the dog lady

We can all agree that cat ladies get a bad rep. As a fellow cat lover restricted by her non cat loving husband, cat ladies, you have my respect. 

As of late, I have jokingly referred to myself as "the dog lady". As a child I've always loved dogs, but never had my own. My husband gifted me one for Christmas of 2010, sweet Koda bear. Having openly voiced my love for dogs, I am now the go-to dog sitter among friends, traveling and pregnant alike. Here are our recent tenants.


Cosmo Turner


Enzo Kasten


Berkley Berkowitz (snuggling up to Koda)


Oakley Velez


remembering yankee summers

As a kid, summer was a little slice of heaven; running around outside, barefoot, relying only on the waning of the sun to summon you home. I rode my bike everywhere: to my father's greenhouse business behind our home, to my friends' houses down the street, and even to ice cream. Hmm...ice cream.

Here are a few of my favorite summer things (in no particular order):

1. Early morning coffee sipped slowly on the patio outside of my childhood home.



I always love shared early morning coffee chat with my dad in his original Adirondack chairs.


2. Afternoons by my parents' pool. In high school my girl friends and I would spend hours swimming, tanning, and swimming by this small oasis. Today, when I visit, I love watching my niece (Madelyn) and nephew (Jack) laugh and laugh while kicking and blowing bubbles in their Oma and Opa's pool. 

 Jack's still a little hesitant on his own.



Madelyn and I tend to be a bit more goofy. She's ready for the deep end!


3. Ice cream. Does this really need an explanation?


My favorite place to pop in for a waffle cone with Moose Tracks is Kilwin's in Blowing Rock, NC.


4. My mother's strawberry rhubarb pie. I had the worst craving for this yesterday, so I emailed my mom for her recipe. She hasn't responded yet, but I'm also hoping she feels inspired to make one when she visits next week. This recipe looks very familiar to her own. 



Photo from smitten kitchen

5. Time with family.


My petite mom entertaining her grand babies.


This is blurry, but I adore watching my father love on Jack.


Dinner while visiting my parents in New York. 


For now, face time with my sister will have to suffice.



the Keith brothers, July 4 circa 2010.


What are a few of your favorite (summer) things?

Paris versus New York

In preparation of our upcoming trip, some shared excerpts from Paris versus New York. I hope you enjoy it (the book) as much as I do.


baguette + beurre demi-sel ... bagel + cream cheese
ville lumiere ... big apple
amelie a montemartre ... carrie in the upper east side
macaron ... cupcake
cancan ... gaga
sonja la creatrice ... anna the critic (think vogue)
quasimodo ... king kong
la sorbonne ... columbia
proust ... salinger
man on wire alias philippe petit ... spider man aka peter parker
pyramid, entree pour les arts (louvre) ... cube, entrance for the geeks (apple store on fifth)
pompidou ... guggenheim
parc des princes ... giants stadium
cartier ... tiffany
coco ... calvin
jean paul ... ralph
les miz, demain sera pour tous un lendemain ... rent, no day but today
CDG ... JFK
Paris je t'aime ... I love New York