life lately

hello family and friends!

After another exhaustingly fun and filled summer in Woods Hole, I have again moved to a new city and started a new job. I am living just north of Boston and working at a really very cool well pre-school in the city. I'm very tired (hello 6.30 commute) and was just very grumpy (city libraries require proof of address before they'll issue library cards, but your freaking lease isn't good enough proof), however I just ate a lot of nutella and am planning out the grilled cheese I'm going to have for supper, so things are looking up.

I'm trying to be more creative in life and so, inspired by this NPR article, I have been videoing one second of life every day. Here's the past two weeks:

(I'm pretty sure the video quality is really horrible here, watch iMovie tutorial is on my to-do list.)

So welcome back self to the blogging and internet world, I'll report back with some fun things I did this past summer as well as updates about Boston life!

xoxo

hugs…?

I love love love hugs

Every once in a while I get anxious when I haven't hugged someone in a while, then I make Katie hold hands with my while we're at work.

But sometimes, I really do NOT want to be hugged….

Summer Weddings

I feel like summer is FLYING by, how is it halfway through June? I've moved into my grandfather's empty house with my best friend Katie, which is super fun, but we don't have wi-fi. That means I spend a lot more time outside (and doing laundry) but also means I am never online, so hello world!

….

some thought on love and the future…

Image by Vivian Maier

one misty, moisty morning

one misty, moisty morning
when stormy was the weather…

The weather has been all over the place lately, some days I can lay in my bathing suit in the yard and others I am pulling out my fleece and jeans. Recently it's been the grey days that are my favorite, especially when I wake up early and can stay snuggled in bed, watching the boats bob in the fog.

the other day my sister and I went exploring in the mist:

 up on the golf course it was like walking into a wall, you could barely see in front of you...

continue for more!

Mount Holyoke; Western Mass

I graduated from Mount Holyoke College one year ago! A whole year! 

I don't miss being in college itself at all, so much stress and competition and fighting for the fruit in the dining hall. But I did go to western mass this past weekend to see my friend Rach graduate and I was reminded of how much I do miss from that part of the world. 

Here are a few of my favorite things…

happy birthday to me!

It's my birthday!!! "Welcome to the magical world of 23," said my friend this morning, and so far it has been very magical; I woke up and ate a lot of bacon.

My father very kindly flew down to Virginia on Wednesday to road trip back to MA with me, so I got home just in time to celebrate with my family.

crossing the Mason-Dixion Line!

What was I doing five years ago today on my 18th birthday?

...eating cupcakes while wearing a VIRGINIA sweatshirt! what a premonition for the future!

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend celebrating me, eating Mexican food, and spending time with people they love

xoxo

May snacks

Happy May everyone (and happy birthday week to me!!!!!!!)

It's hard to cook for just myself, often I just end up eating Joe's O's out of a mug, but sometimes I get inspired to branch out and make a little effort.

All my friends have been talking about spiralizers and vegettis - tools that turn vegetables into pastas. I am too impatient/ thrifty to go buy one so I made my own zucchini pasta using just a knife.

I very thinly sliced the zucch

In a pan beforehand I sautéed finely diced onions, chicken sausage, cherry tomatos, and pesto. Then I tossed in the zucchini pasta with a little filtered water and cooked on a low heat for about five minutes. SO yummy and healthy!

As a little treat for myself I made pumpkin bread - I found a hidden can of pumpkin puree in the back of my cupboard while packing. Anyone remember the last time I tried to make bread? Disaster. This the it came out delicious and am currently eating it smothered in nutella :)

Last but not least, a snack I did not make for myself but I am extremely proud that I ordered these instead of some boring breakfast. While in Baltimore, my friends and I ate at Golden West where I ordered two different pancakes: the left is a Zucchini Brie Pancake, a sweet and savory scallion and zucchini (my favorite veg) flapjack baked with brie, and topped with house made honey butter. The right is called a Hopi Cake, a blue cornmeal banana pancake topped with blueberries, creme fraiche, and toasted pine nuts, with a side of Vermont maple syrup.

HOLY CANNOLI were these good, so filling, Clea had to step in and help me.

I cannot wait to try to make the zucchini brie one on my own!

events in Washington D.C.

I just got back from spending a long weekend in D.C., it was so lovely hanging out in the city with my friends, very different life pace than I am used to - I slept 11 hour last night in recovery.

On Thursday we helped out at/ attended a charity gala for ClearWater Initiative at the House of Sweden. The non-profit helps empower villages in Uganda with a focus on building wells and creating easier and more efficient ways for everyone to access clean, safe water. It was a beautiful and very fun event, attended by very interesting people, and filled with delicious snacks (shrimp and grits bites anyone?)

all dressed up!

Soleil captured some images of the venue:

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images from Soleil's instagram

On Friday night, we attended the Falmouth Academy reunion in DC! It was so fun seeing school mates and meeting the new headmaster. 

photographs from the Falmouth Academy Facebook

What a whirlwind weekend - we spent the second half in Baltimore where I ate the most delicious pancakes I have ever had in my entire life - but more on that later!

xoxo

beautiful arrangements: emily blincoe

I have a lot of free time when I work at the coffee bar because the customers are so nice and easy and leave me alone except for quick refills of black coffee for the most part. Half the time I am taking artsy photos for social media to encourage people to hike on down here and visit me:

new seating outside!

fancy bean jugs

Emma's birthday tulips

I discovered this very interesting photographer Emily Blincoe. I really enjoy all her images but I am particularly drawn to her creative arrangements! I have no life news of my own to share, so here's some inspiration.

easter egg shells

rainbow pebbles

abc noodles

the inside of tomatoes

colorful citrus!

*last five images from Emily Blincoe's Instagram

xoxo

portraits

" 'It is how people interact with the world,' he told her once. 'The soul might be within the eyes, but the subconscious, the matter of their behavior, that is in the hands. Watch a man's hands, and you watch his heart.' "

- City of Stairs, Robert Jackson Bennett

I love working with my hands, especially creating art of all kinds: painting, sculpture, flower arranging. As some of you may know, Keegan had to leave school and go home leaving me ALL ALONE in Virginia. I'll be back to the Cape in less than three weeks but for now I am filling my time with Gilmore Girls and using up my art supplies so that I have less to pack into the Volv.

This one I did in acrylics and collage for my friend from Para, Emma, whose just turned 23!

I drew this today at work (it was mind numbingly slow) of my beautiful little sis. 

anyone have any ideas for what I should make next?

xoxo

mystery film

Over Christmas I discovered a roll of film in my 35mm camera so I quickly finished the roll and then…. had to wait forever for CVS to develop the pictures. But I was really excited to discover that the film was still good and that I hadn't accidentally double exposed or flashed the roll!

I got some beautiful captures of three of my favorite friends:

my little Lucy

chocolate chip pancakes for every meal if possible

click through for more photos!

home made french fries

In one month I will be getting home from a shift at Coffee O and making supper with my new rookie Katie. Boy does that feel like a million miles away! In the mean time, I am going to keep experimenting with this amazing home made french fry recipe.

image from 3-Chairs

Holy cannoli these are so good and easy! Keegan and I made them with turkey burgers to celebrate the summer-like weather, it's 80 degrees here. I think any potato would be good with this recipe, we used Dutch baby golds, but next up I want to try sweet potatoes :))

In book news, i just finished the novel A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham, the first in a  quartet. I really enjoyed it but honestly I am not sure everyone else would as I indiscriminately love all sic-fi/ fantasy books with really cool worlds. The story follows two young men who were trained to be poets, but only one of them finished his education. Poets in this world are people who describe an action in a way that gives the action itself into a physical manifestation, a human body, and then the poet can magnify that action a thousand fold. For example, in the book, a poet uses his creation as a tool to harvest grains for his city - he can harvest it all at once by using his mind. PRETTY AWESOME.

new orleans chicory coffee

I am home from NOLA and so exhausted but mainly desperately missing the food and COFFEE! New Orleans traditionally brews my favorite drink with ground chicory, the dried root of the chicory flower.

Brief History lesson: Chicory root is harvested much like sugar beet and primarily comes from France and South Africa. The ancient Greeks and Romans used chicory as a veggie and in salads! When Napoleon enacted the Continental Blockade in the 1800s, the French had a very limited coffee supply and so began cutting the bean with ground chicory. The trend continued even after trade resumed and spread to French influenced Louisiana in the 19th century. New Orleans continues to cling to this coffee heritage, not only for its history and distinctive taste, but for many supposed health benefits! Read more here [ I did not fact check this site, why would the internet lie to me :) ]

 It was so delish, a little like chocolate, a little deep nutty flavor in the coffee.

beautiful Nicki enjoying some iced cold brew outside French Truck, home of the best coffee I have ever ever tasted.

myself enjoying the sunshine and the caffeine buzz on the NOLA river walk!

I'm going to stop by the grocery store/ spice store tomorrow to get some chicory myself and then report back!

xoxo

P.S. on the plane I read The King's Curse, the newest Philippa Gregory novel on the plane!! It follows Margret Pole, daughter of George Plantagenet (Richard of York's middle brother, the one who was drowned in a vat of malmsey wine) through the childhood and first four wives of Henry VIII. It was excellent, better than some of her more recent historical fictions. I love everything she puts out though, her stories are so captivating.

happy weekend!

Happy Saturday!!

I am heading to New Orleans on Wednesday and I am incredibly excited (if a little nervous about going out with my party hardy friends). But I hate packing so I am watching the West Wing on Netflix and snuggling with a heating pad because I ate some nachos too fast…. here are a few things around the internet that I have collected this afternoon which I am excited for!

• I'm going to make this meatballs (but with ground turkey) and baked zucchini tonight, so delish.

• I made "cupboard cookies" last week (throw everything you have into a cookie - we ended up with oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips, peanuts, and cinnamon - but next time I do some serious baking I want to try earl grey infused chocolate chip cookies.

• I am a sucker for a great mid length skirt and Forever 21 has been saving me lately for spring wear - I have a lovely red one that buttons up the front and recently got a black and white horizontal striped on (for my trip). Here are some super cheap easy skirts in a variety of fun colors!

• I'm downloading all the new Ted Radio Hours for my trip. I have also been running to them lately and they make the time fly, I was able to run for 20 more minutes than usual today because I didn't want my show to end!

• I drew some fun little geometric animals on coffee filters during a slow, rainy day at work this week - they are based off these awesome needlepoint creations - I really need to get better with a needle so I can create some.

xoxo

in which I learn to spray paint

Coming up, from April 13-19, is the  Tom Tom Founders Festival , and arts and innovation festival in Charlottesville. The other day I helped out by working with some local artists to spray paint a soon-to-be retired CAT bus! It's going to run from April- the end of May and local spoken word artists are going to preform on it while people commute around the city.

continue for more pictures… and some great books!

with love

Today is the birthday of a young woman I went to high school with, I did not know her well but my boyfriend and many of my friends were close with her family. She died a year ago last month and this is a thought essay one of her college friends wrote about the past year. I think that it is really beautiful and explores important feelings that we all experience, so I wanted to share:

http://blog.berlin.bard.edu/contradiction-on-death-love-and-family-portraits/

xoxoxo
Gracie

image from tumblr

"spring" break

It's been sunny and warm in Charlottesville all week; the frozen ocean in Woods Hole seems like a dream…. but everyone here is so shocked and excited to see the pictures! They can hardly imagine being someplace so cold. 

As much as I am enjoying walking around without a coat, I kind of miss the snow if only for the cool pictures I can take! Continue for more...

you say it's your birthday!

Happy birthday Lucy! EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD BABY! 

Not only is it her birthday but she got her first car. Man do I feel old. 

Volvo station wagons for everrrr

Xoxo

gee it's great to be back home

helllooooo woods hooooole

xoxo

butternut squash risotto without the risotto recipe

I made a delicious butternut squash and grain dish the other night based of this risotto recipe. I did not have the ingredients to make that but it looks amazing and someone should try it out!!

Here's what I managed: 

and it was pretty delicious!! Even better the next day with pesto chicken sausage :)

Continue for the recipe, but first some book recommendations….

a little color

I just realized that most of my family has not seen me in the past few months so here's an update…I dyed my hair purple! 

Just the ends though. The box didn't come with gloves (DUMB) so Keegan helped me out by putting grocery bags on his hands. Whattaguy.

It's fairly subtle in real life, I couldn't handle doing my whole head mainly because my little sister has already occupied that corner for a while.

let's look at her rainbow of hair colors…

red

…. continue reading!….