Postcards From Napa Valley

{h&m jacket, haute hippie dress, F21 belt, random baubles & LV purse}

My cousin and his girlfriend are visiting from Australia, so my mom, dad and I took them for a quick trip to Napa Valley. We lunched at our favorite Bistro, Don Giovanni's and stopped for coffee & sweets at Bouchon Bakery. As we were sitting at Bouchon, my dad spotted Thomas Keller {his culinary idol & owner of both landmark Napa Valley restaurants, French Laundry & Bouchon}. I love showing off the beauty of Northern California, it makes it easy to play tour-guide ;) Next stop, San Francisco. 

Tuesday Tunes-Day Volume XI

It has been quite some time since I have put together a Tuesday Tunes-Day post, and since a friend of mine had asked me to make a playlist for her Summer Soirée I figured it was the perfect opportunity to bring it back! This all-over-the-place playlist doubles as the perfect soundtrack for your next barbecue or weekend drive with all the windows down. Enjoy! 

1. Under Cover of Darkness - The Strokes

2. Odessa - Caribou 

3. Write About Love - Belle and Sebastian 

4. Bright Lights Bigger City - Cee Lo Green

5. Lights - Ellie Goulding

6. Starry Eyed - Ellie Goulding

7. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People

8. Balthazar - Kicks, 1990's

9. 59 - Kicks, 1990's

10. Run the World {Girls} - Beyoncé

11. Listen to the Music - The Doobie Brothers

12. Triple Double - Girl Talk 

NeverNeverLand

It has become a little habit of mine to go up to Lake Tahoe for the 4th of July and never leave. Between lounging on piers for sun kissed skin, sunset cruises on the Gypsy Cab, refreshing drinks, and running into familiar faces around town, it seems that it is almost impossible for me to get in my car and drive back to reality. My 5 day vacation turned into 10 wonderful days in NeverNeverLand, here are some of my favorite images I captured along the way.

Bruce, pumped to celebrate America's Birthday

It's a boat, it's a car... it's a Car-Boat.

Greg, aka Captain America

Spectacular Sunset

4th of July Fireworks

Until the sun comes up over Santa Monica Boulevard

A few weeks ago I jumped on a plane with my friend Kristina and headed to Santa Monica for her bachelorette party. We {myself and 25 of her best girlfriends...yes 25!} stayed at the uniquely luxurious Viceroy hotel situated somersault distance from the beach. Designed by Kelly Wearsler, the interior of this hotel defines Mid-Century modern in the chicest way possible. During our stay we brunched at Shutters on the beach, danced at Gladstones, indulged in banana margaritas at Lula and cured hangovers at Swingers Diner, all the while raising a glass for the beautiful bride to be. 

The Bride

The Library

The al fresco dining area

The view from our room

Brunch at Shutters

A visit from Heather

Better Together

{Left to Right, Heather, me, Justine & Mary at Municipal Winemakers}

When I was just 17, I left the nest and moved to the beautiful city of Santa Barbara. Being so young and moving 300 miles away from home can be difficult, although my transition into the "real word" was made that much simpler when I met two of my very best friends, Heather & Mary. After our first year in the dorms Heather, Mary and I decided to get our own place on Del Playa, the classiest street in Isla Vista {jokes} and my cousin Julia joined the party as our fourth roomie. It has been about four years since the four of us lived there together so we decided to make a trip back this past weekend for a little reunion, and to visit my youngest cousin Justine who now resides in our old stomping grounds. We spent the weekend wine tasting, eating delicious food, drinking skinny girl margaritas {Heather's latest obsession} and dancing in the clubs we were formally not old enough to get into, all the while reminiscing and laughing about all of our crazy college antics. Not only am I blessed with the best friends a girl could ask for, but my family is pretty top notch too ;) . 

Posh Creatures

It's good to have friends with good blogs. Because then, you find out about other really good blogs. Here are some images from the photography blog From Me To You that I found out about from my friend Katie's blog Luv Is The New Black, who found out about it from our friend Christina's blog, Profresh Style. Phew, that's a lot of blogs. After you are through drooling over checking out these images from the 2011 CFDA Awards {and fantasizing about spending your Monday evenings drinking champagne & mingling amongst these posh creatures} don't forget to get familiar with the ladies I mentioned above. Cheers!