Birthday Wish List

I don't know if it's the change in seasons, or maybe because my birthday is coming up at the end of the month, but I've been bitten by the shopping bug! Either way, I'm coveting a few things I've seen around the interwebs. So, I figured it couldn't hurt to compile a little list in case anyone was curious what things I have my eye on (hint hint, wink wink)! If you follow me on Pinterest, the majority of these items will look familiar...

Most of the items are clothes and accessories, but there are a few fun items for the home I've had my eye on too. Since I've started blogging I've found my love for food photography. I love the colorful bowls from Anthropologie and this marble pastry slab to use as props in photographs. And both Andrew and my previous roommates had this Cuisinart mixer set, which we used all the time. He makes amazing salsa, and I like to use it for pesto or various sauces when cooking. So, that's been on our "want" list for months now. The other items are just fun things I'd love to own, but don't necessarily need and can't justify buying for myself.

Talk about a random mix! That's what happens when I have time to kill online, the internet is a dangerous place! Thankfully, I've been resisting the "buy" button. For the most part, these items just hang out in my cart until they expire :)

/ 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 /

Thank goodness it's Wednesday, this week is dragging on! 

Bedroom Inspiration

Currently, our bedroom is very boring. The paint color is about the only thing I like in it. Well that, and the two walk in closets! Let's just say it has good bones, but the furniture is all hand me downs. Some of which I actually love, but everything is dated and needs a little refresher.

Lately, I've gotten an itch to make our house feel more like home. I've lived in this apartment for nearly two years now, with Andrew for the past 9 months. Before Andrew moved in, it didn't feel like my apartment, just a room I rented out. I didn't have any desire to decorate or make it my own. Now that it's Andrew and my first home together, I really want to personalize it and put our stamp on it. 

Our bedroom is the least decorated room in the house, and is just plain ugly. So of course, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration. Our walls are a lovely shade of grey, so I used that as a starting point. Also, I don't want it to be too feminine, just a neutral color palette that we'll both. The makeover budget is practically non-existent so it's going to take some time to accomplish the look I want. Which is okay by me. I also plan to put in a little elbow grease to add life to our current furniture, and possibly supplement with a few affordable pieces.  The one thing I would like to save up for is a new headboard. 

true story: I was driving in the city this weekend and saw an old headboard sitting on the corner with a "free" sign attached to it. If I would have had Andrew's car I would have probably taken it home with me. It had the perfect shape, and with some new fabric, it would have been good as new. But, it's probably best I didn't bring any SF street creatures that were hiding in it back to live in our house! 

I narrowed down my favorite looks I've found on Pinterest as inspiration. Now it's time to search for good deals and find key elements that will help me create this look on a teeny tiny budget! 

1 // 2 // 3 //

I'll keep you updated on progress as I move along in the decorating process. Now excuse me while I go window shopping online for headboards, bedding and accessories!

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Yesterday, my friend invited me to join her for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in Golden Gate Park to see Chris Isaak. It's a free concert/music festival that takes place every year. The weather couldn't have been more beautiful this weekend, it was 80* here in the city! I figured, why not take advantage of the perfect weather and enjoy some live music in the park. It was my first time at Hardly Strictly, and I definitely would like to go back. It would be fun to arrive early, and post up with a blanket and cooler for the day to enjoy the sunshine (more likely fog), music, and epic people watching. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon in the city. It was great seeing Chris Isaak, one of my favorite songs has always been Wicked Games, so it was fun to hear that live. He also played a few cover songs like Ring of Fire and Pretty Woman, so that was fun.

I haven't spent much time in Golden Gate Park, but after walking through yesterday, I would love to spend a day wandering around and seeing all it has to offer. There are even buffalo hiding in there somewhere! And you can rent boats and paddle around on Stow Lake. It seems like my San Francisco Bucket List gets longer everyday.

Shortly after I got home last night, Andrew and I noticed our house started to glow a soft shade of pink. We opened up our front windows, and saw the most beautiful sunset. This photo doesn't do it justice. It seemed like my entire Instagram feed was snapshots of the San Francisco sky last night. It was truly breathtaking.

I hope you all had an amazing weekend! Now, back to the work week :(


Linking up here...

Bea's Birthday!

Happy Friday friends!

Today is one of my very best friends birthday's, you may recognize her, Erica Bea aka Nannypology! Tonight, we're celebrating Erica and her twin brother with a party in North Beach including apps, cocktails, and life size Jenga! I'm pretty pumped!

Happy birthday to one of my dearest friends! She's the one who actually encouraged me to finally start this lil' blog I had been talking about for years!

we do fun things together :) 

I was feeling a little unmotivated today and then I saw my friend Kasey's post, and figured I should go to confession as well...

// I confess I haven't been to the gym once this week! I know, it's bad!

// I confess I went to Nordstrom on my lunch break and got this cute top on sale!

// I confess I have big calves and I've been struggling to find a cute pair of riding boots for fall that will fit. But thankfully, I finally found a pair that work!

// I confess I'm looking forward to a low key weekend in the city.

// I confess I reaallly need to do laundry!

// I confess that I'm really jealous of Serena for going on the adventure of a lifetime!

// I confess I'm kind of over fantasy football this year.

// I confess I got really behind on responding to comments after vacation...but I'm back on track this week! Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments, they always brighten my day!

// I confess it's only October 3rd and I'm already really excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Thanks for letting me steal your idea Kasey :)


What are you all up to this weekend? Mine is pretty low key, not much planned besides the party tonight. I'm looking forward to relaxing and getting stuff done around the house.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Scoma's

Since I can remember, my parents have taken my sister and I to Scoma's for dinner nearly every time we would visit San Francisco. We're all big seafood lovers, and the fish at Scoma's is always fresh, and much of it is caught locally on their fishing boat. 

Because I've been going to Scoma's for so many years, it's probably my favorite restaurant in San Francisco. I know, that's a bold statement when you're living in a city brimming with five star restaurants, but the old San Francisco charm, and nostalgia I associate with the restaurant, keeps me coming back. The only downside to Scoma's is that it's hidden among the souvenir shops near Ghirardelli Square. But as soon as you turn down Al Scoma Way, the rows of rusted fishing boats and old San Francisco charm quiets the cacophony created by tourists and cable cars. 

When my parents were here last weekend, they took Andrew and I to dinner at Scoma's for an early birthday celebration. You can always expect a long wait, unless you plan far enough in advance to snag a reservation. So we arrived early, hoping the wait wouldn't be quite as long. Luckily, the setting is quite picturesque and we were there a dusk when the lighting was beautiful, so I walked around the pier and snapped some pictures. Forty minutes later, we were seated near a window with a view of the boats and Coit Tower in the distance. Perfect. 

I didn't even need to open the menu, as I always order the same thing. But I browsed the wine list while my parents and Andrew decided on their entrees. As always, I ordered a large bowl of steamed clams. The local petrale sole always sounds delicious, but I can't say no to fresh steamed clams. My mom ordered the seared Ahi, and my Dad went with the halibut special, while Andrew ordered a steak. Everything was delicious as always, and the service was impeccable. The staff is always very friendly and knowledgeable without being too attentive (it always bothers me when you feel like they might as well join you at the table)! 

At dinner, my parents reminded me of a story from a family visit to Scoma's when I was about 5 years old. We had an uncharacteristically grumpy waiter, who hadn't so much as smiled during our meal. When he left the bill, my Dad placed his credit card on the table for him to take. Without anyone noticing, I took the card and slid it under the tablecloth, so when our waiter came back, it was no where to be found. While they were discussing the whereabouts of said credit card, 5 year old Theresa ever so slyly lifted up the table cloth to present the missing card. Well, Mr. Grumpy thought this was hysterical. When he came back with our receipt, he tossed handfuls of mints across the table in my direction and applauded me for the entertainment! Part of what makes this story so amusing is that I was (and still am) incredibly shy, so it was uncharacteristic of me to joke like that with a stranger. Since I was so young, I have no memory of this, but it was fun to hear my parents tell the story again while we were there. Just a few tables away from the original "credit card stunt" as my Dad called it. 

If you ever find yourself in San Francisco near Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39, I highly suggest you stop in to enjoy a meal at Scoma's. The fresh seafood and old San Francisco charm promises an unforgettable meal, but keep an eye on your credit card! ;) And for a perfect ending to a San Francisco day, walk up to The Buena Vista for an Irish Coffee, like we did! 

September Instagram & October Goals

Happy October (one day late)! In my opinion, October is the best month of the year, but that could be because it's mine and Andrew's birthday month ;-)

Last night, to celebrate Andrew's birthday, we tried a fun restaurant called Straw (checked one item off the Fall To-Do List)! It has a carnival inspired menu and decor, and was the perfect place for a casual birthday dinner with friends. I told Andrew that it was just the two of us and his sister going to dinner, but I actually invited a group of our friends as well. Even though I attempted a fun surprise, Andrew said he was on to me.

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September flew by this year, possibly because we spent a week in Cabo. Vacation always makes time move faster, doesn't it? Here's a glimpse at what we've been up to via my Instagram account...

// Bloody Mary's at the airport before our vacation in Cabo San Lucas, it's tradition! //

// On the catamaran in Cabo headed to see some fishies! It was my favorite part of our vacation! //

// My parents celebrated 41 years of marriage! They've been the best example of true love and what a marriage should look like. //

// Andrew made us Thai Chicken Noodle soup from Outside Magazine, a recipe used by athletes at the Olympics! //

// The picturesque view on my run through Pacific Heights! Beautiful evenings in the city always inspire me to get outside and go for a run. //

// The cutest baby EVER! My sister sent me this picture one morning because he was wearing my favorite pj's. The stripes are just too cute! //

// #tbt (that means Throw Back Thursday, Mom & Dad) Kristin, Erica and I from 2006 at our friends 21st birthday party!! Such fun memories! And now, here we are 7 years later all living in the city & blogging! //

// Another #tbt from 2009 at the Brad Paisley concert with my sister and Josh. One of the best nights ever, we had way too much fun! //

// Sleepy boy! Mom sent me this picture of Phillip after he woke up from his nap. Seriously, he couldn't get any cuter! Also, I just realized that I don't even have kids and I'm turning into that person who posts pictures of babies all the time....oops! //

// My new favorite picture! There was an empty frame in my bathroom, and my sneaky sister had this printed and put it in the frame while she was here last weekend! Now it makes me smile every morning when I'm getting ready. //

// Checking one item off the Fall To-Do List! Picking apples in our backyard. You would never guess that photo was taken in an urban garden. We have 4 apple trees, I think I'll be making applesauce soon. And maybe an apple pie, too! //

I was reading the adorable Shalyn's blog, and loved her idea of listing out goals for the month ahead. If you haven't noticed, I love lists! They keep me on track, and I get so much satisfaction slowly checking things off as I complete them. So, I decided to borrow her idea and jot down a few of my own goals for October.

1. Make fitness a priority
2. Read more
3. Drink more water
4. Go to bed earlier
5. Manage my time more efficiently
6. Pay it forward
7. Finally sell a few items on Ebay
8. Fun new collaboration with my friend Kasey!
9. Keep the house tidy
10. Take Louis on more frequent, and longer walks

I'm hoping that posting these goals will help hold me accountable! I'm going to really make an effort to work on completing everything on this list during the month of October. I'll check in with you at the end of the month!

I hope you all are having a great day!! 

Happy Birthday Andrew!

Today is Andrew's 28th Birthday!! This is the 3rd birthday we've celebrated together, and we've come a long way since that first one!

This has been one of the best years to date, for so many reasons, but mostly because we've started our life together here in San Francisco. There have been ups and downs, and adjustments to living together. But most of all, we've had a lot of fun! The past 9 months have flown by, it seems like we've been living here, in our cute apartment with Louis forever. Our life here in the city is comfortable, and feels right. Like its just where we're supposed to be right now.

On your birthday, I thought I'd share just a few of the reasons why I love you so much!

Sense of Adventure

I love that you have a sense of adventure and share my love of travel! This year, we've spent countless hours in the car together headed to Yosemite, San Diego, and Lake Tahoe to escape the city and go Funhogging! I'm so glad that we share the same desire to see the world and experience new things! 

Funny

You always make me laugh, even if I don't want to. My favorite memories from the past few months living together have been playing and being silly at home. You know how good I am at winding down ;-) And you're patient with me, even when it takes me five minutes to get your jokes, you wait. I think this was the first thing I loved about you, the way you can always make me laugh. 

Practical

While I'm more of a free spirit, you balance me out and keep me grounded with your practicality. I like that we have two different perspectives on things, and can learn from each other. 

Smart

I admire how hard you work, and how smart you are. I can always count on you to keep me updated and in the know! 

Loving

You're so kind and sweet to me. You're always so good about not only telling me you love me, but showing me as well. So I want you to know just how much I appreciate that! 

Supportive

It means so much to me how supportive you've been, especially with blogging. You've been encouraging me from the beginning, and helping me become a successful blogger. I still can't quite believe you surprised me with the new camera so I could produce better images for posts. Your support and encouragement means the world to me, and I hope I can be just as supportive with everything that you do. 

Cheers to you on your birthday! I can't wait for our 28th year, and all the fun things ahead. Even though we're getting old, I know 28 will be the best year yet!

I love you!