How rare is it that we are not rushed out the door when dining in New York? Whether it be the wait staff already to seat the next party or the time limitation we impose upon ourselves. What good is slow food when we have to finish it quickly? The enjoyment diminishes and so does the connection we have with one another. The option would be to dine in, which can be better than dining out when you’re with good company. And nothing’s more satisfying than great conversation over a delicious meal. A new online magazine set to launch in July is advocating these moments. Kinfolk explores the simple pleasures of intimate gatherings, good conversation and genuine connections through dining experiences. Nathan Williams, who is also the photographer behind HEARBLACK, has enlisted a group of friends to document true social connections. The magazine place emphasis on the small rather than the large – not wedding parties, rather a group of friends getting together on a Tuesday night losing track of time over conversation and food.

Sal’s Barbershop was a neighborhood institution for over thirty years. But when Sal passed away, his family members decided to offer the space to Steve Marks. He had plans to continue operating the space as a barbershop but wanted to update the 1970s interior. Inheriting some of the details that made Sal’s unique like the mural wallpaper and the original Takara Belmont barber chairs, Marks went to work on adding features that would bring the shop up-to-date. After three months of renovation and hard work, Persons of Interest was born. It now serves a clientele of men looking for a cut and/or shave with friendly and comfortable service in an unpretentious environment. Read our profile on Persons of Interest here.

We haven’t taken advantage of summer as much as we wanted. After returning from our trip, it’s been all about New York. Don’t get me wrong, weekends have been great despite the hot weather. Bike rides occupy most of our time on the weekends. Discovering and revisiting neighborhoods via two wheels has been the best part of July. After stumbling across a couple of blogs, wanderlust is starting to kick in again. Norsk Stil and Studio Nord are quintessential European living to this outsider. Easy going, al fresco dining, back yard gardens, and design / un-designed interiors. The illusion of this lifestyle is helped by the fact that the blogs are written in French and Norwegian, so all we have to go by are the beautiful photos.