baby presents

Samantha has been totally spoiled with so many fabulous, fabulous baby gifts.  She is already the most stylish, well-equipped person in our family by far. :)

Since some of you may have a friend or two that has a baby and to whom you want to send a little gift, I thought I'd share some of the less obvious choices for presents.   

Don't get me wrong: baby clothes and blankets are ALWAYS a fantastic choice.  We go through both like the Duggars (that would be the 19 Kids & Counting family...) go through toilet paper.  Really, really fast.  It is so nice to have a hearty stock of adorable blankets as well as extra cute clothes on hand so you're not constantly washing stuff.  Plus, as a new parent with tons of things to spend money on, you feel guilty splurging on these types of things.  Getting either of these choices is always a real treat.

Some other ideas that we've loved if you're looking for something different:

A Tiffany's Piggy Bank

(which came from my work - 

rather fitting for an investment manager :)

Gift certificate to a meal delivery service

(above pic showcasing delights from the Munchery in SF)

Because I never feel like cooking when dinnertime rolls around...

A Solly baby wrap -

stylish and practical

A Gymboree membership

because staying at home with a babe -

no matter how adorable and sweet -

can be just a tad bit lonely

Monogrammed Sherpa Bear Rocker from Pottery Barn Kids

because - come on - how cute is that

This last one we're totally enamored with, but unfortunately, it came with no note!  I called Pottery Barn to try and figure out who the lovely sender was, but unfortunately the mystery giver gave no name.

If YOU are the one who sent this gorgeous rocker, please come forth and reveal yourself!  Samantha is dying to send you a proper thank-you!

Anywho, when it comes to baby presents, you can't go wrong.  Even just a little note or email to tell the new fam you're thinking of them is oh-so-very sweet and appreciated.

xoxo

KK

happy valentine's day!

Do you celebrate Valentine's Day?  

We're not huge V-day people around here (there's something not-so-wonderful about a jam-packed yet under-staffed prix-fixe-only restaurant with tables topped with red roses - or worse: pink carnations).  Still there's something really lovely about the day - an excuse to celebrate (and spoil) the ones you love.  So I obviously couldn't go without doing a little something for Stefan, especially for our first one as husband and wife.

The other day, a friend was telling me about the 5 love languages - have you heard of it?  It's an interesting way to figure out which language of love you (or your mate) "speaks" so you can each do a better job making each other feel loved.  Stefan and I are both high on the Words of Affirmation scale (meaning we both like to be told nice things), but we also rank very high on Acts of Service and Quality Time (meaning we like to DO things together).  

With that in mind, I prepped a little bag of treats:

    -A certificate for a Thai Couples Massage workshop next weekend

    -A voucher for a KK-home-cooked Boeuf Bourguignon (one of our favs!) with a bottle of Bordeaux

 
    -A box of Whole Foods dried mangos - Stefan's absolute favorite 

Early this morning when I snuck out to the gym (and Stefan was still in bed), I left the bag of goodies where I knew he'd find it:

Still need some ideas for something to do for that special someone?

Make them a steamy cup of hot chocolate, 

with a pair of floating marshmallow hearts

from martha

 

make some heart shaped soft pretzels

with pink salt

from two blue lemons  

 

paint some empty matchboxes with chalkboard paint 

and fill with red hots

here

 

make a food passport for all the places you want to try

more details here

 

download these free printables to dress up an otherwise dull chocolate bar

Or my fav idea of the bunch:

(that I stole from a fabulous friend who is surprising her man TONIGHT)

cook him a three-course meal

with an appetizer from the city where you met

the entree from where they went on their honeymoon

and the dessert from where the live now

pic from here

Any big plans for tonight?  

Stefan and I are hopping on a red-eye to Gasparilla Island to spend the weekend with my fam.  We couldn't be more pumped to see them and spend some time soaking up the Florida sun.  Have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo

KK

the gift of opportunity

Are you excited for the holidays?  Since Stefan and I are headed off on our honeymoon TONIGHT (hooray!), we opened a bunch of our presents last night, and - boy oh boy - were they good.  Mama and Papa Krieg know how to spoil us well.  (But more on that another time.)

Are you all set with your holiday shopping?  Still looking for the perfect gift for that person who has everything?  

Why not skip the expensive trinket they'll never use or the lackluster sweater they'll never wear and give them: 
the gift of opportunity?

By making a donation to Reclaim Childhood in honor of that person you love, you'll be helping to bring the benefits of sport and play to at-risk refugee girls and women living in the Middle East.  (Full disclosure: as co-founder and Director, I come with a bit of bias.)

In recognition of your generosity, RC will mail your special someone a beautiful holiday card with photos of RC's budding athletes-in-training. 

On the back of the card, your loved one will find information about Reclaim Childhood and its mission as well as a note telling him or her where exactly your donation is going:

$20: Buys four soccer balls 
$50: Buys uniforms for one basketball team 
$100: Allows one refugee girl to play soccer in the RC soccer league 
$250: Trains and pays for one refugee woman to serve as a RC coach for a season

Ready to give?  Click here to make your donation.

Still not convinced? 
Check out this video one of our volunteers put together during our soccer league this past fall: 

 

Find it on vimeo here 

password: reclaim

In addition to our fall soccer league, RC runs a series of athletic programs throughout the year: summer sports camps, a spring basketball league, Saturday sports clinics, and Mother-Daughter Days. In addition, we host coaching clinics to train refugee women to serve as our coaches - giving them a much needed source of income as well as an outlet to empowerment.

Ready to give?  Click here to make your donation.   Even small dollars make a HUGE difference.

xoxo

KK

hosting made simple

So I have a tendency to be a bit overly ambitious when it comes to hosting parties.  I get all Martha Stewart on myself wanting to hand-craft everything from the invites to the decor to the cocktails to the snacks to the dessert. 

Time and time again, I've attempted such a soiree and the result is always the same:
I am scrambling around madly trying to finish everything before guests arrive,
I never do and end up spending the duration of my party in the kitchen (and begging my guests to assist),
and then everything turns out - well - mediocre. 
And you know how I feel about mediocrity: it sucks.

For my Stella & Dot trunk show, I decided to wave the white flag and do everything as easy as possible, with just a touch of homemade.

First, the invites:
Rather than hand-design and hand-make custom invites, I opted for one of Paperless Post's free varieties. 

Much cuter than I could have ever crafted

Then, the drinks:
I opted for just simple red and white wine with a few non-alcoholic options (limeade, iced tea, lemon-infused water).  No fancy cocktails here.

Next, the snacks:

 

Because my guestlist included a bunch of health-conscious babes, I did a big vegetable platter (all store-bought, pre-cut, already-washed varieties) complete with my signature dip (1 container of fat-free greek yogurt + a packet of ranch seasoning - you can eat the WHOLE thing and it's only 100 calories).

 

For my more savory snack, I took it up a notch yet still keeping it simple.  I bought a bunch of fresh baguettes, sliced them into extra-thin slices, tossed them with a bit of olive oil and salt, and toasted them in the oven until just on the verge of turning brown.

 

I let my fresh crostinis cool and then topped them with one of two super easy to assemble combinations.

One: crisp, crunchy fuji apple paired with creamy, buttery brie

Two: smooth, velvety ricotta topped with fresh figs and honey

I labeled them on our chalkboard cheese board

to make them extra special

Then last but not least - dessert:
Stefan stayed out of the apartment until later in the evening, arriving home right as it was time to quench everyone's sweet tooth.  Being the wonderful husband that he is, he happily picked up a tray of mini-pumpkin-spice cupcakes to pass around to the group.
"Wow, these are SO good," guests raved. "Did KK make these?"
Knowing that I am the type of person who would attempt such a thing, he replied: "Yes, yes - she did!"

Little did all my guests know that these little munchkins were not homemade, nor were they scored from one of San Francisco's plethora of cupcake shops which charge $4 a pop - all 24 of these little guys were purchased for a grand total of $1.99 at none other than Target. 

What are your go-to hosting secrets for making any soiree swoon-worthy without the stress?

xoxo
KK

the new tubberware

Not too long, I hosted a stella & dot party.  Think: your mother's Tupperware party but with a whole lot more style and a whole lot better economics. 

The concept is simple: any woman can sign up to be a Stylist.  For $199, that woman gets $350 worth of product as well as a hefty discount on any additional purchases made within the first month or so.  She then asks others to "host" parties for her - she brings the stylish jewels to show off while the host provides the seasonal beverages, snacks and locale.  Guests wine, dine and shop - ordering items that will arrive within a few days in beautifully wrapped packages.  While the stylist earns a commission on her sales, the host earns free product.  A pretty good deal for just chilling and shopping with friends.

Our party was perfection.  My friend (and Stylist) Kara Chase arrived about two hours beforehand (while I was slicing baguettes for crostinis - more on those deets tomorrow) to turn our humble little abode into a styling palace.  
 

Sad you missed out?  Well, don't fret - you can still shop it here.  To help you choose, I'm bringing you my top choices from the collection.

their celeb-worthy necklaces

like katherine hiegl's fav: the bahari necklace

the easy way to dress up a classic white button-down

($98)

stack-able bracelets

their wrap bracelets are an easy way to get the layered look

($59)

fun and festive iPhone covers 

keep all your calls and messages merry and bright

($29)

their amazing candles are perfection for a hostess gift

($29)

their amazingly cozy and colorful scarves 

are an easy present for any and all gals on your list

($59)

their adorable wallets are the perfect way 

to keep your pennies organized

($79)

 

 

Which goods are your fav?

 

xoxo

KK

thrifty thursday: blooms

There's just something about having flowers in the home that washes me over with an easy wave of contentment and calm.  It's like a burst of colorful joy every time you walk in, reminding you of all the beauty in life's simplest things.

Problem is: having a steady stream of fresh-cut stems can be taxing not only on your time (cutting, arranging, maintaining, discarding, then doing it all over again with a fresh bouquet), but also on your pocket book.

That's why I love succulents - they're pretty and fresh and simple, but cheap (relatively speaking) and last FOREVER.  Even for someone with absolutely zero ounce of a green thumb (that would be me!), these babies are hard to kill.  Therefore, instead of freshly cut flowers for our wedding, we opted for freshly planted succulent gardens in long wooden boxes that garnished our long wooden tables.

burlap runners hand-made by my mother!

photo by cooper carras

We sent as many boxes as we could home with friends and family (many of whom tell us that theirs are still thriving months later!), but we obviously ended up with a good allotment ourselves.  (Oh, what a pity.)  

Our six boxes had been thriving for quite some time, but as you might expect after three months of no care besides the occasional cupful of water when I remember (I know!  I'm horrible!), some of them started to struggle.  This weekend I carted them all into our kitchen and rolled up my sleeves - pruning them, replanting them, and watering them to their hearts' content.  They've been very happy (and pretty) every since.  Good as new!

  
But if you're not a succulent person - don't fret.  There are other super easy, affordable ways to bring plant life into your home. 

While I was at the farmer's market this past weekend, I spotted a beautiful basket of freshly dried lavender bunches.  At $6 a pop, I couldn't help but buy two.

One now guards our stove...

...while the other beautifies our bathroom.
(Not to mention - keep any not-so-friendly scents at bay.  Pretty and practical - that's my kind of bloom.)

 

Do you like keeping fresh flowers at home?  Which do you choose?

 

xoxo

KK

nightly traditions

I'm the kind of person who loves coming home and hopping right into her pajamas.  Even if it's 5 o'clock.  There's just something so cozy and comforting and relaxing about slipping into PJs.  Any stress from the day just seems to melt away.

jcrew of course

But Stefan couldn't feel more different.  For him, pajamas mean: the day is over, we're headed to bed, no more fun to be had. 

Like all sorts of things in a marriage, we've learned how to compromise.  Now when I get home, I hold off on PJs until after we've eaten dinner and washed dishes.  Then when I do slip into them (still a good while before sleeping time), he doesn't say a peep.  He just smiles as I settle back into the couch, comfy as can be.

A week or two ago, however, Stefan implemented a new nightly tradition.
"Let's go for a walk," he prompted at 8:45pm.  (I was obviously already bed-ready.)
"Like now?  Dressed like this?"
"Yes - now.  But, no - not dressed like that.  Toss on a pair of jeans - let's go!"
Incredulously, I slowly pulled on my jeans, let out a large, surly sigh, and sluggishly followed him outside.  I was not pleased.

But as we turned the first street corner - and the light evening breeze danced through my loosely-tied pony and the darkness let the moon glow in the most romantic of ways and the quietness of the neighborhood streets aroused all sorts of calm - I couldn't have felt more content. 

We walked silently for a minute or two, but then began talking about a whole host of things we never would have chatted about had we been sitting on the couch in our warm and well-lit apartment.  I was hooked.

Since then, we've walked almost every night.  I look forward to it all day and I crave as soon as we finish dinner. 
And interestingly, my pajamas stay tucked away until bed.  Stefan - you are one smart (and sneaky) husband.

xoxo
KK

fall favs

I know it's totally cliche, but I've got cider, pumpkins, and sweaters on the brain.  I'm totally itching to throw a little autumn-inspired soiree.  Whether we will or not is yet to be determined, but regardless I'm sharing my ideas for an easy-to-put-together, yet completely seasonally-inspired party:

for decorating:

chevron pumpkins

from my sweet savannah

pre-dinner cocktails:

a pumpkin ice bucket

from martha of course

cider in apples

from somewhere splendid

dip in a pumpkin

from bailey

for dinner:

place cards made from dried leaves

from once wed

butternut squash and crispy sage pizza

from alexandra cooks

with a side of Brussels Sprouts 

with cranberries, barley and Gorgonzola

from cookie and kate

and for dessert:

deep dish pumpkin meringue pie

from martha

 

What do you do to celebrate fall?

 

xoxo

KK

10 cents a bag

Not too long ago (October 1st to be exact), San Francisco began requiring stores to start charging for bags.  The city had already mandated plastic bags be banned, so to help stores not have to carry the whole financial burden of paper AND encourage consumers to BYOB (bring their own bag that is), a dime per bag must now be charged.

While I like to think myself an environmentally-friendly person generally speaking, I have to admit I'm not one to put the environment over convenience.  Despite the fact that I have countless reusable grocery bags at home, I never bring them with me to the store.  I have the best of intentions but it just isn't worth it for me to go through the hassle of lugging around a reusable bag or two (and then remembering to pull it out at the checkout).  Horrible, I know.

But since the 10 cent charge has been implemented, it's a totally different ball game.  I now always carry around my bags and always remember to use them.  Just for 10 teeny cents. 

It helps that I happen to have - thanks to my super savvy mother - a set of incredibly practical bags from flip & tumble.  Not only do they stay tucked away in a pack like this:

 

They are incredibly strong (you should see how much I can get into these babies) and come in a vast array of dazzling colors.

 

 

Just goes to show how powerful market economics can be (versus people's good intentions) - even when we're just talking about 10 cents.

 

Do you bring your own bags to shop?  Do you have to pay for bags?

 

xoxo

KK