The Coolest Bar Cart This Side of the Street: Decanter Sets

(Reclamation Etchworks)

I've seen these spirit-bottle sets at a few boutiques and gift fairs this fall, and they're at the top of my Christmas wishlist. Born from a surplus of decanter bottles, and access to a laser engraver, the San Francisco company Reclamation Etchworks grew into a viable business after a successful Kickstarter campaign. And all bar cart lovers rejoiced (or at least I did).

No one will know I bought the cheap vodka.

The bottles can be purchased through the Reclamation Etchworks site. 

We'll see you back here on Monday!

At Least I Made It Out Alive: A Lesson I Learned from Adventure Writer Tim Cahill

(The Western Sierras; photo: Wikipedia)

I didn't plan on writing two reading-themed posts back-to-back, but life happens -- and a writer I admire, Tim Cahill (founding editor of Outside Magazine), faced death earlier this month, and his terrifying story was shared on the Outside Magazine site two days ago. After reading the white-knuckle piece, I thought back on the time I had the opportunity to meet him and learn a few lessons about adventure writing.

What We're Reading: The California Sunday Magazine

This news-oriented publication, The California Sunday Magazine, was born from a pop-up stage performance and debuted earlier this year. An inconspicuous start to what's becoming one of my favorite new journalism sites.

The long-form pieces they're producing are thought provoking (I'm still thinking about this one), and all the stories center around California (and other western states), Latin America and Asia. If you're looking to add a few news-feature pieces to your must read list, head to their site and check out the latest stories. The next one on my list is "Their Town," a story about the fundamentalist community on the border of Arizona and Utah.

Acre Coffee: Caffeine (and Design) Fix

(Photo: Yelp)

Acre Coffee, based in Petaluma, makes a good cup of joe. All their coffee is French pressed, and while I usually grab a cup while flying through their San Francisco Civic Center location, when I'm in Petaluma, I slow down and nurse a cup at one of their tables as long as I can.

(Photo: Yelp)

The walls feature a rotation of art from local artists, changing with the months -- landscape photos that show the peace of the desert at dawn, delicate collages of strong waves. The seating is reminiscent of a time where schools were in large one-room houses, and features (the ever popular) communal table, alongside desk-sized spaces.

Rainy Day Movie Pick: Peggy Sue Got Married

(Wikipedia/TriStar)

It's been a rainy couple weeks, so I've been sorting through my favorite rainy-day movies, and today's pick is Peggy Sue Got Married (1986).

If you haven't seen this Francis Ford Coppola movie -- filmed in Sonoma County -- you're missing out. It's about a woman (Peggy, played by Kathleen Turner) who passes out at her 25-year high school reunion and ends up back in high school, where she gets a chance to do it all again. Can you imagine what you would do different? Or what you say to those who had passed away between then and now?

Check out the trailer below:

Movie tidbit: Peggy Sue's little sister is played by Sofia Coppola.

Daydreaming of Steep Ravine

I spent many childhood summers (and winters, actually) at the Steep Ravine cabins right outside Stinson Beach.

Waking up in the morning, we'd first start a fire in the stove, then later on explore the tide pools before heading down to the town where we'd poke around the shops.  Here are some photos for your Sunday musing:

Photo: Flickr/Willivolt

Photo: Flickr/Willivolt

Strike a Match and Let It Burn

I love a good candle, and recently came across P.F. Candle Co. at the Renegade Craft Fair -- after smelling them all -- I bought a few for gifts and then a few for myself. These 100% soy-wax candles (if you're unfamiliar with the world of candle wax, soy is renewable and it burns more slowly) are my new favorite brand. A couple scents that would be perfect for a rainy winter night were spruce and mistletoe, but my favorites were sweet grapefruit and campfire. 

And as with all the products featured on this blog, these candles are California made.