the train show!

We took a family field trip to see the Holiday Train Show on a drizzly Sunday afternoon, followed by dinner on Arthur Avenue.

© all photos by me

taliesin: the house

Taliesin is the home that Frank Lloyd Wright built for himself and his mistress (if you've read Loving Frank, you are familier with the story) on land owned by his family in Spring Green, Wisconsin. We took a fascinating 4-hour tour that led through the house, as well as some of the other structures on the property. In addition to the living quarters, the house also contains a drafting studio, a chicken coop and stables (the latter has now been converted into living quarters) all with expansive views of the valley below. Again, this is a must if you find yourself in this part of the country!

Like the Hollyhock house, we weren't allowed to take photos inside, so this is my only shot of the interior:

© all photos by me.

duke farms, part 2

Although there were many lovely parts of Duke Farms, my favorite spot had to be the Hay Barn. Originally housing a hay press, a fire destroyed everything but the shell in 1915. The structure was later turned into a sculpture garden (above and below).

The Duke family shared a fondness for orchids. The Orchid Range contains rare and beautiful species (below).

©all photos by me

More photos here.

snug harbor

Snug Harbor, originally a retirement home for sailors, serves as a regional arts center, botanical garden and working farm. All just a ferry and bus ride away on New York's least respected borough. 

©all photos by me

st. john the divine

My dear cousins were visiting this weekend, staying by Columbia on the Upper West Side. We took a lovely walk around the neighborhood ending up at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the world's largest cathedral. Unfortunately, the church was closed for the day but that certainly didn't stop me from taking about a thousand photos of the facade and garden. They offer tours of the church (including a visit up to the steeple!) which I'm definitely interesting in doing.

©all photos by me

cherry blossoms

The temperature reached non-tights wearing degrees this weekend, so it seemed downright criminal not to be outside. To celebrate, we visited the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

©photos by me

morris-jumel mansion

The Morris-Jumel mansion is the oldest house in Manhattan. The home also served as George Washington's headquarters during the battle of Harlem Heights in 1776.

©all photos by me

a year in new york city

It's been just over a year since we arrived in New York and it seems like some sort of reflection is in order. I feel like Jeff and I have really packed a lot in the last year in terms of exploring the city. To date, I think Storm King was our best adventure yet, followed by Sandy Hook.

Within the city limits, I loved exploring Governors Island....

...seeing my first big time fashion show....

and visiting the zoo in the snow.

We've eaten some amazing meals. The most amazing (and most expensive) meal had to be Stone Barns, but we've also enjoyed some great street food, and of course, lots and lots of cheese.

Culturally, I've seen some incredible exhibits, the best of which has to have been Alexander McQueen at the Met. Additionally, I enjoyed Jim Henson at the Museum of the Moving Image, the hat exhibit at Bard College and the permanent collection at the Brooklyn Museum.

New York also boasts an impressive variety of outdoor space. My favorites are the Brooklyn Botanical garden in Prospect Park and Wave Hill Gardens.

This next year I look forward to revisiting my favorite spots as well as exploring more outside the city. Happy anniversary New York!
©all photos by me.

wave hill gardens

We took a short train ride on my favorite Metro-North line (also, the only one I've ever taken) to visit Wave Hill Gardens in the Bronx this past weekend. The weather in New York has been so amazing lately that it seemed criminal not to be outdoors. Wave Hill was just beginning to show signs of spring, so I can only imagine how lovely it will be when things really start blooming in a few weeks.

More photos here.
©photos by me