Happy Saturday, friends!
It’s time for the weekend post with Kim and Elizabeth, our weekly roundup of inspirations and goings on. I’m back from summer break … let’s catch up.
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Hopefully during my sojourn you received my two brief newsletters … turns out breaking the blog habit is hard and the newsletter format was a fun and fast way to stay in touch. Today we’re back to standard programming and I’m sure you’ll be riveted by a detailed account of my time away.
Taking time off to focus on my summer class turned out to be a smart move; it was even more time consuming than anticipated. I still managed to get out and about to eat, drink sip, and attend a few fun events. There’s so much going on around town during the summer months. I’m sure it’s the same where you live.
A few highlights ~
Wente Vineyards summer music series is so much fun. A few summers ago they pivoted from major acts to cover bands and it’s a good time. Bring beach chairs and picnic on the lawn; there are three or four food tents with everything from smash burgers to taco bowls … and, of course, plenty of wine. Oh, and a full bar.
We caught the Gregg Allman: Music of My Soul documentary in the theater. It’s now available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime. Highly recommend.
Walnut Creek Uncorked is a summer food and wine event we never miss and this year Kyle and Melody joined us. A few weeks later we were all back downtown for the first of two Locust Street Festivals (the next one is August 5th; it’s free, but you must RSVP). Melody was in the final weeks of pregnancy but she didn’t let that slow her down.
On July 4th I indulged in my annual ice cream sundae. Yes, I ate the entire thing … and couldn’t sleep for two days.
Niece Shelby spent a weekend at the pied-Ã -terre and we wandered through the new Contra Costa Vintage Market. It’s the second Sunday of every month in Downtown Lafayette. Several stalls featured vintage Coach bags and I was tempted by the classic black Station Bag that was a prized possession back in the day. Shelby was quite taken by the vintage Dooney Bourke’s … another bag that brings back fond memories.
There were so many wonderful treasures like a Federal style mirror that I could kick myself for not buying and a fabulous assortment of Hermes and Chanel scarves. Shelby’s started a cookbook collection (I just gave her this one) and almost bought the classic Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook. The price was a little steep and we should have gone back later in the day to see if we could wheel and deal.
Niece Sammi and her kiddos flew in from Texas to visit family and friends, mostly in the Grass Valley/Nevada City area, and we spent a day with them celebrating Maesyn’s 8th birthday, showing them around the Folly, and doing a little back-to-school shopping at Nordstrom – a tradition I’ve had Sammi (and her sisters) since nursery school. Family lore has it that Sam’s full sentence was ‘I want to go shopping with Auntie at Nordstrom.’ Auntie is happy to oblige.
We kicked off the day with breakfast, where Maesyn blew out her first birthday candle in her pancake. Last fall Mae was all about Labubus, but keep up, Auntie … now it’s all about dumplings. Meet Mae’s dumpling, Lisa.
Remember how I said I wasn’t going to shop the Nordstrom sale? I didn’t … for me. The kids’ sections were cordoned off since we arrived two days before the sale started, so I sweet talked a sales associate into a preview so the kids could pick favorites that I added to my online Wish List. Midnight on sale day, I moved them into my cart and by some miracle, nothing they wanted had sold out. Maesyn also scored a few non-sale pieces and bracelet charms, and everyone found a pair of shoes.
The shoe department was not under wraps. Maesyn picked out a pair of Uggs (just like her mom and aunties back in the day), Beau opted for black-out Ons (not available in his size, so Jim tracked them down online), and Wyatt chose a fancy pair of New Balances purchased in the men’s department. 🥲 The boys also grabbed Nike crew socks.
In summation, here’s what the cool kids are buying at the Nordstrom Sale. 😎
Maesyn (8) ~
Beau (9 … almost 10) ~
Wyatt (12 … almost 13) ~
After our exhausting shopping expedition we went to lunch and continued Maesyn’s birthday celebration.
Between touring the Folly and hitting Nordstrom, we took a brief ‘Granny Tour.’ Sam wanted her kids to see her Granny’s house – the one her mom and I grew up in – and visit the cemetery where Granny’s ashes are buried. I was so happy she wanted me to be part of that. It would have meant the world to my mom, and it meant a lot to me too.
Sam had just turned nine when her Granny died, so her memories are there, but faint. And like a lot of us do as adults, she’s gotten curious wanting to know more about her life.
In other shopping related news, niece Sophie is expecting her third baby September 1st and she’s trying to get ahead of the game by packing her hospital bag now. She’s been looking for cute PJ sets to wear at the hospital and postpartum and she picked a blue and white print and brown polka dots. She also needed a new robe and picked this one. Sammi liked it too so she got one as well.
July is a big birthday month and grand-niece Haddie celebrated her 5th last week. She and I shopped the Nordstrom sale via FaceTime and she picked out these cute paint spatter Crocs. They’re a hugely popular item and sold out in her size at Nordstrom, and everywhere else. I was able to find them at an obscure online store.
Last but not least, niece Shelby and Nico are engaged! 💍
And, Kyle and Melody welcomed Baby Shya! She’s absolutely adorable, precious and perfect.
Talk about burying the lede.
Odds & Socks ~
Scott & Baily is a really good, female driven detective series on Britbox. With five seasons, it’s a good binge.
The truth about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale … is what I suspected.
Local friends – Town Hall Theatre’s production of Steel Magnolias runs September 12 – October 3rd. Tickets here.
And that’s all I have for you today. If you missed my last dispatch, catch up here.
Let’s see what’s inspiring Kim and Elizabeth.
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So glad you’re back, I missed your posts! Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer.
So glad you’re back, I missed your posts! Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer
Madeline! Thank you … I miss you too. Happy summer. xo
I am so glad you are back. I missed what class you were taking. What was it?
Cristi! It was a community college writing class. Happy weekend! xo
Hi Juliet — It sounds like you had a great break. I hope your class went well. So happy to have you and your sharp wit back on the interweb!
Molly! Thank you … it’s good to be back. xo
Welcome back. So much great family news. Congratulations on the new baby and your niece’s engagement. Adding the book you loved to my To Be Read List. Can’t wait to hear the latest and greatest on The Folly.
Deanna! After hitting publish I realized I didn’t include a Folly update. I’m happy to report it’s moving along nicely and will update next week. Happy weekend! xo
Wow, what a great break you had, and isn’t your family lucky to have you? Such a great auntie!
Jeanine! Thank you so much … happy weekend! xo
Juliet!
Glad you’re back! What a terrific family and all so cute!
Just wanted to pop in and say I loved, loved, loved the Nathan Turner book I won. I poured through it right away and have made a few recipes which were great.
Aren’t the british detective shows good? Seems that’s all we watch anymore as they are such better quality.
I’ve ordered the book you recommended. Currently reading Ann Patchett’s new book, Whistler which I’m enjoying thus far.
Did you not sleep for two days after the ice cream sundae due to guilt? I had McDonald’s fries about 3 months ago (which I never eat stuff like this) and also couldn’t sleep for two days thinking I was going to get cancer now….
Love from Ojai.
Dani! I’m so glad you love it. His recipes are the best. And, yes, to British detective shows. They spoil us for anything else. I’m super sensitive to sugar and if I eat a lot of it it’s like I drank 10 cups of coffee. Of course, I can’t drink coffee because it would keep me up for days. Anyhoo … enjoy your weekend down there in beautiful Ojai! xo
Hi Juliet,
You have been missed. I hope your college class was enjoyed. Good for you going back to sharpen your skills.
You are the best Aunt and great Auntie. I bet your nieces and great niece and nephew adore you. What fun you had taking them shopping.
Love the pic of Shelby and Nico announcing their engagement. Shelby is a beautiful lady, so is her sister.
Wow, you are a glam gram, new baby Shay, a very special moment in your lives.
Have a great week to come.
Katherine! I missed you too. Good to be back. Happy weekend! xo
GLAD TO HAVE YOU BACK! I love that you went to see Granny’s house and visit the cemetery.
Nice work at the Nordstrom sale Auntie!!!
Since we lost our Nordstrom, I haven’t been as interested in the sale.
Referencing the sale – after checking the article you linked and having my own shop, they are not marking much down. It’s made for the sale and then marked waaaay up for the rest of the season. Just to be marked back down.
Nuts, but it works. We learned – people respond better to “sale prices”, than to a lower markup on a daily basis.
Gray! It’s crazy, right? I could do a better job of tracking sales, but I tend to buy what I need/want when I need/want it. xo
Omigosh, Juliet, you had quite a summer vacation, even with a demanding class. I will be eating my annual sundae this week at the Outer Banks, and I suspect it will look a lot like yours. I love that you got family time and made important cemetery visits. It’s good to remember and have the young ones remember too. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the summer enjoying the weather and watching the completion of the Folly!
Maggie! Happy weekend and I hope you enjoy the heck out of that sundae!!! xo
You really did bury the lead! Congratulations. I hope labor and delivery were smooth sailing. Grandpa Jim looks pretty content.
All this food photos are making me hungry!
Karen! Everyone is happy, healthy and enjoying their first week at home! xo
Welcome back Juliet, We missed you!
I am so excited that your classes went well, one left and you are finished.
It looks like between the classes and keeping track of the Folly you had a great summer vacation.
I love seeing you with your nieces, and their children. Congratulation to you and Jim for your new grandbaby and your niece.
How wonderful that they all have you Juliet!
Have a wonderful week.
xo
Elizabeth! It’s great to be back! xo
First of all, so exciting about baby Shya! Love that photo of Jim. So excited for you all and congrats to Melody and Kyle.
Wonderful about all the family updates- the engagement-so romantic and exciting for Shelby- and for Sophie’s third baby.
Sammi and kids are adorable. You are the best auntie. How fun for them to get to do back to school shopping with you and Jim. Lovely you visited your mom and home you grew up in. Your mom would love that you are keeping her memory alive for the next generation.
I’m so checking out this BritBox show! My kind of thing.
I take issue with the Nordstrom sale article. Just this lady’s article..She is confusing the two sales- Anniversary and Half Yearly. As someone who worked there she claims it’s all cheap stuff made by the brands, but brands like Burberry etc doesn’t want to make cheap items. They do however agree to mark down these special things for the Anniversary Sale (not the twice a year Half-Yearly- a clearance sale), with the knowledge they will go back to full price in two weeks, and often become more coveted and promoted freely by the store… Anyway, that was the history I know. I’ve bought a lot of great things at it like Burberry trenches, good bags and shoes from Paul Green. All lasting and nice. Not that it doesn’t have its issues like the shopping levels which is new and lame. Just wanted to share more background as someone who worked it many years.
So happy you are back. You were missed and can’t wait to hear more about the folly. xo
Great on you for going back to school to get your bachelor’s degree!
No an easy feat – at any age.
Just curious, your previous occupation in the corporate world did not require one?
Maria! I was lucky enough to start my career when it was still possible to work hard and work your way up. Degrees weren’t required to answer phones as they are now. Although that tide seems to be turning. I always said that if I had a choice in hiring I’d choose tenacity and work ethic over education … although all three are ideal. 🙂 xo
Right there with you! I myself had to pay for college on my own as coming from a large family with very little money. Eventually, I had to drop out, but never gave up and throughout different corporate moves as I did find a great job in corporate America… I finally graduated (many years later) and my one year-old daughter was there to celebrate it with me! Funny, looking back I used to feel shame in at all those years, and I think nobody was judging me, except myself?
Maria! You’re so right … no was was judging but me. It takes a while, but we finally figure this out. xo