Even before I was named Matron of Honour, I was busy pinning away pretty things on Pinterest. I’m currently coveting coral and any light pink hues. Perfect for an outdoor garden bridal shower.

one / two / three / four

The post matron of honour… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.

I’m sure I’m not the only one that gets nostalgic around their birthday . Shortly after my 27th birthday, I created a “life list”- a collection of goals I want to achieve in my life. I remember when I created it, with the intention that it would be a place I would check into often and tick off done items. Instead, the “life list” has been buried amongst thousands of files on my computer and has been opened only once since it was originally created.

I’m going into my 29th year with the optimism of getting some of those “life list” items crossed off. I was recently tipped off about Go Mighty- “…a place to outline your goals and dreams, track your progress toward checking them off, and find inspiration to challenge your personal status quo.”  Hopefully moving it online and into a space where I will get reminder alerts and emails will encourage me to work more towards those goals.

The post turning 29 + making lists… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.

I love this rubber stamp print over at Emmadime. Although a bit messy, it looks like an easy way to get some new art up in an afternoon.

Head over to Emmadime for the full DIY details.

The post diy to try… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.

Portland’s Stumptown Coffee is a rare find in San Francisco. Luckily for me, I work a block away from a café that has it! Ma’velous Coffee & Wine Bar is tucked in a small spot on Market Street between 10th and 11th. When I realized my ‘in the know’ friends didn’t know it was there, I knew I had to share the wealth.

The interior is dark and lined with semi-private booths and tables that are perfect for an off-site work meeting.

Ma’velous’ baristas know their stuff so if you aren’t sure what to get, just ask for recommendations. They do public cupping every couple of weeks, so keep an eye out for signs at the cash area for the next one.

My go to drink? A small soy latte.

The post stumptown coffee in san francisco… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.

Last Sunday was a scorcher in San Francisco (~26c/78f) so we knew we had to head out and enjoy the sun. One of our favourite weekend stops is Philz Coffee. It is hard to brave the lines on weekday mornings and it just tastes better when you aren’t in a rush.

After ordering our usuals (him- Tesora, me- Ecstatic Iced), we started on our walk. The South of Market neighborhood is generally pretty quiet on the weekends, but Folsom Street still has a busy vibe with lots of brunch spots and shops open.

We made a stop at SoMa StrEatfood Park to get a snack. The food truck park is packed on Sundays and has a really fun atmosphere. Lots of families, live music and of course, bottomless mimosas! The toughest part about going there is choosing where to eat amongst all of the trucks. We finally settled on Old World Food Truck which specializes in Eastern European and Jewish Soul Food.

We ordered pierogis and fried pickles to share. Although the wait was exceptionally long for food truck fare, the sauce and toppings on the pierogis were well worth it.

We continued on our walk and made our way into The Mission. Because we have done this walk so many times, new graffiti, sign changes and a fresh coat of paint rarely go unnoticed.

We headed to ‘our spot’ in Dolores Park for a well deserved lie down in the park. To say it was busy would be a HUGE understatement.

Because the park was so busy, it was less relaxing than we had anticipated. After a couple of hours of people watching, we decided to head back to SoMa but first get another snack along the way.

Curry Up Now opened their first brick & mortar location last month. Martin was craving their ‘sexy fries’- sweet potato fries covered in chicken curry, onions and cheese so we stopped in. Think Indian style poutine with crunchy raw onions on top. Hits the spicy and junk food cravings with one dish.

Good food, perfect weather and quality time with my favourite person. It was a great Sunday.

The post sunday funday… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.

I’m going to Alt Summit NYC! I have been dying to attend an Alt Summit since I started blogging 2 years ago and can’t wait to see the line up of speakers and workshops.

Besides being held in one of my favourite cities (hello, NYC!), I’m excited to meet like-minded people and learn more about what it takes to be a good blogger. I’m not the best at connecting with other bloggers offline and hope that ALT NYC will be the push I need to get more involved in San Francisco.

Are you heading to ALT NYC? Fellow ALT Summit newbie MJ has created a Pinterest board of attendees. It’s a great heads up on who else will be there too!

The post alt summit nyc… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.

I had been wanting to check out Machine Coffee and Deli since the Big Eat 2013 list had been released to try the ‘Crankshaft’ tuna melt. Of course I geeked out and did a little research before heading over. Machine Coffee and Deli is a small shopfront (blink and you’ll miss it!) by the people behind neighboring Show Dogs and Foreign Cinema. They serve Four Barrel coffee, breakfast goods and are known for their sandwiches.

It was a sunny Friday afternoon and I was craving some time in the sun. I ordered my Crankshaft tuna melt and the server said he would bring it over to me if I wanted to sit outside at Show Dogs. The sandwich was pretty heavy for lunch and I would definitely share it with someone if I go again. Not only was it a mayonaise based tuna salad, but there was cheese melted on both sides of the roll to tie it together. I liked the freshness of the arugula and the pickled bite of capers. If you are hungry and love tuna melts, go for it. A bit steep at $10 for the neighborhood but worth a try.

Machine Coffee and Deli
1024 Market St @ 6th St
San Francisco, CA
94103

Monday through Friday 8am – 5pm

The post machine coffee and deli… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.

via Swiss Miss

The post {design} helveticat… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.

Thanks to Birchbox’s Birchblogger program, I received a sample of Benefit’s new Fake-Up to test out and review. I use Benefit’s Erase Paste daily and was interested to see how their new concealer compared.

First thing I noticed was that Fake-Up is much easier to apply. I didn’t receive the application wand when I bought my Erase Paste last year, so I have resorted to digging in with my pinky and q-tips. Fake-Up’s lip-stick tube packaging makes the process effortless, clean and compact for travelling.

After I blended Fake-Up in with my ring finger and applied my regular Nars Liquid Foundation, there were no signs of concealer underneath. It felt really creamy and somewhat hydrating when I smoothed it on. It definitely has something to do with the clear vitamin E and apple seed extract in the product ingredient breakdown. I did notice that I had to apply more concealer than usual as it isn’t as concentrated with pigment.

Benefit’s Fake-Up is available on birchbox.com for $24 with free shipping.

The post benefit fake-up… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.

In addition to its daily musings, The Bold Italic has a growing online shop featuring local artists, gift ideas and fun prints. I love this San Francisco map silk scarf collaboration between The Bold Italic and Jennifer Maravillas.

Scarves are essential in San Francisco’s climate and I never leave home without one draped around my neck. I like the size of this silk number and the wide range of colors means you can wear it with almost everything.

I know $120 is steep for a scarf, but it is 100% silk and completely timeless. At least that is what I keep trying to convince myself.

The post {style} san francisco scarf… appeared first on Sparkling and Sweet.