We're Moving!

Not literally, just the blog!

The time has come to move our family blog on to bigger and better things with our very own ".com". from now on we will be posting at the following address:

www.adellaandco.com

For those of you that were receiving notification e-mails of new posts, and following via e-mail, you can now do so more easily at the new web address.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading our blog for the past 4 years, and I hope you enjoy the new layout and more content!

 

Arty Ring

It's always so exciting to come home and find a brown box at the front door, especially when that box contains an Arty Ring. I have lusted over this YSL ring for quite some time, and when I received my Saks gift card, I knew exactly where it was going! This will be a fun ring to play around with this summer, and I can't wait to mix it up with some of my Grandmother's turquoise jewelry. 

YSL Arty Ring, Hawaiian Heirloom Bangles, Chanel Bag, Essie Cocktail Bling Polish

HomeGoods Hoarding

I am totally guilty of it. I love HomeGoods, so much that I am there on a weekly basis and keep track of when shipment trucks arrive. There is an art to discount shopping, especially at HomeGoods, where they tend to only receive one or two pieces of any particular item. I have scored almost all of the art and accessories in our home (as well as my clients) from HomeGoods. You would be surprised to see how many contemporary and even mid-century modern things they receive. I get such a thrill in finding unique items that are currently for sale at full retail in mass market stores. These lacquered boxes were something I have seen before at HomeGoods but neglected to pick up. This time around I purchased all three sizes, and so far have found a spot for two of them in our upstairs hallway.

The frames are also from HomeGoods ;o)

Spring Sneak Peek

This is not a fashion post, sorry! We had such a fun weekend, Tim had the weekend off, the weather was beautiful and we had family in town. So we spent a day at the new Aquatics Center with some friends, and also at our very own pool in Talega. Luckily, Adella remembered a lot of what she was taught in swim lessons and is quite comfortable in the water. Nolan is also a big fan of swimming, and happily chased and swam after all the big kids.

Breezy Mama

Remember when I used to contribute when they first launched? Well, I'm back!! I really enjoy writing for Alex & Chelsea (the owners) and love taking on the challenge of finding things that are cute and affordable for their readers. I will be submitting on a regular basis the first Tuesday of every month.

Check out my post I did for Breezymama.com on kids spring fashion here:

http://breezymama.com/2012/03/06/kids-clothing/

And you can check out the old posts I did a couple years ago here:

http://breezymama.com/?s=Lexi+Adams

Date Night Part Duex

I know, I know, I said we "rarely" have date nights. It just happened to work out again this past weekend. We met some friends for dinner and then went to a concert sans kids! We saw the Hawaiian band HAPA, where we brought down the average age in attendance to a whopping 57! It was fun though, and it brings back memories of our many trips to Hawaii, and of course our wedding. I also saw it as an opportunity to wear another fun ensemble, and seriously stood out in the crowd. It was almost humorous, as just about everyone was sporting an aloha shirt c/o Tommy Bahama or the ABC store. Then there was me, in sparkly shoes and a skirt that is probably too tight. I got a few strange looks, nothing new, but then there was this one elderly lady who in the line at the bathroom gasped and said "MY, that is a FABULOUS outfit!". I respectfully thanked her and left the bathroom with a satisfied smile on my face, as the other ladies rolled their eyes. Oh well, can't please 'em all!

 Top OC Melrose, Skirt Zara, Shoes Miu Miu, Necklace Chanel

 

 

Nordstrom Fun

Our kids are so chic.

Sometimes the mall is the best place to let the kids run around and play. We visit the pet shop, the Disney store, check out the fountains... and try on hats at Nordstrom. Not quite sure if the sales associates appreciated my form of entertainment. But I did purchase a couple of cover-ups for the summer, so hopefully that made up for it.

Casual Client Meeting

One of the best perks about taking on clients for interior design, is that I get to dip into my closet and pull something other than a lululemon jacket! Today I christened one of my most favorite and fun pair of pumps. They also happen to be the perfect "Tangerine Tango", Pantone's 2012 color of the year!

 

Walter Baker Top, Forever21 Jeans, Brian Atwood Shoes, Chanel Bag, J.Crew Bangle, Stella & Dot Necklaces, Hawaiian Heirloom Bangles, Michael Kors Watch, Kenneth Jay Lane Bracelet, House of Harlow Sunglasses

 

Here is a little sneak peek inside one of the homes I am working on:

Aquatics Center

The city of San Clemente just had the grand opening of the new Aquatics Center and Sports Park, which is about 3 minutes from our house. They have been working on it for years, and we can see why. The pools are amazing!! Especially the kid pool, which is in about a foot of water, with all sorts of slides and fun things for them to climb on. And the best part, it's heated.... so warm that they could even go in on a gloomy day like today. So much for going to the beach this summer.

 

 

Modernica Contest

I entered a photo into Modernica's "X Marks the Spot" contest to win a case study planter. We purchased our Nelson lamps from Modernica, and drool over everything they have. If you have a second, "like" our photo on facebook (#3) and comment why you think we should win! To even be considered for the drawing is pretty cool!!

You can check out our photo on Modernica's blog, or on facebook!

 

Date Night

Tim and I were able to have date night this past weekend, which has been rare for us lately. He tends to work most weekends, or we have something going on with the kids. But we got to go to one of our most favorite restaurants in town, Cafe Mimosa. It's usually a breakfast or brunch spot for us , but the dinner menu is amazing too. It's fun going out in downtown San Clemente, and I can't believe how popular it's become. (clearly it's been a while). There are a bunch of new restaurants popping up all the time, and the streets were packed with people. OK maybe not packed, but definitely busy! So I sported a fun new top that I found in a little boutique downtown...

business in the front

party in the back!

and some stacking.

both of us ended up ordering the same thing, the lobster and filet special. It's a petite filet and half of a main lobster, with lobster mashed potatoes pouring out. Clearly I started indulging before remembering to snap a photo.

Do-Ne-Deer

"Look Mimi, I'm like do-ne-deer kids!". Adella has had this little number in her dress up closet for sometime now, and we really haven't done much with it, as I figured she was still too small. But just a few weeks ago she threw it on for the first time and could barely button it over her tummy.... for those of you who don't know the significance of this dress, it was one that I wore for Christmas eve when I was just around her age. My cousins also have matching ones. It's a dirndl from Germany, and I can still remember wearing it as a little girl.

This particular morning Adella put it on and came downstairs to tell me that she was just like the "do-ne-deer" kids. I thought it was pretty cool of her to make the connection with the style of the dress to the movie (The Sound of Music).

and then she put her own style into it, and removed the under shirt.

Barneys

Last weekend I had the opportunity to escape my daily childcare regime and spend some time with friends in LA. It was the last weekend of the Barneys warehouse sale, so we spent a couple of hours digging through what was left over and had lunch at the famous bakery and cafe, Bottega Louie. I have never seen such beautiful pastries, and found it difficult to pick from the vast assortment. We ended up bringing home some macaroons, cupcakes, and beignets. I highly recommend checking this place out, and the Bianco pizza with arugula is to die for!

scored these bad boys at the sale, at about 75% off retail!!

some people collect stamps... I collect shoes.

Nolan is Nuts

Sometimes I worry that I'm not giving enough time and attention to the kids individually, so I really love and appreciate the one on one time that I get to have with both of them. While Adella is napping, Nolan is usually awake and ready to play, and when Nolan goes to bed, Adella and I have our special girly time. Here is a little video taken of Nolan while Adella was napping... he still has that same deep belly laugh!

Moo

We've recently added a little bit of interest to our dining room with a cow hide rug. Sorry to anyone offended by the use of animal products for decorative purposes, but we're being "green" by recycling something that would have otherwise been wasted! I like how it adds a bit of an organic element to the modern and clean lines that we have going. And it feels so good on your feet!

Organic Tree Juice Bar

Tim has been trying to get me on the juice bandwagon for years now... and I have finally been lured into the hype by a new juice bar in Dana Point. The Organic Tree Juice Bar has the most delicious juices, all made from local organic ingredients and beautifully served in glass jars. We've been going just about everyday since learning of it's existence through a friend of mine. What really got me hooked was the fact that the kids love it too. Adella and Nolan are now drinking beets, carrots, kale, ginger, etc!!! This is huge, as we struggle getting anything green in our kids other than avocado. Below is my current favorite, the "Dr. Oz" which includes kale, spinach, cucumber, lemon, apple, and ginger.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Organic-Tree-Juice-Bar/241180452623763#!/pages/Organic-Tree-Juice-Bar/241180452623763?sk=wall

Hostess Rewards

Part of the fun in hosting a Stella & Dot trunk show are the hostess rewards, I got to choose about $450 worth of free jewelry for hosting the event! I pretty much went with delicate, everyday pieces, and got a few things to give as gifts as well. Stella & Dot is an amazing company, and they've got a great thing going. I've always felt a little weird about the whole "direct sales" thing, and never wanted anyone to feel obligated to buy anything, but they really stand out from the rest. The jewelry is beautiful and on-trend, the packaging is ADORABLE, and the customer service provided by the stylists is outstanding. Here are a few of my favorite new pieces, as well as the packaging that I am obsessed with.

"you have a great eye" & "hello gorgeous"

Disney Days

This is the best time of year for visiting Disneyland. We have been going about every other week, and sometimes once a week. The weather is perfect for it, and there are no lines. This one day at Disney, I decided to brave the teacups with the kids for the first time, and 5 rides later they were still loving it. WE RODE THE TEACUPS 5 TIMES IN A ROW. I deserve a medal.

Stella & Dot Trunk Show

I have been a long time fan of Stella & Dot jewelry and decided to host a trunk show at our house with one of their very best Stylists, Alison Fuller. She brought the latest collection to display for a "Style Me Happy Hour". I provided cocktails and appetizers for a fun evening of shopping with the girls. My friend Marilyn Prado Test is an extremely talented Graphic Designer, and was kind enough to create food & beverage labels as well as signs for the event. Check out the photos below!