love more = more love

I woke up today with a heavy heart, wishing it was all just a bad dream. Then I turned on the news. My heart sunk even more.

Yesterday's tragic events in a city that is dear to my heart, as well as the sudden passing of someone from my close-knit high school community, make you stop what you're doing and remember.

Remember to tell your loved ones what they mean to you and hold them a little closer. Remember to live each day to it's fullest. Remember to create memories. Remember to love what you do, and do what you love. Remember to find innocence in life. Remember to keep going, keep running, gathering, supporting each others endeavors, helping those in need.

Most importantly, remember to keep loving. Don't let this ugly hate scare you enough to deter you from the beauty, joy, and wonder of love. It is the thing that makes life worth living. In fact, the more love we all give, the less hate there will be.

Locally Grown Weddings & Events: An Interview

With just a few days left until Locally Grown Love (if you're in SF, I hope to see you there!), I thought I'd share a little interview I recently did with my good friend and founder of Locally Grown Weddings & Events, Sadie Waddington.

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{Let's talk about your upcoming event, Locally Grown Love. Tell us more.}

Locally Grown Love came about as a way to showcase local and sustainable wedding and event focused businesses. We wanted to do something different than the traditional bridal fair that was more interactive and educational. We don't discourage people from attending other bridal fairs we actually encourage it as LGL is where you go after those ones as it is a place to learn how to apply and choose all the services they discovered.

{What makes this a unique event and who should attend?}

It is unique in multiple ways. First is the setup. It is organized into three major areas, the first being a marketplace. The marketplace is where people can purchase and discover unique, local, sustainable and  handmade products that they can use for weddings and other celebrations. The second area is the tasting room, where we will have four chefs that will be paired with four different wines. Each chef will create a tailored menu to go specifically with the wine that they have selected. This way, as an attendee, you can learn about the chef's cuisine, the wine, and how to pair them to create the best foodie experience for you guests. The third area is our Salon, and this is where we will have informal talks about wedding planning, wine selection, party decor and using succulents in your florals. Along with these area we will have a lounge, music and a photo booth for people to explore and have fun.

{Who should attend?}

People getting married, people who like parties, and people who like to host parties. One main objective of this event was to have it encompass more than just weddings as we know there are a lot of people out there who want to learn more about being a great host and throwing the best party they can. A wedding just happens to be one of the biggest party most people will throw but there are so many other  celebrations that happen throughout our lives where this knowledge is applied.

{Who is "Locally Grown Weddings" and how did it start?}
Locally Grown Weddings is a collective of San Francisco-based small business owners with an emphasis on green business practices. Our talented team produces beautiful, sophisticated and unique events that reflect your personal style and tastes.

{What were a couple of your favorite events and why?}
It's the couple who makes the events amazing and we have been truly lucky to have worked with some amazing clients. We were up at Park Winters last October where we transformed the venue for a wedding using floating candles, lights and flowers. The space looked gorgeous! We also have a knack for working in outdoor spaces, being able to add to a natural settings like Campovida, in Hopland is one of our favorite tasks.

{Where do you get inspiration?}
One of the best things about working with a team is brainstorming sessions. Someone has always heard of a new look or a new technique.

{Why "green" and what do you want people to know about green events?}
Why Green? When we bring large groups of people together we increase our footprint, or impact on the earth at one specific location. By carefully thinking through the logistics of an event, sources locally, and keeping to what the seasons provide, we can reduce that impact.

{Which 2013 trend are you most excited about?}
I think 2013 is an optimistic year so I see the continuation of bright colors. Along those same lines, people will want to make their parties super festive and fun, so I see creative themes, festive ideas and a lot of personalization happening. 

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Thanks, Sadie! 

Come on out to Locally Grown Love (I'll be there!) where you can meet Sadie and the Locally Grown Weddings team, along with the other awesome vendors who will be showcasing their local goods and talents. See you in the photo booth! 

Locally Grown Love: A Special San Francisco Event

Wedding Season 2013 is in full swing! I’m so excited about all the beautiful trends in store for this year, and will be kicking off the season with the lovely ladies of Locally Grown Weddings, as they put on a fun and fabulous event about, well, events.

Introducing….Locally Grown Love. 

The 411:

What: 
A pop-up showcasing local goods for all your party needs. Sample some amazing eats, win prizes, take some photo booth pics, get all your event questions answered, and there's even a little something for the guys.

When: 
Sunday, March 10, 1-6pm

Where:
Studio Trilogy, 1160 Bryant Street, SF

Get your tickets NOW! 

Want to know more? 

Of course, I did. So, I got a little interview with the Founder of Locally Grown Weddings and Owner of One Big Fish Green Events, my good friend Sadie Waddington. Check back tomorrow for that!

I'd love to join the lovely ladies of Locally Grown Weddings in sharing the love, so we hope to see you at Locally Grown Love on March 10th! 

{a foodie life: cookbook junkie}

I have a confession. I’m a total nerd when it comes to cookbooks, food blogs, and really, anything written by and about people that love food.

Cookbooks and books written about (or by) foodies are always on my want-list, so my little collection is growing and lining the shelves of our living room, kitchen, and sometimes even on our nightstands.

As far as cook books, I can literally spend the afternoon reading recipes (yes, just ingredients and how to put them all together). The gorgeous pictures certainly enhance this pastime. My most recent cookbook “reads” include:

Dinner: A Love Story, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, Home Made, Super Natural Every Day, and Practical Paleo

Some of my other recent favorites include:

The Sweet Life In Paris, written by San Francisco’s own, the lovely David Leibowitz. I just adored his book, and have since added his blog as one of my regular foodie reads. I love how his writing is so delicious on so many levels- from hilarious stories about learning to be a true Parisien to the art of a perfect chocolate cake, this book’s got it all. (Ok, you got me, I’ve read it twice…and have tried a few of the delicious recipes that almost make you want to put the book down and go grab a croissant.)

I also really enjoyed Grant Achatz’ book, Life, on the Line- a completely different approach to food. I was inspired by the passion and dedication that Achatz put into creating a truly unique dining experience, to the point where it was a difference between life and death.

Some of latest go-to food blogs that I always draw inspiration from include: The Smitten Kitchen, Orangette, Balanced Bites, Gluten Free Girl, and Dinner: A Love Story.

Between the books, blogs, and a few magazines peppered in there (get it? peppered...aha!) I think it’s safe to say that I’m obsessed. What are some of your favorite foodie reads? What are your go-to’s for recipes?

{a new favorite read: "a soulful day" blog}

There’s a crazy amount of awesome content out there in the blogosphere that I’ve drawn so much inspiration from, and I’m always excited to find a new good read. Something that makes me think, that makes me want to learn more about the subject, or sends me on an adventure. 

Today, I want to share my latest regular read, A Soulful Day. 

I may be a little biased here, as this is my sister-in-law Kelly's new blog, but I've been looking forward to her starting this blog for a while, and I'm so loving what she has to say. I thought you guys would, too. 

So far, she's written about things like being happy with your job, the importance of R&R, and I love her Mindful Mondays posts- always a great way to start the week!

I also wanted to see what inspires her, so I did a little interview. 

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{What’s your background?}

I have a master’s degree in social work and am close to becoming a licensed clinical social worker.  I’ve worked in the end of life field for about 11 years.  My experience gives me perspective on the importance and fragility of life.  It also makes me grateful for my health and for the relationships I have with family and friends.  It’s made me want to live more fully and savor every experience.   

{What’s your motto?}

Stop, breathe, and soak it all up!  I noticed that sometimes I tend to be on autopilot—a series of check-offs or to-do lists—go to work, see this client, eat lunch, go to the grocery store, cook dinner—and so on.  I think that the danger in moving too fast is that we miss all the wonderful things going on along the way.  When we move through life that quickly, it can make us react without thinking instead of taking the time to pause and respond thoughtfully.  This reminds me of the classic line from Ferris Bueller’s day off:  “Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”.  And I don’t want to miss a thing!  (Wait, isn’t that an Aerosmith song :)?)  

{What gave you the inspiration for the blog?}

The inspiration for my blog connects back to my motto.  I started this blog as a place to cultivate awareness and as a creative outlet.  Additionally, I wanted to foster growth within myself and to share that growth with others. I’ve always enjoyed encouraging friends and family to pursue their passions and I love witnessing their success.  I’d like to actively help others realize their potential. I thought my blog could be a platform for that as well.   

{What blogs do you get inspiration from?}

Too many to name them all! Here are a few: 

Colipera, Omgal, Smitten Kitchen, Ordinary Courage, Sofia's Journal, A Foggy City Life, The Business Yogini), Zenhabits, A Cup of Jo 

        {What do you hope to accomplish in this space?}

I have to say that this also connects back to my motto and inspiration.  I’ve always been happiest when I’m learning and growing.  In my limited experience with blogging, I’ve learned quite a bit and have had a blast!  I hope to continue growing, sharing that joy, and much much more! 

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Hope you guys enjoy this blog as much as I've been!

{images via maggie lynn and inspiration lane}