Washington, DC: Home Sweet Home

I truly did intend to show you some of my California summer roads trips before making the big move across the country to the east coast. Alas, once I proclaimed such a plan, I promptly had no time to blog - I am sorry. The last few weeks have been filled with visiting family, moving into my new house in a new-to-me neighborhood, and starting orientation for the fellowship I will be completing in the coming year.

photo credit: U.S. Capitol Building by Cayenne 09.06.10

Weekend: Bike to Brunch at The Pearl Hotel

My very last bike to brunch at the Pearl Hotel was in August. The first Sunday of every month The Pearl Hotel has a special deal - if you bike there for bunch, their brunch special runs you only $10 and includes bottomless mimosas and one of their delicious brunch entrees.

The food at The Pearl is fantastic and I've previously written about the food here and bunch here. Catch September's bike to brunch this Sunday, September 5th. If I was in San Diego I would be there!

photo credit: Cayenne 08.01.10

Weekend: San Diego Zoo Sunset

We have season passes to the San Diego Zoo and realized that we should have been using them more. With a season pass we can just bop over there for an hour or less to take a peek at the animals and views from the aerial tram.

This sunset was taken from the zoo parking lot and the silhouetted palm trees are quintessential southern California. I think I'm going to miss this strange place with no seasons...

photo credit: Cayenne 07.31.10

Road Trip 2010: Santa Barbara

The first place we stopped on the drive north was Santa Barbara. Now I've stopped her before and was nonplused - too busy, not enough direction and bad food. This time was different. We met up with a friend who directed us to wine tasting at Giessinger Winery out of Cucamonga Valley. We tasted some 15+ wines for just $8. I fell in love with a blueberry + blackberry chilled red wine that happened to be the most expensive wine they sold. A smooth port was what we brought home instead.

Then we stopped at Cafe Luck for a light French dinner. The mussels in white wine sauce were delicious and we mopped up the excess sauce with french baguette. We ordered almost every one of the sides to split between the three of us: french fries, onion rings, ratatouille, mac and cheese with truffled ham, and green beans with toasted almonds.

After all the food and drink we only made it to San Luis Obispo and the El Toro roadside motel.

Giessinger Wine Tasting Room

210 State Street

Santa Barbara, CA 93101-3834

(805) 568-0820

Cafe Luck

18 E Cota St

Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(805) 962-5393

cafelucksb.com

photo credit: Santa Barbara Sunrise by Patrick Smith Photography

Wake-up: Road Trip up the Coast

There is nothing more perfect than a spontaneous summer road trip up the California coast. We have (somehow) managed to swing two of these trips this summer. For the rest of the month I'll highlight some of our favorite stops that we took along the way as we drove along the coast to northern California.

photo credit: Airstream's Bambi 422 Trailer from CarScoop

Weekend: Summer Sunset

One of the things I'm going to miss the most about San Diego are the sunsets. Our grey, mist-filled summer has made for some dreamy sunsets along the coast.

I still do wish the water would warm up enough for me to partake in one last boogie boarding season.

photo credit: Cayenne 08.01.10

Up, up, and away...

I'm up at the crack of dawn this morning to drive out to Temecula, CA, for a hot air balloon ride with TEB. Today is also our 4 year anniversary, though we did not intentionally schedule the hot air balloon ride with that in mind. Happy coincidence!

photo credit: Up by VivaLaQueen

Weekend: Beach Time

Last weekend we were able to get in some beach time; I lounged reading and TEB went out surfing. I think it was our only two days of summer this year as we are now back to the grey and misty weather.

photo credit: Photos were taken with my new iphone4 using the ShakeItPhoto app. Having never owned a smartphone before, getting the phone set up contributed to me feeling overwhelmed. Things are on the upswing.

Weekend: Brunch at The Pearl Hotel

Looking for some classic southern California fun this weekend? Trybiking to brunch at The Pearl Hotel. I have raved about the food at The Pearl before.

Grab a bike and peddle over to the Pearl on the first Sunday of every month. Biking will get you half off the regular 20$ brunch special price. That means choose from ~10 brunch entrees and get unlimited mimosas.

photo credit: Cayenne 05.02.10

Wake-up: May Grey + Jasmine

Despite the May grey our jasmine "tree" is blooming away. I love our blustery prelude to full blown summer sunshine in southern California. I think it might actually be colder than Fairbanks is right now.

photo credit: TEB 03.14.10

Weekend: Unpacking and organizing

Wow, it has been ages since I have posted to this little blog. These last two weeks flew by and during that time I was mostly in transit: 1 week in DC, 4 days in Juneau, 4 days in Anchorage, and 4 days in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Now I am settling back into life in San Diego. I managed take an entire week to unpack and my chameleon room is not nearly as organized as I would like it to be.

Next week I will share with you a little more about my recent trips to DC. Till then have a great weekend!

photo credit: I cleaned by room today by ClickFlashPhotos/Nicki Varkevisser

Movie Night: AVATAR in 3D IMAX

Right before I moved from 300 days of sun to 300 days of rain, TEB and I went up to Irvine to see AVATAR on the super big IMAX screen in 3D. It was an absolutely amazing experience and totally worth the 2-3 hours of motion sickness that I suffered on the drive home. At least I did not throw up like I saw some people doing outside the movie theater. Irvine Spectrum, where we saw the movie, is 66'x90' and Edwards Mira Mesa (biggest in SD County) is 36'x58', so ~1/3 the size. Read more about film formats here.Avatar was nominated for 9 academy awards and they won for best cinematography, art direction, and visual effects. The Avatar world was amazing and completely stretched the imagination. Good thing the cinematography was so phenomenal because the plot was hard to stomach. It was the classical story of colonization where the white man saves the indigenous people from being wiped out by the other white men.

photo credit: crowd watching Avatar by Adobe MAX Conference, IMAX comparison images from cinematical

Goodbye San Diego!

I had less than a week to prepare for my "move" to Juneau. I managed to update my wardrobe, visit with my friends, catch a 3D IMAX avatar show, walk on the beach to see a few good San Diego sunsets, and revive my dream of owning a vespa after seeing a beautiful yellow parked outside the public library. I think I did pretty well considering my time frame.

photo credit: Cayenne in January 2010

Blog-tag-sale: SHIRTS

funky Industry brand shirt with grommets, express dress shirt, and t-bags going out shirt!

I've included the best pictures I could manage, measurements, condition, flaws, and price (not including shipping). All clothing are from a pet- and smoke-free home. If you would like an item leave your email in the comment sections and I will confirm that the item is still available. First one to comment, gets the item. Payment only via paypal (unless you are local to San Diego and will be picking up in person). There are no returns.

I am open to reasonable offers and please leave questions in the comments.

{10$} Black Express Dress Shirt - size 4
Basic black button down shirt in the old Express style. Has fantastic seams to make it fitted and great long arms. Best for a smaller than 34 inch chest. Gently worn but still has a lot of wear left in it.

Measurements:
16.5" armpit to armpit, 15" smallest part of trunk, 15" shoulder-seam to shoulder-seam, 24" shoulder-seam to cuff

{10$} Black + Charcoal Industry Knit Shirt - size SMALL/PETITE
Unusual scoop neck, long sleeve knit shirt by Industry. Grommet detailing and contrasting neck and cuff bands in charcoal really make this shirt. Worn less than 10x.

Measurements:
15.75" armpit to armpit, 19.5" armpit to cuff, 14.5" armpit to bottom

SOLD {30$} T-bags Pink and Orange "Vegas" Shirt - size X-SMALL
Retro print, jersey knit halter top by T-bags. Not bra compatible. Best for 34" or less bust. Worn a total of 3x, including 1x in VEGAS. It really is a flattering clubbing top and in perfect condition. I bought it at full price ~150$ before T-bags gained popularity, I really hope this one finds a new owner.

Measurements:
11.5" unstretched bust, 11" width underneath bust, 16.5" armpits to bottom, 3" shorter in back vs. front

SOLD {5$} Black Bebe Halter top - size SMALL
Black (pictures make it look more of a charcoal) jersey knit with 2 velvet bands halter top. Bra compatible but this one has pretty good support w/o it. Forgiving bottom as it is slightly a-lined. It has been worn twice. Tuck it in or out.

Measurements:
13" unstretched bust, 12" width below bust, 14" armpit to bottom

Blog-tag-sale: SKIRTS

marimekko-style print brown/black H&M skirt, red sidewell and green fei skirts from anthropologie!

I've included the best pictures I could manage, measurements, condition, flaws, and price (not including shipping). All clothing are from a pet- and smoke-free home. If you would like an item leave your email in the comment sections and I will confirm that the item is still available. First one to comment, gets the item. Payment only via paypal (unless you are local to San Diego and will be picking up in person). There are no returns. I am open to reasonable offers and please leave questions in the comments.

{15$} NWT Brown/Black print skirt from H&M, size 4
Scandinavian-inspired black and brown print skirt with 2 front pockets, belt loops, and removable belt. This is a high-waisted skirt on a true-to-size 4 person and low-waisted on a size 2. Fully lined, has back zipper and good construction for an H&M piece. Purchased in Spring 2008 and never worn.

Why am I letting it go?
I having finally accepted the fact that I don't look good in high-waisted skirts.

Measurements:
14" waist, 20" length

{15$} Green fine-wale corduroy skirt by Fei from Anthropologie - size 2
This was my favorite Anthropologie piece for a long time and it still has a lot of life left in it. Removeable tie in the front with belt loops. Button and zipper on the front and 2 front pockets. Has a side zip pocket on the front about half-way down the thigh. Purchased at full price about 8 years ago.

Measurements:
14" waist, 17" hips, 36" length

{15$} Red draw-string skirt by Sidwell from Anthropologie - size 2
Fun, red draw-string skirt with grommets by Sidwell. Fabric is 60% cotton and 40% polyamide. This is a high-waisted skirt on a true-to-size 4 person and low-waisted on a size 2. Two front pockets and 1 back slash pocket. Purchased at full price about 8 years ago.

Measurements:
14" waist, 22" length

Blog-tag-sale: PANTS

Brand new mountain hardware hiking pants + anthropologie liquid brand black dress pants!

I've included the best pictures I could manage, measurements, condition, flaws, and price (not including shipping). All clothing are from a pet- and smoke-free home. If you would like an item leave your email in the comment sections and I will confirm that the item is still available. First one to comment, gets the item. Payment only via paypal (unless you are local to San Diego and will be picking up in person). There are no returns. I am open to reasonable offers and please leave questions in the comments.

{40$} Gray Mountain Hardware Zip-off hiking pants - size 2
Virtually brand new mountain hardware hiking pants that zip-off into shorts. Low rise with zippers on the bottom so you can take convert into shorts without taking off your shoes. 100% nylon material, 2 back flap pockets, and 2 front pockets plus a single zip pocket (see left photo, on the left side).
Why am I letting them go?
Seriously only worn for a day and then washed. They shrunk after washing and I liked them so much I bought the next size up.

Measurements:
14" waist, 28.5" inseam, 18" hip, 7.5" waist to crotch in front, 15.75" waist to zip-offs

{20$} Anthropologie Liquid Black Dress Pants - size 2 (tailored)
Classic cotton boot-cut black pants with textured verticle lines (see 2nd photo). Tab-front and no pockets create a very stream-line pant. I had these taken in down the entire length of the pant (too wide) so double check with the measurements below. Worn 1x and in perfect condition.
Measurements:
15.5" waist, 8" waist to crotch in front, 31.5" inseam, 16.25" hips

Blog-tag-sale: JACKETS

brown suede banana republic and cream retro crop swing jacket!

I've included the best pictures I could manage, measurements, condition, flaws, and price (not including shipping). All clothing are from a pet- and smoke-free home. If you would like an item leave your email in the comment sections and I will confirm that the item is still available. First one to comment, gets the item. Payment only via paypal (unless you are local to San Diego and will be picking up in person). There are no returns.

I am open to reasonable offers and please leave questions in the comments.

{50$} Banana Republic Dark Chocolate Brown Suede Jacket - size SMALL
This is perfect condition suede jacket that has precise tailoring and is the perfect dark, dark brown. So dark that you can wear it with black or brown. Two flap front pockets and a single pleat in the back. Fully lined, heavy, and warm.
Measurements:
18" armpit to armpit, 15" shoulder-seam to shoulder-seam, 25" shoulder-seam to cuff, 24" shoulder-seam to bottom, 15.75" smallest part of jacket Why am I letting is go? I probably wore this a total of 10 hours the entire time I've owned it. I have been keeping it around with the hopes that we would buy a vespa scooter and I could wear it to scoot around (with driving goggles and scarf flying in the wind) - no such luck. It is time to give it up.

{10$} Nick & Mo Cream Cropped Retro-style Jacket - size SMALL
Cream colored cropped jacked with retro styling, large buttons, and 3/4 length sleeves. This jacket was one of my favorites. It easy went with jeans and over fancy dresses. 3 buttons, 2 front pockets, and fun polka dot lining Why am I letting this go?
I washed it a few days ago and it shrunk! Has lot of life left it in and it goes with everything. I so wish I had not put it in the dryer. Now its new owner can easily throw it in the washer and dryer.

Measurements:

16.25" armpit to armpit, 13" armpit to cuff, 10.5" armpit to bottom

Blog-tag-sale: DRESSES

I'm starting off my blog tag sale with dresses. I've included the best pictures I could manage, measurements, condition, flaws, and price (not including shipping). If you would like an item leave your email in the comment sections and I will confirm that the item is still available. First one to comment, gets the item. Payment only via paypal (unless you are local to San Diego and will be picking up in person). There are no returns. I am open to reasonable offers and please leave questions in the comments.

{50$} J. Crew Sophia Dress - Dark Green Silk Tricoline, size 4 PetiteBeautiful and versatile dress that was never worn and in excellent condition. Still has tag attached. Bought on sale for ~120$.

Measurements:
Bust 15 inches - there is a lot of give in the bust due to the splice, bra can be worn with this dress, best fit for someone with less than a 35 inch bust.
13 inches at the smallest part of the waist
31 inches from the underarm seam to the hemline, I am 5'5" and this dress hits me below the knee.

SOLD {30$} Anthropologie Brown/Cream Swirl Dress with Yellow Sash
- size 4 PetiteStriking strapless cotton poplin dress with brilliant (and removable) cotton-linen yellow sash (5 inches wide) by Tabitha from Anthropologie Fall '06 or Winter '07. Light boning (4 total) in the sides to support the strapless style. Worn a total of 3 times. Dress is in great condition but has a water mark under the left bust, see detailed pictures. Dry-cleaners could not remove it and I was too scared to try on my own. Barely noticeable, in fact I wore it to 2 weddings with the mark. Originally 168$. Measurements:
Bust 15 inches - measurement taken with dress laying flat, I believe bust would best fit someone with less than a 35 inch bust
13 inches at the smallest part of the waste.
33 inches from underarm seam to the hemline, I've 5'5" and it comes 2 inches below my knees.
SOLD {30$} Marimekko for Anthropologie Navy Blue Dress - size 2Fantastic and casual a-line marimekko print cotton dress. Dress is unlined and has side-seam pockets. I wore this dress twice to dinner parties. In excellent condition and ready for a new home. Or someone handy with a sewing machine and who loves Marimekko fabric.

Measurements:
Bust 15 inches - there are small bust darts but this measurement is pretty accurate, in my option someone with smaller than a C cup chest would get the best fit.
14 inches - under bust, a-line from there
25.5 inches - underarm seam to hemline

{20$} Free People Brown + Green Summer Dress - size 0The details make this dress: ribbon straps, side-button closure, and large weave cotton brown with textured green lines. A-line shape and spliced bust make the size versatile. Worn <4>Measurements:
Bust 17 inches
15 inches - under bust, a-line from there
34.5 inches - underarm seam to hemline

Blog-tag-sale: Starting Tomorrow

The new year has brought the urge to purge my closet. I am offering up clothing that is gently or never (gasp) worn. Over the next few days I will be posting items for my blog-tag-sale in categories: dresses, jackets, skirts, pants, and shirts. Prices are negotiable and suggested based upon original purchase price (I'll tell you, if I remember) and the current condition of the item. The first person to comment that they want the item, gets it. First up: DRESSES.

It would be so nice if my closet looked like Chez Larsson's closet above. You can read about her closet purge here. Inspiring. I am preparing for a big (temporary) move and don't want to store or drag extra stuff with me.

photo credit: Chez Larson flickr stream

Weekend: Goodbye Summer...

Here in La Jolla we are having a heat wave but I'm sure it will end soon and the fact that summer is over will sink in. In the meantime, I'm going to be hitting the beach for some boogie boarding this weekend. Sunday supper can be made without turning on your stove (or oven), perfect for this unforgiving heat.

Have a great weekend and I'll see you for Sunday Supper!

photo credit: Umbrella 2 by One of those Allans'