Manitoga House

July 31, 2025 in Field Notes

Had a lovely trip to the Manitoga House in Garrison NY. My photos don’t do this place any justice lol, but it’s definitely worth the trip. We took the train from Grand Central to Cold Spring, (always a pleasant ride up the Hudson River.) From there, there is a cute little trolley that will take you right to Manitoga for just $2. The ride itself is beautiful with many stops around Putnam County.

Admiring the accomplishments of Russel and Mary Wright. They were such talented designers who helped shape American modern living. Their home was a beautiful culmination of their design philosophy- they believed in a more casual lifestyle, with open floor plans and a connection to nature.

I’ve been curious about their book Guide to Easier Living - as it has been referenced to being their manifesto. I am stoked to find that the Internet Archive has it here for all to read. Thank you, to the individual who put this online. I have yet to read through it, but will report back with any noteworthy takeaways.

Thanks for reading and hope you are enjoying your summer ☀️☀️☀️

spark

July 29, 2025 in What I've Been Up To

This TED talk from 3 months ago has been making its rounds and I found it to be a must watch. We need your art! Especially now, more than ever- when the world seems to be on fire.

Love: “Creatives never leave the world the way they found it”

Funnily enough, I find myself in a creative block but two things that I’m thinking about:

Murakami at the Gagosian. He references backcrossing to describe his process, crossing different varieties (art styles, cultures) then crossing it back to the original resulting in a hybrid reconnecting back to its roots.

A nice push to return to revisit and rework from the past- navigating your own experiences to fuse them into something new.

And we also recently visited Studio Tashtego, a beautifully curated sculpture, lighting, and furniture gallery in Cold Spring, NY. My photos are not the best but I found the pieces quite balanced and sophisticated.

Thoughts moving forward and (hopefully) out of my creative rut: drawn to revisiting and reworking & playing with form and space. Getting back into the ceramics studio!

Hope you dear reader are taking care and making some art :)

Belated California Post

June 27, 2025 in What I've Been Up To

A little photo dump from last month in SF & LA, which already feels like much simpler times. Been holding a big space in our hearts for LA and everyone in general impacted by all the chaos- all of us.

Amidst happy times; celebrating birthdays, visiting old haunts and lots of dog cuddles- I’ve been ruminating on connectedness and community.

And with some hope! Since I’ve been back in NYC, I became an official New Yorker- which meant I could vote in my first primary. Mamdani ftw! On top of that, Elizabeth Street Garden has been saved, a huge testament to the power of the people.

Still lots of work ahead but feeling hopeful 💖

Muttville

Signing off thinking about my happy place in SF. Muttville a senior dog rescue. Even if you cannot adopt at this moment, they welcome you anytime to cuddle and play with the dogs. (Who couldn’t use a dog snuggle right now 😊)

Hope your summer is going well!

Lavender Soiree- Governors Island NYC

June 02, 2025 in Field Notes

Only a five minute ferry ride from Wall Street, Governor’s Island is a quick summertime escape away from crowds, chaos and most significantly… traffic! A car free island, I absolutely love coming here for a lazy weekend day.

So much to see and do here, but I’m focusing this post with a shout out to Earth Matter, an amazing organization dedicated to composting. You are always welcome to drop in and see the garden and chickens. (And don’t miss the little the Farm Stand.) They even have a lavender field where I harvested some lavender (with permission) at their annual Lavender Soiree.

This organization brings me so much joy!

New Orleans

May 17, 2025 in Travel Log

A few snapshots of New Orleans, such a unique and magical city.

Photos in a nutshell: Voodoo doll for friendship and fertility (got for a friend), stayed at the Mazant, admired all the architecture-art-music, ate some damn good food and spent some time at the Sazerac House

Cannot wait to come back!

Spring Notes- Pocantico Hills, Patterns, Life in NYC

May 13, 2025 in What I've Been Up To

April was a whirlwind, and I somehow managed to get sick twice. During round two, I decided enough was enough and went to a Chinese Medicine doctor in Chinatown. I've been intrigued by TCM for a while now, but had never seen a practitioner until recently. It worked well! I’ll be visiting again soon, as I suspect I’m yang deficient….🤪

I became curious about TCM around last year and I discovered Zoey Xinyigong. She is now based in China, but I was lucky enough to catch one of her Manhattan Chinatown TCM tours. Recommend her resources on her website and Five Elements Cookbook!

Blue Hill

Took a little field trip up to Pocantico Hills recently, with a highlight being Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Everything from the passionate, knowledgeable staff to the beautifully prepared food felt deeply rooted in care. I’ve long admired the work Dan Barber has been doing around sustainability and regenerative farming, and it was a treat to see it in action.

Chagall Sketches for Union Church

While in the area, I made a stop at the Rockefeller Creative Arts Center to catch an exhibit on Marc Chagall’s stained glass windows at Union Church. Seeing these original sketches—works I’d never encountered before was quiet a treat. Unfortunately Union Church itself was closed on the day of our visit so it looks like we have a good reason to return soon.

Spring in NYC

A few things helping balancing out the chaos of life in NYC

Sailing season is officially back, and I couldn’t be happier to be out on the water again. Spring blossoms. Yoga studios. Wandering through community gardens.