Home furniture- Black forest decor.com

I love the furniture and rugs at blackforestdecor.com.  They are gorgeous!

Ace hardware, Rockridge, CA

I love Ace hardware in Oakland, CA.  They are super community friendly.  They always give my dogs a treat.  I really like their hummingbird feeders.

EAT-Main Street Kitchen, Walnut Creek, CA

I have been told by a dear friend that Main Street Kitchen on North Main Street in Walnut Creek, CA is delicious!  They have sourdough pizza crust made by hand in their open kitchen, cooked in a wood fired oven!

FOOD-Coombs organic maple syrup

I love Coombs Family Farms organic maple syrup.  We love it in pancakes and waffles!

For seven generations, Coombs Family Farms has produced 100% pure and organic, sustainably harvested  maple syrup. 

www.coombsfamilyfarms.com

Coombs Family Farms

PO Box 117 

Brattleboro, VT. O5302

888-266-6271

My story-
When my son first started enjoying pancakes, I really enjoyed shopping for fresh, organic food.  The Coombs syrup is so yummy when warmed!

higway 5 stops- Harris Ranch- eat, stay, shop

Harris Ranch is perfectly situated between San Francisco and Los Angeles.  They have a hotel, restaurant, bar, and shopping.  They even have a butcher where they sell their steaks.  The bar serves food late, has a stone fireplace, large moose heads, wood floors, and animal skins.  Golf carts are available to take you from your room to the restaurant.

Highway 5 stops- Bravo Farms

On highway 5 between Los Angeles and San Francisco my son and I like to stop at Bravo Farms in
Kettleman City.  They have bbq food, old fashioned shooting games, antiques, and old west town, and other games and refreshments.  They even have books and toys for long drives, and snacks and books for adults too!

Bravo Farms
Kettleman City

EAT- dine at The Derby in Arcadia,CA.

The Derby in Arcadia, CA got its name because it is near a racetrack.  The original owner was a jockey.  Look on the internet and you will see lots of interesting information about historical
Arcadia, the racetrack, and the restaurant The Derby.  The place was founded in the 1920’s when the town of Arcadia was known for chicken farming.  Now, Arcadia is filled to the brim with restaurants, hotels, offices, and hotels, yet sitting in THe Derby a few weeks ago, I can imagine old Arcadia, old Southern California with ranches, racetracks, 24 hour entertainment, and an old west feel.

EAT- Prospect Gourmand, Beverly Hills, CA

Prospect Gourmand, in Beverly Hills, CA is a cute place, cozy with lots of repurposed art!  I love the macrame red hearts hanging on the miniature hanging lights!  Also, the chandeliers have glasses and wood hanging from them!  We sat at a side table with lots of pillows supporting our backs!  The art is amazing too!

They are known for their chicken and waffles for brunch, and for dinner they are known for excellent chicken and fish.

Song- “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young

I love the song Harvest Moon” by Neil Young!  It is natural, earthy, and passionate!

Late night dining, Rockridge, Ramen Shop

My fantasy is that my som’s father and I could have had the support we needed in order to have some late night dining at the Ramen shop in Rockridge.  They are open late, perfect for a Silicon Valley inspired couple.  Those working in Silicon Valley jobs get home late, usually after the children are fed and bathed.  The Ranen Shop is the perfect place to eat, listen to good music and connect.  They are open until 10:30PM.

Movie idea- The Notebook

I have always loved the movie, the Notebbok!  I love the house in the movie!

Doomsday for small businesses- east bay times

Is it a doomsday for small businesses? While Silicon Valley’s tech sector is thriving, cranking out IPO’s and giving more high paying jobs, the retail industry is struggling in many parts of the Bay Area to keep both boutiques and mom and pop businesses.  For example, in Oakland, the average rent  per square foot for retail space rose 9% in Oakland from 2015-2017.  Online shopping has had an affect on brick-and-mortar retail stores nationwide.  It is estimated that by 2026, it is predicted that as many as 75,000  stores will close around the country.  The e-commerce is becoming a bigger share of the retail industry.

East Bay Sunday Times
Volume 108, issue 9
“Doomsday for Small Business”
P.1,5

Dreaming- cabinporn.com

❤️  I love the website cabinporn.com!  It is perfect for dreaming with a cub of tea or coffee!

Summer 2019 County Fairs near Bay Area

We love County Fairs!  I learned to really love them from my Uncle Marvin.  Here are some of our favorite things about County Fairs!

Favorite Things....
1. All kinds of baby and little animals, I love big ones too!
2. 4-H exhibits, and imagining my son’s projects and initials if we had lived in the country
3.  Watching people eat the new fried food crazes, I love watching people eat fried Oreos!
4.  Smelling kettle corn, it reminds me of someone I used to bring kettle corn too, as a gift
5.  Quilts and sewing projects
6.  Old time craft displays such as blacksmithing, candlemaking, wood shop, etc.  I imagine having a space space in an old barn for my children to do these crafts
7.  Looking at pies, cakes, and other desserts, watching my son find the best chocolate chip cookie ever!
8. Night lights, concerts,   and remembering ride I have been on before and don’t want to go on again!
9.  Hearing the squeals of laughter from children
10.  Remembering my Uncle Marvin who went to the local county fair near our family farm every year and always talked about the fried chicken made from the church ladies!

County Fairs near the San Francisco Bay Area:

June 8-16   San Mateo County Fair

June 27-30. Solans County Fair

July 3-7  Marin County Fair

June 14- July 7. Alameda County Fair

August 1-4. Santa Clara County Fair

August 1-11  Sonoma County Fair

August 15-25. Himboldt County Fair.

September 11-15. Santa Cruz County Fair

I will keep adding as I find out about more!

Movie Recommendation- On Golden Pond

The movie, On Golden Pond, is an old favorite!

Movies- A Christmas Wish, an old bungalow favorite

Thos is a favorite holiday in June movie for me, as it is about a mama bear trying to protect the home of her cubs.  MRth Evans finds herself homeless with her children just a week before Christmas, after her husband leaves unexpectedly without saying goodbye.  She has to put her trust in a group of strangers and learns to look at love, home, and trust in a new and unexpected way.

The Holiday
2006
Lions gate
A Christmas Wish
Starring Kristy Swanson and Tess Harper