SNAPSHOTS FROM TAHOE

I meant to post these photos last week, but this moving thing is really getting the best of me. I have so many photos from Lake Tahoe that I decided to split them up into two posts. While most of our friends skied or snowboarded, my friend Jacqui and I wandered around taking photos of the gorgeous scenery. Her boyfriend grew up nearby so he was also a very handy tour guide. While I've been to Lake Tahoe before, I've never been in the wintertime and I must say it was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. The sky is the most unreal shade of turquoise and the way the light hits the lake and the mountains is pure magic.

BONNE ANNÉE

Happy new year my friends! I just got back from Tahoe and while it was very hard to leave, I am quite thrilled to be back sleeping in my own bed. Now that the holidays are over it's time for me to get serious again about finding a new place and tackling my ever growing inbox. Have I mentioned how excited I am about this new year ahead? Lot's of big changes are on the horizon, some scary and some welcomed. What are you most looking forward to about this new year?

CABIN STYLE

one. mountain parka $169
two. faux fur hat $49.50
three. gloves $19.99
four. denim shirt $139.50
five. toothpick cords $98
six. shearwater boots $148
seven. snowshoes $299
eight. camp socks $16.50
Very soon I'll be heading to Lake Tahoe to spend new years with friends. It's been far too long since I've seen snow and even longer since it was not of the city variety. I am very much looking forward to the wintery change of scenery and of course spending time with some of my oldest friends. My wardrobe is seriously lacking in cold weather clothing, so I'm crossing my fingers I've packed appropriately. 

SNAPSHOTS FROM THANKSGIVING

I know I'm about a week late in posting these, but here are a few photos I took on Thanksgiving. We always spend Thanksgiving in Ojai, at the home of our dearest family friends. As I'm sure you can see, their home and property is stunningly gorgeous. The food, as always, was insanely good and the love around the table was palpable. It's not hard to see why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. 

THANKSGIVING IN OJAI

one. terrain bakeware $9-$31
two. carving set $69.95
three. smeg refrigerator $1,999
four. patent oxfords $165
five. sequin shorts $125
six. fair isle sweater $98
seven. gold wishbone $48
Tomorrow I'm heading to Ojai to spend Thanksgiving with my family. I'm feeling a little sassy these days and sequin shorts feel like a necessity. I really like them paired with a cozy sweater for a slightly toned down look. Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday and I couldn't be more excited to spend a few days relaxing in the beautiful country and spending time with loved ones. I need a little time to decompress after all of these big life changes. Where are you headed for the holiday weekend? 

SNAPSHOTS FROM APPLE PICKING

It feels like James and I have opposite schedules these days, so on his day off we decided to make it special and go on a little adventure. I'd been wanting to go apple picking for quite sometime, but the closest places are not actually that close. Since we had the entire day, we drove out to Riley's Apple Farm in Oak Glen, which is about an hour and a half from LA. The property is gorgeous and we spent hours wandering the orchards and gardens. The leaves were changing and it truly felt like fall. On our way back to LA we stopped at Mom's Country Orchards, which is the most adorable country store. I stocked up on apple cider, apple butter and the best pickles I have ever had. I highly recommend a stop at Riley's and Mom's if you ever travel to Oak Glen. 

**Sidenote: Now that I have so many apples, I'd love to start cooking with them. Do you have any favorite recipes? 

 wearing: club monaco shirt, f21 trousers, banana republic hat

SNAPSHOTS FROM OJAI

My time spent in Ojai was completely dreamy. Since Teissia was busy working and my other guests were late risers, I got to spend lots of time alone, taking in nature with my camera in hand. It was such a peaceful escape from the city. It reminded me how much I love living in Los Angeles and being so close to the desert, mountains, forests and ocean. Ojai is only an hour and a half away, but feels like another world. 

 Some of my favorite places & things to do in Ojai:
The best chai ever at The Farmer and The Cook
Pastries at Knead 
Bart's Books
Boccali Ranch to pick out pumpkins 
Coffee at Coffee Roasting Co.
The farmer's market for the most gorgeous produce and bread
Sunsets on Meditation Mount
A stop at Modern Folk Living & Hattie
Driving through beautiful upper Ojai

HAPPY WEEKEND

Happy weekend! Any fun plans? I've been in Ojai one day and I am already starting to unwind and enjoy a slower pace of life. Both Teissia and I took our laptops outside and quietly worked under the oak trees while sipping rosé and listening to the water trickle from our fountain. Pretty much heaven. I sometimes wonder if I could ever live here again. Raise a family here. But then Los Angeles always draws me back in. The excitement, the restaurants, the people are all still too appealing for me to think of returning to small town life. Do you ever think about moving back to your hometown, or are you sure you'll never go back? 

WEEKEND IN OJAI

One. Weekender Bag $95
Two. Gather Journal $19.99
Three. Sunpocket Sunglasses $65
Four. Knit Tunic $49.50
Five. Minnetonka Moccasins $39.95
Six. iPhone Rangefinder Case $55
Seven. Ammero Chaise $119

Today I'm headed back to Ojai {my hometown} for a much needed long weekend soaking up the country air. Actually my friend is in town from New York for a wedding she planned {in Ojai}, so it seemed like to perfect excuse to get some catch up time with her. It's supposed to be in the 80's all weekend, which hey I'll take it- anythings better than 100+. While I'm there I hope to have my favorite burrito at Casa De Lago, hike up to Meditation Mount, stop by Bart's Books and of course watch the awe-inspiring 'pink moment'.  You can as always follow my trip on instagram. 

SNAPSHOTS FROM NYC

I kept putting off editing these photo because I had such an amazing time in New York, I almost wanted to preserve the memory of it. On this trip I made a point not to pick up my camera too often. I really wanted to take in the city and spend time with my sister and friends without it getting in the way. Of course now I'm kicking myself because there were so many amazing restaurants and charming streets to photograph. But I guess there is always next time. I just need to make sure another two years don't go by before I visit this fine city again. I strangely feel at home in New York. I hope at some point I get to live there, even just for a few months. 

**incase you were wondering, the people in the photos above are my boyfriend James, my sister Merry and my friend Sam. 

LATELY

The last few weeks have been truly amazing. New York was perfect from start to finish and a lot of that is thanks to my sister Merry and my dear friend Teissia. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday. I promise photos from our trip are coming next week. Since returning life has been hectic to say the least and haven't yet had time to look through them. But I guess that's what this weekend will be for, along with some mandatory relaxation. Any fun plans this weekend? I'm looking forward to spending more time with my sister Sarah, brother in law and my nephew who are in town from Italy. I don't get to see them nearly enough, so I'm treasuring every bit of time I get to spend with them. 
Here is a little look at my life of late and a few of the sweet things making me smile... 

NEW YORK CITY

Today we're headed to one of my favorite cities in the world to celebrate my 30th birthday. It has been almost two years since I was in New York and perhaps this sounds dramatic, but It's felt like something has been missing in my life. I love Los Angeles endlessly, but there is something about New York City. The energy, the style- it wakes me up from my sleepy California life {ok, it's not that sleepy}. I chose to spend my birthday there because not only does the city make me feel alive, but some of my favorite people live there. It's also where I started to fall in love with my boyfriend three years ago and for that it will always hold a special place in my heart. I'll be blogging and instagraming while I'm there, so make sure to follow me @sweetthingblog}. 

 There's not enough time to try all the restaurants on our list, but if you have any favorites I'd love to hear them. These are just a few I currently have bookmarked {I know it's excessive}...
ABC Kitchen | Maialino | Joseph  Leonard | Maison Premiere | Roberta's | Battersby | Hotel Delmano | Traif | Red Rooster | Marlow and Sons | Wythe Hotel | Momofuku | Gramercy Tavern | Saxon and Parole | Gemma | The Wren | Prune | Rye | Governor 

{photo & design by me}

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

SWEET STYLE. MOUNT TAM

wearing:
dolce vita dress
vintage turquoise bracelet
madewell bracelet {similar style}
wendy mink ring
aldo ankle boots {similar style}

 On our last night in Marin, we drove to my favorite mountain - Mount Tamalpais,  to watch the sunset. It is a magical place with redwood forest to one side and rolling hills of gold to another. The wind was severe, but the transcendent views stopped me from minding. 

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.