Most Lovely Things

Last week I took a trip to Valley View Greenhouses in South Salem, New York…right now their greenhouses are filled with colorful hydrangeas…I love the bright pinks and blues.   Speaking of color…the winner of the “Green” giveaway featuring lovely items from Carde Blanche and Blair Ritchey is Julie Hart! 

I had three hours and absolutely no plans….I saw a wedding at a beautiful church on Houston and Sullivan and across the street I bought an old typewriter that works beautifully. The calendar says Spring, but it was quite cold…Not the kind of Spring day to have your coffee outdoors at the charming little bakery Once Upon a Tart.But it was the perfect day for a long walk discovering new places and streets.  And still I realized I had intended to walk through The High Line park and completely forgot about it until it was time to meet up with Madeline.  Next time…

It has been terribly cold so we often stop at places to take respite from the cold…places that we might otherwise walk right by.  There are so many shops big and small where the attention to detail is just beautiful.  Like the design of the brass railing and the marble steps leading to the second floor of the Coach store on Madison Avenue.  The view was not bad either. 

While appliance shopping in the West Village we found so many great restaurants it was difficult to choose.  We decided on the Lobster Joint on Houston Street.  The owner, Tommy, told us they opened in the middle of December, but they have locations in Greenpoint and Rockaway Beach as well.   We arrived around 4:30 and it was quiet for a few minutes, but packed when we were ready to leave.  You order at the counter and find a seat and they take care of everything from there.  We each ordered soup and split a Lobster roll.  There’s a lot of attention to small details in everything from the food, how it’s served (in deep dish pie plates and cool water bottle for each table) and the decor.  A lot of salvaged things that were well placed and sparingly enough to be cool and not too much.  Lobster Joint is New England comfort food at its best.

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    All photos taken with my iphone.

We have been wanting to try The Meatball Shop for weeks and today seemed as good as any to head to Brooklyn.  It was cold and windy.  The kind of wind that makes you want to turn round for a minute as you’re walking just to brace yourself.   The kind of wind that makes you wish you had zipped your coat instead of just relying on the snaps.  Seriously cold wind, but a brioche roll with choice of meatball, sauce and cheese…they call it The Smash and it definitely took away the chill.  The restaurant was full of beautiful lighting, warm wood, exposed beams and brick and wonderful service.A Meyer’s candle in the restroom…of course, they did not miss a single detail.  Time to head back to midtown for a little shopping.  We take the Queensboro Bridge and the great thing about a windy day is that it’s crystal clear and beautiful from every angle.

Bedford is everything you would picture it to be…rolling hills, stone walls, wildlife, barns and all very beautiful covered in snow.   We started our morning with breakfast at The Barn at Bedford Post.  I first heard of the Bedford Post on Pinterest and had to  check it out since it is less than 30 minutes from home.  Bedford Post is a quaint luxury inn owned by Richard Gere and Carey Lowell.  It has beautiful grounds, two restaurants and a yoga center.   For midweek in a sleepy little town like Bedford, the restaurant and yoga class were both quite busy.  This would be the perfect place to get snowed in for a few days.