Thursday, March 31, 2011

More San Francisco Photos



I still have about 100 photos that I have not posted from my San Francisco trip 3 weeks ago. This is Cafe Zoetrope and owned by the famous director "Francis Ford Coppola". If I remember right it is located in the Italian district.....now that would make sense!!!



Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Happy Birthday Ivy



What a blessing you have "always" been in my life. What a blessing you are to others! You are the most wonderful daughter, mother, grandaughter, wife and auntie!

Jenny Bracken says don't forget "most wonderful friend" Awe..........

Thank you for always being a wonderful example of Christ for me and everyone that passes your way. You are truly blessed with your sweet family!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The Love For My Daughter

Happy Birthday ...........My Dear Sweet Adorable Daughter Ivy

What a wonderful woman

You've turned out to be

What a proud Mother

You have made me



What a privilege I've had

Watching you grow

You're thoughful and kind

You have a good soul



You're always aware of

The feelings of others around

You are of strong character

With both feet on the ground

Henli Turns Three....How Can That Be?

My sweet little grandaughter Henli turned three this past weekend so I traveled north to spend a few days. I just do not know where the time goes! It seems like just yesterday I was there for her birth. She is the sweetest little angel and she and her Nana have the best time together. I love her so much! I love all my grandbabies so much. Who knew you could love "more" than your own children? Isn't love wonderful? It just grows and grows...........






Aunt Becky and one of the twins......hmmmm guessing it's Jenny!



Oh my gosh.......where do I even start the opening?




Daddy lighting the cake....I love her expression here!





Notice the cute cupcake hair band mommy made for her.



She is our happy happy sweet loving girl!


The twins were both sick with colds and the poor babies had such a hard time sleeping but I was able to get this cute pic of baby Claire.

Pink Lemonade Pie With Coconut



Oh My Gosh! This is the most delicious pie..........I picked up this recipe from my bloggy friend Pammy from over at "Scotty's Place" and decided I would make it while at my daughters this past weekend. My sweet little Henli and I had the best time together whipping them up.



Of course Henli had to add her own personal touch with Jelly Beans! One for the pie and then three for her!



Recipe: 8 oz cream cheese (softened) 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk 12-oz can frozen pink lemonade concentrate * 3/4 to 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (plus some to sprinkle on top) Two 8-oz tubs of Cool Whip or one large. Red Food Coloring. Two Shortbread Pie Crust Shells

*Note: I only use about 3/4 of the lemonade concentrate because I think it’s too sour with the full 12 oz.

Combine first four ingredients with an electric mixer. Add 4-5 drops of red food coloring (color will lighten considerably once you add the Cool Whip). Fold in the Cool Whip until combined well. Pour into pie shells and top with more coconut. You can decorate it with some jelly beans if you’d like. They look cute on there nestled in the coconut. Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight. This pie is good frozen too! Thanks Pammy for sharing your wonderful recipe! I could not find the shortbread pie shells....Next time I would use a graham cracker crust!

Monday, March 28, 2011

San Francisco Financial District

This area is amazing! You name it...you can find it here....Every store imaginable! Last year we stayed close and found the most incredible cupcake shoppe! Yummy!



We are the reflection! This is us on the little sight seeing tram looking at the Prada Store!





Biggest Macy's I have ever seen!




Ever heard of this store? yeah........me neither!

Friday, March 25, 2011

San Diego Zoo

My Sweet sweet sweet Lit'l Wynter at the Zoo! How cute is she?
She is such a happy little thing and loves the animals.


A couple of weeks ago before my son-in-law Joe started his new job the kids decided to take a road trip to San Diego for a weekend.





Mackenzie and Joe with their new friend! I 'll bet that water was sure cold. (giggles)




Wildlife...............on a leash! Wow













My precious little Butterfly and Worm...........................






Thursday, March 24, 2011

Jax o Hatz



Located on Mason Street is this adorable Hat Shoppe. I have not seen a hat shoppe in years and I was so excited that I wanted to "lunge" off the little site seeing tram and run inside. I guess it's a good thing the shoppe was closed. Please enlarge the photo to see these two incredible pieces of art in her window!


Jacqueline 'JAX' Ryan is JAX o HATZ. Jax is a Fifth Generation San Franciscan. As a child she remembers taking shopping trips with her Grandmother, Mother and two older sisters every year in the Spring that began by taking the N Judah streetcar downtown to Market and Powell; a quick stop at Woolworths candy counter; a cable car ride up to visit her great-uncle in his x-ray office at 450 Sutter; then a few blocks west to The City of Paris and The Big "E" to purchase Easter outfits... with the perfect bonnet of course! Thus began her love affair with hats...

Please visit her website here: http://www.jaxhatz.com/

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Fairmont Hotel



What a treat to enter the Fairmont! This is one of the most amazing hotels I have ever been in! Mom and I had the best time going in and just wandering around. The guests were amazing too.... women in the most beautiful hats I have ever seen. I will just bet some of these hats were designed by "Jax o Hatz"! This hotel is definitely for the rich and not necessarily the famous! For a small moment in time....well you know!




The Fairmont San Francisco is a luxury hotel at 950 Mason Street, atop Nob Hill in San Francisco, California. The hotel was named after mining magnate and U.S. senator James Graham Fair (1831-1894), by his daughters Theresa Fair Oelrichs and Virginia Fair Vanderbilt who built the hotel in his honour. The hotel is the original in the portfolio of the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and has been featured in many films, including Petulia and The Rock. Exterior images of the structure were used as stand-ins for the fictional St. Gregory Hotel in the 1983 television series, Hotel.







The hotel was nearly completed before the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Although the structure survived, the interior was heavily damaged by fire, and opening was delayed until 1907. Architect and engineer Julia Morgan was hired to repair the building because her then-innovative use of reinforced concrete produced buildings that could withstand earthquakes and other disasters.





Just for fun I just checked the availability for tonite, 3/24 and the rate is $209! That is affordable for sure..... Guess I will just need a hat to fit in... We chose to stay at Fisherman's Wharf this trip and it was very convenient for us........we walked everywhere.



Yeah.....I know this photo is fuzzy, but what the heck, you can still see the cool pillows.
(giggles)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Boudin's Bakery


Located at Fisherman's Wharf and established in 1849 is this incredible bakery! I still cannot figure out how we missed this little jewel last visit. Needless to say that we ate here everday and had the clam chowder served in a sour dough bread bowl. We had to buy one of the cheesy jalapeno rolls to then dip into it. Let me just say "Best Meal Ever at The Wharf".



How cute are these loaves of bread. There is a huge window that you can watch them create all these little darlings!





Alligators.... lobsters..... and Bears oh my!



Let's see......I'll have one of those and one of those and oh yes.......two of these!





If you enlarge this photo you will see the cute springtime flower measuring spoons that I got for both of my girls. They really did have the cutest stuff!





















Voted the best Chowder ever eaten by my mother and I.....





Street Performers



Last year when mom and I went to San Francisco there were alot of these street musicians on the wharf. They have tin cans for your donation... With some you get a tootsie pop or a tootsie roll. We also see them when we are in New Orleans down by the french market area.

What we didn't know and know now because we were up early this year and down in the wharf area, we found that these performers, or at least some of them .........actually live and sleep on the streets. They sleep on these benches with their little tote nearby that holds their "wardrobe and props". I guess that is how they reserve their "stage area or corner". This gentleman above is spray painting his silver coat for a new days performance.



This fella kept looking over to the man who was still asleep on the nearby bench but he eventually got going and was soon walking around in his pajamas welcoming the new day.


We soon came to recognize this man by his colorful cap. He was always in this general area at night and then one morning we saw him unloading and loading goods at the nearby Boudin's Bakery.










This fella had an old violin but making "beautiful" music.