Sweet Treats at One Girl Cookies
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17TH 2009
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One Girl Cookies is a delightful little bakery that specializes in petite cookies with sweet girl names Penelope and Juliette. They make much more than that, though. I brought home a treat box filled with pumpkin whoopie pies, cupcakes and a selection of their petite cookies.

Designed by Made NYC, the bakery has soft aesthetic that blends nostalgic charm with modern details. Powder blue walls, paper banner menus and white country chairs complement large wall graphics. My favorite detail was the converted garage-turned-dining area that had a large family tree mural painted on one side. It was here that I snacked on orange chocolate cake and vanilla rooibos tea. YUM!

Exploring Brooklyn
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17TH 2009
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After going to the market I took the subway to Borough Hall Station in Brooklyn, armed with a list of design stores. I wandered above and below Atlantic Avenue, stopping at planned destinations and discovering unexpected places.You can make out my path here.

As with stores all over NYC, the best shops were inconspicuous and easy to pass if you did not have a keen eye and took the time to search for them. When we first arrived here I was (foolishly) quick to dismiss storefronts that did not meet my "expectations" - nice signage, inviting displays, etc. - and I know now to give everyone a chance.

Abitare is a home decor store that is modern but with a soft, feminine touch.

I almost passed Sterling Place, and I am so thankful that I did not! It was filled with contemporary and vintage treasures, like the antique bowling set and the artfully crafted decanters.

Acorn has a marvelous collection of children' toys and decor items. The products are beautifully designed and are attractive to both kids and adults - which I think is ideal since they will most likely be strewn about the house, right?

Darr was one of my favorite unexpected shops. It was cluttered with some of the most interesting found objects, and I could equate it to a "grim" retail version of the outdoor Brooklyn Flea Market. Mounted animal heads and apothecary bottles were just some of their stock.

I went to both Greenhouse and Opalia, but I do not have photographs from the former. Opalia is a flower shop that has a nice collection of glass vases and dried botanicals, which I was contemplating for my terrariums.

Dig was packed to the brim with gardening supplies. They had terrariums sporadically placed throughout the shop. I liked their suitcase displays outside showcasing products.

Grdn was clean, modern gardening shop with a small but beautiful collection of housewares and gardening supplies. I bought a nice plant but I've forgotten what it is called.

Flight 001 has a great line of modern and vintage-inspired travel accessories. I bought a few items from them for my trip to Japan, like these luggage tags (the swearing one). Their store looked like the interior cabin of an airplane - loved it!

Blue Ribbon General Store is a great store for gifts and well-designed home accessories, like teapots, recycling bags and soaps. If you cruise the design blogs occasionally you might recognize some of their goods, such as the Stitch Postcard.

Brooklyn Architecture
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17TH 2009
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I was in love with Brooklyn as soon as I stepped off the subway. The architecture was exquisitely detailed and had "room to breathe" on wide, tree-lined suburban streets with sidewalks void of subway grates (which can be quite hot and stinky in the summer). The busier side streets with retail and restaurants weren't cluttered with gaudy signage and people were generally in less of a rush.

When it comes to NYC and the surrounding boroughs, I keep reminding myself to "always look look up" because that is where some of the loveliest architecture hides. My camera simply cannot capture the fantastic details that I can spot so clearly with my eyes.

Union Square Market
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17TH 2009
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Since moving to NYC I have had a growing interest in gardening. Back home, my mom had a large, thriving garden full of herbs and vegetables, and I took for granted the delicious addition of fresh herbs to our meals. I came to NYC armed with two books to prepare me for "apartment gardening": Your Backyard Herb Garden and Garden Anywhere.

The Union Square Greenmarket is one of the best sources in NYC for herbs, from freshly sprouted seedlings to well-established mature plants. Last week I snagged a lemon basil plant which, although tasty, was more potent than I expected. This week I purchased sweet basil (shown above, with other varieties) and peppermint. The plants are still immature and require replanting, but within a week the mint will be ready for picking and the basil will closely follow.