day in amherst/northampton, part 1

took a trip to massachusetts last weekend for one last summer hoorah.
it was a gorgeous, clear blue, sunny-skied afternoon in amherst
{especially nice because the town hadn't yet seen the return of
all the college students/back to school hubbub.}

at the eric carle museum,
where there was a very special illustration on exhibit!

very late lunch - pizza slices at antonio's.
then amherst books. mostly new books upstairs,
and a whole basement filled with used books for sale!









Rao's Coffee
{we can't visit another town without stopping into the local coffeehouse
for a drink and a little break time to read & relax.}

saturday csa

some of this week's offerings from the farm.

the fair!

swung by opening night of the altamont fair.




i held this guy!




cupcakes!



the fair is a great place to go if you're looking to give yourself nightmares. after being coerced by my friends, i ventured into the "circus museum" for the first time in my life, a place i've always made it a point to steer clear of.

the best fried dough at the fair, hands-down.
(no*, all fried doughs are not created equal).

sigh, this fair is always a little bittersweet because it really signals the end of summer. boo.

End of Summer

Treat at Crisan (*thanks Kaitlin!)



Strawberry picking in Kinderhook



The Point Cafe, Schenectady NY

Not Cool

Why is it hot again?
Didn't the weather get the memo?
>:-O

photo

Sunday morning

This weather is heaven.

That's all.

My Summer Project

I have a problem with chairs:
I love them too much.
I buy chairs when I don't need them,
when I don't have space for them,
when I don't really know what to do with them.
I have some weakness for interesting old chairs.

The good news is, I actually (sort of) need some new dining chairs to go with the dining table I've yet to purchase for my new apartment. I found these vintage Danish-modern chairs on Craigslist earlier this week. I've been combing Craigslist pretty regularly for the past two weeks or so, and when I spotted these a few hours after they were posted, I knew I had to snatch them up immediately or lose them. To give you an idea about these chairs, a set of four like this can sell for anywhere from $100 to an upwards of $400. These four will happily be mine for $10 a piece. :) That's right.

Unfortunately, the upholstery on the chairs I'm getting is kind of dark and tired looking -- it could use some updating (the image above with the nice, bright fabric is from Apartment Therapy). My plan is to get some new fabric to reupholster the seats and backs. I've never reupholstered anything before. Anybody have any tips? This is what I'm going on so far.

Picnic Love

There are few things I love more than finding a patch of grass, laying out a blanket, stretching out and digging in to some good, no-muss food. I'm always down for a spontaneous meal outside (I keep a picnic blanket in the trunk of my car, if ever the need should arise)...

{Seen here}

Oh, and here too

Also, Susan's delightful account of childhood picnics & picnics across the pond in England

A Good Sunday

A good Sunday starts with fresh baking banana bread in the oven, brunch with friends and mimosas, followed by an afternoon cookout that lasts into the evening, and is topped off with a classic film. A good ending to the last weekend of summer. I hope you had a nice one, too.







Best banana bread recipe I've come across so far:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Have a Wonderful Weekend

I took this photo on my camera phone last night of the Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC in Saratoga Springs. We laid out ample picnic blankets, pillows, and had a perfectly wonderful dinner consisting of wine, cheeses, olives, and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Does it get any better?

I hope you have a truly wonderful weekend.
xo

Summer in the 518

If you live in the Albany area, head over to AllOverAlbany to read my recommendations for stuff to do during the last weeks of summer.

And Hi to everyone who found your way here from AOA.
Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Love, Part 3

I thought I'd round out our second week in August with a short list of a few more things to love.


sundresses and sandals

***

outdoor flea markets

***

county fairs

***

Previously : summer love one and two

Have a Wonderful Weekend

What are you up to this weekend? Tonight I'll be checking out the new exhibits at area art galleries, and tomorrow I'm hopping on a train and heading to New York City for a couple days.

Have fun!

image here

Number Two

Yesterday we went blueberry picking (#2 on the list). It was a perfect day for it - sunny and not too humid. I wanted to get my hands on the raspberry bushes, too, but apparently they're all picked for the season. Apple season will be here before we know it!