Do you ever think about the places you would like to have your ashes scattered when the time comes? Tennessee Valley in the Marin Headlands is one of those places for me. I have hiked every possible trail and have spent so much time there alone or with friends or with the hubs that I feel likes it’s my own private playground.

Over the years I have seen owls and hawks, deer and bobcats and lots and lots of bunnies. My favorite creature though and the unofficial mascot of TV is the Quail. As my friend Parry likes to say: “Quails are the epitome of nervousness”. When they see you coming they waddle quick as can be into the brush with their heads darting about nervously making the cutest warbling sounds (Parry does a great impression too). I like them because they mate for life and they are always in pairs with their little babies wobbling along behind them. I was thinking that a little quail memento might be a great idea to commemorate our years in the Bay Area before we take off for Salt Lake. Here are some adorable quail images courtesy of some fabulous Etsy shops:

Top: Studio Lyon mixed media print ($20), Jen Skelley quail magnet ($3); Middle: The Bees Knees Designs stencil on canvas ($25), Cindy Mindy Pindy California quail print ($15); Bottom: PaperStories letterpress quail ($4), Urban Splendor “all we ever wanted” giclee print ($15).

I am so in love with these white leather, pleated handbags from White Capri. They are so feminine and sophisticated. Based in Berlin the designers named each of the 12 handbag designs “Matchpoint” as a tribute to their love for Scarlett Johansson who starred in the Woody Allen movie with the same name. Available online with payment through Paypal and with shipment to the US, I could be in trouble!

via Josh Spear

I’m loving these fun handbag shapes from Agnes & Hoss. Each pattern from the collection is printed on silk with a suede lining and Italian leather trim making them very luxurious. Check out her gorgeous silk pillows and lighting collection as well. P.S. The bags start at $185.

I went with Haley and Tia to see SATC last night. It was SO GOOD! It’s exactly what I wanted it to be: over-the-top fashion, hilarious racy comments from Samantha, emotional Carrie and Big drama and lots of laughing-while-crying moments courtesy of Charlotte.

For you design lovers out there, the biggest eye candy, other than the wardrobe of course, was provided by Carrie’s apartment makeover. There have been many blogs that have covered the makeover already which you can check out: CasaSugar scored an interview with production design Jeremy Conway and the July issue of Traditional Home has an interview with the set decorator Lydia Marks, so I’ll just cover a couple items.

First of all the blue paint color was stunning and we can all buy it since it’s Benjamin Moore’s Electric Blue. Secondly I loved the picture display behind her headboard. I also love the rich-looking cream colored drapes, they remind me of a wedding dress. There are many more wow pieces you can check out here but the “LOVE” wall hanging in her entry was a standout. Available through The Rug Company (they also provided the rugs throughout her apartment) it’s a Paul Smith needlepoint design and retails for about $1,295. Now go see the movie!

Images: Chicago Tribune, CasaSugar and The Rug Company

How pretty is this dish set from Rosanna, Inc. She offers a variety of mix and match dishes and glassware to liven up the table top. This Bohemian tabletop set would make a really cute wedding present. The plates are made of refined porcelain and are dishwasher and microwave safe. Each set comes in a pretty gift box with 6 dessert plates for $60 and 6 dinner plates for $100.

One thing we’ll gain by leaving the Bay Area will be warm Summer nights! That is probably the thing I consistently miss most about the east coast. Of course we will also be gaining 5 months of snow. The hubs and I joke that we’ll be the fools walking around in sandals going “what is this thing you call snow?” Sadly we’ll be leaving Big Blue (aka the Pacific) and any possibilities for surfing (not that I did that very often anyhow) but I can still keep my Cali style with any of these cute looks from Billabong. You can find these styles online through Swell.

One of my favorite artists, Amy Ruppel, has just added a bunch of new work to her online shop. I love her wax paintings of little birds and owls but it’s the titles she assigns them that give them personality and make me love them more. They are tiny 5×5 or 5×8 but I think that just adds to their sweetness. Hurry up to her online shop because they are going fast!

“the guardian”

“weight of the world”

I haven’t been posting much lately due to a new development in our life…we’re moving….to Utah! The hubs got an exciting job opportunity with a company called Omniture that just happens to be out there and we’ve decided to just go for it. I will be living here while he commutes back and forth for the next couple of months and then we plan to pack up and move in September.

It will be an exciting new chapter in our lives and we’ll get to check out a whole new part of the country, not to mention some world class skiing. The good news is the hubs’ BFF from childhood moved to Salt Lake City about four years ago with his wife. They are like family to us so we’ll have close friends from the moment we land. The best part for me is that I finally get to leave my crappy real estate job. We’ll be able to afford for me to take some time to figure out my next step and I’ll have lots of free time to spend on my blogging here at Little Willow and with Ecosalon.

That said, this decision was not an easy one and I am terrified to leave the Bay Area and our life out here. We moved to San Francisco right after college to start our adult lives and so much has happened in the past 12 years. I could spend days reminiscing over all we have done and the friends we have made out here but then I might drown in a puddle of tears. Our friends here have made this time in our lives unforgettable and I will miss them immensely.

In December 2007 I wrote that 2008 would be The Year of Yes, so just as we said to yes to San Francisco 12 years ago and what has led to a life I feel enormously blessed to have lived so far, it feels like the time is right to say yes again. I’ll keep you updated on our happenings but in the meantime please wish us well!

Love, Larkyn

I want to say Thanks to blogger Leah Hennen from More Ways to Waste Time for turning me on to the West Berkeley shop Relish At Home. I need to get there ASAP. Check out her blog post about Relish filled with great photo’s. Here are a couple fabulous items she covers:

Foxy & Winston limited edition prints titled “Mammalia”

Plush “Autumn birds” from Jill Blissen