happy mother's day!

Happy Mother’s Day 💕

Today, I‘m sharing a few fun snapshots from my recent visit to Roger’s Gardens.

Isn’t this little photo set-up darling?

And this willow chair set really got my attention!

Here’s another darling chair vignette.

And how about a mini herb garden

made out of a vintage metal chair?

This greenhouse gets me every time!

On a slightly different subject,

I’m soooo excited about the

Newport Harbor Home Tour 

coming up on Thursday.

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I just drove by one of the houses yesterday,

 and it looks absolutely ready!

If you haven’t seen this yet,

be sure to check out The Ivy inspired Mother’s Day table

I set for Cottages & Bungalows magazine.

You can read all about it here and here.

ciao! fabiana

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

a fun field trip for mother's day

One of my favorite local field trips is to the gorgeous old Mission San Juan Capistrano. The gardens are  truly magnificent, and my family and I head down there a few times a year to just marvel at the history and beauty of this California landmark.  

There’s an unassuming calmness about this place. Unexpected beauty is everywhere. The koi fountains filled with water lilies are among my favorite things!

The colors are so vibrant here! And I love the contrasting plants like this amazing purple sage set among the rosette shaped succulents.

Mother’s Day weekend is the perfect time to visit the mission and wander around. I love to grab a cup of coffee at the Starbuck’s across the street and have a “Sip ‘n Stroll” around the gardens here.   

Remember the “Super Bloom” we had here in California about a month ago? Well you can still catch all the beauty of our favorite California Poppies and other native plants here at the mission.

The exquisite chapel is open to visitors. It’s also nice to know that prayer candles are available for purchase and you can light one in memory of someone special.

Another one of my favorite spots here at the mission is the potager, or kitchen garden. Look at the beauty of this artichoke! 

The surrounding area in SJC, especially near the train station is lovely to explore, as well. There are several quaint restaurants there with charming cottage gardens that are so fun to check out!  

And speaking of gardens and flowers, here’s my pick for a thoughtful Mother’s Day gift. If mom is interested at all in flowers or having beautiful arrangements of flowers at home, The Posy Book is perfect.

It’s like a recipe book for creating gorgeous flower arrangements at home!

It also includes the meanings of many of our favorite flowers and herbs. I love the idea of creating little floral messages.

Did you know that our favorite flower the hydrangea means devotion to love? Isn’t that sweet?

I also love that they include ideas to incorporate succulents and herbs into these posies.

Such a sweet idea!

The good news is this brand new book is available on Amazon,

my favorite way of shopping these days!

ciao! fabiana

looking forward to the home tour!

Happy Wednesday! I can hardly believe that the Newport Harbor Home Tour is a week away! The buzz is already starting here in town.

This once a year event is such a fun day to see friends, have lunch and of course, view a handful of the most gorgeous homes in Orange County!

Here’s a look at some of my favorite homes from the past few years…

The big day is May 16^th and I’ll be sure to share more on the home tour very soon!

ciao! fabiana

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

For more Newport Harbor Home Tour inspiration,
check out this brand new book:

french country mother's day style

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and I wanted to send a little inspiration over to you today…

Inspired by my visit to The Ivy restaurant, I wanted to bring that French country style to my table for a special indoor garden party brunch that’s sure to make mom feel special!

In fact, you can read the whole story here, at Cottages and Bungalows this month.

I was fortunate enough to acquire some beautiful tableware designed by Mark D. Sikes and made by Blue Pheasant.

The plates, napkins, placemats, card holders, flatware, pitcher, and wooden pedestals are all beautiful examples of Blue Pheasant's elegant tableware.

The roses and citrus are the heart and soul of this table, but not without all the fabulous pieces of this tablescape that are the backbone of the design.

Stop by and check out Cottages & Bungalows’ post on Instagram too, and leave me a comment, if you’d like! Just say “Hi Fabiana!”

Personally, I like to celebrate Mother’s Day all month!

Why not!?

ciao! fabiana

Here are some easy-to-shop pieces to create a similar look:

 

ladies of london and palisades village

My new favorite place to visit in Los Angeles is Palisades Village. It’s a small upscale shopping center created with the charm and quaintness I love so much!

The Serena & Lily Pacific Palisades shop is located here, as I shared a few weeks ago, and it’s also the location to one amazing restaurant called The Draycott. 

The Draycott

Do any of you remember the Bravo show Ladies of London? OMG, it was my favorite shows a few years back and one of the gals, American Marissa Hermer, ended up moving to L.A. and another, Caroline Stanbury moved to Dubai, so the show was no more.  

Marissa and her husband Matt were known in London for owning a few fabulous restaurants and eateries, so fast forward to 2018, and they open The Draycott in Palisades Village. YES!!

The Draycott

Marissa Hermer at The Draycott

The Draycott has the most fabulous London vibe and the food is absolutely amazing! It’s got a little bit of an elegant clubhouse feel and dining on that patio is everything!

Me at The Draycott before Easter 

I just want to stay at Palisades Village forever! It’s so darn cute here! And just look at the adorable Easter bunny photo gazebo they had set up in the garden.

Matt & Marissa Hermer at The Draycott

As a special treat, I’m including The Draycott’s recipe for Butternut Squash Soup. You may think of this as more of a fall recipe, but believe me, this is a super yummy recipe for spring, as well.

The Draycott’s Butternut Squash Soup

(Serves 4)

• 1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded (3½ lbs.)

• 5 Tbsp. Olive Oil, divided

• ½ cup chopped yellow onion (1onion)

• ½ cup chopped carrots (2 carrots)

• ½ cup chopped celery

• 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 4 cups vegetable stock

• ½ Tbsp. kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• 1 parsnip or sunchoke, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup parsley, minced

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (arils)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Place squash halves, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake until fork-tender. (About 1-1½ hours.)

3. Scoop flesh from squash and transfer to a bowl. Discard shell.

4. While squash roasts, heat 1 tablespoon of oil to large stockpot and add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until vegetables soften.

5. Stir in baked squash and vegetable stock.

6. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

7. Transfer mixture to a blender. Secure lid, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper.

8. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the parsnip slices; cook, stirring often, until edges are browned and crispy, 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

10. Divide soup among 4 bowls. Top with parsnips, parsley, pomegranate arils, and a drizzle of oil.

I can’t wait for my next visit to The Draycott!

ciao! fabiana

And check out Marissa's fabulous cook book...

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation to The Draycott.
This blog is just my way of sharing some of my favorite things.
I do occasionally include affiliated links for your convenience.