Life

On Saying Goodbye

Girl at sunset

I guess, as we get older, the more life we experience, the more deeply we love, and the more deeply we lose. It makes living life an incredibly intense and satisfying experience, and it makes losing someone very painful.

When I moved to California, I left most of my deep loves in Ohio. In these six short months, I've experienced two great losses. Grieving from two thousand miles away is not an easy task. But, grieving from two feet away is no easier.

In my opinion, saying goodbye is the hardest thing we will ever have to do. Especially when the loss happened too soon. It seems unfair, and leaves us asking questions we can't always find answers to. 

But it gives us lessons, too. Like these: Life is short, love fiercely. People are warm, hug tightly. Money is to fly home unexpectedly, save wisely. And when the rains come down, and they don't stop, and life feels hard: crack open a cold one with the people you love. For when life brings you down, friends will hold you up. 

xox

Crushing on Lately

City Girl

Hi, hi, hi! How was your week? It was a rough one coming back from that long Holiday break, amirite? I mean, geeze louise!

Anyway, I've been working a lot on my little studio, carrying things one at a time from my office in San Mateo, a mile to Caltrain station, 17 miles to the city, 2 miles on Muni and then walk it another half mile to my apartment. I'm that silly girl you see with stools, carpets, table legs and calendars on all the public transportation 😂 Hopefully I'll have something to share with you soon! Want to see some before pics? I can show those!

So. Let's talk crushes:


Photos: Nikond3200 35mm / Photographer: Jacob HeathEdits: Adobe Lightroom / Wearing: Top - Lush Sleeveless, Poncho - borrowed, similar.

 
 

What Happened in 2015?

Ida Street Blogs 2015 in Images

I remember New Years Eve last year so well. I was sitting on my little love seat at Ida Street, getting ready to launch a new blog name, looking for 2015 sunglasses on my way home from the gym and finishing this blog post.

My how things have changed.

I don't think I ever stepped foot in a gym... so, there's that. Note to self: change that in 2016 😳. But, as you can tell from my top 9 instagrams of the year (above), there were some pretty magnificent moments, as well:

It was a momentous year for sure. There were some ups, and a lot of downs, but I know each moment brought me to this one. The moment where I can sit on my arm chair, wonder if there is such a thing as 2016 glasses, remind myself that I need to make healthier resolutions, and say alas, all is well. 

Be safe tonight, dear ones! I'll be back with you in the new year! xox

Co-Wrapping Gifts or... When you have a Huge Family

Fun Gift Wrapping

I have three sisters and one brother. Christmas is the only time every year we get to see each other. In fact, just this morning our brother flew in from Washington DC -- and shortly after he woke me up, I asked him to pose with our Christmas gifts. 

Why? Because this year we came up with a great idea: co-wrapping. This is how it works: each of our family members picked a wrapping paper. Then, we wrapped each of our gifts for our siblings in that paper. BUT, as a truly millennial clan, we've been emailing and online shopping for weeks, and many of our gifts were joint purchases. For example:

  • Jack, Colleen and I bought a gift together for our sisters Katie and Claire.
  • Claire and Katie bought a gift for me.
  • Jack, Claire and I bought a gift for our mom.
  • And we all went in on a gift for our dad. 

So for those purchases: we co-wrapped. The epic wrapping job below is our masterpiece. It's like our dad is receiving two gifts.... because the wrapped package is a gift in itself, don't you think? ;D

Fun gift wrapping for big families
Co-wrapping Christmas Gifts

Anyway, I'm signing off to pop open a bottle of wine with my sisters and sit by the fireplace. I wish you all the most wonderful, warm and lovely Christmas and I hope you are spending it with the ones you love most. xox


Photography: Annie Butler / Model: Jack Butler / Creative Director: Claire Butler
^^^ It's a family affair 😂

Mr. Holmes Bakehouse & other crushes

Okay. I live a quarter of a mile away from Mr. Holmes Bakehouse. A QUARTER OF A MILE. Mr. Holme's Bakehouse is the home of the cruffin and when my friend Natalie was visiting from Columbus, I just knew we had to try out this SF original. 

Cloaked in white tile, with a bright neon pink sign, this tiny walk-in bakery on the edge of the Tendernob is the bees knees. Here are a few articles you should read about it: one, twothree.

The shining glory of the place is the cruffin. A croissant + a muffin + a surprise filling which changes daily and happened to be pumpkin mousse the day we visited = the best thing that has ever come out of an oven. So here's the dl: Mr Holme's starts selling the cruffin at 9am, and they pretty much sell out within the hour. Natalie and I waited in line for about 25 minutes on a Friday morning and got some of the last ones. We also bought a box and filled it with other pastries. Mostly because the box was just ridiculously beautiful.

That's all I'll say, because I want you to go and see for yourself. You'll be able to tell when you're close because of the line on the sidewalk ;D

Mr Holmes Bakehouse

Anywayyyyy. Things I have been crushing on:

Photo: iPhone5s / Edits: Lightroom