Wishing you Magic and Mystery

Tonight, I am looking forward to curling up in sweatpants

 and watching Halloween movies on the couch.

The trick-or-treating scene in E.T. is one of my

all time favorites.

E.T. waddling around the cul-de-sac as a ghost?

It kills me.

I'm off to the Sonoma suburbs on Sunday 

to greet trick-or-treaters at a friend's house.

Beyond candy and costumes,

I'm wishing you a Halloween weekend

full of magic and mystery.

The good kind.

xo

Fear The Beard...

...is the slogan of our city right now.

It's a nod to relief pitcher Brian Wilson's jet-black beard.

Oh, and one of the player's nickname is Panda, my little sister's name.

More awesome though,

is San Francisco's ballpark.

image

Tell me watching the game from a kayak in the bay

wouldn't be a true 'once in a lifetime' experience?

Catch a fly ball with your net: even better.

Go Giants.

xo

Oh You Know; Just Hanging out Making Ricotta

Seriously people.

Two effortless chic women making homemade ricotta together.

No biggie.

Uh, I'd like Ina Garten's life for a second.

This photo was featured in Gwenie's GOOP newsletter today.

It equal parts annoys me as it does ridiculously inspire me.

Because duh;

my Sunday afternoons are almost exactly like this.

xo

An Apple A Day

To my delight, and after persistent pandering,

we're having a Halloween 'Treat-Off"

in the office on Friday.

I am thinking of making traditional candy apples.

They look so appealing- pun intended-all gussied up in their cellophane outfits.

(and they only have one day a year in the spotlight after all)

Now the question is:

What do these caramel beauties want to be dressed-up in?

Orange & brown sprinkles?

M&M's?

Or, shall I shalaque them in that extra tricky and drippy cinamon syrup?

xo

A Moment to Boast

"Flowers always make people better,

happier and more helpful;

they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul."

- luther burbank -

Ooooh, may I ask you allow me to indulge

 for just the briefest of moments?

 Isn't that one of the loveliest and most delightful of quotes?

(spotted here)

It's quite true too, the bit about making people better and happier.

It sure made me feel good, and warm- it made me think of my sister.

She's a floral designer, whose business's namesake is a nod to two very special pets:

Truffles & James.

And then of course, this all made me think of my mom.

She is a letterpress printer, 

and named her business after our one very special house:

Saltbox Press.

Two sweet little businesses,

I can proudly puff up my chest...

and boast about.

xo

image is my sisters.



Congratulations, Today.

Congratulations, Today.

You're officially one of the most boring days I've lived in my life.

You made doing expense reports seem pretty appealing,

an almost impossible feat.

I had a staring contest with my computer monitor,

and a chair swivel contest with myself.

There wasn't really a way to win either of those.

Maybe it just means my weekend was too fun?

Probably.

xo

Happy Weekend

My goodness; it's been a long week.

These grey days are no match for my disposition!

I welcome the weekend with open arms.

I have a wonderful guest in town.

Image

We're hitting the road, and heading to Napa.

I could use a nice stroll through an olive tree nursery.

I see sipping ruby red wine in front of the fire in our very near future.

Happy Weekend, friends.

xo



"A Photo is True, but a Painting is Truer."

Tools she cannot live without;

submitted by the brilliant and enchanting

Maira Kalman.

Thanks to my sister for passing this along.

Full Maira interview found on Design Sponge.

This was quite timely, as I am heading to her exhibit tonight.

xo

Duck Mirror

About a month ago, I found myself the lucky

winner of a Coco+Kelly giveaway, featuring the

beautiful furniture and curiosities from Clayton Gray.

Well, the items are a smidge steep for me, even with the generous discount,

but I did come across this cute little mirror.

It reminds me of something Alice would come across

during her adventures in Wonderland.

It's quirky, and puts a little 'silly' in the act of vanity, don't you agree?

I think I might snatch it up!

xo

A Note on Nostalgia

Lately, I’ve been struck with a case of nostalgia.

It got me: like an icy snowball to the face.

It stings at first, but then gets all melty and warm and lingers for a while.

Paper mâché homecoming floats have been peppering my dreams.

Bake sales and fall afternoons- turning dark and grey before school has let out- they’re in there too.

I miss the excitement of high school hallways, where the possibility of anything seemed so grand.

I miss first kisses, first cars, first game of the season.

I miss the feeling of a new school year, the smell of a new text book, I miss so many firsts.

I look around and I feel a little left behind.

When did everyone grow-up?

my own image

I got a note from an old high school friend I fall in and out of correspondence with.

He’s married now, and after nearly 10 years living out west, he’s back in the northeast.

I bought him a sled one Christmas and etched the sentiment “Happy Trails to Us,” on the outer paneling.

I knew full well we’d each take different trails after we graduated.

Hearing from him this week I felt a selfless happiness for him,

the type that sprouts from the purest part of your soul: true, happiness.

He wasn’t my first love- not even a love, really. But in a strange, unexplainable way,

it feels like the first one that wasn’t.

There is a new phase of firsts coming my way.

And maybe this takes the fun out of it but…

I only wish, I knew when.

Spooky Sweets

This photo makes me excited to start baking again.

I'm partial to themed desserts, and I love Halloween.

We never got trick-or-treaters growing up; my road was too busy.

And I never lived in a big high-rise in NewYork, so I missed out on

city dwelling children coming to collect candy.

image

I hope I get some little ghouls and goblins in San Francisco.
I love a creative costume, but I didn't quite get my act together this year.
I think I'll plan on cozying up with wine, treats and scary movies.
xo

Fall Weekend, Nantucket

Nantucket.

You provided us with

 as magical a weekend as always.

Grey Lady, you are one spectacular and special place.

We were so lucky, to have been blessed with sunny skies, quiet beaches,

and the comfort and familiarity of each other's company.

Until next year,

when we meet again...

Thank you, for making the family birthday extravaganza

just as special as ever.

A weekend filled with birthday pins, surprise seal spottings,

and days spent beaching combing.

Pure bliss.

xo

*all images by moi

Tea Party

I'm back in San Francisco and able to

catch up on my blog reading.

I came across this photo of the Kennedy kiddos

having a little tea party in their backyard.

It made me smile.

Image found here

Quite a magical place for an impromptu

picnic, wouldn't you say?

I hope this weekends allows you to

dine alfresco in the crisp autumn air.

xo

New York State of Mind

It’s been a long week and a half.
My return trip to New York has been a whirlwind of absolute chaos and pandemonium.
The frantic, frenzied energy in my New York office is palpable. It’s thick and syrupy and then it bubbles up and explodes- these past few days I’ve felt like I was trying to keep the lid on top of a pot of popcorn as the kernels try desperately to escape the heat.
Um. I made a’ plenty of mistakes this trip.
Ultimately, the clients were happy, but I had trouble shaking the craziness I endured to get to the end result. Sometimes I’m hard on myself. I know this, and I’m trying to learn.
Sometimes though, sloppy work is just that: sloppy work.
New York is such a dichotomy.
Coming back is coming home. I love the smells and the sounds and I love that everyone has a purpose. Everyone is going somewhere to get someplace. It’s fast and it’s frantic and it’s all about clawing your way to the next big thing- and I love it for those reasons, and I miss it for those reasons even more.

But...

But...
I think this trip stripped me of 5 years from my life and added 5 lbs to my frame- not an even trade, folks.
It could’ve been the back-to-back-to-back high level events, or executing these under the critical eye of unfamiliar clients. It could’ve been the lack of sleep and the impossibly impossible deadlines
(that are still looming by the way.)
It could've been the 'never enough time' with my family,
or the 'never enough time' to see all the friends I'd like to hug.
And now I worry.
Did I leave New York and lose the New Yorker in me?
Will it feel this hectic every time I come back to the (Big) Apple of my eye?
I hope no, and I don't think so.
Wednesday was my last day in the city; I feel equal parts relieved and melancholic.
Mostly though,
I feel ready to return to my new home.
Sweetest dreams, friends.
Xo

Pardon The Pause

It's been a tremendous few days back in New York.

My lapse in posting was not intentional-

things just became so unbelievably busy.

Now, my pause has a purpose.

I'm officially on vacation, spending the long weekend 

with my family on Nantucket. 

It's blue skies and cool autumn air here. 

Wishing you a happy weekend, 

until we chat again.

xo

29+1

Happy Birthday

To My Older Sister!

She is 29 years, plus one more. 

And I think that is just grand.

Had I gotten my act together,

I would've gifted her with this ice cream cone pinata.

That'll just have to be in the queue for next year!

Happy, happy birthday.

Wishing you milkshakes, macaroons and moonbeams.

xox

Only in San Francisco

The city is all abuzz for this weekend's

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival

in Golden Gate Park.

I haven't mentioned the best part yet.
It's free.

Have you ever?

Indigo Girls, T. Bone Burnett.

Heck, even M.C. Hammer is on the schedule,

although I'm not sure how he fits into the genre.

Sadly, I'm not sure I'll make a showing this go around.

I've got so much to do before heading back to the Big Apple.

Whatever you do this weekend, I hope there is music and sunshine involved.

xo

Lyrical Genius

If you haven't seen this amazing clip of Jimmy and Justin

performing the crème de le crème of rap,

I suggest you close your office door and watch.

It made me giggle and grin, from ear to ear.

Genius. 

Happy Friday!

xo