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Weekend Meanderings- Summer Essentials, An Easy Dress, a Great Read & More

June 10, 2022 By kimwheeler 39 Comments

Hello it’s our Weekend Meanderings time with Elizabeth and Juliet.  I hope your week’s been nice. Ours has been heating up and we even had humidity this week. There are some things I can’t live without during the heat and I thought I’d share a few..

Carve Shorts

I love dresses, but I live in shorts most days of summer, especially when I’m at home. I don’t know what it is about these Oahu shorts by Carve Design, but they are the most comfortable and flattering pair I own. They are the tiniest cord and never look or feel tight. Last year I bought them in the cement color and wore them tons. I just ordered them in this olive, another good neutral. The inseam here in 4 inches. I like my shorts slightly oversized and bought an 8 in these.

If you like a longer short they also have a 6 inch inseam version..

Chantecaille Ultra Sun SPF 45 Primer

I love this primer and sunblock in one and how it makes my skin look. I often wear it alone if I’m not going out. It is a bit pricey, but I find it lasts a long time and has excellent ingredients that actually improve your skin over time. It has a very light feel and a little goes a long way.

Body Lotion

I also tend to get drier legs and arms and use more body lotion in summer and this Fresh Seabury is hydrating, nourishing and soothing.

Stronger Sunblocks

For sunblock, we buy ELTA MD Face and Body lotions as everyone here is sensitive and can’t use many of the drugstore brands. We love both of these and have for years. I just noticed you can buy them as a bundled together now on Amazon for the summer and save $16!

Summer Jacket

Here in California, we always need some kind of light jacket for most evenings. Last summer I bought this Tommy Bahama Two Palms Jacket and it’s been a staple that goes with so much, is light, but cozy. It travels well and I love it with shorts and over dresses and the raw edges make it look cooler than normal. I keep wondering if I should get another, but the natural color is so good with everything. The white or olive would be my second choice.

Loving Frank Book

I love getting into a good book in summer and began a new novel this week on the recommendation of an Instagram pal. Loving Frank is based on the affair that Wright had in 1903 with the wife of a couple he was building a house for. It’s a blend of fact and fiction and won countless awards a few years back. This one description of it from reviews:

“Loving Frank is one of those novels that takes over your life. It’s mesmerizing and fascinating–filled with complex characters, deep passions, tactile descriptions of astonishing architecture, and the colorful immediacy of daily life a hundred years ago–all gathered into a story that unfolds with riveting urgency.”

Sounds like a great summer read..

An easy summer dress

When the high heat hits, all I want is an easy dress to wear with slides to stay cool. This pretty indigo number came onto my radar and it ticked all the boxes. Love the color, shape and length..and well, pockets! This is another great style from Madewell who does simple California chic so well!

Microsoft’s New Green Work Space

I was able to finally take a tour of my husband’s new Microsoft work digs which I’ve been wanting to see for a while, but you know pandemic and all… He’s been talking about it for a while since it’s not only a beautiful design, but it extremely green.

It’s a work space reimagined so everyone has gardens and open spaces they are looking at or able to work in. They even have windows that crank open, and walls open to the outside. They want employees to mostly use natural light when they can and all other power sources are all from their solar. They use no municipal water except sinks and drinking water. Everything is recycled stored and reused. They actively are storing extra rainwater from their living roofs to improve local Stevens Creek and restore the habitat of 30 species.

I had lunch at one of the many restaurants and then we took a wander to the smoothie bar. Everything is in regular dishes and glasses and coffee mugs instead of disposables. Smoothies were one thing that wasn’t.

It’s light, bright and truly open air, unlike most office buildings. Birds and butterflies were enjoying the space as were workers. Obviously Microsoft has money to do this, but they are innovating how we think about work places. If work spaces can feel less sterile, and more like a home (many living room type spaces like above left), how nice is that? Wandering outside the walls to work or just open the window, get fresh air and work by sunlight, are all things we need more of. All spaces are designed around courtyards, paths, rooftop gardens and walkways that bring the outside in. I loved seeing seeing artichokes, lemons, flowers and blackberries thriving next to Max’s desk area.

I thought it was pretty cool and that’s why I wanted to share it here. It’s truly visionary and it was designed by WRNS and more about it here.

Bryce Dallas Howard’s Home in AD

Bryce Dallas Howard, star of the both the Jurassic and Twilight series, and now a director in the footsteps of her father, Ron Howard, has had an interesting life and recently built a home to reflect her life in film. It also has a lot of pink and was made to flatter a redhead, which she and her designer, Claire Thomas are both. I thought it was lovely and fun you can see more of it on AD this month here… How do you all feel about pink decor? Is it growing on us more?

Sorry if this post seems short. I had a busy blog week and also wrote a Signature Style post about the latest lipsticks I am loving here and also a Five Ways to Bring a Summer Feel to Your Home for Project Design.. So if you aren’t sick of me yet, you can click on those for more! LOL.

Well that’s my meanderings for this week. Please stop by Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs too see what’s on their radars this week…

PINECONES AND ACORNS

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

Thank you for being here. Have a lovely weekend,

Kim

If you missed last week’s blog, I shared Jubilee fun, Father’s Day Gifts, ( still adding to those), pretty summer tops, an outdoor lantern I love and more.

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 and every Saturday for Weekend Meanderings.

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Filed Under: weekend meanderings Tagged With: #ADmagazine, #brycedallashoward, #californiahomes, #californialiving, #pinkdecor, #summer, #summerbook, #summerstaples, #sunscreens

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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.

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Today, on the blog, some Valentine fun. 💗I’m Today, on the blog, some Valentine fun. 💗I’m joining a group of talented women and we all have some Valentine ideas for you. My blog is about an easy Valentine or Galentine‘s dinner you can recreate. I tried to make this super simple because the whole point is gathering with your people and having a good time. 

I did make ahead dishes and used pink items already in my home for the table. I added primroses from the hardware store for extra prettiness and for take home favors. 💕

Stop on by the blog to get all the details. 
@northerncalstyle link in my bio.
And don’t forget to go to these lovely blogs:

@most_lovely_things 
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This pic is from the fun account, @lostinvintagefashion which is a wonderful rabbit hole to drop into should you need some sartorial inspiration.

Happy first of February friends!

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The weekend post is up with chat about the trendin The weekend post is up with chat about the trending colors for 2023 in home decor and fashion.. Did you love the 80’s? If so this is perhaps a more sophisticated version with sherbet tones and bits of magenta, greens and navy.  Here I added a bit of these Easter tones to the coffee table with a grass cloth box, one of my books and a candle. I think the best way to update things is to add touches to the home and closet that appeal to you and mix them in with neutrals.. 
What do you think of these colors? I think they’re fun. Some clothing pieces bring me back to my Esprit loving days. It could be fun to add a shirt, shoe or bag in these tones and I selected a handful to consider..

Also on the blog, a few good white jeans, skin cleansers you may need and more! 

Stop on by our blogs- links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns
 Happy Sunday!

#color2023 #springcolors #trending #serenaandlily #coffeetablestyling
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. 🤍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..

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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. 

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I hope its a wonderful weekend.☀️

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!!💛💛

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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
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#sanfranciscolove #presidioheights #lyonstreetsteps #sanfranciscowalks #housesofsf #visitcalifornia #ourgoldenstate #sanfranciscomansions #citybythebay #prettycity

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