For Your Soul || inspiration, self-care, places to wander

Mercer County Park. Photos from my summer at home here.

"Slow living" in a fast paced culture isn't easy because you have to define what "slow" means for you. Here are some of the things I've been loving (to see, to make, to visit) that help me slow down and take it easy.

Other recent recommendations: For Your Eyes (books to read and videos to watch) and For Your Ears (music and podcasts)

To follow:

On Instagram, I've been loving the poetry shared by @nayyirah.waheed and the designs created by @a.crouse

To make: Sour Cherry Apple Muffins (recipe here)

To see: Carlos Zinelli’s artwork at the American Folk Art Museum (free entry and you're greeted by the sweetest security guards!)

To visit:

1. Your local library!
2. Labyrinth Books, Nassau St, Princeton, NJ: a posher version of NYC's Strand Books
3. Strand Books, Union Square, New York City, NY: get lost with four floors of books to browse through
4. MOMA Design Store (Soho location): a spot that my mom has taken to me a handful of times
5. Mercer County Park (specifically the Blue Trail through the woods)

Is it obvious yet that I love books and bookstores? I was able to rekindle my love for reading with the start of 2017, but furthermore with extra time this summer. As much as I love owning a book, I have to be fully honest by saying that I rarely bring myself to reread most of the books already on my shelf (with the exception of The Prisoner of Azkaban...that I reread at least once a year) - that’s why I list the local library first!

At the same time, I live in a small town with an older library, so the selections aren’t as diverse and up-to-date as a university or city library. That’s when bookstores come in. I don’t often go to them to purchase books, but rather, to sift through the many options and curate a reading list! And since we’re on the honesty train, I feel compelled to admit that I’ve spent many hours silently gushing over cookbooks and travel memoirs at bookstores (if you get a chance, look through Tasting Rome and The Times' Melissa Clark's Dinner: Changing the Game).