This past weekend was spent up in Northern California with my husband's family. Despite both of us being a bit under the weather, the adventure (white-water rafting on the American River), the company (both sets of parents, both brothers, and friends), and the food (Berkeley's La Med and Oakland's Spettro) were all wonderful!

While we didn't make it into San Francisco on this trip, I am currently adoring all things Bay Area, so I'd like to highlight Rose & Radish.

Rose & Radish has a lovely storefront, but also offers an online gift registry for nationwide devotees of its elegantly unfussy offerings.The registry offers a unique "Before & After" floral subscription service, by which a well-wisher can pre-order one or more floral arrangements for you, each delivered in a functional design object. This allows the gifter to send a beautiful bouquet to brighten your nest, and after the blooms have come and gone, you have collected heirloom vessels that are gifts in and of themselves rather than cheap throwaway vases. Flower arrangements arrive in vessels ranging from tea cups and cereal bowls to porcelain votives and linen napkins {pictured above}.If you enjoy simple lines and fresh colors but want to be a bit more original than registering at Pottery Barn, you will love the Libeco table textiles {above} offered by Rose & Radish. These natural linens, cultivated by Libeco from flax seedlings to finishing seams, are the choice of the Belgian Royal Palace. Luckily for peasants like us, they don't cost a family fortune! The Libeco Clement {Table Runner}, $48; {Tablecloth}, $145-253; and {Napkins}, $38, are perfect for a newlywed nest.An Industreal Ecaille {Vase}, $203, is an elegant evocation of a simple shingled roof; and summer arrives to your bedroom with a punchy splash in bright Vernazza {Bedding}, from $41 for pillowcase sets to $447 for a king-sized duvet.

I love the Rose and Radish registry not only for its beautiful offerings, but also because it caters to convenience. When a gift is purchased by a guest it is held as credit, and is not shipped until you say so. This is very helpful for two reasons.

Firstly, it allows you to hold shipping until you return from a honeymoon or actually move into your new home, so that you do not have to worry about packages being left at your door unattended.

Secondly, this offers the opportunity to change your mind about a gift without the hassle of shipping it back. Should you receive an unexpected gift from elsewhere and decide that your original registry choices need some adjustment {something every bride enounters!}, you would simply apply the gifters' credit to your new choice. Rose and Radish even saves a secure list of which guest purchased which item, so that you can keep track for thank-you notes. This means that you can switch and trade a bit as needed, without hurting anyone's feelings!

Given the obvious thought and care that goes into the management of Rose and Radish service, this seems to be a wonderful experience in nest-feathering. I hope you will take advantage of the registry's lovely offerings!