Winter White

What a semester! These last few weeks have been challenging, but it is an unending privilege to do what I love each and every day. I hope that as 2016 comes to a close, you're all feeling the same way about your work—whether that's coordinating weddings and designing floral arrangements, tackling problems that will change the world (or one little piece of it), volunteering to help others, or taking care of your families. 

After a lighting-fast trip to Tulsa for a beautiful winter wedding, I'm absolutely thrilled to be spending our first holiday in Michigan—we'll have a white Christmas for sure! I've planned the two-day menu, though admittedly I haven't shopped for a thing yet. Just one exam to grade and a last assignment to submit before I can devote myself to tree-trimming and listening to Aaron Neville on repeat. Wishing you all a lovely holiday!

 

Image by @suertj.

Birthday

Celebrating a big birthday tonight in Seattle with my hard-working husband, and so looking forward to popping a bottle of bubbly before the fall semester starts! 

P.S. If you're in the Pacific Northwest, please join us at a recital of Die schöne Müllerin this weekend
(it's the real reason we're in town).

Image by Nadine Greeff.

Cheers!

We're off to Omaha for Indian food, California wines, and to celebrate the marriage of our dear friends. Join me in raising a glass to the soon-to-be-weds, and cheers for a fabulous weekend!

Image by Jose Villa Fine Art Photography.

Belonging

Hi friends-it's been a while! But with finals finished and the holidays near, I thought we could catch up. Just imagine we're all cozied up with a cup of cocoa, or a Champagne coupe!

The end of the semester was a sprint to the finish, but it seems impossible that I've already checked off one semester of graduate school. The transition has been harder than I imagined, and homesickness for a place I only really started to like in the last year or so will occasionally hit me like a truck. I am reminded frequently how important routine and structure are to me, and so when I'm not reading wildly (I'm averaging about 100 library books checked out at any given time), I am trying to nurture a sense of normalcy. The bad news is that it takes time. The good news is that we have lots of that.

We're heading to DFW later than usual this year and heading back soon after because classes start the first week in January. My bag will, as usual, be packed with books-on Mark Morris, dance philosophy, musical form. And no matter how hard it's been to leave a job, a team, a place I adored, every time I crack open a  new book, I know I'm exactly where I'm meant to be. That's what I would give to each and every one of you, darling readers, this holiday season: the feeling that wherever you are, it's where you belong. Because you do.

Tell me, what are your holiday plans this year? Are you jetting someplace warm, hosting your first holiday fête or Christmas dinner, or making a cross-country effort to be with your nearest and dearest?

Image via Henry's Christmas Tree Farm.

A New Place

 Well, not surprisingly, I have not been the most diligent blogger in recent weeks (months). Chalk it up to adjusting to a new city, a new state, and an entirely different day-to-day. Also trying to read hundreds of pages every week. But in many ways, I feel like we're finding our stride. We can drive to the grocery store without directions, and nod knowingly when someone mentions a major thoroughfare. We have established our routines, and I am not completely paralyzed by fear every time I begin an assignment or write an email. I can find a University building-with the help of a map!

But we're adjusting to this place in fits and spurts, and I'll admit that John's far better at this than I. I miss our old apartment, and its gorgeous light. I miss knowing where to find the best croissants (Tartine, bien sûr!) even if I rarely dragged myself across town to get them. I miss the chais and the juices and the salads and the produce. Oh, the produce! And I miss my teams-our closest friends, my professional pals, and a city full of reasonably like-minded people who share the knowledge of a place. I wouldn't say we've quite found that yet. But I'm certain that, in time, we will. And in the meantime, I feel really lucky to have John as my partner in every sense of the word.

But tell me, how are you? How has fall been treating you?

Image by Trent Bailey Photography.

Back to School

Hello from Michigan!

We've arrived, unpacked our boxes, and survived the crush of emotions, frustrations and weight-lifting that moving demands. I made it through theory and ear training placement exams, and am registered for classes, which start today. We're still very much fish out of water, but at least now we know where the Brita pitcher is, so to speak. And with September arrived and school now in session, I can't help but dream of bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils, shiny back-to-school loafers and football games in the crisp autumn air.

Tell me, what have you been up to?

Image by M and J Photography.

We're Moving!

It's been in the works for a while, but I'm finally ready to share our big news-we're moving to Michigan!

Why would an East Coaster and her Texan leave San Francisco and relocate to the Midwest, you might ask? Since graduating with my Masters a few years ago, I've wanted to study musicology. In fact, in my first job interview, I was asked what I planned to be doing five years from then; I confidently replied that I would be enrolled in a doctoral program studying musicology. This February will mark five years from that conversation, and I'm so thrilled to say that I'm exactly where I'd hoped I would be.

For some time, John and I have felt ready to leave San Francisco, but now that we're just a few weeks from our departure date, we have mixed emotions about saying goodbye to the city where we've lived since college. We'll miss the incredible California produce and our favorite local shops. We'll be sad to say farewell to San Francisco City Hall where we tied the knot five years ago, and to the community we've built in the years since. It will break our hearts to wave goodbye to the dear friends we've made here. But despite how difficult it will be to leave, I feel so lucky to be pursuing my passion, and to have a partner who supports me in that.

I don't know quite what's in store for the future of A Crimson Kiss, but I would imagine the next few weeks will be radio silent as we trek, unpack and settle in. This will always be a place where I come to find inspiration, so while you might not see a daily post, I can promise you haven't seen the last of the loveliness in this space!

So it's onto a new adventure, a new state, a new job, a new beginning!

Photo of South Manitou Island, MI by Weber Photography. 

Coming Home

The month of May flew by faster than any other in my entire life, but after a few whirlwind weeks, I'm finally feeling like I have both feet under me. I'll share more about the wedding festivities soon, but in the meantime, here's what we've been up to for the past month. 

After hosting a rooftop BBQ as an early birthday celebration for John (and serving up slices of leftover wedding cake), we both discovered how exhausted and overwhelmed we were when we both came down with viruses: mine stomach, his sinus. Pro tip: fainting the week before your wedding in a restaurant is also a fair sign that you should be incorporating more sleep and meditation into your routine. Instead of a laid-back Mexican fiesta with our immediate families to celebrate John's big day, we spent it in our pajamas feeling pretty crummy, but we couldn't help but grin at each other. What's marriage for if not taking care of each other when you're feeling low? 

Recovery was slow, but with a series of weekend concerts at UCDavis the next weekend, John didn't have much time to waste. It seemed like before I knew it, we were organizing house concerts and driving North for a weekend of Schubert. Davis was charming, the performances were a terrific success and if I hadn't dashed into work on Monday to wrap up as much as possible before our honeymoon, it would have made the perfect start to our Mexican getaway. But of course, real life often intervenes, and I was so very happy to finally put my OOO message up and cozy up to my guy.

We spent a little over a week in Mexico, and true to form, I snapped not a single photograph (but you can check out some vintage Hipstamatic snapshots from our first trip). Little has changed at Hotel Secreto, though we were initially surprised to see our favorite taco shop had been transformed into a Mediterranean restaurant. After the shock wore off, we found plenty of delicious guacamole and no shortage of tequila. We spent our mornings eating fresh fruit, our days sipping margaritas poolside slathered in SPF 100, our afternoons napping on the balcony and our evenings dining alfresco. And by the end of the trip, I was both sad to leave paradise behind and eager to get back to our cozy apartment-the sign of a perfect vacation in my book.

But of course, that's not all this month has held; one day after our return, John headed down to Texas to spend some time with his family before his brother starts basic training this week. So now that June has arrived, what I'm most looking forward to is getting back into our routine, and catching up with all of you!

Image by Clayton Austin, gown by Oscar de la Renta, white bouquet by Flowers on Chestnut.

Two Weeks

 With less than two weeks before the big day, there are favor bags to fill, pink lipsticks to purchase and the small matter of writing our vows. So I'm going to sign off for a bit - but don't worry, I'll be back soon with a snapshot or two to share! I can't wait to tell you all about the big day, but in the meantime, thank you for following along for all these years! xoxo

Image by Elisa Bricker Photography, bouquet from Nature Composed by Jenn Pineau,
cakes by Maliha Creations.

Reflections on a Wedding

With less than 50 days until John and I tie the knot (again), I thought it was high time I share our progress and some of the things we've learned along the way.

One of the most interesting things about planning this celebration has been the realization of the shift in my personal aesthetic over the last few years. Those of you reading this blog for years have seen it, and anyone who visited our first Baltimore apartment knows how different our home looks now. My hyper-romantic style and John's modernist bent have blended into something traditional, classic and clean. My blog has changed over the years, too, and I think the latest incarnation of A Crimson Kiss represents my love of distilled elegance. 

So despite all the empirical evidence available to me about what we'd want our wedding to look like, it was a bit uncomfortable to declare in such a big, unchangeable, eternal way that this is us. Because you don't exactly get to redo letterpress invitations. And when I came home on Saturday night and discovered our gorgeous stationery suite waiting to be stamped and sent to our nearest and dearest, I felt such excitement and confidence - because it felt like seeing those years of blending our furniture, our families, and ourselves on paper. It was the best moment of wedding planning yet.

Image by Elisa Bricker, green and gray rose bouquet by Beehive Events.

2015

We were hosting an early Christmas celebration a few weeks ago with our dear friends, and someone asked the group to share our New Year's Resolutions. I've always been staunchly opposed to making resolutions; I believe that if you'd like to change or accomplish something, you should start today, and strive each day to live your best life. But as she spoke about her goals in the coming year, which were less about hitting the gym and more about being intentional in her relationships, I was struck by the power of a new year to transform our perspectives. 

I've been away these last few weeks, and really appreciated the shift that time has given me. I wasn't anxious about whether or not a photo would be re-pinned, or stressed to get everything in order for the coming week. I found that I missed sharing beautiful images with my wonderful readers, and yearned for the creative outlet this place brings. What felt like a distraction at the bottom of my to-do list (to say nothing of the pressures of blogging in the midst of wedding planning!) quickly became a welcome project, and I am so excited for everything this year will bring: beautiful inspiration on the blog, exciting new projects, renewing our wedding vows. 2015, I can't wait to do this thing with you.

Tell me, what are you looking forward to in 2015?

Image by Brumley & Wells, wintery bouquet by Love this Day Events.

Happy Holidays!

Whatever you celebrate and whoever you're spending it with, I hope you're having a very merry holiday!

Image by Celine Kim Photography.

À tout à l'heure

Oh, what a wonderful weekend-I hope you all had an absolutely fabulous few days away!

I kicked off the holiday by heading out of the office a bit early-and headed straight home to bake up a pile of pies. There was one apple, featuring Arkansas Blacks, a bourbon-pecan and two pumpkin (because they're my favorite fall breakfast). With our oven already warm and most of the evening taken up with pies, John and I decided to roast some root vegetables for an autumn salad; dressed in a mustard vinaigrette and topped with a warm poached egg, it was the perfect simple supper. We headed to bed early, eager to get a jump start on the long weekend.

We woke up early on Thursday, but without a turkey to roast or potatoes to peel, we had the day free to do as we pleased-which mostly meant practicing, reading and writing. We took a long stroll down to the beach, since Thanksgiving always seems to be sunny and warm in San Francisco, and after preparing John's traveling cocktail kit, we headed to the site of our fabulous feast. With our families far away, I feel so blessed to have been adopted by our dear friends and his parents-this was our second Thanksgiving celebration with them, and it was such an honor to have been included. After drinks of John's creation (I'll share a few in the coming weeks!), we sat down to a truly incredible meal. We watched the last quarter of the Giants-Seahawks game (our hosts hail from Portland, after all) and then played a giggle-inducing game of Balderdash before heading home. The red wine and the roast turkey had John and I both feel pretty snoozy, and we fell asleep before the opening West Wing credits ever played.

It's been a long time since John and I had a whole weekend to ourselves, and without any all-consuming deadlines, so to tell the truth, we spent a lot of time curled up together. There were leftovers for breakfast on Friday morning and Indian food for dinner, and a lot of President Bartlett and practice in between. John worked on Saturday, so I spent most of the time at the computer putting on a coat of polish, and we made another roasted root vegetable salad that evening before John and I made some tremendous progress on his tremolo technique. My guy was up at 6 on Sunday for a long run, but he was home and showered in plenty of time to grab empanadas and Americanos from Hollow. Saturday night's rain kept coming on Sunday, so we curled up in our cable knits and sipped spiced cider while we ticked things off our to-do lists. And late Sunday afternoon, we cooked homemade gnocchi for one of my favorite rainy-day suppers, and I thought of my grandfather, who loved them, too. After a pretty demanding few weeks, it felt wonderful to kick back a bit, even if there was still plenty accomplished between couch-cuddling sessions.


Tell me, how was your holiday weekend? Did you host your first Thanksgiving, catch up with old friends, finish up your holiday shopping, or just begin it? I want to hear all about it! 

As for the title of this post, I am taking a brief blogging hiatus to focus on a big project this month-I can't wait to share more details soon! Don't worry-I haven't lost my love of weddings, or sharing them with you. I'll still be posting from time to time, but I'll be back in a big way come the New Year. In the meantime, wishing you all a happy, healthy, joyous holiday!

With love, 

Lena


Image by Jose Villa, styling by Easton Events.

Subtle Shine

We're already up this morning and headed to the airport-we're flying to Boston for my very oldest friend's wedding, and I couldn't be more excited to celebrate with her!

These Lake Como portraits are absolutely spectacular. 

I've found myself drawn to chic urban fêtes recently, and this one is simply divine.

This ballet shoot by Amy Osaba is a perfect tribute to my bestie and our years together in dance class.

The Princetonian in me just can't say no to this charming, organic celebration.

This dramatic Icelandic elopement is breathtaking.

"Subtle Shine" invitation by Magnolia Press for Wedding Paper Divas.

Labor Day

Enjoying one more quiet morning by the sea-hope you've all been having a beautiful weekend, and see you tomorrow!

Image by Elaine Palladino.

Fête

It may be Monday, but I have no intention of letting that spoil my birthday celebrations-I'm thinking cake for breakfast, a gift or two to myself and a romantic dinner with my husband!

Tell me, what are your birthday traditions? Do you love donuts, indulge in BBQ or toast with Champagne, perhaps?

Image by Katie Stoops, lemon-coconut cake by A Pimento Catering.

Married!

 
Today, John and I are celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary. We've been married for 48 months, 208 weeks, 1,461 days-and I've never been happier. But perhaps I should back up and start at the beginning.

Four years ago, we were living in San Francisco, far from our families and life-long friends. We'd been together for four years, and one day, when thinking about taxes or health insurance or something equally romantic, I half-jokingly suggested that John and I get married to take advantage of some of the financial perks. And John unexpectedly said, "That's actually a pretty good idea." We started talking about all the very practical reasons that couples marry rather than simply commit, but it was also an incredibly romantic idea-we could elope at City Hall, be our own little family, share a tremendous secret. We both knew we'd want a wedding someday, but it wasn't the right time for us to throw a big celebration. So we headed to City Hall on a sunny Thursday afternoon, me in that red polka dot dress you spy in my About photo, John in his favorite navy suit and a red and navy striped tie. After saying our "I do's" before the judge, we strolled into Hayes Valley where we picked up a chocolate cupcake with raspberry buttercream from Miette and the most expensive bottle of Champagne we could (hardly) afford from Arlequin. We spent the rest of the afternoon grinning at each other before heading to dinner at-perhaps you guessed it-our favorite Indian restaurant! The staff there were the first people to know we'd tied the knot, and dinner was an incredible celebration.

But to avoid hurt feelings and disappointed family and friends, we agreed we'd keep our marriage a secret, at least for a while. Quickly though, I learned that my new husband was terrible at keeping our big news under wraps. Only weeks after our clandestine vows, John had told his parents, and soon I confessed to my mom. The secret slowly leaked, and was made even more confusing to some when we announced our engagement-and then never made any move to marry. Truthfully, the first few years of our marriage were incredibly challenging, and sometimes it was a relief not to have everything about our relationship out in the open. And then one day, John looked at me and said, "I want to wear a wedding band. I want the whole world to see that symbol of our commitment." From that moment on, we stopped keeping the secret-and with our fourth anniversary today, it seemed like the perfect time to make the announcement to all of you!


And there's more big news-John and I are planning a five year anniversary celebration to fête our marriage with family and friends here in San Francisco! I can't wait to share details of the planning process-everything from the venue to the dress, the flowers, the favors and the papers. I'm so excited to finally share the news with you all, and I can't wait to toast our four year anniversary with my husband tonight!


Image by Amalie Orrange Photography.

Happy Holidays!

My baby brother just arrived in DFW and my Mama's close on his heels, so I'm signing off for the week. I'll be taking this time to celebrate the holidays with family and friends, but I'll be back before the New Year with one gorgeous week of inspiration you won't want to miss. Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday, and all the best in 2014-cheers!

Labor Day

I'm taking today to soak up the last rays of summer this Labor Day (here's hoping San Francisco is sunny!); I hope that whatever you're doing today, you're enjoying it! 

Image by Melissa Schollaert Photography.

Vibrant (aka Birthday Weekend Wrap Up)

I tripped out of the office as early as I could on Friday-it was my birthday weekend, after all! I picked up John at school and after a quick clean up (and warmer clothes for me), we headed out for something other than Indian food. There was already a 45 minute wait at Nopalito when we arrived at half past six, but the hostess managed to find us a perfect little corner of the bar where we sipped mezcal cocktails, snacked on totopos con chile and duck enchiladas and shared a savory sweet tamale for dessert. After dinner we took a foggy stroll through Golden Gate Park, feeling particularly lucky. 

We were up early the next morning; John stretched his legs while I cooked a simple breakfast of poached eggs over avocado toast, and after running a few errands and a light lunch, we tackled the house-including my birthday presents (you know you're getting older when you want throw pillows and side tables), which we unwrapped and lovingly placed in their proper places. After an adorable animal documentary and a short nap, John put on his seersucker suit and headed off to play a wedding in Alameada while I blogged and read. I threw on my yoga clothes when John wasn't home quite as early as I'd have liked, but we dug into a new recipe for charred corn tacos the moment he got home. Curled up in bed with a comedy was the only place I wanted to be, and when we realized it was a little after midnight, John sang "Happy Birthday" to this drowsy girl! 

John was up early on Sunday morning and let me sleep in while he took off for a run; when he got back we both hopped in some clothes and headed off in search of breakfast. Long lines kept us from a new restaurant whose Eggs Benedict I've been meaning to try, but we ended up at a copper-topped table at Chez Maman sharing a breakfast that beat our highest hopes for the morning. After a stroll around Hayes Valley, including a birthday cake stop at Miette and another espresso shot at Ritual, we headed home for a quiet afternoon of snuggling and reading (plus napping for John). A long walk helped us work up an appetite for Indian food, and we headed to the restaurant with a bottle of bubbles and coupe glasses. My baby brother joined us for a feast, and a slice of birthday cake with coffee after, and once we were curled back in bed, John and I reminisced about the past year and everything we're looking forward to in the future.

It wasn't an easy year (in fact, I think it might go down as one of the most challenging!), but I
I've come out on the other side so much stronger and happier, and your friendships and support meant so much to me during it all. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Image by Jen Huang Photography, bouquet by Kelly Kaufman Floral Design.