part one of a many faceted trip to one of my most favorite cities! I recently ventured across the country to the big city with my daughter for a couple days of fun and of course research…you will never tire of creative inspiration and bustling life in this city! getting in late Saturday night after a long day of traveling, we just walked for a bit taking in our new hood before uber-ing over to one of our favorites, Balthazar, for some mussels, fries and wine. never mind the grumpy bartender who was not going to spoil our fun. after Sunday mass in the village, we tried out a fun recommendation for brunch, Joseph Leonard. with an adorable exterior and tight quarters full of eye candy and great tunes, the food also did not disappoint. might i reccomend trying the michelada drink…a tasty concoction of beer, hot sauce and lime….rather refreshing on a hot summer day. after a fun day of boutique shops, and a quick stop at milk bar for a birthday cake shake, we were beat; but not really. it was all too good to be true, and of course we were up for more; ok lets face it, we were secretly hoping it would never end and we could find a reason to move to this magical city…at least for a while?
as is tradition, i love to spend a good amount of time away from the phoenix heat at the beach. it is definitely my happy getaway place, and it doesn’t hurt that one of my dearest friends lives down the street. you may remember her charming cottage we featured on the old blog. it was a hit! with my birthday usually takes place at the beach, and this year being a big one, my sweet friend and I put together a charming intimate dinner with friends at her stunning home. the dahlias we had just picked were perfect to set the table. as always the food was outstanding and a fun night was had by all! considering myself incredibly blessed entering a new year of life. cheers to big birthdays and dinner with long lasting friends!
in preparation for an intimate dinner party with friends, i found the most wonderful spot in costa mesa, ca full of an abundance of dahlias. they are such a lovely flower and hard to come by in phoenix. we had a great time picking our own and getting some sage advice from the owner on care taking. she mentioned that once cut they do not absorb much water, so you can slightly cauterize with a flame, place in a bit of water, and then mist the petals with a spray bottle. happy to learn some new tips and we will be enjoying our beautiful flowers all week!
we recently reupholstered this vintage ralph lauren sofa with a dark denim. we love the classic clean look and added a charming piece of indigo to give it that extra layer and touch of character. the blue and white would be perfect to give your home that beachy feel. as we always say, buying good quality pays off in the end…All of our sofas and chairs are made in the USA. feel free to come price shop with us and allow our designers to help make your home fantastic; to give it the look you’ve been dreaming of. we are here for you!
we are back! please come and see us…we are full of rearranged surprises around the shop. be ready for a fun new look. after a long trip to atlanta finding lots of new treasure for the shop, we came back refreshed and ready to make the shop a new. with school starting soon, and vacations coming to an end we are looking forward to seeing you soon to freshen up your home for the seasons ahead. hope you are enjoying the rest of you summer!!
having your oldest son taking a business trip to napa is the perfect excuse to join along for a short trip! my husband and I were able to have a lovely little san fran + napa getaway with my son, his wife and two sweet girls. i can not get over the beauty in the landscapes and perfection in cuisine. one of our favorite spots to try was mustards. the food was amazing and such a charming setting. i highly recommend. our hotel was set along a vineyard and even had an underground secret cave! with such a short trip, I am looking forward to possible future trips, ready to explore new restaurants and learn more about that delicious wine! for now, its back to work work work, so we can bring you the best of the willows this week! hope your summer has been full of fun adventures.