Fishs Eddy

When we visited New York last, my friend Kelsey recommended I stop by Fishs Eddy after wandering around the Union Square Farmer's Market. It was an excellent tip...this shop is now one of my NY favorites. If you're remotely into reasonably-priced housewares (including those that are vintage-inspired), then definitely stop by--it's convenient location right across the street from ABC Carpet & Home should seal the deal :)

Another New York favorite is the French Culinary Institute's training restaurant, L'Ecole. We enjoyed a lovely 3-course lunch for only $25. For fine dining in New York (or anywhere for that matter!), this is an incredible deal.

Also, many readers offered up their budget hotel recommendations for New York...valuable advice indeed. If you are planning a trip to the Big Apple, check 'em out here.

And of course, you must not miss the "New York: Reader Favorites" post...a list like this is priceless! Especially if this is not your first trip there and don't feel pressure to see all the touristy sites, i.e. you've-been-there-and-done-that. Next time, I'll know where to eat and how to spend my time--can't wait!

image 1 - Eddie Ross ; image 2 -5 - moi

Recchitui

I LOVE the grapefruit tarragon chocolate over at Recchitui in San Francisco's Ferry Building. It's my absolute favorite chocolate there...the flavors just pop like magic! My question is...are dessert and drink recipes as good as his chocolates ? Has anyone ever tried them? If so, what was your experience?

Whidbey Island

In case you live in the Seattle area, or are heading there soon for a family vacay, you should consider a day trip to Whidbey Island. It is a wonderful place to spend time as a family and very picturesque--your kids will go wild when you drive your car onto a large ferry :) If you enjoy antiquing, you'll be interested in knowing we passed a few thrift and antique stores that begged to be searched. It was almost painful to not stop!

When it comes to eating lunch or dinner, make sure you eat at one of the delicious eateries in Coupeville (we hit the deli and were not disappointed by the homemade shakes or pulled pork sandwich). Within just a quarter mile you'll find 5 restaurants that all boast excellent reviews.

And last, hit Fort Casey with the kiddos. They'll have the chance to play hide n' seek in old WWII bunkers, explore a lighthouse and throw sticks and rocks into the ocean. For my kids this equaled heaven. The views are amazing as well so go, go, go!

Seattle Favorites

Talk about an overdue post...I snapped these way back in late November, during Thanksgiving! But, better late than never, right?

Visiting my sister's family is always a pleasure--they are wonderful company and they live in an exciting city as well. Days were spent downtown exploring the Seattle Art Museum, Pike Place Market (Moon Valley Raspberry Honey + the donuts are a must) and evenings were spent snacking on Bakery Nouveau treats and playing Mille Bournes (remember that game from the 80's?). Good times.

p.s. did you win the Alice Lane Home Giveaway? Find out here.

Wallpaper∗ City Guides for the iPhone

Just heard: Wallpaper∗ now has an iPhone app for all of their city guides, which are really, really cool by the way. I checked out a few of them in the bookstore at the Pompidou and was très impressed. The guides don't steer you towards anything you'll find in another guide book as the suggestions are unique indeed. If you are heading to one of these cities, you may want to invest the $4.

Germany's Christmas Markets

One of these days I'm going to add some sweet, hand-carved, wooden ornaments from a German Christmas market to my collection of Kmart glass balls (to their credit they are from the cute Martha Stewart line). Right now nothing sounds better than donning a warm, winter coat and enjoying a bustling, holiday night market! In the meantime, I'll start planning my trip using this recent article in Bon Appetit as a reference point.

Have any of you experienced one of these Christmas night markets in Germany? Are they as wonderful as they appear to be?

New York: Playing Mantis

The Husband and I stumbled upon this adorable shop last month while visiting New York. The stunning exterior draws you in, and then the simple, beautiful toys keep you there for awhile. I loved their display of play kitchenware in particular. I know my youngest girl would love to have pots and pans like this in her play kitchen. Does anyone know of an online {and reasonably-priced} source for similar toys? Playing Mantis does have a website, but they don't carry everything I saw in the store. I will say one thing though...their collection of mobiles is stunning.

Kinderdijk

After only one day in the Netherlands, I can see the allure quite clearly. It's no wonder so many ex-pats live there. I cannot wait to go back someday and after all of your wonderful recommendations, it looks like I could easily fill up my itinerary!

Since windmills were at the top of all of our lists, my in-laws drove us out to Kinderdijk (pronounced "kinder-dike"). Wow. I've never seen so many windmills in one setting. It was mind-blowing and the kids had such a great time. Since they are fans of the movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, they all appreciated being there. The whole experience was very simple, but so lovely. We Americans could use a few lessons from the Dutch :)

Bruges

Everyone who visits Belgium says how much they enjoy Bruges...it seems to be the unanimous favorite. I'd visited Belgium before, but ironically, not Bruges. So having the opportunity to walk along the streets of this beautiful little city was simply wonderful for me. Although the weather was gray, there were many things around town to brighten one's spirits...like these orange pincushion plants, fantastic architecture, Dille & Kamille, lots of chocolate, and one fun little boat ride through the canals. My kids absolutely adored the latter and was undoubtedly the highlight of the day.

What are your favorite stops in Bruges? I'd love to go back sometime and really get to know it better.

Dille & Kamille

Dille & Kamille is to a small chain throughout Belgium and the Netherlands (about 13 stores total in both countries) chock-full of a whole lot of domestic goodness. It reminded me of a Smith &Hawken*/Williams-Sonoma/Paper Source all in one. Plus, everything was cute...and affordable...and I confess it took all the self-control in the world to only buy a few things. I cannot wait to go back someday. If you're planning a trip to Belgium or the Netherlands anytime soon (or if you're lucky enough to live there!), make sure you add Dille & Kamille to your itinerary. It's a delightful stop you won't regret.

* it looks like Smith & Hawken is closing...has anyone had the chance to pick up some amazing finds for deep discounts?

What to do in New York: Reader Favorites

We enjoyed a fabulous little weekend in New York last month, largely due to all of your wonderful recommendations! Thank you all for taking the time, on a Saturday nonetheless, to share your ideas and tips about what is not-to-be-missed in New York City. We've visited a handful of times already, but given the size of New York, it's so easy to visit 10 or 20 times and do different things each trip. This we've learned!

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to compile a "top 20" list based on your recommendations, including links. I'll start at the top with the most popular place/restaurant/site and then move down from there. Enjoy and thank you again for all of this fantastic information...all of you who contributed seriously saved the rest of us hours of research!

1. Central Park (fountains, sailboats, museum, rollerskating, etc.)
2. Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge
3. Cloisters Museum
4. High Line Park
5. Levain Bakery
6. Grimaldi's (eat here after walking to Brooklyn over the bridge)
7. Cafe Habana (Cuban sandwich + street corn)
8. Crumbs
9. the Met
10. Caracas Arepa Bar
11. Shake Shack
12. Alice's Tea Cup
13. Butter Lane Cupcakes
14. Staten Island Ferry
15. Magnolia Bakery
16. Jacques Torres Chocolate
17. Burger Joint
18. Clinton Street Baking Co. (for pancakes)
19. Rice to Riches
20. the MoMA or "The Modern"

image via Philipp Klinger

the Quiche Lady

When in Belgium visiting my in-laws, we stopped by their little town market one morning to pick up a few things for our picnic in Arnhem. One of the vendors we visited was this adorable woman who made and sold homemade quiche and farm-fresh eggs. What an undertaking! Don't you want your own "quiche lady" where you live? Complete with a straw hat? Me too.

And while we are on the subject of quiche, here are two of my all-time favorite recipes.

Nomiya Paris

How would you like to eat at a Parisian restaurant that only serves 12 people per meal? Oh, and did I mention the restaurant overlooks the Eiffel Tower and rests atop a famous monument itself? Yup. Pretty darn amazing. Keep in mind it's definitely on the spendy side, but since the restaurant will only be open until July 2010, it could probably be categorized as once-in-a-lifetime. Just like the trip to Paris you're trying to plan :) Time to throw a few things up on Ebay perhaps...

Read more about it and see more pictures here.

image from Departures

One Day in Holland

So the question is, what to do? My in-laws decided the best place to visit for a crash course in Dutch history & culture would be the Open Air Museum in Arhem. They were spot on...it was a fantastic place to spend a half day and my kids enjoyed themselves so much.

Windmills. Check.
Train ride. Check.
Pretty Dutch Buildings. Check.
Bicycles. Check.
Tulips. Check.
Picnic. Check.

I can't wait to go back and see more of this beautiful country. What do you like to do in Holland? What is on your "must-see" list?

New York City: Union Square Farmer's Market

It's so good to know that even if you live smack dab in the middle of Manhattan, you still have access to straight-from-the-farm goodness at local farmer's markets, like the one at Union Square. What an outstanding event it is! There were so many amazing offerings, some of which I've never seen before at markets in San Francisco or in France. It was a fun place to stop by when we visited NY recently for a wedding (a few pictures forthcoming).

While you're in the area, make sure you stop by the fabulous and famous ABC Carpet & Home as well as Fishs Eddy. There are also some great vendors between the farmer's market and these shops. I found a lovely cashmere blend scarf for $5 along the way and I realize, given the price, that the % of cashmere in the scarf is fairly low, but it's so pretty and soft that I don't really care! If you're feeling budget-conscious, try one of the many gyro stands in the area and treat yourself to an inexpensive lunch. We thought they were some of the best we've had in the US. Add a $1 fresh-squeezed lemonade and you'll be set!

top collage - me; bottom collage - the Husband :)

Belgian Chocolate

You can't visit Belgium without digging into chocolate. It's famous for a reason and not-to-be-missed. We enjoyed sampling a few from each of the local chocolateries and determining which ones we liked best. The storefronts were also exquisite and even more spectacular, at times, than the chocolates! I was very impressed with the amount of effort put into excellent presentation.

While all the chocolates were absolutely delicious, I couldn't help but feel like the best chocolates in the world are right here in the U.S of A. at Woodhouse Chocolates. This is the stuff that dreams are made of...if you love chocolate that is (who doesn't?). If you're lucky enough to live in the Bay Area, head up to St. Helena at your earliest convenience. Even if you're not a wine drinker, it's still fun to visit Napa Valley for the scenery, great food, and small-town experience. By the way, Quatres Epices, Mint, and Passion Fruit are my favorites at Woodhouse.





















images 1-5 - moi; image 6 - twigs and honey

Garden Exploration

Spending a few days in Belgium with my in-laws was a fantastic way to end our stint in France. It was so nice to see family and we felt incredibly lucky to be so close. I cried when I saw them--I just couldn't believe we were visiting family...in Europe of all places! Our days with them strengthened and buoyed us before traveling a long 28 hours home with the 3 little ones. In addition, I think we understood each other better after both living in Europe for the same amount of time (they left when we did but we hadn't had time to see them until this point).

Here are some images we took at some gardens in Brussels and the Botanical Gardens in Leuven--a great town I can't wait to visit again.

Chasing Pigeons at Le Grand Place

My sweet, active, 4-year-old son cannot resist chasing unsuspecting birds...pigeons namely; and since European cities typically have lots of pigeons wandering about, he was in heaven while visiting Le Grand Place in Brussels a few weeks ago.

New York: Plan My Day

Readers, would you do me a favor? Tell me...what do we have to see/do/eat/procure while in New York City this weekend? Although we traveled here for a good friend's wedding, we still have some discretionary time to fill up. I love New York and while I have my favorites, I'm feeling like discovering new things for the moment. So dish your favorites si'l vous plait!

p.s. extra points for budget-friendly recommendations :)

Destination: Northampton, MA

When we lived in Boston, it never occurred to us to drive out to Western Massachusetts--about a week and a half ago we stayed in Northampton and wondered why. It is such a darling, little New England town. We even talked about flying out from the West at some point in the future for a getaway. Although we thought our Pricelined-motel was perfectly fine, it might be fun to try one of the quaint B&B’s next time.

In this little gem-of-a-town you’ll find refurbished brick buildings, locally made homemade ice cream, gourmet restaurants, reasonably-priced boutiques and the most beautiful Urban Outfitters you’ll ever see. The latter was kind of a surprise…I’d never seen one outside a major metropolitan area before.

If you visit Northampton, you must stop by the following:

Essentials…this is one of the best shops I’ve ever seen in my life because it combines so many things I love into one location. You’ll find Japanese goods, vintage French items, awesome publications by Chronicle Book, baby clothes from Tea, letterpress stationery, bold wrapping paper and a million other Etsy-esque offerings. Heaven. They do have a website and while it doesn’t do the shop justice, it does at least allow you to enjoy a slice of the retail experience.

Circa…inspired by Alice Waters & Chez Panisse, you will surely find something to love at this tiny restaurant just off the main drag. When locally procured ingredients are combined with excellent seafood, the results are simply superb. The Husband enjoyed the best salmon entrée of his life. I, on the other hand will never forget those scallops…yum.

Urban Outfitters…located in an old, perfectly restored bank, this UO is the most stunning you’ll ever see. Even if you don’t love Urban Outfitters, be sure to stop by and check out the extensive moldings and dentals up near the ceiling.

Herrells…one of the many reasons why Massachusetts residents consume more ice cream per capita than any other state in our nation. Do you blame them? There are so many creameries offering homemade ice cream, one can hardly resist. Herrells apparently inspired the popular chain Cold Stone (thankfully they credit Herrells), but after enjoying the real thing I’m wishing it were Herrells that made it big!