Since we're moving to LA this weekend, I'm going to take the next week off from Oh Joy Eats to get unpacked, settled, and to feast my eyes and stomach on more delights to share with you. Hold tight...I'll be back here on Monday, August 9th and back to regular posting! Have a great weekend and week!
{illustration by Ben Shahn}
As I approach my last day in San Diego, I can't help but look back at an amazing year in a new city and a new coast. Moving here taught me to stop and smell the roses and take breaks from the daily grind to enjoy the {often} sunny days. One of the best parts of this year was a new {and totally unexpected} friendship with a local designer and blogger. Someone who started as merely as face on Twitter turned into one of my best friends. While our common interests in design, Muay Thai, eating up a frenzy, all things gold & shiny, and husbands that seem as though they've been friends forever helped form our friendship fast–it's the things that made us different that I'll never forget. She's taught me how to laugh it off {even when things seem really rough}, that you can never wear too much color {who cares if people are staring?}, and how to {one day} be both a fair and loving parent to your kids.
And now as I end my sappiness, I wish you all a great weekend and unexpected additions like this to your days. Next time you hear from me on Monday, I'll be a LA resident!
{photos by Peggy Wong of Kelley and I performing our silliest of synchronized swimming techniques during a girls' trip to Palm Springs earlier this year}
...a patterned retreat, a colorfully crazy wall, a striped ceiling, and a statement-making kitchen...all designed by the super fun and talented M. Design...
{Images by M. Design. Via Coco & Kelley}
In preparation for my move to San Diego last year, I did a search for San Diego food blogs and came across Alice Q. Foodie's blog. Her list of things to eat & drink in San Diego kick-started me into excitement about the new food options I was about to bestow. Now that I am wrapping up my year in San Diego, {inspired by Alice's list} I wanted to share a list of my very own of my favorite food discoveries in San Diego over the past year. {While most have photos, a few do not, so you'll have to use your imagination and trust my foodie peer pressure on those.} So, here goes...in no particular order...my top 20 bites in San Diego...
1. The Chocolate Budino from Cucina Urbana. Rich, light, smooth, sweet, salty goodness.
2. The Polenta/Ragu Board {great as a shared appetizer} also from Cucina Urbana. The ragu changes regularly, but whichever flavor it is, is always good. {I've had this dish at least 5 times}
3. Fish tacos from Marisco's Taco Truck. $1 each and SOOO good! A meal for two runs under $10.
4. Banh Mi from Bale French Sandwich Shop. Get the classic #2. Located in a sort of shady spot so be sure to get them to go.
5. Pepperoni, garlic, basil pizza with fresh mozzerella from Basic. The closest to good East Coast pizza I've found here.
Just for my awesome readers, here's a little sneak peek of my wallpaper collection launching next month! The initial collection of three designs will be available for purchase at Hygge & West starting late August. Most colorways have a textural sheen to them in matte metallics, delicate pearls, and sultry, smoky colors...stay tuned!
{photos and styling by Hygge & West}
...an amazing shade of my favorite color in the form of a vintage push cart {for carting flowers and cupcakes, perhaps?} from Terrain...
Last night, I found myself with a sale on lobster tails at my local market so I decided to really make it feel like summer and cook up some lobster po' boys. Inspired by the beer-steamed clambake we had last month, I steamed the lobster tails in a lovely local ale before adding the dressing and toppings. The beer adds a nice rich and slightly sweet flavor to the crustacean.
Every time I get a Crew Cuts catalog in the mail, it makes me wish I had a mini-me to dress up in their adorable clothes. The outfits are so ridiculously sweet and off-kilter that I'd gladly dress myself in those tiny clothes any day...especially these polka-dotted pieces. As an added bonus, they now offer kids size 14, so if you're on the petite side, you just may be able to take advantage of the cuteness for yourself too.
A beautiful series capturing a collection of Breyer ponies by Chattman Photography...