My trip to Seattle was really relaxing and fun.
We went to see the Ballard Locks and although I’m not an engineer, I thought it was pretty cool. We also ate at this amazing vegan Thai restaurant (which inspired this post) followed by dessert at a cupcake place.
Hope you all had a great weekend!
It’s been a crazy week that has ended in a fun way. I arrived in Seattle last night for a family reunion of sorts.
The view from the Space Needle on a gorgeous Seattle day.
The first Starbucks ever!
In the past few years, I’ve been to Seattle numerous times. On my first visit, we did the touristy things like seeing the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and even the first Starbucks ever (so cool!). But on subsequent visits after that, our meetings have consisted of eating, sleeping, talking, and playing games like Celebrity or Charades. It’s always a blast.
The weather is a bit chilly (for a California girl), but it makes it all the more fun to spend time with my niece and newborn nephew. Although I’m secretly hoping it snows as I’ve never really seen snowfall before.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
The problem I’ve faced since starting this blog and also following other bloggers (Cupcakes and Cashmere, Matchbook Magazine, Glitter Guide to name a few) is that I want everything they post about. Not good!
Last year, I bought myself the Amazon Kindle for Christmas and I absolutely love it.
Thanks to my new favorite blogs I have many contenders for this year’s Christmas present to myself. (We are doing a family Secret Santa courtesy of Elfster and I already have that wish list squared away.)
Here they are:
I desperately need a new pair of flats and I love the Tory Burch revas.
Since my current iPhone cover is a white fabric that has gotten dirty, I want to upgrade to this sparkly Kate Spade case.
I am absolutely loving this copy of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre that has been turned into an iPhone charging dock. Such a clever and decorative twist on a practical item. Check out their other designs on Etsy here.
What is on your Christmas wish list?
Also, being that it is the season of giving you can find my favorite gift guides for donations here and here.
I finally finished the Hunger Games trilogy and it was amazing.
It’s hard to describe what the books are exactly about without giving away the story. The genre is dystopian literature. It reminded me of a mix of The Handmaid’s Tale and Harry Potter. The former because of the dystopian elements and the latter because of the story and the world created by the author, Suzanne Collins.
While the main character, Katniss, did get on my nerves at times it was nice to have a strong, capable female heroine unlike Bella Swan.
A fair warning: the trilogy is highly addictive. Immediately after finishing one book, I just had to buy the next and so on.
The movie based on the first book is releasing next year. I cannot wait, but I hope it doesn’t have the same fate as most books turned into movies do.
Here is the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fye5Nwe4qeI
Have you read The Hunger Games? What did you think?
May the odds be ever in your favor.
Now that it is officially December 1st, it feels like an appropriate time to talk about all things Christmas related. I was so surprised to see how many stores were decorated for Christmas…in October! But now with a swift change of the calendar, I have fully embraced the holiday spirit.
Many bloggers are posting great gift ideas for family and friends. However, around this time of year come many holiday parties. It always nice to bring something for the host and hostess who have generously invited you over.
I love to bake and make homemade gifts. With these thoughts in mind, here are my ideas for affordable and homemade host gifts for the holidays, with a personal touch:
With every passing Christmas, my love for peppermint grows exponentially. Here is a great recipe that I plan on trying out myself this holiday season! Place the bark in a decorative bag or tin, either of which can be found at Etsy or Target.
Photo Credit “Glorious Treats” http://www.glorioustreats.com/2010/12/christmas-cookies-galore.html
Last Christmas, I made holiday cookies and found the holiday cookie cutters in the dollar aisle at Target. If you have a child, or a niece/nephew, have them help you with the decorating. They will love it! Be sure to make a little extra, because after carefully decorating I am sure they will want to eat a few. 🙂 Since the cookies are pretty in itself, they don’t need help in the presentation department. Simply wrap the cookies in some cellophane, tie it with a ribbon, and you are good to go.
Is there a more perfect winter drink than hot chocolate? I think not. Provide your host with all the essentials to make an amazing mug of hot chocolate. You can even cater to your host’s preferences, if you know them well enough. For instance, include pieces of shaved Andes mints for someone who loves mint. (Hint hint :)) Put all the items in a cute jar, add a pretty label, perhaps even a ribbon and hand it over to the host to enjoy!
For those of you that don’t like baking, this is the item for you. All it requires is some assembly but it is still just as thoughtful!
What is your go-to gifts for hosts during the holidays?
(All images courtesy of Pinterest.)
Growing up, I was not allowed to hang up anything on the walls of my room. My parents were afraid that putting up posters of the Backstreet Boys and picture frames would leave holes in the wall, thus damaging it. Also, considering that I live in Northern California, we always had to be cautious about what we put on our walls (if anything) in case an earthquake were to occur.
I recently rearranged things so I began searching for the perfect wall decoration for my room that would not harm me if an earthquake were to happen and it would not leave holes in the wall or chip the paint. Not an easy task!
I had an idea when I saw this featured on one of my favorite blogs, Cupcakes and Cashmere. As much as I loved the idea of a tassel garland, the price tag and the size were not for me.
A few weeks later, I came across these wall decals that were on sale at Michaels. It fit my requirements and complimented the color of my walls perfectly. I knew just the place to put it.
What do you have on your walls for decoration?
The 4 day long weekend was a great one. It was a perfect balance of relaxation and activity. I took naps and finished the first book of The Hunger Games trilogy and am on the second, Catching Fire. One day was spent in one of my favorite cities, San Francisco.
We went to Union Square to catch the tree lighting and then ventured to the Hayes Valley neighborhood where we ate at Patxi’s Chicago Pizza. I love deep dish pizza and was happy to find a place in the Bay Area that comes close to the amazing pizza you get in Chicago.
The next stop was Smitten Ice Cream. This small ice cream shop features only a few flavors a day but they make their ice cream right in front of you. Using only fresh, local ingredients the ice cream is made in 60 seconds with the help of liquid nitrogen-run ice cream maker. The ice cream was full of flavor and creamy.
I had the TCHO chocolate (made in San Francisco) ice cream with cocoa bits.
Also, their cash register is an iPad and if you pay by credit card you have the option to have your receipt texted or emailed to you. Pretty cool! I can’t wait to go back when it’s warmer.
It was so fun to play visitor to a city where I’ve lived my whole life, exploring new neighborhoods and places to eat.
At heart I am a sweats kind of girl. Most of the time its jeans and a shirt or sweater. However, I do have random urges to dress up. Luckily, this urge came to me on Thanksgiving morning.
With all the eating that would be taking place, I decided on wearing a sweater dress with leggings. Since it rained in the morning, I wore a light cardigan and my boots.
It ended up being the perfect outfit as I was able to play with my niece and also indulge in a slice (or two!) of pie.
Thanksgiving has always been a favorite holiday of mine. Honestly, how can I not like a holiday that is centered around food?
My plans for this long weekend include: Thanksgiving dinner with family, reading The Hunger Games (I just started this week and I’m hooked), and scouring the web for Cyber Monday deals (I cannot deal with the lines and crowds that come with Black Friday). I’m looking forward to it.
While the origins of Thanksgiving are not something to be proud of, its message is a good one: being grateful for what you have.
So in no particular order here is what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving:
What are you thankful for this year?
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
This winter season, I am on the hunt for the perfect pea coat. I have one currently, but would like something more fitted. I am by no means a fashionista, but rather a recessionista (love that term).
Here are some great pea coats I found under $100. (Keep in mind that these are great quality and pea coats last a long time.)
Zappos; $89.00
Macy’s XOXO; $59.99. I love the neck of this coat.
Macy’s XOXO; $59.99. Oh this is my favorite. Love the ruffles near the buttons and how it flares out. Adds a unique flair!
What’s on your must have list this winter?
Shots of Happiness 
