Places: Mike & Patty's Boston

I've been meaning to give a shout out to this place for a while. Most here who know me have been promised an escorted visit. Started by two former Fromaggio Kitchen folks, Mike & Patty's is smaller than my studio apartment and located in Boston's secret neighborhood, Bay Village.

Atlanta: Garden*Hood and Flat Earth Designs

As I've finally become a sort of gardener, I really appreciate garden stores that not only offer infinitely better service than the big box stores, but also emphasize real design in the garden. Garden*Hood has filled the space left in Atlanta by the Urban Gardener, a casualty of the great drought a couple of years ago. Garden*Hood has a great, knowledgeable staff - but the store's strongest recommendation is their focus on contemporary design in the outdoors.

To that point, I'm also enamored of their garden furniture, made by Atlanta company Flat Earth Design, helmed by artist Richard Taylor.

places: Boston Farmers Markets

Tis the season! Here in Boston, when it's the season - it's on. Antique markets, outside cafes, picnics at one of many parks, kayaking or sailing on the Charles, train rides to beaches... and farmers markets. The farmers markets in Boston are wonderful. There are many, many throughout the city and Brookline, Cambridge (yes, these are not the City of Boston), and Somerville. You can find a list of all the farmers markets in Massachusetts here. But I wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the ones most local and dear to me which are those in Boston proper. The markets, for the most part, operate on different days of the work-week so there is usually one up and running at one of these locations.

places: SOWA Market, Boston Sundays

The SOWA Market in Boston's South End is in full swing! This year the market has moved from its old spot next to Gaslight, to just a bit further down Harrison Ave. (but still close enough to grab brunch at Gaslight before heading to the market). This new spot is fantastic for the market. It's at 460 Harrison Ave, which houses many of Boston's talented artists, their fantastic galleries and studios. There is an outdoor section with food vendors - and to my delight, Dels (now I can have some between Brimfields and trips to RI); an outside market and interior vintage market that's a lovely addition. I couldn't get to Todd Farm Sunday because of the rain and so I took trips instead to Cambridge Antique Market and SOWA and my need for Sunday antiquing was met. Check it out this Sunday!

More photos and details after the jump.

places: Gardens at the Villa Lante, Bagnaia, Italy

After spending the better part of a decade studying architecture, this year I finally got around to taking a course on Renaissance and Mannerist architecture. It's the kind of class that breaks your heart a little, knowing you can only take it once.

The course has subtly realigned so many of my priorities and tastes. Shopping for drinking glasses a few months ago, I found myself thinking, "These are nice - but would they look at home in the Villa Giulia?" A ridiculous hypothetical for almost anyone, but particularly for someone living in a 900-square-foot house from the 1940's. A more fortuitous result of this reanalysis is this kind of inner dialogue: "These jeans are nice. But the money I'd spend on them could pay for 2% of a trip to the Villa Lante."

A note on the photos: I've used the photographs of Ken McCown and Pandorea to illustrate this post. Please visit their gorgeous Flickr albums.

Allsaints Spitalfields Boston Storefront

When Pottery Barn left its giant spot on Boston's famous Newbury St, it was a tell-tale sign of the "economic conditions" - but now, not a year later (or maybe it has been?) many of Newbury's vacant storefronts are being re-opened - including this prominent space.

The store that took over the space is Allsaints Spitafields and it seems that they've acquired all the remaining vintage sewing machines, ever (except that I know there is one here and one here in Somerville, Ma). The entire extra long storefront is covered in shelving displaying the machines. It's pretty fantastic and draws many-a-onlooker. More photos after the jump.

Todd Farm Antiques

Glory be, it's flea market season in New England!

Places: Cambridge Antique Market

This place is my lifeline during the off season for tag sales and flea markets.