The Intern

I am sad to announce the departure of my sweet baby sis.

She's heading back to school after an internship in SF that allowed her to stay with us for the last few months so we could commute together (and also because staying at my place is much more fun than staying with our parents).

She's the cutest and most stylish accounting intern you'll ever see. (Even her casual Friday is classy.)

We had a couple fun lunches together in SF, like this one where we enjoyed sushi-roll style "burritos" at Sushirito.

Left: Geisha's Kiss; Right: Salmon Samba -- both incredible!

And she even cooks!

Her own special recipe turkey burgers and sweet potato fries. (I'll update with recipes later.)

And I just found out she received an offer at the firm where she intered after she graduates in the Spring and I couldn't be a prouder big sis. 

So huge congratulations and farewell Sister, I'll miss you!

The Birthday Girl at the Ferry Building

Celebrating the birthday girl with a late lunch at Slanted Door and some incredible gelato at the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero (after her pampering massage at Burke Williams Spa of course).

Birthday Beach Day

My 30th birthday is only a few days away, and since Alex is throwing a small fête with friends on Saturday and Father's Day is Sunday, we decided to celebrate with my family today.

One of my favorite things to do with my family is go to the beach. We have a great little spot in Half Moon Bay that provided the most scenic backdrop for a perfect, laid-back gateway to my thirties.

I take after my dad in a lot of ways, but it was pretty apparent I inherited his fashion sense when we both pulled out the same outfit (see my sweatshirt here) to wear when it started getting chilly. Father-daughter twinsies!

This one of my sis and I with my dad will make a lovely Father's Day gift.

Tori Says "I Do!"

Of course it's no surprise that Tori's wedding on Sunday was perfect in every way (since the bride herself pretty much fits that description).

[Read more about her wedding planning here and see the wedding sneak peek on her own blog here.]

The venue was really incredible... Garré winery in Livermore, right in the midst of the sprawling vineyards.

As expected, the bridal party was looking pretty classy (actually very pretty and classy) in navy dresses of various styles to flatter each one's figure, pretty pearl strands, and pretty pink peony bouquets tied with navy stripe grosgrain ribbon.

And the guys were looking pretty sharp in their navy stripe bow ties and matching grosgrain around their boutonnieres.

But the bride -- the beautiful bride -- literally took my breath away. I almost have no words to describe her, but if I had to try I'd start with radiant, stunning, romantic...

Just stop me, I can go on and on...

I mean, just look at that dress!



One of my favorite details was the favors... potted herbs with wine cork labels -- such a great (and useful) idea! Ours are sitting on the kitchen windowsill as we speak.

And of course, I can never have enough peony. The soft pink petals complimented the clean navy stripes in all the right ways.

Another fun surprise? Navy striped straws with cute pink hearts with the B & G's initials. And the monogram napkins were another nice touch. It really is all in the details...

 

And then of course there was Caty's famous cake... And yes, I did manage to score a slice.



*A few of the photos above were downloaded from Facebook and used without permission. Sorry. ಠ_ಠ

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

We took Ava to her first game of the season on Friday night to celebrate a friend's birthday.

We weren't sure she'd make it all the way through for the fireworks display after the game, but we figured she'd enjoy the experience either way.

This year, her cousin's hand-me-down A's outfit was a perfect fit.


Getting ready for the big game:

At the ball game:

 

 

Making friends out on the field for the fireworks display:

 

 

 

When the lights go out in the city:





It was so exciting to see her little face light up when she heard the first big boom and saw the dark night sky illuminate with colored bursts of lights.

Mother's Day Weekend Wedding

Alex and I just spent our first overnight together away from Ava. (We had previously each been away on separate occasions, both for work and fun.)


It was the first wedding of the season! Sadly, I didn't have a chance to interview this gorgeous bride, but I do have a few details to share from this quaint country affair...

I absolutely love this photo display of the bride and groom. I probably would have done something like this instead of the usual slideshow at my wedding if I had thought of it back then.

The cupcake tiers are a great low-maintenance alternative to a formal cake that I've been seeing more and more and I can't say I missed the cake. These flavors were extremely tasty -- chocolate peanut butter, strawberry shortcake... heaven!

Photographer Kim James really captured the intimacy of the bride and groom and the picturesque White Ranch in Chico.

 

 

 

 

Sleeping in was the perfect Mother's Day treat. 


And this is what Ava was up to while we were away...

She spent the night with Grandma but my brother and his beautifully expectant wife spent the day with her at the local Art & Wine Festival. She really loved the goats at the petting zoo.

A Derby 30 Kind of Day

After much debate about whether it's okay to leave a sick child at home to actually enjoy oneself, I knew I couldn't miss out on one of my best friends' 30th birthday festivities. (Plus, I just really needed a break after being home with my poor baby all week.) So we enlisted the in-laws who we conveniently picked up from the airport on Tuesday, back from a semester in Florence, to watch our sick girl as we headed to the races!

First, meet JCD and her sisters, the most adorable trio ever!

Add me, honorary sister for the day, in Hummer stretch limo, because that's just how we roll.

Of course, no derby day is complete without a very fancy hat. A Kentucky derby hat can be made using any old wide-rimmed sun hat you have lying around. Mine (second from left above), last year's Nine West from Macy's, simply had a ribbon pinned around it. (I won't share too much detail about my amazing Rebecca Taylor dress because it will be featured again shortly). J's hat (second from right above and in detail below), naturally, was the perfectly elaborate assortment of purple-hued floral and a satin ribbon adhered via glue gun.

We returned home to some overly exhausted grandparents and a sick baby who really just needed her mama after a long day. I was devastated that I had to miss another bestie's 30th birthday celebration that evening. But as a mother, this was just another lesson in Baby Comes First 101.

Indian Springs

I just returned from my first ever overnight away from Ava. An amazing friend of mine is getting married, so a fantastic group of ladies spent the weekend celebrating the bride-to-be in Napa. 

(Before I left, Alex told me he was actually excited about spending this quality time alone with Ava, and to be the one to take care of her all weekend. Alex is so amazing with Ava and seeing how he interacts with her has made me fall even more in love with him.)

The girls all went wine tasting all day Saturday, made a traditional Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage last night, then dance-partied it up for hours in the living room of the charming cottage-style house we rented for the weekend.

Then today we detoxed at the most amazing spa, Indian Springs, in Calistoga. I had a facial that was just-right, and we floated around in the natural hot springs mineral pool all day -- it was so relaxing! Just what I needed. 

I missed my little cupcake like crazy though, and couldn't wait to get home to my little fam. But it was the perfect weekend. Sometimes you have to spend time away and miss the people you love to fully appreciate how good you have it.

I wanted to share some of my favorite things about Indian Springs that I plan to use as design inspiration as I tackle the landscaping in my backyard this spring.

Zooming in on the columns... I love these!

  

I may need this fountain. 

I love the burnt orange curtains and umbrellas throughout the resort.
And these metallic tile mosaics might be a fun weekend project.

I've always wanted an outdoor fireplace. I would live on this deck if I could.

I love how you can see the vignette of black and white photos through the mirror in this picture.

The fireplace on this deck area creates such a serene and cozy ambiance.
And I am in love with this buffet table. I have to find something similar for my dining room.

Just look at this mirror... Are you speechless?

The color and pattern of these day bed spreads would make such perfect throw pillows.

Our Paris Hotel

We booked our hotel in Paris!

(Remember the apartment rental option we explored here?) 

I'm looking forward to the entire Europe trip -- a week in Florence to visit my mother-in-law while she's teaching abroad this semester, along with my father-in-law and sister-in-law, plus a weekend all together in Rome. This will be my first vacation with my in-laws (and Ava's too, obviously). 

But there is something extra special about the week our little family will spend alone together in Paris.

Paris has claimed a piece of my heart since I inexplicably decided I wanted French to be the foreign language I took in eighth grade rather than the more popular and practical option of Spanish (it's practically a prerequisite in California). I can't explain why, but I was drawn to the classic charm of the French culture. 

(And the food, of course, particularly the pastries.)

So we were looking for a place to stay in Paris that reflected that traditional French charm while still keeping within our budget. And we found it!

I love this traditional yellow suite.

Our room will overlook the courtyard rather than the busy street in front.

Les Puces

We've barely started winding down from the birthday week celebrations and my insatiable self is already looking toward the next big event... We are going to Europe! My mother-in-law is teaching economics in Florence this semester and we miss her so much we will be joining her for a couple weeks next month. And we decided we might as well throw in a few days in Paris for good measure, and possibly also a weekend in Rome and some other side trips around Tuscany. We've been planning the trip for a while now, but with everything else going on in life, I can't believe it's already crept up on us. So next month! I'm starting to do some blogging research and pinning in search of what to wear, what to do, what to see, what to photograph, what to eat, where to eat, where to start...

The flea market (“Les Puces”) and “brocantes” in Paris are an absolute crafter's delight.

{source}

Valentine's Day Tea

My mom and I took Ava to celebrate heart day at one of our favorite local tea houses, The French Bakery, in Lafayette, CA. Ava was very well-mannered and showed her appreciation with kisses on demand.

Little did the darling know that we would be taking her for her 12 month shots after the celebration, but as always, she handled it like a champ.