End of year and other links

Tree looking over the foggy Hudson river

Hi! 

I hope your holidays have been joyful and warm, and full of love. I've been splitting these past two weeks between NYC and my parents in Pennsylvania, between city and country, between what I know now and what I knew then. December has run away and I can hardly believe I'm looking over the mountaintop at January's cold edge.

I took Latin in high school and college and I always loved how Latin and Roman history are woven into so many facets of our lives today. January was named after the Roman god, Janus, who signified doorways, beginnings, transition, and passage. Knowing this, it's pretty clear why the first month of a new year makes us feel like we are starting a new chapter. My favorite depictions of Janus show him with two faces; one looking backwards towards the past, and one looking forward to the future. I have personal goals, goals for this site, goals for my career, goals for my family, and I just need to take a deep breath and dive into 2014. 

I've only just begun.

interior design

I almost wish Sherry and John of Young House Love would buy a new house every year so I can follow along with their renovations. They've been putting up shelves in the kitchen lately, and I'm loving the wide open brightness they've brought to a previously dark kitchen.

I know the internet is full of post summaries at the moment, but I loved this one on the best bedrooms of 2013 on Apartment Therapy. Looks like serene and calm was the theme of the year.

Living in an apartment, I'm probably always going to have a tiny bathroom. To be honest, I'd rather give the space to a kitchen or bedroom. So if you have the same kind of small space that I have, here are some gorgeous small bathrooms featured on Decorology. Does anyone know if I can drill into marble to put up shelves??

food

Joy shares her favorite childhood thai dish - green chicken curry, it's simple, nourishing, and I bet it smells incredible.

I have rhubarb in my freezer and lemons are always available, so perhaps this flourless rhubarb and lemon cake from My Darling Lemon Thyme will be next on my list.

Just in case you didn't do handmade gifts this year, perhaps a new years gift is in order? How about some handmade syrup from My New Roots. Wouldn't your friends love to drizzle some maple and apricot syrup over their pancakes on a Saturday morning?

And how about a lovely satsuma and pomegranate cake from Tartelette to help you enjoy the abundance of citrus at the moment?

Other fun things

Add a little glitter to your life (and your leather) with this project from Say Yes to Hoboken. 

Slim Paley broke with tradition and celebrated the holidays amongst breathtaking scenery in Patagonia! Sometimes tradition is great, but sometimes you need something else.


Happy new year, everyone!