She said "I Do"

This past weekend the hubby and I were in San Francisco to celebrate my Best Friend's wedding.  I know you remember her because you have seen her engagement party, shower and bachelorette party.  I think the one thing I did not mention was the chaos that arose for this bride and groom only 3 weeks before the wedding.

If you live in San Francisco then you know that there was a major demolition done on Doyle Drive this past weekend.  Unfortunately, my best friend and her fiance had planned their wedding in the Presidio, just 100 ft. from where the demolition was going to take place.  What did this mean?  It meant finding a new church and reception location THREE WEEKS before their wedding.  Can you even imagine?  They handled the entire situation EXTREMELY well (and became famous thanks to a news report on them....people kept saying, "Your here for THAT wedding?!  We saw them on the news!".) and in the end, everything came to together and you would have never known what they had just gone through.  It was AMAZING.

I tried to gather as many pictures as I could from the weekend but I think I spent more time talking, eating, drinking and celebrating to get as many as I would have liked.  The ceremony was held at Calvary Presbyterian Church and the reception was held at The Ferry Building, which was BEYOND and probably my most favorite reception location I have been to.  Every detail was accounted for and the party lasted all night.  It could not have been any better.  Here are a few pictures that I love from the weekend.

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. R!  

Best Friends at the rehearsal dinner

Clockwise from top left: Happy Hour with some sorority sisters, Bay Bridge, Macadamia Nut pancakes thanks to room service, our view from the hotel.

Getting ready in the fabulous robes the bride got us

The bridesmaids are ready!

Clockwise from top left: Makeup time!, champs to get the party started, just a few minutes before the ceremony began, the bridesmaid bouquets 

The High School crew

The college crew

me, my mom and my friend S

And where are my hubby and I?

I swear every picture did not come out that we took together!

Figures.  

Here is one that is okay, but I blame the sun for ruining this one.

And yes, I am aware the groom is no where to be found.  I have a TON of photos of the bride but forgot to take a picture of the happy couple after the ceremony.  At that point, I was only thinking about celebrating.  Sorry J!

City By the Bay

Four days. San Francisco. Best Friends. A Wedding.

This is going to be an amazing weekend and I promise to share it all with you next week. For now, I need to go get ready for a little girl time (nails and lunch!). As a teaser, here is a picture of the Ferry Building where the reception is being held. Beautiful, right?

I hope you all have a great weekend too!

Elizabeth Charles Grand Opening

You know those nights when you are invited to two parties that you know are both going to be fabulous and you also know that you cannot make both?  That was me last Thursday night.  While I was attending the Brunello Cucinelli One Year Anniversary Event, Elizabeth Charles was celebrating their Grand Opening right down the street in Newport Beach.  I adore this boutique (remember this post on their arrival to Orange County?) and was sad to be unable to attend.

From what I have heard, Elizabeth Charles pulled all the stops with their opening.  The boutique created the "Fashion for a Cause" shopping competition where a percentage of sales from opening night until the end of April (that means you can shop this weekend!) will benefit the charity of your choice - Boys Hope Girls Hope, National Charity League Juniors, Laguna Art Museum, and Just a Little Cloth, Inc.  Cocktails were served to 175 people attending the event while they indulged in some of my favorite designers such as Carven, doo. Ri, Peter Som and Chloe.  New York in our backyard.  I love it.

Owner Elizabeth Charles (left) posing with a guest

Love these moms with their little fashionistas!

Elizabeth Charles I am sorry to have missed it but it looks like it was a fabulous time!  I am looking forward to the next event and again, welcome to Orange County!

Brunello Turns One!

Brunello Cucinelli at South Coast Plaza that is.  Last Thursday my hubby, some friends and I had the pleasure of attending the private event, celebrating the first year of Brunello at SCP.  If you remember this post, I attended the Grand Opening last year and this is where my infatuation with Brunello Cucinelli began (not only for the clothes but for the people who represent the brand.  They are a pretty amazing group).  Luxury is written all over every item in both their men and women's lines and I could not wait to see how they celebrated one year!

The night was hosted by Jeffrey Alan Marks and Ross Cassidy from Million Dollar Decorators and local Orange County residents Suzan Paek and Min Ji Clark.  Brunello did not disappoint and delivered an evening filled with incredible cocktails, delicious appetizers, great conversation and of course, shopping, shopping, shopping.  Stylists from New York were also in attendance to help individuals shop the brand and learn the many different ways to incorporate Brunello into their wardrobe.  The looks they put together were beyond and women were hard pressed to not walk out of the store with everything they tried on.

An evening of fabulous clothes and fabulous people.  What more could you ask for?

Jessica Debreceni, me, and Ross Cassidy

The Hosts of the Evening
Ross Cassidy, Min Ji Clark, Suzan Paek and Jeffrey Alan Marks

Guest, Me, Lisa Carlone

I want to thank Brunello Cucinelli for having me cover this event and for generously outfitting me for the occasion.  If you are interested in any of the items I am wearing (don't forget the shoes!), they are available at your local Brunello Cucinelli boutique or online here.

All photos c/o Brunello Cucinelli and Carla Rhea Photography

Ocean

The ocean.  One of my favorite things about living in Orange County and one of the reasons why I have never left.  There really is nothing like sitting on the sand, looking at the water and taking in the view.  I am guessing the majority of people would agree with me on this or beachside resorts would not be able to charge what they do.

I am a huge fan of the color blue and all of its shades.  Though navy was a huge winner this past winter for me, I am excited to move towards lighter and brighter shades to welcome warmer weather.  Don't these items scream crystal blue water?  It could be anywhere really though I am picturing Cabo and The Esperanza Resort (flashbacks to my sister's bachelorette now playing).  Beach days, here I come! (Rain, this means you must stop.  I am serious about this.  It is getting absurd.)

Refresh

PHEW!  Did last week just happen?  I am not sure if it was as crazy as it seemed or that it was the week immediately following a super lazy Spring Break, but I felt like I was living in fast forward from Sunday through Saturday.  Beyond all the events the hubby and I had during the week, we took our boys out for a little date night sans Baby Girl so that they could see The Lorax in 3D.  I cannot express in words how fun it was to watch my 4 year old laugh through the ENTIRE movie as things were flying at him.  It had to have been one of the most entertaining 1.5 hours I have had in a long time.  Oh, and he also insisted on wearing his 3D glasses the entire way to the car, until he ran into a mirror, which was also really funny (I know, it is terrible, but it was!).

I have so much to share from the Brunello event but I am at the mercy of the photographer so as soon as I can, I will post.  For now, you are only going to get Baby Girl and her boyfriend.  That is right.  Little Miss Thing has decided she has a boyfriend.  She cannot let Middle Man be the only one who has a girlfriend. This is her with Boyfriend M.

He is actually a friend of Middle Man's, which is going to cause major problems in the future.  Most likely because Middle Man will want to beat the crap out of him for dating his little sister.  He definitely has a soft spot for her (which is not clear in this picture since she is the one pushing him....I have a few things to teach her) and she cannot stop talking about him.  Apparently she has a thing for older men.  His mother and I have already decided it is a MUST that they marry and it would be rather unfortunate if they do not agree.  I mean, we are already documenting TONS of photos for the wedding video.  It just makes sense.

Happy start to the week!

Bow

Last night my hubby and I attended the one year anniversary party for the Brunello Cucinelli boutique at South Coast Plaza.  We had such a great time but you are going to have to wait until next week to hear all about it.  For now, I wanted to share the sandals I wore to the event.  I am OBSESSED.

Brunello Cucinelli Bow-Strap Platform Sandal

They were so comfortable and I loved how they looked with my entire outfit.  I could see myself wearing these all summer long. 

Next week you will get more on what I wore to the event, the event itself and all the fun things that went along with it.  Until then, I hope you all have a great weekend!

A Night of Pampering

Left: What I wore to the event: tank: Joie (old), skirt: Soft Joie (old), clutch: Tory Burch (similar), jacket: Line and Dot, shoes: Michael Kors
Top right: Welcome to Burke Williams
Bottom Right: One of many beautiful arrangements around the spa

Tuesday night I had the pleasure of attending a private media event at Burke Williams Spa, Mission Viejo.  A night of cocktails, desserts and massages.  What could be better?!  Burke Williams has always been one of my favorites spas here in Orange County and Tuesday night did not disappoint.  The cocktails were provided by Little Black Dress Vodka and I must say, the Pineapple Splash (pineapple honey vodka with diet lemon-lime soda) was pretty delicious.  There is a good chance I had two while there, but that was only because all the cupcakes from Meringue Bake Shop (which looked incredible) were all gone so I deserved it.

Top Left: Tasty treats provided by Cookielicious
Bottom Left: a Burke Williams travel bath set, part of all the gifts in the swag bag
Right: Burke Williams menu

Women were able to indulge in paraffin wax hand massages, facials, massages and eyelash extensions, provided by Lash Spot Spa.  There was no question what was top of my list though.  With three children and the lack of a massage in FAR too long, I went directly for the 25 minute massage, focused on shoulders, back, hands and feet.  It was DIVINE.  Beyond the incredible services, it was such a nice opportunity to meet so many people (I am now trying to remember all the names!).  And after all the cocktails, pampering and chatting, I was as relaxed as relaxed could be and headed home for a wonderful night of sleep.

If you have not indulged yourself at a Burke Williams Spa yet, it is a MUST.  They have locations throughout Southern and Northern California and their treatment list is pretty extensive.  A few of my favorites that I have indulged in over the years are:

The Pure Relaxation Massage

The Deep Tissue Massage

The Pregnancy Massage

The Spa Style Facial

The Milk Bath

Their amenities are also extremely enjoyable and I could spend hours between the spa, steam room and sauna.  It really is a day event so make sure you give yourself enough time to take it all in!

Thank you so much to Burke Williams and The Ace Agency for having me.  I had such a great time!

* Juggling in Heels was provided a free massage service and swag bag for attending this event but all opinions stated are 100% my own.  

Cocktails at Dusk

This Spring Break we stayed local while it seems EVERYONE ELSE went out of town to some where fabulous.  Oh how I am itching for a tropical vacation.  Because I did not actually go away, I have dreamed up what I WOULD HAVE worn had I been having cocktails at sunset on a tropical island.    I paired this DVF dress with two sets of accessories that could really be intermixed and still create a fabulous look.  Though I love them all, I am partial to the Marc Jacobs crossbody and the Rebecca Minkoff cuff.

Just click on the items to find out where they are from!

Mellow

There are some moments that rarely happen with three children in the house.  The picture above is one of them.  No one is hitting, wrestling, screaming, jumping on another, and overall, trying to attack.  Three siblings, quietly watching a movie, TOGETHER.  It happens so rarely that I immediately grabbed my phone and took a picture, not knowing when I would ever see this again.  Don't get me wrong, I love the chaos most of the time.  I would not have had three children if I didn't (not sure if you know this but pure chaos comes with three).  But I cannot tell you how AMAZING it is when the house falls quiet for a short period of time, they are all getting along and I am able to simply catch my breathe.  Plus, it is super cute to see them all sitting on the floor together like this, isn't it?  I would love to tell you that this moment lasted HOURS and I was able to read a magazine, paint my nails and make a phone call.  The reality of it is, it lasted until I snapped the picture and then Baby Girl heard the camera, jumped up and wanted to see the photo, middle man wanted a snack and instantly, wrestling began seconds later.  I had just enough time to sit down before I was up again.  Oh well.  Such is life here at our house.

Now that Spring Break has come to an end, we are back to the craziness of life around here.  This week in particular is really busy but with all fun things.  Last night it was a Little League game, tonight I will be attending a VIP Spa event at Burke Williams and Thursday night the hubby and I will be celebrating the one year anniversary of the Brunello Cucinelli boutique at South Coast Plaza.  I will definitely share all the photos with you so keep an eye out!

A Night in Provence

Saturday night the hubby and I hosted a dinner party with friends at our home.  Because I cannot do anything "normal", I decided that we were going to have a theme and considering all that we have been talking about over the past few weeks is how much we want to go back to the French countryside, we decided that a French-themed menu would be perfect.  I had such grand ideas for this post too.  Beautiful pictures showcasing each item for your viewing pleasure.  Unfortunately for you this became one of those "Sarah might have taken on more than she realized" nights and instead of taking pictures I was running around with my head cut off for a bit while my hubby was dropping F-bombs over the dish that I swore was going to be easy to make that may have been slightly complicated (did I mention he was cooking too?).  Oh well.  In the end, the food was amazing (if I do say so myself) and we had such a great time catching up with friends that we have not seen in far too long.

The Menu

Appetizer

Fresh Herb Fondue served with salami and French bread

Recipe courtesy of The Fondue Cookbook by Williams Sonoma

First course

Spinach, strawberry and almond salad

Main Course

Filet of Beef Bourguignon

Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa

Dessert

Lemon Yogurt Cake

Recipe courtesy of a previous post

I am sorry I do not have pictures of all the dishes but I promise you that if you try any of them, you will not be disappointed.  I was able to grab a photo of the cake since it was made prior to the rest of the meal.

I also got a picture of the French wine we served which complimented the meal perfectly.  I HIGHLY recommend it.  Delish.

It is obvious that next time I will need to simply hire a photographer so that I can cook, chat, look after my children, drink wine and still create a beautiful post.  Why didn't I think of that before?   

Mr + Mrs

I am kind of obsessed with these Mr. + Mrs. Muse Salt and Pepper Shakers by Jonathan Adler.

I wish it was Valentine's Day again because the hubby would totally be getting these.

I am sure he would be super excited about it too.

Just what I would he would want.

Happy Weekend!

Green, for Real

After today's post, I realized that some may not be as excited to bring green into their wardrobe as I am.  To convince you otherwise, I created a style using the Gap khaki's to prove that ANYONE could pull off this color with just a few simple staples in your closet.  This look is not only mommy-approved (a.k.a kids cannot ruin anything you are wearing) but also keeps a little style in your -day-to-day.  Love it.

Summer Staple by sarah-jih featuring long sleeve shirts

Interested in any of the items?  Just click on the picture and you will be provided all location options!  Welcome to my Polyvore addiction!

Green

My obsession with green seem to continue as the weeks go by.  I cannot get enough,  which is weird because I do not have a ton of green in my closet.  It is almost as if my mind is overwhelmed with how many items there are that I want and I cannot narrow it down.  Why do I love this color so much?  I have no idea.  I just do.

Definitely a "Wish List" item
Yigal Azrouel Pleated Silk Crepe Skirt

Gap broken-in straight khakis

Marc by Marc Jacobs "Finch Flight" Print Silk Top

Rebecca Taylor "Catch the Bouquet" Dress

A Little Lavender

One thing that I am a sucker for are bath products.  I just ADORE them.  Well, I really adore baths and everything else that goes with them, including their products.  This It's Just Darlin' lavender scrub was given to me as a little gift from a friend.  I liked it so much that I did two things.  One, I decided that I needed to tell you all about it and two, I purchased 12 more to put into the goody bags for my Best Friend's bachelorette.

This scrub is equal parts luxurious and effective.  It makes your skin incredibly soft and also moisturizes it with essential oils.  It is made with all natural ingredients including fresh lavender and there is no way to describe how good it smells.  The icing on the cake is that this 4 oz. jar of scrub retails for $6.00!  Such a perfect little treat for yourself (or I guess others) for such a small price.  

This scrub is not the only item It's Just Darlin' sells.  They have numerous scrubs (though I have not tried them) but also carry some fun vintage finds as well.  The shipping gets cheaper when ordering an additional item so it might be just perfect to get one (or two) for you and one for a friend.  These will now be stocked at my house for hostess gifts or upcoming events I need "a little something" for. 

Easter

Everyone is looking!!!!

Easter is one of my favorite holidays and this past weekend did not disappoint.  Friday night we had friends over to celebrate the last Friday of Lent with my hubby's fantastic fish tacos, Saturday night my sister, brother-in-law and their children came to spend the night and Sunday we spent all day with my family.  There really is nothing better than a weekend filled with friends and family.  I must admit, I was a bit sad Sunday night to see it all come to an end.

clockwise from top left: Our Easter eggs, cousin's sleepover, the Easter Bunny's tracks on our front porch, a little cousin love

Nana and Papa with the Grandkids

Easter Egg Hunt!

My incredible (and rather large) family

Bettina

As the weather continues to get warmer, I begin to realize two things.  The first is that my toes are in desperate need of some love.  My inability to maintain pedicures has taken its toll and I need to step it up.  It is not about pampering but about not being embarrassed.  Second, it begins the justification of updating my sandal collection as they are the only shoes I live in from now until Fall.  I have been eyeing these Rebecca Minkoff Bettina Flat Sandals for a while.  They are a great price and simple enough to go with everything in my closet. I need to just pull the trigger and order.  My favorite is the nude magic but how fun would the neon pink be?

Nude Magic

Neon Pink

Gold