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On The Way To Istanbul
With 5 hours to kill before our flight to Istanbul, we opted to take the tube into London. Strangely, I'd never been to The Courtauld Gallery. Here lives Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe, along with many other art history book icons and classics including Van Gogh's last painting, Peach Trees In Blossom.
Link to painting: Van Gogh's Peach Trees in Blossom (detail), 1889
Cake to Write Home About
What better treat after a castle visit than to have tea and cake? Not far from Arundel Castle is the fine food establishment of Pallant, with a menu of scrumptious cake choices created by The Farmhouse Cookery. Rhubarb and ginger? Chocolate? I settled on the orange sponge cake - a layer cake infused with orange oil, a marmalade and cream layer, and topped with orange frosting!
I bought the entire cake and took it to go to sit riverside with coffee and companion on a spectacular summer afternoon. We ate half the cake in one happy sitting - I pronounce it The Best Cake I've Ever Had!
A Castle with a View
A lovely day...visited Arundel Castle overlooking the river Arun in West Sussex, England, which was founded in the 12th century, and has expanded and evolved over the years. The castle has been the family home of the Dukes of Norfolk for nearly 1,000 years, and most recently was the backdrop for the film The Young Victoria…
Walking with Wildflowers in Sussex, England
Enjoying a lovely long weekend in Sussex, a guest at a beautiful home in the heart of the English countryside; rolling green hills in all shades of green, massive stands of pine at the ends of barley fields, and hedgerows bursting with an astounding array of plants, bushes, vines and flowers acting as fencing for fields of baying lambs!These photos are of wild flowers from our morning walk on paths maintained by the National Trust.
New Chandeliers For Your Home
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FROM KIMBERLY
The tree canopies in the forests of the Sierra Nevada create a similar affect of the lanterns above. The sunlight filters through a myriad of limbs and branches casting shadows all around; falling upon the berries and wildflowers, on the forest floor covered with pine needles and cones. Our annual road trip this year included Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia. Each park has an abundance of glorious, jaw dropping sights - but the relative emptiness and calm of Kings Canyon and Sequoia really spoke to me. Each evening at check in, we were informed of the proper etiquette around bears - we were prepared - now where were they? On our last morning, we took the beautiful, grand Congress Trail in The Giant Forest and there they were, the ultimate visual reward, a cinnamon colored mama bear followed by her 2 precious cubs on a walk-about through the ferns.One Silk Scarf, Eight Different Ways
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FROM KIMBERLY
The scarf above would be a great accessory to wear to a luncheon in Montecito or on a private patio in Morocco. The lovely arrangement pictured here, beckons to be enjoyed! There is something so classic, versatile and enduring about white furniture. Here in the interior courtyard of Riad Dixneuf La Ksour, Marakech, the old world elegance of white wicker, paired with the creamy walls and earthy tile, is both unexpected and luscious; an invitation to lounge on the chaise, enjoy a glass of mint tea and read a book with the soothing sound of trickling water from the pool nearby. This is a sanctuary of sorts, a beautiful spot for repose and relaxation. Wherever we are, that is a gift we must give ourselves - whether a beautiful escape far away, in our own backyard, or even in the boundless realm of our dreams and imagination.
The Allure of Lace
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FROM KIMBERLY
Salut and Chin Chin
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FROM KIMBERLY
Speaking of French Finds, this is one of them for sure — "Le Jardin du Quai" in L'Isle sur la Sorgue. A multi storied, vine clad villa with ice blue shutters stands amidst a verdant garden with dining tables all about - it could not have been more quintessentially provencal - utterly charming. I love these easy relaxed meals where you linger between the courses after a long day and soak up the atmosphere. We would never have found this gem, hidden as it was behind a tall wall, but our wonderful hosts at Le Clos Violette, who have an eye for beauty and a taste for fine dining gave us all the best recommendations throughout the area. Priceless! We actually returned to "Le Jardin" the very next day for lunch and decided to eat inside - beguiled by the floor of old french tiles and vintage counter dining surrounding a grand island with an astonishing floral arrangement ringed by luscious desserts - including a regional favorite - le Tart Tropezienne. Did we indulge? Oh la la!
Riviera Living
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FROM KIMBERLY
Lago di Como brings to mind images of grand villas rising from the lake, parasol pines spreading their canopies above verdant gardens and red tiled roofs everywhere. Pictured here is the dreamy Villa del Balbianello, exquisite enough for James Bond in Casino Royale. We had taken a vacation in Switzerland, the last stop being one night in Lake Como. I loved being a tourist, an off duty buyer, enjoying the excursion boat tour of the lake ("....and to your right, the villa with the green shutters... is George Cluny's home..") as well as walking the steep stone steps of the idyllic, (but crowded) Italian fairy tale town of Bellagio. Wandering around during our hour long stop I spotted some beautiful silk shawls in a shop window. Little did I know that I was in the European epicenter of silk production and weaving. During the 18th century, silk was the largest export of Lombardy, with many mills near the lake. A fine silk textile tradition continues to this day. I quickly snapped up a number of pieces for the store, now long gone, but plan on bringing in a new assortment of these beautiful textiles this fall!
Fun, French Fashion Jewelry
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FROM KIMBERLY
I love the earthy tones of the necklaces above, the colors mirrored in this image of the magical enclave of Les Baux-de-Provence in the south of France. This ancient town clings to a towering peak, surrounding a citadel and castle with views for miles and miles. Inhabited since 6000BC Les Baux is built from the local stone quarried in the area by the native people and later the Romans in 2 BC. Down the hill from this fascinating fortress and surrounding town is "Les Carrieres de Lumieres" - a spectacular art space where huge images are projected on the walls of an old quarry and choreographed with music inside the vast chambers - it's a breath taking experience. Both sites are part of France's "Culture Spaces" a heady array of cultural treasures each spectacular in its own right; which to choose from next?!
