final countdown

It has been waaay too long since I’ve posted anything here.  Wedding.  Getting back to work.  Holidays.  You know the drill.  And then it started to get intimidating – what do I have to write about?  Well, I finally logged back into my account and stumbled across a draft I had written several months back.  It’s about some lessons learned in the midst of the wedding-planning process.  I figured I’d go ahead a share it, and I can follow up with the post-event lessons learned.  Call it an inspirational cop-out, but it’s something.  ; )

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Sample from a Brides.com To Do List

17 days.  It’s so hard to believe.  When we started this whole engagement thing, we were at 447.  When I think about the “day of,”  I get really excited, even a bit teary-eyed, but when I think about all that’s left to do, I get more than a little anxious.  And I’ve been tested a bit lately.  Would you believe me if I told you that I filed two police reports in the last week and a half?  I know!  Seriously.  The first was for a stolen wallet, whose contents included my driver’s license, every credit card I own, my checks, zero cash (thank God), and several gift cards for stores where we’re registered.  Oh yeah, and our Costco card – and we still haven’t bought our wedding beer yet.  (Wedding beer?  That sounds so much sillier than I meant.)  The second police report was filed just today.  I was leaving for an 8 o’clock meeting this morning (who schedules these?!) when I realized that my front license plate and driver’s side mirror had been stolen.  The very same mirror that had been replaced back in 2001 when it was “watermeloned,” but that’s another story…  Anyway, just when I thought my plate was full, I’m finding a few more things added to it.  It’s causing me to reflect on wedding planning items that I wish I had done differently or that I’m glad I did the way I did…  I’m sure I’ll have a completely different list once the wedding day has come and gone, but here’s where things stand now, just two weeks away from the big day.

So here are a few lessons learned:

1)  I wish I had discovered Pinterest when I started this process.  It’s been so wonderful for keeping track of online inspiration, especially from the blogs that I frequent – namely, stylemepretty, snippetandink, greylikesweddings, and 100layercake.  It’s also much more convenient for sharing with the groom, bridal party, and vendors – as in “Here’s what I’m thinking…”

2) Remember that your groom may not have the same vision that you do.  Ask him what he envisions for your wedding.  Also, set some expectations early.  How much does he want to be involved?  Does he want to give input on everything?  Does he want to see options and then help choose?  Does he really just want to know when and where to show up?  And from my own experience as well as informal surveys of friends…fighting more during wedding planning is totally normal.

3) Delegate.  This one is very hard for me.  There are often people who sense that you may be overwhelmed and want to help.  Take them up on it.  Decide which tasks you are willing to have slightly less control over and gratefully accept the assistance.

4)  Don’t freak out when the “Yes” responses start coming in.  The “Accepts” come before the “Declines.”  I was worried that we weren’t going to be able to accommodate everyone at our venue, but we ended up with approximately 75% of the guests accepting.  (Post wedding note:  In the week before the wedding, another 5% had to decline because of sick kids, travel issues, etc.  The number ended up right where we expected.)

5)  Find a way to “let go.”  You can only do so much.  Prioritize what is really important to you and your fiancé and be willing to let the little things go.

6) Be gracious.  With your higher-than-normal stress level, it’s easy to forget that most people are really trying to help, and that cashier at the store or the person who cut you off on the road has no idea what you’re going through.  Take a deep breath, relax, smile, and say thank you.  Trust me, you’ll feel better saying thank you than if you explode at random strangers.

How about you?  Any suggestions for stressed brides out there?

the joys of snail mail

According to a particular wedding website that I frequent, my countdown stands at exactly seventy-one days.  I was told by a friend that the double digits would be daunting.  Needless to say, I’m in the thick of it.  There’s still so much to do, and I’m starting to worry that there aren’t enough weekends left… But…I’ve discovered the latest-best-thing.  In an era of text messages, evites, and facebook updates, the stuff that comes through the mail slot is typically reduced to bills, catalogs, and pizza coupons.  With one very brief, but very wonderful, exception.  Reply cards.  Now I can’t wait to get home and open the front door, to see if any of these little guys have arrived back at my doorstep.  Thanks for the smiles, friends and family!  You’ve made my day!

reinspired

It’s been waaay too long since I’ve posted anything.  Sorry ’bout that.  Blame it on lots to do at work and being up to my eyeballs in the double-digit-wedding-day-countdown.  (Thank goodness for all the websites telling me how many days I have left..as if I’d forget?!)  But enough about that.  That actually isn’t what this post is all about.  It’s about design.  And why we do what we do.  And about finding ways to remind ourselves of that.

I attended this year’s “Pioneers in Design” event a few weeks ago – one of the big four hosted annually by the Northern California Chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).  The event is about honoring someone (or some group) that is considered to be leading the way and doing something unique as it relates to the world of design.  This year’s honoree was Clive Wilkinson, and the event included a short film about his work, followed by a Q&A session with IIDA Executive VP and CEO, Cheryl Durst.  Cheryl is always entertaining, and this time was no exception, but what I liked best was walking away with a feeling of perspective.  These events tend to rejuvenate my design spirit, and it’s what I like most about them – they force me to back up and take in the bigger picture and remember all the things that are so wonderful about design, what it can do, and how it touches everything in our lives.

Official poster from event

It’s far too easy to get bogged down with the day-to-day routine – putting out fires at work, getting frustrated with the mundane little taks.  At times like these, it’s even more important to reignite that little spark – the one that fuels the fire for choosing this profession over countless others, including all of those less time-consuming and more lucrative.  I know I need the occasional reminder.  Here are just a few tidbits I took away from Clive’s talk that turned me back in a positive direction…

1)  There are no great projects without great clients.

2)  We are extremely fortunate to be trusted to affect the spaces that people use every day.

3)  That urban design and interior design are both about how people relate to and use places; in that respect architecture is the odd man out, since it tends to be more about creating containers for space and is more static.  (I really liked his describing interiors in that way, as it’s so often marginalized by architecture.  It further supports why I switched from architecture to interiors in college – I wanted to influence the parts of space that have a more immediate and intimate impact on people’s experience.)

4)  Don’t offer “options.”  Rather than creating several shallowly developed options for clients to choose from, engage them more deeply (challenge them to be more involved) to create a solution that can evolve into something much more meaningful.  (Apparently Clive doesn’t do “options” and this is why he was fired from Gehry’s office.)

5)  “Turning the mundane into the extraordinary” – Clive was referencing a description of poetry, but using it to describe what we do…many of the tasks for which we design may very well be mundane, but hopefully we can add something to that experience to make someone’s work more effective or more enjoyable.  (We may have clients who talk about wanting to make the workspace more fun, but rarely is it beyond the assorted ping pong tables and bean bag chairs.  We should be looking for ways to enable the enjoyment of the work that actually needs to get done – not the playtime in between.)

And I’ll wrap up with a funny quote Clive shared when asked about his recent fatherhood, that he attributed to an unknown source (the quote, that is, not the baby):  “Adults may make babies, but babies really make adults.”  Cute.

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So…what re-inspires you?  What gives you some much-needed perspective?

how very (p)interesting

I have a new obsession.  It’s the biggest computer time suck since Tetris in the early 90s (for me, at least).  And I love it.  It’s called Pinterest.  Slap me if you’ve heard all this before, but it’s fairly new to me.  It is genius.  I’m sure I’m not the only one with a folder full of of inspiration images on my computer (and several binders-full, torn from magazines, on my bookshelves), but this great little website allows you to “pin” your favorite images from around the interwebs, with links to the original location (great for tracking things down later), and you can share them with friends who “follow” you.  You can also sort them into “boards,” which is great for categories like food, clothes, design, etc.  I really wish I had discovered this at the beginning of my wedding planning, instead of near the end, but hindsight…oh well.

Crack – well that’s one way to describe it.  I’d rather think of it as a place for all the pretty things.

Happy Friday!

you’re getting warmer

Spring arrived a couple weeks ago, and then winter came back for a visit.  The wind is blowing like crazy, and the forecasters are calling for hail!  In this in-between-seasons time, it’s hard to decide what to cook.  Last week, I stumbled across this recipe for Fennel and Zucchini Soup on Epicurious.com, and it’s just the right thing – springy ingredients as comfort food.  Yum.  Not to mention, it’s super quick and easy with only a few ingredients.  Double yum.

I’ve now made this twice in two weeks.  What can I say?  I like having hot lunches at work, and this is so simple.  The second time, I added a diced yukon gold potato to the mix, and it added a nice creaminess to the texture without the fat of real cream.

Here’s another important thing to note, and I speak from experience…

Let the soup cool a bit before pureeing in the blender, and do it in very small batches, or you WILL be cleaning soup off every surface in your kitchen within a several foot radius.

Happy Spring!

everything old is new again

As predicted, the wine club theme was just a jumping off point, and while everyone asked about the theme when they arrived, we all quickly settled into eating, catching up, and deciding which wines were our favorites.  I had four to compare – a burgundy from France with a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, and a French Bordeaux blend with a Napa Valley Cabernet (see the end of the post for details on the wines*).  I think the California wines won out, but there were a few girls pulling for the French terroir. There were also a few favorites among the recipes.

Here’s the menu -

~ miso-glazed bacon wrapped asparagus (From Tyler Florence’s book, Family Meal, which I picked up for 20% off at our local Borders store that’s closing) – everything’s better with bacon, right?

~ sauteed Brussels sprouts with carmelized shallots, pecans and lemon zest (my own recipe)

~ “pigs in a blanket” – mild italian, spicy italian, and spinach & feta sausage with tarragon mustard (Also from Tyler’s book.  We’re on a first-name basis now, you see.)

~ macaroni and cheese with swiss chard (From Bon Appetit) – this one ended up being much better the next day, and the next…

~ jamaican banana bread – an old favorite that is, surprisingly, a Cooking Light recipe.  Not so surprisingly, I prefer to make it with real butter instead of margarine, real rum instead of extract, and about twice the amount of topping.

~ bittersweet chocolate pecan tart with bourbon whipped cream – from thekitchn.com.  I made it with pecans and Sharffenberger Semisweet Chocolate (62%).

The definite winners were the Brussels Sprouts, the Banana Bread and the Chocolate Pecan Tart.  The other big winner wasn’t edible or drinkable, it was our new sweatshirt!  Our “Director of Apparel” (we’re trying to come up with titles for everyone) came through with our new hoodies.  I must say, they’re so soft and comfy, I’ve already worn it several times.  Thanks R!  And thanks to all the girls/ladies for being what really makes wine club so great.

*  Here’s the list of wines:

1)  2008 Domaine Chicotot Bourgogne Rouge, $16.99

2)  Cazar 2009 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, $18.99

3)  2008 Reignac, Bordeaux Supérieur, $18.99

4)  Textbook 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon “Fin de Journee”, Napa Valley, $18.99

I bought all of them from K&L Wine Merchants here in San Francisco.  The gentleman there was SO helpful and very knowledgeable  – he could rattle off the details of just about everything in the store!  I explained what I was trying to do with my theme, and he had my wines selected within minutes – all while the power was out!

book club, minus the book part

I have this great little circle of friends.  It’s one of a few circles, as I’m sure we all have.  The one I’m talking about tonight is one I call “wine club,” aka, SIP.  (Fear not Studio, I’m sure I’ll write about you someday.)

A few years ago, my friend M decided to start a monthly get together of women – like book club, only without the books. There are twelve of us, and each of us only hosts once a year.  So for eleven other Thursday nights, we just have to show up, no pressure, and enjoy some good wine, great food, and even better company.  It’s really evolved into such a wonderful event that I look forward to every month, with an extremely supportive group of smart and funny women.  The conversations always vary widely, and I never feel “stuck” talking to any one person, because there’s no one with whom I feel “stuck.”  It’s comforting.

There are only a few rules to help keep things running smoothly – like sending out invites two weeks in advance, and rsvp-ing at least a week before – common courtesy type things, but when it comes to the theme and what to serve, it’s wide open, as long as you can somehow relate it to wine.  We’ve had organic wines, specific varietals, specific regions or AVAs, sake, bubbly, France vs. California, wines all from one winery, blind tastings, South American, Italian, Eastern European, “Pink,” …the list goes on and on.  We’re in our third year, so it has become increasingly difficult to think up a new theme.  In the end, it really doesn’t matter, as we all just talk about which ones we each like best.  And, as we’ve discovered, it’s not really about the wine anyway, but still…I guess the designer in me likes to have a concept around which to organize myself.  Last year, I chose wines purely based on labels I liked.  Judging books by their covers, if you will.

This month is my turn again.  I first considered a “party like it’s 1999″ theme, where I’d buy wine all from the same year.  If I couldn’t find 1999 wines, then perhaps we’d be partying like it’s 2004, but then I read on wikipedia that the concept of good vs. bad vintages may be up for some debate.  I suppose I could try a blind tasting of a good year vs. a bad year, but oh well, maybe next year.  What I’m leaning towards now is more like “everything old is new again.”  I can compare a specific varietal from an “old world” style with the same grape or blend done in the “new world.”  The food can be new twists on old favorites.  It seems to fit well with the current atmosphere of reinvention – doing more with less…

My goal this year is to actually photograph some of the process and the festivities.  If all goes as planned, I’ll be back with a follow-up.  Cheers!

resolve

I’m not sure how I feel about new year’s resolutions.  Part of me feels like resolutions shouldn’t wait for one date on the calendar to be implemented.  Part of me likes the idea of having an excuse to refocus on things I’ve been meaning to focus on…  There’s also the part of me that hates how busy the gym gets every January as everyone decides they’re going to work out more (fortunately, it always fades back to normal by about March).  Hopefully by putting these things out there, typing them “out loud,” so to speak, I’ll be more inclined to do them.  Maybe you all (three or four of you?) will help hold me accountable.  So here goes:

1.  Be healthy.

This is a recurring resolution, and one that I don’t think will ever go away.  It’s about ongoing lifestyle changes.  The older I get and the more little aches I pains my body produces, the more motivation I feel to keep in shape.  I’m pretty good about getting to the gym, but probably don’t push myself as far as I could or should.  How about a race this year – maybe a 10 or 12k?  And I definitely need more of the restorative kinds of healthy activity.  Must.  Stretch.  More.  And how about more massages and facials, or any for that matter (yay for groupon!).

2.  Be a better friend.

I’ll be the first to admit it – I’m terrible with the phone.  I don’t know when or how the aversion developed, but it’s there.  Since most of my nearest and dearest don’t live in my zip code, I need to come to a truce with my phone, if I want to achieve my goal of keeping in touch better.  What I’d really like is to see my friends more, so maybe I just need to think of the phone as the vehicle for making plans.

3.  Be positive.

I was watching TV the other night, and some still alive actor was being interviewed about another actor who had passed away.  I don’t know either actor, but the still alive one said about the no longer around one that, “he never had a bad word to say about anybody,”  and I thought, “wow, what a nice thing – I’d love for someone to be able to say about me someday.”  So the only way for that to be possible is to live so that it can be true.  That means a little less road rage, a little less biting sarcasm, a few more deep breaths.

4.  Do creative things.

This goes for within, but especially outside of, work, and that includes writing more on this here blog.  Work can sometimes be draining, and I’ve found that doing creative, non-work things has a tendency to refill my creative tank.  Helping Em with flowers is always good.  I’ve got some knitting on my to do list.  Also, I’ve been attempting to teach myself calligraphy.  I get inspired by all these awesome design blogs, so now I want to put some of that inspiration into action.

How about you?  Have you made any resolutions, new year’s or otherwise?  Or have you resolved not to be so resolute?

red & a little more green

My grandmother was ahead of her time.  She reduced, reused, and recycled long before it was in fashion.  She cleaned and reused aluminum foil until it resembled silver-colored lace.  There was no such thing as waste.  I suppose it was the result of living through the Great Depression, but I’m sure, to her, it just seemed like common sense to continue using something as long as it was still “perfectly good.”  She was also a feisty broad.  I think I could do well to be a little more like her.

So this year, I’m reviving a practice that she taught me when I was young, but haven’t kept up with in a while.  She would save all the Christmas cards she received and cut the pictures up to make into to & from gift tags.  It’s quick and easy, and they’re way more interesting than store-bought ones. And the bonus is that you can feel a little better than if you just threw the cards in the recycling bin.

I wonder if she knew how cool she was…maybe she did.  Whenever I called to tell her of a recent accomplishment, she’d reply, “you know you got that from me, right?”  Yes, Grandma Edna, I do.

So, it’s Christmas Eve, and since I’m reveling in a little nostalgia, it seems fitting to leave you with Grandma Edna’s immortal words (in our family, at least), spoken as she shooed us out the door, fearing we’d find Christmas mass to be standing room only, “now get the hell out of here…and Merry Christmas!”

home, sweet little home

What do you do when you’ve fallen in love with a house?  What do you do when you have to say goodbye to it?  I’ve been in love (with a house) before, and it was heartbreaking to say goodbye.  I cried so hard that day that just thinking about it now gets me a little teary.  I know it’s just a “thing,” a house, and that it wasn’t the important part of the memories that were created in it, but maybe it was, a little.  Maybe the house is one of the characters in all those memories of meals shared, and holidays celebrated, and slumber parties not slept, and games of hide-and-go-seek played.  Maybe my current situation is bringing up those old feelings.  Transition.  I know that I’ll be moving on to a place where I’ll create lots of wonderful new memories with my soon-to-be husband.  It has left me feeling this strange dichotomy of being super-excited for the future while at the same time mourning the loss of this great little place that I’ve called home for the last 3 years.  Geez, it’s only been 3 years?  That’s such a short blip in my life-house time.  That other house and I had been together for almost 20 years.  This flat is only one of about 15 places that I’ve lived, but it’s the only one that’s really been mine, all mine.
It’s not that I don’t like change.  When I was younger, I would rearrange my bedroom furniture every 6 months, just to keep things fresh.  But I suppose just because you want the change doesn’t mean there won’t be things that you miss about the past.  Maybe it’s just because endings are sad.  Fortunately, they’re often followed by beginnings, which are usually pretty happy.  So until I really have to say goodbye, I think I’ll work on including this little house as a character in as many memories as I can possibly make.

*   *   *

I was driving around last night, killing some time before I picked C up from the airport.  Since I was already in the neighborhood, I drove past the house I lived in when I was five years old.  That was a great house, too.  We didn’t live there long, and I was only five, but I still get nostalgic going back.  I had forgotten, or maybe I never realized, being so young when we lived there, what a cute neighborhood it was.  Still is.  All these houses, probably built between the 20s and 40s – small, full of character, on narrow, tree-lined streets.  And because it was nighttime, I could see inside these wonderful little living rooms, with families and small children (not stalker-like or anything, don’t worry).  It was then that I realized…  I love my little place, a lot, and it will always be this perfect little spot, bookended in time between Beach Blanket Babylon Boulevard and wherever it is that C and I end up together.  Nothing will change that or take it away.  But as much as I love my little postage stamp of an apartment with the great view, I’m even more excited about this new place (wherever it may be) that will likely be the place where we start a family.  It will be the place that we’ll look back on, years from now, when we remember our first home.  Thinking about it that way, I can’t wait.