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

I. This weekend, I threw a huge birthday dinner party for one of my best girlfriends.  Lacking recent opportunity to exude overt girlishness in my decor, I decided on a palette of pink and gold for the evening.  I fell in love with the whimsical gold birch branches and hot pink birds that I used in lieu of floral centerpieces.  Recreate the look with these branches, birds, and cylinder vases.

II.  One of the most frustrating parts of starting a company that I’ve encountered thus far is business card design.  Something seemingly so straight-forward became tedious when I couldn’t find a designer who embraced my vision at an affordable cost with a fast enough turnaround time. Online paperie, Minted, solved my dilemma by offering templates that can be personalized in minutes, and shipped almost immediately. 

III.  Last night, I drove from San Francisco to Palm Springs for a little R&R.  To take advantage of the gourmet kitchen where I’m staying, I stopped at legendary Harris Ranch (California’s largest beef producer) to pick up steaks for dinner this week.  I tossed the perfectly packaged selections in the backseat, and spent the rest of the drive planning what to do with the delectable meat.  

Filet mignon tacos, marinated in soy sauce and lemon pepper, immediately came to mind.  The already mouth-watering recipe will be even more delicious with the best steak in the state!  Luckily, you don’t have to endure the long drive down Highway 5 to experience Harris Ranch - you can order the tender steaks here.

IV.  If you’ve yet to indulge in the David Hockney and Bulgari exhibits at the de Young, you absolutely must attend the Artpoint event this Wednesday!!  Elizabeth Taylor’s Italian baubles and Hockney’s pieces picked by the artist for the museum will be on display, while you imbibe champagne with some of the city’s most beautiful people.  Buy your tickets here: An Evening of Hockney and Bulgari. 

V.  Speaking of art, I’ve written before about my inclination toward salon style clustering, but until now I haven’t come across a great “how-to” guide for creating a wall of art without a sloppy end-result.  EPiC, one of my favorite design companies, put together a brilliant DIY for curating your walls.

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt