JOHNSTOWN, NY

When most people think of New York, they think of New York City - which is the island of Manhattan. New York is actually one of the largest states, so when I say I upstate that could mean anywhere between 1 and 8 hours of driving time from the city. For example, Troy is 3 hours upstate. However, this weekend I went just a bit further upstate to Johnstown to spend a weekend away with a very specific group of friends. When I started college over 4 years ago I was on the swim team, there also happened to be 3 other architects on the team and the four of us immediately bonded. We re-connected for the first time in a couple of years and had an amazing time. 

Being up near the Adirondacks, we took advantage of the foliage turning colors and took a short hike up to a fire tower. We were all severely unprepared for the snow that decided to barrage us the entire hike, which made it that much more fun. We caught up and admired the scenery while trekking up to the lookout point. On the way back from the hike we drove past an abandoned amusement park that we had to stop at. Upon first glance all we saw was the Ferris wheel, but when we got there we discovered this beautiful carousel too. 

All images courtesy of Rebecca Exley, thanks for letting me use your photos! 

There were so many beautiful, old, abandoned buildings around that we could have explored if it weren't for the early setting autumn sun. It was an enlightening weekend full of deep conversations that only long term friends have, and I can't wait until we can get together again for more adventures!

I'M GOING TO TEXAS!

That's right, tickets have been bought to fly to Austin, Texas in March!





What started off as a joke turned into a series of well-timed coincidences (oh, Natalie, our Spring Breaks are the same week? Maggie, we can stay with you?) and an insanely inexpensive plane ticket was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Since this is my last year in college and next summer will be a hectic time -moving, getting a job, etc- I don't plan on being able to attend a blogger meetup this summer like I have in the past. Rather, I'm going to take a few individual trips to compensate.

For those of you who don't know, I have a light enough course load that I took a job working part time at a small architecture firm nearby. This means that I have an income, and what I don't allocate for student loans, I'm saving up for a trip I would like to take to...

*drumroll*

(credit: citylandscapes.tumblr.com)

LONDON

Not only is it a beautiful place with fantastic architecture, but there are also a handful of bloggers that I hope to visit. The lovely Nicola would be first on my list. Having met this creative soul in various location in the United States, I think it's time for me to go across the pond for her! She has introduced me (digitally) to her beaux, David, and Tom (also known as the illustrator foxesandcats) who I need to meet. Mat and Nik over at Buckets and Spades have been so friendly that maybe they'd like to meet up as well. While this is all still in the works, I'm very excited about the prospects of my first international travels! 

UPDATE: MORE GIFT IDEAS

Mostly because I forgot one thing and then kept running across new things that I enjoyed...

My initial forgetfulness was in reference to Men In This Town, the magazine. I've been following the photography taken for this publication on social media for a while now, and I bet the content is just as great in taste as the street style that is captured on film. 

While listening to Rock is the New Food, a podcast recommended to me by a fellow food and music lover, there was an episode that interviews the publisher of this magazine, Lucky Peach. Amazing graphics and its content is food? Yes, please. 

Okay, that's all for now. Only 19 days until I turn 23!

ALUMNUS

Last weekend was my schools annual Alumni Weekend, and a close friend who graduated a few years ago decided to come down for it. We spent a lot of time catching up, eating, and drinking. We caught dinner at Peck's Arcade which was a beautiful space with delicious bites, but the portions were minuscule.
As always when I host, breakfast is on me. I made maple cinnamon rolls which were accompanied by another friends' pumpkin streusel donuts. We explored the farmers market, the little city of Troy with all of its little shops, and found a run down stairway with a bunch of strange wall paintings. Of course, we stop to take pictures in it! After having people come to stay with me the past two weekends, I'm starting to realize that people really do make a place.



WEARING: JCREW GREY TWILL SHIRT  // JCREW SUNGLASSES  // GOODALE CHINOS // UO ARTILLERY BOOTS // BLK PINE WORKSHOP BAG // JCREW WOOL "SHACKET"  // 

GIFT GUIDE: FOR THE ARCHITECT BORN ON HALLOWEEN

That's me. And this Halloween I turn 23.



Okay, that photo is from my 20th Birthday let me try to shape the idea of what it's like to have a birthday on a holiday. I don't think I've ever had a birthday cake that ISN'T decorated for Halloween and I also get a lot of Halloween/Birthday cards which are typically kind of strange. I got to have costume parties (who doesn't love a costume party) and in all honesty the date of my birth probably says a lot about me as a person. That being said, I wish that at some point in the future I get to have a birthday celebration that is isolated from the holiday. As a child, it's an excuse to eat cake and candy in the same day, but as an adult the celebration is lost in the haze parties full of revealing costumes. I never expect this to happen, but it's interesting to think about. Yet I digress, and here are some gift ideas:

Little portable speakers, you know for when I want to listen to music when I'm cooking or hanging out with friends and putting my phone into a bowl just isn't cutting it. This one is pretty cool. 

A cocktail shaker. Self-explanatory.

Books about architecture or design. I'm not picky, but I also have some on a wishlist if you're curious.

Some nice smelling soap.

I love you all but please no more socks, even if they are "like lingerie for men" 

For grocery shopping and the farmers market, I could really use a reusable tote!

Similarly, I've been tossing lunch into a pocket in my backpack which is weird so I'd love one of those waxed canvas lunch sacks.

Since I trust no one to give me clothing, a gift card to Jackthreads or Frank and Oak would do the trick.

Lastly, a Daniel Wellington Watch; I like the classic Bristol in silver. I blame Mat for this.

I am also taking advice on how to cope with turning 23 while still being in college mainly because freshman make me feel old and jaded. 

TROYALTY

For those of you who don't know, when I say I go to school in New York, I don't mean New York City. Actually, I'm really nowhere near it. Three hours -or 140 miles- north, you might find yourself just east of the state capital in what once was a industrialized area on the Hudson River, but is now where I will have spent 5 years of my life.

When I first arrived here, an older friend warned me to not go downtown into the city, yet now I live there! A lot of initiatives were introduced through my university and the city itself to revitalize what could have been a ghost town. The New York Times recently wrote about the dinky town I'm calling home, and another source refers to it as "the new Brooklyn", and it's actually getting to feel that way. New and creative bars, restaurants, and shops are opening and the weekend farmers market brings life into what not so long ago was dead. I guess what in trying to say is this: even though I may not love it here (or the east coast at all really) I'm enjoying this revitalized place that makes me feel like Troyalty.

WEARING: JCREW GREY TWILL SHIRT // JCREW SUNGLASSES  // LEVI 511 JEANS// CLARKS DESERT BOOTS // TIMEX WATCH // URBAN OUTFITTERS FIELD JACKET // 

Thanks to my lovely roommate ~Victoria~ for taking these photos! 

FORESHADOWING

Sorry for the brief hiatus, but I'm back with lots to share!

I've spent the last month re-adjusting to life in New York where I'm finishing up my last year of architecture school. Having moved into a new apartment with a new roommate for this last year I've been spending a lot of time making the new place feel like home: which has included a lot of manual labor. So, instead of bombarding you all with everything all at once here are some posts you can expect in the near future:

A wingback chair reupholstery project

Making a garage sale bar cart look like new

Something tasty and full of sugar that looks great in my new cake stand

An outfit from the first day of fall

A Birthday gift guide for the architect born on Halloween in your life (that's me)

There are some really cool pictures of buildings in Austria that I stumbled upon...

Probably some pictures of my apartment, mostly since my roommate and I made the table and a two-person work desk, I reupholstered a chair and stripped an old coffee table, and I made a fringe accent wall out of streamers. 

There are a few more things I have in the works, but for now that's what you have to look forwards to!