We arrived into Cape Town on a quiet Saturday night. After a restful night sleep in our new home, we awoke to the sounds of the ocean and prepared for a fabulous day. My sister and two best friends were going to be celebrating my birthday in South Africa. To kick off an amazing week ahead, we held a birthday dinner at the house.

Local chef, Jess Bunn, set an unbelievable menu based on what was just in from the ocean and farmland surrounding us. The flavors and variation of each dish were complimented with each glass of wine shared.

A potato and lentil starter with a bean puree got our taste buds going and our mouths watering. We then dined on local oysters with fresh horseradish and lemon. Afterwards we moved on to the main event, the steamed mussels. This beautiful display, surrounded by aromatic pines, was almost as tantalizing as the food itself. Cooked off with juniper berries, white wine, and garlic we sipped, slurped, and dipped (our bread) into a wonderfully prepared meal.

To finish it off we had a beautiful dessert of rosewater granita with fresh berries and chunks of crispy honeycomb that created a fresh yet satisfying end to a nourishing meal. I felt so beyond grateful to have such a ceremonious meal shared with my favorite people in the world so many miles from home.

This was my latest home project I embarked on as of recent. I realized after spending hours sitting on my bed writing content, recreating logos, and tweaking my website... I needed a "home office". I rationed, if I'm going to be blogging almost everyday, I need a space that is inspiring and full of positive energy. I started imagining my dream desk, full of pictures from my travels, fresh flowers, and the things I needed to feel grounded and connected while writing.

With the patient help of a good friend, I eventually bought two long pieces of pine wood (8ft), sanded, and hand stained them in a white wash and placed them up against a wall in my room. I then coated the desk in a matte lacquer to prevent any stains, as I typically write with at least one glass of red wine in hand ;).

Once the desk was setup, I started collecting things I loved, to help create the right environment through decor. I found vintage wood frames, scratch off maps, wood shadow boxes, an old chalkboard, an inspirational quote, as well as a wrought iron letter holder. I added some greenery and fresh flowers, named my new plant Herman as an attempt to embrace my previously dead "green thumb", and put up photos that meant a lot to me. After draping my favorite blanket, bought from an old woman in a small village in Portugal, over my chair... my perfect workspace was fully complete.

I think it's so important to truly have a space that is dedicated solely for the purpose of getting work done, whether it's for brainstorming, researching, or creating. Making sure my home office was personalized while still being organized really helps me feel focused and connected while I work.