I love throwing dinner parties! Tonight, our friend Kate is visiting San Francisco. Instead of eating out we decided this morning to have everyone to the apartment for dinner. Nicole and Dave are also coming with their dog, Mojito, in tow. Here’s the plan: Edamame crudites Pork Gyoza with Schizuan chili sauce Apple, jimica and…

La Redoute, my French catalog obsession, is having a coat sale online right now. Cute pea coats are $50 and 3/4 wool coats are $70. Plus, if you enter this coupon code with your order you can save an additional 20%. You can never have enough coats (especially if you live in foggy SF)!

After being hit with a surprise rain storm last night on my way downtown. I vowed to be more prepared today. It was time to break out the rain boots! Actually my light green boots are from Martha Stewart and technically for gardening, but they do look cute with a skirt. Plus, I brought a…

I voted! Mostly for a chance to look inside the fire station in my neighborhood and to get the sticker. But hey, I voted! The voting forms in San Francisco were extremely complicated. I felt like an 80-year old Floridian trying to figure out where I was supposed to mark my choice and why I…

Two updates to the earlier post about embroidery: First, your pattern doesn’t have to be complicated to be darling. Look online at vintage linens for inspiration. You can also simplify by choosing a simple color palate or using white thread on colored cloth. White thread on white cloth is also fun and allows for a…

Trent and Jean had us over for dinner last night. The menu? Delicious poblano chile and butternut squash enchiladas using a recipe from the San Francisco Chronicle plus chicken. It was excellent!

It’s getting cold and rainy out there. Perfect weather for staying inside and doing a little embroidery. It’s not as hard as you think! Unlike some crafts (knitting, ceramics) where you could have bought a better looking finished product in a store for less money, embroidery is actually a good value. Start by buying something…

With all the online shopping I have been doing lately, I have discovered a weird new trend. A lot of store models seem to have given up on pretending that the clothes they are wearing are fashionable. These two photos are prime examples from Nordstroms. Does the model look really upset about having to model…

Usually, I am not a huge fan of Kate Spade. Okay…Well maybe I am…I just can’t afford a single thing the lady sells. However, Nordstroms is having a big sale right now and some of the cutest items are from Kate Spade. With the hefty discount, this make up bag is definitely enticing. Also cute:…

The antique gun that has been a bit of a mystery in my family has been posted in the online catalog for the December 6th auction at Bonhams in San Francisco. You can see the lot here and bid on it if you are interested. What we felt was probably not that consequential of a…