friday

happy friday! i've been back in portland for a few days, eating incredible pizza with friends and starting my new job at a local community college. now that i'm not a student anymore, all the excitement (and terror) surrounding my future has impeded my ability to catch up on sleep -- hopefully i can kick this jet lag soon!

black bean tacos

my family requested that i make my shrimp tacos for dinner the other night, but a last minute problem with the shrimp resulted in a slight menu change. i swapped the shrimp for black beans and no one even missed the meat (a sign of a successful vegetarian meal)!

black bean tacos (serves 4)

12 organic corn tortillas

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

juice of 1/2 a lime

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

2 cups shredded green cabbage

pinch salt

juice of 1 lime

avocado, chopped
cotija cheese, crumbled

white onion, chopped
cilantro

mash black beans in a bowl with lime, garlic, and chili powder. in a separate bowl, toss cabbage with lime and salt and let it "marinate" for a bit. before serving, warm tortillas in a pan over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil. spread black bean mixture on tortillas, top with cotija cheese, cabbage, avocado, cilantro and onion.

scenes from nyc

1. view from brooklyn

2. cute apartments

3. sister

4. grand central

5. blue bottle coffee

6. pink sunset

7. katie

8. house of small wonder

friday

happy friday! i wasn't aware of this when i booked my trip home, but my aunt and uncle are going to be in nyc this weekend (from florida) for a wedding, so i'm heading there tonight to see them. all of this family time is making me ridiculously happy!

dad's plants

my dad takes such pride in his plant collection. every time i come home, it seems more expansive and colorful than before. though i can always count on "roy" (my dad named him), the large cactus below, to be a constant -- we've had that cactus since i was a kid!

scenes from home

i know i always wax poetic about being home in connecticut, but it really does do wonders for my soul. 

1. ice cream from a local creamery.
2. finally got my one piece!
3. seafoam green iphone case.
4. summer feet.
5. mom and sister // grandpa and dad.

friday

happy friday! i couldn't have picked a better time to schedule this trip home -- after the last few stressful months, i'm now in extreme relaxation mode. i've taken up permanent residence on the lounge chair on my deck!

west to east

i boarded a plane last night in portland and woke up this morning in new york! i'll be spending the next two weeks at home in connecticut with family and friends. life is good.

i also got an iphone -- i'm already pretty addicted to instagram!

thrift store finds

when it comes to furnishing a home, i'm a big believer in collecting special items over time. we've created a cozy little life in portland over the last couple of years, and these two recent thrift store finds are welcome additions.

 

friday

i survived! i have my master's in educational policy, foundations, and administration! i can't even begin to describe how i'm feeling right now, but RELIEVED definitely comes to mind. happy friday!

peach-basil crumble

when i'm stressed, i bake*. nothing too time consuming, of course, as i feel guilty about every minute spent not working on my upcoming presentation. that's why i love making crumbles -- just a little bit of effort yields such lovely results.

peach-basil crumble adapted from this recipe

for the filling:
  5 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
  1 tbsp raw turbinado sugar
  juice of 1/2 a lemon
  1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  5 leaves of fresh basil, torn

for the crumble:
  1/2 cup almond flour (or any kind of flour)
  1/3 cup crushed hazelnuts
  1/3 cup raw turbinado sugar
  1/4 tsp cinnamon
  1/4 tsp salt
  3 tbsp coconut oil

preheat oven to 400 degrees f. mix ingredients for filling together and place in baking dish. mix ingredients for crumble (add coconut oil last, toss with your hands until you get a crumbly mixture) and distribute evenly over filling. bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

*when i'm stressed, i also eat a lot. drew and i devoured this entire thing when it came out of the oven, so all i have for you is a pre-crumble picture!

honey lavender

honey lavender is having a moment right now (in the world of ice cream and macarons) and i couldn't be happier about it!

too good for words

mad men's jon hamm with a beard. that is all.

image via

friday

happy friday! i'm in PANIC MODE right now. i have to present my thesis in six days and i hate public speaking. the only way i'm going to get through it is by taking down a big glass of wine beforehand!

also, this is perfect.