Riviera View

For the past few years I've wanted to design a room solely in shades of black and white.  Pulling off that look takes serious editorial skills (not to mention a lot of huevos). When it comes to design, I lean towards the "more is more" philosophy but secretly pine for living with less.   I really love color too: pinks, blues, reds, greens and oranges are my go-to girls, so it's hard to imagine excluding them from the party.  But I've been mulling it over and thinking the time has come for a large dose of black (or very dark chocolate brown) in my ethereal off-white world of sofas, chairs and curtains. Black and white have been fashion staples forever.   Here's Julianna Moore from a few years ago looking fab in traditional houndstooth with a little zebra zing thrown in. New York's Spring 2013 Fashion week was replete with black and white ensembles.  Christina H's blog  deCélie  has a quick  overview : (runway photo's from Vogue.com) ...

If your first wedding is all about the dress, is the second all about the food? From Los Angeles based Patina Restaurant Group comes Patina Wedding events with scrumptious looking cakes for first, second or third-time honeymooners.  Hey, someone has to keep the economy rolling. all photos - patina wedding Patina Wedding has great tablescapes too, so check out their website for inspiration.   My favorite is the Disney Concert Hall wedding where the bride's dress, cake and floral details echo the architectural lines of Frank Gehry's building.  Photographed by  Luminaire Images

Stop into Healdsburg's  Shed  and you won't be disappointed. From the urban-meets-Aggie architecture to the tempting displays, Shed has great things to see, touch, and taste.    Scroll down for a visual primer beginning with one of Shed's cardboard postcards, lending a clue about their mission.  illustration by Caitlyn Galloway Shed's exterior with a blast of mid-morning light. Off the curb and into the patio for a coffee with fresh milk.  (Did I see a cow hitched up around back?) A nd then through the front door for a theatrical entrance.   High ceilings with sun streaming in, fresh local produce, baked goods, cheese and wine.    Past the artisan groceries and snacks are practical displays for the chic farmer... Check out these clever wall hooks made from cut branches. More supplies in the outdoor garden space We loved this wr...

  photo credit - Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times Growing up in the San Fernando Valley we did a lot of tree climbing. Alongside our driveway was a hearty Maple tree that held my brother and I safely as we ascended to its top.  Using the sturdy thick branches as stepping stones and the willowy thinner ones to stop us from falling we'd navigate to the highest views.  At night in the summertime, our gang played a game called ditch, a tag contest where one child was "it" and the others hid in bushes, behind fences or under cars until captured.  If swift enough, we'd escape by dashing towards a designated "safe" Jacaranda, one of the many purple flowering trees on our tree-lined cul-de-sac. The braver of us also climbed those Jacarandas. Their trunks were thicker and taller with fewer low hanging branches so you had to be strong enough to shimmy-up first, like a phone-company pole climber, before grabbing an accommodating branch to help you...

Check out these heavenly linen products from Rough Linen .  Based in San Francisco, they use natural linen to design basic but beautiful products.  To learn more about the company's CEO, click here:   Tricia Rose All photos from rough linen website . I would make good use of the pinafore (third photo down), and of course, the daily view from the last photo wouldn't be so bad.  duvet cover nautical linen curtains called St. Barts, made of mid-weight linen  pinafore: a pocket for keys, a pocket for your phone  practical and smashing