A day at the park: Cayuga Park

Living in the bay area has caused my husband and I to be park snobs. With so many places to go and explore, how could we not be? I'm sure my kids (and dog) could care less where we go but I, on the other hand, have preferences:

1. Must have parking. 
2. Dog-friendly.
3. Updated play area.
4. A nicely maintained grass (not weeds / dirt) lawn

Of course just because a park doesn't meet one or two of my preferences doesn't mean we're never gonna set foot there ever again. It's become fun to explore and try out different places, and perhaps fall in love with one so much that you can make it a weekly habit.

Such is the case with Cayuga Park, a neighborhood park just minutes away from our home. I first noticed this park from up above a few years ago. No, really. The Bart runs right above it and if you're one of those passengers (like me) that claims a window seat each time, then you've probably seen it. I've always wondered what that park was but ever since we moved and no longer needed to take Bart pass Balboa Park station, I forgot about it...until recently.

We went there about a week ago when I saw it again from the train and decided we had to check it out. It's hidden from the main road and the only sign of urban environment you get from inside the park is the sound of a train passing every 5-10 minutes. As described by the SF Rec and Park website: "Cayuga Park is a local favorite of Outer Mission and Cayuga Terrace residents. Tucked away amidst housing, the I-280 freeway, and BART tracks, it is considered to be one of San Francisco’s hidden gems. Perhaps best known for its sculpture gardens, unique trails, and bustling basketball court, the park also offers visitors a clubhouse, children’s playground, tennis court, ball diamond, and multipurpose, turf area." The park has recently been renovated to add modern updates to its old-charm environment. Perhaps the most fascinating thing about the park, however, are the art sculptures done by it's retired and longtime Filipino gardener, Demetrios Braceros. His sculptures have transformed this park into, well, a work of art.

Often times, we drive out of the city and into the suburbs to enjoy their neighborhood parks but in this case, people not living in the city, should make it a point to come visit Cayuga Park. It surely will not disappoint.

main entrance

walking trails within the park

playground

sculptures lining the path

 

A few notes:
1. Been here 3x already and during those times, parking wasn't an issue. Weekdays, park at the neigborhoods, weekends park along Alemany and take the pathway down.
2. At the entrance it says dogs aren't allowed, yet inside the park it says that all dogs must be on leash. Confusing, yes. But a lot of owners are seen walking their dogs inside (with and without leashes) so its safe to say that dogs are allowed for now.
3. Restrooms are updated - MAJOR PLUS
4. Clubhouse is still not opened to public but starting November, they'll be able to take reservations for events. I already have it as the "front-runner" for Aubrey's 3rd bday venue :)

Events: Barnyard Birthday Party

For Aubrey's 2nd birthday party, my husband and I decided to keep it laid-back and casual and have it in the park. Compared to last year, we didn't want to feel the pressure of having a time constraint and we were lucky enough to find a park that would allow us to reserve a spot for the whole day.

My husband (YES, my husband!) chose the theme this year. I thought about doing some sort of picnic theme but couldn't quite put things together until he just blurted out " Do a barn theme, she loves farm animals!" Bam. Everything fell into place after that.

Dessert Table 

cardboard barn: DIY details on See Vanessa Craft

 

 

Anti-Bacterial hand gels for the guests

 

Cake by Beyond Buttercream

red velvet cupcakes: Target

 

printables by Very Pretty Parties

cake pops: Beyond Buttercream

props: The Prop House

catering: City Smokehouse

entertainer: Happily Ever Laughter

dress: Baby Gap shoes: Old Navy

venue: Washington Park, Burlingame
invitations (not pictured): Details Beyond Design
photos: Andy Sermonia, Wendy Morales, personal pics
For more inspiration, check out my pinterest picnic board (here)

Event Inspiration: Geronimo Balloons

If there's one thing I'm obsessed about lately, it's geronimo balloons!

[image via ThePostSocial]

They're fun, elaborate, and can add the right amount of whimsical sparkly fun to any party.

[image via Couture Craft]

[image via Itsabrideslife]

Geronimo Balloons can be custom made and the prices range from $60-$300. As much as I'd love to have one (or two) for my daughters' birthday, I just can't seem to justify the price. The last thing I'd want happening is Aubrey or Dani letting it fly away or my dog attacking it (our dog gets psychotic around balloons). Luckily there are cheaper alternatives. You can purchase round "36 balloons from Etsy, Amazon, and Bargain Balloons.You'd need to take it to your local party store to get it filled with helium and then the real fun begins!

Below are a couple of links that provide great DIY tutorials:

 Emily Alt Photography

Mint Love Social Club

Sweet Thing Blog

Style: Splurge vs. Steal on Fall Trends

Even though its only August, retailers and magazines are already coming out with fall trends and must-haves. I live in a city where seasons are not the typical norm so sweaters, boots, layering pieces, and etc. are in my closet all year round. I still like to update my wardrobe every once in awhile and try to be careful of not falling into the "trend-trap" where I spend a ridiculous amount of money on items that are strictly, well, a trend in passing. I'm a sucker for style and functionality. Whether its designer or not, doesn't really matter (ok maybe a little...) as long as I can see myself wearing and using it for a long period of time. This usually determines how much I'd like to purchase it for.  A lot of people use the term "splurge vs. steal". Obviously we all know what a steal is. Splurge for me, however, doesn't necessarily mean dropping thousands of dollars. It just means spending a little bit more (whether it be $20 to $500 more) on an item you could probably get similar for less but choose not to.

Below are a couple of items I've been checking out from two places I love to shop: Target and Nordstroms.

1. Nar's "Some like it hot" lip bag $49
2. Topshop Unique Sheer Panel Sweater $150 
3. MICHAEL Michael Kors Ailee flats $140 
4. Topshop Andie Faux Leather Skirt $76 (found in store)
5. Alexander Wang Emile small leather tote $925 
6. Crinkled cashmere scarf $148 
7. Marc by Marc Jacobs watch $150
8. House of Harlow 1960 leather cuff $68 
9. Vince Camuto 'Julia' leather clutch $178 
10. Kate Spade 'Rickee' boots $328

1. Mossimo's faux leather moto $35
2. Mossimo ponte colorblock pencil skirt $23
3. OPI Nail Lacquer 'Samoan Sand' $9
4. Studded wrap bracelet $6
5. Merona large structured tote handbag $35
6. Labworks Dolman faux leather sleeve sweater $33
7. Missino "kiriana" ankle boot $35
8. Xhiliration leopard flats $15
9. Moda-Luxe envelope clutch $25
10. Mossimo skinny denim $25

Home: Closet Organization

If there's one thing I miss the most about our old place, it'd have to be the walk-in-closet. It was spacious, bright, and became my little sanctuary. When we found out we were pregnant with Aubrey we both knew, however, that our one bedroom apartment wouldn't be big enough to accommodate us, our dog, and a newborn. So we ended up moving back to the city, in a 2 bedroom Victorian flat built in 1912. It's got a huge backyard, 2 car garage, long driveway, washer / dryer, and an updated kitchen (which in San Francisco is already a major win). The one drawback, however, are the bedroom closets.

.......

As much as I get a high out of organizing challenges, this one continues to kick my ass. Since we've moved in, I had no choice but to get extremely creative, practical, and have a somewhat minimalist approach when it comes to organizing our clothes. One of these days, I'll blog about how I managed to do it all with my wardrobe (expect a 3+ series) but for now, let's start with the girlies.

One of the issues I had with organizing their clothes is making sure they each had their own drawers so not to confuse their clothes together (after all, my husband DID put our dog's tee on Dani one time so with that being said...). Eventually I got tired of always having to separate their things after each laundry load, not to mention, constantly reminding my husband which shirt belongs to whom, and etc. To make things easier, I decided to just combine everything together. After all, they are practically the same size and once less step for me to do after each laundry load. I once heard that its useless to hang baby clothes. Just buy drawers and call it a day. However, having two baby girls, with dresses for daysss, I needed them to be hung and organized. Being folded in a drawer would just make me forget about them AND take up drawer space. Their closet, however, took a beating with old and new baby clothes mixed in together, house linens stored on the shelf above, old toys hiding in the bottom. I decided to maximize the space that we had and try and make things more practical for us.

Before

I felt that there was so much 'dead space' in between the dresses and the floor. There were several bins but nothing was really organized and eventually things just started to get lost. 

 After

To eliminate the dead space and maximize the storage area, I purchased a Threshold double hanger closet organizer from Target (similar). I organized the dresses by color and hung all coats and jackets on the bottom. All of their hooded jackets are on a over-the-door organizer (found here). 

The girls' shoes are in a bin by the front door but I separated their boots to free up more space in the bin. I also removed all of their old baby clothes and swaddle blankets (that I wanted to keep for memory's sake) and stored them in the garage. The clothes that they still have yet to fit in, however, are in the bottom middle bin. Blankets are in an open bin to the left and diapers to the right. 

I had this Ikea storage organizer (similar found here) before we moved in but since I ended up not using it, I placed it in the girls' closet instead. It houses their hats, first aid kit, washcloths, bibs, and burp cloths.

On the top shelf, I placed all their toys that are on "rotation". I like to put some toys away where they can't see so their playroom doesn't get even more crazy. Plus after a month or two in "hiding", Aubrey looks at it like its brand new. I also placed shoes that she can't fit into yet on top, out of the shoe boxes so I'd remember them.

Baby Style: Our Fave Essentials

Since the day Aubrey was born, I think I've shopped more for her than I did for myself. I couldn't help it. Everything was just too darn cute. Sometimes I wish her clothes DID come in my size. Now that she's two, (and Dani came along), I've adjusted the way I shop. In other words, I knew when to buy and when to hold off, what works, and what wouldn't work. I'd stock up during big sales events and be on every children's store's mailing lists and after awhile, I had my go-to places (Old Navy, Baby Gap, Zara, and H&M) and fave essential pieces, which I share below:

1. denim jacket - I think every toddler should own a denim jacket. It goes with almost everything and adds a cute little edge to their tiny outfits. We got ours at Baby Gap (found here) and love it cause even though ts denim, its soft and the buttons are easy to close. It also fits wide enough so you can add a zip up hoody underneath and they wouldn't feel constricted.

2. tanks - I always wait for Baby Gap's "playtime favorites" to go on sale. When these tanks go on sale (and have an additional 40% off), I end up buying a lot. I use them as layering pieces when its cold, and as tops to go with skirts when its warm. The lace trimming gives it a more girly appeal too.

3. My most favorite "jeggings" for babies and toddlers is from Old Navy. Hands down, these are the best pants for them so far. They are soft and extremely durable (I've thrown them in the wash several times and they've held up), not to mention have a really good stretch (which is great for babies that are becoming more mobile).  Children's Place has some great ones too.

4. rompers - I love putting my girls in rompers. Whether it be short or long, they look so cute in them (even more so in a crazy print!). I'm always careful, however, in making sure the romper I purchase  have snaps in the bottom, otherwise diaper changes would be excruciating.

5. denim chambray top - I get so much wear out of mine that when I saw a similar version (found here) of it at H&M kids, I had to get it.

6. boots - Their sandals and ballerina shoes are no match for the San Francisco weather so when the fog rolls in, they are in their boots. I purchased these for Aubrey to wear on her birthday and she loves it (red is her favorite color apparently) and still continues to wear it. Whenever we step out and I ask her grab her shoes, these boots are her go-to's. To tone it down, however, these would be a nice alternative. For Dani, since she's still at that cruisin stage, I recently got her these from Old Navy. They're soft, easy to put on, and inexpensive.

7. printed leggings - I love the printed leggings at Old Navy! They are normally 3 for $15 and are durable and fun to dress them up in. I check in every once in awhile for new prints (I recently purchased a dark pink polka-dot one for Dani).

8. cardigans - Another San Francisco must-haves! My faves are the ones from Zara, which I stock up on for the girls during their semi-annual sale. H&M has good, inexpensive ones too (you just have to go a size down since they tend to run big).

9. utility jacket - Aubrey has gotten so much wear out of hers purchased from Old Navy that I'm considering getting Dani's her own. We purchased it a year ago (it still fits!) but they brought back something similar (as seen here).

10. knit dresses - Now that Aubrey is in the early stages of being potty-trained, she needs something with 'easy access'. Old Navy has some great knit dresses that usually go on sale from time-to-time (as low as $5!) and that's what she usually wears around the house, since its soft, 100% cotton, and not to mention, cute designs! H&M also has some for $4.95 (for a limited time, however, since they're part of their summer collection).

Home: 10 mins. fix on a bookshelf

One of the things that's always on my to-do list is to organize the kid's play area and my props / craft supplies. It's something that I'm always putting off, however, because I can't seem to find a system that I'd be satisfied with. The bookcase in my daughter's play area belongs on that list. It holds a combination of their books and art supplies, as well as my own.

Lately, Aubrey has been climbing the shelves, trying to get to her art supplies on top. She also enjoys throwing it all over the place and at the end of the night, we're stuck trying to organize all her colored pencils / markers / crayons etc. back to their individual containers. Today I did a quick fix for it just to ease things up till I have time to take it all apart and re-organize.

Before:

Her art supplies were on the fourth shelf, paint tubes all the way on the top hidden from her (for obvious reason), and just one huge clutter in general.

After 10 minutes:

Rather than hide, I gave in and made a self-service arts and crafts area. All her colored pencils, crayons, and markers are separated by individual tins I had laying around. No more boxes to put them in. Coloring books and pads are on the same shelf. Meanwhile, all her painting supplies are in a clear bin so even though they're "hidden" from her, we know where they are and they aren't separated. Most read books are on the bottom shelf (bedtime books are now in her room). A couple of my art supplies are in the white box containers until they find a new home.

I'm sure we'd still have to straighten it up at the end of the night but at least it's not as cluttered and full as it looked before.

Any tips on how to organize your toddlers play area? Pls. share with me :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Family Time: A Day Out With Thomas

I honestly don't know what the big deal is with Thomas the Tank Engine. It's on Netflix kids so we'd watch it occasionally (esp. to give Aubrey a break from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Barney). She's never really shown that much enthusiasm towards that show until a couple nights ago when a commercial came on advertising a day with Thomas the Train at Roaring Camp Railroads. Whenever that commercial would come on, she'd yell "Tchwain! Tchwain!" at the top of her lungs. My husband had been wanting to bring her to RCR and when we saw that this event was only going on for the next two weekends, we decided to buy tickets and check it out.

Unlike their usual one hour train ride through the Santa Cruz mountains or the beach, the "Thomas Train" is a 25 minute train ride through parts of the Santa Cruz mountains. Given the short attention span our toddler has, this ended up being a great idea. 25 minutes was exactly enough time for Aubrey to go ooh and aah and stay in ONE position during the entire ride.

Tickets were purchased beforehand and kids two and under are free. You get to choose which train car you'd like to ride on: 3 are open, 3 have canopies, and the last train is covered. Aside from the actual train ride, there were plenty of other activities spread out over the camp: face painting, building with Mega-blocks, playing with train tables, temporary tattoo booths, music and instrument playing, bubble station, and plenty more.

It'll be going on for one more weekend and if you're free and don't mind the hour and a half drive from the city, definitely check it out!

quick tips:
1. Parking is $8 cash.
2. They have concession stands there (bbq, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.) and it didn't seem crowded at all. However, if you'd like to save on some money, there are a lot of fast food restaurants nearby that you can go to and eat beforehand (or even bring your food in).
3. There are picnic tables for rent but a lot of people brought picnic blankets ( there's a lot of open space). I wish I'd known this before going!
4. Wear covered shoes! I wore sandals, not realizing that parts of the camp are sand and rocks.
5. Mamas, bring an extra shirt for whatever reason! Ok, this tip applies to anywhere you go with a kid but I forgot to bring my extra shirt and Aubrey, a little bit too excited once we entered the park, ran down the path too quickly and fell. Her battle wounds are now forever imprinted on my white blouse.

A Quick Note: How we roll.

 Oh, hey!

I have a couple of friends asking me how I do it. How do I make motherhood look easy? Let's be blunt here. Instagram and Facebook is what makes me look like a "super mom". It's all pictures. No one sees the fits and tantrums behind those photos (well....since they DO have IG video now...), or those times I put Aubrey in a cute little outfit, only to have her take it apart moments after I take a  pic, all those messy cramped corners in our house full of junk, and the leftover fast food / take out containers we have in our kitchen because lets face it, who honestly has time to make a gourmet looking meal every. single. day?

I ain't a supermom and my husband and I definitely aren't superheroes (even though our daughter thinks we are) but even though it may not be easy, there are ways to make it a little bit easier.

Here are some tips and ideas we (try) to live by to make it all WERQ:

1. Never bring work home
 No matter how good or bad of a day I had, once I'm clocked out, I'm clocked out. Sure, I may get the occasional phone calls here and there (that's what voicemails are for) but once I'm with my family, my mindset completely changes. All my attention is focused on the kids and try to take advantage of the time I have with them. I always joke around with my other co-workers "Time to head over to my other job!" when I leave. Let's face it, being a mother IS a job, but, it's the best and most rewarding job out there!

2. Get out of the house. Do something. 
Unlike most people, I don't have the M-F 9-6 kinda job. My hours differ week by week and sometimes changes last minute. It's a curse (no set weekends) yet a blessing (hello weekdays off). At the beginning of each month, I plan 1 or 2 weekends off in advance so my husband and I can actually have the whole day together with the kids and go out and actually get to do things together on the weekends. Because, you know, isn't that what most families do?

 3. Get out of the state. 
Even though it gets stressful, its always nice to take a vacation somewhere. Gives you something to look forward to and though they're still too young to remember, gives the girls a change of environment.

4. Never feel guilty for wanting some ME time. 
Whether it be an hour, half a day, or even the whole day, do something on your own. On the weekends, my husband wakes up at 6am and takes a ride with his bike for an hour. That's his ME time. As for me, I do anything and everything. You'd be surprise what a trip to Target (alone!) can make you feel :)

5. Take care of yourself.
No really. You have to. I remember those times when I was so preoccupied with making sure both babies were fed, diapered, bathed, etc., I didn't get out of my pjs (and let alone eat) till 3pm! Its easier now, however, because Aubrey can eat on her own and I can place Dani on a highchair. We eat meals together and afterwards, I leave them in their play area or turn some cartoons on (Yes, I let my girls watch tv in moderation) while I get myself ready. During those times when a nap is much needed, I hope AND pray that both can sleep at the same time, even if it means laying some blankets down on the living room floor so we can all nap together. A cranky and hungry mom ain't fun for anyone.

6. Teamwork and Communication and Have a pseudo-routine. 
Two babies and a dog = double the mess...and a half. Bottles, toys, clothes - my husband is all about making sure we never let things slide otherwise it'll just be a disaster at our place. It's become such an unwritten thing really, how we go about our day to day routines here. My husband is a morning person. He wakes up early every morning and in an hour, has washed the dishes, taken out the garbage, made a Safeway run (milk, food, etc), and then some. I like to take care of things before I sleep, no matter how late it gets. I fix their diaper bag, lay out their clothes for the next day, clean their play area, prep our meals and etc. No matter which time of the day it is, we're always trying to get things done. It's the only way.
 
 6. You have to come to terms with reality.
Honestly, despite all that I've said and done, it's still and always will be a challenge. There are smooth days and there are even more not so smooth days. Maybe we've become a little bit immune to it over time but we really wouldn't have it any other way. It's the life we created and the life we live for.


 


 

inspiration board: rustic and vintage party theme

My youngest daughter, Dani, is turning 1 on October 12. It's a few months away but I'm already thinking of possible themes and most importantly, a venue, to execute it all. Even though I'm pretty set on what theme I'd like to have, I'm still keeping an open mind to other ideas. Since it'll be the start of fall, I'm so intrigued with a rustic birthday theme: buttercream frosting cake on a wooden slab, blushes of pink mixed with dark blooms, and a shimmer of gold.

Events: Rainbow Chevron Birthday Party

Even before Aubrey turned 6 months, I already knew I wanted to do a rainbow theme for her first birthday. She was bright, bubbly, and so full of energy that I needed her party to reflect that. After searching through countless images on Pinterest (which, btw, is one of the best.websites.EVER) for ideas, I decided to give it a modern take. I focused on the colors, instead of an actual "rainbow". One of the best (and also hardest) things about having rainbow colors as a theme are the endless ideas and possibilities you can do. The trick is not to go too overboard otherwise it just wouldn't flow together. The way I had to explain it to the grandmas, just because Aubrey wears a pink dress doesn't mean she has to wear pink tights, pink shoes, with a pink ribbon too. (Of course they still didn't get it.).

Since I had a slight fascination with the chevron pattern at that time, I thought about combining the pattern and colors together to give it that modern look. I was lucky to find a bakery that could create the look I was going for and they did not fail. The cake ended up being the focal point of the dessert table (and the party as well).

We chose Recess as the venue of the party. It's a recreation center for toddlers and babies in Portrero Hill. We wanted a place that was close to home, plenty of parking for our guests, and indoors (since weather and parking can be quite unpredictable in the Bay Area). The staff was great. They cleaned up the area before and after the party. The only vendor we had issues with was the catering. I won't even mention which restaurant we catered from but they were 1.5hrs late (and that's just unacceptable when you're renting out a space for such a limited time) and, once they did arrive, forgot the plates and cutlery! We were pleased, however, with the way their catering manager handled the situation after we emailed a complaint but needless to say we won't be using them anymore in the near future.

Below are images of the party taken by Andy Sermonia:

cake and cookies: Beyond Buttercream

candies and gumball dispensers: Powell's Sweet Shoppe

garland: DIY

flavored sodas: Cost Plus World Markets

flowers: purchased from SF Flower Mart

balloons: Party City

party favors: purchased from The Dollar Store & Michael's

chevron printables: Anders Ruff

party hats: Target

venue: Recess

 

The birthday girl enjoying her smash cake.

(top and ribbon: Baby Gap)