furry decor addition.

The living room is the second most important place of a home (the kitchen being the first, of course). I've been debating colors, design, accents, and a TV stand that won't make me cringe.

With so many big decisions to make, I was happy to indulge in a little decision that will certainly give personality to our space. West Elm's furry throw will be my companion for many living room activities I see in my future.

{ West Elm's Faux-fur Throw }

At the top of my list is curling up with a good book. One of my favorites right now is the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Quite a long title but it will not disappoint! I love how the whole story unfolds in the form of charming letters. Perfect for the Fall/Winter season, just add a cup of tea and cookies.

dad's birthday.

Keeping to a on-again-off-again tradition, we drove to San Diego to celebrate my dad's birthday. It was a delicious day! We started the European Breakfast at Extraordinary Desserts and its amazing buffet. I highly recommend the following combination: Foccacia, roasted tomatoes, pesto, smoked salmon, capers, and a bit of cream cheese, of course.


{ European Breakfast }

 Extraordinary Desserts also sells the coolest things, which you can browse through while you wait to be seated. I love their teas and their Tokyomilk products. They smell so good! Tokyomilk's Walts Soap No. 14 is on my wishlist. Perfect indulgence for the guest bathroom.

 We visited San Diego's West Elm store with their beautiful parson desks and pillows. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite stores for home decor. We then headed to Fashion Valley for a quick peek at Crate and Barrel before heading to see RED at the movie theater in Temecula. We ended our day in a surprisingly authentic Japanese restuarant, Sushi Boat, located in the Promenade Temecula. Can't wait to see what we'll do next year!

typography delight!

These would be lovely on my walls! I believe they would also make an excellent gift for a hostess. ♥

The perfect wake-up call for the coffee lover in your life.

Perfect reminder for an office.

An announcement from the no-nonsense cook!

home update.

We are on our way to finally own our first home! After more than a year of agony and frustration, the bank has decided to accept our offer. Here's what I'm dying to put into our home:

Trend Lighting

Isn't it just magical? This will go over our dinning table and illuminate a natural elm table with sleek, black leather side chairs. The photograph mural I've posted below will be the pretty background and industrial track curtains will add a bit of softness to the scene.

I will definitely post pictures once this project is done. But I shouldn't get ahead of myself... we don't even have the keys yet! Can't blame a girl for getting a little excited.

Wish: Shearling Cuff Beauty

Aldo Allday

This will be mine! I love the versatile neutral color and it looks so stylishly cozy. Now if only the weather would cooperate with my desires...

I'd pair this with some of this Fall's chunky knits then add skinny jeans. I see a shopping trip on the horizon!

the perfect desk.

I found it! I have been looking for this desk ever since I started imagining what my home office would look like. I wanted a clean cut, perfectly white desk and West Elm has just the thing:

{ The Parsons Desk }

Now I just need to find the perfect chair and the perfect lamp to go on top of the perfect desk. =]

wolf #2.

The newest addition to our family, a 50 lb. Alaskan Malamute named Pepper, finally arrived! We've had an amazing weekend getting to know the sweetest girl.

She arrived in a pretty amazing way! I am so thankful to the chain of people worked together so well; getting Pepper from Arkansas to California.

We rescued Pepper after problems in her first home landed her in the local dog pound. We thank the shelter that rescued her from there and the volunteers who helped along the way from the bottom of our hearts!

Now if we could just get a permanent home... that would be lovely!

{ Pepper }