Erin Lane Blog

There has been quite a bit of buzz lately about a chic new restaurant called Leo's Oyster Bar, a luxury oyster bar. The photos are all over Instagram and I have been swooning over the decor and food photos. I had some business in Sausalito so I grabbed my girlfriend Gina and we headed over. I knew she would appreciate the food, fun, and decor.

Owned by husband-and-wife team James Nicholas and Anna Weinberg the restaurant has a 50's tropical feel. The restaurant is glammed up with its gold doors, splashy colors, & glowing bar. Mid-century is all the rage these days and its full of all my favorites like rattan, cane, and banana leaves. I love how the designer tied in the banana and palm leaf into the logo, wallpaper, and upholstery. The bar stools are cane and there are Hollywood Regency, beach, and tiki nods throughout while maintaining that old San Francisco feel.

The food and drinks are equally inspiring from the fried and raw oysters to the champagne cocktails and stiff martinis. This is a perfect spot for bringing a girlfriend or spouse. There is a lot to take in. The restaurant has several rooms with different themes. The front bar area has the open, airy feel with its conservatory and the back rooms are more intimate and convey a tiki feel. We had two glasses of blanc de noir champagne, the pickled vegetables, hard-boiled eggs topped with fried oysters, & deviled egg salad with salmon roe. It was divine. 

The finishing touch was our bill in a gold cigarette case. No detail was overlooked.

Cheers, Erin

One of our favorite places to visit is Sonoma, CA. Not only are they home to world renowned makers of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, & Chardonnay they have some of the best restaurants, wineries, antique stores, and hiking trails. When I think of Sonoma I think of a magical place. Carlos and I started visiting Sonoma about 14 years ago. We would go hiking at Jack London State Park in Glen Ellen, wine taste at Chateau St. Jean, and peruse the shops at the Sonoma Square. Many businesses have changed over the years in Sonoma but the magic has stayed the same.

Our first stop in Sonoma was at Cornerstone Sonoma. This place was created for people who love gardens, art , and good food. Its an ever-changing series of walk through gardens, art installations and is home to two of my favorite antique shops Artefact Design & Salvage and Chateau Sonoma. If you go to Artefact make sure you say hello to Axel the bulldog, he's super friendly.  This is a perfect place to bring the kids and stay for hours.

This installation at Cornerstone Sonoma was created by the owner of Artefact with a nod to California's desperate need of rain. If you need inspiration this is the place to come.

Our favorite place to dine in Sonoma is Cafe Citti in Kenwood. Hands down the best calamari sandwich & chicken caesar salad on the planet. They smoke the chicken for the salad. Its cozy, delicious, affordable, and they have great Sonoma wines.

If your thirsty for some grape juice one of our favorite wineries is Chateau St. Jean & Bartholomew Park.

After all that eating, drinking, and shopping heading to Jack London State Park is a perfect way to burn off some calories and drink in the beauty. Its really hard to leave this place. Rico the Frenchie had a blast too. I love this park because you can tour some of the homes of Jack London as well as visit the ruins of his hard work. I love hearing about his exotic travels, accomplishments, and dramatic exploits. You can walk, hike, bike, horseback ride, take photos, paint, relax, and enjoy the magic.

There is no way you can visit everything Sonoma has to offer in one day. This is a 3 part series. Check back for Day 2 in Sonoma. Cheers!

My husband says if he could never travel out of California he would be happy. I moved to this state in 1994 and haven't seen half of it. Join me as I embark on a new series to see more of what this state has to offer. In search of some much needed inspiration I decided to head south to Carmel for some European coastal charm. I love the architecture, cobblestone streets, and charm of Carmel. Pebble Beach isn't so bad either.

Carmel is about a 2 hour drive from the San Francisco Bay Area. Its great for adults & children with its beautiful coast lines, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and farms along the way.

Carmel is stunning any time of year but it was really showing off for us that day with all the fall colors, blue skies, and a perfect 70 degrees.

In its attempt to remain un-citified there are no chain restaurants or addresses in this town.

Another fun fact about Carmel: No high heels more than 2" unless you have a permit.

Don't you just love the architecture? Not only is Carmel known for its natural scenery & artistic history, it's dog friendly thanks to Doris Day. The mayor was once Clint Eastwood. How cool is that?

My favorite restaurant in Carmel is Casanova. If you like Rose' and a salmon omelette, homemade spinach gnocchi, or a croque monsieur this is the place for you. I love everything about Casanova because of its authenticity. The antique icons, the aged farm tables, and the european linens make this girl giddy.

Just a few blocks away from this idyllic town is the Pacific Ocean with its perfect white sand. Bring your dog, your camera, and stick your toes in the sand.

If you have the time don't forget to take the 17 mile drive through Pebble Beach and stop off at Roy's at The Inn at Spanish Bay for a glass of bubbly and an ahi tuna tartare tower. Cheers!

Want to get that Carmel look in your home? Here are a few of my favorite Carmel charm pieces from our shoppe: