Sometimes you hear a line in a movie and it strikes a cord with you. It just sticks with you.

And maybe this isn't just true about falling in love.  Can't it be true about life too? 

LMF

*image credit via

**quote via Nora Ephron from When Harry Met Sally

Croatia

I don't have cable, so I'm always a bit behind when it comes to TV shows until I get a chance to watch them OnDemand at Dan's house.   

I just finished watching last weeks Bachelorette and I was thrilled to see them in Dubrovnik, Croatia.  It made me a little heartsick for my trip there a couple of years ago.

I was living in London at the time.  A friend from home flew over to visit and then we flew to Croatia together.

We started in Dubrovnik, and then travelled up the coast staying in Hvar for a few days, visiting a few smaller islands and then flying out of Split.

We went kayaking while in Hvar, and the next day, while having our morning coffee, we ran into one of the locals from the trip.  He invited us to a small island just a short boat ride away (it was safe, a mother and daughter were headed over too for some private swimming and the island was close enough to swim to from Hvar). 

There was a small bar on the island, a couple of hammocks, a dog named Sierra and a donkey named Mercedes. That was it. Oh, and gorgeous views.

And it was perfect.

LMF

*all images original to Champagne Reveries

finding more ways to drink champagne

I had the most delicious drink this weekend at a friends BBQ baby shower and just had to share.

It sounded a bit weird to me at first, but it's perfectly delicious on these hot days and summer parties!

Enjoy!

LMF

My birthday present finally arrived and I could not be more excited!

I have wanted a "real" camera for so long.  

I have a small pocket size digital camera that I believe came out in 1999 (!!!).  I think the first iPhone had more pixels than it does!

  

But I shouldn't complain, it's definitely worked for me in the past capturing some wonderful memories and beautiful places.  But maybe it's time for something just a bit more grown up.

For my birthday Dan got me a brand new gorgeous camera and I am so excited to start playing with it and learning all about it. 

{Dan's excited because he thinks that we'll finally be able to capture Pacino's true handsomeness.  His words - I swear!}

I'd love to hear any suggestions for online tutorials or any tips!  I'm a total newbie.  

I'm also trying to get a bit more familiar with photoshop.  I have CS5 on my Macbook and I will admit it is not intuitive for me.  Any suggestions would be so appreciated!

I'm definitely not looking to become a photographer (or an octopus).  

Just the basics to start :)

{I love this print}

LMF

This weekend I did not:
 - workout;
 - bake the cookies I wanted to bring to "J crew's" baby shower;
 - do any laundry;
 - vacuum or clean my house, as I had planned.

Instead, I:
- spent Saturday afternoon and evening with friends and their families (and their babies!);
- lounged in the sun eating delicious food, listening to great music, drinking champagne punch;
- took my Dad out to lunch at his favorite burger place in Healdsburg for Father's Day;
- lounged on my deck drinking iced tea reading a new book

{via}

Nothing was crossed off my to-do list and it was perfect.

LMF

{via}

Some inspirational words for Monday morning.  

{I needed them}

Hope your week starts off great!

LMF

For my Dad

I wrote about my Dad {here}.  

My Dad has always worked so hard to take care of our family.  He's the type of guy that ate the burnt toast at breakfast so we didn't have to.  He's always taken care of everyone else around him first before he takes care of himself.  I am so lucky that he is my father.

Thanks for being my daddy.  I love you.

LMF

Chicago beaches

Did you know Chicago borders a lake?  There's a beach right next to the city!  Crazy, right?!

Seriously though, I really didn't know this, which is quite embarrassing.  Even more so, since I've been to Chicago multiple times.  How did I not know this?!  I guess staying out by the airport for work and only going into the city after dark will do that to you.

Anyway, it is gorgeous!  Sand and city, it's my kind of perfect.

I think we pretty much ate and shopped our way through the city {check out the restaurants here} 

I loved it!  

A bit windy sometimes though!

We got really lucky with our hotel.  We stayed at the Wyndam just a couple blocks off N Michigan Ave so we were able to walk just about everywhere we wanted to go.  The room interior could have used a bit of updating but for the price and the location, we had no complaints.  Especially when they let us upgrade to the top floor.

Our view from the first room:

View from our second room:

We had no itinerary, just a list of about 20+ restaurants we "had to try!" (in our 4 short days) and a recommendation to make sure and get to The Art Institute. Loved it there!

being weird at the art institute

Awesome Chagall stained glass in the background

we walked through Millennium Park and visited the Bean

umm yea so we kinda liked the bean

view from the 92nd floor - the signature room

Baskin Robbins may or may not have been 1/2 block away from our hotel and somehow always on the way back from dinner

oh, hello beach

 hello city

 hello cute guy ;)

And just in case our trip wasn't already perfect, Danny sat next to this woman on the plane home

{yes, there's a woman under that jacket}

who provided endless entertainment and silent laughing fits for the duration of the flight

LMF

**all images original to Champagne Revieries - as you can tell from the iPhone quality, but that's about to to change (!!!)

On your own

via

This resonated with me today so I thought I'd share.

I think it's so true and so important to learn to be on your own.  I know it's not inherently built into everyone's character.  But I think it helps you gain confidence and self reliance.

What do you think?    

LMF

John Ash Celebration

A few weekends ago, Dan took me out to celebrate my raise and bonus.  What was so fantastic about it, was that it was completely unexpected! I thought I'd have to be here a year before getting anything.  Even better, it came with a killer review. I was thrilled.   My boss called me into her office, shut the door, looked at my worried face and said "no it's okay, it's a good thing".

I've been wanting to go to John Ash & Co. for a while, we just never had a reason.  He said this was our reason.  I'm so lucky to have a guy who always celebrates my successes no matter how small!

John Ash is owned by Ferrari-Carano Vineyards.  They have this gorgeous winery out dry creek road in Healdsburg and a beautiful tasting room on the Healdsburg square.

 Ferrari - Carano Winery in Healdsburg

Wine tasting there a few months ago

The restaurant is located in Santa Rosa and shares property with Vintners Inn, an absolutely gorgeous place I've always wanted to stay but the practical side of of my brain keeps popping up reminding me I live less than 6 miles away. Maybe someday...

All dressed up for our dinner celebration.  {I tried my first "sock bun".}  

Dan told me I looked pretty and that I had sumo wrestler hair. :)

Before dinner, Dan and I walked the property a bit just because it's so gorgeous.

They had a small ceremony set up.  Dan teased me saying that it looked like the type of ceremony I would want, with only 6 chairs on each side.  I would love something with like 10 of our favorite people, but he says no way that's possible!  I'm just so nervous about all the attention focused on me!  It sounds scary!  But you couldn't pick a more beautiful setting. I wish the photos could do it justice.

Dinner was perfect.  The setting was perfect.  And the company was perfect.  

Happy Monday!

LMF
*all images original to Champagne Reveries