On The Market

  Sotheby's describes this listing as a "superb blend of historic and contemporary" and I would have to agree. This beauty is as quintessential as it gets when thinking about San Francisco landmark mansions.  Almost 10,000 sq. ft., the home commands nothing but  grace and gusto. Astonishingly, the home includes a garage that can accommodate 4.5 cars, which is unheard of in San Francisco. Although almost every inch of the home is unquestionably remarkable (you're paying $1,044/sq. ft. by the way), I think my favorite feature of the home is the kitchen and outdoor space. See the full listing here. MLS #: 415441.

Sea & Sea

It seems everyone is getting away for a little escape lately. Mark Sikes has been posting about his musings from Punta Cana, and this recent article in the NY Times had me thinking about photographs of the iconic Veruschka often with the sea as a backdrop. Above, my own tribute to the sea and the pleasures that come with its seduction. Whether it may be enjoying a paperback read, fresh summer fruit or a revitalizing swim, I find myself yearning for my own escape with the sea (and salt! and sand!).

Images via

The Allure That Is San Francisco

I'm often faced with the question "What made you move to San Francisco?" from friends and acquaintances. While I wish I had a juicy tale to tell, it is really quite simple. I traveled to San Francisco quite frequently in college for sailing regattas, which included extensive training for a national championship. I was instantaneously drawn to the energy the city possessed and the paralyzingly beautiful landscape. I knew in my heart, I'd someday come back on a more permanent basis. Several years after college, I decided it was time to move out of Rhode Island and conquer city life as a young adult. I flew to San Francisco for a "trial weekend" to see if the city still spoke to me. That particular weekend, I went for a walk in the Pacific Heights neighborhood where I was absolutely enamored by the landscape around me. Never before had I felt so invigorated. It was a natural high I wanted more and more of and was determined to make it a constant fixture in my life. It single-handedly sold me on San Francisco.

Two years later, now a resident of San Francisco, the allure continues. My walks are still one of the most invigorating experiences.Yesterday, I was memorized by the fragrance of wisteria, hyacinth and rose, while watching a tanker ship enter the bay from a long journey overseas. The fog was slowly and elegantly folding over the golden gate bridge and the streets were peaceful and desolate. I get great joy from always seeing the old white-haired woman in her periwinkle colored nightgown peering down from the top window her Edwardian mansion, almost as if she has never left her post. In a life that is often complex and trying, my walks speak to me. They will always be one of the greatest components to my love affair with San Francisco.

Scenes from the Savannah

As weekend plans heat up, I leave you with remarkable photographs courtesy of Wired from Zack Seckler's Botswana series. Zack's collection of bird's-eye photographs are thanks to an ultra-light aircraft, offering him breathtaking views of the country from 50 to 500 feet vertical from the African savannah. A majority of his photographs depict striking views of the Makgadikgadi Pans, one of the world's largest salt flats. Very few animals live here - the salt flat primarily serves as the home to a thin but abundent layer of blue-green algae.

Be sure to view more photographs from his collection here.