Domino Archive!

While wasting time at work, I ran across someone's twitter feed saying that Domino Magazine (one of my favorite decorating publications which folded recently) was back. Too good to be true!!! Well, it sort of is. The magazine is not coming out with any new issues, but brides.com (weird) has taken ownership of all the old content and is putting it on their website in an archive. Find it here.

I really like all the new online magazines I'm coming across like Lonny and Southern Flourish, but there is just something undeniable satisfying about the print version. I miss you domino!

Note Zooey Deschanel :) I can't wait for She & Him!!

Futbol and Farewells

I'll admit it. Soccer doesn't exactly excite me. It is fun to watch but maybe only 15% of the time. I totally respect the sport and realize the athleticism it requires and am slowly learning the rules and strategy, but I almost fell asleep at a bar while watching Germany vs. England and Argentina vs. Mexico on Sunday. However, I like Kurt and Kurt likes soccer, so I'm trying to get into the World Cup. Plus, most soccer players are pretty easy on the eyes as illustrated by Germany's goal keeper (above). What a cutie!

Apparently my zeal for the sport also translates into my prediction skills. I am currently in 17th place in our World Cup bracket challenge of 18 people...oh, wait, 18th place didn't even fill one out. Yes, that means I am in last place. Luckily, Kurt is keeping me company down there in 16th place! :)

After a thrilling morning and afternoon of soccer and helping Silvia move into a new apartment, we went and met some friends for drinks. Unfortunately, our friend BStar is moving back to Indiana this week, so we got together to give him a proper send off. Our evening began at Flatbush Farm. It has two sections; One is a restaurant which uses only local and fresh ingredients. It is kind of pricey, so we always end up next door at the Bar(n).

They have a great backyard which is perfect in the summer. Not too many places have that much space. I also love their string lights. They had Edison bulbs where you can see the filament. They are kind of pricey but definitely achieve a look. If I ever have a yard, I would like to string those all around (hint hint, homeowners).

From the farm, we headed to Mission Dolores. It used to be an auto shop but the owners converted it to a bar with an amazing courtyard. During the summer, we like to hit up as many outdoor locations as possible. It's hard to remember what sitting outside is like during the long cold winters!

After a few rounds of Tell Your Favorite BStar Stories, we attempted a group shot...harder than it looks. This was my favorite of about 10 photos. From left to right: Jenn, Kurt, me, Adam, BStar, Erik, Erin, Andrea, Kristin, and Silvia. We're going to miss you, Brian! I hope you find what you are looking for.

Brunch and Boats

After my trip down to Alabama in April for a lovely celebration, I decided I needed more Southern girls in my life. There are several Auburn alumni here in NYC and I never see any of them! I emailed sweet LeeAnne, an interior designer who was my neighbor in Auburn, and she set up a brunch with a few other girls at Penelope's Cafe last Saturday. The food was delicious! I highly recommend the rose mimosa as well :) It was great to be around giggly girls again and hear all their funny stories. We covered everything from mouse drama to HGTV fame to weddings (of course!). I love a good dive bar and beer but sometimes it is nice to put on a dress and hang out with ladies. I hope we do it again soon! Hopefully I can convince them to trek out to Brooklyn...

After brunch, I took the train to downtown Manhattan to catch the ferry (I love boats!) to Governor's Island. Courtney is (happily) getting married in November but (sadly) leaving NYC at the end of July. One of her bridesmaids Lauren threw her a Going Away Party/Bridal Shower picnic.

Lady Liberty in the distance!

Governor's Island from the ferry.

We had a nice spread of sweets and fruit at the picnic. I was stuffed from brunch but still managed to fight down a cupcake or two. The only thing we were missing was some boxed wine. Do these girls know how to throw a party?! :)

Courtney requested we bring her one of our favorite recipes in lieu of a gift. I gave her a shrimp and grits recipe that is to die for! Makes me hungry just typing about it....

I really like Governor's Island. It's such a contrast from Manhattan and Brooklyn because it is completely deserted. They sometimes have activities on the weekends but it is strange to think the buildings sit empty the rest of the time. There is a plan to redevelop the island and make it more of an attraction but I like the fact that is this hidden gem where you can escape the crowds. I hope to go back with bikes soon and ride around without worrying about traffic.

I wish I had been there Sunday for the polo event (where I hear Prince Harry fell off his horse). Maybe next year I'll be ready to rub elbows with the royals! :)

(Penelope's Cafe photo courtesy of NY Mag and Shanna Ravindra. I didn't want to be that awkward girl taking pictures while people are eating. Plus, it was much more crowded when we were there.)

Free Beer, Great Music

Well, the beer wasn't free, but the music was great! Kurt and I had a concert filled weekend. I've been trying to take advantage of all the cultural activities NYC has to offer, so we bought tickets to see one of Kurt's favorite artists for Friday night and also realized a really great band I like was playing Saturday. Unfortunately, going to lots of concerts is expensive, so I'm taking a musical hiatus after we see She & Him next week!

We went to Webster Hall for an early show on Friday night to see Sage Francis. Kurt describes it as underground hip-hop. I couldn't really understand much of what Sage was rapping about, but I hear a lot of it is socially and politically charged.

Board shorts with a sport coat is a good look :) I didn't get a good picture of her, but the girl that sang with Sage was awesome. She had a really great voice and complemented him really well. You can see her in a review of their new album here.

It was an interesting show. A lot of the songs were catchier than I expected them to be and the crowd was really into it. Who knew Kurt had decent taste in music? :)

Then we went to the Bowery Ballroom Saturday night to see Voxtrot. I've been following them for a few years and periodically checking if they were touring. They are from Austin, TX and would occasionally do shows there but never made it to where I was, so I was so excited that they were finally coming to NYC. Come to find out, it was their last concert ever! They are breaking up! :(

But it was still an awesome show! They don't have an incredibly huge body of work, so I knew pretty much all the songs really well. I'm a fan of the Bowery Ballroom too. It's not a large venue and they have a great mezzanine level where we usually stand. You don't have to fight the crowd and can see really well--which is a blessing for a short girl. The only downside is not being able to grope the lead singer when they dive into the crowd at the end of the show :( I'm so sad that Voxtrot is no longer but glad I was able to finally see them!

Look forward to a post about She & Him next week. I have a crush on Zooey Deschanel and it should be an awesome show!

New Kicks

I got my Tom's Shoes today! I'm hoping they will be comfortable enough to traipse around Europe in but won't make me looks like a tacky tourist in sneakers. And how awesome is the company? For every pair of shoes they sell, they donate one to a child in need. I feel like I've done my good deed (especially since children make my heart turn cold, right Jen?).

I got them in the grey because I figure they will go with a lot. I feel like I am beginning to catch the disease all New Yorkers eventually fall victim to. I swore I would never do it, but I find myself drawn to neutrals and (gasp!) even black! I must be too far removed from the South. I need some color and pattern stat!!!

One Year

Kurt and I have been dating for a year. I cannot believe it. It sounds like a looooong time to me but has gone by in a flash.

To commemorate this monumental occasion, Kurt had the idea to take a water taxi from downtown Manhattan to Red Hook in Brooklyn to Ikea. His boss had worked on the drawings for a park that surrounds the store. The area is still pretty industrial which makes it quiet and there are some nice spaces to hang out near the water and watch the ships.

We packed a picnic of ham and brie sandwiches, $3 wine from Trader Joe's, and cups and napkins stolen....err.....borrowed from my office.

Oh, and a yummy peanut butter and chocolate bar for dessert! :)

We finished off the evening watching the sunset over the gantries. It was lovely. Kurt and I have a bet going now. I say year 2 is going to be even better than the first.

I'm totally going to win.

Montauk

I have some crazy friends that like to ride insanely long distances by bicycle. Who am I to ruin their fun? I don't mind as long as I get an excuse to go to the beach while they pedal away. This is the second year we have gotten a group together to head out to Montauk for a weekend. Last year, the ride was in August and incidentally on the same weekend as a tropical storm rolled through the Northeast. The 100 mile ride was miserable, but they were troopers and finished triumphantly!

This year, the forecast for Saturday was beautiful! Sunny skies the entire way. Congratulations to Jenn (100 miles), Silvia (100 miles), Angela (100 miles), and Scott (66 miles). They all did a great job! I feel completely inadequate in comparison. The most exertion I experienced that day was cheering for them at the finish line (and getting sunburned in the process).

And who can forget the Brothers Martig?! Kurt and Erik both rode 150 miles each! They started at their apartment in Brooklyn and made it all the way to Montauk in one piece. I'm in awe.

We rented a huge house to spend the weekend in Montauk after the ride. It had a great pool....

....and a large fridge which we stocked accordingly.

We headed to the beach on Sunday, but sadly, it was not as sunny as the previous day. Here, 5 of the 6 riders reenact their experience from the day before.

And show off a souvenir from the ride--a sweet bike short tan. Silvia was the only responsible one to reapply her sunscreen.

Boo...the sun never came out and it got chilly, so we packed up and headed back to the house.

The sun finally graced us with its presence the night before we left. I think it was a good send off. See you next year, Montauk!!....maybe with a smaller group....

Boston

Kurt and I decided to head up to Boston over Memorial Day weekend. I had never been before and was excited to see a couple responsible homeowning friends up there. Betsy was gracious (as always) enough to let us stay with her. She is the best hostess. She toured us all around the city and made us the most delicious breakfast I've had in a long time. I hope she will come visit Brooklyn sometime and I can aspire to be half as accommodating as her. We also got to see Keely and Patrick (and pups!) and all the improvements they've made on their house. What a huge undertaking! See their progress here.

While in Baaaahston (Kurt tirelessly tried to teach me the accent but I just sounded retarded) we ate lots of good food (we saw Guy Fieri at one restaurant!), drank a bunch of beer, walked a ton (and we're New Yorkers!) and saw.......

....several parks along the Big Dig project.....

....Paul Revere's one if by land, two if by sea church....

....the Boston Public Library....

(Sadly they were closed and we didn't get to go inside!)

....the Institute of Contemporary Art while waiting for our tour at the Harpoon Brewery....

....Harvard's campus and stadium....

....Eero Saarinen's MIT chapel....

....dorms at MIT by Steven Holl....

....and Fenway Park! Awesome trip!

EuroTour 2010

Kurt and I finally bought our tickets to go to Europe in July! My inner planner was getting nervous that we waited so long, but flights were so expensive, we couldn't bear parting with that much money before we absolutely had to. Kurt's friend, Claudio, is getting married in Villasanta, Italy outside of Milan on July 22nd, so we planned our other travels around that.

We're leaving NYC the evening of July 13th. It might take a few beers and Tylenol PM but I am determined to sleep on this flight. Last time I flew to Europe, I didn't get much sleep and was miserable for the first couple days. We arrive in Zurich, Switzerland and after a day or two there head to Venice, Italy (think I can convince Kurt to take me on a gondola?!). We then take the train to Ljubljana, Slovenia where Kurt has a couple friends. Another good friend of Kurt's, Magda, is also driving down from Poland to meet us in Ljubljana. She and her boyfriend are picking us up and we're heading to the beach!! We'll most likely go to Rijeka on the Croatian coast.

From there we will make our way to Milan and the towns around it for all the wedding festivities. We've got lots of people to see that Kurt knows from his exchange. Sadly, I hear most people won't speak English and my kick to "learn Italian before we go" didn't last too long. I think I will be doing a lot of smiling and nodding....luckily, two of my strongest skills. Kurt informs me that the phrase io sono cattolica will get me in their good graces right away though.

Sadly, we head back to NYC on the 25th out of Zurich. I can already tell it is going to go by in a flash. I hope to savor each moment and will surely have stories to tell when we return!!

New Wheels

I got a new bike! Thanks to the entire Martig clan, it was imported from Ohio and we've slowly been fixing it up. It's a royal blue Schwinn Traveler from 1986 (a good year!). We (rather, Kurt + me supervising/wiping the sweat from his brow) have replaced the tires and tubes, swapped out the skewers so my wheels don't get stolen (it happens!), and changed the handlebars and brake cables.

It originally had these really sporty handlebars that dropped down. I couldn't exactly grip the brakes well and wasn't thrilled about leaning over so far, so we got new/used handlebars from Recycle-A-Bicycle. My new view is much better!

Note: I normally wear a helmet, but this was just the test run (and glamour shots!). Check out those skills!

My old bike. Thanks for your loyal service! We had some good times together (and only a few near death experiences). I hope she finds a good home!

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My sweet little Fort Greene corner. Welcome to Brooklyn!