Adventures in Northern Michigan-Part Two

I think one of the best parts of being in Michigan was the relaxed pace of just about everything. The hardest decision of the day was usually where to go out to dinner that night or what kind of ice cream to order for dessert. I had a lot of fun just being around my sisters; I forgot how much their crazy antics make me laugh. It was so nice to have long, drawn out dinners with lots of wine and storytelling. I think we were 'that table' on more than one occasion! 

Dining alfresco was such a treat with the cooler temps.

A glass of wine enjoyed on the porch with the fam at Coho Cafe.

I played manicurist to my sisters during our trip.

Seared scallops with mango salsa.

Mussels simply steamed in white wine, lemon, and tons of garlic.

Sesame seared tuna-one of my favorite meals!

A rainy day was spent shopping and checking out a local brewery in Traverse City.

Vintage cherry labels at the heritage museum.

A maze of galleries and shops housed in a former insane asylum in Traverse City.

Nautical wrapping paper.

Breathtaking views from Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Fruity sangria on sushi night at Fusion.

The cutest little post office that could've fit inside my living room.

Around DC: Teak Wood

One of my favorite things to do when I visit DC is to check out new restaurants, bakeries, bars, and boutiques. I rely heavily on my sisters and Tiane to steer me in the right direction, and last Friday, my sister Austin did not disappoint. She took me to Teak Wood, a great sushi and Thai spot in Logan Circle that she frequents with coworkers. Sometimes I'm weary of restaurants that try to do too much (Chinese/sushi/Korean bbq), and usually prefer those that do one thing exceptionally well. Teak Wood manages to do the Thai/sushi fusion beautifully. The restaurant itself is colorful and detail-oriented, with almost antique-like buddhas all over. It has an upscale feel, but also retains its neighborhood charm. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and of course the company. 

Thanks, Austin!

Menus presented in wooden booklets.

Laminated sushi menu with a wax pencil to place your order.

Monogrammed plates with elaborate script.

Vegetarian spring rolls with chili dipping sauce.

Shredded green papaya salad (one of my all-time favorite dishes).

Mexicano roll + tuna tempura roll + tuna nigiri.

Mexicano close up: yellowtail, jalapeno, avocado, cilantro, tobiko.

Chopsticks and soy sauce dishes.

The food presentation was so clean and pretty!

Restaurant entrance.

Wait, It's May Already?

Life has been busy lately! I had so much fun on my little weekend solo jaunt to New York City last weekend. I survived a great barre class at Exhale Spa, did tons of walking around the city and through Central Park, and met up with a friend who recently moved from Chicago. Jessica's bridal shower was a great celebration and I loved being able to hang with her close girlfriends before the wedding next month (already!). The group ventured out to the Standard's biergarten on Saturday afternoon, where I could have continued people watching for daaaays. I was super diligent about packing my camera, but somehow forgot to put the battery back in it before heading out, so I was only able to snap some iPhone photos. Oops! I need to get better at remembering to actually use my real camera. 

This past weekend was spent enjoying a little Cinco de Mayo action, grilling on the porch (steak fajitas), and finally meeting up with Lauren (for mani/pedis + cocktails), who was in town from DC. I only wish the weather was warmer. I'm ready for more spring-like temps and less rain! 

What about you! How was your weekend?

favorite new polish combo: Chanel's nouvelle vague + gradient glitter

remnants from Saturday's homemade margaritas using this recipe (which was so good!)

late takeout sushi lunch on Friday (sashimi is my fav!)

pretty packaging + tape from Anthropologie

minty fresh watch and neon bracelets for warmer weather

House Guests and Antler Accents

We had a house full of guests a few weeks ago when my mom, aunt, and sister visited Providence for a long weekend. It was so nice to have some of my family come into town and gave me the opportunity to show them some favorite shops and restaurants around Providence. The highlights were a great sushi dinner in Waterplace Park, vintage shopping Downcity, brunch at Nick's on Broadway, and having friends over for a nice home cooked meal on Saturday night. Although it was a quick trip, we still managed to squeeze lots of fun and laughs into a short amount of time. My mom and aunt even helped me hang up the antlers that my dad hand-painted for the apartment. I can't wait for them to come back!


tuna sashimi


red dragon roll


yellowtail + jalapeno sashimi


trio of antique antlers hand-painted by my dad

Welcome, Weekend!

Is it just me, or did this week inch by at the slowest possible pace? Don't get me wrong, I was still super busy, but the pile of paperwork on my desk never seemed to get any smaller. Nevertheless, it's Friday and I couldn't be happier. On deck this weekend: lots of cleaning in preparation for my mom, aunt, and sister coming to visit next weekend! I've already spent tonight reorganizing the kitchen cabinets and purging my fridge of expired take out. I'm hoping to get lots done tomorrow morning so I can treat myself to one of these polish jobs before a sushi double date night (my fav)! Sunday is going to be spent getting M fitted for a tux for his sister's upcoming nuptials, meal planning and grocery shopping, and hopefully some leisurely coffee and lounge time.
What are your fun plans for this weekend?

images via tumblr and we heart it

Toro and Dental Floss

Spent a fun night in town at Kushi (amazing!) with old and new friends. The best part about having foodie friends is that they always know where to go for dinner! We never have the ongoing 'so where do you want to go' convos. Tiane is my walking Yelp app and I love how we sometimes end up on the most randomly hilarious topics of conversation.
Thanks for a fun night, girls!

Channeling Campfires

I'm not ready for summer to be over quite yet, so I'm milking the last few nice days and snacking on these amazing smashing s'mores from Trader Joe's. They're basically bite-sized smores: marshmallows with a graham cracker base and covered in chocolate. They're pretty perfect when warmed up in the microwave for a few seconds. No campfire needed! I first spotted them here and finally happened upon them at my local TJ's this afternoon. Hope you have a fun weekend. I'm off to enjoy take-out sushi and Sex and the City reruns with the girls!

Weekend Snapshots: Parisian Invasion

Leslie getting ready to feast on sushi at Haruki.


Shared sushi-the Mexican roll with cilantro and fresh jalapeño.


Multicolored party.


George's at Salty Brine state beach.


Leslie in the surf.


Pre-dinner beach stroll.


Rocking the gingham and chambray.


Corona and seafood make the perfect pair.


Leslie + me out on George's deck.


Sunday morning Pinkberry run. Watermelon, please!


Neon nail polish at American Apparel. Their fall pencil skirts are perfect.


Souvenir shopping at Craftland.


Amazing grilled pizza with spinach + feta at Bob & Timmy's on Federal Hill.

As I said before, my cousin was in town for the weekend in mid-August. She goes to school and lives in Paris, but spends summers in the states. This was her third year visiting Providence and we had so much fun! It's great to have visitors, because we do lots of things that we wouldn't typically get around to doing.

Some highlights of our weekend:
sushi date at haruki. hope street farmers market. pb&j pinkberry. matching bracelets. clamcakes + chowder on the beach. live music out on the restaurant deck. putting our feet in the ocean. grilling up a breakfast pizza. silly photo shoots. iced coffee runs. shopping on westminster street. bob & timmy's grilled pizza. and most important = carrying on a fun summer tradition!

Can't wait to see you next summer, Les!