Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts

Monday, February 7, 2011

Here Comes The Sun


"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." -   Steve Martin

The Five things that made my weekend:
ONE - Tanning ... well sort of. L'oreal Sublime Bronze towelettes available at ULTA
TWO - Grilled Cheese Sandwich at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen
THREE - Jeremy's Department Store
FOURThe Fighter (trying to watch all the movies nominated for Oscars)
FIVE  - My favorite walk with Stella   

Despite the fun activities, a weekend is never the same without your significant other. Nick and I are at the 6 month mark with 6 more months to go. Oh vey!
Hopefully the next 6 months will go by fast.

Friday, October 15, 2010

And the TROPHY goes to

After eating a hamburger the equivalent of my body weight, I could barely move and was suddenly feeling a food coma take over my body.  Secretly wanting to ask the waiter to wheel me out of the restaurant, I quickly came out of my coma when I discovered this AWESOME  cupcake bakery across the street (apparently, I can always make room for cupcakes)! 

This darling store front had my name all over it.  Tiffany blue decor, whimsical cards and fun gifts.

I secretly heart these french bar stools!

OMG! You can pick a fun toy for your cupcake (with a small fee)! 


The girl who packed my cupcakes... (yes, I asked if I could take her picture.)


A long journey...  here are the cupcakes during our cab ride to the airport.


Name: Trophy Cupcakes and Party
Location: Seattle and Bellevue, Washington
Price: $3 a cupcake
Claim to Fame: Martha Stewart has visited their shop
My Favorite Flavor: Peanut Butter and Jelly.  (For real this cupcake tasted like your mom's p&j sandwich!)

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

A Day at the Park

A few weeks ago I had a chance to hangout at the park with Tyler and Drew.  I'm not sure who had a better time, me or Tyler (it had been forever, since I had gone down a slide!)   Although Drew is too little to play on the monkey bars, it was precious to see Beth holding him with his sun hat!
The kids were in a heavy discussion, deciding which parent should push them.  Tyler told them Auntie Jenn could push them, no problem!

Holding on for dear life!

Mr. Sandman - the results of a faceplant in the sand.

This cute girl saw me take Tylers SANDY picture and insisted I take her picture.  After I took her picture, she ran back to me and wanted me to re-play the picture, so she could see if it was a good picture or not! 

Mr. Drew, looking so cute in his overalls and sun hat.

Momma Beth with Drew

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Sundate: Haunted Beach

Happy October Everyone! This is my favorite month of the year (seriously!).  Thought I'd post some random pictures I took of Sundate at the beach.  Nick surprised me with a trip to this darling  B &B.  If you're ever in Laguna I would totally check this place out. Insider tip: We had the most AMAZING  complimentary gourmet brunch.  Don't judge just yet.  This breakfast was anything but ordinary.  The chef supports the Slow Foods Movement and had a decadent menu including sweet potato waffles and a onion brie tart!


I never noticed this spooky castle before.
Two Love Sandals (um.. or birds)


Me and Nick

Me trying to be patient as Nick takes my picture.


Love the contrast of this black and white photo.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Life Lesson #453

When backing up someones car, always check your rear view window; you may just end up backing the car into the side of your in-laws house (or into a canyon, as pictured below)!  

My poor husband (who I'm sure is cringing that I decided to post this story for everyone to see), accidentally reversed my parents car into the side of the house!  Well.. ..to say "side of house" is an exaggeration, but he did hit the gutter bending it into a new shape. 

Oh well... at least we were able to bend it back, with little aesthetic damage.  Good thing Bill and Marge had a few glasses of wine, before the accident happened, it really didn't bother them too much.  Besides the car didn't even have a scratch on it!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Members Only

What do you do when your husband is studying to become an art teacher and you live in an amazing city like San Francisco? You become a member of SFMOMA




A nonprofit organization, SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art and was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art. The museum’s current collection includes over 26,000 works of painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design, and media arts. 

As a member of SFMOMA we get to enjoy the following perks:
1. Express Entry (who wants to wait in line?)
2. Member preview days for selected major exhibitions
3. 10% discount off of the Rooftop Coffee Bar (did I mention they serve blue bottle coffee?)
4. Free admission for you and a guest to select film screenings and lectures
5. 10% discount off of merchandise at the Museum Store (Who doesn't like a discount?)
 
For more info visit: http://www.sfmoma.org/

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Chance Encounter

So you would simply assume because a dog is a mixed breed , aka a "mutt," he or she may never encounter a dog as similar on an everyday walk.  Of course, you have the "popular" mixed breeds of the "maltipoo,"  "labradoodle," or "cockapoo," to which one may get lucky some day and perhaps see, but what about the not so famous, " boxador"?  You see, our 55lb bundle of joy, Stella, is just that, approximately half boxer and half lab, and to be quite frank, Jenn and I never imagined we would see another just as similar.  This was all until we met, "Shaky Jake", a 70lb male "boxador", as we were walking along the embarcadero in our favorite city by the bay, San Francisco.  Other then the day we picked up Stella at the shelter with her 4 fellow litter mates, we had never really confirmed seeing another boxer/lab mix.  Sure we had seen a few online when typing in "boxer lab mix" in the Google search engine, but to actually see one coming up on us as we were walking on this beautiful Saturday afternoon, was like encountering a long lost sibling that you knew you had to be related to.  The meeting was brief, but confirming, boxers and labs, when the right opportunity arises, can produce beautiful little puppies that grow up to be a perfect mix of playful energy, wit, and curiosity.  Take a look at our pictures below, of our first official "boxador" encounter, we hope you'll appreciate the significance...but don't be sad if you don't.

Stella and Shaky Jake meet for the first time, you can clearly see the similarities.


Both boxadors are ready to move on and could really care less about this chance encounter.

Stella still knows she's the only "boxador" who's walked across the Golden Gate.

Saturdate in the City

What happens when you have to plan a date encompassing the words: batter, north, red and new adventure

First  you go to Stable Cafe and eat scones made by Batter Bakery.  Second you drive north to that big RED landmark.  Third instead of driving over it, your adventure is to walk it!  Although walking the Golden Gate bridge is a tourist thing to do, as a Bay Area resident everyone should try this once. Views are breathtaking and even though we started the walk in fog, before we knew it the sun was out and it felt like summer (for like a minute).  Here is our Saturdate in pictures.


Stable Cafe located in the Mission 

The Golden Gate bridge with fog

Street light on the Golden Gate Bridge with the fog


 The north tower of the golden gate bridge looking up to the sky


An up close photo of the top of the Golden Gate Bridge north tower looking up


The texture of the Golden Gate bridge


I think this is postcard worthy...

Friday, August 27, 2010

Life Lesson #452

If you find a screw on the floor, you shouldn't throw it away as it probably goes to something VERY important... like your refrigerator door.  

A few weeks ago Nick came home late from work and innocently opened up the refrigerator door and it literally fell off the hinges and onto the floor.  My typical self would have started yelling, but instead I grabbed my camera and took the below pictures.  Sometimes when life gives you lemons, all you can do is laugh and drink lemonade.

Nick - "Jenn what did you do to the refrigerator door?" 

OMG - the refrigerator door just came off!  Now what?

Keep in mind, this happened at around midnight, so waiting to deal with this in the morning wasn't an option!

Dogs Love Cupcakes Too

Below are some fun pictures I took of Stella and Roxanne enjoying their first Sprinkles pupcake! 

Name: Sprinkles
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Pupcake Price: $2.50
Cupcake Price: $3.25
Unique Flavor for humans: Chai Latte
Dog Bed: Title Track by Molly Mutt


Pupcakes from Sprinkles

Roxanne holding the pupcake bag

Stella sniffing her pupcake bag

Roxanne and Stella patiently waiting for me to stop taking pictures

Finally Marge gives them their pupcake

The girls enjoying their pupcake
 
The girls licking the crumbs off the floor

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Change is inevitable...

except from vending machines - author unknown


After living in the LBC for almost 11 years, it's time to go home.  

This Sunday I'm moving back to the Bay.  I remember the day I left home and cried hysterically from San Bruno to Bakersfield, convinced I made a lethal mistake.  
All I thought was "what if I hate it?"
Nothing prepared me for the opposite "what if I fall in love?"

It's been a decade full of great memories, good friends, love, laughter and cheer.  

To new beginnings........


Sunday, June 27, 2010

Italy Top 150



It wasn't easy, but Nick and I managed to put together our top 150 favorite pictures from Italy.  This was no easy task as we took over 1,300!  

Hope you enjoy and let us know if you have a favorite. 

Friday, May 21, 2010

Drive into the Tuscany Sun

photo credit

Would you trust me to drive in Italy? Probably not. I hate driving. In my dream world I would be chauffeured around town in a black Lincoln town car with tinted windows. You can probably guess Nick will be teaching our kids how to drive.  Definitely not me. I still have nightmares about Marge teaching me how to drive. Did I ever tell you about the time I drove into the garage and crashed the Dodge Caravan into Marge and our dryer?  Not a pretty picture! (Don’t worry, Marge and the dryer were able to walk away from the incident with little damage).

So when my good friend Emily suggested we rent a car and drive to Tuscany all I have to say is ...“Not it!"

To be continued ...

Monday, May 10, 2010

Mamma Mexicana with a side of Miguelito

The first week of May was jam-packed with events.  With Cinco de Mayo,  Mother's Day and Michael's Birthday happening within a week of each other, Nick and I thought it would be a grand idea to combine these events together and host a "Mamma Mexicana with a side of Miguelito" event.   

Our dinner menu was simple. We drank Ruby sangria with fresh fruit and ate homemade carnitas.  To alleviate a huge kitchen mess, we bought already made rice and beans from our favorite neighborhood restaurant El Pico De Gallo Grill‎.  Their handmade tortillas and salsa were the perfect compliment to our meal. To top off the night, we brought out a pinata filed with scratcher tickets, chocolate and tchotchkes.   At the end of the night, Nick and I couldn't help but wonder... what took us so long to bring a pinata to an adult party?  I think this is something we should bring to the next Gunderman Christmas party. What do you think?


Our chic Mexican theme table

The Mamma's and Miguelito (aka Uncle Mike)

Paul setting up the pinata.  Notice how we wrappedd the outside post, so we wouldn't do any structural damage.  You have to admit we are hitting the pinata really close to the house!

Tyler taking a swing
Watch out GG is up to bat!

Off with his head!

Hopefully our children won't have my athletic ability (or lack there of!)

Mamma Beth  up to bat

Sugar RUSH