A Chic Evening with the KNOT Pro in San Francisco (The Video Edition)
I recently shared a blog post about our festive evening with the KNOT Pro in San Francisco last month. What a fun surprise to see a video from the event pop up on the KNOT Pro blog. They do such a fantastic job with both media and style. I am honored to have my Curated Travel voted best of the KNOT for 2018.
I recently shared a blog post about our festive evening with the KNOT Pro in San Francisco last month. What a fun surprise to see a video from the event pop up on the KNOT Pro blog. They do such a fantastic job with both media and style. I am honored to have my Curated Travel voted best of the KNOT for 2018.
ENJOY the video!
I recently shared a blog post about our festive evening with the KNOT Pro in San Francisco last month. What a fun surprise to see a video from the event pop up on the KNOT Pro blog. They do such a fantastic job with both media and style. I am honored to have my Curated Travel voted best of the KNOT for 2018. ENJOY the video!
Read the stylish blog post from the KNOT Pro here.
My take on the event here.
It's engagement season, so if you know any newly engaged couples looking to plan a dreamy honeymoon, please share my information with them. Honeymoons, destination weddings, anniversary trips, babymoons and dreamy destinations are my specialty. I am currently taking new travel clients so feel free to share.
Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm!
A Sweet Bridal Brunch on the Canyon
Remembering this sweet bridal brunch on the canyon for the beautiful bride-to-be, also my honeymoon travel client, Jordyn. She and her family are longtime Chico residents and have become my dear friends in recent years. We had such fun celebrating Jordyn’s upcoming nuptials in this beautiful spot on the canyon.
Remembering this sweet bridal brunch on the canyon for the beautiful bride-to-be, also my honeymoon travel client, Jordyn. She and her family are longtime Chico residents and have become my dear friends in recent years. We had such fun celebrating Jordyn's upcoming nuptials in this beautiful spot on the canyon.
Every detail was planned to perfection by Jordyn's family and friends! From the splashes of color in the breezy centerpieces, to refreshing flavor options at the mimosa bar, to the delectable brunch dishes, the sparkles of the cupcake bar, and the rose embellished favors. Sparkles, gold dust and 'love' was in the air to celebrate the beautiful bride-to-be.
Side Note: This unique architectural home on the canyon is stunning. Rumors abound that Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor rented it while he was filming, 'The Klansman', in nearby Oroville. If these walls could talk!
To Book your dream destination contact me:
A Bridal Brunch in Newport Beach: Roses and Rosé at Zinqué
The setting was picture perfect. The rustic table, embellished with nosegays of white roses tucked into vintage urns, laced with delicate greens, and crowned with intertwining wreaths of greens and tulips from above. The vibe was definitely roses and rosé with chilled bottles of Gerard Bertrand Côte des Roses Rosé adding a blush of color to the table. This was a labor of love and creativity as Dorie created the one of a kind tablescape and arrangements through her popular design business, Broadway Botanicals.
Roses and Rosé: A Bridal Brunch
It was a warm and sunny July day in Newport Beach and the perfect time to celebrate an upcoming family wedding with a bridal brunch. My sister, Dorie Swanson, hosted the brunch for her future daughter-in-law, lovely Caitlin, at Zinqué in Lido Marina Village. It was such a treat to catch up with this branch of my family and get acquainted with Caitlin's mom and sister for the first time.
The setting was picture perfect. The rustic table, embellished with nosegays of white roses tucked into vintage urns, laced with delicate greens, and crowned with intertwining wreaths of greens and tulips from above. The vibe was definitely roses and rosé with chilled bottles of Gerard Bertrand Côte des Roses Rosé adding a blush of color to the table. This was a labor of love and creativity as Dorie created the one of a kind tablescape and arrangements through her popular design business, Broadway Botanicals.
(Click gallery for slide show)
Zinqué was a delicious choice for this special brunch and I highly recommend it for a hip, French-inspired bite or sip by the water.
The Gerard Bertrand Côte des Roses Rosé that Dorie selected for the brunch comes in a beautifully embellished bottle, carved like a rose, and perfectly suited as a favor for guests to take as a reminder of our beautiful lunch celebrating the bride-to-be.
As you can imagine, we are looking forward to a beautiful wedding in the very near future!
A Parisian Apartment Style Brunch
One of the most alluring reasons to stay in a Parisian apartment while visiting Paris is savoring a taste of the French way of life. With a boulangerie, fruit market, grocery, patisserie, butcher and international market on nearly every block, it’s easy to gather the freshest, tastiest ingredients each day to create memorable bites.
Our Parisian Apartment style brunch in Paris
Brunch in the Parisian Apartment
One of the most alluring reasons to stay in a Parisian apartment while visiting Paris is savoring a taste of the French way of life. With a boulangerie, fruit market, grocery, patisserie, butcher and international market on nearly every block, it's easy to gather the freshest, tastiest ingredients each day to create memorable bites.
It doesn't have to be elaborate, though it can be, for us it was simple, fresh and flavorful. These are a few of the items we collected for brunch in the Parisian apartment in July. Pain au chocolate croissants, café crèmes, asparagus quiche, juicy peaches, and fresh scrambled eggs for one morning. This was our simple, fresh, tasty le petit déjeuner in the Parisian apartment.
(Click on images for slideshow)
Where is your favorite place to brunch?
For more on this romantic Parisian apartment.
To book your dream getaway to Paris contact us - Curated Travel.
How to Make a Limoncello Spritzer - A Taste of Positano
One of my favorite discoveries of the liquid kind, on our trip to Italy, was the Limoncello spritzer. Scott and I typically store a bottle of the velvety-sweet lemon liquor, Limoncello, in the freezer for the occasional after dinner ‘digestivo’. In Positano in July, we were introduced to a lighter, more fizzy version of this bold citrus taste. It also happens to be the easiest cocktail recipe I’ve ever made.
Limoncello Spritzer
One of my favorite discoveries of the liquid kind, on our trip to Italy, was the Limoncello spritzer. Scott and I typically store a bottle of the velvety-sweet lemon liquor, Limoncello, in the freezer for the occasional after dinner 'digestivo'. In Positano in July, we were introduced to a lighter, more fizzy version of this bold citrus taste. It also happens to be the easiest cocktail recipe I've ever made.
Lemons, steeped in history, are a staple of life in Amalfi Coast and are used to brighten the flavors of many flavor-filled dishes and luscious cocktails. You will see quaint storefronts selling all things lemon-flavored from soaps, fragrances, skin care, candles, remedies to sweets, liqueurs and just about anything you can dream up for a lemon.
This is my simple recipe for the limoncello spritzer, as shared by a handsome waiter, in Positano.
Limoncello Spritzer Recipe
Limoncello
Seltzer Water
Lemon Slices
Ice
Frosted Glasses
Place equal parts limoncello and seltzer water in a shaker (or pitcher). Add ice and shake/stir to blend the flavors. Pour into a frosted glass and garnish with a lemon slice. Enjoy this taste of Positano in a glass!
*Seltzer may be replaced with prosecco for an extra bit of sweetness and fizz.
Read this to learn more about the amazing lemons of the Amalfi Coast. Long live the lemon!!
For more on our travels to Italy.
Salute!
Creating a "Sunny Escape" for Our House Guests
Scott and I had the pleasure of hosting house guests for the long weekend. It was late summer and the weather was picture perfect for poolside lounging and some outdoor fun in Chico. My sister, Dorie, and her guy Michael, were up from Newport Beach for the weekend and I wanted to create a “sunny escape” for my special house guests. My first step is to prepare the guest room. Freshly washed linens, fluffy towels, candles and fresh flowers are a must. For this visit I added some lovely dark calla lilies to the mirrored bedside table.
Scott and I had the pleasure of hosting house guests for the long weekend. It was late summer and the weather was picture perfect for poolside lounging and some outdoor fun in Chico. My sister, Dorie, and her guy Michael, were up from Newport Beach for the weekend and I wanted to create a "sunny escape" for my special house guests. My first step is to prepare the guest room. Freshly washed linens, fluffy towels, candles and fresh flowers are a must. For this visit I added some lovely dark calla lilies to the mirrored bedside table.
I always like to have some snacks and beverages prepared for the arrival of the road trippers. In this platter I prepared a variety of imported cheeses, olives, marcona almonds with rosemary and veggies with dips. I especially like the gorgonzola-pecan and white bean hummus dips from Trader Joe's specialty market. I turn on a favorite playlist from Pandora--like "Chilled Cream" and "Bliss"--for setting a relaxed mood.
Dining al fresco is a must for warm summer evenings in northern California. I've learned to keep the menu simple: Scott grills steak or chicken and I add fresh salads. On this evening a baby greens with goat cheese/pine nuts salad, a watermelon/feta salad and grilled asparagus were on the menu. We topped it off with sorbet floating in limoncello.
Cheers to family and summer evenings together!
As much as we love time together with house guests, it's also good to give them a little time to relax. We always prepare the coffee pot the night before ready for the early risers or those who want to sleep in a bit. When we finally gather in the morning there is such a relaxed vibe to the conversation and catching up time.
Following a leisurely morning at home, it's good to mix it up, so we headed downtown to the Chico farmer's market for some fresh produce.
We ran into several long time friends, including a retired colleague of mine, Sally (right), who grows and sells her produce from Green Cedar Farm in Berry Creek. Here she is pictured with her intern from France. The apples were absolutely fantastic! Thank you Sally! xx
Beautiful blooms at the market.
We opted for lunch out at one of our favorite, healthy spots, Tea Bar and Fusion Cafe. Soon enough it was time to get home for some lounging by the pool.
Michael--getting his float on!
At one point Dorie grabbed her new fancy new camera and encouraged me to let her take some photos. As bloggers we know it is good to have some decent head shots, but it can be so awkward to have your photo taken. I feel like I am terrible at it--especially photos of me taken alone. With Dorie's design school background, and career as a fashion designer with St. John, she has participated in many fashion shoots over the years. I definitely trusted her to take good photos; it was me I worried about. When I say she took hundreds of photos, I'm not kidding. I still haven't looked through them all. As with any photo shoot there can be many awkward shots--and a few good ones. Either way, we had a ball and laughed a lot!
This is me, stepping out of my comfort zone....
I like the background and it seems to blend nicely with my straw-colored hair. ;)
Dorie has a thriving business in Orange County, Broadway Botanicals. She specializes in succulents, floral design and now residential landscapes. For more on her beautiful designs Broadway Botanicals. I'm always so inspired by her unique creations.
I hope this weekend was a sunny escape for Dorie and Michael. I know it was for us!
Have you entertained company recently?
What are your favorite tips for welcoming house guests?
