Welcome to our new home!

So we finally have a new blog post for you. Sorry we've been away for a while, but I think (hope) you'll be happy with the reason why - we've been working on several projects. As we promised, here is an update on some of the work we've done at home. 

We had this atrocious entry hall (sorry whoever was here before us). An entry hall should welcome your guests and give them a hint of what to expect within your home. Our entry hall had this linoleum floor that felt . . . well, cheap. It wasn't welcoming and I HOPE it didn't give anyone a hint of what to expect inside the rest of our home. 

We couldn't take up the linoleum so we had to figure out a way to cover it up.  A simple throw rug wouldn't do it for us, because we didn't want to see even the slightest hint of linoleum peeping out from under it.  Also, see if YOU could find a throw rug that would make this floor look good!  We decided to look at Flor carpet tiles.  It is a high traffic area and we knew if a tile got dirty we could either lift it up to clean it or replace it if it was beyond hope.  We ended up selecting the "Fedora" style in flannel and charcoal. At $8 a square it wasn't bad.  We signed up for their emails and also got free shipping, which saved us a ton of money.

Our original idea was to alternate tiles to create stripes.  However, when the tiles arrived we realized that each square was so big that we would end up with a total of just three stripes across the entry way.  That wasn't going to have the impact we wanted, so we decided to cut the tiles in half.  This was a labor of love!  Matthew found instructions on cutting carpet tile on Apartment Therapy.  You can read the step-by-step instructions here.  We also invested a carpet knife and a t-square, and we highly recommend these tools.  The results were great.  While not overly difficult it wasn't easy either.  It took a lot of measuring and careful cutting to get the tiles to line up correctly.  Matthew's lack of patience the carpet knife also caused a minor injury, so we recommend being very careful with this tool!

Notice those stripes on the wall?  We actually color matched them and aligned them to the strips on the carpet tiles, but we'll tell you all about that in another post.  Now we have an entry that is inviting and accurately reflects our style.

Feeding on Product

While sitting at dinner in NYC after spending five days searching for new product for the store, I realized the things that make a great restaurant are the same things that make a great store.

A great restaurant should have reliable food with that you can always depend upon, but it should also surprise you with interesting flavors or combinations you've never tried before. In the same way, a great store should always have something to surprise you. It should dependably have things no other place has, and those things should always be reliably well-designed.

A great restaurant should appeal to all members of the family, while a great store should appeal to all ages as well. A great restaurant will versatilely appeal to both the couple on a romantic date and workers trying broker a deal over a meal. A great store will appeal to both the person hunting for that last-minute hostess gift and the wandering shopper hoping for something to grab her attention.

Here are some of the restaurants, and a couple of their offerings, that we enjoyed while on our buying trip. Bond 45, is a restaurant we always visit. It's conveniently located. The food is always good and the setting is . . . unique. Once a men's clothing store, it has been repurposed as a great restaurant with an unrivaled staff. 

Our other favorite is Cafe 1, 2, 3. our first visit to this french bistro was for breakfast. We liked breakfast so much that we've returned many times for dinners. Every time we return we are greeted with, "Welcome Back."This time we had a duck confit crepe and the perfect light and fluffy omelet with fries. Don't miss it. You can't go wrong. 

Finally, our last choice was a newer restaurant which we visited for the first time. It's called Cilantro. I would describe it as a Mexican Bistro. We loved the food and the drinks, but it was the atmosphere that made it perfect for us. It was clearly a neighborhood hangout that got a lot of return traffic. We know we'll be returning the next time we're in the City. 

Tacky Light Tour

Well the holiday season came to an end a while ago, but as you all know, it's been kind of crazy around here at next summer. I'm finally making some time to fill you in on one of the coolest things we did while down in Richmond, Virginia for Christmas. For years now I've been hearing about Richmond's Tacky Light Tour. I've even seen it several times on TV. This year would be my first Christmas in Richmond with Lindsay's family. We were damned sure going on that Tacky Light Tour. 

This is a tour around the city and its suburbs to see all the INCREDIBLE tacky light displays. Let me just tell you this, they do it RIGHT down there. 

Lindsay and I took a break from the tour to get our photo taken in front of one of our "favorite" houses. 

I'm sure the Electric companies LOVE this tour!

Not a square inch is left unlit!

This house is just to the left of the house in the previous photograph. It's hard to tell in this picture, but the signs say, "What's the point?" and "Ditto". The arrow points to the house up above. 

At the end of the tour we stopped to see Santa's Car. Love it!

Did I remember?

When it comes to shopping for those on your list, we at next summer have endless possibilities. But we know good design and living the good life extends beyond our shelves. Check out our gift ideas - from fun products in our store to an innovative style setting company to our top charitable picks - all very carefully curated to help you find the perfect something for those in your life. 

1. Warby Parker Gift Card ($95): Stylish, hip and forward-thinking. For every pair of glasses they sell, they give away a pair to someone in need.

2. Joseph Joseph Large Double Dish ($28): The perfect gift for all the hosts and hostesses out there throwing parties throughout the holiday season. It allows for multiple items to be served and a tiny holder for toothpicks; not to mention a larger hidden catch-all for pits and shells so you don't have to see your mess and the host can spend less time cleaning up and more time with guests.

3. Liberty Puzzles ($88 - $108): The locations depicted on these beautifully crafted wooden puzzles will stir fond memories for the giftee... sailing on the water, the paddock at Saratoga Race Track, skating on a frozen pond. It’s a gift that will last generations.

4. Christine’s Originals Rings ($68): Outwardly fun, these rings bring a little whimsy into the life of a confident, sophisticated wearer.

5. Lindsay's Pick (Visions of Sugarplums danced in their heads) JDRF:JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Giving a donation helps move this important research forward. 
Matthew's Pick (I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas)  The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust : The Trust dedicates itself to the protection and preservation of Africa’s wilderness and its denizens. A monetary donation helps endangered species such as elephants and black rhino (but no hippos). 

TRADITIONS: COOKIES AND THE HOLIDAYS

Traditions. Come December, they are blissfully unavoidable. One of my all-time favorite traditions during the holiday season revolves squarely around cookies.

Baking them. Exchanging them. Delivering them. Eating them.

As a kid, my friends and I would gather in the kitchen at a cozy farmhouse up on top of a very big hill. We would bake dozens upon dozens of cookies, all while eating our healthy share of dough and giggling our way through sugar-high versions of our favorite Christmas carols and hymns. Once cooled, the cookies would be packed up and delivered around our sleepy little town to those simply needing to know someone was thinking of them.

Today, cookie making is still an important part of my friendships during the holidays. While we no longer bake in that cozy farmhouse up on top of a very big hill, we still eat too much dough and laugh until we cry. Our generosity has evolved, though dropping off cookies still happens on occasion.

We at next summer hope your traditions continue this holiday season. And, for those of you without traditions, we hope you consider starting some of your very own. They are part of living a good life.

DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS COOKIES

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix 1 cup softened butter, 1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
3. To the mixture, stir in 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Mix in 3 cups rolled oats and 2 cups of white chocolate chips (Hello, White Christmas!)
5. Spoon equal sized bits of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
6. Eat one… or two, but save some to share with friends and neighbors. And don't forget to bring in a few for us to try as well. 

It's that time of year

So Alyssa presented last week some of her favorite Thanksgiving details. Turkey Day is almost here, so as a retailer I naturally think of a couple highlights of this time of year. 

Friday is what is supposed to be the biggest retail shopping day of the year - BLACK FRIDAY!!!

We love Black Friday, but the day we've come to love over the past couple years is the next day - Small Business Saturday. Sure, we love being busy as much as any retailer, but what I like so much is the sense of community. Saratoga, in particular, really supports its small businesses. People come out and say things like, "I love buying local" or "I really try to support small, local shops." One thing I've loved hearing recently is, "I saw this online, but then I remembered you carry them too. I'd rather support you - and not have to pay shipping!" 

We'll be open from 10-6 Friday (no need to lose sleep and get out of bed before sunrise) and 10-6 on Saturday. We hope you'll come in and start up a conversation with us. The best part of owning a small business is getting to meet fun people and hear interesting stories. In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving! 

Walk it Out

With another election cycle behind us, we start to turn our full attention to the holiday season.

Menus...

Travel...

Gift lists...

It can be a little overwhelming. That's why over the course of the next several weeks we will offering up tips and suggestions to help you navigate all that stands between you and actually enjoying the holidays and all they entail.

We'll offer sneak peeks at our own family recipes (my mother's soup portfolio is no joke), travel essentials and how we at next summer can help you tackle those gift lists in a meaningful and affordable way.

In the meantime, we want to offer up our first tip:

Get out for walks.

An afternoon stroll at my childhood home in Washington County.

While the air is crisp and the leaves are crunchy. Whether it's city streets or the countryside. When you want to think things through or think of nothing at all. A 5-minute sanity saver or an hour-long stroll will do you some good.

Happy Birthday Izzy

This past week was our dog, Izzy's, third birthday. Since we think of her as a member of the family, we had to celebrate. Lindsay gave Izzy a real treat - a dog cake. We've included the recipe below. 
You'll need the following:

• 1 egg
  1/4 cup peanut butter
  1/4 cup cooking oil
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1/3 cup honey
  1 cup shredded carrots
  1 cup whole wheat or white flour
  1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 6 cup ring mold.
2. Combine the egg, peanut butter, oil, vanilla, and honey, if desired, in a large bowl; blend well. Stir in the carrots and mix thoroughly. Sift together the flour and baking soda and fold into the carrot mixture. Spoon cake batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes; then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

You'll notice in the picture below we made a few changes. the letters on Izzy's cake were made with one of her favorites - Beggin' Strips! 

As you can tell, she seemed to like it. And if you come by our house for dinner, don't worry, that's Izzy's plate. You won't be served on it. Besides, she licked it clean. 

Homecoming - a good life in VT

This past weekend Lindsay and I went to Homecoming at Middlebury College. I have told Lindsay about the fond memories I had of attending the Homecoming game as a student.  My friends and I would go to the game with the intention of drinking more than our fair share of beer. I remembered seeing these impressive spreads put out by alums. I always looked forward to doing Homecoming with the same style when I returned years later. 

Lindsay did a lot to help me realize my fantasy. A real Homecoming spread starts with an actual table. How civilized do you feel when you're eating off of a tailgate? Since Lindsay's a product of the south, she insisted on a tablecloth. We brought an indoor outdoor fireplace just in case it was cold, but we put the fire out after just a few minutes since the weather was perfect. We pulled out a Bauer plate for our cheese, crackers, salumi and grapes. We used recycled Zak! bowls for our nuts and our dessert mix. Chips went on shiny Model Metalworks platters.  Our mixed drinks went in Zak! travel mugs with colorful Zak! swizzle sticks. We added an acrylic napkin holder and colored napkins for cleanup. The point with this is that nothing should be considered over the top. Everything is within bounds. The best comment we got from passers-by was, "now that looks like the perfect way to spend a Saturday". 

after the tailgate was packed away, we headed into the stadium and watched the Panthers beat the Bates College Bobcats 38-23. 

I wanted to show Lindsay the new library, but just as we walked out the skies opened up and drenched the campus.

The day had been perfect up to that point, but when the rainbow came out after the shower, we knew we were living a good life. 

Construction of the Perfect Sandwich

A professor I had in college told me the most important lesson he learned from his farmer father - if something's worth doing it's worth doing right. One thing I've learned over the years is that a good sandwich is truly worth doing and that means it's worth doing right. The construction of a sandwich is just as important as the parts that go into making that sandwich. The following is a list of ingredients in my perfect sandwich:

                           1. Rock Hill Bakery jalapeño cheddar bread

                           2. chipotle mustard

                           3. bacon

                           4. cheddar jack cheese

                           5. dry salami

                           6. cracked pepper turkey breast

                           7. dill pickle chips

                           8. spicy pepperoncini

Here's the most important part - the construction. Start by toasting the bread. This gives the bread some heat. Immediately, after pulling the bread from the toaster place the cheese on the warm toast. This will cause the cheese to quickly warm up and begin to melt into the bread. This cheese layer serves multiple purposes: 1. it covers any holes in the toast; and 2. it protects the toast from any wet elements in the sandwich which would dampen the bread.

Next, add the cooked bacon. Hopefully, if this is done quickly enough, it will melt slightly into the cheese and bond with that half of the sandwich. 

    

Next, you have to add the mustard to the other slice of bread. Try not to add too much (which could dampen the bread, or worse, flow out of the holes in the bread), but make sure you've covered the entire slice of bread. 

    

Once the mustard had been added, you need to cover that slice of bread with the dry salami. Like the cheese, this will cover any holes and it will protect the bread from any more moisture. This is especially important because of the next step. 

    

The spicy, but damp pickles and peppers are added next. It's important that each of these should be shaken to remove any extra moisture before placing them on the sandwich. 

    

   

Finally, the turkey is placed on top of the bacon. The turkey now acts as a barrier between the bacon and the peppers and pickles. This ensures that the bacon and toast remain crispy, acting as a textural foil to the soft salami and turkey. 

   

Anyone who has tried this sandwich knows that, when properly constructed, it becomes an element of a truly good life. 

Design is a game

How many Saratoga-specific items can you find in this photograph from our Saratoga store? Comment with your guess and we'll let you know which ones you might have missed. Happy searching!

Where's your TV?

The Television is an item that the whole family seems to really love, at least in theory. Those responsible for the decorating around the house often find themselves at odds with the person who actually bought the television. You see, the decorator often wants to hide the television, while the buyer often wants to accentuate the television - or at least, they want everyone to see just how "awesome" their new TV is.

In today's home you'll find the same situation with refrigerators and dishwashers. Lindsay and I have been lucky enough to avoid that argument, but we think it comes down to a sensible philosophy. TV's, refrigerators, and dishwashers are necessary elements of a twenty-first century lifestyle. They should not be viewed as items that need to be hidden away or denied. They are items that we can celebrate. They are opportunities to demonstrate our individual style. Just as a fireplace in a traditional home wouldn't be hidden from view or disguised as something it isn't, today's appliances shouldn't be either. 

Where are the two places that a modern family gathers the most? Around the TV and in the kitchen (around the refrigerator and dishwasher). These items need to be celebrated as communal destinations, as symbols of the closeness of a family. By announcing their presence boldly we welcome those who come in our homes and say, "here is where we gather with those we care about, and respect. We want to include you."

I write this as the proud new owner of a TV that didn't seem as enormous at the store, as it does in our home.

Raise expectations

here's to raising expectations

next summer loves: Mamatoga Jenny

Recently Jenny at Mamatoga featured some of our custom Saratoga Springs pieces.  If you don't already follow her, you must start!  On her website and online magazine Jenny shares her experiences raising three kids under five while giving great resources for health and wellness, parenting, style, and cooking.  Even if you don't live in Saratoga Springs, you will find inspiration and helpful resources on her site.


Here are a few of the custom pieces from our store that she featured . . .

our Saratoga map pendant (we also sell earrings)

Saratoga needlepoint belt

Saratoga needlepoint coasters

We're so glad we opened a second location in Saratoga Springs.  It's an open and welcoming community with a lot of style.  Jenny is the epitome of that.  To see her full post click here.

Happy Day After the 4th of July

Happy Day After the 4th of July!  Take it easy and enjoy yourself.

One Year Anniversary

Matthew and I recently celebrated our one year anniversary (yay!), and like so many newly weds we wanted to follow tradition by freezing our cake topper and eating it on our first anniversary.  Almost everyone we talked to warned us that the cake would be a freezer burned, molded mess.  However we were pleasantly surprised by how good ours tasted.  We owe it all to the pastry chef who made our cake.  He gave us the following directions and we wanted to share them with you.


1. Place the cake in the freezer for a about three hours (just long enough for the icing to get hard.)  This prevents it from sticking to the saran wrap.
2. Take the cake out of the freezer and wrap it tightly in three layers of saran wrap.

3. Next, place the cake in two Ziploc bags, one packed inside the other.
4. Freeze until your one year anniversary.
5.  Allow it to thaw slowly by taking it out of the freezer 36 hours in advance and placing it in the refrigerator.
6. Enjoy!

Hint: Your enjoyment of the wedding cake is greatly heightened by your new spouse, and we suggest a nice bottle of champagne to go with it.

Also, if you enjoyed our post about the piano we painted florescent pink, you'll enjoy Apartment Therapy's post about painted pianos here.