North Meets South

Rustic Thanksgiving Tablescape

2011-11-28T20:36:00.001-08:00

My parents have hosted Thanksgiving at our house for the last 10 years. While my mom stresses over the menu, I stress over the decor. A few weeks ago I asked my family what the tablescape should look like. After some blank stares and a logical response from my mom (we have 14.5 people coming this year and a 14 foot table. Don't make any flower arrangements too tall or fragrant), I came up with a simple rustic theme using burlap, pumpkins, twigs & moss.

The Inspiration

Inspired by a tiny pumpkin I found at the Berkley Bowl called Lil’ Pump-Ke-Mon

(doesn't the name sounds like a Japanese cartoon character?) I decided to create a tablescape using brown, cream, orange and green.

Not wanting to spend a lot of money on flowers I used white hydrangeas. Hydrangeas are great on a budget, because you get alot of flower for a bargain price. (Each steam cost me $2.00 and I usally only use one steam per vase.)

Hydrangea Floral Arrangement

For a fresh but rustic look, I cut the hydrangea steam short and packed them it into a small vase. I accented the arrangement with twigs and moss I found at a local park. To conceal the vase, I created a liner using leftover hydrangea leaves.

Herb Center Piece

As an alternate floral arrangement, I bought a few herbs and dressedthe bottoms with burlap and grosgrain ribbon. The herbs were a greatrustic accent to the table. The natural aroma from the plants alsocomplimented the food we were eating.

Each plant cost me $2.59.

Thanksgiving Tablescape

Finding a runner long enough for a 14 foot table was a challenge. For a cheap solution, I bought 2 yards of burlap for $3.99 a yard and cut the fabric into 10.5" wide by 72" long stripes and layered them on top of each other. For a splash of color I found these great orange and white napkins that remind me of a David Hicks print.

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. Ours was fantastic and mighty tasty. Good luck in your holiday preping. I know the countdown has begun for me and I'm sure it has for you too!

Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice

2011-10-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

St. Louis Style BBQ Ribs

Berkeley Bowl West

October 23, 2011

As previously mentioned in this post, I hate grocery shopping. I hate it so much, I'm willing to drive over a bridge and into the woods to try something new. The hubby and I were responsible for cooking Sunday's dinner and decided to venture to the Berkeley Bowl. Holy moly was this an overwhelming and very cool shopping experience. I felt totally overwhelmed (like the time I tried on 100 pairs of jeggings at Bergdorf Goodman), but walked away with some great things (unlike at Bergdorf's).

First up on Sunday's menu: St. Louis Ribs!

The hubby loves BBQ! We decided to go with the St. Louis style rib instead of the traditional baby back, because you get more meat for your money (honey)!

The Sugar and Spice BBQ Rub (recipe for 12 ribs)

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Paprika
1/4 Cup Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon ground Red Pepper
1 Tablespoon ground Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Mace (or use nutmeg)
2 Tablespoons Salt
2 Tablespoons freshly cracked Pepper

In a bowl mix ingredients together.

After removing the membrane from the meat, cover in garlic olive oil. Massage the dry rub into the meat. Let meat marinate for 2 - 24 hours.

An hour before you cook your meat, get your BBQ ready. My dad taught my husband to cook with charcoal not propane (real men use matches)! Because my dad cooks on a high wood / charcoal heat, the boys were a little worried about maintaining a heat of 300 degrees for 90 minutes. After much strategic planning they put together the below fire.

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!

After looking more closely at this picture, I would suggest the following:

a. Do NOT barbecue so close to a wooden deck.

b. It's probably not safe to have a sun umbrella so close to an open flame.

My dad is practically a professional barbequer and that's the only reason why he was allowed to bbq so close to our deck. Grasshopper on the other hand (aka my husband), is still a little to green to do this.

After 90 minutes on the BBQ with an indirect heat, this is our final product. The beauty about using a dry rub is you don't need to slather on a sauce! Now some you may feel your ribs are naked without sauce, but the only way you can truly appreciate the sweet, spice and smoky flavor is to eat them as it.
Try it. You just might like it.

The Devil Went to Mexico

2011-10-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

A spicy take on a traditional Deviled Egg Recipe

Spicy Deviled Eggs

6 Eggs

1/3 cup Crème fraîche

1/3 cup Smoked Bacon (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons Serrano Pepper (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons Siracha

2 tablespoons Cilantro (finely chopped)

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

2 tablespoons Lime Zest

3 teaspoons Lime Juice

Pop out (remove) the egg yolks to a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add crème fraîche, smoked bacon, Serrano pepper, siracha, dijon mustard, lime zest and lime juice and mix thoroughly. Add pepper and salt to taste. Fill the empty egg white shells with the mixture.

Tip: For a professional finish, use a pastry bag to fill the empty egg white shells.

Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before serving.

Football and Apple Pie

2011-10-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

A strange thing happens to my husband when football season starts. He suddenly loves to cook. So imagine my surprise when Nick announced we were going to make an apple pie from scratch (including the crust)! See my pictures and Nick's step by step commentary below.

"The Forbidden Apple" Pie begins.

The Spiteri Apple Tree, planted in 1996

Paula Dean closely monitored the making of this crust, with chunks of frozen cubed butter, teaspoons of cold water, flour, sugar, salt, and good ole' Southern love.

Paula actually let my husband knead the dough, because of his rather picturesque model hands.

Again, I am not sure if this shot is more of the apples or of my husbands beautiful hands.

After a brief introduction, the apples and dough meet and get married.

Once again, as Paula was holding my husbands wrist, Nick and Paula detail the outer edge of pie.

Before leaving San Bruno, Paula took this last picture of Nick. Paula insisted on having doubles made of this picture, since she had to catch her flight back to the Food Network.

As part of the contract, Paula insisted on a third of the pie being shipped to her, before anyone got any.

If you're up for the challenge and want to make your own "Forbidden Apple Pie" click here.

Easy Apple Pie Recipe.

Fall Flower Revamp

2011-10-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

October is my favorite month. Here in San Francisco we experiencewarm summer days and cool nights. Although most of our summer flowersare in their last blooming stage, it's too early to say goodbye togreat landscaping. Below are a few pictures of what I did over the weekend to add some texture and color to our front yard.

Organized chaos: Utilizing our front lawn as my workspace.

Fall Rustic Flower combination (full sun):

African Daisy, Ipomoea (twining vines), Lemon Thyme, Purple Annual Flowers.

Tip: Know your climate. The death of a plant often happens because we choose a plant because it looks great, but we don't plant it in the right climate. Pay attention to the climate tags and make sure you select the best plant for your garden.

Fall Rustic Flower combination (full sun):

Ipomoea (twining vines), Scottish Moss, African Daisy

Tip: A classic terracotta pot is always a timeless choice.

City by Foot

2011-09-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

It's always exciting and slightly stressful when friends and family come to visit. Even in a city like San Francisco, sometimes you run out of things to do (you can only visit Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf so many times.) Momma Carrillo came into town a few weeks ago and we decided to try something new and signed up for a walking tour by San Francisco City Guides. Founded in 1978, City Guides is a non-profit organization with more than 200 trained volunteers who lead FREE history and architectural walking tours in San Francisco. They are sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library and are a a San Francisco Parks Trust Park Partner.

Let's just say this is one of the city's best kept secrets. I signed us up for the Alamo Square Painted Ladies tour and the husband (who was a little reluctant about this idea), had us do another tour the next day (it was that good). We even had my San Francisco native parents join us on the tour and they both were impressed with the sights they saw and the knowledge they learned.

An upward view of a building in Alamo Square.

Fancy Wood Work in Alamo Square, San Francisco

Tourist take a picture of the Painted Ladies.

Nick and his mom Andi

Hearts in San Francisco is an annual public art installation started in 2004 by the San Francisco General Hospital. There are 130 hearts through out the city. This heart is located outside the home of Diane Feinstein.

Good to KNOW: Although they are called "Walking" Tours, you reallyaren't walking for a long period of time. Wearing comfortable shoes isrecommended, but you certainly don't need a walking stick to do thistour. Lastly, although the tour is free a cash donation isencouraged. For more info and to view their October calendar click here.

Kayak Made for Two

2011-08-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

Over the bridge and through the woods, to kayaking we go.

(Golden Gate Bridge: in motion 2011)
Taken from our car's sunroof!

Last weekend Nick talked me into kayaking in Sausalito.

My reaction: "Aren't there sharks in Sausalito?"

Much to my dismay, I went along for the ride and tried to channel my inner coxswain. What could have been a disaster, turned out to be a great Saturdate activity. Nick and I quickly found our rhythm and enjoyed an hour rowing around the bay.

Nick: "I told you this would be fun!"

I think my husband was relieved because:

A. We didn't see any sharks.

B. He wasn't stuck rowing the kayak by himself.

C. The weather was sunny and the water was calm.

D. All of the Above

City: Sausalito, CA

Rental: Sea Trek Kayaking

Next Time: Make kayaking reservation first thing in the morning.

Grab brunch at Le Garage Bistro

Sundate: Concert in the Park

2011-07-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

The tradition of Sundate is back, now that the hubby and I are living under one roof. Praise the lord! Last Sunday Nick planned our date (with Stella) and we went to Golden Gate Park and enjoyed a free concert featuring the San Francisco Symphony! Before we made our way to the park (which hubby keeps calling The Great Park... not sure why) we went to the Fatted Calf and bought our picnic goodies. If you love meat this is the place for you. In addition to selling meats they have a great selection of fresh baguettes, olives and cheese.
Our picnic was delicious and spending a lazy Sundate in Golden Gate Park is an easy and inexpensive activity to do.

Location: 320 Fell Street, San Francisco
DYK: The Fatted Calf offers classes. Yup that's right! You can take a class and learn the basics of curing meat, making pates, sausage, salumi! and even learn how to breakdown a whole hog into it's various useful parts. Now nothing sounds more romantic then learning how to breakdown a hog together as a couple. Maybe I should plan this for a future Sundate.......

Do you recognize anyone in this photo?

This meat case is worth drooling over!

Happy hour doesn't have to be for cocktails!

Concert in Golden Gate Park at Sharon Meadows

Stella relaxing in the sun while enjoying the music!

Vancouver Happenings

2011-06-25T23:45:00.000-07:00

When you travel as much as I do, you learn there are some things you can never be prepared for....like a riot in Vancouver. Lucky for me I wasn't there the night it happened, but when I arrived the next day you could see the upsetting aftermath. Although it was a quick 36 hour trip, I managed to try out one of the hottest new restaurants in Chinatown, Bao Bei. For more info visit Vancouver magazine Scout, which shows some amazing pictures and also gives a great glimpse into this restaurants amazing cuisine.

Travel brought me to Vancouver. Lucky for me I missed the riot by a day....

A picture of the bridge leading into Chinatown

Bao Bei means "precious" in Mandarin

Trixie the "mixologist" has inspired me to learn how to make a creative cocktail

I love the vintage flea market feel of the restaurant

My pretty dinner, which looked to good to eat (but was mighty tasty)

Drew's Bubbly 1st Birthday

2011-06-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

As an Auntie, I try to keep my camera handy and ready for any potential photo ops. My nephew Drew B turned one a few weeks ago. It was a special day for me, as it had been awhile since I'd seen my nephews.

My initial goal was to take tons of pictures of Drew & Tyler, but I quickly got sidetracked with taking pictures of men (including my husband) playing with bubbles.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the day.

The best cake ever

Drew B was all smiles on his big day

Everyone needs an Uncle Mike!

He's tall, great with kids and quite the bubble man

You would have thought Nick and AJ were turning one.

They couldn't get enough bubbles!

Me and Mr. T dipping our magic bubble wands

Mr. T concentrating on his bubble making

"Up, Up and Away," one of the biggest bubbles of the day

Summer Reading

2011-05-31T21:55:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit

It's raining in San Francisco..... again. With weather being so terrible it's hard to imagine summer is only 21 days away (but who's counting). Although it's been over a decade since I was required to complete a summer reading list, I always feel compelled to compile and complete a reading list each summer. I'm looking for some suggestion, so if you have any recommendations let me know!

This Spring I've read a lot off books turned into films. Even though the movie is never as good as the book, it's interesting to compare the two. After hearing my sister talk about Water for Elephants (and seeing it's been on the New York Times best seller list for 17 weeks), I decided to give it a go. After paying my $5.00 late fee at the public library, I checked out Water for Elephants and have been completely obsessed. Even if you've watched the movie, give this book a whirl. For a person who never liked the Circus (the smell of manure always bothered me, not to mention clowns can be scary), I now have an urge to go ride an elephant and become a circus performer. It's that magical!

For those of you who love New York City (which can also be a circus in it's own right), you should read Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. I recently read this iconic story and fell in love with Holly Golightly all over again. The book is very different from the film we've all watched and loved, but the details reviled about our favorite characters is so intriguing it will make you look at this film in a much different way. BTW: did you know that Holly's LBD was originally designed by Givenchy, but had to be redesigned by the costume designer at the last minute because it revealed too much of Audrey's leg!

Lastly, if you've noticed a lot of people toting around a bright green book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is worth the buzz everyone keeps giving it. I've read the trilogy and would read them again and again. The first book can be a slow start, but as soon as you finish it you will be running to the bookstore to buy the Girl Who Played With Fire.

So what are you reading this summer?

Mrs. Impulsive

2011-05-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Impulsive is the last word I would use to describe myself. I'm the type of person who analysis everything and stresses over making the right decision.

So I don't really know what got into me last week, but I decided to chop off all my hair (reference this post if you can't remember how long it was). In addition I stopped drinking coffee and wine (my two big vices). As if this wasn't enough torture, I decided to conquer my fear of needles and signed up for acupuncture. Like I said before, apparently I felt the need to torture myself last week. After many ups and downs / second thoughts, I've finally arrived at embracing the new look and lifestyle.

A week later I'm ready to post a picture of the new look, however just to warn you, I'm not loving the picture. My photographer Marge, couldn't capture the vibe I was going for. That's what happens when you hire an amateur!

Stay Calm: It's Only A Wedding

2011-04-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit

OK I admit it, I have a secret obsession with the Royal Wedding. Maybe it's because as a kid my Grandma Ruth had the iconic "Wedding Day" Princess Diana doll. This doll was a collectors item and I wasn't allowed to play with it. The closes I came to touching the doll, was when I left nose and finger prints all over the glass case she was in. As I got older, I realized the significance about Princess Diana and understood why this doll was so special......

Photo Credit

A favorite photo of Princess Diana photographed by Mario Testino in 1997

(5 months before her death)

On Friday the world will witness a historical event and I might be crazy enough to watch the event live (at 4 am) while wearing the below headband, drinking tea and eating crumpets. We'll see if I actually do it. It sounds like a great idea now that I've had 10 cups of coffee, but I'm sure my deep sleep will overpower my urge to witness history in the making. Thank god we have a DVR. Knowing me I'll probably watch the wedding 12 hours later with a G and T!

Thanks E for the headband. I couldn't think of a better occasion to wear this fabulous headband. Now if I only could remember where I left my white gloves....

Pancakes & Martinis

2011-04-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

We were lazy on Saturday. I think I took a 2 hour nap (which is rare) and my mom who normally has dinner on the table by 6:30 had nothing cooking. It's become a family tradition to go to church on Saturday instead of Sunday. Apparently Mass is faster and there is a smaller crowd (after all it is Saturday night). Imagine our surprise when the Easter Vigil Mass was 90 minutes instead of the normal speedy 50 minutes! Arriving home at 10:15 at night, the Spiteri Family unanimously voted breakfast for dinner!

Cooking an egg on the griddle

Pumpkin Pancakes on the grill

(not only are we having breakfast for dinner but we are also celebrating Halloween instead of Easter!)

Stephanie and Stella thinking about pancakes.

Stephanie with her Bailey Coffee and Bill with his Dirty Martini. I think martinis go with anything. Don't you agree?

Year 3: Leather

2011-04-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

What do you do when your wife lives in San Francisco and you live in Orange County?

Solution: Meet halfway in Pismo Beach.

Pet Friendly Hotel: Seacrest Inn 

Pismo Beach

The Seacrest Pool: Pismo Beach, California

Leather is the traditional gift to exchange on your third anniversary. We both bought each other leather shoes.

Husband scored extra points with this fabulous ETSY find. It's a wooden jewelry box with LEATHER trim. I also heart the cupcake lip gloss {He knows me so well}!

Miss Stella having a grand time at the beach

Rush Hour

2011-04-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

Where: Grand Central Station, New York City

When: April 1st 2011

Why: Going to Connecticut for a work event

Ticket Price: $14.50

Experiencing the RUSH of Grand Central Station on a Friday Evening: Priceless

Tunnel Traffic

Do you have the time?

Clock at Grand Central Station, New York City

DYK: There are two peculiarities to this ceiling: the sky is backwards, and the stars are slightly displaced.

 Fancy Chandeliers at Grand Central Station, 

New York City  

Flowers in the City

2011-03-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

"Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" -  Robin Williams

It finally stopped raining for a nanosecond!  Couldn't resist snapping a few photos while walking to work this morning (I guess it pays to keep a camera in your purse at all times!) 

Macy's flower box

Cherry Blossom Tree in San Francisco's Union Square  

Yellow Mellow in Union Square

San Francisco Union Square monument to Admiral George Dewey 

A candid non glamour picture of me (next time I have an improptu moment I should put lipstick on!)

Tomato Tomato

2011-03-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Spring is here!!! Well sort of. Weather in San Francisco continues to be rainy, but that's not stopping me from gardening. For the last month ~~I've~~ my dad has been germinating tomato seeds. Sounds nerdy, but it's very simple (and EXTREMELY rewarding). My dad has been growing tomatoes by seed for the last 5 years. Each summer he extracts the tomato seeds from his crop and re-germinates them the following spring. If you're interested in harvesting tomato seeds click HERE.

Last years tomato crop of early girls, yellow and red heirloom tomatoes.

Growing tomatoes in the Bay Area. Early girls, yellow and red heirlooms tomatoes 10 days after planting.

Secret Tip: We Bill has been watering the seedlings with chamomile tea because it helps prevent fungal growth! Chamomile is sometimes known as "the plant doctor", because it is thought to help the growth and health of many other plants, especially ones that produce essential oils. It is thought to increase production of those oils, making certain herbs, like mints (spearmint, sage, oregano) and basil stronger in scent and flavor. source

The tomato plants 5 weeks after planting.

Because the weather has been so terrible, the tomato plants have been parked on our kitchen window ledge for the last 5 weeks. When it's sunny outside the plants get to sunbathe for a couple of hours. Despite the challenging weather, Bill is obviously doing something right! I can't believe how green and beautiful these plants are.

Secret Tip: We've been collecting rain water and feeding it to the plants. Nerdy (I know), but it's common to harvest rain water for irrigation purposes.

Stay tuned for more tomato and gardening tips!

Stella last summer hiding in the tomato plants!

Arigato Hawaii

2011-03-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

Watch Out - March 10, 2011. 

12 hours before Honolulu was issued a tsunami warning.

Work brought me to Hawaii this week. As usual it was all work and no play, but I did treat myself to a vacation day and was able to take a few photos and work on my tan. During this trip I discovered the lovely combination of ice tea and pineapple juice. Amazingly refreshing but also potentially dangerous when adding vodka to the mix!

For you foodies out there: I discovered Red sea salt. This salt is gathered from the sea along the reefs in Hawaii and mixed with Alaea, a rich volcanic red clay, much more potent than regular sea salt and your average table salt.

Lastly, I discovered a cool new hotel called the EDITION. Swanky & cool, this setting was amazing. For a casual dinner and drink check out Morimoto Waikiki.

Note Worthy: The trilogy book set of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was available for purchase at the hotel gift shop. Need I say more!

Perfect Palm Trees before the rain storm. March 2011

The War Memorial - March 10, 2010 - Waikiki, Hawaii

The War Memorial - Waikiki, Hawaii

Star Beach Boys - Yellow Umbrella

A girl and her dog - Waikiki, Hawaii

The Wind Was Blowing

2011-02-28T17:37:00.000-08:00

Santa Monica Pier Sign: February 26, 2011

"Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, breathe more, talk less, say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours." - Swedish Proverb

My week in a nut shell....
1. Discovered Gilly Hicks
2. Woke Up looking like Black Swan
3. Experienced International Orange - Thanks EMB
4. Saturday walk in Santa Monica - Thanks honey
5. Happy Socks - the hot new trend for men
6. Can't wait to tell time with this new watch
7. Tomato plants are starting to sprout
8. Stella - A girls best friend
9. Cleaning tip for Hunter Rain boots: Use Armorall! Yup, the stuff you use to clean your car tires.
10. Always double check your travel arrangements and make sure everything is booked correctly. Oh vey that's one for the books.

Piroshky & Daffodils

2011-02-20T20:09:00.000-08:00

Alone in Seattle...
Here are a few pictures I snapped while in route to the airport.

My view of the Seattle Space Needle during a taxi ride. I'm kind of liking the abstract photo of the space needle.

Despite the cold temperature, spring was making it's debut at the Pike Place Market.

Daffodils for sale at the Pike Place Market.

The original Starbucks.

The Pike Place Market sign. It's hard to see in this picture, but there are flower boxes on the roof with tulip and daffodil bulbs. The flowers will start to bloom in the next month.

Piroshky, Piroshky. When you see a line wrapped along a building, you know the food must be good!

A New Tradition & Great Advice

2011-02-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

photo credit

Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Hope your day is full of chocolate and champagne.....
Here is a short and sweet story about love. Enjoy!

A colleague of mine recently celebrated her 478 wedding anniversary. Yes, I said 478! (I'm sure you thought I made a typing error). When she got married almost 40 years ago, the Rabbi told the young couple every morning you wake up you should ask yourself "how will you love your spouse more than you did the day before?"  They were touched by the Rabbi's advice and decided they would turn it into a life long contest.  Since that day, every month on their anniversary date the couple has exchanged cards.  No matter where they were physically or emotionally; good times or challenging times, they always kept the tradition.  Although it may sound strange to constantly be exchanging cards, to them it represents a clean slate.  Whatever happened the previous month was ancient history and a new month was a fresh start.      

Although life seems to get more complicated from generation to generation, sometimes it's reading a story like this that reminds us what love is suppose to be about..... 

Here Comes The Sun

2011-02-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

The Five things that made my weekend:
ONE - Tanning ... well sort of. L'oreal Sublime Bronze towelettes available at ULTA
TWO - Grilled Cheese Sandwich at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen
THREE - Jeremy's Department Store
FOUR - The Fighter (trying to watch all the movies nominated for Oscars)
FIVE - My favorite walk with Stella

Despite the fun activities, a weekend is never the same without your significant other. Nick and I are at the 6 month mark with 6 more months to go. Oh vey!
Hopefully the next 6 months will go by fast.

Do Over: The Catcher in the Rye

2011-02-04T17:21:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit

What can I say... I love to check out books from the library. Maybe it's the smell of the books or the childhood nostalgia the library gives me. This month I'm going back in time to my Sophomore year of high school and am reading The Catcher in the Rye. I can't wait to meet Mr. Holden Caulfield in my dreams.

What classic would you read again?

A New Year..... A New Me

2011-02-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

photo credit

She views the world through rose colored glasses • loves to throw dinner parties, but has been known to burn the roast • values eccentricity over convention • is the first to laugh at her own bad jokes • knows the cha-cha, the charleston, and the tango • paints her nails bright coral when she's feeling blue • is infinitely curious • could happily live off of red velvet cake • pens hand written notes to her grandmother • has a signature shade of lipstick • secretly thinks she may be babe paley reincarnated • received an iPAD for her birthday, but will never give up her library card • has a bucket list a mile long and dreams a dime a dozen • is smart, but never a show-off • listens to the day's forecast, but trusts her own intuition • never says no to a sunday matinee at the theater • is quick to blush, but never short of a witty reply • has a skip in her step and a twinkle in her eye • always shares her last piece of gum
how do they know me so well!?

Thanks EM for the inspiration! If I could embroider this on a pillow I would!

Mini & Mini

2011-01-17T22:02:00.000-08:00

My mom always said great things come in small packages.
Last week in the mist of a crazy work week, I discovered two mini pleasures:
1. Mini cupcakes from Cupcakes Bakery in Fresno
2. Clam Bake mini Essie nail polish available at jcrew.com

"It's a good time... for a cupcake" - Cupcakes Bakery located in Fresno.

A mini cupcake is only $0.95. How sweet is that?

I heart the German chocolate cake & orange creamcicle flavors!

My Clam Bake nail polish added some much needed color into my life. Now all I need is some sunshine and a tan.

Seriously Marge: Spinach Broccoli Muffins

2011-01-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Everyone thinks their mom is the best cook, but my mom is a REALLY good cook. My dad often jokes with my mom about how she use to burn water when they first got married. Passionate for fresh ingredients, this lady goes to the market everyday and hasn't met a dish should wasn't able to duplicate. I realize there are a ton of blogs dedicate to cooking, but I thought it would be fun to share a few of my mom's favorite recipes and simple cooking tips.

First Up: Spinach and Broccoli Muffins.
This vegetable muffin is easy to make and is the perfect "grab and go" breakfast item during a crazy work school week.

Preheat oven to 375*
Ingredients

1 cup chopped cooked broccoli
3/4 cup cooked spinach (drain well)
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic (grated)
¼ cup green onions finely chopped (about 3 onions)
½ teaspoon dry dill or dill butter 2 oz
2 large eggs
3/4 cup low-fat milk
2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (add last)

Marge suggest using 3 bowls for this cooking project.
First Bowl - Put first 6 ingredients in large bowl (broccoli, spinach, olive oil, garlic, green onion and dill). Stir until blended.
Second Bowl - Crack eggs and beat them. Add milk and set to side.
Third Bowl - Mix dry ingredients (cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt)
Slowly add second bowl (egg and milk mix) to third bowl (flour mix).
Add first bowl (broccoli and spinach mix).
Lastly add cheese.
Use ice cream scooper to fill muffin cups.
Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Dangerous Dynamo

2011-01-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

Place: Dynamo Donut & Coffee
Neighborhood: Mission
Price: $2 - 3 per donut
Outstanding Flavor: Maple Glazed Bacon Apple (need I say more!)
Fun Factor: The sitting area is comfy and cute and has plenty of story books to read about donuts!
Future Concern: The donuts are tasty and are as light as air. I could have easily ate a dozen myself ! At least my morning walk canceled out the calories I consumed.

Today's flavors

Pretty glass stands waiting to be filled

Fresh donuts

Breakfast of champions (me eating a donut after my walk!)

Two Words: Brass Band

2011-01-05T22:16:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit

Venue: The Independent
Band: Rebirth Brass Band and the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars
Drinks: Tasty and Cheap
Seats: Standing room only = not a bad view in the house (except if you're 5'2 and under).
Cool fact: Sustainability; The Independent promotes positive change by proactively reducing the our venue’s environmental footprint. By making their internal operations more sustainable, they seek to educate and inspire our employees, patrons and bands to become more environmentally conscious. Our environmental objectives are focused on three key areas: waste diversion, conservation, education and outreach. source

Thanks guys for a fun evening. Can't wait for the next concert.

A Gem of an Organizer

2011-01-05T21:45:00.000-08:00

Most people do everything they want in the month of December. You eat until it hurts, shop till you drop and party like it's going out of style. No wonder January feels like one long Monday. To help pass the time, my mission is to get myself organized once and for all (yeah right....this resolution will be broken by March!)

First up my jewelry collection!

With jewelry being a big trend the last few seasons, I've started to accumulate some fun pieces. Not owning a jewelry box, my jewelry has been spread out all over. As a married gal, I have to consider solutions that are aesthetically pleasing, but also something that works with my unisex decore. After recently seeing some fun ways to display jewelry, I was inspired to come up with a practical and stylish solution.

Photo Credit

Kelly Wearstler's jewelry collection. Wish I could dedicate a whole dresser to accessories, but lack of space and collection doesn't make this a practical solution for me.

Photo Credit

Using tea cups is a whimsical solution to storing jewelry, but I don't think I'm dainty enough to use this idea.

Photo Credit

I love the shadow box idea, but I have too much jewelry for this idea.

The Solution:

A vintage inspired 3 tiered thing I found from here...

It holds cocktail rings

earrings

necklaces

& bangles!

With a masculine metal finish, but a feminine scallop edge, this was a great find that can easily be integrated into any bedroom or powder room decore.

Now onto the next organization project!

Sundate: Stella & Roxanne

2011-01-02T17:26:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist taking a picture of this rare cuddle moment with Stella our 2 year old Boxer Lab mix and Roxanne, my parents 8 year old German Wirehair. Roxanne normally isn't very engaging to Stella. Having a love hate relationship I was surprised to see Roxanne letting Stella use her back as a pillow. Perhaps in her old age she's finally warming up to Stella (wishful thinking)! The fact is, it's extremely cold today and I think she was using Stella for body heat!
Oh well, at least it made a cute photo.

OMG: Twenty Eleven

2011-01-01T13:56:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit

Since I moved back home, my dad has brought it to my attention that I say OMG way to much. When I look back on 2010, it was an OMG kind of year, full of travel, life lessons, and new beginnings. It was also a year when Nick and I really had to make a hard decision about where we saw our future. After years of debate and multiple drafts of "our life plan," we I made the plunge and moved back to San Francisco. (Don't worry Nick and I are still two love birds). My husband is getting ready to student teach and unfortunately wasn't able to move to San Francisco with me and Stella (our dog). So we've been having a long distance marriage for the last 5 months. I wish I could say we are over the half way point, but we still have 7 months to go. Oh vey! (It really makes me understand what a military family goes through when their love ones are away.)

It will be interesting to see what 2011 brings. Although like everyone else in the world I have some resolutions, I think my theme for this year is to embrace my third decade with grace, style and no regrets.

Cheers to a new year!

PS. A new year requires a new blog format. It's still a work in progress, but I hope you like the new look.

Behind The Scenes: Sharp Park

2010-12-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

Our 2010 Christmas card photo wasn't planned (clearly you can tell by my hooded sweatshirt and ponytail.) Our family picture was taken the day after Thanksgiving during a walk on Mori Point trail in Sharp Park, Pacifica.

Photo Credit

After climbing these stairs.....

We discovered this amazing view! How could I deny this background for our family picture? Even though hair wasn't combed and outfits weren't anything fancy, I had to go with the moment.

Thanks Steph for being patient as I try and position Stella.

After a couple of attempts we got this picture!

Although this picture isn't very traditional, it's one of my favorite shots of the day.

Stay tune for this years Christmas card. I was really happy with how it came out and hope you are too!

Bill's Hot Totty

2010-12-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

Baby it's cold outside. Better make myself a hot toddy drink!
Ingredients:
•1 oz brandy, whiskey or rum
•1 Tbsp honey
•1/4 lemon
•1 cup hot water
•1 tea bag (optional)

Preparation:
1.Coat the bottom of a mug or an Irish coffee glass with honey.
2.Add the liquor and the juice of the lemon quarter.
3.On the side, heat water in a tea kettle and add the tea bag to make hot tea.
4.Pour the steaming tea (or hot water) into the glass and stir.

Hot toddies are traditionally drunk before going to bed, or in wet / cold weather. They were believed to help cure the common cold and flu, but the American Lung Association now recommends avoiding treating the common cold with alcoholic beverages as they cause dehydration. - Thanks wikipedia for the health tip! souce

Bill's drink tip: whatever you use make sure it's not cheap!

I think this is going to put hair on my chest! oh vey

Pineapple After Dark

2010-12-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, I got the brilliant idea I would climb Diamond Head. Although this sounds like a fun adventure, when you're in Hawaii on business there is very little room for downtime. Even though I packed my running shoes and swimsuit (optimistically), both items remained unused. And even though my cab driver suggested I hike a mountain in Maui, "so the clouds can be underneath me" (the cab drivers words not mine), I barely had time to grab lunch (although lunch was at Cheese Burger of Paradise!)

So the other night I decided not to feel sorry for myself, but act out my mantra of "life is what you make it," and I went for an amazing walk on Waikiki Beach and took a few pictures along the way. Although this trip didn't involve any site seeing, I was able to eat at some of my favorite places. Most importantly I was able to go back to the spot where my husband proposed to me.

On the last day of the trip, I rescued my running shoes from the dungeon of my suitcase and strapped them on for a quick jog on the beach.

I think I might just get use to these Hawaii trips after all.......

Driving back to the Maui Airport I stopped at this remote beach for a quick walk.

A single beach umbrella in front of the Moana-Surfrider Hotel.

Wakiki Beach with city skyline.

My new red handbag at the beach.

Surfboards rest on the beach after dark.

Mele Kalikimaka

2010-11-30T18:02:00.000-08:00

I forgot how cold the Bay Area gets in the winter. Thank goodness I'm fleeing to Hawaii tomorrow. No need to be jealous, it's work related. Although there will be no leisure time during this trip, I'm certainly motivated to get up early so I can at least go for a nice jog!

Hopefully my early mornings will help me get some good pictures.

More to come!

Carrillo Turkey Trot

2010-11-28T19:59:00.000-08:00

Although it's my parent tradition to host Thanksgiving, Nick and I started a new tradition this year and organized the first annual Carrillo Turkey Trot Bar Crawl. We may have been stuffed from the previous night but we're still thirsty!

So who's in for next year?

First stop: The Hydeout. Think Three's Company Regal Beagle. This place had red walls and black leather chairs. Drinks were dangerously good and very reasonable.

Me, Marge, Andi and Stephanie

Second stop: The Bigfoot Lounge. Decorated like a log cabin, this is a fun place to grab a drink with a group.

The swanky wine bar. I'm in love with the red lights!

Third stop: Amelie. Swanky wine bar located on Polk, this was the perfect stop to get a refreshing glass of wine and lite bites.

Mr. Nick

(Ian, Lena, Paul and Andi)

Final Stop: BeldenTaverna. This Italian restaurant has a great selection of sea food.

Dim Sum + Art History

2010-11-28T19:21:00.000-08:00

A perfect date for Nick and I usually consist of the following things: pretty views, a long walk and most importantly... FOOD. Yesterday our Saturdate adventure took us to the Richmond district of San Francisco where we enjoyed food from the Shanghai Dumpling King and saw the Japanesque exhibit at the Legion of Honor.

The Dumpling King located on Balboa between 34th & 35th

The #8 special hot and spicy

A complimentary fried donut with sugar

The Legion of Honor with pretty orange flowers

A view at dusk

Both were unique experiences. It was my first time going to the Legion of Honor and I was taken back by the beautiful views of the Golden Gate bridge and the city skyline.

The dim sum however takes the cake on our favorite part of the day. This tiny restaurant has a major following and has a mega menu to look at.

I guess they call them the Dumpling King for a reason.........

The Lamp Shade That Started It All

2010-11-14T17:26:00.000-08:00

When you've lived on your own for 11 years, moving back home with the parents is an adjustment. Since my new job requires me to work from home, I thought this was a great opportunity to redecorate Stephanie's old bedroom and turn it into a cozy office (after all she doesn't live here anymore)! The new room was inspired by a vintage lampshade I bought at a flea market a few years ago (picture above).

BEFORE:

AFTER:

We repainted the room from buttercup yellow to a battleship blue. I love how the color goes from blue to gray as the light changes in the room. I unfortunately had to keep the daybed, (my mother politely reminded me this was still Stephanie's bedroom), but modernized the bed with some decorative pillows.

For extra storage, I'm using the dresser as a place to house my files.

I spied these file holders on this favorite blog site.

I also personalized the space with my favorite pictures

(including this one of Stephanie).

I finally framed the prints bought at this flea market

and mentioned on this blog entry.

My desk bought at target features a chrome vintage chair bought from e-bay. Life lesson #453: When bidding on a piece of furniture, it is only a bargain if your shipping is less than your purchase. E-bay chair cost:$35. Shipping cost $150. Can you say ouch! I also recycled an old picture frame, by spray painting it white and turning it into a chic bulletin board.

This decorating business is harder than I thought. If you have any suggestions or tips, please let me know.

Butter Me Up

2010-11-14T16:25:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit

Although the FTA says we should be at the airport 2 hours before take off, I'm usually the gal who waits until the last minute and usually arrives 45 minutes before flight. As a multi-tasker, I despise hanging out at the airport; you can only make fun of amateur travelers for so long. So imagine my surprise when I spied, a fantastic nail salon at Seattle's Sea Tac Airport.

Butter LONDON offers fast, affordable, high quality manicures and pedicures. Located in Concourse C, this nail salon is open seven days a week and no appointment is necessary! Considering this salon is located at the airport, the atmosphere is darling. Decorated with a bird motif and blue and yellow accents, it's feminine but funky. I love the black lacquer chandler and gold accents.

Now if only Sea Tac had this in Concourse C, I just might follow that 2 hour FTA suggestion.....

And the TROPHY goes to

2010-10-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

After eating a hamburger the equivalent of my body weight, I could barely move and was suddenly feeling a food coma take over my body. Secretly wanting to ask the waiter to wheel me out of the restaurant, I quickly came out of my coma when I discovered this AWESOME cupcake bakery across the street (apparently, I can always make room for cupcakes)!

This darling store front had my name all over it. Tiffany blue decor, whimsical cards and fun gifts.

I secretly heart these french bar stools!

OMG! You can pick a fun toy for your cupcake (with a small fee)!

The girl who packed my cupcakes... (yes, I asked if I could take her picture.)

A long journey... here are the cupcakes during our cab ride to the airport.

Name: Trophy Cupcakes and Party
Location: Seattle and Bellevue, Washington
Price: $3 a cupcake
Claim to Fame: Martha Stewart has visited their shop
My Favorite Flavor: Peanut Butter and Jelly. (For real this cupcake tasted like your mom's p&j sandwich!)

Bring Texture Into Your Life

2010-10-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

I think TEXTURE is my new Favorite Word!
My parents don't realize it yet, but my secret goal is to slowly makeover their house one room at a time. It's not that my parent's house is outdated. They certainly aren't stuck in 1992. After living on my own for 11 years, I've become a DIY type of a gal and just because I'm back home my decorating and gardening passion shouldn't have to stop. So with October here, I felt Bill and Marge needed some texture in front of the house.

Step 1. Stella and I went to Osh (yes, I brought her in the store with me! She can pass as a service dog.) We bought these great full sun perennial plants. I love the texture of the bright green ipomea mixed with the purple angelonia.

Step 2. Buy some exotic pumpkins (with great texture). Cinderella pumpkins is an ornamental novelty pumpkin. Deeply ridged, exceptionally flattened fruits and weighs 25-30 lbs. You should have seen me digging through the box at Trader Joe's trying to find the perfect 20 lbs pumpkin.

Step 3. Stop Stella from eating the stem of the tiger pumpkin.

Step 4. The finished product. I should have taken a picture of the front of the house, but thought it would be more exciting to show a picture of the dogs.

A Day at the Park

2010-10-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had a chance to hangout at the park with Tyler and Drew. I'm not sure who had a better time, me or Tyler (it had been forever, since I had gone down a slide!) Although Drew is too little to play on the monkey bars, it was precious to see Beth holding him with his sun hat!

The kids were in a heavy discussion, deciding which parent should push them. Tyler told them Auntie Jenn could push them, no problem!

Holding on for dear life!

Mr. Sandman - the results of a faceplant in the sand.

This cute girl saw me take Tylers SANDY picture and insisted I take her picture. After I took her picture, she ran back to me and wanted me to re-play the picture, so she could see if it was a good picture or not!

Mr. Drew, looking so cute in his overalls and sun hat.

Momma Beth with Drew

Sundate: Haunted Beach

2010-10-10T22:42:00.000-07:00

Happy October Everyone! This is my favorite month of the year (seriously!). Thought I'd post some random pictures I took of Sundate at the beach. Nick surprised me with a trip to this darling B &B. If you're ever in Laguna I would totally check this place out. Insider tip: We had the most AMAZING complimentary gourmet brunch. Don't judge just yet. This breakfast was anything but ordinary. The chef supports the Slow Foods Movement and had a decadent menu including sweet potato waffles and a onion brie tart!

I never noticed this spooky castle before.

Two Love Sandals (um.. or birds)

Me and Nick

Me trying to be patient as Nick takes my picture.

Love the contrast of this black and white photo.

We Be Jammin'

2010-09-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

Fall is here and it's almost time for the Napa Valley to harvest grapes. Today I helped pick a few grapes so my mom and I could learn how to make Merlot jam. Check out the step by step pictures below, as I learn from my Aunt Jayna how to turn seven gallons of Merlot grapes into 56 jars of jam!

The Merlot vineyard with barn.

Don't these grapes look delicious?

My mom and I picking the grapes (and eating them too!)

Alyssa aka " The Crusher"

It may look like blood, but this is the juice from our beautiful Merlot grapes!

The left over skin and seeds from the grapes after the crush.

Once the juice starts to boil add sugar and pectin .

Me trying to stir the jam. Wish I would have lifted weights before volunteering for this job! j/k

After jars are filled with jam, they 're submerged in a boiling water bath so the container will be sealed.

Our finished product. Yum yum!

A group effort! Here I am with Aunt Jayna, Uncle Ron, Mom, Dad and Alyssa. I think the display is awarding winning Don't you?

Me relaxing in the pool after working so hard!

Life Lesson #453

2010-09-17T21:58:00.000-07:00

When backing up someones car, always check your rear view window; you may just end up backing the car into the side of your in-laws house (or into a canyon, as pictured below)!

My poor husband (who I'm sure is cringing that I decided to post this story for everyone to see), accidentally reversed my parents car into the side of the house! Well.. ..to say "side of house" is an exaggeration, but he did hit the gutter bending it into a new shape.

Oh well... at least we were able to bend it back, with little aesthetic damage. Good thing Bill and Marge had a few glasses of wine, before the accident happened, it really didn't bother them too much. Besides the car didn't even have a scratch on it!

Members Only

2010-09-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

What do you do when your husband is studying to become an art teacher and you live in an amazing city like San Francisco? You become a member of SFMOMA.

A nonprofit organization, SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art and was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art. The museum’s current collection includes over 26,000 works of painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design, and media arts.

As a member of SFMOMA we get to enjoy the following perks:

1. Express Entry (who wants to wait in line?)

2. Member preview days for selected major exhibitions

3. 10% discount off of the Rooftop Coffee Bar (did I mention they serve blue bottle coffee?)

4. Free admission for you and a guest to select film screenings and lectures

5. 10% discount off of merchandise at the Museum Store (Who doesn't like a discount?)

For more info visit: http://www.sfmoma.org/

Chance Encounter

2010-09-11T23:38:00.000-07:00

So you would simply assume because a dog is a mixed breed , aka a "mutt," he or she may never encounter a dog as similar on an everyday walk. Of course, you have the "popular" mixed breeds of the "maltipoo," "labradoodle," or "cockapoo," to which one may get lucky some day and perhaps see, but what about the not so famous, " boxador"? You see, our 55lb bundle of joy, Stella, is just that, approximately half boxer and half lab, and to be quite frank, Jenn and I never imagined we would see another just as similar. This was all until we met, "Shaky Jake", a 70lb male "boxador", as we were walking along the embarcadero in our favorite city by the bay, San Francisco. Other then the day we picked up Stella at the shelter with her 4 fellow litter mates, we had never really confirmed seeing another boxer/lab mix. Sure we had seen a few online when typing in "boxer lab mix" in the Google search engine, but to actually see one coming up on us as we were walking on this beautiful Saturday afternoon, was like encountering a long lost sibling that you knew you had to be related to. The meeting was brief, but confirming, boxers and labs, when the right opportunity arises, can produce beautiful little puppies that grow up to be a perfect mix of playful energy, wit, and curiosity. Take a look at our pictures below, of our first official "boxador" encounter, we hope you'll appreciate the significance...but don't be sad if you don't.

Stella and Shaky Jake meet for the first time, you can clearly see the similarities.

Both boxadors are ready to move on and could really care less about this chance encounter.

Stella still knows she's the only "boxador" who's walked across the Golden Gate.

Saturdate in the City

2010-09-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

What happens when you have to plan a date encompassing the words: batter, north, red and new adventure?

First you go to Stable Cafe and eat scones made by Batter Bakery. Second you drive north to that big RED landmark. Third instead of driving over it, your adventure is to walk it! Although walking the Golden Gate bridge is a tourist thing to do, as a Bay Area resident everyone should try this once. Views are breathtaking and even though we started the walk in fog, before we knew it the sun was out and it felt like summer (for like a minute). Here is our Saturdate in pictures.

Stable Cafe located in the Mission

The Golden Gate bridge with fog

Street light on the Golden Gate Bridge with the fog

The north tower of the golden gate bridge looking up to the sky

An up close photo of the top of the Golden Gate Bridge north tower looking up

The texture of the Golden Gate bridge

I think this is postcard worthy...

Cool Shoes

2010-09-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!!! I had to share this great picture of my nephew Drew and his new Nike shoes! Judging by the BIG smile on his face, he may never want to take them off!!

I Love To Picnik

2010-09-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

Photograph has been a passion of mind for several years. Although I understand the basics, I'm far from an expert. That's why I love to Picnik! This awesome website allows you to adjust the exposure, color and can even help you fix those unfortunate crooked lines in your pictures. Not to mention can also remove red eye and has a fantastic cropping tool. Take a look at my before and after pictures of a bench I took in Nice, France. They almost look like two different pictures!

Before Picnik: Ugly

After Picnik: Not so bad

Caffe DeLucchi

2010-09-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

Breakfast Pizza

Ever go to a restaurant and they run out of the dish you were about to order? Well that happened to me today. When I saw Caffe DeLucchi was serving buttermilk biscuits and gravy my mind and tummy was made up. As I gave my order to the waitress, she told me the table next to me just got the last one. Darn it! As I skimmed over the menu one last time, I decided to try something different and ordered a breakfast pizza. Not really sure how the flavors would work for breakfast, I was overwhelmed by the tasty goodness this breakfast gave me. My only complaint.... It was HUGE. Next time I go back this is something I would definitely split with someone.

After breakfast, I went for a nice walk with Stella and took a few pictures of Sts. Peter and Paul Church before my battery ran out.

Name: Caffe DeLucchi
Where: North Beach, located on the corner of Columbus and Stockton
What I had: Black Forest Ham pizza with cheddar cheese, green onion and two sunny side eggs.
Did You Know: Caffe Delucchi has won SF Weekly "Best of 2pm Breakfast"

The front window of Caffe DeLucchi over looking the corner of Columbus and Stockton


My pizza with black forest ham and cheddar cheese


The "here goes nothing" taste test

Stella giving me "the look" wanting a piece of my crust

Sts. Peter and Paul Church (Nick and I got married there)

Candles at Sts. Peter and Paul Church

Life Lesson #452

2010-08-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

If you find a screw on the floor, you shouldn't throw it away as it probably goes to something VERY important... like your refrigerator door.

A few weeks ago Nick came home late from work and innocently opened up the refrigerator door and it literally fell off the hinges and onto the floor. My typical self would have started yelling, but instead I grabbed my camera and took the below pictures. Sometimes when life gives you lemons, all you can do is laugh and drink lemonade.

Nick - "Jenn what did you do to the refrigerator door?"

OMG - the refrigerator door just came off! Now what?

Keep in mind, this happened at around midnight, so waiting to deal with this in the morning wasn't an option!

Dogs Love Cupcakes Too

2010-08-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Below are some fun pictures I took of Stella and Roxanne enjoying their first Sprinkles pupcake!

Name: Sprinkles
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Pupcake Price: $2.50
Cupcake Price: $3.25
Unique Flavor for humans: Chai Latte
Dog Bed: Title Track by Molly Mutt

Pupcakes from Sprinkles

Roxanne holding the pupcake bag

Stella sniffing her pupcake bag

Roxanne and Stella patiently waiting for me to stop taking pictures

Finally Marge gives them their pupcake

The girls enjoying their pupcake

The girls licking the crumbs off the floor

B is for Boznanski

2010-08-22T20:41:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love the the famous line "All You Need Is Love," written by John Lennon in 1967. Although it's a simple saying it has a deep truth to it. Yesterday Erica and Blake got married. It was an amazing day that went by WAY to fast. Below are a few pictures from the day. I was only going to post ten, but ended up with two extras!

Erica and Blake - I wish you a life full of love, laughter, and cheer! CONGRATULATIONS

1. The brides bouquet, with mini picture frames of her grandparents.

2. The bridesmaids admiring the view from the hotel.

3. A picture perfect day in the city. So glad there was no fog!!!

4. The bride with her six bridesmaids.

5. Retro super glam mirror.

6. Aunt Teri looking like a brunette Grace Kelly.

7. Gio and Mommy Julie.

8. The bride and her family.

9. "I'm getting married in 15 minutes and I can't stop smiling!"

10. Chrissy Field with the bridal party.

11. Mr. & Mrs. Boznanski.

12. Our place cards looked like concert tickets.

The tickets looked so real, my dad thought he was going to a Counting Crows concert!

Real Flavor. Real History.

2010-08-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

Boudin

In 1849, the Boudin family struck culinary gold. Wild yeasts in the San Francisco air had imparted a unique tang to their traditional French bread, giving rise to “San Francisco sourdough French bread.” Today, the Boudin family's initial recipe lives on in the hands and hearts of our expert bakers, with a portion of the original mother dough still starting each and every sourdough loaf we make. Boudin history since 1849. (credit)

Boudin for breakfast has been my parents weekend "go to" spot since they became empty Nester's. This morning I decided to crash their party and joined them for a lovely (but long) walk along the Embarcadero. When we reached Pier 39, the fresh breakfast croissant sandwich melted in my mouth and my french roast coffee was a perfect compliment to my meal.

Name: Boudin
Where: Pier 39 Location
Price: $4.95
What I had: Egg scramble on a croissant with Cheddar cheese and ham.
Secret Surprise: Not all Boudin's serve breakfast, so check with your local Boudin before you get your heart set on a breakfast sandwich or their famous French toast.

A view from the pier bench

Hot cup of Joe

Dad with his sandwich

Yum Yum.... egg, cheddar cheese on a fresh croissant

'wichcraft

2010-08-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

After living in Long beach for almost 11 years, I'm having to reacquaint myself with the Bay Area. A lot has changed since I last lived here and the next few months will be about first time experiences and rediscovering a place I love. This week I discovered a gourmet sandwich shop. Although I usually gravitate to ma & pa sandwich shops this gourmet sandwich shop is worth trying out. Besides there are only 3 locations total; San Francisco, New York and Las Vegas.

Name: 'witchcraft (cute name for a sandWich shop)

Where: 868 Mission & 5th, San Francisco (by Westfield Centre)

Price: $5.95 - $9.50

Fun Fact: Tom Colicchio head judge of Bravo's Top Chef, founded ’wichcraft with partners Sisha Ortuzar and Jeffrey Zurofsky in 2003.

Favorite Sandwich: Roasted turkey, avocado, bacon, onion relish & aioli on ciabatta roll. See picture below.

Photo Credit

Feeling adventurist, try making your own sandwich with this cookbook available on amazon.com

Bay Area Beginnings

2010-08-10T17:44:00.000-07:00

Teacake Bake Shop

It's barely been 24 hours since I've reached my new/old home and I've already discovered "The Mecca"... my new go to spot for cupcakes, cookies and other must haves.

Name: Teacake Bake Shop

Location: Burlingame Avenue

Price: $3 a cupcake

Fun Fact: This darling bake shop has happy hour! Between 4 - 6 their cupcakes are half price and they offer $1 frosting shots!

Favorite Flavor: Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with Dulce de Leche Buttercream Frosting

Me and my sour cream chocolate cupcake with dolce de leche buttercream frosting.

Pretty cupcakes

Mom & Dad discussing what cupcake they like best

Stella eyeballing the cupcakes

Breakfast for Dinner

2010-08-08T01:17:00.000-07:00

Emily and AJ's BIG day!

"Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his life answering"

Nicole Krauss

The History of Love

The above quote was printed on the back of the ceremony program and I thought the wording was a perfect way to start this blog entry. The evening was a perfect summer night, elegant, cool with a touch of the unexpected. I think the pictures speak for themselves.

1. Oh Martha - Love the Just Married sign at the entrance of the Croal's backyard

2. Simple and Chic decorated the family style dinner tables

3. Photo station allowed guest to get dressed up and have their picture taken. Super cute idea!

4. Breakfast for dinner! I was so excited to take this picture, I didn't realize it was out of focus. :(

5. The Wedding Cake with the bride and groom topper

6. Desert with poolside view. Yum Yum!

7. The Bride and Groom's first dance. I love Emily's blue shoes!

8. Cousin Ian and Ryan dancing

9. Elvis our entertainment for the evening

10. Beth and Nat on the dance floor

11. The Wedding Train

Change is inevitable...

2010-08-03T23:07:00.000-07:00

except from vending machines - author unknown

After living in the LBC for almost 11 years, it's time to go home.

This Sunday I'm moving back to the Bay. I remember the day I left home and cried hysterically from San Bruno to Bakersfield, convinced I made a lethal mistake.

All I thought was "what if I hate it?"

Nothing prepared me for the opposite "what if I fall in love?"

It's been a decade full of great memories, good friends, love, laughter and cheer.

To new beginnings........

Do Over: F + J Wedding

2010-07-24T13:37:00.001-07:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

I think I'm finally getting the hang of the Shutterfly album feature, so I wanted to re-post F + J's wedding pictures from Venice. Hard to believe they got married almost 2 months ago!

Enjoy.

HOT = Palm Springs

2010-07-22T20:25:00.001-07:00

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Location: Palm Springs

Hotel: Villa Royale Inn (Bed & Breakfast)

Vibe: Think Peggy Guggenheim minus the Picasso and Salvador Dali paintings.

Hotel Room Decor: Although the rooms were incredibly clean, the decor was outdated (think TV show Family Ties circa 1986).

Unexpected Surprise: IllyCoffee (Need I say more).

Biggest Disappointment: Jenn’s attempt at a cannon ball. Nick said the splash was equivalent to a meatball!

Things To Do: If you’re itching to gamble (or people watch) check out Spa Resort Casino

Would We Go Back: YES!!! It was fun staying at a B & B. The service was great. We were able to bring drinks and snacks by the pool and since the place isn't mainstream, it was actually quiet and relaxing. Imagine that!!

Dogs and Babies

2010-07-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

Can you find the baby among all the plaid and hair?

If you found the baby and are wondering who it is; if the facial expression doesn't give it away, you probably know it's me. My mom recently sent this to me after I was telling her how nervous I was about introducing Stella to her new cousin Drew. My mom suggested I keep Stella on a short leash and no matter what, DO NOT allow her to jump on Beth and the baby.

So glad to see my parents followed their own advise. As the story goes, this picture was taken during my first meet and greet with my mom's beloved German Wire Hair, Saddle. A kodak moment if I ever saw one. I think this one in frame worthy...........

I See Tomato Blooms

2010-07-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

It's been 14 weeks since I started my patio garden and my plants are looking fabulous. So far they've survived Stella (except for the sunflower seeds), our trip to Italy, Nick overwatering and June gloom. After three major transplants, five trips to Home Depot and a new watering can, I just might have the Spiteri green thumb after all!

Check out the progress of my tomato plants!!!!

Update: The herbs are still growing strong. Here is a picture after transplant number two a few weeks ago. I highly recommend planting pink rosemary (not sure why it's called pink... it looks green to me!), best flavor ever. Not to overpowering! Also now that the weather is finally warming up, pineapple sage is the perfect accent in a mojito!

Barcelona

2010-06-28T07:06:00.001-07:00

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Italy Top 150

2010-06-27T22:20:00.001-07:00

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It wasn't easy, but Nick and I managed to put together our top 150 favorite pictures from Italy. This was no easy task as we took over 1,300!

Hope you enjoy and let us know if you have a favorite.

Everyone Needs an Alice

2010-06-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

In college when most people are relieved to be free from mandatory Saturday chores and dish duty I became extremely neurotic about keeping a tidy apartment. I quickly was give the nickname Monica (aka from friends), as I would police the roommates on cleaning our apartment. Emily and Tiara recently reminded me of the time we had a huge party at our apartment and when someone spilled a beer, I was quickly at their feet with Resolve blotting out the stain!

Although I have become a little more relaxed about cleaning,who wouldn't want someone like Alice Turner living with you full time taking care of the everyday mundane tasks. Unfortunately for me and you we don't have an Alice living with us 24 -7, but we can make doing daily chores significantly more fun with the help of Alice Supply co. Named after the famous Brady Bunch housekeeper, Alice Supply has taken the common broom, dustpan, plunger and toolbox and gave them a whimsical makeover.

Although I wouldn't normally suggest giving cleaning supplies as a gift, I think these items are so fun it could make a great housewarming present or bridal shower gift. I especially love the 10 quart metal bucket. This could be used for washing the car or as my husband suggested chilling beers.....

Clearly my husband and I have different thoughts on housecleaning.

To find your local Alice retailer visit: http://www.alicesupplyco.com/retailers.php

photo credit

F + J Wedding

2010-06-17T17:51:00.001-07:00

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Hard to believe we’ve been back for almost two weeks and haven’t posted any pictures of the wedding! If you’re curious to see my outfit or the wedding party click here.

Note: I’m still experimenting with our new photo site so if it’s not easy to navigate let me know…..
Then again since there are only four of you reading my blog, five on a good day, I won’t stress too much! If your reading this and haven’t become a follower, today I am offering a prize for the first person who joins my blog!

Meet Drew

2010-06-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

I got the best treat this morning. I was able to meet my nephew Drew before going to NYC! Check out the beautiful baby and his mom and dad. I love the picture of Tyler meeting his new brother for the first time. I guess the introduction was a little tricky at first, but Tyler eventually warmed up and quickly asked why his belly button doesn't look like Drew's.

Next Stop: NYC

2010-06-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

Kate Spade taxi gloves

It's been 48 hours of trains, planes and automobiles (not to mention boats and my walking shoes)! In the last 12 days Nick and I have been to Washington DC, Madrid, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Tuscany, La Spezia, Santa Margarita, Cinque Terre, Portofino, and Chicago. (Maybe I shouldn't count the DC and Chicago airport as a place, but you get the picture... we've covered a LOT of ground in a short period of time!) I can't wait to post some pictures and recap our adventures, but before I can start, I 'm jetting off again to fabulous NYC for work. I think when all of this travel comes to a stop, I will finally understand what it means to be jet-lagged!

Until Next Time

Drive into the Tuscany Sun

2010-05-21T23:48:00.000-07:00

photo credit

Would you trust me to drive in Italy? Probably not. I hate driving. In my dream world I would be chauffeured around town in a black Lincoln town car with tinted windows. You can probably guess Nick will be teaching our kids how to drive. Definitely not me. I still have nightmares about Marge teaching me how to drive. Did I ever tell you about the time I drove into the garage and crashed the Dodge Caravan into Marge and our dryer? Not a pretty picture! (Don’t worry, Marge and the dryer were able to walk away from the incident with little damage).

So when my good friend Emily suggested we rent a car and drive to Tuscany all I have to say is ...“Not it!"

To be continued ...

Heaven or Hell

2010-05-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

Whatever happened to checking a book out from the library? Why do people have to buy their own books?

Last summer I decided to get a library card, mainly because I was feeling cheap. At the time I felt like whenever I bought a book, I would read it once and then it would sit on a shelf collecting dust until I decided to donate it to Goodwill.

After becoming a regular at the library, I found out that due to the economic hardships faced by the City of Long Beach, there had been major cuts to the library book budget. In attempts to keep the library up to date with new publications, the city created a wish list on Amazon.com. What a brilliant idea! When you think about it, donating a $20 book is cheap. This is something anyone can do. Over the last few months whenever I've felt compelled to buy my "own" book, I've bought the City of Long Beach a book instead. Giving back is a great feeling and when you're part of a community it's important to support your city in anyway you can. To support the Long Beach Public Library check out their WISH LIST.

So with that said, this month I'm reading There's A (Slight) Chance I might be Going To Hell.

I decided after reading PUSH and The Memory Keeper's Daughter it was time for something light hearted. So far so good. I love the writing style of Laurie Notaro. Already I've had several laugh out loud moments and I'm only 50 pages into the book. Hopefully this book will keep me entertained over the next few weeks.

So what are you reading??? I'm always looking for something new........

Mamma Mexicana with a side of Miguelito

2010-05-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

The first week of May was jam-packed with events. With Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day and Michael's Birthday happening within a week of each other, Nick and I thought it would be a grand idea to combine these events together and host a "Mamma Mexicana with a side of Miguelito" event.

Our dinner menu was simple. We drank Ruby sangria with fresh fruit and ate homemade carnitas. To alleviate a huge kitchen mess, we bought already made rice and beans from our favorite neighborhood restaurant El Pico De Gallo Grill‎. Their handmade tortillas and salsa were the perfect compliment to our meal. To top off the night, we brought out a pinata filed with scratcher tickets, chocolate and tchotchkes. At the end of the night, Nick and I couldn't help but wonder... what took us so long to bring a pinata to an adult party? I think this is something we should bring to the next Gunderman Christmas party. What do you think?

Our chic Mexican theme table

The Mamma's and Miguelito (aka Uncle Mike)

Paul setting up the pinata. Notice how we wrappedd the outside post, so we wouldn't do any structural damage. You have to admit we are hitting the pinata really close to the house!

Tyler taking a swing

Watch out GG is up to bat!

Off with his head!

Hopefully our children won't have my athletic ability (or lack there of!)

Mamma Beth up to bat

Sugar RUSH

Elmo is Getting Married!!

2010-05-01T22:55:00.000-07:00

Although May is all about mom's and proms, today has officially kicked of wedding season for Nick and I. This summer we have 3 to go to. Today we showered my cousin Erica with LOVE and cheer at her bridal shower in San Francisco.

Pretty shower invitation with Erica's wedding colors navy & orange

View from the Butterfly Restaurant

Beautiful girls (all related!)

She's a pro! Erica brought her own razor blade to the shower.

No one is going to mess up this brides manicure.

Steph, Tina & Dana

Erica opening my present

My "oh Martha" handmade (by me) flowers

Me and the bride to be with the ribbon bouquet I made
(what a stressful job!)

Tasty cupcakes made by Travis!! Yum Yum

I Left My Mom in San Francisco

2010-04-29T21:46:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit

"It's a funny thing about comin' home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You'll realize what's changed is you."
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Every time I think about this quote I get chills... Tomorrow I'm leaving my man and my puppy behind and am going home for the weekend. To say this trip is long overdue is an understatement (I haven't been home since November!). Although the weekend is jammed packed, words can't describe how good it will be to eat a "mom" made meal and sleep in my old bed. Since I can't be with my mom on Mother's Day, I'm planning to do something special for her over the weekend. I already know Sunday is going to come way to fast. I just hope saying good bye on Sunday won't be too painful. Wish me luck!

Mom & Me

Flea Market: Junk or Treasure

2010-04-26T21:51:00.000-07:00

I never understood those Designing for the Sexes shows until I got married. I’ll never forget the day Nick moved in and suddenly all of my things that resembled shabby chic, were packed in boxes on their way to St. Vincent de Paul. No more pastels and frilly prints. I was forced to move on to geometric prints and gender neutral colors. Although it took Nick and I some time to get into our decorating groove, we eventually got there and now we both can confidently buy things for our apartment knowing the other person will love it just as much

Although it’s been 3 years since my apartment was “girly,” I still can’t resist the urge to go to the flea market. Needless to say, I forgot to think about the above statement last Sunday when I was at the flea market. Husband wasn’t happy when I came home with this treasure:
.

In my defense it does have a geometric feel. What sold me was the amazing circle pattern. Although the chair needs some work, I love the faded Robin Egg color and I even don’t mind the octagon cream fabric. Husband thinks I should paint it brown (aka gender neutral) and recover the chair cushion with a rich fabric. What do you think?

I also scored these amazing vintage hand painted watercolor prints from a Japanese artist. Again, clearly I forgot my own house rules as these are very feminine, however I think once they are matted they could look great in a dining room or office.

Lastly, with market starting this week, I had to get my “Accessorizing On.” When it comes to jewelry, I’ve always gravitated to unique vintage things. At the flea market you can find some wonderful statement pieces for an incredible price. To visit you local Flea Market check out: http://www.iantiquesguide.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20040209191046117

The Sunflower Debacle

2010-04-18T23:39:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to think these cute seeds will produce 6 foot tall sunflowers by mid summer.

I decided to plant my seeds in a biodegradable plant container made of wood fiber and peat moss. No drainage holes are necessary because the pot disintegrates into the soil! This makes planting that much easier and also allows you to prevent "transfer plant shock" from happening.

For more info check out: http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Biodegradable_Plant_Containers

As I was preparing my biodegradable plant containers, I had to go inside our apartment for a minute and made the terrible mistake of leaving Stella alone with the half filled containers. Was upset to discover the below. If you look close you can see dirt on Stella's head. Oh vey!

Caught in the act

Hopefully there was no permanent damage with my seed. If all goes well my seeds will look like this in a month.

Gin and Tonic Part 2

2010-04-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

Martini anyone??? After a day of cleaning this is what the bar set up looked like. I decided to go with a pottery theme and used a ton of Nick's bowls, vases and that thing (sculpture) on the right! No room is complete without flowers. Trader Joe's had these amazing tulips for an incredible price. I also bought a ton of lemons and limes, as no bar is complete without this citrus essential. I also love the pop of color these bring to a room.

After drinks at our house we went to Green Field in Long Beach, an all you can eat Brazilian BBQ. Apparently we didn't eat enough meat at Easter! I think Nick and I will be eating salads and vegetables for the rest of the month. Needless to say you can tell by the pictures we had a great night.

Bar and pottery on display

I love the carnival glassware available at www.fishseddy.com

Paul the martini master!

Andi & Beth

Eric with our stop & go sign at Green Field.

Me and the brothers

Mr. Meat Man

Gin and Tonic

2010-04-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit - as seen in Lonny Magazine

Before I got married, a relative of mine gave me a great piece of advise: “Have people over often. It will force you to keep your house tidy and ready for entertainment!”

Thank God no one is coming over until Saturday. Our place is a wreck…. Truly looks like a bomb went off. Hopefully my Friday night pizza and beer bribe will convince my husband to put on the yellow gloves and help me get this tiny apartment in spic and span shape!

Tomorrow night we are having the Carrillo clan over for cocktails. I'm totally inspired with these chic home bar set ups. Hopefully I can get creative with items around my apartment and recreate one of these fatastic bars.

Wish me luck!

Photo Credit

Giant Steps

2010-04-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit

There is nothing in the WORLD like a good cup of Joe on a Saturday morning.
Meet Blue Bottle Coffee, my new favorite coffee.

Have you ever heard of Artisan Micro roasting???
At Blue Bottle Coffee, Artisan Micro roasting simply means that Blue Bottle takes a hands-on approach to every step possible to discover and preserve the true nature of excellent coffee -- no matter how inconvenient or time-consuming. Blue Bottle Coffee take freshness and small-batch roasting to an extreme not considered practical anywhere else in the coffee business. Blue Bottle use only the best certified organic coffees, occasionally using beautiful coffees that are farmed traditionally without pesticides. Blue Bottle never pre-blends their coffees thus assuring the ideal roast profile for each bean used in a blend. All varietals are roasted individually, then mixed into Blue Bottle Coffee blends.

For more information visit: http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/

E is for Easter

2010-04-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

As you can tell it's been a very busy weekend. We had a MEAT LOVERS feast on Easter. You name it we ate it, thanks to the BBQ Dream Team. Good luck if you’re a vegetarian who wants to date a member of this family. Just Kidding, I love vegetarians.

Of course I had to add a few more pictures of Stella. I think she secretly loves to get her picture taken. Hope you love the surprise before and after picture below of Stella and Tyler. After tonight I probably won't update the blog for a month, so don't get use to such rapid updates!

Stella with Tyler's Easter basket

The BBQ Dream Team

Stella and Tyler March 2009

Stella and Tyler March 2010

On Top Of The World

2010-04-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

Nick and I live in small quarters. I keep reminding Nick that if we lived in Europe, this would be considered a mansion, as you haven’t seen small spaces until you’ve traveled abroad (or lived in New York). With mom and dad in town for the holiday weekend and Stefanie and Andrew staying with us from LA, it only made sense to make our apartment home base. With 6 adults and 2 dogs running around, our home felt like a stuffed clown car. At one point, my neighbors looked surprised at the endless number of people (and dogs) that kept coming out of our apartment. Nick and I definitely learned this weekend, as long as you’re with good company it doesn’t matter how nice or big your home is (although it would have been nice to have a larger table and enough chairs!) Oh well until the next dinner party……

Here are some of my favorite pictures from Saturday’s walk in Laguna and our family dinner party!

On Top of the World, Laguna Beach

Wild Flowers with Ocean

Stephanie with my favorite cupcakes from http://www.frostedcupcakery.com/

Q. How many people can you have around a small table with three and a half chairs?

A. 6 people & 2 dogs

Dad, Steph, Andrew and Roxanne (dog)

Nick watching basketball and breaking the "NO Stella on the couch rule!"