Adella & Company

We're Moving!

2012-03-11T21:12:00.000-07:00

Not literally, just the blog!

The time has come to move our family blog on to bigger and better things with our very own ".com". from now on we will be posting at the following address:

www.adellaandco.com

For those of you that were receiving notification e-mails of new posts, and following via e-mail, you can now do so more easily at the new web address.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading our blog for the past 4 years, and I hope you enjoy the new layout and more content!

Arty Ring

2012-03-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's always so exciting to come home and find a brown box at the front door, especially when that box contains an Arty Ring. I have lusted over this YSL ring for quite some time, and when I received my Saks gift card, I knew exactly where it was going! This will be a fun ring to play around with this summer, and I can't wait to mix it up with some of my Grandmother's turquoise jewelry.

YSL Arty Ring, Hawaiian Heirloom Bangles, Chanel Bag, Essie Cocktail Bling Polish

HomeGoods Hoarding

2012-03-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

I am totally guilty of it. I love HomeGoods, so much that I am there on a weekly basis and keep track of when shipment trucks arrive. There is an art to discount shopping, especially at HomeGoods, where they tend to only receive one or two pieces of any particular item. I have scored almost all of the art and accessories in our home (as well as my clients) from HomeGoods. You would be surprised to see how many contemporary and even mid-century modern things they receive. I get such a thrill in finding unique items that are currently for sale at full retail in mass market stores. These lacquered boxes were something I have seen before at HomeGoods but neglected to pick up. This time around I purchased all three sizes, and so far have found a spot for two of them in our upstairs hallway.

The frames are also from HomeGoods ;o)

Spring Sneak Peek

2012-03-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is not a fashion post, sorry! We had such a fun weekend, Tim had the weekend off, the weather was beautiful and we had family in town. So we spent a day at the new Aquatics Center with some friends, and also at our very own pool in Talega. Luckily, Adella remembered a lot of what she was taught in swim lessons and is quite comfortable in the water. Nolan is also a big fan of swimming, and happily chased and swam after all the big kids.

Breezy Mama

2012-03-06T12:16:00.002-08:00

Remember when I used to contribute when they first launched? Well, I'm back!! I really enjoy writing for Alex & Chelsea (the owners) and love taking on the challenge of finding things that are cute and affordable for their readers. I will be submitting on a regular basis the first Tuesday of every month.

Check out my post I did for Breezymama.com on kids spring fashion here:

http://breezymama.com/2012/03/06/kids-clothing/

And you can check out the old posts I did a couple years ago here:

http://breezymama.com/?s=Lexi+Adams

Date Night Part Duex

2012-03-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I said we "rarely" have date nights. It just happened to work out again this past weekend. We met some friends for dinner and then went to a concert sans kids! We saw the Hawaiian band HAPA, where we brought down the average age in attendance to a whopping 57! It was fun though, and it brings back memories of our many trips to Hawaii, and of course our wedding. I also saw it as an opportunity to wear another fun ensemble, and seriously stood out in the crowd. It was almost humorous, as just about everyone was sporting an aloha shirt c/o Tommy Bahama or the ABC store. Then there was me, in sparkly shoes and a skirt that is probably too tight. I got a few strange looks, nothing new, but then there was this one elderly lady who in the line at the bathroom gasped and said "MY, that is a FABULOUS outfit!". I respectfully thanked her and left the bathroom with a satisfied smile on my face, as the other ladies rolled their eyes. Oh well, can't please 'em all!

Top OC Melrose, Skirt Zara, Shoes Miu Miu, Necklace Chanel

Nordstrom Fun

2012-03-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Our kids are so chic.

Sometimes the mall is the best place to let the kids run around and play. We visit the pet shop, the Disney store, check out the fountains... and try on hats at Nordstrom. Not quite sure if the sales associates appreciated my form of entertainment. But I did purchase a couple of cover-ups for the summer, so hopefully that made up for it.

Casual Client Meeting

2012-03-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

One of the best perks about taking on clients for interior design, is that I get to dip into my closet and pull something other than a lululemon jacket! Today I christened one of my most favorite and fun pair of pumps. They also happen to be the perfect "Tangerine Tango", Pantone's 2012 color of the year!

Walter Baker Top, Forever21 Jeans, Brian Atwood Shoes, Chanel Bag, J.Crew Bangle, Stella & Dot Necklaces, Hawaiian Heirloom Bangles, Michael Kors Watch, Kenneth Jay Lane Bracelet, House of Harlow Sunglasses

Here is a little sneak peek inside one of the homes I am working on:

Aquatics Center

2012-02-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

The city of San Clemente just had the grand opening of the new Aquatics Center and Sports Park, which is about 3 minutes from our house. They have been working on it for years, and we can see why. The pools are amazing!! Especially the kid pool, which is in about a foot of water, with all sorts of slides and fun things for them to climb on. And the best part, it's heated.... so warm that they could even go in on a gloomy day like today. So much for going to the beach this summer. 

Modernica Contest

2012-02-28T14:02:00.002-08:00

I entered a photo into Modernica's "X Marks the Spot" contest to win a case study planter. We purchased our Nelson lamps from Modernica, and drool over everything they have. If you have a second, "like" our photo on facebook (#3) and comment why you think we should win! To even be considered for the drawing is pretty cool!!

You can check out our photo on Modernica's blog, or on facebook!

Date Night

2012-02-28T09:00:00.003-08:00

Tim and I were able to have date night this past weekend, which has been rare for us lately. He tends to work most weekends, or we have something going on with the kids. But we got to go to one of our most favorite restaurants in town, Cafe Mimosa. It's usually a breakfast or brunch spot for us , but the dinner menu is amazing too. It's fun going out in downtown San Clemente, and I can't believe how popular it's become. (clearly it's been a while). There are a bunch of new restaurants popping up all the time, and the streets were packed with people. OK maybe not packed, but definitely busy! So I sported a fun new top that I found in a little boutique downtown...

business in the front

party in the back!

and some stacking.

both of us ended up ordering the same thing, the lobster and filet special. It's a petite filet and half of a main lobster, with lobster mashed potatoes pouring out. Clearly I started indulging before remembering to snap a photo.

Do-Ne-Deer

2012-02-27T09:00:00.001-08:00

"Look Mimi, I'm like do-ne-deer kids!". Adella has had this little number in her dress up closet for sometime now, and we really haven't done much with it, as I figured she was still too small. But just a few weeks ago she threw it on for the first time and could barely button it over her tummy.... for those of you who don't know the significance of this dress, it was one that I wore for Christmas eve when I was just around her age. My cousins also have matching ones. It's a dirndl from Germany, and I can still remember wearing it as a little girl.

This particular morning Adella put it on and came downstairs to tell me that she was just like the "do-ne-deer" kids. I thought it was pretty cool of her to make the connection with the style of the dress to the movie (The Sound of Music).

and then she put her own style into it, and removed the under shirt.

Barneys

2012-02-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to escape my daily childcare regime and spend some time with friends in LA. It was the last weekend of the Barneys warehouse sale, so we spent a couple of hours digging through what was left over and had lunch at the famous bakery and cafe, Bottega Louie. I have never seen such beautiful pastries, and found it difficult to pick from the vast assortment. We ended up bringing home some macaroons, cupcakes, and beignets. I highly recommend checking this place out, and the Bianco pizza with arugula is to die for!

scored these bad boys at the sale, at about 75% off retail!!

some people collect stamps... I collect shoes.

Nolan is Nuts

2012-02-25T09:00:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I worry that I'm not giving enough time and attention to the kids individually, so I really love and appreciate the one on one time that I get to have with both of them. While Adella is napping, Nolan is usually awake and ready to play, and when Nolan goes to bed, Adella and I have our special girly time. Here is a little video taken of Nolan while Adella was napping... he still has that same deep belly laugh!

Moo

2012-02-23T20:54:00.000-08:00

We've recently added a little bit of interest to our dining room with a cow hide rug. Sorry to anyone offended by the use of animal products for decorative purposes, but we're being "green" by recycling something that would have otherwise been wasted! I like how it adds a bit of an organic element to the modern and clean lines that we have going. And it feels so good on your feet!

Organic Tree Juice Bar

2012-02-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Tim has been trying to get me on the juice bandwagon for years now... and I have finally been lured into the hype by a new juice bar in Dana Point. The Organic Tree Juice Bar has the most delicious juices, all made from local organic ingredients and beautifully served in glass jars. We've been going just about everyday since learning of it's existence through a friend of mine. What really got me hooked was the fact that the kids love it too. Adella and Nolan are now drinking beets, carrots, kale, ginger, etc!!! This is huge, as we struggle getting anything green in our kids other than avocado. Below is my current favorite, the "Dr. Oz" which includes kale, spinach, cucumber, lemon, apple, and ginger.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Organic-Tree-Juice-Bar/241180452623763#!/pages/Organic-Tree-Juice-Bar/241180452623763?sk=wall

Hostess Rewards

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

Part of the fun in hosting a Stella & Dot trunk show are the hostess rewards, I got to choose about $450 worth of free jewelry for hosting the event! I pretty much went with delicate, everyday pieces, and got a few things to give as gifts as well. Stella & Dot is an amazing company, and they've got a great thing going. I've always felt a little weird about the whole "direct sales" thing, and never wanted anyone to feel obligated to buy anything, but they really stand out from the rest. The jewelry is beautiful and on-trend, the packaging is ADORABLE, and the customer service provided by the stylists is outstanding. Here are a few of my favorite new pieces, as well as the packaging that I am obsessed with.

"you have a great eye" & "hello gorgeous"

Disney Days

2012-02-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is the best time of year for visiting Disneyland. We have been going about every other week, and sometimes once a week. The weather is perfect for it, and there are no lines. This one day at Disney, I decided to brave the teacups with the kids for the first time, and 5 rides later they were still loving it. WE RODE THE TEACUPS 5 TIMES IN A ROW. I deserve a medal.

Stella & Dot Trunk Show

2012-02-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

I have been a long time fan of Stella & Dot jewelry and decided to host a trunk show at our house with one of their very best Stylists, Alison Fuller. She brought the latest collection to display for a "Style Me Happy Hour". I provided cocktails and appetizers for a fun evening of shopping with the girls. My friend Marilyn Prado Test is an extremely talented Graphic Designer, and was kind enough to create food & beverage labels as well as signs for the event. Check out the photos below!

Mary and Mary and Bert

2012-02-16T08:23:00.000-08:00

THIS WAS THE BEST DISNEY DAY EVER!!! Adella has the habit of wearing a princess dress whenever we go to Disney, but on this day she chose to wear her white Mary Poppins dress that Santa brought. We stumbled upon Bert while walking towards Small World, and he told us the Mary would be out shortly... that she was currently tutoring the children. So we came back a while later and spotted Mary strolling around with Bert. I grabbed Adella and whisked her over to them, Mary was thrilled to see her! She said that she had heard all about Adella from Bert and that she would like to take her for a walk around the park. So they held hands and headed off for a 20 MINUTE WALK AROUND THE PARK. It was amazing. Tim and I trailed behind with Nolan, snapping photos in awe of what was going on. Mary stayed in character the whole time (of course) and chatted with Adella as they went to go look at the teacups, checked to see if the mad hatter and white rabbit were home, and blew kisses and wishes into the wishing well. I think Mary was thrilled to have a little girl dressed up as her, and politely paid no mind to any other kids that approached her, it was all about Adella. During their walk they got swarmed by "paparazzi" or international tourists that were also amazed at the mini Mary. There were a few times when I could tell that Adella was getting a bit overwhelmed, but Mary did a great job at keeping her comfortable and entertained. Even Nolan joined in for the fun and held Mary's hand during their walk, he was happily skipping along until Bert offered his hand... Nolan wanted nothing to do with Bert.

This was such an amazing experience for all of us, and makes the years of annual passports well worth it!!

Sugar Plum Fairy

2012-02-15T15:00:00.001-08:00

A few days before Christmas Adella's dance studio held an in-house performance for friends and family. So I FINALLY downloaded all of the pictures... here are a few of the gems from the performance:

Copy Cat Chic

2012-01-18T14:25:00.000-08:00

Copy Cat Chic is a blog that was brought to my attention by Woo, as she knows how I am always out to find a good deal on home furnishings. I have been following it for a while now, and decided to send Reichel (the writer) one of my recent "chic finds". You can view it here:

http://www.copycatchic.com/2012/01/jonathan-adler-enamel-curves-frame.html

I have always wanted to blog more about all of my creative outlets. Whether it be interior design, styling, fashion design, or simply projects around the house. While still incorporating the most important aspect of our lives, the crazy kids! I just haven't found the niche that would make people want to read it and set us aside from all the other blogs out there. It also doesn't help that I am complete idiot when it comes to writing... let's not forget I went to Fashion School! But I think it would be something fun to do, and could possibly be inspirational to readers. So any and all suggestions are welcome!

First Boat Trip

2012-01-17T08:24:00.001-08:00

We've had a beautiful winter in socal, very little rain and warm weather. So we took the kids out on the boat a couple of weeks ago, it was Nolan's first trip and he loved it!

All the excitement wore him out, and he passed out in my arms. This hasn't happened in months...

Baking

2012-01-17T08:06:00.001-08:00

Every year I spend a full day + baking an assortment of cookies to give out to friends and neighbors for Christmas. This year I had a little helper, who was actually quite helpful. We made butter cookies, mac nut cheesecake bars, tropical thumbprints, and gingerbread...

Christmas 2011

2012-01-17T07:50:00.001-08:00

This post is long over-due, but just wanted to share a few photos from our Christmas. We celebrated Christmas morning on the 24th, as Tim had to work on the 25th, and luckily the kids didn't know any different. Then Christmas morning we headed over to Pops and Tutu's to celebrate all over again. Thank you to everyone for all the gifts, gift cards and edibles that we received for Christmas, we are so grateful for everything!!

Santa left magic snow prints again...

Christmas Eve brunch

The gift of the year, and the ONLY thing she wanted...

A little glimpse of what Christmas morning looks like at Pops and Tutu's

Poor Nolan...