a weekend in Hudson, NY

Hi friends! Boy, does time fly... I can't believe we're already half-way through February! This winter has been really rough (and long), so Ben and I decided to make the most of it by renting a car and driving up to Hudson, NY this past weekend to celebrate Valentine's Day and take a break from the city. We stayed for two nights in a bright, loft-like Air Bnb apartment right in the center of town on Warren Street and had a great time exploring dozens of antique shops and restaurants. Here's a recap of our little getaway...

Hudson is a cozy little town known for its historic architecture, over 50 antique shops, and creative people. It's only a two hour drive up from Manhattan, but we really felt like we were far away, which was a nice reprieve. Some highlights from our trip include visiting a sweet farmer's market inside a church, snagging a great deal on 10 gorgeous vintage frames at White Whale Limited (our favorite antique shop), and walking up and down Warren St while the snow gently drifted around (it was actually really romantic). While planning for our trip, we found the Design Sponge Hudson Valley guide especially helpful -- you can check it out here. If we had one more day, we would have loved to check out Olana, but we'll probably visit another time when it's warmer. 

As for food, Ben and I did a ton of research and ended up going to Daba and Hudson Food Studio for dinner, Swoon Kitchenbar for lunch, and Bonfiglio & Bread for breakfast (which was my favorite). We also went to Cafe Le Perch for coffee, which is another great option for breakfast. Everything was delicious - I was so impressed with all the restaurants! In between antiquing, we stopped by the Spotty Dog, which is a charming bookstore that also serves coffee and wine. 

Hudson, we had such a fun trip! Thank you for a wonderful weekend! Ben was glad to drive again, and we both had a restful, rejuvenating weekend. We highly recommend Hudson as a fun getaway to all city-dwellers and plan on visiting again in the summertime!

life lately: end of summer reflections - so thankful!

It's already autumn, but I'm still not quite over summer. (Still trying to sneak in some sundress + denim jacket outfits!) It was such a great season for so many reasons, but I'm particularly thankful for the weekend adventures and family visits. Also, living in New York in the summertime is just the most glorious experience ever-- it's my seventh summer this year and I still can't get enough. Will the giddiness ever fade? (I hope not!) Here are a few fun things from July and August...

Andy and Christine's wedding in Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I cried buckets at Ben's best man speech, which was so sweet and genuine. What a wonderful, creative couple and dreamy wedding ceremony. Congrats again Andy and Christine!

Ben and my first trip together to Chicago! We liked Chicago, but loved its food even more; we had some incredible dinners at Publican and a great BYOB Ruxbin-- and we also discovered our new favorite red wine, Menage a Trois. I'm grateful for our little long-weekend adventure, B.

Biking everywhere. Now that I have my own bike, we've been biking almost every weekend.... along the Hudson river to and from the Cloisters (a whopping 26 miles!), along the beach and woods in Sandy Hook, and of course, out and about in Manhattan.

First rooftop urban garden experience at Brooklyn Grange! My mom and sister came to visit, and we had a great time exploring the urban farm, with its chicken coops, countless veggies, and the best heirloom tomatoes I've ever tasted.

And of course... summer's shining moments are often the little ones, just being outside, having a great drink, and enjoying life's simple joys. I'm already looking forward to next year :) What's your favorite summertime memory?

governor's island biking date

This past Saturday, Ben and I went on a biking date in Governor's Island. Reason being: I am the proud owner of a beautiful new bike!!! Meet the Windsor Essex: a new-but-vintage-looking, ocean blue bike from wholesale site Bikes Direct (such a deal!). Ben's a biking aficionado who a) knows my taste and b) knows how to find great bikes, so it took me about 3 seconds after he sent me the link before I ordered it. Below is the capture of a sentimental moment: a woman and her first NYC bike... it was instant chemistry. (Thank you B for assembling!)

To get to Governor's Island, we biked along the East Side river down to the ferry, which then took only about 10 minutes to get to the island. Usually, I would wear my new Bern helmet while riding in the city, but it was nice to take it off on the island since there are no cars and lots of space for bikers. 

One of the first places we ended up was Hammock Grove, a brand new area that just opened this summer. It's a great break spot to hydrate, eat snacks, and relax on one of the 50 hammocks available. We brought fruit and snuck in Crabbies in a water bottle -- if you're not yet hooked, Crabbies is the most delicious ginger beer I've ever tasted. I can't get enough of it - it's all I want to drink this summer!

There are so many new features in Governor's Island. First off, SO many more food options. Last summer, I think there was only one food stand, but now, between the outdoor food court and a whole line of food trucks, I'd say there are about 15 food vendors in total. We shared a mango and strawberry smoothie and had Sweet Chili for lunch....because who can say no to Thai and Vietnamese fusion street food? Ben was happy that we were able to use his amazing flannel picnic blanket, which folds into a backpack. That thing is the best. 

What really struck me is how enchanting Governor's Island must be for children. I've never seen more kids in one place, playing soccer and just running around while their parents picnicked or napped. Such a different setting-- so much freedom and room to roam compared to Manhattan! There are so many things for kids to explore and play with: quirky sculptures (like the one below made out of 30,000 cups), artsy mini-playgrounds and even a mini-library.

Have you visited the newly renovated Governor's island yet? It's open until September 28 and the ferry is only $2 (or free on the 10 AM, 11 AM and 11:30 AM ferries from Manhattan). We had such a great time, and I would love to go again before summer ends!

beach getaway: the bahamas

Only two months ago, I vowed to take more trips in 2014, so it was very fortuitous that I was able to make a pretty last minute visit to the Bahamas for a "Spring Break" of sorts. New York has had the worst winter (from Snowstorm Hercules to Titan - that's 13 snowstorms!) of my 7 years of living here, so naturally my friends and I were itching to get away. We found a great deal on CheapCarribbean.com for a 4-night, 5 day stay at the Melia Nassau resort and booked it immediately. What resulted was one of the laziest and most relaxing vacations I've ever had :) Here are some photos taken from my iphone (edited on VSCO Cam and Instagram).

 

One of the biggest luxuries was just taking in the sun. Growing up my family never went on beach vacations -my parents were more into historical, cultural trips (Colonial Williamsburg, for example); in fact, my first ever resort experience was in 2011 in Puerto Rico. I love the easygoing nature of the resort life, but don't think I can do it for more than a couple of days since I get antsy. But it was so, so nice to lay on the beach reading, nap by the pool, chill out in the Jacuzzi, and take lots of piña colada & strawberry daiquiri breaks. 

Some trip highlights include enjoying local cuisine at Andros Fish Fry, Poop Deck, and Bahama Grill. We mostly ate grilled seafood and lots of conch -- which I had never had before. I think I ate my own weight in conch salad, conch soup, conch fritters, etc. Oh, and grouper fish too. We also went out with some of the other guests at night to check out the local bars and clubs, including Aura at the Atlantis, Via Restaurant & Bar, and Señor Frog's (touristy, but so fun). 

I think my all-time top three Bahamas moments were taking a long walk down East Cable Beach (approximately a mile) during sunset; getting an evening tour of the magnificent aquarium in the Atlantis from new friends from our resort; and of course meeting some of the guests at the Melia and hearing their stories: a telecomm entrepreneur from Ohio, a musician who is the nephew of Sydney Poitier, a group of guys from Fort Worth, Texas on a bachelor party trip, etc. And of course, hanging out with everyone in our group: Liz, Abby, Sarah, Irina, and Kris. Lucky to have shared this experience with you guys! xoxo