Loving & Linking

Photo via A Subtle Revelry

Great party ideas to save for 2014 {or use on New Year's Eve!}... partial to the blow box party lights! So fun!

How you speak = Where you were raised... this was spot-on for me. I speak like I'm bay area/SF born & raised, without question. You?

In case you have spare time on your hands before the New Year, here are some great things to do.

My new favorite bomber jacket {I can seriously wear it with everything!} is now half off... take it from me, it's worth the purchase!!

Cutest shoes ever, maybe? Maggie has them in grey and wants to wear them 100% of the time.

Pretty NYE nails! {I've been chillin' with my my good old Pinterest account more than normal this week...} 

Amazing puzzle!

YUM! How amazingly delicious does this look? 

Apparently these are the best sugar cookies ever... I LOVE sugar cookies, my friends, so it's very likely we'll be trying this at home. ;)

Cute little printable activity book! 

Happy last-weekend-of-2013! 

xoxo,

Kate

Merry Christmas!

Photos by Indu Huynh // Christmas Card courtesy of Minted

Oh Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining

It is the night of our dear Savior's birth

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn'

Thankful for Jesus. Merry Christmas dear friends!

Love,

Kate

Hayes Valley

HAYES VALLEY

• We get ice cream at Smitten. 
• The kids play at Patricia's Green. 
• We buy our favorite candy at Miette.
• We have an after-date night drink or dessert at The Riddler. 
• We get quick breakfast or lunch at La Boulangerie.
• Grab a treat at Loving Cup (coconut rice pudding is my vice).
• We also like The Grove.
• For fancy breakfast, 20th Century Cafe.
• For chic bags and accessories, visit Clare Vivier. 
• For all things children, visit Fiddlesticks.
• For a fancy date night, friends recommend Rich Table (yet to try!).
• Finally, pick up some fun goods at Lavish Boutique...
• And some macarons for the road at Chantal Guillon.

NYC

Quality time in NYC is just what the doctor ordered. Two days, about fifteen miles of walking, and one night next to central park at the Essex House was perfect. 

Brian and I are a good match for traveling. We want the most out of our time, and we love walking the best. We're also big on food, but when it's such a short trip, we don't necessarily want to spent excessive time sitting and eating. I needed a good bagel, and Brian needed a couple good slices, and we were good. 

We got a great deal at the Essex House and couldn't have asked for a better location- it was so central to Manhattan. Met up with a friend and took a subway near Union Square and grabbed Thai at ROHM on 20th in the flatiron {totally recommend it... good food/location}, coffee at The Grey Dog on University {and the most massive brownie ever served}, then called it a night. Sometimes it's good to call it a night when you're reeeeallly jetlagged and you want to get the most of the next day. 

We wanted to stop at the ShakeShack, but ah, not enough time... 

So we legitimately made the most of the next day. We grabbed bagels at Ess-A-Bagels... friends, that place is SUCH a delicious tourist trap. 

While seriously enjoying our bagels, we discussed the crazy tourist situation... The place is packed-line-out-the-door, and the friends of the ones out the door waiting were sitting in the 10 tables available... none with bagels yet, most with glares, and most also with five extra chairs for future companions. Yelp didn't mention this sort of madness.. we had some good laughs about the seriousness of ordering bagels there. Don't get me wrong, I'd go back in a heartbeat. The bagels are legit. I'm talking insanely good. How do the places in New York manage to get bagels so right, and why don't they give SF bagel shops their secrets? At least we've perfected the sourdough and the dutch-crunch breads. 

The Shop Around the Corner is, indeed, a cleaners now. 

So I was browsing the good ol' internet Friday night and noticed the 15th anniversary of You've Got Mail {thanks to SometimesSweet Friday links}, and quite perfectly, we were in the vicinity of the sites where the best rom-com was filmed... so naturally, I dragged Brian to the Upper West Side with me. We discovered that The Shop around the Corner is a standard cleaners, rather than the enchanting deep-green-with-patterned-floors- book shop it once was, but gosh, I was excited to be there. The block was charming, and I decided that if I lived in Manhattan, the Upper West is my ideal. We made it to Gray's Papaya {W 72nd}and I embarrassingly took a picture there too, without any hotdog purchase. Somehow in the moment, it felt right to stand at that corner. In retrospect, I can't decide if it's awesome or ridic. Both, I think. 

The dream slices of pizza, Bella Vita Pizza, 58th St.

Yes, I'll go back anytime. I love you so, New York City. I have the best husband ever! xo

SNOW

​Oh hey, East coast- thanks for looking out! My children assumed snow would happen but we weren't so sure...  

We got off the redeye, drove a bit, unloaded a bit, then made a snowman. Can it always work out this perfectly?? I haven't made a snowman since I was about 4, seriously, so Brian taught us all the tricks. Maggie and I loved saying "rollllll it, paaaat it," just like when we patty-cake with babies. Sophie figured celery was the closest thing to a carrot for the snowman's nose, and we all agreed. 

Maggie did a couple adorable slow-motion face plants while getting acclimated to her snow boots, but after that was in bliss-mode. 

Happy Friday, indeed. 

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Friendly-ish Skies

Redeye to the chilly, beautiful east! One chattery toddler and one sleepy {but happy!} five year old, and two grown-ups well-equipped with caffeine... annnd we're off to a good start here!