snow day.

this morning, i bundled up and took a little walk around our neighborhood. the snow came up to my knees!

all the whiteness and stillness made me realize i could never live somewhere where it doesn't snow. i am addicted to making foot prints on untouched sidewalks.

now i'm back inside, wrapped up in a wool blanket, and watching british television. later, hot chocolate.

p.s. it snowed the day i was born, and i'm pretty sure i made an appearance that day because i wanted a peek.

yesterday i ate a whole block of cheese.

a couple of years ago, i lived in a tiny one bedroom apartment across the street from the world's most amazing little cheese shop. every week or so, i would buy a chunk of gruyère or boerenkaas and some crackers, and that would be my dinner. ah, the life of a single lady.

well, yesterday i went back, snapped a few pictures, and left with a big, beautiful chunk of deliciousness. and when i got home... well, let's just say, it's a good thing simon wasn't home, because it wasn't pretty. i consumed more cheese than any person should eat in a whole week.

to make myself feel better, i also ate a pear and a blood orange...

... but i still feel full.

so, tell me, what's your favorite guilty pleasure dinner? do you ever just eat cheese too? :)

p.s. the shop has its own blog if you're curious.

a rainy day in boston.

just a few pictures from this very wet day. :)

my guide to boston {the intangibles}

the other day, my friend tanya really got me thinking about how much i love boston.

i've lived here for four years, and despite all of my other posts about the city, i have yet to share some of the more elusive reasons why i love this town.

i can safely say, boston is one of my favorite cities in the world. i've lived in stavanger (norway), new york city, london, munich, and paris; and yet... i think boston is uniquely accessible, progressive, historically rich, and charming.

here are some more reasons why i love it so:

• boston is, for all intents and purposes, a walking city. i spent the first three years in boston without a car and fared beautifully. it doesn't hurt that the public transportation system (the first in the country, mind you) is great too. i've actually heard it said that the strong walking culture can be partly attributed to boston's famous, historic walking tour i.e. the freedom trail.

• boston is an educational hub. even if you are not in school or working for a university, the vibe is undeniably academic and youthful. for this reason, i've often told people that boston is the perfect blend of history and innovation.

• it's in new england, which means it's oh-so charming (especially in the fall, sigh). it's also extremely accessible to so many other beautiful places in the northeast: new hampshire, vermont, maine, rhode island and so on. i would also second melina, who has said that western massachusetts (especially the berkshires) are ridiculously gorgeous.

• the red sox. enough said.

• and finally, (a few personal reasons)... i love boston because of its liberal politics, progressive social policies, awareness of sustainable living, and legalized gay marriage.

do you live in boston, or have you visited? i'm curious... what would you add?

(photo credit: parker fitzgerald)

a wall of pots.

this adorable boston home has a wall of homemade ceramic pots. isn't that the coolest idea?

note: kayla and wes, if you'd like to have me over to see this awesomeness in person, i'm happy to bring the wine.

(via apartment therapy)

for the record.

... and i also like this bag.

(credit: mediumism)

my guide to boston {bakeries, pâtisseries, and desserts}

i have an enormous sweet tooth, so i didn't mind doing the research for this post... ahem.

no, but seriously, there are oodles of amazing places to grab a baguette or dessert in boston, so i haven't been able to visit them all. but here are a few that i have enjoyed and recommend:

hi rise bread company (cambridge)

i used to live around the block from this cute little bakery and absolutely adore their scones. they also have delicious breads, cookies, muffins and oatmeal. the decor is vintage and shabby chic which almost makes up for the fact that the staff are a little cranky. (it's still very much worth the visit, though.)

danish pastry house (medford)

i'm probably biased since i'm norwegian, but i am a huge fan of this place. it's an authentic european style cafe and they use real imported marzipan in many of their (amazing) desserts. plus, every night they donate their extra pastries and breads to local schools, churches, charities and homeless shelters. awesome, eh?

finale desserts (cambridge)

this is a fanciful and romantic place to grab dessert on a date or with a group of girlfriends. they also have a nice wine menu, amazing crème brûlée, velvet seats and lots of candles.

clear flour bakery (brookline)
this bakery was just named "the best bread in boston" by boston magazine. it's not a sit-down place, but rather a place to grab fresh bread on the way home from work or on a lazy sunday. cute and delicious!

iggy's bread (cambridge)

this little shop (which feels more like a warehouse) is next to an old rusty boxcar in an lesser-known part of cambridge. their breads are yummy and their website also has a lovely design - take a peek!

(photo credit: landscape hypochondria)