Summer 2016 in Pictures

After two difficult years, this summer has made up for time I thought I already lost. 

It was the first summer that I wasn't either living or spending an extended period of time in Rhode Island—I thought I was going to be stuck in suburbia, perhaps make the occasional trip to New York City. I was concerned that it was going to be a bore. 

I was wrong.

Caught up with friends who I haven't seen in a while. Finally went to the Westport Duck Race. Found a speakeasy in New York City while celebrating Cara's birthday. Flew to the West Coast for the first time to visit Steph in California. Read a few books. Tried new restaurants. Spent a few weekends in Rhode Island—not just in Newport and Narragansett, but also Watch Hill with my family. Went sailing. And probably tried every Pimm's Cup and prosecco cocktail between New York City, Westport and Newport.

Effy's Kitchen | Spanish Harlem, NYC (blog post)

Fashionista Hosts Garance Dore (blog post)

Bottomless Brunch in the West Village (brunch)

The Ocean House & Watch Hill Inn

California Central Coast | Big Sur

How to Spend 72 Hours in California | Part 2 (blog post)

How to Spend 72 Hours in California | Part 3

How to Spend 72 Hours in California | Part 4

Fishers Island Lemonade, the Next-Level Hard Lemonade (blog post)

Tusk and Cup Opens New Location (blog post)

Find of the Week | 40 (blog post)

Rothbard Ale + Larder (blog post)

The Starboard Sea (blog post)

BXL Zoute | Flatiron District (blog post)

Looking through these photos, I am grateful for having amazing friends and family that have made this summer—and the rest of seasons—an absolute dream. There are a lot of moments that are not captured in pictures, but I try to take snapshots of the best of them.

Time to switch from Pimm's Cups to spiked hot ciders...

Effy's Kitchen | Spanish Harlem, NYC

My friend Cara took me to a hidden gem for bottomless brunch in her neighborhood.

We ventured a few short blocks from Upper East Side to check out Effy's Kitchen towards the outer edge of Spanish Harlem. The restaurant's bottomless brunch special--one main dish with endless mimosas--costs only $20.

If you're trying to find a brunch spot to catch up with your friends, take your sweet time at Effy's and enjoy the fresh omelettes with your orange bubbly.

Meanwhile, if you're looking for brunch in the West Village by Washington Square Park, check out this popular pub. 

Bottomless Brunch in the West Village

I went to NYU last Sunday to see one of my best friends from college present a policy framework proposal for the 2016 Policy Case Competition.

Before Steph and her teammates arrived, I walked around NYU, Washington Square Park and found a place to grab Sunday brunch at a great bar called The Half Pint. I was happily enjoying my delicious farmer's market omelet and mimosa when one of the bartenders told me that bottomless brunch was only $18—if a mimosa was $9 each, it only makes sense to do it up.

I thought I was done after two, but then Steph and her teammates met me at the bar. So I had another while I waited for them. Then another when they got there...

Several things happen when you find the bottom of bottomless brunch.

First, the denial that you found the bottom—isn't it supposed to be bottomless?

You look up from your #? mimosa and notice the bartenders kind of judge you.

And then you wonder if you're being irresponsible.

But then you realize that it's Sunday. And it's your day off.

And then you don't really care that the bartenders are kind of judging you.

Actually, you feel great.

You dispel any thought that you're being irresponsible—it's not like you're driving or you're at a networking event—so you tell yourself that you're simply trying to live and make your white everygirl dreams come true.

#noregrets

The Duck & Bunny

I have wanted to go to The Duck & Bunny for a very long time and finally, after two years, I finally made it for brunch.

Since I've been living in Newport, I have started to slip into the habits of a typical Aquidneck Island-er--why leave the Island if you don't have to? Among other reasons, this is why it's taken two years for me to get over to Wickenden Street. 

Katherine, one of my friends from high school who goes to school in Providence, was my accomplice for this happy excursion. She ordered the Portuguese Sweet Bread French Toast with Maple Berry Compote and I ordered the "Eggs Bun-a-Duck" Benedict with Smoked Salmon and Rosemary Focaccia. 

Like how adorable is "Eggs Bun-a-Duck" as a nickname? It doesn't get better than that...

Unless you happen to order one of the freshly baked cupcakes for dessert. I enjoyed a mocha cupcake with the pot of White Peony tea.

I didn't get any pictures to show off The Duck and Bunny's interior decor, but it's beautiful inside. I felt pretty comfortable in the French-inspired atmosphere* and look forward to stopping by again soon... 

*It doesn't hurt that the seat I was in resembles a throne--you can kind of see half of it on the right side of this picture