holiday decor

Slowly but surely I'm getting into the Christmas spirit. This year we purchased our first real tree. It's such a treat to smell the fresh scent of fir every time we open the door and I'm totally guilty of trimming sprigs off the tree's base to spread goodness around the house. I love placing evergreen sprigs and red berries everywhere; It's so simple and yet so pretty.

One of my favorite holiday traditions is hanging stockings. Since we don't have a traditional mantle, we make do by hanging our stockings on the built-in in our dining room. These stocking holders were a sweet gift and I'm hoping to fill them with black and white photos before Christmas. There's still time though, right? 15 days to be exact.

Aside from my newly-gifted coffee cup ornament, this garland is one of my favorite additions to our holiday spread. I only wish I had ordered more.

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

hunt library

As an alum of North Carolina State University, I was excited to visit the James B. Hunt Jr. Library, located on the university's Centennial Campus. I had the opportunity to tour this state-of-the-art facility before it was completed as part of an AIA YAF tour. Expecting campus to be pretty quiet due to the holiday weekend, we ventured over to check out the library's finished product as well as all of the other changes that have taken place in the years following graduation. The photos below were taken with my iphone; nevertheless, I hope they will inspire you to schedule a visit soon. As a designer, this building almost makes me want to return to school.

design architect | snohetta.  executive architect | pearce brinkley cease + lee.

everyday adventures | july

Weekends can be pretty awesome. While it has taken me a while to fully appreciate them, I do now. I think this change is because I have greatly reduced the amount that I work during the weekends. Of course this means working a little smarter during the week, but I've enjoyed the result immensely.

This summer Ben and I have made a point to enjoy ourselves and really explore our city, like tourists. It's pretty amazing to see your city with new eyes. Every weekend we engage in what we call everyday adventures. Our adventures are pretty low key, like trying a new restaurant or walking to the park for an evening concert, but these experiences form memories and help us recharge for the week ahead. Here are a few highlights from July:

We checked out exhibits at the local science museum.

We even had a picnic, which happens to be an item on our summer bucket list. In fact, I feel like I should institute a bucket list for every season. Why not? I'm already dreaming up adventures for fall.

I made coconut granola for the first time. I've really wanted to do a better job of eating breakfast everyday. Having healthy options like granola on hand is just what I need for pairing with my favorite berries. The great thing is that I can take it on the go or enjoy it at our kitchen table with my coffee, to ward off the jitters when I get to carried away with my caffeine habit.

Wishing you a fun-filled weekend ahead!

NYC | the High Line

I'm almost certain that seeing photos of the High Line heavily influenced my decision to revisit New York City a whopping nine years after my last visit. For those of you who aren't familiar with the High Line, it was originally built in the 1930s in an effort to lift freight traffic above the streets in Manhattan's largest industrial district and minimize accidents at the street level. Trains stopped running on the High Line around 1980. In 1999 Friends of the High Line, a community-based non-profit group, decided to form a partnership with the City of New York to preserve and maintain the structure as an elevated public park. The High Line now serves as an exceptional park where visitors can go to read, lounge, picnic, socialize, dine, or even exercise.

It was tough to wait until the last day of our trip to make the trek to Manhattan's west side to see the High Line but, I love the thrill of saving the best for last. In this case, it was definitely worth it.

We even lucked out and found a spot at a Biergarten on the Hudson River to catch up with old friends and enjoy the sunset. Do you see what I mean? Pretty awesome.

Feel free to check out these links for more information on the park and its history.

NYC | MoMA

I love art.

If I could choose how to spend the day without any agenda, I would probably choose to visit an art museum. True story. Studying architecture in college has inspired me to admire the art museums themselves, as much as I do the art housed inside its walls. I relish the clean architectural lines, ubiquitous white, and thoughtful details throughout. I take particular pleasure in visiting the museum's cafe and enjoy any chance I get to try out its piquant offerings. Let's not discuss how many hours I could spend perusing the gift shop. No joke. Each time I find something awesome, I brainstorm for which loved one it would make the the perfect gift.

Needless to say, I was adamant about visiting MoMA during our trip to NYC and I even managed to snap a few photos while there.

A couple of my favorite exhibition pieces...