Up, up and Away

Hello Bloggers!

I just got back from a week in the beautiful mountains! I had the opportunity to serve at Young Women's Camp for the second year in a row. Here is a thought that occurred to me while I was there:

"I'm having so much fun at camp and I wonder if I should feel guilty or that I am doing it wrong because I am having such a blast. The Spirit reminded me that service brings joy. It's okay to feel joy when we serve. So...I will go forward and continue to serve and continue to have joy while I do it."

I will go back to being MIA because I am returning to the mountains, this time with my family...can Summer really be ending?

The Woman In the Orange Gia

I consider myself to be a fairly well-adjusted woman. I haven't really aspired to be someone else since my impressionable college years. However, the other day I was cruising along the main thoroughfaire of my town (in my "swagger wagon")

I pulled up next to this cute little Karmann Gia.

Even though antique two-seaters have always been on my favorite list, it was not just the car that caught my attention. It was the "whole package".

She wore a large rimmed straw, similar to this one.

Whisps of hair blew in the breeze of her partially rolled down window.

On the passenger seat sat an oversized straw basket purse resembling this one.

Was she headed to the farmer's market for fresh fruits and vegetables? Or was she on her daily errand for fresh bread from the boulangerie? Or maybe she was headed to the local flower mart for a bouquet of fresh flowers...

Of course she would soon return to her quaint beach cottage similar to this one.

For a split second I wished I was this woman. She has crossed my mind several times this week because she exhibited the certain joie de vivre I covet. To me, she was the whole package of what I desire to posess. And it had little to do with material items. One day, maybe sooner than later, I will have it!

Garden Kitchen Inspiration

What do you have on your kitchen countertops?

I inherited this amazing antique crock from my mother-in-law (on left) years ago. I've always kept my kitchen gadgets handy in it....until my everyday gadgets were so plentiful that it became a sore spot to me!

PROBLEM

SOLUTION

When I am in problem solving mode I want a solution and I want it NOW! (channeling my inner Veruca Salt) So when I decided I needed to seperate my cooking gadgets from my baking gadgets I was on the hunt for the perfect holder. Needing to fulfill my instant gratification and my lack of budget I opened my eyes and hunted around the house in search for something that would a)be the right dimensions and b) coordinate with the other things on my countertop.

FOUND

On my back patio, waiting for a use. I was attracted to this pot (found at Home Depot a couple years back) due to the color and the architectural detail. I picked it up with the desire to plant in it, but never did. Although whenever I passed by it, outside, it always reaffirmed to me that I loved those elements of it. That is why it became the PERFECT addition to my countertop!

MORAL

When you find something that speaks to you- and it is in your budget- BUY IT! Do not make the mistake of saying, "where will I put it, what will I use it for?" If you love it, you will find the perfect use for it!

June = Hydrangeas

Some people think of June as Junebugs, dog days and barbecue's...when I think of June I think of hydrangeas!

This season has been the best yet for my hydrangeas!




~In the house~

~In the garden~


Do you have friends that are so good you never know how to thank them? Well I do! I dropped each one of them off with a jar full of hydrangeas with a note that said...return the empty jar for a fresh bouquet!

I plan on keeping my friends supplied all summer!

The more you pick 'em, the more they bloom!

Father's Day Gift Idea

We have already given our dad his Father's Day present. Since that is the case I get to share the gift idea with you just in time for you to pick one up for yours!

My husband has always loved making root beer and really enjoys drinking soda. So when I was at Williams-Sonoma and they were demo'ing this, I knew it would be perfect!

The Sodastream Penguin water cabonator is great! It comes with two Co2 containers that can be replaced at WS when you run out. It also comes with these two glass containers that have amazing caps to keep your carbonation in. It is so easy to use, you just use regular filtered water and pump it 2-3 times. Then you have sparkling water. I like to add crystal light to it...yum!

But since it is hubby's gift, I had to get him the Root Beer syrup. We also got Lemon Lime. Both are really, really good! In less than 2 minutes we have a fresh batch of whatever fizzy drink we like!

Italian Sodas anyone?

Memorial Weekend - part III

Relaxation

As if we did not have enough sweets here, we decided to get some gelato! Just too beautiful to pass by!

Could the day get any better?

OH YES IT CAN with a trip to Burke Williams Spa!

Behind these doors is heaven on earth!

If you are a spa person I completely recommend you seeking a Burke Williams and checking it out! No detail is overlooked here! The decor is Parisian.

We purposely went early to partake of the many ammenities that are offered when you have a treatment. We drank lots of cucumber water, went in the hot tub and the sauna and the steam room. We took showers making sure to use all of their aromatherapy products. Pure luxury!


Then it was time for us to all split up and get our treatments.

Mine was an 80 minute pure relaxation massage with BUD! It was glorious!

Of course, what would a day in the city be without a little SHOPPING!

If you do not know me, or even if you do, you may think I am the most spoiled person in the world. I am grateful for this day, thank my husband for it, and know that these days are once in a lifetime! or once a year ;)

Memorial Weekend- Part II

Chocolate Heaven

I knew this day was going to be memorable, but I never knew just how memorable it would be! Two friends and I took Bart into San Francisco for a walking chocolate tour. The three of us are all professed chocoholics, and this tour is not for the faint of heart! We learned great info about our favorite little bean and tasted A LOT! Come along and I will show you!

Stop 1- Scharffen Berger in the Ferry Building. If you are ever in "the city" you should definately visit the Ferry Building, lots of great food stalls and shopping.

At Scharffen Berger we sampled items with lavender and other herbs in it.

Our first samples. Our tour guide mentioned that only 5 participants out of 200 have ever eaten ALL the samples on the tour. My friend took the challenge and became particpant number 6 to eat them all. I came very close, not enough milk chocolate on this tour for me though.


Stop 2- Recchiuti also in the SF Ferry Building. This was unanimously our favorite stop. Oh, the candy was sooo good. Our favorites were the candied hazelnuts, the burnt caramel and truffles. We all came home with treats from here!


Stop 3- Fog City News on Market St. It looks like a plain, old newsstand. But interestingly enough they house many specialty magazine titles from around the world. The customers said that their candy needed to represent the sophistication of their magazines. So now it is home to over 200 exotic and up-scale candy bars. There is something for everyone here. They didn't like us to take pictures in there, I am such a rebel!

A popular bar of theirs is the "bacon bar" below. We tried it, not that great to me but I don't like bacon anyway. Sweet and salty...I guess.



Stop 4- Leonida's at The Galleria (where I had my senior prom BTW). Here we sampled gourmet hot chocolate, it was really yummy! We also got a truffle of our choice.

Stop 5- Teuscher at Union Square. I am lucky to have been to a Teuscher in Zurich too. Here was one of the only places we sampled milk chocolate. We were able to try the Dom Perignon champagne truffle too.

I am a freak over Teuscher's displays. Of course because they are full of flowers.

Pure eye CANDY!

Stop 6- Chocolatier in a jewelry store on Maiden Lane. Sorry, I do not have any clue what the name of this place is called, but it was gourmet chocolate in a jewelry shop...who knew?

We sampled some interesting stuff here. How about chocolate with chili peppers? Or chocolate covered peppercorns? I really liked the chocolate with orange and ginger.

Stop 7- Final stop- Cocoa Bella Here I really noticed the artistry of chocolate makers.

No lie! At this point I could not hold my camera still since my hands were shaking so bad from sugar! It's too bad since there were some really cool things to see! Sorry!

Thank you for joining me on my wonderful San Francisco cholcolate walking tour! I recommend doing this for anyone who loves chocolate. Oh, I will be taking a tour like this in Paris one day!

Stay tuned for part 3 of my weekend! You will not want to miss it! Oh, by the way, if you are wondering how much I paid for my china...$20! A steal!