New York | Josie Girl Blog

John Derian

May 13, 2013Josie Girl 3 Comments

Located in the heart of the East Village, the John Derian Dry Good store is a pot of gold. The moment you walk in, you feel pure happiness, comforted by the luxurious, beautiful, colorful, and happy home goods. The cozy home accessories shop is filled from head to toe with handmade beautiful knicknacks. You will want to buy everything in the store, even if you don’t have pans for your new loot. I wish that the store was my home.

John Derian decoupage plates in our dining room

John Derian Company was started in 1989 by John Derian himself. He makes beautiful decoupage plates, paperweights, platters, bowls, trays, dishes, lamps, coasters, and much much more. His whole collection is handmade in his studio by artisans. He also sells linens, stationary, plates, lighting, and furniture from an assortment of collections (prints by Hugo Guinness, vintage Pakistani quilts, Moroccan lanterns and leather poufs, for example).

Outside. In love already??

Window with gold sparkle.

Paper weights. Amazing presents.

Rustic French plates.

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Family Photographer

October 29, 2012Josie Girl 6 Comments

First things first, best of luck with everyone preparing for Hurricane Sandy. Hopefully this won’t be too bad, but the news is definitely doing a good job of scaring the life out of me and everyone else. My initial disaster pans were to go to the gym twice today, get a mani/pedi, and make cornbread, but it is becoming more clear that we could be in for some serious conditions. Good luck, everyone. Separately, we were supposed to announce the winner of last Monday’s giveaway today, but the Natori offices are closed, so we will need to wait until everything reopens. Sorry about that!

On to today’s post. As soon as I had a child of my own, I became obsessed with finding the right family photographer. I searched for someone whose aesthetic was clear, simple, modern, original, and clean. Davina to the rescue! Since we first met her in September 2011, we have hired her time and time again to take photos of the family. We have two walls dedicated to her portraits. I love everything about Davina; her quality work, her easy and laid back demeanor, her frames, and of course, the photographs themselves.

One of our walls in the hallway. Various sizes and pictures of the family pre-Zoe.

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Flavored Kale Chips

September 21, 2012Josie Girl 12 Comments

Way back when, when the blog was brand new (almost a year ago!), I wrote about my obsession with making Kale Chips. So healthy, so easy, so delicious. I thought my homemade kale chips were the best snack in the world. And although they are great, I came across New York Naturals Kale Chips, sold at my local Whole Foods, and there is simply no comparison.

Locally made, these are sold at more than 200 stores in New York and on the East Coast. But for my West Coast friends, they are even sold online. I first tried these at Whole Foods, then went online and got 4 boxes, and now, I just placed an order for 10 more. I can’t live without them! To buy go here.

Options: Bombay Ranch, Salt and vinegar, Spicy miso, and Vegan cheese. My personal favorite is the Sea Salt and Vinegar. Tangy, salty, and oh so good.

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NYC Fall To Do Activity List

August 27, 2012Josie Girl 14 Comments

Summer is almost over, which means back to New York. I am so sad to leave behind the outdoors, open air, greenery, family, and lack of schedule in Oregon….And yet, there are many things that I am looking forward to upon my return (besides, obviously, being fully reunited with my husband!)

* Drink champagne on the Roof garden at the Met overlooking Central Park

Hours: Through late fall, weather permitting: Friday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Martini Bar: 5:30–8:00 p.m.; Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Closed Mondays

Location: 83rd and 5th Ave, Fifth floor via the elevator in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts galleries

Details: Self-service, light fare and cocktails in an informal, outdoor setting with panoramic views of Manhattan. Children are welcome.

* Hotdogs and popcorn at a Brooklyn Cyclones Game

Location: MCU Park, 1904 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224 (Coney Island)

* Indulge in Italian food at L&B Spumoni Garden

Hours: 11 am to Midnight, daily.

Location: 2725 86th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11223 (Bensonhurst)

Details: Italian feast!

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The Good Fork

April 13, 2012Josie Girl 6 Comments

I love to pretend that I live in suburbia (instead of in the middle of a concrete jungle island). As a result, Ken and I tend to drive more than the average Manhattanites (we are very lucky to have access to a car — life changer, I must say). It is a fun activity to hop into the car, drive downtown to dinner, explore areas that are hard to get to, and explore other boroughs. One of our absolute favorite field trips is to Red Hook (a remote area in Brooklyn on the water — very warehouse-esque, hip, and modern) and eat at an excellent restaurant called The Good Fork. The Good Fork is owned and operated by a couple who live close by to the restaurant with their family. The husband manages the restaurant and the wife is the head chef. Not only is the food memorable and delicious, but the service is superb, the ambiance low key and cozy, and the overall atmosphere is lovely, familiar, neighborhood-esque and chill. Nothing better than a drive over the Brooklyn Bridge to enjoy an excellent meal in an intimate setting.

The drive. Depending on traffic we either go over the Brooklyn Bridge or through the Battery Tunnel (toll required).

The door leading to the restaurant. The Good Fork is located in a brick house.

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Le Pain Quotidien

March 23, 2012Josie Girl 8 Comments

I am a creature of habit. I have a routine for everything… exercise, sleep, and especially, food. As a result, I tend to frequent only a handful of restaurants in New York City. Don’t get me wrong, I love going to new and hip places, but I also love my local faves which I go to more often than not. It seems like now that I have a family of my own, I am more concerned about quality of food and proximity to home than hipness or anything else. Guess I am getting old. *Le sigh*

Le Pain Quotidien is one of my all-time-faves. It is perfect for breakfast or lunch and always hits the spot. Luckily for me, there are two close to our apartment (5 minute walk for a more crowded and intimate setting or a 10 minute walk for a spacious and more kid friendly version). The ambiance is uber European which makes me feel cultured, and relaxed. Wood interiors, classical music, French themed food… it’s almost like you ARE in Paris when you go there.

Many of the locations offer outdoor seating, which I always love.

Le Pain is still simple, rustic, and serene with or without Holiday decorations. (Yes, those are Christmas wreaths. Yes, it is 80 in March in NYC. So pretend those are not there.)

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