Introducing: “Spaces”

Quick – look around you. What does the space look like? What color are the nearest walls? Where are doors, windows, plants, trees? Can you tell what time it is just based on the light? The most important question of all: How does that space…read more

Cozy Spaces | Backyard Nook

While it’s thrilling enough to look at the latest and hippest house/garden/design magazines, I may often flip through the color spreads and look at the price tags next to each of those unique pieces of furniture, gadgets, fabrics, and tasteful furniture. Then I sigh, put…read more

Spaces: An unlikely oasis in the busiest part of the house

The cliche phrase “hiding in plain sight” could not have been more true when our newest nook – a new favorite of our outdoor spaces – appeared in front of us. Sometimes it takes just a little push. In this case, I brought my basic…read more

Urban Living | Downtown Long Beach

One the greatest pleasures I discovered as a foreign exchange student living in Europe was living in an urban space: multiple floors of housing above retail stores, markets, restaurants, cafes, all connected by a transportation network of roads, rails, sidewalks, and bike paths. It happened…read more

The Goodland Hotel | Santa Barbara Getaway

The olive green record player in our hotel room was our first clue that we were in a different, hipper place. Or was it the wood paneled station wagon outside? Or the the shiny silver Airstream trailer? The Goodland Hotel in Goleta, just north of…read more

The Santa Barbara Courthouse | Reviving Southern Spain in the center of town

We stood in the dusty courtyard of Santa Barbara’s Casa de la Guerra, newly engaged. I looked across the street at the gorgeous white building, constructed in the famous style of white adobe with Mediterranean red roof tiles featured on most every building in downtown…read more