la valencia hotel in la jolla

I recently celebrated my birthday at one of my favorite places, La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla. La Jolla at any time of year is a fantastic idea!

 

La Valencia Hotel, also known as "The Pink Lady," is a Mediterranean-style oceanfront resort located in La Jolla, California. 

This iconic hotel has breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and is the perfect destination for a romantic and quick overnight getaway.

 

I love this little stretch of La Jolla and the hotel's prime location, with stunning ocean views and easy access to nearby attractions.

We had dinner at Georges at the Cove, known for its yummy contemporary American cuisine and seafood. The stunning ocean views are breathtaking from the very top of this restaurant, and our dinner was perfect.

 

Another great breakfast, brunch and lunch spot that we love is Brockton Villa. It’s such a little cozy spot, and of course I love the old Spanish architecture of the building and courtyards. The breakfast sandwich on a croissant and the Coast Toast are out of this world!!

My husband and I always enjoy the hotel's historic charm and unique character, especially sitting in the bar for breakfast. 

 

Our favorite is a breakfast of fresh muffins and coffee with a gorgeous floor to ceiling view of the La Jolla beach and the Pacific beyond.

It was a foggy morning, but as you can see the day before was amazing! Look at the blue sky and sea! 

 

La Jolla Cove is a beautiful coastal area known for its stunning views, marine life, and unique sea caves. 

In fact the sea lions and seals make a point of sunning themselves on the rocks everyday, right down the block from La Valencia.

We always make a point of heading to the Sunny Jim's Cave for a stunning and unique view of the cove. It's a great little morning workout too! 

 

The La Valencia Hotel Pool

Sunny Jim’s Cave is accessible through the Cave Store, this cave features a tunnel with 145 steps leading down to the cave. It offers a unique perspective of the coastline and is a popular spot for visitors

 

After breakfast, we headed home but stopped at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas for a little hike around these stunning gardens.

 

This botanic garden features over 5,000 plant species and I love the Mediterranean and cactus areas a lot. There’s so much history there, but also it's a great source of inspiration for my own garden.

 

I hope you’ll follow along with me on Instagram for all the latest projects and décor I will be sharing in 2025.

 

ciao fabiana

 

 

let's set the prettiest holiday tables

Making its debut this week is this gorgeous new Cranberry Mint colorway of the classic Lilibet print from Pacific & Rose. 

Set on a soft minty blue background, this floral print comes to life with a fanciful floral design that is only achieved through hand-block printing.

 

What I love most about this new Cranberry Mint print is its versatility. On a daily basis, this beautiful print can liven up any table, but during the holidays, it really shines!

 

There are so many options for setting a lovely table with Cranberry Mint Lilibet. 

Whether you choose the tablecloth, table runner or placemats your table will instantly be elevated to Instagram worthy status! 

Just add the matching napkins and it will create a look few will forget.

 

One of my favorite things to do is to add just a touch of seasonal autumn charm to these beautiful Pacific & Rose table linens.

I'll show you more of what I mean in a minute, but first...

Can we just talk about the table runner pairing with the placemats? It’s a no-brainer! Set them on your table, and literally let the magic happen.

The simple addition of plain white plates, bamboo flatware, pretty goblets, and flowers from the garden transforms this table in an instant… and it’s easy to do!

 

 

Now take an already pretty table and kick it up a notch for fall with the simple addition of a few little white “Baby Boo” pumpkins at each place setting.

It’s so fun to mix in a coordinating napkin, for a different look altogether. You see when we switch out the Lilibet Cranberry Mint napkin for the Gayatri Peacock Buti napkin, the vibe of the place setting changes to a more casual fun look.  

 

When I first saw this Lilibet Cranberry Mint pattern, I thought ‘wow, this would look amazing for Christmas!’ So here, I’ve created a fun and very do-able Christmas table look.

I started with the tablecloth, and for contrast I used some natural woven placemats under plain white dinner plates. 

The matching Lilibet Cranberry Mint napkins are then layered on the dinner plate with a festive red transferware Christmas plate on top of that.

 

Any red transferware would look great with this tablecloth and napkins. I have a collection of taper candles that I just pick up at thrift stores or estate sales and they come in handy to add a coordinating pop of color to any table.

A few favorite Christmas accessories like bottle brush trees, Santa Clauses and glittery ornaments finish off this look.

 

Our kitty Jasmine approves of this look!

 

I love how this new pattern looks with red transferware plates. It’s just as though this pairing was meant to be.

 

Now, just like the pinky-red of the plates goes so well with the Lilbet Cranberry Mint linens, I just love how a fun pop of Autumn orange looks with the Gayatri Peacock tablecloth and accessories.

 

Just a few orange accessories really make the peacock blue and white Gayatri tablecloth and Buti napkins sing with seasonal delight! 

Tall vintage candles, pumpkins, autumn leaves and these fun napkin rings add just the right amount of contrast.

 

Isn’t this a fun look?

For a softer more harmonious look, I chose the Umbria Mustard tablecloth, placemats and napkins for this next Autumn table. 

A big armful of sunflowers from my garden make a statement at the center of the table, and the rest of the natural décor is achieved with soft greens of the eucalyptus leaves and pumpkins.

 

The color palette of this table works beautifully from late summer, all the way through to late November with the celebration of Thanksgiving.

 

But let's not restrict ourselves to one season. Umbria Mustard is a pattern that literally works all year long and is so pretty 24/7 on the dinner table for every day family dinners.

And speaking of every day, take a look at the beauty of the Lilibet Cranberry Mint kitchen towels. These will add a touch of elegance and charm to any kitchen…

 

and they make the best hostess gifts too!

Another great idea for a hostess gift is a pretty apron like these from Pacific & Rose. 

On the left we have the newest Lilibet apron, and some of our other favorites are now back in stock, like the Monet’s Kitchen and Flower Power patterns.

I love to pick one up for myself, and then select a few to have on hand for gift giving. 

Especially now with the holidays coming up, I like to have a stash of pretty gifts to select from for last minute gatherings like birthdays or holiday parties. 

 

These soft voile robes with matching cosmetic bags are my go-to weekend getaway essentials. The robes even come with a pretty matching fabric envelop that makes packing so easy.

Not only are they beautiful while on vacation, but the robes are also one of my favorite weekend indulgences. 

I love to just wake up, throw on a pretty colorful robe like this and then linger over a cup of coffee on a quiet Saturday or Sunday morning.

In fact, I'm doing that right now! 

Visit PacificandRose.com for more info.

ciao! fabiana

 

 

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springtime table inspiration

Don’t let the wintertime blues get you down. Spring is just around the corner!

 

If you want to get in on an early seasonal rush, try a fun, floral pattern like this. It’s the absolute newest pattern from Pacific and Rose and it’s call Lilibet Green.  

 

Originally designed as a nod to Mardi Gras, this festive little pattern reaches beyond the streets of New Orleans and can be right at home celebrating Easter, spring or any summer festivity.

 

You can really see how pretty this Lilibet pattern is on the napkin, placemat and tablecloth. I just love the vining, ferny pattern, so I matched my flowers to it.     

 

This table is brought to life with the help of a little bouquet foraged from the garden. Cosmos, statice and hellebores are currently blooming right now and just happen to match this brand-new print.

 

Best of all, this gorgeous print isn’t limited to the table. Look at this cozy robe and cosmetic bag! They’re so perfect for home or for packing up when you go on your next weekend getaway.   

 

The kitchen tea towels are so luxurious and just like these other items, make great gifts, perhaps for a birthday or Mother’s Day.

 

Gather up your Mardi Gras beads and get yourself a King Cake, because Mardi Gras is on March 1st. Just because this event has been celebrated for centuries doesn’t mean you have to be left out this year…

 

Set your table up nice and pretty for this celebration which also heralds the impending arrival of springtime! You’ll be surprised at how it will cheer up the whole room, and boost your mood as well.

 Check out PacificAndRose.com for more!

 

ciao! fabiana

 

 

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beautiful ways to indulge the body & soul

 

This lovely gathering of four friends on Lido Island features some of the most beautiful ways to indulge the body and soul. From coastal inspired art to revitalizing beauty products, soft cotton robes to nature inspired jewelry, these gals have got it covered!  

 

What’s better than a group of talented friends getting together to share their wares just in time for Mother’s Day? 

 

Hot off the press, directly from India is Pacific & Rose’s new line of hand block printed robes and accessories. Pretty in pink, Elizabeth is modeling the Montmartre robe.  

 

It comes beautifully packaged in its own matching fabric envelope and is ready to pop into your overnight bag for a weekend getaway. Matching cosmetic bags are also available to make travel easy and gorgeous! 

 

You may recognize Pacific & Rose from the tablecloths and napkins I’ve used in tablescapes, and Elizabeth puts just as much care and detail in creating her “Weekend Getaway” kits. 

 

These robes and cosmetic bags also make great Mother’s Day gifts, don’t you think? Perfect for a staycation relaxing at home, as well as easily packed up for a much-needed vacation.  

 

Five new prints are all named after Elizabeth’s bucket list travel destinations - Montmartre, Glasgow, Corfu, Bloomsbury and The Cotwalds. For the past year she’s been dreaming of traveling to those places, so she named the pretty patterns after them. 

 

Constructed from a soft cotton voile, the robes are 47″ long and have contrasting piping to add a couture detail.  The fabric for these robes and bags are printed by hand in Rajasthan, India by traditional craftsmen using hand-carved teak blocks.  

 

They're all perfectly presented in a matching fabric envelope ideal for use in your travels or gift giving. Add a matching cosmetic bag to the envelope for a beautiful gift set.  Robes are $79 and cosmetic bags are $28. 

At its best, make-up should make you look great without anyone else aware that you’re wearing it. And, when you look good, you feel good. Here Stephani Faurot-Reuter is adding Heroes Beauty Mineral Blush in Teaberry to model Merecedes Shaffer. Merecedes is the designer of the gorgeous jewelry they're showcasing here.

 

Mercedes Shaffer has a passion for art, nature, travel and real estate. Her jewelry is handmade and inspired by nature (branches, roses, ginkgo leaves, etc.)  It's available for wholesale orders, but you may have seen it at Seaside Gallery in Newport Beach.

 

For the past 18 years Mercedes has been involved in  real estate investing and she's just about to launch a YouTube show called "Investing in The OC". It will be the perfect virtual format to help answer questions related to real estate investing. For more, check out her  website InvestingInTheOC.com 

A few of our favorite things... 

A small blue bird painting by Ilona Martin 

On the Glow Spa Kit, includes the Rose Renewal Face Oil and Rose Quartz Face Roller by Heroes Beauty. ( I use this kit, and it's truly amazing!) 

Gold Cuff Bracelets by Mercedes Shaffer

The Glasgow, Cotswalds, and Corfu Cosmetic Bags by Pacific & Rose.   

Mercedes is showcasing Heroes Beauty’s Peace Out Bath Salt while wearing the Montmartre robe.  

 

This amazing bath salt is made from 100% Organic ingredients.  Made with Ancient Sea Salts the actually detox your body with 9 essential minerals. Essential oils of wintergreen, mandarin, and lavender relieve tension, soothes muscles, restores peace and relaxation, and I can say it just smells amazing too!     

Heroes Beauty owner Stephani Faurot-Reuter has worked as both an artist and a teacher before becoming a professional make-up artist in 1989.  

 

Her products are all cruelty free, paraben free.  Some are gluten free and vegan. Available online at heroesbeauty.com or at Seaside Gallery and Goods in Newport Beach and Fleur De Lys in Costa Mesa.   

A few of my picks for Mother’s Day Gifts: Rose Oil plus Rose Quartz Manual Roller on the black and white box. Rose Renewal Oil with Ultrasonic Rose Quartz Roller. Rose Overnight Lip Mask with Sweet Briar Rose and Vitamin E Tinted Lip Balm. Peace Out Travel Size Bath Salts. 

Stephani and Elizabeth wearing Pacific & Rose loungewear also featuring jewelry by Mercedes. 

 

Now let's meet the artist of the group, Ilona. Ilona Werner Martin is an impressionist artist living by the sea who has a gift for plein air painting,  which I absolutely love! 

 

She says, “Living by the Sea opens my soul to the rhythm of the wave”. Isn’t that beautiful? 

 

Seascapes and landscapes are her pleasure. Outdoor painting feels great, she's a LAPAPA Plein Air member. Ilona began painting in Carmel, and now lives in Newport Beach. Her studio “Arts & Treasures” at 420 31st Street, off the alley, is open on weekends.  

 

Giving back is important to Ilona. As a board member of LCAD Art School in Laguna Beach, she loves helping art students flourish and reach their dreams. Sharing time with artistic and creative friends and family is the most rewarding time for her. You can check out more about her her at Ilona-art.com and on Etsy, Art & Treasure Ilona.

These are some of my favorites among her paintings... 

What’s really special about this group of four women is that their friendship has grown so much over time, since they all first met at Seaside Gallery and Goods in Newport Beach. 

 

 

They were all brought together by the love of what they do and met each other while reaching the public with their beautiful products. All these things really do indulge the body and soul, and even the mind! 

 

When thinking about ideas for Mother’s Day, I would most certainly love any (and all) of these goodies! Learn more here:

      Pacific & Rose

      Heroes Beauty

      Investing in the O.C.

      Ilona's Art

ciao! fabiana 

 

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