• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Californians at Home
  • Home & Decor
    • Our California Remodel
    • Shop My Home
    • Lake Tahoe Cabin Style
    • Books I Adore
  • My California Closet

Northern California Style

Northern California Style

  • Home
  • About
  • Californians at Home
  • Home & Decor
    • Our California Remodel
    • Shop My Home
    • Lake Tahoe Cabin Style
    • Books I Adore
  • My California Closet
  • Shop My Home
    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

#aquabybloomingdales

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

Primary Sidebar

Featured Posts

Spring Colors, White Jeans, and Skin Cleansers

Signature Style- Casual Chic Dresses

Signature Style- How French Women Wear Red

Fun Kitchen Styling Tips!

Signature Style- Resort Looks and Packing Tips

Summer Picnic Ideas

Get My Posts by Email!

Find Me on Facebook

Northern California Style

Archives

Categories

Footer

Don’t Forget to Follow!

Blogger, writer and explorer sharing about my native California, and parts farther afield. Join me here where I chat about things to love in the worlds of design, fashion, home, travel and culture.

Currently Pinning

  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
  • Make Air Dry Clay Garden Markers | Most Lovely Things
  • green summer salad
  • Rails capsule wardrobe for summer
  • wearing a Rails jacket at Bernardus
  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
  • Carmel Getaway to Bernardus Lodge, a Rails Capsule for Summer, Pretty Pots and more..
A little reel of the pretty @bernarduslodge in Car A little reel of the pretty @bernarduslodge in Carmel Valley. We try and get here at least twice a year for a little weekend retreat. 

It’s in the perfect location as you can enjoy all the charms of Carmel -and soak up the sunshine while you’re at the resort just up the road from the coast. The rooms, pools, gorgeous gardens, and mountain views are soothing. It’s my happy place and if you are near Carmel, I can’t recommend it enough. 

#carmelvalley #carmel #carmeltravel #centralcoast #bernarduslodge #northerncalifornia #northerncalstyle
On the weekend blog I shared my favorite summer gr On the weekend blog I shared my favorite summer green salad. It’s the traditional with a few twists to make it have more flavor and crunch. A nice option for a Memorial Day barbecue if you’re having one today.. Link with details in bio.
@northerncalstyle 

We had houseguests and now a free day, but the weather has been dark and cool for this summer kick off.. 😕 Hoping you all get some time to enjoy this extra day off. 

I am thinking today of all those who gave their lives for our nation and democracy. ❤️ Their families are especially on my mind. 

#summersalad #californiatable
On the Weekend blog.. a @rails Summer capsule! I b On the Weekend blog.. a @rails Summer capsule! I brought some of these beautiful pieces with me on our weekend away in Carmel and loved how well they all work together!
More deets on the blog plus where we stayed and some pretty snaps of Carmel in bloom.

Don’t forget to visit my pals Elizabeth and Juliet too.

 Our links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns

Have a beautiful weekend .
This is a perfect time for a trip to Carmel-Monter This is a perfect time for a trip to Carmel-Monterey Bay as everything is blooming and the magic carpet in Pacific Grove is at its peak beauty! 

The beautiful flowers in the charming towns and the on cottages make it such a treat to visit. We had a fun two days and I’ll do another little reel on our pretty hotel in Carmel Valley. 

Have you been to Carmel in the springtime? It’s a bucket list item! 🌸

#carmelbythesea #carmel #pacificgrovemagiccarpet #pacificgrove #montereybay #ourgoldenstate #visitcalifornia #flowerstagram #californiadreaming
I splurged and bought myself this pretty planter f I splurged and bought myself this pretty planter for my favorite plant. This is from @beachwoodhome in Carmel which has beautiful things. It’s in the Carmel Plaza and I always love popping in there to see what’s new when I’m down there.

This plant is a peperomia plant which is so easy to keep alive! Yay. It loves to grow in cool shapes and needs just a few ice cubes here and there..

Hope you’re all having a good start to the week! 

#easyplants #houseplantsofinstagram #bluepottery #carmelbythesea #californialiving
Have you been to Tahoe in the summer? It’s just Have you been to Tahoe in the summer? It’s just magic. These are a few snaps of my Tahoe look, but on the blog I have more ideas and great pieces for you to consider when planning a summertime getaway there. 

You will find it’s very relaxed with an old school charm. Chill is the vibe and it’s all about comfort and California casual. Tahoe is all about enjoying the incredible nature and beauty up there! 

Find it all on my what to pack post with six of my friends sharing their destinations too..
Link in bio @northerncalstyle 
More on stories also!

#tahoe #laketahoe #whattopack #californiatravel #californiatrip #westshorelaketahoe #lakelife #oldschoolsummer #ourgoldenstate #californiadreaming #visitcalifornia
Hard to believe it’s almost summer, and are you Hard to believe it’s almost summer, and are you all ready for a vacation ?  I have the perfect blog for you today..a fun collaboration with six others, sharing their packing tips and outfits from their special spots in the country.. We’ve got Tahoe, Napa, Valley, Paso Robles, Santa Cruz, Florida, New York City, and North Carolina! 

These packing lists and outfit ideas plus favorite spots not to miss, make these posts savers! 

My blog is what to pack and what to wear for summertime in Tahoe- which I can’t wait for. 💙

All our posts are linked in our bios.. 
me/Tahoe @northerncalstyle 

Annie/New York City @most_lovely_things 

Juliet/Napa Valley @makemineaspritzer 

Dawn/SantaCruz @fashionshouldbefun 

Cindy/PasoRobles @cindyhattersley 

Elizabeth/North Carolina @pineconesandacorns 

Mary Ann/Florida @classiccasualhome 

See what my friends recommend to pack and do for your summer getaways! 

#packingtips #whattopack #travel #traveltipsandtricks #tahoetravel #californiatravel #ourgoldenstate
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas and to all t Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas and to all those who mother and nuture! 💐I hope everyone is getting appreciated and spoiled today.. I spent some time at a lovely lunch with the family yesterday and am enjoying the garden today.. except for the hurricane winds! 

I can’t wait until my youngest Griffin is back home for a bit from college. My favorite days are the ones when we are all together as a family again.  I love being with Jackson and Griffin more than anything and they just make me laugh so much!  I feel so lucky to have very kind sons …except they make me feel so short 🤣..and I couldn’t be prouder. 💛
On the blog today.. How to style white denim!  I’m excited to partner with some lovely ladies today and we are all sharing our ways to wear the closet classic- white jeans! 

I am showing what I’ve been wearing lately and some of my favorite pairs as well as a few cool options that have come on my radar!  It’s all about finding what works for your body and choosing the right fabric etc.. 

Are you a white jean fan??

Please visit my friend’s blogs ..All our posts are linked on our bios..
@northerncalstyle - me!
@most_lovely_things - Annie
@classiccasualhome -Mary Ann
@cindyhattersley - Cindy
@sherryhdesigns - Sherry
@lavieongrand - Noelani

#whitedenim #whitejeans #whitejeansoutfit #whitejeanstyling #whitejeansforever #whitejeanseason #californiastyle
If you miss the weekend post and still need some M If you miss the weekend post and still need some Mother’s Day gifts I have some fun ideas for you.. I love market totes- especially with flowers in them, beautiful wraps, some inspiring books for summer living, and a few other little luxuries.. 

If you need some local fun, I will be a the Palo Alto @Rails store on Saturday where they are having a Mother’s Day event with 20% off and a gift with purchase! Stop by and say hi.

Pop on by my blog post for all the details and more gift ideas… 

Don’t forget to visit my friends, Juliet and Elizabeth if you miss their weekend posts too..
 Our links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns

#mothersday #mothersdaygift #giftideasforher #californialiving #momsday
Do you love @rails beautiful California clothing? Do you love @rails beautiful California clothing? I don’t know what your weekend plans are, but on Saturday the new Rails at Stanford is having a fun event with 20% off, light bites, and a little gift with purchase.. 

I’ll be there for a few hours to help you pull together looks for summer or shop for a Mother’s Day gift - maybe for yourself? 

If you haven’t been to a Rails store, they are so inspiring and have the whole collection for women and men. It’s great to see the clothes up close and how gorgeous they are. 

Please pop by if you are at Stanford  Shopping Center and say hi! I would love to meet some of you.  I’ll be there 11-12:30, but the event is on all day and the Rails team is so great! 

Maybe a fun day out to shop with a friend or your mom and have lunch after at Stanford? 

Looking forward to this and meeting some of you! 

#rails #stanfordshoppingcenter #paloalto #railsclothing #californiastyle #californialook
It’s time for May’s Signature Style and Cindy It’s time for May’s Signature Style and Cindy and I are sharing our Summer Wish Lists.. ☀️My wish list has one shoulder tops, longer skirts and the super flattering small jacket- plus some other cute finds and accessories.

I’m sharing it all on the blog and Cindy is too..

As always links are in our bios and stories..
@northerncalstyle 
@cindyhattersley 

Looking forward to seeing you there!  If you want the links they are on the blog or I can send you the link in a DM.

Copyright © 2023 · Northern California Style· Blog Design by Little Blue Deer