feel: crisp autumn days

al and i spent a beautiful autumn afternoon
raking leaves in his front yard
and i found some pretty autumnal things
to gather and take photos of...

and now we're indoors again
eating warm herb chicken soup
melba toast
and sharp cheddar cheese...

love: tights

'tis the season for tights!
one of the many reasons autum is awesome.
when i was in london, i hit up PRIMARK
and bought myself tons of tights in all
colours and patterns for an amazing
98 pence to 1 pound a pair!
friggin brilliant, right?!
as brilliant as NADINOO!

hear: say hello

let's say hello to september.

summer came and went so fast.
and since my last post:
i've assembled a bedframe,
gone to the zoo
(i got to pet stingrays!)
attended a beautiful, and oh so glamorous wedding
(complete with a photobooth!),
as well as a surprise engagement party,
where we also found out that our
girlfriend who tied the knot last year
is now a mommy-to-be at three months!

it was a lovely season.
and though gone are the sun-drenched days
that seem to go on forever
and the sun now sleeps earlier and earlier,
i hope the fall promises things that are just as lovely.
i kick it off in london, then the big apple
so really, how can it not be lovely?

and now, for some rosie thomas and sufjan stevens cover
(the most adorable of them all!) ...



would he hold me
and never let me go...
would he let me borrow his old winter coat...

love: cozy autumn days...

are something to look forward to
as summer's end draws near.

i noticed this morning that the maple trees
in my neighborhood are starting to
have tinges of red and orange.

don't these images from toast.uk's catalogue
make you feel... well... toasty?

taste: a summery weekend (finally!)

it finally feels like summer here!
weekend weather was superbly hot
and on friday we had a lovely soiree
at a friend-slash-colleague's
quaint 2nd floor balcony
in the heart of kensington market.
and can i please tell you about the food:
pesto & spinach sausages, veal burgers with goat cheese
and sundried tomatoes, washed down with lots
and lots of beer, and sweet yellow mangoes for dessert.

saturday came and the summer heat
decided to stay a little while more.
so my parents threw an impromptu family bbq.
i made grilled vegetable antipasti:
zucchini, yellow, green and red peppers,
and onions all primly blackened and
caramelized, sliced and tossed in garlic
flavoured olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt
& pepper.i also made a fresh summer salad:
cucumbers, red onion, avocado, lots of dill,
chunks of brie, and a touch of lime juice and coarse salt.
the humid night wore on as we ate
ice cream and watermelon.

then, i had the most wonderful sunday evening.
the boy's parents and grandparents threw me
a little surprise birthday dinner.
we had: shrimp har gow, spring rolls, and
chicken corn soup to start. then, ginger and garlic lobster
with traditional chinese sweet dough bread, and
chicken in szechuan peanut sauce.
his parents know how much i love his
maternal grandparents and truly consider
them as my own. they are among the most
wonderful and extraordinary people i know,
and i could not have asked for a better
early birthday and end to the summery weekend.

---
images from martha stewart

touch: cuddly clouds

so, while perusing the internet, i luckily stumbled upon
the artist (donna wilson) who makes
the soft lambswool blankets that can
make you cozy as a posie
that i mentioned in my prior post.

and since the sun has just been to shy
to come out this summer,i figured
why not share some more of her work
that make rain clouds just a little
more easy to love when sunshine has been
so, so scarce.