four favorites

This weekend it felt as though summer was near, which completely got me in the mood for nauticals. I've got a stack of about twenty (or more) t-shirts, sweaters and dresses, but you really can't have enough. I am wishing I could wear this ensemble everyday this week.

1. Chan Luu cashmere and silk-blend scarf
2. Scoop neck dress by Chance Co.
3. Marais USA loafer in nude
4. Bucket tote by Utility Canvas

on the menu: blood orange, beet, and fennel salad

A few weeks ago I was invited over for dinner at a friends house - everything was delicious but the one dish that I wanted to immediately go home to make was an orange salad. The citrus flavor is exactly what I've been craving with the warmer temps we've been graced with. I went on a search for something similar. This recipe on Bon Appétit is what I was searching high and low for - it looks delicious. Can't wait to make it tonight for dinner!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I will. Bon appétit friends!

Blood Orange, Beet, and Fennel Salad

serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

2 medium red beets, tops trimmed

2 medium golden beets, tops trimmed

3 blood oranges

1 medium navel orange (preferably Cara Cara)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced crosswise on a mandoline

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced on a mandoline (about 1/3 cup)

Good-quality extra-virgin olive, pumpkin seed, or walnut oil (for drizzling)

Coarse sea salt, such as fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro and/or chervil leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Wash beets, leaving some water on skins. Wrap individually in foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool.

2. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut all peel and white pith from all oranges; discard. Working over a medium bowl, cut between membranes of 2 blood oranges to release segments into bowl; squeeze juice from membranes into bowl and discard membranes. Slice remaining blood orange and Cara Cara orange crosswise into thin rounds. Place sliced oranges in bowl with the segments. Add lemon juice and lime juice.

3. Peel cooled beets. Slice 2 beets crosswise into thin rounds. Cut remaining 2 beets into wedges. Strain citrus juices; reserve. Layer beets and oranges on plates, dividing evenly. Arrange fennel and onion over beets. Spoon reserved citrus juices over, then drizzle salad generously with oil. Season to taste with coarse sea salt and pepper. Let salad stand for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Garnish salad with cilantro leaves.

Recipe by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Photograph by Marcus Nilsson

Things I’m Afraid to Tell You

When Jess hit publish on her post back in March I don't think she ever thought that our community would come together to participate in this blogging campaign. Last week a huge group of ladies began the campaign led by the ever so lovely Ez.  It spread like wide fire. I was incredibly inspired by this community of genuine women that surrounds me and  when I was approached by Meg of Mimi & Meg - I jumped at the chance to join in. This week a new group is posting and I've got to say - without their support I don't think I could have pressed publish. 

So here it goes . . . I present to you a list of Things I’m Afraid to Tell You:

I'm Disorganized. Although the pictures show a clean, well organized apartment, I'm actually quite messy. Our apartment starts out the week being super tidy but by Friday I've got 10 pairs of shoes piled by my “dump everything chair.” It's now to the point where Eric is complaining about me- boy have the roles changed.

I'm dyslexic. Starting Sacramento Street was a huge step for me because I've never thought of myself as a writer. To be honest, I was scared about the way I wrote and my grammar.

Eric is my editor. Because of the above statement, Eric reads and edits every single post that goes live. If a post isn't up early in the morning it's because I'm waiting on him - so now you know who to blame (just kidding!)

I'm a very casual person. When I get home from work I immediately put on my workout clothes - even if I'm not going to the gym. It's a weird habit that will never change. You can also find me in my lululemons all weekend long if I don't have plans.

I'm SO not DIY. Unfortunately I'm not a do it yourself kind of person. I envy all of my friends and fellow bloggers that have this ability. I think of great ideas but never follow through with them because I don't have the patience to pick up all the supplies and spend time completing the task. It's now to the point where the joke with my friends is that I'm a HIY (hire it yourself) kind of girl.

Lazy routine. Every night when I come home from work Eric and I make dinner and then watch TV. We've had this routine for years and it will never change, except when there is a baseball game. We turn on the DVR and watch anything from NCIS to The Bachelor to the Amazing Race - we love it all. It's a time for us to unwind from our hectic work days.

I'm set in my ways. I constantly talk to my friends and family about moving - I've been in our apartment for over seven years. But I secretly think about how much I'll miss it and then come up with some reason why we should stay even though I REALLY want more space to decorate.

Negelcting friends and family. While I get wrapped up in the blogoshpere a little too much, I need to sometimes step back and think about the family and friends that have supported me every step of the way. They are my rock.

Worried about the future. Living in San Francisco isn't easy - I worry about whether or not we'll ever be able to buy or if we should rent in the city until our kids have to enter school and then move to Marin. Although this is all years away, my mind is tossing and turning with the thought of saving, saving, saving for that big purchase.

New career. Starting a new career path into interior design. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about possibly failing. I've got a strong support system behind me, but starting into a career that I've dreamt about for so long scares me. I have to say that I am loving every minute.

No one reading. Lastly, the one thing that this blog has made me afraid of is that one day I'll wake up and no one will want to read this daily journal I've created. It's amazing how much time and energy you put into something - but it wouldn't be the same place without all of you as readers. You’re what keeps me motivated to keep writing and growing. Hopefully it will stay that way for a long time to come. I'm grateful for the friendship and relationships I've built through these past few years.

Friends, this is not a typical post you see here but I wanted to join in on this movement because I think it's important to be honest and sometimes you just need to let a few things out in the open. If you are a fellow blogger and want to join in on this movement, I highly recommend it - it's so liberating. If not, I also encourage you to visit the other bloggers who are spilling their guts today.

Much love to all of you,

Caitlin

Here is a list of the other amazing bloggers that are spilling their secrets today:

Cassie: Coco + Kelley / Christine: Court & Hudson / Roxy: My Cup of Te / Erin: Apartment 34 / Crystal: Blog / Meg: MIMI+MEG / Ashlina: The Decorista / Katie: Modern Eve / Erica: Design Blahg / Victoria: Vmac & Cheese / Christine: Miles to Style / Franki: Life in a Venti Cup  / Sue: The Zhush / Erika: Radiant Republic / Gabrielle: Savvy Home / Monika: The Doctor's Closet / Naomi: Design Manifest /Tobe: Because It's Awesome / Becca: {extra}ordinary wonders / Lynzy: Sparkling Footsteps / Hitha: Hitha On The Go / Sarah: Note To Self / Liz: So Much To Smile About / Sarah: Blogstar / Alissa: The Goods Design / Jessie: Style & Pepper / Erika: Small Shop Studio  / AV: Long Distance Loving / Maggie: Maggie Rose Blog / Nicole: The City Girl In Me / Priscilla: The Best Laid Plans / Jen: Concrete Jungle DC / Janelle: Food Fashion Fitness / Natalie: East Coast Chic

Here are the bloggers that participated in Ez's Wave No. 1 of Things I'm Afraid To Tell You: 

Design for Mankind | Little Brown Pen | Beautiful Hello | Curating Style | Sweet Fine Day | The Jealous Curator | Happy Days | Sage & Berries | Really Handmade | Peck Life | Satsuma Press | Rena Tom | For the Easily Distracted | The Hemborg Wife | Vitamini Handmade | Courtney Khail Stationery and Design | Meg in Progress | Dando Photography Blog | Widdershins22 | Alison Citron | Pink Moon Daily | Just Pretty Things | From China Village | Tea with Me | The Darling Ewe | Not Your Average Ordinary | The Electric Typewriter | Elleby Design | Parsimonia {Secondhand With Style} | Life as an Artistpreneur | Hello Cupcake | Dellie | The A & B Stories | Pretty Little Things | Feistyelle | Nib & Zed | Well and Cheaply | I Ripple. I Dance. | Whitfield Awesome Blog | Foxtrot Press | Dry As Toast | The List of Now | Apple Blue | For the Love of | Four Flights of Fancy | Miss Modish | Snapshots & Secrets | Dirty Laundry | Bubby & Bean | Penelope's Press | Little Nostalgia | Vale Design | Pikaland | Fleurishing | Print Pretty | Vespa Tales | Hazel & Agnes | Amanda's Musings | Mo' Funk Designs | Ordinary Mommy | Camp 1899 | In Honor of Design | Liberty's Yarn | Love, Life & Pictures | Stacey Winters | Owl in the Rain | Living Life Creatively | Emma Elizabeth Clease | I Live in Vacouver Now | British Cream Tea

a brand new week . . .

This weekend was blissful - days were spent by the pool in Calistoga, dinner at Press was delightful (huge thanks to Sam of Sequin Harvest for the reservation and bubbly) and ending the weekend waking up to find a feature I was anticipating being so much more than I expected. It was incredibly well written and to be on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicles Home & Garden section with my mom on mothers day was so special. To read the full article pop over here.

A few things I'm loving - fresh produce from the farmers market, adding that last layer of jewelry to my daily outfits and my new favorite thing . . . March Pantry's olive oil - drizzle it on anything and it's utterly divine.

How was your mothers day weekend? I hope all of you celebrated the special women in your life.

Cheers to a new week upon us and check back here a little later this morning. I'll be sharing something you won't want to miss.

Photo by Caitlin Flemming

happy friday!

Well, hello there Friday! You certainly came out of nowhere. Another week has passed by and although it felt short, my workload didn't feel that way. Sufice to say - I'm ready for the weekend to begin. This weekend we are hitting the road and going up to the wine country to celebrate our wedding anniversary - a bit belated due to baseball season, but I'm incredibly happy for some r&r. I can't wait to fully unplug from my computer, soak up some rays, and enjoy some quality time with Eric.

This week there have been a handful of amazing posts around the blogosphere. With that said, I wanted to leave you with some of my favorite links:

* For anyone that needs a little tutorial on branding - you MUST read this post. I jotted down a few tips from it!

* So happy for this friend featured in a national campaign.

* I'm desperately coveting this little elephant card holder from this post.

* This new series on bluepoolroad is something I've always wanted to do.

* Bravo to everyone that participated in the Things I'm Afraid to Tell You blogger challenge. This Monday there will be another group coming together to post - I'm thrilled to be part of this movement! (thanks Jess LC for opening up and starting it all)

* Lastly, a few blogs that I'm loving - Anamu, Chelsi Morning, and Herriott Grace.

Hope you enjoy these fabulous reads. See you back here on Monday friends - I'm off to pack!

xx, Caitlin

ps. If you live in the Bay Area - be sure to pick up a copy of the SF Chronicle. You might see a certain someone featured in a story that I'm incredibly excited about!


Photo by Sami Drasin