Shelburne Falls, Old Mill Town

The Bridge of Flowers

In the little town of Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts is the Bridge of Flowers. I have a secret...I love old mill towns. There is something about the abandonment and the clinging to the past that draws me in. Driving through Western Mass you pass lots of these old towns and they all speak to me, ever so quietly, hauntingly, "I have a story". 

The First Snow

We may not have reached Halloween yet, but it snowed. Early one morning last week, I awoke to a dusting of snow. It was not even light outside yet and I bundled up like a little kid to go see the first flakes. Stay tuned this week for a weekend recap.

It's Friday

Virtual Visits

The Golden Gate

+The perfect location for a party

+Simple and lovely jewelry(one of everything please!) Plus the designer has great blog!

+Elegant, sparkly, and tasty tea

+A seasonal DIY with gilded gold

+No apples here, but this dish looks golden delicious

Happy Weekend!

P.S. see my post about San Fran this week

For a few years it seemed my whole family was living on the west coast with me on the east, which gave me plenty of reason to visit. After a few cross country flights, the city soon became somewhat familiar, but there is this one particular trip that stands out in my mind as being the most enjoyable.

One summer, a friend and I had the crazy idea to move into a one bedroom apartment and share it with three of my family members for the summer, we'd get jobs, have an amazing summer three thousand miles away from home and actually get to live in San Fran for three months. So we packed out bags, headed west and with high fives and smiles our great plan was in action. We soon realized after job hunting with no leads, living on top of one another, this plan wasn't so great. So what do you do when plan A doesn't work, turn to plan B. Our plan B, ditch the idea of living here and spend the next few weeks exploring the city, head home where we had jobs waiting and chalk it all up to what would become just one of many travels together.

Our decision turned out to be the best! We did everything, hiked Angel Island, toured Alcatraz, climbed the cities classic hills, traversed (not without my shaking legs) the Golden Gate bridge, and genuinely enjoyed not only the touristy activities, but the comfort and knowledge of my San Fran resident siblings. So here's to plans that don't work out, because sometimes the unexpected is the most memorable. 

It's Friday

Virtual Visits

A Twist on Boston Classics

+ My kind of Red Sox

+ Although not in Beantown, they are still in Massachusetts and might just be the best beans in town

+ Michelle from the adorable Une-Duex Senses makes the sweetest Boston Creme Pie cupcakes

+ Surely inspired by the classic Boston children's book, it's one way to make way for ducklings

+ How I imagine the night of Paul Revere's ride

Boston, Back Bay

 Although a resident of the great state of Massachusetts, I still consider a day trip to Boston part of my travels. Recently in the city I visited one of my favorite areas, the Back Bay. It's the charm of the neighborhood's old brick buildings and sidewalks that allow me to wander in complete bliss. It is always nice to return to a place where you have been before and can feel no pressure at all to see anything in particular. 

When something is familiar we tend to overlook the everyday, that is why as a traveler everything seems amazing. It's one of the things I love about traveling, being an outsider makes you notice everything, the big and the small. Sure people say you don't come to really understand a place till you live there, but as an outsider looking in you can certainly learn a lot.

Speaking of learning a lot, home and the city of Boston, these are all soon to be changes for me as I was accepted as a student at the New England School of Photography!!

It's Friday

Virtual Visits

Garden or Farm Fresh

+Looking for the perfect brunch next time you are in NYC, try Friend of a Farmer, adorable decor and delicious choices

+You Are My Fave knows just how to design a celebration around the harvest

 +Inspired by nature and creating a "garden" of her own in her studio, The Intuitive Garden produces simple and lovely jewelry

+With appreciation for florals and odd vases, Oh Joy! often shares her farmers market finds

+The Kitchenist shares what she finds at her local farmer's market and with all her recipes you're set to make a meal   

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Djurgarden, Sweden

Rosendals Garden

We all travel to see the famous sites and well I do enjoy them and in some cases become fascinated with them, what really resonates with me after visiting a place are those hidden gems that are found unexpectedly. Like finding lost treasure, that twenty dollars in your pocket, or a lucky penny, not only do these surprise you, but they delight you as well. This past summer I had the pleasure of traveling to Stockholm and was delighted to discover, Rosendals Garden.

Sitting right on the water, Stockholm is made up of fourteen different islands. Each island has developed its own unique character. One such island is Djurgarden. Once the royal hunting grounds it is now commonly visited for its plethora of historic museums, but it was its idyllic remote side where I found one of my favorite places in all of Stockholm.

Easily navigable by foot, Djurgarden becomes woody and peaceful beyond the initial hustle and bustle of the more touristy section. Winding through gravel covered roads you will find restaurants tucked away. A secluded and local favorite is Rosendals Garden Here open greenhouses sit amongst fields filled with rows of produce, lavender and roses. Each greenhouse serves its own purpose, one as a plant shop, another a café and lastly a bakery. The food at Rosendals is farm fresh, and the atmosphere is quiet and peaceful.

Swedes are some of the happiest people and it’s no wonder why when you spend an afternoon as they do, at Rosendals.

It's Friday

Virtual Visits

Postcards and Travel
Some of my favorites from the web this week

+Design Sponge is amazing, but it's their city guides that I love most, check out this week's and all the others

+How sweet and lovely and...postcards!!

+Adorable postcard style party invitations, perfect for Halloween or fall festivities by Girl*in*Gear Studio

+Have you heard, there is a Save the Postcard Campaign
(My personal favorite Florence Welch, from Florence and the Machine's design)

+Lastly, enjoy NYC through Jamie's eye and pinhole camera (Love her!)

Happy Weekend Everyone