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Signature Style -Talking Sunglasses & Readers

March 15, 2022 By kimwheeler 14 Comments

It’s that time of the month again where Cindy, Sarah and I bring you something new to consider in the world of style and today its glasses. Springtime is here and it’s a good time to reassess our sunglass choices, and also see what’s new out there as well. As long as we are talking glasses, well who doesn’t need at good pair of readers after age 45? I’ve got options for both and even some sunglass/readers!

First of all, let’s look at some of the trends happening now.. White frames are big, like these Celine ones above. Metal squared and octagonal looks are another trend, as are square versions of the wayfarer shape like these on Marion Cotillard, (some similar styles below.)

If you’re close to my age, you likely know what sunglass shape looks best on your face. I know I look best in Wayfarer glasses. I have kind of an oval longish face and they have been the most flattering on me.

I’ve been wearing some version of these iconic glasses since high school. I’ve replaced many pairs over the years, but I’m pretty wedded to the black polarized New Wayfarer which looks great on almost everyone. I always buy mine from the Ray-Ban site and they come perfect, new and untouched.

Wayfarers have a long history of being the favored choice of style icons like JFK, Blondie, Rick Astley, ( I want to attach the video here LOL), and Madonna. The Wikipedia on Wayfarers is so interesting and tells how they came about and that they were considered ‘dangerous’ looking and very ahead of their time, being made in plastic.

My dad even wore them on his honeymoon with my mom in 1964. Here they are on their way to Catalina Island on a boat. I think they both look so cool here.

Polarized vs UV Protection Lenses

You need UV protection on any glasses you wear. The addition of polarization is smart choice as it cuts down hugely on glare, prevents squinting (i.e. wrinkles later), and your vision is much clearer with it. It’s especially important for those who drive a lot, or are on the water often, to have it. Let’s be frank though, in California we can all really use it, and some decent sunglasses, we get so much sun.

My Wayfarers with the polarization are great for tennis. I chatted with an ophthalmologist in Hawaii on my last trip there who told me she recommends Ray-Ban Wayfarers to all her clients as they protect the eyes better than any other sunglasses out there, so that made me feel good. Most people wear standard size Wayfarers, but if your face is tiny or you’re a young person, small is an option. A size chart for them on the Ray-Ban site.

You need to check out the entire site as there are more Wayfarer versions than you can imagine, but Ray-Ban has another new popular wayfarer called the Meteor. I especially like the Havana tone. I try to get a new pair of sunglasses every year to add to my collection, and these are next on my list…

I also love the polarized take on the wayfarer by Maui Jim called Shore Break. These are also an excellent brand. The color options are pretty..

Aviator style sunglasses are hugely popular and look great on everyone, but you must choose ones that flatter and they do differ.

My friend April can wear the more teardrop shape and had these pretty black and gold ones on when we met for coffee. I asked her if I could snap a photo because she looked so chic with her gold chains and the black aviators with gold accents.

Hers are by Ray-Ban here. I loved her whole look! You may remember she used to write the blog, Ms B in the Bay Area, and we hosted a few Trina Turk events together.

I look better in a more rounded aviator and these by Burberry fit the bill. I owned these same glasses about 12 years ago and wore them until they fell apart after years of wear. I was excited when I found that they still sell them at The Sunglass Hut. Apparently they are their all-time most popular aviators. I love the weight and lenses which are polarized.

Ray Ban also has a more rounded aviator slightly less pricey and it comes in gold with brown lenses, gunmetal or green lenses..

How do you read on holiday? If you’re on a vacation in the sun, you need readers that are also sunglasses. I have a pair of Eyebob sunglass readers I bought years ago and they are still the first thing I make sure to pack with my reading materials when I’m headed to Hawaii or anyplace sunny. I’ve had this pair 6 years now, here I am in Italy with mine..

The nice thing about the Eyebobs is you choose the style and then the lenses and the magnification. I love the beautifully custom crafted lenses. They are bifocal sort so you can walk around with them and then on a lounge chair read without anyone knowing you’ve got readers on. They aren’t cheap, but worth having a nice pair for travel and for the beach and pool. I like these two styles..both linked on photos.

Have you heard of Caddis Readers? They have a sort of cult following. They also have a good selection of chic sunglass readers, like the Porgy below. They are also progressives so you can walk around with them when you’re not reading.

They are very well made. I have their regular reader in the Miklos style and I love them. They are oversized and a bit heavier than a normal reader. They also have blue light blocking built in. Mine are in matte gopher color and I’d love another pair in the light blue or cream. These are unisex and anyone would look good in them if you like oversized.

Other options at lower cost are these $68 Kate Spade Readers, These $40 clear frames by The Book Club and these. The Book Club brand has a lot of cool choices for great prices.

Well, that’s my two cents on glasses. Please go see what my lovely pals have for you in the glasses realm today on their blogs. I always love what they share..

Cindy Hattersley

Sarah London Style

Thanks for being here!

Kim

You might also like last month’s Signature Style post on Leopard in your Wardrobe.

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog!

Like this post.. Save this image to Pinterest.

Filed Under: Glasses, Uncategorized Tagged With: #aviators, #caddis, #glasses, #raybans, #readers, #stylishreaders, #sunglasses, #sunglassreaders, #wayfarers

Weekend Meanderings -Tennis Clothes, Entry Rugs, A Beautiful Home & More

March 11, 2022 By kimwheeler 11 Comments

Hello friends. It’s time for our weekend guide to cool things with Elizabeth and Juliet. So glad to have you all here and to those who have subscribed, thank you so much! It’s been a busy week for me with a link up post on Spring Refresh with five others. I shared our new peel and stick wallpaper in our guest room/office for it and if you missed it, the post is here.

Entry Rugs

Do you need a new entry rug? I’ve been struggling to find an entry rug that’s the right size, not too small or big and flat enough that my door can open over it. I finally found one that checked all those boxes and I liked the look. The Lauren Rug is at World Market, ( I still call it Cost Plus), and looks very nice for the cost. I bought the 3’6 x 5’6 size and it’s $79.

Tennis is Back in a Big Way

Are any of you tennis people? Have you been thinking about playing again? Have you never, but are curious? This article on a study over 25 years gave people who played tennis almost 10 extra years of life, so if you’re thinking of trying it, do!

I’ve been a tennis nut since I was a kid. My athletic mom thought tennis could be a good sport for the unsporty me to try and lured me with the promise of cute tennis dresses like Chris Evert and pom pom socks. That worked and I had lessons starting at age 7 and I played in high school too. I didn’t play again until a neighbor asked me to join lesson about 11 years ago.

I started back with a clinic at a local tennis club and they are also at most park and recreation centers. I’ve made many friends and I get out there at least 2-3 times a week. It’s the one time I don’t think about anything else at all, except playing and I think that is good for you. I also see so many older folks still at it and that gets me happy that this could help me age well. I know it’s great for balance and overall flexibility. When I didn’t play tennis for months during the pandemic I was the stiffest person in the world, so I know it helps.

According to USA TODAY Sports, tennis has boomed during the pandemic with an estimated 21.64 million Americans picking up a racquet in 2020! Apparently being outdoors and not within 6 feet of others made it the thing to do the last two years and people have kept at it.

I noticed that tennis themed clothes are cropping up everywhere! Right now so many cute styles even if you are just a fan. Kule has darling sweatshirts, socks, totes, a vintage looking Hingis jacket (named after the Swiss player),and even a silk scarf I love.. Some of the best I linked on just click on pictures below..

Also entering the tennis club, so to speak, is Athleta now with dresses and retro 70’s striped sweatshirts with matching shorts and skirts.

I really like this tennis dress that has a genius back pocket for the bal. It comes in three colors and a decent size range to 3X. I just ordered this!

Tuckernuck also has tennis clothes – I especially like the skirts with printed shorts that peek out from the skirt, like this skirt in hydrangeas with black, or white with floral..

I also adore this quilted sweatshirt, this tournament dress ( in white too) paired with these floral bike shorts.

I might brave the bike short look someday with a sweatshirt if I had these. This look was copied off of Princess Diana. Vogue did a spread riffing off the Diana look a while back with Hailey Bieber.

Want to start running?

Are any of you runners or wish you were? I’ve been trying to get out and move more now that it’s spring and there is a great article about tricking yourself into liking running on the NYTimes. Some super advice to begin with the walk alternating short run method and go SLOW. Great advice from so many in the comments too. If you can start slow and go for a very short distance, you will be more likely to keep at it. Other advice is don’t wash your clothes all the time, keep them in a pile during the week, throw them on and just go. The less work it is, the more people just get it done!

Weddings

Apparently 2022 will have 2.1 million weddings in the U.S. and is the biggest year for wedding since the 1984! So many people have held off celebrating with their loved ones due to the pandemic. There is a LOT of people looking for guest dresses I imagine.

Juliet has a the first of many weddings this weekend and on her post last week she did a great go-to look for a rehearsal lunch and shared some pretty formal too. This week is her part two with more helpful ideas, especially if you’re mother of the groom like her. Vogue just had this article for mother of the groom looks. Some are quite pricey, but it gives you an idea of what styles are in and what styles might work at you might find similar at other price points. Nordstrom has a special wedding guest link where you can choose Casual, Cocktail or Formal, with some great frocks, shoes and bags.

Neimans also has a wedding guest edit with some the most beautiful dresses, lovely bags and all the finishing touches you might need..

Bloomingdales has a curated online area with looks for mother of the bride, guests, and by beach or cocktail or formal options. I really wish I had a wedding to attend!

Vogue is a great resource as its wedding stories archive has something for everyone. I like the stories of small weddings on a dime as well as destination nuptials and big fancy bashes. So much inspiration here like this bride, below, who found her Balenciaga dress at Goodwill ten years before she married, and these two who transformed their backyard into a beautiful jazz age themed wedding.. Oh so many stories. I love wedding stuff.

A smart option for unique wedding looks is to check out local resale shops as dresses are one of the items they carry the most of and so many have been worn just once. As I have mentioned before, I love Crossroads Trading (the one in Almaden in San Jose) and Filmore & Fifth in Palo Alto for great resale items. (Next month’s Signature Style will also be about wedding guest dresses.)

Dara Caponigro

Dara has been someone whose home style I have always loved. I followed her since she was a style director at Domino and through her stint at Veranda. Her two books, The Authentics, and S is for Style, are hands down, my most favorite design books I own.

Charish interviewed Dara and showed more of her home which is totally my kind of eclectic style. It’s chic, unique and collected – and bright! I think you’ll enjoy seeing more of it and reading the Q & A here on their blog. Dara’s Instagram here.

Photos Max Kim-Bee on Chairish

Ukraine & Sting

Have you seen this video Sting released this week? It’s an acoustic version of his cold war song, The Russians, in this video . It’s very moving and I hope we share this all over the world. He is raising money for the Help Ukraine Center, which gives humanitarian aid. He said he never thought this song would be relevant again, and yet here we are.

Let’s keep sharing our love for Ukraine and its people and donate in all the places we can. How great is it that everyone is sharing all the stories of this war on social media channels? Imagine WWII if we had the internet? The atrocities that were happening were not on everyone’s phones as they are now for us all to see. That has greatly helped the world get behind Ukraine and see first hand the incredible strength of these people. We can see ourselves in their shoes.

I hope you had a good week. I’ll be back Tuesday with our monthly Signature Style and this time we’ll be talking glasses- sunglasses and readers, so come back if you’re in the market for new ones.

Please pop over and see what ideas my friends Elizabeth and Juliet have for you this week..

PINECONES AND ACORNS

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend, and thank you for being here!

Kim

You might also like this post on some of my Serena & Lily Favorites as they are having a 20% off sitewide sale now until 3/15. Use the code HOME on their site when checking out.

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog

Filed Under: weekend meanderings Tagged With: #daracaponigro, #decorbooks, #entryrugs, #running, #sting, #tennis, #tennisclothes, #tennisstyle, #ukraine, #weddingguestdresses, #weddinguest

Spring Refresh with Peel & Stick Wallpaper

March 9, 2022 By kimwheeler 22 Comments

Today I am joining a talented group of women sharing ideas for a ‘Spring Refresh’ for the home.

My refresh came from using peel and stick wallpaper in our guest room/office that really gave it a happy feel.

The room was the bedroom of my oldest who moved out more than a year ago. It looked pretty sad without my son, who took his furniture too. My husband Max took it over as his work from home space when Jackson moved out. Max had ordered one of those desks that rise to work standing as well as sitting and got the ugliest chair on the planet from Office Depot! He refuses to change or upgrade the chair, so his part is what it is.

A before photo..

I had scattered some rugs we had in there to stop the echo..

I wanted this sometime guest space look cozy with a daybed, I even wrote a post about daybeds if you’re looking for options. I just couldn’t commit to anything. The space was tight. I needed a daybed that wouldn’t make the room feel crowded.

When younger son Griffin came home from college at the holidays, he decided to change up his room and ordered and received a new bed and mattress in 3 days. He inspired me!

Why was it so hard for me to pull the trigger on getting a daybed for this space or making any decision? I forced myself online and found a daybed with a small footprint and mattress. Both arrived in two days! Then I bought a rug for the room which always seems chillier than the rest of the house. The same day I ordered a peel and stick wallpaper..

Who was I?? LOL.

It all shipped super fast, surprisingly. The bed went together in ten minutes and then there was the matter of the wallpaper…

The peel and stick wallpaper requires you get a couple tools and Max bought them at the local Ace. After watching a few Youtube videos, he liked this one from Young House Love, he was ready.

Max had some moments of frustration with the second piece, see pic three :D, but after getting the hang of twisting the paper a bit and matching it, he finished in about 2 hours. I think the engineer in him found it a challenge, but not one he wants to do again soon. I was thrilled with the more luxe vibe of the room. The nice thing about peel and stick is you can lift and replace it as many times as you want on the wall until you get it right.

We used Madali Wallpaper by Nikki Chu found on Wayfair. We followed the instructions and ordered four rolls which gave us enough to do the whole wall and have a bit of excess in case of mistakes.

Her papers are fun. I also love this one and this, below and all the peel and stick wallpapers at Wayfair here. If you’re going to try it yourself, this is the way to go.

For the daybed, I used a grey quilted coverlet (this is similar) and I just tucked it around the whole mattress. At the ends I found two long pillows (similar here on sale now) that approximated bolsters and fit the twin perfectly. I added a few other pillows we have in blues and soft grey.

A little round glass table that used to be outside, was squeezed into the corner and I topped it with a lamp from my local store (Harvest Home in the Bay Area) I had my eye on for a while. I wanted anyone who was staying here to have a light to read by, and a place to plug in a phone, have a glass of water and so on. The rug is also from local shop Home by Ling Interiors. The rug is very low profile, so it works with a desk chair on it.

I also have a Mattituck Armchair chair in here from Serena & Lily (on sale now.)

I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out and shocked we got this all completed by March!

I would recommend the Corrigan Studio daybeds from Wayfair. They are currently out of mine, but they have this and this option too.

We were going to do a gallery wall of bird pictures, but we both kind of liked the simpler look of this beach print with the wallpaper. It felt calm and picked up the colors in the room.

Let me get real here though..this is Max’s desk section. I have zero say or control over the chair, cords, etc. The window covering was chosen by Jackson and is a flat Roman shade in Tobin Navy linen from Smith & Noble.

A few similar items if you like this room..

Click on the photos to go to the item.

So I am wondering how many of you have tried peel and stick wallpaper? How did it go? I am now thinking of doing this in my younger son’s room with a dark paper, and also my closet with a floral. It’s an easy way to make a big impact and bring a chic vibe to your home.

Please go to the links below to visit my talented cohorts and see what their idea of Spring Refresh is!



Most Lovely Things

Cindy Hattersley Design

Classic Casual Home
Dimple and Tangles
5th and State

I’ll be back on Saturday with Weekend Meanderings!

Kim

You might also like my post this week on all things floral, Flower Power.

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: #bloggerroundup, #californiahomestyle, #daybeds, #guestroom, #guestroomdecor, #homeoffice, #officedecor, #peelandstickwallpaper, #springrefresh, #wallpaper

Weekend Meanderings- Elegant Bar Bits, Cool Shoes, Fun Rings & More..

March 4, 2022 By kimwheeler 18 Comments

Hello friends. It’s time for our weekend guide to cool things with Elizabeth and Juliet. What a week with this war. It’s hard to believe how fast things have turned horrible and amazing how this whole world ( or so it seems), has come together behind Ukraine. So many are doing so much for others it’s incredible the love for others we do not even know. I tell you it gives me hope. Bay Area bakers and chefs are raising money for Ukraine –read here in the Mercury News today. There is so much more humanitarian aid needed than even a week ago for the now more than one million refugees who have fled their homes. Most people have just one bag and the clothes on their backs. Can you imagine walking away from your whole life? According to Save the Children, which has a Ukraine Refugee Crisis program, which you can donate to, there are 44 million people in Ukraine and if this war continues, the UN says we could see 5 million refugees at least.

Where they are now- from Save the Children.

There is also the Polish Humanitarian Action, The UN Refugee Agency, and a list of more good aid agencies on Forbes . Thank you for letting me share this and if you’re able to donate in some way please help.

Rearranging the House

In the fluff section, I rearranged and moved things this week in the house. I just had that itch and when I do, I want things to feel fresh after usually ignoring stuff for a while. One thing was adding an older throw I’ve had over my little free table in the office and relocating my ivy there with a candle and framed pictures. Do you move things about when the seasons change? Give it a try, move tables, lamps and furniture and add in a few plants. Sometimes it’s all we need for a spring update. By the way, Trader Joes has the best plants now- Monsteras for $12! A good place to get a few new friends.

Bar Elegance

Tucker & Marks project from 1st Dibs

I also redid my little bar this week. I was inspired by a pretty shop in Menlo Park I popped into called Anthem. Everything was stunningly beautiful and quite pricey. I didn’t buy anything, but I noticed the bar and tabletop area was flowing with polished silver, brass, natural bone and marble etc. The glasses all gleamed and everything had a sparkle to it. Think modern Ralph Lauren..I went home and polished my vintage silver, dusted the glasses and put my stone and gold napkins rings and prettiest bar towels out. I added some of my more elegant books and tried to achieve that same luxe look..

I still could add few cool pieces like this rattan ice bucket, tortoise shell goblets, basketweave bottle opener, and these pretty tumblers, , Hammered Cocktail Shaker , Maui Ice Bucket and bone photo frame.

You can also find vintage bar things, which are super cool on Chairish , One King’s Lane and 1st Dibs. Garage sales and your parent’s home is another great place for bar tchotchkes going undiscovered.

Comfortable Kicks

Last week shopping with friends I saw these J Slides and I loved the heel and the look. This is my first pair of J Slides and I am so loving the comfort of these and the height which is perfect without making me even feel like I have any heel at all.

In fact these are so comfortable I left them on today in the house, something I never do. I just didn’t want to take them off! Have you tried J Slides yet? They are so easy to slip on and I feel like they’re a nice alternative to boots in this transitional season.

Cocktail Rings

I found the ring above in the sale section of Anthropologie. I’ve always wanted a fun ring to wear on the first finger and I am also loving the abundance of costume rings that are now all over. Anthro has a super collection here.

Nordstrom has a great collection too and J Crew has some fun things.

Resident Alien

Okay this is going to sound like someone took over my body, but I’m going to recommend a show I am loving on the Sci-Fi Chanel , Resident Alien. First let me say, I am not a fan of sci-fi at all, but this show got me with the great characters, the children especially, and the dialogue which is so darn funny. The premise is an alien crashes into a small Colorado town and assumes the body of the local doctor. He plans to destroy everyone on earth, but ends up loving life in the small town and the people. His mishaps as a doctor and also with one boy, who can see his true form are hilarious. It’s a good escape.

Adelle’s New Home

Have you seen Adelle’s new homes she bought from Sylvester Stallone? She paid $58 million, but apparently he originally wanted $110! Looks like the land and views are phenomenal. I suppose she’s going to do some renovation! I can’t wait to see what she does with it. More photos here.

Now please pop over and see what great ideas my friends Elizabeth and Juliet have for you this week..

PINECONES AND ACORNS

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend, and thank you for being here!

Kim

You might also like my post this week on all things floral, Flower Power.

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog

Filed Under: Uncategorized, weekend meanderings Tagged With: #barstyle, #cocktailrings, #comfyshoes, #helpingukraine, #jslides, #residentalien

Flower Power

March 3, 2022 By kimwheeler 21 Comments

Right now everything in California is blossoming and you just have to look down to see California Poppies and volunteer daffodils peeking out from the sidewalk. Those little flowers are a sort of a salve and a small distraction with the war and things right now.

Flowers have been popping up at the shops too. As usual retailers trot out all their latest floral offering about now, but this year I’ve noticed the 70’s trend of meadow flowers on fabrics which I just love. It transports me to a time of wearing spring maxi dresses as a small girl, homemade bedspreads by my grandmother and Holly Hobbie books. Can anyone else envision that time? If you’re a lover of florals these look fresh and pretty and in my enthusiasm I thought I’d share the profusion of flower items I am excited about. I hope you you will enjoy this small floral diversion…

I am coveting this beautiful dress from California company Rails. Such a pretty fabric and style!

I just received Anna Spiro’s new book and it’s very beautiful and filled with good advice about decorating and living. It’s inspiring to say the least and if you want to see how to mix florals and patterns this is your guide.

Fittingly this Anthro dress fabric is called 70’s floral and I’m here for it. I know at some point my mother or I had a dress in a similar fabric!

Anthro now has organic cotton percale sheets in a lovely floral. Other pretty prints as well.

Learn how to create beautiful arrangements with foraged finds in Field Flower Vase..

These Maje Pjs are kind of a splurge, but I adore the beautiful print.

If you want flowers, but can’t commit to color this Summerside Wallpaper is a good compromise and a cool retro look. Wonderful for a hallway or bedroom.

Pottery Barn is offering a flower field to sleep in with the Amelia Floral Duvet and shams.

I like the ease and pattern mix of this pull-on skirt from Free People.

Incorporate flowers into your food from cheeseboards to cakes to picnics and more with this lovely book Floral Provisions.

This wrap midi-dress with mixed small florals is sweet and could be worn with a long sleeve t-shirt under it too.

This Maggie Suit from Free People is so darn cute and comes in a plum and a toffee..

Flower Infused Cocktails has over 60 beautiful drinks to try. I see a girlfriends cocktail hour in the future!

Another luxe item, but fun are these Ferragamo Floral Sneakers..

Start the flower vibe at the front door with this HELLO doormat ..

I’m obsessed with this silk cotton floral blouse from Me & Em, a London based company that has come up on my radar. I keep getting beautiful catalogues from them.

How pretty is this Hollyhock wallpaper from House of Hackney- and dreaming of where I could use it..

I might opt for the blue version– also could be a fun look on the long wall walkway next to my office space.

Love this Drawstring Maxi with the side stripe also from Me & Em.

Just made for Easter or Passover are these Cecelia Slides at Anthropologie. I would wear them with swingy white dress in summer too.

Do you love wildflowers? We get some amazing blooms in California and if you love to see them as much as I do, you can follow a Facebook group called The California Wildflower Report. You have to request to join and you’ll get to see wonderful photos from people’s travels to some of the blooms. Right now there is a lot of activity on the page!

The Flower Hunter is filled with inspiring floral tablescapes for the seasons and lovely stories to go along with it. Probably one of the highest rated new books and just in time for spring.

The Lynda dress from Anthro has that 70’s floral vibe, but a casual air and would be a good one to have for daytime dressed down- or nights dressed up this spring and summer. Or wear now with boots!

Target has this blouse in this pretty vintage feeling color mix and a few others that are just as lovely.

These Sandro Jeans are half off now and I LOVE the embroidered flowers!

If you like the wildflowers look and are interested in cultivating that feeling in your yard and borders, this Instagram account, Cameron Gardening from the UK, is filled with inspiring visions and ideas for your yard.

This top from Tuckernuck is so cool and I had to include it!

I thought these adorable jeweled flower Teva-like sandals would be a good way to wrap up this flower centered post! I think I may need these. I envision these with a black dress this summer…

Here’s to more flowers this spring and soon please!

Thanks for being here.. and don’t forget Saturday’s Meanderings is coming up tomorrow.

If you missed last week’s Meanderings post you might like- Afternoon Tea in SF, Blue Button Downs & More.

See you tomorrow!

Kim

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will sometimes generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog.

Filed Under: floral fashions, florals, Uncategorized Tagged With: #californiahomestyle, #floralbooks, #floraldecor, #floralfashions, #florals, #floralsforspring, #flowerpower, #springstyle

Weekend Meanderings-Afternoon Tea in SF, Blue Button Downs & More

February 25, 2022 By kimwheeler 18 Comments

Hello lovely friends. Well this week flew by, didn’t it? This is my weekly roundup with Elizabeth and Juliet and we always have much to share and chat about! I can’t begin to go on about my usual stuff without mentioning Ukraine. I am hugely saddened, worried and scared for the Ukrainian and Russian people as I am sure you are and at the end of this post, I will share some ways we are able to help through some great organizations.

Afternoon Tea in the Bay Area

Are you a afternoon tea person? Have you ever had a tea out? If you’ve been to the U.K. you know it’s a ritual that you can have many places and it’s a lovely and relaxing way to enjoy tea, finger sandwiches, scones and clotted cream and sweet treats. I’ve been missing travel, and dreaming of the time I can go back to London, so my husband surprised me with a belated Valentine’s Saturday lunch date at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco where they do tea on the weekends.

It’s the perfect spot to go for a shower, special birthday or occasion. We loved the beautiful historic Garden Court that was built in 1909 with its stained glass ceiling. The ceiling has 70,000 pieces of glass that have been recently retrofitted, cleaned and restored. Walking into the hotel and seeing it front of you takes your breath away. It’s truly stunning as it’s one of largest rooms on earth and was once where horse drawn carriages entered the hotel in the 1800’s.

The architecture is lovely and the history of this hotel is fascinating. The lobby has many artifacts from the hotel’s past. There was a Frank Sinatra type of crooner singing accompanied by a piano man which gave the tea a kind of yesteryear vibe we loved. The little sandwiches were super fresh and the scones were warm. We choose the Legacy Blend tea with notes of bergamot, vanilla and rose. I also had the glass of Vueve Cliquot champagne option. It’s $75 for a full tea and $89 with champagne. There are also other tea options in SF, but I urge you to take in this special hotel and its gorgeousness! We’ve also been to Lovejoy’s Tea Room last summer and it’s charming and cute.

Salesforce Park

Totally stuffed, (we ate ALL the tea treats ), we waddled over to the new Salesforce Park a few blocks away. This park is four and a half football fields long and three stories up in the financial district. It’s a lovely place to meander with grassy parks dotted with colorful chairs, pretty plants from all over the world (apparently 600 trees and 16,000 plants in 13 botanically arranged areas), and views of the city and some of coolest new skyscrapers. You can take an elevator up or a gondola!

This is the place to meet a friend, eat a picnic lunch or just have a stroll. There is also a children’s play area, a long line of fountains to play in and – transportation. The lower floors have Greyhound, Muni, Amtrak and AC Transit and SamTrans. You can follow the Salesforce Park Instagram for notifications on events. They have live music, dance parties, exercise classes, art shows and more!

Photo via Urban Land Institute

I shared a fun Reel on my Instagram with more photos of our walk! I highly recommend it and right now as everything seems to be blooming and even on Saturday it felt uncrowded.

Canadian House & Home

House & Home from Canada is my most favorite shelter magazine. Most magazines now are a lot of celebrity homes and I often find them unrelatable. House & Home has remodels and homes of real people and they run the gamut from modest to glam, but are inspiring, and doable. This month’s issue features the best black and white kitchens -some very traditional, some modern -all wonderful.

On their online site I was drawn to this lovely Toronto home they called California cool, Mediterranean style. No wonder I loved it.

Homeowner Carly Stone with her son. Love the pillows and banquette.

It’s those little touches like the tiled entry, ledges in the hall, wood panel pieces in the dining room and different kinds of beautiful and unique finishes and lighting that made this home warm and pop more than an ordinary white home. Design is by Jamie Zimmerman who you can find on Instagram.

Aqua at Bloomingdales- denim shirts

A lot of you liked the puffy purse post last week and the brand, Aqua by Bloomingdales (their in-house brand), has quite the following. Many people have told me they adore this brand. I was at Bloomies last week and on a quiet Tuesday had the store all to myself and investigated.

I do like how Bloomingdales curates its departments by brands. Aqua has some great tops and a few caught my eye, this button-up with contrasting stripes, and this dark soft denim one with puffy shoulders (it’s actually a dark denim blue, not grey.) Both had elements that made them stand out, were nicely made and a good price. I can never have too many blue button ups so I bought both.

I also saw this pretty blue style online with a cool sleeve. Honestly, I can’t wait to wear some lighter and springy clothes soon. Check out Aqua as the brand that has some cool pieces at good prices. The dresses especially, have a lot of fans.

Katrina Kenison

I know I’ve shared her inspiring writing before, but Katrina’s post this week of living through these past two years and how we move forward is so good. It’s all about finding joy in the moments of this life and the beauty around us. I think you’ll appreciate her post here.

Helping Ukraine

Who could ever fathom we would have a ground war in Europe again? It’s beyond frightening and my heart goes out to the people and families of both nations caught up in this. No one wants this war. Right now, I believe the best we in the west can do is send any funds we may have to help those in Ukraine who are fleeing with their families. I watched as many women left with children unsure of where to go and if they will even see the men in their families again. Some good places to help are below..

UNICEF supports health, nutrition, education, safe drinking water, and protection for children and families caught in the conflict in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian organization, Voices of Children, helps provide support to children affected by armed conflict and providing mobile psychologists and even individual help for families.

CARE has a UK Crisis fund trying to provide food, water, hygiene and cash support for the 4 million people needing help there.

The International Red Cross is in Ukraine and providing support through water, food, medical equipment and more.

Thank you!

Now please pop over and see what great ideas my friends Elizabeth and Juliet have for you this week..

PINECONES AND ACORNS

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend, and thank you for being here!

Kim

You might also like my 2022 Goals, House Update and Cozy Coats post.

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog

Filed Under: weekend meanderings Tagged With: #afternoonteainsanfrancisco, #aquabybloomingdales, #bluebuttondowns, #canadianhouseandhome, #helpingukraine, #salesforcepark, #Sanfranciscotravel

My New Office, Puffy Purses & Weekend Meanderings

February 18, 2022 By kimwheeler 31 Comments

Hello and happy weekend. It’s our weekend round-up time with Juliet and Elizabeth and I’m sharing a few things that popped on my radar this week..

My little office space is finally done and thought I’d share. After a wait, my desk chair arrived and the whole thing came together pretty easily once I made the decision to make this small space my own. I had originally wanted this space, which was our former kitchen, to be a small conversation or game spot for my kids, but that really didn’t happen. Since it’s been sitting here kind of unused, except for when I popped in here and read, it really became the perfect spot for a small study. My friend April suggested it, and once it was in my brain, it took off from there.

It kind of began with the rattan bookshelf from Serena & Lily which fit in a small niche here, and then this rug, ordered last year, seemed perfect and whimsical. After Christmas, I finally went for it and bought a desk and a chair. All my personal favorite furniture pieces are in here -a cool piece of art, a couple of swivel chairs, a white lamp I love, and a rattan chair with a cozy throw so my co-worker, Ms Cat, can snuggle nearby. I have a little succulent plant in a white pot, a vase that holds my pencils and pens, and a tray for odds and ends. My shelf has some of my Domino magazine collection, rope baskets to hold cords, etc, and some of my favorite design books. I also have a pouf to rest my feet up on if I want!

My glass desk I chose to keep the area light and as it’s in front of my French doors. I wanted this one from Williams Sonoma, but after seeing the reviews and photos of this one from Living Spaces, I chose it for the slightly smaller size and quite a price difference. They also have a nearly identical one on Wayfair in two sizes. I was very happy with the heavy glass and sturdy frame. My desk chair was also pretty affordable and on sale now and I liked the sherpa look in here with my mix. It’s adjustable height and for me is perfect for support and sitting working many hours.

These are some of the pieces that I used in my office and I tried to add similar choices in other price points..

Clockwise from top left: Love this white lamp , white rope baskets (on sale), Serena & Lily denim rug (similar to mine), and this denim rug, another flatweave denim option, my Balboa bookshelf, this cane bookshelf, and this Pacific Bookcase, Studio McGee boucle pillow, and swivel chair (similar), Anthro vase/pencil cup.

It seems like this week flew by… and our kayak trip to Sausalito last weekend turned out to be a lot of fun. We just kind of meandered along the harbor and went down the house boat ‘streets’ which was great house gawking. Only a sea lion came near and most boats were out in the boat lane. Afterwards we had lunch at a darling spot called Le Garage right at the harbor and it was French bistro food with very a fun vibe, views of the boats, great music and people watching.

After lunch, we drove through Sausalito and it was bustling on a sunny February day. We vowed to go back soon and check out all the little spots with views of the city. If you haven’t been to Sausalito in a while, this is a lovely time of year to go. You can combine it with a kayak or a stroll across the Golden Gate and make a day of it. More photos are on my Instagram.

A story of a local Eichler remodel made its way into Elle Decor this week and this home is a beauty. Built in 1971 for a Stanford professor who was a friend of Eichler, it’s been updated by a new family with four young girls using the spaces in new ways, fresh colors and a mix of patterns and textures. It is so uplifting!

I think this sort of happy, eclectic interior is something we will be seeing a lot more of. People are in their homes much more now and we want light, bright and joyful, don’t you think? I’m sure the kids growing up here are loving it. The mom also sounds very cool and someone who just got a more unisex shoe- the ballet flat, added to the Emoji spectrum, so it’s not just a stiletto for women. I applaud that. The whole story and photos here. The interior was done by the talented Jessica Davis. You can follow her also on Instagram here.

As for fashion, I’ve been obsessing now on puffy bags-quilted ones particularly. I found this quilted tote at Bloomingdales and loved the shape and lightness. I didn’t know it was a dupe of a very expensive Khaite bag! Here I am wearing it -(used my son’s room.)

It also comes in a cream and a smaller cross-body version and other colors. I don’t know how to describe why it’s so appealing, but it has something of a generic chicness to it that I dig and I am tempted to get another.

This is the Khaite bag, nearly identical except it’s leather and this is vegan ‘leather.’

It’s also $2,300 vs $98.

I also noticed Frances Valentine has a version of a quilted ‘puffer’ bag too, and it’s quite cute.

I think these lightweight and easy bags will get even more popular as they feel like nothing to carry and a kind of label-less which I think people want more and more as the designer bag market is so over saturated.

Do you watch Vogue’s Beauty Videos? I love them and was excited to see Brooke Shields, who is also 56, on this week. She’s very real and it’s nice seeing people without their makeup. I can feel better about all my spots and blotches and I like her tips ..

I worked for 6 years in cosmetics at Nordstrom back when I was going to school and I still am a bit obsessed with skincare and makeup. I’m wondering if you all would be interested in some of my favorite skincare and makeup things if I do a post? I eventually left that job to do an advertising position, but continued to freelance and do makeup for weddings and a few events for a while. It was a fun time in my 20’s and I met so many cool people and learned loads about skincare and makeup… Perhaps more stories for another day!

Now please go see what great ideas my friends Elizabeth and Juliet have for you this week..

PINECONES AND ACORNS

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

Have a beautiful weekend!

x Kim

You might also like : Signature Style: Leopard in the Wardrobe, our Signature Style post for the month was last Tuesday and a lot of fun.

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog

Filed Under: weekend meanderings Tagged With: #californiahomestyle, #californialiving, #eichler, #elledecor, #homeoffice, #midcenturymodern, #officedecor, #puffybags, #sausalito, #serenaandlily, #voguebeauty, #weekendmeanderings

Signature Style: Leopard in Your Wardrobe

February 15, 2022 By kimwheeler 20 Comments

It’s that time again for Signature Style with my chic friends, Cindy Hattersley and Sarah London and this month we are bringing you leopard! Leopard print is a classic and has never gone out of style. Some say it’s a neutral, but I think it adds a bit of punctuation to an outfit and instant style. Do you have leopard in your closet? Well if not, it’s time to add some!

My first memories of leopard are from a leopard print boxy tote bag with tortoise shell looking ring handles my mom had in the 1960’s. On a train trip with her to Chicago when I was five, my coloring books were stored in it during trip. I later used the same bag in the early 80’s to tote my college books to class. It was vintage by then, and super cool, and I sadly wore it to pieces. This bag reminded me of it, with the color and texture of my moms!

Claire V. Leopard Bag

I’ve always been attracted to leopard due to its cool factor and rock n’ roll vibe. When I think of leopard, people like Debbie Harry come to mind. I’m not opposed to a little cool in my wardrobe and right now, after the past few years, I want my clothes to be anything but boring. I have a wardrobe full of solids, and yet a lot of patterned pieces and accessories that add a little punk feel and youthful spirit to my mix. I think everyone needs that with your basics.

How to wear leopard:

  • Choose a leopard print in an investment piece, like a nice handbag, coat, boot or shoe that can mix into your wardrobe in many different ways over years. Plan on keeping it long-term, so buy well.
  • Leopard in a silk blouse or cashmere sweater adds a fun pop of chic to basics.
  • Consider leopard in better quality materials and skip it in looks like leggings, tight dresses and stretchy lycras which can look ‘cheap’ and feel more cheesy than chic.
  • Be choosy about the leopard print you add. Let it punctuate an outfit.
  • Head to toe leopard is a lot, unless you want Alexis Carrington vibes or a big statement look. That said, you can mix leopard prints of different sizes, for a whimsical feel.
  • Some of the best foils for leopard are red, pink, black, white and surprisingly floral.
Leopard twinning with my friend Elizabeth, aka Contessa.

I am fortunate to own a leopard coat I bought a few years ago from Emerson Fry. It’s probably my most favorite piece of clothing and I have get more compliments on it than anything. It’s my go-to when I want to feel stylish and stand out, like when I wore it to a blogger conference.

It gives me confidence, and makes my solids look cool. The heavy linen works in most months here in California so I wear it all year long. Cost was around $350 and I’ve worn it more times than I can count. It was made in Brooklyn (yay), and it still looks like new. I know I have many years more to wear it. Emerson Fry still makes the exact coat, which is a testament to its longevity!

Definitely shop second hand for a leopard look. Vintage leopard coats are the coolest thing on the planet and if you can find one or something that looks like one, you’re lucky. Kate Moss created her signature style from her vintage leopard coat and she has so many..These are just a few..

I was lucky to have been gifted a vintage faux leopard short jacket from my friend Contessa and I just adore it. I have worn it casual, layered over a sweater with jeans, over a leopard dress, and with white jeans and so many ways..

Online there are so many of these vintage coats to be found like this one at ThredUp, and also check your local thrift and consignment. I also found this gem by The Great, their ‘vintage’ leopard coat.

More leopard coats here, and I love this one by Stand – just marked down, below left, and this by Bernardo, right also on sale…

Other options are adding a great accessory like this MZ Wallace tote, or a cute pair of sneakers like these high tops at Madewell, and this Gigi NY Crossbody.

I like this Claire V. Leopard bag top photo (like my mom’s), which is a classic and will always give you look a bit of style. I have a green version from them and they also have a smaller cross-body version below..

I also love the look of these slides by Birdies. People love these shoes and they are highly rated for comfort.

A leopard dress or two in the closet are nice to have in your rotation. I do own a few leopard dresses. One that is versatile and I wear so much is this T-shirt dress from Jenni Kayne. The leopard is so small it’s basically a neutral, but it’s a great basic to go anywhere. My only gripe is that the viscose wrinkles easily, but otherwise, I love the style and I can dress it up or down.

I also just bought this fun leopard shirt dress from H&M. They have a lot of leopard now. I bought this to wear as a top, a tunic, and a swim coverup as well as a dress.. The stores have a lot of this shirt dress, but it looks gone from the website! The material is the same as this dress, also cute in leopard.

Where do you stand on leopard and animal prints? I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts and I can’t wait to read Cindy and Sarah’s blogs today about leopard! Stop by their blogs at:

Cindy Hattersley

Sarah London Style

Thanks for being here!

Kim

You might also like the post, ‘Reloving What You Own- Signature Style.’

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog!

Filed Under: Signature Style, Uncategorized Tagged With: #leopardchic, #leopardfashion, #leopardprints, #signaturestyle

Weekend Meanderings, Pink Favorites & Windsor Smith..

February 11, 2022 By kimwheeler 17 Comments

How was your week? It’s our second edition of the new weekly roundup with Juliet and Elizabeth and I have some fun things for you to check out!

Think pink is my mantra this Valentine week and I rounded up a few things in honor of Valentines. I’ve been loving dusky pinks, and this top and sunglasses- and actually all of these, are on my wish list for spring.

Cult Gaia tote, Anthro blouse, Swank Tumbler, Agate cheeseboard, Veja sneakers, Dolce Gabbana Pink aviators.

I’ve been focused on getting my home together now, and I got a lot from this video on Schumacher this week with one of my favorite California designers, Windsor Smith. I could watch this video of her pretty So Cal home over and over. I’ve followed her forever and her home, where she raised two tennis obsessed sons, has been through a lot of iterations, but her kitchen is still my all time favorite and she hasn’t changed it a bit…

She was one of the first to have a navy, nearly black exterior on her house. I adore her undone, collected look. It’s my favorite kind of living space and very personal. I think you’ll love watching this and get more inspiration to have the not ‘perfect’ look, but to create a cool and unique home space. You can also following the sweet and talented Windsor on her Instagram too.

What are you cooking right now? Max and I are over comfort food and have been trying to eat better and lighter. My friend Bari just sent me this recipe for BBQ Salmon Bowls from Pinch of Yum and they are a delicious and easy dinner to try. We pulled this together pretty quickly one evening this week and I used frozen mangos as the grocery had none, frozen rice, and I had no jalapeƱo, but it was still terrific!

Pinch of Yum

You don’t actually barbecue, just put an easy rub on the salmon and bake. It has a bit of a BBQ flavor thanks to the smoked paprika and with the mango and avocados feels like a dinner in Hawaii. We agreed this is going on our regular rotation. You could even make this for a Valentine’s Dinner!

I also wanted to mention that Neiman’s is having its annual Beauty Event. I love this February event, which begins today and goes through the 27th. It’s a great time to get any cosmetics and skincare you use regularly and if you spend $150, which is easy if you get a few items, you get a tote full of very nice samples. This year’s bag is the prettiest one yet, a straw tote with a ribbon handle. I plan to get my foundation, the Giorgio Armani mascara , Clarins Eye Lift cream, and Cle de Peau face lotion, which I love. The lotion, and the foundation last me almost a year, so worth it to me. I also have been wanting this Dior Lip Glow in Mahogany. If you spend $350 they give also throw in a clutch and more samples.

This week I found a great blog thanks to my friend Contessa, called Back Row by Amy Odell. As a former fashion industry insider, Amy has a pulse on what is happening in the world of fashion and some of her latest posts are about the demise of Instagram, and why the market is flooded with too many handbags- sitting unsold, and other entertaining stuff with great writing.

Do you have a Valentine’s Day plan? I think we are going kayaking this weekend, and maybe do a picnic lunch in Sausalito. My husband just bought some used kayaks, so I’ll let you know how this goes..gulp. I’m not a huge water person.

If you’re going to do the cozy thing and stay in this weekend, this great article on Vogue, has some of the best romantic comedies and many fairly recent that may have been under your radar due to the pandemic. Definitely a few I want to see from the list I missed.

I see you can still go to Filoli this weekend, have a cocktail and stroll the stunning gardens, if you are looking for something fun outdoors.

If you liked this post you may also want to read last week’s Valentine’s Ideas and Weekend Meanderings if you missed it.

Now please go see what fun ideas my friends Elizabeth and Juliet have for you this week..

PINECONES AND ACORNS

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Kim

P.S. I just love this bar at my talented friend E’s home. She always decorates it for every holiday and this is her Valentines look.. Isn’t it cute?

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog!

Filed Under: weekend meanderings Tagged With: #californiahomestyle, #pink, #valentinedinneridea, #valentinesday, #weekendfinds, #weekendmeanderings, #whattocook, #windsorsmith

Valentine’s Ideas & Weekend Meanderings

February 4, 2022 By kimwheeler 16 Comments

I’m very excited as today is the first of a new weekend series called Saturday Meanderings I’ll be doing with talented bloggers, Elizabeth of Pine Cones and Acorns and Juliet of Make Mine a Spritzer. Elizabeth has a wonderful way of sharing her favorite finds every weekend. Juliet and I also make many good discoveries we want to share, but don’t always have time for a full blog about them, so this will be a great way to share what we find regularly!

Valentine’s Day is just a week away and to have a little fun while we are up at our tiny cabin, I thought I’d surprise the family with a little Valentine afternoon tea when they got in from a day in the snow.

I knew they would be hungry and cold after sledding and some warm tea and treats would be nice. I made cucumber sandwiches cut in heart shapes, ( Boursin in place of cream cheese for more flavor), and almond butter and fig jam finger sandwiches. I added in some bought macaroons, and shortbread heart cookies, some strawberries and sprinkled in conversation hearts. It was the perfect little snack after an afternoon of sledding or skiing.

You could try something similar for your girlfriends, or family or sweetheart. Add in any little treats you like, but having it on a pedestal plate and a few cute heart shapes in pink or red make it fun. I was lucky to have some red plates and mugs that came with my cabin. I found these cute heart paper napkins which were perfect for the occasion. If you don’t have a pedestal plate, stack two plates with a short glass for the pedestal and use a smaller top plate for the same look.

Last year we decorated Valentine cookies here. I love making Valentines more fun.

Speaking of cookies, how pretty are these Lemon Rose Shortbread Cookies from Half Baked Harvest? I think I may try these beautiful cookies this week. They sound delicious too.

Are you watching The Gilded Age? With only two episodes in, I’m not a huge fan yet. I’m finding the characters just not that likable! Maybe that’ll change as the series progresses. I love everything about that era and the history and if you do too I think you’ll enjoy Vanderbilt by Anderson Cooper. I read this book in a few days. It’s engrossing and fascinating about the gilded age and the sometimes sad and unbelievable true story of the Vanderbilt family, of which Anderson is a part of.

I found a few dresses that work for Valentine’s and beyond if you have something festive planned..

This heart tiered midi dress, and this crinkle mini shirtdress are both lovely!

I really enjoyed this home on AD this week in the Hamptons with a sunken conversation couch in denim and this wallpaper in the dining room..

I’m nuts about the Olympics and especially love the winter version. Ice skating is always one of my favorites and this year Team USA is so good. Read more in this week’s Vogue all about the amazing costumes that are constructed especially for our ice skaters like this look on Nathan Chen by Vera Wang.

I am supporting these athletes that have worked their whole lives to compete in these games. I do not support China, and have shared several things about the Uyghers on my Instagram. Perhaps the best piece to explain what is really happening there is this PBS Frontline piece. Everyone should watch and read this and know what is really happening there.

Are you starting to think (well hope) about travel this summer? I am dreaming of going back to Europe and there was a terrific post on the Rick Steve’s blog about Italy’s under the radar towns. It had me dreaming about fresh pasta and apertivo hours.

If you have younger kids you might like this post I did some years back about Griffin and I making some cool Valentines when he was small for his pals and classmates. I miss those days!

I can’t wait to head over and see what my fellow bloggers are sharing today..

Pinecones and Acorns

Make Mine a Spritzer

Hope it’s a great weekend!

Kim

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

Some links will generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog!

Filed Under: Valentine's Day, weekend meanderings Tagged With: #valentinesday, #valentinesdayfun, #valentinesdaytea, #weekendfinds, #weekendmeanderings

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A January PSA- get in your closet and get those wh A January PSA- get in your closet and get those white jeans out! I found mine at the bottom of my closet today in a basket and thought -yes! I love the look of a classic white jean, paired with a chunky sweater or turtleneck in black, beige, tan, creams-  neutral colors always look fantastic. Today it was warm enough that I could go sockless and wear my Madewell loafers with them and a little jacket I have from Anthro. Get your white jeans out. it will give your winter wardrobe have a little kick. White jeans can be worn all year and they even look great with winter boots and coats. 

This is also a great time to look at your white Jean inventory. šŸ¤If you don’t have a pair that’s comfortable and straight leg, in a thicker material…this might be a good time to look. I’ll share some on the weekend blog as well.

if you missed our LIVE this morning, you can watch it on Juliet’s @makemineaspritzer Instagram and I’ll link to it on my stories ! Thank you everyone for tuning in in for the fun questions and comments. We love doing this with you all weekly! Let us know in comments if there are any other topics you want to hear about. Today we talked trending colors, exercise classes .. finding art and pillows and more..

#whitejeanseason #januaryclosetremix #winterwardrobehacks
I love the sunshine in the morning streaming throu I love the sunshine in the morning streaming through the kitchen.. My baby daffodils are blooming to make it even happier. This is one of my favorite things about the new year, the bulbs and daffodils and California poppies that hint spring it on the way.šŸ’› If you don’t have a few blooms in the kitchen, maybe you can add a few?

Hope your having a beautiful week!

#kitchensun #californialife #januaryincalifornia
I love this of Liz Taylor at her first wedding to I love this of Liz Taylor at her first wedding to Richard Burton in 1965. She’s wearing a empire, knee length dress and orange blossoms in her hair, which must have smelled heavenly. I want yellow in my closet this spring!

This is the center of my spring vision board! šŸ’› Link to all Elizabeth’s wedding dresses on the weekend post -and a few yellow things I added to the house if you missed it! 

#yellow #yellowaesthetic #liztaylor #thebrideworeyellow #springfashion #spring2023 #vogue
Sunday beach trip… We made it to Santa Cruz to c Sunday beach trip… We made it to Santa Cruz to check out the coast after these rough last weeks. Aptos looks pretty good and poor Seacliff is terribly battered. So sad to see what people have lost. My heart goes out to them.

We had the beach to ourselves and the weather was winter perfect. ā˜€ļøCold and sunny. We had a picnic of sandwiches from Zoccolis deli and took in the sun and sea air while watching surfers and birds.

This song just seemed to fit -and relatable as I could not sleep last night! No idea why. Isn’t it maddening? 

Hope you get a chance to take a winter beach walk.. They are the best. 

#santacruz #aptos #california #northerncalifornia #winterbeachwalks #seacliff #norcal #seascapebeach
Happy Sunday! The weekend post is up and I’m sha Happy Sunday! The weekend post is up and I’m sharing a few good ideas for a dining room refresh, pops of yellow, my favorite winter skin care essentials right now, a beautiful and unique San Francisco house in @archdigest, online yoga, and the story behind a historic San Francisco home I came upon last week.. Head to the blog for all the deets! 

I hope its a wonderful weekend.ā˜€ļø

Don’t forget to visit Juliet and Elizabeth blogs ..links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns

#northerncalifornia #weekendpost #yellow #diningroomdecor #bernardmaybeck #sanfranciscohomes #architecturaldigest #potterybarn #serenaandlily #californiastyle
Our dear friend Contessa @contessa_and_her_pig has Our dear friend Contessa @contessa_and_her_pig has been seriously sick and fortunately is back home now, but still struggling with pneumonia. If anyone wants to send her a snail mail note please dm me and I will share her address. She loves unique cards and pretty postcards you’ve saved from travel, so she would be thrilled to get a little note!

It seems like just yesterday we were in her gorgeous yard taking photos for my Californians at Home series. It’s still one of my favorite photo shoots and if you want to read it again -or missed it I will link to it in my bio today. She’s one of a kind, so let’s get her well soon and bolster her spirits!!šŸ’›šŸ’›

#californiacontessa #californiansathome
I have to share a snippet of just some of the wisd I have to share a snippet of just some of the wisdom that was Martin Luther King. He will always be one of my biggest heroes and ten years ago I wrote a small post highlighting some of his very meaningful words and quotes that we could all use as a life guide. Link to the post in my bio and more on my stories. 

Do you know he is the only American to have a holiday for him that hasn’t been a president? He also had a low approval rating when he died. That has changed. Now people around the world use his teachings of living in peace and the fight for justice as a model we can strive for. I find his words so very needed in a world that is polarized more than ever. ā¤ļø

#mlkday #mlkquotes #whatareyoudoingforothers
It’s still raining here! In an effort to use som It’s still raining here! In an effort to use some beautiful citrus and boost morale, I made these chocolate chips with a California twist. They have orange and walnuts -and for fun I added macadamias from my Hawaii trip and coconut flakes. I also switched out brown sugar for moscavado which is less refined and had more depth and flavor. So far response has been thumbs up from the home crew! 
The recipe and all the weekend fun- along with some cozy coats for this weather, and a recap of our SF meander are on the weekend blog. Juliet and Elizabeth also have great ideas this weekend.. links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns 
Have a great weekend !

#californiacookie #californialiving #californiachocolatechipcookie #weekendpost #chocolateandorange
Just a little peek at some of the homes in San Fra Just a little peek at some of the homes in San Francisco’s Laurel Heights and a little walk through the Presidio to the Lyon Street Steps. We had an unbelievably beautiful day after so much rain and darkness. I highly recommend walking through this neighborhood, through The Presidio and grabbing lunch and checking out the lovely shops like the new Emily Joubert! The views are amazing all the way to the Golden Gate, and I am in love with all the beautiful homes of San Francisco. ā¤ļø

#sanfranciscolove #presidioheights #lyonstreetsteps #sanfranciscowalks #housesofsf #visitcalifornia #ourgoldenstate #sanfranciscomansions #citybythebay #prettycity
Unearthed my Hunter’s and dusted them up! Bring Unearthed my Hunter’s and dusted them up! Bring it on, I am ready. I’m getting used to the rain, but this California girl is struggling with the gloom. How do people do it in the Pacific Northwest? Getting out for rainy day walks seems to help. Anyone else feel the same? I feel guilty for even mentioning it, with all the flooding and struggles so many are dealing with. 
Today is good -as we have power, internet and for now, just drizzles. 

#northerncalgal #californiastorm #hunterbootslove
It’s time for our first Signature Style of 2023 It’s time for our first Signature Style of 2023 and Cindy and I are talking cozy clothes, workout outfits and athleisure! And actually what else are we wearing right now?  If you’re not trying to workout, you’re likely staying cozy so we have all kinds of good things for you. 
Hope you’re staying dry and safe if you’re in California. šŸ’›We had the craziest night yet with wind and rain last evening. We began with no power and internet so I was a bit slow getting this out..Sending good thoughts to everyone.

Stop on by our blogs..
As always links are in our bios and stories..
@northerncalstyle 
@cindyhattersley

#athleisurestyle #workoutstyle #cozycore #pajamastyle #signaturestyle
The Weekend post is back with my pals Juliet and E The Weekend post is back with my pals Juliet and Elizabeth! Here’s to starting 2023 with a little palette cleanser.. I’ve got some chic basics like white shirts and good jeans,  the perfect track pant, brightening the house with our California bounty of citrus, inspiration from the fab Sylvie from Emily in Paris, a show and a book and more.. 

Here’s to a fresh start! 
Stop on by our blogs- links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns

#freshstart #californiahome #losgatos #chicbasics #whiteshirts #jeansfor2023 #weekendblog #emilyinparis #sylvieemilyinparis #phillipineleroybeaulieu

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