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Addicted to Stationary (here’s a haul for ya)
A post from me, a little out of the ordinary. But for those who’ve known me ages, know it’s not out of the ordinary that I spend a good hour or more in a stationary store. And ya know San Francisco Bay Area has a ton of them. I’ve even made trips to San Francisco JUST to visit these said stores.
I’ve always been a pen/pencil/marker/stationary/notebook collector my entire life. I have tons of little notebooks back home in Newfoundland filled with the same type of cartoon characters, over and over and over again.
My stationary and writing utensil game hasn’t changed at all. I’d like to think it all came from my Father being an Architect and he wore that off onto me a little bit, with the fascination of different pen tips, and whatnot. So, I’m here to share a little bit of goodies I found while shopping around the past few years here in California. I’m especially loving the Japanese stationary stores, all sorts of wonderful gems in there for a fraction of the cost of what I’d find elsewhere.
First up are some items I was sent from Cool Pencil Case (sent for review).
Since I’m an 80’s baby I knew immediately I wanted to get the Tape Cassette pencil case. It’s AWESOME. I wonder if kids these days know what this is? I should ask my nephews, hah.
It has a zippered pouch and you can hold tons of layered pens on top of one another due to how the zipper is sewn on, so you’re not limited to how many fits across. Make sense? Kinda wish the inside had a pattern or something, the beige is kind of boring in my opinion.
Top 10 Father’s Day Gifts at Santana Row
Dads are pretty special, and no matter what your Father’s style is, Santana Row will probably suit his needs just fine. Plus he deserves to be treated extra special on Father’s Day. It’ll be a tough one for those who have lost their Father’s. After all, I’m talking about the man who taught me how to ride a bike, how to play catch, and have so much patience with me learning my times table, coming up with songs and silly tunes to easily memorize them. 
But it doesn’t stop me from showcasing some unique, fun, gift ideas for all the father’s out there. There ya have it. Easy as that. My blog post featuring Top 10 Father’s Day Gifts at Santana Row. It’s coming upon us, Father’s Day is on June 19! Let’s get crackin’.
All photos taken by me at Santana Row.Â
1| For the Classic Dad
Shop Makers Market the newest store in Santana Row where local artists selling US Handcrafted goods such as beard oils, genuine leather monogrammed wash bags, wallets and more. Perfect for unique gifts, and supporting local artisans. (Photo: Display at Maker’s Market)
2| For the Athletic Dad
Icebreaker Merino store always has great wool athletic wear that you can wear in winter, and summer. Those lightweight merino wool layers are great to throw on for an early-morning bike ride or a nighttime cookout. They have the most comfortable clothes and it’ll be the only extra layer he’ll need come warmer weather. If you’re feeling extra spendy, buy him some workout gear at Lululemon, then upgrade his gym membership for one at The Bay Club in Santana Row! (Photo: Lululemon yoga mats)
3| For the Travel Dad
If your father is a jet-setter who travels for business a lot, update his carry-on with something new and fresh. These three super sleek carry-on suitcases above are from TUMI.
4| For the Artistic Dad
My Dad would’ve loved Maido, especially since he was quite artistic and was an Architect back in the day. It has all sorts of writing utensils, calligraphy supplies, and all the perfect paper for writing, sketching and etching. Any time I pop over to Santana Row, Maido is a must-see to catch up on all their latest items. (Photo: Wide selection of pens at Maido)
5| For the Coffee Loving Dad
Whether it be Peet’s Coffee and Tea, classic ol’ Starbucks, Fantasia Tea Cafe, or Lisa’s Tea Treasures, your Dad will probably love a hot cuppa before he gets his day started. Bring him a freshly brewed tea or coffee and hey — bonus, maybe breakfast in bed too! If he loves espresso as much as I do, take him over to Left Bank Brasserie and order the ice cream dessert. I had it there once, and it came with a shot of espresso to pour over top. Mmm-mmm! (Photo: Menu at Fantasia Tea Cafe)
6| For the Grill Master Dad
BBQ season has already hit where I live, I can smell the steaks and veggies on the grill almost every evening and it’s simply glorious. Does you Dad need an update to his grilling tools? Maybe some new wine/whiskey glasses? Sur La Table will surly have it all, and Crate & Barrel has a huge selection of outdoor gear to suit your Fathers entertaining needs.
7| For the Stylish Dad
For the sharp dresser there are a variety of stylish men’s shops at Santana Row, with Bonobos, Ted Baker, and Donald J Piliner (for shoes) being my top three choices full of premium clothing and footwear down to the best swagger-inducing socks at Tommy Bahama. (Photo taken of the men’s shirts at Bonobos)
8| For the Silicon Valley Dad
No doubt if your Dad is into tech gadgets and gear, he’s going to enjoy any fun gifts from Best Buy. Garmin watches, fancy drones to fly, and Canon cameras, you name it ∞ it’s all there.Â
9| For the Rugged Dad
Hook up your Dad with some new fishing or camping gear from Orvis, then sit on this comfy leather club chair while you wait for him to come back with a nice big catch for supper. What a feed!
10| For the Steak Loving Dad
This one is a total no brainer. LB Steak is an excellent choice for a perfectly cooked steak and it’s a fantastic looking spot inside — treat him this time, for once! 
Bonus:
And not to mention, of course gifts don’t have to cost a penny. Gather your kids around and make him something extra special. I love home made gifts from my nephews, and I know Father’s out there would appreciate a sentimental keepsake too.
Santana Row
377 Santana Row, San Jose, CA 95128
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Life Lately
I’ve been trying to keep busy, but it’s hard! There’s only so much you can do in the run of a day, a week, a month. I’ve been avoiding the sadness but a few weeks ago it hit me hard and I fully embraced it and it sucked big time. I don’t mean that for you guys to comment in a big ol’ pity party, I’m just saying. I’m fine, everything’s going to be fine. It just sucks, and it’s hard and I don’t like it. I’m so glad my husband is so compassionate.
But I’ll tell ya what I do like. Espresso. And four shots of it. I’m starting to love the taste of espresso (still not loving the taste of a coffee though), and I’m trying to figure out the cheapest way to ask for an espresso drink somewhere, without paying $6 or $7 for it. Next time I might just ask for all the espressos with no additives (milk, or fancy frothy stuff) in it, then bring’er home and add some of my own milk. Am I being a penny pincher? My parents always told me I will always have a couple of bucks on me no matter how broke I get. Guess it’s from all those days asking for pure espresso shots. Really though, I don’t drink the espresso alldayerrday. It’s about once a week when I need to get shiz done. Ya know? Like yesterday when I blogged (I’m not even going to tell you how many posts I pumped out yesterday due to the caffeine intake). BUT IT WAS GREAT! By the way, anyone try the new Lancome Juicy Shakers yet? It’s the lip product up there shown in the tiny cocktail shaker shaped thing! Cute right??
I don’t dress up often since I don’t have a corporate job to go to any more. But I do like to dress up for blogging events from time-to-time. I put together this little ensemble over the weekend and liked how it came out! Fancy Nancy is sportin’ all black, with a bright red shoe. No matter where I go, these shoes get complimented on, and they were SO cheap!
Outfit of the day
NIC+ZOE day to night top and perfect leggings, Nexus 5X in my hand ;)
Moto 360 watch, hand-me-down purse
Etsy necklace, Brandy Melville gold ring, Charlotte Russe flats
NIC+ZOEÂ is a really nice place to shop online for business casual clothing. They have some beautiful pieces and I already have a few more items on my wishlist I’d like to purchase from them (the top and leggings were sent to me).
What else. I’ve been enjoying running. Although, not for very long, but getting it done quickly. Sometimes Most times I hate running, but ya gotta get a bit more exercise than a bit of bouldering, and yoga-zen-time. So, running it is. You might’ve noticed I’ve been cycling an awful lot too. That’s because I have been. I got a new bike in December from Specialized, and after my first fall I’ve resorted to wearing street shoes and not clip-shoes (what are they called? Why are they called clipless, if you clip into them?). I’ve been exploring the city about an hour each time I go out on the bike and I still feel silly walking my bike across the intersections. But I’m still a bit wobbly and clumsy on it! I’ll get used to it one day. Back to running. I had a scary moment in a sketchy neighbourhood (which I’ll never run in again by the way). I had throat-burn from running so fast away from 2 scary guys who scared me for a legitimate reason.
I got my first fancy smart watch! It’s the new Moto 360 Android watch in rose gold, and it officially launched yesterday. I’ve been playing with it ever since I got it. I feel like Inspector Gadget talking to my wrist to bring up the weather app, or to text someone. It also has a really interesting feature where you can change the strap on it very easily with the push of a button on the back. I have it in a tan pebbled leather, a black silicone, and the strap that came with it — this soft tan shade. I have to say, it brings me back to my childhood when a university student who lived next door neighbour bought me a watch with interchangeable straps for my 9th birthday. Memories!
Colouring has been awesome too. Did you guys get any colouring books this Christmas? I swear it was a popular item. My husband gave me TWO colouring books, talk about spoiled! I’ve been using fancy calligraphy markers from fancy art stores in fancy San Francisco to colour and I’ve been enjoying every moment of it. About an hour a day I turn my electronics on airplane mode, put on some chill music, and colour, or just take a bit of me time. It’s been good.
How have you been?