Downtown Los Gatos

Since I have been focusing on local downtown areas I decided to explore Downtown Los Gatos yesterday in a new light. I have been to Los Gatos a zillion times. I even worked at the Banana Republic there a year ago. I wanted to focus on only going to stores that reflect the image and style that I want to portray for my Etsy shop Event Shop Design. To start my little afternoon adventure I had to fuel up at one of my favorite Japanese restaurants, Kamakura on N. Santa Cruz Ave. I enjoyed one of my favorite things to eat, sashimi tuna yum!!! The quality of the food at this Japanese place is excellent and a pretty good deal at lunch time.

After a light lunch I strolled down the street and popped into the candy store "Lolli and Pops". This sweet little candy shop is so inviting and apparently is worldwide. I was drawn by all the cute displays and beautiful pastel colors. It made for a great color palette for inspiration. I was amused by the large gummy bear display they have. I think a "Gummy Bear" themed party would be fun! I love how they incorporated party items with the candy displays. It was really tempting to want to purchase one of their fancy bars of chocolate such as the "Give S'more" chocolate bar, but I refrained. I will definitely come back again to pick up a little gift for a friend. 

Moving along from the candy store I went to my favorite bakery in Los Gatos, "Icing On The Cake". Not only do I love all of their baked goods I also am excited about their party and gift merchandise. My favorite cookie there is the "Crumble Bee"and my favorite cupcake is the "Swirly Cake". It reminds me of the Hostess cupcakes that we grew up with. To go along with all of their sweet treats they have cute little labels. The one for the "Rainbow Sugar Cookie" has the "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" book illustration. So cute! It is one of my son's favorite books. 

Along with all the delicious treats in this bakery I am also drawn to all the bright colors of the merchandise. The one display that especially caught my eye was of the "Fiesta Wear" which I love! These colors would make a great color palette. I am thinking of doing some "Rainbow" party inspired items; flag banners, cupcake toppers, invitations, and more... 

I am inspired by the story behind this little bakery that has been around for thirty three years. It all started with the owner owning a turquoise Easy Bake oven in 1965. I never had an Easy Bake oven but I did have a Holly Hobbie oven. She also had a love for baking which l do as well. My grandmother taught me how to make Toll House chocolate chip cookies when I was eight years old.  She definitely was responsible for my love of chocolate. Here is a photo of their post card that I picked up while I was there. It is on her turquoise Easy Bake oven and my favorite Swirly Cake cupcake. So much goodness!

To end my sweet little adventure day in downtown Los Gatos on the way to my car I noticed a little shop called "Out Of The Envelope". The window display for valentines caught my eye since I love all the cuteness during this season. I do not know how I never noticed this store before. Not only do they have gift and stationery items but they also do printed invitations, screen printed items, and embroideries. I spoke to the owner and she was really friendly. As I do for every store that I blog about I asked if I could take photos of her shop. She was interested in what I was doing so I proceeded to tell her about my Etsy shop. She wanted to look at it while I was in her store so she pulled it right up on her computer. She even asked if I sold wholesale which was flattering. I guess I need to look into that aspect. One thing I have discovered in these little blog adventures is that many of these shops sell items from Etsy, which is pretty exciting.  I ended the day feeling inspired and excited about what the future holds for my little party business!

Downtown Campbell, CA

This week I decided to have a local inspiration day in downtown Campbell, CA.  I am excited to start the new year building my ideas and business for Event Shop Design. I started my adventure at "Recycle Bookstore West", a new and used bookstore with great selection and a (fluffy/cute/etc) shop cat named "Bob". One of the first things that I noticed was a cute book for kids called "Little People Big Dreams Frida Kahlo". I love Frida and the fact that they have a series of books of women in history for kids to learn about is just another feather in this store's cap for me. One Frida book had a beautiful flower pattern that would look great on stationery.

I also discovered on my little adventure a store called "Redemption". The store sells stationery, home decor, jewelry, clothing, and accessories, all locally made. The whole store is in the theme of the state of California. I was really inspired by their gift items made with local maps. They gave me the idea of designing cupcake toppers and flag banners with maps, which would go with a Travel theme "Wanderlust" party.

Following the store "Redemption" I was drawn by a floral shop called "Petite Petal". Outside they have a display of cute little succulents. When I stepped into the store it was very inviting. One of the owners working there greeted me and was super friendly. There was a nice display of succulent plants and cactus in terrariums. They also have beautiful stationery, party supplies, candles, flowers, and pottery throughout the shop. Everything is merchandised in a chic and simple manner. Many of the plants have stationery with the quotes that correlate next to them. The store offers workshops and team building events as well. I will definitely come here again. I might even take one of their workshops such as; "Flower Crowns and Cupcakes" or "DIY Terrarium's".  Both sound like fun! Check out their website: http://www.petitepetalco.com

To end my inspiration day I went to a local favorite for lunch, "Brown Chicken Brown Cow". I had a light lunch of "Angry Goat Cheese Crostini's", which has a spicy blend of goat cheese, Jalapeño, garlic, onion, and cilantro, served with toasted crostini, arugula and chives. It is the perfect balance of spicy and salty. It paired nicely with the J. Lohr Chardonnay. It was a great end to a productive and exciting day discovering new things and making some connections right in my own backyard!

Muir Woods

Wow since I went back to working part-time I had neglected posting my weekly blog. This was my last entry from June 2016 that never got posted! Now that I am focusing on my own event and design business again I will be getting back on track for 2018 creating and blogging.

During Memorial Weekend we decided to go go across the bay to one of our favorite places, which is "Muir Woods". When we lived in San Francisco nine years ago we used to go often. We would park up above and hike down into the woods. It is always pretty exciting for me to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and head over the bay. It is refreshing to leave the heat and head into the fog. Being that it was a holiday weekend the parking was a bit crazy to get into the park. My husband had to drop my son and I off and park pretty far away. It took him about 30 mins for him to get back to us and he even ran. As soon as you get into the park and see all the trees my blood pressure drops and I become very relaxed.

Once we got there we started our hike on the nice wood path. The weather was perfect for hiking nice and cool. My son had only been to these woods once before and he was pretty excited to be there. He enjoyed seeing the cut tree with all the rings that had different years labeled on it. This always reminds me of the movie "Vertigo" since they went to that exact same spot in the movie. It was so nice to take our time and soak it all in. I love the sound of the breeze in the trees and the stream going by. When you look up you are surrounded by the beauty of the woods. 

After we hiked for about an hour and a half we headed over to the "Muir Woods Cafe". Everyone was hungry after hiking since there was a line out the door. We actually got lucky and found a table inside. I ordered their famous "Marin Melt" Panini which was stated as "best thing I ever ate" on the Food Network. It is made with Cow Girl Creamery Mount. Tam Cheese and Point Reyes Farmstead Creamery Toma cheese. To go with it I also got their fantastic vegan tomato soup as a "Marin Combo".  It was so delicious! 

After our time in "Muir Woods we went over to Sausalito for an afternoon treat. As a tradition we always get ice cream at "Lappert's Ice Cream".  The only other place we have had it is in Kauai on our honeymoon. My favorite flavor is the "Kauai Pie", which is coffee ice cream with coconut, macadamia nuts, and chocolate chunks. The whole combination is unforgettable. We enjoyed our ice cream as we strolled around the little town and walked along the water. I was a beautiful day were you could see clear across the bay and see the skyline of my favorite city San Francisco. It was an end to a wonderful day! 

San Jose Museum Of Art

The San Jose Museum of Art is a "go-to" place for my son and I.  A week ago I decided to come on my own for a bit of quiet time. This is a small museum. The majority of the museum has very contemporary art. The main exhibits are on the 1st and 2nd floors. On the 2nd floor was an exhibit called "Border Cantos", which is about immigrants migrating into the United States from Mexico. One thing from this exhibit that really caught my eye was this "Migration Community Quilt" made with octagon shaped Post It notes. Guests of the museum are welcome to draw something on the paper about where they come from such as the flag of their country. I loved the honey comb design it created by the shapes along with a printed map behind it. I also loved the combination of colors; blue pink, lime green, turquoise, and navy.  I also love the thought behind it.

This was posted on the wall of the exhibit which I found very interesting: " International migration is a global phenomena that is growing in scope, complexity, and impact. Migration is both a cause and effect of broader development on intrinsic feature of our ever globalizing world. While no substitute for development, migration can be a positive force for development when supported by the right set of polices. The rise in global mobility, the growing complexity of migratory patterns and its impact on countries, migrants, families, and communities have all contributed to international migration becoming a priority for the international community". 

To continue with the international theme after the museum I walked over to one of my favorite Japanese stores in down town San Jose, "Muji".  This store started in 1980. They have locations in New York, LA, San Francisco, and San Jose. It offers a wide variety of products from stationery to household items and apparel. Muji in Japanese translates as "no-brand quality goods." 

I have always had a fetish for Japanese stationery products. I love how small and compact everything is and the simple minimalist design. One of my favorite items is the "Mini Markers Pen Set" which comes with 10 different colors. They are packaged in a clear octagon-shaped plastic container with the markers of the same shape inside. They are perfect for my son to use while we are traveling or when we go out to eat since they don't roll away!

Since I always end my outings with a fun place for a snack I went next door and treated myself to a piece of chocolate mousse cake at Bijan Bakery & Cafe. This bakery has a wide variety of pastries, cakes, cookies, muffins, and croissants. It is a great place for a breakfast or an afternoon treat. Bijan Bakery has been in the bay area since 1986.  They have this location and one in Saratoga.  I soaked in the day on the outdoor patio area and enjoyed my perfect chocolatey chocolate mousse cake. I couldn't help but think of one of some of my favorite words of wisdom: "What ever the question is chocolate is the answer".

Carmel-By-The-Sea

This past weekend we spent the day at one of our favorite places, Carmel-By-The-Sea. We love to go there for the cooler weather, quaint European style village, the white sand beach, and amazing restaurants. It is a nice and relaxing place to stroll around and everything is within walking distance. We started out our day with a picnic at the lush "Devendork Park". This park is a gathering place for the village. There is a beautiful grass area to picnic and for kids to run around, which is surrounded by massive live oak trees, a little pond with Koi Fish, and nice benches to sit on and relax.  It was the perfect place to start our day and have lunch. 

After we had our picnic at the park we headed down to the beautiful white sand beach, which is down the hill from the village. Even though it was pretty overcast there were a lot of families with dogs hanging out. There is a beautiful coastline to look out at while you sit and relax on the soft sand. My son had fun playing in the sand and tossing the frisbee around.  This is one of our favorite beaches in Northern California to go to.

Traditionally after we spend time on the beautiful beach we walk up the hill to our favorite place for an afternoon treat at the "Carmel Bakery". This place always has a line out the door. Displayed in the front window are delicious looking Cannoli's, many pastries, and cookies. Inside they serve ice cream, cookies, pastries, and coffee. My favorite cookie is a half dipped short bread cookie with chocolate bits in it. This cookie is perfect paired with a latte. After we get our goodies we walk over and sit at the nice benches in front of the "Harrison Memorial Library". In front of the library is a little succulent plant garden and California Poppies. It is a nice place to sit, relax and enjoy our treats. 

Following our afternoon snack we had an early dinner at our favorite restaurant in Carmel, "Flying Fish Grill". This place is located below the Carmel Plaza. The owners have been running it for 23 years. The atmosphere is very dim lighting, with wood walls and cozy booths, in an Asian décor. They serve predominately Japanese style food and seafood dishes. They are most known for their pan-fried almond crusted sea bass, which is served over a bed of whipped potatoes and rock shrimp stir-fry. When you sit down they first serve you their complementary ginger salsa and crispy wonton chips, which my husband could not get enough of. For an appetizer we ordered the spicy tuna tartare with sesame oil, chili pepper, and toast points, which also goes well with the crispy wonton chips. Following the tartare we both chose to order the almond sea bass for our entrees, which is to die for! The whole dinner was a great ending to such a memorable day!

Filoli Gardens

A week ago we drove to Filoli Gardens in Woodside for a family day. I have heard great things about the gardens and every time I drive by and see the sign off the 280 I think to my self "we need to go to this place". The gardens are a bit off the freeway below the foothills down a dirt road that leads to the country estate. When we arrived it felt like we weren't even in the bay area anymore. First when you go inside to pay there is a gallery of botanical paintings, which I love. From there we headed out to explore the gardens. On the way to the gardens they had a cute area where you can purchase plants, garden sculptures, and fountains. It was a nice serene outdoor space. Following the plant area are the lily ponds.  They are picture perfect.

After we walked through the lily pond area we headed to the colorful rose garden and explored. There were so many different varieties. Near the rose garden is a kitchen garden and a beautiful hedge maze. My son loved walking around both areas in search of the various scents, colors, and shapes in the treasure map provided to him at the Visitor and Education center. There is so much variety on display! We sat on a bench and soaked it all in.  As I sketched and wrote in my journal I soaked in the beautiful spring day.  There was a cool breeze and the fragrance of sweet roses in the air.  I could hear the sounds of birds and nature surrounding us. 

We then moved on from the rose garden area and wandered around some more while we played Follow the Leader with my son. I came across this enchanting wrought iron archway leading to long pathways of beautiful hedges. It made me feel like I was in an English Garden or Wonderland. This whole place makes you feel like you have been transformed into a beautiful scenic painting.  I just loved it! 

On our journey around the gardens we came across a sun dial, strolled along a large swimming pool, and walked through the historic estate house.  For lunch we went to the cafe which has both indoor and outdoor seating.  The food was decent for the price.  It was so relaxing after visiting the gardens. While we are eating a peacock showed up.  It was a fun and nice surprise to our day.  It was beautiful standing there with all of it's vivid colors.  Filoli was such a memorable day and an adventure I highly recommend!

Triton Museum Of Art

I have been wanting to go check out the Triton Museum of Art near Santa Clara University for a while. A week ago I finally got to go there and spend some time. Right in front of the museum are these giant blue glass and metal pair of glasses. They are really fun and cool. I was immediately inspired to go inside and see more of this place. 

I was greeted by a very inviting and friendly staff. The museum is rather small but it has a nice sense of space and natural light. I wandered around the three different rooms and enjoyed looking at all of the different works of art. Many of the artists are local from the Bay Area. I was the most excited about the artist named Tim Craighead. He describes his work as "Abstract Impressionism". His meaning behind it is that his paintings are "pure" abstraction objective and nonobjective painting. I love Impressionism and abstract art so this was right up my alley. 

After spending a lot of time at the museum I went to a nearby place called the "Mission City Creamery" in Santa Clara for lunch. It is a tiny little spot that only serves ice cream and grilled cheese sandwiches. You can build your own sandwiches by choosing any type of meat and cheese to go on it. What I picked was really good! Of course I had to try their ice cream so I got the chocolate brownie which was really delicious. All of their ingredients are local. The atmosphere if very cute inside. My favorite part is the sign they have hanging up with my favorite quote. "Life's Short Eat Dessert First". It was a great afternoon of art and eats!