if you follow my feed on instagram, you may have noticed it was not a typical work day for me. my pup has had to have a few operations at the vet hospital in manhattan for a few months now and both my sister and brother are currently there for school, so my mom and i thought we would make a day of it and head out there early wednesday morning. we did some shopping, sangria drinking at my favorite restaurant and hit up the book store where i stared at the art supplies and longed to be in college again.

since i was there for school, manhattan has really boomed. what i love most about that small town is the strong sense of community and how all of the local businesses really thrive. one of my most favorite additions to the little apple is varsity donuts. my friends and family have gotten pretty used to my instagram habits, but i was going picture crazy in this place. i mean, how cute is it?!

on our car ride home i was talking to my mom about branding and having the whole package as a business. we agreed that atmosphere and impeccable, consistent branding is a big part of what brings people back. i only wish this sweet shop was a little closer to me.

have you been to a restaurant/shop recently that has completely sold you based on aesthetics? it gets me every time!

happy weekend! enjoy these last few days of august (can you believe it?)