Aged and Gilded (Palazzo-Interiors & Gardens)

Essentially French

I just purchased Essentially French--Homes with Classic French Style by Josephine Ryan. I have Ms. Ryan's other French decor books as part of my library. I especially like that this book delves into the homes of antique dealers and allows us to get a glimpse of their personal environments. Naturally, it is full of beautiful photographs but it is the stories of each home that make this book so personal.  I think you'll enjoy it.

 

Carmel Mission

This past Sunday I visited the Carmel Mission with my son, Alexander. It was a bright, crisp day with the weather perfectly suited. Today, this mission is a historic church that includes a working parish, with three museums, small cemetery and a private school for children.

Visitor Entrance and Museum Gift Shop

 

 

peaceful in prayer...

the last vestiges of the holidays...

love this vivid blue painted ceiling...

 

beautiful wood and beam ceiling of the portico...

Perhaps the library where the Indians were "educated"...

I fell in love with this golden lady and the way she was presented behind the glass...

Living quarters of the Padre?

Resolutions

Yes, I know it's cliche but I make them anyway. As I read other blogs, I sense that a collective consciousness is rising. People are re-prioritizing, re-evaluating, and deciding what really is important in creating a joyous life. It doesn't seem to be at all what we once thought. 2009 was a mixed bag--we learned what the audacity of hope could bring and what the voracity of greed could take. Some of our belief systems fell to the way side. But change is good. The institutions which we took for granted and vested in, we discovered were playing a dangerous game of smoke and mirrors--and we were the losers. We face a new decade now. We're coming to realize that at the end of the day, we are all we really have and that we'd better take care of that.

1.  Live in the present. This is actually quite difficult for me. I'm so continually looking forward to the future that I sometimes forget to enjoy the here and now. Case in point--I realized on New Year's day after a quick calculation that I am actually a year younger than the age I had convinced myself I was!

2.  Get healthy (ok, thinner).  Sounds shallow and I know it probably is but I can't help myself.

3.  Less sugar (the bad kind, anyway). I think we all know by now that anything white, powdery and available for consumption is probably not a good thing.

4.  Be more glamorous (damn it!) I AM a year younger after all.

5.  Practice gratitude. This is a biggie.  I thought I was doing this but if that were true then #1 would be a moot point. You can't possibly be grateful if you're not acknowledging what exists right now.

6.  Live larger, love harder.  I wish this one for all of you as well. I want to open myself up to adventure and all the exciting possibilities of life and give back in a way that is more meaningful than ever before.  Won't you join me?

What are your new resolutions?

Mosaic Monday: New Day; New Dawn

1. Enchanted Dawn, 2. Dawn Departure, 3. Alone at Dawn, 4. Waiting for dawn, 5. Early Morning Rain Leeds, 6. Wild Parsnip and Early Morning Frost (#931), 7. Heart From Cloud, 8. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud......, 9. Lover In The Clouds, 10. Sunrise, 11. Sunrise on Thong Nai Pan Yai beach, Koh Phan Nang, 12. Navajo Sunrise

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all of my dear friends and those I have yet to meet. I hope this year brings you peace, prosperity and great happiness!

The Flu is Not Fun

Well, wouldn't you know it! Time to relax and enjoy the holidays and then I succumb to the dreaded flu bug. I've been staring at my four bedroom walls for two days now and am just about ready to lose my mind. I really don't have time for this. I'm ready to ring the new year in and down champagne instead of Nyquil. Hopefully, I'll be ready to post and party by new year's eve.

Remembering the Reason for the Season

Just a few more days and Christmas will finally arrive. In the midst of the shopping, entertaining, preparing, cooking, etc. it's easy to forget the real reason we're doing all of this. Over the past year, I've received so many blessings. I feel thankful for having such a truly wonderful family and for the gift of such magnificent friends. And even though I did not achieve all that I aspired to, I am grateful for the life I have been given. I live in a lovely place surrounded by wonderful people. Why have I been so lucky?  This I do not know, but only hope that one day I will have earned my place in the world. I am grateful to each and every one of you who happened to drop by; for those of you who stumbled upon my little blog quite by accident, and for those of you who return time and again because you feel that perhaps my simple thoughts are worth reading. I thank you and I sincerely wish you the happiest of holidays. May angels watch over you.

 

Maisons Cote Ouest

Mosaic Monday: Happy Holidays

1. White Christmas, 2. Box of baubles, 3. vintage christmas balls, 4. i heart vintage christmas ornaments, 5. christmas love, 6. christmas tree, 7. setting up christmas, 8. it's beginning to look a lot like christmas..., 9. View from my window in a bitterly cold christmas midnight, 10. christmas, 11. christmas blur II, 12. is it christmas?

Merry Weekend!

Hope you finish your shopping this weekend and find yourself gathered with friends and family at home sweet home.

Five Fabulous Gifts for the Foodie

Eating is one of the greatest joys of life. And some of us enjoy it a little more than others. For those in your life that embrace food and flavor with gusto, here are my gift ideas:

1. Compartes Chocolatier/compartes

If you love premium gourmet chocolate with all natural, organic ingredients; then this boutique is your place to shop for palate pleasing chocolates. Founded on the principles of European chocolate making techniques, this shop has been a Los Angeles tradition for the past 50 years.

2.  Pastoral Artisan/pastoralartisan

An authentic cheese shop in the European tradition offering artisanal domestic and international cheeses. A gift membership will provide the cheese aficionado in your life a monthly gastronomic delight delivered right to their door.

3.  Williams-Sonoma/williams-sonoma

Shall I wax poetic? I'll narrow it down by simply choosing their fresh marshmallows. If you haven't enjoyed a velvety cup of hot chocolate with these fluffy handcrafted marshmallows then its about time. A subtle stripe of peppermint makes all the difference.

4.  Sucre/shopsucre

If you don't have the time to fly to Paris, simply order a box of authentic Parisian macaroons filled with luscious creme from this emporium in New Orleans.

5.  Olive Oil Shop/oliveoilshop

The finest handcrafted extra virgin olive oils, mouthwatering flavored and infused oils and aged vinegars the world has to offer is sure to delight your culinary comrades.