Preparing for Holiday Travel...

With the holidays fast approaching some of us will be traveling to visit family and friends.  I've attached some pictures of luggage and other travel essentials that would make the trip, rathering driving or flying much more comfortable.  And once you have arrived to your destination, you will be ready to enjoy every minute of the holidays. The first picture below is a vintage advertisement photo from 1951, just see how far we have come.

1951 Crown Luggage

                             Christian Louboutin Napa Ballerina Flats

                 Donna Karen Cashmere Blend Leggings and Sweater

                                                      Gucci

                                                       Gucci

                                          Diane von Furstenberg

                                       Michael Kors Hamilton Tote

                                       Juicy Couture travel pillows

                                                  Gucci Scarf

                                          Comfy Ugg Slippers

                                         Gucci Laptop Carrying Case

                                       
                                              Evian Mineral Spray

                                        Louis Vuitton Carryall

Cashmere blankets in carrying case

Chocolate Martini Time...

OK....is there anyone who doesn't love chocolate???  I admit, I am a chocoholic!  I just can't resist it - at all!!!  Though I have been collecting unique cocktail glasses for years, I don't drink cocktails all that often (I'm kind of a light weight when it comes to drinking), but when I do, it's what my friends call "foo foo drinks".  They have to taste either tropical, decedent chocolate, non harsh drinks...in other words, they have to taste like dessert.  With my passion for all the unusual beautiful glasses they have on the market today, when I do put those glasses to use, in the summer it is usually a nice tropical Mojito, with mango, guava or pineapple.  But now that fall has arrived, that mean the warm homey flavor of chocolate.  I love a good chocolate martini, especially after a nice dinner ~ it does become my dessert!  Though there are  hundreds, if not more, recipes out there for a good chocolate martini.  This is one I just happened to make up one day when we had guest over and I made  for them after dinner, they loved it!  Now, there are no exact measurements...so here goes.

I use a small stainless cocktail shaker (around 8 oz), fill a 1/4 of it with ice.
Mix equal parts of Vanilla Vodka, Godiva Carmel Milk Chocolate Liqueur, Amarula, and half and half.   Shake well until frothy, pour into glass and top with shaved Godiva or your favorite chocolate...sit back and enjoy!!!   Yummy!!!

Tropical Thanksgiving Table...

I'm hosting Thanksgiving again this year for my family here at our home.  Though it won't be a huge gathering, I just want it to be very special and festive for everyone.  Weather permitting, we will have it out in the Lanai, as we did last year.  So peaceful out there...I have a small woods behind my home, so it will be  more intimate that way, no noise except that from nature and the water feature.  I have my table scape designed and ready for the dinning table out there, but for something a little extra, I wanted to try and create the same "semi tropical theme" on my dinning room table (or actually a pub table)  located next to the bar, where I will be serving the homemade French Onion soup in the cute ceramic pumpkin with the little mouse on top, in the pictures below.  But I wanted the decorations to be simple and from nature.  So, I went through my back yard and took a cutting of a large Philodendron  leaf and Croton, then placed them in a tall gun metal colored cut mirrored vase.   It's really tall about 3' so it should not get in any ones way.  At this point I'm not sure if I will use those two cuttings or go with palm fronds with Crotons, or orange bird of paradise.  As I mentioned in my earlier post, I was able to find the mini white pumpkins, but then my daughter and her boyfriend found these white ones with green and orange speckles...too cute,  I thought they would go well with the color of the Crotons.....Though I am a list maker, and huge planner,  I am known to deviate and will probably come with 10 other ideas before I make up my mind, but that is the fun of it.......decisions!!!

White Pumpkins...

So, I was on a mission the other day to find little white pumpkins...did I find them?  No,  I got so busy around the house and was out in the Lanai getting things ready for a nice family cook-out.  Yep, we are still grilling out here in the Sunshine State, actually we do all year long.  When I heard my husband call for me to come in, I thought he was going to ask where the bag of Mesquite was (he never seems to know where I keep all the wood chips).  When I walked in the house, there sitting on my kitchen island was these three cutest little white pumpkins.  I was so thrilled!!!  He of course found them right there in our local market.  We invited my daughter's boyfriend over for the BBQ and what does he walk in with but 3 more little white pumpkins.  OK, now I was almost in tears.  I was shocked, though he is a wonderful young man, just to remember hearing me say I was going out looking for them, and he took upon himself to get them for me. I was surprised not once, but twice.  Isn't it so nice when the smallest of gestures, mean the most!







Three of the little white pumpkins



Believe...

If God is your partner, make your plans BIG!

    ~ D.L. Moody

 

 

Walk-in Closets...

What woman doesn't love a large, well organized walk-in closet?  My wonderful daughter still lives at home, she works full time and is STILL in school, studying to become a child psychologist.  And, I wouldn't want it any other way, we love having her here, she is not only my daughter, but my best friend.  She has a nice size walk-in closet in her room, but it's just very typical, with the coated clothing racks, shoe racks, and accessory racks, and not so great lighting.  Though she is very organized, everything in it's place,  jeans, skirts, dresses, hoodies, you name it, all in order it isn't all that pretty to be honest, just very organized and simple.   With Christmas coming up soon, my husband and I thought it would be really nice to give her a beautiful luxurious closet.  A closet with organization, even down to her 40 plus pair of sunglasses...We hinted to her about it and she was thrilled, but we didn't exactly tell her we were going to do it for her, but I would guess, she knows, after all, she is 24 not 4.  Instead of spending thousands of dollars on this project, which I would never do anyway...we had her pick out some walk ins that she loved, and we went to IKEA and picked out a few pieces, and measured, and measured and measured again, and chose just a few pieces that would fit in there perfect.  Not only are the prices for these individual pieces great, but when we move, it can all come down and go with us, and if not needed in another walk-in closet, can be used in a variety of other areas.  She chose the chandeliers, but hasn't decided on the color quite yet.  Since there is no window in there, the white may be the way to go, though underneath the frosted glass shelving, which will be 5 in all, we are putting LED white up lighting, so I believe there will be plenty of good lighting.  I've added below, just a few of the pieces we have chosen for now, but we still need a few more pieces.  I'm so excited to get started on this project...the only problem is, when and how, there's no hiding this gift in another room, I think she would see it!

Some beautiful walk in closets found on the Internet

A few of the pieces we found from IKEA

The two chandeliers she loves



Fall inspirational decorating ideas....

I can happily say, even here in Florida, fall has arrived!!! The last several days have been perfect, low 80's during the day and low 60's in the evening, and even better, low humidity! Yah!!!!

Though it doesn't take cooler weather to get me in the mood for any kind of decorating, it does help with holiday decorating. As I previously mentioned, I don't decorate too much for the fall season, I do however, use a lot of the inspirational pictures that I may find on the Internet, save them to a specific file called just that "inspiration". I take my Flip with me where ever I go, and film decorations from anywhere I see something unique, then I will often incorporate something from several of the pictures into ideas for Christmas, or a New Years Eve party. Nonetheless, I love these pictures I found. Some were found online and a few from my Sunset Magazine (my fav - love it!). There are so many wonderful and beautiful pieces out there right now to be as creative as you want. I must say for some reason I am a bit obsessed with these naturally white pumpkins (ghost pumpkins), and even the very light green ones. I love unique things, not one for following and adhering to only what's so called " in style" at the moment, it has to be something that really touches me. And, these white pumpkins have my mind racing with ideas. So, tomorrow...my mission is to go out to every pumpkin patch, farmer's market, and fruit stands in my town until I find them. Since I have a lot of palm trees in my yard, and yep, some need a little trimming...the palm fronds will be part of my Thanksgiving table scape this year along with those adorable white pumpkins. Wish me luck, I keep hearing that there is a pumpkin shortage this year, but never under estimate a woman on a pumpkin mission!!!

Happy Fall!!!!