Occasionally, I go on a short obsessive streak about all things Mediterranean — Moroccan, Tunisian, Lebanon, etc. I am interested in foods, decor, etc. The strange part is that, aside from southern Italy, I’ve never been in the area. Perhaps it’s the Moorish influence of my ancestry.
Although I do try to resist the faux Italian villa theme, sometimes you can’t help but love some of the architectural features of the Italian-style loggia. Sometimes even the Moroccan-themed ones are stunning.
Some say you can only achieve greatness if you think big–you’ll never achieve more than what you set out to achieve. Others suggest that dreaming big just sets you up for disappointment. Here’s what I’m dreaming of today:
Is dreaming big bad or good? Read More »
Years ago we went to a wedding in a barn in Mendocino County. When I originally heard of it, I was wondering what that would be like. It was definitely NOT a cowboy wedding (not that there’s anything wrong with that). The wedding was beautiful–definitely a barn (hay and all)–rustic and gorgeous as it perched
Being able to claim Napa Valley as your home town has a sort of false cache. When I grew up there it was basically a country back water, and I couldn’t wait to get out and move to a big city. Now I’m here in SF and lo! I crave the peace and quiet of
Wine country dreaming Read More »
A year ago, we noticed some water damage in our master bathroom. Our trusted contractors investigated. They determined that the only way to truly understand the extent and cause of the problem was to tear out the huge iron tub. That, of course, would set off the chain reaction–tearing out tile, the floor, etc. And
I can’t believe I haven’t posted since June 2009! It’s shameful! But, man, I’ve been busy. I’ve been blessed with another banner year for my business with a steady flow of work. I haven’t traveled as much this year–a few token NYC trips and several Southern California trips. And I think I went to Toronto
On one of the work-related blogs that I sometimes follow there was an interesting discussion thread about envy. Seven deadly sins aside, one commentator mentioned that it can be a useful emotion. “Envy is a very useful emotion because it points us toward something we want. Someone lost in the mist of time told me
I was shocked to see the latest post being in DECEMBER. Been too caught up in Facebook, experimenting with Twitter (Tavolavila), and general distractions of life. A few quick updates… 1. Bathroom still not done. Not even started. Long story, but the short version: our household went down to a single income for six months,
No, not the Wall Street bailout. Not the Big Three bailout. Not the anemic groups of holiday shoppers I saw in downtown SF today, spelling doom for stores that depend on Christmas to bail them out of their financial woes. This is personal. But first, some background. When I wrote about our kitchen remodel, I