Planning an Easy Escape to Healdsburg: Where to Stay

I think that in another life, I surely lived in a beautiful country home, alongside yards and yards of delicious grapes. I've become quite the wine gal and have been so lucky to experience many beautiful tasting rooms, wineries and such in wine country. I recently spent a weekend Healdsburg with a group of friends and it was such a treat to escape the fog and take an easy jaunt across the bridge. I always tell my SF folks that wine country is closer than you realize, but leaves you feeling like you're more than just a handful of miles away. Because there was a group of us, we all stayed at Two Thirty-Five Luxury Suites, which is in the heart of downtown Healdsburg. Friends, I cannot tell you enough what a gem of a place this was. Not only were we walking distance from everything (restaurants, tasting rooms, shopping, etc.), but we also each had our own private space to call our own. Intrigued? Read more after the jump.

Get Grill-Ready for the Fourth with #LuckySummer!

The more time I spend at home, the more time I love trying new recipes and putting my kitchen to use. I've gotten pretty good at all of the breakfast and brunch dishes, so have been concentrating on nailing the perfect meals for entertaining now that summer is on the horizon. One thing I love about summer is all of the summer barbeques! Though, I'll admit that I'm usually attending a BBQ rather than hosting one... until now! For the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, I was asked by Carusele to share my grilling chops and recipe ideas for the season, by participating in the #LuckySummer campaign, sponsored by Save Mart. But don't worry, even though I have been compensated, as always, all opinions are my own! Derrick and I were excited to get some pre-4th practice in with a few easy grilling options for veggies and meat. After the jump, see what we made, how we made it, and grab some tips for your own Fourth of July fiesta.

Femme Fair 2018

If you follow me on IG, or know me IRL, then you know that April was my busiest month yet. Along with putting the final touches on a 4-month-long planning process for a big client launch, signing a new client, and starting more new work, I also participated in this year's Femme Fair. There were many points in April where I thought I was losing my mind with just how busy I was (lol), but seeing everything come together and making it through with the support of so many wonderful people made it all worth it.

For those of you haven't seen my oodles of Instas promoting it, Femme Fair is a female-empowerment event that brings together women to connect, inspire, and shop! 2018 marked its second year and I was honored to take part in it alongside 14 other badass blogger babes, a handful of inspiring speakers, and, of course, a team of fiercely talented founding gals. As a gal who has only ever had a small group of gal pals in her life, I was overjoyed to meet, connect, and bond with so many strong and inspiring ladies through this event. I was also utterly impressed by everyone's creativity -- the booths were unreal. Speaking of booths, mine would have been nothing (and I mean nothing) without the help of my endlessly supportive, patient, and loving boyfriend. Did I mention that the stack of pancakes sitting on my table was a surprise from him? Yeah, I know. He wins the "best boyfriend of the year" award for that one.

Well, enough words from me. After the jump, see more of this year's Femme Fair captured by Jess Onesto.

Food Friday: A Visit to Sonoma's Three Sticks Wines

Three Sticks Wines 143 West Spain Street Sonoma, CA 

As you know, wine country is one of my favorite places to visit. It's a short drive from the city - just an hour north and you feel as though you've really escaped into a calming retreat. This February, I had a chance to head back up just after my birthday for a wonderful treat - I had the pleasure of visiting Sonoma's Three Sticks Wines for the first time. It was a beautiful day in wine country, with the mustard flowers in full bloom and the sun shining from up above. Arriving on the Three Sticks Wine property only added to the day. I visited, alongside some other wine-lovers to experience Three Stick's food and wine pairing, in partnership with the girl & the fig. The wines, especially the roseé, really stole the show. Typically, I never really leave tastings ready to instantly buy a bottle, because I'm so indecisive. However, after my tasting with Three Sticks, I immediately pulled out my credit card to take home a bottle of their Casteñada rosé. Sadly, it won't be released until later this spring (only $40!!), so my loss is your gain because I didn't wipe them out and you still have a chance to get some for yourself!

After the jump, take a look at the gorgeous Three Sticks Wines property and learn more about its rich history!

pancakePROFILE: Laundré

Laundré 2401 Mission Street



A little while back, I had the pleasure of meeting, Ariana, the founder/owner of Laundré. For those of you who aren't familiar, Laundré is a dope laundromat meets café (meets flower shop, meets general hang out spot for those in the know).  Located on the corner of Mission and 20th, Laundré offers its patrons a sustainable laundromat experience, as well as an open space to work, drink coffee, and hang. I visited the space when it opened late last year and loved getting to hear Ariana's story. Because I am self-employed, myself, it's always inspiring to meet others who have made the leap towards entrepreneurship, as well as those who are passionate about their work and craft. Every now and then, I like to feature movers and shakers, as well as local community members in SF in a little something I call "pancakePROFILES." Today you get a sticky sweet & inspiration-filled stack featuring none other than Ariana, herself. After the jump, learn more about Laundré and its founder.

Food Friday: Traveling Spoon

I'm big on gatherings around the table. I love to break bread, meet new people over a bite, and discover new-to-me cultures or cuisines. It's honestly one of my favorite things to do. So, whenever there's an opportunity to do just that, that's what I do. Just a few weeks ago, I was recently introduced to Traveling Spoon. I had never heard about it before, but as soon as I learned more about it, I wondered how I hadn't already known about it. If it happens to be new-to-you, too, then here's the 30-second elevator pitch: Traveling Spoon allows you to book a private meal or cooking class with home cooks around the world. Pretty cool, huh? So, let's say you are traveling to Thailand and want to experience true, home-cooked Thai food. Well, you can head to Traveling Spoon, search for the city you are traveling to, and easily book a meal, cooking class or market visit. This time around, I had the pleasure of experiencing true, home-cooked Thai food at a pop-up in SF. It was such a fun night - not only did I learn more about how to cook Thai food (and, of course, enjoy it!), but I also met some rad tablemates. After the jump, see more photos from our feast, prepared by the sweetest visiting host, Pia (pictured with me above!), and learn more about Traveling Spoon.

pancakeLEFTOVERS: February

Yes, yes. I know we are well into March (OKAY, end of March if you want to get technical), but I really wanted to stick with resurrecting my recap series, so here it is! February is always my favorite month of the team. Now, I admit that I am biased, given that February is my birth month, but there are many other reasons why I love it: it's Black History Month, Valentine's Day (albeit a consumer-created holiday, who doesn't love to celebrate love?), President's Day 3-day weekend, and it's a short and sweet month. This February was extra special because it marked my 30th birthday! I can't believe I'm typing that out, but yes, your girl is the big 3-0, and she couldn't be happier about it. I celebrated the day with loved ones and shortly after jetted off on a few little trips. In between, I attended a handful of fun events, so let's get to recapping!

Beauty Bites: Whole Foods Market's Beauty Week

Earlier this month, I attended the most incredibly produced brunch by the Whole Foods team. You already know that I am a Whole Foods fanatic. I love their fresh quality food and their warm service. But, did you know that Whole Foods carries some of the best clean beauty items around town? They've got everything from skin care (think face and body), hair care, and makeup! And, better yet, their Beauty Week starts now! As in today through March 27th. During this time, you can score 25% off skin, hair, and cosmetic products. After the jump, dive deeper into which products I'm currently trying and love, and feast your eyes on the amazing set up that I was fortunate enough to experience at the Fioli Gardens.

Food Friday: Ippudo Makes its way to San Francisco

Ippudo SF Yerba Buena 18 Yerba Buena Lane San Francisco, CA 94103



Ever since visiting Ippudo in New York back in 2013, I wished for it to make its way to my little city by the bay. After visiting in 2013, I didn't get to try Ippudo again until 2016, when I visited its Paris location while in France. Then, in 2017, the Berkeley location opened and I knew SF had to be on its way. Finally, this past January, my ramen dreams came true.

1,000 Miles of Pinot with Sonoma's WALT Wines

Walt Wines 380 First Street West Sonoma, CA 95476



You may remember from last month's panacakeLEFTOVERS post, or my Instagram Events highlight that I spent one delightful Friday afternoon at One Market restaurant, sipping pinot with Sonoma's WALT Wines. Yes, happy hour did indeed start very early that day. While I usually reserve my wine time for after my work is done, this tasting was in fact, work. That, plus, I couldn't pass up WALT's 1,000 Miles of Pinot experience. For those who are unfamiliar with Walt, the winery was founded in 2010 by Vinters Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall. If you're thinking to yourself that those names sound familiar, then you're probably thinking about HALL Wines. Yes, WALT is part of the HALL Wines family. WALT currently has 12 pinot noirs, 3 chardonnays, and 1 rosé of pinot noir in its portfolio. the 1,000 Miles of Pinot comes from the fact that WALT's portfolio spans 1,000 miles across the Pacific Coast. Vineyards include the Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley, Los Carneros, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Lucia Highlands and Willamette Valley appellations. For this very special experience, WALT brought their pinots to us. We were lucky enough to experience their Root 101 tasting, which typically only takes place at the WALT winery, at One Market restaurant. Each pinot was deliciously paired alongside a dish prepared by Chef Mark Dommen, curated by Wine Director and Sommelier, Tonya Pitts. We sat, drank, and ate alongside the WALT team, including Winemaker, Megan Paredes and GM, Jeff Zappelli, making the experience a truly special one.

Stacker Style: What To Wear To A Warriors Game

A few weeks back, my friends at ShopStyle invited me to attend a Warriors game with them, which can only be described as a bucket list moment. These last few years have been really exciting for Bay Area sports - World Series titles, a Super Bowl game (even though... it wasn't actually ours, lol), and championship rings. As you know, I am a Niners and Giants gal through and through. I love my SF teams. I wish I could claim my die-hard Warriors fan status, but alas, I only own one Warriors hat (see above) compared to my eight Niners and Giants caps combined. That being said, in the last handful of years, I've slowly started to incorporate more of the game onto my "to cheer for" list (thanks to friends who don't mind if I tag along to eat popcorn & ask too many questions while they attentively watch each play and a boyfriend who is actually a die-hard fan). Plus, I'm not one to deny greatness. Steph Curry, anyone?

That being said, I would be lying to you if I said that I wasn't super amped on what my courtside attire was going to be. I sent way too many text messages asking my friends if my new haircut plus snapback combo made me look too much like Bruno Mars. (Please see this photo for reference.) Still unsure about that one, but I went with the hat, anyways...for better or worse. It was an amazing experience to watch such a talented team play live. And of course, there was never a moment when I was without a snack in hand. Seriously.

Get the look:

pancakeLEFTOVERS: January

I used to do this series way back when in the early years of my blog. I've wanted to resurrect it for a while, but haven't been able to buckle down and get it done. Well, one of my goals for this year is to dedicate more time to thoughtful writing, so even though this one is a few days late (in my book), here it is. For those of you who are new and don't know what this series is all about - let me tell you. At the beginning of each new month, I write a little reflection piece on the month before. No staged photos; no fancy frills - just a leftover assortment of moments (highs and lows), events, and standout adventures. January was a whirlwind. It was long, but not long enough. I was busy in the best way on most days and struggled to keep my sanity on other days, ha. I made it to a haaaandful of events, managed to update my blog a good bit, and met a handful of new people. Overall, I think the month was a great way to kick off 2018. So, let's take a look back, shall we?

Getting Ready for Lunar New Year with Ling Ling Asian Kitchen

This post was sponsored by Ling Ling, all opinions expressed in this post are my own. 

One of the resolutions I made going into the new year was to cook at home more. Last year, I spent a fortune on take-out and wanted to find a way to cut down on costs. Well, the universe must have been listening to me because I was recently invited to take part in a Lunar New Year-themed cooking class with Ling Ling Asian Kitchen, hosted by Chef Katie Chin. Who here is familiar with them? I remember when I was younger, my mom used to purchase the Ling Ling brand potstickers for me at Costco (and boy did I love them!). So, imagine my glee when I got invited to cook with the brand! Full circle moment, you guys. I had always been familiar with the brand's potstickers but had no idea that they also made noodles and fried rice products. If you're just finding out about these products, or even the brand for the first time, then keep on reading - because I've got more for you. 

Stacker Style: Viva La Good Vibes

A midweek hello from your girl! It's raining here in SF, but a few weekends ago, the sun came out and this tee (and smile) came out. It's an oldie but a goodie from Marine Layer; I originally bought it for a trip to Palm Springs! I've actually found myself wearing it (okay, this whole outfit) repeatedly (give or take sunnies and denim jacket swapped for a huge puffer coat, lol) because of how comfortable it is. It's an added bonus that this tee is incredibly soft. Plus, good vibes are my standard for everything these days - if it doesn't make me feel good, I'm not into it. Negative vibes, closed minds, and anything/one else that doesn't serve me are not welcome. Nope. Not this year. I've got a lot of plans for this year, but am taking each day piece by piece. Should you feel inspired to ride the good vibe wave, I've linked to some similar tees in the widget below.

Stacker Style: Elevating My Closet

The older I get, the more my style changes - as it should be. For the most part, I'm still very much into comfy casual. I love my sneakers, I wear white tees (like the one above) more than I care to admit, I'm happiest in athletic wear, and I love my oversized outerwear. Having said that, I'm slowly getting better at purchasing items that complement my figure. And, better yet, over the last handful of years, I've ditched fast fashion (with the occasional hiccup here and there). I've been really into Everlane, ever since trying out their clothes for the first time last year. (You've seen my love of their wide leg crop here, here and here). I was pleasantly surprised when Derrick surprised me with these Everlane Oxfords for Christmas. To tell you the truth, I never would have picked out these shoes for myself as they're a little out of my comfort zone. But, as soon as I slipped them on, I was in love. Their great quality and though they're taking some time to break in, I know they'll be a staple in my closet for years to come. I originally received this trench as a gift from Two Feathers. Originally, the trench was a bit too big for me. But, after giving it another go, I decided the oversized fit worked the right outfit. Both the trench and the oxfords are two pieces really elevating my closet right now. And, of course, you can never go wrong with a classic white tee. Right?

Food Friday: A Couple of New Kids on the Block

This Friday, I thought that I would change things up a bit and share two new spots that have recently popped up in San Francisco. If you follow me on Instagram, then you already know what's what. More the reason to hit that follow button, eh? But in all seriousness, both of these spots are affordable, fast, and easy options for filling up. Read more after the jump!

Stacker Style: Bae Love

I grew up as a Niners & Giants fan. My grandma would (and actually still does, lol) watch hours and hours of baseball - it's her favorite sport. Of course, her favorite team is the Giants, so I pledged my allegiance early on. The same goes for the Niners. My parents watched a ton of football when I was growing up. I can still hear my moms screams, cheering on the Niners whenever they were on. Like every team, our Niners have had their up and downs. These last five years have definitely been a rollercoaster for the team, but I think they're finally back on the up and up. I got this Booger Kids sweatshirt years ago, and it's one I plan to hold onto until I have kids of my own. They'll obviously be Niners and Giants fans, too, so they're about to hit the jackpot when I hand over all my "vintage" goodies.

Stacker Style: Textures and Lengths

Another winning piece from my Boxing Day haul are these sweet straight leg jeans that I scored for $30. (I'm getting really good at finding under $50 deals, can you tell?) After taking a gander at my closet and realizing that all my pants were starting to become wide leg crop clones, I decided it was time to stick a straight leg in there. Still kept the crop, because I find them much more flattering on me. I will say that the crop style isn't quite the best for this cold, wet weather we're experiencing, but I'm not above wearing chunky socks and ankle booties, so long as it means I can keep my flattering fit, ha. Thanks to Boxing Day deals, these jeans have gotten gobbled up,  but there are still a few sizes left! These heels are long gone, but I've shared a few similar styles below. The heels (at a whopping $20, y'all!) were a major score from the Zara sale. They're of course a dupe of The Row's original kitten heel, but I'm balling on a budget so the knock-offs were a-ok with me. If you are, in fact, ballin', then I've linked to the originals in a few colors, below. I decided to layer my outwear (for extra warmth) and played with length to give my all-black ensemble a little something more than meets the eye. Texture and lengths are great ways to jazz up an otherwise monotonous uniform.

Stacker Style: Does This Make Me Look Cool?

When I asked Derrick if he thought I looked cool in this outfit, he said that he couldn't tell if he was just so used to seeing me wearing this style of 'fit, or if I really did look cool. Perhaps I'm biased, but I vote for cool girl vibes, right? I got these jeans and this fleece on super duper sale this past Black Friday. Jeans were (and still are) $10 and the fleece was under $20. I got the fleece in two colors because it's just that good and warm. The jeans have made it to the top of my favorite list. They do run extremely large - I am normally a 26/27 waist and sized down to a 25, but honestly, could (and should have) gone down to a 23. Not quite sure why they run so much larger than true, but strap a belt on and you're kinda okay. The coat is an old, old one from Nordstrom - actually a gift from my mom back in like the 7th grade. I'm not joking. How's that for something old and something new? Let me remind you that I turn 30 next month, so 7th grade is feeling waaaaaay long ago.  

Stacker Style: Here's to 2018

Here it is. My first post of 2018! It's crazy to think that I've been blogging since 2010. This blog (and you guys) have seen a lot. And yet, there's still so much more to see (feel, learn, and do). And that's what I am looking forward to this year. 2017 was a whirlwind - many valleys and many peaks, but 7 days in and I know (feel and truly believe) that 2018 will be the best one yet. Not just for me, but for all. I am looking forward to creating more, sharing more stories, meeting more people, and learning more about myself and everything else there is so soak up and learn in this world. Here's to 2018. Let's make it spectacular.