Like A Fox Jewelry : one of a kind and limited edition

Gainesville Wedding

You might have noticed, sadly, that Like A Fox has been absent much of this year. The shop looks the same, Etsy hasn't seen new designs, sigh.....sometimes life takes us in other directions. Which is why, folks, I'm happy to say that I'm finally back in the jewelry studio. My sister's wedding in May necessitated some very special jewelry pieces. I made the labradorite choker (her fave stone), and for her wedding, a sterling necklace with a rhinestone pendant refashioned from a vintage duette.

 
Below: Gainesville's Magnolia Plantation B&B

Below left: Vegan dinner special at ti amo! featured an orzo medley, herbed chickpeas, and potato wedges with a delectable sauce.
Below right: Karma Cream cupcakes in chocolate cherry, peanut butter bombs, lemon coconut, and toasted almond vanilla flavors. Yum!

The wedding was a family weekend celebration in Gainesville, FL. A marvelous time was had by all sampling local cuisine and then lazing on the cottage verandas at the Magnolia Plantation Bed and Breakfast, mint juleps in hand. At ti amo!, the stunning modern interior, superb service, and chef's ability to pull together a tasty vegan special all left me breathless. And instead of a traditional wedding cake,we gorged ourselves on ice cream (both organic and vegan!) and cupcakes from Karma Cream. Full disclosure: we ordered these goodies in advance, but we also took the whole family to the karma cream store for dessert the night before the wedding. That's how good this place is! So, a big thank you to my sister and brother-in-law for giving us a nice adventure. And thank you, Gainesville - I'll come back soon for my new favorite restaurants!

Thanks, Schmap

Gee, Schmap, thanks for including my photos in your San Francisco guide. The fair city by the bay still has a tight grip on my heart even though we moved away in 2006. Maybe I'll get back this July for the Renegade Craft Fair. Participating last year was so much fun. View my photos from the first Renegade Craft fair in San Francisco here.

In the Schamp SF Guide: Castro Valley from the Liberty Steps, Cornmeal Pancakes at Herbivore in the Mission.

My Pirate Birthday Party

Well, you may be wondering what happened to my jewelry production. After a busy and rewarding fall season, I took a hiatus for the holidays, family matters, and leagues and away the best reason - a pirate birthday party. Now I've hosted my fair share of Halloween costume parties, but this grand pirate adventure was the greatest of all! I do hope those scurvy mongrel guests will set sail again next year. Gasparilla, anyone?

See all the photos at flickr.com/groups/pirateerin

Above: Birthday Captains Cutlass Alice and Erin the Blackhearted

 

Touring Lakeland : Lakes, Gardens, Vintage and Vegan Dining

My good friend Kathleen from San Francisco came by for a visit, so I showed off the best of downtown Lakeland. I hope she was charmed. Of course the first stop was Brooke Pottery where I work part-time. They have an excellent offering of fine american craft ranging from pottery and wood/metal serving pieces to art glass, jewelry and garden gifts. If you can believe it, the majority of items are handmade by American artists. A rare find if you ask me.

Next we walked down Kentucky by Munn Park and into Vintage.  A newcomer to downtown, Vintage showcases an eclectic gathering of vintage furniture and architectural elements, all carefully and creatively displayed by owner Angie Suarez. While Kathleen considered how she could stuff a robin's egg blue dresser into her suitcase, I admired the chalkboard globes. What a novel idea! Draw your own world....made of only peaceful countries, dammit. Also new to the shop are designer citiscapes. Each bag contains a handfull of iconic tiny wood buildings for a particular city like Paris, and even better, the wood is sourced from sustainably managed forests.
 

Next we walked downhill to the Lake Mirror Promenade. We circled the lake, trying our best to capture the turtles, black swans, and snowy egrets on Kathleen's fancy new camera. We roamed beautiful Hollis Garden for a bit then, as hunger struck, we headed over to Grass Root for lunch.

Grass Root is one of the tastiest restaurants in Lakeland and my personal favorite for dining away from home. My family is full of good cooks, so it takes something special to lure us out. Kathleen was happy with the raw burrito. And me? After just one bite of the live spaghetti with treat balls, I wondered why on earth it took me 6 visits to get around to this tasty meal. (Because I've been hung up on the peace za pi, that's why!) The always amazing vegan key lime cheesecake was a satisfying conclusion to a very happy afternoon spent touring Lakeland with my good friend.

Leafy Sea Dragons at the Florida Aquarium

Leafy sea dragons are among my favorite creatures.

Reporting on Renegade: Mucca Pazza

Ask me to name my favorite thing about Rengeade San Francisco and I'll enthusiastically yell Mucca Pazza! A thirty member punk circus marching band from Chicago, Mucca Pazza put on an incomparable show, mesmerizing the crowd with their wild choreography and fiesty tunes.

Sweet Summer Blooms

My mom picked this pretty bouquet fresh from her garden. I'm jealous.

Florida Music Festival Starts Tomorrow!

Got a desire to catch some live music this weekend? The Florida Music Festival takes downtown Orlando by storm starting tomorrow night. My friends Pemberley play the AKA Lounge on Friday, and I can't think of a better way to kick off the weekend.

Photos by Tina Sargeant

Now that's what I call service

It is truly a joy to work in a downtown historic district. Connecting with the community, informing visitors and residents alike about local events, and supporting other independent businesses.  It's good stuff. And at the fine craft gallery where I work, we pride ourselves on customer service. Still I was impressed by the excellent service at Parresol Jewelers.  Not only did Terry Parrersol quickly and affordably tweak a family heirloom ring to fit me, but I received a thank you note in the mail later that week.  A HAND-WRITTEN note nontheless. Husband and wife team Terry and Bridget Parresol operate Parresol Jewelers in the historic Orange Blossom Hotel on Kentucky Avenue , right next door to My Cottage Garden.

Birthdays at Bok Tower

With me, my mom and my sister all celebrating birthdays this week, our family gathered for one amazing feast of a picnic on Saturday at Bok Sanctuary National Monument. The centerpiece of the gracious garden design is the carillon bell tower. I've always loved the serenity here, the windswept hilltop shaded by majestic oak trees. It was great to be silly and free, frolicking through the park.