Happy birthday, Snug Attack:)

Okay... I would have to be very honest. Kid's birthday party (and other slightly American celebration occasions like baby shower and such...) is not really high on my radar as weekend activities so I really save some of the special ones to attend... mostly for the ones that we as a family have strong connections to.

Our friends Snug Attack twins have turned three last week and of course we were super happy to be a part of their birthday party on Saturday. Now that Roo is two and the twins are three, they really recognize their friendship. Roo constantly talks about them and looks forward to the special playdate...

They might be still little but they have big feelings in their heart... and I love seeing them come through them.

Happy birthday L+J:)
We love you guys! 

 

Locavore at Altadena Farmer's Market!

Since I am talking about things I am loving recently... why don't we continue with another post??

A very cute little farmer's market has opened few months ago in Altadena. Very cozy, family-friendly, special farmer's market filled with  highly curated vendors like urban farmers (organic... or course), a local cafe artisan, cheese guy and an oyster guy!!!  Bon Appetite was even saying that this farmer's market is leading Altadena to be like the next Brooklyn...

Totally cool, right?

I love it because it's much much smaller and intimate than South Pasadena farmer's market which feels like it is a huge fair in the summer months... I feel safe walking with my little Roo without feeling like she is going to constantly bump into other shoppers.

I can't imagine doing all the groceries there without breaking our bank... but it's nice to get a few special treats for the week and a small dinner together.

Cheers to being a locavore:)
 

Waxed Paper Bag... anyone??

I'm kind of going crazy about these waxed paper brown bag these days... scored from a tiny shop in Kyoto in April. Even thought it "might" look like another brown paper bag, its tactility is quite different! I love how it wrinkles, and folds...

Friends... if you get a package or gift from me in next few months, you might end up with one of these... because frankly... I can't think of anything else to use for packing right now.

p.s. and it looks like you can get them online!

Today is the only day...

Today Roo and I took a metro train to meet up with our favorite Snug Attack twins!

First... Roo never took a train in Los Angeles before today.
Second... we rarely go to downtown even though it's 30 minutes or so from our house because it's a bit out of our way.

So taking a train and exploring downtown was a pretty big adventure for two of us and I am so glad we did it! We checked out James Irvine Japanese Garden (very kid's friendly in size), took a big walk to Urth Cafe (totally love what's happening in the Art District... especially I used to go to Sci-Arc which was right around the corner when there was nothing there!), then had an adventurous ride on the historical Angel's Flight!

For last week or so, there have been multiple discussions with few important people in my life about what if's in life.... and those conversations really made me think of how I should always think of JUST today.  No tomorrow... no yesterday... just today and make it really count whether I am working, spending time with someone important or just relaxing at home to fuel my soul.

So in a way, today was so awesome with a slight chaos and adventures!
Thanks Jane+twins for awesome time:)

Thinking of you...

As you could probably tell from lack of my blog updates..., I have been swamped. Trying to accommodate Roo's extra needy behaviors (due to her going to preschool for the first time) and project work has kept me pretty full schedule.

When it gets this busy, I have hard time keeping up with friends and families. They come to my mind randomly throughout the day but I am little too buried in tasks to stop and share the thought with the person via text, phone call or emails...

But funny things happened recently. Everytime I thought of someone, the person has reached me out to get in touch. It was the coolest and weirdest feeling. It kept happening over and over...

Do you think it's true that when we think of someone, the person is also thinking of us???  I kind of like it:)

p.s. this photo taken on one of our last day in Hamburg, 09/2/12

Sunday feeling...

I treasure weekend time that feels like Sunday. Maybe because it doesn't happen to our household often enough... Being a small business owner, I work days and nights including weekends... summer has been so busy that I knew it was time to take a breather.

So we did.

We cleared up most of the appointments today and just hang out at home. Cooking breakfast together (Roo now helps by measuring ingredients and supervising the cooking quality from her counter spot), taking time to sit in the garden, ironing kitchen linens (it is the first time that happened in a while and it feels sooo nice to have a crisp linen towel hanging over the counter), cleaning up the house and working on Roo's birthday album.

I know Roo needed this time off as much as we did. She needed to feel the assurance of home that it's safe and comfortable here... and she can always come back to this place and be herself even after a day or a week in the school. She played a lot by herself today... singing and talking to her Kuma-san (her teddy bear friend that is as big as she is). By the end of the night, we prepared dinner and tomorrow's lunch for her and papa and she was excited to take the special lunch to school.

So here we go... a new week!

I hope you had a restful weekend and are as ready as we are for a brand new week tomorrow!

xoxo
-wakako

 

To change your world...

"Change your expectation to appreciation. Your world will also change."

A quote that left me an impression yesterday.

Photo taken at Helgoland, Germany. 

KURUMA featured on "My Child"

I got a lovely email from an editor of My Child magazine last week that KURUMA was featured as a part of Interior Report on their newest spring issue! Wow:) That was a nice way of ending our Germany trip!

I am expecting to receive a box full of KURUMA and HIKOKI soon!!! So if you are interested, please make sure to snatch one for yourself or your favorite little ones:)

xoxo
-wakako

Growing up

It feels like yesterday when we brought our little Roo home from the hospital... then just like that ... she started her preschool on this Monday.

I wish that I could say, "oh... the first drop-off was no problem at all. She said good bye to me and went on to play with her new friends."  The truth is that she screamed and cried like there was no tomorrow on the first day. This morning (the second day), she held my hand as hard as she could so I won't let go... and I had to peel her hands away from me with kisses then leave as she once again screamed and cried.

Her teacher told me that she did stop crying (though she was sad throughout the morning on and off...) and played. I know she likes some part of going to school because she is excited to drive to school with me in the morning and happily holds her special lunch box to walk into the campus.

When I pick her up in the mid-day after lunch, she announces to the whole class, "mama came back!!!". I bring her home and she is really shaken up... and can't settle herself enough to take a nap. I am trying to simplify the rest of her day so she can find her mental equilibrium again.

Yeah... it's hard. It's hard for me to see her go through this. I wish I could always be there to protect her and provide what she needs at every moment of her life... but I know I can't. At some point all parents have to let their kids go... Whether it happens today or tomorrow...

Any transition is rocky for a little one and for the family. Just like when she moved from her crib to a regular bed this summer, this transition will continue to evolve. I am crossing my fingers that it will evolve in the positive direction...

Catching up!

I can't believe my last post from Germany was our Berlin trip. It feels like it was ages ago!!!

We are now back in our home in Los Angeles.

Usually the post-travel days are slightly chaotic for me since I get very anxious to send all the items to the customers who have made orders while we were away. So I knew it would be crazy few days... but then there was the amazing shop feature on REMODELISTA on Friday morning. It brought a lot of unexpected shop traffic and series of new orders! 

Plus our 4am jet lag wake up time. (makes it even more difficult with our little one's jet lag)

Plus today's pop-up shop at Rose Bowl Flea Market which felt like an oven with the 100 degree temperature and high humidity.

Yes... it has been little crazy and chaotic here.

I am breathing in and out... trying to make a steady progress.

I hope you had a lovely weekend:)

Embrace tight... today and everyday

Today... as we prepare for our departure from Germany to Los Angeles..., I want to share one thing.

My best friend unexpectedly lost her father on Saturday... and I can't tell you how much it has shaken my heart... especially because I read her email just after I gave a farewell to my father who was leaving for a three month world-around trip. (He has been visiting Hamburg as his first stop... before he heads out to Spain, Greece, Istanbul... then to many other places until the end of December).

From many years of our friendship, I know how much her father means to her and how much she has meant to him. I wish I were closer to our home to give her a hug.

Also I realized... how much we need to embrace our loved ones... everyday...