Serenity…

This picture was taken in the morning, the day after Thanksgiving. This infamous day is known as “Black Friday.” On a day when the world is running around like mad buying everything in sight that looks like a good deal, my wife and I were enjoying the peace and quite of nature. Now granted we did participate in the consumerism and ventured into one store for 50% off some paints for my wife to start painting again.

This year I have much to be thankful for. During this festive time of year take time to count your blessings and let your friends and family in your life know that they matter in your life. Be thankful in all things…

Point Bonita Lighthouse

Like it’s name describes, this truly is a beautiful point. The view from here of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge are great. This picture however was taken of the lighthouse. It was a freezing cold and dark day, but the patch of sunlight coming in behind the point made for a great kodak moment.

Now that I have much better equipment, I will be raising the bar of my photographs on this blog. So stay tuned for many more inspiring shots.

City by the Bay

This weekend was spent hiking around the Marin Headlands and spending some time in Sausalito with great friends. I recently got a new camera and have been busy testing it out. It is a huge upgrade from my previous cameras and I have much to learn still…but I am loving the process.

This picture was taken in Sausalito which offers an amazing view of the San Francisco skyline. This is one of my favorite places to view the city from because day or night, the view is spectacular.

Take a trip to this great town and check it out for yourself if you’re ever in the area.

My new life…

My life has seen a variety of large changes since I posted last. I have moved to a new city, I got a new job, and most importantly I married the woman I waited my whole life to meet. This picture was taken by our amazing photographer Josselyn Peterson.

I am fully embracing my new life and I have loved all the new changes that have come my way this year. I look forward to all that lies ahead in the new year. As this year comes to a close take time to count your blessings and be thankful for each new day of life.

Cherish the life you have been given…

Portland’s amazing street food

On a recent trip up to Portland I came across one of the best urban inventions to hit US cities in a long time…the invention of the food cart. I have had the opportunity to travel in Asia quite extensively and some of the best food I’ve had was served by vendors in small carts. This is a great invention for cities because it promotes a quick and affordable lunch alternative to the typical boring fast-food fare. It also lets small start-up chefs employ their skills and gain a following before they actually launch a restaurant of their own. It’s a great starter business for those who enjoy cooking. What impressed me was the variety of vendors. There were options for Thai, Chinese, Korean, Southern BBQ, you name it and it was available.

If you haven’t had the chance to check out Portland and its unique street food culture, be sure to do it soon. You won’t be disappointed!

Historic Spokane

Two weeks ago I flew up to Spokane to meet up with my sister and this old building downtown caught my eye. I loved the Marquee on the corner and the great brick detailing. When cities were designed back in the day, people paid attention to creating a lively mix of uses in each building to foster community in urban areas. People had the choice to live above a shop, or in a townhouse close by, or in the suburbs if they wanted. Well, thankfully cities are bringing back that vision for their downtown cores. Once run-down and dirty town centers are being cleaned up and value is once again being created in cities. This building is a great example of how cities can start developing vacant lots and breathing life back into their urban areas. Spokane is a cool city with a number of great old buildings and interesting shops and restaurants downtown. Don’t take my word for it…go check it out for yourself!

On the road again…

This past month has been full of traveling…from white-water rafting in Nevada, to road tripping across WA and OR, to driving all over the Monterey Bay area scoping out wedding locations and other details. It’s been quite an adventure, but I’m getting ready to stay put for a little bit. My fiance and I have basically planned out every detail of our wedding in one month which feels like a huge accomplishment to us. In 2.5 weeks we lined up our location, house and hotels for the wedding weekend, photographer, caterer, she got her dress, invitations finished (created by us), and table decorations figured out. Needless to say it’s been a busy and productive month. Now it’s time to catch our breath and take a quick break from wedding stuff for a bit. It’s been a fun process and I’m looking forward to the fun-filled wedding weekend ahead!

A momentous occasion

This past weekend was spent in Carmel, California. Carmel is by far my favorite beach on the entire West Coast and so it was my first choice of places to propose to the woman I have waited my whole life to meet. The proposal took place just above the beach in the evening and although it was a little foggier than I would have liked, it was still perfect. If you have been to Carmel, you know well that fog is a integral part of the town. So the fog was just an appropriate part of the setting.

My fiance, Kimberly, and I have both always wanted a beach wedding and so that is exactly what we are planning. We will be getting married along the CA coast towards the end of the summer in a small ceremony on the beach.

The upcoming months are going to be very busy with wedding preparation. We are both creative and we are going to enjoy the whole creative process of creating this day to be a reflection of who we are, what we love, and to share it with the people we love.

This image was taken on the beach the day after we were engaged.

New Design Table launch

Here is the latest addition to the furniture section of Cross Designs. For a full description of the table click here.

Amazing Pizza

For all you pizza lovers out there, this is the new pizza you need to try. I first had this pizza at a small restaurant in Sausalito, just outside of San Francisco. The version I came up with my girlfriends help is actually vegan but I just can’t leave the egg out. The basic recipe is really simple and truly amazing.

Start with any good pizza dough recipe and then put down a white sauce of your choice. The one I use is made up of mayonnaise (or vegenaise), fresh lemon juice, milk (or soymilk), and fresh garlic. Next saute thinly sliced potatoes with a little salt, pepper and italian seasoning. Next cover the pizza with potato slices and then grate cheese (or soy cheese – almond mozzarella is actually better) and bake at 550 for about 10 mins. Once you it’s finished baking remove from oven and top with a handful of fresh arugula and then finish with a cooked egg of your choice. Once it has all been assembled fold it in half and eat quickly. It’s the best pizza out there! Enjoy!