Adventures in Northern Michigan-Part One

I spent the early part of August vacationing in northern Michigan with M, my two sisters, and my dad. It was such a relaxing ten days spent reading by the lake, trying local restaurants, cooking leisurely meals at the cottage, and playing board games into the wee hours. My family has vacationed in Michigan since I was a little girl, and there are certain things that I have to cross off the 'to do' list every year, such as eating an ice cream cone from the Cool Spot and watching the sunset at the town's light house. This year we tried a few new activities that will surely be added to the long list of annual traditions. 

Freshly made doughnuts from Crescent Bakery. We always fight over the nutty crescents!

One of my dad's fish sculptures on display at the antique shop.

Scuba diver swimming into a trumpet.

Old encyclopedias for sale at the shop.

Horned fish sculpture suspended from the ceiling.

Vintage tabletop at Trick Dog, a local gallery and coffee shop.

Enjoying a cup of coffee and an oatmeal treat overlooking the harbor.

This definitely summed up our trip!

Overlooking Lake Michigan.

The Garden theater in downtown Frankfort. I saw ET here when I was a kid!

Sparklers on the beach at dusk.

Afternoon treat of coffee/hazelnut and raspberry gelato.

Morning dew collected in a spider web outside of our cottage.

My sisters swinging on the swings and eating ice cream on a cloudy evening.

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.

Around DC: The Eastern Market

It's crazy to admit that I spent most of my life living in the DC area and never once made the trek to Capitol Hill for the Eastern Market, the oldest fresh food public market in the city. Fortunately, I remedied the situation last weekend. My mom, sisters, Max, and I navigated into town, squeezed into a too-small parking space, and spent a couple of hours weaving in and out of the numerous craft, jewelry, and produce stands. It was the perfect way to spend a steamy Sunday and we left with lots of local fruits and vegetables, as well as some pretty baubles and inexpensive friendship bracelets. The peaches, corn, and tomatoes were all in their absolute prime of the season, and complemented various dinners throughout the rest of the week. I definitely recommend visiting the market if you find yourself in the DC area. I can't wait to go back next time I'm home!

Miniature eggplants in pretty shades of purple.

I'd never heard the term 'ecoganic' before.

Heirloom tomatoes that later made juicy BLT sandwiches.

Rows upon rows of colorful friendship bracelets. 

Vendors as far as the eye can see!

Panama hats in a variety of textures and colors.

Softball-sized peaches that Chef Max turned into pie for Sunday night dinner.

Gummy sharks at the candy shop inside the market.

Tiny, piping-hot doughnuts fried to order before being sprinkled with cinnamon + powdered sugar.

Brunch Diaries: Sunnyside

I love, love brunch. It's probably my favorite meal to eat out since there are so many options: early morning or late afternoon; sweet or savory; coffee or cocktails; poached or scrambled. I have some staple spots that I like to frequent in Providence, but Sunnyside is my new favorite destination brunch, located in Warren, Rhode Island. It's a cute little cottage perched right on the water with a bright, sunny dining room and outdoor patio. M and I felt that this was the perfect spot to bring my cousin, Leslie, who has been visiting for the weekend.

Each time I've come for brunch, I've had something different and I've yet to be disappointed. The grilled grapefruit served with local honey is carmel-y and juicy, the complimentary bites of fresh bread are sweet and served with homemade jams. I think my favorite dish so far has been the dutch baby pancake. It's the perfect mix of textures: light and crispy outside with a rich, custard-like center. Throw some fresh fruit and real maple syrup on there and you've won me over. I love the frothy, strong (and not too sweet) Greek frappe to start, but the mimosas and fresh juices are tempting, too. Also, the dum-dum pops that come with the check are a cute touch. I love little surprises like that!

Located right on the water with a lobster boat out front!

Brunch menu.

Leslie contemplating brunch items.

Frothy Greek frappe.

Yacht Club Cola: a Rhode Island staple.

Fresh baked bread with house made rhubarb jam.

Mediterranean breakfast with ripe tomatoes and hearty toast.

Dutch baby pancake with fresh fruit and real maple syrup.

I love how they present the check!

Dum-dums!

The Sunnyside: daytime dining.

Do you have a favorite weekend brunch spot?

Plants and Other Projects

There have been lots of DIYs happening around here. I feel like with summer right around the corner, the porch has been the focal point of my efforts. I started by sprucing it up with a cute iron table and teal chairs set and planted a few pots of fresh herbs. So far, I've managed not to kill basil, mint, and cilantro. They're actually bright green, thriving, and fully edible! I also have a strong affinity for succulents, and have been pinning away creative ideas for terrariums and little displays with them. Over the weekend, I took a cue from the Beautiful Mess blog (so many cute ideas over there!) and prettied up some plain old terra cotta pots for my new succulents. It was a super quick and budget-friendly way to add some fun decor to the porch. Plus, I'm happy to report that M and I have enjoyed dinner al fresco three times this past week. See, there are so many benefits to revamping the porch! Now I'm on the hunt for some fun paper lanterns or little strings of lights for nighttime ambiance.

What have you been up to?

DIY terra cotta pot painting on the porch

acrylic paint + foam craft brush + miniature terra cotta pots

first, add a coat of white paint as a base

then, paint the rest (or part) of the pot a different color; allow to dry completely

fill the pot with some pebbles at the bottom, then top with soil and succulents

the pale yellow pot is my fav!

citrus fruit for fresh squeezed margaritas

bright orange ranunculus from the farmer's market

I love how perfectly symmetrical they were when they began to bloom!

juicy watermelon that went into a salad with feta cheese and mint

leisurely Sunday brunch at the Armsby

trying a bright lipstick for the first time-Spellbound by Cover Girl

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