On the Road Again

Well, that title is soon to be past tense, but it very accurately describes the last 3 weeks for Dustin and I. I haven't been home for more that 12 hours to repack and fly out again. Since San Francisco (which I've already written about) I have been in the Bahamas, NYC, Rhode Island, day trip to New Jersey, back to NYC and then on to Hilton Head for Travis and Courtney's wedding.

Travis is Dustin's brother and Courtney and Travis met almost 2 years ago at my father-in-law (Steve) and Ann's wedding. Courtney is one of Ann's cherished nieces, she is like a daughter to her. So, they have heard all the jokes, and yes, they are cousins, but NOT RELATED by blood. It is just a happy little accident of love in the South. They met, fell in love and I think they are perfect together. Travis is extremely laid back and Courtney likes to do the planning and they both like to have a lot of fun. It seems that they are best friends and lovers all rolled into one so it was great to see their beach wedding unfold.

I happened to be in the right place at the right time (no sarcasm here) to get the job of video taping the wedding. So, I saw most of it through the 2 inch view finder. However, when Courtney walked down the aisle, I trained the lense at Travis and caught all his emotion as he teared up. He met her halfway down the aisle to escort her the rest of the way to the chiffon and raffia decorated huppa. While it was far too windy to hear all of the vows, I did catch some phrases about respect and protecting each other and it was very picturesque.

The wedding was preceded and followed up with debauchery and dancing and heartfelt toasts. Steve and Travis both took a spin at the drums and played with the wedding band at one point. Dustin and I are certainly on the wedding circuit this year as we have 13 weddings on the roster. Next up: weddings on the May 22, June 5, and July 3. I'll try to get pics from all of these.

Here are a few pics from our very relaxing trip to the Bahamas with our good friend's Greg and Virginia. They are veteran vacationers to the Bahamas but it was my first time and Dustin's second. The water was gorgeous and bright aqua blue and very warm. It was pretty much heaven to wake up to the pink sand beaches and soft waves outside our balcony.


We went to the island of Eleuthra, which Dustin was convinced was called Urethra...(Doc Greg set him straight) and every place we went had delicious food and excellent cocktails. My favorite was the lychee martini and one little beachside restaurant had a grouper ceviche served on fried platanos. Yummmmmm! So, when I get back to Nashville, I'm starting a running schedule.

Love you all and I'll keep you posted on the upcoming weddings and adventures and I want to send a special Happy Birthday to my adorable nephew, Wes, whose 2nd birthday I won't be able to attend. I LOVE YOU LITTLE WES!

PS...does anyone know how to change the picture on a template. I want to add a pic of our back patio that fits our header. The modern pic is a stock photo for this template. Please let me know how to do that!...or if you could do it for me, that would be even better :)

'Cisco

We are spending the week in San Francisco this week for both work and pleasure. Dustin has his events that he's booked solid and working on and I have been pounding the pavement meeting and greeting boutiques in the hopes that we get SLEEVELESS in this city. So far, mission is accomplished as we are in a boutique called Bryan Lee in the Marina District. If you live in the city, go check out the pieces that they have from our line and the other really great goods that they carry.

It's always crazy during event time for Dustin and the team. It's one big cluster of business and momentum. Not necessarily organized momentum, but momentum nonetheless. By the end of the week, they manage to put on 2 successful events due to the hard work of all the people that have been in the area for 3 months selling tickets for the big day.

I spent this morning down in the Marina District grabbing a quick breakfast and coffee with my friend and talented photog, Reid Rolls. We perused some of his photos from a shoot we did with Ashley Monroe and generally just catching up.

San Fran has been chillier than I thought it would be at this time of year, but delightful as always. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to see the Cartier of America exhibit at the art museum Legion of Honor or head out to wine country tomorrow during the day. Either way, Dustin has to work, so I'll have to drum up something exciting to do. I'll make sure to get some pics and post them next chance I get!

Porch sittin'

I decided that our new title for our blog is little more appropriate ( and it may change a few more times til I settle on just the right name) for us, perhaps because I'm obsessed with sitting out on our patio (for morning coffee, afternoon wine o'clock, or later dinners) or it could be because Dustin and I have an open door policy when it comes to our dear friends. For whatever reason, we'll see how and if the new blog title sticks.

We just recently found the coolest table at Southeastern Salvage that we put out on our back patio. We don't have much furniture or landscaping done, but this table makes us sooooo happy. It was a purchase that both Dustin and I agreed on without hesitation (doesn't always happen in the aesthetics department) so we scooped up the last one they had! The table top is round and heavy and roughly hewn with a steel rim hammered onto the outer edge, like a wagon wheel. The legs are slightly turned, giving it a french garden meets mediterranean feel. We paired it with some cheap teak folding chairs and piled an inferno of old candles in the center of the table and we are officially in business for dinners on the patio.

Simple dinners are best. Some nights we do a little salmon and veggies on the grill and other nights we just do a tray of olives, red peppers, smoked salmon, chips and guac. Either way, you can join us on our patio just about every night and find us munching on some snacks and drinking some vino! Please come over and keep us company!

Welcome Baby Redd!

So I'm about 3 weeks too late from announcing this exciting news but....I'm an Aunt for the second time!!!! My littlest sister Ingrid who is a natural with kids) just had her first baby boy, named Redd Arthur Ziegler! Cute name for a cute little guy. I asked my sister if the name suited him and she responded by saying, "Well, not yet because he came out looking really red and it's not quite supposed to be literal!" But all I keep hearing from family and friends is how cute and layed back he is, so I'm sure he looks every bit the "cool guy" as his name suggests. Here is a pic of momma with little Redd and a pic of my other nephew holding his new "toy". I don't think he know what this is all about just yet.


I'm looking forward to meeting him when I fly to Portland on the 30th of this month! What should I bring as a gift? hmmmm....I'm pretty good at shopping so I'm sure I'll find something good!

Other news, I am planning a trip to NYC right after my trip to Portland, for my new accessory line that I share with designer Jessica Maros, to shop our collection to boutiques and drum up some press. Here are a couple photos from our 2010 collection and advertorial.
We are taking a recommendations for boutiques that you think would be a good fit for our brand! All feedback is welcome.

Love you all,
Kyah

Wedded Bliss: Ruthy and Andrew

Dustin and I just got back from 4 beautiful, but coooollld days in snowy Flagstaff, AZ...yes, AZ has snow AND skiing (for those who have already questioned me on that fact)! We made the trek to Arizona for my dear friend Ruthy's wedding. Ruthy is like a sister to me, as we have lived, worked, prayed and partied together over the years.

The love between her and her e-harmony-matched man is so touching. Really, truly head-over-heels in love. I'm so happy for Ruthy and Andrew and love the story that brought them together. You can read about it at Ruthy's blog "Discovery Street".

Due to a great eye and much diligence from Maija (Maija Karin Photography) I already have some beautiful pics to share...and a couple awesome cell phone pics of my own :) Gorgeous Bride...gorgeous couple!

*This just in! Bride just called as I'm blogging to inform me that they missed their flight to their honeymoon due to suddenly falling ill! Eek! So wedded bliss may not be the most entirely appropriate title but I'm sure their love will conquer all! (Details...great detail is on her blog!) The plan is to leave on Friday...wish them luck!

Here are a couple of my fancy cell phone pics of us heading to the rehearsal and dinner:
Dustin and I at a little coffee shop in downtown Flagstaff...called Rendezvous. Ahhh, wonderful coffee!

Weddings are a great way for us to re-commit again to the person that we've chose to spend the rest of our life with. Dustin and I always leave weddings feeling renewed excitement and encouragement about our life together. There was a reading during the ceremony from a passage out of C.S. Lewis that I wanted to share with you:

"...ceasing to be 'in love' need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense - love as distinct from 'being in love' - is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by (in Christian marriages) the grace which both partners ask, and receive, from God. They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other; as you love yourself even when you do not like yourself. They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be 'in love' with someone else. 'Being in love' first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise."
— C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Looking at Ruthy and Andy, it's hard to imagine they would ever fall out of the "in love" feeling...I have never seen two people glow more around eachother, but it's obvious that they also have the "quieter love" that will sustain them.

Backyard-scaping

So, I've decided to start keeping a more personal blog of what is going on in the life of Dustin and Kyah and keeping ya'll updated on life here in Tennessee. So, without further ado, I decided that I would post the inspiration pictures the kind of landscaping and decorating I want to do with our backyard. Currently our backyard is a mud pit with weeds all around the fringe. We have no fence and well, it's a disaster. We also have an old garage that has a very precarious roof. We love however, the sides of the old garage, so eventually we are going to keep the foundation and walls of the garage and update it with a new roof. Here is the best pic (ignore the guy) that I have of our garage so you can get an idea of what we are working with.
Along the side of the garage that edges our yard, I will plant beds and place some terra cotta pots with plants to give this vibe: We will continue with the theme throughout the yard, but I'm excited to be using an existing structure to really cement the feeling of old, rustic meets fresh and springy!
As for our patio...right now it is just a mess of sunken, broken concrete slabs. We are going to jack hammer all the concrete out of there and instead of doing a wood deck, we are opting for tile similar to this: And instead of doing outdoor curtains, which I had originally thought, I am going to put in a blooming, viney plant of some sort on all 4 rounded beams that are holding up the old corrugated metal roof over the patio. Something to this effect: Last but not least, we need a fence for little Lola, but I don't want our neighbors to feel like we are being closed off, so we are looking at doing a fence like this: So, there is the plan, and I intend on keeping you all aprised of the project! Woohooo....wish us luck!
Kyah