An England Day Trip: Bolton Abbey

I told you a little about my UK holiday already here and here but there was one lovely little day trip out of Manchester that I wanted to share as well, and I might have another up my sleeve for later. But anyway, Manchester itself is a fun city with cute little cafes and funky bars, but sadly it is not the prettiest of places. Trees and parks are not its forte, but just outside the city (and unlike NYC there was actually a car to get into) is everything a nature lover is looking for from rolling hills, rivers, lakes and that British countryside greenery. I'd been wanting to explore the outer areas the whole time I was there but the usual laziness, city and travel plans got in the way. But the last day we made it out and despite the pretty frigid temperatures, Manchester decided to give us clear blue skies and sun. Lovely. 

We drove about 45 minutes to Bolton Abbey, a beautiful old church and cemetery on a river surrounded by hiking trails. I got a little obsessed with watching the British TV series "The Trip" while I was there (that and "Frozen Planet" {I do miss having a TV, I'll admit]} and the Abbey was one of the many places Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon visited on their culinary expedition. Unfortunately the river was too high to reenact Coogan crossing it on the slippery rock path. The dude even almost brought a change of clothes incase he fell in the freezing water in his attempt, but thought it would seal his cold and wet fate if he did. But we did get to go on a lovely little hike, breath some amazing fresh air and talk to the little old man that ran the church. Have you ever noticed how little old men that run churches in England love to chat? I love little old men. Here are some pics: 

A New York Day Trip: Governor's Island

Since yesterday I shared a New York day trip with you and since I have a little free time for the first time in a couple months, I thought I would post some photos I promised I would put up a long time ago from our trip to Governor's Island this past August. It was an amazingly hot summer day (in which it was predicted to rain) and Whitney, Rachael, Megan, Julia and I got all dressed up in 20s garb and took a ferry to attend the annual Jazz Age Lawn Party. It is something I had wanted to do since seeing all the pics on the Sartorialist and other street style blogs (we spotted Bill Cunningham there snapping away) year after year, but finally found the motivation to actually do it. And oh was it worth it, everyone in attendance was decked out in costume, not a better place in the world to snap photos and people watch. And although I did spend a lot of time scoping out the scene from our blanket, watching (and critiquing) everyone that walked past as I sipped on a summery cocktail, I seemed to have only taken photos of my friends. Ooops. Next year I will make a point to branch out a bit, but for now, here was one of my favorite summer days...

And a little tragic love story acted out on the water...

A New York Day Trip: The Dia Beacon

This past weekend was my last in the city for awhile, so I decided to take full advantage of it. Luckily the weather was absolutely perfect, reaching up to the 80s, and Mary, Megan and Julia were game to take the train to Beacon, a little town on the Hudson River just over an hour North of Grand Central Station and home to a beautiful light-filled museum in an old printing factory. In all my seven years of living in New York this was my first trip to the Dia Beacon and it certainly made me question why. The space is phenomenal and perfect for photography — ironically, they don't allow photos, but I managed to sneak a few good ones in and took a bunch outside and in Beacon itself, a quintessential East Coast Americana town with churches, pottery shops, people riding Harleys and hanging flags on their front porches. After a few hours in the museum, which includes work from the 1960s on, we ended the day with Mediterranean food and white wine at a little restaurant with a darling backyard filled with flowers and other people probably escaping the city. And such a nice escape it was. Actually, it wasn't really a needing to escape New York kind of day, more so the let's take advantage of all the things New York has to offer kind...

I'm wearing: Ralph Lauren T-shirt Dress (Thrifted), Military Jacket (The Gap), Black Booties (ASOS)