Coffee Date

What did you do today?

Lucky me I work five minutes from this beautiful lady, Mac. 

This means we actually get to be "ladies who lunch", minus the whole job part...

She's my refreshing 20 minute (who's counting) break from the dungeon office I work in, lucky me, right?

Besides her drop dead gorgeous looks, she's got the wit and charm to boot!

On top of our fabulous coffee dates and lunches, I am lucky enough to get to have her move in come May!

This means Saturday morning coffee and toast on the patio!

Stay tuned for this incredible transition... we get to decorate!

Anyway, I recently fell in love with this shi-shi coffee bar slash art gallery slash whatever and LOVE.IT.

Monkey Forest Road

They make the most incredible scones, this one is a blue cheese and scallion scone and the one in my stomach is the bacon and date with smoked black salt scone...

Pretty much heaven in a triangle!

Besides the scrumptious scones and some of the best darned Verve coffee around, the setting is beyond fabulous. 

It's loft-like, open, clean, chic and modern.

As museum-like as the contents may be, comfortable is the feeling I feel.

The surrounding art is primarily from Bali and check out the petrified wood tables!

Makes me want to build a home around half their decor...

Thank you Monkey Forest Road for sprucing up this end of Oakland!

Hope to see you there one morning!

xo,

VRB

A couple shots off the architects website, nicely done Larson Shores!

Images HERE

Royal Stafford English Transferware Willow On LuxeYard Today!

My Willow Royal Stafford English Transferware is on LuxeYard Today!

I was able to replace a broken bowl finally!

Hope you get to pick some up too!

Happy Hunting!

xo,

VRB

Only $20!

Only $25!

http://www.luxeyard.com/

Hello Lovely!: Brass

Image HERE

Easy breezy Aerin Lauder in her humble abode...

Image HERE

You can small, or you can go with a BANG! 

SO drool-worthy

Image HERE

The Rolls Royce of ranges... 
Dear goodness hold me back!

Image - HERE

I love this kitchen, from the tiled walls to the black island, absolute perfection!
Of course it's Badgley Mischka's abode!
Check out the fabulous slideshow HERE

Elle Decor - HERE

Super fresh and simple, yet appropriate to call kitchen bling...

Image HERE

Some fun brass touches anyone can use...

Dorchester Picture Light at Circa Lighting

Brass Bin Pulls by Rejuvenation

Yoke Pendant Light at Circa Lighting

Shower Valve by Kohler

George Pendant Light by Rejuvenation

Door Knocker HERE

Cabinet Latch by White-Chapel, LTD.

Feast your eyes on my one day splurge!:

Image - HERE

Bar carts are all the rage right now... can't go wrong:

Williams-Sonoma Bar Cart

Too awesome to not share, brass iPhone case!:

Available HERE

I certainly know what my next kitchen is going to be outfitted in!
Brass brass brass brass brass!
Love it!
It's funny how things come and go, brass on the other hand generally stays, which I love.
Kitchen's are the heart of the home and I just can't wait to have a huge one with elbows on the counters watching as I whip up dinner every night...

xo,
VRB

Wedding Wednesday: Thank You Stationery

Wedding shower season...
Shall Commence!

This means, time for fabulous stationery!

Just got my thank-yous notes in the mail yesterday from my shower on Friday, always best to get those out right away.

Since my monogrammed stationery in my maiden name was getting low, I opted not to replenish since it's changing so soon!
54 days to be exact!


This was the last stationery I had:

Available - HERE

I can't wait to order my new monogram stationery, I will probably post my top choices next week!

For now, this is what I just picked up:

Thank You's for my shower coming up in April with friends and family:

My two finds from T.J. Maxx

Image actually from another Blog, we have similar taste!

Triangle Honeymoon

Available - HERE

These are the notes I used for the shower Friday, with BRS' mother's friends.

Available - HERE

Here are a couple pointers on writing thank you notes:

-I always acknowledge the presence of the guest, since we all know how busy this time of year gets this is always appreciated.
-If a gift was sent, be sure to thank them for the thought and of course express how much you missed them with out making them feel guilty about not being there!
-Be funny and write in the tone you speak, kind of like a blog! Trust me it will end up coming out easier!
-Be specific about what you are thanking them for, if they got you a pencil case, thank them for the pencil case. Tell them how thrilled you are to put your monogrammed pencils in it!
-I like to end in how excited you are to see them next and another cheerful thank you in closing


Don't forget, thank you notes are never unappreciated, heaven knows we all love mail that is not a bill!
Now, thank you for reading and hey, why not go write your Mother a thank you note for bringing you into this world!

xo,
VRB

Weekend Review: Tahoe

 46 degrees in the Tahoe snow - we are missing our cousin in Arkansas

86 degrees in the Bentonville ball field - our cousin is missing us in California

Adjusting back from fun family weekends has always been tough for me, does anyone know that feeling?

I love quality time with my family, and in this specific case my cousins.

There is this saying, "cousins are usually the first friends we have as children. No one will ever understand your crazy family like your cousins do even if you haven’t talked to much lately"

In my family this is so true, I don't have any brothers, my cousins are my brothers.

This is our second annual family ski trip, we've decided to make it tradition.

We built a snow lady

We (the boys) tackled the snow lady

We (the girls) made snow angels 

We (the adults) drank hot toddy's
We (the boys) drank root beer

We ate too much (serious understatement)

We played endless hours of Yaniv and spoons

We laughed

Thanks to the other nine that came, I had a blast and can't wait til next year!
I love you all so much, each and every one of you.

Tahoe is a glorious escape, I am so thankful to be from the Bay Area and have this beautiful winter wonderland  in our backyard.

Where is your winter escape?

xo,

VRB

Keeping Cool

What can I say, I'm a gym fashion guru!

Call me vain, but part of the reason I got so into working out was with the help with some hip hugging, booty lifting Lulu's!

I started out with their Groove's:

Lulu Lemon Groove Pant - HERE

Then quickly realized these are best for the gym, not for Pilates as they would catch on the reformer.

So, I made my way to these lovelies:

Honestly, I only wear these now, I've officially given away four other pairs of Lulu Lemon Grooves and am sticking to these!

Bonus?

You can wear them with boots and sweaters!

Lulu Lemon Wunder Under Crop - HERE

My girlfriend ACM, better known as Mac and my other girlfriend SAF talked me into talking a Bikram yoga class the other day.

Part of our "prep" for class was Mac buying us matching water bottles, TWINSIES!

How cute is this? 

Not only is it adorable and my favorite colour, it is:

-BPA, phthlate, PVC and polycarbonate free (not that I know what any of that means but I am assuming this is the way to be! - this to me translates as "No Plastic" which is what I try and live by!)

-Has a wide mouth so you can toss cucumber, lemon, grapefruit wedges in it

-The top is super easy to screw on which is great for quick and on the go, no spills in the tote!

-Has the awesome skin on it to help prevent breakage since after all it is glass!

Since she gave me this awesome bottle, I have been drinking water like it's going to run out!

You can't go wrong with water since it hydrates you from the inside out!

Better skin, detoxifying, helps with metabolism... sign a sister up.

Best of all... IT'S FREE!

(I know, duh... but sometimes we need reminding!)

Image - HERE

I'm now in search of the perfect work out tops.
Good for running, strength training and Pilates.

I prefer to wear a sports bra and cotton tank... see some suggestions HERE
This little ensemble is basically my staple uniform from 5PM on at least three times a week:

I love the Champion sports bras at Tarjay but just a heads up to opt for the solid white ones...
I have this adorable one in fuchsia but it ends up bleeding onto my white tanks even after several washes:(
Support-wise it's great, but that's not saying much for my size (double sad face)

Images and Links Here: Running Musts 




I am loving this print, how cute is this?

Yoga Siren Racerback from Lucy

This Lulu Lemon running top was made for me!

It matches my blog and my wedding thank you very much!

  Lulu Lemon Running Tops

Insanely cute Old Navy options that are super affordable, I am loving the fresh spring colours!

Tops from Old Navy 

Now go get em' gals!

Bikini season is right around the corner and life's too short to not be healthy!

Cheers to a healthy lifestyle!

xo,

VRB

P.S, And of course, yesterdays post was an April Fools joke, I don't think you'd want to see my reaction if that were really true... xo

No.Freaking.Way.

How is this even possible?

Our invitations came, they are beautiful.

Minor problem.

Wedding date is not Saturday, May 27th, 2012...

Unbelievable.

And they already went out.

What is the term you are supposed to use? FML?

We paid extra for then to go out directly from the vendor.

Literlly everything has been such smooth sailing... I knew it was too good to be true!

Talk to you tomorrow when I am done calling 275 guests

If I'm still SANE!

Sadface,

VRB