the truth of the matter.

i've been lucky enough to get to go to deer valley for three winters running {once i even squeezed in two trips in one season}. and let me please put extra emphasis on the word lucky here. i do not use this word lightly because it is an absolute privilege to be able to spend the weekend in such a breathtakingly beautiful place with, in my opinion, some of the best gals on the face of the planet.

my memories of utah prior to this said girls weekender {which usually occurs during sundance} are mostly filled with summertime family reunions. and my attachment to utah is mostly due to my love for mormons, and through the eyes of a few usual blogger suspects. exhibit a. dooce b. pink peonies and c. the jacksons.

the point of this post, however, is to tell you how incredibly grateful i am for girlfriends. i'm learning that the older we get, the busier our lives become. each of us is pursuing her dreams, falling in love, and moving to new cities… away from the one we all once found ourselves in. some of us are veering a little off our planned courses, but it's okay, because we continue to move toward what makes us happy.

the truth of the matter is that we're all in this together. i am blessed to have such rad girls around me. i love witnessing their journeys, and i am grateful they are witnessing mine.

just thought i'd share a few moments i captured throughout the past seventy two glorious hours in which too much wine was consumed, too many frozen pizzas were heated up, and too many dance routines were performed {actually, never too many of those!}. here goes...

"my office."

hair-caught-in-blowdryer-fiasco + good friends + boot fitting

dinner @ grappa. note to self: be more aware when you step into the snow in heels, we don't need anymore falls.

taslisker, aka heaven on earth.

st. regis for lunch.

outdoor pool time.

good morning.

our spot.

shoop! shoop! {right before our fingers froze off}.

#whencanweaprés {weekend hashtag}.

utah sunsets.

montage spa.

i love the twinkling trees.

and for your viewing pleasure, here's a video taken our first year at sundance entitled rose v. mallow. and, while i'm at it, here's the foundation of our killer dance routine caught on video.

well, while we're on the subject, dolls, what's your favorite girls weekend?

xoxo.

just right.

this weekend was positively perfect. do you ever have one of those? completely unplanned. every move in the direction that feels just right. well, just right for me started with an acupuncture appointment that helped kick a cold to the curb {more on my feelings on acupuncture at a later date} followed by a cozy, rainy night in and ten hours of sleep. the next two days of just right were filled with...

getting to spend much needed quality time with some of my bests.

a first-time experience at craftsman & wolves in the mish {a must-go!}.

cost plus holiday décor inspiration.

a leisurely whole foods run.

curled up with a brand new book in my reading nook while being devoured by rain.

another night in with a bff, kale salad, and some wedding mags.

my first yoga class in ten days.

a mani pedi date.

energy work.

a sunday night iloveyoulikefamily friends dinner.

weekends like these are my most favorite of all. and saturdays, oh, nothing beats the feeling of a saturday afternoon at your fingertips. i am oh-so-grateful for weekends like these.

*photo on my pin board.

essence.

truth be told, i've always been a vision board kind of gal. as i've grown up, collages would magically appear on the inside of pencil boxes, lockers, on the back of doors, and in journals. i find such calm and solace in the act of cutting and pasting from magazines into journals. snip! snip! paste. write a thought or goal or desire. and so it goes...

in the spirit of feeling like i've lost my way a little bit as of late, and wanting to gain some clarity about what is next, i spent much of this rainy weekend curled up in my apartment on the floor with scissors, a glue stick, pens, blank pages, and a stack of magazines.

i felt at peace and at ease. because as scary as the future might seem, there's something about compartmentalizing it into a journal full of images and words that really makes it all seem okay. i finished feeling inspired, hopeful, grounded, and ready for what is to come.

it's funny, as i looked back over my work and re-read goals made over the past seven years, i realized  that the core of who we are never really changes. isn't that fantastic? our essence is something we develop at a young age, which in my opinion is a true gift.

my weekend art project reminded me that it's all falling into place whether i am fully aware of it or not. while things might not happen exactly according to plan or right on schedule, and i seem to be taking some twists and turns along my path, it's all happening. every thing i've ever wanted, slowly but surely, is all happening.

then i realized that's the message of this blog. oh do you see it too? to know that the lives we strive for, the things we wish to fall into place, the people we want to be, it's all happening. all the time. whether we know it or not.

so, may our dreams become our reality. with each year that passes, may we continue to receive the things we've always wanted even if there are surprises along the way.

*pictures of my favorite journal given as a gift from this one with the inside covers already collaged. oh, you know me so well!

be amazing.

the other day ago {gosh i've always wanted to say that. it makes me feel all wise and grandmother-y} i paid a visit to one of san francisco's little hidden gems. nothing like a good gem. chambers in the phoenix hotel. not in the nicest of areas, but well worth the trip.

i've had this photo pinned on my "i'm in love" pinterest board for almost a year! and, whaddyaknow i could recreate the act right here in my very own city!

i must admit, it's the most inspired i've ever felt in a bar. ever.

and, you know me, i do love my positive affirmations... as i sit here beneath the word D R E A M adorned to one of the four walls that surround me...

sweet {and amazing!} dreams to you. xoxo. 

fleet week.

it's fleet week here in glorious san francisco.

and, wow, everyone is on the edge of their seat, literally!

it's one of my absolute faves. quite thrilling. so, i'm going to soak it up. got a best in town. wow, am i lucky.

you know that saying, good people find each other. i challenge you to live by it, okay?

see you back here real soon with lots of goodness to share. enjoy yourselves!

*photo found here.

tahoe.

i just had the best "summer" weekend, dolls. the kind that leave you thankful to be alive. i sure hope you did, too.




my body aches for the best possible reasons which include, but are not limited to the following... {entrez vous multiple-choice question lingo}.

paddle boarding.
water trampoline-ing.
head-first-into-the-lake-water-slide-ing.
peppering {why do you think they call it this? oh, because it's hot and spicy like pepper. nice try, gean}.
hours {yes, hours!} spent dancing on chairs belting out the words to everything from spice girls to stevie nicks.
heated flying marshmallow wars.
many-a-song spent perfecting "gypsy arms."
and, inevitably, deep deep belly laughs.

i feel the joy to my very core, literally.

{apologies for the delirious post. the kind where i tend to make nouns into verbs and verbs into adjectives. oh well. there's always tomorrow}.

i am oh-so-lucky to have such dear friends - second family really - who host me in tahoe.

kiss kiss!

om.

so i have this friend. and, you guys, she is so creative.

you can also find her over here. clearly {one of her favorite words} photography is her forté . ice cream, her passion.

she's going places, and i can't wait to sit back and watch her be a living example of how creativity and following your bliss can lead to the ultimate prospering business one day. one step at a time, my friend.




one time she made me this! banana ice cream with peanut butter cookie dough and marshmallow fluff swirl. de-lish!

anyhow, i recently got to dine in cole valley, walk the peaceful stow lake, and get henna tattoos with her in the haight. what a treat. it made for a simply delightful day.

i realized something. i am my happiest when i am exploring and beating to my own drum.

i must share this gem of a quote.




here's to being lost in san francisco, a place to call home. i am grateful to have a buddy to adventure with.

*photo via lisa.

'tis the week of re-charge.

my sweets, i am missing you.

'tis the week of re-charge. a much needed week, indeed.

i got to spend this past weekend in carmel, one of the most blissful places on earth.

do you know of this little secret?

something about the northern california coastline takes my breathe away. it's different. as if the overflowing sea is just there to gaze at and the sand is a mere accessory to the crashing waves to be delicately walked on. no one dares to get in.

sure, fine with me. i'll take in the view.

thanks to our dear audrey's twenty-sixth, we had a wonderful getaway. happy birthday, friend.


it really was a delightful way to spend a day of birth. surrounded by best friends and cocktails.

we got to pop into the inn at spanish bay and i decided {long ago, really, but am finally coming clean} that when i have a boyfriend, we'll whisk away on a romantic weekend to the outdoor patio by the fire pit at sunset.

of course, my guardian angel girlfriends are always here to do it with as well.

oh, thank heavens for best friends.