....revisiting ZOOM MOTORS....!

Coming upon the end of the year always has me reflecting back as to where I was the year before....what has changed, what hasn't, where was I at this time last year both mentally and physically....?  This year marks my husband and my five year anniversary of living in San Francisco!  


Five years ago I was frantically trying to wrap up my projects I had going on in Santa Barbara - our pitstop for 8 months between our Los Angeles to San Francisco move.  I had a great little project during that stint in SB.  I had just started branching out on my own in the big design world and was finishing up a remodel in the Hollywood Hills as well as doing a quick and cost-effective remodel on an old service station in Santa Barbara.  It was my first solo commercial project and I worked with AB Design Studio on the interior layout and city permitting (the biggest headache in Santa Barbara FYI....if it isn't a maroon, Spanish tile roof.....get ready to wait and wait and wait), etc.  It was a fun project, one worth revisiting because the before and after photos are SO drastically different.


This was a grungy, mid-century service station that sat in it's own grease for who knows how long.  Being on the corner it had the potential to be seen from several angles.  The owners of ZOOM Motors sold used, unique cars and offered a detail service for the same....so we wanted it to be hip, modern and bright - as bright as possible for SB....we literally went through SEVERAL orange colors for the exterior sign color because our original orange was too "bright".









before office



before office






SO much grease...it was days of power washing.  not pretty.





We added a multi-work surface, kitchenette (all affordable IKEA) and a smaller desk in the back for accounting, etc.  The large white wall is built out to look like corrugated metal painted a lacquer white.  I can't remember why we didn't actually use corrugated metal (I love that material), but I am going to take a wild guess and say that it had to do with city permitting.




















It turned out pretty darn cute.  Zoom Motors unfortunately took a big hit in the recession a few years ago....I don't know what is there now....anybody from SB know?


"before" photos by janel holiday design....fancy, pro shots by Ciro Coelho.


Soundtrack for this end-of-the-year revisit is one of my favorite 80's albums:

a NAPA garden field trip....!

this past week Rebecca, Erin and myself ventured off to beautiful Napa - just North of SF - for a little garden education.  We visited two amazing gardens in their "winter states" that RBID worked on a few years back.  While quite different in their layouts, plantings and vistas, they shared the same overall feeling of uninterrupted flow...with one path opening to another little seating area, to a reflective pool, to another orchard, antique garden elements, and of course, all surrounded by grapes, grapes and more grapes.  


While the gardens are private in terms of overall shots, I thought you would enjoy the smaller details one experiences while truly taking the time to stroll and soak it all in.  It was a beautiful, clear and crisp, sunny, Napa day that left us all feeling refreshed, recharged and inspired.















waiting for tennis season






cab vines


















the birds were so feisty this day....the swoop down between the rows squawking and eating....i could have stood there for hours.






a perfect grocery to grab a picnic






Opus One


















































Soundtrack for this special field trip is Iron and Wine:

ringing in Christmas at Grace Cathedral...!

This past weekend a few lovelies and myself bundled up and headed over to the amazing Grace Cathedral in San Francisco's Nob Hill to see the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys perform seasonal Christmas classics.  Accompanied by a full band, this was such a treat to hear and to experience. 

The church itself is a masterpiece with it's soaring ceilings, mix of materials and one view leading to another even more gorgeous view....hidden nooks and rooms, labyrinths and glittering stained glass windows......truly spectacular and a must see.   You don't need to be a religious individual to appreciate the craftsmanship, community and belief that went into this church and continues to do so.

I captured a few photos for you all to enjoy....and mark your calendars for next year.  I promise, you will love it.

my ladies are always fancy

top of the mark bar

charles + amy 

some pre-rocking out chit-chat

ovvvvvverrrrrrrrrrrr it.

heading out for cocktails....that's what you do after church, right?!

flags of the Fairmont

charles at the top of the mark

all photos by janel holiday design.

Soundtrack is the obvi: