enjoy cupcakes

this just made my sunday : ) head on over to jose villa's blog and check out the simply wonderful(ness) that is Enjoy Cupcakes....

:: peace and love ::

rug maddness (again)..i'm sorry, i know.

{ steps wool hooked rug }

alright...so, for the record....i really do like our rug.

however....i just popped over to making it lovely (LOVE love her house...while i think our styles vary slightly (v. slightly) she has such amazing taste...such a wonderful blog...and over all inspirational home decor : )

back to the point....she recently purchased this beautiful wool rug.....it took me a second...then i thought...that reminds me of missoni...i like missoni...i like this rug

ugh...

but seriously..the green in the rug matches perfectly to our couch...but not even that, it seems like it would add a lovely pattern...and mix of color to a room. be versatile while totally interesting and full of personality.

by no means are we getting it...but a girl can dream right?

right.

:: peace and love ::

we'll be at Cheval : )

{ Hotel Cheval }
so......i'd love a glass of wine....perhaps some cheese-fruit and nuts.....and a spot next to this little fire.
downtown Paso Robles

the Pony Club...the little wine and chocolate bar (they have cheese platters..and beer too..) this is one of my fav. parts and one of my favorite places to go in Paso for a drink and app. (along with this--*side note-if you go to Villa Creek you (MUST) get the mint margarita...it's beyond amazing).

I called Cheval a couple months ago asking to book for the night before and night of the wedding(we won't get too deep into our budget constraints)...but lets just say that I didn't feel it was necessary to spend the amount requested for a 2 night stay and a 1 night stay wasn't in the cards....they have a 'very strict 2 night minimum'...understandable.

They thoughtfully offered to put me on the wait list in the case of someone booking a thrs/fri 2 night stay...leaving a lonely saturday available--i said yes, of course. I had almost given up, resigning myself to staying at home after the wedding (we don't have a lot of cool luxury or amazing modern hotels here)...lots of country and tuscan inspired venues (as Cheval is (tuscan)...but so lovely and artful that I don't mind).

Today i received a call from a lovely english woman, Jane offering me the night of my wedding at Cheval.........well, thank you miss Jane!!! She also offered to upgrade our room if the opening presents its self, seeing as it's our wedding night....how sweet.

Now i am wondering if they have us shoved in a corner, looking out onto a parking lot or something bc it was the last room available.....I think we will pop in and check it out if we can (is it weird to pop in and say "hi, can i see the exact room you have us down for, for June 19th?". I just think it's silly to go through the trouble of staying there...if we are going to be getting in late and having to check out at 11 and then...what....go home....

For the moment we have the room...but it is up for debate if it will stay that way....haha, all that for potentially nothing....too funny. And such is wedding planning, i suppose!

:: peace and love ::

*going here for din with friends...always lovely.

a drizzly afternoon in Utopia

after work today wes and i had a sweets craving....we both look at each other and almost in unison say "utopia?"....well, we don't mind if we do.
just down the street and with 1 red velvet cupcake (w. cream cheese frosting non-the-less) left in the case, i ordered a steamed milk (and felt like a 5 year old....except 5 year olds' probably don't order their own steamed milk....or pay for it, for that matter), we sat down in the cozy velvet chairs next to the rain spattered window to enjoy our sugar.
i love the rainy weather we are having today!!!

:: peace and love ::

*i'm making my own invites (i've decided) and am contemplating purchasing a snazzy font to use....if anyone has recommendations or ideas for me i would be v. interested to hear them. thank you : )

mouthwatering fish tacos

it all started here....morro bay harbor--dockside fish market
we went for some ahi tuna for our *fish tacos* tonight....but it ended up being so amazingly beautiful that we stayed and had a beer on the patio (this is where my (soon to be) father in law is throwing our rehearsal dinner.....ahh...thanks *pops* and it was soo nice....just picture me...shades...almost asleep sunning myself with feet hanging off the side, dangling over the beautiful water watching large sea lions frolic below...honestly...beautiful.

i am not a huge sauce person...the thought of something clouding the flavor of my dish generally bothers me....however...when you are talking bbq'd ahi tacos...one must make sauce. so i searched google for inspiration and found this recipe. it's fantastic...the one thing i would say is that you should *definitely* use the whole hot pepper (whichever pepper you choose) we chose jalapeno...but i got scared and didn't use the whole thing....it was still delish...but could have used more heat!!

here is the sad little leftover pepper....if it could talk it would say "use me"...but alas i did not. (is it strange i just gave words to a pepper??) probably.

I did take some poor quality phone pics (as all of them are)....but really they did not (at all) do the tacos justice...so I will leave it to you to make them yourself and 'see' how amazing they really are : ) I heated up corn tortillas with olive oil in a pan...and chopped cabbage...along with the sauce and fish (1 lb bbq'd for about 7 mins on each side--there being 4 sides to this little steak) it was divine...no need to over 'accessorize' a generally amazing dish....right?

:: peace and love ::

---if you are wondering to yourself..."is this what she usually does with her Monday?"...well no it isn't. I am usually at work giving facials and waxing unruly brows...but unfortunately for me (and maybe some people in question with unruly brows) no one was on my sad little books today. so i played hooky--grocery shopping..laundry..cleaning..and of course the said 'amazing fish and beer extravaganza'.

Happiest of Mondays if i do say so myself : )

a rug!!!

our living room before our new rug...i love the urban--navy and cream rug...so pretty to look at and so easy to take care of. But it was a bit small for the space and the blue in the rug with the sage of the couch wasn't the most perfect of combinations.

after with the world market find (such a fab deal) we really couldn't resist! I was trying to debate if i really liked the pattern on the rug (sort of swirly)...but i think over all it really brightens up the space!!

what do you think?

Hope your weekend is going wonderfully : )

:: peace and love ::

pretty little protea

Happy Friday!!! We will be enjoying a relaxing and not so sunny weekend here on the central coast. I picked these pretty protea stems up from Open Air this week and am really enjoying them on the dining room table....I love how sort of pre historic they look, with all their shades of red and green : )

also-can you believe it's already been a year since Wes and I got engaged???? well, neither can I, but we will be celebrating 8 years together and 1 year engaged tomorrow, and I just can't believe how fast time is flying by! this wedding will be here in no time at all!!!

*coming up in the next few posts are-our love day festivities!!! And a RUG found for the living room!!

:: peace and love ::

what about a rug?

{Ikea-Stockholm rug}

{crate and barrel}

{West Elm-Pebble rug}

{World Market-Disco rug}

{West Elm-Bello rug}

These are my rug ponderings for the living room....if everything goes as planned with the office and we move our lovely little navy and cream U.O. rug in there!!!

What do you think.....neutral, or a little snazzy (the disco rug or the stockholm rug being the snazzy options--of course : ) I think I am liking the Stockholm rug if we go the snazzy route, and the bello rug if we go the neutral route....but my that pebble rug from west elm is lovely.

:: peace and love ::

a braid for spring (and summer)

{caroline blomst}

love love loving this loose and rather messy side braid for spring and summer....you will find me desperately wishing for longer hair!!!! it's so lovely isn't it!?

:: peace and love ::

office dreamin'

Here is our office space decor plan!!! We already have the navy and cream Urban Outfitter rug (originally in the living room), the Jonas desk, Jules swivel chair from Ikea and the circus poster from Ebay. Needed are the clean and functional Effektiv storage system from Ikea, the beautiful little daybed from CB2, the Amy Butler Lotus Full Moon fabric in tangerine for the curtains, and some snazzy little white vases on the cabinets from West Elm.
I really like the fun color combo of the navy and orange (I think the circus poster pulls the colors together nicely)...we will need at least one more poster or some other prints (but those are easy to find....there are so many cool prints and pieces of art that I'm loving right now!!!). The one thing we are contemplating is the Effektiv Ikea system can be custom coordinated (instead of the black/brown frame with white doors....we could do a birch frame with white doors) and that would match the desk exactly..... then the only brown in the room would be the cb2 daybed.
I think either would look nice though....I like how soft and clean the birch looks....but I like how graphic and precise the black/brown with white looks...
Ohhh decisions.. This decor transition may not happen until after the wedding...but we shall see. There isn't too much to do : )
Happy LOVE LOVE LOVE day everyone!!!

:: peace and love ::

sweetest shower...

Check this *amazing* bridal shower out here....what a thoughtful event...all the little touches, colors, cupcakes (!!) and flowers...it is all so beautiful and well put together. It's hard for me to think of my girls putting together something that revolves solely around me--i feel almost bad, like I want to jump in and help or something (I have been told I am not allowed to..) haha....it's just such a touching and thoughtful thing to put a party like this together for someone else you care about......so sweet.

:: peace and love ::

Happy Friday!!!

{josh goleman}

Happy Happy Friday...Hope your weekend is full of wonder : )

:: peace and love ::

a list of do's

{perfect bound}

In the wonderful world of wedding planning there are many things on my brain lately...mainly the continuously multiplying lists of things to do...I am trying to do as much as i can myself..which I find really gratifying and at the same time extremely time consuming. I think I will just make this list here...that way these things that are swimming around in my thoughts, consuming my every moment (which they currently are...along with painting walls black and pesto) will be here...instead of there...weird I tell ya.

Here it goes-

*mock up and execute the construction of our invitation/rsvp/map and general 'cuteness' of the mailed package. (including finding appropriate envelopes and lining them (appropriately..of course)...

*making a lovely bohemian textural headpiece to wear with my lovely dress...(see here...such a fab style and look....a such a rockin' photog... ;-)

*get our rings made...I am thinking rose gold..with blush diamonds...and maybe a touch of filigree thrown in (why not)....for Wes we are thinking a sturdy metal...a few diamonds from the side view and perhaps a bit of filigree for him as well....(he's not a flashy guy...and yes, if you are wondering he does get to make these decisions himself...we shall see what he chooses!!!)

*get together a 'planting party' to put together our succulent centerpieces and decor (beer and perhaps margaritas or gin and tonics will un doubt ably be included in this activity...it is

practically in appropriate if they are not!).

*decide on a hotel for the night before and of the wedding....contemplating here or here.

*rent tables/chairs/silver wear/glass wear/etc....

*rent/buy (?) lighting to be strung across the plaza at dinner.

*figure out how my bridesmaids and myself will be getting up the hill to the ceremony site in our cute shoes...it is more than just a little walk down a block...its a bit hilly and dusty (perhaps a golf cart...vespa...hmm...on that note...how will wes I myself depart our ceremony? see HERE, that path in the pic is the one we will be walking down...too long to simply mosey down don't you think?

*what to hang in those beautiful oak trees...garlands...metal and mirrors strung together..oh my.

*cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes......

*coordinate my bridesmaid's luncheon. cupcakes-cocktails-crafts-champagne-craziness (had to keep the 'c' theme going..

*find/make something amazing for my girls (and they are the best group of girls i could ask for!!!)

*we are doing an ipod for our music--so making a rockin' play list is key (tips-ideas-tricks would be GREATLY appreciated...i feel a bit intimidated by this task).

*honeymoon (?)...

I am most certainly forgeting many things..but hey.. (they are now written down here...instead of swimming in my head)..which I can say feels much better!
Happy happy Wednesday, the weekend is almost here!!!

:: peace and love ::

glass half full of glitter

Wes and I have decided we will be headed here for our little bachelor/ette weekend getaway with our buddies....if anyone is particularly familiar with Santa Cruz and wants to share some amazing spots to hit, or places to eat (or drink)..please let me know!!!
Life has been full of fun decisions and a little stress sprinkled over the top, but over all, it has been getting more and more exciting to get closer and closer to marrying my honey bunches!!!!
I hope for myself that I can always look at life as the glass half full (of golden starry glitter)....why not?! : )

:: peace and love ::

*flickr photo from ghostlings' photostream.
*still eating homemade pesto on EVERYTHING...yum.

pesto-pear-gorgonzola pizza.......oh ya.

These pictures really don't do it justice...we have a great point and shoot camera that I love, but I am willing to admit I have not yet mastered how to capture the light. I decided I was going to make a pizza on Saturday...Wes had been out of town and I wanted to make us a fun 'stay in' and hang out meal! I have made pizzas many a time before....usually sauteing peppers and onions...adding goat cheese (always good...of course). This time I decided I needed to switch it up--here's what you need ::

2 packages of Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough.
1/2 Pear
crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
walnuts
mozzarella
basil
pine nuts
salt
pepper
garlic
olive oil

The sauce is a home made pesto--done with a package of basil from TJ's (equivalent to a handful of basil-if you grow your own). A clove of garlic and about 2 tablespoons of pine nuts, and 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Combine all of this in a food processor and blend until smooth.
After you get your crust rolled out on your pizza pan, apply the pesto spread all over the dough, next add the mozzarella and top with pear slices, walnuts and sprinkle of Gorgonzola.
Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.
Honesty............it was so good, so so so good. I wish I had more right now....
If you give this recipe a try I hope you love it as much as we did....how could you not, it's killer!!

:: peace and love ::

dying....to do this.

{domino--hooked on houses}
{apartment therapy}

{domino--hooked on houses}

{apartment therapy}

First of all....I apologize for the lack of blog activity last week. Wes was in San Diego (with our computer..yes we only have one) for a national Construction Management competition, and I was left with a ipod touch....needless to say, that little screen is just too small for me to partake in anything productive!! ha.

So here I am...blogging away again (on a Sunday no less!!). I am SERIOUSLY dying to paint one of our rooms black...............it's consuming my every thought... Our condo at the moment is entirely covered in a sunshiney* yellow...and while I do like yellow....I feel as though I'm living in a butter stick. I asked my landlord if we could paint...to which he responded "is there something wrong with the current paint? or is this just a color preference?" to which I honestly responded, "color preference of course"....to which I got no reply...... This leads me to believe that my landlord would prefer I not paint...hmm I may have to bug him again depending on our length of stay here... I can live in a butter stick for a bit, but not for over a year...my my.

There is something just so whimsical and mysterious about a black room....romantic even...I'm in love. maybe just the office???

Happy weekend...and of course, Happy Superbowl--we will be on our way to the Loughran's shortly! I think we are pulling for the Colts...as Wes puts it, "it's hard to bet against Manning.." it sure is honey...it sure is.

:: peace and love ::