Personal

Feb

21

Museums // New York City, NY

Jeepers creepers I love this city. People say New Yorkers are rude and abrasive, but I am running around with the cool kids. Still hitting up all the museums, above is from a trip to MoMA. I can’t find it in my heart to appreciate modern art. With my limited scope of the artists, schools and history behind the work, I can at least appreciate the beauty of classic artwork. But modern? I can’t see the beauty of it. Maybe that’s the point. A redefinition of beauty? MoMA left me empty, but after the Frick Collection and The Guggenheim my heart was full again. The Frick Collection is fantastic. A home built to become a museum upon the death of the owner, Henry Clay Frick, you feel like you have a personal tour through one of the most beautiful homes in New York. It doesn’t have a sterile museum feel, but is welcoming and filled with hand-picked epics from Frick’s personal collection.

I’m ready to head back to the MET. I went once this fall, but had to cut my trip short to pick up my bosses’ child from school! I haven’t seen the Museum of Natural History yet, either. I live just a few stops away from the Brooklyn Museum, which I’m excited to see as well! I’ve heard some rumors of a graffiti museum that I need to check out as well. Most of the museums have a pay-what-you-wish or free day, and my friend and I have been hitting them up. Super convient to live here and not be hindered by an itinerary, especially when admission runs $20+ at some.

There are 1001 other museum guides out there, so there is no need to write my personal and uneducated views on the artwork here. Here are a few resources I’ve made use of…

Free & Discounted Museums in New York

A-Z New York Museums

The MET

xoxo,

Feb

07

4 months // Brooklyn, New York

Blog Posts / Personal / she writes / 2 comments

It’s been about 4 months in the city. In August I had no idea that I’d be here today. 3 apartments and 2 jobs later, I am loving my life here more than ever. I’m working for a fantastic start-up and living in Brooklyn with 4 great girls! New York is just, fantastic. It’s been funny though, I’ve started crossing paths with acquaintances, seeing people I know on the train, and the city starts to seem small. But not that small :) New York is constantly changing and there is always something new to explore, especially for me, the new girl to the city. I just went to the Chelsea Market on an errand for work yesterday. So much fun. It was all I could do to not stop and browse but get back to the video shoot in a timely manner with the garlic and chef’s jacket that we needed! I’m thinking of going to a Winter Flea Market in Brooklyn this weekend, and also want to check out my neighborhood. There are a couple adorable coffee shops I need to hit up. Pull out the flannel and bring an old book, go a little hipster ;)

Dec

31

Be You.

Personal / Photography / she writes / 0 comments

Dec

28

2 0 1 2 → A Year in Review

Personal / she loves to travel / 2 comments

2 0 1 2

January was spent body in the classroom mind on a more exciting life anywhere but Northern Michigan.

February I continued to work, study and dream. My wonderful group of friends kept me grounded.

March applications were due, and so were papers. Graduation seemed too far away.

April I quietly turned 19. Road trip to an island off the coast of Georgia, Florida’s freshwater springs and the backcountry of Ohio was a much-needed break.

May I had exhausted my search for a photography internship, so decided to run away to Spain. Oh, and graduated from college.

June was bonfires and beaches. I crammed in as much Northern Michigan summer as I could before heading to Spain.

July I played with 5 and 6 year olds, helped high school kids and businessmen practice their English, and consumed my year’s supply of olive oil in less than a month.

August I wandered through the palaces of Granada, dodged jellyfish with Meghan, and stood in awe of the wonders in Barcelona.

September I cam back to Michigan, lost, and found myself in New York.

October I worked, got lost on the subway, worked, drank lattes in corner cafes, and worked a little more.

November I made friends and saw my first show on Broadway.

December I saw Christmas come in the city. I found a job for the new year.

I came back to the Mitten for the holidays, and here I am now. Looking back I can laugh at my impatience and fretting. He really does work all things for good for those who love Him. I’ve learned so much this year, especially to abide in Christ, to wait, to be still, to trust in His timing. I’m heading back to the city in January to start a new job, a lot of things are still “TBD” but my mind can rest. It’s funny when people ask “So I bet you always dreamed of living in the city?” because I haven’t. It was never even an idea, New York? Take me south to the warmer extremities! It’s crowded, expensive and always busy. But crowded with interesting+dynamic people, expensive because you are in an amazing area with endless opportunity, and always busy with something fun+fascinating. Here’s to another crazy year filled with my plans that “fall through”, turning into something better. 2 0 1 3.

Dec

25

Aunt Eva’s Sugar Cookies // At Home, Petoskey, MI

Personal / she cooks she bakes / 0 comments

“Home, let me go home. Home is wherever I’m with you.”

-Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros [song]

After three flights and not enough morning coffee, I arrived at Traverse City’s tiny little airport. Greeted by the pristine carpets and silence of a small-town airport at night, I walked through the baggage claim to be greeted by three lovely faces and big bear hugs. I love the city, love my friends there, the fact that you can go out after 9 and not worry about if anywhere will be open, the diversity, my church there, being able to walk places…. and it goes on. There is something about little Petoskey that has my heart, though. The wide open lakefront, the people who I’ve grown up with, the square little home on surrounded by pine trees, mama’s gardens and the boys’ dirt bike tracks. It’s home.

Part of coming home means time spent in the kitchen with mom. Last week we decided to tackle the impossible: Recreating my Aunt Eva’s phenomenal sugar cookies. I do not use the word “phenomenal” lightly here. They are tender and buttery, melt in your mouth and above all some of the most beautiful creations you’ve seen. Mom has attempted to make them in the past, with no great success. We aren’t sure if she just gives us a bum recipe from the back of Better Homes and Gardens or if we just don’t have the special Aunt Eva touch that makes these cookies famous throughout the Midwest.

After following the recipe to the last teaspoon, ours turned out surprisingly tasty. Still not on par with an original Eva Cookie, but awfully tasty. You can give them a try at home, or order a custom made batch directly from the source! Visit the website for contact information!

Aunt Eva’s Sugar Cookies
Not adapted, but carefully copied with much love from Harbor House website.

2 c. (4 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract
2 eggs
5 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla, scrap bowl as needed. Combine dry ingredients and gradually add to creamed
ingredients…mix well. Divide dough into fourths, flatten and wrap quarters with wax paper and seal in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into shapes.

To Bake:

Let dough soften a little for easier handling. Roll out dough on a floured surface to approx. 1/4″ thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake @ 375 for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. When cool, glaze with frosting of powdered sugar, half & half, almond extract and clear vanilla, whisked to a spreadable consistency.