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8.11.2014

AROUND HERE / OUR FIRST WEEK IN BROOKLYN


So today Brandon was all, Hey, you gonna blog ever? And I was all, Rude! Anyway, here I am. I can't guarantee it'll be worth it.

Incidentally and I have no idea why I just thought of this, but the other day we went to the Baskin Robbins, you know, fancy family fun and things, and... well you should just get the Oreo Nutty Salted Caramel. I guess I've been thinking about it since then. It'll randomly pop into my head as we go about doing stuff, just how good it was, and how I liked it so much, and how I want to go back for some more soon, but not too soon, because, you know how that is? Speaking of, Culture on 5th has a really good Oreo soft serve. Nice and tangy. (Uh, Culture is the beeeeeeest.) Isn't Oreo ice cream the best ice cream ever? Not the cookies, though. Not ever. The cookies completely freak me out. 

So here's what all we've been up to around here.


We went with friends Rubi + Stanton to try out some Brooklyn Farmacy over in Carroll Gardens. I'm the type of nerd to always order the most obvious thing on the menu at any place we go, so banana splits it was. There is something completely amazing about a good banana split though. We also ordered the Peter Pan doughnuts, because Tina Fey said to


No reason, just !!!! Also, preschool tours. All day, every day. This part of parenthood is completely nuts. 


Every remaining brain cell I got after feeding + caring for my loved ones I spend exclusively on nesting. Thinking about nesting, talking about nesting--I've discussed the conundrum of our dinner table with three of my neighbors already (should it be centered with the support beam? Or with the dining area as a whole?). Until very recently, Barry was living on the floor behind our sofa. He always looked like he'd just survived a bender and had passed out cold, half his body stuck under the couch, all glassy-eyed and dazed. Poor Barry. I also have no idea what to do with our guitars anymore. I'm trying (trying!) to avoid clutter in here as best I can while still keeping it functional + filled with all the things we need + love. So I texted this photo to Brandon the other day of poor Barry looking so creepy on the floor, and all our guitars being so haphazard in places, and this one mirror of ours that is super useful when I'm getting dressed but doesn't look very good anywhere at all, hoping that maybe he'd have some thoughts on the matter, and can you imagine? He didn't. Also yes, I did think my legs looked rather decent in the moment, and so, you know. You gotta get what you can get while you can get it. 

Guys, every night at 9:30 an ice cream truck comes jingling through our neighborhood. Why??


Here is Huck's little bedroom as of this weekend. I sort of want to change the whole thing around already. This is such a fun time to be me! Call it Stockholm Syndrome, but now that Huck has a bedroom he spends precisely zero time playing in it. I have to remind him it's there. Hey, Huck! Go play in your bedroom! You have a bedroom! He seems unfazed.


But if this doesn't melt your icy heart, all hope is lost. 


Come on.


We've enjoyed plenty of roof time doing plenty of roof-time things. Here we have "Mid-Afternoon Emails and Talks About Guinea Pigs" roof time.


And "Dinner Time with Huck the Turtle" roof time.


"S'mores Are Better With Mini Candy Bars but an Unbalanced Twix Will Break Your Graham Cracker" roof time.


Many, many "Sunset" roof times.

But speaking of sunsets.


It's not a bad way to do things, I know!

We've been going on a lot of walks too, both as a family and as "just us two, huh Mama."


When I was a kid and we'd have family reunions, my aunt Sandi and I would always go out for long walks through my grandparents' neighborhood and "get lost." We'd wander around for hours, talking about anything and everything, until we eventually found our way home. Looking back on it now, I'm sure she knew her way around the entire time. :) Those afternoons were always so special to me. I don't know if Huck enjoys it as much as I did, but these afternoons exploring our new neighborhood have been such a treat for me. And I'll say this much: it's a lot easier to hear his little voice on these quieter Brooklyn streets than it was in Manhattan. Our afternoons "getting lost" have led to conversations full of so many gems, I hope I remember this time for the rest of my life. Three-going-on-four is such a dream boat. Heart-eye emojis all day long.


Bubble tea tapioca-fishing expeditions. Huck takes it very seriously. Thank you much, Brooklyn, for your inordinate Vietnamese sandwich shops situation. 

Not to mention, very slow trains. 


I forgot about the R train. The R train is s-l-o-w. The other day we waited practically for five million years on an R train, exhausting every interesting animal factoid we knew, singing every song in our repertoire, and clearing through all our emergency lollipops in the process. So then we sharpened our selfie skills. Useful for your resumés, turkeys.


So much talent. 

Sorry, more photos from our roof now.


Did you check out the super moon? I think I was more excited than necessary over the super moon. I dragged us all up to look at it and soak up all the vibe-y things. I swear it felt very vibe-y. Also, Brandon's really upped his cell phone game lately. Please to enjoy, do consider the graininess "art." 


Our intrepid photographer in action. 


Yep, that about does it.

Thank you and goodnight!

53 comments:

  1. I can't believe you don't like oreos. I feel like we can't be friends. ;) Also, bubble tea freaks me OUT. We are currently in the middle of painting every inch of this here' house so I understand the nesting crazies. Says the girl with a sink in her living room. It's a long story. We're working on it.

    This is crazy to admit b/c I'm a stranger from the internet BUT...we are working on our house. You guys have a new place. You look super happy. I'm getting "happier." I feel like we're both on the "upswing" and I love it. Also, unnecessary quotation marks. Anyway. Loved this post. Grainy photos and all. <3 :)

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    1. thank you! i'll drink all yo bubble tea, you can have my oreos. sounds like we'd be the perfect friends! haha :)

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  2. It's so cool that you have a rooftop, and I feel like I say this every time I comment on your blog but your son is adorable! -Hanna Lei

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  3. "three going on four"...are you expecting??

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    Replies
    1. i'm not! :( round two of treatments later this fall. cross your fingers for me!

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  4. I actually laughed out loud at the twix-broken cracker-sequence. Huck's face!

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  5. Oreos are the worst. Cookies n' cream ice cream? The. best. ever. Also, River and Huck!! Adorable! Match made in heaven! What a dreamy phase of life!

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  6. It looks like you are in my old neighborhood!!!! Are you in Park Slope? I lived there for about 5 years before we moved to Seattle 2 years ago. Surely you are there! It looks so familiar. My old stomping grounds. Are you in PS? Or perhaps Carroll Gardens? Or Prospect Heights? If you are in the Heights, go to Ample Hills Creamery and be prepared to have you socks knocked off.

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    1. To confirm, she lives in Stroller Town.... that should answer the question. :)

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    2. i've heard good things about ample hills! i'm a bit south of the slope, but not too much. so far we've LOVED the neighborhood.

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  7. god I love the way you write!
    I want your book now please!

    You make me want to move to NYC.
    Even though I do not wish to move there.
    Damn.

    Valentina
    Valentina Duracinsky Blog

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    Replies
    1. this is such a compliment, thank you!!!! i hope you love it!

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  8. Looks like a dream! Glad you're enjoying your new neighborhood and home!

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  9. 'Guys, every night at 9:30 an ice cream truck comes jingling through our neighborhood. Why??'

    selling crack / pot, most likely. it happened at my brother's too......

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    1. of course, you won't know for sure until they're still doing the rounds in mid November like they were at his' ; )

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    2. THIS IS GOOD TO KNOW. haha. (singed brandon, the former pot head.) (just kidding.....?)

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  10. You make Brooklyn look way more magical than I ever thought it was. ♥

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  11. Um. This broke my heart (see: oreos) and also pieced each shattered piece back together (see: huck and river) in one post. HOW CAN THIS BE. Your rooftop is so great and I really would love to see a Brooklyn rooftop shot every day of my life please.

    I am really sad that the ice cream truck jingling through is possibly due to drug sales. How can you turn the amazingness that is an ice cream truck into that, humanity?! Come on! :(

    x jemima
    www.jemimajaneblog.com

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  12. I can feel how happy you guys are in settling in to your new place & groove, Natalie!!! So nice to feel that sense of the universe-being-good in your writing :D

    Enjoy that rooftop with your gorgeous boys - you are one lucky lady. :)

    Flora
    www.floraemay.blogspot.com

    x

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  13. is the rooftop JUST for you guys!?!? either way, i'm still envious! we live in a brownstone in jersey city with a rooftop deck that we're not allowed to use right now (talk about temptation!!)

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    1. no, we share with four other tenants, but it's almost always empty. and luckily, all our neighbors are fantastic, it's fun bumping into them whenever we do :).

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  14. love that rooftop! love the high top converse. might have to get me a pair!

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  15. I knew I wasn't the only one who loves cookies and cream but does NOT like to eat Oreos! You make some of the best smores as well...maybe oreo on a smore? Then we'd like it? I'm glad you're making use of that rooftop...I'm in the place where I haven't done any of my summer bucket list things and I feel like "hanging out on my rooftop" would sound good in theory but i'd never do it.

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  16. Where did you get Huck's dresser? I love it!

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  17. I mean, I just, how can you not LOVE oreos!? In other news, your new apartment and new neighborhood look so rad! I'm so happy that you guys love it there!

    http://www.alovelyintention.com

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  18. I just love this little recap of your week. Your new place looks amazing! Outdoor space is just the most important thing - we used to live in a little box of an apartment, and now we have a huge fenced in yard with a gazebo AND a balcony, and is just the best.

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  19. I had dinner in Brooklyn Saturday night and then walked across the B. Bridge on Sunday. Luck you; Brooklyn is awesome.

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  20. Ugh that TUB! But what does one do about the shower curtain situation? Doesn't it all just puddle on the inside of the tub and make it crowded in there?

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    1. we have a round curtain rod coming in the mail. honestly, we've all been enjoying baths so much i'm not sure if we'll install it once it arrives. ;)

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    2. Cool! I think the practicality of a shower curtain sorta ruins the romance of the clawfoot tub itself.

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  21. I needed a good dose of New York this afternoon! Cool New York too since Phoenix is a hot 93 with lots of humidity. Heart eye emoji!

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  22. enjoy, you beautiful people, you!

    www.jcphelps.com

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  23. Ahhh what a dream! I have decided that I need a rooftop in my life. So. I'll work on that? Also, what's the eyelash situation looking like lately? Whatever it is, I'm liking and I think you should share! You look amazing!

    xo

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    1. GIRL. lilash. i've been using it a year plus. i'm fully dependent on it now. i get mine on ebay, the $40 and under ones are usually fakes, but find a tube in the $60 range and you're golden.

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  24. I love it all. Seems like an excellent move for the Hollbrook family! Enjoy nesting- it's one of my very favorite things!

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  25. Oh! I know that there is a major reroute in that area because of Sandy, but really, take the R to Atlantic then transfer to the N on the other side of the platform reroute or not. OR take the R to Dekalb and stransfer to the Q (don't transfer to the Q at Atlantic as it's on the other side of the huge station). Anyway, that's how I always got around. Also, if you take the F back home, I always stopped at 7th Ave so I could walk downhill and stayed on the last train car. And maybe this is obvious, but if you are ever in the Atlantic Ave Terminal and want to stop at Target before heading home, keep looking for the signs for the LIRR and that will lead you to the exit that leads to the actual mall. Maybe it's because I'm a moron when it comes to directions, but if I didn't look for the train and just looked for other ways out, I would go around in circles.

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    1. brandon was just telling me about this dekalb cheat trick, it's so so smart! i love/hate atlantic terminal so, so much. good call on the target tip! thank you!

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  26. You don't like oreo cookies?! Blasphemy.

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  27. Congratulations on your move! I'm looking forward to seeing Brooklyn through your eyes. You and your family seem so happy, like this move was meant to be. Thanks for sharing with us.

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  28. oh it looks fantastic - so much more space and bang for your buck!! looking forward to seeing more!

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  29. ah such goodness. Great stuff as usual Nat x

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  30. So adorable pics!
    I really love them
    Kisses
    Maggie D.
    The Indian Savage diary

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  31. I never can quite get over the adorable little boy of yours. he truly is just darling!

    love, arielle
    a simple elegance

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  32. Can't you just pretend you live in a shack to make us feel better about ourselves? ;) Your apartment is seriously the BEST. Thanks so much for sharing the pics!
    www.thesanfranciscan.co/

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  33. The other day I went running (which mostly turned into not running because of a chronically pulled groin situation, so then it was more like...dragging one leg behind me.....then, playing on my phone on the side of the street in running clothes) AND, this ice cream truck drove by me (first scared the shiz out of me by blasting its music unexpectedly) and then pulled over in front of me and i was like.....i was not running after you....i was running before you got here. But then this old lady came out of her house and yelled at it, and it did an abrupt U-turn and left. I really had forgotten about this whole thing until you brought up ice cream trucks.

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  34. Congrats on the move! We have just the view opposite in Jersey City (although we're Harlem Lovebirds - long story!) from our place and it is divine especially for fireworks. We saw about 6 different sets this year! We also have the 9:30p.m. ice cream truck that makes my blood boil. The neighborhood parents' consensus is that it's not just ice cream they're selling O_o

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  35. You seem so much happier in Brooklyn, Nat! Congratulations on the new place – looking forward to reading more!

    http://tajo.co

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  36. Seriously, how do you stay skinny? There's enough sugar depicted on your site to give me diabetes through the screen and yet I struggle constantly and you seem to eat everything and come out looking like a thin mint. It can't just be walking. I spin, bike miles, walk my dog, lift weights...
    whatever it is, I want what you're having.

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  37. Hahaha my husband loves to snap silly selfie photos like the last photo of this blog post too! Guys are funny. Anw the roof top view is beautiful.. And Huck'sbedroom is cute! I should start planning a room for my sons. ;)

    http://smittenbyangels.blogspot.com

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  38. I am SO envious of your move to Brooklyn....I live in London but dream of living in Brooklyn, I can't even tell you how much!!

    I am so happy that good things are happening for you, you sound very happy in Brooklyn, yay!

    Huck & his little girl friend are gorgeous.

    I wish you loads of good things & happiness in your home, have fun!!

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