Mother's Day Brunch

My momma, holding (and wearing!) her Mother's Day gifts

All you moms, grandmas, moms-to-be and, well, anyone who has ever loved like only a mother can, I hope you had a wonderful day!

To celebrate Mother's Day, my family went to brunch at The Cheesecake Factory. The restaurant was a bit hectic and there was a few mishaps with food not coming out correctly, but the server was great in fixing everything and he even comped a couple items on the bill. And the food, once corrected, was pretty darn tasty! (Though it put me in a food coma for the rest of the afternoon!)

Instead of going with my typical Sunday brunch order of Eggs Benedict, I decided to try something new: Baja Chicken Hash. Imagine poached eggs drizzled in hollandaise sauce sat atop two crispy tortillas and a hash of chicken chorizo, potatoes, poblano chiles, corn, peppers and onions (hold the cheese!). I would describe it as almost a Mexican-style Eggs Benny, so I guess I didn't go too far outside of my comfort zone :)

After we ordered our breakfasts, I presented our mom with her gift. Now that she has opened it, I can finally blog about it!

Last weekend, I scoured Etsy looking for a Mother's Day gift. I literally searched through all of my favorite shops but I couldn't find that just-right thing. I found one necklace that I was thisclose to purchasing but then decided to spend a little more time searching. After a few minutes, I stumbled upon a new-to-me, New York-based jewelry shop called Delezhen. I instantly fell in love with the beautiful jewels and delicate designs. Everything is very feminine and perfect for spring. After much hemming and hawing over three different pieces, I decided to go with this colorful, faceted jewel necklace with freshwater pearl accents.

 Faceted Bezel Set Multi Color Sapphire in 22k Gold Vermeil Necklace 

with Freshwater Pearl Accents

I thought it looked pretty and special but could also easily be dressed up or down. I also thought it kind of looked like a Mother's Day necklace in a non-obvious way, with the three stones representing me, my younger brother Patrick and my older brother Jeremy.

(As a side note, Masha is a fantastic seller! I was worried the necklace wouldn't get to me in time since I ordered it Monday morning, but she sent me a message letting me know she would put it in the mail that very day. I actually got a shipping confirmation before I got that message! And my package arrived Wednesday. Couldn't have asked for better customer service. Plus, the necklace was even prettier and more dainty in person.)

Since my mom wasn't wearing any jewelry, I had her put her new necklace on right away. It went perfect with her turquoise sweater! You can see it in the top photo, but here's a close up:

We also got her an oats-and-honey scented candle in a nice white, lidded pot (like this one), which will look perfect in our recently redecorated blue-and-white living room. My brother picked out the fragrance. We both thought it smelled like breakfast-- how appropriate!

Speaking of Patrick, here he is! It's not often I get him to smile in a photo for me! (He's been dieting and exercising and he's lost a lot of weight-- 40 lbs! You can really see the difference when you look at this old photo.)

And here's my dad too, giving me one of his goofy faces.

Haha, nice dad! And here's me. Cheers! (I think I still look a little sleepy, but that mimosa perked me right up!)

What did you do to celebrate Mother's Day? I'd love to hear!

xoxo,

In the mail: Made by Hank

A roundy-bottomed tough ruffles zipper purse

This is on its way to me.

Isn’t beautiful?

I’ve coveted a Made by Hank pouch for quite some time now. But they always sell out so fast!

So when Etsy suggested this beauty to me on Sunday afternoon, I couldn’t resist. I fell in love with the happy, avocado-and-sea glass color combo (it reminds me of the color scheme in my college dorm room!) and snapped it up immediately.

Although it was an impulse buy, I know it will definitely be put to good use. I am becoming increasingly annoyed with the fact that I can never find my lip balm or glosses in the bottom of my abyss of a purse. I’m always fishing around, hopelessly searching for my Burt’s Bees tube, while driving-- one hand on the wheel, one hand in my bag. Not very safe and this spring-perfect pouch will solve that problem stat.

Anyone else made an impulse buy lately? Don't leave me hanging!

P.S. I am totally in love with the Philadelphia-based shop's roomier purses too. I am literally drooling over this navy and white ikat print crossbody bag as I type. Gorgeous!

Recent splurges

I don't know what's with me this week, especially given that we just went through Christmas and I got plenty of gifts, but I keep buying stuff! This is a problem, I know, and I feel a little guilty about it. So, in a feeble attempt to wipe my conscience clean, I thought I'd confess to you my shopping sins.

First purchase this week:

Shop- Elephantine

Item- the chic and simple, but so beautiful, fay necklace.

I had my eye on this dainty piece since the moment Rachel added it to her shop. But I always talked myself out of buying it, convincing myself that I had enough necklaces. (But honestly, in my world there's no such thing as too many necklaces!) But when Rachel's newsletter showed up in my inbox Sunday announcing a 20 percent off sale (sorry, it ended yesterday) to ring in the New Year, I simply couldn't stop myself any longer! Isn't it pretty? There are so many others that I'd like to add to my collection, like this pendant necklace, a light and airy bracelet, and these rings.

Second purchase this week:

Shop- Sephora

Items- Urban Decay Naked Palette and Sephora's Glass Nail File

My justification for these purchases is this: I have heard rave reviews about the Urban Decay Naked Palette. (One of you first told me about it when I posted about this gorgeous Tarte palette, which I got for Christmas by the way.) One look at the UD palette and you know why people are gushing. Look at all those wearable shades! Plus, it comes with mini version of UD's cult-favorite Primer Potion. So why didn't I snatch it up in November? It was out of stock! That's how popular it is.

Well, as I told you before, I'm what they call a Beauty Insider with Sephora, which basically means they tempt me and test my willpower via email every week. They're always sending me new offers and codes! This week's deal: Enter 2011 at checkout and get two free mini products to celebrate the New Year. That's what got me browsing Sephora in the first place. When I saw the Naked Palette was finally back in stock I, again, couldn't resist! So there you have it. And why a nail file? To get free shipping, of course (I had to add a couple bucks to my order to reach the threshold). But it is a useful purchase. This will explain why...

Third purchase of the week:

Shop- Zoya

Items- Nail polish

Zoya polish in Isla (a rich, blackened red shimmer), Kelly (a neutral gray with soft blue and purple undertones), and Edyta (a dark metallic with hints of gold and olive)

I was watching new YouTube beauty guru Nancy and she mentioned that Zoya, to celebrate reaching 20,000 "likes" on its Facebook page, was giving away three free nail polishes; just enter FB2011 at checkout and pay shipping. Well, I am still doing pretty good on my whole not-biting-my-nails-even-when-I'm-super-stressed-out thing and I figured what better way to motivate myself and keep my tips looking nice than spoil myself with some new nail polish (and the aforementioned nail file)? Especially free polish! Each bottle is usually $7 and I paid just $6.95 for shipping. If you want to get in on this act fast-- the offer ends tomorrow! What do you think of the colors I chose?

Ah, I feel better now that I have gotten that off my chest :) Do you think I'll be forgiven for my shopping sins? Are they good enough to get me a free pass to retail heaven?

Please do share your recent splurges, too! Shopaholics unite.




Ok, full disclosure. I just realized this post doesn't even take into account my run to Kohl's late Monday night. I had $40 in Kohl's cash from my Christmas shopping that was about to expire and I wasn't going to let it go to waste! Someone needs to save me from myself. Or confiscate my wallet.

Conundrum

Ahh, the eternal question: To be a red head or not to be a red head? Well, at least that's my current conundrum. This photo of the ever-gorgeous-no-matter-what-her-hair-color Emma Stone represents my state of mind (state of hair?) perfectly.

Although red is always a popular choice in the fall and the color has been made even more trendy this season due to all the celebs trying out the look, I personally have been thinking of going red forever. Well, more specifically, I have been thinking of dyeing my hair red for several years now, and even added some red streaks into my blonde mane in high school (or was it college? I can't remember), but I have been particularly preoccupied by the idea for the past couple months.

Okay, full disclosure: I have two boxes of auburn-ish hair dye (Clairol's Perfect 10 Ginger in a Snap, if you'd like to know) that have been sitting unopened, unused, for oh, about three months. I haven't quite gotten up the courage to take the fiery plunge, let alone do it myself!

So tell me, what do you think of Emma's new look? (It is for her role as the goldilocks Gwen Stacy in the upcoming "Spider-Man" movie.) Like I said, I think she looks beautiful either way, though she is actually a natural blonde.

And perhaps more importantly, what would you think if I went ginger? I'd love to hear your thoughts! (My friends and co-workers have mixed feelings about it.)

Hope you are having a happy Monday!




P.S. My Monday has been very productive but it just got even better when the lovely Meagan of Mo Pie, Please informed me that I won her very first giveaway! Woo hoo! I'm so excited! The prize is two linocut prints from The Big Harumph. Go show Meagan and the shop some love for their generosity!


Photo via Yahoo! Movies


Edit (Dec. 13): Thanks for all the support, guys! If I go red, you'll definitely be the first to know! :)

Odette New York

The creativity of others never ceases to amaze me. Which is probably why it is easy for me to spend an inordinate amount of time drooling over the crafts of skilled artists on Etsy.

Take Odette New York for example. I stumbled across Jennifer Sarkilahti's Brooklyn-based shop the other day-- I had some help; she is the featured seller of the week-- while taking a much-needed break from work and since then I can't stop thinking about her gorgeous, hand carved and intricately detailed pieces cast in shimmering metal tones.

Being that I am borderline obsessed with all things bird related-- my blog is named after a bird and I have a swallow tattoo on my foot, after all-- I'll admit it was the Large Swallow Necklace that drew me in (Taylor Swift's a fan, too!). I am seriously lusting after it and wishing I had the financial resources to splurge even on the smaller version. It is such an exquisitely made piece of jewelry. A piece of art, really.

But she doesn't just do birds, as evidenced above. She has a whole bevy of creatures from nature represented in her shop-- from jackrabbits to foxes to owls, oh my! There's even monkeys, jellyfish and a French Bulldog. How's that for creative?

I also love her more organic pieces, like the Bullet Hole Necklace and Skipping Stones Necklace.

Her process is fascinating, too. Jennifer says she first sketches a design in pencil, then carves it into wax, like a tiny sculpture. The wax is cast into metal to make a master and a mold of a master is created to make multiples. After hearing all that, the initial sticker shock wears off. And the awe begins.

Suffice to say, I have a crush on Jennifer's shop. (She also has all her pieces featured here, where you can see her new fall lookbook. Seriously, just look at this ring!)

(Oh, and I kind of adore the name Odette, too. Wouldn't that make a cute little girl's name?)

Have you stumbled across any fabulous Etsy finds lately? Truth be told, it's not that hard to do.

Hope you're enjoying your Thursday evening. Stress slowly melting away...

A (quick) taste of wine country

When one thinks of California wine country, most minds go to Napa and Sonoma. Maybe Santa Barbara and Paso Robles.

But although it is easily left off the list, Temecula Valley has some vineyards worth checking out, too.

For years now-- basically since discovering my affection for vino at the ripe age of 22-- I have desperately wanted to go wine tasting. (I have spent many many hours looking at the Cloud Climbers website.) And yet, my plans never worked out. So after being told that Temecula is home to several wineries, many of them sprawling and award-winning, I had it set in my mind that I was going to finally step inside a tasting room this Fourth of July weekend.

And, to my delight, I found success! After spending Independence Day morning slathered in SPF 70 sunblock while watching a charming parade on Old Town Front Street in Temecula, the group of us took a drive down the town's rambling wine country row, more formally known as Rancho California Road.

It's hard to know where to stop when you are just driving aimlessly. And it's hard not to judge a book, or in this case, a winery, by it's cover. But we took in our choices and spontaneously decided to pull into Wilson Creek Winery. Even from the road, we were drawn in by the gorgeous Tuscan-inspired grounds, and the number of cars in the parking lot spoke volumes, too.

Now, I may be a wine novice, but in my limited opinion, the wines at Wilson Creek did not disappoint. I bought the boy and I tickets for five tastings each (the tickets cost 12 bucks a pop; not sure if that is average or a rip, but whatev). The boy gave some of his tastes away to his sister, but I kept all mine for myself :) Bring on the wine!

My first taste ended up being my favorite: 2009 White Cabernet Sauvignon. The sweet smelling wine is bursting with the flavors of grapefruit, pineapple, kiwi and ripe pear, and cutely described as "a tropical drink in a bottle, without the little umbrellas." Who could resist, right? Not me apparently. I ended up buying a bottle-- because I wanted to but also because I felt like I had to. It was my first wine tasting experience after all! Plus, it came in a beautiful blue bottle that I plan on saving long past the wine is gone.

My second taste was a red, the only one I tried: 2006 Estate Mourvedre. I asked the woman behind the wine bar to suggest a red that a white-loving gal would like and this is what she picked. After reading the tasting menu that said it "exudes aromas of dark cherry, ripe plum, raspberry with vanilla and sweet wood," I wasn't so sure how light it would be. But after my first sip I decided I actually quite liked it. One day I'll be a red-loving gal. One day.

Up next was the winery's wow-factor specialty, Almond Champagne. Yes, almond. It really did taste like the nut! The sparkling white wine is naturally fermented with a hint of pure almond oil. It was strange... but intriguing. And according to the winery, it would be great paired with a light dessert. Thinking about the possibility, I'd have to agree. 

My fourth taste was Golden Jubilee, a white wine named after the owner's Golden Retrievers, two of which ran into the tasting room, tails wagging, to say hello while we were there. So adorable! It definitely gave me that family feeling the winery is known for. And the wine was just as enjoyable as the dogs. The menu described it as "unique and refreshing," and those were the very words that came out of the boy's mouth after he tasted it! Like Wilson Creek's other whites, this also has a fruity bent, with flavors of kiwi, ripe peach and pineapple. If had a more money to spend, I would have left with a bottle of Golden Jubilee, too. It is one of those wines that you'd reach for on a hot summer day, while sitting on the porch watching the sun set.

My last taste was the 2008 Estate Muscat Canelli. (sorry, no link for this one!) This one was tropical too, with a citrus twist from tangerine. I liked it but it didn't make the same impact that Golden Jubilee and the White Cab did.

After all those tastings, I left the dark, barrel-filled tasting room with a little buzz. (I know, I know. Light weight!)

Overall, it was a fun, relaxing way to spend an hour or so of a summer afternoon on a holiday weekend. Unfortunately, it was our only pit stop along Temecula's winery row-- the boy's 8-year-old niece wasn't in the mood for another tasting session-- but I was glad to at least get a quick (first) taste of wine country.

I can't wait for more!

So, have you ever been wine tasting? Where did you go? (I'm taking recommendations for my future vineyard travels!)

P.S. Speaking of wineries, I saw this gorgeous vineyard wedding on Etsy today-- the bride bought many of her Big Day items from Etsians-- and I'm smitten. A lovely backdrop of green vines + a big white tent on a sprawling lawn + handmade goodies + lotsa wine (duh) = what's not to love?

Happy Sunday, everyone! I hope you had a lovely weekend and were able to get out and soak in some sunshine. Mine was fairly low-key and included a little work and a lot of TV and movie watching, but sometimes being a couch potato is okay, right?

Anyhow, I just spied this amazingly chic Soft French Lace Bag (literally made in France!) on Etsy and simply had to share it with you, stat. Isn't it sweet? I think it would be the perfect summer tote, just right for a busy weekend, an afternoon of shopping or a quick trip to the farmer's market. Seriously, I'm dreaming of it swinging from my own shoulder, because those stripes and lace detail are just too cute to resist!

Head on over to Becky's shop, TortillaGirl, to check out the rest of her fantastically feminine totes, plus clothing and accessories... and see if you can resist!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and talk soon,

Roberta Grove

I was thinking the other day that I haven't posted many lovely Etsy finds lately. Lest you think I have not been browsing Etsy with my usual intensity, which is so not the case, I thought I'd share with you this perfectly edited vintage shop I stumbled upon the other day.

Meet Roberta Grove, a "wonderland of vintage goodies" curated by Los Angeles Etsian, Jannay. (She has a blog, too.) I love all of the vintage finds she has listed in her shop, from gorgeous antique books whose pages have wonderfully browned with age to vintage home wares that would add a touch of whimsy to any room.

I rounded up a few faves to share:

Pair of vintage cobalt glass candlesticks and set of 5 vintage Bauer nesting bowls

Vintage Polaroid 320 Land Camera and wooden storage drawer

Antique book bundle, poems and fiction

Vintage Fire-King cream and sugar set and handsewn feedsack quilt

Have you found any lovely Etsy items or shops lately? Do share!

Scandinavian pride

As I mentioned in my last post, on Sunday I journeyed to Thousand Oaks for the annual Scandinavian Festival held at Cal Lutheran University. It had been ages since I'd last been. The first time (and perhaps the last time? I truly can't remember...) I went was in elementary school. During my sixth grade year I had to do a country report for my history class and of course this half-Dane chose Denmark. The festival was scheduled for right before my presentation so my parents took me for a day of food and fun and research (haha, yeah right!). I don't remember much except that I picked up a floral-printed T-shirt that said "Denmark" in big letters-- and you know I wore it during my presentation! I was so cool back then.

Now, I will admit, the Scandinavian Festival isn't exactly the highlight of the year. But it is a nice thing to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon and it doesn't cost much to get in: just 5 bucks. And my Danish pride just can't resist.

My fave part? The food, of course! (As if there was any doubt.) We had Norwegian Lefse (imagine a potato "tortilla" smeared with a delightful mixture of butter and sugar, all rolled up) followed by moist Swedish meatballs with lingonberries (like you get at Ikea!) and a cup of lingonberry drink to wash it all down.

And then we had what I will with shameless bias call the BEST thing at the festival (and the long line backs up that statement!): Danish Aebleskivers. If you have never had one, we must correct that immediately! (My mom has one of the special pans used to make them, so I can whip some up, promise.) They are SO good. They are best described as a sort of pancake ball. Topped with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a generous dollop of raspberry jam, they are simply perfection. Definitely worth the 25-minute wait to get them!

Now, my least favorite thing? The lack of vendors selling Danish paraphernalia and knick-knacks. But, I guess at the end of the day that's a good thing on my poor poor pocketbook. Funny enough, though, I did happen to meet a local Etsian named Tracey selling colorful, hand-thrown pottery from one of the booths (me? find an Etsian? hehe).

Well, they say a picture speaks a thousand words so I'll leave it at that and just show you how the day went. Take a peek below for a taste of Scandinavia!

Hope you are having a good week!

xo,



P.S. Do you like my new s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d layout and BIGGER photos? :) let me know! Cuz I can't decide if these X-Large pics are just plain awesome or just plain in-your-face. thanks!

Art for the young at heart + Happy Easter!

Vintage Modern Tea Party

I stumbled across Lindsay Brackeen's Etsy shop yesterday and simply fell in love with her sunny, youthful paintings. Now I realize that her prints are intended to go up in a nursery or a young girl's room-- which they would be truly perfect for-- but I want them for myself! Aren't they just so adorably cheery? And I love the spring-y, Easter-y pastel colors she uses. I posted a few of my favorites below.

Crafty Girl and Sunshine Owl Girl

This would be perfect to give a Sister or Best Friend. Reminds me of my bestie!

Lindsay even creates more fashionable, mixed-media prints, like this Pale Little Dotty.

This just might be my absolute fave. Love the birds and the lotus flowers... and I want the dress this Pink Nature Girl is wearing!

To see them all, check out Lindsay's shop and blog. And tell me which one is your fave!

Till then, I hope you are enjoying your weekend and that you have a very happy Easter! What are you doing tomorrow to celebrate? I'm not sure yet if I am going to my parents' house for a prime rib dinner or going out with the boy's family for perhaps a fancier meal at the Marriott. But both sound like yummy options! I'm always torn on these types of holidays though-- where to go? The boy's whole local extended family will be at the Marriott, and his mom has a birthday present she wants to give me; but if I don't go to my parents' house, it will just be my 'rents and my brother eating together, which I feel bad about. Do you have to deal with this kind of situation, and how do you decide where to go?