The Bright Studio is my one-woman creative studio that works with small businesses.
The last month has been a whoosh of work, travel, family, friends, food, and celebrations. Lots of adventures to catch up in sharing here – and lots of new plans and ideas to get started for the new year. At the moment, I’m settling back down at my desk on this somewhat-sunny Monday morning, ready to start this week and this year off right. Cheers to 2010!
The year is quickly slipping away. December is nearly halfway through. Winter is almost here–and we’ve started to feel it coming with crisp cold days here in San Francisco. Even with the steam heat pumping in our old apartment building, the chill still creeps in around the windows. This is the kind of weather that makes you want to stay curled up in bed all morning–but if you manage to make it out the door, the bay breeze wakes you right up and the bright morning sun warms you.
In the kitchen, we’re testing out our sourdough starter today, hoping for a fresh loaf of bread with dinner tonight. Nancy Silverton’s La Brea Bakery Cookbook is our guide. The damson plums from Mendocino are now in secondary fermentation, gurgling in a big one-gallon wine jug. We’re scheduled for an intro course at San Francisco Brewcraft next week. Today, awaiting our next produce box from Farm Fresh to You. This week, settling into our cheery and bright studio apartment, and on Friday, gathering new and old friends for a happy housewarming. Cheers!
Greetings to December with bursting, bustling holiday cheer. Bring on the peppermint hot chocolate, mulled wine, maybe a little glass of eggnog. Add a sprinkle of nutmeg and a bit of peppermint. If you turn on the twinkling lights, I can handle a little chill in the air. I’m ready to weather the winter in San Francisco (and perhaps a snowfall or two in New England over the holidays?). Reflect, resolve, and plan before the calendar turns again. May the world be peaceful and joyful. Let’s eat pie until New Year’s.
listening to: Linus & Lucy by Vince Guaraldi Trio (listen)
Possibly my all-time favorite holiday song. Perfect for dancing around the living room.
Just coming off of a beautiful long weekend in Mendocino. Day to day, I love being in the city – but boy it feels good to get away. It was a beautiful and full and relaxing weekend. The kitchen was bustling on Thanksgiving (just as it should be on every holiday!). We shared in a great holiday feast, plus lots of delicious meals and pots of strong coffee and sweets and snacks all weekend.
We came home with loads of homegrown and homemade treats: squash, berries, jars of applesauce, more damson plum jam, and two gallons of frozen plums (which we are currently fermenting, more on that soon!).
What are you cooking up for the holidays?
A few more photos are posted on flickr.
See that bit of burnt red peaking up through the fog there? That’s my first glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge, as an official resident of San Francisco.
The past two weeks have been a blur of packing, cleaning, driving, unpacking, rearranging, troubleshooting, laughing, and slowly-slowly settling in.
Just wanted to say a quick hello for now. Many more updates to come. There is so much new city to explore on these beautiful late October days…
My name is Lillie Dignan. I'm a designer and maker, living and working in the Bay Area.