LA VALENCIA HOTEL

lav-entry-a.jpg.694x390_0_30_10514 lavalencia1lajollablog14 lavalencia2 lavalencia3lavalencia7lavalencia4lavalencia5 lavalencia8

thecove4

lav-fronthotel-enhanced1.jpg.694x390_0_70_3614

 

We recently ran off for a quick jaunt to California, and since we had business anyway in San Diego…we decided to stay in the La Jolla Cove vacinity, and make a break out of it!

Last year at this time, we were also in California, but toured through La Jolla, Carlsbad, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, etc.  Because of that, this time we decided to stay in one area and actually relax in between touring tennis facilities, etc.

Last year, while visiting the seals on La Jolla Cove… I’d notice the huge pink hotel overlooking the ocean, so we (I) decided to stay there this time around.  It has a fabulous old Hollywood feel to it… coming from the fact that it was built in 1926.

I love how the room doors are the old style, in heavy wood, the hallways are skinny and the elevator is even smaller, as they were not industrial sized as we see in newer construction.

There are a couple of different options for fabulous dining, and who wouldn’t want their breakfast on the restaurant terrace overlooking the ocean view?

Our room was an Ocean View, but by going to the La Valencia website, you can see that they also have different type of Villas available, that I will try to book next time we go.

Our room’s terrace was equipped with birds that would literally bark at you for snacks.  Fortunately, I stopped for room snack and hairspray before getting to the hotel, so I had available a fat girl sized bag of Cheetos, which the birds loved.  I’m thinking the salty nature of Cheetos was fish-like for them.  Either way, the showed up like clock work every morning, some even taking the bites right out of my hand!

Between the seals on the nearby cove, the birds, the ocean view, fabulous food and a great hotel…we had an absolutely wonderful stay!  Check out the interesting video below if you love history and architecture !

-SDS

Share this post!

LEVI STRAUSS and TOMMY HILFILGER for HIM

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis

 

     It is a very rare event when I get my husband to appear in a post here, but I bought him this Tommy Hilfiger sweater, Van Huesen button down shirt and a new pair of Levi’s 501 Button fly jeans for Christmas, so agreeing to a mini shoot was only right!

     The last time I was able to get him to do a shoot for me was a year ago, in the Classic Levi’s Day blog post.

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis, Tennis in Spring, Texas

Sometimes, when we go somewhere, I have on heels and I am dressed up, but he is dressed for tennis.  I don’t shop for him enough, mainly because he is rather finicky, but I see now it benefits me to get him dressed on occasion!

We took the photos at one of the tennis facilities he works out of, and the landscape is beautiful for photos. It’s my secret place for when I do photography here and there.

     As for actually styling a man-shoot, it’s entirely different than shooting a female.  Their skin is different, the photos need to be more rugged…not delicate, or else ick!  I don’t think men sit up at night pouring over fashion sets, so I think in terms more of a woman trying to maintain her guy and what she might like to do for him.  I say this, however, my Pure Speculation blog post called  It’s a Fact, Bald Men Are HOT is quickly climbing the chart of popularity among my blog posts.   I tend to think I am getting a lot more male readers than previously suspected!

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis

The sweater is so cool and also looks great with a simple turtle neck or t shirt underneath.  

    He desperately needed a jean update.  The fit on these Levi’s is fabulous and kinda hot and I love the new faded wash they just came out with.

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis

While the pictures may appear peaceful and romantic, the shoot was anything but!  you know how you try to take your dog’s picture, and it’s restless?  It may be standing there still and stiff, but it’s stressed and not wanting a photo taken, occasionally looking away, and not posing how you would like?  This was that!  The good news is that at least he’s not vain at all, and I would be worried if he actually enjoyed getting his pictures done! 

     Ken enjoys vacation type, fun photos, but that’s about it! He doesn’t think it’s funny when I state that we are preserving and documenting his last ounces of youth.

Tommy Hilfilger sweater, Levi's Jeans, KS Tennis, Stephanie Sjoberg, Ken Sjoberg, Luxor Living and Style

I shouldn’t have given him this Christmas present early, but it would have tortured my soul to no end, waiting until Christmas to see if he liked it or not! He loved the set.  I wonder what improvements I can make next?

     Also, do we want more man style blog posts? No? Let me know what you think!

 

-SDS

-December 17, 2013

Share this post!

AUGUST in GALVESTON

Stephanie Sjoberg, Ken Sjoberg, Galveston Texas, beach, cover up, blogger in Houston, white blonde, Jazzy, Luxor Living

     I really, really needed a tiny day break.  I had to step away from the computer, so even though it was about 100 degrees…it seemed like a good idea to take a drive down to Kemah or Galveston.  In order that the dogs could come, we opted for Galveston.

cover up by Beach, Inc, bracelet by Bright Accessories, bikini by Victoria’s Secret

     So…we piled into the car around late morning and headed south. I got to wear my new beach cover up that’s been hanging in the closet for three months, threw on a hat and hoped it would at least feel somewhat cooler once we got there and the Gulf breeze would be whipping around.

 

ring by David Yurman Couture, bikini by Victoria’s Secret, cover up by Beach, Inc

 There has been tons of growth on Galveston Island and there were a lot of new restaurants to choose from – and a lot with covered patio areas so that pets can sit at your feet as you eat!

 

     The Pleasure Pier at Galveston was newly revamped in May of 2012. Although it’s still not quite Santa Monica…it’s a step in the right direction! There’s a live PierCam at the link above!

  Jazzy enjoyed relaxing on the coast, once the sun began to set, and it wasn’t quite so toasty! Her face said to me, “Damn, this is cool to get out of the house, but it’s hot.  Fun, but hot. Hot. Hot.”

  “Do I look ok?” I asked my husband, before a lady began to snap a photo of the 4 of us.

  “Well, you’re sweaty.” he replied. 

  “I don’t sweat.  I’m sure I’ll just look dewy in our photo.”

  “Five years, and I’ve never once seen you sweat. Not at the gym. Not ever. Wow, you’re sweating, but ok…we’ll call it dewy,” he commented.

  

shoes by Jessica Simpson

     My next coastal adventure will be to a resort in Clear Lake, where there is shade and plenty of palm trees.  He is in the heat on the tennis court every day, so it wasn’t it great call to head to the beach on a 100 degree day with a geriatric dog!

We still had a good time, took a tiny break and relaxed a little.

 

-August 12, 2013

-SDS

Share this post!

BLACK SUMMER PART 2

BLACK SUMMER PART 2


     I loved the Black Summer Inspiration board that I posted so much, I decided to walk the walk and coordinate an outfit with things I already owned, and simulate the board.

   I recently saw the dress on a friend’s post on Instagram, which reminded me that I also had it tucked away somewhere.  When she stated that she also had owned it for years, and referred to it as a “staple” I couldn’t of agreed more!

Prada glasses, Old Town Spring, bloggers, fashion, blonde hair, style

The turquoise beads never get worn, but I thought they would be fun with the big earrings.

The lime green wallet and pink shoes add to the color pops.

I also opted to line the bottom of the eyes with the turquoise color in the Batik Sun palette from Estee Lauder.

 

-May 15, 2013

-SDS

Share this post!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANUKKAH


 
 
 
     Merry Christmas to everyone!  This has been a busy month with work and family in town and it’s all finally coming to a head.  Today is the day for Christmas and Hanukkah actually occurred December 8 – December 16th this year.
 
     
     With the sad and tragic events in today’s world, it forces us to sit and reflect on what we do have to be grateful for in our imperfect existence.
 
     
     One of the Christmas events my husband went to involved some of his tennis clients.  One older woman gave him a hand stitched snowman ornament that took my breath away and reminded me of how much things had changed. 
 
      I imagined this snow man to have taken her a minimum of 10 hours to sew, so I’d wondered how many others she had made.  I wondered what she was thinking as she sewed his mouth on, as well as the beading on his hat.  The newer generations spend and spend and I found it meant so much more to receive something that took a person 10 hours to create.  He loved it and noticed the intricate details as well, so I wanted to post it here.
 
 
      After attending the candlelight service at our church last night, we came home, shared a hot chocolate and wrapped a few presents. (The ones my husband had wrapped, he’d also taken a big black marker and written the names in huge letters across the front of the packages before I had a chance to stop him. Ugh! Not pretty! However, at least he wrapped them! 
 
    
     Additionally, in these times of political correctness, in which “Happy Holidays” is used in the workplace so as to de-God America and show tolerance to other religions by squashing out our own, let me be perfectly clear.  Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. This is America and it is Christmastime.
 

 
 
 
-December 25, 2012
-SDS
Share this post!