Brunch inspiration

Breakfast on the weekdays usually consists of toaster waffles sandwiched together in our hands as we're rushing out of the house, so when we have Saturday mornings together, we take advantage of sleeping in and spicing it up with brunch at home. However, it was a treat to grab brunch at this lovely cafe the other weekend whilst running some errands in the area (and ending the jaunt at a favorite thrift store!). Our rule of thumb when eating out for brunch is to order things I don't make at home. The husband naturally selects manly steak and eggs, while I have been opting for variations of Eggs Florentine. The Alaskan Benedict I ordered was so legit that I feel inspired to try making it at home, but I am feeling intimidated by the careful orchestration it requires - a perfectly toasted English muffin, a just-right poached egg, a delicately seasoned crab cake, and a warm, creamy, smooth Hollandaise sauce. They're so tasty though that I do want to try it sometime. Do feel free to share any amazing eggs benedict recipes and tips!

A birthday tea soiree

I've a certain predilection for tea parties, so I was excited to turn our little home into a tea parlor for a dear friend's birthday this weekend past. The lovely affair was delicate, feminine, and colorful, which suited the celebrant's personality quite well. A birthday tea party highlighting decadent desserts was only natural for the birthday celebrant, who is the very best baker I know (she churned out hundreds of amazing cupcakes for our wedding); she provided all the baked goods, while I whipped up the simple savories. It was only natural to project Alice in Wonderland during the festivities to enhance the mood. I also hung some vintage hankie bunting in a spontaneous attempt to spruce up a doorway, and it became a makeshift photobooth for lovely lady guests - a most fortuitous turn of events, indeed.

Oh, lovely love

Happy Friday, dearies! Have you fun adventures planned for the weekend? We're off to a sweet wedding tomorrow, and then I'll be throwing a birthday tea party for a dear friend the following day. So happy to be commemorating love in various forms. Also grateful to Caitlin from Ultimate Bridesmaid for stumbling upon this little blog and featuring dear friend Irene's bridal shower from this past summertide a few weeks ago on her amazing blog/bridesmaid resource. See the original post here - it indubitably brings back such joy to recollect the photographing and celebrating the anticipation of two becoming one! Have a cheery weekend, all.

Treasure hunting

Digging for vintage lovelies at the flea market always perks up my weekend. I've been scouring for some vintage shelving to house all the additional books currently piled haphazardly in all random corners of our home, better known as the husband's collection that never stops multiplying. Alas, I chanced upon no worthy contenders this weekend past, but it's always fun to admire all the prettily aged curios and go home with some goodies I didn't anticipate finding. While the husband's weakness is books, mine is vintage pretties, so when we formulated our budget, we set aside a certain amount every month for the book/vintage fund. I'd say the Mister is a savvy financial planner.

Cheers to love-filled days

Hope you had a love-filled Valentine's Day, dear friends. We had ourselves a sweet little date last night. Thursdays are customarily reserved for our date nights, and the holiday made it a relevant reason to doll up a tad more than usual for our first Valentine's Day as married folk (We couldn't recall if we had done anything at this time last year - the wedding was approaching too speedily and prep was in full swing!). We had a tasty dinner here, and what I always love most is the husband's company. The week can so easily slip away from us with all the daily to-dos, so I cherish times like these. He is the grandest fellow, and I love him a whole bunch. I am so grateful for what a gift he is to me from the Lord who models for us true love through the cross. Thank you, Lord, for the sweetest and silliest valentine ever for years to come. Have the spiffiest weekend, all. We've a three-day holiday in these parts, so we are going to make the most it. Cheers!

The little things noticed on a walk

It's the little things like puffy cotton candy clouds hovering above a skyline, sister city signs, red brick edifices, wooden street markers, colorful bunting flying cheerily in the sky, handmade leather purses, baskets of Mexican candy, the always-busy freeway, colorful macarons, and varied architecture spied on a leisurely amble through Downtown Los Angeles that makes me love the city ever more.