race to the altar!

Of course Gretchen and Al couldn't just relax and spend time getting ready on the morning of their nuptials, they needed to schedule some more (friendly?) competition.  

Guests rose bright and early to take part in a Race-to-the-Altar run down the island.

the bride and fab friend Tara writing up the signs Saturday AM

the 2 mile turnaround for the 4-mile loop

HYDRATE!

 Pardon the blurry pic - running and snapping is tough work!

The race finished at the Pass Club's beach house for a picnic lunch of sandwiches, salads and sweet little treats - all catered by the delicious Morsels Bakery - a fav breakfast and coffee spot for the bride and groom.

In keeping with the games-and-competition theme of the weekend, cornhole was also featured beach-side:

While Samantha and I opted out of the run, we were excited to get all dolled up to meet more friends and family for the picnic.

with cousin Wyler

(who was a total natural!)

with middle namesake Charlotte, the bride,

and my brother's lovely girlfriend Julia

the groom's fam, the bride and the MOB

the bride and grandma Judith

The event wouldn't have been complete without some wedding-logo koozies. :)

Before long, it was time to shower up and get ready!  

xoxo

KK

introducing mr. & mrs. mathews!

Just about one month and a week ago today, my little sister Gretchen tied the knot!

Gretch with her fabulous groom Al

The entire wedding weekend was so jam-packed with non-stop action and super thoughtful details that there is NO way for me to pack it all into just one post.  You'll be getting lots of updates on the happenings of the weekend.

Because this activity-and-game-loving couple can't stand sitting around, they scheduled a full itinerary of plans for their guests.  Along with their gorgeous invites (done by the lovely Holly Hollon), guests got a beautiful accordion outlining the schedule. 

First up on the wedding week countdown: Friday!

They kicked off with a golf tournament for serious golfers only in the AM.

the gorgeous Gasparilla Inn course

This obviously excluded Stefan and I but from what we heard, the course and competition was sensational.  While the winners were not announced publicly to avoid hurt feelings in this just-for-fun (but who-isn't-competitive-in-this-family) match, I congratulate them both - they know who they are. :)

Then it was onto a friendly tennis tournament Friday afternoon:

the bride crushing it

After some quick showers to clean up, we moved onto a gorgeous rehearsal dinner hosted by the groom's lovely parents.  We enjoyed yummy apps, classic Caesar, melt-in-your-mouth fish and a plethora of top-notch toasts.

the soon-to-be-married with the fashionable 

and oh-so-sweet mother of the groom

Complete with the Pass Club's famous "baked potatoes" - 

decadent vanilla ice cream rolled in cocoa 

topped with "sour cream" (whipped cream) 

and "gravy" (divine hot fudge)

After that, we joined the full crew for Welcome Drinks at the island's gorgeous outdoor public library.

Since it was Halloween, the groom's parents outfitted the crew with classy fun fare to spice up the night:

The bride with her besties:

Before we knew it, it was time to call it a night and rest up for another sensational day of action-packed fun on Saturday.  More details to come!

xoxo
KK

back at work

Today is my first day back at work.

I'm excited to get back into the swing of things, but I'm sad.  Real sad.  This little munchkin is one lovely babe to spend time with.

We've had a busy past few weeks - there has been so much excitement that I haven't had a moment to tune you in. 

The highlights include...

Having Stefan's lovely mother stay with us to explore SF, help out, and hang with Samantha:

Taking Samantha on her first flight:

Dressing her up for Halloween:

Celebrating my fabulous sister's incredible nuptials:

And spending some time in Milwaukee with my parents:

It's been a pretty incredible finale to this pretty incredible maternity leave.  More details to come I hope although I'm in uncharted territory here with the whole working with a baby thing.  I make no promises.

xoxo

KK

visitors!

Last week when Stefan headed back to work, my parents and sister Gretchen came to visit and hang out.

Samantha was SO excited to meet her aunt...

...who quickly earned the title of "Baby Whisperer" for her magical ability to calm Samantha with a simple tummy rub.

Since we're pretty particular about letting Samantha be around other people before she gets her vaccinations (more on that another time), we spent lots of time hanging out at home - 
taking care of wedding to-dos for Gretchen's exciting nuptials coming up in November, 
eating delicious home-cooked meals, and 
watching some good (and not-so-good) movies.

We also took loads of long walks and had lots of lunches sitting outside at La Boulange:

Their fluffy, warm eggs are perfection on a cold, San Francisco August day :)

It felt like the week was over before it started.  Luckily, my mom and brother (!) are visiting next week to keep the babe and me company.  Samantha is already counting down the days.

xoxo

KK

a shower for gretters

I have the great honor of serving as my lovely sister's Matron of Honor for her upcoming nuptials this fall.  While there are many important duties in such a role, one such obligation is that of the Bachelorette party - a critical rite of passage for many a bride.

Unfortunately due to Gretter's school schedule (she is a schoolteacher and is going to school herself) and my baby schedule (most airlines ground pregnant ladies ~1-2 months out for fear that they may go into labor mid-flight and force the plane to land), we couldn't find a date that worked.  After much discussion, we decided to have me opt out of said Bachelorette and instead have me host a more pregnant-lady-friendly bridal shower.

With the help of my party-planning-extraordinaire mother, we orchestrated a lovely get-together for friends and family at the condo Gretchen and Al recently bought in New Canaan, CT.  (What grown-ups!)

We opted for a low-key brunch with lots of yummy goodies catered by a local spot:

We did make-your-own yogurt parfaits, 

to-die-for mini muffins and scones, 

made-to-order lattes and cappuccinos,

fluffy, decadent baby quiche, and 

- since no bridal brunch is complete without some bubbly - assorted Mimosas.

Note: custom linen napkins with Gretchen and Al's wedding logo on them

Who doesn't love an excuse for Champagne at 11am?

After chowing down (and drinking up!), we watched as Gretters opened up some top-notch gifts - many of which would be put straight to good use in their brand new place!

There's nothing like some good place mats!

Note: coffee cups with G&A's wedding logo stamped on -

you know how I love stamping

We chatted and sipped and chatted some more as we showered the soon-to-be bride with advice, gifts, wisdom, and love.  While not quite a Bachelorette, the morning was a charming celebration of this lovely soon-to-be bride.

xoxo

KK

apples and a ring

In other super exciting news, my little sister is engaged!   

For most of you, this is old, old news.  (I really have dropped the blogging ball these past few months...)  But regardless, I thought it worthwhile to share their adorable engagement story, told from the source herself: Miss. Soon-to-be-Bride!

Starting about a year ago, Al and I instituted date nights where we would plan surprise dates for each other just for fun. It was, and has been, a super fun tradition, but I did need to institute some rules after it became apparent that Al thought all dates should be BBQ-themed.  While this girl loves BBQ, she also loves wearing white (not ideal attire for this BBQ eater) and varied cuisine once in a while. 

Anyway, a few weeks before THE day, Al mentioned that he was going to plan a day date on 9/21. I thought it was a great idea and didn't think much more of it. After some seemingly false alarms where I thought there may be proposals in sight (i.e., a surprise vacation to St. Lucia), I have opted not to read into his sneaky/crafty date ideas.

So I woke up on Saturday and got ready as I would for any other date. Once I was ready, instead of being told what we were doing, I was handed an envelope with directions for pit stop 1: Starbucks. Smart, Al - don't take this girl anywhere without her AM coffee!

Post-Starbucks, I received envelope #2 that mentioned driving North for some fun fall festivities. I figured maybe a beer garden or hike? But instead we drove and arrived at a gorgeous apple orchard in upstate New York. Now that I am a teacher, apples were only fitting. ;)

We spent some time meandering the farm, trying different types of apples before Al asked if I wanted to walk over to a secluded bunch of Macintosh. Still, I was thinking Al just wanted to take a walk - not totally out of the ordinary for this athletic, energy-crazed man. 

As we walked over, however, he handed me my next envelope. I opened it and was immediately in a wonderful state of awe: it said how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. He got down on one knee, popped the question, I said yes, and he put the ring on my finger. It was super surreal in the most exciting way.

Though alcohol was not allowed on the orchard, Al snuck in some celebratory spirits and we toasted our engagement. I then received another envelope which lead us to an adorable brunch spot in Pawling, New York where the excitement really began to settle in. Over Champagne and frittata, we celebrated the special day.

Then, once in the car, I received yet another envelope - what a planner! It informed me we were headed to a beautiful colonial house that overlooked a secluded lake in New Milford. We walked the hills of the cute neighborhood, called family, cooked dinner, and had a low-key, romantic evening.

To continue the celebration the next day, Al had made reservations at a gorgeous golf club and we played a round of golf in the beautiful fall weather before heading to a sports bar to eat lunch and watch the Pats - who won in our honor of course! 
(Or so I tell myself.)

And that is the story. It was perfect for me and for us. So excited to share it with you!

Congrats Gretters!  We're so excited to celebrate with you on gorgeous Gasparilla Island!!

xoxo

KK

DB at RLP

That would be (DB) Dickie Boy at (RLP) Rancho La Puerta.

Yes - Dickie Boy's time at Rancho La Puerta was SO epic, 
it requires it's own special abbreviation.

To kick off my explanation, I must confess I actually didn't get a full week at the Ranch.  Due to work constraints, I could only join the crew on Wednesday morning.  But by the time I arrived, the whole Ranch knew me.

As I my mom escorted me from the Welcome Desk to our villa on the other side of the property, every single person that passed us would greet me in 1 of 3 ways:
"Oh, you must be Dickie's granddaughter!  Welcome!"
"You must be KK!  We just ADORE your grandfather!  So glad you're finally here."
"Oh, are you the final member of Dickie Boy's clan?  We've had so, SO much fun with him and have heard so much about you!"

Obviously by the end of our 10-minute walk, I felt awesome.

But Dickie Boy's fame on the Ranch went beyond his omnipresent among patrons, he was an international celebrity when it came to people on the Ranch.  EVERYONE wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

When we'd walk across the property to a class or a meal, anyone we passed would greet him with adoration.
"Dickie - how ARE you?"
"Oh Dickie - are free for a drink at The Bodega tonight?"
"DICK! Are you going to the lecture at 7pm?  I'm debating, but if you're going, I will too."

To give you a candid, albeit brief, glimpse into the legend that is Richard Gallun (that would be Dickie Boy), I thought it best to show you what kind of magic DB worked while on the Ranch, namely, his "dance-in-place performance" during circuit training at 10am (shown here with one of his many (many) admirers):

Need I say more?

No.

xoxo

KK

cooking school at rancho la puerta

For their cooking classes, Rancho La Puerta invites a different chef each week to guest teach a week of classes.  We were lucky enough to be there for the week Joey Altman - a San Francisco star celeb chef - was teaching.

He kicked off the class with lots of jokes and tons of super useful tricks in the kitchen.

Like how to peel garlic in 10 seconds:

Simply take your unpeeled cloves, put them in a bowl, put another bowl on top, and shake the Dickens out of it.  When you open your bowls, you'll find your cloves perfectly peeled.

Or how to keep your avocados from turning brown:

You know that green slime-like substance on the outside of the avocado after you peel it?  Simply wipe that off with a paper towel and your avos are good to go, brown-free.

After the intro tricks, we were each assigned a recipe for the evening.

Gretters got the gluten-free sesame crackers:

Mom got the cashew hummus:

Together, the two were a total hit:

Dickie Boy got the cauliflower puree, but he was so quick and flawless in his execution, he was done before I had a chance to snap him in action.  Here's the amazing finished product:

With so much free time on his hands, Dickie Boy offered to help me with my dish: shrimp-stuffed avocados with a mango salsa.

The process involved "stuffing" the shrimp (marinated in a citrus-cilantro dressing) in a sliced avocado,

rolling said avocado into a ball with plastic wrap, and then after a half hour of chilling, unwrapping them and placing them onto a bed of mango salsa: 

The process ended up being more than I could handle on my own, so it required calling in the special forces.

But the final product was well-worth the extra work.

Other delicious dishes included a beet, feta, citrus, arugula salad, fresh-from-the-garden ratatouille, and  a basil-crusted sea bass.

And because no good meal is complete without dessert, Joey surprised us with gooey, chocolaty, luscious lava cakes with homemade coconut ice cream.

Unreal.

For these recipes and more, check out his awesome cookbook Without Reservations.  You won't be disappointed.

xoxo
KK