camping on the beach with fp me

As many of you know, I work for the brand, Free People, and as of as of late it's been a very exciting company to be a part of. This summer our whole marketing team has been traveling all over the globe, promoting the brand and putting together amazing campaigns. 

Last week was finally my turn. I spent the week traveling, starting off in Brooklyn, and then on to California for an FP Me beach & camping event. We pooled together 25 local FP Me girls, and organized everyone's dream beach day. Surfing with Sage Erickson, Volkswagen buses, epic Pinterest-worthy setups, camping - we didn't skimp on anything to make sure these girls had a great time.

I was there documenting it all, and with the beautiful scenery, people, and setups, it was just too fun to keep snapping. This was also my first time in Southern California (I don't count the visit when I was 10), and Mother Nature's presence here is simply different. In one direction, ocean, in the other, mountains. Succulents grow wild, and everywhere you look, palm trees shoot into the sky. My favorite thing was studying all of the strange plants. More to come on the wildlife of Southern California, but I have to say, as an East Coast girl, I must have looked like I'd landed on Mars.

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For more coverage of the FP Me beach camping event:

Read my post on the decor

Read my interview with the caterer, Iva Lee's

And sign up for FP Me!

photographer envy: yossi arefi

I recently discovered a new photographer crush. Her name is Yossy Arefi, and she's the master of the subdued, perfectly composed photograph. Her images are quiet and mysterious with a strong storied sense to them. An empty plate conveys all the beauty of sitting down to eat. You can taste the cherry pie. It's not too bold or in your face - it's just a an orange sitting in a sink. One can only wrap such emotion into a photograph through mastery of light. Yossy knows what to put where, and how to let the light hit it. I also find great inspiration in the elegant compositions and layers of rustic texture. The style is one that - all at once - opens your senses to the plain fact of what is, and the daydream what could be. 

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For more, check out Yossy Arefi's portfolio here

recipe: upside-down mother’s day cake

Note: This post was previously published as a part of my freelance work here.

Your mom. She’s the woman who breathed you life, the one that gave you your place in this world. When Mother’s Day rolls around, you don’t have to do anything extravagant to tell her you love her. Something thoughtful will do.

So why not bake a cake? And why not make it the most fantastical cake you could ever imagine? Try figs and dates and cranberries simmered in whiskey with apple cider, cinnamon, and aromatic rosemary. Delicious pears covered in a vanilla bourbon batter. The top of the cake looks wild like a garden. The fruit, the herbs, its intoxicating power – it is Mother Nature’s own masterpiece. 

This is a recipe to celebrate every mother and her graceful beauty. Mother’s Day is almost here…

Ingredients:

½ Cup Chopped Dried Figs (pick your favorite kind or do a mix)

½ Cup Dried Cranberries

1/3 Cup Chopped Dried Dates

½ Cup Apple Cider

½ Cup Bourbon

1 Cinnamon Stick

1 Sprig Rosemary

2 Pears

1 ¾ Sticks Butter, Softened

¾ Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar

1 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 ½ Tsp Baking Powder

¼ Tsp Salt

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Tsp Vanilla

½ Cup Whole Milk

2 Tbs Bourbon

Directions:

1.       Simmer cranberries, figs, dates, ½ cup bourbon, cider, rosemary, and cinnamon in a pan over low heat. Cook down until liquid is mostly gone.

1.       Remove rosemary & cinnamon. Pour into a colander, and let liquid drain into a bowl underneath. Set aside liquid for reserve.

2.       Preheat oven to 300F.

3.       Butter a 9-inch pan using ¾ stick of butter, and then evenly spread brown sugar on top.

4.       Core pears, and place them face down onto the brown sugar. Fill in extra spaces with the dried fruit mixture.

1.       Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) in a medium bowl.

2.       In a large bowl, beat together sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time followed by vanilla, reserved liquid, and 2 Tbs bourbon.

3.       Mix in dry ingredients, alternating with milk until fully integrated.

4.       Pour batter over fruit.

5.       Place 9-inch pan on a cookie tray to avoid any drip overs (bourbon on the bottom of an oven is never a good thing), and cook for about 45 minutes. Do the toothpick test to make sure it’s fully cooked through.

6.       Let cool, flip onto a plate, and serve.

weekly scenes

Spring is here, friends. There is no doubt about it. The weather is perfect. For some reason I feel surprised by how great it is. Like I thought that the winter was an incessant, never-ending thing. I had forgotten what sunshine was like past 5 o'clock, but I'm mighty grateful to have re-discovered the feeling. 

I am invigorated just being able to step out and enjoy myself. I make little excuses to NOT come inside. I walk with no purpose, and make everything into an outdoor activity.

My parents were in town and we made it back to my favorite hiking spot, Wissahickon. Marley and I haven't been since the fall. You can see just how happy she was from that shot of her jowls billowing in the wind. What, your jowls don't billow when you're content? Ahhh, I'm just messing with you guys - but - our return to Wissahickon made me very excited for the months to come. It solidified the inaugural initiation of spring. I can't wait to see what amazing memories get made this season. I feel like it's going to be a good one. ;)

rose infused honey

Note: This post was previously published as a part of my freelance work here.

Rose, it has captured the hearts of humans throughout history, and has come to be known as the global symbol for romance. When combined with honey, another substance so renowned it was buried with ancient pharaohs, many amazing things can happen. Before I delve into how to make this magical elixir and what it can be used for, let me tell you the basic benefits to both of its ingredients.

Rose: Rose is packed with vitamin-C, it contains even more than oranges. This means that it is great for the immune system as well as combating toxins. It is also considered to be a cooling herb, which gives it the natural powers to relieve cold and flu symptoms.

Honey: Consuming local honey is thought to help allergy symptoms by building up your natural tolerance to pollens in your area. Studies have been done showing its ability to kill bacteria and heal wounds, and it is great at soothing a sore throat or bad cough.

Now, let me teach you how to combine the two.

You’ll Need:

-          1.5 Lbs. Honey – preferably local

-          ¾ Cup Rose Petals – loosely packed (you can experiment with the quantity to play around with flavor)

-          1 Large Jar

-          Long Spoon for Mixing

-          Dark Cupboard or Space to Store

Directions:

1.       You’ll first need to pull the petals off of your flower buds.

2.       Once you have enough, toss them into a jar with your honey, and stir up well.

3.       Store in a dark cupboard for about two weeks, stirring it up every few days.

4.       Strain the petals out through a colander, and pour the honey into a new jar. It’s now ready to use.

3 Ideas Of How to Use Your Honey:

1.       Pour it over yogurt to make an allergy fighting & immune strengthening parfait (with amazing flavor).

2.       Make your own cough drops to soothe a sore throat or cough (try this recipe)

3.       Mix together a facemask to combat free radicals and inject your face with vitamin-C (try this recipe)