On this post, the designer behind the ‘It’s Complicated’ house and other Nancy Myers films, cute summer bags, scarves and charms, a few summer thing in my own home, garlic baskets and a beautiful new film.
Hello lovely friends. Hoping you are enjoying some small joys this June. We had two days of no internet, and so I am furiously typing away on Friday here to complete this.
The good part was it did give me a chance to refresh so I redid the kitchen shelves and added a garlic basket I fell in love with a few weeks ago at Patine, a beautiful home store in Santa Cruz.
If you cannot get to lovely home store Patine, on 41st Avenue, (great street to shop/ grab a bite), Pottery Barn also carries these baskets here in an assortment of sizes. I love the sculptural look of these baskets!
I also changed the pillows back to my tan/ blues that I love for summer. Stripe are so good for summertime.
I harvested my last cauliflowers. Each plant only yields one, and then you take the plant out. This gives my tomatoes more room to grow. I usually roast my cauliflower, but even just boiled for a short time and served with butter is delicious!
A real movie date night!
The highlight of this week was a midweek film date with Max. A independent film I had on my radar, ‘Jane Austen Ruined My Life,’ was shockingly at a theatre near us. I’m so used to the only movies being Marvel, animated films, and sequels ad naseam. We went to the independent movies all the time in downtown San Jose’s Camera 1 and 3, when we were first dating. Sadly, art house sort of films, seem to have essentially gone away around here.
It was transporting to be in a theatre and get immersed in a story with beautiful cinematography, great acting, and an original story. It’s French with subtitles, but there is a lot of English as it takes place mostly in the English countryside. I am afraid it has already left our local theatres after just a week to make room for the new Pixar, or big box office release which seems to need to be in every single theatre possible, so there are only 5 or 6 film choices at any given time.
Summer Bags
Why are summer handbags so appealing? I need none, but I am always seeing cute bags in summer. Plus one of my straw bags is on it’s last legs, so maybe I can rationalize one more. I am enchanted with anything woven with an organic look.
This shoulder bag with cute charm (3 colors) is a good daily bag. The woven oversized 2 tone bag is great for the beach or holidays.
Madewell’s handmade leather tote is so pretty in this deep green or dark blue.
I also love the look of this cane tote in a rich brown -or creme and this mini tote in 5 colors and this multi color version.
Below-Madewell makes a cute woven bag with one strap, below, that you can easily wrap with a scarf, (a bit harder to do with two straps).
A scarf or a bag charm is a way to make a bag a bit more personal. Madewell has scarves, and many cool bag charms. I like this fish, wooden pear, and this shell one. All the charms here.
These $15 bandanas (6 colors) are perfect for tying on a bag.. This silk scarf with stripes is fun and a bit bigger.
I’m partial to this ikat looking blue hand dyed silk as well.
COS has some simple summer bags and I like this tote with an inside leather zip pocket.
A linen and leather tote from COS is chic as is everything from them.. It’s on the larger size, so could be nice for work or travel.
Shopping with Juliet
Juliet had an appointment in Palo Alto so we met up for lunch Friday (yesterday) at Stanford Shopping Center at the always good True Foods Kitchen for a quick lunch and did a small bit of shopping at Bloomies and J.Crew.
J. Crew summer offerings are whimsical and fun like this t-shirt which reminded me of their early 2000’s t-shirts which I had masses of and loved. (This t-shirt is another good one.)
We always get goofy! We could do a lot of damage if allowed….
Doesn’t Juliet looks cute? Love her barrel jeans and white shirt – so simple chic!
We saw many good things at J. Crew. One was this straw clutch Juliet is holding with paillettes. I told her it would be a good one to fold flat for vacation packing too as she has a tropical getaway coming. This cute bag also comes without the embellishments in plain straw or stripes….
We needed more shopping time, but we did spend a lot of good time chatting at lunch. With a long commute for both of us, in opposite directions, we cut shopping short and went home without buying. Well, Juliet did buy one thing I am sure she will share soon!
Nancy Myer’s Style Secrets
Last week a blog reader (thanks Patricia!) kindly shared the Youtube account of a Hollywood designer, John Hutman, who has done production design for Nancy Myers, Robert Redford, Aaron Sorkin and more. His page has the breakdown of Nancy’s films famous houses and how they were created. What a super fun account..
Below John’s post on ‘It’s Complicated,’ one of my favorite films. If there is a house I would choose that I most love, it’s this ivy covered Spanish ranch home that baker Jane Adler (played by Meryl Streep), inhabited. Even the garden was meticulously planned. I like the tips on the colors chosen and more….
Our Pride flag is up!
We have flown a pride flag for several years in June. This year it seems more important than ever to show that we are allies and stand with the LGTBQ+ community and that LOVE is LOVE! Last year someone came to my front door to tell me how much it meant seeing the flag in our neighborhood. For that reason, and for my family and friends in that community, we will always fly it.
My entire family was angry to hear of the ships being renamed after civil right heroes by Pete Hegseth. We especially were upset about the SNS Harvey Milk, named for a navy veteran and Bay Area hero and gay icon. It’s mean, hateful, cruel, and wrong, -especially during Pride Month. One day all this will be undone, and Pete Hegseth is a person that history won’t look kindly on. We have enough insecure and narcissistic men in leadership positions to last a lifetime. Let’s hope this chapter is short and about to change. Things seem to be crumbling faster as I write this…
During June a great organization to donate to is The Human Rights Campaign, which helps fight for rights for LGTBQ+ and against discrimination and hate. We give to them and the Trevor Project which helps with suicide prevention.
Don’t forget NEXT Saturday is the nationwide NO KING’s day. If you are tired of rich men who only care about enriching themselves and their friends running this nation, removing our protections and agencies, join the protest. More info here and lots of details on last week’s post.
If you missed last week’s post, I shared a Tahoe hike, a few things to wear while you’re in Tahoe, Mark Twain in Tahoe, and a great gift basket idea.
I hope you have a lovely weekend,
Kim
Please stop by Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs for more good things…
Pinecones and Acorns
Make Mine a Spritzer
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Love this post, as always. You never fail to have the best suggestions. And I was also so upset about the ships being renamed. Every day seems to bring a new low, that we have to face.
Jeannie, Thank you so much.
I know. I want to wakenup from this nightmare. So many humans being hurt right now. by this administration.
Sending you hugs
Good morning Kim,
It’s always nice to see you and Julie together! You find the best things for each other. I love that J.Crew shirt, in fact It was on my blog this week.
Cauliflower, I didn’t know you had a winter/spring garden. Do you grow things all year? I wonder if I could grow some in a container. I tried sweet potatoes and tomatoes the last 2 years but the deer and the squirrels ate them. They even ate 6 large ghost pepper plants.
You had me at bag, I do not need any either but I love a good bag. Both of the bags you posted from COS are in my cart, just sitting.
Your garlic basket looks beautiful! Don’t you just love an organic, sculptural piece.
What did you think of Jane Austen? Did you like it? Love it?
Thanks for the tip on the Nancy Meyers set designer. Isn;t it fun to go down the rabbit hole of design. I like the house that you do but also from the one with Diane Keaton.
Have a beautiful day Kim!
xo
Hi Elizabeth! I thought that shirt was the one you shared! It’s very cute in person. I hope they make more of those. I started the cauliflower about 2 months ago. Iy’s more of a winter crop though. I was waiting for the right time to put the tomatoes in, and had some space. Gosh I cannot believe those deer- even GHOSt peppers? Those are going to hurt! Have you tried netting or caging a small part of the garden?
Love those COS bags. I wish we had that store here. I think they do in LA now. I shopped at the Edinburgh one and it’s so good.
Yes the Something’s Gotta Give House is great too.
Happy weekend! xo
Fun blog Kim! That sculptural basket is very cool! Did you get the small or the medium? I’ve been having a terrible time finding sneakers that I can take to Paris that will also work hiking in the Greek isles. I looked at your blog entry about sneakers but many of the lasts just don’t work for my old feet! 😉 I think I’m just going to have to go with my dorky Brooks running shoes. I’ve been trying barrel leg jeans but many of those aren’t cut for my body type either. I pretty much have to stick with straight leg mid rise jeans and pants. (oh well these are NOT big problems). I just discovered a SF woman who runs a website called Chop Wood, Carry Water that is set up for us phone-shy types who’d like to resist our current people in power. Thanks for your blog. It helps keep me sane.
Sally, thanks for the recommendation on Chop Wood, Carry Water Substack. I’m going to check it out.
Sally, I am not sure as I bought mine at Patine.. It was around $90.. I think it may be between the small and medium!
I am actually looking for lightweight sneakers to take on my travels too. Stay tuned.. Your trip sounds wonderful.
With the barrel jeans, I think they have to be cut just so if you are shorter like we are. Juliet got hers at Madewell, and maybe she can weigh in, but I think they are these Darted ones that come in a petite option too. Reviews say it is a barrel cut that works for shorter girls.
https://rstyle.me/+MaROKu-mlebysyEnhXHLTQ
I also like mid-rise straight!
I will look up Chop Wood, Carry Water now! Thanks so much dear Sally. xo
Did I really call you columnists? Makes me sound so old. It was a pleasure to meet the two of you and I did enjoy your “columns” today!
Lorelei, We loved that! Felt so much cooler than bloggers.. So nice meeting you! What a fun chat. I hope you stay in touch. Maybe we all need to do lunch soon. I want to hear more about Summerland! xo
LOVE your pillows and baskets. And the intro to the set designer…so fun too.
Thanks Mary Ann! xo
Kim As a retired US Navy officer I am horrified about the moves Hegseth makes. During his hearing Tammy Duckworth, one of my idols, got it so right but no one on the other side seemed to care or listen. He is irresponsible, uneducated, dangerous, spiteful, aggressive, swaggering recklessly, and is damaging the entire military. His contempt for women in the services is awful as we have served since the Revolutionary War in one capacity or another..now about 12-20% of our military is composed of completely capable and intelligent women who put themselves on the line with their fellows in arms on a daily basis. I was at a lovely lunch years ago at a base as a guest of an admiral who had invited those of us on duty to attend. The room was filled with Marine Corps women with beautiful manicures and hair, impeccable uniforms. Guess what!! They were all pilots of airplanes and helicopters! I was in absolute awe of this group of confident, capable servicewomen. Take that, Hegseth.. Without the nurses, technicians, pilots, armorers, translators, corps staff, mechanics, chefs, drivers, photographers, dentists, doctors, surgical assistants and others that are women the services it would be in a real mess. Sincerely, Donnie
Donnie, First thank you so much for your service. I agree Tammy put her incredible career and knowledge out there telling what a disaster he would be and she was right. I have heard the contempt for women serving by his former colleagues on an NPR show. It was very sad. Women hold up so much of our armed services. We would be lost without them!
I love hearing about all these women who were pilots! Does not surprise me as a pilot has to be so precise and able to multitask as well.
Donnie can I share your comment on my Instagram? I think it is so important people hear from those who have served!
Thank you again for weighing in here!
So much good stuff this week, Kim. I love the basket, and I also really love the bowl on the lower shelf with the plant. Those are essentially the primary colors that I use in decorating my house, and also in my wardrobe (with the addition of a gold color).
I love that you grow garden vegetables. Right now, we have one cucumber plant that is absolutely going crazy. I’m giving away cucumbers to neighbors, friends, etc.
I liked your movie recommendation, and looked for that movie here, but sadly couldn’t locate it. I remember years ago when you recommended “Brooklyn,” and that is still one of my favorite movies. I’m also looking forward to checking out the Utube account that was recommended.
And I love that y’all put out a pride flag. I’m looking at purchasing a tee from the Human Rights Campaign that says “Y’all means all.” And, yes, these small men may feel that they are winning right now, but I just can’t bring myself to believe that this hatred and pettiness will win out in the end. I’m looking forward to having my voice heard on No Kings Day.
Thanks so much Lisa! The bowl was such a great find from an art gallery I stumbled upon near a park in SF. The owner’s daughter does pottery on the side!
Wow so cool about your cucumber. So far mine are going slow and I think my zucchini is taking too much of their space! I can only hope mine do as well.
Oh yes I forgot about Brooklyn! I need to rewatch that.
Oh that is a cute shirt! Maybe I need one too.
Small men ! Exactly.
Thanks for being there on NO King’s Day. xo
I would love to see that movie!! You were right all the movie theaters are just filled with the same five or six thrillers never look good movies like the foreign films Berkeley used to show all the time in their Independent theaters. I bought the cutest tote bag with a scarf handle at target I’ll try to send you a picture of it. I think you would love it and the price was amazing. I just looked and now it’s on sale for eight dollars off.!! I will head straight to that YouTube channel and I’m sure I will be deep into it before the day is over! I love Nancy Myers decorating. I have her DVDs just to look at the house is basically although I do love the movies.!
Martha isn’t it the truth? So annoying. We have less choices when it is all about money.
Your tote sounds cute. You’ll love the YouTube! I agree could just watch for the houses. xo
Hi Kim,
The garlic basket you got in Santa Cruz is super cool looking.
Sorry to hear about your internet being down for two days. My husband’s new iPhone just went black, he was without his phone for two weeks. Thank goodness, Sara the tech wizard brought his phone back. We are all so reliant on our phones. We did away with our land line many years ago. My phone was the backup, plus his iPad.
Your cauliflower looks perfect, tasty too.
Date Night YAY to see “Jane Austen Ruined My Life,” looks like it was good? What did you both think?
You and Juliet are so cute together. Two professional shoppers together could get one another in lots of good trouble. Yes, Juliet looked cute but so did you.
I hear you about what’s going on in the political world. I find it all disturbing, then another shoe drops.
Have a lovely weekend.
Thanks Katherine, Love that basket too! Oh gosh poor Bear! It is like being without an arm with no phone nowadays isn’t it? Glad they were able to fix it for him.
The movie was cute and you might enjoy it too.
Aw thanks. It is always fun to hang out with Juliet! Probably good we aren’t close by each other.
Hugs to you.
Bahahaha at being enchanted with things when you need nothing and @ insecure, narcissistic men”. Ugh..yep. okay- take care!
Nicole, it’s an ongoing problem.. LOL.
We can only hope heydey of these sort of men is coming to an end. We need men and leaders with empathy and care and who aren’t intimidated by others success- especially the success of those who aren’t white straight men!
Hi Kim,
We used to have a fantastic little theatre that showed only art films and it was so popular lines we’re out of the door but sadly it closed down to Covid and our local cinema also got bulldozed this year, so l guess it shows the decline of movie houses is real. Love your new purchases! Have a beautiful weekend, are you watching the tennis?!? So thrilled Coco Gauff won now l am hoping Sinner wins tomorrow,
Francesca that is a bummer. I do think Covid hastened the end of many of these gems.
Yes I am watching the French Open! So good. Was thrilled about Coco! Enjoy it! xo
I really want to see the Jane Austen film, it might help my French!
The bags and charms are so lovely, I must look out for some here.
I always love your posts.
Jude, I think you would love it. Aw thank I need to get over to your lovely blog. xo
Hi Kim, I am in total agreement with you on Indie movies. I am sorry to read that your area does not offer independent films. We seek them out on trips and always enjoy them so much. In Old Town Mesilla, New Mexico The Fountain Theater is run by volunteers. It’s a great place. Also The Loft in Tucson and The Palm in San Luis Obispo are great if you are ever in the area. I wonder if the Monterey/Carmel area still has any? I hope to see Jane Austen Wrecked My Life. Thanks for sharing the ideas on summer bags and charms. Love them! Look forward to watching the Nancy Meyers house video. I am a big fan of her movies. Love It’s Complicated. Hope the 14th rallies have huge participation. And I hope we can see light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Linda, SO sad they are rare around here. Maybe it is the theatre owners only want guaranteed box office movies. Everything is about money, but we also lose culture, and options when everything in this world in the same!
That is a great idea looking for them on trips. Those sound like cool theatres! There is a small one in Palo Alto and some in SF.
I hope you get to see the film.
I am with you on these rallies! So far yesterday in NYC there was a HUGE one, so I think it bodes well for a big turnout!
We need the hope things can change.
Great post! We are an angry Navy Family.
I can understand! Thanks so much for your family’s service.
Hey Kim, better late than never. I enjoyed revisiting our too brief shopping and lunch expedition. We need to do it again soon. How did I not know about this Jane Austin adjacent movie … it is fun to go to the theater and I rarely do it anymore. Like you say it’s rare to find a movie that’s of interest and not some superhero thing where you can’t tell one from the other. That makes me sound old! Speaking of good movies, It’s Complicated is in my top 10 favorite movies ever and I never get tired of rewatching it. All Nancy Meyers films are beautifully done, but this was truly a favorite (did you see her daughter’s film with Reese Witherspoon, Home Again?). I could never get over how beautiful the gardens were – why don’t mine look like that – and of course it was a set, but one to be endlessly admired. And speaking of me being old, I remember well the horrible shooting of Harvey Milk by Dan White, the trial, Dianne Feinstein’s rise to prominence as a result of her rising to the occasion. It’s sad to see the pettiness of our current leaders who could be doing so much good and instead are determined to rename ships, body’s of water, etc. It’s beyond pathetic and makes us such a joke to the rest of the world. It’s unbelievable how far our reputation has sunk in just a matter on months and I’m afraid we won’t regain our stature in the world for generations to come. If ever. xo
Hello Kim – sorry, I’m just getting round to reading your and Juliet’s posts this evening. I’m so pleased that you liked the Jon Hutman account, I’ll be keeping an eye on it for sure.
I know how much you enjoyed your stay in Edinburgh a couple of years ago, so have you watched Dept. Q on Netflix? It’s an amazing detective show set in Edinburgh, with Matthew Goode (from Downton Abbey) and a string of amazing Scottish actors. Plus watch out for the Akram character, he is dreamy! We are savouring it so have only watched the first 4 episodes of nine, but they are excellent.
Oh my gosh, you were right – there is truly something awful happening every single day! Please be extra careful when you go out to march on Saturday.
Patricia it’s such a fun account! Thank you so so much.
No I don’t know about Department Q. I will check it out. I am watching Ludwig right now. I’ll put it next on my queue. Thank you… I’m all for dreamy Scottish guys!
I will be careful. Thank you! xo
Actually, the actor who plays Akram was born in Russia of a Russian mother and a Kurdish father, then he grew up in Sweden!! His character is a bit mysterious, and adds greatly to the whole show.
I have heard about Ludwig and would love to see it, but don’t want to add yet another streamer to our list! Maybe one day it will come to PBS and we’ll see it there. Best of luck for Saturday; I watched a video of a woman trying to return to her apartment and she was shot with a rubber bullet. The woman filming it ran over to help her and they were still harassed, even though the one lady was injured. xx
“If you are tired of rich men who only care about enriching themselves and their friends running this nation, removing our protections and agencies, join the protest.” Strongly suggest that you check into the financial backers for the protests this weekend and in LA. Should anyone be curious enough to do some independent research and not just rely on what the main stream media reports, they will find they are financed by rich men who only care about enriching themselves and their friends while advancing a socialist/Marxist agenda to destabilize our country. It’s classic color revolution tactics.
Pamela, HELLO? Rich people funding socialism makes no sense. They certainly are funding the current regime and it’s right out in the open. It’s not even in the shadows.. Can I introduce you to Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos? How about Peter Thiel? According to FORBES, 26 billionaires gave more than a million each to Trump, some much more. Since his introduction of his own crypto scam, it grown. He now has a way for those people to funnel bribe money to him right there. He even held a dinner for them last month at THE WHITE HOUSE!! Yet you think rich want socialism. Socialism requires HUGe taxes on the wealthiest and more equatible society for all of us. WHY do you think that’s their goal? Maybe look up what these things are and check your sources.
The women who started this months ago – (there are two I know of in the Bay Area) are not wealthy nor backed by them. All of the folks I know going today have NOT been paid, and are angry and unhappy with the state of things. We know our country is falling apart and losing the things that made it a Democracy and the envy of the world at one point.
I’m not paid and I am going! Why wouldn’t we?
Here is the Forbes article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/leokamin/2024/08/14/here-are-trumps-top-billionaire-donors/
By the way Truman gave a great speech about the those using the SCARE tactic of creeping socialism, as you are now. He was spot on about it:
‘Socialism is what they called public power.
Socialism is what they called social security.
Socialism is what they called farm price supports.
Socialism is what they called bank deposit insurance.
Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations.
Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.’
Many EU nations are called Social Democracies as they are Capitalist Economies with strong private business and generous government safety nets for their citizens that help all thrive and their nations do too. You might try reading more about it.
Kindly, Kim