Hungry bunny at KickShaw in Astoria Queens

The bunny in me is definitely on summer vacation now. There is really not much update on my jewelry but I've been hopping around eating.

So here is a nice little joint at Astoria Queens I feel obliged to share with everyone - the Queens KickShaw.

It is recently recommended on TimeOutNewYork and apparently, upon a quick google search, all over the map on the internet. No wonder, it is a delicious place with lots of energy.

I ordered a Grilled Mozzarella and Cheddar Brioche with Tomato Soup and the Kitchen Sank Salad. Oh my it was very filling! I love melted cheese and for a while I was in heaven. I was about to pass out from joy and all my manners went out of the window. I think I licked my fingers...

To top it off, the little bowl of tomato soup that came with spiced pumpkin seeds added the needed acidity to the mix so you don't feel greasy at all with the sandwich.

The kitchen sank salad did have pretty much everything in it...quail eggs, asparagus, arugula, ice lettuce, carrots, spiced pumpkin seeds, baby radish...you name it! I had blue cheese on top but you can choose feta cheese as well.

Mind you, you'll have to be super hungry to take all these in. I couldn't have dinner that night!

The coffee should be good but it was too hot so I went for a cup of iced coffee and honestly it was pretty good even with ice in it.

I overheard the owner (I think) talking to some customers about his coffee selection and how certain beans give out a vanilla aroma...I want to try it next time!

A little gem near the Niagara Falls

This is what you would have seen if you were there with me in May this year.

Too cold and too wet. This year's spring was a long one. Though I love the freshness of this season, I'm so glad that summer is pretty much here now. I was told that the winter was too harsh with lots of ice building up so when I was there almost 2 wks ago, most of the sections at the Cave of the Winds were not open despite that they let you in for a quick look (I wish they had told me so I could have saved my few bucks!) With the rain and the weather, there were not a lot of tourists as well. Though I didn't see the rainbow, a misty Niagara Falls was kinda amazing too. It was just too cold :(

But I love my Bed & Breakfast - Hillcrest Inn. It's a nice house with 4 rooms available. I stayed at the French Room and it's just a little safe haven in this horrible weather.

The owner of the inn is called Cassidy and she is a sweet efficient manager as well. She provides local maps and suggestions on how to enjoy the falls and nearby attractions in different regions. She is also a great cook! We had our home-cooked breakfast at her lovely porch overlooking the Niagara Falls. Tea and Coffee is served with bakery throughout the day at the inn. And the inn is only 15 mins walk from Cave of the Winds or Maid of the Mists visitor centers. So a hungry tired guest can always come back for a quick bit and a short rest before heading out again. If you are crazy for shopping, guests receive a complimentary coupon book with $800 in savings for the Fashion Outlet Mall of Niagara Falls! You'll never know...after a wet day at the falls, you may need a new set of clothes afterall...

Visit the homepage of the Hillcrest Inn here. They even have a Japanese page available!

An unforgettable day trip

As promised, I'm posting my trip earlier this spring. This is a great day trip if you live in New York. It's called the Storm King Art Center. The first time I was there it was the autumn of 2007. This time it was Spring 2011. Both seasons are great for hiking and taking pictures on this 500 acres of landscaped lawns, fields and woodlands featuring postwar sculptures by internationally renowned artists. It is breathtakingly beautiful and entertaining to spend a day at. Take a look at a few pictures I took 3 years apart (on my dummy digital cameras)....

This is the famous Storm King stone wall. If you take the trolley tour, you will hear that there were once cows grazing at Storm King. But this is not ordinary farmland stone wall. It is part of the permanent exhibition there.

Autumn or spring, the landscape is equally amazing.

Ok, this is my product shot of my all-time-fav Cath Kidston tote. Isn't it great that the autumn leaves are so red it looks like strawberries on the bag?

Now 3 years later, the bag is still my trusty picnic bag. Here at Storm King again. 

These two shots are taken of the same installation on the ground. There are about 6 heads as a set. In the fall the leaves were like veil over a dying man. But in the spring, it looks like he is about to wake up anytime!

Another shot I took of the same spot...The eyes were part of the 2007 exhibition, now removed. Instead, a new collection called 5+5: New Perspectives is on. 

Storm King Art Center has been included in the latest TimeOutNewYork magazine as one of the day trip destinations. Check out how to get there easily by bus at Port Authority here.

If you are visiting New York and want to do shopping as well as a day trip like this one, consider taking the bus to Storm King and stop by Woodbury Outlet on your way out. It closes at 9pm so you can grab a few hours of shopping and have dinner there before heading back out to Manhattan. Check with Port Authority to see how the tickets can be arranged ;)

Next blog will be my report on Niagara Falls!

Missing my treasury updates? Here they are ;)

Alright folks, I'm sorry for being absent since the craft show on this blog. My mom came for a visit and I went to some really impressive locations with her, which I'll update you in the next blog post. But here are the accumulation of treasuries in May - definitely a feast to the eyes. Enjoy!

First off, my own treasury featuring some of the interesting pieces on Etsy I stumbled upon.

This one originally featured 16 items but good for the sellers, they are sold and removed from the feature. Oh well...still 12 rabbits to keep my grin going ear to ear...

Perfect for the gloomy wet days in this year's extended spring...

This is built on a theme by the 5 Boroughs Team, that was inspired by a greek myth. It's all about lines in different forms, 2-D/3D/straight/curve/silhouette.


Next, my jewelry featured on Etsy...

This eye-candy treasury is created by BrooklynBags, featuring my Grapes earrings. So delicious that I can't bear to overlay the usual grey tone on the treasury! I just love it!!!

This yummy orange treasury is created by BeautifulMessByEmma, featuring my Persimmons Earrings.

This lovely spring treasury is created by CutiepieCompany, featuring my Shadow of a Tree necklace.

This is created by PorterGulch, featuring also my Persimmons Earrings.

This elegant treasury is created by MarbleandMilkweed, featuring my A Dream of Fish agate earrings.

This is created by AzizaJewelry, featuring my Snowflakes bracelet.

Report on my first craft show

One month has come and gone. So did my first craft show. May 1 turned out to be an important day after all for me and for the world. I am only too happy that the show was a success AND down it goes the world's #1 terrorist.

So let's take a look at my "booth". First one in my life and hopefully a lot more to come.

It's more like a table than a booth. I know...
It's great that this is outdoor and the white stands out well in the sunlit field of grass. But I will definitely need to help the jewelry pops better in the future with maybe a different color table cloth, more leverage to create height...etc. Hey but I learned how to keep my poster boards on ground. Tie a plastic cable strip on each leg of the easel to a leg of a chair that we sit on. What a great tip from the organizer! (oh I'm so ashamed :P)

The great things so far about doing a craft show are not only moving some inventory, but also getting feedbacks (which can be so motivating!), distributing business cards and getting email addresses to build mailing list, being exposed to retail shop owners who may be looking for consignment, and event organizers who are looking for potential vendors. These have much longer effect than the sales at the event and the last two are most important for me. I am very encouraged and hope to be able to get in another one soon in the summer and try another neighborhood/type of show.

It was very tiring but now I understand why people love showing at markets. :)