Steps With Chipping Paint

When I take the long route of my daily walk, I pass these steps. They're on small stretch of road with slightly rundown houses, and I think they're absolutely lovely.

I like the way the paint's chipping off, revealing the concrete underneath. These steps somehow seem like they belong in a beach town, and for a second I can pretend I'm by the ocean. 

Hidden

I took this picture waaaay back in April. When I walk past this gate, I always wonder what's hidden away up those stairs. 

In my imagination it's something magical. Like a secret garden or fabulous playground. 

I'm taking off early today for what promises to be a super fun weekend. I'll tell you all about it next week! Happy Friday + happy weekend! 

Spring Smells So Wonderful

Last week I saw the first lilacs starting to bloom around our neighborhood. I can't pass by one of these bushes without stopping to enjoy their delicious scent.

It's nice, you know, stopping to smell the flowers. It's easy to rush through the day going from one activity to the next, but it's important to take some time to enjoy little things like this.

Have you been enjoying the springtime?

Cloudy Spring Day

Yesterday, I took the morning off from my day job and brought some of my newer ELM designs to Rugg Road Paper Company (they ordered some cards last spring). They liked my stuff and placed an order; I'm so excited! If you're in Boston, they should be available in the store in 2 weeks or so.

Anyway, yesterday was a cloudy day, but that didn't keep me from noticing all the stunning trees in (on?) The Common. Isn't spring the best?!

After my jaunt downtown, I had a few errands to run in Brookline before getting back to work. While I was walking home, I was dodging raindrops every now and again, but it was really fun (and awesome to spend some time away from my computer). Plus, I saw some more trees in bloom.

I took these pictures with my blackberry.

Pretty Purple

Today, Spring Colour Week is celebrating purple. In anticipation, I took these photos around dusk yesterday while we were out for a walk.

It's been fun looking for specific colors in my daily life. Why don't you try to find some purple today? Tomorrow's robin's egg blue, so have fun finding that too!

*Today's Lost in Thoughts is vintage-inspired, so pop on over there and have a look.

Dinner Time

It was absolutely gorgeous on Sunday, so Eric and I took a loooong walk in the afternoon. We spotted this squirrel grabbing some dinner in the park.

It's official, I have a thing for squirrels. They're so darn cute!

★ Check out the Everything Little Miss blog to see the birthday cards I made for Google. Yeah, I said Google.

Back In November

I took this photo waaaaaay back in mid-November. It was a really beautiful fall day, so Eric and I decided to take a walk around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Brookline.

I wonder what the reservoir looks like on cold day like today. I haven't been by it in a long time; it's probably iced over! I should go take some more pictures, shouldn't I?

*Not completely true. Yesterday I took some photos for Everything Little Miss.

A Fall Weekend

Hello! I hope you all had a great weekend.

Saturday, I folded 140 cranes to make two mobiles to sell in my Etsy shop (they'll be available later this week). We also went to see Where the Wild Things Are (oh my god, it was amazing) with friends. As we were leaving the theater we ran into a friend from college and his girlfriend. I can't even remember the last time we saw them. They joined our group and the six of us headed to a cozy little bar downtown to catch up and get out of the rain.

By Sunday morning the rain had cleared. I had some errands to run, so Eric and I took the camera on a little walk.

The weather was perfect for lolly gagging and admiring the pretty colors. The air smelled delightful, too, the way it's supposed to smell in the fall.

We made two unexpected stops:

1) Brookline Booksmith to read Where the Wild Things Are (to compare it to the movie, which is somehow the same but different). "Let the wild rumpus start!"

2) A funny little toy store that I've always wanted to visit, but is usually closed whenever I'm walking by. We actually made an amazing purchase, but I'll be writing about that another time on the Everything Little Miss blog.

So, great weekend. Tell me about yours. :)

[click the images to enlarge]

Up & At 'Em

I went for a walk bright and early this morning. I left the apartment at 6:20. I knew that if I wanted to get any exercise today, I'd have to do it early. I also wanted to get a picture of the sunrise.

Yesterday the sunrise was bright pink and magnificent, but I didn't get outside in time to take a picture. Today, not so much. I had a great walk anyway, and I loved the chilly air on my cheeks. OH. MY. GOD. It's the best!

Plus, I photographed some romance.

This afternoon we're headed to Vermont for an HBS weekend retreat. I don't really know what's in store. I'm a little nervous because I won't know any of the 90 or so people who will be there (besides Eric, of course), but I'm sure I'll make friends.

Happy Friday. I hope you have a fantastically colorful fall weekend.

Arts Festival & Friends

How was your weekend? Ours was lovely and delightfully sunny. We spent a lot of time outside; it doesn't get much better than that!

On Saturday morning we headed over the the Arts Festival in Coolidge Corner. I like going to these things to see the way people display their products and to check out prices. I'm investigating because one day I'll be showing Everything Little Miss at places like this!

I also like going to see Jennifer Hill's booth. I can always spot Jennifer from a mile away because of her gorgeous reds and distinctive designs. We worked together at my last job, and she's been full of encouragement for quite some time now. I love her work, and it's nice to be able to see it in person. Anyway, the picture is of her booth. She's in the yellow sweater and her sister is helping her.

We spent Saturday afternoon in Harvard with Eric's parents. Then we headed to The Barking Crab to meet up with friends. Since we arrived pretty late, we weren't there long before the group decided to go to Lucky's, which was about a block away. It great to catch up with our friends and we had a lot of fun!

Yesterday we had lunch with some new friends. We met them at the HBS Admitted Students Welcome, and they were here yesterday picking up the keys to their new apartment. After taking a look at there new place we walked to Harvard Square and got sandwhiches to go at Leo's Place. We ate outside, and there was live musical entertainment in the background. Everything felt very summery. We had a really great time, and I'm looking forward to all of our new friends moving to the area!

Our Evening Walk

Most evenings, when the weather's nice, Eric and I take a walk when he gets home from work. We usually push ourselves and turn it into a bit of a workout. However, this week I've had allergies (or a cold, I'm really not sure), and our walks have turned to strolls so I can breathe. 

Early in our walk today, the ground was littered with these fluffy little blossoms. Just as I was starting to wonder where on Earth they came from, we happened upon the source. We also saw a few robins (those little devils are fast! I haven't gotten a good picture yet), squirrels, and some bright red tulips that were ready to burst. 

Do you know what we didn't see? A woodpecker. We heard it though! We stopped and stared at a group of trees trying to find it. No luck. So we went on our way, and it immediately started pecking again. So we stopped to look. When we didn't see it we pretended to walk away. But the bird was too smart and didn't make a peep (or a peck) until we were walking away in earnest! 

After that nothing much happened until a police car pulled up beside us and asked if we'd called the cops. Nope, not us. So he sped off. A few minutes later we saw him circling the neighborhood, so we don't know what was going on. 

*I started a new series over at Everything Little Miss, called Lost In Thoughts. Each Thursday, for 8 weeks, I'll share some things that make me feel creative. 

Blooming Magnolia And A White Sky

A blooming magnolia tree is one of the most beautiful signs of spring. But when I saw this tree today, its buds practically bursting, I was struck by the whiteness of the sky (when I think white sky, I think snow). I was walking to Brookline (a 15 - 20 minute walk) to pick up some supplies for an engagement announcement I'm making for a friend, and it was downright nippy out there when the sun wasn't shining. 

This kind of weather, combined with excitement about spring, makes people dress like maniacs. I saw a woman wearing a full-length winter parka and two people wearing shorts. This guy (below) had a really weird tattoo on the back of his calf, and all I could think about was how much that must have hurt.

P.S. Are you there Spring? It's me, April. I'm ready for you to take off your shoes and stay awhile.  

P.P.S. If you'd like to see photos of our newly rearranged apartment, click here for a super short slideshow. 

Zaftigs

Yummm. Zaftig's! It's my favorite breakfast place for miles. We often eat at Zaftig's on Sunday mornings and there is usually a line out the door. I've been kown to wait for 45 minutes because there's no place else I'd rather go. We've also been for dinner a few times.

I love, love, love their Challah French Toast, and we both enjoy the Fried Egg BLT. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! 

Zaftig's walls are filled with Danny O's interesting creations. He resides in The Berkshires (like my family!). 

Stone Wall

I like the gaps in this wall because the dark shadows are mysterious and they make the stones more interesting. The smaller rock really stands out because of the black background. 

Technology

About a month ago, I took advantage of a beautiful Saturday afternoon and took my review books to the park to study for the GMAT. I also had to bring my personal cell phone because seriously, does anybody leave their house without their phone these days? Of course I needed my iPod to help me tune out environmental distractions. And I couldn't leave my new work-issued iPhone at home either (it enables my email-checking addiction). Oh, I had my camera with me too. 

I've gotten so used to having technology with me at all times that it feels funny to shut down and log-out. Ten years ago the internet was just catching on and most people didn't have cell phones. Seven years ago the hottest MP3 players were 32 MB (that's about 8 songs people!). Three years ago digital cameras were becoming popular and the iPhone was just some genius' crazy idea. Now we can't imagine living without these things. How quickly we change.

Side note: The Schwarz and I took the GMAT on Saturday and it's finally over! We're officially done with data sufficiency problems and reading comprehension. Woo hoo!

Shadows

I usually think of oranges and reds when I think of autumn. Those bright colors are exactly what made this naturally black and white image stand out.     
                                         

The wall in this picture is slightly textured and reminds me of snow; I can’t stop myself from thinking that soon there won't be any leaves to cast shadows on empty walls. Winter is just around the corner, and I am so excited. I know many people loath winter, but love the brisk air and the way the sun bounces around in the snow. I'm looking forward to wearing mittens and skis. 

Jack-O-Lanterns

I love it! People really get creative at Halloween. The one in the back looks like it has seen better days, but the two in front are still fresh and silly. Sure, they probably saw this idea in a magzine or online, but they still went ahead and did it. They made the effort and look at the delightful result! They chose wonderful pumpkins and carved them well. 

Stalking

What this black can doesn't know: that's a fake crow. 

I'm getting so excited for Halloween! I love when people decorate their lawns in ways I haven't seen before. This crow is so realistic that I wanted to stop and check it out. I couldn't believe it when the cat came over too! Holy Halloween luck batman!

Biggest Tarp Ever

I cannot believe the size of this tarp! It covers the house! I had no idea they made tarps of this size or magnitude. What kind of construction are they doing that it has to be hidden? Maybe they're hiding spies on a stakeout! Perhaps this is a house full of stolen goods? Or maybe the constuction workers just like to play Wii when nobody is looking. 

It's probably protection from all the rain we've been having, but it's more fun to imagine that something weird is going on.

*Bonus: Porta-potty on the premises. 

The Park

Click image for larger view.

This situation makes me laugh; it really cracks me up! The sign depicts two children playing on a teeter totter (aka, see saw). This is to alert drivers that there is a playground up ahead. As you can see in the photo below, there is no teeter totter in sight (there really is a park though, so they get some credit).

Click image for larger view.

The sign is so old and outdated that I can't remember the last time I actually saw a teeter totter! I wonder if kids today would even know what this sign means. When I was little it was one of my favorite features of the school playground, but in the last 13 or so years they've totally disappeared. I think teeter totter is now synonymous with law suit. That is just so completely disappointing!