Happy Friday, my darling readers! I'm spending the weekend at my 10-year college reunion. The best part: I get to reunite (and sing) with the Wheatones! Then, I'm off on my European vacation for a couple of weeks. (I know—I've been looking forward to this forever.) I'm taking a brief hiatus from my blog while I'm away, so wanted to take this opportunity to say a quick and sincere thank you for reading and following along. Wishing you a wonderful couple of weeks ahead! Here, to get your weekend started right, a few happy posts from around the web! xoxo
A pretty spring dress.
The main reason I will always love Friends.
Style lessons from Emma Stone.
The coolest way to wake up.
Say yes to paper flowers.
A new use for calligraphy.
Adding this French film to my list.
Have you been to Savannah?
A Linda Belcher supercut.
The prettiest office makeover.
A pistachio and raspberry macaron. Yum!
Sweet and adorable Hazel.
(Image via The Cools)
When I was in college, one of my closest friends was (and still is!) from Istanbul, Turkey. I remember having a conversation with her one night after watching When Harry Met Sally about how magical it is to see places like New York after seeing them on-screen from afar. She's right—and her perspective on New York is exactly how I feel about Paris. I love to savor old and new French films and just take in the scenery and stunning locations where they shoot.
So, to get in the mood for our trip, Matt and I decided to watch Midnight in Paris, and I whipped up (!) a few French dishes from "The French Market Cookbook" by Clotilde Dusoulier (like this recipe for avocado and radish mini-tartines, which is delicious). That movie is probably one of my favorite examples of how beautiful and captivating Paris can be. I especially love the film's opening sequence. As I watched, I made a mental list of all the places I want to see in two weeks!
Is there a film that makes you daydream about travel? Where does it take place?
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What are you reading this spring? I just stocked up, and these three books are at the top of the fiction pile. Pretty in Ink by Lindsey J. Palmer is a fun and zesty peek into the magazine world (and our next NYWICI book club pick!), while A Wedding in Provence by Ellen Sussman and The Vacationers by Emma Straub both offer a taste of travel and family dynamics. Love!
What books are at the top of your list this month?
PS: More books I loved here and here and here.
(Image 1, 2, and 3 via Amazon)
What do you think of wearing bright florals for spring? I just splurged on this (sorta bold) Photo Floral Dress from J.Crew. I love the structured fit and A-line skirt. The best part? It doesn't really need to be accessorized. Paired with a neon yellow cardigan, I can just throw it on and go!
What do you think? Will you try this floral trend?
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Matt and I count ourselves lucky that Brooklyn Bridge Park is a short walk from our apartment. But we're even luckier that we are close to Smorgasburg, too! It's a summer ritual of ours to wake up, have a leisurely morning at home, and then head over and see what's cooking for lunch.
This past weekend, we tried the truffle french fries (with lemon garlic aioli) from Home Frite, and the infamous ramen burger. We'd ordered the ramen burger before when it was being served at a restaurant in our 'hood, but it was much better coming straight from the source. We snagged a picnic table underneath a blue umbrella, and kicked it for a bit—our own pseudo BBQ. The perfect Sunday!
How was your weekend? Did you get outside in the sunshine?
PS: More Smorgasburg.
You may remember, but for a little over a year, I've been on a small quest to find my signature cocktail. It's not as easy as you would think! My drink of choice has always been wine, but when I read that it is essential to know what type of cocktail you prefer, I thought it would be a fun thing to try and figure out. It was! And after sampling several different fancy (and very pretty!) drinks, I've found my cocktail of choice: The Bohemian Fizz.
I was at Congress Bar—a new spot in Brooklyn—when I discovered it. It's basically a variation on the classic gin fizz. It contains gin, St. Germaine, lemon, and soda water. I love it! It sort of reminds me of the Au Provence, the drink I loved to order at Eastern Standard in Boston. But it's slightly different, with ingredients I can apply to any number of bars.
So, mission accomplished, I guess?
How about you: Do you have a signature cocktail you love?
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What do you wear to protect your scalp from the sun? I have a big, floppy straw sun hat that I love, but for plane travel, it's a challenge to pack it without crushing it's shape. (Although I did find an awesome tip that you can stick it inside your suitcase and stuff all your socks into the cap to prevent it from getting damaged.)
As an alternative, I'm considering the small brimmed sun hat above from San Diego Hat Company. It seems so low maintenance and easy—I just need something to wear so that I don't get sunburned!
What do you think? Do you have any tips for shielding your scalp from the sun?
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Have you seen The Graduate starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft? It was Matt's movie pick this past weekend, and since I'd never seen it, this was the film he wanted to watch. There are so many pop culture references to it, I felt like I would already know most of the plot! But I was pleasantly surprised. I really didn't know what was going to happen or have a guess about how things were going to work out. It reminds me of when I saw Psycho for the first time: I somehow managed to avoid finding out the ending! It's definitely a captivating story—and I love the Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack.
What's your favorite classic film?
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Over the past couple of weeks, I've been closely monitoring this Cherry Blossom map, updated daily by the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. I noticed Friday that the trees lining the Cherry Esplanade had gone from "pre-bloom" to a combination of "pre-" and "peak-bloom." My Saturday plans were made!
We couldn't have picked a more gorgeous day to visit. It was 70 and sunny with clear blue skies. We timed it to arrive right when the Garden opened, which meant it was a lot less crowded than usual. The Cherry Blossoms were spectacular—and so fragrant. It was so nice wandering around (and checking out the pretty tulips, too!).
Have you been to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden yet this year? If not, now's the time to go: The Cherry Blossoms only bloom for about five weeks!
So, May! I can't believe we're deep into spring and it's still this cold out in New York. Still, I love this month—especially for the fact that summer is trailing not too far behind it.
What are you looking forward to in May? I'm excited because my vacation to France and Italy and Sweden kicks off this month. I can't wait to go macaron tasting in Paris! Other things I love about May: Memorial Day Weekend BBQs, the Kentucky Derby (and mint juleps!), cherry blossoms (like the ones at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden), and last—but not least—the return of Mad Men. :)
Now, your turn: What do you like most about May?
PS: For more of my This Month series, go here.
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