Many Thanks

 

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and got to share lots of love with family and friends.

I wanted to share some photos of our Thanksgiving dinner table.

I have to say that my mom sure has a magic touch with her talent of creating a wonderful ambiance in our home.  Since she is an amazing floral designer, we always have fresh flowers and a whimsy of creativity floating throughout the home.  
Check out her Website http://www.savageroseflorals.com/.  


My parents have this ridiculously awesome dining room table that was designed by the Landscape Architect Jack Chandler.  The steel table is a creation of his feng shui combination of art and functionality.  The table has a center that is hollow to allow artistic creations to come to life out of it.  


For Thanksgiving I helped my mom create this wild centerpiece.  The first object put into the center was a large branch.  We then added dry florals, feathers and leaves.  I strategically placed wheat grass in a way that created movement, like they were blowing in the wind.  We added fresh Casa Blanca flowers to bring a pop of freshness to the table.  It ended up being a perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece that was artistic, yet functional-- as it didn’t obstruct anyone’s view at the table.  

I was quite productive this Thanksgiving break—I turned into an Art & Crafts machine!

Here is what I did:
-Started and finished knitting an entire scarf 
-Painted a painting
-Made hand-made Christmas cards for friends
-Made ornaments for my parent's Christmas tree

I was a non-stop knitting-baking-painting-craft machine!
Boy, did it feel good to start AND finish some projects though!  I will post my creations soon to share with you!

Wind & Waves

 

(velvet dress-F21, shoes-Coach, sash-Thrift, necklace-Banana Republic, earrings-Anthro, watch-Guggenheim museum Kandinsky collection)

  

I have to admit that these beach pics are leaning towards the cheesy side—but you have to agree this beach is gorgeous!  The cliff, the wind, the absolute tranquility of having no one on the beach was what made this stop so special.

I threw on my F21 velvet dress and gave it some finesse with a kimono type sash that I got for $1 at a craft fair.  I knew we would be driving and running around so I wanted to be comfortable.  I also wanted to look slightly dolled up for our anniversary so I put on the Banana Republic statement necklace to complete the outfit.  I have made so much use of this velvet dress and have found it to be incredibly versatile.  I suggest picking up some velvet pieces this Holiday-they are perfect to look chic when you are casual, or fun while you are dressed up!

Road Trip Weekend

 

 

My romantic boyfriend surprised me for our Anniversary and planned a little road trip to Carmel.  We whisked off onto the road and made our first stop in Half Moon Bay.  We frolicked in the Half Moon Bay beaches, explored tide pools, and Mario found a perfect sand dollar in the sand.
We then ventured to Santa Cruz where we walked in the rain at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.  The amusement park was closed, but we still played a couple games at the Boardwalk arcade.  
Then we continued our road trip to Carmel, where we checked into a quaint hotel right in the heart of downtown.  Before dinner, we had to of course keep our gypsy traditions alive-- so we bought a bottle of wine to sip and enjoy as we snuggled under an umbrella in the rain and walked around downtown Carmel.  A feast of Spanish Tapas, a pitcher of Sangria and dancing completed the night.  

We spent Sunday driving to Monterey, but took a nice drive along the famous 17-mile drive to get there.  The 17-mile drive is one of the most majestic and inspiring drives—every stop along the way is a picturesque and magical place with lots of history to learn about.  
Road trip weekends are the best—I love how I can go to a familiar place but find new things that inspire me every time.

Knitting the day away

As my sister suggested this blog post should have really been titled knitting the YEAR away.  I have been working on this darn scarf all year.  I started it in March, forgot about it all summer, and then picked up again this Fall.  The skein of yarn got tangled somewhere in-between all those months it was forgotten, which caused the knitting process to be super slow since I had to untangle the yarn every time I completed a couple rows.  Anyhow, when this baby is finished I will post some photos of how I plan on styling it.  

Back to knitting…

The Palace

 

 

(dress-F21, tights-Banana Republic, shoes-Coach, socks-J.Crew, necklace-F21)

The Palace of Fine Arts is one of the most beautiful and romantic spots in the city.  It is stunning every time of the day, and it was especially gorgeous this sunny weekend around sunset.  We caught the last glimmer of light in the sky to take these photos.  This spot is near and dear to my heart, as it is a place to reflect and retreat.  This is the best spot to picnic accompanied by some $4.99 Carlo Rossi, hummus and pita chips!

I love the airiness of this F21 dress and how the light comes through its layers.  I wanted to make this delicate dress less girly and more edgy, so I paired it with some high ankle boots, black tights and studded ankle socks.  The combo of the soft dress and edgy accessories created the perfect blend of girly-grungy rocker chic. 

Sunshine in November

 

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 (top-Theory, skirt-H&M, necklace-vintage, ring-Tibetan shop, shoes-UO, sunglasses-Cole Haan)

I can't believe how sunny and hot it was this weekend in San Francisco!  Hot weather in November is crazy.  I paired this copper Theory top that is a fun secondary neutral with this shocking teal skirt from H&M.  The colors ended up being a surprising compliment to each other, while still being seasonally appropriate for Fall.

I love this necklace I got at a vintage craft fair--it is from the 1950s and is hand painted enamel.

Here is to a warm winter! 

Big Apple

 

 

Just got back from a fun trip to the Big Apple with my mom.  Traveling with my mom is so much fun--we went to lots of yummy dinners, shopped, and walked 'til we dropped.  We walked from our hotel on 5th Ave for 30 blocks to The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  It was a lovely stroll, but don't suggest it before you have to stand in a museum for several hours after a 30 block walk.  As always, I was blown away by The Met.  My favorite exhibit was the Impressionist gallery-I felt like I was floating through a dream looking at the massive collection of Monet, Manet, and Van Gogh paintings.  I also got see some works I have never seen before by my favorite artist Matisse.  New York is so lovely and exciting, yet I have to say I was so happy to come home to the cozy city of San Francisco!



It was a treat to also go to Long Island, which is where my mom is from.  I got to see some of her old haunts and we even drove by the house she grew up in. 



I hope to visit you again New York!