Glamping Style Weekend Getaway

This weekend was the hub's 30th birthday, woohoo! In honour of this milestone we set out to arrange a fun filled "Glamping" theme weekend and invited some of our closest friends. We headed in to the deep woods for this one, and there we uncovered a glorious gem. I took a few shots of the place we stayed in, I simply HAVE to share because well...this may be the prettiest "cottage" I've ever seen!  I'm less of a camper, more of a glam gal, but I could def get down with this woodland masterpiece. 

The space was designed to be modern, yet they respected the natural elements that make this land special. Everything started with douglas fir beams, doors and mouldings, but finished with modern industrial details such as this fireplace - with cool storage compartments for wood, and (heated) concrete floors throughout.

The kitchen was a complete dream! High end appliance, a HUGE island and definitely the place where we all ended up gathering most of the weekend.

Move now to the master bathroom, and it gets even more exciting! A stunning view of the great outdoors that can be enjoyed as you shower in a fully exposed area, no glass! It took a bit of bravery to indulge in this amenity, but once I did it was very freeing.

Other than the beautiful setting, modern design and luxurious details, this weekend wouldn't have been complete without the best set of friends anyone could ask for. We gathered by the fire at water's edge and had many laughs over roasted hot dogs and inside jokes, which for us made this weekend very special. 

HOW TO MAKE A QUICK DIY VASE IN A PICKLE...JAR

Hello!!! I know it's been a while, I've been busy getting my life back on track after my loooong vacation; laundry piles, bills and fallen leaves have been top priority; however I did mange to get away for a weekend with friends (they come before laundry).

Last weekend we made the trek up north to a friends cottage to celebrate two birthdays, an anniversary and one engagement! I was in charge of the flowers for the bride-to-be and in my post vacay daze I didn't even think to bring a container to put them in for her to transport back on the 4 hour drive home. Yikes!  

One of my super crafty girlfriends came to the rescue, she spotted a pickle jar in the fridge and decided we could make something pretty to keep these flowers perky.  

We emptied the pickles into Tupperware, washed the vase,  arranged the flowers (not sure why we did this before we wrapped it) and wrapped in twine (taping the first end down and the last end as well).

Ta da...make-shift pickle jar vase!  It turned out beautifully, very rustic-chic.

When you get desperate, your get creative; think beyond the everyday use for items you have on hand...it just might get you out of a pickle.

WEEKEND GETAWAY - new york - the food

Hi all! Now that I've dazzled you with the New York design scene, we move on to something almost equally inspiring, the grub.  I consumed some of the best meals I've ever had in my life in NYC this past weekend, their culinary culture didn't disappoint.  With a little help from some friends, we were pointed to several super hot spots for foodies and foodie wannabes (like me).

Just a short subway ride out of the core, we landed ourselves in the heart of Harlem. We followed our nose to the popular Red Rooster, the gastronomic brainchild of celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson. Comfort food heaven, the Fried Yard Chicken and Mac n' Greens had us all licking our plates. The highlight; the man himself showed up and made his rounds to greet each table, pretty cool. 

That's Chef Marcus Samuelsson heading back inside

We checked out Chelsea Market of course, it was neat, but nothing compared to the fresh and simple New Amsterdam Market down at the Pier.  Unique mom and pop type food stands were scattered under the bridge which created the most lovely ambiance for wandering and exploring. Have you seen anything cuter than these mini apple pies on a stick? 

The top dinner spot fave amongst the group was ABC Kitchen, yup the same ABC I raved about last post, they have a restaurant too! As expected this place had the most gorgeous decor, natural yet styled, fresh and chic.  And the food...well let's just say the best pizza I've ever had lives in this kitchen. A savoury mushroom pizza with an egg on top! Yes indeed, a golden egg cracked and cooked on this crispy, perfectly seasoned crust. Fantastic service, A+ food and an atmosphere that makes you feel like like there's nowhere else you'd rather be, ABC Kitchen is a must visit. 

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And then along came the food trucks. I've been hyping these things in my mind for ages now, never really had an authentic food truck experience; that all changed this past weekend. We couldn't have picked a better spot, there they all were, heaven on wheels.

this was taken right before the mega lineups formed

We opted for a gooey grilled cheese, chicken dumplings, saucy pork, chicken and beef tacos, a true treat for the taste buds. 

We sipped on tasty cocktails in Williamsburg, the uber hip 'hood in Brooklyn

A glutton for the weekend and not a second thought about it, New York's fabulous fare was SO worth the extra pound or two.

WEEKEND GETAWAY || new york - the design

I'm back from the big apple and you better believe my socks were knocked off by all of the beauty, culture and design porn that makes New York one of the best cities on earth.  I'm going to let the pictures in this post speak for themselves, a feast for the eyes.

First stop, Tory Burch boutique on Madison Ave, the highlight of our trip. First of all, the store is a giant jewel box, brass, bold colours and shiny fixtures, stunning! Then, unexpectedly the store clerk offers us beer and champagne; we sit, we sip and simply take in this New York moment, something money couldn't buy, just us and the bevies in a glorified walk-in closet. Heaven.

Moving on to the Brooklyn Flea, so many fab finds, If I could of fit this sensational ceramic stool in my suitcase, I'd be staring at it right now.

Next, well...let's just say the "mecca", my personal holy land, Bergdorf Goodman's, Kelly Wearstler boutique.  It literally took my breath away, I was SO excited to be there, nerdy I know. What would you do for one of those funky head sculptures?! *faint*

And the Kdub party didn't stop there. I creepily peeked my head into the BG cafe on the 7th floor, that Kelly herself designed, just to get a glimpse of at least one hollywood glam detail. Hubs saw the awe in my eyes (and maybe a little tear too), and suggested we stay for a drink, yes please, 1 pink champagne coming up! 

I totally want to add this moulding detail to our guest bedroom, maybe too big of a task, but I LOVE!

On our last day just before we boarded the plane my friend suggested hitting up ABC Carpet & Home , boy was that the best idea EVER! This place was so huge and so inspiring, you need a week and a drool rag to get through it all.

Around every corner this enchanting city has something visually pleasing, from architecture to art and everything in between; I came back a better women, and no doubt a more envious one too.

WEEKEND GETAWAY || classy rustic retreat

Yet another wonderful weekend away.  The summer for us is always super busy, we're lucky to have so many friends with cottages who graciously invite us along or who enjoy travelling as much as we do, so we are always on the move.

This past weekend we headed east to a lovely retreat on the water. Check out this gem. Pretty right? A chic wood cabin-esque pad, with 20 foot vaulted ceilings, the fresh scent of pine throughout and casual/classy decor a ’la Ralph Lauren.

Hubs and I stayed in the master suite, how generous, and got to enjoy a spacious room with the most darling bathroom I have ever seen. Tell me this isn’t rustic retreat perfection?!  The chandelier made me weak in the knees and the claw foot tub, swoon worthy.

Throughout the cottage were cozy details, such as these hand painted paddles, which added a neat graphic element as well as this accidental vignette with firewood as the focal point. I found simple beauty all around me.

We also ate VERY well; not gonna lie, gorged on cheesies too. We tried something new, bacon jam. Have you heard of this? I’d been dying to try, I mean anything with bacon must be delish; I figured brie and crostinis would be the perfect vehicle. The verdict, not bad, not to die for as I had hoped, this was the consensus of the group.

We went for a boat ride, swam at the sand bars, lounged in the sun, sipped on Pimms, gave ourselves pedis and flipped through our fave mags. 

This was the best spot to hunker down with a morning coffee and take in the stunning view.


All this to say I am truly spoiled. I’m a lucky gal, living a fanciful life, sharing it with stellar friends and the perfect partner.