I can't imagine folding 1,000 paper cranes for a wedding despite the lovely symbolism. Tomoko says in Japan they send them to someone who needs some cheering up. Mila was skeptical:
but then curious
but leaned in for a little kiss anyway.
And I hung a few cranes on some quince branches for good luck I guess.
And then yesterday the porter at our kitchen made this elephant out of paper and masking tape!
And I saw this video of an elephant who speaks Korean. Fun stuff, have a good day!
I was so touched when I heard this song covered on the Glee prom episode so I looked up the original by Christina Perri. She says of the guy she wrote it about that "My heart wanted to see him, but my head knew better". - My friend Bernice says that you can get so lost in a relationship that it's like when you're trying to open a jar and forget which way makes it tighter and which way loosens it. - Henry's Mom says that love is being able to fall in and out and back in love with someone over time. - Ellaine says that closure comes at different times in different forms. - And my horoscope yesterday said that life is full of compromises and in order to be who you want to be you may need to give something up, but to remember that what you're giving up is something you once wanted very much, so choose carefully. - So, that's just some stuff I'm thinking about today, the day before everyone is predicting that the world will end.
It's my biggest arrangement yet! Had a fabulous time on Saturday in flower school with Remco van Vliet and Cas Trap, the floral designers from Van Vliet & Trap. I wanted to bring the team some treats, so I made some lemon poppy mini muffins.
And wrapped them in a fat quarter of fabric called Boys will be Boys by David Walker.
The staff brought in loads of branches for everyone in the class to use.
Beautiful azalea, crab apple, lilac, scotch broom and snowballs
and they kindly helped us cut the fat branches: they made it look so easy!
It reminded me that so many jobs can be surprisingly physical.
Remco shared tips from his many years of creating designs for events, weddings and for every Monday in the Great Hall of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
where he stands on a painter's ladder to make the huge arrangements there.
So of course his demonstration arrangment was gorgeous.
I was struggling a bit and he showed me how to hold the clippers (I got the purple ones! although though I was holding them upside down).
And the class buzzed happily creating their own arrangements.
Here's mine!
Remco says that each arrangement showed its creator's personality.
Somehow I got it home.
And the lilacs smell really wonderful here.
Today I pared the piece down a little to weed out some branches that didn't make it
and put some lilacs in the bedroom
and made room in the kitchen for baking a few cookies.
Happy Mother's Day! I haven't gone to sleep yet, so it still counts. It's been a while since a crazy catch-up post and there's a lotta love here. The 2nd Avenue Deli spells it out in salmon where I took my Mom last year and she wanted to go back today, so love also means pastrami sandwiches and potato pancakes.
Best in Show! And I was very happy with my attire for the event, a special apron by Jessie Steele, so freakin' cute.
There were also edible flowers at a dinner for Cartier by Chef Sam Talbot: they topped yummy, little lemon soufflés.
I loved the day I had with wedding planner Kate Sullivan, who I've known since kindergarten and new friends event planner Tammy Golson and photographer Angela Gaspar: girly, event chat with jap chae, okonomiyaki, ramen and bibimbap. Big thanks to Kerry from handmade Quade for bringing us together, can't wait for our next outing!
We also trekked out to The Brooklyn Lyceum's spring craft market and to the Smith Street Paper Source: "paper heaven!" sighed Kate.
I put my purchases to use for a congratulatory card
The Hester Street Fair opened yesterday and I met Angela and wore shorts for the first time this year. The weather was so gorgeous I just wanted to stay outside all day. Awesome coffee from Wonder City Coffee & Donut Bar. I somehow resisted their donut holes with caramel sauce, but that will need to be remedied soon.
We saw adorable, little drawstring bags with felt appliqué by The Honey Pie Tree.
and had some spinach & ricotta and saffron & mozzarella arancini from Arancini Brothers...mmm...yes, more fried food in my life...bliss.
Sometime I have to go here when I'm on my way home so I can carefully buy a terrarium from Casa Helecho because aside from being beautiful I think echivaria and cacti are the only things I can keep alive, Mila excepted.
We snagged rose petal donuts at Doughnut Plant -- they're only made for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day -- wow, even MORE edible flowers!
And it was a great day just for lying around in the park.
But back to Mother's Day: how did I forget to take pictures of the gifts I picked up at the Spring Handmade Cavalcade from hycCreative and Wish By Felicity? Too eager to get wrapping I guess. Well, here's a pic from Felicity of a necklace similar to the one I bought my Mom, whose favorite color is blue.
Another perfect spring day: we went trolling through The Antiques Garage on 25th Street
and yes, over to the 2nd NYC Doughnut Plant location (hehe....more donuts in my life...) This one is much bigger than the Lower East Side location, but not as large as the one I visited in the Myeongdong region of Seoul, South Korea. Love these pillows on the wall on 23rd Street though.
Over in Madison Square Park I saw something that stopped me in my tracks: "Echo" by Jaume Plensa.
The artist says “Many times we talk and talk, but we are not sure if we are talking with our own words or repeating just messages that are in the air. My intention is to offer something so beautiful that people have an immediate reaction, so that they think, ‘What’s happening?’ And then maybe they can listen a little bit to themselves.”
This was my reaction to the piece exactly and I listened to myself quietly for a moment, then the sounds of the city came back and I looked around me at what's really important. Love you, Mom, Dad & Emily.
