Sunday at Terrain

Last weekend, while down in the Philadelphia area for a family bridal shower, I had the chance to stop into one of my favorite stores, Terrain!  My sister, mother and I spent the afternoon wandering aimlessly through the rooms, greenhouses and gravely aisles of the garden store that is so much more than plants.  Seriously, I could spend an entire day there, looking everything over, and then looking again.  And they have a perfect little cafe, to boot, so when you're in need of a shopping break, you can hop in line for a bubbly spritzer and cheese platter.

My love of Anthropologie is no secret, and so when I discovered Terrain a year or so ago, I began making it a regular stop on my trips to PA.  This time around, I picked up a few more weck jars to add to my collection, three new terrarium plants, and - finally - a simple glass cloche, and item that's been waiting patiently on my want list for a long, long time. 

Little weekend close to home

Bonjour, mon petit blog.

Don't you just love weekends at home?  Nothing to do but soak up plenty of quality time under soft, warm blankets, nestled deep in couches and pillows, watching sitcom reruns and pbs specials, sipping herbal tea and playing board games with friends in the evening.  This weekend we made time for some errands, reading and work (for AChef), but also found room to grab coffee and bagels on Sunday morning and head to the local flea market, where we found a box of green depression compote dishes, a lovely little letterpress block of a carriage, and a postcard of a french castle.  Afterwards, we took a long walk along the creekwalk right up to the shore of Onondaga Lake.  I love fresh air.  After weeks of work, travel, stress, fluctuating weather and social outings, nothing is more envigorating for me than a walk with no more agenda than taking in the surroundings and totally relaxed conversation.


As spring begins, there's so much more to think about.  In addition to considering graduate school and a big move, I'm starting to take focus on some lifelong ambitions, from pet-ownership to running a half marathon to my own creative and artistic needs.  2012 is just beginning.  What are your hopes and plans for the spring and summer to come?
 

Last weekend, in review

{creekwalk}

 

 

 

{late fall colors}

{dinner at Chipotle/campus at night}

Last Saturday AChef and I found ourselves itching for a small adventure, and wanting to soak in a little bit of the cold, fresh November air.  We made our way downtown to Armory Square, where we picked up somewhere at the south end of the semi-new Creekwalk.  The creek that rolls through parts of downtown Syracuse, and into some of the outer neighborhoods, is something that I have, until recently, known to be less than appealing.  I remember it winding through some of the more intimidating blocks that I often drove through between school and home as a teenager.  And as a city-raised girl, I am not too easily intimidated.  I also have vague memories of crossing the creek downtown, my strongest memory being the scent eminating from the water.  Still, I wanted to give the creekwalk a chance.  

Some amazing things are going down in Syracuse in terms of urban vitality and artistic movements.  Though the creekwalk is a city project, it's still a move in the right direction, connecting small sections of vibrant city life to one another.  We began our Saturday afternoon trek promptly at Walton Street (only about a block from the true beginning of the creekwalk) and made it all the way to Franklin Square before we decided it was time to turn back in search of a nice Starbucks peppermint mocha.  Every inch of our travel on the creekwalk was infused with Syracuse iconography: Armory Square, Dinosaur BBQ, Niagara Mohawk, Franklin Square, Freedom of Espresso... 

I admitted something to AChef on our small jaunt down the sidewalk, something that I have such mixed feelings about, but I can hardly characterize as a negative emotion: I'm starting to love Syracuse.  YIKES!  Something I never thought would happen.  I never hated the city, but also I never anticipated wanting to live here as an adult.  Let's be honest, most people do not want to settle in the city they were born in, no matter how fabulous it is.  There are just SO many more amazing and diverse places on earth to discover and to set down roots!  Still, I am recognizing some truly unique things about Syracuse, and the Craft Chemistry/Funky Flea/Salt City Urban Market/30 Below/Red House/Armory Square type of life is hard to resist.  I want to be a part of it.  There is something truly appealing about a medium-sized city:  when amazingly artistic and innovative things begin to happen, it feels possible to be involved.

We ended last weekend's adventure day with Starbucks and dinner at the Chipotle on Marshall Street (yes, I admit it, I love mildly trendy eateries), but I was left with the lingering thoughts of where to nest next.  Who knows what's in store?  I can only hope for adventure and fulfillment.  I'll keep you in the loop.

A true nature walk

A late afternoon at Beaver Lake.

1.  Welcome to the Deep Woods Trail  2.  Moss  3.  Tiny mushrooms  4.  Underside of a toppled tree  5.  Beaver Lake at early evening  6.  A friend in the woods  7.  A curious plant  8.  Who lives here?

We'll be back soon.

Christmastime in the City...

Yesterday we made our annual trek to the city.  It included all the usual stops - Macy's (to see the windows, decor, and to pick up an ornament), the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (of COURSE), a yummy trip to Chipotle (we switched things up this year and went for lunch with my lovely Best Gal Jess), and some shopping at Anthropologie. 

Macy's at Christmastime

 

'Miracle on 34th Street' themed window displays at Macy's

The tree!

We went to the NBC Experience store, too.  I'm newly obsessed with the Today Show, especially Al Roker, so I wanted to look for goodies, but we were very quickly distracted by the 'Office' memorabilia, and so I totally forgot to look for Today Show stuff!  Anthony bought me an "I <3 Jim" t-shirt.  It's awesome.  I put it on over my turtleneck on the train ride home.   

It was a little bittersweet, knowing that we probably won't be visiting NYC again next December, but I know we'll be finding new traditions and probably visiting a city tree wherever we are.  Someday I want to ice skate again around the holidays!  I can't even remember the last time I went, and I'm pretty sure I'll be awful at it the next time I try, but nonetheless...

Did I tell you that I watched Prancer on TV on Friday?  It was just like the old days.

A Typical Sunday

1. Donuts and iced coffee

2.  Barn Sale

3.  Grocery shopping

4.  Lots of cleaning and a little decorating

Turns out Sundays aren't so bad.

Weekend Adventures, Rain and the Headless Horseman

Two of my besties came to visit over the weekend!  We lounged around in the living room, we played Lego Indiana Jones on the XBox, we bought a chicken suit, a globe and tried on winter hats at Target, we sipped Starbucks mochas, we made not one, but two trips to Sleepy Hollow, we drank wine and played The Office board game, and we shared stories of work and college.  What a weekend.  Now I think it's time for a nap.

Chef

Best Gal                                Me                                     Pids

4 Years

Another October, another anniversary :)  Here's how we spent this October 16th:

Work.
Parents Weekend.
Spaghetti dinner in front of the TV.
Trivia Night (work).

Happily enough, we found more time in the rest of the weekend to celebrate:

Iced coffee and donuts.
Trip to the Barn Sale (I couldn't resist).

Saturday matinee.

Sunday dinner at Santa Fe.

  

Movie at home (Happy-Go-Lucky), fire and Sunday evening relaxing.

It's here.

Yesterday was the FIRST DAY OF FALL. This is exciting stuff. I already have all sorts of grandiose plans for the season, including some family and friend visits, and a few adventures related to perhaps my favorite holiday - Halloween! It's always a race for me to savor the season and squeeze in as many fall-ish activities as possible before the deliciously crisp air and colorful scenery fade away...this morning I started a list, so as not to forget one single drop of fall-flavored adventures.

5 things to do this autumn:

1) Bikerides, lots and lots of them. We're putting some finishing touches on our bikes (a few minor repairs) and then the refreshing air and views of the leaves in early evening will be all ours.

2) Legend Weekend Nights. I have been looking forward to this for months. Who could pass up an opportunity to view the Headless Horseman riding through spooky forests?

3) Apple and pumpkin picking. Need I say more?

4) Decorate! Spanish moss, cinderella pumpkins, skulls, black crows, creepy spiders...oh my!

5) Cider and soccer games. Just a short walk across campus to the game. We bring the cider ourselves. Last night we bought folding chairs for $7 apiece; now we'll be enjoying the games in style!


...and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

photo via flickr

Flea Market Finds

Last Saturday afternoon (one week and 4 days ago) found Anthony and I at the fairgrounds flea market. Treasures were in abundance. Fair-style snacks, too.

I found plenty of treats to bring home, Anthony carefully decided upon just one thing:


Here's what we saw:



and here's what I left with:

and my favorite item:

The man selling it was in the process of packing up as we walked by. Sitting in a slightly crumpled cardboard box was this amazing set - complete, too! Apparently I was too busy examining everything to be paying attention, but Anthony said that the seller kept repeating: "it's little, you know, like for kids...", not really understanding why anyone would want an old worn childrens croquet set. Oh, little does he know...

(the obvious post-flea market trip to Holy Cow)