Monday, August 22, 2011

The Lasts of Summer

I head back down to school on Thursday and I really wanted to make the best of my last weekend here.  I was totally pleased with the results.  I was both productive yet not stressed and did a lot of my favorite things all the while staying away from my phone and computer.  Dinner and dessert on the water and one of my friends houses on Nassau Point on Friday Night, took the boat around Shelter Island on Saturday just my father and I, concert at Jones Beach with my sister on Saturday night*, and lazy Sunday morning.  The weekend felt just long enough.

* For anyone who went to the Ke$ha and LMFAO concert on Saturday Night, you were lucky.  It was amazingly fun and essentially one GIANT dance party.  I was shufflin' in the aisles. We had great seats (10 rows away from the stage) and it was the perfect ending to the summer.

my sister and I dressed for the ke$ha and LMFAO concert

Friday, August 19, 2011

Weekends.



This is officially my last weekend home before I head back down to school. I am not very happy about it, seeing as school = stressed out me. Despite the workload that is awaiting me when I get to school (can you say biochemistry?) I have one last amazing weekend here before then.  This weekend will be filled with boat rides, spending time with family, dressing in crazy outfits to go see Ke$ha (so excited you have no idea), and finishing off my to do list seen here.



Have a great weekend!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Bright Bags


A bright bag can always be used in the fall (I sometimes break every fashion law there is and use it in the winter as well). Just keep the rest of the outfit light and neutral and the bag can be the center of attention.  

xx. Kaitlyn

A Few Things

footprints

As the summer draws to a close, I am forced to scramble around madly trying to finish everything (as evidenced by my day yesterday which involved me driving home 2 hours at midnight the day before in order to get a physical at 9 AM and then drive 2 hours out to work.) Needless to say, I havent had as much time for blogging as I would like.  HOWEVER. these are a few recent photos that I have taken. enjoy. 

tractor wheel

beach rose

weathered crate bottom

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Rainy Days



I woke up to a cold rainy day, and I was quite annoyed by it to be quite honest.  Summer to me is about hot beautifully sunny days and this was just not going to cut it.  So I threw on waterproof shoes got a hot latte (so disappointing) and walked out into the what can only be described as icky weather. 
  
Rainy days call for cute basics but since I cannot stand getting wet I require quite a few precautionary pieces.  Number one, my hunters.  I could not live without these.  Living on a college campus with a lot of puddles, these get the job done in style.  Plus pick up some of the cute fleece inserts and you have your winter boot! The bubble umbrella serves the same purpose, except it protects your hair from that unattractive frizzy thing it does when it gets rained on.  Lastly, I am obsessed with the Ikat print.  I have purchased 2 bathing suits, a dress seen here and a scarf all with the print this summer.  It gives the perfect amount of pop that an outfit needs without being over the top. 

Bottom Line: make sure your rainy day essentials keep you dry but still keep your style with a few pops of color!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Fall in Love

Although I am not looking forward to the influx of school work that fall brings, I do love bringing my favorite sweaters out of storage, pumpkin picking, and the brisk weather on the weekends. I am a huge fan of earth tones and colors that mimic the changing of the seasons. Here are some pieces that are inspiring me this season.


Thursday, August 11, 2011

Insomniac

pictures were taken with around a 2 minute exposure 

Well recently I havent been able to fall asleep. Literally I will sit in my bed for hours after midnight and not doze off.  This usually becomes boring, unless you are me and happen to love watching the sky after midnight.  On Tuesday night this sky eventually was dominated by a gorgeous red moon as the moon fell onto the western horizon.  Me being me decided to photograph it. So if anyone happened to see a figure in pink pajamas running around the neighborhood last night with a camera, dont worry it's just me. No need to call the cops.



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Back to School


As I get ready to head back off to school (meh... work) , I made this list while thinking of how to better organize my work space.  Studying is my top priority (especially at my school) and keeping a clear desk where I can better focus is key.  However, I dont want to sacrifice style for utility and these products get the job done while looking pretty all the while.

-Notebooks that are fashionable yet durable enough to last the semester
-A paper weight for keeping all of my loose odds and ends in order
-Eco Stapler to help the environment and to help save me from that unbelievable stressful moment when you are out of staples and you're chemistry lab is due in 10 minutes (true story)
-A desk lamp to help me see in those incredibly dark dorm rooms
-A coffee cup. I am pre-med- self explanatory
-Picture frame to remind me of all of my friends and family
-Atlantis pens, I will never use another pen, they are simply the best and easiest to write with

Just for the record: I am sorry that all of my posts recently haven't been about the North Fork, but when I get home from work and the gym at 8:45 there really is nothing better than curling up with take-out and watching Suits (or any of the other summer shows I am unabashedly addicted to)  I will try to produce one decent North Fork post this week I promise!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Summer Essentials: Day and Night


As summer nears to a close (sniffle) I realized that I have not done ONE post on an outfit.  I will try to rectify this; however, most of my time not spent at work revolves around me in a bathing suit which is not exactly worth sharing.  Until then, here is a couple of ways to inspire your summer wardrobe, NoFo style. 

White Bean and Tuna Salad

ingredients
Although it is a stretch to call this tuna salad, because well there is less tuna than white beans and no mayo, I have officially found my new substitute.  Unbelievably easy to make and delicious I feel sort of guilty passing this off as a recipe seeing as I adapted liberally from the Crouteaux cook book.  For those of you who are on the North Fork, visit Crouteaux Vineyards, their wine is excellent (or so I'm told- under 21 as of yet) and the cook book is simply amazing. It has become my go to cookbook for when my family is hosting dinner parties, or when I am home alone.  Here is my adapted recipe (as you can see the quantities are pretty improvised, feel free to adapt to your tastes) which yielded perfect sandwich making results.

Recipe:
1 15 oz can white beans
1 can of tuna in water
1 handful of crasins
2-3 teaspoons of pine nuts
2-3 teaspoons of capers
3 tablespoons of honey
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar 
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, and spices until thick then add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. yes its that simple. I like to serve it over grilled bread

"dressing"
finished product

Monday, August 8, 2011

Essential Summer Makeup


4. Benefit Bronzer ($28) 

Citrus-Mint Granita


Unfortunately it was cloudy on Saturday, and with the house to myself I had nothing better to do than make granitas.  Since I much prefer ices to ice cream and this was super easy and quick (two great words I think when it comes to cooking) way to make my favorite icy treat and tasted delicious.  I used this recipe and deviated slightly by using a grapefruit simply because I didn't have enough lemons.  The results were the perfect combination of tart and sweet.  I bet some of you are wondering why there are no pictures of the finished result, that is because it was gone before I could snap a picture!



Things that Need to be Told

Although I am not one for basic blog posts,  I feel that this must be shared.  I might have just had the best facial of my life on Saturday, if not top then definitely top 3.  I went into this place thinking that I was just going to get an average facial, and I was dead wrong.  It was an hour of pure bliss and spa extravagance without the outrageous price tag.  I shamefully admit to spending $130+ on a good facial and my all organic facial at Eastern Sun Holistic Health was only $90 for an awesome facial with products that smell amazing plus a little extra pampering that left my skin soft, clean, and break-out free.  Totally worth the money, check it out! I am definitely going back for more treatments.

Eastern Sun Holistic Health is located in the Feather Hill complex in Southold

Friday, August 5, 2011

North Fork Favorites: Food Edition


As I was heading to work today, I decided to ditch the usual cafeteria food in favor of one of my top-picks on the North Fork.  That got me to thinking about what places around the island truely are my favorite and I have come up with a few places that I feel have to be shared.

For Produce:
Krupski's Farm (on the Main Road in Peconic heading East)
Krupski's is the epitome of family owned farm on the North Fork.  I have been coming out here since I was born and I cannot remember an October where my family did not go to Krupski's to pick out our pumpkins and stumble through their corn maze.  In the summer they have some of the freshest produce around and have a great variety.  Their white sweet corn is unbelievable, and once you have had it nothing else will suffice.

For Organic Fresh Produce:
Sang Lee Farms (North Road in Peconic heading East)
Sang Lee originally had its start decades ago growing fresh produce for the Asian markets in New York City, recently they have taken to producing some of the best organic produce around.  Although they are limited in the vegetables and fruits they offer, and some what pricey it is worth it for the quality.  Also, their dips and sauces are unreal.

For Pies and Baked Goods:
Briermere Farms (North Road in Riverhead heading West)
Briermere is, in my opinion, the ONLY place to buy any sort of baked good on the North Fork (be it bread, cookies, pies, or even jams).  It is so yummy that even people from (gasp) the Hamptons venture over to our side of the island for just one or five of their unbelievably delicious pies.  I reccomend the peach cherry pie, or if you are feeling like not wearing a bikini anytime soon the raspberry cream is delicious.

For Fresh Fish:
Southold Fish Market ( Main Road in Southold heading East)
The Southold fish market is everything you'd expect from a fish market.  You walk in and the floor is damp with sea water, and anything that you would want to smell is masked by the smell of fish.  The days catch is laid out on ice for you to pick out, and undoubtably there will be an old lady carefully eyeing which flounder she wants to take home that evening.  Simply the best price for fresh fish around.

For Sandwhiches on the Go:
Piping Plover (Main Road in Southold in the Feather Hill complex)
Opening just a few years ago, Piping Plover has definitely made its mark on the north fork.  With fast friendly service and obviously good food, they provide everything you want on a Saturday when you are itching to get on the water.  I can honestly assure you that nothing is bad on their menu and anything you have will keep you coming back for more.  My personal favorite, the honey apple chicken salad wrap- it will put all other chicken salads to shame.

For Inexpensive Laid Back Lunch:
Crabby Jerry's (Greenport part of the Claudio's complex)
Claudios has been an institution on the North Fork dating back to the time of prohibition when it was a speakeasy.  Crabby Jerry's is their fried food hub.  Sitting on a dock facing Shelter Island, it is the perfect place to bring a family hungry for some yummy (yet not exactly healthy food).  It is very family friendly and the kids will have a fun time checking out the lobster tanks.

For Coffee:
Aldo's Coffee (Main Road in Greenport heading East)
If you are a true coffee aficionado, which I like to think I am, no other coffee will cut it when you are out on the North Fork.  This is the type of place that I will take the extra 20 minutes and drive to for an exceptional cup of coffee and unbelievable scones. Owned by the infamously eccentric Aldo, who emigrated here from Italy, this hole in the wall coffee shop is out of this world.  He is the type of coffee purist that if you dare reach for a splenda, you better be ready for his looks of disapproval. Simply put, best cup of coffee I have had on this side of the Atlantic.  While you're at it, pick up a pack of his famous (literally they are, they sell them at Dean and Deluca in the city) biscotti, I still have no idea how he makes them so good.

For Pizza/ Italian Food:
Michaelangelos (Main Road in Cutchogue and Mattituck)
Simply the best Pizza on the north fork and the most variety.  I love the chicken and broccoli slice because it fills me up and is totally delicious.  On Mondays and Tuesdays they have pasta night where you are given a whole meal for quite a reasonable price.  My mom and I go every monday in Mattituck and catch a movie after.  It is one of those traditions that I miss so much when I head back to school.

For High Tea:
Greenport Tea Company (Greenport on Mainstreet heading towards the water)
Although high tea does not exactly epitomize the North Fork, the Greenport Tea Company is honestly one of my favorite places to go have lunch with girlfriends.  With an unbelievable amount tea choices and a small cozy dining room, it is like revisiting the tea parties of one's youth but now with actual food and somehow acceptable for grown up girls.  The food is delicious and is a sure bet for a fun lunch.

For Ice Cream/ Ices:
Magic Fountain (Main Road, Mattituck heading West)
The Magic Fountain is an institution on the North Fork and has been for decades.  Only open in the summer, my mom has been going there for ice cream since she was a kid, and has turned my sister and I into fans as well.  Unmistakeable by its orange exterior and ice cream mural, it is a place only for ice cream.  There is no seating inside and all the seating available are two benches outside, yet it is the only suitable place to get great ice cream on the North Fork.

Ralphs Ice (Main Road, Greenport heading East)
I am a self proclaimed ice aficionado, and this is the best ice on the North Fork.  Although I believe ice to be better than ice cream, the ices are great and there are so many different varieties.  Simply the best way to end an evening in Greenport

Believe me I could go on forever, and I dont even WANT to touch dinner because there are just too many good places.  This is just a sample of all the delicious food on the North Fork, have fun and enjoy trying new places as well! There are always new places to be discovered!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

DIY: Pretty Picture Frames

This weekend I was itching for a project to do and looked around to see what I had to work with (which was basically yarn and hot glue).  After seeing a picture frame on Urban Outfitters (no longer available), I decided I would try and make one myself.  So with my left over yarn I got to work.  The whole project took less than an hour and it really improved the look of the frame, not to mention costing way less than the one you could buy at Urban Outfitters.
painted picture frame

wrapping yarn around newspaper

finished product

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Small Goals

As much as I dont want to admit it... its August and I am going to be heading back to school soon (sadface)  here are a few goals that I want to accomplish before leaving.

1. See Winnie the Pooh while its still in theaters
2. Go to the gym and make the most out of my month membership
3. Make a pretty dessert
4. Accomplish something at work (easier said than done)
5. Make it back to the city to see my high school friends

Monday, August 1, 2011

Great Weekends

beautiful days
Although its hard to pin-point exactly what made this particular weekend so awesome, it was probably the best thus far this summer.  The weather was perfect, hot but not humid and unbelievably sunny clear skies. My sister and I spent saturday on the boat driving around Shelter Island observing the longest Sunfish race in the world and getting a great tan while we were at it, and Sunday was partially spent playing Softball, and partially catching up on some reading.  Not to mention the start of SHARK WEEK! I have a feeling that this week is going to be just as awesome. A few pictures from this weekend, more to come once I get my film developed (yes I know... old school.)

my adorable puppy
rose of sharon's are in bloom
pink lemonade

husking fresh sweet corn