Brunch Diaries: Trafford

My sister was in town visiting this weekend, which was the perfect excuse for us to try a new place for brunch on Sunday. Trafford is a bright, cheery spot in the East Bay overlooking the water. I have been for dinner several times before, but this was the first time I tried their brunch. The wide open space paired with the sunshine pouring in (not to mention the mimosas) made for a great afternoon with my sister and M.

Menu displayed on a clipboard.

Ceiling lights + canoe.

Instagramming, of course!

Cup of sugar.

Iced coffee.

Brunch bubbles.

Lobster benedict special.

Traditional benedict.

I'm in love with their reclaimed wood tabletops. 

Wild blueberry hotcake.

Everything was so delicious and since they've just recently started serving brunch, we practically had the upstairs to ourselves! I definitely recommend checking Trafford out and I can't wait to come back and eat outside on the deck when it finally gets warmer. Where's your favorite place to enjoy brunch?

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

And It's Just Like Honey

I figured with 2012 on the horizon, it was as good a time as any to change up my 'do a little bit. Today I decided not to cut all of my hair off, but instead, add some face-framing honey highlights. So far, I really like it. I think it brightens up my face a little, which is always good in the dreary winter months.

Smurfette

I've just been lounging around the house today in my new winter hat, which I kind of love. Fingers are crossed that I can pull off a fantasy football playoff win tonight!

Drink Naked

I slurped down some of this coconut water today in an effort to get more potassium and alleviate some leg cramping I've been experiencing (thank you, pilates). Because we all know I'm not getting my potassium from bananas. In other news, it's currently snowing outside. And if that's not bad enough, my sister is laying on a beach in Cabo somewhere sipping a tropical umbrella drink.
How rude.

Frothy Pumpkin Icee

This is such a healthy and refreshing drink and it tastes just like pumpkin pie! It reminded me a little bit of snow ice cream, which my dad used to make for me and my sisters when we were younger. The recipe is so simple. I just combined 3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk, a few tablespoons of pure canned pumpkin, a capful of vanilla extract, some pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon works too) and some honey or agave nectar to sweeten it up in a blender and gave it a spin. It's perfect as a light dessert or even as a mid-afternoon snack. I only wish I had a dollop of whipped cream to top it off!

New Beauty Bff

I received this magical elixir in my Christmas stocking and have been obsessively applying it twice a day ever since. It's a miracle product, especially for the type of dry, frigid winter we've been having in the Northeast.

Further proof that Oprah really does know everything.
Run out and stock up. Thank me later.

Bartlett Woods

Bundle Up

It's still cold and wintry here in New England, but that's okay because I recently discovered the most adorable hats and mittens! I stumbled across the Knitwits collection at a record shop in Providence and I was instantly in love. Knitwits is based in Ontario and they've designed hats and matching mittens that look like different animals. My absolute favorite is the owl, with the penguin coming in at a close second. Their website is not the best, but if you google the company name, you can find other online vendors. The hats and mittens are made for the whole family and they seem to be high-quality products (made from New Zealand wool). I love them. I especially love the creative name of their company. I want them all!

What's your favorite Knitwit design?