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Riki & Brien were married November 1st on a beautiful fall day in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The outdoor ceremony was framed by an industrial landscape and the colorful fall leaves. Guests were warmed by bon fires & vowes written by the bride & groom.
The reception took place in the adjacent warehouse converted loft where the bridal party spent the weekend. The fall theme carried through the entire event; centerpieces made of cheery tree twigs, chocolate brown table cloths, and bouquets made of cabbage, mint, vibrant lillies & wrapped in feathers. Instead of a cake, the couple constructed a multi tiered tower of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts & the food was made from local ingredients purchased at the West Side Market.
Make a seasonal center piece with fruit, greenery and flowers from your yard. (or your neighbor’s.) Simply place your findings in a bowl of water and arrange the way you like. When styling the center piece remember to group things in threes or odd numbers. Symmetry is not always pleasing to eye! Floral foam & picks are ideal but not necessary, as the life expectancy of your clippings may be short.
Living in small city apartments has always inspried creative uses for conserving and creating more space. The best method I believe is converting rooftops into patios and outdoor living areas. In Hong Kong, an apartment with roof access is usually considered the crown jewel of real estate. With warmer temperatures all year long, a great rooftop is a wonderful place to entertain friends and familys, hold bbqs and just step away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city streets. Out of my bedroom window I can view my neighbors rooftop (see below) which is absolutely breathtaking.
(For the record, I have never ONCE seen them use said rooftop which is just a shame). Note the built in stone bench, the Large Potted plants. The enclosed space to shield from rain (as Hong Kong is also known for its overcast skys during typhoon season), is made out of bamboo a favorite building material in this country. If I were the owner of this rooftop not only would I be throwing a lot more rooftop parties and all out shindigs, I would also spice up the plants with more color. On my own rooftop I have a beautiful bougainvillea bush which is easy to maintain and blooms with these spectacular pink blossoms all summer long. Sunflowers, daisies, or a lilac bush are also great ideas for some cheerful color. For the green thumb, a small garden is also an idea, even if it is just herbs. Or for the un-green thumb, maybe a rock garden. Most importantly these ideas don’t require a rooftop and can easily be translated to a more suburban tradition of a patio. No matter what you choose … Happy Roofing!
—Stephanie Hauk
Ms. Hauk is a native Clevelander, but is guest bloging from Hong Honk. She is obsessed with all things beautiful. See her blog here http://vicioushawk.blogspot.com/
Leaving work, you know what you have to do, grocery shop, and what you want to do, enjoy the last of the sumer weather. Well, Tuesday evenings in Tremont you can do both! If you haven’t been to the Tremont Farmers’ Market yet, you are missing out. Each week I look forward to seeing what locally grown produce will be there. They have fresh fruit and vegetables, many specialty items and music. Tonight I will be making a spicy thai stir fry with my purchases.
My Shopping List
parsley
rainbow chard
green beans
lettuce
sweet corn
hot peppers
sweet onion
eggplant
basil
carrots
Lincoln Park, on W.14th Street between Starkweather & Kenilworth Ave.
Tuesdays from 4:30 – 7:30 pm
June 16 – October 20
www.tremontfarmersmarket.com
As most you know, its the Sunday of summer. Thats right, August. Yes, Sunday can be relaxing, but you know what’s looming in the near future. Monday. So before winter is upon us we must make the most of our time outdoors. On a recent bike with the purpose of errands I noticed the tall grass by the side of the road. It reminds me of the earthy decorations that were all the rage in suburban homes in the early 1980s. Particularly, the large vase of prickly ornamental grass that I inaccurately dubbed “cat’s tails” my mother kept in our living room. There was nothing I could do except bring some home and put them in a vase.
photo credit: Jeff Sierputowski
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