North Beach (or Little Italy) is a fantastic collection of shops, cafes, delicatessens, and cool landmarks in north eastern San Francisco, bordered by Fisherman’s Wharf to the north, Chinatown and the Financial District to the south, Telegraph Hill to the east, and Russian Hill to the west. 

map from here

We started in Washington Square Park at the famous landmark Saints Peter and Paul Church. The twin spires of this church (originally a parish for Italian fisherman) can be seen from blocks away, and the intricate detail inside the church’s interior with its altar, ceiling, and painted dome will transport you to Europe.

Up the street are the Filbert Steps and Coit Tower, but be sure you’re wearing your walking shoes if you venture over there, it’s a climb!

Take a stroll around Washington Square Park and you’ll see locals walking their dogs, or artists displaying their paintings, then cross the Square to Columbus Avenue. 

Take your pick of the many Italian restaurants with outdoor cafe seating, which is what we did. This is such a great place to linger over lunch and watch people stroll by.  Don’t you love this checkerboard sidewalk?

We decided on Calzone’s for our shared luncheon of artichokes, mussels, pizza margherita, and butter lettuce salad, divine! 

Of course you never know what you might see on a given day in SF, just over lunch this funky car drove by blasting Queen’s ‘Somebody to Love’ and the very next minute this gentleman came by to serenade us with the late Etta James ‘At Last’.  Be prepared people.

Walk off your tasty lunch in the few blocks that surround Columbus Avenue, you’ll spy a lot of very cute shops and cafes and iconic San Francisco style architecture.

There are lots of cafes along this Columbus Avenue route where both tourists and locals hang out. 

This dapper Italian gentleman was my favorite, I loved the twinkle in his eye.

There is a second beautiful church and porziuncola in this neighborhood, the Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, beautiful inside too.

Continue walking south and you’ll see quite a sight.  This was my favorite shot of the day, the Sentinel building and home of Cafe Zoetrope owned by Francis Coppola, you can find some his movie memorabilia inside.  This copper green building sits right on the edge of North Beach and the Financial District and just beyond is the magnificent Transamerica Pyramid.  Quite a stunning contrast in architecture, don’t you think?

A little fog started to roll in so we headed back to the Square while the sun started to set.  It was that moment on a Sunday afternoon when you can sense everyone around you soaking up the last few moments of a blissful day before heading home, and we were too.  Here’s a view of the bay on the drive out of the City with Ghirardelli Square below and Alcatraz Island in the distance. 

Next time you come to the City by the Bay, be sure to take a stroll through North Beach, especially  during lunch or dinnertime, I just know you’ll love it.

More San Francisco tours:

Cliffs and Cable Cars

Union Square and Chinatown

Fisherman’s Wharf and Fleet Week

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The thing I love the most about having out of town visitors is how they force me to get out of my paint splattered yoga pants and head out into the nearby countryside to adventure and explore. Our visitors couldn’t have come at a better time, October in this region is simply divine. 

We headed up to Healdsburg to attend a ‘Pizza and Pinot’ event at a winery owned by a friend. Our Saturday consisted of apple picking, pizza eating, pinot drinking, roadside vegetable stand sampling, and a serious bocce ball competition.

This is De la Montanya Winery, and this property has it all: picnic tables in the apple orchard, vineyard all around, a fired up pizza oven, and bocce ball court. They’re home to the best Pinot Noir in the Russian River valley, it’s pure bliss!

West Side Road in Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Valley is covered with wineries both large and small, and this time of year is especially pretty, with the leaves on the vines changing color before your eyes and the fruit nearing harvest, ripening in the sun. 

I can’t resist a roadside stand, and this one did not disappoint. We were surrounded by fields of heirloom tomatoes, zinnias, gourds, and gorgeous purple hyacinth beans. 

There’s nothing quite like a perfect fall day spent in the country.

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Any visit to my place begins with a glass of something special in the backyard, time to shake off all of the discomforts of travel and chill, relax, chillax!  

I took her on my favorite quick tour of the WC which includes Viansa . . .

Jacuzzi Winery . . .

and nearby Cornerstone Gardens and Artefact Design & Salvage.

Artefact is home to the most amazing salvage and global finds in both the showroom and the extensive yard outside. 

We stopped into a neighboring café where we admired the walls covered in rustic whitewashed wood, and I’m such a fan of that stunning giant wood sculpture.

In fact, I kinda love it.

We had lunch at the fabulous El Dorado Kitchen and spent the afternoon strolling the Sonoma Plaza.  Back home I coaxed Rhoda into cooking some of her famous chicken and dumplings for me and she fell for my devious plan.

Mmmmmmm mmmmmmm comfort food!

Rhoda’s homemade recipe is here.

Sunday we both headed to the local Antique Faire to go treasure hunting together.

This was one of my favorite finds, a giant blue rusty wire basket.

Rhoda is just one of those {best kind of} friends that brings out the silly in me.

It was time for serious blog business, so we took a break and headed to the used book section at the local bookstore to dig through some decorating texts and do research for the upcoming Haven Conference.  Did we score some valuable information! 

So inspiring, I tell you.  We came up with several ideas for workshops to teach.  We decided we are definitely bringing back the cactus/cow/duck combo.  

Personally, I think some window treatments deserve a real chance at a comeback.  

Poufy knots!  Swags and jabots!

Oooh, a ruffled floral balloon valance! With matching shams!

Be still my heart, it’s a matching quilted comforter, shams, border, and a swag valance with a matching oversized rosette!  Salmon pink walls too!  “Crowning the double swag is a fabric rose which repeats the pattern motif to complete the design”.  Awesome.

Anyone interested in a gathered floral lampshade tutorial?

You can always count on me to bring you the most valuable DIY information.

After our extensive research session, we headed back out to the Antique Faire for more browsing, and what a great time we had. Today, we’re off to San Francisco to do some sightseeing, and don’t forget, the big mantel party that kicks off the Fall Link Parties is tomorrow.

Question of the day:  What design trends are we embracing today that you think will become the balloon valances, floral swags, and jabots of the future?  Please discuss.  

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Call us ignorant, but we never knew there was something more to Las Vegas than big casinos, Snooki parties, and Elvis impersonators.  Apparently, there’s a lot to see once you get away from the glitz, and the desert is quite a sight.  

Red Rock Canyon reminded me of three things: Sedona (Arizona), Road Runner cartoons (high five if you also love those Looney Tunes), and sliced honey baked ham.

Am I the only one that sees the shapes of food in the rock formations?

*tumbleweeds*

OK, I guess I am.  We took the kiddos on a little hike to stretch their legs and explore the territory. 

I’m always looking for those teachable moments so I said, “Hey kids, local wildlife!  Come look!”

I think this fella was afraid of us, because it coiled up and hid under a rock before I could get a true close up with the kids.

Okay, so these fellas are dead and stuffed and to be seen in the Visitor Center (and I Photoshopped their eyes) but it was the first time I was this close to a rattler, dead or alive.  You can see all sorts of stuffed things that used to live in the desert if you’re into that sort of thing.  Owls, foxes, mountain lions, tarantulas, John Wayne. 

I’m kidding about a preserved JW, but here’s a random tidbit.  My kids are obsessed and I mean obsessed with John Wayne.  You see, the hub introduced them to The Duke a few months back and now it’s their mission to see every movie he’s ever starred in, Lord help me.

We left the Canyon on our way to see the mighty Hoover Dam, but not before we had an encounter with some local shady characters.

Beware, these wild burros approach you innocently. 

They perk up their ears, bat their big brown eyes at you, and come right up to your car.

They stick their noses right in your face, it’s part of their presentation.  Mighty pushy if you ask me.

They sniff around . . .

Then they start in with their sales technique. 

“Um, no.”

“No thank you.” 

“No, Mr. Burro”

“No!”

Then they turn to Plan B, enter their partner in crime.

They’ve learned that two noses are better than one. 

And they persist.

At which point, we delicately pat them on the noses, drive away slowly, then peel out quickly, leaving severe tire marks and hoping they didn’t get our license plate. 

After that encounter, we made our way to the Hoover Dam, which is quite a feat in civil engineering and enough to give you a severe case of vertigo if you look straight down from the top.

Don’t look down!

Is it me, or is the Hoover Dam the inspiration for the Sarlacc?

*more tumbleweeds*

Okay, we’ll let’s talk plants. While in Nevada, I fell in love with this perennial shrub with fern like stems and amazing ombre blooms.  I learned it’s ‘Mexican Bird of Paradise’ and I can’t grow it in my yard.  Boo.  But I still love it. 

Next time you’re in Las Vegas, do save a day trip for a drive through Red Rock Canyon, but watch out for pesky locals dressed in burro’s clothing.  Trust me, they’re just trying to sell you something.

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Our first stop, Tomales Bay Oyster Company, specializing in fresh farmed oysters and clams, pulled straight from the ocean water before your eyes.  

The place is packed with people filling up dozens of picnic tables, barbequing their shellfish fresh from the sea, with this sweet beach shack playing music while you enjoy the view.

Thankfully, there are 10 minute parking spots up front for those who just want to pickup like we did.  You have your choice of extra small to large, and the owner Tod even opened up a sample for us.

There were dozens of oysters on the grill everywhere you walk! 

Next stop, Hog Island Oyster Company, where you pay to sit, and they will serve you their oysters on a tray with the tools to shuck them yourself, while you relax in front of a peaceful view of Tomales Bay.

Last stop, Nick’s Cove, another fantastic restaurant where we’ve dined in the past, with a fantastic view and also cottages you can rent to stay overnight. 

There’s a little boat shack at the end of a long dock where you can savor seafood with beer or wine, while you take in the view. 

We found this was also a great place for kids to stretch their legs . . .

While you’re out here, you can always spend a half day kayaking too!

If you’d like to make this day trip from San Francisco, here’s a handy map:

source

After our little Tomales Bay tour, we brought our little morsels packed on ice home for an impromptu oyster party with friends.

We served barbequed oysters, raw oysters on the half shell with mignonette, and these Oysters Rockefeller, which were a little meal in themselves, and so delicious! 

Recipe here.

With our feast, we served Balleto 2009 Pinot Gris from the Russian River Valley, it’s the perfect summer wine with citrus flavors, very mellow, crisp, and light.  

It was one of those enchanting afternoons that has me and my mister talking about writing our own book on the Wine Country, with all there is to see and taste.

If you’re an oyster lover, you can savor the experience in print.  Oyster Culture by Gwendolyn Meyer teaches all about the history of the oyster farms and the fascinating ecosystem behind it, coupled with beautiful images of the life by the sea growing this culinary delicacy. 

You’ll also find many of the recipes famous in these parts, from Hog Island’s Hog Wash (mignonette) to Nick’s Cove’s Oyster’s Mornay.  I’m not paid to say it, we just had such an fantastic experience inspired by the book I wanted to share it all with you, enjoy! 

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The pavilion is filled with arcades, food stops and cute shops filled with beach apparel, all with a view of the sunny beach.

Uncle Fester, there you are!  We’ve been looking for you for years!  So glad you finally found a good home. 

Of course, these kinds of environments are not for dieting. 

Deep fried twinkies anyone? 

I love this soft serve.

I apologize for this. 

My kids were all excited to ride that contraption that shoots them into the air 30 feet.  They watched the other kids screaming their faces off “having fun” and wanted to join them.  So we bought the tickets.  

The calm before . . .

Of course the mister and I are laughing the entire time watching these faces. 

Mr. CG dropped twenty bucks trying to win one of those Angry Birds worth 25 cents.  What is it with dudes and amusement parks?  We never did get one.  I’m glad he never did, because of course you always need two.  Two kids, two prizes or it’s munchkin meltdown.   We appeased them with rainbow slushies instead.   

I can’t help but be inspired by all these summer colors too. 

How fresh is this raspberry and lime combo?  Love it. 

A great perk is the adjacent sunny beach, relatively calm enough for kids to swim and play. 

Lots of volleyball going on too, we wanted to play, but no time that day.  Plus I’m not sure my fitness is at the same level as these California girls.   

There’s a great wharf filled with restaurants and shops too where I picked up a few shells and a tees for the kids.  Love this old boat!

I particularly like this view too, it’s like something out of a movie, which one?

This guy thought he owned the place.  Not the boarder, the sea lion.

He’d bark at any surfer or kayak that got too close.  Bossy fella. 

Maybe he was grouchy because he was hungry.  I identify with that. 

Keep your distance men. 

We have plans to come back and kayak soon.  

Palm trees, summer colors, plenty of sand and sea. 

Santa Cruz gets two thumbs up!  Or eight, if you count all of us. 

If you’ve never been, put Santa Cruz on your list of places to spend a summer afternoon if you’re ever south of San Francisco!

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Greetings all, happy Monday!  How’s your summer so far?  Hope it’s going well!   I’m headed home this week, but so happy to be talking about favorite destinations today.  Nothing inspires me more than travel to faraway places.   Given the cost, travel is a luxury these days.  Nevertheless, I think it’s important to venture beyond our own backyard, and to live life as others do in this world, if only for a short time. 

There are always a few places that leave a lasting impression, so much so that they last your entire life.  Those places that leave you with not just a visual picture but an actual feeling when you conjure up images of days and nights spent there.  While some of our favorite and most relaxing adventures have taken place in our own home state, many of our favorite travels have taken place far away.  Here are my my top five favorites so far, however we have plans to travel to even more exotic places later in life!   

#5  Salzburg, Austria

I spent several weeks living and studying here many years ago.  My fellow students and I would spend afternoons in the markets and biergartens, and then weekends in Munich, Vienna. and Switzerland.  It was bliss.  The cobblestone streets, shops, Mirabel Castle, and the Salzach river stay with me to this day.  

#4  Barcelona, Spain

I celebrated my first anniversary here, and I’ll never forget the sounds and flavors of this city.   There is no shortage of things to see from La Rambla and Old Town, to the Picasso Museum and La Sagrada Familia.  Want to be inspired?  Be sure to visit Barcelona in your lifetime.  

#3 Cape Cod, Massachusetts

We spent ten days in September in Conneticut, Rhode Island, and Cape Cod many years ago, journeying up and down the coast, visiting towns from Chatham to Hyannis Port to Provincetown and dining on fresh seafood.  I loved it all, from the lighthouses and lobster dinners, to the sand dunes and rows of shingle siding houses.  I just can’t wait to go back someday to see Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. 

#2 Paris, France

What can one say when in Paris other than, “Vive la France!”   Talk about a town that will stay with you forever.   The architecture, the ambiance, the art, the food, the fromage.   There’s nothing like starting your day with a cafe au lait and croissant in Paris, visiting an art gallery or museum, lunching in a cafe, exploring a few arrondissments, then retiring with a good glass of wine and a view of La Tour Eiffel.  Ah, Paris, you’ll always be a favorite.    

#1  The Lakes Region, Italy

The one place that holds the key to my heart to this day is the lake region of Italy, specifically Bellagio, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore.  Oh my, this region is nothing shore of magical.  Oh Italy, I love you for Florence, Tuscany, and the Cinque Terre, Venice, Rome, and Capri, but The Lakes are just about the most enchanting place on earth.   

Now it’s your turn!   Link up your favorite destination, near or far, so we can dream with you too.  What travel spots or cities do you recommend? 

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Here’s a glimpse through the lens of my recently discovered iPhone app called CameraBag.  I discovered it a few weeks ago and I’ve been having so much fun with it!  CameraBag gives you a variety of different filters, ranging from ‘Italiano’ to ‘Instant’ (like a Polaroid) to ‘1974’.   Here’s a look at our family friendly adventure through the lens of these CameraBag filters.

ColorCross filter

Walk the dock at Hagemann’s and you’re guaranteed a good time, simply bring or rent bait and poles.  This pond is filled with rainbow trout just waiting to be caught. 

Magazine filter

We equipped our kids with a proper pole for their first time fishing.

Italiano filter

A night crawler on a hook is all it takes to catch yourself a trout.

Plastic filter

I asked my boy how big of a fish he caught today.

Me:  “How big was the fish you caught Buddy?”

Boy:  “This big Mama!” 

Mono filter

Is it something about that Y chromosome that lends itself to exaggeration?  Me thinks it so.   My girl was excited she caught one, but a little too scared at first to handle it, even after it was cleaned. 

Helga filter

if you’re in the area, take note, Hagemann Ranch is also a great stop for kids to stretch their legs, since the entire lake is surrounded by rolling hills and a grove of eucalyptus trees swaying in the coastal breeze.  Bring a picnic or a BBQ if you’re inclined to stay a few hours, they have tables and grills! 

Cinema filter

We stopped in Valley Forge on our way home and snapped a quick pic.  I think this is my favorite filter: 1974, or it could be just the craziness of this moment. 

1974 filter

Once we got home, we put the fish on ice.  The munchkins were so proud of their catch, and thankfully they didn’t develop an attachment as kids often do!  How cool is the Polaroid style filter?

Instant filter

I coated the trout in bread crumbs and fresh sage, and fried it in a pan in olive oil and butter ~ what a delightful evening feast!

Lolo filter

CameraBag is a great photography app, and it gives you a combination of many nostalgic filters.  If you have kids and are touring the region, we recommend Hagemann Ranch for an afternoon of fun and good eating! 

Another round of BOTB coming up next, be sure to check back later this afternoon!

xoxo,

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I’ve been to NYC many times in the fall and winter, but never in the spring, so when the invitation arrived in my inbox, I instantly hollered “Yes, count me in!”  I had the opportunity to explore the downtown area plus later hang with my pal Melissa from The Inspired Room, which made for the most perfect day. 

Wanna take a walk with me?  Here’s a glimpse of what I saw as I walked for hours and hours through two of my favorite neighborhoods: SoHo and Greenwich Village.

The morning started with a quick jaunt through SoHo (South of Houston).  Wow, what a chic place, there were movie crews and models everywhere, making me feel like an extra short girl from a very small town.  

I dare you to resist stepping inside here.

Plenty of other high end shops in SoHo too. 

I hoofed it over to Broadway to head north from my hotel, and I just had to pop into a place I’ve never been for caffeine: Dean & Deluca.  What a gourmet paradise, filled with fresh flowers, seafood, freshly baked breads, amazing chocolates, and all sorts of imported goodies. 

I grabbed a cup of coffee and “breakfast’” which was a lemon bombolone, otherwise known as a custard filled doughnut.  Allow me to translate.  Bombolone is Italian for irresistible decadent delight. 

I walked all along Broadway to see all the shops and take in the window displays.  I was loving both the bold spring colors and summer neutrals this season. 

I made my way toward Washington Square Park, this is the landmark arch, I just love it, isn’t it beautiful?   

There were a ton of students from the adjacent NYU milling around, soaking up the sun, enjoying the flowers, and perhaps playing hooky from class, I wouldn’t blame them with these blue skies.      

I can’t believe how social these little park critters are, they come right up to you and beg for food.   

I loved these brick buildings just north of the square, I believe they’re student housing, lucky kids.

I made my way up to Union Square to walk around and visit the farmer’s market. I love a beautiful park right in the middle of a big city like this!

Even on a Monday, it was packed with people shopping for plants, vegetables, and  gourmet foods. 

Union Square is also filled with all kinds of street artists and musicians.

I wanted to see so much more, so instead of sitting down at a café for lunch, I grabbed some food at this market around the corner, then sat down in the park to eat and rest my feet before I continued my walk through Greenwich Village.

You’ll see so many great shops in the west village, some small businesses, but many of them high end too.

I couldn’t resist popping into this one for some eye candy.

Everywhere you turn in this neighborhood are little flower shops filled with spring blooms.

My favorites are the buckets and buckets of peonies. 

I walked along 11th Street and decided yes, I could live right here in one of these townhomes, if I only had a few million to spare. 

I love how each stoop is similar, but the iron railings are not the same, the designs are all slightly different.  Such gorgeous attention to detail.   

This is the beautiful First Presbyterian Church, the façade and iron gates are amazing.  See those blue skies?  I’m telling you, the weather was unbelievable this week. 

After walking for miles, I headed back to my hotel and then attended the Lowe’s event, will share that tomorrow, it was a really fun time.  After the event Melissa and I went out to dinner, which was the perfect ending to a glorious spring day in New York.   

My last morning before my flight, I headed straight back to SoHo where I grabbed a bite at this fabulous French bistro I really wanted to try.

Felix Bar was a great stop for relaxing and people watching, and where I gobbled up a classic croque monsieur with a café au lait.  Heaven!

Spring in New York City is just so incredible.  This trip truly was one of my best travel experiences yet, and all of it seen in a 24 hour period! 

I was reminded of that line by Tom Hanks in the film You’ve Got Mail  when he says to Meg Ryan “It would be a shame to miss New York in the springtime”.   I just couldn’t agree more.  

What’s your favorite thing about New York City?

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It was one of those weekends where instead of driving, we all walk the mile and a half to our downtown shops, and I can’t help but appreciate along the way the charm of so many of our neighborhood’s homes.

It was the weekend of our city’s spring festival, where everyone in town traditionally gathers on the downtown streets to watch the annual parade.

It was one of those weekends where we travel with our guests to a nearby tourist stop {Point Reyes} to window shop and savor local specialties.

It was one of those weekends I look forward to every year, where I browse the annual Antique Fair, filled with vendors from all over the Bay Area selling their wares.

It was that weekend when one of my favorite perennials is finally blooming, and I can’t help but bring early clippings indoors to display in my new Antique Faire find, a trophy like silver vase that (despite a good polish) is still a bit tarnished, but aren’t we all?

It was one of those warm spring evenings where we dine alfresco for the first time all year on a simple menu of wild mushroom pizza, asparagus, and local chardonnay. 

Where we sit and enjoy the fact that the garden and grapevines are blooming again.  And somehow the long dreary winter is forgiven and forgotten.

It was one of those weekends that we all need to experience now and then, the ones spent ignoring the daily chores, and instead focused solely on relaxation.  The kind of weekend where it just doesn’t matter that there is laundry piling up because it’s much more important to step outside and appreciate the blossoms. 

Have you had one of those kinds of weekends lately?

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