slow going

I've been taking it really slow since getting back from our Labor Day adventures in Ohio. Ryan and I made the executive decision not to bring our computers with us over the long weekend and I had no idea just how much I needed that break. With a job in social media, and a blog for a hobby, to say I'm connected all of the time would be an understatement. I did instagram over the break if you're curious about what we got into, this pic from Ryan's instagram is my favorite though. Visiting my family and giving them my undivided attention was amazing. I should do that more often. big kiss, bekuh

summer afternoon

This past weekend was one that will go down in the history books for me! I crossed two life goals off my list and spent a lot of time outside which is always awesome. On Saturday we decided to take a little hike and get out of the city (common theme for us apparently) so we headed about an hour south to the White Clay Creek Preserve. I secretly plotted this whole thing out because White Clay Creek had something special about it I couldn't resist, it crossed the state line. Doesn't sound like a super important feature to you? Humph. 

Well it's special to me because it meant that I could be in two places at ONCE. Life goal crossed off the list, just-like-that. Commence happy dance. I think it's only fitting to quote Henry James now:

Thank god for summer, it makes the rest of the year bearable for me. Tomorrow I'll share about that second goal getting crossed off the list. If you follow me on instagram you may already know what I'm talking about. wink wink. big kiss, bekuh

shop terrain

Yesterday afternoon Ryan and I made our way out of the city to visit Terrain, an outdoor garden center/homewares shop/cafe/event space/workshop. That's a whole lot of slashies people. It was a pretty magical escape in the suburbs and one we won't soon forget. We aimlessly wandered through the endless sea of plants, pondering the source of intricate, antique wooden doors, and looking closely at all the blooms. We even got to see a few brave bumblebees dancing between the flowers as shoppers buzzed around them. After about 30 minutes of sweltering in the heat we knew it was time to grab a bite to eat and cool off with something icy to drink. Thankfully the cafe was still open and we found our way to a seat without waiting.

Terrain's cafe has long been on our list of places to eat in Philadelphia, and it didn't disappoint. Quite to the contrary, I don't think people talk it up enough! We've been on a bit of a small plates kick lately, sharing pretty much every dish we order, instead of reserving any one plate to ourselves. An eating-out technique I highly recommend. We decided on the truffle and polenta pizza with a fried egg on top, and the cheese platter. I had been told by so many people to get the cheese platter that I didn't dare order anything else! The cheeses were all local and paired perfectly with the most delicious condiments. We were impressed by each selection but none more so than the smoked bleu cheese with raw honey pairing. Amazing. 

After a hardy meal that left us stuffed long into the evening, we settled into a sun printing class to learn something new together. I'll share more about that tomorrow, for today it's all flower and cheeses. Happy Monday friends! big kiss, bekuh

swinging the day away

My absolute favorite part of the Reading Viaduct had to be the makeshift swing set we happened upon! Some creative soul was smart enough to throw together a few pieces of climbing rope, and two wooden boards to make the coolest playground in Philly. I've always been a big fan of swinging, and spent entirely too much time swinging to and fro while we were up there. My tired legs can attest to that. Ryan's legs were a bit too long for the swings, so he snapped these pictures while I had fun in the sun.

I couldn't resist sharing a few of the photos Ryan took, I think they capture my summertime look perfectly. My dark wash denim shorts have become quite the weekend wardrobe staple. I pretty much haven't taken them off since this post. I'm finding myself drawn to neutrals more and more lately, and white is topping my list of go to colors currently. Anything I can throw on in a flash, and walk out the door feeling good in is alright with me.

Outfit details: scarf- Vintage // sunglasses- Anthropologie // top- Zara (last season) // shorts- Urban Outfitters // shoes- Payless

big kiss, bekuh

the secret meadow

There's this abandoned railroad that runs through our neighborhood in Philly that has always been a source of intrigue for Ryan and I. When you see trees growing on bridges over your head, you kinda can't help but take notice. On Sunday Ryan and I decided it was high time we explore this mystery wonderland and spent a couple of hours doing research on it before we did (we're dorks like that). What we found out is that this portion of tracks is called the Reading Viaduct and it literally divides the Callowhill area of Philadelphia.

Abandoned many, many years ago the rail beds remain intact and nature has completely taken over the landscape. What has resulted is incredible vegetation and a beautiful harmony of industry and nature living together in a space. A secret meadow, 30 feet in the air.

Like the High Line in NYC there's currently a proposal to turn these tracks into a park and I couldn't support the plan more. The cost would be far less than destroying the tracks, and it would do wonders to revitalize this neighborhood which still struggles to get its footing after the mass exodus of industry that created it in the first place. You can learn more about the first phase of the proposed park here.

Ryan and I had the best time exploring this secret place and I have a few more photos to share tomorrow. I think I may have found my favorite part of Philadelphia yet. big kiss, bekuh

wissahickon valley

Hello from LA! I'm still out of town for a few more days, but thought it'd be fun to share a few photos from last weekend in the meantime. Ryan, Nellie and I went on our first "hike" in the Philadelphia area! We've both been missing the trails and mountains of Virginia a lot this summer, and decided it was time to get back into nature. We landed on the Wissahickon Valley trail after much debate. Though I wouldn't call this a true hike, the walking trail was beautiful, and certainly a nice respite from the cement sidewalks of the city.

We took our time exploring the northern most section of the trail. We would walk down one side, cross a bridge and walk down the other. All the while wading in the water and letting Nellie enjoy a little swim. For a puppy who didn't seem to care much for the ocean, she couldn't get enough of the running creek water! We had to pull her out a couple of times to keep moving.

I enjoy the lazy weekends where we forgo our plans to spend a little time just enjoying one another. It's times like these that make wonder why we'd live any other way? big kiss, bekuh