Bay Area Craigslist Finds

Here's another roundup of my favorite recent Craigslist listings.  If you're in the Bay Area, snatch something up :) Otherwise, I hope this is some inspiration for your own thrifting.

If I had any space I would snatch up this set of chairs ASAP - $50 is a great deal.  They would be perfect in a bachelor pad and I love the idea of dining chairs on wheels.  I'd probably switch out the table for something a bit more modern and light, but you might even be able to paint the table that comes with the set.

"Pair" is one of my favorite Craigslist/Craiggers search terms.   It always comes up with great sets of matching chairs and tables.   A pair of chairs can be perfect to tie together a room, or it can be nice to have a backup if you're trying out a new project (I have a second version of this chair so I can perfect my upholstery)

This $50 pair of peachy wingback chairs look like they're in great condition.  They could read slightly grandma-y but I think with the right accessories, they could also work in a totally modern girly living room.

I'm a huge fan of campaign furniture because I loev the simple shapes and brass details.   At $200, this dresser isn't a total steal, but it's beautiful classic piece.

A friend was looking for a trunk recently and this one is perfectly worn.  It still provides plenty of storage, and could easily function as coffee table with a couple of trays on top.

Happy Hunting!

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Weekend Recap - Heading North

I had a lovely weekend here in San Francisco and beyond.   We finally got some nice weather, and by escaping north, we actually got some warm sun!   It was a close friend's last weekend in San Francisco, so we celebrated with pink drinks, time outside, and lots of tasty Italian food.

We spent Saturday afternoon at Bar Bocce in Sausalito.  It was my first there and it was the perfect spot for an afternoon hang outside of the city.  We spent a couple of lovely hours outside by the water enjoying delicious food and a couple of competitive bocce ball games.

On Sunday, we ventured even further north.  In Healdsburg, we browsed antique shops (I'll share some finds later this week), stopped in fabric store,  tasted wine, and enjoyed the heat.  

Here is a photo a friend snapped at the fabric store of me among my favorite color. 

Then, a friend took us up to Catelli's in Geyserville, were we had a lovely late lunch outside by the garden.  The food at Catelli's  was delicious, and I will definitely be back.  We had artichoke dip, truffle fries, a prosciutto and cheese plate, and fresh ravioli.  Everything was tasty but the warm sourdough bread and fresh burratta cheese were amazing!  

Here is the cheese plate:

 And, the tasty artichoke dip:

 

Then we headed home.  There was traffic on the bridge, but we made it across before the fog rolled in so it was perfectly clear. Not a bad view...

Happy Monday!

Giving an Old Pair of Shoes New Life with Leather Dye

Did you know that you could dye leather?   Clearly I like the idea of giving apparel a second life with dye, and as I was doing some spring cleaning last week,  I realized I might be able to do something similar with shoes. See, I had this very sad looking pair of yellow boots (yes,  I wore a pair of yellow boots to shreds), but I could never bear to get rid of them.  They were just so comfy and the little heel is the perfect height to wear walking around the city all day.  
Exhibit A:

I'm not even sure the photo does justice to how stained and beaten up they were.    I tried cleaning and polishing, but I just couldn't get them looking presentable.

This is where the dye comes in:  I figured if I couldn't get the stains off,  maybe I could cover them up!  After  a lot of Googling about dying leather, this seemed like a simple project I could tackle myself.  However, they also needed to be re-soled.   I figured I would take them to the cobbler to get them fixed up while I waited for the dye to arrive in the mail.  When I took them in,  I saw a sign that they dye leather.   So,  it was settled,  for just $30,  I basically got a new pair of shoes!

The results:

They're much darker than I had envisioned, because the cobbler said that dark brown or black was all that would cover up the stains.  I think they'll be great to throw on in the winter! Of course, I was so excited about them,  I threw them on today (see below)

Moral of the story is,  if you have something you love,  don't give up on it! I also had two other shoes fixed up at the cobbler(new heels and a new sole).  Clearly,  I can't let go of a good pair of shoes.

Summer Whites

One styling idea that this video didn't cover, was adding more white.  I love the crisp, summery look of an all white ensemble.

Some style photos  I've been drooling over.  Wishing I could wear this much white without a trip to the dry cleaners.

The lipstick is just the perfect bit of color.

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This white suit and photograph by Garance Dore blew me away.

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Business appropriate?

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 White really goes best with a solid (fake?) tan.

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Oh yeah,  even the princess does it.

Baking: Magic in the Middle Cookies

Yeah,  I know this is "Style-Edition" - but it's not just about fashion.   It's about injecting a little style into your life.  And in my life,  style and baking often have equal importance.

I had bookmarked these cookies a while back, because the chocolate and peanut butter combo is pretty unbeatable, and I loved the idea of surprise in the middle of an otherwise standard cookie.

They weren't quite as chocolatey as I expected, (I might try and adjust the recipe a bit next time that I try them) but we (and friends) still finished the batch in over the weekend.

Here is the recipe: 

Magic in the Middle Cookies

Cookies:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg 
1 tsp vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Filling:
2/3 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions
  
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Beat together the sugar, butter, and peanut butter until fluffy.  Stir in the egg and vanilla.  Slowly blend in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until smooth.

In a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar and peanut butter until completely combined.  

Roll the peanut butter mixture into small round balls about the size of a grape.  Scoop about a tablespoon of the chocolate batter  (I used my handy mini ice-cream scoop) and flatten it out in your hand.  Place the peanut butter ball in the middle of the chocolate, roll the chocolate around the peanut butter, and press the edges together to cover the peanut butter center. 

Roll the cookie in your hands into a smooth ball.  (I was worried that some edges might have thicker chocolate than others but since you flatten them,  it all seemed to even out nicely - see the picture below)

Roll the cookie balls in sugar and place on the cookie sheet.  Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the cookies a bit.  (This step made them into perfectly even and circular cookies which made me pretty happy.)

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until they begin to crack on top. 

Enjoy!

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