend most of our time that takes priority but sometimes one piece of furniture can be the start of it all.
The temps are finally warming up and I have never looked more forward to a spring season before… maybe because I have so many new interests and hobbies to explore having a yard of my own (and an outdoor entertaining space) but I am quite excited about it! On a recent warm day, I was testing out some spring appetizer recipes and put together a snack board full of a few easy favorites that just feel *so* spring to me.
Mini Ham & Cheese Croissants
Ingredients:
12 mini croissants cut in half
¾ lb deli ham sliced
6 slices of swiss cheese (cut diagonally in 1/2)
¼ unsalted butter, at room temp
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 egg white
2-3 green onions, sliced
Poppy seeds to sprinkle on top
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a small bowl, mix together the butter, green onions, dijon mustard, and honey to create a spread for the croissants.
Cut croissants in half and lay in a baking dish before spreading the mixture onto each mini sandwich.
Add ham & cheese to each croissant making 12 total sandwiches.
In another small bowl, mix egg white with 1 tbsp water to coat on the top of each croissant with a brush.
Bake for 15 minutes and serve while warm.
Baked Brussel Sprouts w/ Dijon Aioli Sauce
Ingredients:
Brussel sprouts, halved
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt/Pepper
For the Dijon Aioli:
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup mayo
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp dijon
1 tbsp parsley, chopped (to go on top)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and evenly coat brussel sprouts with olive oil, garlic powder, salt/pepper. Bake for 20 minutes or until desired crispiness!
For the aioli sauce, mix together olive oil, mayo, garlic powder, and dijon – top with parsley.
Asparagus Tart
Ingredients:
1 lb asparagus, trimmed
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
3 slices of provolone OR swiss
½ cup cream cheese (softened!)
½ lemon
salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Add trimmed asparagus to baking sheet and evenly coat in olive oil & salt. Roast for 5 minutes. (it’ll go back in later)
Carefully unfold the puff pastry onto a separate baking sheet with parchment paper. You should have 6 rectangles.
Lightly draw a border about ¼ inch into the tart using a knife. The spread will go in the center of this border.
In a small bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese and mustard then apply to each pastry rectangle.
Place a cheese slice on each tart then top with 3-5 asparagus spears each.
Bake for 12 minutes at 425 and sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.
I’ve been finding some treasures on Facebook Marketplace over the last several weeks of living in our new home and I thought I’d share how I navigate the platform along with a few tips I’ve learned. The dining table shown above was listed for $159 as a “Gorgeous Solid Wood Dining Table” which doesn’t necessarily have any super specific keywords in it but I believe my recent saves helped curate my feed a bit to show something that fit my style.
This bed was listed for $100 as a “Vintage Walnut Veneer Full Size Bed”… I love bringing in wood tones, especially darker woods, so I’ll frequently search “Vintage walnut _____” for whatever I’m searching for.
Check daily and save everything you like (even if you don’t plan to purchase).
Checking daily will give you an idea of what’s out there but also train the algorithm by using what you save to curate more items you’ll like (or it thinks you’ll like) to show at the top of your Marketplace feed.
If you’re not finding things you like within your radius, increase it just to save and teach it what you gravitate towards.
Ideally, any items I like would be within a 40 mile radius but that definitely limits the options so I do occasionally increase the radius to be 200 miles even if it’s just to learn what is out there, what I like, and hopefully have it show me more of that in the future. I do find that when you’re closer into a city, the prices tend to be a bit higher than if you look further out. We recently found a $150 dining table but it was all the way in South Carolina (worth the drive though).
Create a go-to list of key search terms and search frequently.
I have some go-to search terms that I use when browsing and they include: french antique, vintage wooden ____, carved wooden ____, traditional antique, victorian, antique brass or vintage brass _____, french country. And then there are some specific architectural or furniture styles I search every now and then like King Louis XVI or Neoclassical when I’m looking for something more ornate.
This wooden buffet was listed as a “Victorian Style Wooden Buffet” and the mirror as “Antique Oval Mirror”.
I think the most important thing is checking frequently and saving all of your favorites, whether you plan on buying them or not. Plus, it’ll teach you a lot about what you like vs. don’t like.
If you don’t have a large vehicle to pick-up items, I believe there are companies who provide services specifically for these types of purchases who will pick up on your behalf. Personally, I haven’t used them before but they could come in handy and be worth it (Lugg, DeliverEnd, and Dolly all are companies I’ve heard about).
I jumped from “I’m never leaving this city” to “What floor stain should I use in our house?” but now that we’ve left our NYC apartment, I feel like I can finally focus more of my time on new things. The last month or so in our apartment hadn’t really felt like “ours” since the moment we started having showings nearly everyday to find a new tenant… not to mention having zero control over the price the landlord was asking. Somedays it felt like we had gotten ourselves into a mess and I learned my lesson to never sign leases for 2 years at a time because you really never know where life will take you. I’m so thankful to be past that all and we finally said our goodbyes to the apartment on Tuesday this week. The new tenant also requested we leave all of the molding, paint colors, etc. which saved us time and helped all parties involved. They also asked to buy a few furniture pieces so it really all worked out in the end.
I hope that life will feel a *tad* slower here and I look forward to putting a lot of my creative energy into this home, spending a lot more time with family (my dad came over while the movers were here yesterday and seeing him play with Brooks was something I will never take for granted), and just having a bit more peace and quiet in my brain. As much as I loved and cherished our time in NYC, I could tell it was getting more challenging by the minute with a toddler, a large dog, a car – which is basically a job in itself trying to handle parking. I’m just hoping that this move will result the feeling of more space, not just literally butmentally.
Our house is a late 80’s home and came with a pretty wide variety of carpet upstairs. The previous owners lived here for 30 years and made it look straight out of Home Alone or Father of the Bride…. which had me sold from the moment I visited its open house. It took me back to a different time, a 90’s movie setting, and felt so nostalgic and warm as soon as I stepped inside. Since we had some time between buying this house and leaving our apartment in New York, we decided to take advantage of the timing and go ahead and remove the carpet upstairs before we moved all of our furniture in. Removing the carpet was the only large to-do that I wanted to take care of sooner rather than later. Everything else can wait and I’m in no rush! Although, I ordered probably 30 wallpaper samples the other day.
We decided to add the same white oak flooring that the house originally had downstairs to the upstairs and refinish the floors downstairs since there was some damage and discoloring.
For this entire floor process, I had some family members (thank you!!!) swing by the house to take some photos and videos so that I could choose a stain color from afar and, after seeing it in person for the first time last night, I’m pretty happy with the ones I chose.
First off, as I was doing some extensive Pinterest research, I came to the realization that I love a darker stair railing with a medium toned floor. Some inspo:
I wanted to find a stain that felt less orange/yellow than what the house had downstairs, but still not too grey. Something that felt timeless, but not too dark because apparently Pearl’s hair and dirt would show everywhere. I loved the look of no-stain too but I also didn’t want it to look too Scandinavian and not go well with all of our current furniture.
I ended up settling on 50% Fruitwood and 50% Weathered Oak (both DuraSeal) with Bona Traffic HD finish. My concern with 100% fruitwood was that it might look too orange but my concern with 100% Weathered Oak was that it would look too grey. So, the result of 50/50:
I also splurged on a teensy little herringbone area at the top of the stairs to remind us of our apartment in New York.
For the darker stair railing, I went with Dark Walnut. Dark Walnut has to be one of my favorite wood stain colors of all time. It’s what I used for our DIY TV frame and it’s just so classic and beautiful.
My next step for this area is finding a staircase runner. I actually really loved the green trellis design on the original carpet so I’m the hunt for something similar.
I’ve told myself “I’m never leaving this apartment” countless times yet here we are… moving week. Priorities can shift quickly and, while I believe we are about to be living in my favorite home yet, I will miss certain details about this apartment so dearly… the panoramic sunsets, the skyline views, the proximity to Central Park. We got so lucky finding this place at the right time. It’s a tough goodbye but I already have plenty of future city trips planned so it won’t be too long before I’m back! This city will always feel like home.
Before we leave, I wanted to write an updated list of paint colors incase you’re wondering about a room. These rooms have gone through major transformations over the last 3 years but I have to say I wouldn’t change any of these paint colors… they were perfect in here and I’m really excited that the new tenants want to keep the colors which saves us an enormous amount of time. Hope this helps!
We’ve officially entered the time of year where I rarely dress in anything other than a dress to get through the summer city heat. I recently went through my closet to see what all I had for the season and it made me realize that the dresses that I wear the most frequently all come from the same place… and that is Sézane.
Sézane is, by far, one of my favorites for any high quality, uniquely designed but timeless styles so I’m excited to share a few of my top favorites from there that I’m already repeatedly wearing around the city and will be continuing to do so all summer long. You also won’t want to miss their Archives Sale happening!
The stretchiest most versatile dress in my closet that feels so flattering with the tie-waist detail is the Pippa dress. This one is a timeless classic beauty that comes in countless colors.
This short-sleeved shirt dress with neutral pin-stripe details and breathable linen fabric is a summer staple in my closet. It’s another one that can be dressed up or down, layered with a sweater and belt. It comes with a removable belt so you can mix it up with your belt collection too.
This dress has to be my most worn dress lately. It’s SO comfortable for wearing all day long… so much so that I ordered it in the green and cream color too! And we can’t forget these lightweight statement earrings that go with practically every single summer outfit.
I find that the sizing suggestions on Sézane’s website are very accurate and helpful, if you are unsure of what size to order. Friendly reminder that they’re also running their Archives sale featuring a ton of favorite styles from over the years.
Wildfire smoke crept up on NYC a couple of weeks ago from Canada and I was quickly reminded of how drafty our 100 year old windows are when our air purifier was giving nearly the same AQI (or Air Quality Index… a term that I now check daily) got up to the 300’s. We didn’t know how long it would last and the idea of being cooped up inside with a wild toddler and a big dog who already has a heart issue was quickly boosting my anxiety. We knew we wanted to try and get to some cleaner air since we now (thankfully) have a car here in the city. Queue the impromptu trip to a place that we have had on our bucket list since moving to Northeast – Maine! At the time, Maine was the only state that was in the “green zone” for air quality of surrounding states so we took it as a sign.
Since this was such a (literal) last-minute trip, we didn’t have any time to plan an itinerary or pack much (I sadly didn’t even pack my camera), but I will take you through where we stayed, what we did, and how it became one of my favorite places I’ve ever visited. I think it might have to be an annual excursion.
Where We Stayed
We took a little bit of a chance when we left NYC at 3pm on Wednesday. I booked a reservation on Airbnb for a house in York Beach, Maine not knowing if the owner would approve it in the time it would take for us to get there (around 5.5 hours with stops). Luckily, about halfway there, we got the approval and we were set. The house was right on the water and had amazing views of the Atlantic and surrounding beaches in the town. It reminded me a lot of Newport, Rhode Island. The house was owned by a family that used it as a vacation home and came with some toys for Brooks to play with and a huge wrap-around porch (some of which was screened in) for Pearl to lounge on and look out at the ocean. One unexpected piece of entertainment for Brooks was the construction happening next door. He enjoyed watching the workers building the house and riding in on the big trucks.
With our anniversary on the weekend, we tried to extend our stay at the Airbnb but, unfortunately (and fortunately), we weren’t able to do so. So TJ and I spent a couple of hours on our last night trying to find a dog-friendly hotel that takes big Pearl-sized dogs. It was not as easy as you’d think! We finally stumbled upon The Colony Hotel, described as Maine’s most dog-friendly hotel. They don’t have any weight restrictions or breed restrictions and we were able to book a room for Pearl! It was gorgeous. It was set right outside the town center of Kennebunkport and was within walking distance to a few shops and restaurants. When they advertise that it is the most dog-friendly hotel in Maine, they mean it! Pearl was allowed to go almost anywhere on the property including in the pool area. And she got showered with love everywhere she went. Some of the other highlights of the hotel were a putting green, rolling green lawns, a heated pool, bikes, and a private beach that was about 5-minute walk.
What We Did
York Beach was a great little beach town with a lot of vacation homes. You could tell we were there a little early in the season because some of the restaurants and stores weren’t open for their full summer hours yet. There are two actual beaches – Short Sands Beach and Long Sands Beach. Short Sands is closer to the shops and town center, while Long Sands is a little more residential dotted with a couple of hotels and eateries. We stopped into the Long Sands General Store each morning for their famous breakfast “bulkies” – an egg, cheese, and meat sandwich on a Kaiser type bun. The woman cooking them said “this will make your day” and she was absolutely correct.
York also had a bunch of antique stores around the area and you know we stopped in and did a little browsing though I don’t have much space left. Some of the shops we stopped at were The Shops at Cape Neddick, York Antiques Gallery, and R. Jorgenson Antiques (which was in Wells, ME). But it felt like you couldn’t drive more than 5 minutes down the road in this area without seeing an antique shop. They were EVERYWHERE.
Once we got to Kennebunkport, there was a lot to see and do in the town. We did a little more shopping – some of our favorites were the Black Dog General Store, Ducks in the Window, and Island Treasure Toys in the Attic. It felt like such a family and pet friendly town. In addition to all the shops in Kennebunkport, there were a bunch of great restaurants to try as well. A few of the ones that we did not make it to but looked like there were some big crowds were the Clam Shack, Baston River Brewing (which is very pet friendly), and the Mornings in Paris coffee shop. One of my favorite parts about the city was walking along the waterfront and seeing the boats, people, and animals exploring. I could have easily just stayed at the hotel though for DAYS – it was so relaxing.
Where We Ate
We didn’t have too much time to really eat at too many places or even do much research on the topic but some of the spots we did eat were really good! We stopped in at Woody’s Pizza in the town center of York Beach. It was really good NY-style pizza and had a specialty pizza called the Grandma pizza. Once we got to Kennebunkport we stopped in at H.B. Provisions for a quick lunch. They had grab-and-go deli items and some quick off-the-shelf things. They also had made-to-order lobster rolls because… Maine. We had a couple of meals at the Colony (breakfast was included in the stay) and the food was delicious. We were able to go out for dinner one night to a recommended restaurant – The Lost Fire. It was about 10 minutes away from the hotel and had South American roots. Their executive chef is from Argentina and the Latin flavors mixed with American-type BBQ was… *chef’s kiss*! Brooks even found something he liked with broccolini, mashed potatoes, and roasted chicken.
All in all it was an amazing last-minute trip and really lived up to the hype and expectations that we had. We will definitely be back, hopefully later this summer!
After stopping by Long Valley Peonies this past weekend I wanted to list a round-up of some of my favorite flower fields and farms we have been to and some that we would love to go to this summer. There are so many farms and festivals within about 2 hours of New York City during the summer so hopefully this list helps you create some fun summer plans. There are a couple of places on this list that peaked in the early spring but I added them anyways so you can save for next year.
April/May
Wicked Tulips – Preston, CT; Exeter, RI; Johnston, RI – 2.5-3 hours from NYC
$20-$23 pp admission fee depending on the day of visit + 10 “you-pick” tulips, $5 for kids
Tickets are needed in advance and must be bought online. No pets are allowed unless they are service animals. They have other events throughout the year including Yoga in the tulips which sounds so peaceful.
$10 pp admission fee, also have peonies for sale. Closed for the season as of June 7th, but you can still purchase peonies online through this weekend. We loved visiting this farm over the weekend and it wasn’t very crowded even for it being the last weekend they were open. We will definitely be back next year. Add to your calendar for 2024!
Terhune Orchards has a lot for the whole family to do. They have a “pick-your-own” program that changes throughout the seasons. This time of year there are cherries, strawberries, hyacinths, and an assortment of herbs. There is also a farmer’s market and winery on the property.
There usually is a sunflower event at the end of July as part of the Sunflower for Wishes program, but the 2023 event has not been announced. In 2022 it was from July 23-31.
There are also a lot of events at the farm during the fall season.
No admission fee to walk the sunflower field, $3 fee to walk in the “cut your own” field. They also have an ice cream shop and everything is made at the farm.
Lavender by the Bay – East Marion and Calverton, NY – 2.5 hours from NYC *We’ve been to this one and loved it… right outside of Greenport which is an adorable town to visit*
Two kinds of lavender are grown at this North Fork favorite – English and French. English blooms in mid to late June and French blooms in early July, so the best time to go is when the French lavender blooms so you get to see both. We have been to both locations, but the East Marion location is a little more scenic in my opinion. They have a small shop with a lot of different types of lavender products for sale as well.
The farm is only open on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer but offers a lot of things to do, including walking through 15 different types of lavender and taking a walk with one of their many ALPACAS (!!!) on the property. They also do private events like weddings or corporate retreats.
No pets are allowed on the property and a reservation must be made to visit, but there is no admission fee.
Stony Hill Farms is part of the New Jersey Sunflower Festival that runs from July to August. There are two fields of sunflowers – one where you can walk through and take photos and one where you can pick your own sunflowers.
$20-$45 pp admission fee and each ticket includes live music, at least 1 sunflower, a wagon ride, and free parking. They also have fun kid’s activities like mazes and play areas.
Opening for the season July 7, 2023, this farm is less than 2 hours from NYC and allows for wildflower lovers to find and create their own bouquet in one of their signature baskets, mason jars, or metal buckets.
$8 for adults and $5 for kids admission fee (kids still in strollers are free)
A few weeks ago we finally updated our Frame TV frame to something that matched the gallery wall a little better. When we first got our Frame TV 3 years ago we picked the standard white bevel that Samsung offered as an option. It worked well for the gallery wall we had at the time, but over the years my style has evolved a bit. The frame just didn’t match the look that we were going for anymore. So, with all of our past projects adding molding to the walls of our apartment, we decided to give it a try ourselves rather than buying an ornate frame from a company. So here is the process we went through!
I first set off to find some trim that I thought would fit well in the gallery wall with the other frames. We went to one of our favorite hardware stores, Ace Hardware, and Home Depot but I couldn’t find anything that really fit what I was looking for. Finally, while browsing Wayfair’s website, I found trim that spoke to me! So after finding the trim that I loved, I applied a dark walnut stain on the molding that would go well with the other frames in the gallery wall. I found this stain color called Dark Walnut and it ended up being the perfect color after 2 coats. I just wiped it on with an old t-shirt and then did it a second time to get the color I wanted. While that was drying I moved on to measuring how long each piece of the frame needed to be. I guess you could stain before or after cutting it but I decided to stain before cutting.
Our measurements began on the inside of the TV frame because that was where our pieces would have to match up in the corners. For our 43-inch Frame TV we came out with 37 inches on the top and the bottom, and 21.5 inches for the sides. Once the stain was dry we cut the molding to our measurements. This mitre saw box has come in super handy when cutting this type of molding, especially in a smaller space and helped to get a good 45-degree angle. This is exactly the same way we’ve done all of the molding in our apartment by the way.
After finishing all the cuts our next step was to add the command strips. We used the same velcro-style command strips that are on a bunch of our pictures in the gallery wall. We placed them on the TV first to make sure all of the adhesives were touching both surfaces. The angles lined up perfectly and that’s it! New frame for our TV. We were also planning on adding some flat molding to the sides to cover up the gap, but you actually can’t tell unless you are looking directly from a side like I mentioned before, so we decided to leave it for now.
Making this also gave us the excuse we needed to move around the gallery wall and give that an update. So the TV is a little higher and off-center than it was, but I love the way it looks when the TV is on Art mode. All the supplies are below! Let me know if you use this method and how it works out for you!