All posts tagged: san francisco

Outfit Post: Minimalist Vibes With Lo & Sons

Published by nicole

Photography By: Anthony Hudson Minimalism has got to be my favorite fashion trend. It’s simple, easy and stands the test of time. I’m not a huge fan of color, so I’m quite happy in my black, whites and neutrals. I recently got a Lo & Sons Waverley cross body bag which practically goes with me everywhere and is so easy to pair with any outfit. Whether its running errands, going out with family or out on a shoot, its the perfect bag for my minimalistic tendencies and essentials. Don’t be deceived by its small size, this compact little bag can carry a surprising amount and can be worn 4 ways which is a really smart idea for people (including moms) on the go. First as a wristlet. As A Shoulder Bag. As a crossbody. Or even as a hands free belt. This cute little bag is one of my favorites to take around! Very easy to switch from one style to another. From one purpose to another. How would you style it?   Disclaimer: This was …

Need A Gift? Find It At Perch – A Local Gem Nestled In The Heart of Glen Park

Published by nicole

One of the things I love about San Francisco, is the endless number of cute neighborhoods and local businesses that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Perch is one of those local shops that you are sure to spend time in and walk away with more than what you intended to buy! Owner Zoel Fages, has been a resident of San Francisco for as long as he can remember and has been curating modern, vintage and international products at Perch for the past 9 years. He is very welcoming and helpful to customers who stop in to browse in his store. You can tell he just loves everything in his store, the kind of love only a local business owner would have. Here you will find items that make the perfect gift for your family, friends and even for your self. The first thing I noticed when I stepped into this bright space was the corner of items for children. This is the perfect place for locals of Glen Park and beyond to pick up a gift for …

How To Dine Like A San Franciscan At Home With Grocery Outlet

Published by nicole

When it comes to eating out, my husband and I usually try a variety of restaurants around San Francisco or San Mateo. But of course we can’t go out to eat all the time since we have a 4 year old who only likes pizza! So we improvise. What I like to do is get inspiration from the place’s we’ve eaten and try to make my own simpler version of it for us to enjoy at home. I teamed up with Grocery Outlet Bargain Market to bring you this post inspired by our recent restaurant adventures! I made two San Francisco restaurant inspired dishes with fresh organic ingredients from our local Grocery Outlet. Why Grocery Outlet Bargain Market? Grocery Outlet actually has amazing deals on wine and food, but it is not just the price that matters- it’s what you do with it! So that is why I wanted to show how you can live like a San Franciscan and dine at your hearts content, whether it’s by yourself, a date night or with kids! …

How I Overcame Self Doubt And Decided To ‘Just Start’ Freelancing

Published by nicole

It Takes Time To Warm Up To The Idea Of Working For Yourself For my entire life, I never thought about working for myself. I always thought I’d be working for someone else for the rest of my life. But circumstances changed. I had my son and quit my job to be a stay at home mom. It took me a few years to get over the idea that I needed to go back to work right now and it that it would have to be a full time job, working for someone else. Anything else just seemed inadequate. But gradually, I warmed up to the idea of working for myself and being a freelancer. It’s not for everyone. This post is about how that happened for me, and if you are trying to figure out your next steps in life I hope this will help you weigh your options! This was my path: About 2 years ago, I picked an area I felt I had a lot of interest in. For me it was digital marketing (I …

My Favorite Place To Get Chinese Egg Tarts In Millbrae

Published by nicole

Honey Berry If you’re a local, you’ve probably heard of this place. But if you’re visiting the Bay Area and happen to be hanging out at the Peninsula for the first time visiting friends or family, its worth stopping by here for some good old classic Chinese egg tarts that you can take to go. Kids love them! Growing up in Hong Kong, one of my favorite desserts/treats that you can get from your local bakery or dim sum restaurant are egg tarts. They’re primarily made of flour and beaten egg. And Honey Berry is my go to place for egg tarts as a weekend treat, breakfast or dessert to bring over to a friends house for a special occasion. The whole reason why I found Honey Berry was for their roti buns (which i’ll save for another post) which are absolutely delicious. I soon learned they also sold egg tarts and Portuguese egg tarts. Its my go to place because my son enjoys roti buns and I enjoy egg tarts! They also sell other dessert treats like …

Pauline Canteneur On How The Young French Live In San Francisco

Published by nicole

One of my favorite things about being a blogger is the people I meet. Last year, through Clementine, the young fashion designer turned toy store owner I had met through Pascaline, my French network grew from zero to making up most of my current friends. Perhaps we shared a similar narrative of coming to the United States to seek education, work and life. Or maybe our shared love for art, culture and exploration. No, it must have been our sense of humor or quirkiness! Whatever the reason and although our cultures and histories were worlds apart, I found it easy and quick to form a friendship. So much so I wanted to write about two of the girls who left a lasting impression on me the first time we ever met. Pauline and Charlotte. I met Pauline and Charlotte on a freezing fall evening at the opening of the Minnesota Street Project. Pauline, a poised young 20 something native of the North Eastern part of France, who instantly impressed me with her ability to ride a bike wearing …

Behind the scenes – Pascaline Paris Lookbook shooting

Published by nicole

My first shoot with Pascaline Paris’ collection was definitely a growing experience. Changing in the car for instance is definitely not easy. I learned that San Francisco weather is definitely not the most forgiving when it comes to staying warm. It was super windy out in the Presidio where we shot. I definitely wish I had a coat but these photos in the wind still turned out pretty cool. I’ve never modeled before so it was funny to see how many awkward poses, expressions (mostly sad looking) and angles came out of the hundreds of photos taken. Like these… And at the end of the day (Sorry Pascaline), here I am back in the clothes which I don’t need to worry about getting dirty. I mean, as much as I love the outfits I was wearing, how can I expect to wear dresses or white pants when I’m with my toddler boy most of the day??? 🙂 It was a lot of fun! And although this might not be a regular thing, I was really glad I …

“Bien dans sa peau” A lookbook with Pascaline Paris

Published by nicole

I read somewhere that women in France don’t categorize themselves – ‘I am a grandmother therefore I should dress like a grandmother’ kind of mentality. French women seem to be women first – then they are girlfriends, wives, mothers or grandmothers afterwards. They are confident and effortless. It’s more than what they wear or how they look, its more of a blissful state of being- of not feeling self-conscious. They know who they are and they listen to their inner voice; as a result they can embrace their own unique beauty. They have an expression for this: “Bien dans sa peau”, which means “to feel comfortable in your own skin”. It must be nice to feel that way about one’s self all the time. In Asia and America it seems as though we’re always so body conscious and body shaming. Like there’s a perfect standard of how we should look and what we should be doing at any given life stage. To me that’s just stifling and we miss out on so much because we’re too …

Closer To Home – Lindsay Thomasson, Founder of Ella Lou

Published by nicole

Happy Mother’s Day! Now that our hearts are all full from the celebrations, I’m kicking off the Mother’s Day Creators & Curators Series with a mom/entrepreneur who turned her love of travel and passion for social justice into a business which she now runs from home with her two little ones. What a way to bring far off destinations closer together! Meet Lindsay Thomasson, founder and curator of Ella Lou. I first “met” Lindsay through a mutual connection and subsequently had our first meeting/interview over the phone. Her youngest one, Olivier (14 months) had just gone down for a nap before I called.  Ahh those precious nap times! Before O started day care, I always prayed for a successful nap in order to have time to do some work or chores. In her case, it when she chose to time this interview. As I learned more about her and her business, I was most struck with how confidently she made a huge career change in favor of her family as well as her advise on balancing entrepreneurship with being a mom. Prior to Ella Lou, Lindsay was an …