tink makes art

When I go to New York, there are a handful of things I HAVE to do:

• walk on the Brooklyn Bridge
• cruise on the Staten Island Ferry
• get inspired at 5 Pointz
  • It may be demolished! BAD NEWS! Sign the petition!
• eat at Cafe Henri’s, Cafe Habana, and Shake Shack
• enjoy Sunday brunch with coffee and several mimosas
• shop in Brooklyn at Buffalo Exchange and Beacon’s Closet
• walk through Central Park
• eat a hot dog from Papaya King or a street vendor

I’ll stop. I could go on forever. What are your must-do’s in New York?

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I just returned from a trip to NYC where I did a little work and a little play. Ok, I did a little work and A LOT of play! My friend and coworker, Stephanie, and I took a full day to visit several vendor showrooms and home stores including the Oly Atelier Flagship Store, ABC Carpet & Home, and Lillian August. Here are some shots from the day:

downtown Durham (photo by Jessie Gladin-Kramer)

Coming in at Number 35 on NY Times’ The 41 Places to Go in 2011…drum roll, please…Durham, North Carolina! With only four other U.S. cities making the list, this is a great honor for the once deserted tobacco and textile town. I am so happy to call Durham my home! Here are a couple reasons why I love the Bull City:

1. Local, local, local. From restaurants to music venues to art galleries to coffee shops to hardware stores (you get the picture), Durham supports LOCAL! I work at hg HOME, a home decor retail store, and the question we get asked the most is, “Are these items made locally?” We, like other businesses, strive to have a large selection of locally made items. Local is pretty serious (and successful) here…

My lunchtime favorite from Toast: bruschetta with roasted beets, ricotta salata, orange slices, and fresh mint! (photo by Mark Petko Photography)

2. Delicious food! Durham restaurants get most of their ingredients from local farmers and their beer and coffee from local brewers! I can cook with the same freshness at home too! The Durham Farmer’s Market is always stocked full of local produce, dairy, meats, plants, and more! Durham continues to get press as a top food destination in the U.S., like this article in the NY Times.

3. Make art not war. Durham has a pretty amazing, well everything, but the art scene keeps growing with more artists, more galleries, more studios, and more variety. Golden Belt, LabourLove Gallery, The Nasher Museum of Art, and the North Carolina Museum of Art are worth noting, but if you walk into any coffee shop, restaurant, hair salon, or hole-in-the-wall downtown studio, you’re sure to find a few pieces you’d like to take home with you.

She & Him (photo by Sam Jones)

4. MUSIC! Would you believe me if I said Durham’s own independent record label, Merge Records, signed She & Him, Spoon, and Arcade Fire? Other artists on their roster include Superchunk (Merge’s founders), The Love Language, and The Mountain Goats.

The Triangle is popping out music venues like baby’s during the baby boom. Check out the article “Split Ticket” in this week’s Independent Weekly for more information and a list of venues.

5. Don’t forgot to stop and smell the roses. Literally. North Carolina’s landscape makes the state one of my favorites. You have the mountains, the oceans, and the in-between. Durham is in the middle, so you can admire the Eno River State Park or the Duke Gardens OR head east to the ocean for a surf trip OR go west to hike or camp in the mountains. We get flowery Springs, warm Summers, colorful Falls, and snowy Winters. What could be better?

Thanks, Durham, for being so wonderful!

I went to Asheville last weekend to visit some friends from college. The 80-acre farm we stayed on is absolutely amazing. Old, original structures have been repurposed into a main home, sleeping cabins, and an outdoor kitchen. Once the home of Freckles the cow, one barn is now a painting studio! The property lays right in the hollow between two ridges with a spring-fed creek running through its center. Complete with a garden, outdoor movie screen, fire pit, screened-in porch, and more, this little sliver of heaven is just what I needed to remind myself of the amazing beauty that surrounds me, the amazing friends that stick around, and the amazing life I am blessed to live.

You’ve seen her photos in Dwell and Elle Interior magazines, H&M and IKEA catalogs, and Nokia ads; but, have you ever seen these gorgeous photos from Pia Ulin’s travels? The colors are exquisite and the people beautiful! These definitely make me want to go on an adventure.

I’m back from Aruba! It was a fantastic trip full of family time, love, and adventures! Each night we had dinner at a different family member’s home. The homes there are incredibly expensive because of the costs to import materials. A home that would cost a couple hundred thousand in the states sells for millions in Aruba.  Each home has an interesting layout that includes pocket walls that open up the entire floor plan in a minute! The separated living room and kitchen become one space along with an open courtyard. I want that in my home!

We spent one full day on a 42′ catamaran sailing around the island. My cousin pointed out some of the local surf spots, which were all flat, but I could see their potentials for nice beach breaks.  We stopped for a few hours at one of the most popular snorkeling spots. A variety of tropical fish, star fish, sea spiders, and sea urchins were spotted (and held) along with several species of coral.

Strouse and I took kiteboarding lessons. The power of wind is extraordinary and potentially dangerous, but the thrill is incomparable. I think this is a sport we will invest some time and money into in the near future.

I am already planning my next trip to Aruba but am also hoping to do more traveling in general. I love the change of atmosphere, language, pace, people, and activity. The world is full. Live!

I’m heading out a bit early this week. Strouse and I are leaving for Aruba on Friday! We are only gone until Tuesday, so you’ll be hearing more from me mid-next week. Do you have any travel plans for the weekend? I love this scene from Armageddon when the boys start singing “Leaving on a Jet Plane.”

photo by vanilla_coquelicot