Going back, back to cali

Ahoy matey update: A weekend at the lake was the perfect chance for me to relax and enjoy my surroundings. This photo pretty much sums it up:

I’m looking forward to the end of the week already because Marcus and I are heading out to California to celebrate our anniversary. We will be spending a few days in the Russian River Valley exploring wine country then head back in to San Fran for a few more days of sightseeing, shopping and spending time with family and friends.

Being the planner that I am, I have everything mapped out and ready to go. On our list of places we are trying out are the following:

[William Harrison Vineyards & Winery/St. Helena, CA]

[Jole: Farm to Table/Calistoga, CA]

[Howard Station Cafe/Occidental, CA]

And I’ll probably have to stop here (among other shops) while I’m in San Fran:

[Uniqlo Union Station/San Francisco, CA]

Knowing how crazy fast this week will go, I probably won’t be back before we head out. Hope you all have a lovely, long weekend!

Ahoy matey

How does your garden grow update: Of course we picked the hottest night of the week to plant, but it was so nice waking up this morning and looking out on our deck to see our perfectly potted flowers.

 

We still need to put the finishing touches on our herb planter, but we are going with basil, thyme and rosemary this year. And like I said, I decided to whip up some DIY herb garden markers. Since we have so many wine corks lying around our house, I loved this idea.

This weekend we are heading up to the family lake house for a little R+R  and I can’t wait. If the weather cooperates, we might even get to take the new boat out. And what could possibly go better with a sunny boat ride than equally awesome boat shoes, like these:

[My fave Sperry's: Traditional, Milly, J.Crew]

How does your garden grow?

Seventh inning stretch update: Our weekend in KC was a success and the Yankees swept the Royals. It was a quick trip, but a good one.

[happy birthday dad!]

[Morgie + me]

Since I was gone this weekend, I didn’t get the chance to do any of my spring planting. The plan is to pick out some flowers and herbs tomorrow and get down to business. Not sure what we are going to go with this year, but I definitely know I want to do a little garden-related DIY in the form of herb markers. There are so many neat ones you can buy (non-DIYers: see below), but why not try to make something homemade.

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

 

Seventh inning stretch

Moms FTW update: I popped in to one of my favorite East Village stores over lunch break today to snag some Mother’s Day presents. I highly recommend this little spot if you are local and are still looking for the perfect gift.

[eden, 418 e. 6th street]

I am off again tomorrow to head back to Kansas City for the weekend. This time, we are heading in to catch a few Major League Baseball games. My beloved New York Yankees will be taking the field for a weekend series against the Royals and I can’t wait to see a few victories.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Moms FTW

Heading south update: The weather may not have cooperated, but my cousin’s wedding turned out beautifully. Congrats Alex + Kelsey!

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, I better get going on pulling together something for my moms since I’ll be out-of-town. Here are a few gifts that I’m sure any mom would love:

[flip flops, hat, initial mug, perfume, iPhone wristlet, candle]

Heading south

Please no more snow update: [Act as if this was posted Friday when it was meant to be...]

Well, it looks as though my prayers weren’t answered this time, because this was the scene outside our back door as of this morning:

Awful. Just awful.

I’m doing some last minute packing tonight and plan on making a game time decision on what I’m wearing for the wedding. Why not?

Our plan is for the girl car (minus the Bean this time) to hit the open road early, so that we can squeeze in a little retail therapy before the festivities begin. The gents will be heading up later in the day since the ceremony doesn’t start until the evening.

Hope you all have a wonderful (non-snowy) weekend!

Please no more snow

Play ball update: We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day at Principal Park yesterday. And since temps are supposed to drop like crazy over the next few days, I soaked up as much vitamin D as humanly possible!

[beautiful day for a ball game]

[a trip is not complete without a soft pretzel with mustard]

Being that today is May 1st, you best believe I put together some May Day baskets for the nieces. Nothing too crazy – just a little popcorn and candy combo. These were the darling baskets left on our porch!

This weekend we are heading back to Kansas City for my cousin’s wedding and the weather is looking like it’s not going to cooperate. This has created quite the dilemma for me in the outfit department. All those spring dresses that have been patiently waiting in my closet probably won’t work for the outdoor ceremony. So what’s a gal to do?