Before the holidays, I made myself a promise that I would take some time off to be with my family after Christmas and I kept it!  I wrote up a few posts, set them to publish over the course of last week, then off we went with some friends to escape to one of our most favorite destinations, gorgeous Lake Tahoe. 

Have you ever been?  It’s just about my favorite vacation spot in all of California (although it shares part of the geography with Nevada).  I love being in the mountains.  I love vast forests covered with snow as far as the eye can see.  And I love a tranquil lake sitting in the middle of it all.

Whenever we caught a break in the weather, we went exploring.  Snowy woods always remind me of this Robert Frost poem.

Read the rest of this entry »

What a weekend!  I haven’t seen such amazing weather on a visit to the City by the Bay in a long time.  79 degrees and perfect!   Short sleeves and no sweater in San Fran?  Rare indeed!  What a great time we had playing tour guide for the in-laws.  Here is the gorgeous view from atop Fort Scott, looking towards the Marin headlands.

On a beautiful day in San Francisco, it’s fun to take a driving tour past famous stops like the Palace of Fine Arts or Coit Tower.   Personally, I love to drive the neighborhoods and admire all the painted Victorians!

Read the rest of this entry »

Hello there, hope you had a great weekend, I sure did!  It was my birthday last week, so  my hub and I hired a babysitter on Saturday, and spent an afternoon and evening at some favorite places nearby.

It’s the high season in Wine Country right now.  The leaves are turning, the festivals have begun, the tasting rooms are filled with tourists.   September through November is the most colorful season to visit this bountiful region.  If you’re ever in our area, here are a few worthwhile places to spend an enjoyable afternoon.

Korbel Champagne Cellars is home to some of the finest (and quite affordable) sparkling wines.   ‘Toast Life!’  is the motto here  ~ I certainly subscribe to that.   They have some helpful tips on their site giving all the details for choosing, storing, and entertaining with champagne.

A visit to their winery is a worthwhile trip.  The brick building that greets you is so very pretty with its classic brick facade and ivy covered walls.

Read the rest of this entry »

Greetings friends, I’m back from a whirlwind three day trip!  It was great to be back in one of my favorite places on earth, I love the energy of NYC, and the weather was absolute perfection!

The first two days were spent mostly at media events, but I confess, the highlighted stops for me were our last day spent touring the unbelievably gorgeous ABC Home, and then lunching at Eataly a few blocks away, both in the Flatiron district.  I’ve seen all the big tourist attractions, so these were a new adventure, and I absolutely loved them!

ABC Home is six levels of unbelievable inspiration, ranging from traditional to urban style furniture, plus bedding, rugs, lighting, and accessories ~ it’s a home decorator’s dream!   I want to thank Lana for giving me the scoop on this place, because I left truly inspired. 

Read the rest of this entry »