happy christmas.

Wishing you and yours a beautiful  holiday weekend!! xo

words to live by.

i can't help but love him.

{he really does a good job at looking sweet + innocent.}

My week in photographs | 20 weeks

Hello and Happy Monday! This past week was definitely one filled with lots of excitement and holiday cheer! My mom, sister, uncle and I went to see the Nutcracker in San Francisco. It was as magical as always... and even more so because we were surprised with a backstage tour of the War Memorial Opera House about an hour before the curtain went up. I nearly cried it was so special. Below is a little snippet of what we saw including a few pictures from the Swanson Vineyards holiday party! Another magical event... filled with lots of yummy food (by the ever so delicious Dim Sum Charlie's) + Christmas Carols (courtesy of Mrs. Swanson). 

{half way there.}

Oh and of course the most exciting event of the week was finding out that we are having a boy in May! 

curiosity won...

and as you can imagine, my mister is OVER THE MOON!! a boy means he can keep 10 more crabs when crabbing and 2 extra poles in the water when fishing. 

happy friday!!! xo 

a childhood favorite.

For as long as I can remember a favorite Christmas time tradition has been a day spent shopping for gifts, noshing on delicious treats from Neiman Marcus (specifically, their mouth watering popovers with strawberry butter) and attending a showing of the Nutcracker. Honestly, it is this combination of special treats that kick start the beginning of the holidays for me! Something I look forward to year and year... and am excited to share with my little one in the years to come. 

San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker is showing until December 27,  2010 | click here for showing times + ticket information. 

Neiman Marcus | Rotunda Room

150 Stockton Street

San Francisco, CA 94108

415.249.2720

{images via the sf ballet + c'est doux}

oh pablo.

This weekend while my sweet man went fishing I decided to stay behind + bake up a storm. Even Pablo eating the six sticks of butter softening on the counter didn't slow me down!  However, it did upset me just a bit!! Thank you to my sweet mom who was quick to remind me that this was just a little warm up for what is next to come.

19 weeks.

The big question of the week is... do we find out the sex on Friday or do we wait? I had originally wanted to wait and my husband really wanted to know. However, now that we have the option of knowing, I am beyond anxious to know and of course, my husband wants to wait. I think he realized that if I know, I am going to start shopping... and he is so so right... those little baby clothes are too cute. 

alice's consignments love.

{crazy about this vintage handmade christmas tree skirt!}

{vintage stockings.}

{vintage santa ornaments.}

{i might need to go back for this one.}

{and these ones too.}

 

{vintage christmas aprons.}

{adorable vintage apron.}

{and even more vintage aprons... i had to bring the one with red lining home!}

ALICE'S CONSIGNMENTS

1746 Yajome Street

Napa, California 94558

open: tuesday - saturday 11 am to 5 pm

click here to go to their facebook page.

happy friday.

Elliot aka Big E Smalls came to visit last night. He has been staying at grandma's house since June... where he obviously has been spoiled rotten. Thanks a lot mom! xo

napa valley gifts.

I think you should take a little peek at a cleverly put together list of the perfect gifts from the Napa Valley via Alexis' Napa. That book just kills me! And Clarke's Bark is seriously addicting.

p.s. I won't cook without that olive oil... If you don't have it, you must get it! 

good morning to you.

I ran up to St. Helena early this morning pick something up for a client... and for once in my life, I had a bit more free time than I had planned for. I was originally going to get a coffee at Bouchon Bakery, but decided to take mister Pablo out for a quick walk instead. He has been going nuts with all of the rain... poor thing just sits there and stares at his ball. And anytime I walk near, he picks it up and follows me around... and then drops it over and over again at my feet with this desperate look on his face. So rain or shine, I decided to use my free time to play with him... or lets face it, i could walk in on another one of these! 

As much as I was craving a treat from Bouchon, I am so happy I took the little break in my morning to walk around our neighborhood instead... with all of this rain, the air was so fresh and the leaves were so vibrant. It's moments like these that make me feel grateful and especially happy to live in the Napa Valley.

eat: beef stroganoff {from thomas keller's ad hoc at home cookbook}

I am truly having a love affair with Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook. I received it as a wedding gift back in May and until recently I had not taken the time to make anything from it... and now that I have, I want to cook EVERYTHING from it! Below are some pictures from a recent meal my family made -- beef stroganoff with braised short ribs and a classic wedge salad. 

my first love.

All I pay my psychiatrist is the cost of feed and hay, and he'll listen to me any day.  -Author Unknown

The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire.  -Sharon Ralls Lemon

A lovely horse is always an experience.... It is an emotional experience of the kind that is spoiled by words.  -Beryl Markham


To ride a horse is to ride the sky.  -Author Unknown

The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears.  -Arabian Proverb

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.  -Winston Churchill

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.  -Winston Churchill