Ladurée

(Photo of my recent purchase at Maison Laduree in New York, Upper East Side, 2012)

Packaging gets me every time.  Great branding makes me do crazy things.

This past week I walked 48 blocks in Manhattan just to step into the Ladurée boutique and stare at macaroons with precise, pillowed feet!  And really, I was far more excited about the beautiful boxes they come in than the near-perfect delectables themselves.  Thick textures, extra white space, unnecessary foiling and logo-ed paraphernalia make my heart race. 

I could only afford one treat, and went for a minty green container that housed their sultry Earl Grey Thé.  I feel like the Queen herself.

Kinfolk

(Photo by Laura D'art)

"We know from experience that our meals and relationships evolve in tandem: we form friendships over lunch dates, settle into traditional brunch spots with family, and share cups of coffee that sometimes turn into marriages. These everyday meals, moments, and places shape us both individually and collectively, but these pages serve as a reminder that our time together can be unfussy and uncomplicated—so long as it’s intentional." -Kinfolk website

Isn't that true?

- I fell in love with the Non-Scotsman somewhere between grilled salmon and a slice of chocolate cake.

- I met my college roommate over a cup of dorm-room brewed coffee.

- My dream of graduate school was confirmed over a steaming grougere.

The list could go on endlessly.

What about you? Where has your life been changed somewhere at the intersection of friends and a shared meal?

(Images courtesy of Kinfolk)

This is what I love about Kinfolk. The latest (3rd) edition is out and I am oohing and aahing over the way more than 50 artists join forces with a vision of "welcoming food, community, and simplicity" into the everyday. Writers, photographers, chefs, visionaries, friends.

Kinfolk just might be my "soulmate-in-print."

(Photo by Laura D'art)