New Years Eve!

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE!! Hope you have a splendid ringing in of the new year...and new decade! (This last one has been a big one!)

Cheers to a peaceful, happy 2010!

Bubbly? Yes please...

Sight #9: Pino Daeni

PINO DAENI

Now added to my favorite painters list...Aren't these lovely?

"Pino Daeni's canvases elicit feelings of warmth, nostalgia, love and family. Pino (born Giuseppe Dangelico) is noted for his exceptional ability to capture the movements and expressions of his subjects - a talent which has brought him private commissions to do portraits. Pino's alter ego, a young boy surrounded by beautiful women, (his sisters, aunts and cousins), is found in various states of emotion ranging from adoration to isolation." -Design Toscano

"Her Favorite Book"

"American Day Dream"

"Almost Ready"

"Morning Breeze"

"Morning Dreams"

"Guitarist"

"Purity"

"Evening Repose"

"The Good Times"

"Close to My Heart"

"A Mother's Love"

"Love Suite"

Sight #8: I have a new...

BABY! (Errm...Camera)

Some special people that I am very lucky to know gave it to me for Christmas (wowza!). I have a feeling that it is going to make the whole thing of capturing 11 senses a little bit sweeter.


In its first few days of life, my baby (camera), has already been on a trip across the country and in two of my most favorite cities (New York and San Francisco). Ill give you a little peek at what we've seen!

Roses in my apartment (courtesy of a very nice gentleman, my roommate Leah's..."Special Friend").

Old friends in new places.

Brooklyn recuperation and hanging.

[I packed it back up in its box for the trip across! Safety is key.] Jump forward and 3000 miles later...

Christmas lunch with the females of the family in North Beach neighborhood in San Francisco.

Mom's Oso Bucco over creamy polenta.

My Grandmother with Coit Tower in the background. She told us she used to go there and "smooch" with my Grandfather when they were dating. (My cousins and I couldn't help but giggle, she never told us that before).

North Beach neighborhood.

St. Peter & Paul Church in North Beach Washington Square...where the majority of my family (on my mom's side) has gotten married. My Aunt tried to convince me how nice it would be to have a traditional wedding there...thanks, but no thanks! It sure is beautiful though.

Two angels. Gran showing us how they used to get the holy water and cross themselves.

North Beach cafe...looks straight out of an Italian city.

My gorgeous cousin indulging my new street style photo snapping habits. (She said I looked cool, so I am hoping she wasn't just saying that. I was a little worried I might look like a poser carrying around my new cam).

Stella's Pastry is an institution in North Beach. It's been there forever.


Afternoon cappuccino and eclair. Yes please. Mmhmm.

More little chic cafes that have been around much longer than I have.


Saturday outdoor brunch is always a good idea.

Walking back to the car, we passed through a wedding about to begin at the cathedral.


Bougainvillea is one of my favorite vines to find growing up charming city apartments.

Greatest Love Story in 52 Seconds....

Happy Monday!

This has been up in a few places, but in case you missed it...I wanted to share it with you. It made me smile the first time I watched it, and the second time too! You don't even really need sound (you can watch it at work!) to appreciate it. Google got a great accidental ad out of this...

Parisian love at its finest!

Sight, Smell, Touch: Toast Magazine

A while back I happened upon a link to Toast...a charming retail outpost in the UK. I saw a few pictures from their catalog and became curious as to whether I could receive said catalog and have one to call my own. I expected this to not be a possibility (it being from overseas)--at least not one free of charge--and I was pleasantly surprised to find out...the royal mail would send me one for free!



Flash forward three months. I forgot I even requested a catalog until my darling mother placed in front of me the most gorgeous retail picture book (calling it a catalog just doesn't do it justice) that I had ever seen! She gushed over it and asked where it came from.

The pages feel thick and smooth and wonderful.

The catalog even smells lovely!

It truly is a trifecta of incredible sight, smell and touch. Mmm...aesthetic heaven.



I need rain boots! My tootsies got soaked this past weekend [sleet alert!].

They have lots of household items/photos that I also really enjoy looking at...and pondering over the day I will have a place in my life for them.

Shelves of glory.

Winter is finally (sort of) here!

I don't think harem pants would be very flattering on me (or very many people), but I do think this model looks particularly nice in this velor kind.



Pretty romantic hair do's do me right.

Dapper tapper on the rustic wood panels.

"I could have danced all night..." (or looked at this catalog).


Pensive beauties and countrysides just generally seem like a good idea (or a whimsical photo op).

Porcelain skin and ginger hair also make a great pair.

It's exhausting being so charming.
"When I was a kid...we used to walk school and back in the snow. Barefoot.

This chaise lounge, and the next Toast catalog = a scrumptiously cozy afternoon.

Pass it along!