Everything Coastal....

Friday - A Cocktail Bar and a Nautical Wall

2012-02-24T14:48:00.000-08:00

Don't know about the rest of you, but I am so glad that this week is over. I am now patiently waiting for my phone to ring, and hoping that it's Tom to let me know that he is on his way to pick me up. Then we are headed to Moss Bay Distillery for a Friday afternoon of fancy cocktails and sea food sliders on their deck to watch the sun sink into the Pacific.

One more thought on nautical charts - spotted this idea at Pottery Barn. What do you think?

The chart wall art is a 8'h x 5"w decal!

How much fun would this little cocktail corner be? A bar cabinet - doesn't have to be expensive or even very large, could serve many purposes. I like the look of this painted black one with the chart, a beautiful antique wooden one would also be amazing....

Then all you would need (besides the party!) is great cocktail glasses...

fabulous bar tools, a supply of fancy liquor,

and fun cocktail linens

Add some hooks, or better yet, boat cleats - and you will be set!

Don't get me started, I could think of a thousand ways to use this idea....

Ever since I have been in outside sales or self-employed, I try to allow myself Friday afternoons off - doesn't always work out, but I try. Have a great weekend everyone!

Treasured Beach Memories

2012-02-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

My friend Karen Gerstenberger is an absolute joy and treasure! I asked her if she'd like write a guest blog post about her beach memories on the Kitsap Peninsula. I think you all will enjoy her beach treasured memories too!

Karen and her family have had quite the journey over the past several years, and I just want to congratulate her on the publishing of her new book - "Because of Katie". It is more than a stellar accomplishment, I think that her story can help many other families that have faced, or are facing childhood cancer.

Thank you, Caron for inviting me to write a guest posting – I’m delighted to have the opportunity to share this photo of you and Tom and a group of friends at our house from a couple of summers ago. It’s not often that we get to see you here up in Poulsbo, and it was a treat to have you join us.

Our little town misses Caron’s brick-and-mortar store, but we’re glad she is here online so that everyone can have the pleasure of shopping with her!

One of the passions which Caron & I have in common is beach walking and beach combing (not to mention seafood). To understand the importance of time spent at the beach in my family’s culture, consider this: my parents built a rustic place on the beach before they could even afford to purchase a home. When newly-married, they rented a tiny apartment in Seattle, and took the ferry to an island on the weekends to build their cabin. The fact that neither of them knew how to build anything was not even a deterrent! We three children grew up spending weekends and summers at the cabin. It was my favorite place in the world.

I have loved the beach as long as I can remember, and this love has never left me – in fact, it is what motivated me to live where I do. I wanted to share this love with my own children, and fortunately, my husband agreed. This is a photo of me as a child, walking the beach on Bainbridge Island.

Here is my family with my parents on our beach - they now live on the original cabin’s site, in a less-rustic home.

This is us, vacationing in Canada.This pastime of walking on the beach and looking for treasures led to the making of a special feature in the guest bath in our home.

When the house was being built, I asked the stone masons to help me make a countertop out of the collection of beach glass and pottery which the children and I had found together. They were kind enough to teach me what to do, and shared their tools and materials with me.

While they laid tile and stone in other parts of the house, I made this countertop. The stonemasons were uneasy about the fact that it is not level; it’s bumpy, but that is part of its charm. It has cup-handles, cut glass, marbles, insulators and much more in it. They set the seashell sink into it for us (I had wanted a glass sink, but our budget wouldn’t allow it – instead, I found this on close-out at a hardware store).

The beach-glass countertop is one of the favorite features in our house among our guests – they love to run their hands over the surface, looking carefully at each piece of glass and pottery. I never get tired of it, and I always enjoy seeing people’s reaction to it. It contains memories of many hours of joy, walking the beach with my husband and children. That makes it extra-meaningful to me, especially now that our son is away at college most of the year, and our daughter, Katie, passed away several years ago.

This brings me to another reason for my posting: I wanted to share some good news with you. I’ve just published a book about Katie and our journey with her through childhood cancer. It’s our family’s true story, and it includes helpful information and resources for anyone who encounters a medical crisis, or who knows someone going through such a crisis. It is for friends, family members, medical professionals and anyone who has been touched by concern for someone facing a life-changing event.

“Because of Katie” is available on amazon, at createspace and through Liberty Bay Books or your local bookstore. For those of you who are local, (Washington State, Kitsap Peninsula) there will be a book-signing party hosted by Liberty Bay Books at The Loft at Latitude 47.7 on Friday, March 2^nd at 6:30 P.M.

If you’re not sure whether this book is for you, please go to the amazon page and read the reviews of the book, written by people who have read it. I hope that it will bless you or someone you know!

For more about Karen and her continuring work with Seattle Children's Hospital - stop by her blog GBerger - karengberger.blogspot.com

Love Affair with my Sperry Topsider Boots

2012-02-20T11:38:00.000-08:00

I know, kind of silly. Here I sit, having been a beach comber girl all of my life, and I have not owned a pair of rubber beach boots - EVER. Until a month ago.

I first saw these in November when I was in Seattle shopping with my daughter in downtown for Black Friday. Really against my shopping credo - not my favorite day for shopping, I don't care what the "deals" are. Honestly, we just went down to Westlake Center and Pike Place Market to do a little people watching, have some lunch and maybe shop for some special seafood gourmet tools at Sur la table. Tom had put some kind of fancy salmon-boner tool thing on his Christmas list... (more on that "thing" later!)

It wasn't our fault that we just had to walk by Nordstrom's Rack, and well, we didn't want to pass up a good sale, did we? Here's the funny thing - I had flown up on Alaskan Airlines, and had not checked a bag, so wasn't sure how I was going to get them home, so I didn't buy them. (I did take a picture though, so that I could remember what they looked like)

Then about a month ago, I was desperate for a new pair of tennis shoes - and there they were. The Sperry Topsider boots that I had been craving - just waiting for me to take them home from our local Nordstrom Rack! And they were on sale - only $29.95!

Now look at what I can do with my new boots - I can actually climb all over the rocks and get some awesome tidepool photos. Very excited - feel like a little kid when I can splash all over the place and not worry about getting my feet soaked. Or worry about sliding off of the rocks - much bigger danger for me, as I am a total klutz.

Here's a few of my other favorite Sperry boots - what do you think?

Blue and White Stripes - totally nautical! (looks like these might be on sale too - $49.99)

Grey and Black Cheetah print - for more than just the beach!

Pretty in Pink - Kingbird Rainboot $51.99

Love these bright orange ones! Nordstrom Rack has several colors, magenta, green, orange, purple -

(Here's a link to the Sperry page at the Rack - Sperry Topsiders)

Do you have a pair of rubber rain boots? There are so many pretty ones available!

Easy Delish Lemon Garlic Shrimp

2012-02-16T10:31:00.000-08:00

I will happily admit it - I am a Pinterest addict. I found this absolute fabulous shrimp recipe from Cinnamon Girl Recipes, while scrolling through looking for ideas to add to my Coastal Cooking board. It was the luscious big shrimp that caught my eye!
(photo credit to Cinnamon Girl Recipes)

Step #1 - good Shrimp! We are so lucky to be 1surrounded by local fish markets here in the Bay Area - so I made a fast trip down to our favorite fish market in Half Moon Bay to grab some prawns.

I used Cinnamon Girl's Recipe with a few twists - turned out DELISH! Tom and I were oohing, and ahhing throughout our dinner - maybe it was the wonderful bottle of Pagemill 2010 Chardonnay...

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil
1 lemon, zested then half cut into thin slices and other half into wedges
3-4 fresh thyme springs, leaves removed
sea or kosher salt and fresh black pepper
linguine pasta (I like fatter pasta with this kind of sauce)
2 Tablespoons butter - NOT margarine
1 pound fresh shrimp, medium-sized, de-veined with tails off
1-2 cups of broccoli
3/4 cup sliced red pepper
5 cloves of garlic minced

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a glass 9 x 13 baking dish, combine olive oil, lemon zest and thyme. Olive oil should liberally cover the bottom of the pan, if it doesn't drizzle more in. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven for 10-12 minutes, checking every few minutes - if it looks like it is getting too brown, remove and proceed to the next step.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta. Drain and toss with a pat of butter or olive oil.

3. Remove pan from oven, add butter and swirl to melt. Add shrimp, broccoli, red peppers, garlic and the lemon slices. Don't squeeze the lemon slices - just add to the shrimp roasting mixture. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until prawns turn pink - check often, there is nothing worse than overdone prawns!

4. Remove roasted lemon-garlic shrimp mixture from the oven and dump into the pasta. Stir completely into the pasta, over low heat for just a few minutes with a few squeezes of fresh lemon and a dash more of olive oil.

5. Serve in your best pasta bowls with a really good french bread and a special white wine! No need for a salad if you've roasted the veggies with the shrimp.

Voila' - super easy, and super yummy. (P.S. These are my favorite pasta plates - vintage Vietri scooped up at a thrift shop for $5.00 each!)

In fact, this was so incredibly rich and delicious, we ate it all before I remembered to take any pictures for you. oops....

Today is our anniversary, and we will be heading into the city to have dinner at Scoma's, at Fisherman's Wharf. Will bring my camera and see if I can capture any cool shots of San Francisco tonight. Can't wait! I might even get out of my jeans and wear a dress for that cute boyfriend of mine....

Have a great Thursday everyone! If you click on the link above "Current Newsletter" - there's a FREE shipping coupon code for President's Day weekend.

New 18" x 25" over sized nautical napkins on our site!

Or these cute red-rock shrimp napkins would be cute to use too! Also generously over sized, and eco-friendly.

Ocean Beach Sand Pipers

2012-02-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, I was craving a beach walk. Thank goodness Tom has the ability to recognize that wild crazy look in my eyes..... he poured coffee into travel mugs and pointed the car toward Ocean Beach.

It was a perfect morning. Sand glistening in the morning sun, incredible sea blue surf and frothy white waves.

...And sand pipers galore.

Good thing that I was wearing my new spring Sperry Topsiders rubber boots. I could actually wade in the water to take these photos. Look how close the birds let me get!

Love the reflection...

This one was my favorite!

Here's a few ideas to bring some sea birds home!

Avocet Indoor-Outdoor Pillow

Stone Grey and Cream Seabird Throw

Hand Painted Sandpiper Pillow - too cute!

Have a great Wednesday everyone -

Modern Nautical - How to Decorate with Maps!

2012-02-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

So exited to introduce my guest blogger, and friend Shayne from Sugarfly to you! As you all know, I have not one "crafty" bone in my body - wish I did, but I certainly admire my friends that can be so creative - I think you will all really enjoy her post about decorating with nautical maps and charts.

Caron

Our summer cabin on Hood Canal has been in the family since the 60's. Four generations have called this beautiful place home, for over 50 summers! Inside there is an old pine tongue and groove staircase, and the top of the stairs for years, there was a big map of the Puget Sound held up by thumbtacks. I remember as a kid, standing in front of this map for hours. It was just so interesting to me to see exactly where we were on a map in relation to our house, the neighboring towns, and just how it all came together around the water.

I remember thinking ... "Wow, if you just travel down around this corner, you would be here.... and if you just cut across the water, you would be here... " So many kids stood around pointing at that map, that a hole was eventually worn in the spot where our cabin was from messy little fingers pointing out to their friends exactly which spot we were standing on. Finally, one of my aunts had enough good sense to take the map down and have it laminated, so it could be enjoyed for years to come. It now sits like a giant placemat in the middle of our cabin kitchen table, so that future generations can explore it, and point to it without fear of it being damaged.

I am still fascinated by maps, and wanted to do something similar in my house for the kids, but wasn't sure how. I also love themed rooms, especially when it comes to kids bedrooms. Not over the top themes, where everything is all "matchy - matchy" but I love it when a kids room has a vibe that fits the child's personality. I recently helped my daughter redo her room to a slightly Hawaiian theme, bringing in turquoise and coral, a couple of hula pictures and some Pottery Barn Tiki bedding. My middle son has a surf theme going, lots of faded red, blue and green, with some beach grass around the windows, a fish tank and some surf boards.

For my youngest son, I started thinking more nautical. I used to think that nautical meant old buoys, barnacles, and fishing nets, with anchors and sea captain figurines and steered clear of anything nautical in my decorating. The last few years, I have seen nautical themes in kids' rooms, in many catalogs done in such a classy way, it has completely changed my mind. Tons of bead board, crisp white trim, an oar on a wall, navy and brown, some wood accents, a soft sea grass rug, a modern fisherman reading lamp... this was the kind of nautical that I was going for, and I knew that this would be the right place to bring in a great map.

I purchased some great wallpaper from Ralph Lauren, then decided not to use it, as I really wanted to do something personalized, where my son could grow up with his own map of where we were; marked with "home" and "cabin" and all of the places in between. I decided to make my own map, based on the map from our cabin, I painted in the traditional map colors of sea blue and yellow on a giant canvas.

Here's what you need to recreate a map of your own area!

1 large canvas (Can be found at Michaels - often at 50% off!)
A pencil for sketching
yellow craft paint
blue craft paint
brown sharpie pen
paint brushes
A great map of your area to use as a guide (I referenced a map off of the internet)

Find a map of your area, or an area that is special to your family - maybe somewhere that your family likes to vacation. Lay your canvas out in front of you, and start sketching. It's a little tricky to do in a much larger scale, so make sure you have a good eraser! Don't worry if you have a bunch of erased lines all over, you will be painting over it!

Once you have your map sketched, paint all of the water areas blue, and the land areas yellow. Where the blue and yellow come trace with a dark brown Sharpie pen. Use your Sharpie, and add in the towns, the waterways, bays, whatever you find important. I added a few fun things; a water skier, a shrimp, ferry boats - just to make it a little more interesting.

Pretty easy as far as projects go, and it only takes a couple of hours. My sister-in-law made some smaller ones for her bathroom, they can can be done on any size canvas to fit any space.

I have since cut out many ideas of how to decorate with maps. Pottery Barn Kids did a room entirely covered in old maps, overlapping as wallpaper. Here are a few more of my favorite map ideas!

Nautical is back in a big way, and incorporating maps has never been easier. So next time you're at an antique store, grab a vintage map and get creative!

Thanks so much Shayne! Love your creative ideas, and so easy to adapt a really neat piece of art to reflect your own coastal area.

Make sure to visit Shayne's new blog - Sugarfly, where Shayne gives you a little glimpse into her wonderful family life beside Miller bay in Washington State. Writing about her house last spring was one of my favorite posts - "Fabulous Family Home on Miller Bay" , make sure to check out her cute "cottage-like" beach house!

Home Front - Kristin Hannah's Newest Bestseller

2012-02-12T12:13:00.000-08:00

Look at what came in the mail this week from my friend Suzanne at Liberty Bay Books, with a lovely note from Kristin Hannah herself! Before moving to San Francisco, I never missed an author event with Kristin (I am a huge fan!) and Suzanne knew that I was really missing out to not be at the Home Front book event with Kristin last week at the Loft in downtown Poulsbo.

Imagine my surprise when I opened up the book cover this morning and found this note from Kristin-
"Caron, Missed you tonight! xo Kristin"

I purposely have waited until today to indulge myself... I knew that once I picked up Kristin's new book, Home Front, I would be consumed within the pages. Her writing and her characters, always grab me from the first paragraph when I start reading. Before I know it, I am immersed in a story that I can easily recognize as real people and real situatio

Home Front begins beside Liberty Bay in Washington State, and is definitely one of those stories, and one that I think needs to be told, about everyday women and mothers being sent to war. There's a whole lot more to this engrossing story, but I am only on page 87 and am already dipping into the Kleenex box.

Now I am homesick for Poulsbo, Liberty Bay and downtown Poulsbo.

Congratulations to Kristin Hannah for making Home Front the #1 book on the New York Times Bestseller List! Suzanne can even get you an autographed copy or a special autographed note from Kristin if you order the e-book. Visit the Liberty Bay Books site, or give them a call at the store in Poulsbo, 360-779-5909.

More on Home Front in future posts - but I wanted to dash off something quick before the thought got away from me. I promise, you will be lost in this latest story of Kristin Hannah's too. Buy a big box of tissues...

Beach House Fridays - Romance on the Terrace

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

The March issue of House Beautiful arrived in the mail last night, filled with all kinds of lovely images, using every shade of green imaginable. So, after I had completely devoured the magazine and ripped out all of my favorite pages for my inspiration bulletin board in my office, I thought I would go online and see if any of the images were posted to add to Pinterest, and before I knew I was lost in "pinning" coastal room images and ideas from their website.

Fell in love with this outdoor veranda, overlooking a sea blue bay. Can't you just feel the ocean breeze with just a slight hint of chill in the salt air? Good thing that they've included a cozy throw on the end of the Restoration Hardware wicker sofa!

Maybe a Diana Krall CD playing in the background? (love her!) Champagne chilling, candles about to be lit as the sun begins its decent into the bay. The only thing missing is a beautiful cheese tray....

I need to win the lottery.

Here are a few ideas from our site that could mix into this romantic setting!

Hand Painted Red Coral Pillows

Perfect for indoor-outdoor use!

Pretty etched seashell ice bucket to chill your champagne... and an assortment of champagne flutes or wine glasses if you prefer chilled white wine. I particularly like the stemless wine glasses!

Let's not forget the cheese tray! Love the polished shells, and the nickel accents of this seaside serving set - modern coastal with a twist of glamour.

If you are not already a SeaLaura blog fan - make sure to pop over there, and check out her new adventures on the Texas coast. We also want to thank her for featuring our pink octopus pillow for her Valentine's wish list post!

Have a great weekend everyone! I heard a rumor that we may go to Concannon winery for their chocolate and wine pairing event....

Beach Chic Style

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I've relaunched Everything Coastal Style! It's a work in progress so be patient with me. I wanted a second blog to be able to feature more guest bloggers and focus on coastal and beach style, but still be able to write in my voice on Everything Coastal. I love taking you all to the beach and sharing fun recipes and tips, but there's so much more that I'd like to share that I have revamped Everything Coastal Style, to focus more on style ideas for the coast.

Pop over and take a look - today we are featuring a fun blog post from my friend Susan from InStyle Swimwear. I am drooling over swimsuit #2 in the post today - just 40 more pounds to lose and I might be able to fit into it. (ah, I can dream, can't I?) They have a HUGE selection - many fun beach items under $100.00!

P.S. If you'd like to be a guest blogger - let me know!

Seashell Natural Decorating

2012-02-07T11:31:00.001-08:00

Now that you've collected all the seashells, what to do with them?

Here's 5 of our favorite ideas!

1. Display them in a glass lamp, so easy to change with the seasons. Add your most prized shells, mix with sea glass or driftwood to create an ever changing display piece. (Caron's Beach House)

2. Make your own shell mirror. So easy to create something that can easily be the focal point of your room, by using a large scale frame and large scale shells. Keep it all natural with sand and shore colors, or mix in tropical shells for an island feel. Love this vignette, with the beachy blues and creamy white shells, not to mention the fabulous tall polished lantern! (image found on Pinterest)

3. Create a wreath, starting with driftwood. Collect your own driftwood to create a wreath base, or better yet, start with one that is already pre-made especially if you don't live near a beach where there is ample driftwood to take home. Get creative with not only shells, but other flotsam and jetsam!

From Everything Coastal (used to be my front door!)

Driftwood Wreaths - Bases Only

4. Create your very own special shadowbox with your most precious shells. Love this simple beautiful idea from Danielle Oakley Interiors. The blue background with bleached starfish is just stunning!

5. Use large glass jars, with interesting lids filled with seashells for bookends. So simple, functional, and the shells are protected from dust.

Stay tuned for 5 more ideas!

Sunday Shorelife - Great Blue Heron

2012-02-05T16:42:00.000-08:00

Superbowl Sunday calls for a long beach walk before settling in on the couch.. Giants? Patriots? We are not that invested in the game this year, as Tom's favorite teams didn't make the cut... no Packers, no Forty-Niners and no Seahawks... but we've cooked up some fabulous ribs and corn muffins!

The tide was the farthest out we've ever seen at Half Moon Bay - lots of tidepools to explore, not only for us, but for this beautiful California Great Blue Heron.

Lunch caught!

And then, I got a little too close and the heron had enough of my camera and my in-elegant splashing.

Can't believe that I actually got this shot of him/her taking off with the fish!

Hope you all are having a wonderful Superbowl Sunday!

For your very own blue heron....

Coastal California Vintage! Love this pretty coastal pillow with striped blue and white ticking.

From the Eastern Seaboard... Beautiful Blue Heron Pillow

From the Pacific Northwest.....Great Blue Heron Indoor-Outdoor Beach Cottage Pillow

Beach House Friday - Film Noir

2012-02-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

Another confession... I am a total sucker for 1930's - 1940's era movies. My perfect Sunday afternoon (when I can't go to the beach) is turning on Turner Classic Movies and catching Nick and Nora sleuthing out some crazy situation while drinking martinis and wearing shimmery satin gowns and jewels.

Or, maybe getting lost on stormy Key Largo with Humphrey Bogart and the timeless beauty of Lauren Bacall. Not to mention Cary Grant (my dream date!), Jimmy Stewart and Katherine Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story" - I have probably watched this movie 20 times, and it never loses its' luster for me.

This month on TCM is the best because it's 31 days of Oscar! That's right, when I am working in my office, I am sneaking peaks of some of my favorite movies. Don't tell on me......

P.S. I only wish my office looked like this! Love the big bookshelf with space for coral and shells - and the lamps the remind me of ocean reefs.
(pic from House Beautiful)

So, I got to thinking this morning. I created a board on Pinterest that is all about Black and White Inspiration, and I thought I would share some of my collection with you.

Think luxury of bygone eras, film noir, elegance, evening gowns, sexy martinis..... Can't you just see yourself gliding down this fabulous staircase, dripping with jewelry to join the party? Love!
(pic from Houzz)

Can you imagine stopping to check your lipstick in this glamorous bathroom?

Breakfast on the veranda after the party? I can see wearing those sexy feather slippers and sipping on a lovely mimosa cocktail. I know, a little dramatic....

That's the fun with black and white decorating. Alluring, bewitching and just slightly dazzling!

Some of our favorite essential elements to add a little film noir glamour to your beach house!

(pic from House Beautiful)

1. White Coral - NOT real.

2. Black and White Linen Pillows

(including one that has an image a little like Humphrey Bogart!)

3. Coral Lamps

4. Hints of silver and gold

Would love to hear about your favorite movies from the film noir era - I don't think I am alone in having this secret passion for those enchanting movies!

On my list this weekend (if we can squeeze it in with Superbowl mania!) is possibly a trip to the movies to see "The Artist" have any of you seen this yet? What did you think?

Have a wonderful weekend!

New Zealand Jewels from the Sea!

2012-01-30T09:59:00.000-08:00

So excited to feature a guest blog post from my good friend Judy! (See my post from last winter - Just Beachy) Judy and her husband Gordon invited Tom and I over for a Christmas brunch. Not only did we get a fascinating sea lion show from their dining room, I got a first hand look at her gorgeous shell treasures from New Zealand. Judy is one lucky lucky lady, to have the opportunity to travel and pick up seashells from around the world! Can you tell, I might be just the teeniest bit envious?

Confessions of a Shellaholic....

OK, I confess. I am unashamedly a full-blown shellaholic. And I know I’m not alone. Many of you reading this know what I mean when I say I love everything about shells – how they feel in my hands, how each one is different, how incredibly they travel thousands of miles before I find them and how, even with broken parts and rough edges, they are truly beautiful.

Show me a beach and while I’ll admire the sea and the setting, my eyes also will be cast downward in search of one of God’s treasures. I’ve collected shells on every beach I’ve ever seen, so when I had the chance to explore new beaches while attending a conference in New Zealand, I was in beachcomber heaven.

I was particularly excited to learn that New Zealand has what might be called a “national shell” that is used in beautiful jewelry and is an iconic design in many other forms of art from pottery to silver. It’s the Paua, a small, particularly colorful abalone, so not only was I on the hunt for such a shell, but I was determined to bring home a piece of Paua jewelry.

When I’m in a foreign country, such as New Zealand, I try to be a discreet sheller. I’m never sure how the locals feel about my taking shells off their beaches or what they’d think about some of them finding their way to Gig Harbor, Washington. So – no pails or buckets for me. Instead, I’ve got a lightweight jacket with a ton of inside pockets, plus long sleeves that zip off to become a vest for warmer days. I line those pockets with plastic Ziploc bags and I’m ready to discreetly collect my treasures … that is, after I’ve checked the local laws to make sure it’s OK.

New Zealand’s north island has beaches on both the South Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea. Playing hooky from meetings one day, we took the train east to Paraparaumu, a small beach town on the Kapiti Coast that faces an island wildlife reserve. We hit the beach on a windy but sunny day and had it to ourselves. We oohed and ahhed over the driftwood until we began to find beautiful striated shells that my shell encyclopedia says are Pacific Tritons. There were other colorful shells – clams and scallops and cones as well -- and before long, my jacket was bulging with shells that never would have found their way to my beach in Gig Harbor except in my pockets.

Other memorable shelling beaches were up north in the Bay of Islands, an archipelago where we spent five days with the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand who still practice their native culture. Each day, I wandered a different beach in my vest, finding flat scallops, colorful umboniums, terinas, terebras, augers and portions of pen shells. On one beach, almost every shell bore shades of blue; on another the shells were striped orange and white. I tried to be selective, but it was hard to resist them.

Shelling on a group tour can be problematic because shells need to be washed to eliminate unpleasant odors. So every afternoon I washed, sorted and dried my shells anywhere I could in our hotel room – the counter, the tub, the back of the toilet. But this wasn’t work – it was like sifting through a box of jewels.

We stayed with friends near Auckland before coming home, and I took that opportunity to soak my shells in bleach and dry them in the sun. But wait – they live at Snells Beach, so there I was, gathering more and more because our hosts helped me fill my pockets.

While all this shelling was fun, we still wondered how we’d get all these little gems home. We’d collected nine pounds all told, and both our suitcases were already very close to the 5pound limit. What to do? We decided to divvy them up – put some in our checked bags and some in our carry-ons. We didn’t have to declare them – they weren’t fruit, vegetables, meat or living creatures, so the trip home was without incident.

Now I have shells that I will simply admire for their beauty and also use in my shell art for Just Beachy. And I revel in the knowledge that these aren’t shells I bought from an online shell store in Florida; I picked these myself (my sore back was proof positive!), washed and sorted them, and will forever remember the wonderful beaches of New Zealand where I found them.

Yes, I’m a shellaholic and like another “aholic” we hear about, I found New Zealand’s beaches to be my own personal “open bar.”

Easy Elegant Scallops

2012-01-26T10:58:00.000-08:00

Bacon, scallops, sea salt, and garlic - how can you go wrong?

Scallops can be tricky if you are not careful, they need to be fresh, large and cooked only until they are done or they can be more than a little "rubbery" (is that a word?)

Bacon Wrapped Scallops are incredibly easy, and can be presented so elegantly, your friends will know that you are a graduated gourmet chef!

Ingredients:
Large Sea Scallops - plan on 2 or 3 per person
Thick Sliced Bacon
Sea Salt (or Kosher Salt)
Fresh Ground Pepper
Chopped Garlic

1. Liberally salt and pepper your scallops, then "sprinkle" on your chopped garlic

2. Use 1 bacon slice per scallop and wrap them completely - use a skewer to secure

3. Place under broiler until bacon is crispy and done, it's just enough time for the scallops to also be done without getting overcooked.

A suggestion for you - serving these scallops with a lovely balsamic reduction sauce would be a beautiful final touch. So easy to do; simply cook your favorite balsamic vinegar over high heat 12 -15 minutes,until it becomes syrupy and bubbles begin to form.

Or you can cheat like me and use prepared balsamic salad dressing! I served our scallops with an avocado, heirloom tomato salad, dusted with fresh rosemary Asiago cheese and a Tuscan balsamic dressing. Our Pinot Noir is a favorite from the Oregon Willamette Valley, Domaine Drouhin.

Yes, we eat and drink well around here.

Cheers to a Happy Weekend! We are headed up to Sonoma County to see our friends and celebrate a birthday. I have heard a rumor that there might be wine tasting involved....

Happy New Year! The Year of the Water Dragon

2012-01-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

How thrilling! Not only is it MY year on the Chinese New Year Lunar Calendar, but it is also the year of the Water Dragon - how lucky am I??

The Water Dragon occurs only once every 60 years on the Chinese lunar calendar, and is expected to bring prosperity, luck and exciting transforming changes. I am ready for whatever this year may bring! How about you?

Now to add some traditional red and water elements into my coastal decorating to celebrate - and to encourage the good luck!

Red coral always makes me happy and it does have a beautiful organic shape. (reminiscent of a dragon!)

Hmm... and it does come from the sea....

Maybe a few new pillows to toss on my couch?

Could not resist this one - it's already on my bed! Just a touch of red in my sea aqua room....

Or a beautiful red bowl for my ever-growing collection of seashells? I like this one for the sea grass type of etching on the base. Can you imagine this filled with bleached white shells? I can, it would be so gorgeous!

Wishing you all a very Happy Chinese New Year! Special wishes to my fellow dragons... you know who you are.

Oh Yum... Salmon with Lemon Caper Sauce

2012-01-09T14:42:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning started out with a picnic breakfast and a gorgeous beach walk at Montara... it's a new beach walk that we discovered just a tiny bit north of Half Moon Bay right off Highway 1.

Completely awestruck! Clear blue sky, roaring waves - amazing, powerful, soul restoring, with fewer than 10 people (and a few puppies!) on the beach to share this incredible experience.

Worked up an voracious appetite after our walk in the sand. So, of course we had to stop at our favorite fish market in Half Moon Bay on the way back home for some local fresh caught salmon for a seafood dinner feast.

To die for - Salmon with Lemon Caper Sauce

Ingredients:

Fish + Marinade
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
2 large shallots
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
4 salmon fillets

Lemon Caper Sauce

2 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fish stock (or 2T each water and clam juice)
1/4 cup half & half or light cream
1 anchovy fillet or 1/2 tsp. anchovy paste
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons capers, drained

salt
cayenne pepper

1. Fish: Mince parsley, basil and shallots in food processor or by hand; place in plastic bag with oils and salmon. Seal and turn to coat salmon completely; refrigerate 2 hours or overnight; turn occasionally.

2. Sauce: Simmer lemon juice, wine and stock until reduced to 2 T, about 12 minutes, add half & half and boil until reduced to 1/4 cup (2-3 minutes)

3. Mix the anchovy paste and the mustard together thoroughly, then add to the already reduced lemon sauce.

4. Whisk butter in over low heat, 1 Tablespoon at a time, letting each piece melt before adding the next. Set aside, then add capers, salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

5. Keep Warm - but not too warm!

6. Finish: Place salmon on aluminum foil if grilling or on broiler pan, skin side down. Grill or broil until opaque, about 8 minutes (be careful not to overcook!) depending on thickness.

7. Plate and spoon the sauce over each fillet and garnish with extra capers or parsley if desired.

Make sure to serve your elegant dinner with a really good wine! And don't forget the pretty wine glasses too -

We've been saving a bottle of Alpha Omega Chardonnay (Napa Valley 2009) for a special occasion. Luckily for me, every Saturday with Tom seems like a special event, even if we are just hanging out at our dining room table....

*vanilla-sea salt tomatoes recipe courtesy of the Walrus and the Carpenter

Have a great week!

Beach Fossils on a Winter Coast

2012-01-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

Beverly Beach, Oregon Coast.

We left Portland early on New Years morning, driving through the gorgeous Willamette Valley - I was so excited to get to Lincoln City that I could hardly stand it! (picture of Mount Hood taken from a hill in Dundee while were searching for our favorite Pinot Noir winery)

Tom has the patience of a saint, I made him pull the car over several times when we started driving along the coast to Patti's. Thank goodness he understands my need to actually hear the roar of the ocean and breathe the salt air...

First of all, I have to say that I am EXTREMELY lucky that my friend Patti took a leap of faith and bought her beach view cottage just above Beverly Beach a few years ago, and she was nice enough to invite Tom and I down for New Years Day. She and her husband Michael live an incredible beach life, walking their pretty collie dogs on the beach, writing and playing music, searching for agates, hanging out at the Newport Aquarium, and scooping up fresh crab off the docks in Newport. (Can you tell that I am just a little jealous?)

Second of all, a winter beach is so much more interesting to me than in the summer. The sky is filled with fascinating colors and clouds -not seen in summer. The beach takes on a whole different flavor and shape, revealing treasures and tidepools.

I like that I have to wear my scarf, an extra sweater, and my furry jacket with big pockets... I was practically skipping when we finally got to Patti's!

Beverly Beach was littered with agates and jasper. Michael and Patti know exactly what to look for, I simply pick up pretty rocks and put them in my pocket. When my pockets are full, I put my rock finds in Tom's. (he is the BEST boyfriend)

I love the winter sky on the Oregon Coast...

The sand had shifted to reveal ancient fossil rocks that don't show in the summer.

I don't think I have ever seen fossils like this before....

Tom spotted this beautiful heart shaped shell fossil near the surf, it might be my favorite find of our day at Beverly Beach.

It's exactly how I feel about the Oregon Coast.

I am so excited that we will be going back this summer! Our reservations have already been made for a weekend trip in August with Tom's family near Cannon Beach. Can't wait.

The Argonaut - Decked out for the Holidays!

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday night we decided to play tourist in our own town, San Francisco. (I LOVE living here!) Hoping to see lighted boats in the harbor, and holiday decorations, we left our car at home and rode the CalTrain into the city, and then navigated all around the Embarcadero and down to Fisherman's Wharf on the historic trolleys.

It was great fun. Christmas shopping (and people watching!) on Pier 39, stopping for holiday Irish coffee warm-ups, after having a good laugh at the sea lions fighting for dock space. Although they are slightly stinky, and a little loud, they are pretty cute!

Then onto dinner with a view of the bay and decorated boats, at the world famous Franciscan Crab Restaurant. It was hard to capture this picture right, but I think you can get the idea. They have the most fantastic etched mermaid mirror behind the cocktail bar!

Yes, those clams were my dinner! Totally delish. Oh.... and my wine was pretty good too.

After dinner, we decided to wander down Fisherman's Wharf window shopping and then the Argonaut Hotel. It's right on the corner of Jefferson at the end of Fisherman's Wharf, by the cable cars and Hyde Pier. The hotel enjoys a really unique partnership with the San Francisco National Maritime museum, setting aside over 9000 square feet "dedicated to the West Coast maritime history and the story of Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco". We've been to the museum several times - great history lessons about the Goldrush and the ship wrecks just at the mouth of the San Francisco Bay.

Kinda went crazy taking pictures in their lobby. Everything was so beautiful, and so Coastal!

Close up photos of the tree decorations - loads of real starfish, shells, silver accents, elegant ribbon and coral-like decorations. Absolutely stunning!

And now for a few shots of their fireplace and mantel...

Maybe next year I can talk Tom into staying here for the weekend?

Maybe if I ask really nice, and promise to be good all year long?

P.S. Don't forget to enter our $100.00 gift card giveaway at NauticalCottageBlog.com!

$100 Giveaway from NauticalCottageBlog.com!

2011-12-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

Have you entered yet?

We are giving away a $100.00 shopping spree at CaronsBeachHouse.com - hosted by NauticalCottageBlog.com during their 24 days of Coastal Christmas. Hurry, giveaway ends on Thursday, December 15!

There are several ways to enter - complete rules can be found at NauticalCottageBlog.com, but here's a preview: (Remember to go back and leave your comments on NauticalCottageBlog.com)

Six Easy Ways to Enter to Win $100 Gift Card

1. Visit Caron’s Beach House Store

Come back, leave comment letting us know what your favorite product is!

2. Visit Caron’s Everything Coastal Blog

Come back and leave a comment telling us you became/or are a follower of their blog

3. Become a follower… Caron’s Beach House on Facebook

Come back and leave a comment telling us you became/or are a follower {liker} on Facebook

4. Become a follower…Caron’s Beach House on Twitter

Come back and leave a comment telling us you became/or are a follower on Twitter

5. For additional entries advertise this giveaway on your blog, Twitter account and/or Facebook page

Come back and leave a comment telling us where you shared.

6. For one more entry…become Sally Lee by the Sea’s Google Friend or Subscribe to Email

Happy Holidays Blogging Friends - Good Luck!

Dungeness

2011-12-09T07:39:00.001-08:00

Please don't be mad, I just can't write about anything to do with the holidays today. I have taken about 100 pictures of my tiny coastal tree in my bedroom and nothing looks right. Pictures are blurry, lighting isn't right, it's just is not working. So I give up on a coastal holiday decorating post for today....

See, I am already wishing for next summer, and crabbing season with my family on the Kitsap Peninsula. Maybe it's because I miss my kids, maybe it's the dungeness crabs that I am craving?

Maybe it's because I am planning out our Seven Fishes dinner for Christmas Eve? Thinking about paella....

Last summer when we were up visiting our families in Seattle and Portland we had the best time taking out the crab pots in the Gypsy Miss dinghy on a stunningly gorgeous Puget Sound day.

Cute boyfriend, getting ready to dump the pots in the bay!

(I just take the pictures, and let everyone else touch the crabs!)

Here's Tom and my brother Jeff, heading out to check our haul of dungeness in the crab pots!

It's imperative to throw back the non-keepers; girl crabs and crabs that are less than 6.25" have to go back in the sound.

Looks like we caught some crabby keepers!

Kristy is so brave! Here's one big guy before he goes in the pot for cooking....

And now for the cooking! Everybody gets a turn.

Boiling actual clean saltwater really is the best. Throw the crabs in the pot of boiling water, and then cook for 15 minutes. Flush with cold water rinse immediately. We use a garden hose in the backyard - much easier and less messy than in your kitchen.

(This is my dad's secret crab success, other crabbers may have different ideas)

Alex

Allison

Dad

Tom

Done. Ready for cleaning and eating - get out the crab crackers!

I have lived at the beach for most of my life, growing up crabbing, clamming, beachcombing - had not realized that we had not taught Allison the finer arts of cleaning crab.

She was pretty darn funny, and took this job with all seriousness...

Kristy, giving Allison a few tips and lessons.

Now, for the hard (gross) part...

She eventually got the hang of it, between she and my mom, cleaned our haul of crabs for the day!

(Geez, now she thinks she's Crab Queen.)

All in all, a pretty fabulous day. Salmon on the barbeque, courtesy of my dad and Tom (with a martini or two!) and tons of dungeness crab. A veritable Pacific Northwest feast.

All topped off with s'mores and a lovely beachfire....

Well, that was fun, now I had better get back to shipping and ordering for our customers at Caron's.

Sure was great though to relive our summer day!

The Trees Must be Cold in Seattle...

2011-11-29T09:31:00.001-08:00

Just kidding! Well, kinda kidding...

I flew up to Seattle last week to spend Thanksgiving with my kids, it was cold, and wet, and damp, and windy.... (can you hear me whining?) In spite of the not-so-great weather, I had a wonderful time hanging out with them.

Allison, my daughter, is living quite the urban-girl life in downtown just upstairs from the Uwajimaya "Emporium" store, (Fabulous place to visit!) in the International District.

We ate at fun new restaurants, went to the movies, walked all over downtown Seattle to window shop, and down to the waterfront. After a day of exploring in the heart of downtown for black Friday and picking up some fun gifts for Tom at the Pike Place market, Allison and I took a short side trip through Occidental Park in Pioneer Square on our way home.

The trees and the light poles were wearing brightly knit striped sweaters!

(Allison is in the picture, tweeting out the sweater tree pics too!)

From the Seattle PI blog: "The Alliance for Pioneer Square and Center City Parks have teamed up with artist Suzanne Tidwell to re-decorate the park and mall for the holidays."

Personally, I think this was just simply fabulous. What a great way to end our day, stumbling upon these bright shots of color on a gray, damp afternoon.

Love this shot of the historic Smith Tower, next to the Columbia Tower, just at the beginnings of twilight.

Maybe Seattle isn't so gray after all.....

For some more information and details about this art project, check the Pioneer Square.org website!

Friday Beach House Photo - Christmas at the Coast #1

2011-11-25T09:26:00.001-08:00

I am spending the day in Seattle with my daughter, and surprise, surprise the sun is actually shining! There has been a steady downpour for most of the time that I have been here. We are skipping the whole Black Friday thing, but are headed into downtown Seattle via the lightrail to do a little window shopping at some of my favorite haunts... Anthropoligie, Sur La Table, Watson Kennedy, Pike Place Market, Urban Outfitters.... will post the pics on my Facebook page if we see something that Allison thinks is Facebook worthy!

On my list: new oyster glove for Tom, maybe even a special salmon tool that he has been requesting, snarky t-shirts for Alex, Fran's salted caramels for me, (hey, maybe they're on sale!) ... cute things for Allison apartment.

Enjoyed spending the last few days with my kids, hanging out, stuffing ourselves silly with Thanksgiving, and watching a lot of bad movies. Needless to say it's been good to be a little off-the-grid. Mainly because I didn't bring my own computer. And then, just before the big "black Friday" the Caron's website crashed big-time yesterday. All fixed now, but was a little panic yesterday.

Also because I am computer challenged this week, it's a little difficult to do my usual Beach House Friday posts. So, am simply posting a couple of my photos that I have been collecting at Pinterest.

Have a great weekend, hope you are enjoying friends and family and are not getting trampled at the mall!

Thanksgiving and Technical Difficulties

2011-11-24T07:50:00.001-08:00

Posting a very quick note before I start on the turkey and stuffing.... I have many many things to be thankful for, including technology. Which most of the time works great, unfortunately this morning, it's not working great. Our website, Caronsbeachhouse.com is completely inaccessible to the world wide web. Should be fixed soon! Wishing all of our blog readers and blogging friends a wonderful holiday weekend! Think I see a break in the clouds here in Seattle, so maybe Allison and I will just go for a walk...

Beach House Inspiration #8 - Indigo Part 2

2011-11-18T09:48:00.000-08:00

Last week, I found this image on Pinterest from Highstreetmarket.blogspot.com. Am in love with this vignette! Dark deep indigo wall, vintage nautical oil painting, bamboo folding bar table, and an assortment of beautiful barware. I simply love the how the gold painted frame just stands attention against the rich blue, don't you?

I might even be able to pull this look off in our tiny apartment. (poor Tom, he will come home one day, and I will have painted our dining room indigo blue!)

Get the look!

Spotted at Lamps Plus - from Arteriors Home. "Antiqued Brass Side Table" Of course I like this one, I like everything from Arteriors Home! t's a little pricey for my little apartment, but I LOVE the idea of the bamboo look and the glass shelves

This might work. From Bailey Street, "Ebony Bamboo Butler Table" Found online pricing at $110 and up. Cute, but still not quite what I need....

Ideally, I think I want a vintage bamboo butler tray table. You know something like this one from that dangerous website 1stdibs.com (I could spend all day drooling scrolling through their vintage furniture listings!)

Or maybe this vintage dark bamboo idea? (discovered at Houzz.com)

Then I would need an interesting nautical, coastal lamp....

maybe like this "Regatta" style?

or simple clear glass and a pretty white linen shade?

(love the bubble glass on this one from Regina Andrew!)

(Both of these lamps can be found on the Caron's Beach House website)

And now for a vintage nautical oil painting. There are two places that I would look first.

1. My friends at Cuttysark in Pioneer Square in Seattle.

2. The Alameda Flea Market is LOADED with vintage nautical paintings and prints.

Here's also just one image that I caught at the Alameda Flea Market last spring. Any vintage or thrift shop might turn up a real find too!

And now, to choose the cocktail glasses.

I have a thing about vintage glassware. It's kind of a problem.... bought these etched sailing ship glasses over a year ago at the Alameda Flea Market, and just can't bring myself to part with them. Hmmmm... maybe that means that they need to go on my new bar?

Or, new nautical style cocktail glasses are always an option!

Like these classy cocktail and wine glasses from Rolf Glass with etched compass rose designs. (love!)

Or this etched sailboat collection, also from Rolf Glass? (love too!)

(P.S. Yes, you can find the glasses on our site!)

Maybe one final touch to complete your nautical bar - a cocktail napkin box!

Have a great weekend everyone! I have promised Tom a day-trip up to Tomales Bay, or maybe even Bodega Bay for oysters. We'll probably go to Nick's, in Marshall and sit at their oyster bar, staring out over the view. Tom will get fresh oysters, I will get the crab bisque. Yum.

November Beach Walks - An Afternoon at Cowell Ranch

2011-11-12T12:50:00.001-08:00

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend - I caught these stunning views last week on a late afternoon beach walk at Half Moon Bay, thought you might enjoy!

New trail discovered between Cowell Ranch and Purisima Farms, gorgeous views from the cliff walk.