Chocolate & Blueberries

A color study for spring, homemade blueberry syrup, and bubblegum sweaters.

This week, we're diving into the blend of browns and blue — a pairing that perfectly captures the transition from winter's warmth to spring mornings. Shed your coats and stand in the sunshine! Think: caramel latte in a powder blue to-go cup, brown baseball cap with a light blue linen shirt, or chocolate cake with blueberry frosting.

I am so inspired by seeing the vibrant blue skies against the warm browns of New York's historic brownstones. This color combination brings a beautiful balance of comfort and newness, making it the ideal palette for the fresh season ahead.

As we defrost from the cold and embrace the hug of spring, these hues are what my insides feel like. I encourage you to find these colors this week like an iSpy for yourself. Notice them thoughtfully, capture them if you can on camera, and share them in the comments!

Try classic brown leather loafers paired with powder blue socks, a foamy dark latte in a light blue cup, or even a cobalt blue bag against brown corduroy pants. Or break out the classic Java Blue Vera Bradley pattern.

For more color inspiration this week…check out my Instagram!

Welcome to my little apartment kitchen! I made some homemade blueberry syrup with you today. You can use it in matcha lattes or coffee — both are fabulous!

*Fun tip — you can use this recipe as a template for any fruit syrup! I’ve done it with frozen strawberries and cherries too. It is so simple.

A few notes:

• This recipe is more subtle and natural than a strong syrup like a Monin or Torani, so if you really like strong sweeteners I’d recommend you add more sugar to satisfy that sweet tooth.

• I say 15 minutes to simmer, but heating longer does not hurt. As long as you keep stirring, you can keep it simmering longer to melt down the fruit chunks further.

Here is a recipe card for easy access ↓

My favorite outfit right now is my bubblegum pink sweater with a little pilgrim collar underneath. I met the sweet owner of the brand Things Between during a pop-up in Chinatown last fall and I have been smitten since. If you see me out and about at any given time there is a 70/30 chance I am wearing a Things Between sweater. I love their style, but even more so how kind and wonderful their team is

• I am wearing a pink Alyssa sweater in a size small.
• An Anthropologie top in a size small. (They ran out of this specific pattern, but I linked the same top so you can see what other options there are!)

Pair with comfy pants, off-white denim, or your favorite pair of jeans.

Suggestions for a more joyful week:

Focus on the color blue. Look for when it fills the sky. Listen to more music than usual. Do work with your hands.

• A playlist rediscovery: Take a late afternoon to scroll back to your very first few Spotify playlists. Go through your favorite songs and look up the artists, especially if you had kind of forgotten about them. See if they have made any new songs and dive in. Do you still like their sound? It’s fascinating to guess if they evolved differently or if you did.

• Make an appetizer at home: What if you took some time to make some intentional joy in the kitchen and recreate an appetizer from your favorite restaurant? It is purely for fun and to delight your family or roommates. Steaming fajitas! Chips and salsa! Mozzarella sticks! Gazpacho! Surprise! Perhaps I’ll show you how to make my homemade guacamole sometime soon!

• The great purge: Cleanse your closet of clothes you never wear. Shed jackets into deep storage and free up space. Donate your clothes. Feel a little lighter.

• Start a mystery show: Watch something captivating (but not gruesome…these are ideas for joyful weeks) and get into it. Find someone who will watch it with you. Create theories. Discuss.

• Incorporate cobalt blue: Socks, bags, tops, bows, or a can of paint.

*Additional tips: try a new ice cream flavor if presented with one, wear a jumbo velvet scrunchie, wear striped pants, take a long walk just to wander somewhere new, send a text of encouragement (right now) to the first person that comes to mind, revisit someplace that means a lot to you.

Every week I will show off a spot in the city that I have found and loved! I am still discovering places constantly, and may be forever.

If you visit West Village, make sure to visit this beautiful, tiny tea shop! I like their blueberry tea the most.

📍Paquita | 242 W 10th St. New York, NY 10014

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