Camping in Brooklyn

Somehow I missed this New York Times article on camping in Floyd Bennett Field. I have been there many times (mainly on the way to Fort Tilden for a beach day) but I was unaware that you could sleep over there!  And according to this article, the National Park Service is apparently turning the space into America's largest urban campground. It would be fun to try...maybe?

Bottled Flowers

Here are some beautiful works by artist Makoto Azuma. In his latest series, Azuma overstuffs glass bottles with dying flowers and then fills them with water, as if they were being preserved. Even though they are short-lived, they are stunning. You can see more here.

Human Planet

The BBC has a new series called Human Planet, and it looks incredible. The show will focus on human life and our relationship with nature, particularly in extreme (and stunning) environments. There are eight episodes total and each one highlights a different landscape: oceans, deserts, arctic, jungles, mountains, grasslands, rivers and cities. I have watched the trailer several times and can't get over some of the images...they are beautiful, scary and unbelievable at the same time!

A New Generation of Farmers

Speaking of farm-life, The New York Times just did an article on the growing trend of young farmers in the United States. It really does seem like everywhere you turn there are young couples buying land and having a go at it (we have seen a lot of them in Portland and even at the famer's markers in NYC over the past few years). Perhaps the overstimulation of our society is causing us to regress to simpler times? Regardless of why, it is always inspiring to me to see people who are not afraid to take a risk and do something special. Is this becoming the new norm?

Books To Read: The Dirty Life

I haven't read this book yet, but as soon as I tackle my current "to read" stack, I will. Writer Kristin Kimball tells the true story of her move from New York journalist to upstate farmer...with no real experience.  Of course it all sounds so romantic, but she says her new life can be pretty ugly at times (birthing animals, butchering...eek).

What IS romantic is the how when she was a travel writer living in Manhattan, she traveled to Pennsylvania to do a story about a young, sustainable farmer.  One thing lead to another and this man, Mark, became her husband and the man who inspired her to change everything.  Now they are raising their two children near Lake Champlain and living a pretty charmed life.

I dream about these type of things...leaving everything behind to farm beets/bake pies/sleep under the stars.  But to actually DO it....well, lets hope that this book will inspire me in some way.

Oh and NPR did a little segment on Krisin, listen to it here.

Iceland

Another beautiful travel video, this time in Iceland (on our list of places to go). Found on a travel blog we recently discovered, Lets Get Lost. I wish I could bottle up the feeling of exploring a new place...there is nothing like it.

Travel Love: Our road trip movie

Finally! The movie from our 2010 road trip throughout the southwest and southeast of America...made with love by Jason. Watching it makes me wish we were on the road right now...

Beachcombing

 

Love these prints by Jennifer Booher. She photographs found objects from the beach near her home in Bar Harbor, Maine (a beautiful place to visit). They would look great framed as a series!

Home again

We are back! With serious jet-lag. Haven't really slept in 3 days and its wearing on us. New posts coming soon, along with a trip report.  In the meantime, here is the story of a lonely whale.

River Flood

An Amazing video of the Sandy River Flood in Oregon.

Holy Snow

So I guess us New Yorkers have to stop complaining. These image are from the Japanese Alps in Honshu, Japan's largest island. That is 56 feet of snow right there! Yikes.

(via why evolution is true)

Backpacker Magazine

Some exciting news on this cold Monday. I just discovered today (via Miss Moss) that you can read old issues of Backpacker Magazine on google books. So much more amazing back then...sigh.

Stephen Mallon

This photo series by Stephen Mallon called “Next Stop Atlantic” captures how the MTA program creates artificial reefs out of old subway cars. 

Opens Friday, Feb 3 @ Calumet Photographic Gallery

22 West 22nd Street, New York

And more about the project here.

Ice Storm

New York is currently having a crazy ice storm right now! The frigid air made me think of Ernest Schakleton and his brave trips to Antarctica. I wonder how cold they must have been and I would love to test out their clothing/gear versus today's standards. These images are by photographer Frank Hurley, who visited the continent six times between 1911 and 1932. 

(Images via the State Library of New South Wales)

Museum of Natural History

Some pretty specimens from our trip to the Museum of Natural History this past weekend!

Eagle Street Rooftop Farm

The Eagle Street Rooftop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn is the best idea ever, we just wish we had thought of it. It's been around for a few years now, but we still haven't visited it (even though its only a few blocks away)! These images from The Selby are going to change that!