Shades of the Ritz

Those of you who know me well know that I'm not a Ritzy kinda girl.

Seriously.

But this week's stay at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel - thanks to Jeff' conference - was one I'd happily repeat. Some of the opulence bordered on the ridiculous (see photo of gilded fire hydrant above), but hidden within the extravagance ran a clean line of simplicity. I particularly loved the bunched lilies repeated down every hallway. The tangerine-colored flowers were all bound with tangerine-colored wire and stood at an interesting angles.

Simple. Elegant. Creative.

It was a good reminder that beauty - and good design - is so often in the details.

A (Not) Real Housewife of Orange County

We're in Laguna Beach today and everything could not be more beautiful. Thanks to the business conference Jeff is attending, we're staying at a lovely hotel here and, well, we've been joking about going from dancing hippies in Golden Gate Park one day to circling among The Real Housewives of Orange County the next.

In places like this my gut often screams, "I don't fit in!" (if Laguna Beach is a Mercedes convertible, Bend Oregon is a Subaru Outback; yesterday's dancing hippies were more my speed), but thanks to all the sweet smiles of passersby and the restful beat of the waves, I've muffled my gut reaction to something closer to, "Just relax."

Off to meet with some new retailers... and sneak in a little more beach time. Home tomorrow (and friends tell me there has been snow already); better make the most of today.

Hardly Strictly SF

On our way south, we stopped off for a short time in San Francisco to hit the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.

Free Show + Beautiful Weather + Golden Gate Park = Lots of Folks.

But, despite the crowds that at times brought me too close for comfort with my fellow bluegrass fans (in Ben's words, "Mama, I can't see you under all the people!"), it was seriously good fun. More than anything, it reminded me how I love and miss the Bay Area. If only I could box up the Eucalyptus trees and bring them home. Then I'd miss them less.

Maybe I'll have to settle for sending that stationery design of Eucalyptus leaves to press sometime soon.

Yes, that'll have to do.