A Side of Sweet

Our Holiday 2014 Letter

Dear friends and loved ones,

2013 was a year of changes. We got married, moved across the country, honeymooned in Morocco and started new jobs. It was excited, but in truth, all a bit exhausting. The theme of 2014 was finding a routine. We settled in nicely to life in San Francisco this year, and our love story with this incredible city deepened and intensified. Everything about living here speaks to us, with the great outdoors right at our doorstep with Golden Gate Park, the perfect weather year round letting us keep up the physical activity that keeps us sane, the amazing people, many of whom are also transplants and the constant cultural hum of this melting pot that is a hub of innovation and creativity. Just because we’re settling in doesn’t mean 2014 was boring by any stretch. Kelly finished her first year of pediatric residency and is enjoying the extra bit of autonomy that comes with being a second year resident. Pat started a new job in November at a solar energy company and is thriving in his new work environment. After two weeks on the job, his boss sent an email to the entire company praising his work and success. Not a bad start. Because the children’s hospital is moving across town early in 2015, we started looking for a place that would be closer to work for both of us. The rental market is extraordinarily tough in San Francisco, but with a lot of patience and a stroke of luck, we found an amazing flat in the Potrero Hill neighborhood. It’s one of the sunniest neighborhoods in town, has amazing views and is full of great coffee shops and restaurants. The place itself is in an old Victorian, with hardwood floors, natural light, and a luscious backyard for Maddie – complete with a lemon tree. Coming from Wisconsin, a lemon tree is the next best thing to a unicorn, in our opinion. We can’t wait to turn it into a home. We’ve been staying active, with Pat competing in cyclocross races this year and Kelly running the Nike Women’s Half Marathon. Even better than competitions though, are the runs together at night in Golden Gate Park and bike rides across the bridge with a bit of outdoor yoga thrown in – in November! 2014 also brought lots of life changes for our family. Pat had two sisters get married this year and we also became an Aunt and Uncle! Congrats to Colleen & Aric on your marriage and to Kelly & Grant for both tying the knot and adding adorable baby Owen to the family! We’re so excited to travel home early in 2015 to meet the new addition to the family. Our little pupster, Maddie, is now full grown. At 48 pounds, she’s on the small side for a labrador retriever, but the perfect size for city living. She is so fast and full of endless energy. She comes with us everywhere, from morning runs with Kelly, to work with Pat, and of course on all of our adventures. After Morocco and India last year, we decided to hold off on big trips this year and instead explore closer to home. We went back to Big Sur and Kelly took a weekend trip to discover the hidden gems of Oregon. We also made several trips to the Napa Valley. A Side of Sweet has continued to grow in 2014, with traffic more than doubling. It’s changed from a side hobby for Kelly to something that both of us work on together. The blog has afforded us many opportunities and adventures this year, and it’s a great creative outlet for both of us. Kelly has seen her work and recipes published everywhere from local print magazines to the Huffington Post. Even more fun though, is being able to look back and see photos and stories from this amazing online journal of our life together. Our honeymoon was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings this year, and it was fun to see our adventures in print. You can find the online version here. Before we close this year’s holiday letter, we wanted to leave you with a little video message:

We wish you and yours a warm and joyful holiday season.

Cheers,

Pat & Kelly

P.S. – Want to see more of what we’ve been up to this year? Here are some great posts to catch up with:

Our Holiday Cards
Our Trip to Big Sur
Kelly’s Trip to Oregon
Our One Year Anniversary
A Fancy Picnic
Weekend in Sonoma

Shiny New Travel Index!

One of the things I love and hate about blogging is you’re never really there. By that, I mean you are never popular enough, never have enough reader engagement and your blog can never look pretty enough! At least for me, that is. If you have a blog I bet you feel the same way!… Read More »

Importance of Quality Sunglasses + Capital Eyewear

For me, sunglasses are far more than a pretty accessory – they are an important part of my protecting my eyesight. Something I always repeat in my mind when I’m tempted by a cute pair of cheap lenses – you only get one set of eyes. We can replace kidneys, livers, even hearts! Eyes though are still irreplaceable, even with modern medicine. To protect my eyes, I always wear sunglasses with high quality lenses, as they typically offer more complete protection from harmful UV rays. There’s a reason the FDA classifies sunglasses as a medical device!

I also choose lenses that are polarized. If you’ve ever worn polarized lenses, you’ll know that it makes a world of difference in how comfortable you feel in direct sunlight. Polarized lens have tiny parallel groves in them. Light comes bouncing in at all directions but only the light that is aligned with the groves makes it to your eyes. Because of the way the groves are aligned in the lenses of sunglasses the glare you see from something like the sun reflecting off water is reduced…. Read More »

Gift Guide for the Girl Who Has Everything

The age old question – what do you get for The Girl Who Has Everything? We all have a girl like this in our lives – she’s decked out with the latest technology, knows what boutique just opened downtown and knows what you’ll be coveting this season – because she pre-ordered it weeks ago. Lucky for you, I happen to be friends with The Girl so I put together a quick gift guide with ideas for her. What are you getting the girl who has everything this year?

1. Rocksbox :: I absolutely adore this new subscription service that allows you to “rent” designer jewelry for a flat monthly fee. The Girl who has everything can exchange her jewels as many times as she wants throughout the month. It’s like giving her an endless closet of beautiful shiny things to play with. Get the first month for only $9 with the discount code ‘MakeMeShine‘.

2. Blue Bottle x Timbuk2 Travel Coffee Set :: The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is heat up water so we can have our coffee. When we’re on the go, it’s not so easy. This amazing travel coffee set collaboration from Blue Bottle and Timbuk2 The Girl is fully caffeinated even when she’s away from home.

3. Will Leather Ludlow Oxfords :: I’m a longtime fan of Will Leather, but I had no idea they had gorgeous leather shoes until I spotted them on a chic San Franciscan. I actually stopped her on the street to figure out where she got them.

4. Capital Two Tone Cherry Sunglasses :: Wooden sunglasses are a surefire conversation starter. These beauties are made locally and sustainably in San Francisco. Made in the USA never looked so good.

5. Rebecca Minkoff Wallet :: The Girl who has everything is probably obsessed with mint right now. Not that I’d know anything about that. I’ve just heard she likes mint. And looking chic when paying for parking.

6. Glossier Soothing Face Mist :: This isn’t a gift guide for the girl who is a practical minimalist, ok? A few spritzes of this rose water and aloe potion will leave The Girl feeling refreshed. Let’s also talk about Glossier’s branding, ok? I can’t stop staring at the bottle!

7. FashionABLE Scarf :: This gorgeous scarf was designed by Erin Loechner of Design for Mankind. Part of the proceeds go to creating sustainable business and fighting poverty in Africa. Get 10% off your first purchase by using this link.

8. Bare Minerals Star of the Show :: I love makeup, but sometimes I need a little inspiration to get out of my beauty comfort zone. This kit from Bare Minerals has everything The Girl needs to do the perfect holiday smoky eye, plus the perfect compliments for the rest of her face too. It’s so affordable ($126 of make up for $38, what!?) you can get one for each of your gal pals this year.

9. Half United Fighting Hunger Necklace :: Another wearable gift that also does good, this necklace from Half United is made out of an old bullet. The Girl can look pretty yet edgy and she can feel good about know that she’s helping to fight hunger in the US and abroad.

10. PACT Heather Grey Harvest Socks :: I don’t know when socks got such a bad rap as terrible gifts! I get socks almost every year from my in-laws and it’s the best thing ever. My feet are always cold so I wear socks all around the house. I think our dryer eats socks as I’m always in need of some replacements. I’m sure our Girl is too. This cozy pair from PACT is knit in a wind-powered factory so they’re sustainable too.

P.S. – You probably already figured this out, but this is basically a list of everything I want for Christmas…

Thanks so much for reading A Side of Sweet! For more Sweet in your life, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, or Twitter, or subscribe to receive a weekly email with new posts (see sidebar).

Homemade Apple Butter

I’ve learned I need to have a few hostess gifts on hand at all times. Not because we’re the constant party-hopping kind of people, but because parties seem to pop up when we’re at our busiest.

I love giving canned goods as hostess gifts as I can whip up a batch of something delicious, like applesauce or jam, on a day off and it lasts for ages tucked away on a shelf so we can still be prepared for those last minute fetes. For me, a good hostess gift makes a small, thoughtful gesture. I’m a firm believer that they shouldn’t cost a ton of money!… Read More »

Stylish Work Looks with Nautica

I spend a lot of time sharing fun sparkly outfits on the blog, or the casual digs that I wear for weekend coffee runs, but let’s get real. Most of the time I’m dressed professionally for my “day job” as a pediatrician. Hardly a place for a sequined skirt, y’know?

After one of my girlfriends confessed to me that she has a hard time navigating being stylish but still professional at her job at a start-up in town, I thought it would be fun to share how I find that balance when I’m working at the hospital.

I’m a firm believer that professional doesn’t have to be boring. At work, I’m all about bright colors and prints but above all, being comfortable. On any given day I’m bending down to examine a toddler or running down the hall to respond to an emergency.

This look incorporates all of my favorites into one, thanks to some help from Nautica. I bet stylish professional clothing isn’t the first thing you think of when you hear Nautica, is it? They have so much more than the perfect outfit to wear on your next yacht ride. I shop there for everything from bedding to home goods…. Read More »