Two and a half years ago I sat in the parking lot of Hobby Lobby with a 90% off sale on fall foliage going on inside the store and never shopped it.
Yep.
90% off fall foliage and I never bought a stem.
I couldn’t help it.
I was in the middle of one of the most exciting and non-stop conversations I’d ever had with one of the funniest, sweetest, most creative people on the planet. It was the kind of conversation you see in a movie.
You know.
Where two people meet and they feel like they’ve known each other their entire life. They are laughing and talking and drinking coffee together and the words were spilling out one after the other and there’s just so much to say and you don’t want to put the phone down.
Even for 90% off at Hobby Lobby.
That conversation was the start of one of the most amazing friendships.
With one of the most amazing people.
Leslie from My Hundred Year Old Home.
Who has one of the most amazing houses I’ve ever seen.
Grab a beverage or a blueberry muffin and buckle up buttercup.
I have a HOUSE TOUR for you. 🙂
Here’s the front of Leslie’s house.
Isn’t it beautiful?
It looks like it’s out of a movie.
Maybe because it’s been in more movies and commercials and general cinematic randomness than you can even imagine.
Here’s the back of the house.
There are these amazing gardens and this incredible back porch and these DIY tomato cages.
And a pool and the cutest dogs and every now and then a party shows up.
Like this one.
With these lampshades.
See what I mean? LAMPSHADES LIKE THIS? Who does that? Who thinks of that?
Leslie does.
And inside it gets even cuter.
Here’s the living room where there’s family game night.
And white slipcovered couches with the cutest skirts and architectural pieces on every corner.
And a kitchen with faded vintage rugs.
And a giant center island where she makes homemade pasta and recipes like this and this and this.
And bread that looks like artwork like this.
Seriously.
Who decorates their bread?
Leslie does.
Her house has a carriage house, too.
She recently cleaned it up and cleaned it out and painted and transformed it to look like this.
It is one of the most beautiful spaces I’ve ever seen.
Who does that?
Who has a carriage house that needs it’s own television special?
Leslie does.
And of all the dining rooms in all the worlds, hers is the table that I would want to eat at.
Leslie is known for her entertaining.
She’s kind of famous about it, actually.
She’s hosted dozens of people at her house and wedding dinners and general celebrations for half of the population of the state of California.
And nutcracker-themed parties.
Who designs an entire party around a nutcracker?
Leslie does.
I’ve never been to her California house.
But I have sat right here. The chair at the top left of this table before.
The table in her Waco house.
A few weeks ago an invitation showed up at my house for a dinner party. Weeks of anticipation passed and finally, the day arrived for the party. We drive south and after many miles of beautiful Texas countryside, our car pulled up to Leslie’s Waco house.
I couldn’t wait.
We had talked about this for weeks.
I was wearing the perfect dress and the perfect I’ve-driven-across-Texas-to-see-Leslie’s-beautiful-home-but-I’m-still-keeping-it-casual….
….pair of earrings.
And two miles earlier I had applied a fresh coat of lipstick.
Suffice it to say….
…I was ready.
The dinner party was incredible. It was amazing and surreal and wonderful all at the same time.
We giggled and laughed and talked the kind of conversation where you’re interrupting each other because you have so much to say and course after course after course of some of the best food I’ve ever eaten showed up.
A little like being on the set of Top Chef….
….except so much better.
I could have sat at that dining table forever.
But all too soon it was over.
And as we pulled out of the driveway and waved goodbye under the stars with the twinkling lights of the dining room table wishing us well on our journey, I smiled to myself and thought….
….friendship is a gift.
A friend who loves you right where you are is amazing.
A friend who understands your heart is a joy.
A friend who joins you on your journey and gets your humor and decorates like an HGTV star and makes a dinner party straight out of a movie is truly one-of-a-kind.
But the kind of friend you read about in books? The friend who keeps you talking in the Hobby Lobby parking lot for two hours and waits for you when you are late and listens to your stories and still laughs every time and cheers you on and sees all your flaws and loves you anyway…that kind of friend…..
….is priceless. 🙂
PS You can take the rest of Leslie’s home tour here.
PPS I love you friend (and you, too, MaryLiz). 🙂
I am having a hard time typing because I am crying! You are amazing my friend and I treasure everything about you! Thank you so much for this. And next time I am in town I am taking you to Hobby Lobby. Love you!
Oh my goodness!!! Leslie has some serious decorating and home making skills. And friendship skills, and cooking skills. How nice to have such an amazing friend where you can be together in the most wonderful atmosphere. And how nice that she has a friend to share all of her goodness with the world too:)
You and Leslie are like sisters— both your emails are waiting for me when I wake—- coffee every morning with Karianne and Leslie. What a great way to start each day. Your styles are similar but different in so many ways— but the creativity that you both possess is so inspiring. Keep those posts coming.. You are both like a breath of fresh air.
Absolutely beautiful and comfortable!
LOVE LOVE LOVE Leslie Saeta ! Not only is she super talented - she is also kind, funny, generous and smart. Her parties are legendary- the decorations are amazing and the food is sublime. You two are like peas in a pod. We interviewed Leslie last year and we learned she believes "sharing makes the difference" in everything she does. She is one in a million. So glad you are friends.
I am lucky enough to have been in Leslie’s home in California. My husband and I flew coast to coast so that I could take an art workshop from her. Included in the workshop was dinner at her house every night. And when she found out my husband was with me, she invited him to dine with us. He had a ball with all the ladies. On the last day of the workshop, we had a business session on the third floor of her house and a buffet lunch in her marvelous kitchen. I had such a good time that I attended another art workshop with her in Atlanta and got to have more of her marvelous cooking and see her brother’s beautiful home. Leslie is a very talented and giving person, and I am glad and privileged to call her my friend.
Beautiful and comfortable.
You are the absolute best KariAnne. I am so grateful to have met you and to have you in my life. You are truly amazing!
I loved this post and can use one rod to describe it... AMAZING!
Beautiful, beautiful! What a lovely home and not over decorated... just right to make you feel comfortable. I LOVE the lights above the dining table. Did she make them or are they available from a store? Just great, love to join you at the table. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for introducing me to Leslie's home. It's just lovely. More than anything I have to say that I can't imagine anyone meeting you and not be charmed. I've never been in your company with the acceptation of your videos and your blog but it doesn't matter. I still love you and your happiness is contagious.
You two sound like Anne Shirley and Diana Barry--kindred spirits.
I loved seeing Leslie's gorgeous Waco home!
What a lovely tribute to treasured friend … I’ll bet she feels exactly the same way about YOU. Leslie’s house screams Father of the Bride although I think it’s the only movie EVER it wasn’t in … and Waco … all I can say is I need to plan another trip so I can stay THERE! xo
I love Leslie too. Great share.
Love her house, her rental awesome house, and her blog. I can def see why you two are good friends. You both have awesome taste.
I don't think anyone could have written a better blog post about Leslie. Even though I haven't met her, I am so amazed at her creativity, her organisational skills and the beauty she creates! You two are definitely 2 beautiful peas in a pod! It touched my heart.
I love Leslie's houses and have been following on Instagram. How fun that you got to see it in person and have become friends. Great post.
[…] This vintage farmhouse tour. […]