Garden State Living

03/26/2026

https://open.substack.com/pub/atkarins/p/cinema-suppers-at-karins-a-toy-story?r=575bxy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

03/23/2026

Opening day at Bast Brother’s and I left with more inspiration than I could carry 🤗

03/17/2026

St. Patrick’s Day Buttermilk Pancakes

Serves: 4–6

Ingredients
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tbsp melted butter (plus more for the pan)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Gel food coloring (rainbow colors)

Instructions
1. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Mix the wet ingredients
In another bowl whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.
3. Make the batter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently stir until just combined. A few lumps are perfect ..don’t overmix.
4. Divide and color
Divide the batter into small bowls and add gel food coloring.
5. Cook the pancakes
Heat a buttered skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Pour about ¼ cup batter per pancake. If you want rainbow swirl pancakes, drizzle different colors into the pan at once.
6. Flip
When bubbles form and edges look set (about 2–3 minutes), flip and cook another 1–2 minutes

03/13/2026

A Doughnut themed brunch at home 🤗

02/14/2026

We took our girl to A Garden Party for the sweetest little Valentine outing. She made her own bud vase, carefully choosing each stem, and of course we couldn’t leave without a few festive treats and thoughtful gifts.

The shop was overflowing with flowers, pinks and reds, darling trinkets, and all the prettiest little ideas for Valentine’s Day.

02/14/2026

Good morning Salem County!! We hope everyday has a lovely day today❤️

02/13/2026

This week, we had the incredible opportunity to meet the grandchildren of the family who owned our house in 1920. I’ve been doing extensive research on the home’s history digging through old deeds, family records, and newspaper clippings. They were so grateful for the time I spent researching and for the love I have for the house. It was truly a blessing to meet them. I’m planning to invite many of their family members back to our home this spring for a dinner gathering.

01/15/2026

Our beautiful babies are thriving indoors 🤗

12/28/2025

I recently came across a newspaper clipping from 1989 the original advertisement announcing “Salem Begins Yuletide Tour.”

To see how far this tradition has come, and to know that we are still going strong all these years later, truly fills my heart.
This year’s Yuletide Tour was something special. My family, along with so many other incredible homeowners and business owners, poured love and care into creating a beautiful experience. With over 25 stops throughout our city, it was such a joy to watch Salem come alive with lights, history, and community.
It is truly a blessing that this tradition continues here in Salem. Our small city holds so much history, so many stories, and so much potential and events like this remind me why we believe so deeply in keeping Salem moving in the right direction.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by, walked our streets, and supported our city. Your presence, kind words, and smiles meant more than you know.
Here’s to honoring our past while building something beautiful for the future.

12/22/2025

Christmas cookies made with love for our neighbors. One doorstep at a time, we’re spreading cheer and brightening our little community.

12/11/2025

I needed a set of towels embroidered with our house logo for the Yuletide Tour and reached out asking if anyone local offered embroidery. This company responded right away and I’m so glad they did! Their service was incredibly fast, the embroidery came out absolutely beautiful, and their communication throughout the process was top-notch. Truly a 10/10 experience. I’ll definitely be using their services again! Montagna Graphics

12/09/2025