• mail
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • wikipedia
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Weekend Meanderings
  • Home & Decor
  • Recipes & Cocktails
  • My Style
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
  • Shop
    • Shop My Home
    • Shop My Style
    • Shop My Beauty Favorites

Make Mine a Spritzer

  • Home
  • WeekendMeanderings
  • Home &Decor
  • Recipes& Cocktails
  • MyStyle
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
  • Shop
    • Shop My Home
    • Shop My Style
    • Shop My Beauty Favorites

A Duchess, a Contessa, a Castle + More … Today on Weekend Meanderings

October 15, 2022 By Juliet 15 Comments

Today on Weekend Meanderings, a real live Duchess, a Rom Com, fall outfits and closet organization. Come join the fun!

Happy weekend, friends!

It’s Saturday and I’m joining Kim and Elizabeth for Weekend Meanderings.

Our weekly roundup of inspiration and goings on.

pumpkins, plants and lantern on brick front porch

It was an eventful week.

Highs – attending the San Francisco Fall Show with the Contessa and Snowberry featured on the Cindy Hattersley Design blog.

Low – a strained back requiring lots of ice, Advil and visits to the chiropractor.

But let’s keep things upbeat and start with a high.

ARE YOU READY?

Let’s go!

 

SAN FRANCISCO FALL SHOW WITH THE CONTESSA AND A REAL LIVE DUCHESS

On Thursday I had the good fortune to accompany my friend the Contessa to the San Francisco Fall Show. The Fall Show is an annual art, antiques and design showcase benefitting the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. After a two-year absence, the show is back for its 40th anniversary, or Ruby Jubilee. Held at the Festival Pavilion at Ft. Mason the location could not be more charming and the show itself absolutely divine. The show runs through Sunday, and I believe you can still buy tickets for the main exhibition hall. Check here.

Woman standing next to large urn of branches in convention hal.

The designer exhibits were out of this world and I particularly loved these two. The green is obviously everything. I mean EVERTHING.

San Francisco Fall Show Green Room.

And the red fit the theme of the show, Ruby Jubilee. Everything detail is perfection.

San Francisco Fall Show Red Room.

The Contessa and I attended the morning lecture led by Martin Chapman, a curator for the Fine Arts Museums. He stepped in for Hamish Bowles who sadly had to cancel due to illness. The Duchess of Rutland (chatelaine of Belvoir Castle), and decorating celebrities Emma Burns and Dominic Evans-Free made up the panel of experts on the topic of English Castles & Country Houses. That’s my kind of lecture.

Panel of speakers on stage at fall show.

Martin Chapman, Duchess of Rutland, Emma Burns, Dominic Evans-Free / English Castles & Country Houses Lecture

The Duchess, a farmer’s daughter who married into castle life, was charming and hilarious. Running a heritage castle is not for the faint of heart. And listening to Emma and Dominic discuss the tough calls that must be made when restoring and renovating centuries old homes was fascinating. They both worked with the Duchess on Belvoir Castle. The Duchess has a book out, The Accidental Duchess. I started it last night and don’t want to put it down. Sadly I cannot find an online source for the book. She mentioned to me at the signing that she was looking for a publisher … I was confused but see now she meant a U.S. publisher. Know anyone?

Dutchess of Rutland signing book for fan.

Duchess of Rutland being polite to fawning fan.

You can follow the Duchess on Instagram here and Belvoir Castle here. The Duchess also has a podcast called, what else, Duchess, where she ‘explores the historic homes of Great Britain and meets the inspiring women who lead them today.‘ Now in its third season, you can find the podcast here.

Belvoir Castle.

Belvoir Castle

Afternoon tea originated at Belvoir Castle … in the 1840’s. That settles it, I’m going to Belvoir to stay and have tea.

Belvoir Castle afternoon tea service.

Belvoir Castle Afternoon Tea

Builders Books of Berkeley was on-site with a to-die for array of decor books. I brought a few home. Don’t give me that look, I have library shelves to fill. Maybe they have the Duchess’ book in their shop … give them a call.

Stack of books on coffee table in from of fire.

 

 

A couple of things I would have brought home if I were a gazillionaire they weren’t already sold.

Late Ming Dynasty?
English Bird Bath

I made a little video of the Contessa and I swanning around the Fall Show … watch it here.

Two women at the San Francisco Fall Show.

Contessa And Her Pig & Me

 

TICKET TO PARADISE

I can’t remember the last time I was so excited for a movie. Well, yes I can, it was Top Gun … which did not disappoint by the way. A few months ago, I started seeing the trailer for Ticket to Paradise.  I almost can’t believe it. Julia Roberts. George Clooney. Together. As a divorced couple. At a wedding. In Bali. What more could you ask for? Not. A. Thing. The movie hits theaters next Friday and I’m checking our theater box office hourly to see when advance tickets go on sale.

 

Jim, guess what we’re doing Friday night? What, you’re traveling, golfing, (insert other activity here)? No worries, I’ll wait until Saturday.

 

OVERFLOW CLOSET ORGANIZATION

Last weekend I was forced to clean and organize my auxiliary closet. You know, what I’m talking about. A closet in an additional bedroom that houses all the extra stuff that won’t fit into the closet closet. In my case it’s event and special occasions dresses, cardigans, blazers, jackets, shoes and boots. In addition, it contains gift wrapping stuff. And my Zeebee, a large, stuffed zebra given to me by my grandfather when I was quite young. Jim is always trying to discard Zeebee and gives me no end of grief about him. Try as I might, I can’t bring myself to part with my Zeebee.

But I digress, the closet situation got so bad I could no longer open the door. Or I should say Jim could not open the door but did manage to get his head inside and declare it a disaster. Embarrassing. There are several reasons this situation got out of hand, but I won’t bore you with them because let’s face it, they’re just excuses. Anyway, it took no more than a few hours to get things in tippy top shape with a few favorite storage solutions from my home away from home, The Container Store.

Hello, girls.
Bags & more shoes.

I didn’t take before photos. Why humiliate myself? Here’s how it looks now. (This is a small walk-in closet and taking photos wasn’t easy.)

The back wall is hanging space … long hang and short hang as they say in the business. There’s about a foot of space at the top where I keep boots in boot boxes. I put rolled up old magazines inside the boots to keep their shape. For hanging, I’m a fan of thin, velvet covered hangers for most things … they take up less space. But I do use wooden hangers for heaver things, like coats, jackets and pants.

Walk in closet full of clothes and shoes.
Walk in closet.

Our house is small and lots of spaces do double duty. I keep all my gift wrap stuff in here and this back-of-door organizer is great. I used Command hooks to hang hats and straw bags. It’s behind the door and no one sees it, so I didn’t spend time trying to make it artful. It’s a hat wall but not A HAT WALL.

Closet door wrapping organizer and hat and bag wall.
Hat and straw bag wall in closet.

I keep most of my dresses in garmet bags … they come in suit, dress and gown lengths. I need to order more. You can see some of my boots on the upper shelf. They also run all across the very top. The drawers are full of more gift wrap things, like tags and larger ribbon. Also food wrapping supplies like cupcake boxes, cellophane bags, and colorful pens, scissors. I’ll tackle drawer organization next … I find that to be one of the most difficult organizing tasks.

Closet organization system with clothes and shoe boxes.
Closet organization.

Closet Organization Essentials ~

 

This is Jim’s auxiliary closet. He has to share it with the guest room sheets and our HVAC filters.

Reach in closet.

You can our my closet closet here.

 

FALL FINDS FROM AMAZON & LOFT

As you’ve probably heard, Amazon is having another pre-holiday prime day sale. I’m not sure how it works. I did make an attempt to figure it out and search for bargains. Turns out, I’m just not that kind of blogger. That said, I did buy a few things that I love and am excited enough to share about. I believe they’re good quality pieces at a good price and that I’ll get a lot of use out of them for years to come. I did a big Loft shop to get ready for fall about a month ago. And I’ve been enjoying all the pieces. Since Loft came back on my radar I feel like they’re always having a sale, and now is no exception. Let’s start with Amazon.

woman in garden wearing blue windbreaker from Amazon.
woman in garden wearing blue wind breaker

First of all, this lightweight windbreaker rain jacket with stripped lining. Did somebody say stripes?! I mentioned the jacket a couple of weeks ago after I placed the order. It’s since arrived, fits perfectly (I ordered a small) and I couldn’t be happier with it. Did I mention the striped lining? It’s lightweight and perfect for California’s version of windy, wet and cold weather. I ordered navy, because that’s my default … but it comes in many other colors including black and army green. Even yellow, pink, powder blue and red.

Fall Outfit Collage.

I’m loving these ankle boots by Steve Madden. Have I mentioned how much I like a chunky heel. And, look, they’re tan, not black. I’m branching out. These boots are going to get a lot of use this fall. I found them true to size. I’m also wearing my newish Loft blouse and striped sweater.

Woman on garden bench with white dog wearing Steve Madden ankle boots.
Small white dog sitting under bench next to woman wearing Steve Madden ankle boots.

I’ve also gotten a lot of wear out of this lightweight Loft tunic-style hoodie. It’s been great for morning walks these not-quite-chilly fall mornings and just hanging around the house.

Woman watering plant in a Loft hoodie.

And finally, this plaid jacket. I know I’m supposed to call it a shacket, the silly hybrid term someone came up to describe a men’s work shirt. You know, the kind guys have been wearing for eons and we’ve been borrowing from their closet. Lots of color options available, and I veered from my usual blue for a brown. I ordered a small. I thought would go great with my new ankle boots. Oh and my long-sleeved Loft tee. I’m off to chop wood.

Woman in garden wearing plaid shacket from Amazon.
Woman in garden wearing plaid shacket from Amazon.
Woman in garden wearing plaid shacket from Amazon.

Amazon Pieces ~

Loft Pieces ~

 

And I’m wearing my trusty Levi’s with everything. I love it that Levi’s have made a come back. Not that they ever went away, but they were sort of out of style in the pre-return-to-mom-jean years. I’m looking for a pair of softer, looser jeans in the new high waisted styles … suggestions?

 

Fall Outfit Collage.
Fall Outfit Collage

Odds & Socks ~

  • Have you been following the protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in September? Mahsa was a 22-year old woman arrested for wearing her headscarf too loosely. She died in police custody. The police say she suffered heart failure, but witnesses saw her being beaten by police in their detention van. Protests erupted across Iran and continue to gain momentum. I don’t know enough about the situation, what I do know is that Mahsa’s death unleashed the pent up fury of woman and men across Iran – and the world – against an oppressive government regime. My daughter-in-law, a Persian woman, shared the Instagram account of Nazanin Nour who is using her platform to educate about the situation and how we can show support for those risking their lives for basic freedoms so I can learn more. And I thought I should pass it along.
  • This new show from our friends at Magnolia.
  • A jewel box of a home tour.

So there you have it, this week’s meanderings.

Let’s visit Kim and Elizabeth to see what’s they’re sharing.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA STYLE

PINECONES AND ACORNS

If you missed last weekend’s meanderings, you can catch up here.

And follow along for more fun on Instagram and Pinterest.

As always, I appreciate your visit and welcome your thoughts in the comments below.

woman in garden wearing blue windbreaker from Amazon.

Cheers from Snowberry!

 



You Might Also Enjoy

  • Transitioning To Fall, The Best Muffins, A Baby Shower Mood Board + More … It’s Weekend MeanderingsTransitioning To Fall, The Best Muffins, A Baby Shower Mood Board + More … It’s Weekend Meanderings
  • A Sneak Peak at HGTV’s Urban Oasis in Nashville Before Tonight’s Big RevealA Sneak Peak at HGTV’s Urban Oasis in Nashville Before Tonight’s Big Reveal
  • Cozy Clothes, Candles, Culinary Travel & More on Today’s Weekend MeanderingsCozy Clothes, Candles, Culinary Travel & More on Today’s Weekend Meanderings
  • Fall Wedding Guest Dresses, A Must Have Book, My Nieces Favorite Brownies + More … On Weekend MeanderingsFall Wedding Guest Dresses, A Must Have Book, My Nieces Favorite Brownies + More … On Weekend Meanderings

Filed Under: My Style, Weekend Meanderings Tagged With: Closet Organization, Decor Books, Fall Outfits

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. La Contessa says

    October 15, 2022 at 5:31 am

    Well that was SUPER fun!
    I adore the video you made or REELS I should say!I look like a very mature older Contessa in training from the back hair up!Did I tell you they wanted $72.00 for a wash and dry at a walk in hair joint in town?My shower broke so I either wore it up or paid up!!!Absolutely Ridiculous I thought !
    That Duchess and her daughter are a delight!
    I too am reading the book and cannot put it down!She was a “RULE BREAKER” and very dyslexic growing up!Im at the part where she meets the future DUKE but she has NO CLUE!!!It gets better and better with each page!Now afternoon tea was invented there!
    That will work perfectly with my Birthday plans for YOU!!!
    Your closet situation sounds like my spare closet!!UGH and NEVER get rid of your childhood toy NEVER!!!
    That said the Iran situation is horrific I will be happy to follow and educate myself too!
    Thank You for sharing!!
    Xxx
    Contessa

    Reply
    • Juliet says

      October 15, 2022 at 7:42 am

      Oh my, the cost of everything has skyrocketed. My guy does blowouts for $60, still not cheap. The Blow Dry bar in Walnut Creek is around $50 … butyou have to drive there. Yes, our Duchess is a rule breaker and I can’t wait to get back to her book today. She was a hoot, wasn’t she?! Yes, Belvoir says afternoon tea originated there. Imagine! Are you going to take me to Belvoir for my birthday?!!! Thank you for you firm opinion on Zeebee. Zeebee is staying! Looks a little foggy and cool here this morning. We’re off to walk the dogs. Hope you have a nice, leisurely fall day and weekend! xoxo

      Reply
  2. Barbara Spain says

    October 15, 2022 at 6:09 am

    Such a great read this morning! I love everything about English Country Manors! I watched your reel several times… all so good! And you and La Contessa, rubbing shoulders with the Duchess of Rutland! Very posh! Very fun and entertaining!

    Reply
    • Juliet says

      October 15, 2022 at 7:34 am

      Barbara … I know! What an exciting moment for Contessa and me. Of course, Contessa was all ready well acquainted from show’s past … but I had stars in my eyes. Check out the web-site for Belvoir Castle … its a beauty and you can stay there! xo

      Reply
  3. Gray says

    October 15, 2022 at 7:30 am

    Delightful all the way around. The show looks so much fun. We don’t have anything like that left in our area. Closest thing would be to go down to High Point Market, which is wonderful during Market weeks…
    It’s also nice to read something positive about San Fransisco, which gets such bad press. It looked like so much fun, an swirling around with the contessa, well
    Your closet looks great! I have a small house too, and have very limited storage space.
    And thanks for that link to the IG account. I am continually wondering where the US women’s rights movement is regarding this – I haven’t heard a peep, while European actresses are cutting their hair in solidarity. hmmm…

    Reply
    • Juliet says

      October 15, 2022 at 7:38 am

      Oh Gray, San Francisco gets such a bad wrap. It had bad areas like any big City but it’s a wonderful place to visit and to eat. We have the most wonderful restaurants. We got lucky and Karl the Fog receded on show day … so the views were spectacular. I go to the City every change I get. As for High Point Market, lucky you. I’d LOVE to go. Wishing you the very best weekend! xo

      Reply
  4. Martha Foss says

    October 15, 2022 at 1:37 pm

    It looks like a wonderful day. I have been following the dutches and it must’ve been great to see her in person. I was rather hoping we would have a look at Zeebee. I have a stuffed animal dog that I refused to get rid of. Something about him.

    Martha

    Reply
    • Juliet says

      October 15, 2022 at 10:15 pm

      Martha, she was so funny. I loved her personality and she knows how to spin a yarn. I’ll snap a picture of Zeebee tomorrow … when I was writing this it was late and he needs to be seen in the beautiful light of day. Stay tuned. I love knowing you have a treasured stuffed animal too … what’s his, or her, name? xo

      Reply
  5. Penelope says

    October 15, 2022 at 2:58 pm

    The Fall Antiques show is a lovely event and the Duchess’s talk sounds like fun but do not even think of buying anything there even if you ARE a gazillionaire. Why? Well, a lovely 18 th century Italian bombe chest from my mother’s Santa Barbara estate was appraised at $4,000. Six months later I came across it at the SF Antiques fair priced at……$240,000! I about fainted.

    Reply
    • Juliet says

      October 15, 2022 at 10:17 pm

      Penelope! Oh my gosh, fan girl-ing over here. It was so amazing to meet you. I enjoy your blog and instagram and of course the Contessa’s tales. This is very good information … and that is an astounding mark up. Hope your enjoying the remaining days of the show. xo

      Reply
  6. Elizabeth@pineconesandacorns says

    October 15, 2022 at 4:27 pm

    Juliet,
    I hope that you had a wonderful day touring open houses! I loved your reel this morning and how excited you get to tour all of these lovely properties.

    On to the post, how fabulous to spend the day with Elizabeth and a Dutchess. Love the castle and the history. I am login to try to get a copy of this book. Your other choices look great too.

    The windbreaker and boots look great on you! So stylish. I was reading the comments about about the cost of hair care. I follow a woman on Instagram and she posted a story about getting her hair cut/dyed, etc and it was $600, without a blow-dry!

    Have a wonderful weekend, xo Elizabeth

    Reply
    • Juliet says

      October 15, 2022 at 10:19 pm

      Oh my, the cost of a blow out is going up up up. And I suppose it depends where you are … I imagine New York is on the $600 dollar end. Since I bought my DryBar dryer brush I rarely get a blow out … but I sure do love them. Happy weekend! xo

      Reply
  7. kim says

    October 16, 2022 at 2:09 pm

    What a special day out. You both look beautiful. How lucky to go to this. I would have loved to hear that lecture and will follow the Duchess. I heard Mark Sikes was there too. I would have been stalking everyone. All the books look fab and I have The California Look! As Bay Area girls it’s all about our area.
    Great windbreaker and cute stuff from The Loft too! Love the plaid shacked and I bought a similar one at Rails! We just need the cooler weather so we can wear them. Perfect for our winters.

    Thank you for sharing the account of Nazanin. I am following her now.. Persian women have been the most inspiring humans and I think we could get rid a lot of regimes and oppression in this world if we had their bravery. Maybe American women need to do the same about our bodily autonomy!

    Reply
  8. cindy says

    October 16, 2022 at 6:34 pm

    Hi Juliet
    Penelope is right the SF Antiques show is for strolling ha ha. Cute coat from Amazon. I wish I could still wear the things you can…You always look adorable!!

    Reply
  9. Molly says

    October 17, 2022 at 10:33 am

    I always love reading what you have to share on Saturdays, Juliet! I am so impressed with your closet. You definitely put me to shame. That is my dirty dark secret — I have messy closets…. And even if I try to organize them, they just never seem to stay that way. My basement is the same way. Maybe one day I will get my act together, haha!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Juliet … welcome to Make Mine a Spritzer where we talk about all things home décor, classic style more! I’m so happy you’re here!
  • mail
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • wikipedia
Some posts contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure here. Thank you for supporting the blog!

Archives

Categories

Currently Pinning

Footer

It may be Tuesday, but it’s never too late for W It may be Tuesday, but it’s never too late for Weekend Meanderings #ontheblog

A new, local Mexican place, a really good movie, lemon fettuccini, JULIET wine (you read that right), a few things I bought + more. It’s all on the blog … via link in my profile. What are you waiting for?!

Then, be sure to hop over and see what my friends Kim and Elizabeth are chatting about. 

@makemineaspritzer 
@northerncalstyle 
@pineconesandacorns 

#weekendmeanderings #barcamino #lemonrecipes #drinkjuliet #cozyclothes #workoutoutfit #makemineaspritzer
The chaos in my kitchen this Monday morning. Encou The chaos in my kitchen this Monday morning. Encouraged by @mollyinmaine inspired by @jogalbraithathome … this is my real life today. Happy Monday … wishing you the best week. ☀️ 

#kitchenchaos #mondaymotivation #reallife #greenkitchen #momentofmyday #makemineaspritzer
Happy Friday! It’s cocktail night at Snowberry a Happy Friday! It’s cocktail night at Snowberry and I’m trying @drinkjuliet_ Dry Rose for the first time. That’s right … a wine with my name on it … am I their muse?! I don’t know, their website says not a word about how the name came about. So let’s go with it being named after me. Anyway, this new-to-me wine brand gets two thumbs up for their Dry Rose. It’s light, dry and delicious. 🌹 They also make a Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. All their fruit is sourced from Central Coast AVAs and they’re certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Oh and the pretty packaging is 💯 recyclable. Wine in a box you ask?! Why not? Sustainable, recyclable and 10 glasses of wine per Eco-Magnum. That’s 20 spritzers! Stays fresh in the fridge up to six week. I’m a yes! #notsponsored 📦 🍷 🙌🏻

Cheers to the weekend!

#cocktailnight #snowberry #rosé #dryrose #drinkjuliet #winetime #spritzer #makemineaspritzer
HGTV’s Dream Home in Morrison, Colorado has a lo HGTV’s Dream Home in Morrison, Colorado has a lot of outdoor space! A huge front deck for lounging and dining and the backyard is an entertainers dream. The only thing missing … a pool and spa. Strange that they were left out of this vacation home paradise. I shared my thoughts on the blog and I’d love to hear yours. You can take the tour by clicking the link in my profile. Then leave me a comment … what do you think of this year’s dream home?

#hgtvdreamhome #hometour #morrisoncolorado #outdoorentertaining #outdoorkitchen #decklife #makemineaspritzer
In case you missed it, Weekend Meanderings is on t In case you missed it, Weekend Meanderings is on the blog … the HGTV Dream Home, stripes + denim and lemon everything + more. Read it now by clicking the link in my profile. 

#lemonade #lemoncake #hottoddy #casualoutfit #agelessstyle #dreamhometour #makemineaspritzer #bayareablog #weekendmeanderings
Weekend Meanderings is on the blog! I’m joining Weekend Meanderings is on the blog! I’m joining pals Kim and Elizabeth for more fun and inspiration. This weekend it’s all about Meyer lemons … again. I’m making fresh lemonade and lemon cake. Hey, did you know you can use lemonade in a Hot Toddy? You sure can I and have a recipe. Also … a peek at a new Pottery Barn collaboration to inspire your spring and Easter table, a classic outfit combination of denim and stripes … plus more. Join us on our blogs ➡️ link in profiles. See you there! 🍋 
 
Happy weekend, friends!
@makemineaspritzer 
@northerncalstyle 
@pineconesandacorns 
 
#weekendmeanderings #meyerlemonrecipes #lemonade #hottoddy #makemineaspritzer #sanfranciscobayarea
Wait until you see HGTV’s 2023 Dream Home in Col Wait until you see HGTV’s 2023 Dream Home in Colorado! Just outside Denver, and near the iconic Red Rock’s Amphitheater, you can win this 4000 sqft mountain vacation home! Join me on a blog for my honest thoughts on the current dream home designed by Brian Patrick Flynn. Oh, and spectacular photos. Take a look and let me know what you think … do you agree with my assessment?! Link in bio. 

#hgtvdreamhome2023 #hgtvdreamhome #redrocksamphitheater #sherwinwilliamspaint #hometours #makemineaspritzer

Copyright © 2023 · Make Mine A Spritzer· Blog Design by Little Blue Deer
Privacy Policy · Disclosure