easy breezy . . .

Everyone around the Bay Area is cherishing this glorious weather. The sunshine and light sea breeze is heavenly. In came crisp cotton sheets, light summer blankets and beautiful blooms. I'm soaking up all of the rays while I can, because let's face it, we'll be experiencing "June gloom" soon.

Photos: 1. + 3. Ara Design 2. Brigitte Sire 4. dress, design, decor

it's all about stripes . . .

I'll admit it, I'm a stripe-aholic and I blame the lovely Mrs. Erin for my obsession. I've worn stripes 4 days in a row and I still can't seem to get enough . . . they just strike my fancy. My latest find that has been taunting me is a classic navy and white stripe cotton dress by Chance - it's a perfect classic for spring and summer.

Do you have a pattern you've fallen head over heels in love with?

Photos: Chance

summertime bliss . . .

Longing for summer? This "West Elm Loves Summer" video made me want summer days filled with outdoor meals, light summer clothes and a salty ocean breeze even more. It's pure perfection done by the lovely Ditte Isager. By the end of this you'll be wanting a fresh glass of ice cold lemonade. I certainly did!

What do you think? Did West Elm capture the essence of summer? Because of this I'm wishing spring would turn to summer a little bit faster . . .

Images and Video: Ditte Isager for West Elm (found via facebook)

our journey to santa fe . . .

I've been giddy all morning waiting for the much anticipated launch of Matchbook Issue 3. My mom and I had the pleasure of writing a travel article about our trip through Santa Fe this past week. When the lovely ladies of Matchbook approached us with the idea I was nervous, excited and ready to hit the ground running. As we drove into beautiful Santa Fe we were filled with a feeling that made us feel welcomed.

Pop over to Matchbook's April issue (page 36) to read our entire story (my heart literally skip a beat when I first saw it). You'll also get the 411 on the best places to stay, mouth-watering restaurants and the AMAZING shops we got to explore. Yes, we spent hours talking with all of these shop owners - it made the trip that much better.

Enjoy!

Photos: Matchbook Magazine

a pop of color: pink

Sometimes you just need a little pink in your life to add a little skip to your step. This image has been going around the blogs and I can't get it out of my mind. The simple, yet chic ensemble totally works with the bright pink lip. It's something I'm definitely going to have to try this spring!

Photos: The Daylook and Tom Ford Lipstick

spring reading list

Let me tell you something, I never in a million years imagined that these "reading lists" would be so incredibly popular. I've received emails from readers asking about when the Spring post would be published. I've got a fantastic group of amazingly talented ladies divulging their favorite reads . . . I want to go check into a cabin in Stinson beach with all of these books. That's just how good they sound.

So grab a ice tea, find a chair at your local cafe and start reading!

The Company They Kept

As a lover of the written word and community, this book seemed like an easy inspiration and reminder to surround yourself with love, beauty and kindness.

Q&A A Day

This is my second 5-year diary and is a lovely way to gauge emotions and pinpoint memories --- all in under 30 seconds a day!

A Perfectly Kept House is a Sign of a Misspent Life

I'll admit it; I purchased this book simply to feel better about the endless stack of laundry I continually trip over.

The Gentlewoman

By far the smartest “woman’s magazine” on the market…It’s filled with fantastic profiles of really interesting, intelligent ladies and artful fashion. I’m totally addicted.

Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses

I read an excerpt of this book in Vogue a few months ago and was hooked. There’s nothing better than a good memoir, and this one manages to combine motherhood, marriage and a love affair with yoga. It’s witty and self-depreciating…and deep down I’m hoping that the author’s yoga prowess will somehow be transferred to me through osmosis just by reading the book.

To Kill a Mockingbird

My husband and I have been in a couple’s book club for the past seven (!) years, where each individual takes turn picking a new book for the group to read every few months. Because it’s co-ed, the choices are hugely varied (from classics, to biographies…we even got the boys to read Twilight, due to the, umm… zeitgeist factor). We’re currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird. The last time I read this book I was 14. I’m excited to dig in again with an adult perspective…

How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum by Keri Smith

I love the optimistic message of this book. The lovely hand drawn typography and illustrations are an added bonus.

The Joy of Less: How to De-clutter, Organize and Simplify Your Life by Francine Jay

Learning to live with less is something I'm always striving to do. I'm hoping this book will give me the boost I need to make some changes.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

I love all things Tina Fey, especially her honest and hilarious account of being a working mother in the entertainment business. Bossypants is available for purchase April 5th, I can't wait to get my copy in the mail.

Man About Town

I discovered this magazine at a newsstand recently and was initially drawn to the graphics. As you can tell from the name, it's a men's publication, but I found a lot of things inspiring about it. The typography, the slightly vintage feel, the undone nature of the photography — all-in-all, it's very visually appealing.

No One Belongs Here More Than You: Stories by Miranda July

A friend gave me this book as a gift not too long ago and I've been enjoying the subtle comedy and vulnerability in July's writing. If you've ever seen Me and You and Everyone We Know, the vibe is very similar.

Food Matters by Mark Bittman

You may not think of a cookbook as bedside reading material, but lately I've been ending my days bookmarking what I want to try next from Mark Bittman's Food Matters. I went to a book signing of his a few months back and his discussion about consuming food that is both good for yourself and good for the environment really resonated with me. I've yet to make one thing from here that isn't insanely delicious.

Undecorate by Christiane Lemieux

I purchased this book for a few reasons. the first being that I love Christiane and her designs and the other because it is great non traditional approach to decorating.

Modern Vintage Style by Emily Chalmers

The colors and textiles are so fun in this book. I have found some great ideas for my own house.

Pride and Prejudice

Truth be told, I have never actually read this book. I have seen all versions of the movie so I thought it was time to read it for myself.

a brand new week . . .

Good morning lovelies! I'm back home in San Francisco. I had an amazing mother-daughter trip to Santa Fe. Thank you for ALL of your recommendations - in the five days that we were there we accomplished a lot, while also taking some time to relax. Although I wish I was still on vacation, it's nice to be back at home. I'll have lots of fun posts this week - including a post about Santa Fe.

Hope all of you had a wonderful weekend!

Photo: Nuevo Estilo

happy {santa fe} weekend!

Excited to be spending a few more days in beautiful Santa Fe - where the food is scrumptious and the culture is uncanny. I'll be sharing lots of details about this amazing trip next week. Hope all of you have some fun adventures planned for this lovely weekend!

xx, Caitlin

Photos: 1. Wilfred 2. Commune 3. + 4. What Anna Loves 5. Hansel from Basel

southwestern casual

Hope you are all having a wonderful week. I've been enjoying my vacation in Santa Fe exploring, treasure hunting and relaxing. It's nice to ditch city clothes and put on some comfys. There have been a few indulgences here and there - finding an amazing store that gave me loads of inspiration, talking to locals and most importantly spending quality time with my mom. To top it all off it has been sunny with a light breeze . . . it's rejuvenating to slow down and enjoy life.

Kain Striped modal-blend T-shirt / Narrow Poly Blue Black Jeans / Vanessa Bruno Athé Grand Hobo / Amy Sacks Sam Nutmeg Sunglasses / Rachel Comey hitch short heeled boots

Photo: Min Young Lee (I have the scarf on the end of the bed and it's a MUST have!)

a lovely breakfast . . .

My husband and I are always looking for new recipes to cook on the weekends - scrambled eggs and pancakes aren’t doing it for us anymore. So when I came across this clever recipe for dippy eggs and soldiers recipe I knew it would be the perfect thing to make on a quite Sunday morning. Let me tell you, this simple recipe is something I want to start making every single morning before work. It's incredibly satisfying.

To get the recipe head over to kiss my spatula.

Photos: kiss my spatula

traveling with great style . . .

Oh my goodness, today I'm incredibly excited to be guest blogging at the Elie Tahari blog - pinch me! I'm so honored to have been asked by this amazing company. When the Elie Tahari team contacted me about doing a post, I was shocked. Then I did a little dance at my desk (yes, my coworkers sometimes think I'm a little crazy). Spring usually presents a time to travel for me so I set out immediately knowing that "traveling with great style" was perfect, especially when I came across the Emmy Bag (it's to die for). Hope all of you enjoy the post! xx

bookshelves: which one do you adore?

This week I decided to wander through the archives of Lonny Magazine and I quickly realized the they had an endless amount of beautiful bookcases. As I sifted through them there was something that drew me to different images - maybe it had to do with color or the way in which the books are arranged.

I truly believe that bookshelves are a form of art in a home - they are showcasing treasures. What do you look for when you're putting together a bookcase? And most importantly, which one of these do you adore the most?

Photos: Lonny Magazine

design*sponge feature

Just wanted to pop in to let you all know that the lovely Victoria of sfgirlbybay and I had the pleasure of updating the design*sponge San Francisco city guide. It was so much fun taking a few adventures around the city to find some secret spots to tell all of you about.

If any of you have any questions or need recommendations for hotels or day trips don't hesitate to email me. I love creating travel guides for readers.

Thanks again Grace and Stephanie for having us!

perfectly clean

This weekend was all about purging, cleaning and organizing. I spent the better half of the weekend cleaning out every cabinet, drawer, and closet in our apartment (although, I still have 1/4 to go). Even though I'm not quite finished, I feel rejuvenated - it's amazing what a little spring cleaning can do for your soul and sanity. Have you begun the spring cleaning process? I highly recommend it!

Photos: annaleenas hem

hello there spring!

This weekend we were graced with a horrible wind and a rain storm, but luckily spring officially arrived today! The sun was shining bright, which was a perfect way to enter into spring. I'm ready to fill the house with fresh flowers, pack away my winter coats, boots and tights for bare legs, t-shirts and cropped pants. What are you looking forward to this season? Picnics with friends in the park? Trips to warm weather destinations? Quick outings for some frozen yogurt? I can't wait to hear.

Happy Spring lovelies!

ps. If you live in SF please stop by the Undecorate by Dwell Studio book signing at Erica Tanov on Fillmore. It's going to be a blast and if you can come in person Victoria from sfgirlbybay will be hosting a tweet-up, click here for more information. Hope to see some of you there!

Photo: 1. The Sartorialist 2. Tara Donne via Dress, Design, Decor & 3. Country Living via This is Glamorous

a day of silence . . .

Tomorrow across the blogosphere you'll be seeing a day of silence - there will be no posts for those who joined this campaign to help raise money for Japan. Although we know that it is just a small donation, we also know that every little donation can help. There has been an overwhelming amount of donations that have exceeded all of our expectations - it's incredible what our blog community has done!

A HUGE thank you goes out to Lydia and Lucia who have created this amazing campaign/fundraising site For Japan With Love - all of the proceeds will go to Shelter Box USA, who are currently working to bring relief to the areas hit hardest in Japan.

Please join in - donate, volunteer, but most importantly spread the word.

spring in my step . . .

Although it's been a week of adjusting to the new time change (wow, has it been hard to wake up in the AM) - I've got a little skip in my step. It's probably because it feels like spring is within arm’s reach. What are you looking forward to this spring? I can't wait to pack away my winter coats. I'm ready to wear skirts without tights and wear open toed shoes. Ahhhh, can you smell spring? It's coming!

Photos: Vanessa Jackson and Kari Herer Photography

pure bliss . . .

Last fall I had the pleasure of spending the day shooting Erica Tanov's Berkeley home with Leslie Williamson. Erica's bedroom is one of many rooms that made my heart skip several beats. From the stunning de Gournay wallpaper, to the treasure trove of flea market finds, to the beautiful bed linens - every single detail was jaw-dropping. This room in particular made me day dream about lounging day in and day out looking through her bedroom window at the Golden Gate bridge while reading Leslie's incredibly inspiring book, Handcrafted Modern.

Cannot wait until the rest of Leslie Williamson's photos of Erica's home to be published - when they are, I'll be sure to post them!

3.1 Phillip Lim Chiffon-backed cotton cardigan / Diptyque Baies Candle / 3.1 Phillip Lim Bow-embellished cotton shorts / Handcrafted Modern / Deborah Lippmann Believe Metallic / Erica Tanov Rodin Lip Balm / West Elm Mongolian Lamb Pillow Cover

Photo: Leslie Williamson

office: which one do you adore?

Desks and office spaces have always been fascinating to me - you get a glimpse of what a persons style and personality is like. Whether their messy or neat, like color or neutrals, it all comes out in their workspace. I've dug up some of my favorite office spaces, both oldies and newbies to see which one you'd want to transport yourself to for a days work. It's a tough decision, but I'm going to have to go with workspace number one but with a touch of number five (the bookshelves and lounge area). I'd love to know your favorite.

Photos: 1. Lonny Magazine 2. Red Online UK 3. Skona Hem 4. Pia Jane Bijkerk 5. Matthew Patrick Smyth for Elle Decor, October 2006