Taking time to smell the flowers...

On the way home from work everyday, I pass this bodega.
It's one of the many, generic bodegas you can find all over NYC. Inside they carry a variety of items: from soda and beers, to grocery items and a self-serve salad bar! But it's their outside offerings that catch my eye every night.
These flowers blow me away!
Especially now that the weather has warmed up, these beauties look positively spring-like!
From tulips...
To Gerber daisies...
To these pretty little purple things (sorry... I'm not sure what these are... but I like 'em)!
To forsythia (one of my personal favorites)!
And all this can be found on a random corner in Midtown Manhattan. (7th Avenue and 58th Street, to be exact!)
Being the pushover that I am, I couldn't resist buying a little something to take home with me... here's a peak inside the floral paper:
Aren't they pretty?
So fresh and vibrant!
I took these photos as soon as I got home, so the tulips were still closed... but you should see these babies now that they've opened up a bit- gorgeous!
I don't know about you, but there's something about a vase of tulips that just puts me in a good mood!
And on that note, I would like to wish you a wonderful weekend- thanks for stopping by!

Sipping on some Saranac

A couple years ago, my family spent Thanksgiving in the Adirondacks. It was amazing- we had a blast, and I fell in love with the area! So imagine my excitement when SFS and I saw this at Whole Foods over the weekend!
Saranac Beer! That's right, these babies were brewed in the Adirondacks! They're made from the water in Lake Placid and the hops are grown in the area as well! The brewery has also been family owned since 1888... can you believe it? Also, I love the multi-pack... this way you can try six different kinds, to really figure out which one is your favorite!
First, the Pale Ale. As the company website says: A beer that would make the English jealous! This true English Pale Ale is rich and fruity, yet finishes crisp. You'll love the copper amber color and medium body.
Beer Style: Pale Ale
Malt Selections: Crystal English Pale Ale
Hop Selections: Cascade, East Kent Golden
Color: Amber
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Food Companions: Lamb, beef, stews, cheeses
Next, the India Pale Ale. A hop lover's delight. In the India Pale Ale tradition this brew is very hoppy in both aroma and flavor from the generous amounts of cascade hops used in brewing. Look for a medium to full body and golden straw color.
Beer Style: American I.P.A.
Malt Selections: North American two-row
Hop Selections: Cascade
Color: Golden straw color
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Food Companions: Seafood, pizza, mexican
How about the Adirondack Lager? Our classic German lager has a perfect balance of caramel malt sweetness. Look for a rich, amber color and medium body.
Beer Style: German Amber Lager
Malt Selections: Two-row & Caramel
Hop Selections: Cascade, Mt Hood, German Hallertauer
Color: Golden/Amber
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Food Companions: Red Pasta, Sandwiches, BBQ Chicken, Tex-Mex
Or maybe the Brown Ale is more your style. This Brown Ale is brewed with American malt and hops, and traditional ale yeast. Look for a sweet, chocolaty taste, with balanced bitterness resulting in a full flavored but smoothly drinkable beer.
Beer Style: American Brown Ale
Malt Selections: American Two-Row Pale, Victory, Chocolate
Hop Selections: Cascade, Columbus
Color: Medium Amber
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Food Companions: Pizza and Spicy Foods
Or how about the Black and Tan? A beer lover's dream! This classic Irish stout and amber lager blend is malty, yet pleasantly bitter with many complex flavor notes. Look for a deep brown-black color and full-body.
Beer Style: Stout, amber lager blend
Malt Selections: Chocolate, caramel, black roasted barley
Hop Selections: Willamette
Color: Dark Brown / Black
Mouthfeel / Body: Heavy
Food Companions: Steaks, hearty stews, soups, oysters/clams
Check out the yummy Black Ale: A Bavarian black beer with distinctive carmel malt sweetness and rich creamy trademark head. Flavorful, yet smooth; it is very drinkable!
Beer Style: Bavarian black beer
Malt Selections: Two-row & caramel malt
Hop Selections: Mt hood, hallertauer
Color: Dark Brown / Black
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Food Companions: Ole' Mexican foods, grilled chicken dishes
But I couldn't just take pictures all night, so I popped open a couple bottles, and SFS, his roommate and I enjoyed a cold one.
SFS went with the Black Forest- it was so dark!
While I tried the Black and Tan!
We all thought the beers were yummy, and it was fun tryihg something new! Thanks for checking out the Saranac beers with me. If you ever see these in the grocery store, I recommend trying a bottle... they're fun, and I love the labels! I hope you're having a great day- thanks for stopping by!!

Taking the chill off in Chelsea Market

This weekend, SFS and I found ourselves in Chelsea while picking up some Christmas presents.
Doesn't SFS look like he belongs in the movie "Newsies"?
It was a pretty chilly day, so I was really bundled up!
After our quick photoshoot, we headed over to Chelsea Market for some shopping. We entered through the southern doors, to avoid the throngs of shoppers. Have you ever visited this amazing market?
It was originally a Nabisco factory, and has now been converted into a dining/retail market on the ground floor, with businesses on the upper floors. Some of the businesses on the upper floors include the Food Network, EMI, MLB.com, and Oxygen... just to name a few! But back to the market- it's full of the some yummy restaurants and cool shops! SFS loves checking out this seafood shop!
There's also an Amy's Bread store...
Where they had these baked-good wreaths hanging in all the windows.
Just down the strip is the butcher.
SFS had fun window shopping in there, too!
I especially loved the door handle- it was a meat cleaver!
One of my favorite stops in the market is Bowery Kitchen Supplies.
It's filled with a wonderful array of kitchen goodies- isn't that fun?
I mean, the glassware alone is to die for!
I can't show you too many more shops, 'cause I wouldn't want to give hints for all that Christmas shopping I did... but I can show you more of the market! When the factory was renovated, they left a lot of the original building intact!
The walls are all exposed brick, which is such a great texture!
And the floors are all original as well... aren't those cool?
And the furnishings are really industrial, which lends a really neat feel to the place!
Now- did you catch those "snowflakes" in the photo above? Take a closer look- they were made of plastic utensils! And look at this holiday display:
Isn't that tree beautiful?
How about a closer look:
That's right- it was made of chicken wire and CDs. All the holiday decorations in the market were made from trash. This sign explains it all:
So here's one of the eco-trash wreathes:
And a close-up:
There were more lighting fixtures that went with the eco-trash theme, too!
Can you tell what that's made of?
Plastic cups, of course!
One of my favorite parts of the market during the holidays is this walkway...
Complete with this antique clock.
The mass of lights are so beautiful- don't you want to make that at your house?
Thank for joining me on our visit to Chelsea Market!
I hope you had a wonderful weekend- thanks for stopping by!!