Top 10 Things I Learned in Hawaii

We just got back from Hawaii a few weeks ago.  Thought I’d share some of the things I learned. So let’s kick this old school, Letterman style, aka backwards countdown.

#10 Coconuts don’t fit in cup holders

download-2but they sure are tasty,

20131006_151936and is there anything cuter than a road side coconut stand?

20131006_132354Nope.

#9 When you go snorkeling, don’t wear mascara

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Nuf said.  Wow, did that sting.

#8 Maui style potato chips could/should be a food group

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Yup, they were eaten about a 3 times a day.  Ohh that salty double cooked crunch gets me every time!  At least wine has fewer calories (125 or so) than Mai Tais (250 or so)

#7 Spam (yick)–does not refer to unwanted emails

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#6 There’s a reason the Hawaiian license plates look like this.  You are likely to see one (or 5) of these, rainbows that is.

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Especially if you’re staying in Kapalua where the weather can breeze in n’ out quickly and often ends in a rainbow.  Perhaps there are lots of leprachauns, or just lucky people running around?

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#5 Bathing suit confidence is key.  This is the crew on a chartered sail boat, wearing really skimpy bathing suits.

download-3you should have seen the rear view…  This phenomenon is not just on boats by the way.  Many a folk walking down the street in their ‘suits as clothes.  #confidence!  I was pretty happy wearing my cover-up however.

#4 The natives are friendly

download-5well, maybe not all the natives–

download-6I so would not like to get tangled into this native’s web, that I discovered on a morning walk.

#3 Surfers are cool and insanely fit

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let’s face it, the whole sport is, well, the ultimate…

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but it is really, and I mean really hard to surf.

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We tried.  The paddling alone can rapidly make you feel like you want to keel over and die after a while, if you’re not in top form.  I did manage to get up on a few waves but was so not Blue Crush, despite the effort.

#2 Shaved Ice is not just for kids

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And with all the local sugar plantations, this is really just supporting the” farm to table” concept, right?

And the #1 top thing I learned in Hawaii:  Palm trees never really get old and they certainly can’t be found in Seattle.

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download-96Mahalo!

 

 

 

 

 

A Craftman Transformation

Welcome to a tale of a Craftsman renovation.  This is a picture of our humble abode (complete with Labrador guard dog.) BEFORE.

download-76When we bought this home about 7 years ago, the original front of the home had been completely closed off as it faces what has now become a fairly well traveled road.  Now it is the back of our home (actually a bathroom) and faces a ginormous laurel privacy hedge, so we decided to embark upon a renovation to redirect the front entrance and make it look like it was always designed in that manner.  While we were living there, we entered via the side of the house where the kitchen is; not my favorite.

download-95We were ready to make a change and the process was full of excitement, surprises and what we thought was an eventual good outcome/transformation.  Check it out…

You see,  there is a reason why This Old House was a popular (OK, we are talking no American Idol, here, but still, House-Geeks such as myself eat this stuff up with a spoon) television show.  This 100+ year old home, kept things interesting. So here we begin the journey of our Craftsman transformation, complete with “befores, durings  and afters.”

download-87In the planning stages, we met with several contractors and landscape designers.  And you know that feeling; when you know, you know. We had found our guy.  If you are local, and really, really nice, I will share his name, as we have many more projects in the pipeline with him:) Anyhoo, after we agreed upon the plans that were drawn up (it was surprisingly intuitive), one day I came home at lunch to the established flower bed in front of our dining room window, gone and thus, the start to the demolition.  Luckily we were able to save and relocate a few beautiful plants.  It’s amazing how quickly you can tear something down.

download-77Our goal combined adding a “new” central entrance with a cohesive landscaping plan.  Landscaping was very important, as our yard and garden was one of our favorite features of our home.  But we had a rotting, saturated deck to address (with odd ramps and railings), un-level ground, disconnected parts such as a brick/paver path and of course the challenge of how to create an entrance that looks as though it has always been there.  Easy enough, right?

download-79Any of you who have been through it know, construction is a mess.  A temporary one though.  Our landscape expert leveled the ground and drew the outline of what would soon become a pathway to the entrance and one to the patio.

download-80I’m not going to lie, it initially looked like sooo much hard-scape, I panicked a little.  But we were basically at the point of no return and this seemed like the best long term maintenance approach (rain and Seattle, nuf said).

download-89Our  kids loved the concrete truck and were obsessed with the whole project for that matter.

download-94They say that concrete is like marriage, it’s a commitment!  But this one required nearly perfect conditions, i.e. no rain in the forecast for days.  Not an easy feat for the climate that we now call home.

download-81A bunch of big fellows (actually more like rock star concrete workers) descended upon my garden, surprisingly working like nimble elves–

download-82And after a full days work, we ended up with this beautiful ascher cut (as they call it) stamped patio.

download-88Access to/fro the house was pretty dicey there for a bit while the concrete was setting, but the deed was done. And we ended up with so much more useable space, that I almost danced a jig.

download-93We just needed a few DIY trips to local nurseries to fill the surrounding area with color and texture.

download-90We selected hearty pink & white hydrangeas and soft grasses, that got “big” pretty quickly.  We also moved a big rhodi, as an anchor for the area.  On the other side a row of boxwoods, roses and a dogwood.

download-85We treated ourselves to upgraded (from our 10+ year old Costco furniture) teak tables that can seat at least 10 people with summertime dinner/garden parties in mind.

download-74We added a row of emerald greens along the fence and a new fresh white, long rectangular umbrella.

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Enjoying the patio with some light entertaining for most of the summer, we waited for the custom doors to arrive and the second phase of the project to begin.

download-83And then one day they came… and it was go time.  The original windows were removed (we kept one wide and cool accent window and intend to use it for a future project, stay tuned…) and new french doors and windows were installed.  The contractor installed them in one long day.  Phew, I was glad to not have to go to bed with a huge hole in the house.

download-63See what I mean about old houses?  Aren’t those pulleys from the original windows neat? I’ve saved them (pulleys and weights, that is), for Lord knows what, but they are pretty cool.   Our new windows and doors actually open unlike their painted shut predecessors, so I think that’s neat too.

download-62It felt as though in one clean swoop (OK, not quite) we opened up the house. There was definitely a liberation moment there.  download-61But the work was not done.  The entrance needed to be erected.  My favorite aspect of this particular design is that the pitch of the new structure would exactly mirror that of the original roof line, and the eaves would look similar as well as the boarding under the eaves.  That was in my opinion, our best shot at making it look as though it had always been that way.  download-60So up the structure went.  download-59because “cover” isn’t really a negotiable in Seattle.

download-49The Craftsmen details were created and layered for architectural interest and integrity–

download-48as the work was completed diligently and with respect to the original era.  download-47And there was that moment…the construction was complete.  We were relieved and happy, but the work was not yet done.  The house needed to be painted, and now we were really racing against mother nature’s clock.  download-46I dreamed all summer long about colors, and consulted friends and designers about their color opinions.  I thought about going bright, like white (this is only primer however above, don’t get too excited) yellow or something bold with a statement door color.  download-45But as the painters worked against the autumnal clock, I ultimately selected a bright “safe” grey with shiny black doors.  Sherwin Williams “Versatile Grey” #6072 to be exact.  download-44And last week the painter’s tape came off–

download-92and now she’s done.  What do you think?

download-91Official, AFTER.

 

We Left our Hearts in SF

We don’t usually need too much of an excuse to getaway to San Francisco.  So when a bunch of our Buckeye friends decided to descend upon the West Coast in honor of the opportunity to watch our football team in action, we couldn’t resist.  It was basically 36 hours or so of sheer (or Scherer, sorry I couldn’t resist) delight.

Everything seems a little larger than life in San Francisco.  Starting with our lodging at  The Clift

SanFrancisco_CliftHotel_LobbyFilled with swank decor (almost cartoon-like in nature) and uber-mood lighting, like you can barely tell who’s who…sometimes a nice feature.  Clift-Hotel-San-Francisco-5-1024x477 download-73And I’m not going to lie, we spent some time enjoying cocktails in the gorgeous Redwood Room, made from wood paneling of a single 2,000 year old redwood tree, but of course.

Clift-Hotel-San-Francisco 2013-09-12 23.48.33A legendary SF Nightclub established in 1934, recently reinvented (design snob alert: Ian Schrager & Philippe Starck anyone?) and quite posh.  One may say that these college/developed early in our 20’s friendships have come a long way from our original haunts in Columbus & Chicago.  Time & responsibilities have marched on, but the reuniting, well, I may even say it got a little raucous @ moments,

download-65after all, isn’t that what you do with old friends?

2013-09-12 23.46.59But the nightlife is far from all; when in SF, must shop…

33feb9a389bd529099248d24ee46541cand the boutiques on Fillmore are calling.

download-69 Joie, and James Perse, and Nest are not to be missed

download-72Maiden Lane and the tried and true SF Gumps must be hit.

download-70It’s always fun to learn about something new too like (Thank you J.S.) this little gem in Union Square otherwise known as , Torso Vintages (I had to make 2 stops as it was closed on my 1st mission)

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Flush with vintage wonderfulness, think vintage Chanel, and Pucci and Valentino and, and, and...

Finally, Union Square’s Nieman Marcus filled with luxury goods (a’hem, shoes!) and a must-have lunch at the Rotunda.  Those popovers served with strawberry butter are well worth a Paleo exception…

download-71Other standout meals included Coqueta.  Michael Chiarello’s new Spanish style restaurant located on a beautiful pier 5 on the Embarcadero

meatsAnd delish pizza lunch complete with yummy sides, salads, vino and other noshes at Delfina.

a5425c0669664c9567252ccca566526dFinally, a truly wonderful dinner  filled with comfort food and the comforts of old friendships at Town Hall

townhalloutside1All this culminated to the main event.  A trip to Berkley to watch Ohio State play UC Cal.

2013-09-13 14.32.31Via party bus, what else?

2013-09-13 14.35.08Chanting…”O-H-

download-67“I-O”

To a stadium filled with scarlet

BUPK2yqIcAAEIw1and grey, (though it was home game for Cal, there was an awful amount of red in that stadium)

1256510_10201045713878070_411720812_nwith Buckeyes from all over like us.

download-66Time and change will surely show, how firm thy friendship…OHIO

 

Oh Ralph…

I am forever devoted to my husband, but let’s face it.  We all have celebrity crushes here and there, and one of my MAJOR fashion/design crushes is none other than the iconic Ralph Lauren.

f834b5b4bf9c71d27154fd601ca871a8Actually, the term “American Icon” does him a terrible understatement, don’t you think? Anyhoo, there is just something about fall & leather, & denim, & velvet & plaid & fur and the all over warm fuzzies that completely envelope me into Ralph’s aesthetic.  It’s his...everything, basically.

Whenever life gets to complicated I take a vacation or better yet, extended stay into the visual dreamland he has created.  Shall we?

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b88fab92f359650c4794fb7824c2cbc8 45120430b9ec524b40fed800efb0889eralph-and-ricky-lauren

Happy Fall…and sweet cozy dreams

First Day Jitters (for me)

My heart beams with pride,

As they approach the first day easily in stride

Walk to School

 

Eyes wide open, with scarce trace of fear

A new year of Kindergarten and Third grade is here.

Education Concept

Sporting plaid skirts and smiles, off to school they go

New shoes and fancy back packs in tow.

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Full of anticipation, ready to learn

The swell in my eyes is starting to burn.

tears_of_sadnessWhile the words, they escape me

We know they are ready,

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Nonetheless bittersweet emotions stir–

Go girls go…oyster

The world is your oyster!

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