Sweet and Savory Appetizer

I super love this, I cut it out of a magazine over a year ago and am now thinking I want to make this very soon.

Trying to keep up my habit of scanning magazine images instead of keeping them in a file, which takes up space.

WOW!

This week's Manic Monday post marked my one-thousandth blog post!

Thanks to my very few readers for keeping me motivated.

Thanks for your comments, I love them, each and every one.

Hoping to expand my audience over the next year.

How? Not sure yet.

Manic Monday

If I had the closet of my dreams, this is what I would be wearing today...

Happiness is...

I am so in love with this color!

Manic Monday

If I had the closet of my dreams, this is what I would be wearing today...

Sunday in the City

Today Tim and I met Angela and Frankie in Fisherman's Wharf for lunch. We met around 11:30 and had a walk about before going to eat at The Blue Mermaid at the Argonaut Hotel. Living in San Francisco we generally stay away from this part of town as it is very touristy, however, Angela was in town visiting her Grandma who was visiting from Germany so it was a great excuse to get together. I think I have mentioned it before, I do enjoy being a tourist in my own town once in a while, it serves as a reminder of why I fell in love with this place. Thanks Angela for reminding me of the great city I live in and the amazing people I have met here and now consider part of my family. Missed you Brian, but will see you in a couple weeks!

Here are some of my favorite photos from today...

13 Years!

Today is our 13th Year Wedding Anniversary!

Time sure does fly!

Thanks Tim for your support and patience during my moments of craziness, you balance me out which makes us a great team.

Weekend Bliss

It's Saturday evening and I have already had a blissful weekend.

It all started here Friday evening...Next we had some of these...
After a good night sleep in a huge fluffy bed with crisp white sheets, we ordered room service. This was only the second time in my life that I have done this which made it very special.After breakfast and a hot shower, I went to the spa for an 80 minute massage, a steam and about 5 various showers. After the spa, I met Tim by the pool for a little rest in the sun.

Back home this evening, glad to see BayLee and my house, but could use an entire weekend at the Claremont...a gal's gotta have a dream right?

What a great way to kick off our 13th Anniversary weekend!

Spring Veggie Pasta

I super love spring veggies and our weekly box has been full of all of my favorites.

I made this pasta tonight with the following:

• Baby Spinach
• Sugar Peas
• Asparagus
• Green Garlic
• Spring Onion
• Salt and Pepper
• Gorgonzola

We decided a couple chopped walnuts on top would have been a nice addition...maybe next time.

What time of year produces your favorite veggies and what are they?

First one to answer will get a prize!

Paper Heaven

Emily told me about this great shop in Chicago that has all kinds of old paper stuff and I tell you...it was all that I thought it would be and more. It is called TWOSIDED, unfortunately the website listed on their card is not valid; they do have a blog though check it out here.

The store has a ton of old ephemera including school flash cards which are super fun. I had to buy the "Tim" card. They also sell greeting cards, journals and other cool gifty things. When I was checking out at the register I spotted a cool platter on the back counter with an octopus on it and when I asked about it they had just gotten them in and priced so I had to snatch one up. Must be the Mediterranean in me but I love octopus things and so does Tim! I hope octopus are not the next owl or bird - have you noticed over the last two years they are on everything?

Chicago Wrap Up

Yah, I could give you a run down of every single thing we did, ate and saw in Chicago but instead of boring you, like being made to watch old family movies (which I happen to love) I will give you some highlights plus I love making lists. Enjoy.

• HOT and HUMID on Thursday it was like SE Asia no joke!
• Chicago Diner
• Pick up Mom and Dad
• Frontera Grill
• Aggravation (the game)
• Shoe Shopping
• Cool paper store - separate post coming this week
• Emily's Grad School Graduation from Loyola - WOOT WOOT
• Pizza and Peroni
• Charades
• Revolution Brewing Company - can you say Chicago Style Tofu?
• Chicago Field Museum
• Homemade dinner for Mom and Dad

top photo - Matt, Emily and Jacob
bottom photo - Dad, Emily and Mom

Manic Monday

If I had the closet of my dreams, this is what I would be wearing today...

Mini Break

No, it wasn't the horrible blogger outage that made me stop blogging the last couple days, it is because I am on a mini break holiday in Chicago! I am here in the windy city to celebrate my sister's graduation from grad school. So, tonight we had a great dinner at Frontera Grill to celebrate and tomorrow we get to watch Emily walk across the stage and get her diploma.

Having a good time - yesterday was super hot and humid and today it is cold and windy.

I'll post when I can, but have been keeping my twitter...follow me for updates.

Salty + Sweet = Love

These look simply amazing.

Photo and recipe from from She's Becoming DoughMessTic.

Lovely Advice

I came across this while cruising the blogphere this weekend and I absolutly love it!
Words to live by for sure.

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s – Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Play more games.
6. Read more books than you did in 2010.
7. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
8. Sleep for 7 hours.
9. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
1. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
3. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
6. Dream more while you are awake.
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
8. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more.
14. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:
1. Call your family often.
2. Each day give something good to others.
3. Forgive everyone for everything.
4. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
5. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
6. What other people think of you is none of your business.
7. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
1. Do the right thing!
2. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
3. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
4. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
5. The best is yet to come.
6. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

source: Alis Volat Propris

YUM!

I must make these ASAP!

Photo and recipe here on nigella.com.

Manic Monday

If I had the closet of my dreams, this is what I would be wearing to my sister's Grad School Graduation dinner next weekend in Chicago...

Missoni for Target

Oh my Missoni for Target this fall!

Finally I may be able to afford the Missoni I know and love.

How exciting.

Follow this link for more info from Vogue.com.

Photographed by Elizabeth Lippman

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!
Doesn't my Mom look like a movie star from the 1940's? I love it!
By the way, neither of us are old enough to have been movie stars in the 1940's in case you are wondering.

*{Fabulous Find}*

I find these measuring cups and spoons from West Elm just lovely. What a treat for ingredients to jump into what looks like the mediterranean sea before they are all mixed up together. I'll take one of each please.

photos from westelm.com

Royal Family Photo

I love this!

I guess the photographer can't be focusing on everyone at once.

The Sketchbook Project

I just signed up!

Can't wait to get my sketchbook in the mail.

I encourage everyone to get involved.

Click here to link.

Spring Love

creamy white roses + white gravy boat = LOVE

pink tulips + a white double handled vessel = SUPER LOVE

Floral from the Royal Wedding Tea that now have to stay way up high because someone thinks flowers are for snacking on! meow!

Manic Monday

If I had the closet of my dreams, this is what I would be wearing today...

Psssst...I am somewhat OBSESSED with these shoes!