sailing takes me away

On a beautiful fall afternoon, I spotted a few sailboats on the Hudson River. The best views are definitely on this side of the city, and I could spend all day just watching the activity on the waterfront. There's also a great walking path along the water so getting a nice scenic run is always a nice option. I thought everyone could enjoy seeing some boats out on the water.

I woke up today in London

It's true, I really did wake up in London today after a cross Atlantic plane ride. Since this trip is more about business then pleasure, I might not have the opportunity to really find some new favorite things in the UK. In preparation, I thought all the things I love from Britian, so I'll give you a top 5 list in no particular order.
1) Harry Potter (particularly Ron Weasley)
2) Tea (seems so civilized)
3) Royalty (who doesn't want to be Kate? or at least have her fashion sense)
4) Posh accents - everything sounds smarter in a British accent
5) Double Decker Buses

what's the story morning glory

What a lovely surprise for my mailbox this week, mixed among the magazines, credit card offers, and bills was this beautiful card from one of my favorite people (and ever loyal blog reader). I couldn't resist taking a photo and sharing the classy card with everyone. I love the flowers as well as the sparkles - doesn't everyone love shiny things? All I have left to say is thank you for making my week!

how you sparkle how you shine

Every girl needs a few "night on the town" tops. I purchased this one from Piperlime to give a bit more spark in my Friday and Saturday night wardrobe choices.  I love pairing this with my skinny black pants, which definitely are a weekend staple and pair of flats or pumps (depending on how much walking/hobbling can be tolerated). The stripes are pretty flattering too, which is a bit plus with this top. The looks is great for a trendy bar, or a club, but can also be played down at more low key establishment.

blow away dandelion

I love shopping on Etsy, it's definitely a great way to get unique items without taking the time to scour flea markets or boutique shops. I recently purchased this beautiful handmade necklace from the Ukraine. I love the intricate details and the vintage appeal of this necklace. I am reminded of treasures one would find while poking through a grandmother's jewelry box.

Take me out to the ball game

I've lived and worked in New York area for a while now, and in the past year I realized how many sights and places I haven't seen. My bucket list was born on a summer afternoon, in which I sat down with the guidebooks I've been hoarding, and started to pick out things I need to see, do and experience. Not too far from the top of my list was a trip to the new Yankee Stadium. Surprisingly, I had made to the original stadium before the upgrade occurred. On a fine September night, I made my first trip to the new stadium to watch America's sport and to silently cheer against the Yankees (I grew up in  Red Sox's country, it's blasphemous to even consider to root for the home team on this field). It was a bit overwhelming to see all the people in their Yankees gear, but the game was a lot of fun. There definitely something about being at the game in person, baseball is way more exciting in the stands then at home on tv.

Photo by Jared

With a rebel yell

Red wines- definitely one of my go to drinks. I enjoy the aromas, as well as the rich tastes most red wines provide. I am not much of a wine connoisseur, I pretty much pick out wines based on price point and where it is from (Argentina, Australia, Napa Valley), and sadly can admit I am drawn to fun brands and pretty labels.  All those reasons are why I choose to try Middle Sister's Rebel Red, plus the fact I kept telling someone recently I am a rebel- this wine practically had my name on it. A delightful blend, with some fruity flavors but not to strong, I definitely will be crying for "more, more, more".

pour some sugar on me

I made these delightful gluten free blackberry danishes from this recipe over the weekend as a test run before guests come to town in a few weeks (I halved the recipe). Though not quite what you would expect when eating a regular danish, these are bit more cake like then a flaky pastry, this danish is not a bad substitute. Hopefully these will be a hit when I make them fresh for breakfast in the future.

No Sleep till Brooklyn

View of the center of the Brooklyn Bridge (photo from wikipedia)

For people who spend most of their time in Manhattan or slightly west of the city, traveling to Brooklyn is almost as daunting as breaking out your passport to go to a foreign country. On a slightly cloudy fall afternoon, I made the journey across the Brooklyn Bridge, which gives gorgeous city views, as well as a chance to walk around Dumbo. The bridge itself is unique, as the pedestrian walkway is above the traffic, definitely gives the feeling of being on top of the world. There's a great park too, right under the bridge that you can see Lady Liberty, as well as just enjoy people watching. I also just loved being able to walk around the neighborhood with lots of brownstones and quaint stores.

Oooh, you can wear my jacket

Finally, the temperatures are dropping a bit, which means it's time to breakout the fall jackets.  I definitely shouldn't have been shopping for a new jacket, but I had to have this cute sweatshirt/jacket hybrid from Loft.  I love the detail of the wide collar and the cinched in waist, so that the jacket is slimming, instead of looking boxy. The length is perfect for a casual look for the weekend, paired with jeans and t-shirt. It's also complementary with work clothes for commuting in and out each day.

Don't Drink the Water

Water, it's one of the best things you can drink. I've been striving to drink a lot of water during the day for the obvious reasons, it helps keep your skin looking great, and getting in hydration before the gym. I love these water bottles by bobble - with the built in filter, now there no excuse no to drink water all the time. The bottle itself is light, the filters are replaceable so once it gets icky, you can by a new one and keep drinking. One of the added perks is how environmentally friendly this water bottle is, every filter purifies at least 300 bottles of water, which means less waste overall.

Today is a birthday- they're smoking cigars

My sister celebrates her birthday this week, and she has finally decided that she wants the "it" bag. Most of my friends have the Longchamp tote, I am also no exception - I have two. I find these bags cute and functional - it's amazing how much you can fit in the larger one- computer, sneakers, gym clothes, and the small one holds your standard purse items, as well as a cardigan on those cold nights. Even if I don't initially use it when going on vacation, I always toss one into my suitcase. The bag folds down to the size of a t-shirt, and it's then available for all those extra items one tends to purchase while out of town. Hopefully, my sister enjoys her new bag as much as I love mine.

Flowers and Football

Football season kicked off this weekend, and I couldn't be more excited for fall. Finally, it's time to kickback on Sunday afternoons and watch my favorite team hopefully have a winning season. Okay, I am not that diligent of a fan, I live outside of the broadcast area, and well, I have better things to do on Sunday afternoons then spend four to five hours watching the Patriots kick some tail at a bar. Autumn weather is by far my favorite, the air is cool, but not so cold that you need a big coat. This is definitely the time of year to get out and spend time outside before the snow and frigid temperatures causes hibernation. I have a few things on my must do list before fall shifts to winter, including apple picking, running a 5K race (at least one, maybe more), pumpkin carving, and learning to make gluten free danish.

She was just like Pumpkin Pie

Well it's officially fall, at least fall flavors are everywhere again. Starbucks now has the pumpkin lattes, which means trying not to have one every afternoon at work. I've been waiting all summer to make pumpkin vanilla cupcakes (of course in the gluten free variety). One of my good friends in Boston has been making these for years, and I associate them with fall and the fact that every time I visit she makes me something delicious to eat.  I made mine with this recipe from Bob's Red Mills, which yielded 12 regular cupcakes and about 12 mini-cupcakes. I couldn't resist buying Halloween themed cupcake liners, because nothing goes better with pumpkins then Halloween.

But Maybe I'm Crazy

My fridge needed a serious overhaul, there were items all over the place, and I'd just look at it and be like hmmm, what should I eat? Well now, it's so organized, it would make an OCD sufferer relax. I individually prepared all my snacks, including berries, grapes, and baby carrots in a way that I can just grab and toss into my work bag. I also realized I need to buy some things to eat for dinner, because all I seem to have is fruits, vegetables, yogurt and plenty of drinks. I am hoping I can maintain this level of organization for a while, because it will truly make life a little simpler.

dress with the tights underneath

Good golly, my office building must be trying to prepare us to relocate to Alaska because it feels like it's time to start wearing tights to work. September is usually when I get antsy to start wearing more fall styles even though the weather's not quite there. I am really not trying to rush autumn in, but it's my favorite time of year. One of the true signs the season is changing is a pair of opaque tights. I am definitely a skirt girl, I feel much more dressed in a skirt then pants and tights definitely allow me the opportunity to rock skirts all winter long. I don't know how some girls do the barelegged look in the winter, just thinking about it makes me cold.  I am a big fan of HUE tights, mainly because of the vast variety of colors and textures they make. I tend to lean towards blacks, primarily because most of my skirts go with black, but maybe this is the year I try pink.

Mr. Postman Look and See, You Got a Letter in Your Bag for Me?

Letter writing tools including stationery from the Met and Target.

I love to send my friends random cards, just because I like them (the friends and the cards). It's always a sneak attack, you never now when I am going to feel the need to make sure someone receives the "I am sending this just to say hello" card. Letter writing is definitely an art form, particularly in this world of technology, where email and text messaging are the standard forms of communication. One girl is taking the letter writing world by storm by writing a handwritten letter every single day in 2011. I really enjoy reading Letters from Lauren, she's extremely thoughtful, has darling penmanship, and has excellent taste in stationery. I think everyone should try to send someone a piece of mail at least once in a while, as it truly brightens my day when I see mail that's not a bill or a catalogue.

Ah, We Fade to Grey, Fade to Grey

The finished product.

You're never fully dressed without a pedicure. I think everyone enjoys having freshly painted nails, even if not expertly done (though that is more preferred when there's time), painted toes make you feel like your feet are ready to be seen.Now that summer warmth is heading for the boarder, I felt ready for a nice fall shade on the toes, something a bit more sophisticated over the hot pinks and light greens I gravitate towards in the summer time. I picked up this grey polish called "money maker" at Sephora. This is definitely a toe nail color, it's a nice opaque grey blue, that feels a bit dark for my fingers, but probably will be a regular polish on the toes. I'd like to find a lighter grey for my manicure, so the quest for the perfect shade continues...

Want a Splendid Pie, Pizza-Pizza Pie

I am gluten free, which means that grabbing a slice as so many people do is no longer an option. Pizza is one of those foods that I am not willing to do without. I found a great pizza mix for the gluten free population (it's also dairy free too), from Namaste Foods. The great thing about the mix is the only two ingredients that are needed are water and a tiny bit of olive oil. I recommend halving the recipe for an individual pizza, instead of making a big one unless you are sharing with a group. I prefer this pizza freshly made, as the leftovers are a little soggy when reheated. From mixing it up, to baking it the total preparation to noshing take about 30 minutes, the standard for most delivery places.

Your Kiss is on My Lips

My mother is a true lady, she won't leave the house without her lipstick. I have rolled my eyes as she prepares to go to Jazzercise, but can't leave the house without applying a fresh shellac of color across her pout. I wish I inherited her confidence of wearing lipstick, however I feel like I look a little clownish when I try to wear it, but I'll be taking baby steps in my transformation to grown up. I love the Burt's Bees tinted lip gloss, because it's fool proof. Similar to the Burt's chapstick, the small tube has a hint of color that is subtle yet dignified. My current shade of choice is the Red Dahlia, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of the varieties. This is a definite step up from Bonne Bell.

It's not that easy being green...

Famous words from my favorite muppet - Kermit the Frog. I met up with some friends the other night for some impromptu hanging out. We ran into Ricky's as someone needed to replace a pair of flip flops. Ricky's is like a treasure trove of interesting accessories, makeup and apparently footwear (not only did they have flip flops, there were also rainboots). I wasn't really looking for anything particular, but put me in front of a sunglasses rack and I've  got to try on at least five pairs. I found these surprisingly delightful mint green frames, which despite the initial thought I'd look a bug, only made me wish I found them long before the end of the summer.  Best part, these beauties didn't break the bank at only $10. So as Kermit figured out,  I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful.