Sorry for the lack of posting lately, guys. I promise to be back to a normal schedule soon. My baby nephews are headed to the Jersey Shore with my mom for Memorial Day so I’ll be bombarding you with thunder thighs (ahem, above) and toddler shenanigans next week. We also head to Iceland soon so you know I’ll have five million incredible photos to share so get ready! In the meantime, thanks for hanging in. I hope all is well and life is fantastic! xo, risa

You know when you find a top or pair of jeans or even a sweater you love and you wear it over and over and over again and you don’t care who sees? That’s how I feel about just about everything I’m wearing here. I’ve never been one for tight clothes. I like to be polished but simple, loose but structured. This blouse is super roomy and comfy, but its boxy shape and stripes make it a classic. And I’m pretty sure linen pants are god’s gift to women. So yea, you’ve seen these pieces before, though not together, and you’ll probably be seeing them again! Wear what makes you feel good and don’t care who sees!

{Zara top + pants; Alex and Ani “Blush Mirage Wrap” + J.Crew bracelets; Michael Kors “Runway” watch; Coach “News Willis” bag; Anthropologie “Palm Springs Shades”; Essie “Maximillian Strasse-Her” nail polish; ASOS “Scala” heels}

Chris and I weren’t able to see our mothers for Mother’s Day this year so instead we ate enough for all four of us. I had never been to Green Eggs Cafe on 13th and Dickinson but we will definitely be back. This stack of red velvet pancakes was literally bigger than my head and though I ate less than a quarter of this “serving” I can’t wait to eat the leftovers for dinner all week! I mean, who can pass up red velvet buttermilk pancakes with chocolate morsels layered with strawberry mascarpone and topped with fresh strawberries, maple syrup and chantilly cream? Not this girl. I hope you and your mamas and grandmamas and sisters and aunts and all the other wonderful mamas out there had a fantastic Sunday!

[i wasn't kidding when i said we could have fed our moms with these servings!]

I’ve received quite a few questions lately about the camera and lenses I use for blogging and traveling so I thought I’d share. Let me say first, I am no expert. Most of the functions on this camera might as well be written in Japanese, but I’m having fun learning and snagging tips from other talented bloggers and photographers. So here goes …

camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i. we really love this camera. we’ve had it since August and though we still don’t know what every button means, it’s user-friendly, light, compact and takes phenomenal photos. as an amateur, i find canon in general to be much easier to use than nikon and other brands. i would highly recommend this to novice photogs. the camera comes with a standard “kit lens,” which is an 18-55mm, but we upgraded to an …

18-135mm lens. we needed a zoom lens for sightseeing in Spain so we went or the upgrade. it’s big and a little heavy, but it was exactly what we needed. we’re headed to Iceland in a few weeks, too, and it’ll be our main lens for the trip. for every day shooting though … not so practical. (photos seen here and here and here)

ef 50mm f/1.8 ii. the essential lens for style/food bloggers. hands down. it’s a fixed lens, so you’ll need to stand as close to or as far away from your subject as you want it to appear in the image. it’s great for closeups, blurred backgrounds, outfits, food detail and more. it’s amazing, but not ideal for walking around. bonus: it’s only $110! (photos seen here and here and here)

40mm “pancake” lens. this lens was recommended to me at the IFB Conference last September by photographer Lydia Hudgens. i needed a walking around lens for picnics in the park, city strolls and days with the girls. something light, small enough to fit in my purse (it’s called a pancake lens after all!) and a bit wider than my 50mm. it’s another fixed lens, but i don’t have to get so far away from my subjects, like with the 50. it’s great for detail, too, and i find myself using it for food sometimes. just ask henna, susan and liz. they all bought the lens after hearing me rave about it, too! bonus: it’s only $150! (photos seen here and here and here)

i’d love to know which cameras and lenses you use so let me know in the comments. i’m always on the hunt for new accessories and techniques!

happy snapping!

p.s. i also use my iphone … obviously used to take the photo above. :)

I love day dates. Possibly more than date nights. Day dates are casual, sunny and they take up a whole afternoon filled with fun activities. As opposed to date nights where I eat too much, fall asleep and wake up with a headache. I do love those, too. But I really really love day dating. This is what I wore for our afternoon picnic in the park on Saturday. I found this linen cargo vest in blogger Kendi Everyday‘s shop Bloom (well, online since her shop is in Texas). It’s light and versatile and I couldn’t wait for an excuse to wear it. I predict I’ll be throwing it over sun dresses and tank tops all summer and into fall. Paired with my new favorite (and only) maxi skirt and a light shell, I felt comfortable enough to lie on a blanket in the park (hence the wrinkles) and dressy enough for a date with my husband. That’s a win-win guys.

{Vest from Kendi Everyday‘s shop Bloom; Loft skirt; J.Crew shell; Anthropologie sunglasses; Warehouse straw shopper via ASOS; Sam Edelman sandals; Target belt; Essie “Maximillian Strasse-Her” nail polish}

A lovely afternoon spent reading, napping and relaxing in the park. Just what the doctor ordered. Chris and I packed up a few essentials and grabbed a shady spot in Schuylkill Bank Park along the river to enjoy the beautiful sunshine on Saturday. It was the perfect spring day, a rarity these last few seasons. We watched the bikers and runners whiz by, the moms with strollers saunter along and the grandpops teach their youngsters how to fish. My favorite Saturday in a long time. How did you enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend?

sooo, sorry for the lack of posting this week. i’m feeling a little tired and a lot uninspired. i need a pause button and some vitamin d. like a needle of sunshine to the bones. i have to work early morning saturday, but i’ve decided to dedicate the rest of the weekend to nothing. nothing but picnics in the park, naps on the grass and movies on the couch. that’s right. hand me a bag of twizzlers, a beach hat and a good book and color me thrilled. capeesh? next week i promise to bring you happiness and cute outfits (because i also did some online shopping this week and the mailman and i are like this). have a great weekend guys! xo

My feelings toward our fig tree have softened a bit since I moved in with Chris a few years ago. For you blog newbies, this gal is a beast. (You can read about her miniskirt-sized poisonous leaves and obnoxious need to take over our lives here.) You see, we live in South Philly and we have this sweet little patio perfect for breakfast al fresco or an afternoon of sunbathing. But no. Never. Not once. Because she won’t share. As in, leaves not an inch for us humans once she’s in full bloom. This “original” fig tree runs this place, folks. Two summers ago we dedicated many sleepless nights to turning her into canned fig preserves to be used as both our wedding favors and table assignments (seen here, recipe post here), since she produces enough figs in a summer to feed our entire neighborhood for a year. Then last summer, in complete and utter rebellion, this bossy thing decided to have a rotten season and deprive us. I woke up Saturday morning and opened the windows in our kitchen to let the cool breeze in when I saw this. Baby buds and bright green itty bitty leaves. And the smell, oh the smell of fresh figs right out your window. The sweetest sign of summer.

[lemon + cheesecake macaroon from Stateside]

The longer we live in South Philly, the more I love it. The food, the festivals, the people. And there’s always something going on. Over the weekend, East Passyunk Avenue (this is the street I told you about last week that won a big nod from Food & Wine Mag, remember?) hosted its annual Flavors of the Avenue festival. Essentially, there’s a big tent where a bunch our neighborhood restaurants set up shop and offer tastings of a few of their favorites. It’s a mad house … and quite the drinking fest. Outside the tent is a free live band, vendors and a craft fair. Saturday was the most beautiful day weather-wise and a visit from Korin and her puppy Ripken completed the weekend! Though sadly, I was so enthralled by the food I didn’t take photos of anything else. I really need to get better at that. How was your weekend?

[inside the tent]

[tacos from El Zarape]

[cupcakes from Ms. Goody Cupcake]

[rice balls from Noir]

[my husband's vine vid of the day]

So let’s see, this week … I thought we’d had a break-in in our house in the middle of the night but then I realized it was just a ghost who likes to do the dishes. Spring has finally made its way to Philly and I can’t get enough of all the fresh blooms and sweet air. My friend Korin and her cute puppy Ripken are coming this weekend so I’ve been super excited all week. But I hope they don’t mind that I haven’t cleaned in approximately three months. And Friday finally came. At last. Happy weekend!