The tomatoes were from a bag my Mom shoved in my h The tomatoes were from a bag my Mom shoved in my hands as we were leaving Easter dinner. I couldn’t find the expiration date on the burrata I bought from the farmer’s market goodness knows when. And I didn’t measure the heavy cream and added too much and had to scramble to find some mozzarella to fix that situation. But it all still magically came together to make this delicious Whipped Burrata with Roasted Tomatoes that is simply divine. So easy and yummy, you can find the recipe on @ainttooproudtomeg’s site. 🤤
Honored to be this beauty’s sponsor for her Conf Honored to be this beauty’s sponsor for her Confirmation today. It was a beautiful day from start to finish. ✨
Cheers to the weekend, friends! The dreary weather Cheers to the weekend, friends! The dreary weather yesterday and today needed a pop of sunshine, and these beautiful flowering baskets from Whole Foods did the trick! ☀️ Best part? They were a steal at $13.49! ✨
Does it still count if I celebrate National Coquil Does it still count if I celebrate National Coquilles Saint Jacques the day AFTER? I say yes. What IS Coquilles Saint Jacques? It’s a scallop gratin. I love shellfish, however my children do not, so I don’t eat it as much as I would like. My plans to make this yesterday were thwarted by the seafood shop being closed, grocery store #1 having questionable scallops and grocery store #2 only having frozen. So here we are! I used an Ina Garten recipe (you can always trust her recipes!) and it was simple to make and so freaking good. Those little crispy bread crumb bits on the top were everything good in this world. Since I currently can’t be trusted to blog the recipe 😂, you can swipe left for the exact title to Google (which I found on Food Network) and swipe left one more time for my changes. I’ve saved this on my Recipes highlight bubble on my profile here too. Tap the little flag on the bottom right of the photo to save it, but by all means, do make it! 🤤
Never underestimate the power of a simple change ( Never underestimate the power of a simple change (swipe left for a before). Twenty years of calling this home and I finally got to choose the house paint color, and I’m more obsessed with our house than ever. Bonus points for the magic of window boxes, styrofoam, wadded up newspaper and a hot glue gun. ✨
🌸weekend vibes🌸 Stumbled on this pretty peta 🌸weekend vibes🌸
Stumbled on this pretty petal-lined path yesterday while taking photos for a client. Take a moment to appreciate your surroundings this weekend - it will fill your soul right up. 🥰
An unusual and spontaneous day filled with fellows An unusual and spontaneous day filled with fellowship and friendship, and a beautiful moonlit evening waiting for me when I came home. ✨
I’ve been craving fish and fruit something fierc I’ve been craving fish and fruit something fierce lately, so when I spied oysters on the menu, it was a no brainer. Even better that it was a steal at ten bucks. Beautiful weather for dining al fresco in Madison tonight. ✨
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Food and Life

Visit: Laurelwood Arboretum, Wayne, New Jersey

May 18, 2020 · Narrative

A quiet little oasis tucked away in Wayne, New Jersey, let’s visit the Laurelwood Arboretum.

Laurelwood Arboretum, Wayne, NJ

Since the Coronavirus pandemic hit, and we’ve been quarantined, I’ve made an effort to get my kids out of the house for an hour or two of family time in the fresh air and sunshine. While the rest of the time they have been largely sequestered at home, I feel the shot of fresh air and sunshine is much needed for positive mental health. They don’t necessarily agree, but they humor me and we compromise and stick to destinations that are within a twenty minute drive and largely isolated, to keep everyone safe.

And that’s how we ended up at the Laurelwood Arboretum. I am a sucker for a peaceful place where I can listen to the water trickle in a stream and take a slew of floral and fauna photos, so you know this checked all my boxes.

Laurelwood Arboretum, Wayne, NJ

We found it easily, and pulled into the small parking lot. Since the state is still largely on lockdown, the Visitor’s Center is closed (along with the restrooms), so if you visit before things open up, keep that in mind.

Laurelwood Arboretum, Wayne, NJ

We wandered aimlessly, following the trails in a large loop, and the place is such a meditative and reflective spot, I could have happily stayed for hours. It’s quiet, with little benches and bursts of flowers tucked in here and there, along with a few sculptures, and babbling streams. I stopped at every one, as my kids made fun of me, because trickling water or the sounds of the beach are legit my favorite sounds ever.

Laurelwood Arboretum, Wayne, NJ

Laurelwood Arboretum, Wayne, NJ

If you’re in the area, and looking for a nature-based place to visit (or even picnic), this is a good one to add to your list.

Laurelwood Arboretum, Wayne, NJ

Hungry for more tranquil places to visit in New Jersey?
The Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit is another favorite.
The Grounds for Sculpture property is a great place to spend a few hours, and the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else.
An old friend introduced me to the Van Vleck House & Garden and I can’t wait to go back.
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms is another local favorite.
And for more day trips and fun places to visit, check out this Pinterest board.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: arboretum, day trip, kid-friendly, Laurelwood, New Jersey, Wayne

Comments

  1. Sarah Walker Caron says

    May 31, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    How beautiful! It looks like a very peaceful and serene place.

    Reply

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The tomatoes were from a bag my Mom shoved in my h The tomatoes were from a bag my Mom shoved in my hands as we were leaving Easter dinner. I couldn’t find the expiration date on the burrata I bought from the farmer’s market goodness knows when. And I didn’t measure the heavy cream and added too much and had to scramble to find some mozzarella to fix that situation. But it all still magically came together to make this delicious Whipped Burrata with Roasted Tomatoes that is simply divine. So easy and yummy, you can find the recipe on @ainttooproudtomeg’s site. 🤤
Honored to be this beauty’s sponsor for her Conf Honored to be this beauty’s sponsor for her Confirmation today. It was a beautiful day from start to finish. ✨
Cheers to the weekend, friends! The dreary weather Cheers to the weekend, friends! The dreary weather yesterday and today needed a pop of sunshine, and these beautiful flowering baskets from Whole Foods did the trick! ☀️ Best part? They were a steal at $13.49! ✨
Does it still count if I celebrate National Coquil Does it still count if I celebrate National Coquilles Saint Jacques the day AFTER? I say yes. What IS Coquilles Saint Jacques? It’s a scallop gratin. I love shellfish, however my children do not, so I don’t eat it as much as I would like. My plans to make this yesterday were thwarted by the seafood shop being closed, grocery store #1 having questionable scallops and grocery store #2 only having frozen. So here we are! I used an Ina Garten recipe (you can always trust her recipes!) and it was simple to make and so freaking good. Those little crispy bread crumb bits on the top were everything good in this world. Since I currently can’t be trusted to blog the recipe 😂, you can swipe left for the exact title to Google (which I found on Food Network) and swipe left one more time for my changes. I’ve saved this on my Recipes highlight bubble on my profile here too. Tap the little flag on the bottom right of the photo to save it, but by all means, do make it! 🤤

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The tomatoes were from a bag my Mom shoved in my h The tomatoes were from a bag my Mom shoved in my hands as we were leaving Easter dinner. I couldn’t find the expiration date on the burrata I bought from the farmer’s market goodness knows when. And I didn’t measure the heavy cream and added too much and had to scramble to find some mozzarella to fix that situation. But it all still magically came together to make this delicious Whipped Burrata with Roasted Tomatoes that is simply divine. So easy and yummy, you can find the recipe on @ainttooproudtomeg’s site. 🤤
Honored to be this beauty’s sponsor for her Conf Honored to be this beauty’s sponsor for her Confirmation today. It was a beautiful day from start to finish. ✨
Cheers to the weekend, friends! The dreary weather Cheers to the weekend, friends! The dreary weather yesterday and today needed a pop of sunshine, and these beautiful flowering baskets from Whole Foods did the trick! ☀️ Best part? They were a steal at $13.49! ✨
Does it still count if I celebrate National Coquil Does it still count if I celebrate National Coquilles Saint Jacques the day AFTER? I say yes. What IS Coquilles Saint Jacques? It’s a scallop gratin. I love shellfish, however my children do not, so I don’t eat it as much as I would like. My plans to make this yesterday were thwarted by the seafood shop being closed, grocery store #1 having questionable scallops and grocery store #2 only having frozen. So here we are! I used an Ina Garten recipe (you can always trust her recipes!) and it was simple to make and so freaking good. Those little crispy bread crumb bits on the top were everything good in this world. Since I currently can’t be trusted to blog the recipe 😂, you can swipe left for the exact title to Google (which I found on Food Network) and swipe left one more time for my changes. I’ve saved this on my Recipes highlight bubble on my profile here too. Tap the little flag on the bottom right of the photo to save it, but by all means, do make it! 🤤
Never underestimate the power of a simple change ( Never underestimate the power of a simple change (swipe left for a before). Twenty years of calling this home and I finally got to choose the house paint color, and I’m more obsessed with our house than ever. Bonus points for the magic of window boxes, styrofoam, wadded up newspaper and a hot glue gun. ✨
🌸weekend vibes🌸 Stumbled on this pretty peta 🌸weekend vibes🌸
Stumbled on this pretty petal-lined path yesterday while taking photos for a client. Take a moment to appreciate your surroundings this weekend - it will fill your soul right up. 🥰
An unusual and spontaneous day filled with fellows An unusual and spontaneous day filled with fellowship and friendship, and a beautiful moonlit evening waiting for me when I came home. ✨
I’ve been craving fish and fruit something fierc I’ve been craving fish and fruit something fierce lately, so when I spied oysters on the menu, it was a no brainer. Even better that it was a steal at ten bucks. Beautiful weather for dining al fresco in Madison tonight. ✨

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