NY --> SF

We are leaving for San Francisco in just two days and for that reason my computer is going back in it's box and I'm signing off. See you in about a week! 

Brooklyn Bites

Before we left, I wanted to share my favorite restaurants in Brooklyn. With thousands and thousands of restaurants to choose from it's hard to name all of my favorites but here are my top ten.

If you're looking for a strong cocktail paired with a really tasty cheese and meat plate, Hotel Delmano in Williamsburg is a great place to go. 

Have a hangover? Brunch at Lodge in Williamsburg is the perfect cure. Get the Egg Sandwich that comes with a fried heirloom tomato and cliantro-cashew pesto. It's amazing.

Ok, so this isn't a restaurant but there was no way I was going to do a whole post of my favorite places to eat in Brooklyn and not mention Choice in Clinton Hill. It's a French market filled with amazing looking pastries and made to order sandwiches. I never leave without getting a chocolate croissant...or two.

Diner in Williamsburg is another go to brunch spot for us. Their menu changes daily so I can't recommend an exact dish but anything I've ever had there was pretty amazing.

Again this isn't a restaurant but I had to mention it. The Brooklyn Flea has so many amazing vendors but our favorite is Asia Dog. They serve Asian inspired hot dogs that make for a perfect lunch. My favorite? The Sidney which is Thai style and comes with relish with mango, cucumber, red onion, cilantro + crushed peanuts and fish sauce. Makes the usual hotdog with ketchup and mustard look pretty boring huh? 

This is a horrible picture but I couldn't leave Traif in Williamsburg off the list. The first time we went there, they served us a shot of bacon broth and were sold. If you like bacon, you're going to love this place. Trust me.

Other favorites are Olea and The Smoke Joint in Fort Greene and Caracas and Carino in Williamsburg.

What I'll Miss about NY

Although I'm extremely excited to be moving someplace new, there are so many things that I will really miss about the place I've called home for the past 8 years. Most importantly, I'll miss being on the same coast as our families and our friends that have become like family. I'll miss the amazing food that is always just a few steps away, the culture, and being able to walk absolutely everywhere. I'll miss our apartment and even our cute, little doorman who's greeted me home every night. I'll miss the Sunday night dinners that Brett and I have with our greatest of all friends, Dave. And before I get too teary eyed I'll let the following photos do the rest of the talking...

Brooklyn has been so good to us and I feel pretty damn lucky to have lived here for as long as I did. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly things I won't miss but I think the good out-way the bad too much to list those. I've been looking at our move not as if we're leaving New York but as we're just talking a break from it. It's pretty exhausting living here and sometimes you need to leave in order to really appreciate it.

With that said, the next few days will be spent packing up the rest of our things and saying "goodbye" to our friends so that we can leave super early this Sunday. And because this town has spoiled me with good food, I will be posting a few of my favorite restaurants. Stay tuned! 

Looking Forward To

1. Our New Home
2. Being Organized. After this move, I think I'm going to try to be as organized as possible. Any tips?
3. Working From Home
4. Weekend Trips to Yosemite National Park, Napa, Lake Tahoe, Big Sur
5. Growing a Garden
6. Exploring a Whole New City - What should we check out first?


Top Left // Top Right // Middle Left // Middle Right // Bottom Left // Bottom Right

Poppytalk Handmade

I am happy to announce that my designs will be sold on Poppytalk Handmade for the next month! Be sure to check out the market as there are some really cute things on there.

We're Moving!

After almost three years of talking about living someplace new, we've finally decided to move. We've spent the past few months trying to decide where our new home should be. We thought about Asheville, North Carolina, we looked at L.A., we even thought about Burlington, Vermont. But none of these places seemed to feel right for us. We finally came to a decision two weeks ago. (Nothing like last minute huh?)

Starting February 1st, Brett and I and all of our things will be driving across the country to our new home, San Francisco! I'm excited, I'm nervous, happy and the tiniest bit sad. But we're mostly excited to explore a whole new city and everything San Francisco and it's surroundings have to offer. 

I spent the past weekend packing up box after box and getting rid of so many things that I didn't even know we had. It's really hard getting rid of all the stuff that you've accumulated over the years but when you only have a little car and trailer to carry all your things in, it's pretty important to only take the things you love.

When we leave in two weeks, I hope to share photos and the progress of our travels across the country here on my blog. Hopefully the internet will allow for that... And as for saying goodbye to Brooklyn, ya, I'm not quite ready for that yet.

P.S. Speaking of getting rid of some of our things - I'll be selling my Gocco Printer on ebay this week in case anyone is interested. Feel free to email me at bowarrowdesigns@gmail.com for more details.

(Photos from our California Trip in 2010.)

Weekly Picks

   

A few things that caught my eye this week...

1. Vamoose has a new collection coming out soon and from the looks of it, it's going to be goood.

2. Doesn't this afternoon snack of a croissant, ricotta, honey and fig sound amazing? 

My love for croissants was renewed after our trip to Greece. We had one every morning.

3. What I wouldn't give to hear all the amazing speakers at ALT summit next week. Maybe next year...

4. Rifle Paper's new Valentine's Day cards are too cute.

5. Loving the Year in Review design by Amanda Jane Jones.

6. My sister turned me on to Jetsetter and now all I want to do is go on vacation.

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Cabin Fever

By Peterssen/Keller Architecture. 

Dear Future Apartment

  

One  // Two  // Three  // Four

Only 21 days til we move!

Two Weeks Notice

Today I quit my job...for the past 4.5-5 years I've been working as a graphic designer in a big advertising agency in Manhattan.


I've had a job ever since it was legal to start working (13 in NY). I've worked in many restaurants, babysat, worked on a farm, tried my hand in retail (totally not for me) and had design internships all throughout college. I'm very thankful for being as lucky as I have been with getting work but now it's time to make some changes.


For the past two years, I've gone to work everyday and then went home to work on my etsy work. It wasn't easy but because I did, I can now do what I love to do full time. In two weeks, I'm trading in the steady paycheck, paid vacation days and amazing health benefits to be my own boss. It's time. I know it's not going to be easy but I feel prepared. Well, as prepared as I possibly can be. My website is up, my inventory of envelopes is ridiculous and my sketchbook is full of new designs for the shop.


So when I said that 2012 was going to be all about changes, I meant it.


Oh, and there's one more crazy change that's happening in my life but I'll tell you more about that another time...thanks for reading! (Image Source)

Flecks of Gold

1. Baby Moccasins  // 2. Mousepad  // 3. Venice Sign  // 4. Gnome  // 5. Wristlet  // 6. Sweater 

Here She Is!

It's 2012 and that means it's time for me to say "goodbye" to my old blog Bklynstitch. 2012 is going to bring about many changes and I hope to share them all with you here. So I welcome you to the new blog of Bow & Arrow Paper & Design Co. You can view more of my work here. Thanks for stopping by! 


(You can view my old blog here.)