Looking Back..

Now that we've lived at 22 for just about a year and a majority of the renovations are done I often find myself scrolling through the photos I've taken since we moved in. Most look out of focus, but that's just the humidity and demolition dust in the air...ahh summer days. It's surprising but I can't help but look back with little fondness and almost longing. Here's a little sample of some of my favorites.

John sawing through the kitchen wall. A very exciting moment.

The wallpaper remains..just a little creepy reminder of past generations

who lived in our house.

Gary Geisler, working the drill.

Me ripping up the carpeting down stairs, a truly triumphant moment.

Jake going to town on the pinkish cracked terra cotta tiles by the front door.

John, very tired.

When we moved in every room had its own ceiling color.

There was orange, and yellow,green and peach..my neck hurt for a

week, but every ceiling in this house is now white

and I guess I'm kind of proud of that.

Jock Mitchell doing some serious clean up.

Pre-dust mask, so naive.

Ray, looking confused.

The Life and Death of a Veggie Garden

Well I guess to say death is a bit dramatic, but we're getting close. The pictures above show the garden in four stages, starting in July and ending today, October 22.

Our little garden was planted late in the season, making our seed selection at Urban Roots pretty limited. Mostly leafy greens, which I've tried very hard to eat and not just push around my plate, and carrots. Carrots!!

Love carrots. Though ours are mere toddlers, I'm told they should continue to grow through November. So maybe by thanksgiving we can have a small little bowl on the table, we'll see..

Bear Claws

Until last week I'd never had a bear claw but this delicious almond pastry (that seems to have a kind of cult following) is fun and more importantly easy to bake! Especially with store bought puff pastry and almond paste.

This year is a big one for birthdays, most of my friends are turning 3-0. (gasp) One of my oldest and dearest just celebrated her thirtieth, she's the first of my friends to leave her twenties behind AND she's expecting a baby girl this winter. (yay!)

Growing up I was always gorging on things like gushers and blow pops while she opted for the more refined snacks like brie cheese and apples (?) This pregnancy has gloriously awakened her sweet tooth and I could not be more proud!

Bear claws have become her new obsession, and after spending some time searching the world wide web for recipes and general bear claw banter, it would seem she is not alone. People love bear claws. Have you ever had one?

OK, I know there's at least 10 of you out there...care to comment? (please?)

Proud to have been your friend for 30 years, happy birthday Babe eat up!

What a lovely fall surprise to see these roses blooming in our front yard. They are so bright they've put a lil'kick in my step on past grey and rainy days.

They remind me of the bouquets from a wedding I went to last week, the warm oranges and yellows looked a-mazing against the grey bridesmaid dresses.

42"

Or, your standard bar height. John and I are in the process of working out our kitchen butcher block design with the talented Brooklyn based builder Jesse Hooker. We're very excited for our new table, but some attention should be given to its temporary stand-in.

Though it looks like a potential toxic waste disaster, this fold out table from Home Depot propped up by two paint cans (one quart, one gallon) has survived groceries, breakfasts, cookbooks and pretty extensive and heavy home brewing equipment. The white eggshell paint and quick-dry polyurethane have remained safely contained in each can, helping to make the table's overall height exactly 42 inches.

I guess you could say this makeshift design has grown on me, but I still think something like this will look way better.

Ode to Anthropologie

There's been a great deal of change in my life in the last five years. But one thing has stayed the same, the curtains. At the time it was a big, sweaty palmed investment..but these casual yet chic window treatments from Anthropologie have been giving my bedroom just the right pop of green since 2005.

East Village circa 2005

Brooklyn circa 2007

San Francisco circa 2009

Buffalo present day, positively charming. (wink)

Newest Addition to the Kitchen

The chalkboard had all the table assignments on it as you walked into the reception at our wedding. The board was cut and painted with chalkboard paint two days before the wedding by my soon to be husband and father in law, my sister then spent many hours the day before the wedding writing out all the names and table assignments with her perfect teacher handwriting. And what's even better, after everyone was seated the names were erased so people could write silly little notes and well wishes. By the end of the night it looked like this.

After thorough documentation the messages were erased, and now its the newest addition to our kitchen. Will be great for grocery lists..if I ever remember to buy chalk.