It’s easy to associate backpacks with metal lockers and field trips, but LAYERxlayer has created a very grownup take, with natural fabrics, hidden pockets, and straps to hold pretty much anything you might need to carry. To prove just how functional their Of a Kind creation is, Leah Fabish—who designs the line with her BF Patrick—took the pack on a tour of New Haven, Connecticut, (the couple’s soon-to-be home) and documented their day for us. —liza darwin Want to try this sucker out yourself? Well, there are just 20, and they can be had right here.“Though the morning started out warm, I packed a light jacket in the front rope, knowing that I might need an extra layer as the day wore on. Patrick and I walked up and down the tree-lined streets, stopping to gaze at the intricately carved facades of Yale’s campus and snapping a few photos along the way.”“As we ventured into the Ninth Square area of town, we spotted Alexander Liberman’s crimson sculpture ‘On High’—the towering work cast amazing shadows, and I decided to take out my sketchbook and pencil to capture it.”“Next stop: English Building Market, the most amazing vintage store in the city. Cabinets overflowing with kitchen tools and racks full of chiffon and lace greeted us, but a bin of scarves and bandanas caught my eye. I chose a small cotton pocket square—and resisted the urge to buy brass flatware.”  “As the sun started to set, we made our way toward East Rock. The path twisted around and around, and we finally made it to the top where we were greeted with a panoramic view of the buildings below.”

The design philosophy behind the Patrick Turiello and Leah Fabish’s accessory label LAYERxlayer infiltrates every single part of their lives—including the food they eat. As Patrick, one half of the culinarily skilled couple notes, “We really do put a great deal of thought into our daily consumption, and we experience an immense amount of joy when sharing a meal with family and friends.” Speaking of sharing: Leah bakes a mean banana bread, and she wants you to get in on it, too. The basic recipe comes from her grandmother, but she’s made some changes to ditch the gluten and make it vegan (for more on that, check out her blog). It’s time to preheat that oven. —liza darwin Ingredients: 1 ½ cups sorghum1 cup brown rice flour1 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda3 teaspoons cinnamon3 teaspoons ground flax seeds mixed with ½ cup water1 cup brown sugar1 cup sunflower oil2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed3 teaspoons vanilla extract1 cup crushed pecans Directions:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon) in a small bowl, mix thoroughly, and set aside. Cream the flax mixture and sugar in large bowl. Add the oil, then banana, vanilla extract, and pecans to the wet ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into two 8 ½-inch greased bread pans. Bake for 1 hour. One word: Nom. To see what else these two have cooked up, sign up for our newsletter—their edition is coming tomorrow!