Pueblo Bonito

The time has come for me to hang up my hat, punch my card, pack my bags and hit the road! I plan to spend my time in Cabo being wildly immature with May, Michelle, Dana, Taryn, Vanessa and Liz. Here are a couple photos I grabbed off the resorts website.

Thank you girls for making this a reality and to everyone else, have a wonderful week!

A Perfect Sunday Afternoon

3 of my lovely ladies are in town from Boston for the weekend before we jet off for my bachelorette in the morning. We spent the day eating, shopping, laughing, and enjoying this beautiful arrangement of peonies I picked up at Trader Joes yesterday. I hope you enjoy them too.....

Looking Good, Feeling Good

My lady girls touched down yesterday and we're having a hard time getting things done.

Walking Tour Of San Fran

At long last a few additional photographs of our April trip up north.....

Decorative Lions

Prior to heading out of town I had purchased a couple of lovely lions and San Francisco had a few handsome pairs of their own.

My favorite lion guarded the front entrance of Therien.

Inspiring Doorways

By far, one of my favorite things about the city were the dramatic entries and the architecture.

This private men's club on California made me think of my Grandfathers gentlemen's club in Boston, Somerset Club, which I was lucky enough to enjoy with him.

forest through the trees...

This cozy home tucked between the tall buildings reminded me of a childhood favorite,
The Little House.

San Francisco, we'll be back!

Florence Broadhurst

Australian, Florence Broadhurst was born over a century ago but her lifestyle and story are very much today. In her almost 80 years on this planet, in a time where it wasn't uncommon for a woman to never have a career, she managed to have close to a dozen. Metamorphosing from one career and city to another in the blink of an eye. Some may remember her for her work on the stage, in her dress shop, running a trucking company, or fighting for woman's rights. Most remember her for her exquisite wallpaper designs. 

I have been holding on to the vintage screen (at top) for a few years now. At first it was the colors, not the pattern, that attracted me to it. Over time I have memorized each little bug, butterfly and palm leave as I stare at it in its temporary home by my bed. My anonymous little treasure until its international revival revealed its origin.

Established in 1959, Broadhurst's wallpaper business was an instant and overwhelming success. Exporting to America, Peru, Paris, Norway, and the Middle East she monopolized the high end market. "Vigorous designs for modern living". Although over 500 designs make up her collection it is but a small few that are printed for wallpaper and fabric today. What a shame!

Her life was complicated; full of passion, color, travel, and reinvention. All brought to an end by her (unsolved) murder at 78 years old. 

Every Once In A While

Today was a great day. 

It was beautiful.

Talking to one of my crew I realized that a week from today I will be in Cabo with 6 of the best friends a lady girl can have. Its actually my Boston bachelorette (yes, I have another with my LA peeps - if my liver can handle). This trip has been planned for a while but it hit me today and it hit me hard! 

Sales at the store we're (and recently have been) outstanding. This was partly in thanks to Tori Spelling's TV show, Inn Love, which swung by to shoot her buying up some goods. This was only made cool by the fact that this weekend my girlfriend Joyce thrust her new book into my arms and told me it is a beach read must. Well, one day at the beach and 156 pages later I had the book with me and she signed it for Joyce. The coincidence is bigger than I can comprehend. Sort of unbelievable actually. I can't wait to give Joyce back her book along with its new signature and well wishes. 

Best of all, 2E came back from his extended weekend away, its still beautiful out, I have a yummy dinner in the works and a movie rented that I have been dying to see . Every once in a while life seems ridiculously good. This is one of those whiles.

Wish You Were Here

Better

When

We're

Together

Wedding Announcements

2E got our invites ordered yesterday and I am so excited to have something else to cross off the list. Up to this point he has designed and handled all of our wedding announcements. They have been very personal and wildly creative. For our invites however we took the pro route and are going with something more traditional. Those are a surprise but here are the two that we sent prior to starting this blog.

Our engagement party was back in Marblehead on New Years Day. These playful monkeys were channeling our excitement to see our friends and families to ring in such a memorable year. The party was hosted by my Mother and nothing was overlooked in the preparations. We behaved ourselves the night before to be fresh as fiddles for our guests. It was..... exhausting. A preview for the big day I guess. I found myself forgetting peoples names, messing up introductions, avoiding some of the wilder family members all together and getting confronted by my family about our plans to marry on the west coast, ultimately causing us to change our minds. There was also an episode of Small Space Big Style featuring Michael and I on a loop in the main room which was torturing 2E.


The elephants need no introduction except to say that I love them. We printed the Save The Dates out on grey and red paper from Papyrus similar to this.

J'adore

Over the past couple days I also secured a florist and made some important phone calls that have been staring at me from my to-do list forever. I am feeling very productive! and just in time for a rare work free weekend. 2E is out of town so I'll be catching up with the ladies and taking in some me time and lots of backyarding.

Los Angeles Magazine

Empiric got a little nod in the June issue of Los Angeles Magazine.

Featured in this shot is the Empiric dining chair, the Empiric #16 headboard, a vintage glass lamp from Italy and an adorable pug sculpture; so life like even dog's think its real. Below are some other pix of the design studio taken recently.

Elephant Stool

Welcome the new addition to my elephant collection. These hand carved beauties spend their days in the shade of an equally darling carved tree canopy.

Gorgi was immediately smitten and tried to do his best elephant impression complete with swinging trunk.

Birds Of A Feather

Flock of 30 or so parrots that live outside our house.

The old saying "birds of a feather" is commonly used when referring to groups of people, who are similar, that hang. In my group of friends this is not the case as I like to congregate with all types. In old poetic English however it refers to the fact that birds only chill with their own species. Well by golly, they weren't lying.

If you've ever tried to photograph a bird flying you may be impressed by this shot.....

This morning I google'd wild parrots california and discovered that we are not alone. Apparently this phenomenon is happening up and down the coast so maybe some of you readers are privy to their beauty as well.

Live Love Laugh

I am a lover of love. All love. Sweet love. Crazy love. Silly love. Immature love. Human love. Ask 15 year old Annie what she wanted to be when she grew up? In love. Possibly my obsession with love came from growing up in a home void of affection. Not that there wasn't love. We loved. But it was lazy love. Cold love. Love that you didn't go out of your way for.

My parents divorced when I was a wee little tot and my Mum went on to have a long term relationship with a live-in suitor who was less than eager to take on the role of father to my siblings and I. My home was sort of divided. It wasn't cozy and open. More closed doors and listen to be called for dinner.

I adopted my fascination with love at a young age and fell in whenever someone left the man hole cover off. In October 2000 a fairly new magazine, Real Simple, sent me my subscribed issue. I had recently moved back from Santa Cruz, back in with my Mother, and I wasn't feeling the love. Escaping in magazines, a favorite hobby even then, I retreated to my not room and fell in the man hole.







The first time I read Field of Dreams I was 22, running wild in the club world, about to meet and fall in love with a bonafide asshole. I saw these people, their moss covered house, their fairytale "ending". It was so beautiful to me. Love had been enough. It had conquered all and lifted this couple up to where they belonged! Where eagles cry on a mountain high. Far from the world below, up where the clear winds blow.... Its no wonder that around this time I saw Moulin Rouge and "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" became my new mantra. I was so optimistic.

Then came the asshole. Then went the asshole. David Grey's White Ladder album became my new mantra which was fitting because I felt like I was at the bottom of a ladder. The bottom of a ladder at the bottom of the sea.

Reread article. Let love rule.

This time I read it and didn't just see them, I heard them. It wasn't love that saved them it was their desire to continue. To work. To try. They demystified the fairy tale and inspired me again. I climbed the ladder.

I spent the next 5 years living in Boston, working 10-12 hour days, playing the field, less transfixed by true love. I had a group of best friends that were better than any boy. More fun than a first date and I was happy. I still loved love but I also loved me and I knew that some day I would meet a great guy, fall in love, work at love, live ever after.... I relished these days with my friends making some of the best memories of my life. But I still kept this article and revisited it from time to time.

8 years later it has again taken on a whole new meaning. Now I am the one living in LA. In a relationship that requires hard work. Looking down over what I've created and questioning all the decisions I've ever made. An adult more understanding of their struggles and what it means to choose someone and vow to share your journey, your struggles, your passions, your independence, your life. I googled Ida and Bruce and was so joyed to find they were still together and Lavender Hill is now Oregon's largest organic lavender estate

So much has changed in my world in the last decade since I read this unassuming tale of two people. One thing that hasn't is my love of love. Sometimes I long for the days of crazy love. End of the world, can't live without you, us against the world love. I have an insane aunt who has made a career out of falling in love and although I roll my eyes at each new BF I also sort of feel for her. Sort of. Because at some point you have to fall in love with mature love. This is me love. Take it or leave it (but take it!!) love.