Two new additions

Yesterday two new decorating additions came in the mail for Thom and I to put up on the walls around here.  Most of my framed stuff is back home, waiting to be driven out to me by my parents in April.  So for now, we're happy to see some stuff hanging on these bare, bare walls.

The first is a map of the different neighborhood regions in San Francisco from Park Life and the second is a decal of the San Fran city skyline from the Etsy store of VinylSilhouettes.com

Marimekko inspired placemats

A quick DIY post on placemats.

I picked up a yard of some wonderful graphic blue/gray fabric from Ikea when Thom and I were in the process of buying a whole new set of furniture last week.  When I saw the fabric displayed at the store, I knew that I wanted to create something similar myself at home and making placemats is super easy for any sewer.  In this case, I also added some grip to the bottom of the mats from left over mat grip that we had purchased for under our living room area rug.

I figured that I wanted the mats to be 18"x14" with a 5/8" folding seam allowance on each side.  (Add 1.25" to total cutting amount) and cut them out from there.  I cut the rug grip at the proper size of 18"x14".

I then folded under the 5/8" allowance and pinned it to the rug grip.  Then I sewed all around the edges using a tuck/triangle fold at the corners.

Simple, quick and fun.  And it cost me less than $10.

A look inside

So as promised, I've put together some images from my first week in San Francisco.  Most are just images around the apartment.  [Since this is where I have been, setting up furniture, organizing, cleaning like a crazy lady, etc]  But today I managed to get out [in the rain] and go downtown to see Thom and have lunch by the food trucks that meet at the UN Plaza.  Delicious.

The weather here can not make up its mind lately.  Sometimes it's sunny and nice and other times it's cloudy and rainy.  I guess that that is what the winters here are like.  I shouldn't complain since I hear it's about 19 degrees back home with tons of snow!

Honestly, it's been making me want to get out and run too.  I always feel inspired to run during the springtime in New York because of the balmy and temperate weather.  Weather here is like that.  It reminds me of high school spring track season; smelling like earth and wet track.  Now that we're settled in fairly well, I might just get out and do so.  :-)

Our Ikea couch TBA.  [To be assembled]

Our West facing window

My camera collection waiting for a shelf

Fabric bought for placemats

Our bedroom with new bedroom set.  [Connor is staring at himself in a full sized wall/closet mirror]

Shared dresser that apparently is made for ladies.

Bathroom

Second bedroom/office.  Thom working, Connor guarding.

Kitchen

New toaster oven

New coffee maker and grinder.  Baratza is where it's at!

Living room assembled

Side table

Sweet chair

Tv area

Trash, recycle and compost.  Yes New Yorkers, composting here is mandatory!

New spiffy bar stools

View out the window

View out the window at night

Looking at downtown San Francisco, heading back from Oakland

Food trucks at the UN Plaza

Thom and Connor I

Thom and Connor II

Thom and Connor III

Light my fire

So I haven't even been in San Francisco for a full week and already so much has happened or I've experienced/seen something.  It's all really overwhelming but I'm loving it all.  I'll have a proper post of my local surroundings sometime soon but for now, I must address the annual Ocean Beach Christmas Tree Burning.

The annual OBCTB is supposedly a local and illicit tradition where people gather and bring their used Christmas Trees down to the beach and light them on fire.  The police usually try and stop the burning from happening but many get through and make their way down to the beach to light up a few trees.  It's a pretty well known local thing around here and was even mentioned on Digg.com a while back.

Thom and I were in the middle of putting together some furniture when we heard a loud group of people outside our window.  We looked out and saw them with Christmas Trees heading down the beach.  So, curiosity prevailed tiredness and we went out to see what was going on.  It was great to get out and shoot something spontaneous like this and man, did those trees burn up fast!

This just makes me even more excited to be living in this great city.

New year, new beginnings

Happy new 2011 year to you all! 

I haven't had anywhere near a chance to sit down and properly come up with something thought provoking and rich to start off my new years' blog post but I did want to post a photo.  So here it is.  To the left.  A photo booth-esque picture from last night's wedding reception.  Shinay and I had a marvelous year shooting weddings all over the East Coast and now that 2011 has started, we're excited to expand...westward of course.  And much like this candid and fun photo, we keep an optimistic and light view on our prospective business at heart.  There isn't any pressure of global wedding domination from either of us and we're both equally fine by that...

 It's super sensational to me that with this new year comes a new real adventure.  New grad school.  New surroundings.  New apartment.  New location.  New, new, new, new! 

Though I am very excited and optimistic, I do leave familiar surroundings with bittersweet emotions.  Life is ironic like that.  You figure that one day, you'll venture off and start something new and exciting and just forget that boring and simple past.  Yet you never fully realize the deep impact that it makes when you are ready to start that new adventure.  It really has hit me in a lot of small and big ways.

As for possible new years resoutions?  Meh...

Honestly I haven't given such superfluous ideas a thought.  I suppose it would be good of me to learn how to cook seafood properly...or loose my phone less...or remember birthdays more...


 You get the picture.  ;-)

Merry Christmas

I hope that you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas and happiest new year!

A love of light

Beautiful qualities of light throughout the day and into the night.   It makes me love my job so much more with each new wedding.  Congrats to Heather and Micah.

All images taken by Something Blue Photography.