The Perks of Being Back East – Our Day Upstate

Day Trip Upstate | Cold Spring NY | Pound Ridge NY | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers | Family Photos | 6 Month Pictures

One of the perks of being back east is reconnecting with friends that I’ve known from different walks of life. After our blogs about the ectopic pregnancy, I had so many women reach out to me to share their own stories, check in, or just say hello. Watching those connections happen was one of the many reasons that speaking so openly about our situation was the right decision for us. One of the sweet messages that I received was from an old friend, Julia, who was a few years ahead of me at The Ethel Walker School. She extended an invite to her farmhouse in Pound Ridge, NY to share a meal and good conversation. Catching up with Julia Johnson, talented food stylist, was nothing short of a great day spent.

We had a crazy cold spell last week in NY and this day was at the threshold of those freezing days. It was that east coast kind of cold that goes straight to your bones and bites you right in the face. It makes cozy homes seem like a paradise which is exactly how Julia’s farmhouse felt. A few years ago, she and her husband purchased this old home that was in need of a lot more than a simple facelift. They did tons of work on the house to bring it back up to code and stay within the historical society’s legislation. The whole design was executed by them and you could see Julia’s vision throughout the whole home. One of my favorite features were the big front-facing windows that let the sunlight flood each room. Bright and airy walls with minimalist decor are a photographer’s dream! I kept thinking to myself that I couldn’t believe how immaculate everything was despite having a baby and an adorable dog, Miles!

We arrived to the cozy, warm home that smelled so so good – Julia had cooked up a few fresh loaves of focaccia, one for lunch and one for us to take home (we ate half of it on the drive back)! She had prepared a delicious and fresh salad, and we sat in the best company just catching up over a delicious meal and hot coffee. Her daughter, Eliza, had just turned six months and we quickly realized that she was not only a beautiful baby, but so easy going and full of life. We only snapped photos for a few minutes before it was time for her nap, but it was so great to be able to capture their little lives and be able to give them these photos of their joyful home.

Click here for Julia's full gallery