A Side of Sweet

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Cape Town Hotel – The Tintswalo Atlantic

Best Sunsets in Cape Town, South Africa

The Tintswalo Atlantic Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa is absolutely the definition of five star accommodation. We were so lucky to spend two nights there as part of our recent Cape Town adventure. It was a magical two days filled with relaxation, amazing food and incredible sunsets.

Every detail at the Tintswalo carefully thought out and the staff go out of the way to make sure our stay was special and comfortable. We were greeted with a smile and a glass of iced tea on arrival. The room was always stocked with pods for our coffee machine (we basically drink coffee around the clock) and there was an international outlet where we could charge our electronics.

When we returned from dinner each night, our bed was turned down and the candles were lit. The rooms were spotless and beautifully decorated. Each one has a theme, and I loved the seashore vibes and neutral palette of ours. There was also a general sense of warmth and welcoming from every single member of the staff…. Read More »

February 17, 2016  •  Filed Under: Cape Town, South Africa, Travel 6 Comments

Bo-Kaap Neighborhood Cape Town

Waal Street Bo Kaap Neighborhood - Cape Town, South AfricaIt’s hard not to immediately fall in love with the Bo-Kaap neighborhood of Cape Town, South Africa. With the bright pastel and fluorescent houses it’s a pretty magical place.

Bo-Kaap is a historically Muslim community. Many of its residents descend from slaves brought in by the Dutch in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Even though they came from all over Africa and Asia, they are known as the “Cape Malay” people…. Read More »

February 15, 2016  •  Filed Under: Cape Town, Fashion, South Africa, Style, Travel 8 Comments

Ways of Change – Jewelry With a Mission

San Francisco Fashion, Lifestyle and Travel Blogger - A Side of SweetHow chic are these pieces? These photos and the video below are part of this fun Valentine’s Day collab I did with Ways of Change, an accessories brand whose main mission is to empower people affected by conflict and migration. I love when a brand allows me to feel good about supporting them and look good in the process!

Their beautiful jewelry and accessories are made from upcycled, organic, natural, cruelty-free, fairly traded and locally sourced materials. In addition to paying fair wages to their craftsmen, a portion of their profits will be used to support community projects.

… Read More »

February 10, 2016  •  Filed Under: Fashion, Style No Comments

Best Coffee Shops in San Francisco

Recommendations for the best coffee shops in San Francisco. They all have high quality coffee and – almost as important – have great Instagram/photo opportunities!

Most Instagram-Friendly Coffee Shops in San FranciscoOne thing about living in San Francisco, is that my coffee game is strong. Without exaggerating, I can say that there is at least one coffee shop on every block. It’s awesome, and ensures that I am constantly (over) caffeinated.

Even though the list is long, there are definitely a few that I keep going back to, not in small part due to how photogenic each one is. Gotta keep my Instagram feed looking good! Looks aside though, all of these places have amazing coffee too!

My friend Ally is just getting into drinking coffee, so Ryan and I gave her the grand tour of my faves. We hit all four of these places in one day. Needless to say, we were pretty coffee-buzzed by the end of the day…. Read More »

January 28, 2016  •  Filed Under: California, Fashion, San Francisco, Style, Travel 15 Comments

Colorful Splatter Paint Heart Cookies

Nut FreeVegetarian

Have fun playing with your food with these easy & colorful splatter paint heart cookies. It’s a fun DIY just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Fun Valentine's Day DIY Idea - Make Colorful Splatter Painted Heart CookiesToday I want to share with you a fun and easy way to upgrade your regular Valentine heart sugar cookies. I’ve used this splatter paint technique once before to decorate macarons and they looked so great! It turned out just as well on these heart cookies decorated with royal icing. The reason the royal icing works so well is that it sets with a smooth finish so the dye won’t bleed or run.

This is one of those food DIYs where making them is almost as fun as eating them, so I invited my friend Ally to DIY them with me.We spent the afternoon playing with food paint and decorating our cookies. We even turned the day into a video for her Youtube channel, along with a couple of other easy dessert DIYs that are perfect for your Valentine. You can see them all after the jump!… Read More »

January 25, 2016  •  Filed Under: Cookies, Desserts, Party Recipe Ideas, Recipes, Snacks 14 Comments

My Goals for 2016

Making-Good-Resolutions-Goals-295

I love taking time in January to reflect about everything that I accomplished the previous year and also to make plans for the coming year. It’s good to focus on both what you’re proud of and also think of a few things to work on!

Looking back on 2015, I think I made great strides in taking care of myself. A lot of people ask how I balance being a physician full time with also being a blogger almost full time! Honestly, my biggest secret is prioritizing my health. I could never pack so much into a day if I didn’t get 8 hours of sleep in true comfort and some exercise regularly.

Here are a few more things I want to continue doing well, and a few goals for things to do better!… Read More »

January 21, 2016  •  Filed Under: Blogging, Health & Fitness 12 Comments

Welcome!

San Francisco Food, Fashion, Travel Blogger

Hi! I’m Kelly. I live in San Francisco with my husband, Pat, and our puppy, Maddie. Here you’ll find recipes, DIYs, style, travel & a glimpse into our adventures. To learn a little more about me, Click Here.

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