I couldn’t have asked for better weather. 60F and sunny most of the weekend was very unusual for the rainy city. It was so nice to see green grass for the first time in months! We rented a studio apartment via Airbnb from a well-traveled, amazing host family. They swept us up from the airport, gave us suggestions on where to visit, and treated us to homemade crepes and cappuccinos in the morning! I would highly recommend Airbnb to friends looking for an inexpensive, authentic travel experience here or abroad. We opted for staying in an entire apartment near downtown for only $65 a night. I love that people all over the world open up their neat digs to eager travelers.

Lan Su Chinese Gardens

The view from the teahouse: I loved these zig zag bridges across the pond, said to help one shrug off spirits who can only walk a straight path. I had to smile at this sweet couple enjoying the gardens, until they started playing excessive tonsil hockey in front of children and passersby.

Yes, we took the tour!

The beauty in these details!

Sunlight and blooms, everywhere we turned.

These Daphne flowers were among the best I’ve ever smelled. The gardens were so fragrant!

We tried to hide from the sun in the teahouse. I think this is one of the only pictures I have of Neil from our trip where we weren’t eating food.

I just wanted to take them all home!

Other amazing things: ♥ Dinner at Blue Hour. ♥ Unisex bathrooms, everywhere! ♥ Tacos at Por Que No. The chicken adobo and squid tacos were my favorite. ♥ The market near our apartment. Perfect for picking up healthy snacks. ♥ Complimentary sweets at closing when we visited Nuvrei. ♥ Powell’s Books…Portland’s “Strand” book store… we could get lost here all day!

Follow me on Instagram: ditea

Plenty of green tea and filling winter meals were consumed in February, as the slushy MI winter showed no sign of letting up. I don’t think we’ll get the 80F St. Patrick’s Day we had last spring. We had guests over for dinner (around the table!) for the first time, adjusted to early mornings with the pups, got haircuts, and I baked a few new recipes from my Baked cookbook. Perhaps most memorable was our fun experience of dining in the dark for Valentine’s Day at one of our favorite restaurants.

1&2. There’s no coming home in a bad mood with these faces!
3. Birthday brunch with good friends.
4. Doug’s handmade Valentine’s bow tie from Etsy. The white dots are actually little hearts! He was quite a little gentleman after dinner with our guests.
5. Surprise Valentine’s Day Dinner in the Dark at San Chez Bistro! This was such fun, and we liked (most of) our courses!
6. Hearty, tasty dinner at Amore Trattoria. I had the juicy spiedini. This is the diavola!
7&8. Hot rollers, for a steal! These have really cut down my morning routine, upped my grandma status, and give some serious long hold for curls!

Going through my sketchbook, there is an abundance of short haired girls this past year! Maybe deep down I’m itching for a chop myself, but this prolonged winter weather wouldn’t be so kind to a bare neck! Plus, what would Doug chew on when I pick him up? I’ve been leafing through J. Crew look books for sketch inspiration when I’m stumped. Lots of preppy girls and puppies in my thick sketch pad!

I’ve mentioned my preference for handmade cards. Last month for Valentine’s day I gave Neil this little card with Huey on the front. Now it’s on our fridge!

Here is the card Neil made for me:

Follow me on Instagram: ditea

A year ago, my iphoneography was mostly of good food. I still eat delicious things, but this January was a puppy explosion. I feel like a crazy dog mother, but the first full month called for really over documenting his puppyhood. These are a few of my favorite photos I took last month!

1. Bottom 40 on New Year’s Eve
2. Doug made a mess, and had his first bath in the sink. He was not pleased!
3. Return to pin curls to save my straw ends and curls for days.
4. Doug isn’t keen on being held unless he’s tired.
5. Our friend Spencer celebrated another birthday!
6. Pug glamour.

On his first day home we discovered Doug can make some pretty hellacious noises for such a little thing. His groans sound something like a disgruntled baby or, at his worst, a piglet raptor. He does best to sleep with Huey at night on their bed and, as far as training goes, he is extremely food motivated and comes around when we call him. We also fixed a bell to our side door that he can ring to signal for “potty”.

They are so sweet! Between the two of them there’s a whole lot of precious at our house!

Another year has passed, and with it so many great changes that make me eager for what a new year will bring. Much has changed this last month alone with my new address and the addition (at long last) of Doug the Pug to our bunch. I don’t care to wait for a new calendar to make resolutions, but I am happy that I’ve maintained or accomplished most of my standing goals. Though there is much more that could be said about this year as fulfilling, busy, and awesome, here are twelve things of note:

01. I ate some really, really good food. This city has so many great farm to table restaurants to offer foodies! Sharing a good meal or a drink with loved ones and close friends is one of my favorite ways to spend my time. Still, I’m really looking forward to cooking in more and being able to accommodate dinner guests.

02. I’m becoming a morning person (and not just for the food). Waking early for work has helped me get in the habit of starting my days early when I’m off. Now I can’t imagine how I used to sleep in to noon in college. I love making the most of the day now, especially when it involves waffles. I’m hoping to get more accustomed to a morning bird routine in the new year.

03. I left my job at the store in January after I began working full-time at the practice. I am thankful I’ve stayed in touch with my favorite ladies! We still meet for breakfast and special occasions, and they are some of the most sincere women I know.

04. I Spent time with lovely friends, old and new. Gone are the days when everyone I knew lived nearby, and no one had to turn in for work on weekdays. As more friends transition to post-college life making friend dates has become much sweeter. I can’t wait for long weekends away to visit those who have dispersed outside the mitten state.

05. I celebrated a wonderful year with Neil in June. I can’t say enough great things about him and how happy and fortunate I am to have a manfriend who is also one of my best friends. We have such fun together. I can’t wait for the more adventures to come.

06. I tried something new – a photo shoot for AURA Cosmetics’ fall collection. I had a fun day, and some really long lashes.

07. Neil bought his first home in July, which is now my home too. It will be a little while before everything has a place and we fill it out, but it’s starting to feel pretty cozy. I feel refreshed not having neighbors a wall away!

08. October marked my first year at my big girl job, and I also inherited new responsibilities. I finally have updated business cards! There’s never a dull moment in our practice where I handle all of the social media, graphic design and advertising.

09. I was invited to assist designer Daniel Vosovic with model fittings for his show at Couture for A Cure alongside Leigh’s. You may remember him from way back on Project Runway! It was a fabulous experience seeing his beautiful, fresh s13 collection firsthand.


Photos by Tim Motley of Stellafly Social Media

10. I joined the YMCA and started hitting the mat with yoga & pilates. Neil joins me, which has kept me accountable and really helps me unwind after work. It doesn’t hurt to have such a beautiful mat too!

11. First there was Huey, Neil’s fluffy bundle of joy. He loves laps!

12. Then, Saturday we added our third little roommate – Doug the Pug! More on him later…!

One of our favorite weekend indulgences is Sunday Brunch. I love heaping bowls of steel cut oatmeal and pancakes or attempting carbicide with a box of donuts in front of Netflix. If we’re lazy, we have a go-to cafe for fast, tasty breakfast…but for special occasions Sunday Brunch at Cygnus 27 is a real treat. For about $35 a plate you can sip bottomless bellinis or mimosas with small plates and enjoy the omelette or crepe bar and fill more plates with other treats. Sweats aren’t allowed, but elastic waists and clothing that can accommodate food babies are a must. Brunch season begins in September and ends after Mother’s Day. If you live in West Michigan throw on your Sunday best and check it out!

All small plates are included with your meal. I’m tempted to order a few of everything! On Easter, this ham and truffle au gratin potatoes were amazing!

(a) I’ll take four crème brûlée cups, please! (b) The lighting at night is magical! This was my phone background for nearly a year.

Cygnus 27 is on the 27th floor of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, and a short walk from my office. When my parents visited recently I had a chance to see the old wing, originally called The Pantlind Hotel.

Since opening in 1913, the hotel has added a new tower and holds 682 rooms. Though it has seen many renovations, the beauty of the Pantlind is well preserved. I love seeing the beautiful chandeliers and Ambassador Ballroom on my way to work!

September is one of my favorite times of year, and not just because it holds my birthday (and that of many loved ones and friends). So many exciting things happen this month including some annual favorites like Art Prize, Fashion Week, the return of great fall T.V. and autumn, the best season of the year. This month is truly flying by so quickly and there is still so much I can’t wait to enjoy! I’m coming up on my year anniversary at a job I love, and though I am busier than ever during the week, I’ve become much better at managing my free time. Wine Wednesdays, dinner and games on the floor with friends, exploring new places, meeting new faces, fun events and still finding time to have weeknight Netflix marathons is wonderful. Thank you, September!

When I travel I am always anxious to try great local food. I usually return home with my suitcase about as full as it was when I left and my stomach stuffed and satisfied! This trip was no exception, though we did make a great afternoon out of shopping on the Magnificent Mile.

The draw for this trip (above food!) was seeing Justice at Lollapalooza. After Florence and the Machine’s set we crushed to the front of the stage with thousands of strangers for an amazing show I’ve been anticipating for a long time!

We loved our boutique hotel, I’m glad I found one outside of the festival chaos.

(1) A pretty flower he gave me with my donut before our train ride (2) Our first dessert we shared in Chicago

After the rain cleared, the sun peeked between buildings on our way to dinner.

We hid from the sun next to a very tall man!

Monday we noshed on all the pork and turkey we could handle at Purple Pig – it came highly recommended from friends and did not disappoint.

Yummy berry crostata with basil for dessert!

And on that delicious note:

Justice started their set with this classic.

A (newer) favorite.