These things

I find myself tongue-tied when it comes to blog posts these days - or is the correct phrase finger-tied? It would seem so easy to just sit down and rattle off a glib sounding paragraph about how my life is these days, and what I've been up to since we last connected. But, my fingers stutter on the keyboard - with all these things I want to say. All in all it's nothing earth shattering, we've been busy, freezing, and waiting for warmer days. I could tell you how beautiful the city has been, even in this arctic weather, but then you already know that.

In any case, it's high time I did a post roundup. So we can at least start there.

interior design

Holly Becker at Decor8 is due with her baby boy any day now, but in the meantime she shares her totally inspiring nursery with us.

Feel like you want to share your own interior project? Head to Decorology if you've got something to submit. I'm thinking about sharing our recently redone girls bedroom (hint: we got bunk beds!).

White floors, always a yes. From Anna at Door Sixteen.

food

I'm kind of fascinated with the thought of food in a jar. Aren't you? This cherry cheesecake recipe from Thistlewood Farms seems to be the perfect place to start.

Goal for this weekend: make this recipe for cheese blintzes from Smitten Kitchen.

I'm all over shrimp at the moment for some reason, and this spicy shrimp pozole with avocado and bacon from The Crepes of Wrath.

hard to define

Paddington Bear for Baby Gap?! I'm all over this.

Leandra at The Manrepeller makes a good case for not drinking coffee anymore.


I have to prepare a book post for you soon, as I find myself reaching for a book more often than the ipad these days. I'm nose deep in an amazing sci-fi series lately and often just barely jump off at my stop on the train before the doors close! And then sometimes, I'll look up and the train will be pulling in to Astor Place. Working my way back up to Union Square from there really isn't fun. Update: I'm taking a break from my sci-fi series to read The Goldfinch. It's all anyone can talk about around here.


Have a great weekend, and happy Korean and Chinese new year!!

Best interior design blogs you're not reading (yet)

It's so cold outside, and my brain can't process the hundreds of posts I normally read. So instead of curating posts today, I thought I'd let you in on a few of my favorite interior design blog reads. These are the ones you should absolutely be adding to your must-read list:


Design for Mankind
Erin has this knack for tackling the toughest topics in life with grace and aplomb, and trips to her site always leave me feeling fulfilled and educated (which you cannot say for a lot of sites). She also recently started Clementine Daily - a lifestyle site for the modern woman.

Pure Style Home
Washington DC-based designer, Lauren Liess somehow runs a successful interior design business, writes a blog, and raises three boys with her husband. And, she has just opened a brick and mortar store in the DC area!

My Scandinavian Home
Escape to the mostly white world of Scandinavian design through this site curated by a London-transplant now living in Sweden. I go here for visual inspiration and always come away relaxed.

A House in the Hills
Sarah Yates provides a little bit of everything on this site, from interiors to food to fashion. Her style is impeccable and her running commentary on her favorite interior design posts from around the web are always enlightening.

Slim Paley
Slim started her blog in 2009 on a dare, and now it's a daily read for so many of us. She takes one topic in design and runs with it and shows you how that trend shows up in multiple places and disciplines. Super cool.

A Bloomsbury Life
Lisa describes herself as a domestic explorer, and I'd totally agree. From in-depth analysis of an LA mansion to her current post on the secret parts of Victorian England, she constantly amazes me with her attention to detail and nose for hidden gems. Plus, Lisa is publishing her first book this fall, and I can't wait!


Okay hope you enjoyed these recommendations! Note: I could have led you to super biggie sites like Little Green Notebook, Decor8, SF Girl By Bay, and Young House Love (and I do love those too) but I thought you'd appreciate some recommendations that you perhaps didn't already read. :)

My window

Turtle Pond

 With young children to put to bed at a somewhat decent hour, we weren't really able to be out and about with other partygoers on New Year's Eve. Instead, we flung our windows wide at the stroke of midnight and screamed "happy new year!" to the city from 25 floors up. I'm pretty sure some revelers on the street may have replied, their answers floating back up to us on the chilly 2014 air. I know I did the same thing when the news confirmed that Obama had been elected - I stuck my head out the window and yelled my joy to the city. I waved at people in the building across the street, thrilled that I was bringing my first child into a world where we finally had an inspiring leader.

People say that sometimes you can feel lonely in New York City, even amid the rushing and the pushing, and the hustle and the bustle. But in those celebratory moments, when the city is bursting with communal happiness, you can actually feel the connections in the air, a solid, tangible string of emotion between buildings. On New Year's Day we took a long and very chilly walk in Central Park - reminding me of family walks we took every January 1st, although in a very different setting. It felt like the best way to start the new year, and we arrived home with frozen fingers and pink cheeks, happy to sink onto the couch with a satisfied sigh and a cup of tea.

Opera singer performing in Central Park on New Year's Day

food

Not sure how Molly at Remedial Eating made me swoon over the thought of leeks, but swoon I did.

Donal's post on his Irish Christmas made all of my childhood memories come flooding back. From sausages and rashers for breakfast to the anticipation of the arrival of family members so we could finally start the big Christmas day dinner which was always turkey or goose, it made me long to recreate that here in the city.

Loving this simple and delicious-sounding salted rosemary latte from Megan at Passports & Pancakes.

And if you're more of a tea drinker, then you have to check out these vegan earl grey chocolate shakes from Laura at The First Mess.

interior design

In the midst of this polar vortex we're experiencing I'm dreaming about relaxing in this Aussie beach shack posted by Desire to Inspire.

Ideas for a more efficient kitchen here on BHG Style Spotters - I'm coveting those pull out pantry shelves.

I guess I'm all about the kitchen today (it is one of my 2014 goals to organize that space in a better fashion) and in case you're redoing your kitchen (I have friends who are) take heart from this post from Centsational Girl on kitchen trends that are here to stay.

Stay warm everyone!