A Most Stupendous Birthday Weekend

Wow...what a fun birthday weekend.  It started by a long overdue trip to get a mani/pedi...complements of  my sisters Martha and Gwen.  My feet and hands thoroughly enjoyed the attention.



Some of us hopped in the car and headed up to the Sierras (Soda  Springs) ..hitting some outrageous traffic which resulted in the drive lasting 6  hours instead of the normal 3 1/2 hours.   The "pain" was forgotten once we arrived at this idylic cabin owned by DZ's cousin.


Some hopped in their very own private plane and arrived in an hour.


I just love the pine scent that infuses the air .....  The weather was impeccable...bright blue sunny sky with 80 degree temp. 

Martha and I got up early Saturday morning (while every one else slept) and took a "stroll" around Lake Van Norden.  We had the place to ourselves...not a sole in sight.


Just love the peace, beauty and serenity


We decided to stay away from the crazy crowded Lake Tahoe and instead drove a few miles on a rutty dirt road to Long Lake.  Ah...it was spectacular.

We swam...


And lounged on rocks...

And enjoyed the crystal cool refreshing lake.


I don't know why, but being in the mountains makes you hungry.  I must have brought enough food to feed an army of at least 20...Martha brought her folding table and set it up outside on the granite rock deck.  It was perfect!  

And boy did we eat...here are some samplings...

Saturday's breakfast

Sunday's breakfast

Can't get enough of this little guy

Night time came and decorations came out



Candles were lit

Martha found the huge vintage canning jar and turned it into a candle holder with candles with my  signature color.

Songs were sung .... cake devoured.

Sophie made the deelish cupcakes and Martha made the flags (both on the cakes and hanging from the house.

And we all celebrated the fact that I made it another year. A most memorable birthday celebration indeed.  Hoping this can become an annual event where I can spend my b-day with my fam up in the beautiful Sierras.

The Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to one dapper dude....

Food...

 

Plus friends and family......

Equals a fantastic way to celebrate.

 

Birthday Celebration in SF

My sisters and I

(all but our youngest, who is unfortunately,

fighting off a dreaded flu/nasty cold)

motored to SF for our annual birthday celebration

for our dear sister Mary.

I'm not sure how many years we have been doing this,

I can assure you, it has been many...

we came bearing gifts, flowers, and food, ready to party

at her cool condo (built in the twenties)

in the city by the bay.

Isn't she just adorable?

but first, let me tell you about "Mary", or "Mare" as some call her.

Mary is the "smartest"

she started reading when she was four

and hasn't stopped since

she has books lining the walls and piled high on her coffee table

or any surface throughout her home.

she has so many books, sometimes she forgets what she has and

purchases duplicate copies. oops!

she went to Stanford as an undergraduate

and Hastings Law school for her JD

sometimes I would go visit her, attend some of her classes

and pretend that I was one of those smart Stanford students.

I thought that maybe by rubbing shoulders with them

some of their smartness would transfer through osmosis...didn't work.

she loves to travel..I can't keep up with all the places she's been

she has been to Europe a gazillion times

I think France and Italy are her two favorites. maybe Japan is upthere too.

she has so many interests...and is continually taking classes

right now I think it is watercolor

she loves movies and is always up to date with the latest...

if it is out, Mary most likely has seen it

she has the most exquisite clothes, perfumes, furnishings, and shoes...

oh, the SHOES! they are a work of art in and by themselves

as a teenager, Mary would purchase beautiful clothes and shoes

but would only have a handful hanging in her closet

she still purchases beautiful clothes and shoes

but has a LOT in her closets

in fact the closets are f.i.l.l.e.d.

I have been the recipient of many of her toss aways

and never fail to get complements

every time I wear them

I could go on....

but let's get back to our celebration...

we grazed all afternoon.

started off with crackers, artichoke dip, a medley of olives,

and shrimp with cocktail sauce

next up was soup.

we had two kinds, chilled asparagus garnished with a dollop of greek yogourt

and corn chowder (the same chowder I took to Ronald McDonald House)

with fresh baked bread from Acme Bakery (in Berkeley)

See the beautiful china above? I understand that it is very rare..

especially since it is no longer made.

There are two people in the United States who own it,

my sister and Larry Ellison from Oracle ...

at least that is what I heard.

We then we had the vegetable torte,

(from Barefoot Contessa, again...it is SO good)

this time I took a picture of it.

actually, my sister took a picture of me holding it.

a butter lettuce salad with avocado and shrimp dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette

my mouth is watering as I write this.

we were stuffed..

so, we all ventured down to Fillmore Street,

a very hip and hopping area in SF

to visit the shops..we do this every year.

I didn't purchase a thing,

but Judy did

check out the adorable duds here

she got them for her new little granddaughter

what a bargain! one buck each.

came back, lit the candles, and sang happy birthday to our honoree

devoured a delish lemon pound cake (another Barefoot Contessa recipie)

with whipped cream and strawberries.

Oh...so much fun with my sisters.

Cheerio...until next year.

Six Sisters Celebrate

I am so lucky. I have five sisters who are my best friends.

We all went to Monterey this past weekend to celebrate the two sisters who had birthdays in February, one on the 9th for her 59th and the other on the 19th for her 50th.

On our way down, we stopped at the Succulent Gardens . I've never seen so many succulents in one place...my heart skipped a beat the moment I entered the greenhouse. This is an amazing place and if you are ever in the area (near Moss Landing and Elkhorn Slough) I highly recommend you stop in for a visit.

Monterey is a quite the charming seaside town, I must say. We spent the night at The Clement on Cannery Row, the most exquisite hotel I've ever stayed in.
Doesn't it look magical? It is right on the water, clean, sleek, and staffed with friendly and helpful people...

We were greeted with a furry little otter and her pup and very luxurious shampoo/conditioner and soap on our beds.

We each had our very own big fluffy white robe, white puffy towels and a pair of pristine white terry slippers,

and had a bonsai and a mini Japanese garden to enjoy.

The granite/slate tiled bathrooms were exquisite.We had a 36" flat screen HD television, a cozy fireplace in the corner, our own deck, a fitness center that is to die for.. the most comfy bed with my favorite kind of white sheets....and a skinny lap pool to frolic in (and try and get skinny).



The city looked mighty fine with it's sparkly clean sidewalks and streets ( I swear little elves come out at night and scrub everything down!)...

...blooms were everywhere in "pocket gardens" throughout the town ...not a weed in sight.



At night, we ventured on down to the terrace and sat in front of a blazing fire under a gorgeous glowing full moon while the waves lapped the shore below ...


...and we toasted our sixty toes in twelve shoes by the flame.

Early Sunday morning, we all took a stroll along the shoreline trail .....

...and enjoyed the crystal, clear, salt air..

On our way home, we stopped in Castroville, the Artichoke Center of the World. It provides nearly 80% of the U.S. crop ( the other 20% of the US crop is grown elsewhere in California). We picked up the deal of the century...12 Green Globe's (the only kind grown commercially in the U.S) for one buck. So deelish.

Have you ever seen a choke as large as this?:

Oh, I am so lucky to live so close to such a beautiful place....


I am ready to return.

My Little Sister Had a Birthday

My little sister Martha had a birthday on Friday. She has now reached the summit of Mt. Half Century...

Let me tell you about my dearest and best friend Martha....

Have you ever known someone who lights up the room the minute they enter it and who brings life to any gathering? That is Martha.

Have you ever known someone who takes the bull by the horns and gets things done, is a "mover and a shaker", who plans, makes lists, and executes, someone you can count on..depend on.. know they will follow through (like helps you plan your daughter's wedding, actually, she is the one who really made it happen)? That is Martha.

Have you known anybody where they meet you at 6:30 am several times a week to exercise, who supports your efforts to keep the girth from growing? That is Martha.

Have you ever had a friend who is your confidant, one with whom you commiserate, you discuss and plan with and never run out of things to discuss and plan? That is Martha.

Have you ever known someone who is constantly thinking of, helping and taking care of others?

That is Martha.

Have you ever known somebody that enjoys thrift shopping or collecting vintage items at estate sales, who knows what YOU like and will pick up little treasures at the aforementioned estate sales when you aren't with her? That is Martha.

Have you ever known somebody with a unique style (mid century modern), has an eye for cool things, can pick the prize out of the pile of junk, who displays it in such artistic ways, who loves owls, anything aluminum, gardens and plants, who knows the latest and hippest places to go and see, and who loves Madmen and Jane Austen films? That is Martha.

Have you known somebody who works hard at their job and is loved by her coworkers, who had two birthday celebrations thrown by those coworkers, (one where over 50 attended), who "runs" all day, takes the stairs (never the elevator) and who rarely takes a lunch? That is Martha.

Have you known someone with incredible inner strength, who has raised her two wonderful kids by herself after the untimely passing of her beloved Jeff, who forges on in spite of difficult challenges. That is Martha.

Have you known someone with integrity, compassion, and a fabulous laugh, likes dancing and having fun, is adventurous and hasn't stopped moving since the day she was born? Martha is all that and more.

I love you Martha...Happy Birthday.

Some more pics (many picked from your Flickr site, thanks)....

The two cabooses in our family, Martha and Gwen:

A newlywed Martha about 25 years ago.

Don't you just love the matching aprons Martha and Gayle are wearing?

Martha and Emma:

Martha snuggling her quilt made by Gayle:

Dan and Emma:

Martha, welcome to the backside of the mountain--it's downhill all the way!

A Night in Madera

My sisters, Martha and Gayle, and I motored to Madera to visit our niece, Natalie and her little family. My other sister, Judy, came down from her mountain top home in Auberry and met us there.

Martha chauffeured, Gayle navigated and I kicked back in the rear seat. I enjoyed watching the green grassy hills, the goats, the cows and the sheep, float on by. February is a wonderful time of the year in California for EVERYTHING is so green.

On our way down, we made a little detour to Chowchilla (the town made famous 40 years ago for the goons who hijacked and buried a school bus with children and a driver inside). We found the last thrift store in town. We love thrifting....here are some of the treasures I bought:

An original oil painting of sunny flowers that I purchased for $2 --- I love finding original art for so cheap. All I have to do is find a cool frame for it. I have a box in the attic filled with old frames I 've collected over the years. Or I can hang it as is.... I just need to find the perfect spot on the wall to hang it.

A Japanese painting on wood, purchased for $1.00....
and a nick knack shelf to display miniatures:

I found a hand made cross-stitch with "Families Are Forever" stitched in the center surrounded by yellow and orange flowers. The minute I saw it, I thought, "What a perfect housewarming gift for Natalie's kitchen!" It now proudly hangs in her kitchen.

We came bearing gifts for Logan who turned three last week..

And then headed out in the rain to visit the town...Here are my three sisters at the fruit market ...housed in a purple building!

Wouldn't you want to enter a store with a sign like this:

Back to Natalie's cozy home...to devour stew, homemade bread and salad. Scrumptious.
We celebrated Gayle's birthday with songs, candles and flags.

And little boys who want to blow out candles again....
and again...
and again....
and again.

What adorable boys:

I couldn't stop clicking.

Natalie lives in farm country where you will find orange groves, and pistachio orchards down the street...
Where beehives are placed nearby....filled with thousands of bees who will kiss the blossoms the moment the buds pop....


What a lovely trip....


with so many memories to be placed in the bank.