rooftop picnic

Last Friday Ryan & I decided to skip our normal weekend routine in favor of a quiet rooftop picnic, just the two of us. We looked out over Philadelphia and just enjoyed each other's company for a little while. We've been a bit scatterbrained lately, with both of us working hard on our creative endeavors, and our alone time together has seemed to dwindle to almost nothing. It is possible to live in a studio apartment and still not really "see" one another (trust me). I so enjoy being with Ryan and it's vitally important for our relationship that we carve out that time to be a couple and not just two people living together. Do you know what I mean?

We kept our picnic rustic with bread, fruits and cheeses. My favorite foods really. We watched the sun set and didn't go inside until it was so cold I was shivering. It was a wonderful escape without leaving home. big kiss, bekuh

filtered through leaves

This weekend was about getting crafty, and holing ourselves up in our apartment with art supplies and music equipment. Ryan and I needed a little time practicing our craft and steering clear of the temptations of city life. But after several hours of this kind of intense work we were itching to get out for just a little. We decided to take a little inspiration walk with Nellie and snap pictures of things that caught our eye along the way.  

For me, it seems, the afternoon sun filtered through leaves and onto them was the only thing worth capturing on our walk southward to Old City Philadelphia. Did you discover anything inspiring this weekend you'd like to share? 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

first summer date night

Summer is officially here, and if the calendar hadn't told me the soaring temperatures would have. It was hot, hot, hot in Philadelphia this weekend and Ryan and I used it as an excuse to keep the oven turned off, and go out as much as possible. We decided to hit up our neighborhood wood-oven pizza place, Bufad, yesterday evening and I remembered the camera for once. It was a delightful treat, and so convenient with our apartment being a mere 2 blocks away.

We're big pizza eaters, and I love trying out specialty or gourmet varieties. Though, I'll never turn down a New York style slice of cheese, ever. We decided on the Marinara pizza with anchovies (don't hate), and the seasonal asparagus pizza with egg. I've decided if a pizza comes with a fried egg on top, it can never be bad. The yoke adds a whole other layer of awesome sauce.

One of the many quirks of Philadelphia is that a lot of restaurants are BYOB. We're still learning to check on this before heading out, and actually remembered this time around. Lucky for us Bufad's brother bar, Prohibition Tap Room is right next door and we bought a delicious sour to go with our meal. Pizza and beer are a no fail combination in my opinion. What did you do this weekend? big kiss, bekuh