Paula Le Duc event at City Hall

Usually for a corporate event, there is no professional photographer hired. Although this event at City Hall was smaller, it was still elaborate enough that I asked my photographer friend, Chung Li, as a favor to come and photograph it. As if Chung needs more pictures for his portfolio of City Hall AND of my flowers in it (this will be the third time we've teamed up together at the same venue), but without hesitation, he ecstatically agreed to come along.

I am so spoiled once again with pictures from Chung Li Photography, who's turnaround time is just impeccable! By the very next morning, he's already emailed these pictures to me. How does he do it? Just ask him at chung@chungliphotography.com.

Annie Siu Floral & Events is nominated for the San Francisco Chronicle | SFGate.com BayList Best

We've been nominated for the San Francisco Chronicle SFGate.com BayList Best for BEST WEDDING FLOWERS in the Bay Area!!

Please click on the following link to cast a vote for us! http://baylist.sfgate.com/annie-siu-floral-and-events/biz/111554

If you've already voted for us, please forward this link to all your friends/family/coworkers as well! THANKS SO MUCH! It's because of your vote that we've already inched up to 10th place!

Starbucks collector

First there were gift cards, then there were bags...now there's Starbucks. I'm still collecting the recyclable grocery bags (currently at 8) and the gift cards (currently at 54), but now I'm into Starbucks cups/mugs/and even their Starbucks barista bear (SO cute! =P).

It all started when I was at Starbucks on a normal day and was just peering at their gift display shelves, and I briefly noticed the plastic cup with the green straw. It's just like the grande plastic cups that they use to fill your ice cold drinks/frappaccinos, etc, but it's made out of hard plastic, (even the green straw) so it's reusable. I thought, 'I'll just get it another day. I'll look at it more closely then.' And from that day on, I've been to at least 10+ different Starbucks and have NOT found it ever since. Unlike most people who go to Starbucks everyday to get their cup of coffee, I go to each and every Starbucks I happen to walk by, not to get their coffee, but to look for that cup. I even take the time to ask the barista, but all I get is the same answer, 'those sold out fast. Maybe they'll send us another shipment soon.'

And to this day, that shipment has not come.

So to compensate for the 'should've bought it at that moment and not being able to get it later' syndrome, if I see another Starbucks cups/mugs that I like, I buy it, without hesitation. I just can't deal with another 'not being able to get it ever 'cup. But don't worry, I haven't gone too crazy yet, like with the gift cards. I only buy ones that evoke a 'I have to have' feeling. Although every time I go into a Starbucks, I always find something different and unique and one that I think I won't see again, so the IHTH feeling just takes over. But I only allow myself to get ONE per day, not per visit.

Currently, I've collected 4 Starbucks items. I didn't even know they are collector's items...are they?!