Escape

took a short break today to watch the clip of Toast's autumn/winter collection. breathtakingly beautiful.

Online Shopping for special event

Emmerson made you make my heart jump.

via Emmerson made

Isnt this the most perfect event dress. I love the accent belt and big blue flower. Thinking of all those weddings coming up. :)

via Emmerson made

Skirts should have pockets! .. they also carry this in a gorgeous rhubarb and I cant decide which I like more. A little more casual, but I think I could dress it up enough for a wedding.


Shabby Apple is another favorite online shop of mine. Just so many wonderful clothes and the best part is their prices are budget friendly :)

via Shabby Apple

Something about the bright fushcia in this dress just calls to me. I imagine feeling utterly girlish in this number.

One Cubic Foot

pic via national geographic's Blog Wild

National Geographic photographer David Liittschwager does a series of video's in various eco- systems traking the various organisms that reside in a space of one cubic foot. Check it out here.

Red Tights

Oh Kate spade. I purchased your lovely red tights, but have been at a complete loss when staring into my closet for inspiration on what to wear them with. Now I understand... all this time I have been missing the perfect owl bag to match :)

Released

pic via spinfly

"Born empty handed,
Die empty handed,
I witnessed life at it's fullest,
Empty handed."
-Marlo Morgan (author of Mutant Message Down Under)

First Aid Kit

Trip to NY

Just dreaming of taking a vacation.



I spent some time looking through places to stay on Homeaway. The site advertises private owners apartments with the cost ranging from $100-200 a night or $900-1000 a week.. often more affordable than the local hotels. When my husband and I visited Buenos Aires in Argentina we rented this way. Thanks to the exchange rate we were able to book a flat in Buenos Aires for a week with the total cost being $350...absolutely fabulous. So now Im thinking Brooklyn New York.

emma

via heiress in training

Ive been watching the new BBC version of Emma. Its a fabulous adaption. If your interested watch it here. enjoy.

California Foster Care

via Witness LA

On any given day, 80,000 youngsters are in the state's care. Mostly low-income and minority, these children often struggle with mental or emotional problems. Two thirds of foster kids drop out of high school. As adults, many wind up homeless or in jail.

Foster children with serious mental or emotional problems are often confined for years in institutions.

It's not uncommon for foster children to grow up anxious or depressed. Public health agencies are obligated to help these kids, but the "revolving door" nature of the treatment creates more problems. "


Please check out this 3 part audio series on California Foster Care System from the California Report. It's one of the best description of the current foster care system that I have heard. It also gives a great description of some of the work being done to bring about change & improvement to the flawed system.

Part One: Changing the Odds of Foster Care

Part Two: As Long as It Takes

Part Three: Helping the Most Troubled Foster Kids

I do adore

leisure time via wide open spaces

Childish ideals via uncharted odessey

San Francisco Muni via Plomomedia

The Beatles via swiss miss

Simple pleasures via wide open spaces

Spirituality via Joie De Vivre

Cha-chee-cha

via wide open spaces

After reading this I am craving an "Arrested Development" marathon. Friends. Popcorn. & maybe some good chicken impersonations. Genius.

Into The Woods

Sequoia sempervirens!

On another mini-trip husband and I ventured across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods where we visited the California Redwoods. We were both in awe of how breathtakingly still it was. Somehow all the sound of the world seemed to be sucked out from the woods. Walking through the ancient forest sent us to another place where God's glory took command. Looking up into the branches hundreds of feet above we wondered what their stories were and what they had seen as most are 500-800 years old and the oldest being 1,200 years. A Park Ranger gave a brief history of the park, which husband and I found fascinating. Especially the part about a railroad that took people from the park up to Mt. Tamalpais, whose tracks were so steep and switch back that the ride down became one of the worlds first roller coaster rides! Being in the woods brought back a lot of memories for me as I spent some time when I was young running through the redwoods playing hide & seek. It was magical then and I was happy to discover that the feeling years later was no different.

Nailed em

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Nailed 'Em - Library Crime
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Meryl Streep

Heard about this from a work colleague of mine. Colbert like always does a fabulous job with the story.

Ode to Ube.

Scoop of Ube (pic via here)

Mitchells Ice cream shop is one of those must try places that is a foggy city staple. Its famous for it's unique variety of flavors including dulce de leche, avocado, and Ube (purple yam) my new favorite. Three nights ago we discovered that Mitchells is incredibly close to our apartment and since this discovery we have enjoyed its awesomeness two of the three nights. If you stop in SF you must try a scoop of Ube (ooo-bay) its to die for.

played pretend between the trees

Priscilla you make my Heart swell.

Symphony in the Park

Stern Grove is a beautiful park in the Sunset district of SF. Its one of those many areas where you can become so engulfed by nature that you forget your in a lively urban city. During summer they host free concerts in the outdoor ampitheater and I finally got a chance to make it to one last Sunday. Playing was the San Francisco Symphony. They did a lovely tribute to Roger and Hammerstein as well as some classical pieces. It was a fun experience and I hope to go again soon.

Sausalito Bike RIde

We got on the road around 12 in the afternoon and made our way to the Bart.
The Bart took us to the waterfront at the Embarcadero where we started our trek towards the Golden Gate.
Stopped at Crissy Field one of my favorite local spots to catch our breath, watch the kites, and see the picturesque view of the bay.
After a mostly "uphill" ride we made it to the bridge and prepared to bike to Sausalito on the other side. We made it and although, by the time we reached our destination we were both exhausted - it was a fabulous ride. In Sausalito we ate clam chowder, perused art Galleries, explored the local neighborhoods that reminded us of Santa Barbara, experienced pistachio ice cream, and took a nap in the park.

There is a ferry that takes you back from Sausalito to SF. It only holds 35 bikes per trip and runs infrequently. Unfortunatley our trip took place on a holiday weekend and everyone else apparently had the same great idea as we did and biked to the city across the Golden Gate. So when we expected to be home by 7pm we really made it home by 12am. Luckily we had no time schedule to make , so sitting and reading as we waited hours for the Ferry wasn't so bad.


It was a great day.

Hurry please.

Okkervil River, The Chieftains, Earl Scruggs, Booker T. & the DBTs, Gillian Welch, Marianne Faithfull, Doc Watson, Little Feat, Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers, Billy Bragg, Richie Havens, Allen Toussaint, Mavis Staples, World Party, Aimee Mann, Neko Case, The Wronglers, Hazel Dickens, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dr. Dog, The Del McCoury Band, John Prine, Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, Old 97's

MANY MANY MORE SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED! See Here.

**Discovered this free concert today. I can't wait!. I love my blue grass and I love San Francisco for hosting fabulous free concerts. ***

Need an excuse.

Wish I could have another Birthday or some holiday to justify the purchase of this precious Tea dress from Etsy shop Sohomode. Gasp. it is just stunning.

Short Film

Im suppose to be packing but instead I spent the afternoon watching the Red Balloon. Its a child's movie that any adult can appreciate. There are few words but the story is told beautifully. Highly recommend as a Netflix Rent.