SNAPSHOTS FROM MARTHA'S VINEYARD

Have you OD'd on green yet? One of my favorite things about Martha's Vineyard is how completely covered in green it is. It has such a soothing quality, for your eyes and your lungs. Looking through these photos has me wanting to hop on the next plane back. 

Here are some of the places pictured above:
Lucy Vincent Beach
Quansoo Beach
Mermaid Farm & Dairy
Chilmark
Allen Sheep Farm
Great Rock Bight Preserve
Aquinnah Cliffs/Lighthouse
Edgartown

SNAPSHOTS FROM MARIN

Our time spent in Marin was cherished as always. Each time we're there, James makes a point to take me somewhere new and revisit some favorites. This time he took me to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, which is a place I'd been wanting to visit for sometime. The rocky cliffs, the ocean views and the curvy cypress trees make the walk there truly spectacular. After visiting the lighthouse we went to Cowgirl Creamery to taste cheeses and Hog Island for my favorite kumomoto oysters. I love that Marin has become so well known for their fine foods. It seems every restaurant these days serves Point Reyes blue cheese or Straus dairy products. 

TO THE VINEYARD WE GO

Today we are headed to the sleepy town of Menemsha on Martha's Vineyard. This will be my 22nd summer on the island. It takes a full day to get there from LA, but it's worth all the traveling. I'm most looking forward to reading on the beach, lobster rolls from The Galley, watching the sunset from our deck and my favorite thing in the world- outdoor showers. I will still be blogging while I'm away and like always I plan of taking lots of photos to share with you. This will be my first summer there with instagram, and while I don't get cell reception on most of the island I do plan on sharing photos whenever I can {my username is sweetthingblog}. 

SNAPSHOTS FROM NAPA

After our camping trip we spent spent a delightful afternoon in Napa visiting a few wineries. Frog's Leap was by far our favorite. We not only loved their wines, but the property is just gorgeous. They have an organic garden of both veggies and flowers, a historic red barn built in 1884 and rows and rows of grapevines and olive trees. To end the perfect day we had dinner at Ad Hoc- a Thomas Keller restaurant that serves a four course seasonal meal, changing each day. I highly recommend a stop at both Frog's Leap and Ad Hoc if you're ever in Napa. 

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

Happy 4th of July! Even though we're not in Martha's Vineyard for the 4th this year, I'm still dreaming about my favorite island. These photos scream summer to me. They were taken on this very day, two years ago at Lucy Vincent beach. I can practically smell the sea air, can't you? We are headed there in only two weeks, so I can't really complain. 
What are you doing to celebrate today? I'm gearing up for tonight's Dodgers game with friends and believe it or not it's my first baseball game. I'm excited!

SNAPSHOTS FROM LAKE BERRYESSA


 
The first stop on our trip up north was camping at Lake Berryessa. It was cold and rainy the first day, but it made our campfire all the more cozy. We had an entire peninsula to ourselves {the best campsite in my opinion} which was absolute heaven. It was almost as if we had the lake to ourselves. The next day we woke up to sunny skies and spent most of the day lounging and floating in the lake. I got in once, but I'm a total wimp when it comes to cold water and happily read my book on the shore. I don't think I'll become an avid camper anytime soon, but I really enjoyed being surrounded by such beauty and sweet friends.

SNAPSHOTS FROM PIONEERTOWN


I just came across these images that I never shared with you from our trip to the desert back in March. On our way back from Palm Springs we stopped in Pioneertown to check out the famous Pappy & Harriet's. Pioneertown was built to be a movie set for old westerns from the 1940s-50s, but the buildings still remain. Supposedly the post office (which is still up and running) is the most photographed post office in the country.  Walking through the town, you can't help but be transported to a different time. If you are planning a trip to Palm Springs or Joshua Tree I highly recommend a day trip here. 

BABY LOVE

Last month I attended my friend Ali's baby shower above the restaurant Gjelina. Every detail was so adorable, not to mention the space is one of my all time favorites. I couldn't help but go around capturing every corner and moment. I also got to spend time with my dear friend Lilly and her insanely cute two month old daughter Clementine. Don't you want those yellow moccasins in your size?



SNAPSHOTS FROM PALM SPRINGS

Just a few remaining shots from some of our Palm Springs adventures. Incase anyone is planing a trip there shortly, here is  little rundown of our itinerary...

El Gallito- inexpensieve Mexican, not touristy, cash only. 
Cheeky's- best brunch spot in Palm Springs. Make sure to try their cinnamon roll- yum! 
Lord Fletcher's- hasn't changed since 1966, was recently on Anthonly Bourdain's No Reservations. The bartender told us jokes and showed us his wind-up toy collection- need I say more?
The Parker- one of my favorite hotels. Designed my the amazing Jonathan Adler. We came for cocktails and truffle fries. I also love to come here for brunch and walk around the beautiful property.
Birba- new favorite restaurant in Palm Springs. Delicious pizza and cocktails. I recommend the braised greens pizza and the heated snake cocktail. 
Toucan's Tiki Lounge- gay bar, perfect for dancing your heart out until the wee hours.  


SNAPSHOTS FROM THE ACE

It has been far too long since I've done a 'snapshots' post and I've missed it. Believe it or not I have more photos to share  from some of our desert outings. Yes I may have gone overboard, but The Ace deserved a post all it's own. Our two days at The Ace were amazing as always. It was fun to be there again, but this time with two of our friends- Phil and Afton. We did a lot of lounging by the pool, laughing until late at night and of course enjoyed our free bucket of beer {courtesy of the ace}. The weather couldn't have been dreamier at 83 degrees- yeah we totally lucked out.

SNAPSHOTS FROM MARIN

These shots were taken over Christmas in Marin. Believe it or not, half of them were taken with my iPhone (can you guess which ones?). Our first night at the Ranch the temperature was somewhere in the 20's which felt cozy and festive. We woke up to frost on all the grass and plants and in the sun it sparkled almost like snow. It has been magical to keep returning back here and capturing the seasons. This time felt noticeably wintry- the usually lush garden was in hibernation and the trees were bare and gray. As someone who grew up with Christmas in southern California, it was a welcomed change.

Somehow it's the weekend again! This week seemed to fly by. Do you have anything planned? We are thinking about checking out Pacific Standard Time, before it's too late. Happy Weekend! xo  

SNAPSHOTS FROM SAN FRANCISCO

We only spent one night and day in San Francisco, but it was completely heavenly. At night we celebrated James' 30th and durring the day we just drove around the city, stopping when we felt inclined. We ate lunch at Tartine and then took a walk through Buena Vista Park. If you've never been, it's insanely beautiful and perched on a hill looking over the city. We ended the evening sipping hot cider and watching the sun set behind the Golden Gate Bridge. I do hope to make it back there this year, and hopefully for longer then one night.    

wearing:
f21 trousers
vintage loafers
vintage coach purse 

SNAPSHOTS FROM OUR HOLIDAY

Since the year is coming to a close, I thought I would leave you with one last post. These past few weeks have been exactly what I needed. I have barely turned on my computer and I kind of love it. Although I must admit, I haven't been completely disconnected. I've been busy taking and sharing photos of our holiday on Instagram. All of these photos above were taken with my iPhone 4s. Isn't it amazing what an iPhone can do? It has really made photography accessible to so many. These were all taken in San Francisco and Marin, where we spent Christmas. I have yet to look through the photographs from my camera, but I am sure there will be a few worth sharing. 

Any fun plans for New Years Eve? We are still trying to decide. Neither one of us are feeling like getting fancy this year. The more I think about it, staying in with some delicious food and champagne sounds just perfect. I will be back to regular posting after the new year. I adore all of my sweet readers! Thank your for making this past year so incredible! Happy New Year!  xo
  

PRINCE CHARMING

Just a few snapshots from the boy's 30th birthday this past weekend. Believe it or not I didn't take many photos that night. Sometimes you just want to be in the moment rather than stuck behind a camera. His party was at the amazing gem of a place called The Prince. The decor is straight out of the 50's and literally has not been changed since then. For that reason I am a little sad that a late night photo shoot didn't ensue. Instead we ended the night in one of those karaoke rooms at a nearby place, singing our hearts out until 4am. Yeah, we had fun. 

SNAPSHOTS FROM OJAI

These are a few more photos from thanksgiving in Ojai. The scenery varies so much for such a small town, It really feels magical. I feel so lucky to have grown up in a sweet place such as this. Of course I didn't always feel that way. Once I hit about 12 years old I couldn't wait to be old enough to move to a big city. I even spent my last few years of high school at a boarding school. Anything to leave this place. I am most definitely a city girl at heart, but I ache for the country from time to time. What about you? Are you more drawn to the city, the country, or do you need a little mixture of the two? 

SNAPSHOTS FROM THANKSGIVING


Thanksgiving in Ojai was truly perfect. I was reminded that just an hour and a half north of LA there are fall colors to be found, the air smells sweet and childhood traditions are alive. Dinner was delicious- we enjoyed brined turkey and pumpkin tiramisu. My mom read us a poem she wrote on how thankful she is for all eighteen of us at the table {getting us all a little teary eyed}. As the sun started to set, we took a walk around the property and took in the landscape and the blooming fruit trees. Everything was so magnificent it was overwhelming really. And on what better day than Thanksgiving to be overwhelmed with natures beauty? We ended our night with wine by the fire and a game of celebrity. I feel thankful to be part of such a loving group of friends and family. You all made my day complete.