Saturday Morning Stroll...

D and I had a lovely morning. We woke up early and decided to walk down to Union Square and grab breakfast. I just love San Francisco in December. It is crisp and breezy, but the sun is still shining. You get to wear your cute coats, boots and scarves, but not freeze.
We walked down To Union Square and admired the beautiful tree and all the families ice skating, and strolled past the wreaths in the Macy's windows and the carolers on the cable cars.





It was so beautiful out we decided to walk down to the Embarcadero and eat breakfast there. Every Saturday there is a Farmer's Market in Ferry Plaza, so we walked around and admired the cute little shops, the gorgeous fresh veggies, and the little Charlie Brown christmas trees. ( the only ones left.)


(A cute little mushroom store which was my favorite)




We headed down to Perry's which is a San Francisco fav and ate a delicious breakfast and enjoyed a great conversation with each other.
A perfect Saturday morning with my love.
Better run, I have a holiday party to throw! Will post pics of all the fun soon!

I'd rather have flowers on my table than diamonds on my neck. -Emma Goldman..

Feeling very inspired by the past today, which is ironic considering I feel that lately I am making huge strides forward. I have been acting on the things that make me shine, especially my writing, crafting, teaching, and figuring out exactly what I want out of life right now. This is a really creative outlet for me and opening up to my friends and family that read serves as a small personal affirmation that I am headed in the right direction towards fulfilling my passions and developing the things that I'm good at and would really like to do in the next few years.

Today the pictures are vintage, I found them so pretty and whimsical. I absolutely love that feeling.
They make me realize how different the world looked back then and how I wish once more we could go back to the time of peace and love.
In some ways I would love it if life were about what place to travel to first or what festivals to attend but I know reality has different plans most days.Maybe this inspiration works for you as much as it worked for me and you end up closing your eyes letting your imagination take over your mind.

Imagine a stranger giving you a flower on the street for nothing in exchange but a smile...
An artist reading you a poem to make your day better...
Imagine yourself sharing at least a hug a day just to keep the love going strong...
Enjoying a song with the love of your life while laying on the grass until the world embraces your joyful spirit...
Wouldn't it be nice? This happened once. And not so long ago.

I make these pictures my poem, my smile, my hug, my song for you. Enjoy!

30 Before 30

Last week when I was with Amira, we talked about what we would add to our 30 before 30 lists. Naturally, a lot of them were similiar. But we also had some very fun, different things we would like to accomplish as well. You can see Amira's adorable list right here
I took a long time to think about the things I really want to do in the next 2 years, and with a little help from my family, friends and boyfriend as travel partners this should be easy peasy. I am looking forward to crossing the first one off next weekend! I am hosting a holiday party in my itty bitty SF apartment for friends and I cannot wait. To be honest, I am looking forward to crossing things off this list almost as much as partaking in the actual adventures.:) Hoping I can check back in once every few months to see how much I have been able to complete!
What's on your list?

Life's a Piece of Pumpkin Pie

I am completely enveloped in Christmas joy! Decorations, the tree in Union Square, planning my holiday party, gingerbread house making, ice skating with all my girls this weekend, and 6 and counting friends' Christmas parties this month.

My spirit feels alive. I think this has a lot to do with the season, a lot to do with the fact I am madly in love, a lot to do with my outlook on the near future (which excites me beyond belief) and a lot to do with my naturally sunny disposition on life in general. And... I have to admit I believe it might be that I know in my heart this is my last holiday season living in San Francisco and I am soaking it all in like the sun in Summer. I know that I am moving forward and it is such a natural progression, but also know that my huge valiant effort moving to the city as this single, somewhat naive, but very brave girl will forgo all that liberation and some of my sparkle of being so self sufficient while galavanting around the city in awe of everything will end. Of course, all of this is in exchange for a beautiful love, (and man if I might add) someone to grow with, think together as a couple, make decisions based on the best interests of both of us (and have the convenience of a car and a true blue grocery store to shop in again, ( not just Walgreens, thank you very much) but somehow someway maintain my huge need for independence all at the same time.

Ask Dan, poor dude. I admit, I have fought this. I have fought it harder than anything in my life. Giving up the most incredible city in the world has been a hard decision, but one that I have grown to value and have it excite me and make me feel content with my decision to be close to my family and the love of my life. It is such a struggle to not just settle with the best of both worlds as I have done the past year. I have maintained my beach bohemian girl lifestyle in San Diego, and been the sophisticated (let's get real, not so sophisticated at times) city girl exploring new neighborhoods, restaurants, and making new friends constantly in SF. But with time, somehow this natural urge of wanting more starts to run through your veins, and spending early mornings with someone you love reading in bed sounds more thrilling than being hungover all day with the 23 year olds in the Marina. (Or in some cases the 35 year olds.)

With that said, I have had the pleasure of experiencing fun things in San Diego and San Francisco the past week and it has been the loveliest of the loveliest. The kind of week that makes you want time to stand still.
A few highlights have included:

*Taking a road trip with Trace from SF to SD. 8 hours felt like 2 with 2 best friends for 23 years gabbing the whole way down.

* A mellow, low key Thanksgiving dinner with my fam and D at the Boathouse in Coronado.

*Forcing Dan to watch Love Actually with me one morning in bed

*Trying to decide on a tropical beach vacation spot with D while singing Beach Boys "Kokomo" to him. Aruba, Bahamas, come on pretty mama... (Btw he didn't know the song! Who raised you D?)

*Picking out the perfect christmas tree with my mom, dad and Obie!


* A romantic dinner at Old Venice in Point Loma. An enchanting sparkle light patio, delicious Italian, and someone you love= perfect dinner

*Trying to decide on a neighborhood to move to in SD, we had breakfast in North park, fell in love with the artistic, funky vibe and house hunted for adorable craftsman's in the area

*Spending time with one of my best friends Amira at her delightfully decorating house for christmas. We ate turkey pot pie and heavenly cupcakes all while gossiping and laughing at how similiar we are in so many aspects of our lives.



*Went to Disneyland with my family to celebrate Dyl pickle's 1st birthday. We had such a great time together and it reminded me how thankful I am for my family.




*Finished decorating my house for the holidays

*Took my dear friend Kirby's yoga class and felt completely centered and calm after a hectic week. Looking forward to practicing with her much more, including a session on my roof in the sun this Sunday together

*And happy hour wine with Brit, who I can never get enough of. We never run out of things to chat and laugh about. Love friends like that so much.

I have made huge headway on crafting my christmas cards. I have been immersed in DIY projects this year. Once I finish one, I immediately dive into the next. I am working on a sweet treat for all the teachers for Hannukah and will post next week after they are all wrapped up. :)

Tomorrow is Friday, thank god! My weekend plans include napping, crafting, yoga, ice skating with my girlfriends, reading magazines and spending QT with the bun. Rough, I know.

Happy Decorating!

After two late nights of decorating, my house is Christmas complete! I chose to go the whole DIY route this year and am so thrilled with the way it came out. I got a ton of ideas from Pinterest, and had ideas from years past as well. And I am happy to report I only spent 10 dollars total! It just goes to show that with a little work and a lot of heart, Christmas decorating can be fun and cheap! Here are some pics and my ideas behind them...




My living room shelf. I painted wood blocks with JOY, and added ornaments to real tree branches. ( You have to save all the space you can in a tiny SF apartment.)

My kichen shelf... Used peppermint candies in a vase with flowers, wrapped picture frames for a festive feel, and added ornaments at the base of the shelf.


Joy written in red lipstick on the living room mirror...


Ornaments hanging in the window with festive holiday ribbon, and cards from years past in frames making them look festive!


The little bun watching me work :)


More ornaments hanging from windows...


Pictures wrapped and candy cane hearts in my bedroom...


Using the extra branches that couldn't fit in the vase to make a mini tree for the bathroom.



Happy Holidays friends! What are you doing to decorate on the cheap?

"Come fly the friendly skies" -Or Not....

Well it happened. My first true blue panic attack. It all started when I was leaving SD last night after a weekend with Dan for his SDSU baseball alumni weekend. I ended my night at Ruby's with my family and was badgering my dad about the storm." I am going to fly out of it right dad? It already passed up North so if it is already in San Diego I will fly out of it?! Right dad? Right? He proceeds to tell me, "yes, I think you will" to provide some sort of sense of relief for me. We are about to take off and I am feeling good! "I'm going to miss it, yes!" I thought. All of a sudden the Captian comes on to tell us it will be a bit "bumpy." And at that moment, all hell broke loose in my mind.

I knew it was going to be bumpy, but not like this. If you know me, you know even in perfectly clear weather I am scared to fly. A rough storm along the west coast like this is sheer terror. I knew it was going to be rough when we capped off at 20,000 feet. I fly so much that I knew wind must have been horrible up higher and we were safe. I knew it was going to be really rough when the turbulance started and they told the flight attendants to stay in their seats and not serve drinks. And I knew I was as good as dead when the plane (heading over Malibu area) started free falling out of the sky and shook like an 11.0 earthquake. I decided now was a good time to start making deals with God. Now I make deals with God a lot, but these were the I will volunteer everyday for the rest of my life, and I will never drink again type deals. Just let me live! And wait! I want to get married! I want children one day! For not being a religious girl by any standards God became my best friend last night. I. Became. Hysterical.

I believe in a little self deprecation so I will share the absolute worst part. I curled myself in a little ball crying my eyes out with the brown paper throw up bag in my face trying to breathe against the window. Before I knew it my head was in my lap and I was singing Bob Marley (it was on my ipod)as loud as I could trying to get my mind off the fact I have never even told anyone who should get Funny Bunny if I die! And... During all of this, what's the man next to me doing? Playing his video game! Not one word of a "hey crazy chick, you okay over there?"

As the turbulance proceeded to get worse I prepared for the worst. I hung my head in my knees and can only describe the fear I felt as an outer body experience. I had to. I had to leave my body because the horrific thought of death was too much. This continues through the shaking and rattling and dropping for the next 20 minutes. All of a sudden the Captain comes on. " Hey folks, sorry for all the tuurrrrrbbbulance, this is a rough one. We will have you on the ground in just another 20 minutes." I prayed a little more that we wouldn't free fall out of the sky before 20 minutes was up and cried a little more.

After the worst hour of my life we made it through the storm. We smooth sailed into SF and landed. I cheered! I cried! I pinched myself to make sure we really made it! I immediately called my mom and burst into tears again! I told her "I am never flying again mom! Never again!" ( I have to fly next Monday.) And what's funny is sometimes even at 28 you still just need your mom!
I do have a new appreciation for pilots and planes though. Both those suckers are tough. If they can keep a plane in the air through all of that, then it (and I) can get through anything!

This past week I have...

Had the pleasure of having my dear friend Kev come stay with me in the city. We danced, we ate great food...
drank wine and had heart to hearts.
Had tapas and wine with 2 of my best friends Cody and Britt at Lalola in Russian Hill...
Came to San Diego to celebrate D's baseball alumni weekend at SDSU.
Spent a lot of time in bed reading and planning my holiday party in December.
Went to an alumni bbq with Dan who invited my dad along too, and we were able to meet D's old coach Tony Gwynn.
Had Dan show us around the baseball field he played at while pitching for State.
Went to Ruby's with my parents and surprise guest Dale for dinner and drank pumpkin shakes all while enjoying burgers and
each other. (Which I might add, I ate burgers everyday for 8 years while I worked there.) Never gets old.
Spent a lot of time thinking about how warm and fuzzy I feel being in SD with the ones I love.
The Autumn air makes me feel nostalgic. I am sad to leave tonight, but I will be back Wednesday night.
Looking forward to Thanksgiving with my family, pumpkin pie, scary movie night at Amira's with fast food and sweets....
And most importantly DISNEYLAND on Sunday for Dyl Pickle's 1st birthday! Oh man, life is good.
Cannot wait to share all the fun next weekend...