Latest Obsessions

*Morning Ritual
On the mornings that I open the store, I've gotten into
the habit of grabbing a small black coffee and
chocolate croissant  from a small bakery by work.
It's a nice way to start my work day, and it's soothing to
sip on something savory and bite into something sweet.

*Counting Down to the Shore




















This vacation cannot get here soon enough!
We get a little teaser this weekend when we
drop the fudge-a-mania off. First stop,
Uncle Bill's Pancake House.

*Ten Virtues for the Modern Age
I don't consider myself an Atheist, but I think
that these can apply no matter what beliefs
you happen to have. Just a good self-check
list.

*The Collage Club via Instagram
I joined a group on Instagram
that works from Ansel Adam's
400 Photographs book. Each Friday
someone calls out a page, and all
participants create a collage with
that page. It's been great to have
a project to look forward to and to
see what other people can get from
the same image. Here's what I've done
so far.

*Venchi Chocolate
I stumbled across these at a wine
event I went to recently, I guess they
had a hand in sponsoring because there
were huge towers of chocolates on
2 of the tables. Needless to say, I took
a lot of free chocolate. They are delicious.
Now I just need to find them in NY.

*101 Easy Asian Recipes



















I was gifted this wonderful cookbook
and I can't wait to use it.

The Scent of Summer

As we were taking our evening walk the

other night, I was breathing in the scent of 

fresh cut grass.  It almost brought me to tears

it was so wonderful. So many memories

of summers gone by, all rolled up in that

one smell.

Relay races in the front yard, watching the Muppet

Show and Are You Being Served? while eating

popsicles (of even better, pudding pops), swimming

in our above ground pool and trying to balance on

our buoyant body board while yelling out the words 

to Surfin' USA. Trips to the beach, watching the MTV

beach house and thinking it was so cool, TGIF, riding 

my bike around the neighborhood while jamming 

to the Madonna's I'm Breathless album, sleepovers with

friends, vacations to Myrtle,  all of it comes alive 

again with the smells of summer.

What I really love now is seeing the little dude 

enjoy his own version of summer.  Playing in the 

fountain at the park, visiting our neighborhood

chickens every night, getting to know the beach, 

going on adventures in Queens, playing in Central

Park, lunching at the MoMA Cafe, and in a few

weeks he will get to experience Ocean City as a toddler.

Seeing this kind of unbridled joy really makes

you want to reclaim it for yourself, and you can.

It's really easy to savor that ice cream cone, 

to appreciate your local skyline, to get to know those

chickens, and to enjoy the nostalgia trips while still

living in the present.  

What are your fondest summer memories or smells?