Unique Sleeper Sofa

I'm intrigued by this sleeper sofa. I wouldn't use it in my main living room, but maybe in a den or spare bedroom/ office combo. Usually I'd rather sleep on the floor than a sleeper sofa, but this looks like it could be comfortable and without being big, bulky, and heavy.

Bella Jacket

Not too long ago I commented to a friend that I wasn't ready for fall fashion. Now I'm just really tired of looking at over-shopped summer sale racks, so I'm excited that the fall lines are starting to appear. I really love this Bella jacket from J. Crew. It comes in several pretty colors as well as velvet.

French Lessons

I've always wanted to speak French fluently. It wasn't offered in my high school, so I learned German instead. I've taken classes through City College but due to my own inhibitions I usually sit in the back and try to speak as little as possible which doesn't translate into fluency very well. That is all going to change starting August 30th. I've taken the plunge and signed up for a class at Alliance Francaise. The average class size is 6 students which means I can't hide in the back anymore. Once I get going I want to supplement with private sessions too.

Next on the list - sailing lessons!

Miss Em

This past week was spent entertaining Emma, our 10-year-old niece from Oklahoma. We ate lots of gelato, went on many long walks to burn energy, and shopped our hearts out at Hello Kitty. This weekend will be spent cleaning up the glitter that has some how mysteriously settled over our entire apartment, relaxing in complete silence, and getting ready for the next group of company. Thanks for a fun week Em!

Pretty Dresses

This shirt dress from Club Monaco is structured enough for work and can easily be dressed up for evening.

Pedicure Worthy

I'm loving open toe shoes lately. This pair is on sale for a mere $60 at Nordstrom.

Pretty Dress

I've tried on this BCBG dress twice and almost purchased it both times. It looks really short in the picture, but it hits me right at the knee (I'm 5'6"). It's hard to find cocktail dresses with sleeves, so this one might find its way into my closet soon.

Zazie

Elise, Kim and I met for a late breakfast at Zazie today. Zazie is possibly my favorite breakfast place in SF. (I'm torn between who has the better breakfast - Mama's or Zazie.) My favorites are the poached eggs Albert with white cheddar, bacon, and salsa fresca served with the most delicious garlic roasted potatoes, gingerbread pancakes with lemon curd, french toast Tahiti stuffed with caramelized bananas and walnuts, orange-vanilla challah french toast with whipped cream and cherries.... you probably get the point! You can order most items al acarte which is nice for the days when I want 1 gingerbread pancake and 1 poached egg. The hot chocolate is really good too.

If you happen to be there on a decent weather day, check out the garden patio dining in back. I've heard that the lunch and dinner menus are equally as good, but I've never gotten that far in my perusing! I'm hoping to get the gingerbread pancake recipe out of them someday to use for Christmas brunch. So far I know that they use freshly grated ginger.

Closet Downsizing

Tyler and I stayed up until 2:00 AM last night because of the overwhelming urge to clean out our bedroom closet. We took 6 large trash bags of clothes and shoes to goodwill today and threw away at least 2 more bags full. I feel so light and refreshed as a result!

Here's my criteria for clothing: (1) Do I love it? (2) Is it flattering? (3) Does it convey the image that I want? That last question usually seals the deal if you have any doubts!

(Completely unrealistic picture from The Container Store. Do you really want to wear khaki and aqua everyday of your life just so your closet can look this good?)

Portica Table

I'm in love with the endless possibilities of the Portica table from Room and Board. You can order from several standard size bases for coffee tables, desks, dining tables, accent tables, console, etc. or customize the base to your exact specifications. Once you determine the size, you get to choose the top from a pretty wide and versatile selection of finishes. They have everything from traditional woods to glass finishes to French limestone. I particularly like the zebra wood, French limestone, and white quartz. The price is really reasonable even for the custom option.

Paper Piles Be Gone: Part 4

This is probably the easiest organization tip with the biggest impact which you will ever get from me. Get off the credit card offer circuit by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688) or going to OptOutPrescreen.com. You can opt out for 5 years in a couple easy steps or permanently by mailing in a form with your signature. Opting out will prevent the 4 major credit agencies from selling your info to credit providers. Between the two of us, Tyler and I use to get several offers almost everyday. Now we only get a couple a year. Cut down on mail piles, extend the life of your shredder and protect yourself from identity theft for 2-3 minutes of effort.

Frascati

I'm way behind on restaurant reviews, so you get two in one day. We went to Frascati a couple weeks ago for a work function. To sum it up, they really know how to cook! The menu is pretty traditional with a Mediterranean influence. I was particularly impressed with the scallop risotto appetizer. For my entree, I had the very delicious maple leaf duck breast with herb spaetzle. The dessert menu included traditional desserts such as apple crisp and chocolate bread pudding. Everything was prepared really well and the atmosphere was especially charming. Sans the business aspect, I can see this place as having some serious romance potential if anyone has an anniversary or special occasion coming up.

Swan Oyster Depot

Stephanie and I had lunch at Swan Oyster Depot last week. In my opinion they are the best shell fish establishment in the city. They get their fresh shipment of shell fish every morning and only stay open until they sell out. Plus the ambiance is fun. You sit at a bar that runs the length of the restaurant, the temperature is a little brisk, and the fish is so fresh you can still smell the salt water. It makes me feel like I'm actually on the ship. My favorites are the oysters and half crab. The line for lunch can be long so get there a little early if possible.

Space Planning

I have been using Icovia Space Planning Design Edition software for an interior design project. You can type in your room dimensions and then click and drag furniture into the room and re-size the furniture to scale. It is also a very useful tool for remodeling projects. You can try a free trial or save your work for $29/month. It's a good way to see if the sofa you want is going to overpower the whole room. Speaking of sofas and space planning, the general rule is that you don't want your sofa to take up more than 25% of the room.

Tulane Sofa

I'm helping a friend decorate her new house right now. We might order the Tulane sofa from Room and Board. I really love the vibrant color with the modern design.

Brian Regan

I've been having so much fun with my sister this week that I've hardly had any time to touch the computer. We are going to see comedian Brian Regan tonight at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga. If you are feeling spontaneous, tickets are still available. I'm looking forward to a good laugh!

Sister Time

My baby sister is visiting me this week for the first time without our parents. We have a fun week of girl activities planned. We spent today shopping on Fillmore, Union, and Chestnut. We lunched at La Med and had dinner at my current favorite restaurant, Terzo.

Pink Martini

Pink Martini is performing with the SF Symphony tonight and tomorrow. Tickets are sold out, but they will be coming back to the Bay Area in Septmember.

Dreaming of Choos

I love these Jimmy Choo shoes from the fall line. Bloomingdale's has all the summer Jimmy Choos on sale right now for 50% off.

Independence Day

July 4th might be my favorite holiday. We enjoyed an unusually warm day here in SF and we are all sunburned to prove it! The day started with shopping on Fillmore with Kim. Then we picked up lots of goodies from La Boulange and met the guys for a picnic in the park after their bike ride. Later we joined a big group of friends near Fort Mason for fireworks.

Josh Rouse - Winter in the hamptons

I've been listening to a lot of Josh Rouse lately. Tyler came across his music by accidently purchasing the wrong cd from a listing station at Virgin, but now he's a favorite. His best albumns are 1972 and Nashville.

Partners in Crime

I can think of at least three things a girl should never shop for alone - jeans, lipstick and sun glasses.

Raina helped me choose some Chanel sunglasses today. I didn't get them, but now I know what to dream about as I put my pennies away for our San Francisco hovel and since holidays and gift certificates are still 6 months away.

Barcelona Collection

Someday I'd like to surround myself with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona furniture.

Going Green

I'm on a green kick right now. I like this outfit from Anthropology. Now I need red hair.

Picnic Ware

This is a pretty set of melamine for picnics and outdoor dining. Details here.