Today on weekend meanderings, Valentine’s Day plans and ideas, a pet provision and grocery grand opening, renegotiating my relationship with my phone, and a Snowberry update.
Happy Saturday, friends!
It’s time for the weekend post with Kim and Elizabeth. Our weekly roundup of inspirations and goings on.
It’s Super Bowl weekend and I’ve got no skin in the game. But I do hope to have some potato skins on my plate.
Last weekend I shared our usual game day menu. I’m trying to watch what I eat and probably won’t make the entire spread this year. It’s time to get to the grocery store before all the chips and wings are sold out.
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It was a wet, super windy, stormy week here in Northern California. And in-between it was extremely cold. You can see a bit of frost on our front patio table where I set out my Christmas cactus (that blooms at Thanksgiving) to take in some rain.
Pippa and Maggie hate going out in the rain, and the howling winds scare them – me too. It was a challenging week trying to get them out to the powder room. Anyhoo …
Valentine’s Day + Bridget Jones
Valentine’s Day is six days away. Jim doesn’t know it yet but we’ll be celebrating by watching Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. I read it will be released in theaters throughout the U.K. on Thursday, and available to stream on Peacock on Valentine’s Day. Jim enjoys the Bridget Jones movies so there’s no arm twisting involved. He’ll probably mix a martini before show time and I’ll indulge in a Raspberry Kir Royale. Can’t wait!
I’m not sure what will be on our dinner menu. My aunt always makes I Love You Fettuccini for my uncle on Valentine’s Day. I’ll definitely make these easy, no-bake chocolate pots de creme for dessert.
I’ve got a couple other Valentine’s Day ideas on the blog.
Valentine Roll Cookie Care Packages
Valentine (Valentine) Tea Party Ideas
If you’re local and looking for a fun Valentine’s Day weekend activity, get your tickets to the 14th annual Wine & Chocolate Stroll in historic downtown Martinez. This year’s stroll is on Saturday, February 15th from 1:00 – 4:00pm. With over 31 participating businesses open for browsing, sipping and nibbling. Cheers to that!
Partners Place Soft (Grand) Opening Today
Last year I shared where Pippa and Maggie stay when we’re away. The Dog Breath Motel is the most wonderful home-away-from-home environment for dogs. Our girls love it (they’re picky). Last year, Tami, proprietress and house mother, realized a dream of creating The Dog Breath Motel merch … t-shirts and ball caps … that we’re wearing proudly.
This year Tami is making another dream come true by opening a pet-centric brick and mortar in downtown Martinez. Partners Place, a holistic pet provisions and grocery (raw, healthy and ethically sourced), at 511 Main Street, Martinez, is debuting their soft (grand) opening today at 10:00am. The shop is a family affair … with members, young and less-young, putting in some serious elbow grease to get their new space – designed by Tami’s talented son – ready for today’s opening. I’ve been following their progress on Instagram and I can’t wait to get over there and check it out for myself. You can watch their mad dash to the finish line here.
We started feeding our dogs fresh food several years ago – in addition to their beloved kibble – and I plan to consult with Tami and explore the fresh food options available at Partners Place. I’d prefer to buy the girls food locally and from a family run business.
How to Break Up with Your Phone
Social media, cell phones, and attention span. These things have been on my mind – a lot – lately and the new book by Chris Hayes, Sirens’ Call: How Attention Became the World’s Most Endangered Resource, is on my reading list. To promote the book Chris has been on a number of podcasts and I’m fascinated and horrified – in a Garfield ‘I resemble that remark’ sort of way – listening to the discussion around this topic.
Along these lines, Catherine Price just published a revised and updated version of her book, How to Break Up with Your Phone. The book includes a a step-by-step guide to ‘the breakup’ and Catherine is hosting a breakup challenge this month offering additional support and tips. I may need to sign up.
What’s Happening with the Little House on 4th?
I’m so glad you asked!
Brief recap … about a year ago Jim and I bought a tiny little one bedroom, one bathroom cottage in an old downtown neighborhood. It’s the neighborhood where we walk our dogs on the trail every weekend and where we’ve been eyeing potential fixer uppers for twenty years. It was a pinch-me moment when we finally got our hands on one.
We bought the house with the intention of expanding, renovating and moving in. The idea of walking out our front door and onto the bike trail each morning probably clouded our judgement. Cooler heads (ahem … Dana Green) tried to caution us that this project would be a long and challenging undertaking. Did we listen? You know the saying, f*** around, and find out. Well, we’re in the find out phase.
In the year since we bought the little cottage we hired an architect (Joseph Gorny) and an interior designer (Ashley White at Eye for Pretty). We’ve had endless discussions – over cocktails – and I’ve created a gazillion Pinterest boards. We’re still in the planning stages, but inching ever closer to turning this tiny cottage into our dream/forever home. Here’s a sneak peak at our proposed design.
Here’s our kitchen mood board.
Coming soon …
While progress on the new house comes in fits and starts, we’re moving forward with plans to sell Snowberry. Once again we’re working with the Dana Green Team. Dana and I spoke earlier in the week to formulate a plan and create a timeline. Of course I’ll share all that with you as it comes together.
In addition to selling the house, we’re selling most of its contents and will throw open the doors for a Snowberry on Sale event later this year. Everything must go! Well … almost everything. Stay tuned.
Current Favorites ~
And that’s what I have for you this week. Let’s see what’s inspiring Kim and Elizabeth.
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