North Beach Fair 2026

wearing: gold hoops / lipstick / blue sweater / summer nail polish / handbag / jeans / sneakers /

It’s street fair season in San Francisco! Last weekend we headed up to the city to check out the North Beach Fair. It’s always a fun event with street vendors, local shops, entertainment, and of course, food! Love that!

We decided to park down on the Embarcadero because after the fair we wanted to check out the space exhibit at the Exploratorium. This was a good choice since the fair traffic was no-where to be found and the lot didn’t fill up. It was a short walk up to North Beach, which was downhill when we returned to the car.

We started our day off with a delicious lunch at Barbara Pinseria & Cocktail Bar on Columbus Ave. They have a lovely outside eating area which we enjoyed, since the weather was perfect. The food is Southern Italian and really yummy! We will definitely go back.

After enjoying out lunch, we grabbed coffee at Caffe Greco, which is cash only btw, and wandered throughout the fair. One of the booths was from a local chocolatier, Z. Cioccolato, and they had delicious fudge! So of course, we indulged. The cookies and cream fudge was the best. We will definitely buy some again next time we are in the city. Love!

As we wandered around the fair we saw a lot of local artists, local shops, and more. This tee caught our eye, especially since my son was a huge Thomas fan when he was little. This tee was so cute and fun!

After the fair, we walked back downhill to the Embarcadero and headed over to the Exploratorium to check out both the space exhibit and the regular exhibits. We hadn’t been there is awhile, and the kids forgot most of what was inside, so it was a fun refresher.

Next time you are in the city, I highly recommend checking it out!

Thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned for more summer coverage.

XOXO

Cathy

How to sample fragrances online

pictured: Twisted Lily Best Sellers Sample Pack c/o Twisted Lily /

Have you ever wondered how to sample fragrances online? It can be challenging to see a perfume online and wonder what it smells like. Should you commit to a full bottle by spending a few hundred dollars? Should you wait to check it out in person but finding the time to go to the mall doesn’t seem to happen? Yup. I’ve been there! While I know which fragrance notes I love in perfume, it can still be a gamble to order a full bottle without testing it first in person. Thankfully, Twisted Lily sells sample packs!

The sample packs online at Twisted Lily take the guesswork out of online fragrance shopping. They have tons of sample packs to choose from on their website! So, when Twisted Lily offered to send me their Best Sellers Sample Pack, I was thrilled! This sample pack features best sellers from their website, and some of them are niche, so they are hard to find in person and sample. This is the best way to test them out! Love!

Most of the fragrances in the pack are unisex, so it’s easy to use one pack for the whole family. We had fun testing the same fragrances on all of us and seeing how they smell different on different people, as well as the difference between how they smell on men vs. women. For example, Montale Parfums Arabians Tonka smelled warm and rich on me yet light and spicy on my husband. It’s amazing how one perfume can react differently on different people. Nevertheless, we both loved how it smelled! I believe my husband is now hinting I invest in a full bottle.

Although the Twisted Lily Best Sellers Sample Pack is sold at a modest price, there will be a coupon sent to you after purchase it which can be used towards a full bottle of the scent you fall in love with. So, it’s actually a great deal! Not to mention super convenient for online fragrance shopping. Love that!

The Twisted Lily Best Sellers Sample Pack includes both famous and niche fragrances which are best sellers at Twisted Lily. Here is a list of what I received: MAISON CRIVELLI Hibiscus Mahajad Extrait, VILHELM PARFUMERIE Poets of Berlin, JUSBOX PERFUMES Carioca Heart, MANCERA PARFUMS Amore Caffe, ROJA Elysium Parfum Cologne, MONTALE PARFUMS Arabians Tonka, FUGAZZI Angel Dust Extrait, CASAMORATI Dama Bianca, MATIERE PREMIERE Vanilla Powder, ETAT LIBRE D’ORANGE Story of Your Life, XERJOFF Torino 21, and MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN Baccarat Rouge 540.

In addition to using this sample pack to test out fragrances before investing in a full bottle, the samples are perfect for travel. They are the perfect size to thrown in our clear bag of beauty products in our carry-on that we use to go through TSA. Love that!

So, if you have been wondering how to sample fragrances online to help you shop for fragrances online, this is the best way!

Thank you for stopping by, and I would love to hear which fragrance you sampled and loved!

XOXO

Cathy

Summer dress and boots

wearing: gold hoop earrings / lipstick / blue print dress / summer nail polish / black handbag / black boots /

I am twirling for summer vacation! Two of my three kids had graduations this spring, and one of my kids is away for summer abroad. This is a great summer for all three of my children, which makes it a fabulous summer for me! Love!

In addition, my fabulous friend Dawn from Fashion Should be Fun has retired, so this twirl is for her too! To celebrate, we decided to meet up and enjoy lunch from the new Sushi Burrito window inside the food court at Valley Fair. It is similar to Sushirrito, so I definitely loved it! The fusion between sushi and burritos is the combo we didn’t know we needed but actually need! Yum!

I originally purchased this dress to wear to my son’ graduation, which was held outside on the football field. But, I have found I love reaching for it and styling it in different ways. For outside events, it’s great with sandals and my straw handbag. For a lot of walking, boots and my Chloe Marcie offer the perfect casual look combined with practical comfort. Since this dress is available in other prints and colors, I might have to pick up a second one for the summer season! Love that!

Shop my summer dress and boots outfit online:

So, if you are local, check out Sushi Burrito at Valley Fair for a yummy meal!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy