Iβm a big fan of wearing sparkly sequins and New Years Eve is the perfect excuse to add all the sparkle you want to an outfit. Thereβs something magical about staying up late to ring in a new year, especially when the fireworks show starts as the clock strikes midnight. Thereβs always many parties and events happening the evening on December 31st, which means youβll need the perfect festive ensemble.
The struggle with dressing for New Years is always the same - how to look fabulous while still keeping warm. New Years Eve festivities go late into the night, and often involve going outside to see fireworks. Not to mention the fact that weβre talking about the winter season so the temperatures can really dip down into the 40s here in California (and even colder for the East Coast).
In this guide I will give you some clever and fashionable tips to make your New Years Eve party style cute and warm at the same time. These pointers will also come in handy for any late fall or winter evening events where you may be outside (like a Halloween party for example!).
Read More
The day after Thanksgiving we loaded up the car and headed North-East from Sacramento into Apple Hill. Itβs about an hour drive from our house to the Placerville and El Dorado County area. We had been looking forward to selecting and cutting down our own Christmas tree all week!
Apple Hill is one of the few places in Northern California where you can go into the Christmas tree farms and cut down your own tree. The Christmas tree varieties include Douglas Fir, White Fir, Canaan, Noble Fir and Silvertip. Most of the Christmas tree farms open the day after Thanksgiving and stay open until the week of Christmas (or until they sell out).
Read More
Apple Hill is essentially an outdoor playground for families, with numerous farms that welcome visitors. While Apple Hill is known for its apple picking in the fall season, there is also plenty to do during the months of Thanksgiving and Christmas. This scenic area of Northern California is not just about apple orchards. Here you can taste fine wines from local wineries, attend unique seasonal events, picnic surrounded by picturesque scenery, and enjoy classic holiday traditions.
Visitors have been coming to this beautiful area for over 50 years, and believe it or not, the popularity of these farms continues to grow in modern times. With so much to do in Apple Hill, you may need some advice on where to start. Read on for suggestions on some of the most popular things to do during the holiday season.
Read More
After all my holiday celebrating and Christmas-themed research Iβve done in this past month of December, I can officially declare that thereβs no shortage of holiday cheer in Californiaβs capital city of Sacramento.
One common theme I discovered is that the people of Sacramento really love supporting their peers, i.e. fellow Sacramento locals. On my list youβll find ample opportunities to shop both small businesses and local artisans, plus support the arts like the Sacramento Ballet.
Read More
Christmas is a time of celebration, but itβs also a time of accumulation. The tradition of giving gifts means that by January weβve got a slew of new items in our home that we need to find a place for. Itβs very easy to discover that clutter has begun to pile up around the house after the festivities have ended.
The best way to combat this holiday untidiness is with planning ahead before you get into the thick of the gifting season. In this blog post I will outline the best ways to purge your house of unwanted items and then organize your home so that new items can be put away easily.
Read More
The 2019 Makerβs Mart was comprised of over seventy makers, creators, artists, and entrepreneurs. The vibe inside the market was so warm and cozy, with an incredible turn out of attendees (especially considering the rainy weather). It just goes to show that the Sacramento community is filled with diehard fans of handmade goodness!
Read More
It's the most wonderful time of the year, and I'm here for it! I'm a big fan of Christmas. I love the decorations, the sweet aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg, the cheery lights, and all things sparkly. When a city's festivities and spirit bring on the holiday joy, it makes for an especially memorable experience, and San Francisco will always have a permanent place in my heart for that.
I grew up in the small town of Half Moon Bay which is located just south of San Francisco. My husband and I eventually moved into a tiny apartment in the heart of downtown San Francisco, and we got to experience Christmas in the city firsthand.
In this guide Iβve rounded up my top things to see in the month of December should you find yourself spending the Christmas holiday season in San Francisco. From picture perfect holiday card spots, to the best yuletide sweets, and of course Christmas shopping, weβve got everything you need for a festive itinerary while on your California winter vacation.
Read More
Apple Hill is pretty much a farm loverβs paradise! Most farms throughout the US are closed to the public, but in Apple Hill youβll find over 50 local family farms and small businesses that welcome guests to pick produce and enjoy the countryside scenery.
Apple Hill is not actually a city itself, the territory runs through the small town of Camino into Placerville, CA. The Apple Hill community includes fruit & veggie farms, wineries, B&Bs, flower gardens, Christmas tree farms, restaurants and even a day spa.
While Apple Hill is most popular in the autumn season for apple picking and pumpkin patches, thereβs actually plenty to explore year-round. In this blog post I outline all the hidden gems to see, eat, photograph and explore inside Apple Hill.
Read More
The 5 Love Languages is both a theory and best selling book on how to improve your relationships with the loved ones in your life. Chapmanβs advice is simple and uncomplicated, but still very impactful and easy to implement.
In a simple summary, every individual has both primary and secondary ways that they prefer to give and receive love. As individuals we are all unique in how we express emotions, and sometimes we have a hard time communicating or acknowledging those feelings with our loved ones because we weβre aware of their particular love language.
Read More
October is the true beginning of the fall season and the entire month is filled with festive Halloween events. With every passing week of the month, the childrenβs anticipation builds up for October 31st. For most families Halloween night is synonymous with the time-honored tradition of trick-or-treating. Many children celebrate Halloween by dressing up in costumes and visiting neighbors in your neighborhood in search of candy.
So why would you decide against celebrating Halloween with trick-or-treating? There are several reasons to possibly avoid taking to the streets on Halloween. Some neighborhoods are not suitable for walking door-to-door, they may be too spacious and rural. Other places may just be unsafe and not very child-friendly. Extreme weather can hinder trick-or-treating or maybe your tweens are just getting too old.
No matter what your reasons, my guide is filled with many fun and festive Halloween alternatives to trick-or-treating. My suggestions are great for children of all ages (and for adults too!). Your friends and family wonβt be disappointed with the spooky fun youβll be serving up!
Read More
Just an hour's drive from sunny San Diego toward the mountains, and you find yourself in a completely different world. Julian is a tiny town β just a few streets and nearby farms and ranches. Because of its location in the mountains, there is a much brighter sense of seasonality β the heat in summer, yellow and red leaves in fall, snow in winter, and flowers in spring.
Tourists love coming to Julian, especially during the fall season, because it is one of the few places in Southern California where you can see colorful fall foliage. Combined with the beautiful scenery, it is also a great place to vacation out of town.
Another reason why Fall is great for visiting Julian is that it is apple picking season. Since the town's culture is associated with pies, this dish is a must-try. In Julian, they are baked and sold hot in all kinds of flavors, though the most popular, of course, is the apple pie.
We visited during the second week of November and in our pictures you can see all the holiday festivities and colorful fall foliage. In this guide youβll see plenty of Julian family-friendly activities and even some romantic weekend itinerary ideas for a coupleβs weekend away. For the foodie fans, Iβve also included all the must-try autumn foods and deserts.
Read More
I love using blood oranges for cocktails because they add a splash of drama and color to the evening. I always prefer to use freshly-squeezed juice, and then some fruit slices as garnish. This cocktail recipe is super simple but full of sweet citrus flavor, the orange and lime really complement each other.
Read More
Take your tastebuds on a trip around the world without ever leaving Sacramento. This blog post is filled with all kinds of global cuisine, some of them are traditional authentic and others are inventive fusion foods.
We moved to Sacramento in 2017 and weβve seen Californiaβs capital city become a coveted foodie destination with so many new restaurants opening up. I have to constantly be updating my Sacramento guides because the city is growing so fast!
Read More
With countless hidden gems, Sacramento is a destination that deserves to be on your California travel bucket list. The first time most people visit Californiaβs capital city of Sacramento, they almost always wind up spending some time in historical Old Sacramento. While many cities have their own version βold townβ, the Old Sacramento District really takes the cake with blocks of preserved buildings, working locomotive steam trains, shopping and dining, and beautiful Tower Bridge and Sacramento River views.
The Old Sacramento area is home to the highest concentration of historic buildings and landmarks in the state. It has a lovely Old West look and feel, with horse-drawn stagecoaches slowly making their way through its scenic streets. There are over a hundred shops and restaurants, as well as countless cafes and hotels now housed in its attractive old buildings.
Old Sacramento is one of those rare places where thereβs truly something for everyone. Within the 8-block grid of Old Sac thereβs kid-friendly attractions and not-so-kid-friendly spots. Families can bring their children and simultaneously adults can enjoy more mature activities with booze and sophistication.
This Old Sacramento guide is divided between things to do with your kids and adult only activities for a day out on the town or date night with someone special. Thereβs also plenty of foodie suggestions for those who enjoy eating well while on vacation.
Read More