Tuesday reminder

Don't forget — happy girls are the prettiest, according to Audrey Hepburn! Wishing you a lovely Tuesday, and a week filled with smiles and laughs. :)

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Clare Caulfield's New York

Finding an artist that can truly do justice to the movement, and energy of New York is rare. That's why when I stumbled across Clare Caulfield's work, I had to share. Her work to capture the Flat Iron Building and Times Square is remarkable — I love the detail and the scope. Can't you picture one of these prints hanging as the focal point in your living room, hallway or den? She gets New York City exactly right.

(Images via HipHip GinGin)

The weekend is here!

Yes — the weekend! What do you have planned? My little sister is back visiting again from California, and I'm venturing to Connecticut to meet her for dinner with my parents and aunties, too. I can't wait! Aside from the photo above — which is so ridiculously adorable — here are a few happy blog posts from around the web to get your weekend started right:

Give yourself credit.

It's like rain on your wedding day.

I want this skirt.

What do you see around your hood? She sees this.

Such a gorgeous clutch. (Plus inspiring words from Katia Kuethe.) 

Excellence, by Dior.

All eyes on you.

Could there be anything better than Picnic Week?

Musical glasses!

Time to pause. 

(Image via Celebrities Now and Then)

A pop-up pool in New York

New Yorkers in the summertime want one thing: an easy way to beat the heat. That's why the new pop-up pool in Brooklyn Bridge Park is such a hit. This brilliant idea offers just another day at the beach — expect sand, colorful umbrellas, concessions, and a 30' by 50' pool, big enough to fit 60 people at a time! Even better, it's run in a fairly organized fashion. When we popped over this past weekend, there wasn't even a wait to swim. The guy working did clue us in: the best time to go is weekdays, when most of the population is indoors at work. It makes sense — a convenient spot to cool down in the city won't stay a secret for long!

What do you do to beat the heat in New York?

PS—Remember this idea last year?

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A dog's opinion

I saw this on Pinterest this week, and it made me smile. :) Be the person your dog thinks you are. Such great advice! It made me think of my dog Bandit — the snap above was taken early morning over Memorial Day Weekend. It was a difficult feat to get Bandit to take a break from chasing squirrels, and digging holes, but I love this pic. Definitely a guy whose opinion I hold near and dear.

How about you — how would you describe the relationship you have with your pet?

(Image via Pinterest)

An American in Paris

The countdown to my trip to Paris is on: in fact, I will be arriving there in exactly two months! With a total of five days in town, I'm feeling the pressure to create the perfect itinerary. There's so much I want to do! I count myself lucky to have a handful friends with exceptional recommendations to share. For everything else, I've been relying on a few incredible blogs:

• Elephantine's picks from last fall are amazing (not to mention her gorgeous photos!). She inspired me to rent an apartment, instead of staying at a hotel. We're using Airbnb!

• My friend Morgan suggested this, but Oh Happy Day! drove the recommendation home: when in town, plan a picnic on the Seine. Could there be anything more magical than that view? We decided to take it a step further and book an evening cruise down the river. C'est romantique, n'est-ce pas?!

• A reminder from HiP Paris — and Amy Thomas' new book — that this city is nothing without it's sweets. We're working on a short list of where to find the best pastries (and macarons), something I'll share once I get back from my trip.

• I trust in Rachel Khoo. Her blog and experience running La Petite Cuisine à Paris make her culinary recommendations the place to start. L'Avant Comptoir and Septime are both places I want to check out.

• Advice from Paris in Color to make the effort, and take it all in.  

Now, you go: what should I do in Paris? Recommendations, please! :)

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The Newsroom

This weekend, I had a chance to start watching The Newsroom, Aaron Sorkin's new drama on HBO. Have you checked it out? 

In college, I was exploring my options and accepted a summer internship at the NBC affiliate station in Boston. I was in the special projects division, and while I knew an on-air career wasn't for me, I loved the energy that goes on behind the scenes. In fact, I may or may not have held my breath every time I walked through the actual newsroom. It felt sacred — and you always knew that the mood of the room could change on a dime. A news alert would pop up on your computer screen, and you never knew who would be assigned to what and when. It was exhilerating! Truth be told, I never ate a bite of food between 9-6. My nerves! :)

But I loved every minute, which explains why I enjoy this show. The personalities, the pace, the rhythm that goes into a successful broadcast — it's great.

Are you watching, too? Would love to hear what you think!

(Images via E!)

The weekend is here!

Happy Friday, my darling readers! What do you have planned for the next couple of days off? I am looking forward to celebrating my friend's birthday (a big one: 3-0!) with a trip to Roberta's Pizza in Brooklyn. Have you been? The Bee Sting — one of their specialities — is delicious with ingredients including pepperoni, mozzarella, chili flakes and honey. It is unreal. Here, to get your weekend started right, a few happy posts from around the web:

Are you a Marilyn, Audrey or Jackie?

When it rains, it pours.

What did Rory read?

An Instagram summer! (Check out my own.) 

I heart Paul Newman.

Simple (and healthy) burrito bowls.

A Balenciaga hat. Swoon. 

Blue and gray. 

Cool down.  

(Image via Pinterest)

Seeing a movie alone

Quick poll: do you ever go to the movies alone? This past weekend, I saw Magic Mike...by myself. Truthfully, it wasn't my first time: going to the movies alone is something I enjoy doing a lot. It's like treating yourself to date night — you pick the movie, the seats, and decide whether you'll spring for the popcorn and soda, too!

Don't get me wrong — I love seeing movies with good friends, but there's something magical about going alone. Remember Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City; Peggy Olsen in Mad Men? It's a moment you can have all to yourself — no pressure — just you and the big screen. And in my case this past weekend, Channing Tatum, too. :) 

(Image 1 via Welcome to Ladyville; Image 2 via Pinterest)

Dinner at Rosemary's

This is something that's always been tough to commit to out loud, but I officially have a favorite restaurant in New York. The place is called Rosemary's, and it's the newest addition to the West Village culinary scene. Why do I love it? Let's start with the food, the ambiance, the stairway to the rooftop garden, which they use to add freshly picked ingredients to almost every dish(!). The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious; the service friendly and polished. It doesn't hurt that they offer my favorite dish: made-from-scratch orecchiete with fresh greens and sweet Italian sausage. 

As I said, it's tough to commit in a city like New York, but when you find 'the one,' you know and it's easy to say out loud. :)

Do you have a favorite restaurant in New York (or anywhere else)?  

(Images via Eater and GastroChic)

Red Light, Green Light

At last — wedding #3! This one took place in Maine over the 4th. It was my cousin Carolyn getting hitched, which made it feel more like a family reunion than a wedding. I don't think all of my cousins have been together in Maine (the place we used to vacation as kids) in over 10 years! At the bride's request, we decided to re-live our youth outside the chapel with a competitive round of Red Light, Green Light. Do you remember that game? 

When we were little, our parents used to help host pot-luck suppers at the local town library. My cousins and I would go, but as soon as our food was finished, we'd get permission to play outside. We'd be out there for hours playing all kinds of games like Kick the Can, Red Rover, and, of course, Red Light Green Light. 

What a hilarious moment re-creating that game. We've all aged a bit, but when it comes to a little bit of healthy competition, we all still say the same thing: bring it on!

PS—Wedding #1 and Wedding #2.

You are what you read

Do you ever wish you could savor a great line from your favorite book? Well, Evan, married to Nichole over at Little Brown Pen, came up with a clever way to do just that. His illustrations above bring the words of his favorite authors to life — in a digital world, it's a lasting way to notate the lines he doesn't want to forget. Check out the rest of his prints here, and stay tuned for more. His goal is to produce 50 prints a year!

What's the best line you've ever read in a book?

The weekend is here!

At last! A weekend to relax. Tell me, my dear readers — what do you have planned? I have a stack of magazines this tall to read and enjoy. I can't wait. :) Here, to get your weekend started right, a few happy posts from around the web:

Balloons at your wedding.

Make lingerie last.

July playlist.

Sofia Coppola: très chic!

Spirit of summer.

Words to live by.

Gorgeous summergrams. 

A Chicago vacation that reminded me of my own. :) 

The 'busy' trap.

Beautiful, stylish hair.

(Image via Pinterest)

I have a crush on a sandwich

About a month ago, I grabbed brunch at Iris Café in Brooklyn and fell in love — with a sandwich. The official name? The avocado sandwich. The ingredients are simple: avocado, sharp cheddar cheese, pickles, and a tiny amount of dijon mayo. I'm not kidding, it was one of most flavorful sandwiches I've ever had. It's the vinegar-meets-sweet-meets-creamy avocado goodness combination that works. Then, you add cheese!

The best part? It's fairly easy to replicate. I made this sandwich a few times over the 4th of July, and used McClure's Pickles, a Brooklyn staple that I packed and brought with me to Maine. One note: the spicier the pickle, the better!

What is your favorite summer sandwich? If you can, post a link to the recipe below. :)

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A Connecticut Wedding

Finally! A peek at the second wedding I attended this year: for my beautiful friend Barb. We sang together in the Wheatones, our college a cappella group. Isn't she a stunning bride? The wedding was right on the Connecticut shore, complete with dinner and dancing outside while tiki torches lit the way to the dock out on the water. Amazing! Oh, and just for fun, we performed a bit of a cappella from our college days — watch the video here.

More wedding posts to come. Next up: Maine!

Films about New York

What is your favorite New York City film? This week, Time Out New York presents the top 100 — a list of their picks for the movies that capture this city at its best. I loved the vintage-looking magazine covers, especially the one featuring Woody Allen's Manhattan! 

This story inspired me to think about my own top picks. I narrowed it down to five (100 would take too long!) — When Harry Met Sally, Annie Hall, West Side Story, Rear Window, and Saturday Night Fever.

Now, you go. What is your favorite film about New York?

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Summer rental

Wow—didn't the 4th of July come and go so fast? As I was road tripping from Connecticut to Maine, I started thinking about the significance a single bridge can have as a trigger that vacation has begun. For example, when my sister and I were little, our family would pack up the car to make the 3-hour drive to our beach spot in Maine. It wasn't until we rounded the highway bend in New Hampshire and saw the Piscataqua Bridge in the distance that our anticipation would reach it's peak. We'd roll down the windows, blast the radio, and shriek with excitement as we crossed the state border, the first official marker that our vacation had begun.

When you embark on a summer trip—be it for a weekend or a week—is there a visual cue that reminds you that vacation starts now? What is it? I'd love to hear!

PS—Wedding updates coming soon. Both were beautiful, and so much fun! :)

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Happy 4th!

It's been a busy (but short) week, and now I'm off to wedding #3. Stay tuned for pics when I get back. Wishing you a magical 4th! xx 

(Image via Pinterest)