Flamingo pink reflections

Flamingo pink, originally uploaded by :morningside:.

For some reason I love pink flamingos, but I haven't seen them in person very often. We saw these snoozing birds at the Calgary Zoo. It was a hot day in the city (not unlike today), so I'm sure they enjoyed keeping cool in the shady water.

This is my first post using flickr and it's so easy, I'm totally over using blogger/picassa.

summer night

Bridge over the Saugatuck River in Westport last night.

always good news

A dear college friend is visiting Connecticut this week for a teaching course at a local boarding school. We met up for dinner at the always delightful Good News Cafe in Woodbury, CT. In this photograph you'll see the most important course, dessert.

Megan has the trilogy tasting: basil raspberry cake lavender panna cotta passion fruit vol au vent and I ordered the peach tart a la mode with caramel sauce.

If you're in this neck of the woods during the day, be sure to stop in at Ovens of France and get some patisserie goodies to go.

Good News Cafe
694 Main Street South
Woodbury, CT 06798
203.266.4663

http://www.good-news-cafe.com/

melt

My entry for this week's for The Curiosity Shoppe's: Smarts & Crafts Thursday Photo Assignment > MELT

Last summer, we were lucky enough to go to a conference at Lake Louise and make a dream trip to the Canadian Rockies. The conference included a trip up to the Columbia Icefield. We saw all manner of wildlife on the famous Icefields Parkway, including three black bears who knew how to create a real traffic jam, but looked both ways before crossing the highway. The highlight of this daytrip was walking out on to the mouth of the Athabasca Glacier. It was about 55 degrees F, so a very agreeable temperature to be walking on a huge hunk of super old ice. There's no question it's slowly melting away. We did try some of the glacier water and it was pure, ice cold refreshment at its best.

More photos from our trip are at Flickr

old mill b&b

I organized a mini-reunion for my college friends who didn't make it to our Smith for the 10 yr. I investigated other lodging options and came across the Old Mill B&B in Hatfield. It's a lovely spot on the Mill River and only about 5-10 min drive from Northampton along Rt 5.

I recommend staying in Room 9 ($125), it sits right above the roaring waterfall and has 6 windows onto the river. Breakfast is included, we had apple cinnamon french toast and dinner is even an option on weekends. Though I'd have to recommend eating back in Northampton!

On your way to-or-from Noho, stop in at River Valley Market on Rt 5, it's a co-op but all are welcome and it's a great place to stock up on any provisions.


Old Mill B&B
87 School Street
Hatfield, MA
(413) 247-3301
http://www.oldmillbnb.net/

privacy, please

When we moved into our house there was a slab foundation next to us and we would fantasize about never having neighbors on that side of our house. About 6 months ago they started building that house next door and since day 1, I've been wondering how we could get more privacy on our deck. My professors have managed some privacy on their screened porch with this beautiful drape of green leaves and the grapes are even edible later in the season. What a great idea to keep out the prying eyes of neighbors who are just a little to close for comfort.

a summer treat

I think it's the second summer since Treats knocked down their ramshackle farm stand and built a big new barn as the focal point of their summer market and plant center. We've been away so much that I really haven't been there this summer even though it's just up the road! There are a lots of specialty items, and while the price is a bit higher, it's so convenient that I am thankful to have this much local produce only a few miles away.

It's a lovely shopping experience and on Saturdays there are local fish and meat purveyors as well. Get there early on Saturday, there are often limited amts of native fruits veggies, and Judies bread. Oh and don't forget those chocolate chip cookies in the jar by the register. They come with or without nuts. You can wash them down with Trinity Farm milk that comes in the old-fashioned thick glass bottles.

Robert Treat Farm

1339 New Haven Avenue
Milford, CT 06460

(203) 878-4270

http://roberttreatfarm.com/

ominous weather ahead

I work in an unusually shaped building. Often I describe it as a oval space ship that landed on High Ridge Road.

I've heard the building used to be home to Cadbury Schweppes and so the architecture is supposed to resemble a bottle cap. Actually, I buy that explanation and it makes our building's history a little more interesting. Though if aliens had built it, that would be a pretty good story as well.

I took these shots at about 7 pm on Friday and I was really relieved that it didn't downpour during my commute home. The deluge came early this morning instead.

rolling out the moroccan carpet

A new, temporary exhibit is on loan after our friends' honeymoon in Marrakesh. And it fits perfectly in our living room! How did they know?

Stay tuned folks, I'll be featuring more photos from their adventure soon. Who doesn't want to hear more about mint tea and haggling in the souks?

Plaid Nation 09 begins in 3...2...1

I stumbled across this local, lovable Danbury, CT agency just as they embarked on their West Coast tour last summer. This year Darryl & crew are back and touring the Heartland, in a Ford Flex that is momentarily being wrapped in nothing other than... plaid!

In the past year I was luckily enough to visit Plaid's sweet pad in the former Empress movie theater and snag a little tour swag (just check my rear view mirror above) while sitting in on a client meeting. I'd hardly call a car air freshener much of a bribe... but, I'll still endorse this road trip as a prime "time-kill central" material. I would even venture to say it has a similar useful/useless ratio as the output from Car Talk Plaza. I can't wait to see more of the Boring Store in Chicago, but they've got something for everyone with all manner of tour stops ranging from FedEx to the Indy Speedway.

While Plaid gets set up in the Motor City, check out http://www.plaidnation.com/ and prepare yourself for some serious innovation and creative inspiration on wheels.

Something Sweet at DANIEL

If I lived in NYC I would surely be thrilled to wrap-up an evening with something delicious and decadent from the pastry chef at Daniel. Plus, this sweet deal is a really affordable way to see the new re-design. If you haven't been to the restaurant this year, the crisp, modern interior will be a bit of a surprise.










Something Sweet in the Lounge at DANIEL
Of course, being DANIEL, at dessert we pamper you with a parade of petits fours, hand made chocolates and our signature warm madeleines.

Your greatest challenge for the evening? Choosing from indulgences such as a Blueberry Vacherin with Candied Violet and Fromage Blanc Sorbet or a Tainori Chocolate Dacquoise with Rice Crispy, Lemon Curd and Dark Chocolate Ice Cream. You'll soon know why DANIEL's Pastry Chef Dominique Ansel was just voted one of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America. Served Monday to Thursday from 9:30 pm. Dessert and cocktail, $24 per person.


To reserve: 212.288.0033

more oysters (and our 15 min of J&M fame)

When we got married, there was such a whirlwind of planning that engagement photos did not make the priority list. I've often had regrets about this and so to celebrate our third anniversary I wanted a NYC photo shoot with fabulous New Haven-based Justin & Mary Marantz. I had no problems drumming up location ideas for this shoot: Tudor City, Campbell Aparment, Grand Central Terminal, NY Public Library & Bryant Park. The High Line opened a few days later, but sunset on the West Side would have been a killer spot as well!

The list goes on and on, but my favorite location is still the Oyster Bar. My first time inside this restaurant was on a tour with Andrew Dolkart in '97 when I studied architecture at Columbia, but it was my husband who first introduced me to oysters. Though these bivalves have Manhattan skyline-high prices, I think the Oyster Bar is a magical place to sample from a large selection of oysters and to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of the train terminal.

You can see more our day in the City at >http://www.justinmarantz.com/index.cfm?postID=227

eating your way through downtown northampton

Last weekend I went up to Northampton MA for a belated 10 yr reunion with college friends. We started things off at the rooftop beer garden at the Northampton Brewery. If it's a hot day most of the deck is in shade or under an umbrella and they provide a nice mist to keep things cool. It's a good spot for a larger group and I was pretty surprised we didn't end up coming home with a growler.





















It was a toss up, but between Spoleto and Green Street Cafe for dinner. Another foodie mentioned the College was trying to evict this long-time staple from its spot on the edge of campus and I decided we better go in case it closes! I never went to Green Street Cafe much as a poor student, was first introduced to it by an alum who hosted a reunion for our landscape trip to Japan!

I recommend ordering the duck breast with polenta entree and closing things down with a cool pineapple sorbet. The handwritten menu is a little difficult to read (those L's are tricky), but I that's part of the charm. Also there are picnic tables and a grill out back for burgers , dogs, & chicken on the patio. Sounds like a great option for lunch.

















I think there might have been a mutiny if the group didn't stop at Herrell's for ice cream. Ironically, no one wanted to get a medium (or larger) size serving required for the full smoosh-in effect. I tried their no-moo (dairy free) black raspberry and it was creamy, but of course no comparison to the real thing!



















We dropped in on my *favorite* art history professor who I haven't seen in years! She and Dan (who was really my true college advisor) introduced us to Hungry Ghost Bread. It's fabulous! If you are in Northampton I strongly recommend you stop in and get loaf of this deliciousness.

Dan and Dana offered such a nice late morning snack and as we chatted in their screened porch, Luna the cat occasionally wandered through. I also don't want to forget about lime zest on top of the smoked salmon. What a nice citrus surprise!

The good news is the Vistas dvd/website has been taken on by a university press and will hopefully be published next year.


















We all stayed together in a B&B in Hatfield which meant a few trips in and out of Northampton along Rt 5. I finally got curious about the River Valley Market up on the hillside along I-91 and I discovered it's a new co-op (non-members are welcome) that has been open for about a year. I wish we had something like this nearby in Connecticut!
















Unforuntately, I ate way too much at dinner to even consider drinking beer at the Dirty Truth. We had a few hard core beer connoisseurs in our group and they had read about this beer hall on the Blind Tiger blog so we decided this was our best best for after dinner. They have quite a beer selection- you can start to see how much they have on tap in this photo!



















Last but not least, I insisted on eating lunch at Amanouz Cafe. I chose the highly recommended herbed eggs which are actually steamed and wonderfully light under the dill-rich gravy. Photographed here is my friend's Bastilla, chicken and almonds topped with filo and dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar. I heard the same proprietors also own Mosaic Cafe which is reported to have nicer ambiance and an outdoor patio. I'm definitely checking it out next time.

As always, here's my list "next time" list for Northampton:

Woodstar Cafe 60 Masonic St # B (inside a firehouse and recommended for lunch)
Mosaic Cafe 78 Masonic St (same owners as Amanouz)
Hugo's Pleasant St. (a true dive? recommended for some local valley flavor after dinner)
Local Burgers and Fries 16 Main St # 1(like five guys, but for locavores?)

advertising 1940's style

We came across a few 1940's issues of Life Magazine in our B&B last weekend. I wanted to steal one and bring it home to read cover to cover, but instead i just flipped through and photographed advertisements!



If you are having any problems with the slideshow in this post, you can also view these photos on Flickr.

Mashing with Snoop and Martha

The juxtaposition of Martha and Snoop is just priceless. When is SnoopDog Fatherhood coming back to E! anyway?

sloppy's

Sloppy's is the closest restaurant to our house. It's definitely a local neighborhood spot and it has the lumpiest booths ever, but that's part of its charm! Despite the seating, we still enjoy dropping in for a quick, convenient bite of Mexican food.

On the weekends they breakout some unhealthy specialties for dessert. I never would have tried the fried oreos, but a friend ordered them and it's basically a doughnut around an oreo and you really can't go wrong there. Need an extra dollop of trouble? Add some vanilla ice cream.

Usually I stick to ordering the steak tacos al carbon or the tamales.

Sloppy Jose's Mexican Restaurant
186 Hillside Avenue
Milford, CT 06460
(203)-878-9847
http://www.sloppyjoses.com/

Anchor Beach

This is a distinctly recognizable neighborhood on Milford's waterfront.






















We decided to switch it up and stroll down Anchor Beach tonight. It was the perfect cool summer evening and I enjoyed the change of scenery along this craggy stretch of rock and sand.

photo assignment

I've been submitting photos to the Curiosity Shoppe's Thursday Photo Assignment and it's been a great little mental exercise to dig through my snapshots every week and try and find something that fits the week's theme.

I'm trying shoot more photos during the week, so I took my G10 on a quick iced coffee run at work. I'm lucky enough to work across from Noelle Salon. This Stamford institution of beauty and pampering and has long concealed a mundane brick building with matured landscaping that makes for some lovely photos opps between my office and Donuts Delight.

My other go-to spot for iced coffee on High Ridge Road is CRUMBS and I want to go on record saying I hardly ever buy cupcakes or donuts. No sweets, just caffeine!

new lens and it's like a new camera

I love B&H, my new lens came in just a day with free ground shipping.
This 50mm 1.8 makes me love my dslr again. The G10 is great, but it does have some shutterlag which drives me nuts.

Here are my long neglected books, collected in a previous life (when I thought I wanted to become an architect). The AR is ALDO ROSSI, Drawings and Paintings, one of my favorites.
















Speaking of college days, I'm headed back up to Northampton Massachusetts this weekend. Can't wait to see dear friends, eat at Green Street Cafe and catch up with one of my all-time favorite art history professors.

low tide finds

After a lot of picnics and other hustle and bustle this weekend we caught some late day sun down a the seawall on Sunday.

what would you do...

for a klondike bar?

On Sunday we arrived back at my in-laws right after lunch and my niece was busy enjoying her klondike bar in the sun. I would kill for long eye lashes like that!

All my photos from Saturday and Sunday were shot with the p&s Canon G10, the only problem is this is the second time I've had the battery die on me. Looks like I need to order a second one as backup. I'm getting far more comfortable going close-up with my camera so I'm getting giddy waiting for the arrival of my 50mm 1.8 lens that I ordered today. At $135, you can't beat the price!

happy 3rd of july

We usually head to West Haven the night before the 4th. We are so lucky to have friends with a home right on the shoreline and once you find a place to park your car (oh and that is one steep hill), you know there will be no skimping where pyrotechnics are concerned. Last weekend, the second shooter at the wedding gave me a clue on capturing fireworks, so I decided to dust off my dSLR and try it out.

Today is the Morningside picnic and then we're heading over to Point Beach for more grilling and fireworks. Hopefully a golf cart ride will be our our very near future.