What would does the view from a slice of heaven look like?
Nature, the sun and the sea, a trilogy of happiness...
Love the fabric paired with the patina of a paint-chipped chair...
Ancient ceramic tiles with classical motifs cover the entire walls...
Spectacular chandelier dripping in Murano glass...
An exotic oasis swathed in Mediterranean foliage...
A summer kitchen happily dressed in more ceramic tile...
French Elle Decoration
What's your idea of paradise?
If you had to choose the top three romantic cities in the world, what would they be? For me, unquestionably the choices would be in no particular order Paris, Florence and Venice. Venice is everything magical. I've written in the past about how my first visit brought me to tears. I am surprised to find that people either love or loathe it. I've heard some say that it is dirty and the water smells. I was aware of none of this. Sure, it is overridden with tourists, venetian glass trinkets and overpriced gondola rides. Still...in the dusk of fading light, it is nothing short of a fairtytale; a romantic stage set where a theater of dreams continually plays out.
Life as Francesca Possati must be a dream as well. She grew up in a 17-century palazzo which she now owns and renovated as a hotel several years ago. In fact, it is now two hotels--the modern wing is the five star, 120-room Hotel Bauer and the older palazzo is the six star (yes, I said six) deluxe Il Palazzo at the Bauer. Naturally, with its silk walls, gilt furniture and Murano glass lamps it is undoubtedly one of the most luxurious places to stay in Venice. Could it be that I cried on my visit because I could not afford to stay here?
I think we all know why she's smiling. (Young and beautiful too? Damn her!)
Doesn't this just reek of old world, opulent, I-don't-care-how-much-it-costs glamour?
Would you expect any less grandeur from a 17th century Venetian palazzo?
Town & Country
White Out: an atmospheric condition consisting of loss of visibility and sense of distance and direction due to a uniform whiteness of a heavy cloud cover and snow-covered ground, which reflects almost all the light it receives. ( I would add... thereby resulting in a depressed state of mental functioning and utter despair with suicidal and/or alcoholic tendencies.) Perhaps a bit of overkill, but if you live anywhere in the country you're probably experiencing some kind of inclement weather. So, what does the world need now--besides love, sweet love? Hope. Yes, the idea that eventually this chilly madness will end and we will once again bask in the glory of the sun. And what light might we find at the end of this tunnel? Hotel Co(o)rniche-Arcachon, a respite from the bleakness of the winter we have endured.
Several years ago I visited Arcachon, a charming seaside town overlooking the Atlantic. This was long before Hotel Coorniche reopened its doors after having been redecorated by none other than Philippe Starck, designer of the sleek and chic and hip arbiter of all matters ultra-modern.
Love the pink accents...
You don't have to leave the room if you don't want.
But you will...
Infinity has a nice ring to it...
Drinks on the terrace...
Or perhaps a bite of fresh seafood...
Maisons Cote Sud
You're feeling better already, right? Now put down that martini glass. There's still hope in one of twelve rooms.
Have you ever needed a holiday from your holiday? That's where I am. I enjoyed Christmas. Truly, I did. The best part of it all was spending time with my little boy in the kitchen. I enjoyed decorating--sort of. Although, the tree fell over--twice! And, I certainly enjoyed all the food. Maybe a little too much! But now...what I want...what I need most...is a little peace and calm. The kind of peace and calm that can only be found on offer at the guesthouse of Jacqueline Morabito. Well, it's not exactly on offer but I can dream. It's just a few doors down from her atelier in the South of France for visitors to "escape, relax and be inspired." Ms. Morabito's aesthetic of "the ethereal, romantic layering of white on white on white" is emphatically embraced by her as a lifestyle. In her interview with Australia Vogue Living she states "I like to mix country and urban; it is perfect when you have a balance. My style is simple, the materials I use are noble and, hopefully, the result is timeless." And she certainly has the training to put these elements in play--armed with a law degree, she pursued her creativity first as a jewelry designer and studied with goldsmiths, woodworkers and sculptors before branching out to furniture and interiors. I could use a little escape about now. Ms. Morabito can you help me?
Ms. Morabito believes that life is not for being serious a la the Venetian chandelier next to the bare bulb and the table with clear plastic. Tres drole!
What else do you need?
Australia Vogue Living
The last time I attempted skiing, "hitting the slopes" was a very apt description. Snowboarding? Forget it. Snowshoeing? Maybe. (Although, my daughter mockingly laughs at the suggestion as a sport for the "old." Whatever.) Swiss chalets, warm fires, hot drinks--count me in. Somebody has to keep the home fires burning!
Country Escapes/Bo Niles & Katherine Sorrell
Well, I'm pretty sure you're probably getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Hanukkah are not far beyond the horizon. I noticed the beginnings of the hustle and bustle of shopping in the mall and Black Thursday/Friday will mark the official start of the season. As much as I love the holidays, I sometimes hate them too. Wouldn't it be nice to just get away from it all on a beautiful holiday? And why not a visit to where the happiest people in the world live. Where might that be you ask? According to 60 Minutes, ABC News, Forbes and the like, the answer is Denmark. What do the Danes know that we don't? For one, I bet they know all about the Villa Snekkersten, a lovely bed and breakfast run by Henriette Heegaard in the beautiful beach town of Humlebaek near Copenhagen. While the winters can be quite bitter, you probably won't even notice what with the smell of fresh coffee and baked bread wafting through the air. You'll merely turn the page of a book borrowed from the house library and snuggle deeper into the English country style living room awash in the glow of a crackling fireplace. Do you hear what I hear?
British Country Homes & Interiors
And just in case you can't bear to give up your traditional holiday here at home, the Villa looks to be a delightful getaway for the summer months as well.
1. Fortifications et chateau de Sainte-Suzanne, 2. Château de Chillon, 3. Château Yvoire, France, 4. chateau du saint-ulrich ribeauvillé, 5. Chateau de Sully - G7 191, 6. Château de Culan, 7. Chateau de Chenonceau II, 8. Château de Comper - Arthur place, 9. Château du Rocher (Mayenne), 10. Château de Chenonceau (Francia). s. XV, 11. Château de Colonster, 12. Chateau Vaux le Vicomte - France
Ralph Lauren has always been one of my favorite designers. Not necessarily so much for his clothing or housewares, albeit lovely as they are, but more so for his tremendous ability to create a dream and have us buy into it. I remember visiting his lifestyle boutiques when I was in high school. I loved the ambiance that permeated every thoughtful detail to reflect the world of polo players, weekends in the Hamptons and the smell of old money. Mr. Lauren is a master businessman and has now has set his sights on expanding his empire by introducing his particular brand of Americanism into the European market. And they have graciously accepted the invitation. His forty European stores now do better than their American counterparts. With his newly opened flagship store on the Left Bank of Paris, he has recently added fine jewelry and a restaurant aptly named, Ralph's to his endeavors. Parisians can now shop for the luxury of Lauren while working up an appetite to enjoy American gastronomic classics. If anyone can romanticize fried chicken and hamburgers, it is Ralph Lauren.
Esquire
In life there are so many choices to be made. Shall I have another slice of homemade bread with my seafood casserole? Shall I spend the day skiing, skating on the lake or relaxing in the thermal baths? Fortunately, these decisions come easily while visiting les Greniers du Meix-Lagor in the Franche-Comte region of France. In rustic, yet entirely comfortable accommodations created by Christian, Nicole and Yves Monnet, you can revel in the fresh air of the mountains. Steps away from their inn in an old farm house, each loft bedroom is thoughtfully decorated with antiques, while the central square of the space can be utilized for socializing or the amenities included with your stay.
Photos Patrice Gavand
"Memory..is the diary that we all carry about with us." Oscar Wilde
Still throwing away old papers and digging through photographs. I remember this particular trip to France very well. I kept every vivid detail in a journal along the way. I had such good intentions about cataloguing all the photos but never did...it's just as well. The point of this great adventure was to find "the perfect spot" in the best region of France. It took a couple of months and we traveled all over with the exception of northern France--too wet and chilly to actually think of living there. In the end, we settled on a flat in Burgundy. Or rather, I settled as usual for what "he" wanted. In the end, I determined that I wanted neither.
"The happiest memories are of moments that ended when they should have." Robert Brandt
"Things that were hard to bear are sweet to remember." Seneca
"Life is a rough biography. Memories smooth out the edges." Terri Guillemets
"Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it." Michel de Montaigne
"Footfalls echo in the memory down the passage which we did not take towards the door we never opened." T.S. Eliot
"We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams." Jeremy Irons
"I've never tried to block out the memories of the past, even though some are painful. I don't understand people who hide from their past. Everything you live through helps to make you the person you are now." Sophia Loren
"We cannot change our memories, but we can change their meaning and the power they have over us." David Seamonds
"She glances at the photo, and the pilot light of memory flickers in her eyes." Frank Deford
This beautiful lady of Bordeaux is a good snapshot of how it ended--I lay bare but triumphant!
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