wishful nals

cuttyhunk.

2013-05-23T09:10:00.002-04:00

a few weeks ago we took a little boat - complete with overflowing cups of chowder (and my favorite, oyster crackers) - to see seals and visit cuttyhunk, one of the elizabeth islands. i've always wanted to go to cuttyhunk - its charm embodies the very essence of new england.

we had a wonderful afternoon exploring the island with friends. fifty-two people live there year-round (!) and there are no restaurants on the island. i'd love to go back in the summer for a relaxing getaway - truly away from it all.

remember me?

2013-05-20T20:26:00.002-04:00

hey there, it's me.

it's been far too long. in the past few weeks, i kept sitting myself down to write a post ... and just couldn't.

in the past few weeks, months even - i've just felt such an overwhelming connection to it all. well, what i should really say is to the internet world, and less of a connection to the outside world, to myself. my step back wasn't necessarily intentional, but it was necessary. it can be so easy to get caught "living to write" instead of just living. i want to be intentional in my life and in this space.

let me tell you, i've missed this blog, dearly. i've awoken in the middle of the night thinking about writing. i've missed you all. i'm so happy to be typing these words. i'm so happy to be back. thank you for bearing with me and giving me the space for quietude. xo

passover.

2013-04-10T11:18:00.000-04:00

passover is one of my favorite holidays. i think it comes down to the comfort food, family, and a still somewhat new tradition for me. i love to entertain, but lately, i've been craving the comfort that comes from doing less. i've taken a backseat and let others cook, clean and decorate. it's nice to let the pressure slide off from time to time and really enjoy filling your home with aromas and people you care about.

california, one last time.

2013-03-21T08:03:00.000-04:00

welp, more than a month later and i was able to wrap up our time in california. from san francisco to petaluma, from carmel to big sur, and to los angeles. it was such a wonderful trip - and it already feels so long ago.

i was so happy to be able to fit in a mere 36 hours in la with one of my oldest and dearest friends. you know the friends that you always miss? that's kasey. we barely slept that weekend. stayed awake talking in the dark like the pre-teens we once were. i love to be reminded of that time - and spend time with those people that know me so well. i feel so lucky. xo

big sur.

2013-03-20T07:54:00.000-04:00

golly, i think i left my heart in big sur. i mean, what isn't there to love? the friendliest of folks, the most beautiful look-outs, the wildlife... ah. it was a dream.

highway one.

2013-03-04T08:03:00.000-05:00

driving along california's coast has always been a dream. it was about the journey - no destination necessary. highway one did not disappoint. around every sharp turn, the view just got better and better. we spent as much time on the side of the road as we did driving. every once and awhile, we forget we were on american soil. there's just something about sweeping views and ocean cliffs that transports you.

carmel-by-the-sea.

2013-02-27T08:28:00.000-05:00

our journey along california's central coast continued with a stop in carmel-by-the-sea, also known as the cutest town to ever exist. even the town hall was peppered in adorable qualities, as if it would fit perfectly in a dollhouse.

we spent the late afternoon walking around and stopping in various wine tasting rooms. our favorites were scheid vineyards and the cheese shop. carmel is quite possibly one of the most romantic towns. i kept waiting for a proposal or something equally romantic to happen right in front of us. we ate dinner at casanova - highly recommend!

most of all, i loved the sunshine and beautiful flowers that crept up along every corner of carmel's charming streets.

carmel valley.

2013-02-19T08:06:00.000-05:00

with its twisty trees and sweeping views, carmel valley was the epitome of relaxation. we stayed at the carmel valley ranch, which boasted beautiful hills filled with lavender. we made s'mores at dusk and drank prosecco under the moonlit sky. being in the valley, we were awakened by brisk mornings followed quickly by sunshine. i yearn for those mornings the most.

point lobos.

2013-02-12T14:07:00.001-05:00

along california's central coast, there is an overwhelming amount of beautiful vistas and scenic routes, trails to hike and outlooks to meander. it was actually quite difficult to dwindle down what we wanted to see in our four days. relaxation was key, so we were intentional in not overbooking ourselves.

we almost passed on point lobos. i am so grateful that we opted to spend a few hours there, as it turned out to be one of the highlights of our entire trip. the pacific ocean is mesmerizing with its green body and white caps along the entire coast, but there's just something so perfect about point lobos. i could have returned there day after day.

monterey.

2013-02-11T20:16:00.000-05:00

what snow? matt's birthday was last week (if you recall, we love birthday adventures, as documented here, here and here) and to celebrate, i planned a little getaway to the central coast of california.

highway one was more beautiful than i ever imagined. every turn yielded a more stunning view than the last. our first stop off of the pacific coast highway was monterey. with it's yapping sea otters and beautiful harbor, we spent the sunny afternoon gazing at the water.

it was a wonderful beginning to a birthday celebration.

i'm still here!

2013-02-08T11:25:00.002-05:00

hi friends! sorry for the radio silence. i have so much to say + write (i so miss writing) - soon enough!

i have been in california for the last ten days - mostly for work, but some vacation in there, too. we celebrated matt's birthday with a road trip down highway one to big sur, carmel and carmel-by-the-sea. it was breathtaking and so rejuvenating. there's just something about that ocean breeze...

tonight, i am headed to los angeles to visit one of my dearest friends. it will be a 36 hour trip, but so well worth it. i can't wait to share all the photos we've taken on this trip - and more updates in general.

have a happy weekend, and stay safe + cozy if you're in the northeast. (part of me is really sad to be missing this storm - i want to be making snow angels + drinking hot cocoa!)

around here.

2013-01-23T21:44:00.000-05:00

winter is here and we've been hibernating (hence the radio silence). last weekend, we had a staycation - just two miles from our house! it felt so indulgent to get away, even if for just one evening, just a few miles from home.

it feels like forever ago (perhaps because it was?) that i spent the afternoon with anna and rachael. i love spending time with these two. they make me feel so creative and happy.

next week, matt and i are headed to california, and i am looking forward to the above freezing temperatures. and beautiful vistas. and a bit of adventure.

stay cozy and warm, xo!

weekend in new jersey & a creative weekend ahead.

2013-01-11T10:42:00.001-05:00

last weekend, i scooted off to new jersey via new york (oh, how indulgent the train feels..) to spend time with two beloved friends. it was such a lovely weekend with hugs and plenty of down time - just relaxing and catching up. those kind of sleepovers are my favorite.

this weekend, i am excited to find a little inspiration, wiping the dust off my camera, and facing the world with fresh eyes. i am overflowing with enthusiasm right now - for little (and big) projects on the horizon, for planning upcoming trips, for the relaxation that is coming (and so needed).

so far, this year has been a wonderful one. it has offered me the perspective and abundant kindness that i so needed. i hope that you have the most wonderful weekend and are able to carve out a little creative relaxation for yourself. xo

a fresh start.

2013-01-08T09:53:00.001-05:00

a fresh new year. untouched, overflowing with possibility, optimism.

i have mixed feelings on resolutions. as an ever-changing person, i subscribe to the fact that change is good. we are on a continuum; what has come before, whether good or bad, has brought us to this place.

i never want to resign to the feeling that i haven't done enough, felt enough, worked hard enough. even in a challenging time, the things we encounter, the choices we make, they all add up to who we are now, the situations we find ourselves in today. sure, there are things i am not proud of. there are decisions that could have been different, the extra brownie i shouldn't have eaten. but what is regret? something i certainly don't want to waste time worrying about, and honestly, that extra brownie was so worth it.

but, i do like to resolve to try new things, encourage myself to step out of the old comfort box (or jump out of my warm bed in the midst of a dark winter) and greet life with bravery and love. i won't get it all right, all the time, but isn't that beside the point? but i do know this: there are always things that we can do (and often they are little things!) to make our world (and the world we live in) a bit brighter, a bit more blessed, and a whole lot more fun.

i'm not going to sugar coat it; 2012 was difficult. too many big losses, struggling to find stability, too much rushing. but amidst all of that, there was beauty. a lot of it. i welcome 2013 with wide open arms.

i will encourage myself to:

feel better. for the better part of this past year, i've felt lousy. my stomach hurt, my head hurt, my heart hurt. sometimes you need a little TLC to mend a runny nose or the blues, but sometimes, you have to get up and face the day. this year, i aspire to eat better and listen to my gut. i aspire to continue going to bed at a decent hour. a good night's sleep makes all the difference. i want to use those 60 yoga passes i have. i want to be limber and light (in spirit and heart) and just feel good. i strive to be more intentional and carve out quiet time so that the rhythms of my spirit can be heard.

have a little fun. i tend to seek out fun most of the time, but this year, i want to inject more fun in more ways. i want to continue sewing, and find other hobbies to try. i want to travel more! and document more. i want to live in the moment (read: worry less) and just have fun. spontaneity is the spice of life!

be kinder. above all: to myself. we can be our own worst critic, hey? i also strive to be a better friend. it can be tricky to strike a balance. sometimes i can give my all, and other moments, i come up empty handed. i want to meet in the middle. if i don't have the energy for a call, a text or handwritten note in the mail can show someone how much you care. i want to continue to love this earth and delight in the beauty that surrounds us. i think the biggest lesson here is to not beat yourself up about it. just move on.

keep dreaming big. i've always been a dreamer, with an imagination as vast as the sky. but this year, nothing is out of reach. i want to dream bigger than ever, and not shy away from the scary monsters of change. change is good for me (repeat, repeat). i want to dream and dream and dream. who knows what may come of it? and the unknown elicits utter excitement.

so, tell me, what are you hoping to accomplish in 2013? whatever it is, wherever you are coming from: i am proud of you. and although there is always space to improve, you are enough, as you are.

ringing in the new year!

2013-01-03T07:15:00.000-05:00

i love hosting parties. the balloons, the confetti, the friends. festivity sweeps through the air and lights up my world.

you deserved to be celebrated, 2012. thank you for all your beauty and challenges. i feel so lucky to have had those 365 days. so, thank you.

a big welcome to 2013.

2013-01-01T21:10:00.001-05:00

you know when you have a feeling deep within your bones? i get chills just thinking about 2013 and the shifts that are coming. this past year was a good, yet challenging time, and i am looking ahead to peace, adventure and enjoying more of the simple.

here's a quick look back on this past year (one of my favorite ways to comprehend all that this year gave - and i gave in return.)

january was a month of family and quietude.

february came and we celebrated matt's birthday with a few days high above the new york city skyline.

in march, we lost my grandmother. i spent time in france with my beloved family and soaked up as many details as i could, including the majestic countryside sunsets.

signs of spring showed themselves come april; we rejoiced.

although it was a mild winter, i found myself still hibernating come may in montreal.

june was a month of big transitions: a new job, the beginning of wedding season, and the loss of matt's grandmother. we cuddled with family in provincetown and found comfort in the ebb and flow.

in july, we traveled to san francisco, cleveland, and around new england. we danced a lot.

there were more weddings in august. we also celebrated my birthday with a trip to costa rica. it was beautiful and the time away was precious.

september came and we were still living in summer's light with trips to charleston and nantucket.

in october, i began sharing sketches. we spent a week with my family celebrating by the sea in martha's vineyard.

in november, we lost my other grandmother. it was a difficult time, but the support and love of a big family is a wonderful/beautiful thing. matt and i spent thanksgiving in europe, where i couldn't wait to hug my grandfather.

december was a quiet month with a lot of reflection. i took my very first sewing class and spent a week in san francisco. as always, i loved sitting by the fire in awe of the christmas tree's flickering lights. especially after a challenging year, there was nothing i wanted more than to spend the holidays with my family.

thank you, 2012, for the challenges and joys you brought. i am so excited for the year ahead and have you to thank for the perspective and reflection. and thank you, friends, for coming here to share a bit of my world. it means so much to me and i wish you a wondrous year of miracles and happiness. xo

december in san francisco.

2012-12-29T11:34:00.000-05:00

every time i go to san francisco, i promise myself that i will see more and catch it on camera. one of my favorite parts of traveling is wandering aimlessly, camera in hand. i'm headed back to san francisco in early february (with a weekend getaway to big sur - any tips?) and i am so looking forward to snapping away. it is so nice to step away from the lens and soak the world up in the present moment sometimes, but i always long for photos to hold on to - bringing me back to that time and place, to the emotion behind it all.

post-christmas thoughts.

2012-12-26T10:33:00.003-05:00

it's been a really interesting year: time spent introspectively, too much loss (but also so much love), a bit of adventure, and a tremendous amount of growth. it's been one of those years embracing white knuckles and pushing forward despite the fearful knot residing in my gut.

christmas is such a magical time of year. a return to childhood and the magic that surrounds flickering lights and grasping tight to the dream of a white christmas.

looking ahead, i am choosing to not get stuck in the slump that often comes post-christmas. i am living in the magic and light that upholds this wondrous season. it is so easy to transition from the splendor of the holidays to a gray, sleepy winter. but, we always have the power to choose perspective. and this year, i am choosing to look for the good.

as the year draws to a close next week, i've been pondering 2013 and what i hope will come from the year ahead. more than ever, i want to suck the marrow out of each day. this year has taught me (time and time again) to never take a moment for granted, but simultaneously, to not get caught up in the drama or ho-drum of every day nonsense. it is easy to do - and believe me - i am in no way perfect, but i am going to try really hard to enjoy every last second, because really, no moment is ordinary.

this year, i hope to get lost and not be held back by the "could-be consequences". often the most magical things arise by just letting go.

all these things and more are buzzing around in my post-christmas mind. they are making me feel cozy and warm and inspired. all of this time surrounded by family and love is just the cherry on top. feeling so blessed, and wishing the same for you - and so much more. xo

final scenes from southwestern france.

2012-12-20T11:17:00.002-05:00

as the holidays draw near, my mind continues to wander back to our week spent in france. (let's be real - my mind always wanders back there.)

these images, these sentiments - these are things that make me feel safe and toasty. the love and warmth that this tiny village in southwestern france exudes makes my toes tingle and heart feel full of joy - and most of all - gratitude for its existence in the first place.

the little chateau.

2012-12-11T20:45:00.000-05:00

there are places you visit all your life, some so ingrained in your memory while others less so. certain places conjure sweet memories: sitting around a table with your sisters dressed in sunday's best. surrounded by all of your grandparents. happiness.

no matter how many times i visit olga's little chateau, i am reminded of those days (so near yet so far) that my sisters and i huddled around that tiny table - so proud to have our own little corner to call our own.

we've grown up so much. so many things have changed. but returning to places like this bring me to the realization that while a lot has changed, mostly everything has stayed the same. we are still those little girls, sitting around that tiny table, laughing and loving. and loving.

days at the farm.

2012-12-07T12:11:00.002-05:00

it's only been one week (not even) and i am itching to be back at the farm. especially in the colder months, taking the opportunity to recalibrate and hibernate is so important - and honestly one of my favorite things about the winter season. the farm is the perfect place to do this. the cozy leather coach that you sink in to, the shelves and armoires filled with books, the fire (oh the fire), and the food that sticks to your ribs and makes you sleep like a baby.

st. palais de négrignac.

2012-12-05T11:44:00.000-05:00

each time i arrive in st. palais de négrignac, i am home. the twisting roads are familiar; i could walk them blindly. the aromas, the vistas, the hours spent in front of the fire. these things are all so comforting.

in my twenty-eight years on this earth, i have grown and found my voice. i've lost my way and found it again. this place has seen me as a young baby, as a wondrous child with an open heart, as a middle-school teen, and as a young adult. it has never once judged who i was or where i was going. it knew my intention; it knew my heart. it is the place where i come from.

it is so refreshing to see new places with new eyes. the wonder that comes with exploring the world. but, i have found that it can be equally refreshing to return to those places that whisper your name from afar as if to say 'come home, you belong here, in the vineyards, rolling around as the sun goes down'. this is the place that knows me often better than i know myself.

and after having just lost both of my grandmothers in the past few months, seeing my grandfather was all i wanted to do. being in this place, with him, is just as wonderful as life gets.

to see more france travels, go here.

my beloved paris.

2012-11-29T07:56:00.000-05:00

you never forget your first love. the way that it sweeps you off to another time and place. your first love is bittersweet; the most beautiful untainted memories that seem so distant, yet hovering, reminding you of that first glance. the moment when your world shifted.

paris. you were my first love. with your green benches and curved stoned paths, you guided me. i fell for your beauty at night, when no one else was around. just you and i, and notre dame, with a beautiful crisp backdrop of the seine and the big round moon.

each time i go back, it's like visiting an old friend. i walk the same streets and take the same corners to see the same majestic view. i feel the same homesickness for a time so long ago, for a girl so young, that only you can bring about.

no matter how much time passes, i'll never forget paris. what it was, what it is, and what it will be.

amsterdam.

2012-11-27T10:37:00.002-05:00

oh, amsterdam. oh, vacation.

for thanksgiving, we traveled across the atlantic to spend time with our dear friends ellen and paul, as well as my sweet grandfather. our first stop: amsterdam (home of ellen and paul).

you know those times when you just feel so alive? the wind is flowing right through you. literally through your layers of armor and baggage and stuff. well, i felt that way riding through amsterdam's beautiful canal-lined streets. i felt alive and refreshed and like me, unrefined and unwoven. it's a beautiful thing: this life and the ability to feel raindrops fall gently on your nose and to have friends who make each day beyond meaningful.

thank you, amsterdam. thank you.

lately.

2012-11-15T11:02:00.000-05:00

thank you for your kind words about my grandma. it's so devastating to loose a generation of such kind, warm-hearted, good people (but always thankful for ways to hold on to their essence). in that vein, i am off to visit my grandfather in france for thanksgiving. along with seeing friends in amsterdam, i am treasuring the time at the farm, thankful to have my grandfather to hug and chat alongside.

i think that's the theme these days: gratitude. good timing in thanksgiving's light. the last few weeks have been exhausting, mostly on an emotional level, and i am really looking forward to a little getaway, lots of fresh air, and some good sleep. at the end of the day, if our basic needs are met, the world is a much brighter, kinder place.

see you in a little bit. xo