Hey, Weekend.

Are you as ready for the weekend as I am? For the next few days, I'm planning on doing a whole lot of:

hiking     //      watching     //      eating

LINDSAY'S PAPER FLOWER BABY SHOWER

This past weekend, Zach and I took a quick trip to LA for my friend's baby shower. Lindsay was one of the first people I met when I moved to LA all those years ago, and she'll always have a special place in my heart. I knew I couldn't miss her special day.

My friend Angi was the main party-thrower, but I volunteered to make the decorations. The party was held at Tranquil Tea in Fullerton where we weren't allowed to hang anything from the walls or ceiling. That just meant we had to get a little creative with the decor.

We decided to add color to the room in two ways: 1) through a large centerpiece (with lots of color and height) and 2) through party hats.

For the centerpiece, I was really inspired by Oh Happy Day's Painted Paper Flower Tree and Brittany Watson Jepsen's Rose Branch Candelabra. I made a bazillion mini crepe paper flowers (well, more like 30) and hot glued most to a manzanita branch that I got from the SF Flower Mart.

For cake toppers, I glued 3 paper flowers to wooden skewers. Any extra flowers were placed around the table.

For the party hats, I just used Oh Happy Day's Giant Paper Flower Party Hat tutorial. From the moment I saw them on Jordan's blog, I was obsessed. I was surprised that everyone at the party loved them as much as I did! Most people left them on for the entire party.

Angi made 2 cakes (one diaper, one chocolate) that flanked the manzanita branch on each side of the table. She also made personalized spoons with everyone's name on them (they make the perfect tea bag holders!) During the party, they held our Earl Grey flavored macarons.

Overall, I think the party was a success! Lindsay, I'm so excited to meet your little girl. I know she'll be just as beautiful as you are!

WHERE TO EAT (NO.1)

Since we moved to San Francisco, we've noticed one stark contrast from LA. In Los Angeles, every (literally every) conversation goes back to film. You could start by discussing the beets you just bought at the Farmers Market with a neighbor, and end up laughing together about some scene in an obscure movie that you've both seen. It was weird. But we got used to it, and we forgot that the rest of the world isn't as obsessed with "the industry" as those Southern Californians.

Up here though, people are equally as obsessed... but with food. In every conversation, there's always some discussion about such-and-such restaurant that you just have to try. It's a huge part of the culture, and Zach I have embraced this new lifestyle with open arms (Much to the dismay of my pant size. You'd think walking up and down all these hills would help, right? WRONG.)  We've tasted so many yummy restaurants in the past few months, but I haven't been good at keeping track of our favorites.

However, my in-laws were in town this past weekend. And that gave us the perfect excuse to revisit some amazing spots (and try a few new ones.) I thought it would be fun to start recording the best restaurants we try so that if you ever visit SF (or already live here) you'll have some ideas of where to snack. So, without further ado, here's where we've been eating lately:

Pizzeria Delfina: This is seriously the best pizza I've ever had. (And, I've had a lot of pizza.) The first time we visited, Zach and I finished a whole pizza together... then ordered another one and finished that too. Get the margarita for sure, and their specials never disappoint.
Galette 88: I'm really picky about my savory crepes, and Galette is one of the few places that does them right. Get the Goat-Getter.

Pressed Juicery: Ok, yeah. They're in LA too... but their beet juice is soooo good. And it deserves a spot on the list. 

Range: I don't even know what to say. We went here on Friday night, and I'm still dreaming about the food. If they have it, definitely get the pork shoulder. 

Bi-Rite Creamery: BEST. ICE CREAM. EVER. (And, again... I've had my fair share of ice cream.) The line is always long, so we try to get here early in the morning or right before it closes. The brown sugar flavor is insane. INSANE. 

Contraband: Really great coffee. (They've won awards and stuff.) And they're really close to our place. So, yeah I'm here a lot. 

Olea: I get snotty about the restaurants in Nob Hill (where we live). Most aren't very good. Olea is different though. They use only organic products and test out fun flavor combinations. Their menu changes constantly, but the french toast is consistently excellent. 

Bar Tartine: Order one of everything. And makes sure they bring you a bread basket. 

Hey Kara and Tim - we had so much fun with you this weekend! Thanks for coming to visit our new home!

Photo Credits: Pizzeria Delfina, Range, Bar Tartine, all others via my Instagram

EXPLORING SF // The Conservatory of Flowers

This weekend, we crossed off another thing on our SF to-do list. My friend Kelli has been raving about the Conservatory of Flowers since we moved here. So even though Saturday was a little rainy and overcast, we still marched ourselves out of the house and down to Golden Gate Park.

 I was super-excited about seeing the building up close. Not only is it beautiful, but it's also the oldest wood+glass conservatory in North America. Inside, it houses a variety of tropical plants and flowers including orchids, coffee, cocoa, rice. I couldn't pull Zach away from the Nepenthes. (You know, the carnivorous plants that eat bugs, spiders, small animals... no big deal.)

Honestly, I've been working from home a lot these past few weeks, so if nothing else it was good for me to put on something other than sweatpants and to pull a brush through my hair. C'mon, all you work-from-home folks. Amiright?

Other than that, we didn't do much this weekend. We mostly stayed inside and cooked for each other (Zach makes a mean pot of Spaghetti and my enchiladas are pretty incredible.) We caught up on our favorite shows. We cleaned. We worked. I, being a freakishly fast reader, started and finished 2 novels. (It's a curse - I literally can't start a book and not finish it.) And... that's about it. It was pretty low key.

So, what about you? What were you up to this weekend?

Life Via Instagram

Have you ever had a day/week/month/year where you just felt super unmotivated? I'm in one of those phases right now. For whatever reason, at the end of each day I find myself wanting to relax and paint my nails instead of blog. Hello Lately just hasn't been getting much TLC lately. Honestly, it's been a nice break... and it'll probably continue that way for a little while longer. I started this blog for fun, and I want it to stay that way. So, I'm taking the pressure off myself a little and just letting myself enjoy life. It's been quite nice.

In the mean time, I've been trying to stay more active on Instagram. Have you followed me yet?  

TIME TO DETOX

San Francisco has amazing food. And over the last 3 months, Zach and I have been taking serious advantage of it's deliciousness. (Although, I still haven't food a good noodle place. What gives, SF?) We've gorged on sandwiches from Rhea's Deli,  the fish tacos from Tacolicious, Indian street food from Curry Up Now, the pizza from Delfina,  and the ice cream - oh, the ice cream!! - from Bi-Rite. Needless to say, this reckless eating seems to have caught up to us. And besides buying a jumbo pack of Tums, this week we decided it was time to give our bodies a break.

Enter the cleanse. I've had some bad experiences with juice cleanses (meaning, they've ended in failure) so this time I decided to go with Whole Living's Detox Action Plan instead. It feels a little more doable because you actually get to eat food. Still, you're cutting out all dairy, meats, carbs, coffee, and anything processed. Basically, you're eating a bunch of fresh fruits and veggies.

Currently we're on day #2, and I'm kind of a mess. They warn that your body might have a hard time detoxing (headaches, fatigue, etc.) but wow... this is some serious discomfort.  I seriously hope my liver is happy for this vacation, because he certainly owes me one. (Yes, apparently by liver is male.)

Have you ever done a detox? Did you like it? Was it worth it? Did it give the results you wanted? I'm super curious... And I'd love to know!

NEW HOUSE STUFF

When we moved from to San Francisco earlier this year, we got rid of a ton of furniture. Some of it was crappy to begin with, so it was easy to say goodbye. But other things (like our beloved, vintage coffee table) were just too big for our city apartment. They found new homes via Craigslist.

For the last 3 months then, our house has felt like it did when we were first married: no couch, boxes in the living room, blank walls, etc. But, we've since saved up some extra money to finally purchase all those missing items. And, I'm excited for our little place to feel more like home.

Here's what's coming:

I'll take pictures once it's all here and in place. But, I think we're off to a good start! Now, all that's left is all the little accessories and details. (Please tell me it always takes this long to feel settled...)

A. Everett Upholstered Loveseat | B. Olin Grey Rug | C. Living Wall Planter | D. Metal Coat Rack | E. Rainbow Rag Rug | F. Jute Boucle Rug | G. Martini Side Table | H. Farmstead Stool