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The original American Express logo??!!
Ironwork in Tribeca....
Old carved street signs.......
Always loved this sculpture!
Tombstone in St. Paul's graveyard, she died on 9/11 as well........in 1796.
Public artworks dot the Esplanade along the river.....
Original gas lanterns light up City Hall Park.....
Rebuilding 9/11.......
Glorious architecture from the past....
Oranjestad architecture is embellished as if someone had taken a pastry bag and piped frosting around facades. Fanciful structures against a cerulean blue sky.
Aruba has been a Dutch island since 1636, and the influence is everywhere you look and is found in much of the local cuisine.
I love the pastel candy colors.
And the color palette combinations....peach next to acidic yellow next to true blue.
Like a surrealistic backdrop, gigantic cruise ships dock right at the edge of town to let the tourists out to shop and explore.
Local fruit shakes, love the drawings!
Sea captain's house....
The main road leading into Oranjestad is lined with palm trees and old style street lamps.
Guess what the picture below is?! I was inside the downtown Marriott. This little boat is in the lobby, picking up guests to take them out to the Marriott island.
Very cool. I'll be back one day. It is one happy island.
Hi everyone!
As part of my culinary travels, I shot this video a couple of months ago when I was in Paris. Patricia Wells is a cookbook author who lives there, and since I have all of her books and she was coming out with a new one, I decided to pay her a visit in her cooking school in Paris.
If you love Paris as much as I do, you will enjoy this video!
Salad as a Meal: Healthy Main-Dish Salads for Every Season
I honestly think this is one of the best hotels in America, so I wanted to share it with you. I attended a conference in Salt Lake City that was held in the hotel, but finding the hotel became of more value than the conference was!
As you can see, it is stunning with a backdrop of the mountains.
Immediately upon entering, the opulent interior with its soaring ceilings and exquisite decor is a delight for the eye. 17th century Flemish tapestries grace the walls and towering crystal chandeliers hang above you.
I made my way to my room and was utterly surprised by its size. It was a standard room but it was amazingly spacious, with a super comfortable bed, living area, sofa, and jaw dropping view of the mountains.
My bed was super comfortable!
The bathroom came with a huge walk-in closet, loads of space and stacks of fluffy towels.
I loved the comfort of a bubble bath at night, and the option of the walk-in marble shower in the morning.
I would go down to have breakfast in the sumptuously appointed Garden Cafe. I thought I was being healthy ordering oatmeal, and it was so delicious that I ordered it every day and even asked the waiter what it was that made it so much better than the one I make at home. His answer? They add heavy cream while it is cooking so it turns out rich and creamy! Wow, I think I put on four pounds that week, but it was so worth it!
So in the evening, after the conference sessions, I would go back up to my room and relax before dinner. This was my view.
I know I will be going back some day. It was the kind of place you want to return to. And next time I will take advantage of the beautiful pool and spa and just relax in the splendor of this great American hotel.
The Grand America Hotel, 555 South Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah
Oh, you are so going to love this little paperback guide called Paris: Made by Hand: 50 Shops Where Decorators and Stylists Source the Chic & Unique
This wonderful book is written by Australian stylist, Pia Jane Bijkerk. As a stylist, she is constantly searching for the unusual or beautiful. Paris Made By Hand is her personal treasure trove of shops and workshops she found in Paris that still make things by hand. Or of shops that stock antique hand made items.
Even if you have traveled to Paris for years, or have lived there, you still may not know most of the artisan boutiques she conveniently lists by arrondissement. With lush photography and evocative prose, Pia totally communicates the wonder of finding these places.
These are her words describing Le Petit Atelier De Paris,"There is a common theme among the delicate, organic-shaped vases, the glossy, free-form tartlet dishes, the tiny house sculptures, and the little alphabet letters that fill the shop-each item is made by hand on the premises."
"As a lover of flea markets, this is where I come when there is not a flea market to be found in the city---the items are unassuming, rustic, and affordable, with little chairs and tables starting at 30 euros, and bigger items, like desks and dining tables, steady at around 400 euros."
I can't wait to go back to Paris to visit these extraordinary boutiques. Thank you Pia for sharing!
Paris: Made by Hand: 50 Shops Where Decorators and Stylists Source the Chic & Unique
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