My Retro Paris...

Found a bunch of negatives from our trip to Paris in '89 and had them put on a disc. I'm not sure what happened to the photo albums which housed these pictures, but I haven't seen them in almost twenty years. My niece Chloe and I got such a kick out of reliving the past..."There so Retro" she said, "Ouch!" I said. Lost in the 80's, ridiculously large shoulder pads, leggings, bows, high waisted pants, etc. Anyway, wish I could go back just to enjoy the flawless skin and cute little body I didn't appreciate enough back then. Oh, and to lose the shoulder pads!

Happy Father's Day!

My Dad...

Col. John W. Blackwell

Day tripping...

Saturday, Bill & I took a day trip to Half Moon Bay.

So beautiful and not a cloud in the sky.

Almost 80 degrees in the city and 60-something along the coast.

Girls Get-Away!

Last weekend, my big sis invited me to join her & her gal pals for a wonderful "Girls Weekend" in the Santa Ynez Valley. We stayed at a privately owned 5,000 acre horse ranch named "Latigo Ranch."  It was a 5 star experience all the way...sun, fun, great food & lots of laughs. I didn't have much luck taking pictures, but here are a few to get the idea... 

The driveway up to the main house.

There were 4 foals on the ranch while we were there. If you squint, you can see a mama with her baby. I wish I would have taken more pictures, especially of the animals. So unbelievably cute in person.

Let your Flags Fly S.F.!

Feeling very patriotic yesterday after my walk to the Presidio. Here are some pics from my walk home. Enjoy!

My Memorial Day

Last night, I flopped on the bed, flipped on the t.v. and coasted though the "On Demand" movies not yet watched. I came across Taking Chance an HBO movie that I have been dying to see since my sister gave me a mini review months ago. Anyway, not even realizing it at the time, it was the absolute perfect movie to celebrate Memorial Day. It was amazing and touching beyond words.

I woke up this morning with no plans. While enjoying coffee with news, I saw several spots re: Memorial Day celebrations in and around the city. I saw there was one at the San Francisco National Cemetery, the Presidio, parade at 10:30 and ceremony at 11:00am. It was 9:15, so I put on my Nikes, packed a bag and started the 3 mile walk. I got there just in time and here are some of the pictures.

More than 35,000 veterans and their families are buried at the San Francisco National Cemetery in the Presidio from conflicts dating back to the 1846 U.S.-Mexican War.

Thrify Girl Update!

Dying to wear it...I knew I would return to this little gem of a top someday. After several attemps, It finally made it's debut. On Friday, I was off to see my niece's performance in Pygmalion. Trying to get on the road before the early Memorial Day weekend traffic, I was of course running around the apt. stuffing things into a travel bag. I grabed the T.T. bustier and a black sweater (also a thrifty girl find and a never been warn item, to boot) without time to over think it.

I realized that "over-thinking" has always been my problem when trying to dress with effortless style. A couple months ago, I read this great article (story of my life, can't find it anywhere) about the writers quest to master the art of effortless S.F. street style dressing and how as a NYC transplant the "throw it on and go" mentallity elludes her. Anyway, she defined my problem to a tee. I was so relieved to know that I wasn't alone in my quest to concur the unique S. F. style surrounding me everyday. I learned early on in my relationship with the city that trying to get the "perfectly not put together look" wasn't as easy and effortless as it looks for some of us. Anyway, back to my win, besides maybe needing a bra with more padding to keep it firmly in place, I was happy that I actually wore the darn thing and my five dolloars and forty-nine cents hadn't gone to waste.

Cinema Anyone?

A visit to a cinema is a little outing in itself. It breaks the monotony of an afternoon or evening; it gives a change from the surroundings of home, however pleasant.

Ivor Novello

What's better on a rainy day than catching a movie or two or three or...
It started as Monday movie day...

In the rain, I walked over to the Opera Plaza Cinema to see MID-AUGUST LUNCH. A sweet and touching little movie that did not disappoint! It was an encouraging example on making the best of every situation...The hero's (Gianni) coping skills included a good sense of humor and a glass of wine, always. I'm not sure if it was the setting of Rome or the language itself, but every single character is as charming as the next. Short & Sweet, definitely a go see! Click on this link above and watch the trailer.

Flea Market Saturday

Headed to Roseville last Friday for the weekend and to celebrate Mother's Day and other things such as:

Gloomy S.F. Days...

Stuck inside the other day & feeling a little dreary. There was a slight break in the rain, so I decided to brave the wind and take a walk to Japan town, hit a thrift store, maybe catch a movie and of course eat something.

Turn the t.v. off and find the artist within...

My girl buddy Kelie stopped by last night for a glass of wine and to borrow my Jack Lalanne Pro-juicer Plus (don't laugh it's amazing) for her 3-day total body cleanse, mind-body-spirit.  It's 3 days of drinking juice, journaling, meditating/praying, no t.v., no people etc. Anyway, it inspired me to try and stay away from the t.v. this weekend. I knew I would need two things if I was to accomplish my own mini cleanse...a book and a project. Got up this morning and walked over to my favorite Gw (1580 Mission St.) which has an amazing book section and Found  "The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette." by Carolly Erickson and "getting over it" by Anna Maxted. I already knew, I would start with the snarky one first. Done.

I was also determined to find some cheap frames to hold these sweet little gems that William painted in the 1st grade. They have been sitting in a broken frame for about  2 years since our move to San Francisco. Anyway, got busy and when I took the painted ponies out of the frame I found the origins of his masterpiece.

Such a sweet little memory, God knew I needed that. So, it turns out that William's painting was inspired by Russian-born French painter and designer Marc Chagall.

Help! My cat's a super model

Come on...who doesn't think their kids/pets are worthy of stardom? This morning I read that Modernica is celebrating the 1 year anniversary of their blog with a "Pets on Furniture Contest."  So, I immediately prepped & pulled Baby from bed for her photo shoot. Let's just say, if she were a super model, Naomi Campbell come to mind. The absolute worst attitude. My diva cat refused to co-operate or even look in my direction. I'm just glad she didn't throw that book at me. So, I ended up with the candid sunbathing shot. Check out the contest and give your pooch or puss a shot at their 15 minutes of fame. There will be winners daily (dogs and cats) and a grand prize winner chosen with the help of the readers.
Good Luck.
Here are the rules:

• Must be a photo of a pet on modern furniture
• Pictures should be clear & the furniture must be reconizable (avoid close ups of your pet's face)
• Photos must be original no borrowing copy written photos without permission
• A medium shot is better so we can see the furniture, pet & interior (if applicable)
• Send your pictures to petcontest@moderica.net
• Include your pet's name and furniture designer/description (if applicable)

"happy is the home with at least one cat"

meet baby starr. she's a rag doll / snowshoe mix.

and only the cutest cat ever!

   

"beware of people who dislike cats."-irish proverb

 

good things come in small packages

this looks staged. her way of getting me to stop a project. fall asleep on top of it.

you lookin at me?

Home Sweet Apartment

Apartment # 42... a year in the making. I love when something inspires you to finish a project or accomplish a daunting task. So, I guess I need to thank Apartment Therapy for running their annual "small-cool spaces" contest or I never would have gotten anything on these walls. For me, these pictures represent a battle won. I was not defeated! Unfortunately for my back, I found it with only two days left until the deadline. So, I decided to just go for it, not because I have "Mad" decorating skills mind you, but because I'm just plain "Mad". You know, not right in the head, kookoo crazy, loose screw kind of thing. Anyway, it was fun and I do feel a huge sense of accomplishment for finishing something. These are some of the pictures I entered. Check out the contest and the amazing entries! It's really inspiring! Enjoy.
http://contests.apartmenttherapy.com/2010/small-cool

The Entryway. I finally got something on the walls after fighting them for a year. I really just gave up out of frustration because the walls are a very thin plaster that hold absolutely nothing. I came upon these cool hooks for crown molding and that started the ball rolling. Yeah!

The living room. My favorite thing in the apt. are the bay windows. So big and the light is incredible. We also had the same problem with the walls in this room, it finally feels complete.