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A Few of My Favorite Things

Favorite Things
By Emma Chapman

Pretty handmade spoons and floral chocolateHappy May and happy weekend, everyone! I hope you're already getting jazzed for the month. I absolutely love the spring and summer, so I'm already making lots of to-do lists and plans (which is apparently what I do when I'm happy). Just wanted to pop in and share a few awesome things from around the Internet. 

Left / I am swooning over all the handmade goodness at Board & Bread, including these pretty handmade spoons. Right / OMG edible floral chocolate! This might be perfect for Mother's Day?

Tacos and a pretty floorLeft / Brussels Sprout and Kimchi tacos?! Um…yessssssssssss. Right / Looking into doing some concrete floors in a new space (so many secrets!), but I absolutely love the idea of adding a phrase in metal words at the time we pour the concrete. What should it say though?

Other things I'm loving lately:

-Very interested to read this book after seeing the author on the Daily Show. 

-Speaking of books, did you see that Kazuo Ishiguro has a new book out?!!!

-Did you see the latest Game of Thrones? Which queen?!?! It's killing me! 

-Don't know if you saw on IG, but I'm headed to NOLA this month for a short (4 day) vacation with Trey. If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them! xo. Emma

55 Comments

  • Wow, the metal words added in concrete are a great idea:) It should say something happy, bringing happy feelings 🙂

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  • Oh that floral chocolate is just too cute! And I love the metal words in concrete, such a great idea! I hope you have a great time on your mini-vacation.

    Lots of love,
    Yara

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  • That concrete phrase idea is the coolest! SO stealing that idea. Just need somewhere to put it… haha

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  • Ah! I live in NOLA! Check out Magazine street for the most instagramable little shops and restaurants, my favorite area is the opposite way from the french quarter, close to the whole foods, Pied Nu is an adorable little shop you may like. For coffee and the weirdest/greatest doughnuts in town go to District Doughnuts. Try to get a po boy (obvs) my favorite is the pulled pork one from Boucherie which just moved to a larger location on St. Charles Ave. And if gourmet hot dogs are up your street try Dat Dog (also on magazine) or Dreamie Weenies which is in the French Quarter! Depending on when you are coming down there is pretty much sure to be a festival going on so don’t miss out! Jazz fest is going on right now but festival season is just heating up so if you are here over a weekend you will probably be able to catch one!

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  • Red Gravy, Peche, Cochon, and Coquette are my favorite New Orleans food spots right now! I haven’t met anything at theses places that I haven’t loved. (All are on Open Table) Enjoy!

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  • That phrase thing with the metal looks fantastic and so classy! Definitely really innovative.
    I didn’t know floral chocolate was a thing???? THIS FEELS LIKE THE FUTURE. How exciting and brilliant!!!

    THOUGHTS IN TIFFANY BLUE

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  • Cool things! The tacos look delicious! I love your photos by the way. Have a nice day,
    Vera

    The Flash Window | Bloglovin

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  • I love Brussels sprouts! I don’t know why everyone detests them…
    Huge PRIMARK Haul May 2015 + Try on!

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  • If you have yet to book a hotel, give Chateau Hotel on Chartres St a call. Super friendly and beautiful!!? it was in the center of the French Quarter, walking distance to everything. Another fun adventure is swamp tours!!

    Tip: if someone come up to you and bets they can guess where you got your shoes, keep walking. We were sucked in and scammed.

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  • So excited you’re visiting New Orleans! I moved here this past August and love it so much! What’s your email address? I’d love to shoot you an email with a bunch of fun places to visit!

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  • That floral chocolate is just TOO cute for words. That seems like the perfect mother’s day present! And have a great time on your vacation!

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  • You hafta hafta hafta check out The Joint for pulled pork and then have drinks at Bacchanal (It’s this absolutely amazing wineshop/outdoor garden where you buy a bottle and then take it outside to drink in their backyard while you listen to live jazz). The Green Goddess is a fantastic place for vegetarian and vegan foods. Also – if you fancy the hike, you might want to try and get to “The End Of The World” – it’s a spot way out on the point of the city (beyond the army base) on the beach where there is usually a bonfire and beach party most nights. No invitation needed. Underground music (and spontaneous jams) tallboys and dogs and generally some of the coolest people in the city. You can pm me on twitter if you want more specific directions. I think y’all are into cheese as well, right? If you take the street car into the Garden District, check out St James Cheese Shop (and tell them Canadrienne sent you!) Have fun! xx

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  • Go to Acme for crawfish! It’s delicious. New Orleans is amazing and great! But watch out for scammers 😉

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  • Get a frozen Irish coffee at molly’s at the market. (To go) Dance on royal street. Support the street musicians (they’re so kickass) and go for a ride in a pedicab! Theyll show you around the city, it’s super fun and best enjoyed with a Bloody Mary, or you know, whatever

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  • Ohh NOLA should be fun! I want to go there some day. Also I love love loveeee the idea of a phrase in the concrete. The one that’s in the picture is nice but something that is truly personal and resonates with you guys will be the best choice.

    -M
    http://www.violetroots.com

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  • We were just there a few months ago and had a wonderful time. I second Magazine Street and District Donuts, there is also a deli next door to District Donuts called Steins, that has super yummy sandwiches and even gluten free bread (we have gluten allergies).

    There is an ice cream place on Magazine street called Sucré that is just beautiful to look at and has delicious ice cream served in the prettiest little bowls. Lots of neat flea market/antique shops nearby.

    Another restaurant we loved was The Palace Cafe on Canal street, expensive but beautiful, and really good food.

    If you like Irish food and music there is an Irish gastropub called the Irish House on St. Charles street that has great food and live Irish music on Monday nights, that was a blast.

    And she’s not kidding about the shoes thing. They will say, “I betchu I can tell you where you got your shoes.” Just say, “I got my shoes on my feet.” and keep walking, ha! (that’s what they will say if you actually bet them.)

    Hope you have a wonderful time, and I can’t wait to see your pictures! (I took about 2,000 in a week!)

    ❤ Melissa~

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  • Thanks for sharing these! Speaking of sharing cool stuff on the internet – did you see the miso glazed donuts recipe that’s in the most recent donna hay magazine? She linked to it on her Facebook page I think. I just thought that would be a flavour combination that you would be into Emma! (And it looks amazing!!)

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  • A recommendation on the metal letters set in concrete. Years ago when my welder husband made me a sidewalk, I wanted metal leaves and ladybugs and dragonflies embedded in the concrete. He welded a little “tab” on the back of each one that would serve as a bit of an anchor, rather than just setting the rather flat leaves and bugs into the wet surface.

    I would send you a photo if I knew how.

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  • Just ordered that book from amazon! Great recommendation!
    New Orleans has been my home for 13 years now, and I’m in love with my city! SO many places for you to check out! In terms of awesome vegan/vegetarian eating, def go to SEED, Sneaky Pickle, and Dreamy Weenies. For vegan and gf baked goods, head to Breads on Oak and Shake Sugary for an amazingly delectable selection of tasty goodness. If you’re looking to chill, be sure to go to Bacchanal – live music pretty much any night and days/nights on the weekends. If you’re here on a Monday night – be SURE to be at Bacchanal to catch Helen Gillet perform. Other cool watering holes include Chickie Wah Wah in Mid-City (my band plays there on 5/8), and w.i.n.o. if you’re really into wine. Other cool random places to see include the Music Box in City Park (only open until 5/10 – if you’re here in that time frame, it’s a must see), watching Robin Hood at NOMA in the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, and Crescent Park in the Bywater (great views of the city – plus a dog park! Be sure to hit up Piety Street Snoballs if you go and get a Vietnamese Iced Coffee Snoball for your walk in the park). Enjoy your visit to this magical place! Xo!

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  • Ooo, I second the suggestion of going to Bacchanals! SUCH an amazing and magical place to have a drink and listen to wonderful music under twinkle lights! My husband and I lived in New Orleans for the past 5 years and just moved away – I miss it SO much! I sent an email with some other suggestions to the address of support@abeautifulmess.com…so feel free to check that if you want some more ideas – though you’re getting plenty of great ones in the comments from what I can see!

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  • Do you really want to know which queen Jorah Mormont is talking about? A bit of a spoiler but I’ve read all the books……it’s the only queen he knows personally.

    Have fun in Mexico!!

    Xoxo,
    Laurel

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  • Oh lovely. Concrete lettering sounds awesome! Where in the house though? If its in the hallway it could just say “welcome home”. Nice and simple. Or “…and breathe” Something to make you feel relaxed straight away 🙂

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  • New Orleans is on my short list of places I need to go this year. I hope you’ll post pics and suggestions from your trip! 🙂

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  • Living the Farm Sanctuary Life is such a great book! Jon Stewart is also opening a Farm Sanctuary 🙂 <3 Another great book is The 30 Day Vegan Challenge.

    And #TeamKhaleesi. All the way.

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  • Thanks for that book recommendation! I have too much free time now I would check for it on my local stores <3

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  • I love NOLA! I’ve been many times. Here are a few spots that I like to go when we visit. Johnny’s Poboys is a great hole-in-the-wall spot with great food. Chocon for somthing a little fancier. Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is one of the oldest bars in NOLA and they have the best Hurricanes, way better than Pat O’Brians. And you should probably have a drink at the Hotel Monteleone. Have a blast!

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  • I live in (and love!) NOLA, so get ready for a ton of recommendations…

    FOOD & DRINK:
    Sucre for desserts
    Bacchanal for wine and cheese
    District Donuts Sliders and Brew… do not miss this!! Will change yr life.
    St Roch Market… beautiful space, all local everything! Try Koreole
    Crescent City Farmers Market
    French Truck Coffee
    Peche, Dick and Jennys, and Boucherie for dinner
    Elizabeths or Atchafalaya for brunch… at least one is ESSENTIAL
    Pizza Delicious
    Morning Call in City Park for beignets, cafe au lait, crawfish etoufee, etc
    Delachaise- wine bar with delicious food, and goose fat fries that will make you cry tears of joy

    SEE
    City Park!! Check out Grow Dat Youth Farm, the sculpture gardens, the botanical gardens
    The Marigny and Bywater by bike
    Magazine Street0 tons of little shops, cafes, restaurants, and beautiful homes
    The Quarter and the River- steamboats and great architecture!
    Garden District homes… swoon
    Music at night on Frenchman Street
    St Charles streetcar- good way to check out a piece of the city, and pass some beautiful homes (including mine! Luckiest lady)
    Crescent Park (in the Bywater along the river, right next to Elizabeths!)
    Good Eggs- local groceries delivered, but they’ve got a super cool warehouse space!

    Would love to see y’all when you’re here! I’m a huge fan of you gals, and you’ll love this special little city 🙂

    Feel free to check out my insta for lots of NOLA inspo: @witandshit

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  • Go to killer poboys in the back of Erin Rose. Bring cash and check the hours. It’s the best sandwich I’ve ever had and that’s not something I say lightly.

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  • Oh you have to check out St Roch market. Just opened after shutting down after Katrina. It’s one market in one building with 13 local vendors. 🙂

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  • Magazine street is great for shopping, especially between louisiana and washington. Another cute shopping area is oak street which is way uptown (in the curve of the river). For food, i would recommend atchafalaya, la petite grocery for something fancy, the grocery in the quarter for muffalattas, dat dog or the district for lunch, cowbell for burgers, ancora on freret for pizza. Coffee shops: jolt (lower garden district), rue de la course (on oak), mojo. Drinks: columns hotel’s happy hour, cure, hermes bar, swizzle stick, delachaise, ale on oak, bulldog, and carousel bar or roosevelt hotel for a nightcap. Have fun! Too bad you just missed jazzfest.

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  • My absolute favorite place to hide out in the French Quarter is Molly’s at the Market on Decatur. Their frozen Irish Coffee is to die for. Hit up the Bywater for Bootys Street Food and Elizabeth’s for breakfast. You can’t beat praline bacon!

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  • We have concrete floors throughout our home and LOVE them. I can recommend a GREAT vacuum for them if you want. Is it weird for me to admit I’m obsessed with how much this vacuum rocks?

    As for the phrase, “If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack!” – Coco Chanel haha. Because it’s good!

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