At the close

Why is it that we feel that everything is ending with the close of August? Last trips to the High Line, last walk on the beach, last view of the leafy green serenity of Central Park. Of course we'll have all of this in Autumn and much, much more. I can't wait for crunchy leaves underfoot, the smell of apple pies in the air, my window open in the evening to let the cool night breeze ruffle my blankets.

I will miss that water feature on the High Line though.

In other news, was I the only one in the world who didn't watch Miley Cyrus perform on the VMAs on Sunday night? Thinking I might watch it as soon as I've hit publish on this post.

fashion/style

The incomparable French fashion blogger Garance Dore is writing a book! This one is going to be on the top of my wish list.

Want to win a Givenchy bag? Several fashion bloggers styled the bag various ways for Bluefly, and if you vote for your favorite styling job, you could be entered to win this glorious bag! Head to the facebook page to get started. It ends today!

interior design

Kate at Wit + Delight shares her personal journey but also shares photos of her impeccably designed home (can a home be impeccably designed? This one is). 

I'm so in love with Sherry and John's redone foyer. I think it was so smart to start with the entryway, that way you always feel like you have a really important part of the house done. It's the first (and last) thing they'll see as they enter and leave. Young House Love always nails it!

food

What? Pizza can have blueberries on top? I guess since I've tried it with peaches before this blueberry pizza with whipped ricotta from Jess at How Sweet It Is shouldn't be too much of a stretch. This is the perfect way to use up the last of your summer blueberries (wah).

Here's another way to use up the last of your summer fruit (I don't mean "use up" in a bad way) with this almond peach cake from Love & Lemons.

Luisa's book is out in paperback (as of today), and i love the red and yellow on the cover. So pretty.

hard to define

I don't normally post parenting posts, but I was in tears reading the story of Ashley's adoption of her little girl from China -- and how they're all doing one year later. In tears.

In my constant search for new and awesome blogs out there, I post (and participate in) tons of giveaways every week. Well, after years of entering, I finally won something!! Caitin at Roost held a giveaway of La Bella Figura facial creams and oils and I WON! I'm so excited to use their products and report back to you.

Contradictions and weekend trips

These cool August days feel like a contradiction, and I dare not believe in them too much, for just as quickly, the wind can change direction and the hot damp air can descend to smother us for another few weeks. But if I can believe in them for just a second every morning when we walk out of our building, if I can lift my face to the sky and feel the cool air tousle my hair, then that's enough.

We were at the Bronx Zoo on saturday morning, on a rather spur of the moment trip suggested by friends. We threw some supplies together, filled water bottles, and packed snacks, and an hour later we were in the car driving. If you haven't been out there recently, make sure you check out the monorail, it's an elevated rail that takes a 25 minute ride over some of the largest animal enclosures, so you really get to see their area and have a much better chance of spotting the animals. We got to see elephants parading, the tiger lounging in his pool, and even the prized baby rhino trotting after his mother. The best part of the monorail was the break from the constant walking. It was such a nice way to relax (and you usually can't say that at a zoo!).

view from the monorail

fashion/style

Head to Elements of Style before 5pm today to win a $200 gift card at JCrew. And while you're browsing, note there is 30% off JCrew final sale items at the moment!

I want to try my hair out in side braid bun style from Apartment 34. Now that my hair is finally getting longer, there are so many more possibilities.

food

I'm having trouble resisting these fresh corn cakes from David Lebovitz. Perfect to celebrate the end of summer and corn season.

Keep August going throughout the year with these tips on preserving herbs, raspberries, tomatoes, corn, broccoli, and more from Simple Bites. Raspberry butter? Yes, please!

So, I did the gluten-free doughnuts. Should I move on to the vegan buttermilk ones from Edible Perspective next?

And to finish us up on a healthy note, here's a roasted beet goat cheese tart from Megan at Passports & Pancakes.

hard to define

Ez at Creature Comforts just totally put me in the mood for apple picking. Apparently you can already do that in California. Ted and I were just discussing our favorite fall activity this morning but we won't be able to do it for at least another month here on the east coast.

Ok, next time I visit London, I'm going for tea time at the Berkeley just like Carrie at WishWishWish.

Molly at Remedial Eating is making me long for the wild and rocky shores of Maine. Perhaps a holiday for next year?


I hope you're having a great start to your week! See you back here soon. Shot below taken of the Manhattan Bridge while Ted and I zoomed down the FDR on our way to a dinner out this weekend. You can see the Brooklyn Bridge peeking out a little further down the river.

Love the blue on this bridge

Art finds: Breaking Bad

1. Art by Adam McDade on Society6

Are you as sad as I am that Breaking Bad is coming to an end? To celebrate (or perhaps mourn) the successful show, I thought I'd gather together some fun Walt and Jesse-inspired art that I found online at Society6. I want to put these on my walls and hope/pretend the show will be back for another explosive season.

2. Art by Vloh on Society6     3. Art by Oli Phillips on Society6

4. Art by Filiskun on Society6    5. Art by La May on Society6

Art by Adrien ADN Noterdaem on Society6

Sunset mania

What is going on with the New York City sunsets this summer? Every evening I look out the window to the most incredible skies. So incredible that I have to stop in my tracks to gaze at the blue, purple, pink, and orange swaths over the George Washington Bridge. And in Central Park? Forget it, they're out of this world insane when you look at them from the reservoir trail. My Saturday evening run was punctuated by frequent stops to capture the sun going down over the upper west side. Please don't tell me it's pollution, or something equally depressing.

I'm sorry I haven't been visiting this space much, and I'm apologizing as much to the readers as to the space because the blog has become a tranquil respite for me and I feel sometimes like it's a living breathing thing that has a reaction when I stay away too long (does anyone else feel this way?). It has been a busy summer, and I can't get here as much as I want to (or need to). Hopefully as we move into the autumn that will change. But thanks for sticking with me here.

interior design

Gardenista featured a piece by my author, Marie Viljoen (of 66 Square Feet) on putting together your urban garden (should you be so lucky as to have an outdoor space to call your own).

This isn't really interior design, but Bri of Designlovefest put together her top list of Netflix documentaries along with a helpful link to every documentary's trailer so you can check them out. I'm adding most of them to my queue. I've seen First Position (if you haven't, make sure you do) and everything else looks intriguing.

fashion/style

Pink and navy could be my new fall uniform perhaps? Elements of Style shows you how.

I'm kind of in love with the new collaboration between Kate Spade and Craig Redman (KSNY x Darcel). Jojotastic pulled out her favorites from the colorful and mostly food-based collection. A donut bangle!?

Want to live that bohemian chic lifestyle? I certainly do, shop Justina Blakeney's cool and effortless style here on Shopstyle.

food

At first I was going to pass by these lavender shortbread cookies from Butter Me Up, Brooklyn! But then I saw that they were dusted with lemon sugar, and oh, that gets me. The combination of lemon and lavender is heaven. So, add these ones to the list.

I'm not one for potato chip sandwiches, not sure I really understand that phenomenon (and how did someone ever think of it in the first place?). But IF I did, I'd think about olive oil, tuna and potato chips on toast from Joy the Baker.

I'm not sure how I can express my love for figs passionately enough so that you know how much I love them, I'm going to let Diane and Todd of White on Rice Couple do it for me with this beautiful ode to fresh figs. And there's a recipe for fig bruschetta, so I'm not sure why you're still here reading this.

Baked cinnamon nutmeg doughnuts

I made doughnuts last week.

But not just any doughnuts, mind you. They were baked doughnuts full of earthy flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg.

I made six and I think I ate four before they got a chance to cool down. They made the perfect saturday morning breakfast with a cup of tea. Find the recipe at the bottom of this post, after my favorite links of the week.

interior design

London sister! Take heed of this incredible London home on Design Sponge.

Interior designer, crafter, and blog star, Justina Blakeney announced that she's publishing an interior design book. I'm her lucky editor, yippeeee! See her fun announcement post here.

Our air conditioning unit doesn't really reach our hot kitchen in the evening - so I find myself craving a ceiling fan. But it's so hard to find attractive ones! Jenny Komenda is in the process of renovating her new Arizona house, and she has found a way to spruce up the normally icky looking ceiling fan so that her laundry room looks amazing.

fashion/style

In every photo of Caitlin Van Horn, I find myself admiring her radiant skin, so when she discusses beauty products, I listen up. She's hosting a wonderful giveaway of La Bella Figura skin products on her site, Roost -- and she's going to be attending a green beauty event in NYC during fashion week in September. It's right around the corner from my office, so I think I'll stop by and say hi!

food

Here's an interesting way to treat peaches, from Tara at Seven Spoons. Tuck into her recipe for Five-spice roasted peaches with glazed sesame oats.

We're having a few days of gloriously cool weather here in the city, it's putting me in the mood for dishes like this mushroom and roasted garlic risotto from Cook Republic. Dare I say it, I'm looking forward to autumn now?!

Baked Cinnamon Nutmeg Doughnuts

Makes 6 

Gear you'll need: hand blender or whisk, doughnut pan

1 1/4 cup almond meal flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 large eggs

2 tbsp honey

1/4 cup of oil (I used a good quality olive oil)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg) together in a large bowl, set aside. Combine wet ingredients (eggs, honey, oil, and vanilla) in another bowl and then pour into the dry ingredients. 
• Blend very well with hand blender, or whisk until you've achieved a smooth consistency. 
• Pour into greased doughnut pan until each mold is 3/4 full. 
• Bake in oven for 10 minutes, or until the doughnuts spring back when poked (I ended up doing 12 minutes in my oven).
• Take some time for yourself and enjoy a doughnut while looking out the window (or even better, eat them outside!)

Note: If I'd had more time, I would have topped them with Caitlin's cinnamon butter glaze. Instead I just sprinkled confectioner's sugar over them. Either way, they were fantastic.