to my partner-in-[non]crime A, happy birthday!  some facts: we are no longer neighbors, we no longer use mane-n-tail, and we are no longer in our early (or even mid) 20's.  however, i am overjoyed that: we love the beautiful things in life, our hair has vastly improved and most importantly, that we are still the best of friends.  to more adventures and creating memories that we can reminisce about when we are old ladies...

i rarely get mail anymore, and i'm not talking about monthly bank statements or this week's grocery ad, because we all get TONS of those.  i'm talking about the handwritten letter/card/note type...and i miss it.  over time, i've saved hundreds of letters from friends and loved ones, some still in my life and some not, but it's truly a gift to revisit these notes - to actually hold it in your hands, stare at the penmanship and soak in all the words.  they're pretty funny actually, because life back then was so simple and self indulgent and just plain fun - ah, the life of a child.

well, i got mail yesterday...and it was a good one.

my fiancé mailed me this awesome little note and it seriously made me bonkers with joy!  correction - he didn't actually mail it himself.  the message is definitely his, but he had a little help with the execution from the people at snail mail my email.  you send them a message via their email address, they turn your words into a hand-crafted letter and then mail it out to your recipient.  what a clever concept!  so, i still give my man the credit for the thoughtful gesture, but one of their super cool volunteers is responsible for the cutesy lettering and the seemingly effortless but better-than-you-can-do doodle of the dog.  check out their site and send someone a little note of your own...soon too, because good things like this don't last forever!

p.s. if, by some slim chance on earth, the person who actually wrote out the letter is seeing this...THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for it.  it's going in a frame and i'm holding on to it forever.

p.p.s. this post reminds me of my dear pen pal from jersey, annie, who would write back and forth with me almost every month for years during our childhood.  ANNIE - LOVE YA and i'm so happy we are still friends today :).

(image via leblogdebetty)

because every girl needs a little glitter (and miu miu) in her life.

i have yet to meet anyone who will turn down a brunch invitation.  perhaps it's because a leisurely-paced, weekend morning meal (where eggs + bacon are always options) fills most people with glee.  my summer travels made me realize that americans don't dine al fresco as nearly as much as we should!  so in an attempt to keep my vacation spirit alive, we headed to perennial favorite foreign cinema to indulge in sunday brunch in their adorable courtyard.  with the sun shining in an awesome sf neighborhood, scrumptious food on my plate and magnificent company, i couldn't have asked for a better meal at home.

foreign cinema  |  2534 mission street, san francisco  |  www.foreigncinema.com  |  brunch: 11 - 3 pm saturdays & sundays

1. fried eggs with balsamic on llano seco pork; cherry tomatoes, cracklings, habanero, fried tortilla pieces - hello, party in my mouth.

2. cinema's house-ground hamburger, organic acme bun, grilled onions, ancho-tomato mayo - yum.com.

3. slow-cooked brown sugar bacon - is there a need for any more information other than that?

4. refreshing house-made lavender lemonade - sweet, tart with delicate floral notes.

for more brunch ideas, check out mission beach cafe, outerlands, plant cafe, or nick's ...or make brunch at home (bacon pizza, heart-shaped donuts, or lazy french toast).  happy brunching!

sweden rules.  as the birthplace of such great things like clothing labels h&m, acne and cheap monday, the juggernaut that is ikea, the nobel prizes, absolut vodka, swedish meatballs, bands such as ABBA, the cardigans and ace of base (perhaps that's two truths and one lie) and now spotify, one of the best inventions of our lifetime (the latter has rendered A and i useless during the day as we build our playlists).   sweden is a smorgasbord of all things cool and creative, and the city of stockholm stands proudly as its capital.  we took a guided boat tour around the waterways surrounding the city center followed by walking and wandering around a couple of stockholm's neighborhoods.  

cruising around...

so much charm at every corner.

a new mulberry bag would have been the ultimate souvenir for yours truly.

dog with dreadlocks.

national museum (yes, that's a pixelated banner of a nun's behind from their "lust & last" exhibit).

it's like the mothership was calling my name.

the gray skies can't stop you from shopping, shopping, shopping!

the grand hotel, prime waterfront location.

city hall - venue of the nobel prize banquet - its tower marked by the three crowns, a national symbol.  

p.s. not pictured: the extremely stylish and beautiful people of stockholm.  

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chez papa bistrot  |  1401 18th street, san francisco, ca  |  www.chezpapasf.com

music: sympathique by pink martini

taking a cue from the bf, i put together this short video of a wonderful dinner we had at chez papa bistrot over the weekend.  after my whirlwind vacation, i wanted to share a delish meal with my special guy at a warm and cozy neighborhood joint, and chez papa bistrot fit the bill.  this place is oozing with french charm and romance - flickering candlelight, red walls, dreamy atmosphere - which also translates to lack of lighting, a.k.a difficult place to shoot (but i was determined)! 

the food?  let's just say it will now only take a ten-minute drive for me to arrive in the south of france.  we noshed on the following: petites assiette - seared sonoma foie gras, blackberry ginger compote, blackberry gastrique, fine herbs salad (i would gladly eat 10 of these apps!); grandes assiettes - duck confit leg, fennel puree, lardons, wild mushrooms, topped with perigourdine sauce (hers) & grilled flat iron steak, bordelaise sauce and pommes frites (his); and for dessert - lavender creme brulee (mine...errrrrr, ours).  the best part about a dinner date with the bf is how he can't complain if i reach over and steal a quick taste of his food!  ;)

a veil is probably the LAST of my worries for my wedding...but i just had to share these gorgeous head pieces by twigs & honey...

(images via twigs & honey)

a perfect way to add a snippet of vintage flair to your wedding attire. too cute!

the beautiful city of oslo, norway was the second destination on my trip (after copenhagen), just days before the landscape of the city and the country forever changed. 

some happy thoughts:

our first few minutes in oslo and we were greeted with a parade!

why is money so much prettier in other countries?

the royal palace.