Sea La Vie Salvage

I know it's only the end of July, but I am already thinking about Christmas.  It can be overwhelming to wait until the last minute, although with stores putting out holiday decorations earlier and earlier every year, there really isn't any excuse to procrastinate.  As I begin to brainstorm ideas, I thought I'd share one of my favorite kind of gifts to give family and friends: an experience.  With the fast pace of life these days, giving someone the gift of time spent together seems both thoughtful and priceless, plus, you get to share in the fun! This past mother's day, I gave my mom a watercolor painting class at Annie Glass in Watsonville, not far from where we are building our new home.  Often these gifts of experiences end up being an extended day or evening spent as we add on lunch, dinner, and other activities.  For the watercolor class, my son, Max - freshly home from his study-abroad year in Sweden - joined us, and we turned it into a fun-filled day b...

Almost four years ago my husband and I found the most magical piece of California coastal property, and began the painstakingly long and tedious process of building our "forever home."  With the blessing of the California Coastal Commission, the Commercial Agricultural Commission, the Santa Cruz County planning department, and, most importantly, our soon-to-be neighbors, we broke ground.  We are still many months away from moving in, but already it feels like home. I will keep you updated on the progress as we begin my favorite part of selecting the finishing details!