Tis the Season for...

Holiday Cocktails by jillianso on polyvore.com

 I am well aware of the fact that it is not yet even Thanksgiving, however for some reason this year I am ready to delve into the Christmas season already. Most every year it springs upon me much too quickly and I, like most, get those panicky thoughts right in the thick of it. "Have I bought everyone a gift?", "Do I have time to send out Christmas cards?" come to mind. This year I decided that I will go with the flow and just take it as it comes. I have already slightly started thinking about gifts so that definitely helps (you won't get me again this year, you evil crowded mall you!). What helps the most is that I am co-planning a holiday cocktail party in early December. This means that I must get in the spirit asap, which luckily is surprisingly easy to do right now. My ideas today are a special cocktail for the night. So many choices, but only one to choose. Maybe I should do a taster night! Yep, definitely going to start with that and then go from there. 

-J

Some San Clemente Lovin

Anytime for San Clemente is a good time. This past weekend, Brian and I drove down to have lunch with my mom and sister to celebrate my upcoming birthday. I chose to eat at Sonny's Pizza, which is our neighborhood Italian restaurant. This is the type of restaurant that you spend much of your childhood at and in this case, that is so true. I have a die hard love for this place and it was fun to share that with Brian. After a delicious meal, Brian and I drove down through downtown to the pier. It was  a perfect day so we took a walk to the end and enjoyed the view. We figured since we were there, why not get a beer at Fisherman's, a restaurant on the pier. It meant so much for me to show this to Brian and it was fun to just take a minute to breathe it and realize how lucky I really am.

-J

Pillow Talk

I was reading one of my regular blogs and she mentioned this new product that has come out. It's long distance pillows (link here). Basically when you and your significant other are separated by long distance, you each have a pillow and wear a sensor ring. When one person goes to sleep on the pillow with the ring on, the other person's pillow will slightly glow and vice versa. You can also hear the heart beat in real time. Not sure how this works (needs wireless internet right?), but an amazing concept nonetheless.

-J

Afternoon Jaunt

This past weekend, I was desperately in need of a new book. Instead of walking to the bookstore, Brian and I decided to check out the new West Hollywood library. It just opened up recently near the Pacific Design Center and made for a great afternoon stroll. En route, we happened upon the cutest little community garden on a quiet section of San Vincente Blvd. The fenced-in garden had plots of land for each house/family and you have the space to grow whatever you please. How fun to spend time every Saturday morning (in my mind) to head out with the garden tools, do some pruning and weeding, take home some fresh lemons, tomatoes, basil, what have you and cook an early supper using my fresh ingredients. I would love that! I wish there were more of these around here.
After I stopped with the scenario-making in my head, we made it to the library and it was gorgeous. It looks almost more like a museum than a library. I signed up, got my card and took two books home to read. One of which I started and finished on Sunday.
Of course, on the way home we took a detour for some happy hour beers at 3rd Stop. Such a fun afternoon trip to enjoy the city.  Plus, happy hour creates a happy Brian.

Community Garden

Pacific Design Center

Street Art by Shepard Fairey on the parking structure

More street art murals behind me

The ceiling in the library lobby

-J

If I should ever be so lucky....

to have a room that is turned into a closet (my absolute dream) or even a walk-in closet, I would definitely decorate with Inslee Haynes fashion art (link here). I happened upon her blog awhile back and bookmarked it so that now when I get the chance I can gander through all the pretties that she creates (and also sells). She does commissions as well, see the third pic below. How fun to create a header design for the blog through her.

Speaking of rooms that are turned into closets, don't you think that it qualifies as a girl-cave? Why do guys get their own rooms? I would love for B to get a man cave and once that's accomplished then I can think about getting my very own. 

-J

Wanderlust Thursday

Source

My mind is still stuck in Paris after reading the book. I think I'm going to keep it there to get me through the week.
-J

Oui Paris!

I just finished reading Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard. How brilliant an idea to create a memoir discussing her life in Paris with her French husband and adding in the recipes for the food she eats at the end of each chapter. Such a great way for her to remember because after all so many memories can be tied with food. I didn't want the book to be over, it was such a nice, casual breath of fresh air. So much so that I ended up reading the discussion and about the author section at the end, which was great because now I know she has a blog (click here to visit). Yay! Adding it to my blog reading list (which seems to grow daily). In one of her  entries there was a girl who wrote telling her that her two daughters and her were cooking their way through her book. I love that idea, so very Julie and Julia but on a much more reasonable scale.

BTW, how cute is the watercolor on the front of the book? On her blog heading there is another one that is of her in a similar pose and her husband next to her, both walking together. I would absolutely love to have someone replicate that of Brian and I. Looks like I will need to finagle Brian into a "walking away" photo shoot. 
In other good news, Brian has finally seen the magic that is J. Crew. Not that special of news, I know, but love that he's into that design now. He's gonna look so handsome in this shirt we picked out.

-J