a lovely backyard (not mine)

on a sunny day not so long ago, lizzy and i were practicing chinese in this lovely backyard, which belongs not to me but to albero dei gelati. that place is full of surprises. for months, i thought that they only had gelato. organic, sustainable, and addictively delightful gelato, mind you, but just gelato. then winter came, and they put up a sign in the gelato window telling me that i could go inside for gelato. well, once i went inside, i got a lot more than gelato.

it was a gorgeous spring day, unlike today.

it was a gorgeous spring day, unlike today.

i got, like, three kinds of tuppo (which they kindly explained was italian brioche): chocolate, cream, and raisin/honey. then i spotted some focaccia pizza, which i added to my bag. i'm pretty sure i also got some sort of tiramisu, but at this point, who can remember? (numerous subsequent visits have blurred my precise memory of that first foray indoors.)  then i discovered that they had really good frittatas that come on a platter with all kinds of other things like cheese and bread and salad. anyway, enough about the food (for this is not a food blog), and onto the backyard. this was the newest surprise from albero dei gelati. 

pockets of green are always especially enchanting in a city, and this backyard enchanted my pants off. the pots of herbs on the yellow shelf are cute, but look at those tables! they are salad tables! i mean, what more can i say? and that green fence is pretty cool too. 

albero-salad-table

i'm intrigued by the idea of putting a ladder (see below) in our yard so that i too can have hanging plants. but then i remember my paranoia about people rappelling (or if i had a ladder, climbing) into our subterranean yard. also, would it crash to the ground on a windy day and squash all my flowers? i also think about what would happen if a bird/squirrel died after descending into the yard. but you know, that's not really on topic so if you want to hear my thoughts on that, you can ask in the comments.

the ladder that sparked my paranoid trains of thought. it looks great there, though. 

the ladder that sparked my paranoid trains of thought. it looks great there, though. 

the space was definitely conducive to expanding one's linguistic repertoire, and also to eating, drinking, and general relaxation. they also have wifi. i can't wait until the weather clears up so i can go back. what is "gelato" in chinese? lizzy? anyone? 

in addition to the salad tables, you can sit in this bright corner...

in addition to the salad tables, you can sit in this bright corner...

..or at these ikea green tables.

..or at these ikea green tables.

rhinos and ranunculus

yesterday, i swung by botanica on my way home from the new york historical society. spring is here...i think. well, it is as long as i have these ranunculus in my line of vision. 

these colors make me so happy.

these colors make me so happy.

the selection at botanica is always great, and although it's a bit pricier than the corner shop, their blooms are worth it. (right? see above.) i also brought home this little air plant and set it in the mini rhino planter that joy bought me when i was in asia.

it's like an adorable porcupine-rhino hybrid.

it's like an adorable porcupine-rhino hybrid.

i'd been looking for the perfect thing to plant in the little guy. what do you think? here he is keeping company with the rest of the foliage in my bedroom. 

it's a jungle in there! rhino stands guard with the basil tree and some rosemary, i'd also love it if someone told me what that spiky thing is.

it's a jungle in there! rhino stands guard with the basil tree and some rosemary, i'd also love it if someone told me what that spiky thing is.