Exploring Brooklyn: Favorite Coffee in Fort Greene

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As all our New York nearest and dearest know because they finally got to meet her -my mom came to visit for a week.  Having her in town is always a roller coaster.  I spend the week before she lands being a ball of quivering, excited energy.  Once she arrives, my emotions run high as we adventure, talk and just be.  We really do just love to hang out. Then the morning she leaves I wind up standing in my go-to coffee shop with my eyes welling up with tears as the barista asks how my morning is going. Regardless of the tidal waves of emotions I experience in the few short days surrounding her visit I am always so, so glad she is able to come.

This isn’t her first visit to our city, it is actually her third; she is pretty much a veteran New Yorker by now.  So this time around we took it easy.  We had a girls day complete with brunch at Walter’s in Fort Greene, followed by a spa day at the Plaza Hotel.  We tackled the Met Rooftop after church on Sunday.  Throughout the week she came with me to work, or met me for lunch at the Breslin Bar and Dining Room at the Ace Hotel.  But most importantly we drank a lot of coffee from some of our favorite places. Including: Continue reading “Exploring Brooklyn: Favorite Coffee in Fort Greene”

Summer in NYC

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Summer in the city is arguably my favourite yet (minus the humidity and skin scorching temperatures).

We have been so fortunate to have three of our nearest and dearest come to town to explore a New York summer with us.  My dad and his wife Maureen, came at the start of July to help us settle in and explore our new neighbourhood.  Then last week my brother, Sean, ventured over to help us tackle many of the items on our NYC tourist bucket list. We loved having them along to explore our surroundings.  Sharing the energy and pulse of the city with those we love, and exposing them what has made us fall love with New York really is the best treat. We SO loved having them. All bias aside I think Jameson and I have a pretty awesome family.

What follows is a few of our top picks for summer activities in the city. Continue reading “Summer in NYC”

Harlem to Brooklyn: We’ve Moved Y’all

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Jay and I have LOVED our little corner of Harlem this past year.  It has been so convenient being around the corner from my classes and across the street from work.  Today we actually had the privilege to show my dad and his wife around our former neck of the woods and all sorts of nostalgia built up inside me (even if I have only been a Brooklynite for a mere 20 hours).  However, with my graduation date just thirty short days away (HECK YES!) we have to vacate our university owned apartment.  We elected to move into the amazingly, west coast feeling neighbourhood of Fort Greene.  Added bonus, we are going to be neighbors with a few of our closest friends.

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Air B and B does a much better job of cataloging the awesomeness of our new hood, so I would recommend checking them out if you are curious about where we are setting down roots. All I can say is we could not be happier we scored an apartment in a doorman, full service building in Fort Greene.  It is a small, super popular corner of New York City which means the rental market is fierce.  It tends to be pricey, since a plethora of celebrities are moving into the area (every celebrity sighting I have had in NYC has been in Fort Greene).  So finding something in our range was something we weren’t totally sure we would wrangle.  All in all, I am thinking God has a little something to do with us finding our new home.

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The community itself has an abundance of markets, luscious parks and not a Starbucks in sight.  The majority of shops and eateries are local and totally right up our alley. My west coast heart is doing back flips. Add to all that goodness that the streets are swathed in foliage and my soul is singing.  So in honor of our move here are a few snaps of our new street.

Long Weekend Living: Brooklyn Style

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I love long weekends.

We had the most luxuriously relaxing few days (before Jay had to jet set off Monday morning).  Post-church rooftop hammocks, good friends and volleyball (where I somewhat held my own some of the time) in the park as the sunset. It was sheer, perfect bliss.

However, I will stop elaborating and let the photos which speak for themselves do all the talking.

Happy Memorial Weekend Y’all!

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Continue reading “Long Weekend Living: Brooklyn Style”