Santa Barbara Weekend

A few weekends back we went to Santa Barbara for a quick weekend getaway. Santa Barbara has been one of my favorite destinations for a long time. Beautiful weather, cute shops, good restaurants, the beach... What's not to love? This day was exceptionally sunny AND windy, so less than ideal for taking photographs, but we still had fun with it. Sweetheart got a new lens so we wanted to try it out.

I love a good floral stripes combo for spring, and I've been wearing this little striped number nonstop. It's made out of sweatshirt material so it's super comfy. I got it at Nordstrom rack and I have it in two colors (gray and navy.)

I can't get enough of my J. Crew panama hat, either. I've been wearing it pretty much every chance I get, though on this particular day I could barely get it to stay on my head. 

 We also stopped in my favorite board game shop. I was really excited about it.

Wall Hangings I Love

Wall Hangings I Love by lovecoffeetea featuring retro home decor

I'm getting ready to move, and there is something about having a fresh space to decorate that is both exciting and a little unnerving. Nothing says "new" like a blank wall and an empty space. There is room for imagination and creativity, and making the space how I want it. I can make improvements to my current space, take away from it what I love, and change what I don't. Moving is also slightly daunting because clutter is inevitable, and things always seem to get lost no matter how much care I put into packing. In any case, I am thrilled to move to my new apartment soon, and these wall hangings would be the perfect accompaniments to my new space.

Visiting the Chateau

{Chateau St. Jean}

Over Memorial Day Weekend I went up to Sonoma with friends from graduate school and college to go wine tasting. We stopped at four of the top ten wineries in Sonoma as rated by various sources, including Food and Wine Magazine. Chateau St. Jean was our first stop for a tasting. The grounds were small and intimate but not overly crowded, and positively serene. This may have been my favorite of the four. The atmosphere was so welcoming, and the grounds proved perfect for a tasting and conversation on the outside patio.

I wore a bright and breezy neon floral dress, my comfiest pair of sandals to accommodate all of our walking, and my favorite summer hat to shade my face from the bright Sonoma sunshine.

The Colors of the Farmers' Market

Over Memorial Day Weekend I had the pleasure of showing off a Bay Area farmers' market to a dear friend visiting from out of town. We had come up for the long weekend from LA, which also has farmers' markets aplenty. This market, however, will always hold a special place in my heart as it was one of my first and remains one of my favorites.

Life Lately

 

Spring

Redondo Beach

 

Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay

South Bay

The Hollywood Bowl to see Billy Joel

Sonoma

Snapped on our brief drive through Ventura a few weeks back

 

 A little blurry but this Hermosa dog was way too cute to not post!

I snapped these photos over the past two months. Nothing beats the beauty of nature :)

Spring Cravings

Pastels & Prints for Spring/Summer by lovecoffeetea featuring leather handbags

Here are some items I am currently loving for spring and summer. I absolutely love light pink and gold, and you can never go wrong with the perfect striped or floral dress. Pastels and prints are some of my favorite things about the warmer weather. Any excuse to put on a comfy, flowy dress in the heat!