Acme Bread Company ~ Est. 1983

Another Berkeley, CA gem is the Acme Bread Co - a nationally acclaimed artisan bread bakery. Steve Sullivan, the founder and owner, says that after all these years, the number one goal is to bake outstanding bread. Acme uses only organic flour as well as working closely with farmers - evaluating and selecting grain varieties for its flour every year. They work around the clock - 3 shifts of bakers a day - seven days a week at the Berkeley bakery to meet the high demands. At its newer and only other location, in the bakery in {San Francisco Ferry Building}, breads are baked fresh throughout the day in the hearth oven. It was 25 years ago, as a busboy at Berkeley's famous {Chez Panisse} restaurant where he worked while attending UC Berkeley, that he became interested in baking bread. Eventually after bread baking became a serious hobby, Alice Waters requested that he bake bread in the Chez Panisse kitchen. In 1983 he and his wife opened their first - now legendary - bakery.

On Monday, before heading back to San Luis Obispo from the Bay Area, I stopped at the Berkeley location to snap a few photos and pick up some fresh breads: Herb Slab for panini-making, a sourdough baguette, and a loaf of olive bread!

Fresh Basil and Heirloom Tomatoes!

My mom has been gardening like mad lately and sent me back home with delicious fresh basil she grew. It smells SO good that I had to make something immediately so I could use it. When I was home we made a very tasty bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes, also from her garden, so that inspired me to make a fresh heirloom tomato pasta sauce :)

I don't really have a specific recipe, since I just kinda threw what came to mind at the time in a pot. The basic idea is butter, olive oil, shallots, garlic, crushed chili peppers, salt, pepper, lemon juice, chopped heirloom tomatoes. I topped it with shaved Parmesan cheese. It was quite yummy if I do say so myself.

"The Gardener" Berkeley, CA

Last weekend I went up north to the Bay Area where my family lives and had a wonderful time - reminding me of how much I miss living there. We spent one of the days in Berkeley - walking around and exploring the shops in the 4th Street shopping district. Though it was a pretty small strip of stores, there were quite a few gems! One of these was {The Gardener}. The Gardener was opened by Alta Tingle in 1984 in Berkeley, CA. In 1987 they moved to the current location, into a space nearly triple the size. The second store was opened in Healdsburg, CA in 1998 in a barn surrounded by a large garden. The third store opened in the new Ferry Building in 2003. I was so happy to have stumbled upon such a great store! They had everything from beautiful garden and outdoor furniture and supplies, seeds to plant fruits and vegetables, and even great interior design and kitchen/dining ware.

Alta is a former garden designer and lecturer on landscape design. She is an avid gardener and photographer as well. "The Gardener is a collection of all the things that Alta, through her talents and interests, has learned to enjoy and appreciate in her life - a great pair of Japanese scissors for cutting flowers, the purest bar of lavender soap, a big ceramic bowl for the kitchen to hold the season's offerings - things that before had required trips to nurseries, hardware and specialty stores."

When it first opened in 1984, the collection at The Gardener was the first to recognized that even the most avid gardener lives indoors. They specialize in carrying accessories and furnishings for indoors and out. Each location offers merchandise specific to that location. It is Alta's lifelong affinity for texture and minimal design that has guided her buying. She is influenced by the season, which has always guided the product selection.

I took some photos of a few favorites as I walked through the store and recommend that if you are ever in the Berkeley area, that you stop by and take a look for yourself! One small detail that I thought was really cool were the {Ceramic Easel Placecards} used with one of the table settings

Embracing Water.

The Dutch have been in a constant fight against the tides that rise and fall, building dikes, pumping out water in areas below sea level, etc. Rather than fighting the water that is infiltrating their land, they are using it as a part of a new development called {New Water} which will feature the world's first floating apartment complex - {The Citadel}. This new project was designed by {Koen Olthuis} of {Waterstudio} in the Netherlands. This new complex will use 25% less energy than buildings on land because of the water cooling system. There is a high focus on these energy saving projects. Olthuis has designed several of these floating residences around the world and believes that we should stop trying to contain water and learn to live with it. The New Water and the Citadel projects are an attempt to embrace water in the Netherlands, which is almost completely composed of wetlands. I have also included images of houses build on the wetlands in Holland.

Thread Reel Holder

This is a pretty cool DIY project I found on {Kootoyoo} made by Kirsty, from Melbourne. I always love finding creative storage ideas that look nice at the same time. Living in a pretty small apartment with very little storage space, finding room for my sewing machine, fabrics, thread and all the other supplies is quite difficult. Here is one way to solve my problem! Using an {IKEA} frame and some free pencils, she was able to create this space saving solution. She shaved the pencils down so the cotton reels would fit over them, then spacing the pencils evenly apart on the frame, she glued the ends down using PVA glue. For the most part she tried to match the pencil color to the thread color. This also serves as wall art for your creative space.

Lamp Sweaters

New EU regulations are aiming to prohibit the sale of non-CFL bulbs in Europe. In an effort to improve the quality of light emitted by CFL as well as the look of them, designer {Lise Lefebvre} from Amsterdam has been knitting these mohair covers using a seamless 3D knitting machine. She also knits a long tail that covers the ugly cables. Due to the low temperature of CFL bulbs, there is no risk of the covers catching fire. The cover comes in different sizes and patterns to accommodate many types of CFL bulbs.

Retro vs. Contemporary

Here are two extremes I found and fell in love with on {SwipeLife} today. The first are the {Big Chill} Retro Kitchen Appliances. Althought they look like they are right out of Betty Draper’s kitchen, Retro Kitchen’s line of fridges, stoves, and dishwashers offer modern-day technology inside their vintage casings. They have EnergyStar ratings, optional Ice Maker packages, and a wide assortment of colors. The second is {LG SL90 LCD TV}. I have always hated the frame around television screens and wanted one that was seamless. This one does not have a wide border attached, the screen is seamless, aesthetically pleasing and is only 1.15 inches thick. At 47" this would be perfect mounted on a wall. They hit the shelves in 42, 47, & 55". I want one!

Karen Barbé - Textile Designer

I love textile design, so imagine how happy I was to come across the work of {Karen Barbé} from Santiago, Chile. She is a very talented textile designer, printing her own designs as well as producing beautiful felted crafts. Once I am able to set aside some time to do some sewing, the project I want to start is a duvet cover similar to this one! Check out her {blog} for more of her work.

DIY Upholstered Toddler Bed

This is a great DIY project by Gabrielle Blair of {Design Mom} She is a designer/art director and mother of five in New York who posts on where design and motherhood intersect. This toddler bed was featured on {Design*Sponge} - check it out for detailed instructions.

Coffee Cup Drawings

I think this is a pretty sweet {NOTCOT.org} find. Coffee cup drawings by {Cheeming Boey}.

Hot Air Balloon Rally

Last week, in Chambley Franc, 329 hot air balloons set off for the largest gathering in the skies - the Lorain Modial Air Balloon Rally. Check out the {Lorain Modial} photo group on Flickr to be amazed. This was found on {wejetset - a modern travel store}.

Black, White and Green - Natural Green :)

I am a huge fan of black and white - whether it be graphic design, interior design, or photography - with hints of color here and there. Conveniently enough, green is my favorite to accent with! So these pictures of homes found on {Apartment Therapy} . Interior Designer, {Jessica Helgerson} does this really well, so be sure to check out her site. I love that she uses bursts of natural color. A great part of these homes are the rich wood accents that help to warm up the mostly black and white spaces - which can be cold when done throughout an entire house and not just in a small room. The green and wood accents makes them more inviting. I must also say that I LOVE the wooden platform bed.

Vintage Silverware Herb Garden Markers

Lovely vintage silverware herb garden markers from the {Monkeys Always Look} Etsy shop. They are tarnish silver-plated vintage silver. LOVE these. Now if only I had a garden to use them in! One day...

Moroccan Sunday Supper

{Amy Atlas} was a guest contributor on {Sunday Suppers} and worked on the beautiful table design for the Moroccan dinner that was inspired by old tiles. They were actually used as a runner type of decoration down the middle. Jessie from {Rountree Flowers} did the floral design with beautiful mums - inspired by the patterns in the tiles and by piles of spices. Rose petals were used to make garlands and the tabletop was decorated with pops of orange and pink. The candlestick holders were actually regular taper holders that Jessie converted into pillars by attaching votive holders on top. The fabulous backdrop and pattern along with all the paper goods & goodie bags were designed by Erica Miller of {Thoughtful Day}.

Some of the other talented people who contributed to this event were: Aran Goyoaga of {Cannelle et Vanille} *A NEW FAVORITE BLOG* who baked the orange flower macaroons, orange creamsicle panna cotta and baked meringue sandwich cookies. The amazing cake was designed by Archana Rao of {Love Street Cakes}. Ali Kantor of {Papery & Cakery} created a traditional moroccan cookie called kaab el ghazal, which served as a favor for the guests to take home in goodie bags. All photos were taken by {Karen Mordechai}.

Amy Atlas Events!

I am completely inspired by the work of {Amy Atlas Events}. As more and more people are moving away from traditionally 3-tier wedding cakes and individual favors, candy/dessert tables are becoming very popular. Amy Atlas Events definitely takes the *cake* on this - she does it all from weddings to themed parties. They believe that a party should be an expression of you - so they get to know their clients before planning a party perfect for them. Though they are known for their dessert tables, they are able to create the overall aesthetic for a party and will plan your special event from beginning to end! They believe that the one hosting the party should get to enjoy it as well, which is why they strive to make the process effortless for the client. They have a wonderful sense of style and attention to detail that I always look for. It is all of this that has given them the reputation as being the most sought after event planning company in New York City.

A Modern, Traditional Wedding

First off, it made me smile to find a blog post - again on {Style Me Pretty} - that was titled A Modern, Traditional Wedding. This is exactly the style I love - tradition with a modern twist. An of course, the green is an ultimate fave! Again a DIY wedding inspired from many of the posts on SMP. The flower in her hair was purchased from {Nomsa's Etsy Shop} and photography was done by Brian Cummings of {Rob Grimm Photography}.

Some explanation from the bride herself:
I’ve been obsessed with SMP since the moment of my engagement. Admittedly, I haven’t known what to do with myself since the wedding and all my free time which was once spent on wedding blogs. As a graphic designer I saw my wedding as an opportunity to showcase my style and personality, to brand us as a couple, in a sense. I found the best way to let my personality shine was in the tiny details. Everything from the programs to the cake topper I thought about in great length. Also, being on a budget, most of these projects required a DIY execution, which also helped to give my wedding a unique look and feel. Overall, Id say the style outcome was contemporary with an eclectic sprinkling.

As for the fashion…I purchased from J Crew and had a seamstress add the flowers, an overlay, and a train… I had a vision, and she really made it come true. The bridesmaids and groomsmen also wore J Crew.

The simple centerpieces which were DIY, and nature inspired. I letterpressed the coasters myself that said Eat + drink and be married.

The flowers were all DIY put together by the wedding party the night before the ceremony. The W in the rings picture was also the cake topper and was a vintage metal letter I purchased at {Three Potato Four}.

Our guestbook was made of tiny envelopes where the guests were asked to write a wedding wish, message, or funny story. We also made little pins for guests to wear to really continue the look.

Rountree Flowers!

Check out these beautiful and unique floral centerpieces and bouquets by {Rountree Flowers}.

DIY Ruffled Belt

This was a great find! Belts have become a real wedding trend lately - could be attributed to {J.Crew} - so here is a way to have this chic style incorporated in your special day without spending tons of $$. Check out {100 Layer Cake} for step by step instructions. This belt was inspired by a headband made by crafty Rachel over at {Heart of Light}.

A Yellow DIY Affair

I am going to have to agree with the folks over at {Style Me Pretty} on this one - this wedding held in Summerland, CA is pretty close to perfection. While needing to stick to a tight budget, this couple was able to put together a wonderful wedding with great style and sophistication! The chic yellow color palette and awesome succulent plants, put together with all the handmaid details...I am obsessed! {Linda Chaja} was the photographer of this event. My favorite part about this wedding is that the bride and groom put together many of the details with their own two hands with love. The cones placed on aisle chairs contained knitted pom poms made by the bride and the program was designed and typed by the bride on a vintage typewriter. Luckily they were also able to save some $$ by having the flowers done by a family friend of the bride. Ahnika Johnson - who has just started her own business as a wedding planner - was hired to coordinate their special day!

Vintage Shabby Chic vs. Elegant Shabby Chic

As we all know, I LOVE WEDDINGS! These are two recent posts from {Style Me Pretty} that I thought was nice to see side by side. They are both using a sort of shabby chic design style, however one is vintage and the other is more elegant. The one featured above was actually a vingette done for Brides Northern California by {Andrew Hsu} and photos featured above are by {Lisa Lefkowitz}. The event designer for this shoot was {Gloria Wong}. Beautiful work by all of them!

This wedding speaks for itself with elegance and charm. From the lavender to the flip flops - love it all! Photographs were taken by Kerry Corcoran of {David Michael Photography}. The maid of honor conveniently works as an event planner for {Paula LeDuc Fine Catering} and flowers were done by Hannah Sampson of {Modern Bouquet}.

JK Wedding Entrance Dance - Forever

On Thursday of last week, a friend of mine sent me a link to this amazing video on You Tube. It quickly spread around the office and then within hours I started seeing it on many of the wedding/design blogs I visit daily! Since its debut on July 19th - this video has had over 12 million views and is taking the web by storm! This choreographed wedding ceremony entrance, to Chris Brown's "Forever" is a hit. It seems as if that video just might have pulled him out of celebrity exile, at least for the moment. Currently in iTunes’ number 9 slot for top purchased songs, Forever’s role in the wedding procession video has managed to help it rise as high as the number 6, and might have even made Chris Brown relevant again. Not only has this been a hit on the web, but on TV as well! Many news stations/shows have been talking about this - The Today Show actually invited the newlyweds to reenact the dance on their show.

Crate & Barrel Faves

With the 4 weddings this summer and one more in the fall, I have been spending a lot of time taking a look at gift registries! I am going to have to say my favorite for now is Crate & Barrel. I have selected some of my faves they have out now - I want 'em all!

Making of My Portfolio

Well, it feels a bit strange that I have graduated college and been working full time for over a year now already. I was reminiscing on my days in school - long nights/all-nighters and thought I would share some of the process of how I made my portfolio book and case all by hand. Enjoy!

Stand by Me

I am so happy to have seen this video of the song "Stand By Me" sung by Andy, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora & Friends. It is beautifully done and actually gave me chills! On June 24, Iranian Superstar Andy Madadian went into an LA recording studio with Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and American record producers Don Was and John Shanks to record a musical message of worldwide solidarity with the people of Iran. This version of the old Ben E. King classic is not for sale - it was not meant to be on the Billboard charts or even manufactured as a CD - it's intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people - to give voice to the sentiment that all people of the world stand together - the handwritten Farsi sign in the video translates to "we are one". BEAUTIFUL and THANK YOU for doing this to all who were involved!

Nervous System Jewelry Design

The Etsy shop {Nervous System} was found by my {friend} who shared it with me know I would be intrigued. The jewelery art pieces are made using silicone rubber that is cut into an organic network of distorted ellipses. The shifts in direction and scale created a sense of movement and tension around the wrist. They are inspired by the complex forms of radiolarians - plant cells - or even honey comb. The white ring was made by building up layer by layer in durable nylon plastic using Selective Laser Sintering, a kind of 3D printing. These forms would be impossible to create by traditional manufacturing methods. The process creates a piece with coral-like texture, while the slight flexibility of nylon and airy design make it fun to wear. Nervous System creates unique, modern jewelry combining rapid prototyping methods with industrial materials. If you are interested in the process, check out this {link}.