Maybe you can go home again... (Part 1)

Get ready for an epically long post... ;)
This summer, I took advantage of our shutdown time at work to take a full week off and drive back to Michigan. Yes, a little insane (especially with my insistence on making the drive each way in one day), but worth it to have the mobility once I made it there. It was so wonderful to get to catch up with friends from so many stages of my life, from childhood to my last job before leaving for Boston.
I drove into the Metro Detroit area first (after a slight disagreement with Pennsylvania, where road construction added a couple hours onto my drive...sigh) to stay with Shelley, one of my (old) work besties. She was dog/housesitting, so as a bonus I got to play with an adorable pup!

On Sunday, we participated in a fundraiser event put on by her barre studio, Barre Code Metro Detroit, at Atwater Brewery. Nothing better than barre + beer + raising money for an animal shelter! Naturally we followed this up with brunch-at Vinsetta Garage, a restaurant I had actually been wanting to try back when I did a show with Birmingham Village Players. It was worth the wait!

On Monday morning I drove into Ann Arbor to spend some time just wandering around my hometown (and shopping for Alvan's birthday present!) and spend time with friends who live there. I hit up Roo's Roast for breakfast-my favorite avocado toast in Michigan and amazing coffee-then wandered around all my favorite stores downtown. Naturally I went to the M Den (where I limited myself to just one sweatshirt!), but also made it into Shinola, Cherry Republic, Rock Paper Scissors, and Literati (where I did not manage to limit myself to just one book...oops). I need to do some more research into Boston bookstores, as I'm sure there are wonderful ones...but I just miss Literati so!

obsessed with the food & drink section here!

I then met Elizabeth, a friend from the Ann Arbor theatre scene (particularly Brass Tacks Ensemble) for lunch at Sava's and a stroll through the Arboretum. It was a hot and humid day, but there was no way I was passing on the Arb-I love it not only for the natural beauty but also memories it holds from my childhood all the way through Shakespeare comedy performances with the Residential College Players (you never forget it when you have to spring through the woods on a hot summer night in Elizabethan dress to beat the audience!).

I had to get some ice cream at Blank Slate Creamery, of course-they have the best flavors and I love that it is all made fresh from quality ingredients! I then decided to take full advantage of happy hour (as it doesn't exist in Boston-which just drives me crazy) at the Raven's Club. I always love trying out their seasonal infused vodkas!

That evening I got see a number of people-first dinner with Alex (we became friends in middle school when I did my first play with Ann Arbor Civic Theatre) at Jolly Pumpkin, then sangria with Megan (friends since I volunteered to be her buddy when she transferred schools in 6th grade) at Aventura, then some of my trivia crew-Joe, Steve A, and PJ-where Megan and I helped them secure first place in the final round.

Tuesday was pretty chill, as it was planned entirely around lunch and dinner plans. I did make sure to go by Zingerman's for breakfast-and a couple drinks to take home-where I wondered why I couldn't just have leisurely mornings with pain au chocolat and café au lait all the time.

Megan and I had made reservations at the Lunch Room's new restaurant, the Detroit Street Filling Station, as it was their soft open-perfect timing, right? The food was fantastic and I cannot wait to go back (someday) now that they have a full menu-and to hit up the Diner & Canteen for some vegan ice cream treats!

Megan refused to take a photo with me...so I made her dog, Sophie, take one instead!

Tuesday evening I got to have a reunion of sorts with my old coworkers, my warriors of love. Binh hosted us all and it was truly fantastic to get to catch up with everybody. I have become close with some of my coworkers here, but there was something magical about our relationships there.

Stay tuned for part 2...I promise it is waaaay shorter!

xoxoxo
Emma

Time to party with J.Crew

Every so often I feel like I should just tell J.Crew to go ahead and take all my money...and their latest new releases definitely have me feeling that way! Their new ready-to-party collection is beyond fabulous and I want it all...now to find excuses for it...

a one-shoulder ruffle dress done right...

this lovely off-the-shoulder dress feels so perfectly French

and OMG the tulle ball skirt...I loved the teal even more but all colors but pink have disappeared!

of course, no look is complete without some fun shoes (that I can still dance in!)

and some fabulous earrings!

are you eyeing any new arrivals? 

xoxoxo

Emma

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink: Galentine's Day Gifts

My February is going a little differently than planned, but that's not going to stop me from enjoying all things pink, red, and heart-covered! My mom and I always celebrate Valentine's Day by sending little gifts, and for the last couple years my old roommate Hannah and I threw a Galentine's Day party, obviously inspired by Parks and Recreation, complete with waffles and mimosas. This year I'll just be working both days, but I do plan to take in some tasty baked goods to celebrate. More on that to come (once I've actually decided what to make...).

I always love pink, but February gives me a special excuse to enjoy the girliest of things. I always have a wishlist going of course, but this is a chance highlight some of the sweeter things on it.



I may have to celebrate Galentine's Day by treating myself...whoops!

How will you be celebrating?

xoxoxo
Emma

Hei Hei zip front jacket
anthropologie.com

Marysia Swim halter crop top bikini
matchesfashion.com

Marysia Swim swim bikini bottom
matchesfashion.com

New balance footwear
newbalance.com

Madewell suede crossbody
madewell.com

J Crew pink leather bag
$170 - jcrew.com

Kate spade clutch
katespade.com

Kate Spade watch
lordandtaylor.com

Oscar de la Renta long clip earrings
oscardelarenta.com

Anthropologie pink cap
anthropologie.com

Moet Chandon Imperial rose champagne
$60 - debenhams.com

S well stainless cup holder
nordstrom.com

Welcome to Providence!

Julia's visit this weekend was not only her first trip to Boston, but to Providence as well. As always, we ate a lot of delicious food, but we also made sure to do some walking to work it off!

We started the day with a pilgrimage to PVDonuts...and yes, it deserves that term. Because they are only open 8am-3pm (or until they sell out), you have to get there early. Both times I have gone we have waited in line for about 45 minutes-but it is worth it! Julia and I selected 5 donuts, plus the 6-pack of munchkins for a tasting with dad, his friend, and her 2 year old (we got the cereal milk flavor for her, but we all enjoyed it as well).

Creme brulee, raspberry filled, honey sea salt, brown butter Milky Way, and cereal milk...all delicious!

It's tough to say which was my favorite flavor, but this month I think the creme brûlée has to win out. They change the flavors every month, and I can't wait to try February's!

After pregaming with donuts (and talking superheroes with the donut tasting gang), Julia and I hit our next stop on the Providence Kennedy food tour: Nick's on Broadway. I try my best to bring everyone here as it some of the best seasonal and local fare to be had, but if they don't have significant patience it is not the place to go. Thankfully our donuts were able to tide us over until we were seated at the chef's counter, where we were able to watch (and listen to) all of the food being prepared. With brunch I usually opt for the adult coffee milk (a cocktail based on a classic Rhode Island beverage), but given our plans for later in the day, I figured I had better stick to fully caffeinated and nonalcoholic coffee. The frittata, potatoes, and pesto bread were all freshly made and perfectly presented. As always though, my eyes were bigger than my stomach-they made for excellent leftovers as well!

We then made our way to the RISD Museum-a staple in Providence culture, though I hadn't actually yet made it there. I have found since my NYU days that I have pattern of only engaging in the tourist-y activities until I have visitors-and then realize what I've been missing out on! There was a lovely selection of modern and classical art, including my favorite-textiles. The "Luxurious Lace" exhibit was beautiful, though I would have loved to see more.

The displays in Pendleton House were an excellent way to view these early American items in context. 

We of course took a walk through Brown's campus, and quickly ended up on Thayer Street. For those of you familiar with Ann Arbor but not Providence, it's essentially a combination of South U and State Street. For those who are not, it is a nice combination of student-type places (cheap eats and fun shops) and some nicer restaurants as well. We-ok I-did a little shopping at the secondhand store, 2nd Time Around. I mean, how was I supposed to pass up sparkly pink Kate Spade heels-with bows-at 80% off? We all know that wasn't happening!

We then headed home to get ready for dinner and our night out. I have been following the Beehive Cafe (in Bristol) on Instagram for some time and meaning to try it out, so Julia and I decided to make the drive down-it was absolutely worth it. The mushrooms on toast were delicious, though no photo could do them justice, and the kale salad was healthy and flavorful-a total win.

Two other friends joined us back at home for drinks before going out dancing-and they brought along dessert! An Oreo pudding pie and the cutest little red velvet cake to celebrate our girls' night.

While our time together was over too quickly-always!-we're already planning our next trips. Mine to Michigan, Julia's back here (in warmer weather)..and perhaps some shared travel to Denver and/or Nashville...I can't wait!

xoxoxo
Emma

Sunday in the city

My dear friend Julia visited this weekend from Michigan-and she couldn't have come at a better time. We had chilly but nice weather the whole time, and I find that one of the best ways to remind myself of love and value is to spend time with those who exemplify that. Julia and I met working at Michigania (the most magical place on earth...and Go Blue!). Our love of brunch and adorable things, as well as deeper shared values such as feeling passionate about our careers/jobs, being engaged in our religious identities, and prioritizing all important relationships in our lives have ensured an ongoing friendship.

This is the only picture we managed to take together all weekend...Sunday night. Whoops!

She arrived on Friday while I was still at work, so our weekend really started when we headed to dinner at Worden Hall, a delicious and conveniently located New American restaurant in Southie. (You will quickly notice that a lot of our activities revolve around eating.) It was quite busy, but even without a reservation we were seated within half an hour. While we waited we were able to get a drink at the bar-I had a delicious wintry cocktail called the Sure Bet, while Julia enjoyed a glass of Malbec. I didn't manage a picture of the drinks-it was enough to wrangle my purse, gym and lunch bags, and coat while standing. Once seated, I couldn't resist the tomato soup and grilled cheese. Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the name-while the tomato soup was fairly basic, the grilled cheese was Brie and apple on brioche. And how could we pass up the curly fries with garlic aioli? Obviously they were a key component of my 100% comfort food meal. Julia went a little healthier with the Brussels sprout salad-and I definitely would have stolen some if it hadn't had chorizo!

I'm going to skip right to Sunday, as I'll talk about our time in Providence in a separate post. On Saturday, we planned out our "perfect Sunday". This involved me driving into Boston for the first time-I know, that is ridiculous since I moved all the way back in August! I will say, that is the ideal time to try it out-there's almost no traffic when you're trying to arrive in the city at 9am on a Sunday. And yes, that does mean leaving Providence at 8am-a necessity to make it to our 9:30 Bar Method class! Julia and I did Pure Barre together back in Ann Arbor,  and I've been attending Bar Method 3-5 days/week since Halloween, so we figured we needed to do it! Plus my monthly membership allows me to bring a guest for free, so why not? The studio has showers and a locker room, and is conveniently located just a few blocks away from a Unitarian Universalist church I had not yet been to, but wanted to try out, so we were able to get ready and make it over for the 11am service.

The service was wonderful-beautiful music and meaningful words. One thing I love about UU churches is their dedication to service and social justice, and the Arlington Street Church is no exception. The sermon was titled "We are What We Do" and the minister reflected on the importance of being mindful while moving through the world, as well as in habits that seem to only affect ourselves.

Julia and I continued our perfect Sunday with brunch at Masa...when we first arrived, we were told it would be a 45-60 minute wait! We hovered around the bar waiting for seats to open there, but got lucky around 15 minutes later when apparently all the other groups of two had given up. The Bloody Mary was deliciously spicy, while the breakfast burrito merely met expectations. I was definitely satisfied overall (and it's probably good there weren't more potatoes in it!), but if we had waited an hour for it, I might have been a bit disappointed. The mac&cheese and some other dishes at neighboring tables looked a little more exciting...this might be more of a meat-eater's place, though I would definitely go back at least for drinks! ;)

We then walked back over to Copley Square/Boston Public Library and joined in the protest there-see my last post for more details and reflection on that. While Julia didn't get the photo of the Library steps she'd planned on, these events definitely added a lot of meaning to it. We walked through briefly as well-the courtyard is always worth a stop! Can't you just imagine Juliet on that balcony, waiting for her Romeo?

Lastly, we shopped Newbury Street-a lot of window shopping to be sure, but we definitely made some impulse purchases as well! I can never resist a gray dress (or the beautiful window displays at Anthropologie). I also maaaaay have gone ahead and purchased a new purse at Kate Spade...I had planned on it in the near future, so at least it wasn't 100% impulse! I reassure myself that I resisted all of the beautiful full-priced items at both stores-and just added them to my Keep account in the hope they'll go on sale soon!

xoxoxo
Emma

P.S. Keep resisting!