Charmed

Have you seen Anthropologie's latest charm collection? They have four different chains and a bevy, that's right a bevy, of charms to clip on them.

Weekend in Photos

We had a burst of warm weather this weekend, so I enjoyed it out and about in Manhattan. There was a pizza dinner with friends at Co. I visited Lulu's Cake Boutique for the first time to taste-test one of their reimagined Hostess cakes, very serious work. I admired their Yo Gabba Gabba cake in the window and took home a white chocolate-coated, passion fruit curd-filled Twinkie, which was delicious. And I bought a cute little pumpkin at the farmers market, which will probably be the extent of my Halloween decorating. How was your weekend?

Thoughts of the Week

This is my kind of graffiti.

I'm not really into the whole hiking thing, but these photos may have changed my mind.

Guess what your fall boots are missing. Sparkle!

Let's all get together for a taffy tasting.

It's hard to resist a pretty label.

Carrot cake cookies and homemade peanut butter cups. Is your mind blown too?

Who knew the shade of toothpaste was so lovely?

I may adopt an all pumpkin diet for the remainder of October.

Something to work on forever and ever.

Happy Friday! Hope you all have wonderful weekends in store!

Something Fishy

I've never had much luck keeping goldfish alive, but these fishbowl designs make me want to give it another go. Maybe a cool container will inspire them to live long and full lives.

[found here: 1, 2, 3, 4]

Perfect Pumpkin Bread

It's officially fall baking season according to my belly, so I made this pumpkin bread recipe that I've had bookmarked since last March. You can't just go around eating pumpkin bread in March, you know. So here it is, perfect, long-awaited pumpkin bread. It's moist, the spices are just right, and the cinnamon pecan filling makes you wonder why you'd ever eat pumpkin bread without it.

Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Pecan Filling
Recipe courtesy of Honey & Jam, adapted from Martha Stewart

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups canned pumpkin purée
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup milk

Filling:
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 chopped pecans
1/2 stick butter, melted

To make filling: Combine sugar, cinnamon, pecans and butter in small bowl, mix to combine.

Makes two loaves. For bread: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and coat your pans with butter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, spices, and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the pumpkin and sugars. Mix until well combined, and then add the eggs and oil. Mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed. With the mixer on low, add the flour in two batches, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined. Fill two loaf pans half way, add filling, top with remaining batter. Bake for 55-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. A cake tester should come out clean. Cool the pans on a rack for ten minutes, remove the loaves from the pans, and cool completely.

Wild Side

I keep coming across animal silhouettes on clothes, so this must qualify as a trend. I think it's a sweet, preppy look, and I'd be up for it, depending on the animal of course. I wouldn't be caught dead in a honey badger print.

[horses; polar bears; dogs; camels; bunnies; penguins]

Weekend in Photos: Harvest Fest

Sometimes New Yorkers just need to go somewhere with grass and trees. That's what happened this weekend. Jonah and I and our pals headed north of the city for Harvest Fest at the Stone Barns Center. We indulged in roast pork sandwiches, beer, and sweets and spent the day wandering around the grounds, which are filled with greenhouses, beautiful old buildings, gardens and farm animals. The piglets were my favorite. If I had been carrying a bigger bag, I would have snatched one up and brought it home with me. And yes, I realize the irony of saying that after mentioning a delicious pork sandwich.