COUNTRY | FALL FOLIAGE

photos taken with iphone

we recently visited my brother in new jersey and we never really know what's in store for us, but it's likely to involve communing with nature. these snaps were taken along the ramapo river and one walk around the lake was good enough for me because i really wanted to go to the curtain shop :).

xo, cindy

LIFE | BE OPTIMISTIC

new york botanical garden

so far, this year has not been ours. in fact, to be frank, it's kicking our asses. first with charlie's passing, then a few months later i was in the emergency room with eye problems that are lingering, and in september scott was there followed by a three day, 14 hour, 10 minute stay in the hospital. he's better now, but it was really scary and coming home alone on those days, pure misery.

but, today's horoscope might be words to live by from here on out -

'you have a great future but for some reason you seem more concerned with your past at the moment. put yesterday and last year out of your mind completely. what's done is done and cannot be undone.'

ok, i'll try.

xo, cindy

ps most of my photos from the past month are on instagram and i'm not sure about posting some here, too. duplicative? mobile photography is definitely fun with its instantaneous results, but it is killing my blog, and i don't think i'm the only one.

COUNTRY | EDITH WHARTON'S PLACE

edith wharton's estate & gardens in lenox, massachusetts.


view from the terrace.


lush & cushiony grass stairs take you from the garden to the terrace.


beautiful outdoor rooms.


pretty shady spots.


butterfly bushes swarming with monarch butterflies. i've never seen so many and if you just stood still they would come to you.


pretty dining room featuring wonderful art.


place setting with a penchant for purple.


inviting drawing room.


edith's bedroom and my favorite room in the house. so light and airy.


my wedding dress was made with dotted swiss voile just like these curtains and i think i would love a pair for our guest room.


library featuring edith's pride & joy book collection.


stable currently being restored.


lovely ferns with a wonderful ground cover.

last weekend we traveled 100 miles north to deliver 100 pieces from our china collection to an auction house. although it seems to be taking forever & takes a lot of work, downsizing our things feels good, but this step also feels like going to las vegas as you really don't know what will happen in an auction. while we were there we visited the pretty berkshire area of massachusetts, which was highlighted by a visit to edith wharton's estate, the mount. it is so beautiful and i'm just glad i don't have to downsize a place that size.

it's hard to believe summer is just about over and notice the days getting a little bit shorter day by day. not really up for travel this year, we've spent most of the summer working around our place and hope we will have an indian summer this year so we can get outdoors a bit more in the coming days. hope you enjoyed your summer and have a wonderful weekend!

xo, cindy

TOWN | CENTRAL PARK

photos taken with iphone

this space has been quiet not because i was watching the olympics almost non-stop, or because we've been sprucing up our place a bit, or because of the heat, but rather because i didn't have any photos that weren't previously posted on instagram. no new photos = no blog post.

these pictures were taken in central park this weekend and that public pool looks so inviting, especially after a canoe ride. can't believe it's already mid-august. where did the summer go?

xo, cindy

ps the song home by phillip phillips was played a lot during the olympics and i love it. home is definitely where we've been a lot, lately.

TOWN | FERRY RIDE(S)

two weekends in a row we hopped on the east river ferry headed for different destinations and everyone who visits nyc should give it a try. taking the ferry provides great views, is very relaxing and you can get on and off at different places with ease (no subway stairs).


the first weekend we visited photoville in brooklyn bridge park and although it was super-hot the exhibit was really interesting. different artists set up their work in shipping containers, which led to a broad variety of displays.


gems by jane lindsay featured mug shots from the maricopa, arizona sheriff's office in tintype form and you can read her artist's statement about the piece here.


the brooklyn bridge really is so beautiful.


some street art actually painted on the street by david ellis in dumbo, brooklyn (see the full painting here).


cool mural.


the second weekend we took the ferry to governors island, which is located south of manhattan and offers, among other things, the most incredible views of the financial district and new jersey.


only accessible by ferry during the summer months, the island is just 2.2 miles around and features a variety of fun events like art workshops for children, glass blowing demonstrations and jazz age lawn parties where people get dressed up from the period.


you can rent bicycles or trollies to peddle around, which i was doing while taking this photo.


there's currently wonderful sculptures by mark di suvero on loan from storm king.


and, a gorgeous view of the statue of liberty and staten island ferry. sure i had visions of gilligan's island while on what was a two hour ferry ride round trip, but doing new things in your own town ain't so bad. next up, maybe top of the rock for some night time skyline views.

xo, cindy

TOWN | HAPPY DAY!

we found the scale model of the statue of liberty in bronze on 61st street & madison avenue purely by chance a few weeks ago. it's made by using the original frederic-auguste bartholdi plaster mold and is so interesting to see all of the details in this pretty lady up close. the second photo is just a circular parking garage at the local mall and was nice to find it empty. for those who celebrate, happy fourth of july, and for everyone else, happy hump day :)!

xo, cindy

TOWN | NEW BLOOMS

peony | snapdragons | hydrangeas | pansies | grasshoppers (sneakers)

i have to admit i'm kind of bored with the places we go and the things we do. even in nyc you can find yourself in a rut, so this weekend we're planning on taking the east river ferry to brooklyn bridge park to see photoville and tom fruin's super-cool water tower. i hope to take some photos with my real camera for a change and hope i still know how to use it. enjoy your weekend!

xo, cindy

TOWN | CITY SURVIVAL

in the city, summer may mean running through a sprinkler on a hot day to cool off, or a ride on an elevated subway similar to a roller coaster, although raising your arms up might have a different connotation. holding on, of course :).

xo, cindy

ps i really like keane's new album strangeland. tom chaplain's voice is so beautiful to me. i love the song day will come -

some days set your world on fire,
and some days they sink like stones,
that’s when your heart will cry out,
until your body is numb,
and the night will try to tempt you,
but the day will come.

brother don’t hang your head,
until your distance is run,
‘cause though it seems so far away,
you know the day will come. 

COUNTRY | SUMMER SOLSTICE

think it's time to jump back into the blogging water on this first day of summer, but slowly, slowly as it's been a while and the cool water takes some getting used to.

these pics were taken with my iphone and i like to process them with vsco cam. although much better, i'm still having some eye problems and looking at a large computer screen with a blurry floater in my eye is a challenge. a tiny phone is much better and why i've been hanging out over on instagram a lot, lately.

happy longest day of the year!

xo, cindy

COUNTRY | MONET'S GARDEN

the new york botanical garden has a lovely monet-inspired garden on display and the vibrant colors are wonderful. love that green, too. enjoy your weekend!

xo, cindy

ps looking forward to listening to the new album from missy higgins and the new band to me called nada surf. love the video for when i was young.