pizza. a love letter to new york.

Pizza.  Not a whole pie but the quintessential slice - one that's just crispy enough that you get the satisfying crack as you fold it in half.  It should be a little too big for the plate, with red pepper flakes that you shake on it from the communal (god, remember communal things) shaker and the right amount of oily cheese. Pizza slices eaten on street corners or stoops or while speed walking to catch a train.  This is what I miss.  At the start of quarantine, eating meals at a leisurely pace with cloth napkins, on real plates, in a silent room, while reading the latest issue of NYMag felt like the luxury I've always wanted.  But now, 6 weeks in, I long to consume something pulled directly from a paper bag, piping hot, surrounded by strangers.   I miss snippets of conversations.  I miss burning my tongue in a rush to eat.  I miss flimsy paper napkins that barely absorb anything despite being giving a stack 1/2 inch high but no one complains because they satisfy a need.  I miss taking all of 3 minutes to eat, looking down and saying a silent thank you to the gods that I didn't manage to get a fleck of tomato sauce on my shirt, and then, finding a trash can to throw away the grease soaked paper plate before rushing off.   

arcade bakery - a love letter (and the story of a relationship).

This week I realized that my relationship with Tyler has been defined by croissants. 

A month into us dating and a couple of weeks after we arrived back to the states from studying abroad in Europe,  Tyler showed up at my dorm room with a French breakfast in bed. Croissants he had gotten after walking a mile to his car and then driving to Wilmington to find the best version available to us in Delaware. There was butter and jam.  I think coffee too.   To this day it remains one my favorite memories (and probably the single most romantic thing he’s ever done - we peaked early!). 

When we moved in together, Saturday mornings were reserved for breakfast together.  For over a decade it's been the same breakfast.  Scrambled eggs with cheese and lots of black pepper.  Toast with butter and jam.  Coffee with milk and sugar. In the summer there may be berries or sliced peaches.  In the winter there could be grapefruit or oranges.  After we finish our eggs, we share a  chocolate almond croissant.

I use the term share loosely because he eats the edges and saves me the center.  The piece with more chocolate and more almond.  Love is giving the person the better piece because you know it means more to them. 

Some people may find the consistency and routine of this odd.  I find it comfortable.  I like having something to always look forward to.  It's a standing date.  It's something I can rely on in a world where everything always feels like it's moving.  

Since the first croissant there have been countless others.  There was the croissant we shared the first weekend we spent in our new apartment after the hurricane.  There was the one we ate after we got engaged on a snowy morning in December while we watched Pitch Perfect.  There were croissants eaten in AirBnB's in Seattle, Washington and in cars while driving home from Maine.     

But, for almost 5 years, our relationship has been defined by a very specific chocolate almond croissant from Arcade Bakery. 

Arcade Bakery is perfect. It's a bakery that feels like a hidden secret but not in a pretentious way.  Instead it comes across as a gem you just stumbled across in the middle of NYC.  It's in the lobby of an office building and you would never know it was there unless you were looking for it or actually stopped to smell the scent of fresh baked bread and asked yourself where its coming from.   You can find me there once a week.  Buying baguettes and loaves of bread and cinnamon sugar brioche and chocolate almond croissants for our Saturday morning breakfast dates.    

The first time we ever shared an Arcade Bakery croissant was on the morning of our wedding.  I couldn't imagine breaking our routine on our wedding day.  Marriage is about the things you love.  The person you love.  I love Saturday morning breakfasts with Tyler.  I wanted to start our marriage that way.

Since then, they've been a constant.  You can almost always find one or two of them in our freezer.  I have the tendency to buy them in multiples just in case I can't get there one week.   Is this something an insane person does?  Probably.  (I've never said I wasn't crazy.)   We reheat them in the oven, wrapped in tinfoil, for about 10 minutes.  They emerge as if they have been freshly baked.   They are prefect.  

On Friday August 2nd, Arcade Bakery closes.  The owner, Rodger, has rheumatoid arthritis and it's too painful for him to bake bread.  I keep thinking about how cruel life can be.   I keep thinking about his this feels like the end of an era. 

I'm currently on what I am referring to as a reunion tour with them.  Finding every opportunity to go there before it closes.  I feel such a visceral reaction to this bakery in the lobby of an office building.  It's been such a part of my life.  It was constant.  It was happiness.   In a lot of ways it's defined my marriage.  Should food define a marriage?  Why not.  Food is a way to connect people. 

Can love exist between the flaky layers of a chocolate almond croissant?  I think it can.  For me it has.   I'm currently stockpiling our freezer so we have what I am now referring to as "the croissant" for at least a couple of more weeks.  I will be saving the last one for our 5 year wedding anniversary.  You take your year old cake.  I'll take the my months old croissant.   

Last night Tyler asked me what's next.   I don't know.  Maybe it's time we find something new.  Doughnuts?  Chocolate rugelach?  Regular chocolate croissants?  At this moment, nothing else feels quite right.   Perhaps each week is a grab bag and we constantly try new things until we settle on a favorite.  He suggested that maybe I could turn this into a new blog series - what comes after a perfect chocolate croissant?  

Trying new things with him wouldn't be the worst idea.  Maybe we can start creating a new set of memories.  Something else I can love so deeply that I always want to return to it week after week.  

anthony bourdain. thanks for being you.

The death of Anthony Bourdain really hit me.  I ready Kitchen Confidential what feels like a decade ago (now I think about it it most definitely was a decade ago).  The book was shocking but I loved its honesty when it came to the underground world of the restaurant industry.  Anthony Bourdain was a badass, fearless, and completely unapologetic about who he was as a person and as a chef.   He was forthcoming about his struggles with drugs, alcohol, and depression and in a world where so many people try and constantly paint an unrealistically rosy picture of their life, Anthony was a breath of fresh air.  He told it like it was.   

My dad, like Anthony Bourdain, taught me to seek out off the beaten path food no matter the location.   BBQ restaurants that look like shacks on the side of a highway in Delaware, hole-in-the-wall empanada spots, BYOB fish-fry restaurants in former dark wood-paneled bars.   Anthony Bourdain made it cool to travel far and wide in search of food that told the story of a place.   He taught you to be adventurous and daring and above all to live fearlessly with an open mind and an open stomach.   I will miss him and his voice.   

my best books of 2017.

The library is 3 blocks from our apartment and earlier this year it re-opened.  Outside of adopting Jackson and getting married, it was one of the best days of my life.   I love libraries (I even worked in one in college though I use the term "work" loosely) and I really love books.  Now that it's back, I've become a bit of a book worm and have spent most of my free time reading rather then watching TV.  It feels really good to read more and I have read A LOT this year.   

While not cooking or cookbook related, I figured I would put together a list of my top 5 books of 2017.  I have fairly electric reading tastes so I think this list includes something for everyone.  So if you are looking for something to hunker down with over the holidays, I hope you can find something on this list to try.   

Also!  Lest you think I wasn't going to be posting about holiday cookies, that is simply not the case.  I have a brownie recipe in my back pocket that will be coming in the next couple of days and I'm currently working on making the perfect ginger molasses cookie.  It is much harder then it looks.  Hopefully sometime next week I'll have that.   

Now without further ado, my best books of 2017 (not necessarily in order).   

1 -  Red Notice by Bill Browder - This reads like a Borne Identity movie (but is in fact a true story!) which would typically be the furthest thing from my wheelhouse but in this political climate, it just worked.   Bill Browder was one of the first foreign investors in Russia and through-out his career he found a lot of ways to make money and he also found that a lot of corruption exists in Russia.  I can't begin to tell you how fascinating this book is (I made Tyler read it when I finished).  

2 - Last Days of Night by Graham Moore - A fictional booked loosely based on the true story of Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse battling among themselves to be the first company to bring electricity to the US.   This is not boring historical fiction, it's exciting and interesting and despite it's length goes quickly.  Another book I've recommended to pretty much everyone.   

3 - The Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne - At almost 600 pages, this is not a short novel, but it is so beautifully done it hurts.  Cyril Avery is born out of wedlock in Ireland in the 1930's (when things like that were frowned upon).   Each chapter takes your an additional 7 years into his life and within each chapter you as the reader find common threads that tie Cyril's past to his future.   This book is gorgeous and it touches upon so many issues (Catholicism in Ireland, AIDS, adoption, etc) and despite all of those heavy topics, it manages to remain somewhat light.   It's truly one of the best books I've ever read.   

4 - Sourdough by Robin Sloan - This book actually has a food related angle.  It's about Lois, a software engineer who moves to San Fran and spends her days coding and her nights unfulfilled.  That is until her favorite takeout place gives her their sourdough starter and she's left to take care of it.  This is a book about the intersection of food and technology.   It's a cute, easy read, and one that I really loved.   

5 - Amanda Wakes Up by Alisyn Camerota  - When I first finished this book I wasn't sure how I felt but the fact that I continue to think about it (a month after I finished it) means I really liked it.  This is chick-lit at it's best - smart, engaging, and fast paced.  It's the story of Amanda Gallo, a TV anchor who gets her big break on FAIR News, a new channel thats trying to be the unbiased news channel during the current presidential election.  While she's working, she realizes she is loosing herself in order to fit the mold of the company she works for.   This book has a LOT of similarities to the 2016 election cycle and now that we are a year out, I can finally read a book like this without feeling like I want to throw something.   

Honorable mentions go to Cork Dork (all about becoming a sommeillier) and Eleanor Ophiliant is Completely Fine (which I just finished!).   

a 2016 christmas wishlist.

Over the last couple of weeks I debated over putting together a Christmas wishlist.  Since buying a home I've developed a strong aversion to things/stuff unless...

1 - The item is insanely practical.

2 - It literally makes my heart skip a beat.   

So needless to say, Christmas which is all about (mostly) impractical objects wrapped in shinny boxes, is leaving me feeling a wee-bit overwhelmed.   Tyler is probably thrilled to hear about this.   

Tyler and I will be gifting to each other a weekend away in January (location TBD) and will be donating to some charities that are going to be negatively impacted by the presidency of you know who (also known as the man who can't-stop-tweeting about things that should be a non-priority TO THE PRESIDENT ELECT).   

Over the last couple of months, I've kept a running list of things our new home needs so without further ado, this is all I (and our home) wants for Christmas.  

1 - A Milk Frother - I previously owned one but it saw it's demise during the great flood of 2012 (i.e. Hurricane Sandy).  I never replaced it because I thought to myself  "you don't really need this" but then when I was home for Thanksgiving my dad made me coffee with frothed milk and it was so much better then coffee without frothed milk.  So yeah, now I want one again.    

2 - A Dust Buster - Asking for this makes me feel as if I'm 50 but yes, I want a dust buster.  We don't have the need for a full-fledged vacuum since the majority of our home is hardwood, but a dust buster for sucking up dust bunnies and pet hair is something we need.  This one fits the bill nicely.   

3 - More Serving Utensils - Tyler and I hosted our first official-large scale holiday soiree this past weekend and it made me realize we could benefit from a couple of more serving utensils.  Keeping with the theme of our apartment, I want them in brass!

4 - Dusters (big and little) - Our apartment is like a dust magnet.  I'm not sure if it's due to us being on the 4th floor or something else but there is so much dust.  We've been using the Swiffer to clean but it just feels so wasteful.  A real old-fashioned duster that can be cleaned and used again and again seems like the perfect solution.   (Big duster also be found here.)

5 - An Angora Beanie - Yes, this is an expensive hat.  When I tried it on, I said to myself this is really nice but you don't really need it.  And yes, I don't really need it, but I can't stop thinking about it.  It's the first hat that I've tried on and just really loved.  The color's great, it's soft, and it actually looks good!  In the winter, you're bundled up and all anyone ever sees's is your jacket and your hat so you might as well wear a really good hat.  

6 - A Garlic Press - I love garlic but I hate mincing it.  Especially for salad dressings since it takes forever to mince it small enough that you don't feel as if you are eating pieces of raw garlic.  This press gets rave reviews from the team over at Serious Eats and for that reason I want it.   

7 - A Quartz Co. Parka - Since adopting Jackson, Tyler and I have spent a lot of time outdoors at the dog park or on walks which has made me realize I really need a nice warm jacket.  I love this one. It's warm, stylish, and Made in Canada.  It costs a lot, but its a jacket you have forever and that makes it worth it.  (Oh and my color choice?  Olive grey (size medium).)   

8 - Soom Tahini - I asked for it last year and I'm asking for it again.  It's the world's best tahini and I need more of it.

9 - A Natural Sheepskin Rug - I've been obsessed with this rug for a while since the tan color feels so different then the white rugs you see everywhere.  It would look great thrown over our chair in the living room and will make everything feel that much more cozy.   

Other random items of interest - a gift certificate for Anson Mills (so I can buy more oats), socks, and Trader Joe's chocolate covered mint faux-oreos (they are awesome). 

Image via Pinterest.

election thoughts. nov. 9th 2016.

Yesterday I left work early to meet Tyler so we could vote together.   For the past 10 months, our evening walks to the dog park with Jackson was an opportunity for us to discuss current events and most notably this election. Voting together felt like a culmination of those conversations.  I was euphoric about voting for the first woman president.  I was even more excited to have my husband doing the same.  That he felt confident in her abilities, her tenacity, and her knowledge to lead the country made me proud.  

And just like that, my feelings of euphoria faded.  I am currently experiencing a profound sense of sadness that I didn't think was possible.  Walking to work this morning, all of Manhattan felt like it was marching towards a funeral.  

Much like Brexit, it feels as if most of this country didn't understand that their actions - electing an arrogant, self-righteous, sexist, racist, pig would result in the financial markets tanking, the world questioning our status as superpower would happen.   Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen.  It appears I am blind to the feelings of 50 million people because I think America is great. Flawed at times (but what isn't) but at the end of the day it's great and I am proud to be an American. It's a country that is ripe with opportunity if you are willing to work hard.   It's a country built on immigrants and hope. 

To think that the endorsement of almost every newspaper in this country, that winning three debates, to actually having experience in politics, and TO WINNING THE POPULAR VOTE would not make you the victor is utterly shocking.  I had to graduate college, have internship experience in finance, and pass a test to get my entry level finance job.  Here we have someone with credentials that include running a company that has lost millions of dollars and hosting a TV show as the new leader of our world.  I'm heartbroken we got here.  

The thing that continues to leave me feeling as if I need to run to the bathroom to throw-up is wondering what the next four years will look like.   We've made great strides in clean energy, monitoring carbon emissions and now we have a president who wants to get rid of the EPA.   We've made progress in LGBT rights, women's rights, gun laws, immigration, among so many other things and all of these things are in jeopardy.  It's possible Trump will piss off our allies.  That we will become an fragmented, insular, and broken country.   It leads me feeling scared in a way I never though possible.  This feels bigger then 9/11.   

My hope is that my worst fears will not be realized.  That because we are a government built on checks and balances that the scariest parts of Trump's campaign will never be realized.   I'm going to continue to wallow through the end of today and tomorrow will be a new day.  This may not be the outcome I believed we would see but it's not the end.   I will continue to fight for a country of progress and inclusion because love trumps hate. 

I told Tyler earlier today that instead of Christmas gifts, that we should donate to different organizations that are endanger due to a Trump presidency (I'm looking at you Planned Parenthood, EarthJustice, and Next Gen Climate Action).  We will continue to do our part to move America forward.   

The glass ceiling will be shattered.     #imstillwithher           

c+t buy a house in jc - part 2 - the renovations never end.

Since the day we closed (which is unbelievably almost 2 months ago), Tyler and I have spent what feels like every waking moment working on our apartment.   It's been a lot of non-stop work.   

I'm so over it.   

I mentioned in my last post that home renovations don't agree with my personality.  I'm a get it done, wrap it up, make everything look pretty as soon as possible kind of person.   I want things done now and I'm married to a person who is perfectly happy with manana (i.e. tomorrow).   It's been an utter challenge working so closely with something who is equally vested in the project but thinks, acts, and works completely different then me.  Get two people together that both think their way is right and in the words of Tyler's wedding vows, fireworks are bound to fly.  

He wasn't kidding.   

But I like to think for all the challenges our personalities bring to the table, we truly in every sense of the word balance each other out.  I light a fire under his butt, he reminds me it's a marathon not a sprint. It's not always easy, but we make it work.   


As I write this, and look back at pictures, I realize we've accomplished a lot in 2 months.  For two people who have never owned a home and never handled a renovation we are getting things done. Slower then I may like (and a lot of times two steps forward and one step back), but things are happening.   I wont lie that I continue to ask myself why I couldn't be happy just moving in not doing any work.  This would have been the significantly easier (and vastly cheaper) option. But we are not that kind of people.  We like fixing things and making them our own and what's the point of a house if you aren't going to make it your home?   

Which leads me to all that has happened in the past two months.  Brand spanking new floors that match through the whole apartment!  A two-tone painted living room and bedroom.  A lime-washed brick wall and open shelves that Tyler built himself.  Fancy new windows were installed that open with the greatest of ease.  I painted kitchen cabinets and marble counters were installed.   We have brand new lights (including a dreamy long arm sconce) that totally change the look and feel of the place.  I got wallpaper on a wall and my god is it beautiful.   I've spent more time on Craigslist, Etsy, and Ebay then I care to reveal but it's a rabbit hole.   

The list of things to still tackle remains insanely long but we are slowly but surely checking things off and making progress.   Much more to come.   Wish us luck.     

(Also, Jackson, as you can see from these pictures, isn't much help but he does provide an endless number of kisses which is appreciated.)   

c+t buy an apartment - part 1 - demo.

So.  

We bought an apartment.  

We also bought a dining room table immediately after buying the apartment because I found the one I've wanted forever for a steal on Craigslist.  So we closed, we rented a U-Haul and we bought a table.  

It's been a big couple of weeks.  

Other big things that have happened?  We've ripped out the wood floors and smashed the kitchen tile into a million pieces.  I ripped the sheetrock off one of the walls in the kitchen to expose the brick and researched a lot of different ways to paint the brick wall (white wash!  lime!).  We picked out kitchen counters! We also hired a big truck to take away all of the demo stuff which was essentially a free crossfit workout.   

To say this has been a learning experience would be a bit of an understatement.   I feel like I've deep-dived into a world where everything is a new and there are so many things to keep track of.   My head is constantly spinning, my lists grow longer by the day, the options are endless. 

But now that demo is done, we can focus on putting everything back together.  This whole thing feels a little like Humpty-Dumpty and it has me questioning our sanity.  But, I keep visualizing the finished product (and chanting “Kitchen of my Dreams, Kitchen of my Dreams”) and that helps a lot.  

I think the hardest part for both Tyler and I is that it feels as if this will never end and that there isn't a break at all.  The past two-weeks have been go-go-go - it's all we talk about, it's all we think about, we allocate almost all our free time to working on it.  I know at some point things will slow down and that this is temporary, but it's hard because it essentially feels like a second job.  But for all the work, there are moments of fun and there are moments when I realize we are building a home that is us.  And that's a pretty exciting thing.         

drum roll...

I've been making an effort to clean out the kitchen cabinets because we bought a house (OK an apartment)! Not officially (yet) but half our life savings is sitting in an escrow account, we have a loan commitment, and we found a contractor to help us with a little renovation. It's weird, strange, and exciting how everything is coming along.  

Our weekends have evolved.  We've been taking road trips to antique filled towns, paint shops, and Home Depot.  On Sunday I spent a couple of hours Mr. Cleaning the crap out of two vintage Bertoia for Knoll chairs that now look brand new (Mr. Clean magic erasers are actually magically). I've been dreaming on tulip tables and gold wallpaper and tile.   It's overwhelming, fun, and an incredible learning experience.    

I'm fortunate that I have a sister who is an interior designer with the most excellent taste and access to all sorts of wonderful things.  Faucets in brass, cement bathroom tiles, fabrics that look like fluffy sheep, the list goes on. She's been great at helping my hone in on a vision and figure out how to optimize the space so it looks and feels the best.   And I'm hoping Mama Bear will give me two of her paintings (that I LOVE).  I keep dreaming about them on the wall.   I have a vision in my head and it looks so good.     

But the best part of all of this is building a home with Tyler and our pup.  Something that feels adultish with a dash of whimsy.   Tyler is really good at envisioning things, re-purposing things, and figuring out how to maximize what we already have.   He brings balance to the situation and (sometimes) a little balance is good.   

So in addition to food, I'm going to use this space to talk about renovations, the merits of honed vs. polished marble, how to find a good wallpaper installer, and so many other things.  It's going to be fun and probably a little messy, but we're excited.   Let the adventure begin.  

austin, tx - a food and antique guide.

Tyler and I left our puppy and headed to Austin a couple of weekends ago.  Sadly, due to the awful thunderstorms they had, we didn't get to experience Austin the way the locals do i.e. outdoors drinking really good local beer and eating breakfast tacos in the sun.  Regardless, we made the most of it.

Austin isn't like the rest of Texas, it's a lot more urban, liberal, and filled with young kids who spend their money on fancy coffee, farmhouse ales, and superb tacos.   It feels a lot like Nashville and Portland (Oregon that is) and it's another one of those cities where I wonder what everyone actually does for a living.  No one seems to get dressed up and go to a corporate job.  Do corporate jobs exist outside of New York?

Despite my misgivings about careers in Austin, it's a fun place to visit.   The food is great and the antiquing is even better (if only we had an apartment we owned to put all of these things in!).  Below is my list of must check out places - mostly food and some shopping (because those are the things I know best).   

El Primo, Tacodeli, Veracruz all Natural - One does not visit Austin without eating at least one breakfast taco. The breakfast taco should be composed of a flour tortilla, egg, and cheese.   Additional add-ins can include avocado (duh), homemade salsas, bacon or chorizo, and if you are like me, beans.   We ate a boat load of breakfast tacos from a range of places and all were really good in different ways.  I can't rank one above the other so if you're smart, you'll visit all 3 spots.  Veracruz all Natural does win points for the absurdly large and utterly delicious mango agua frescas (it's a must order).

Elizabeth St. Cafe - An utterly charming and absurdly adorable Vietnamese cafe.   Their poached shrimp, avocado, and cilantro spring rolls have me dreaming of endless varieties that Tyler and I will consume with abandon this summer (there is no dish more suited for hot summer weather then spring rolls and peanut sauce). The whole menu is exciting, in-expensive, and very delicious.  They also make outstanding macarons in incredibly unusual flavors (I'm looking at you everything bagel) and a dreamy bouchon (which is a fancy French brownie).      

Josephine House - I had this as a maybe on my initial list of places to eat in Austin.  It seemed to hyped for me and I was worried it wouldn't be worth it.  Oh how wrong I was.  I don't think I would visit for dinner but their brunch is magical.   The morning pastries are incredible - buckwheat scones with jam, carrot cake with beets and pistachios.  It's just all around exciting breakfast foods done well and what more does anyone want?   

Launderette - Looking at a restaurants menu, it's easy for me to tell if I'm going to like the place.  Does it do small plates?  Do they have a section devoted to vegetables?   Are there things served on toast?  This restaurant checked off all of those boxes so it was no surprise that we ate there and loved it.   The labneh with beet hummus and everything crackers was light, fresh, and exciting.  (I need to figure out how to recreate.)  Oh! They have adorable birthday cake ice cream sandwiches that are insanely good and are also on my list of things I need to make a version of.  I see them being the dessert of 2016 in our house.    

Uptown Modern - As a mid-century modern junkie, I felt as if I died and went to my version of heaven.  The furnititure is beautiful and decently priced.   They sell an assortment of mid-century knick-knacks as well in case you want something that you can easily transport on a plane.

The Austin Antique Mall - Tyler and I spent several hours perusing this 30,000 square foot space. They have SO MUCH STUFF and not awful junk stuff.  I picked up a pair of amazing 1950's science prints that I'm looking to frame.  It's impossible to leave this place without buying something.   

Uncommon Objects - This place is a madhouse on the weekends since it's on the main strip in downtown Austin, but it has an awesome selection of well edited antiques/curiosities.   Some stuff is priced high, but if you dig through, you'll find some treasures (I picked up some cool candlesticks for $10).   

the home search begins.

Tyler and I have started to casually (or maybe not so casually since we did put an offer down which wasn't accepted) on buying an apartment.   It's funny how we've been together 10 years, gotten married, and adopted a dog and this feels so much more adultish then any of those things.  My parents have lived in the same house for the last 26ish years and in a lot of ways I feel like whatever we buy will be our forever home.  I like the idea of buying something that sees us through many many years.  I like the idea of something permanent.   

A lot of the design shows on TV focus on people flipping houses and maybe I have a romantic notion of what buying a house means, but I'm not looking to do that.  I'm looking to create roots and have something stable.  I want something that we will live in for a long while.  Something that requires (a tiny bit) of demo to turn it into our dream place.  Tyler and I both like fixing things (him at a much slower speed then me but that's OK (sometimes)) and we are trying to find something with good bones. Something that has character, is close to the park, and with some tender love and care, can be transformed into our dream space.  And if it happens to have three closets, well that may be the cherry on top.  

The plus side of all this has been talking design with him.  Leveraging Pinterest as a way to show him what I envision.  I've honestly found the whole process fun because I like the idea of us making a home together.  He's really good at seeing possibility and I'm really good at making that possibility look really freaking fabulous.   We've focused a lot of our attention on the kitchen because if there is any space I use a lot, it's the kitchen.  I have visions of white cabinets and poured concrete and I know I am getting way ahead of myself but I'm OK with that.  It's fun to think about.   I expect when this dream turns into a reality that I'll talk about the process in this space, but for now we are looking, and trying to find our home and I have a lot of inspiration photos so here's a handful of them.   







Images via Pinterest.  

2015 - a year in review.

2015 was a good year.  With 2014 being the year of the wedding, it was nice to return to a state of "normalcy" in 2015. A year where I could focus on myself and the things that make me happy.  It felt good to grow and explore and to enter into a new decade (thirties!).  As I think back over the past 365 days, I feel an overwhelming sense of happiness which makes me feel profoundly lucky.  

2015 was the year of travel - 8 US cities (Boston, Baltimore, Philly, Nashville, Chicago, Portland (OR and ME), and Seattle.  It was the year of the polar vortex and conquering the perfect homemade birthday cake.  There was a lot of reading (especially books about WWII) and discovering the perfect jam (INNA JAM!).  Falling hard for a bakery in Portland, Maine (and obsessing over their banana bread and chocolate chip cookies) and purchasing myself the perfect gold hoop earrings as a 30th birthday present.  A weekend trip to Hudson, N.Y. that involved a pretty sweet pool and a phenomenal firework show.  I made homemade nutella and then ate it all myself (it was that good).  I got into running (or as into it as someone who doesn't really like running can).  I listened to a lot of podcasts and Adele Hello on repeat.   I discovered Anson Mills and fell in love with their flours.  I rode a horse on the beach and hiked a waterfall.  I consumed one too many doughnuts and had the perfect summer beach day with my husband.   I tackled homemade ice cream cake and the perfect roast chicken.  I ate some killer ham sandwiches and some equally amazing poached pears.  I learned to make a smashed burger that can satisfy my Shake Shack cravings and found the closest thing to the perfect pair of jeans.  There was an unexpected and incredibly awesome date night involving Superiority Burger and ice cream. I celebrated one year of marriage with Tyler over an unseasonably warm weekend in Chicago and finally saw the Bean!  And then there was the puppy - the newest member of the Cavagnolo/Randall family and definitely the most adorable member.  He has stolen our heart.  Not a bad way to end the year.  

2016 - There will be more traveling (Nashville again, maybe Austin or New Orleans, possibly LA, most definitely Italy (I hope)).  There will be a lot more chocolate almond croissants and lazy Saturday mornings.  I hope to edit my life and teach myself to buy less (but better).  I will make more of the things on my list of things to cook (like rice balls and babka!) and I will try not to get hung up on things that don't matter.  Bring it on.   

dear santa - my 2015 christmas wishlist.

It's funny, but as I've gotten older, I've wanted less stuff.  5 years ago I would have only considered something a gift if it came in a box and wrapped in a bow but now at 30, I feel comfortable with experiences as gifts or getting a single gift instead of a plethora of items.  I find experiences less stressful (they don't take up room in your apartment) and they are something to look forward to. Don't get me wrong, I still love beautiful objects (I'm looking at you my new Common Projects sneakers) but now when I want something I just buy it for myself because I can (except for the Celine bag I've been lusting over for about 2 years now...).

Yet Christmas isn't Christmas without there being at least one box for me under the tree.  For as long as I can remember I have always acted like a 7 year old come Christmas morning.  Waking up all my siblings, helping to sort gifts, there is something magical about it.  So I've rounded up a handful of items I would be more then happy to see on the morning of December 25th and for the most part, they are all practical, and they are all beautiful.  

1 - Gjelina Cookbook - Look, I like cookbooks.  I like referring to them and being inspired by them and curling up with a cup of tea and reading them front to back.  The Gjelina one is the one I am most excited about since they share my food philosophy - preparing vegetables in fun and innovative ways so you don't feel like you are eating vegetables.  I can't even begin to tell you how pumped I am to read it.

2 - Unreal Peanut Butter Cups - These are crack.  I read about them on NYMag and then found them at Whole Foods and now I am buying a pack a week.  They aren't cloyingly sweet the way Reese's are - instead they taste like real nut butters and real chocolate.  A novel concept when it comes to candy.  I'll take a box of 100 please (50 of the Almond Butter and Dark Chocolate and 50 of the Dark Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter cups).  THANKS!

3 - I have been on the hunt for what feels like a year now for a longer gold necklace. A necklace that is substantial but not obnoxiously so, modern and chic and not overly girly.  It has been an extremely difficult battle to find something that looks and feels right, but I think this Chloe necklace is it.  It's adjustable, gold, and graphic in a classic kind of way.  It will look good with a cashmere sweater now and a tee-shirt come summer and it is somehow both work and weekend appropriate.  It's also timeless which is something I look for when I buy jewelry (especially jewelry that costs more then $20).  I think it's love.

4 - I plan on repainting our bathroom this winter (yes Tyler, it's happening) and in doing so, feel strongly about replacing the bathmat we have since no matter how many times we wash it, it always looks dirty (note, never buying an off-white or white bath mat again).  My sister the ever knowledgeable interior designer suggested we paint the space the same color as the floor (to make it feel bigger!) and use accessories to add color/patterns to the space.  I am taking her advice (she has very good taste) and think this bath mat or this one could be a nice addition to the space.   

5 - Is it weird to ask for tahini?  If so I don't care.  I've read that this stuff makes all other tahini taste like garbage and considering how often I use tahini, I think using the best of the best is the only logical thing to do.

6 - Ever since our wedding (and browsing for plateware) I've developed an absurd love affair with ceramics.  I like that even when not in use (i.e. a vase without flowers) they still add a beautiful element to the home.  I've been hunting almost exclusive for a beautiful ceramic vase and the work of Romy Northover has stolen my heart.  Her vases are simple yet special and I would love to have one in our apartment.  Something like this, this, or this. 

7 - Do you know how difficult it is to find good rain boots?  It is a lot more difficult then it should be.  In New York the default rain boot is the tall Hunter ones but I personally can't pull them off.  I much prefer an ankle boot (practical in the winter and the spring).  My current pair is currently nearing it's death (it did survive a hurricane) and it's time for me to wear something that isn't completely ripped.  These Rag and Bone boots are on the pricier side but my god are they chic and they don't scream rain boot (to note -all reviews say to size down if you are a half size)!   

8 - Apparently it only took Tyler and I being together for 10 years for his do-gooder ways to rub off on me.  If you are looking to donate to charities City Harvest (which collects food from restaurants that would have been thrown away to serve to the needy) and Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue are two of my personal favorites.  Or you can adopt a puppy for me from Badass, I am totally OK with that.  

tandem bakery portland, maine - a review.

Drop me in just about any city in America and I will find the best bakery.  This is probably not the most practical of skills one can have, but I am personally pretty proud of it.  It also ensures that we eat well no matter where we go and I'm 93% sure that is one of the top 5 reasons Tyler keeps me around (it also ensures we travel to obscure parts of every city we visit to try the best bakeries which I think makes traveling all the more fun).

Last week, I finally made it to Tandem Bakery in Portland, Maine.  I've tried their treats before (yes I ask people to bring me cookies) but actually being able to visit the space that I've read so much about was such a treat (pun intended).

Tandem started off as coffee roaster and recently they branched out by creating a bakeshop to go with their most delicious coffee (their latte with housemade almond milk is awesome).  I think it's the best decision they could have ever made.  Their baked goods involve subtle riffs on the classics. Chocolate chip cookies with an abundance of flaky sea salt that leaves me thinking all other chocolate chip cookies lack salt, jalapeno cheddar biscuits that ooze cheesiness, banana bread covered in turbinado sugar and black sesame seeds (a personal favorite), and fully loaded biscuits (i.e. halved and slathered in butter and jam) which may be the greatest breakfast food ever.  It's the kind of place I wouldn't mind hunkering down in daily and if I lived in Portland, I imagine I would.

And then there are sandwiches and pie (!!) which I have yet to consume but will be consuming on our next visit.  Those make an appearance in the afternoon which means I recommend visiting once in the morning, taking a walk around Portland, and the high tailing it back there for an afternoon meal (at least that's what I plan on doing in the future).

Oh and the space is gorgeous.  An old gas station that was probably once dark and depressing has turned into a blindingly clean and minimalistic space with incredible wood counters and an equally awesome chandelier that anchors the room.  I'm ready to move in.  

thoughts on seattle, wa (and the best things we ate).

I didn't expect it to happen, but I fell in love with Seattle.  It' hard for me to articulate why, but the city just pulled me in.  It's urban and yet it has the feel of a small town.  Seattle is big, it felt far bigger then New York, but it's divided into pockets and each pocket has it's own identity.  You could criss-cross the entire city and feel as if you've traveled a great distance and yet you only traveled a couple of miles.  And the restaurant scene!  Oh man.  It's freaking phenomenal.  I swear I am ready to move there.  So ready in fact that at one point, I was on Zillow and Indeed looking at apartments and jobs trying to envision what my life would look like if I left the East Coast for the West Coast.  

Tyler and I have already discussed heading back out there next year and visiting Seattle and Vancouver.  Practically everyone I met said if you like food you have to visit Vancouver so you know I am sold on it.  But we aren't here to discuss future meals.  We are here to discuss the best things I ate in Seattle.  Without further ado...

The Walrus and The Carpenter was one of those restaurants that I was petrified I wasn't going to have the opportunity to try.  It doesn't take reservations, it's the size of a shoebox, etc.  But the afternoon before we headed home, Tyler and I stopped by for an early bird dinner.  I think it worked out for the best because early birds get the happy hour special of half off oysters.  What I realized is that I still don't love oysters. To be honest, I don't really get the point of them but I do love clams and I really LOVE sardines with a parsley and walnut gremolata.  I will be dreaming about both those dishes until the end of time.   

The best dessert on this trip goes to the chocolate, banana, peanut cake from Honore Artisan Bakery. When I tell you it was dreamy and probably one of the best desserts I've ever eaten, I'm not lying. Chocolate fudge surrounded a roasted banana and caramelized peanut center.  My description will never do it justice, just go and buy it.   

Pizzeria Gabbiano is open only on weekdays and sells a Roman style pizza by weight.  The beauty of this is that you can get a little bit of everything and have your own little pizza tasting.  I was particularly fond of the peppers and corn bechamel pizza but you really can't go wrong with any of them.  A perfect spot to hit after walking through the Chihuly Museum.   

If you are in search of drinks, try Damm the Weather.  The food is supposed to be killer as well but we had sushi reservations that night and I wasn't going to spoil my appetite.   

The sushi at Mashiko is hands down the best sushi I have ever had.  Anyone can fly in fancy fish from Tokyo but it takes a really special restaurant to go the sustainable route and make sushi that is exciting, delicious, and down-right addicting.  I ate a lot of fish I had never had before and I got to witness a truly passionate sushi chef in her element, both of those things made this a truly incredible meal.  Also! They take reservations and if you make one, be smart and sit at the sushi counter.   

The Whale Wins, a sister restaurant to the Walrus and the Carpenter served the kind of food I can never get enough of i.e. small plates of vegetables prepared in remarkably exciting ways.  Everything we ate I would happily eat again. Especially the dragon's tongue beans with feta and red pepper and the grilled zucchini bread with creme fraiche (which I may have already made my own version of).  Every city should have at least 3 restaurants like this.       

And last but not least, Cafe Besalu whose croissants and cheese danishes are some of the best I have ever had.  We were fortunate to be staying about 2 blocks away which means I ate a cheese danish everyday for 3 days straight and I'm not sorry I did that. There seasonal fruit danishes are equally exciting.  If your smart, you'll get a little bit of everything and share with someone you love.