Dress: Target. Belt: J. Crew (similar). Bag: Old Navy (similar). Sunglasses: Target. Shoes: Loft. 

Hello and welcome back after the long weekend! I hope your weekend was relaxing and recharging! Ours was pretty perfect. On Friday we were really craving cheese curds, and as it turns out, those are not a popular thing in California. After much research we found out that A&W sells them, so we drove 25 minutes to an A&W for rootbeer floats and cheese curds #worthit. I honestly couldn't tell you the last time (before Friday) that I had eaten at A&W! Then on Saturday we went into San Francisco for the Fillmore Jazz Festival, which was a lot of fun. Sunday was, as per usual, spent lounging around the house. All-in-all, it was a weekend well spent!

xo Catherine

*Keeping it real: I honestly don't like these pictures at all, but I decided to share them anyway. Sometime life throws weird shadows on you and you take unflattering pictures, but that's just the way it goes!

I have officially been living in California for a little over a month, so I wanted to share a few updates about my time here so far! 

Favorite thing about California:

So far my favorite thing would definitely have to be all of the natural beauty. The drive in from Nevada was gorgeous (the Tahoe area), the mountains that we live near are stunning, and the beaches are amazing. There are so many interesting and beautiful places to visit that are only a couple hours away from us. 

Weirdest thing about California:

The weather does not affect what people wear. It could be 75 degrees and you will see people in both Uggs and shorts (you better believe I fall into the shorts category!). So strange. Also, the weather does not change from day to day. You can look at the ten day forecast, and it's virtually the same every single day. I'm starting to miss the rain! Speaking of which, the drought is no joke. Coming from the Land of 10,000 Lakes, water and rain is not something I often thought about. However, I'm constantly reminded of the drought by lakes that are drying up, restaurants only serving water if you ask for it, and signs about conservation on the side of the road. 

Favorite Place we've been:

We went to Panther beach (the first picture) a few weeks ago and it was actually breathtaking. 

Things that are different from Minnesota:

In Minnesota you get ten cents off if you bring your own bag shopping with you. In California, you have to pay ten cents if you want a bag, and plastic is not an option. 

Drivers are quick to honk. "Minnesota Nice" is so real when it comes to driving. People in Minnesota would wait a full 30 seconds before honking for someone to go at a green light, which can actually be annoying. I've been honked at the second that the light turns here.

There are so many people. I mean, I knew this was a desirable place to live, but for being so spread out (unlike NYC, or SF) it's packed with people. Highways can be up to five lanes wide, restaurants are always busy, you always have to sit next to someone at movie theaters, etc. 

Earthquakes: another thing I never had to think about, but you hear people casually mention. Most people I've talked to don't have much experience with lightening or tornadoes though.

On my well being:

I was really nervous to move here. I love Minneapolis and Minnesota and my friends and family. I was very hesitant to leave, but ultimately decided I was over long-distance. So far I'm handling it a lot better than I thought I would. I am a naturally anxious person, but I haven't had any big issues. So far I'm having a really good time :)

I'll be taking Friday off for the holiday, so I'll see you back here on Monday!

xo Catherine 

Shorts: Old Navy. Top: Banana Republic (similar). Shoes: ASOS (similar). Bag: Coach (similar). Sunglasses: J. Crew Factory (similar). Jacket: Old Navy (similar). 

You will definitely find me in this exact outfit come Saturday! I 100% believe in dressing literally for holidays, even though it's a bit cliche. I love wearing red, white, and blue for the fourth, so I might as well throw in some fireworks too, right? I got these shorts from Old Navy for $10 and I didn't want to save them for the fourth, so I wore them yesterday to a movie! Our weekend was excellent. We went out to a rooftop bar on Friday night, bought lots of yummy things at the Sunnyvale farmer's market on Saturday, had drinks with a friend, and saw Inside Out. I love weekends that are the perfect mix of relaxing and going out, and this was one of them!

You may have noticed -- I cut my hair! I was getting so sick of my hair, so I decided to go for a change. So far I'm loving it!

xo Catherine 

Side Table: Ikea. Lamp: Target. 

Shoe bin: Target. 

Books: Four Seasons of Travel, Dream Destinations, The Essential Bar. 

Bowl: Anthropologie (we use it for our keys).

Palm Print: Etsy. Gold World Print: Etsy. M and C: Michael's. Hot Dog Print: Etsy. Stone Arch Bridge Print: Etsy. Donut Print: Etsy. You Me Oui Print: Etsy. Moon River Sheet Music: Online Sheet Music. Golden Gate Bridge Print: Fine Art America. Pineapple Print: Etsy. 

You may notice that this blanket moves around in the pictures, and that's because I spent more time than I'd care to admit trying to get the perfect casual draping!

Coffee table books: California the Beautiful, Humans of New York, Underwater Dogs, Sinatra. 

Coffee Table: Ikea. Bin: Target. 

These bins are so great for hiding unwanted chords/batteries/pens!

Hurricanes: Anthropologie. 

Pillows: Pottery Barn.

Table: Ikea. 

Centerpiece: World Market. Placemats: Crate and Barrel. 

Minnesota Landmark Prints: Mill City, Stillwater, Lake Harriet. 

World Landmark Prints: The Everygirl. Headboard: Target. Pillows: gold polka dot, leopard, dalmatian. Duvet cover: Pottery Barn. 

Lamp: Target (Mark would like you to know that he picked these out)!  Nightstand: Ikea. Vase: World Market. 

Well there you have it, home sweet home!

xo Catherine