ciao! newport beach: 2016-07-10

July 16, 2016

laguna beach: a week in photos

Work and personal reasons brought me down to Laguna Beach for another week of fun and exploring. I've discovered lots of amazing little coves and beaches throughout the Northern, Southern and the downtown coastline of Laguna. The ocean and waves were perfect this week for surfers and beachcombers, and the weather was just perfect! I also got to visit some of may favorite shopping spots and found some new ones as well. Here are a few of my favorite shots of the week.

Madison Square Garden and Café is a favorite little spot for coffee, breakfast and lunch. It’s located right in the heart of Laguna on Coast Highway. The restaurant and garden shop are intermingled so it’s fun to eat surrounded by lots of pretty home and garden treasures.

You can always find a cozy spot to sit and have coffee.

Pretty coastline views are found at every beach and cove.

Laguna is all about secluded beaches & great places to snorkel.

Here’s a pretty little Spanish style house with great curb appeal.

This shot from the historic Hotel Laguna at their outdoor restaurant. It’s a great place to stop and eat with some of the best views in Laguna, and right next to main beach. Those little people down there are some of the Laguna Beach junior lifeguards.

The café at the Hotel Laguna is a must-stop destination for first time visitors to Laguna Beach. The hotel has been in service for over 100 years and it's a landmark in the city.

I love the homes right down on the sand!

Gorgeous stretches of rugged coastline are found everywhere!

I stumbled upon the beach house of Bette Davis! This was her second home for many, many years. She bought the 1929 Tudor style home in the 1930’s when her fame was sky-high and she was seeking some refuge from Hollywood. It’s still a gorgeous home, high above the beach at Woods Cove, one of the most secluded and gorgeous beaches.

Here is the entrance at the street level with the historic plaque.

Charming Tudor style!

This is the view of Bette's home coming up the steps from the beach.

One little final shot from Madison Square...

my cute little frog prince!

ciao! fabiana

July 14, 2016

the perfect summer snack

So easy to prepare and always a big hit!

Ingredients:

8 (about 1 ounce each) paper-thin slices prosciutto

4 fresh, ripe figs, halved lengthwise

4-6 slices of cantaloupe melon, sliced lengthwise

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar

Fresh thyme, for garnish

2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved into strips with vegetable peeler

Directions:

1. Arrange prosciutto in overlapping slices on a large platter.

2. Place figs and melon beside prosciutto, drizzle with vinegar, and garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Sprinkle the Parmesan shavings over prosciutto, melon and figs.

ciao! fabiana

via martha stewart

July 13, 2016

real housewives of OC's beach party

I can’t believe these women are still talking about Brooks and the whole “faking cancer” situation. It was boring last year and it’s boring this year.

The only fun part of watching RHOC was seeing a few peeks of new girl Kelly’s Corona del Mar home and the cute beach party she had.

I love the cute coastal décor Kelly had on the tables that were anchored with burlap runners and had blue starfish accents. The oversized silver lanterns leading to the beach party were an elegant idea!

Even the cocktails match the turquoise blue vignettes on the picnic tables. Looks like a fun night without the usual drama.

ciao! fabiana

July 12, 2016

fashion pick: chambray shirt

A few fun and creative ways to wear
a classic chambray shirt.

ciao! fabiana

via instyle

July 11, 2016

weekend in Seattle

We spent a really fun few days in Seattle last week, and I took tons and tons of photos! Seattle is such a green city with great gardens and there’s so much to do there! We visited a few must-see sites and a few that are off the beaten path, so I am working really hard to get those pics and descriptions ready for you.

Here's one of my favorite shots of a storefront from the old part of Seattle known as Pioneer Square. I will also be sharing info on the fabulous hotel we stayed at and the great meals we had. Stay tuned! xoxo

ciao! fabiana

July 10, 2016

state pride

Here’s a fun theme for your next dinner party… Pick a state or a region and set your table in fabulous state style! You can even personalize each setting with your guest’s home state or favorite vacation state. Another idea is to pick one state or city and let that be the inspiration for your whole table.

Do you have any of those vintage souvenir plates with fun facts about a US State or city? Those are the perfect starting point for this idea. I personally love a table set with all blue and white state plates or the red and white ones.

Not only will your guests love it, but these are so fun to collect, you will even want to use them every day for your dinner table!

The four pictured above are fun and charming using plain dishes, and personalized by state in other unique ways. The Hawaiian one is so cute!

This blue and white look is classic and unifies the look of the table. The red pops of color are fun, but you don’t have to stick to a patriotic theme. Accents of kelly green would look great with all the blue and white.