Daddy’s Little Girl

Can you guess which little nugget is me?!  I was looking through old photos yesterday at my parents house, and came across this one – in honor of Father’s Day, I just HAD to post.  Wasn’t my dad so handsome?!  Look how young he is!!  Kris is almost as old as my dad was in this picture – crazy!

Anyway, this is pretty much how I remember my dad growing up – a full beard (or mustache) which he had for years and years… pretty much since I could remember.  He finally shaved it off when I was in college – a traumatic experience for me.  The first time my parents came to visit me in the dorms, I was so excited to see them that it took me a full 10 minutes or so before I realized that he had shaved it off… and then I cried (story of my life, from the girl who hates change).  I just remember saying, “Oh my gosh, you look like Uncle Scott!” – perhaps not a compliment at the time.

Since then, I have gotten used to him without the beard – he is our silver fox, and one of the best people I know.  He loves the simple things in life – getting his hands dirty with projects on the house, going sailing (the wind is FREE), and stretching out in our sunny backyard for an afternoon cat nap.  He is stubborn, loyal, and the hardest worker I know… he loves to golf, loves his vodka (vitamin V is the most important vitamin), but most of all he loves my mom. In so many ways, he reminds me of ME, and I am so proud to be his baby daughter.

Happy Weekend!!

Wanderlust.

This photo is how I feel right now – its almost the weekend, and I am so beyond ready!  The weather in the bay area is going to be hot – in SF it will be in the 80’s and anywhere outside of the city will be close to 100 degrees!  Just how I like it.

Tonight, I plan on relaxing – maybe a glass of wine and a movie with my honey, but the rest of the weekend will be spent down on the peninsula – Saturday we are headed down to Atherton for a pool party with Kris’ buddies.  I can’t wait to soak up the sun (a few margaritas) and the smell of the BBQ.  Sunday, I will be with my dad for Father’s day – we’ll be headed out on the bay for a day of sailing, which means some beer, sandwiches, and wind in my hair.

I can’t wait.

Have a lovely weekend!!
xo

How Pinteresting: Week IV

Oh Pinterest, how I love thee.  Even though I need to improve the number of projects I actually do, who doesn’t want to see a round up of Pinterest’s best of the best – the prettiest, coolest, and most inspirational pins from the past few weeks.  I know I sure do!

Without further ado, let’s go!

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1. Black and White Graphic Painted Floors
La Dolce Vita is responsible for posting this FABULOUS dining room, and while it takes a brave person to paint hardwood floors, these are absolutely amazing.  Without the floors, the room would be nice but the graphic design opens the room up, and take it from “nice” to “holy guacamole”!!  Wouldn’t this be a great way to revamp some sad wood floors that needed to be re-finished (or worse, torn out?!)  Time consuming, yes, but expensive? Not at all.
mary mcdonald

2. Chunky Statement Necklace from Shopbop
Shopbop has this stylish necklace in stock, and while a bit out of my “on-a-budget” price range, I can’t help lusting after it.  Dress up a plain tshirt, or wear it with a flirty dress for a night out.  Something about it reminds me of this necklace Carrie wore on SATC…

Mirage Necklace

3. Prettiest Bedroom in the World?
Um… I think so!  I had really loved dark wood for a long, looonngggg time (thus all the dark wood furniture currently in our apartment), but now I’m really loving distressed wood with the look of being reclaimed, or even antique.  Wood with a greyish hue seems really organic and brings a peaceful feel to most rooms.  Between the upholstered headboard, the weathered wood, and the fluffy white bedding, I am loving how this room looks!

Master Bedroom

4. Voluminous Blonde Hair
Leave it to Heidi Klum to make us hate her even more than we already did.  I am pretty sure that this photo is the definition of a blonde bombshell.  I am going in to get my hair re-blonded (we aren’t all natural blondes anymore) and am thinking that I might go after some side swept bangs.  I’ve let mine grow out, and they are past my chin now, but this looks so cute on her – I think I could work the bangs again!

LOVE her hair

5. Marble Fret Coffee Table
This coffee table from ZincDoor is as graphically interesting as the rug it sits on!  The lattice pattern on the sides makes a huge visual impact, while the clean smooth top doesn’t take it too far.  I love the table, but the price tag is a painful $4998… let’s be real, that equals WAY more than $5K with taxes, shipping, etc.  To make myself feel better, I also tell myself that it would be way too busy (and big) for our modest apartment… but isn’t it pretty??

dying over this cocktail table... but not the price.

6. Asos Black Mesh Skirt
How adorable is this?!  I’ve never ordered anything from Asos, but hear nothing but great things about their clothing – this skirt is just 35 Euros, and obviously comes with lining since it’s sheer!  I am seriously considering placing an order, and will keep you posted when it comes!

Full Skirt In Mesh And Solid Stripe / ASOS

7. Trellis Linen Drumshade
Shades of Light has his awesome drum shade in both a natural taupe and pale blue, and I love how simple it is.  I still love a good glitzy chandelier, but for a more muted (and boyfriend friendly) look, the drum shade has really been growing on me.  I’m not sure if $179 is a good price, but I love it anyway!

trellis linen drum shade

8. Slouchy Sweater
This girl’s glasses are all sorts of wrong with the rhinestones, but overall, this look is so cute and easy to wear.  Even though its loose, the deep wide v-neck makes this ultra feminine, despite the ripped up jeans, and un-done hair.  I have no clue where this sweater came from, but it’s going on my wishlist for summer, since San Francisco is never hot.

mint & gorgeous-ness.

9. Nailhead Chair
This Chair is from Joss and Main – a site I’ve been hearing more and more about!  It’s membership only (it’s free to register and join), and while I don’t know a ton about it yet, they have some really wonderful collections.  From the number of blog posts I’ve written about my love of anything with a nailhead trim, it should come as no surprise that I am in love with this chair.  It’s got great lines, the nailhead pulls out the details, and I think I could happily sink into this at the end of every day.  If there were casters on the bottom, I think it would be PERFECT.

Evan Club Chair

10. Coral hi-low dress
A HUGE trend this spring and summer, hi-low dresses are everywhere.  I’m not 100% sold on all of them, but in this floaty fabric, I think its really feminine and pretty.  It also helps that the front isn’t super short – that can look sort of odd.  I also love the double wrap belt – it makes a “long” dress more casual so you could wear it in the afternoon when it’s still light out.  This would be perfect for a rehearsal dinner, wedding, or nice dinner out.  Know what would really finish it for me??  Some sort of aqua accessory – coral and aqua are like peanut butter and jelly… it’s just so right together.

high low dress

Dinner with Sissy


Burrata and Wine from the Tap – Delfina
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I have affectionately referred to my sister as “sissy” for as long as I can remember.  As a name… “I miss you Sissy”, or as a noun… “That’s MY big Sissy!”  You get the idea 🙂

Well, Sissy came to visit on Tuesday night this week, and I could not have been more excited.  While it was primarily a matter of convenience, (the passport office is located in San Francisco) it was just nice to see her, and spend time one-on-one.  I love her husband to death – he is funny, sarcastic, and just fun to be around – but I do miss having just ‘sister time’ with her.

Anyway, with just one night to hang out, we walked to one of my FAVORITE restaurants in this city for dinner (and several glasses of wine).  Delfina is a fabulous pizzeria in my neighborhood, that boasts the most fabulous thin crust Neapolitan style pizza.  It’s loud, and small, but feels cozy, and kind of fancy (even though it’s NOT)… and did I mention that the food is out of this world??


Salsiccia Pizza – Delfina
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We sat up at the bar that looks into the open kitchen – my favorite spot.  I love to watch them flip the dough, and make your food right in front of you.  Everything is SOO fresh, and the fact that they have wine on tap (yep, ON TAP) makes me love this place even more.


Deep fried Zucchini blossoms – Delfina
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My favorites?? The fresh burrata from the ‘starters’ menu – they serve it with peppery arugula, toasted crostini, and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top – heavenly.  I also LOVE the meatballs, but last time we came here, we went a bit overboard on the ordering so we held off on their meatballs for another night. Instead, we got one of their new additions to the menu – the stuffed zucchini blossoms that are overflowing with cheesy deliciousness.  These bad boys got battered and deep fried – I don’t even want to know the calories – and the deep fried basil put this dish over the top.  Amazing.

For the finale, we got the salsiccia pizza – I could eat it every night and never tire of it, but I also love their panna pizza, the margarita, and the prosciutto pie.  Look at the full menu here – you will see how amazing (and reasonable) looks!!  If ever in SF – I highly recommend this spot.

A word to the wise – don’t come starving.  They don’t take reservations, and the wait can be pretty long on weekends, but trust me when I say it’s worth it.  Order a glass of wine (or two) from the hostess, and you’ll be fine 🙂

Pretty Pink Peonies

I have a serious obsession, but they are sooo pretty, and only $7 at the grocery store!  I can’t stop myself – peonies are literally THE MOST BEAUTIFUL flower on the planet!

Don’t they also look so pretty in the morning light? Kris most likely thinks I’m insane to be snapping a few photos before work, but he’s stuck with me now! Ha!

xo

Pinterest Recipe

Ok, I am totally guilty of this Pinterest phenomenon – pinning to pin!  I mean, there are just so many pretty, yummy, inspiring, funny things on Pinterest – it’s become quite the addiction!  The problem?  I’ve never actually done any of the DIY projects I’ve pinned, or made any of the recipe’s.  That must change immediately!
I decided to start out small with a simple side dish I’d pinned a while back.  Summer is nearly here, and in California it means amazing produce.  A quick trip to the grocery store later, three mid-size summer squash zucchini’s were all mine!  Trust me when I say that this recipe for Squash Chips is easy as pie, and soo delish.
Squash Chips:
Ingredients:
  – Squash – this works with any kind here
  – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  – Salt
  – Pepper
  – Chili Flakes
  – Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

Instructions:
  – Slice squash into thin rounds
  – Coat in Olive Oil
  – Move rounds to flat baking sheet – no overlapping
  – Sprinkle tops with salt, pepper, and red chili flakes to taste
  – Bake at 375 for 30 minutes until golden brown
  – Top with Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, and place under broiler for an additional 5 minutes until crispy (watch them – don’t want to burn them in the final 5 minutes!)

Succulents

Trader Joes – one of my FAVORITE places in the world – had these sweet little succulents out front for $5 each!  Who would I be to pass up these adorable little guys.  Extra bonus: they came in these cute little creme colored pots!  Super duper bonus: zero maintenance (so they say!)

It’s nearly impossible to see from this photo, but the pots have an awesome engraved detail at the bottom.  Can you beat that?!  Didn’t think so…

Let’s see if I can keep these alive now.  Watch, I will be the only person in the history of the world who will be able to kill these guys off.

Wish me luck!
xo

M.I.A.

Alpine Church Switzerland // by hdrdoc,

I have been so MIA lately, it’s not even funny.  Somewhere between work and a few other things going on, I’ve totally lost touch with my little blog.  While this is a total hobby for me, it’s so therapeutic, and I’ve MISSED IT!

Annie Hall


Does anyone else LOOOVEEEE this movie like I do?!  I’d been meaning to see it, and it was just one of those elusive old movies that everyone knows about, but very few people my age have seen.  Finally, at my sister’s house a few weekends ago, her husband (horrified that I had NEVER SEEN ANNIE HALL) dug out the VHS, and made the executive decision that I see it immediately.

Thank you Matthew – best brother in law ever!  This movie is sweet, without being sappy, hilariously funny, quirky (helloooo Woody Allen), and I love that it is one of the only romantic comedies (if not THE only) that won the Best Picture Award at the Oscars.  It’s a cooler, funnier, quirkier version of When Harry Met Sally (another movie that I can’t get enough of).

Anyway, aside from how fabulous this movie was, the fashion totally inspired me to create a few “Annie Hall” looks – totally approachable, and totally easy to pull off today.  I swear, every single year, Fashion Week features “menswear” back on the runways.  While these exact looks might be a bit extreme for everyone, I think there are a few things everyone can wear and pull off easily – an awesome tie with vest, or loose slouchy pants.

Tell me what you think (even if you think I’m nuts).

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City Chic Menswear:

Annie Hall I

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Menswear meets the Sea:

Annie Hall II

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Borderline Jackie O:

Annie Hall III