Love Story in Dance

Something different for you today. Here's an episode from LXD, an online dance show on hulu... which is FREAKING AWESOME! I chose this episode for the blog because the dance is so beautiful. I could watch it over and over again. Can you imagine if you had LXD dancers as part of your reception entertainment? 

Real Wedding: Neil & Yuka

It was a day for lots of laughs, tears, and rain. Lots of December rain! The following is a snippet of pictures from my dear friends', Neil and Yukari's, wedding. Congratulations you two! To see more pictures, check out the photographs by the lovely Let of letlovephotography.

Cooking Advice from Celebrity Chefs via Yumsugar

Oh, I love it. Thank you, Yumsugar!

If I Knew Then What I Know Now... via 99% {business}

If you've read my "About Me" page, you would have learned I'm in the planning stages of my very own business. Here's some advice from 99% Conference attendees that could apply to anyone. 

Ooh la la. Lanvin for H&M {fashion}

November 2010

I hope Lanvin for H&M comes to San Francisco. 

What to Wear to a Winter Wedding from FCUK {fasion}

Can't believe I just discovered this youtube channel French Connection Youtique. Stylist Louise Roe helps you pick out outfits for various occasions. Genius!

Love it.

Welcome to my weekend: Garlic and Onions {cooking}

What do you like to do on the weekends? Me? I like preparing for the week ahead by roasting garlic and caramelizing onions. These tasks take time but are ultimately time-savers. Call me weird. It's just one of the ways I like to unwind.

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Bust out the Bubbly with Italian Sparkling Wine {food & drink}

Now that the Halloween is behind us, it's time to start planning for that holiday party with Italian bubbly! It's a great alternative to champagne year-round for that engagement party or wedding reception too. Here's a clip from Popsugarlivingtv featuring Jeff Porter, the sommelier of one of my favorite LA restaurants, Pizzeria Mozza

It's not a party at my house without some Hawaiian infusion so here's a video from "View from the Bay" featuring Jacqueline Patterson, another Hawaii girl living in the Bay Area. She's the bartender at Charles Phan's Heaven's Dog in San Francisco.

On a side note, sadly, "View from the Bay" ran its last episode in September 2010. I loved that show. I'm sure you would have too so I'll be sharing videos with you from time to time.

the PRO Files: C&C Engagements {wedding planner}

Today you're in for a treat because it's brought to you by to leading ladies, Courtney Coquilla and Christina Lee, the wedding planning duo of  C&C Engagements. Keep on reading to get an insider's look into who they are and why they love doing that do--making couples happy on their journey to "I Do!"

Hometown and current location/areas you serve

Tina’s Hometown: Hau’ula, Hawai’i & Santa Rosa

Tina’s Current location: Vallejo

Courtney’s Hometown: Vallejo

Courtney’s Current location: Emeryville

C&C Engagements services the Bay Area & beyond

How you got into wedding industry, how many years in business

We decided to delve into the industry a little over a year ago after realizing it's actually been our niche for quite some time. We've been planning events on a personal and informal level and knew we could really make a difference together as wedding professionals.

Where you see your business going in the future

We definitely plan on staying within the wedding-related field, and we want to see our future in C&C expand toward other avenues such as multiple event planning, and also provide more than just the consultation. By taking in what we learn & experience, we plan to eventually be able to cut out the necessity of reaching out to too many different vendors.

What makes your company different

We understand that planning a wedding is business and people expect their coordinators to be well-oiled machines, but we also understand that the business we’re in is about more than spreadsheets and contracts.

Who is your ideal or perfect client

We can’t expect much from “the perfect client” except to hope that they will allow us to create their dream wedding with the few details they provide.

Wedding industry leaders you admire

We don’t necessarily have any one specific person in mind, but instead have come to admire anyone and everyone we’ve come across. We’ve researched several vendors and read several blogs, and are definitely blown away by the amount of creativity and genuine desire people have to make others happy. We have very good friends who have their own wedding-related businesses and couldn’t be more proud and excited to work with them.

Where you get your wedding inspiration from (person, website, blog, magazine, etc)

Blogs and magazines have definitely been referred to on a number of occasions for our inspiration. More specifically, projectwedding.com, myweddings.com, weddingbee.com, HawaiiWeddingsandEvents.com and TheKnot/NorthernCalifornia magazine. But we’ve come to realize that inspiration can come from anywhere. As time goes by, couples are definitely wanting more originality with their weddings, so we try to keep our minds open to what could potentially be utilized in the future in terms of venues, décor or themes.

What you do to relax

We actually relax by spending quality time together w/ the men in our lives. We’ve double dated to a weekend at Disneyland, countless dinners, and even Tomales Bay with picnic blankets and BBQ oysters. We know we’re always friends before business partners, so we know where and how to separate business and pleasure. With a few more scheduled trips in the near future, relaxing is never an issue for us!

Where do you go shopping (website or location)?

It’s 2010… online! There is an unbelievable amount of options on the internet that it can almost become overwhelming, but it’s definitely a way to always find just what we need. One online store that we refer to on a regular basis is Save-On-Crafts. They have such a great selection that you can easily find what you need to create that perfect centerpiece or wedding favor. Living in the Bay Area, we are also spoiled with an amazing amount of unique shops.

On a more personable level, our favorite clothing stores (if that’s what you were really referring to) is Francesca’s, Old Navy, Gap, H&M, and Urban Outfitters.

Fave food or places to eat around the Bay

Tina: Any good sushi restaurant, Thai Original BBQ restaurant in So. SF, Asian Wok & Grill in American Canyon, Keanu’s in Vacaville, Marica’s in Oakland

Courtney: Marica’s for Seafood in Oakland, Zabu Zabu in Berkeley for shabu-shabu, Mercury Lounge in San Francisco for Asian Fusion, Canto do Brasil in San Francisco for Brazilian, Champa Garden in Oakland for Thai/Laoatian. None of these are chain restaurants, but they’re all unbelievably delicious.

How you stay fit

Tina: Thanks to my husband Jay, I’ve been trying to keep up with my P90X Workout dvds. I’m trying to learn to enjoy the Core Synergistics, but it kicks my butt. My favorite is the Ab Ripper X. I also want to get into more yoga next semester, and get out on the tennis courts again.

Courtney: Shake Weight. I heart anything on TV. Haha! I also have a gym trainer who I love because he allows me to make up training sessions when I get too lazy. But when I really feel like getting crazy, I do Insanity with my boyfriend at home. We also just bought bikes and recently took them from the AT&T ballpark to Sausalito. For me it’s quite a challenging (but amazing) ride.

Wedding trends-what's hot now or your forecast for future

We think some people are going back to the simplicity of a natural wedding to fit their personality, whether it be a hopeless romantic, to a vintage-retro style wedding. For the future, we see couples wanting to branch toward going Green with their wedding planning.

If you are married, one thing you learned from your engagement process/wedding/being married. If you're not married, one thing you wish brides could learn.

Tina: The whole engagement process is one of the more important events you don’t want to let slip away without enjoying it. We all know that planning a wedding can be stressful at times, but being able to sit back and take pleasure in being an engaged couple is a key factor to keeping the happiness buzzing during the stressful times. During the planning and wedding, I’m proud that I was able to ask for help even when I thought I could handle it. Sometimes, you’re better off passing along a certain duty to someone who is willing and there to help. Also, don’t forget to take a break and sit down during the latter part of your wedding festivities. I was able to sit for a few minutes in the back with Courtney and glance over at the dance floor to find all the people who mean so much to Jay &  I. It put nothing but big smiles on our faces. For the marriage part, like they say, “don’t sweat the small stuff”. And although it’s hard, I’ve learned to do just that along the way. It all comes down to the real fact that you married the person for who they are and you can only help them change if they’re willing to.

Courtney: Being unmarried, I definitely can’t comment on personal planning experiences. But what I do want brides to remember is that oftentimes men really don’t know what they’re roll is in this process. They never sat down with their bros and started out a sentence with “When I get married, I want…” Thus, let them offer up suggestions, but make sure to turn them down…lovingly. In addition, I know that parents are usually the major financiers so sometimes they use this as an opportunity to be too involved. Please remember that it’s your wedding, and take their opinions with a grain of salt. You will always make the ultimate decisions.

How you de-stress (something that brides could do too).

We feel the best way to de-stress is by getting away from the madness and taking a short weekend getaway. Even if this trip consists of a couple hours drive out to Lake Tahoe, Monterey, or even Stinson Beach, sometimes being in the midst of something so natural as a body of water can be extremely calming. If you really can’t find the time for a getaway, try a massage, wine tasting, listen to your favorite music, or hang out with friends and talk about non-related wedding topics only. Remember friends are the ultimate stress reliever!

A peak into their gallery of events including their signature candy buffet.  

See more at the C&C Engagements.

Get 'Mad Men' 50s Lady Inspired Makeup

Many designers for their Fall 2010 lines turned to the 1950’s for inspiration. I drooled over the full skirts and sweater sets that Louis Vuitton and Prada sent down the runway. The styles are demure but it’s very sexy at the same time because emphasis is placed on perfect fit. For example, Christina Hendricks on Mad Men does not really show cleavage but is still damn hot because the clothing shows off all those wonderful curves. Just goes to show that you don’t need to wear minimal material to ooze sexiness.

Louis Vuitton Fall 2010

--- Guest post by Shellbelle of Shellbelle's world.

I heart Noelani Designs {jewelry}

I love love love Noelani Designs. My favorite piece of jewelry by Noelani are these Ligia earrings which I featured here. See for yourself why I love this jewelry line by checking out her video lookbook below. She also just launched her new website and is having a sale. 30% off all jewelry! I just had to share.
 

the PRO Files: Tamra-Marie Johnson of Tamra-Marie Artistry {makeup}

We're back on the West Coast for this edition of the Pro Files. Today we're glad to welcome Tamra-Marie Johnson, a professional makeup artist out of San Francisco, California.  With  over ten years of  experience in anything from runway shows, red carpet appearances, celebrity photo shoots to weddings, Tamra -Marie is a master of all things beauty.   It's so easy to see why she is in high demand after checking out her work on facebook and by following her g-l-a-m-o-r-o-u-s tweets on twitter. Keep reading to learn more about this incredibly busy and stylish woman behind the makeup.

Distracted Living. Could you be in this video?

Oprah has led a campaign against distracted driving. What about distracted walking?

Or just being distracted in general? Perhaps the people in this video and maybe even you need to learn some Zen Habits.This awesome blog and now book, Zen Habits, is on my must-read list. With all the craziness in my life, it motivates me to take a time out. A good time out. One in which I stop and think about all the clutter, both physical and mental, and help clear it. Recently, I sat through almost two hours (yes, two precious hours) watching a zen-focused panel comprised of the Zen Habits' author himself, Leo Babuata, and friends. One other lifestyle guru celebrity (I like to call them) on that panel was no other than Tim Ferriss, the author of "The 4-Hour Workweek," one of my favorite books. Check out the video of the panel at Tim's blog here.

So whether you're planning your wedding or helping someone else with theirs, take a breather and remember to focus on what's important. Your body and your mind will thank you.

San Francisco and Napa - Eat like a food blogger

I'm spoiled. Yup, I said it. And so are you. Well, that's if you live in or ever visit the Bay Area. I'm talking about food! With fresh organic farms and world-renowned wineries nearby, culinary delights choices here are plenty. But how do you decide where to go? How do you know which cuisine reigns supreme (sorry watched too much Iron Chef)?

Being "new" to the Bay Area, I rely on food blogs and twitter heavily (no pun intended) to find the latest and greatest hole-in-the-wall to Michelin-starred restaurant. A little help from a local magazine here and there doesn't hurt either.

LISTS AND LINKS:
101 cookbooks -  San Francisco Favorites
Epicurean Zealot - Best Dishes in San Francisco Part 1
Epicurean Zealot - Best Dishes in San Francisco Part 2
7x7  - 2010 Eat Drink Readers Choice Awards
7x7 - Big Eat SF 100 things to try before you die 

FOOD BLOGS

101 Cookbooks

A Marin Foodie's Diary - WineAndFoodWorld.com

Chez Pim

Cooking with Amy: A Food Blog

Cooking With The Single Guy

Everyday Food | Simply Recipes
Food Gal 
Heather in SF 

Inuyaki

Ono Kine Grindz (see his September/October trip to SF 2010 for places to eat on that special occasion)

Alexis' Napa

The Cork Board

The Epicurean Zealot

STILL ON MY TO-DO LIST
SF Food Tours with Lisa


How do you find where the "best" places are to eat in your city? 

Ten points for naming where I took these photos and one for naming the SF neighborhood featured in the first picture... Bon appetit!

DIY: Wedding Program Fans

Need paper goodies for your wedding? This DIY project multitasks as a wedding ceremony and reception program, menu, thank you letter, and fan!

I recommend using 110lb (or heavier) cover stock 8.5×11 along with 3/16″ eyelets

1) Click on the image to download it in its original size. 


2) Add your own design.

3) Cut on solid straight lines with a paper cutter or X-acto knife. Use scissors for the curved lines. Cut the top border with your choice of decorative scissors. I used Fiskars Paper Edgers "Majestic."

4) Click here for instructions on how to set the eyelet. To save time, I used the Crop-A-Dile to punch and set the eyelet.

5) Tie a ribbon through the eyelet hole.

You can also create fans of a similar style with multiple panels. Check out Aylee's tutorial.

Photo credit: Visionari

PINK links - 25th Anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This month marks the 25th Anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Having an aunt who is a breast cancer survivor, spreading awareness about this disease is very important to me. You can join in on the educational and advocacy efforts by checking out my roundup of links below.

LEARN
Click on the toolbar to download and print.
SHOP
Think pink - Cheap Chicas
Get the Look - Ceci New York 

    BONUS: Receive a 15% discount on any pink Ceci New York product for the month of October. Ceci Johnson is also donating proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Donate all year-round with Moxsie

BID
For the Good of the Pink Pony - Modelinia

GIVE
Exclusive Bridesmaid Clutches from Lauren Merkin - Merci New York

PARTY
Domaine Chandon's  Drink Pink Party via Romantic Napa Valley

and FOR FUN - FOR THE LOVE OF PINK {WEDDINGS}

• Brides Against Breast Cancer
• Ceci New York
• Pacific Weddings   

How to be a {California} locavore with your iPhone

I'm not talking about Yelp. I'm talking about the California Farmers' Market Finder.  It's how I found these babies:

Eat local. Read the five easy steps at eatlocalchallenge.com.

Party Planner: 5 Steps to Making a Splash at Your Wedding

Wedding inspiration for all the surfers, divers, mermaids, and other water babies of the world:

Step 1: Have Nick Pugay photograph your engagement shoot underwater

Photography by Nick Pugay

Step 2: Send Message in a Bottle Invitations

DIY Tutorial via Project Weddings

Step 3: Start your wedding day with a dive like Martin and Lila as filmed by Threelogy

Martin and Lila from Bong Sare on Vimeo via Threelogy

Step 4: Make your surfboard the wedding guest book

via Cunningham Photo Artists series - Cara and Dom's Wedding

Step 4: Struggle to cut the cake because this adorable turtle is sitting on your cake table.

Cake design by Rick Reichart of cakelava 
Photo by Stephen Ludwig Photography

Step 5: Honeymoon underwater at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island.

via Martha Stewart Weddings Honeymoons: Room With a View 

Any other steps you'd like to add?

Why you need krazy glue in your wedding emergency kit

Yes, that's my mini-me by Nicole Clark that I wrote about in my other post. But it's my mini-me status post neck fracture.

I don't know how it happened. All I know is that she sustained a neck injury at some point during all the wedding craziness. Luckily, my wedding coordinator had krazy glue in her emergency kit. There are lists for wedding emergency kits galore all over the web so instead of rehashing all the items here, let's take a look at less common items you'd might want to consider in yours and why:

Tampons or pads | someone in your bridal party might forget about their time of the month
Floss |  your white-themed wedding can't possibly extend to your entire menu
Blotting powder / blotting sheets | your sebaceous glands will likely be working overtime
Candy or protein/granola bar | in case of hypoglycemia
Paper bag | don't know anyone to have an anxiety attack but in case anyone starts hyperventilating
Tweezers | for that random hair that decides on your wedding day to be the center of attention
Eye drops including those for contacts | in case you aren't emo enough to start crying
Ziploc bags | I don't know. Someone always needs a bag for something
Cash | tip envelope(s) are nowhere to be found

What are other not-so-popular but oh-so-helpful things that belong on the list?

Move over, candles. Brasa Fire takes the spotlight now

Anyone remember Sasha Souza's Fire and Ice themed wedding? I think awesome is an understatement. Imagine being a guest and waiting for your drink at a bar completely made of ice. Or picking up an appetizer being warmed by flames sans chafing dish? Swoon. Pretty came at a hefty price at that wedding--it cost $300,000! See Mrs. Plum's recap of it on weddingbee. Well, if Ms. Souza or anyone else out there is entertaining the idea of a fire and ice themed wedding (again), may I suggest Brasa Fire?

Brasa Fire via Design Milk

Starting at $165, Brasa Fire's fire lamps can be displayed as centerpieces or as subtle accents to add some kapow to the room. They're easily portable and burn on bioethanol; shedding light on green form meeting function.