Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week:

I.  With Cinco de Mayo on the horizon this week, I’m making Brown Sugar Shrimp Tacos with Honey Habanero Slaw. The recipe is my version of the delicious tacos at South Beach Bar & Grille in San Diego. Surprisingly healthy, the hardest part of the dish is chopping the components of the slaw – making it perfect weeknight fare. Pair with a spicy passion fruit margarita to celebrate this Thursday!

II.  My absolute favorite part of my new showroom is the living wall that we constructed for the entry area. I’m impatiently waiting for the plants to grow in (after a few weeks they will triple in size, completely covering the steel rain gutters and redwood frame we used to house them). Beyond the aesthetic appeal, living walls significantly improve air quality by purifying polluted air while releasing clean oxygen, and also reduce noise levels. There are several ways to create a vertical garden that will work for your space, just make sure you use a backing that will prevent mold from growing behind your beautiful foliage.

III.  If you haven’t already checked out this year’s Decorator Showcase you’re seriously missing out. A fundraiser for University High School, the showcase has been a major part of the interior design world since it began in 1977. Each room is curated by a different designer, including my friend Ian Stallings’ exquisite study pictured above. The showcase is open until May 30th, get your tickets in advance here.

IV.  In case you’re looking for a little comic relief to take away your Monday blues, The New Yorker published a hilarious article titled Obituaries My Mother Wrote for Me While I was Living in San Francisco in My Twenties. Touching on everything from TED Talks to Burning Man, the short pieces are a fantastic snapshot of what it’s like to be a young professional in the city.

V.  If you can’t attend the Court Appointed Special Advocates Gala benefiting abused and neglected foster children on May 13th, you can still support our city’s foster youth by attending the $50 After Party in the Ritz Ballroom. Famed San Francisco DJ Matt Haze will keep the evening going late into the night with a custom set. Plus tequila tasting, wine toss, tequila toss, and a raffle to win a super tech-chic Hermes Apple Watch. I hope that you’ll join me, no one deserves our help more than these kids.

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt