Two new hats; one great weekend.

Over the weekend Chris and I drove down to the Bay Area to visit family and friends and to pick up a hat I had ordered in October. I selected this hat at a trunk show at fino fino, a fantastic hat shop in Menlo Park where I interned when I was an undergraduate. Chris owns several custom made hats from Graham Thompson at Optimo. This was my first. A brown Milan straw fedora with a blue band.

None of the sample ribbon colors were quite what I wanted when I ordered this hat but the hat maker assured me that he knew just what I had in mind and it would be perfect. And it turns out he did, and it is!

I hadn't planned ahead and worn something that would compliment this hat, but I did find an additional hat that I couldn't leave the shop without and, as luck would have it, it matched my outfit perfectly!

I wore this hat all evening and Sunday too. On Sunday we visited a wonderful museum- the Oakland Museum of California. I consider myself to be a bit of a museum aficionado; in any city I visit the local museum is usually the first place on my list of spots to visit.  This museum, which I had never even heard of before last month, has earned a spot near the top of my list of great museums. And it's not even completed yet. Ultimately, the museum will be three levels, but only the first two levels are currently open to the public. The first level features California art. The second level is devoted to California history. And the third level, which I believe opens next year, will be dedicated to natural history.

In the terraced garden with weeping pear trees.

It was an unseasonably gorgeous day which meant we could really appreciate the sculpture garden. I apologize that I completely neglected to make note of any of the artist information for the pieces we snapped.
I should have thought to credit them.

My stylish niece and I give peace (and Star Trek) a chance.

M is for Margaret

One of the nicest things about this museum is the effort that has been put into making the exhibits as experiential as possible. There are even a few objects that you can actually touch- usually verboten in a traditional museum.

I try out a bronze replica of Huey Newton's chair.

About to enter a cool installation.

Chris and I were making plans to visit here again before we had even left the building.

On Saturday I wore:
black long sleeved top: secondhand (but very much like this one)

black pleated skirt with white embroidery: secondhand
black tights: not sure
black shoes: secondhand
black "orange alley" hat: by deanna gibbons purchased from fino fino
grey coat: macys

On Sunday I wore:
the same black long sleeved top
black asymmetrical paneled skirt: laura ryan
another pair of black tights: not sure where these came from either
burgundy patent leather clutch: neiman marcus (from before my student days)
the same black shoes
and my new deanna gibbons hat: I'm totally intrigued by the name "orange alley." I must remember to ask about it.