LOVE STRUCK // Andrew + Sequoia

Meet Andrew and Sequoia, two of my most beloved clients who recently tied the knot in Oakland.  The duo is aspiring to become restaurateurs, currently satiating their appetite with a beautiful blog CASA PEPE, overflowing with gorgeous photos and recipes that any food lover will drool over.  Keep your eyes on these two, the restaurant they are dreaming up is bound to be exceptional.

I remember when Andrew stopped by the shop back when it was still in the alley, he was so sweet and nervous-- not about the decision to ask Sequoia to be his wife {which he was so certain about}, but about getting the ring part right, and getting up the nerve to actually ask her.  He popped by a few times before deciding exactly what he wanted to get for her, and together we designed a Classic Engagement ring for her.  Later they came back in and got their wedding bands, he picked the Classic Wedding Band and she paired her diamond with a simple mitsuro style Feather Band.  They were so fun and easy to work with-- I knew their wedding day would be a relaxed and joyful day because that is what they embody together.  

Here is their love story in their own words, enjoy.

1// How did you meet, what was your initial impression?

SEQUOIA: We met at a dive bar- The Graduate to be exact. My friend literally dragged me out of the house right after I had returned from a most fucked up trip to Argentina. A cute boy, Andrew, walked up to me and offered to light my cigarette. For the rest of the night we spoke only Spanish to each other, in fact he introduced himself as Andrés. He called me for dinner an appropriate 3 days later and the rest is history. 

ANDREW:  We met at a dive called the Graduate.  I though she was super cute and offered to buy her and her friend a Fernet.  She didn't really seem interested in me, and I was acting pretty sassy, she'll probably say she thought I was gay and latino.  We talked about our favorite public television chef José Andrés.  She invited me over to her place to watch a documentary on Frida.  PS. that's all that went down.  Neither one of us was looking for love but we sure found it.  

2 // A memorable moment from dating prior to getting engaged?

SEQUOIA:  We've had some really great trips- Spain, New York and Portland to name a few… But the best times to me are the times that we had, sitting around the house drinking coffee, listening to NPR and cooking. There's nothing sexier than a man in an apron.

ANDREW:  We had a really long and crazy date about a month in.  We'd gone to the Jeremiah O'Brian, that docked old merchant marine ship in SF, for some kind of an all day beer drinking event.  It was kind of a shit show, she got pretty upset that someone tried to give her watermelon flavored beer.  Then I took her to a bunch of old man bars in North Beach and Chinatown.   We might have broken up and gotten back together that day.  I think that date really tested our compatibility. 

3 // How did you become engaged?

SEQUOIA:  Andrew proposed on our 3 year anniversary in the middle of the street, in from of the same liquor store that he had told me he loved me for the first time- a week after we met.

ANDREW:  It was her birthday three years after we had met.  I took her to the Claremont for a "staycation".  We went down to College to get some dinner and I was trying to work up the courage to pop the question.  There's a parking lot there that's in front of a liquor store, I know it's not glamorous but it was the first place I told her that I loved her, so it has a special significance to us.  She started crying when she saw the ring and then she said, "Yes."

4// Favorite moments from your wedding.  Did you have any special ritual or tradition?

SEQUOIA: We spent the night away from each other, which was very unusual for us. When I arrived and saw him standing at the end of the aisle- it felt like such a homecoming. He looked unbelievably handsome. We held each others hands so tight. Feeling the love and support of our friends and family around us, as we said our vows with the sun shining through the tree branches, was a dream.

Also, our wedding party gave some of the most heartfelt, beautiful and hilarious speeches, ever. Hearing the blessings and memories from some of our dearest friends was super cool.  And I really do need to mention the food. We are so food oriented that it would be wrong not to salute our fantastic kitchen crew that made one of the best meals of my life.

We didn't really have any rituals but we did dance our asses off. Dancing with my mom, twirling and sobbing, will always be one of my greatest memories. 

ANDREW:  Our wedding was magic.  It was a DIY Oakland style affair.  We had the ceremony in Joaquin Miller and the reception a the Starline Social Club.  Having so many family and friends in one place is almost overwhelming.  The actual event went by so fast its like one great moment in time.  It makes me feel lucky to have so many people willing to give us love and support.  We had lost some important people in our lives in the previous couple of years so it was important to keep them in our thoughts.  

photo by Dustin Cantrell

photo by Dustin Cantrell

photo by Dustin Cantrell

5// The magic ingredient is: 

SEQUOIA:  FIRE! I'm Spanish and he's Italian so there's never a dull moment. But we follow the golden rule of never going to sleep mad at each other. OH and SALT! Andrew always says- when you think you've added enough salt- add twice as much!

ANDREW: We are partners in life.  We stick together with unconditional love and affection.   But we don't kill each other because we know how to fight and compromise.  


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Harena Launch Party

I am beyond excited to share the news: I am finally launching a new collection.

We are having a private launch party for viewing and pre-ordering--as well as a whole *ishload of champagne to celebrate this massive creative process coming to fruition.

I have been designing and thinking about this new work for two years, actually mostly I was just daydreaming, as my hands were so full of the daily tasks of getting Crown Nine up and running. Opening a retail shop is equally harrowing as exhilarating, requiring all of your creative and brain power and spiritual tenacity. Not much was left over for making new things.

But the new shop location has been so warmly embraced that it finally gave me more time to create--and having my studio in the shop has been a literal dream come true.  I am making things everyday, living my aspiration everyday.

The new collection, Harena, means 'sand' in latin.  Sand because all the original models for the series were hand sandcasted right here at Crown Nine.  Sandcasting is the crudest, most ancient form of casting, used by ancient cultures the world over.  The process starts with making an impression in an oily sand mixture, heating the metal until it's molten, then pouring it directly into the sand mold.  The result is a gritty, sandy texture that looks dug out of the earth.  Perfect.

The shapes of the Harena collection come from my travels in the last two years {Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Zion, Yosemite}.  It has characters who have taught me things, like the Crow and the Horse, and lots of silver and gold.  Like a lot of gold.  And sparkly diamonds, offset by pitch black spinel.

Please join us in celebrating, it won't be the same without you.  RSVP

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LOVESTRUCK // Josh + Lindsey

Josh came into Crown Nine last year to buy an engagement ring for his then girlfriend Lindsey, {he picked out The Constellation Rings}, and recently the pair came into the new shop to say hi and snap a few pics with me.  The couple is now living in New York-- onto the next phase of their adventure together.  Before they left,  I picked their brains on how they met, fell in love, and what makes their relationship tick.

1// How did you meet, what was your initial impression?

J:  The first time Lindsey and I met was in New Orleans in 2003, when we were both attending Tulane.  She was dating my suite mate at the time, so we had a few interactions.  Other than that, we didn't interact much, if at all, until we ran into each other in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture in 2009.  I was waiting for a friend driving (maybe motorcycling, I don't remember) from California (I think).  She was waiting for her aunt and uncle.  She stood out because she had, continues to have, short hair, which I love.  We realized we knew each other from somewhere and started talking.

We spent most of the rest of the night, and after our companions arrived, drinking - the Sculpture Garden served decent sangria - and arguing with each other.  I know I thought she was cute and I enjoyed sparring with her, so we became friends.  A few months later we started dating.

L:  Josh and I first really met at Tulane University. Josh was the suite-mate of my then-boyfriend during our freshman year. I only saw him briefly during awkward bathroom moments so I don’t really consider that how we met. What I consider our actual meeting happened in Washington, DC, almost five years later when both of us were going to graduate school there (different schools). We were both at a Friday night jazz event at the Sculpture Garden on the mall. We were both waiting around for other friends/relatives to join us. Josh walked past me while I was sitting around and we immediately recognized each other but we didn't know from where. We ended up chatting and when both of our respective parties joined us we ended up going out to dinner as one big group and hanging out afterwards (everyone got a little blitzed). My initial impression of Josh was that he was incredibly opinionated and we debated about one thing or another the entire night. Which we still do on a very regular basis.

2 // What is a memorable moment from your courtship prior to getting engaged?

J: It's not real a singular moment that sticks out, but something she did for me.  Last fall I decided to run a marathon for relieve a nonspecific ennui and to check an item off my bucket list. The training lasted three months and got up to 20 miles in a day.  Lindsey joined me, even though it was way over what was needed for her half marathon.  I have no doubt that I would have failed without her.  It meant a lot to me.

L:  There are many memorable moments from Josh and I’s years together but I think one that I think of very fondly, especially during the winter months, is when we were snow-bound at a house I was dog sitting at when ’snowpocalypse’ hit Washington, DC in 2010. We ended up being stuck in this house together for almost five days, which can be a little daunting to think about when you’ve only been dating someone for a few months. We shoveled a lot of snow, drank a lot of booze, cheered on the Saints as they won the Superbowl and snuggled up. I think I also spoke to his parents for the first time over the phone while intoxicated. That was interesting. Overall it was a blast and I think it brought us a lot closer together.

3 // How did you become engaged?

J:  I proposed to Lindsey at McArthur-Burney Falls in May, close to the California/Oregon border.  We stayed in a cabin that didn't have much beside a few mats for sleeping.  We made a fire and ate and drank and I asked her then.  Lindsey told me she needed to think it over, so the weekend was a little tense.  She said yes a few days later, in our kitchen in San Francisco.

L:  We had planned a camping trip in Northern California at the Burney-McArthur Falls State Park over Memorial Day. On our first night there, we were sitting around the campfire after eating, drinking some wine and when there was a lull in the conversation Josh popped the big question. Although we had talked about marriage before, the question certainly took me by surprise and I actually told Josh I had to think about it. (I know! How terrible of me!) After mulling it over for a few days, which I know was very difficult for Josh, and talking it over with my Mom and others, I made my decision later in the week as we were eating dinner at our kitchen table. We’re a very romantic couple, clearly.

4 // The magic ingredient is: 

J:  Lindsey and I think very logically, so our (real) arguments rarely last that long and we usually reach some sort of resolution.  If you think of a relationship as the aggregate of rules you've jointly decided to live by, then how you arrive at these rules matters.

L:  Open and honest communication about expectations, limits, needs and desires. And of course sex; plenty and often.

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Adorned with Noemi

I sat down with my cousin, Noemi, to chat about her jewelry collection for this edition of Adorned, my blog series that features interesting women telling the stories behind the most important and best loved pieces in their jewelry box.

Noe (that's what we call her) is super energetic with a dry and brash wit, and she came correct with some awesome stories about her collection.  In fact, we all had a good laugh at how everyone in the room was captivated while she talked about each piece, my family and I getting to hear some stories for the first time ever.

The point of this series is not to highlight who has the most beautiful or precious collection of jewelry, it is about connecting to one another through stories, the jewelry acting as a powerful talisman and tool, because hey, we all know that a ring from a Crackerjack box can be just as special to us as a diamond ring, the object holds far more than dollars and cents.  It holds who we were, who we are, and who we love.

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1// This is a bracelet I got when I was visiting my family in Mexico, so for me it's like carrying them with me.

2 // I don't remember when they came from, I just like to throw them on when I'm looking for something happy, and light--they're flowers, they make me feel good.





3 // These are Mexico too, I got them when I think I was about 15 on a trip to see my family.  They're gold, I wore them back home and wore them for a very long time.


4 // These silver bracelets are from my Papi, who brought them back from Mexico.  He meant to get me a set of seven, he purchased a really expensive set and forgot them on a bus.  When he realized he went back and got these for me.


5// This is a necklace that was my Mother's that she used to wear back when she was into this sort of thing as a young girl. {laughter}  I wore it in high school and I loved it, it reminded me that it was cool to be out there, unconventional, and to do my own thing.


6 // These were something that you gave to me for working at one of your very first events when you first got started.  I love them, the style, I love the way they feel as they hang.


7 // I've had those since I was five or six, and I always wore them.  I got my ears pierced, my Mom said, when I was about six weeks old so I've always worn earrings.  When I was really little I would lose my gold hoops all the time, they would just fall out, but this pair I managed not to lose then, and I've held onto them all this time.


8 // The N is from my Mother from a trip in Hawaii, she loves going there and the Hawaiian style gold jewelry.  It was a beautiful gift.  And the cross is from Grandma Ellen for my high school graduation when I was 17.  She bought the cross and my Mom bought the chain so it was a gift from them both.


8 // That ring was something I got when I turned, I want to say 14, but maybe it was when I was even younger, I can't quite remember.  But the thing about this ring is that it's a sapphire which is the birthstone for September, and my parents really wanted to give me something a gift that was sort of a representation of a coming of age, so maybe I was 12, you know puberty or around that time.  And what is really significant about this ring is that I was preparing to go on a trip and the first and only time I stole something from a store there was a story about this ring.  I loved this ring and wore it everywhere, I swam with it, washed my hair with it, I went skiing with it, I did everything with this.  So I remember my friend Jennifer, who was a bit of a bad influence, I was with her while she had this plan of going behind the counter and getting a bag and filling it up at Macy's. So she's asking me what I think of this item or that item, and I knew, I just knew it felt wrong.  Of course we go to leave and get totally busted and pulled into a room, her mom gets called, my mom get's called.  And you know, I had no reason to steal, I was there with money my mom had given me so that I could get something for a trip we were going on to visit my Dad's family, she had dropped me off at Macy's specifically to get what I needed for this special trip.  So that day that I got caught I went to bed, and when I woke up the next morning I couldn't find my ring.  It had come off my finger.  Again, I wore this every single day and never took it off, so to me it really felt like a message, of somebody saying that what I had done was wrong.  I felt such a huge amount of guilt afterwards, and I panicked, I cried, I think I even prayed, I was so torn up that I had lost this very special gift that my parents had given me.  I mean, it was so special, my parents had saved up money and bought me my first big girl piece of jewelry and give me that responsibility, and I was horrified to think I could lose it and let them down.I found it the next day, but it was so weird that it would ever come off that I still feel like it was some sort of a message, and I chose to see it as a sign.

9// Simple studs that I love to wear everyday, they're just easy and so I wear them often.

10 // These pearls my mom gave to me when I was 21, and I wore them everyday for a long time.

11 // This bracelet is from Austria, my brother hosted an exchange student when he was in high school and he brought it back for me for my birthday, which I celebrated that year by going skydiving and he came with us, and I wore it when I jumped out the plane.  It kind of makes me feel like Wonder Woman.

12 // This is my engagement ring, you made it and Ricky helped design it.  And that's the ring I'm going to wear for the rest of my life.


13 // Black pearls that Ricky's mom Katie gave to me.  She took this trip and ended up getting evacuated do to a flood and tsunami, she had to stay at a school-shelter on her vacation.  Worst trip to Hawaii ever.  Ricky and I had talked to her about how majestic Hawaii is and told her 'oh you have to go, you have to see this paradise,' and she ended up getting evacuated!  But even through all that she still took the time to find me something special, she knew that I love pearls and I love black, so there you go.

14 // First piece of big girl jewelry I ever bought myself.  I bought it because I just loved it, the movement and how interesting it was and I just felt incredible wearing it.  I don't usually tend to buy rings for myself, in fact I only have three.  But I just put it on and it felt like me.

15 // Oh, you like my Giants earrings, dude?!  {laughter} I've had these since we were kids, and I wore them to every single Giants game I've ever been to, all the way back to Candlestick.

Noe's living room and painting by her fiance, Ricky Watts.  

Me and Noe as little girls

Thank you for reading, I'll be bringing you more interesting women from my life and beyond.  To get email reminders when a new woman is featured, become an Adorned Insider.

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