Every morning this week, I would wrap myself up in my heated blanket with a Chai latte and read through your cozy comments. Some of my favorites were:

From Cassie: Omg, my all time favorite cozy place is under a blanket with a fire place going, hot chocolate with marshmallows and a Disney movie. When I was a kid I used to love to do that and watch star search. Most cozy ever.

(I haven't heard the word Star Search for an ETERNITY. Major props to Cassie for the blast from the past.)

From Kendall: Tucking my feet under my husbands legs at night when they are cold and he is warm… Now that is ultimate cozy!

(Our poor husbands... Did anyone warm them about the cold feet thang along with the whole 'death do us part' thang? 'Cuz my cold feet just may send Jeff to the grave with how many times I shock him awake at night with my icy toes. But Jeff swears he loves every single thing about me - my river dance impressions, my piles of dirty clothes, AND my nasty clammy feet.)

From Dee: Favorite cozy place is my hammock during the summer!

(I'm soooooo getting a hammock for the office now. The bottom of my emails will read, 'sent from my iHammock'.)

**But the true winner was chosen at complete random by this WordPress plugin. The winner is**

Amanda: My bed is my favorite cozy place. On cold mornings, it makes it hard to get up!

I'll be in touch via email with your winnings Amanda! Congrats! In the meantime, submit your favorite dutch oven recipe and win a $25 gift card to Sur La Table and a feature on a future Recipe Sunday!

Hugs,
Erin

I know. Our kitchen has just never been complete.

But then a little package plopped on our doorstep yesterday. My dear sweet hubby had been researching dutch ovens for months and found the perfect one. In the midst of my gleeful squeals, I realized that my hubby is such a charmer. Yes, he does everything in his power to make me smile, but I also think he does everything in his power to have more of those braised short ribs...

Side note: This dtuch oven is a 6 quart one made by Lodge, but we have tons of friends that swear by Le Creuset. During Jeff's research though he found tons of folks that say this dutch oven will make incredible food for a quarter of the price. Now I'm all about quality, but is a Le Creuset really necessary?

**This also means that I need your help!! I need some really good dutch oven recipes to break in this bad boy, so send a link to your favorite recipe in the comments. Whoever submits my favorite recipe will win a $25 gift card to Sur La Table, PLUS  I will feature the dish on a future Recipe Sunday. Yay!**

Tomorrow we'll be announcing last week's winner of the Yankee Candle Giveaway so stay tuned and enter to win by commenting at this post here! See you then!

Hugs,

Erin

Well, to be completely honest, I can only tell you what I think makes a beautiful bride, so this whole thing is going to be based on my own personal taste and style. But after photographing a hundred brides or so over the past six years, that personal taste is based on seeing a LOT of shapes, sizes, and personalities.

So what do I think is the best bridal style to photograph? Hands down it would be a timeless, sophisticated look with a trendy twist.

Take Susi for example. She’s one of our amazing brides that chose a bridal look that sums up my taste perfectly. Little, petite Susi picked a fitted Monique Lhuillier wedding gown with a classic trumpet skirt that made her legs seem ten miles long. This style of dress fit her slender frame perfectly and accented her body in all of the right places. Total hottie. But my favorite part of this dress is that the top is a beautiful lace corset, an unexpected twist that speaks to the trends of today, but will remain timeless for years to come. BAM – a stunning, timeless look with a stylish twist thanks to Miss Lhuillier and the keen eye of Susi.

So what are the small things you can do to achieve that sophisticated, timeless look, but add a little somethin’ somethin’ unique? Glad you asked…

1. A Simple Dress for Your Body Type

In my opinion, the true star of the wedding day is the love you share with your man, and how stinkin’ beautiful you are as a bride and groom. So just like Susi’s bomb-diggity Monique Lhuillier, the dress should only make you and your body more beautiful, not take it over. I love J.Crew wedding dresses just for this reason. They’re simple, flowey, and classic which makes any girl look amazing, such as Lizzy’s soft and sweet J.Crew gown that fits her chill personality so well.

Or take Kate’s beachy J.Crew number with a touch of character in the flowers for her destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  It’s simple and classic, but the flowers add just the right amount of trendy twist.

Claire Pettibone is also a favorite designer of mine. Her unique lace infused designs are always rich with detail, but they only enhance the natural shape and beauty of a girl. Take Erin’s Asian-inspired Claire Pettibone for example – it’s unique and interesting for their multi-cultural wedding at the Marvimon House, but makes this super tall and slender girl look dynamite!

A few more simple dresses with unique details I love, such as Amy’s lace number that fit her like a glove.

Meredith’s timeless dress that will never lose it’s sweetness.

Stephanie’s crazy simple look that accented her natural beauty.

And Julie’s classic cut with a bow in the back to add some flair.

One last note on dresses – shoving your body into a tight dress in order to look thinner causes spillover on top (girls, you know what I mean), and that looks much more unappealing than a slightly wider waist. You may look great as soon as you put the dress on, but the nasty truth is that your body will spill out more and more throughout the day as you move around in the dress, so by the time the reception rolls around you’ll have everything coming out of the top. Don’t force it.

2. Add a Stylish Hairpiece to Simple Hair

When it comes to hair, I love updos that lengthen the neck, or soft curls that accent the shape of the face. This will keep any look totally classic.  But I also love when hair stylists add a fun twist to the typical updo with an interesting braid or a new twist that make guests do a double take when they see your fabulous self walk down the aisle. Also, add a fun hairpiece that is simple enough to be timeless, but fun enough to make your inner fashionista do cartwheels of joy, such as Carly’s classic updo...

Erin’s intricately, braided design...

Amy's peacock feathers...

Kate’s lovely flower along with her bridesmaids to pair with her dress.

Jacqueline’s crazy elegant updo with a handmade fabric flower with just enough bling for their New Year’s Eve bash...

And Dara’s pinned look with flowers from her florist.

3. A Bouquet That Breaks the Mold

I love texture. And I love texture that’s unique and authentic. So I’m such a sucker for bouquets that break outside of the typical “round red rose bouquet” look. In fact, I love the ones that smash that look to smithereens…

Instead of a typical round bouquet with flowers, try a gathering of baby’s breath or wildflowers mixed with grasses inspired by your wedding location. Or a handful of branches from the local type of trees tied together with a lacey ribbon. Set your florist free and let them be the creative self they were made to be! They’ll love you for it.

4. Jewelry with Meaning

My take on jewelry? Make it simple and make it count. Don’t choose a chunky piece that you’ll regret in your photos later. Wear something classic and meaningful that will add to the look of the dress and to your personal style.

Kelsey wore a bracelet with names of past generations inscribed with their wedding dates.

And I loved Dara’s necklace that incorporated her soft wedding colors into her bridal look.

5. Lovely Eyes

Most brides know that a great makeup artist is a must for their wedding day, but how do you know a great makeup artist from a not-so-good one? From our experience, a great makeup artist will do your makeup in natural light, which means that they’ll have you sit facing a large source of outdoor light, usually a big window. Since the majority of your photos will be taken in natural light, you’ll want to have your makeup done in the same kind of light – not a bathroom with bulbs casting an orange, green, or purple glow or that peer straight down on your face making dark shadows under your eyes.

Beyond that, great makeup artists will create beautiful, smooth skin that resists shine, along with natural, powerful eyes with clean eyeliner and lashes. The best way to create those rich, sophisticated eyes is by investing in fake lashes, and I love the individual kind that go on one at a time instead of a strip of lashes. They usually turn out more natural looking without losing all of that glam power.

6. Hot Shoes

The reality? Nobody ever sees your shoes underneath your dress, so splurge on a pair that you’re gonna wear over and over and over again. Louboutins are a favorite of our brides.

So are Jimmy Choo.

So the verdict? A classic, timeless look with just a touch of style is what makes our brides look so stinkin' glam. Keep things simple - don't overdo your wedding day look. Just keep it to some basic pieces that accent your natural beauty. The point of the wedding day is to look like your best YOU, so ask your friends, family, and your groom what your most beautiful features are. Is it your legs? Your arms? Your curves? Your eyes, lips, smile? Focus on enhancing the best of your body, and don't worry about the rest. That's the easiest way to be a stunning, timeless bride on your wedding day.

Hugs,

Erin

So when I found this fancy gourmet Dutch oven take on the age old pot pie concept, I couldn't resist borrowing my friends fancy cookware to fancy-up dinnertime. The gooey innards of this recipe are short ribs with cipollini onions and fresh rosemary braised in Guinness with thin crispy russet potato slices acting as the mouthwatering top. Since braising is a lengthy process to tenderize meat, this whole thing will take five or six hours, so keep that in mind if you're gonna give a try. But the time is soooo worth it. This knock-your-socks-off dish is everything warm and cozy that a hearty winter dish should be, and you'll lick up every last bite!

***Speaking of cozy, thanks for all of the comments on yesterday's Yankee Candle giveaway! My readers are DA BOMB. There's still time to win a Yankee Candle, so comment here to win!***

You'll need four pounds of boneless short ribs, a sprig of fresh rosemary, a pound of cipollini onions, and two bottles of dark stout beer, preferably Guinness. And yes, BOTH bottles of Guinness are going in the recipe. Jeff was hoping one was for the food, and the other was for the chef's assistant...

Dredge the short ribs through flour, covering all sides. Technically these short ribs should be cut into two-inch pieces, but technically I didn't read that part... Whatevs. It still tasted freakin' fantastic.

Heat up a few tablespoons of oil in your friends Le Creuset Dutch oven and brown the short ribs on all sides, working in batches and transferring the browned meat to a large plate with kitchen tongs. I realized when I found this recipe that - *gasp* - I don't actually own a Dutch oven, but a friend with a Le Creuset is a very important friend to have. Just saying'.

Then sauté your yellow onions and garlic.

Return the meat to the pot and add the Guinness and rosemary. This was my favorite part - it smelled SO GOOD.

Bring the whole thing to a simmer, then cover and transfer it to a preheated 300 degree oven to cook for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 1/5 hours of reorganizing the pantry and dancing to Ke$ha in the kitchen, pull out the heavenly Dutch oven and add the cipollini onions. Cook for about 30 more minutes. While it's doing this last bit of braising, take a break from clubbin' it up suburban style and thinly slice about 6 russet potatoes for the topping.

After this last stint in the oven, the meat should be ready to fall apart, so remove the pot from the oven and shred the meat with two forks. Transfer the filling to eight mini-pot pie casserole dishes, mini one cup pie plates, or a large 12-inch gratin dish. The juice will thicken when the meat comes apart.

Raise the temperature of the oven to 375 degrees and let it heat up while you place the topping.

Layer the potato slices in tight concentric circles around the dishes.

Brush the potatoes with oil and crack some fresh salt and pepper on top. Put the whole thing back in the oven for another 45 minutes to an hour to brown and cook the top.

OMG OMG OMG - I've never made anything so good in my LIFE.

The meat was soooooooo full of flavor from all of that sugary Guinness and once you crack the top of the potato thang, the rosemary will melt your soul into a pile of heavenly buttah. And we all know that everything is better with buttah. This is the perfect Sunday dinner on a snowy winter's night! Enjoy!

Braised Short Rib, Stout, and Potato Pot Pie

(see the full recipe here)

For The Filling

• 4 pounds boneless short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons safflower oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 bottles (12 ounces) stout, preferably Guinness (3 cups)
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1 pound cipollini onions, peeled

For The Topping

• 6 medium russet potatoes (3 1/2 pounds)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Make the filling: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Dredge short ribs in flour, coating all sides. Transfer to a large plate. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches, brown short ribs, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a large plate using kitchen tongs.

Reduce heat to medium. Add yellow onion to Dutch oven, and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Return meat to Dutch oven. Add stout and rosemary. Bring to a simmer. Cover, and transfer to oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours.

Remove Dutch oven from oven, and add cipollini onions. Braise until meat is tender and onions are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Shred meat using 2 forks. Season with salt and pepper. Divide filling among eight mini (1-cup) pie plates, or transfer to a 12-inch (8-cup) gratin dish.

Make the topping: Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees. Peel potatoes, and very thinly slice each (preferably on a mandoline). Arrange potatoes over meat to form tight concentric circles, working around the edge and overlapping each potato by three-quarters. Brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes for mini potpies (1 hour for large potpie).

Hugs,
Erin

But one thing that I love about January is that it's the season of COZY.

Jeff says that I say the word 'cozy' a lot. In fact, he insists that it's my number one descriptor of things that I love. "I like this restaurant - it's so cozy." "Oooooh, this sweater feels cozy!" "That Starbucks stinks. It's not cozy at all."

And his favorite: "I need to seriously cozy it up 'round here."

So begins my cozying flurry - I'll drag out my big pot and empty the fridge of whatever ingredients I can find for a hearty stew, I'll turn on the fireplace, dig my chunkiest sweater out of the bottom of my closet, turn up the heat, fluff the pillows, and light a Yankee Candle. But I have to be honest - within minutes I'll be sweating, starving, and totally itchy (damn turtleneck sweater - there's a REASON it's in the bottom of the drawer). BUT the house will smell amazing, and not from my anything-goes stew, but from my trusty Yankee Candle. How does one teeny candle transform an entire house into a cozy heaven? That's some serious Cozy Power.

***GIVEAWAY ALERT***

To spread the love during this season of cozy, I'll be giving away a large jar Yankee Candle in a warm winter scent to one random commenter. Just leave a comment below with your favorite cozy place, product, thing, or activity and you'll be entered to win! Contest ends in one week, so comment away!

Hugs,

Erin

While Rachel was planning her wedding, I very much became her wedding consultant – we dished about locations, chatted over the value of buying boutonnières or not, and picked a time of day that worked best for photos. We usually don’t have so much input on the main logistics of a wedding day, so it got me thinking - what’s my biggest piece of advice when it comes to photos and weddings?

There’s SO MUCH I could say on this topic, but I want to focus on a portion of the day that doesn’t get addressed very often – the groom. The bride, yes, needs to look absolutely breathtaking. But don’t forget that all of you fabulous brides out there are only half of the photograph – your grooms need to look gooooooood. After all, they’re 50% of the subject matter in a bride and groom photo. And I hate to say it, but in the flurry of designing a vintage estate destination wedding, the main man can end up in a rented black tux that doesn't fit whatsoever with the look of the wedding or the look of his bride.

So ladies, this post is for you AND your man. Grooms listen up, 'cuz our grooms are the kind of guys with a whole lot of personality and impeccable style, so take a note from these awesome men with six tips that will make the biggest impact on your wedding day look. I make one promise to you - by the time you're done reading this, you'll look so handsome that your bride won’t be able to take her eyes – or her hands – off of you.

1. Fit the Wedding

When it comes to picking your groom look, don’t just go with a basic rented tux and colored vest that matches the bridesmaids – can you say blah? Pick an outfit that helps you feel your best. This is your wedding day, folks, not your prom, so find a suit or tux that will fit the look and feel of the wedding as well as your personality. Are you getting married in a meadow under an oak tree? What about a light gray suit with a fitted jacket and a pop of color in a patterned tie? Is it going to be a backyard casual reception? Think about linen slacks and colored shirts for a casual jacketless look instead of tuxes. Get creative!

I loved Ipp’s look for their backyard 1920's Pasadena Estate Wedding. Three-piece suit with a patterned bow-tie matched with a brown belt and shoes. The bow-tie matched the wedding colors, and the rest matched his personality. Perfect.

Ryan’s light-colored suit with a fresh tie was perfect for their morning beach wedding.

Kent’s smashing tailored tux fit marvelously with their black tie New Year’s Eve wedding at The Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barabara. Nothing short of this stunning outfit would have worked for such a glamorous occasion.

2. Buy. Don’t rent.

Before you make another move, please hold up your left hand, place your right hand over your heart, and repeat after me.

“I will not rent my wedding day suit. So help me God.”

Rentals are meant to fit every shape and size, so even though the wonderful folks over at the rental shop wrap you in measuring tape and give you a suit ‘perfect for your size’, I can’t tell you how many baggy tuxes with crazy long shirt sleeves we’ve had to photograph. There is nothing personalized about a rental no matter what they tell you. We see the finished product every weekend, so please trust me when I say that no guy looks good in a rented outfit. Plus, I’ve heard way too many horror stories of rental shops forgetting to include shoes, shirts, pants, or the right sizes altogether.

Think about it this way: the wedding is the perfect opportunity to buy a super nice tailored suit or tux that will last for a lifetime. Every guy needs a nice suit in his wardrobe for job interviews, black tie events, career opportunities, and upscale dinners, so why not invest in one for the wedding? You’ll thank me later when your bride gets invited to that swanky black tie fundraiser event at her favorite boutique hotel and you don't have to worry 'cuz you already have the perfect outfit…

3. Get Your Suit Tailored

Since you won't be renting, make sure to get your suit, tux, or whatever you wear tailored to fit you perfectly. Some guys like to lose weight before the wedding, so get it tailored a month or two before the wedding when you've reached your ideal size. Ill-fitting clothes automatically add ten to fifteen pounds in photos, so avoid the in camera weight gain and make sure your suit or tux fits your body perfectly.

Check out Jeff’s chic, custom tailored suit for his downtown Los Angeles wedding at The Marvimon House. Classy, elegant, and fits him like a glove.

4. Add Personal Details

Once you've chosen your suit, add some personal touches that are meaningful and reflective of you.

For example, we’ve had groom’s wear rainbows…

Vans…

Ostrich leather cowboy boots…

Striped socks…

Pocket watches…

Crazy nice watches…

Sytlin' hats...

And everything in between to add personality to their looks. Do what fits your personal taste, but add a little somethin’ somethin’ to round out your wedding day style.

5. To bout or not to bout?

Boutonniere that is.

While I’m a fan of boutonniere’s, I always suggest keeping them simple and a bit masculine using flowers that are hardy. I’ve seen one too many boutonnieres fall apart from hugs and heat long before the ceremony starts, so make sure that the flowers you choose for the guys will last through the hardship they’ll be put through. Or follow Calen and Kendall's lead and go with cute fabric designs from Etsy.

With that being said, if you're looking to cut back on part of the floral budget for use elsewhere, skip the groom and groomsmen boutonnieres altogether and just order some for moms and grandparents. Focus on the overall style of the guys' outfits instead of the small flowers since the suits will make a much bigger impact.

6. Speaking of the groomsmen...

I think it's only natural to put a lot of effort into the look of the bridesmaids - there's so many options, colors, fabrics, and styles with the girls that it's just plain FUN. But Jeff and I have had our fair share of rockin' bridesmaids matched with severely blah groomsmen, so don't forget the boys on your inspiration board. One tip: think retail. We’ve had entire bridal parties outfitted with suits & dresses from places like Express, Bloomingdale’s, H&M, Forever 21, and Nordstrom and sometimes it ends up being the same cost if not a little cheaper for your best man to purchase a pair of slacks, a colored shirt, a funky tie, and a classy vest from Express than to rent a suit. Plus, you can typically be a little more creative because retail just plain has more options to choose from. The look of the groomsmen has a big impact on the entire look of the wedding, so help the guys look and feel stylin’ by thinking retail instead of rental.

For example, Johnny’s groomsmen all wore complete outfits from Express and every guy looked handsome and stylish.

And I have to include Eric's guys - loved the socks!

Whatever you decide with your look and with the style of the groomsmen, just make sure that it's something that fits YOU. Don't rent black tuxes just because you feel like you should. It's YOUR wedding and you should be the best version of you on that day. So consider this official permission to make your wedding day look all about your personal style!

Hugs,

Erin

He's a producer, a lover of online gaming, and the humblest guy that's on his way to the top. Seriously. The stories he tells with the most unassuming manner...

And now, there's been an addition to Team Masthammer. He loves to smile, he hardly ever cries, and his deep baby belly laughs could melt Everest in January. He's the cutest, chunkiest four-month-old you'll ever see. Dear bloggy-blog, meet Beckett.

You may remember Josh and Kate from their adorable and Etsy-fied destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas in 2010 (check out Kate's Etsy shop, Camlie Inc - she's now making adorable colored mason jars for weddings that I LOVE). Jeff and I love our sweet couples to death and we're always so excited to follow their lives beyond the wedding. Watching them create strong marriages and start their families makes this job worth every ounce of sweat and tears. Jeff and I hardly ever shoot families or baby portraits - we LOVE couples and specialize our skills in that area. In fact, I did all of the shooting here and Jeff was my doting assistant. But when one of our most favorite couples has such a charming guy like little Beckett, we couldn't help capturing this next step in their precious love story.

Kate decorated the nursery so well! She didn't want it to be too babyish. She figured that she would be the one enjoying the room the most, so she gave it a modern, cozy flair with a few baby details.

Kate looks soooooo good after having a baby!

I loved Beckett's Sophie the Giraffe. I hear that this teether is MAGICAL.

Remember these two lovable pups from their engagement session? Kylie and Camden are the cutest huskies in town!

I loved the wall art that Kate found on Etsy.

Time to change!

This guy can SMILE. He's such a flirt!

One of my favorites!

Another favorite - look at that guy laugh.

Beckett zonked out at one point, so we cuddled on the couch for awhile.

Time to update Kylie's profile pick! She wore pearls for the engagement session and now she's rockin' the casual bling. So versatile.

Camden stuck with a tie, but this time went vintage. And we had to give him a treat for smiling so big.

The whole fam.

Ha! This makes me laugh.

Josh and Kate: Congrats on this big step in your life together! Beckett is downright awesome and SUCH a cutie. He's definitely gonna be a ladies' man someday because he's already charming every girl he sees. You guys are incredible parents and your love for each other and for Beckett goes way beyond the walls of your home and deep into the hearts of those who are lucky enough to get to know and love you guys. Lots and lots and lots of loooooooooove from San Diego!

Hugs,

Erin

You have no idea, dear bloggy-blog, how true this statement is for me right now. Our time in San Francisco has been less about dreams and more about my figuring out how to dream. How to give myself permission to dream.

I'm not gonna lie. It's been an emotional ride for me. And even though our San Fran adventures may come across as amazing and glamorous, for the writer/photographer inside of me it's been more like sandpaper - the rough edges of this city wearing away my tough layers, exposing the self-rejection that plagues my inner workings. I love this city, and Jeff and I are eating, exploring, and working our way through it's streets and coffeehouses, but all of this time away from home that we've given ourselves to think and reflect has only lead me back into myself.

And that's a hard thing for me, dear bloggy-blog. Coming face to face with the dark corners of ME has never been a very delightful experience...

I know I just wrote about how he's the Honey Badger of self-confidence, but I have to seriously give a huge shout out to my hubby and best friend, Jeff Youngren. He's my rock. And if the last few days have been any indication, he's a rock to a lot of people. Watching so many folks turn to him in their hour of need (including myself) has made me more proud of him than ever. He's a steady mind, a comforting soul, and a warm shield against the storms of life.

After a few days of beating myself down, wearing myself out, and just plain driving myself crazy from trying to keep up with my own ridiculous benchmarks of success, popularity, and power, Jeff took me by the hand, lead me to the Cheesecake Factory in Union Square, and bought me anything I wanted on the menu (don't judge - CF is my guilty pleasure). Over a ginormous piece of Tiramisu cheesecake (and a pile of lactose pills), we talked. And there's something so magical about Jeff's confidence. His unwavering belief in us.

Because it's UNWAVERING. You'd think the guy would feel an inch of doubt every so often. But no. He's a Honey Badger - he always believes and he always knows. And if someone doesn't like it, well then he just don't care. And that pretty much makes me the luckiest doubting, self-rejecting writer/photographer in the city.

Hugs,
Erin

But Jeff … well… Jeff has the confidence of a Honey Badger. He just don’t care. He has this relentless ocean of self-assurance that makes what little confidence I have look like one of those smelly puddles on the street next to the sidewalk - everybody avoids it and nobody wants to talk about what’s in it.

We got these free Muni passes when we got here to San Francisco that allows us use any public transportation we want for seven days. We’re here for two weeks so we decided to start the passes on our sixth day, and since we were basically bound by walking distance, we got to know our surrounding neighborhoods pretty well. Except for our bike riding adventure across the Golden Gate Bridge, we basically found a new Starbucks everyday and worked from there on our laptops (and yep, most days we ended up at two different Starbucks and we still didn’t see all of them that were in walking distance – there are that many Starbucks in the city).

Sheesh.

So when the sixth day came and it was time to use our Muni passes for the bus and subway, I felt strangely nervous. I even found myself wanting to turn to Jeff to say, “You know hon, I think we could wait another day…” Why? Cuz I was just plain scared. I had gotten comfortable. I knew that we would have to take quite a few busses throughout the city and I have only taken the city bus one other time in my life and that was in Singapore where crime – quite literally – doesn’t exist. I’ve never taken a public bus system anywhere in the US and with one look at the jumbled bus map, I was certain we were going to get lost and end up in the shady part of town where they strip off your leather boots and make you walk home in your socks. I could just see them pointing their fingers at us, laughing and taunting the poor tourists that didn’t know the green line was the unspoken ‘don’t get on this after 7pm or else we'll steal your footwear’ bus route.

What can I say? I’m a mole. Over 27 years, I have built my warm, comfortable, white woman, J.Crew lover space and didn’t see any reason to mess with the conditions. But life (and Jeff) has taught me otherwise. And even though (story of my life) I found myself wanting to turn and run in my favorite leather boots, I took a look at Jeff’s honey badger shoulders as he hopped onto the bus… and I followed. And we ended up at the comfiest, coziest Starbucks that we had discovered yet down by Fisherman’s Wharf.

And that’s why I trust the Honey Badger. Because he just don’t care.

Hugs,
Erin

I blurted out, “I wish we could live in New York for two months! That would be so cool…”

Jeff stopped, gave me his “seriously?” look, and hopped on the cable car next to us so we could spend the day working from a Starbucks down in Fisherman’s Wharf. We're in San Francisco for two weeks and I want New York? Yeah... Foot-in-mouth much? He's been teasing me ever since.

"We could go get bagels, or do you want a New York bagel?"

"Oh I'm sorry, this Saks Fifth Avenue is only in Union Square and not on the real Fifth Avenue. My bad."

"I know the Golden Gate Bridge just doesn't look like the Brooklyn Bridge, but I guess these sweeping views will just have to do..."

Punk.

I love these two Instagram photos by Jeff - the first is a yummy hot chocolate at Ghirardelli Square with marshmallows and whipped cream (yup, totally spoiled) and another beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge. I just don't think we can get enough of this amazing city!

Hugs,

Erin