a brother's birthday

when your brainsister marries you know it's going to be good, but i had no idea how lucky i was truly going to be. seth has become so much more than just a best-friend-in-law. he's my teacher, my dear friend and the very best brother anyone could ask for. i admire him & honor him, today and always.

rocks of ages

{river rock candle holders from michael aram}

{pebble tile from ann sacks}

{rock vases from tortoise}

{river rock table/bench by bernhardt furniture company}

{limoges porcelain salt & pepper shaker set by marcel marongiu from figments design}

{livingstone indoor/outdoor cushions from smarin designs}

{river rock planter from mecox gardens}

{stone sculpture from napa home}

{rock lamp from palecek}

{stone mat from viva terra}

{stone teardrop tealight holders from wisteria}

{lacquer stone votive holders from zipper}

mellow yellow

happy friday, shiny happy people!

{photos from these flickr folks, top to bottom: jamesgalpin, jennib {that's my mini cooper she took that great shot of}, natashap, nickidobrin}

printz dance project & paco gomez dancers share a home

firey combinations of thoughtful beautiful choreography will collide at dance mission theater! a rare opportunity to see two of san francisco's most dynamic fusion dance companies performing together on one stage, for three nights only: may 9 & 10 at 8:00pm, may 11 at 7:00pm, $20 general, $16 students & seniors.
and there is a reception to follow friday night's show so you can meet the dancers & choreographers!

no one turned away for lack of funds {being on the board has its perks} so please email me if you wanna go but find the ticket prices too steep.

hope to see all my local blogging buddies there!

san francisco treasures

well it's wednesday and i'm finally getting around to sharing my weekend adventures with you. i suppose two days isn't all that late, and hopefully you'll agree that it's well worth the wait.

{the majestic & awe-inspiring grace cathedral was our first stop on saturday morning. we got to listen to organ practice and take in the calming ambiance. we've walked the labrynth before so we didn't do it this time, but we did make a few nice purchases in their adorable gift shop.}

{we had lunch at a lovely french restaurant in the presidio, called la terrasse. it was sunny but windy, so we sat just on the border of their outdoor patio. everything we tried was great, but the very best part was the fantastic cheese plate ~ we loved every selection on it}

{we ventured over to sausalito & tiburon for the afternoon and then took a nice, but windy, ferry ride over to angel island. i've lived here for 5 years and this was my first time visiting the island. it was beautiful and fascinating ~ a lot of interesting history to be discovered throughout. i highly recommend taking the ferry over and spending a full day. you can even camp there over night, if you book far enough in advance.}

{and we had an incredible meal at san francisco's famous buddhist fine dining restaurant: greens. my parents have been vegetarians for over 30 years so they love getting the special treat of dining here. i do eat meat but i never miss it when i'm there. the food is exquisitely prepared and the unique flavor combinations annie creates are like nothing else. i've never had anything there i didn't love, and i bet you'll feel the same. plus the view is wonderful and everyone who works there is the nicest person you'll ever meet}

some earth day revelry

happy earth day everybody!
i've got a few fun suggestions to help celebrate the day.....

{check out the grist's many thought provoking articles on the earth day theme today}

{check out awesome posters by douglas jones ~ found on sfgirlbybay}

{check out a book with 500 simple ways to help you reduce your carbon footprint}

{check out eco chick's fabulous list of what not to do on earth day}

and as an added bonus, because i like you and want to help distract you from the drama of this earth day & pennsylvania voting day, here is part one & two from jon stewart's interview with barack obama last night on the daily show. enjoy!

a mosaic of spain

last month i went to the macy's annual flower show to see the transformation and enjoy the visual splendor. they always go all-out for these shows, and this was no exception. the theme "a mosaic of spain" was thoroughly displayed throughout the store showcasing flora, food, decor & style from all regions of spain. set against the backdrop of thousands of blooms and citrus, olive and cypress trees, tons of bright colors, gorgeous patterns, and enticing displays kept me absorbed for at least an hour as i wandered through every floor to see what was around each corner.

for the 2 weeks long event macy's hosted cooking demonstrations, concerts, fashion shows and, most importantly, spectacular floral arrangements. i took a ton of photos and chose a few of my favorites to share here. feel free to jump over to my flickr album to see the rest.

wanna get away from it all?

after a week of wild up's & down's, on both personal levels and in the bigger world around me, i'm left with the very strong desire for a big vacation.
a downside this week: what were the mediators of the democratic debate thinking? oh yeah, nothing. and clearly they were expecting americans to not be able to think either.
an upside this week: my parents are visiting me in sf ~ and it feels so very good to have them here!
another downside: a lot of stress & sleepless nights over some difficult personal decisions that life has swung my way.
another upside: wonderful people are popping out of the woodwork of my life and amazing me with their supportiveness and encouragement.

anyway, i won't bore you with any more of the details, because in the end {& it is friday afterall} the outcome is the same: i'm wanting to travel & get away from it all. in a big way. ah, yes, just to be in a neutral place where my main responsibilities are to rejuvenate & relax & enjoy.
but where?
this great big world offers so many options. . . . .
bali, madagascar, argentina, italy, whistler b.c., new orleans. . . . .

well, i'll keep dreaming & scheming while i save up the cash. ;o)

but for this weekend i'll focus on having fun playing hostess to two of my fave people: my mom & my dad. i'll try to take some photos to share with you next week.

what are you dreaming & scheming for the weekend? or beyond?

whatever it brings, i hope you enjoy it thoroughly!

kohler's new articulating motion

kohler's new karbon articulating faucet demanded attention at this year's kitchen and bath industry show {kbis} not only with its unique styling and functionality but also with the entertainment hired to enhance the hype: every hour a dance troupe performed with themes relating to water, innovation and fluid movement. so you knwo i jumped all over posting about this ~ anything that combines dance with design is perfect for studio wellspring!


with its clean, crisp lines, the karbon articulating faucet introduces a new geometry of versatile functionality to the kitchen. intelligently engineered to hold any pose for hands-free operation, karbon allows you to streamline your work surfaces and workflow. you can extend the faucet fully to fill large pots, lower it into the sink for food preparation and cleanup, fold it compactly out of the way when not in use, or position it anywhere in between.

{info and photos found on apartment therapy & kohler websites}

knock knock

and the door shall open.....

i'd love to be able to walk through every single one of these. my mind spins into daydreams about the stories that lie within each one. which is your favorite?