Fall fashion trend: Mixed leather

Faux leather sleeve sweatshirt

ASOS leather mini skirt

J.Crew leather sleeve shirt

Leather patch sweater from UO

UO leather pocket cardigan

I've been seeing a lot of mixed leather while online browsing. I think it looks great paired with other solid fabrics, and is a major trend this fall. My favorite is the leather patch ivory sweater from UO. Adding it to my wishlist now.

Orange Sky

The sky was beautiful tonight. It cast an orange glow on the ground. Then it started to rain softly.

Fact: Dogs love Kongs

Especially when filled with peanut butter. Roxy is at her most focused and determined state of mind when she has her Kong.

Bay Bridge makeover

This past week, the Bay Bridge has been closed in order to connect the new east span portion that will open on Tuesday. The Bay Bridge is getting a makeover as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, that caused the upper deck to collapse, exposing a weak point in its structural design. The original bridge began construction during the Great Depression in 1933, and opened in 1936 (fun fact: six months before the Golden Gate Bridge). The eight-mile bridge was the largest and most expensive bridge during the time, and was considered a "man-made wonder." What's crazy is how many people cross this bridge every day... an average of 280,000 people!

In honor of this famous bridge, here are a few historical photos:

(source)

And here is the new east span, running parallel to the original.

(source)

It's amazing what humans are capable of building. The pictures of the men at the very top of the bridge give me slight anxiety!

Also, what is going to happen to the gremlin?

My Fall wardrobe wishlist

Currently coveting the following:

This polka dot blouse

Madewell tote

Cable knit poncho sweater

Wildflower cowl scarf

Distressed jeans from J.Crew

Oversized gold sweater

Genuine leather Frye boots

A girl can dream. I want those boots the most.

Tufted headboard

Cameron and I made a tufted headboard for our bedroom. It was a joy and also a giant pain to put this thing together [the joy part being mostly at the end]. We ran into a few snags with using pegboard, and in hindsight we would have rather used plywood, because the staples in the back would not stay put from the glue and particle in the board. We found ways around it, and all in it was a success. We are very happy with the way it turned out. 

The great thing about building it yourself is the cost difference. We spent a total of about $150 on all the materials, and a tufted headboard from Crate and Barrel these days is $1,000! The tutorial we used can be found here. 

It is nice to have a comfortable and plush headboard while sitting in bed, and it makes the room look more cozy. We are thinking about getting a new duvet cover and pillows to match with the color of the fabric, and hang a nice piece of art above the bed to complete the look. 

Alameda, The Island City

Sunday morning I drove up to Alameda to visit my good friend, Laura. I had never been to this island in the bay, just a short bridge away from Oakland. Oakland just east of Alameda, is very run-down but as soon as you cross the bridge on High Street, you immediately are greeted with lush trees, and adorable quaint Victorian houses. Laura grew up and went to high school here, and it was cool to drive by her high school, and see her old stomping grounds.

We walked to Cafe Q to eat breakfast, and catch up. The food was good and the atmosphere was cute, with mint green walls, and modern art. Afterward, she drove me around the coastline, and we visited the naval base to see the San Francisco skyline across the bay. We grabbed some boba tea, and it was time for her to get ready for her matinee playing at the local theater. It is always great to catch up with an old friend, especially on a beautifully warm and sunny day. Also, aren't those Victorian houses gorgeous?