Weekend in Photos

It feels good to get back into the swing of things! Sorry for my absence these last couple weeks — I even forgot to do the March photo project. D’oh! I hope you’ll forgive me because I’m so excited to share my Austin adventures. Texas has been kind to us in our first week here, and we had a weekend full of beautiful weather, good friends and good food. Jonah’s birthday was Friday, so a bbq-filled visit to the Salt Lick and a trip to Amy’s Ice Cream were in order. On Saturday, we joined some friends at the Round Top Antique Fair, which was bigger than I could have ever imagined. We probably saw one-tenth of what was there before tiring out. There have already been multiple visits to Torchy’s Tacos, lots of driving and gawking at the wildflowers along the highway, and many glasses of iced tea. I think we picked the right city for us.

A Place to Call Home

Hello there! We made it to Austin and are trying our best to get settled. Our apartment, which is in a brand new building, isn't ready for us just yet, so we're half settling in at another apartment and only unpacking what we need for the time being. It's not ideal, but we feel fortunate to have a home -- even if it's just a temporary one. In the meantime, I'm searching for decorating ideas and this canvas chalkboard map caught my eye. I'm already picturing little hand-drawn hearts on all the places we've lived.

A New Season

Happy Spring! Sorry for the silence this week. We left New York on Wednesday after a whirlwind of packing and have been spending a few days in Savannah with my family before starting our drive to Austin tomorrow. It's been the perfect little break in the midst of our major life transition, but we're excited to get settled in Austin and begin discovering our new home. I hope to be back soon with regular posts and tales of breakfast tacos, but in the meantime, have a wonderful weekend!

A Love Letter to New York City

My dear New York,

It's hard to say goodbye. I loved you before we even met -- when I was much too young for you. All it took was a picture of you, hearing "Live from New York!" every Saturday night, even Home Alone 2 made you look good. I was hooked. And when we finally did meet in 2002, I was a naive 18-year-old, but I knew things would be serious right away. You were home for my most formative years. You brought so many amazing experiences, opportunities and people, even my husband, into my life. When I left you the first time, it didn't feel final. I just couldn't quit you, and you kindly welcomed me back after a three-year absence. You were as magical and exciting as ever, but I just couldn't keep up with you anymore, and now seems like the right time to close the chapter on this on-again, off-again love affair. It's not you, it's me. I'll always love you though, New York.

Your wide-eyed admirer,

Natalie

Bubbles and Bitters

The fine people at Veuve Ambal and Hella Bitter sent me some sparkling wine and bitters and gave me the task of coming up with a cocktail. The rosemary and grapefruit are such a nice pairing with the bubbles and bitters, and the color is the loveliest. It's a perfect way to fancy up your basic brunch cocktail.

Grapefruit Rosemary Mimosa

2 oz. grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. rosemary simple syrup
3 oz. Veuve Ambal sparkling wine
2 dashes of Hella Bitter Citrus Bitters

To make the rosemary simple syrup, bring 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add two springs of rosemary and let sit at room temperature for one hour. Remove rosemary.

In a champagne flute or coupe, combine freshly squeezed grapefruit juice with rosemary simple syrup. Top with sparkling wine and two dashes of bitters.

Cactus Club

Cacti have always freaked me out a little bit. I have an irrational fear of falling into them and being covered in needles, but this print makes them seem downright friendly. I suppose I'll face my fears in Texas, or I'll just hang this on the wall and pretend like the cactus and I are totally cool.

Birthdays and Boxes

My mom's birthday is today! Jonah and I spent yesterday packing up all the art she's painted for us, which was a perfect reminder of the loveliness she brings into our lives. Happy Birthday, Momma!

Weekend in Photos

I had to work this weekend, but we still managed to squeeze in the latest Wes Anderson movie, time with friends and a couple of cookies. Our nights were filled with packing (and watching Netflix), but I finally feel like we're making progress, which is good since our move is in just over a week! How was your weekend?

Best Cookie in New York City

A few friends have asked if we're checking things off our New York bucket list before we move to Texas, and I have to say, one thing on that list is this chocolate chip walnut cookie from Levain Bakery. They're huge, crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside perfection, and they deserve a proper goodbye from me.

Plant Plans

Thanks to our upcoming move, I feel like it's about time to give houseplants another go. I've had varying levels of success over the years, but I'll never stop trying to keep plants alive. Inspiring, right? These containers from Light and Ladder look like the perfect vessels for a few brave, little succulents.

Weekend in Photos

I finally started the dreaded packing process this weekend, but there were plenty of bright spots too. We paid a visit to Shake Shack, had a pizza dinner with friends, I made a batch of semi-successful orange breakfast rolls, some fun things arrived in the mail, and last night, we settled in on the couch and watched the Oscars.