We arrived in Venice during high tide. Approaching the city on a slow moving boat felt almost magical. As the city crept closer through the fog, I remember imagining what it must have been like for those arriving here hundreds of years before me. I knew we were going to experience something amazing. Something our eyes had never seen. I will never forget the anticipation.

What better way to beat the winter doldrums than to immerse yourself in a beautiful book devoted solely to Citrus! My dear friend Victoria Pearson has filled it's pages with stunning images and well known food stylist and recipe developer Valerie Aikman-Smith provided mouth watering recipes you'll want to have on repeat in your kitchen. They offered to share a few recipes with us here and give away a copy of their new book - signed by Victoria Pearson.

Personally, I really love this Meyer Lemon & Thyme Hearth Bread. It's an easy focaccia that makes a stunning addition to a round of appetizers or along side a big green salad.

Transitional spaces between rooms can be tricky to furnish. Often times the furniture needs to serve dual purpose and have the ability to suit the aesthetics of both connecting rooms. I have such a space between our kitchen and dining area and found this French Display Cabinet from Kathy Kuo Home fit perfectly. I love that it will allow me a space to serve drinks, desserts, or appetizers during parties and also have fun with seasonal vignettes and decor.

This year has been filled with a generous amount of travel...both business and pleasure. The later of course being the most fulfilling and memorable. This year also marked our 15th wedding anniversary and to celebrate we decided to take an extensive trip to Europe together. Our journey included traveling to Amsterdam, Venice, Florence, Rome and several cities within the region of Tuscany. To say there was a vast amount of planning for this trip would be an understatement. But fortunately all those little details made for a very smooth holiday and incredible experiences we will both never forget.

We began our adventure with a flight from LAX to Stockholm then on to the first city on our agenda...Amsterdam! And let me just cut to the chase here...we both LOVED Amsterdam!

 Over the years, there have been countless times I've been asked for advice about my career. Depending on where the person was on their own path, the questions would range from photography advice, blogging and brand image topics, to how I got started styling, and what it takes to work with magazines and major brands. I've realized there are so many creative people wanting to pursue their passion and learn to refine and improve their own body of work. I also noticed there weren't many offerings of teaching others creative and editorial styling. Most were geared towards the wedding or floral industry and not specifically on professional styling. So after a year of contemplating the idea of helping others learn the art of styling, I've created   The Academy - A Creative and Editorial Styling Event.

I'm just going to put this out there...farmhouses have been and always will be my favorite locations to style. It doesn't matter if it's a dilapidated 100 year old home with creeky floors and vines growing out of the walls or a complete renovation that's been updated with modern conveniences - I love them all. This one I styled for Country Living is no exception. It was small with tons of windows, nestled in California wine country with a homeowner who adored simplicity. She enlisted the talents of designer Laurie Furber of Elsie Green to accomplish the task of renovating and decorating the home. And I think they struck the perfect balance of antique and new furnishings with a result that is warm and welcoming. For the dining table I created an early morning breakfast scene with casual fare and a pile of mis-matched pillows on the banquette. It ended up being my favorite shot with that gorgeous light streaming through the window panes.