Here We Go Again!

I started this little ole blog a few years ago and had so much fun with it.  However, solely writing about my favorite things while enjoyable, seemed to lack a bit of direction.  Inevitably, I lost steam about two years in and my blogging faded as my work/social life bloomed.

Now that I've jumped ship on a full-time job and wandered into the scary world of working for myself, I think I've finally found a direction again for the blog.  I'll be sharing some of what I've worked on over the past couple of years and also where I hope to go!  I hope my remaining readers will enjoy all that Ryder Sloan Events has to offer!

Here are some gorgeous images from our clients Sera and Sean's NYC wedding at Public from November 2012, oh yeah, we're takin' it way back to get started!  All photos by the talented PhotoJJ.

More images featured on Jenny J's blog HERE and Style Me Pretty.  

Thanks guys and Happy Hump Day!

Ryder Sloan Events

After years of dreaming, I have finally started my own event planning company!  Ryder Sloan Events is now open for business!  Well, officially, as of November I was open but now I've applied for the LLC, created a website, had a custom logo designed, helped two lovely brides to plan their nuptials and even have one more on the books.  So far, so good.

With the creation of the new website, seen HERE, I was encouraged to include a link to my little ole blog here.  I agreed, however, I'm incredibly embarrassed as I haven't actually blogged since last May.  So here we go!  Back in the blogger game.  Hoping to keep it up although no promises.  My RSE Facebook page HERE is definitely the best way to keep up with the new company.

For my first post back though, I thought I'd share an image per month for the last ten months I've been away.  Hope I still have some readers out there, if not, this will just be a fun exercise for me at least to remember a great year :)

June: Purchased a new camera for my trip with KTW to Tokyo!  Trip was amazing, will try to share photos soon, unfortunately they're on another computer so my new camera will have to do, it's pretty right?

July: Saw Mates of State at the Independent (officially a groupie now I think after five shows), their opening band was The Stepkids and we loved their white screen, white outfits and crazy graphic light show.  This would be so fun to do at an event, great backdrop! 

August: Did day-of coordination on my own for the first time for an Amy Nichols Special Events wedding who I've been freelancing with for almost two years now.  It was such a magical day and furthered my desire to pursue my own company!  

 September: Went to Berkeley for the Edward Sharpe Show, proclaimed it one of the best experiences at a concert that I'v ever had.

 October: Hosted a Halloween party, glittered some pumpkins and used blue hydrangeas to decorate.

 November: My first wedding under Ryder Sloan Events for sweet Sera and Sean.  We even did all the florals seen here on the floor of their room at the Bowery Hotel. I lived in NYC for five years and never made it to the flower mart, bucket list item checked!

 December: Sorry for the grainy photo...hosted dinner for my Cookbook Club and was able to use those same glittery pumpkins as place cards.

 January: 2nd Ryder Sloan Events wedding for Jenn and Ben, first sword arch at a wedding.  Love this so so so much!

February: Family visited and we spent a day in Napa.  Their trips are always bittersweet, I hate dropping them off at the airport.

March: Perhaps our biggest news, we've bought a condo!  We get the keys Monday and start renovations right away.  Looking forward to sharing some before and afters!

It's good to be back, thanks for reading!

Travel Lists

Back in January of 2010, I wrote this post listing the places I had been in the past year.  It was my plan to do it in January 2011 as well but surprise, surprise, I forgot...so now, I'm challenged with remembering all of the places I've been since January 2010, here goes:
- New York, NY
- Montauk, NY
- Washington D.C.
- Isla Mujeres, Mexico
- Savannah, GA
- Milwaukee, WI
- Nashville, TN
- Huntington, NY
- Santa Rosa Beach, FL
-2011-
- Nashville, TN
- New York, NY
- Palo Alto, CA
- Monterey, CA
- Carmel, CA
- Pebble Beach, CA
- Big Sur, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Sausalito, CA
- Sonoma, CA
- Lake Tahoe, CA
- Saint Petersburg, FL
- Atlanta, GA
- Santa Rosa Beach, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Boston, MA
- Phippsburg, ME
- Portland, ME
- Rye, NY
- Napa, CA
- Chicago, IL

And here are a few places I'd like to go in 2012, and the hotels I dream of staying at when I go :)

Austin, TX @ The Hotel Saint Cecilia

Palm Springs, CA @ the Viceroy

Oahu, Hawaii @ the Moana Surfrider

Portland, OR @ the Hotel Monaco

Seattle, WA @ the Alexis Hotel

New York, NY @ the Greenwich Hotel...a girl can dream...

Gallery Wall

Still trying to pull together my new apartment but thought I'd share my most recent project for a sneak peek.  KTW was given the task of helping me hang a gallery wall in my kitchen.  I laid everything out on the floor the way I wanted it hung and then sat back, ate bon bons, and watched tv while he did the rest.

Not really, I handed him nails and gave directions like "a little to the left."  But he was definitely the master of this project and I think he did a phenomenal job!  I smile each time I turn the corner and walk into my kitchen.  Big thanks to my favorite dude!

Mapping out the plan and measuring each frame.

All done!  The items hung in black frames are some of my grandmother's embroidered hand towels.  My mother cleaned and ironed each one for me.  I truly treasure them.  I painted the Le Sueur Peas can and bee.  My mother painted the flower.  The green framed picture is of Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach.  This photograph is particularly meaningful to me because it's one of the moments I decided I must live in California!  The shell sketches I bought in a gallery in NYC, they've lived in many apartments with me over the years.

NYC Trip and more!

A few weeks ago, KTW and I trekked back east for yet another wedding! Lucky for us, it was held in our favorite and former city, NYC. I kept getting asked by friends and family what we were going to do on our trip. It was a hard question to answer because we weren't coming for a show, to go shopping, or to visit the museums. We just wanted to experience a normal New York weekend like we used to, outdoor brunch with friends, "wasting" away hours in central park, going to fun dinners, walking through the charming streets of the West Village. We got to do all of these things, plus attend a gorgeous black tie wedding on one of the prettiest weekends weather-wise I've ever experienced there. Being back in NYC, we noticed how it felt like we were home and going back to SF was more like going back to vacation. It was a strange, bittersweet feeling. But as much as I love NYC and miss my friends, I am so lucky to be exploring a new city with my handsome man. And after this gorgeous Indian Summer weekend in SF, I am starting to miss NYC less and less. There will never be another city like it and I feel almost guilty admitting that I have started to love SF a little too. But I can't deny it, the West coast is amazing! Here are some images from the the NYC weekend as well as this past weekend in SF.

Our first morning, we visited the new section of the High Line.  Below you can see how close it is to these apartment buildings.  I'm sure the apartments are awesome but I wouldn't want to be so close to a tourist attraction.  We could literally see people doing yoga inside their living rooms!

 Bin 71 is one of our all-time favorites.  We had lunch here and I couldn't believe how gorgeous this fig was.  What an interesting fruit!

" I recall...Central Park in fall..."  -name that tune?

 On Saturday, we brunched at Nice Matin and look who came in and sat right next to us!  They were filming so I'm dying to see the next season if we're in the background staring like idiots.

 I'm not a huge fan of the Countess (a little too self-righteous,) but she picked a good dude.  He stopped filming to suggest that this girl untie her dog from the telephone pole close to the street.  I've never had a enough guts to do this, but it kills me everytime I see a dog tied up like that.  Not a good idea dog-owners, they get swiped so fast, and it is also super dangerous for them to be tied close to the road.  I hope a law gets passed about this.  Okay, stepping down from soapbox now...

 I didn't take too many pics at the wedding, too much fun...  But I did capture the table, look at all those glasses!  This was truly a classic New York City wedding, just beautiful!

 Luckily, our flight left at night on Sunday so I had time for one last brunch with my girlfriends at Cafe Cluny.

 Back in SF...this Sunday we scoped out a picnic table down near Chrissy Field and hung out there all day.  We grilled brats, drank beer, played ladder golf, it was a perfect end to the gorgeous weekend.  Below, looking east towards the city.

 And to our left, looking West towards the bridge and Marin.

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Photo Deluge

Boy, have I been delinquet in posting! Here's why...

 Kate visited, read much more about it here and here.  We walked across the bridge...

 Watched gorgeous food being prepared and then eaten at Pizzeria Delfina...

Ate pastries like this mini lemon merengue tart from Citizen Cake...

I fell in love with a Mackage...and washed my hair very soon after this photo was taken, I swear!

And of course, had cocktails in many shapes and sizes, fabulous trip Kate!

 KTW and I found a sufficient patio in Noe Valley to watch the Packers...and Auburn...and the Badgers...and the Brewers...

True to form, I ordered many options for drinks...

Another weekend we went to Outerlands before driving down to Fort Funston Beach.  My yummy turkey sandwich here and his awesome pastrami melt below...

Sweet Lauren Cakes did a phenomenal display for the Kate Spade launch of their new lipstick colors...

And finally, we went to Napa...

That's right, I tasted red wines in my white jeans, I like to live on the edge!

 KTW tried to get artsy with these shots at our first stop, Mumm.

 I agree with Bette Davis...

We had lunch outside at Farmstead...

 And ate really good, really big lunches...

 Took pictures and tasted in the vineyards at Honig...

 Honig is German for honey, I was so thrilled to realize this. 

I have a long time fascination with all things related to bees and honey...

 Napa...ahhh...

Now, off to our long-awaited trip to NYC!  I can't wait to get back to all of my old stomping grounds and spend time with friends.  We even have a black-tie wedding to attend,

I'm so excited to get all fancy-schmansy!!!