The Mixtape // 08.11.17

Last week, two friends and I got on a train and headed out of the city. After an hour’s ride, we reached Cold Spring, NY where we rented stand up paddleboards and explored the quaint town. It was a great time, and I took way too many pictures, so I’m sharing them in today’s mixtape, along with a few other things that should be on your radar. This thing of going to Cold Spring and renting stand up paddleboards is becoming a tradition. Last summer, Tanya and I did it, and this year our friend Heather also came along for the fun.

Like last year, we had a great time on the water, spending our two hours with a good mix of paddling and relaxing on our boards. Two of my favorite things from the day: 1) this tiny boat named “Lil Bit,” and 2) this postcard hanging in the rental place, which I took as motivation to pursue my passions.After paddle boarding, we headed into town for lunch and exploring.There’s a lot of charm throughout the main street of Cold Spring, which is peppered with interesting shops selling housewares, antiques, clothing, artisan food, and artwork.

I’m pretty sure I took this same photo of this building last year, but apparently I just love it.And since I couldn’t buy all the pretty things in all the shops, taking photos of it all was the next best thing.

The shots below are from a store called Burkelman, where I bought a sweet gold necklace.We also really liked exploring the Cold Spring Apothecary, which also had a cafe inside that served carbonated brewed teas (really interesting).We made additional stops in the General Store, and antique store, and a store with adorable kids’ clothing. Next we headed to the waterfront, which served up more great views.And then I tried to take some photos by the water, and my hair and the wind weren’t trying to let me be great. This is a series of photos that crack me up.And just like that, it was time to head to the train station to make our way back to Harlem. It was a very good day.

So now, a couple other things from the week that are worth sharing…

If you’re a fan of Oprah and her Super Soul Sundays show, you’ll be happy to know that she’s consolidated a bunch of those conversations and launched a podcast. The first two episodes with Brené Brown are so good, and the episode with Sheryl Sandberg about loss resonated with me deeply (and connected with the post I just wrote about being there for people as they grieve).

Even though my hair was all over the place, my curls are made possible by a hair cut and products from Devachan/Deva Curl. If you’re curly and haven’t checked them out, get on it!

And finally, the pink top I have on in the pics above is from my friend Amanda’s new online shop, which has pieces that are affordable, really comfortable, and stylish.

Have a great weekend!