Elaine At Home

SPRING HAS BROUGHT CREATURES TO MY YARD

2010-05-25T19:11:00.000-04:00

My husband and I were sitting outside on the patio yesterday when he saw a beautiful woodpecker land on a tree limb in our yard. I ran for my camera but by the time I returned and tried to get some pictures, he few away. My son was quicker than I to grab his camera and took this amazing photo. This is a Red Headed Woodpecker.

Not two hours later on our patio appeared this gorgeous Eastern Milk Snake. It only measured about 12 inches probably, but reared it's head and followed our every move. This time, I was lucky enough to get my camera in time. By the way, as threatening as he may look, this species of New York snake is harmless. He is seeking rodents and likes to eat other snakes. I must admit, however, if I had been alone I would have probably fainted if I saw this moving around.

WEDDING REHEARSAL DINNER

2010-05-05T09:16:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about how fast the past year has flown by and could not believe that my daughter and son in law will be celebrating their first wedding anniversary on June 14th. I found this old video I made last year and I think I never got around to posting it, so here it is. It is a collection of photos I took on the evening of my daughter's rehearsal dinner. My son in law's parents gave my daughter and their son a very beautiful evening. After the rehearsal at Our Lady of Angels Church in Brooklyn, we all went to a wonderful restaurant on 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge. We were all excited about the wedding to take place on the following morning. I wanted to post this before I lost it somewhere on my computer for even forgot that I had ever made this.

I would like to point out that the bouquet my daughter is carrying was made by the bridesmaids from all the beautiful ribbons and bows that decorated all her bridal shower gifts. It is such a nice custom.

LE CORDON BLEU

2010-05-04T20:57:00.001-04:00

This was taken when I went to Le Cordon Bleu with the most wonderful Master Chef. Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School has been in Paris since 1895 which teaches classical French cuisine. He has been teaching for 40 years and was so very nice.

WE MADE IT HOME SAFELY

2010-04-09T18:32:00.002-04:00

Well, after being away for quite some time we arrived home safely. All was well here at home and we were thankful to have done so much traveling and remained well and active.

The first photo on the left was taken in the Piazza di San Pietro in front of the Basilica in Vatican City, Rome. I did manage to meet with my friend and I was so happy to get to see her once again. I did get to visit the crypts to see where Pope John Paul II was entombed as well. That was quite an emotional experience for me as well as many others. It was very crowded there as many people had the same desire.

The time we spent in Rome was wonderful although relatively short. We did manage to get tickets to the special Caravaggio exhibit which was wonderful to see. The food in Rome is always extraordinary and we met a new friend who lives there. Her name is Anna and she very graciously invited us to her lovely apartment for an aperitif and some hors d'oeuvres prior to dinner together.

The second photo was taken in the very medieval town of Todi in Umbria, Italy. It was amazing to walk through such a quaint and timeless place. We visited many churches, had some fantastic meals and enjoyed the views. Our dear friend Ettore did all the driving through Italy and he was really amazing. The man just exudes class just like my husband. Having been born in Rome and being a true Roman, he certainly knew his way around and planned a terrific road trip for all of us. His thoughtfulness and attention to detail was apparent from the moment we arrived at the airport in Rome. His wife Rose who is very dear to us is so lovely and really adorable. Rose is the perfect lady in every way.

This picture was taken in Assisi, Perugia, Italy. We went to the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi. This was such a very special place. The climb up the elevation is fine and well worth it. We toured the Upper and Lower Churches as well as the crypt. I highly recommend this place to visit. The buses start arriving early in the morning as the church bells ring. The view is spectacular and so is the town. Located here is the Church of Santa Chiara (Saint Clare) who started the Order of the Poor Clares. This was amazing too. There is a room where they have on display the clothes of St. Francis and other relics.

Ettore then drove to Panicale which is another, but very small town. We decided to drive on to Siena, find a hotel for the night and could enjoy the sites early in the morning. Siena is where the Palio (horse race) is held twice every year. Siena is also known for the college. This is the Piazza del Campo which is one of Europe's most beautiful medieval piazzas. There was so much to see and do in Siena and we enjoyed every minute there.

About a half hour away we found ourselves in the town of Orvieto. The Cathedral Orvieto which was built in the early 1300 century was beautiful. From Orvieto we were told we were going to see something special.

We were told we were going to Bagnoreggio. This was totally unbelievable. It is an ancient town perched on the crest of a hill, while the ground is crumbling around it. The only way the people who live there can get back and forth is by walking as no cars are allowed. If you look closely you can see the walkway stretching toward you, this is the roadway. There are no longer that many residents who still call Banoreggio home, however, there are about twenty.

We had the most amazing time with Ettore & Rose on our road trip Italy. We will never forget the wonderful and memorable time we had together. We drove back to Rome eventually and prepared for our flight back to Paris.

We stayed at Le Meurice Hotel which is across from the Jardin des Tuileries and is such a beautiful hotel. It is the sister of the Dorchester.

I could never explain how much help our dear friend Phillippe had been to us in Paris. He actually held our luggage, which was six large suitcases, while we went to Italy with two. He picked us up at the hotel and drove us to the airport early one morning when we were on our way home. We didn't say when we were leaving just how much my husband & I would miss him. He had been such an enormous help to us and the friendship he offered will never be forgotten.

Needless to say, we were quite despondent when we were leaving Paris. After living in France for a time we were quite impressed with so many things. We were always greeted and treated with such courtesy and friendliness. It was a very special time we shared together and have decided to try to return once again next winter, if God willing.

I have so many other stories and pictures to show and tell. I did go to Le Cordon Bleu, I would love to expand on Ash Wednesday and the Veneration of the Crown of Thorns, both at Notre Dame Cathedral.

Oh, so many pictures and wonderful places and I promise I will share them. Keep well and come back soon.

DRIVING FROM ROME

2010-03-13T19:01:00.001-05:00

We flew to Rome from Paris and had a great flight. Some friends of ours met us at the airport and we drove into Rome.

I had a small agenda there to take care of and was hoping to see a friend of mine at the Vatican. I was so happy to see my friend the Sister and we got to visit a little while. I wanted to see where Pope John Paul II had been entombed also. Later in the afternoon we had gotten tickets for the Caravaggio Exhibition which was wonderful.
Visited with a friend at her apartment before having a spectacular Roman dinner.

We had really enjoyed our time in Rome and then drove to Todi, a marvelous medieval town in the Umbria region. The following morning we drove to Assisi, which is the most unforgettable place. We went to the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi. We visited the Church of Sante Chiara and drove to San Damiano.

We went to Perugia, Montelpulchiano and we are now in Sienna, Tuscany.

We are getting ready to see the Basilica of SanDomenico and San Gimingiano before driving to Florence.

I will write more when time and internet connections allow.

I AM LEAVING FOR ROME, ITALY

2010-03-10T08:53:00.000-05:00

I am sorry it has been a little while since I have posted a new article. I have many to come and they are about some interesting places and things I have done lately. I have been busy with visitors, sightseeing and frankly have been doing lots of shopping.

Tomorrow, I leave for Rome and will be gone for five days. I return to Paris on Monday. I will be unable to bring my laptop with me but will post some new stories as soon as I get a chance.

MUSÉE RODIN

2010-03-03T13:04:00.002-05:00

It was such a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the 50's yesterday that my husband and I decided to walk to the Musée Rodin near Invalides. It is quite a walk, but we were in no hurry, took our time and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Paris along the way.

We stopped along the way and thought about getting a sandwich in one of the little shops. We stopped at one and were trying to decide which one to get. They are always so delicious and fresh. My husband leaned in just a little to get a better look when we saw a sign which read, "Peinture Humide." Now does that look like it says "Wet Paint." Oh, yes it was. The brightest mix of dandelion yellow and sunset gold then electrified now covered the entire length of his favorite North Face jacket! We looked at each other in amazement and he had the look on his face which read, "No way, I didn't just do that!" I felt so badly as I know how much he loves that jacket. My husband is not usually leaning on buildings, but in Paris as with many European cities the sidewalks are only three feet wide. Hence, when stopping to gaze in a shop window you do naturally squeeze up very close to it to leave some room on the sidewalk.

When we arrived we bought tickets for the museum and gardens. I kept trying to remember not to hold his left arm. The famous sculpture of the "Thinker" (Le Penseur) by Auguste Rodin was in a small square surrounded by meticulously manicured trees. The gardens are lovely with many rose bushes planted in between the trees, which have started growing already.

At the entrance you see the very famous doors of the Gates of Hell. There are other bronzes by Rodin which are throughout the garden. This site was once the Hotel Biron which was turned into the Musee Rodin.

There are many beautiful sculptures to see here and if you would like to visit their website go to: http://www.musee-rodin.fr/welcome.htm
It was a very nice museum and we were happy to have had the chance to visit as there are sketches, paintings, and special exhibitions.

If you are old enough to remember the comedy series Dobie Gillis of the 1960's, each episode began with the character sitting on a bench in front of a reproduction of the bronze Thinker. Actually, I remember this show really well. Dobie was the collegiate and Maynard was his sidekick and played the part of the beatnik. Gosh, I think I am revealing my age although I was only 8 or 9 at the time!

My husband has not worn his favorite jacket since he so artistically altered it. He is usually very hard to buy for, but I now know what he could use as a gift for Father's Day gift.

THE CATACOMBS OF PARIS

2010-02-26T02:56:00.006-05:00

One day my family and I took the metro to visit a vast depository of bones underneath a particular section of Paris known as the catacombs. There is an area deep below which is open to the public called the Denfert Rochereau Ossuary.

We bought tickets and started to descend the small spiral staircase and I have to tell you here, I kept thinking that at some point I would have to ascend all these steps after seeing this underground cemetery.

The cemeteries of Paris were overcrowded and the government decided it would empty the cemeteries of its dead and relocate the bones here. It took many years to complete this relocation of it's former citizens to the tunnels that were once used to quarry limestone. It opened to the public around 1867.

After walking a while in the dark and very damp tunnels with not very much headroom, especially if you were over six foot or so tall, we came upon the section which was marked in stone as the area of the remains of the dead. This is where about six million former Parisians now rest.

The femurs and tibias are all neatly lined up and piled on one another and as you can see in the photo to the left, with a pattern that was formed in the middle with skulls. I was amazed at how after so long they would still remain. I always thought that after one hundred years or so that nothing was left. This seems not to be the case here. The piles of bones are stacked so neatly and rise to about five feet high. I saw bones and skulls arranged in hearts or crosses. There would be a wall of bones with the skulls sitting up on top and various other shapes. There is a picture below which shows an arrangement in a large wine barrel shape.

There were signs as you walked along indicating the name, location and date of the cemetery from which the bones were exhumed and relocated here. I read that a priest would accompany a tip cart draped in black in the evening while singing or chanting in a very reverent manner. This is how they would be moved and relocated here.

At points along the way, which was about an hour or so, you would hear the dripping of water, or need to put up your hood so as not to get dripped on, and every so often come upon some puddles or wet ground. I had to watch my footing the entire time as it would constantly change to rise or fall and was uneven. The lighting was quite dim to dark in spots.

I was glad to have had the opportunity to visit and see this for myself. The staircase was before me and I started to climb up the small winding staircase. Thank goodness there was a seat at the top on which to rest a moment. I turned around and saw over my shoulder a defibrillator on the wall and an employee in a little area next to it. I was terribly grateful that I had no need of it and emerged once again above ground and well into the sunlight.

We started to look for a place to have lunch when I turned around and noticed that my son-in-law was having a cigar. I think he was happy as well to have risen once again above ground.

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THE FASCINATING PERE LACHAISE CEMETERY, PARIS

2010-02-24T01:55:00.003-05:00

The cemetery of Pere Lachaise is a place I have always wanted to see, but never had time enough to visit it on previous trips to Paris. It is in the 20th arrondissement in eastern Paris. We took the bus for about 50 minutes and got off at Giambetta. It was a very pleasant ride and gave us a chance to take in the sights of Paris as we went along the way.

When I first saw this cemetery, I was awed by the thousands of trees, monuments, and the meandering cobblestone paths. We followed along the map for the burial locations of many famous people. Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) the well known Irish writer, poet and playwright is buried here in an art-deco style monument. His monument is covered with pink and red lipstick kisses lovingly placed by his admirers still today.

I have always liked Edith Piaf (1915-1963) known as France's most popular singer, sometimes called "the little sparrow." I read she had appeared on the Ed Sullivan show eight times and I myself do remember seeing her once on television. Piaf also performed at Carnegie Hall two times in New York. Her signature song "La Vie en Rose," was recently made into a movie, and I love that song and enjoyed the movie too. I bought a cd of Edith Piaf several years ago and find myself listening to it often. Edith Piaf was awarded a Grammy Hall of Fame award in 1998. There were many flower bouquets at her gravesite.

We wanted to find the grave of James (Jim) Morrison (1943-1971), our own American singer and songwriter of "The Doors." Jim Morrison, while living in a rented apartment in Paris, was found dead in the bathtub. His gravesite had many flowers brought by admiring fans and always draws crowds of visitors.

We came across Moliere, the famous French playwright and actor. I had hoped to locate the site for Marcel Marceau who died in 2007, he was the French actor and mime artist. it was not indicated on the map or tour as of yet. Marceau joined the French Resistance, and he has a very interesting personal history. He saved numerous children from concentration camps and this is when he started miming in an attempt to keep them quiet as they were escaping. Later, he was in the French army and then a liaison officer under General Patton's army.

We thought at first when a French gentleman approached us offering his knowledge of locations, that he would then charge a large fee for his service. I think just growing up in New York had made me so suspicious when someone offers any sort of help. He did offer the exact location for Edith Piaf to us and then we walked away from him as if he had some horrible contagious condition. Too bad, because later I found out that some only charge a nominal fee, if at all. But, there are many others who offer, completely free of charge up to two full hour tours.

Yves Montand, the Italian born French actor was discovered by Edith Piaf during the war, when she made him part of her act, and reportedly her lover as well. He was also alleged to have had an affair with Marilyn Monroe. His wife, Simone Signore is buried here too, and is known as one of France's most popular and beloved movie stars.

Haunting, yet terribly beautiful this resting place for famous figures such as Chopin and Colette and countless others is eerie too. The ravens, which were numerous, oh, the ravens, how they lend their caws to the eeriness of this place. I almost could not stop taking photographs, it was beautiful, yet inexplicable and mysterious. It was a beautiful sunny day and I was walking around a cemetery taking pictures with a camera, with the largest amount of people I had ever seen visiting a cemetery. It was bizarre and so different from anything I had ever seen before. I was so glad I finally got a chance to visit Pere Lachaise and I would definitely go back again.

HONESTLY, I'M READY TO COLLAPSE

2010-02-23T00:01:00.021-05:00

I am running on empty as the expression goes. I feel completely and utterly exhausted. It has been a little over a month now that we have been on the go in Paris and traveling non stop. So today I will take it a little easy and tell you about a few things I love; one of the things we love is our dog.

I will tell you how much I/we are missing our wonderful little dog Lexie. I have posted two photos of her for you to enjoy. Now tell the truth, isn't she just too adorable and beautiful!

The other thing I love is relatively new to me and that is thank goodness for skype. When I skype, for instance, my daughter and son-in-law (who have now left Paris and returned home), I can see them and Lexie and talk to them real time with video. My husband and I wonder lately if she has forgotten us by now. Yikes, the idea of it all, just makes me crazy. Please tell me she has not forgotten her Mommy and Daddy.

I am so happy we have been using skype to keep in touch with friends and family back home. It keeps us in touch with everyone. When you skype from one computer to another, it is free and easy to download. Once you try it, you will be hooked.

Well, by the time you read this my son and girlfriend have now left Paris as well, and we are now awaiting the arrival of my wonderful sister-in-law and a very dear couple who we have been friends with for many years. They will be staying for several days and let the sights begin again! Actually, it is going to be so much fun being with all of them here in Paris. My husband and I are really looking forward to the time we will spend together.

I am now preparing the table and a list of things they must see and do while they are here. My husband just returned with freshly baked croissants, some with chocolate, and several baguettes. The fresh pot of coffee is brewing and we can't wait to see them.

A TRIP TO BRUGES, BELGIUM

2010-02-22T00:01:00.011-05:00

We took a trip to Bruges, Belgium which was just beautiful. Bruges is the capital and largest city of the West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is a medieval city dating back to the year 1128 when the city received it's charter. It has an amazing history and equally amazing architecture noted in Market Square by the belfry towers. It is sometimes called the Venice of the north, because of the canal system.

I wanted to see the Madonna and Child, by Michelangelo at the Church of Our Lady. It is the only work of Michelangelo to ever leave Italy and was completed shortly after the "Pieta" sculpture located in the Vatican. It depicts Jesus almost standing upright between the knees of His Mother Mary. In 1972, when the "Pieta" was attacked, this work was placed behind glass and is about now about 15 feet away from the viewing public. I was so happy that I got to see this for myself. I was definitely not expecting what I experienced shortly afterwards. We walked a little further and came upon the Basilica of the Holy Blood that was built around the 13th century. We happened upon a Mass which was near ending. We sat down and my daughter noticed that the priest took a seat on the side of the church. This is when we saw that people were lining up near a short flight of steps. We never knew that the Holy Blood of Christ, said to be brought here by the Templars is brought out before and after mass on Fridays to be venerated by the faithful. I did get up want you to know that I cannot speak of it here for my fear that it would be irreverent. I will remember this experience always and have been blessed once more. In May there is an annual and very famous Procession of the sacred relic of Christ's Blood through the streets of Bruges during which some dress as medieval knights and crusaders.

It is wonderful to see everyone riding bicycles throughout the town and they are everywhere. There are beautiful horses trotting at a fast pace pulling carriages and the sound of their shoes is awesome. We stopped to have a little lunch and enjoyed some Flemish stew. Every restaurant has a gorgeous warm fire burning in the fireplace and is so welcoming when you have been out in the damp cold. After some browsing and shopping we came upon a beautiful little tea salon and restaurant. Are you waiting for me to tell you that I had an authentic Belgium waffle? Of course I did, and it was so fabulously light and delicious. I have never had anything like it before. It was served with chocolate syrup, vanilla ice cream and créme chantilly along with a hot café creme. I was surprised to see just how many Belgium chocolate shops there were. I bought some for now and bought some for the apartment.

The pictures here are of my husband, son and daughter, and as you can see, my son is enjoying a Belgium beer after lunch. The bulbs have started showing up for spring, and the beautiful horse drawn carriages are shown here as well. We had a really wonderful time in Bruges, Belgium.

I AM LEAVING FOR BRUGES, BELGIUM

2010-02-19T00:09:00.001-05:00

There will be no post today as I left for a trip to Bruge, Belgium very early this morning.
Have a wonderful weekend.

ASH WEDNESDAY AT NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

2010-02-18T03:40:00.001-05:00

I had looked forward to receiving my ashes on Ash Wednesday at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris ever since I realized I would be there for that day. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days without including Sundays) before Easter. It is a moveable feast and falling on a different date each year because it depends on the date of Easter.

I really almost fainted when the mass started and nine Priests and two Cardinals came down the aisle. The cathedral was packed to the bursting point and I have no idea how many worshippers it holds.

It was just so moving to be there to mark the beginning of Lent. The smell of incense permeated throughout the church with such a familiar and strong smell.

Books for the Lenten season were given to all in attendance as well as a copy of the itinerary for today's mass. Although it was all in French, it was not difficult to follow along and I did my best. I know the parts of the mass and followed along. The singing was wonderful and I was grateful to have a woman next to me who sang with all her heart and had a wonderful voice. It just added to my happiness of being there.

I received the ashes as a sign of repentance, from the Cardinal of Notre Dame and then received the Eucharist from him as well. I returned to my seat and was so moved by this experience and so very, very grateful that I found myself welling up. My husband told me afterwards that he felt the same way.

After mass, we returned to the Shakespeare & Company Book Shop to pick up some additional books. I needed to climb the ladder to reach what I wanted to buy and there is a photo here.

Planning on having only one meal today, we went out to lunch afterwards. We found a wonderful little place located behind Notre Dame across the bridge on rue St. Louis-en l"Ile. We had the most delicious pumpkin soup with black truffles and scallops as a starter, Roman Catholics must abstain from meat on this day and all Fridays during the Lenten season. This was followed with a delicious fish over a soft bed of leeks and and various shellfish. I had a poached pear, covered in pear chantilly cream with a scoop of pear sorbet topping off this absolutely delicious dessert. Ash Wednesday was everything I had hoped, now I only have to keep my promise of what I will give up for this season of Lent and repent for my sins and faults.

DAY TRIP TO NORMANDY & THE D-DAY BEACHES

2010-02-17T04:07:00.003-05:00

I was lucky two years ago to have had the chance to visit Normandy and the D-Day Beaches. We had arranged a day trip through the concierage at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. At 7:00 AM the following morning a very nice gentleman named Phillippe picked us up. Little did I know that I would have the most moving and memorable experience that day and I would find myself reflecting on it many times afterwards. Phillippe was so knowledgeable about the history and events that had transpired on the beaches of Normandy along with the history of the D-Day landings. He had taken us to Versailles also during our previous visit to Paris.

We have kept in touch with Phillippe since then and had arranged to visit Sainte Mére Église (The Church of St. Mary), Utah Beach and Utah Beach D-Day Museum. This town would be one of the first towns to be liberated in the invasion, and we wanted to revisit the beaches of Normandy again too. Phillippe picked us up at 7:00 AM and we set out for the day long journey. The 2 1/2 hour drive is well worth the trip from Paris for an incredible walk through history and very well worth the time and expense. We wanted to see the paratrooper dummy that hangs in memorial to John Steele, the paratrooper who was caught on the spire of the church on June 6, 1944. He hung there caught by his parachute for two hours playing dead. If you want to see a great movie to learn of these events see "The Longest Day." John Steele is portrayed by the actor Red Buttons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Mère-Église

On our previous visit we started at the La Cambe German War Cemetery,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Cambe_German_war_cemetery, then went to the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc (picture left) which was the point where the United States Army Rangers attacked during Operation Overlord. This area is riddled with bomb craters from the naval ships. The sea here is the English Channel.

We would drove along the Atlantic Wall to see once again the coastal fortifications built by the German Third Reich to Omaha Beach. No words could ever describe the events that took place here and its aftermath. I picked up some sea shells along the beach to bring home to keep as a reminder.. We drove to Juno, Sword & Gold beaches. Then we came to Arromanches where the artificial harbors still lie on the beach and in the water. It is just amazing to see these after all the years of storms and the fact that after 65 years they still lie here. The D-Day Museum is not to be missed. It is just beautiful and somber to see the items left on the beaches along with audio commentary and the different films to see.

Located on a bluff over Omaha Beach is the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur Mere where you find the large bronze statue entitled "The Spirit of American Youth" which is at the beginning of the cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place for the remains of 9,387 American military dead. I walked among heros, so many young beautiful American men who freely gave their lives. I couldn't help but cry, it is a very solemn and beautiful place. This is United States soil and all the graves face the United States.

Phillippe pointed out the graves of the Niland Brothers of New York. The story of the two brothers who lost their lives one day apart in June 1944, which the movie Saving Private Ryan is loosely based.

We came to the grave of Medal of Honor recipient Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., the son of President Theodore Roosevelt which I have included a picture here.

We then walked through the battery of guns at Longues sur Mere also part of the Atlantic Wall. I have a picture here of me reaching up to the gun barrel. This area which containis four 150 mm naval guns which still remain and seem to be built only several years ago. This area was subject to heavy bombings by allied air forces.

If you are near the northwest of France and as I previously mentioned is only a day trip from Paris, it is truly not to be missed.

Phillippe of the Best of France Tours has once again made for a very special day for my family. On Friday he will be driving us to Bruge, Brussels for another trip. He can be contacted here:
http://www.best-of-france.net/ If you do contact Phillippe and book a trip just mention my name or this website for a referral price. I am sure you will be satisfied with his friendliness, knowledge and he also speaks perfect English.

A ST. VALENTINE'S DAY IN PARIS

2010-02-16T02:43:00.066-05:00

Sunday morning I was almost finished dressing and just had to do my hair when I walked out into the kitchen. I was so surprised to catch my son-in-law walking in the door loaded with bunches of flowers and candies. I think I gasped when he approached me and handed me a beautiful bouquet of 2 dozen roses in the most beautiful colors of orange and cream. He wished me a Happy Valentine's Day and said they were for me and I was caught off guard as I never expected such a lovely, thoughtful and generous gift.

Not two minutes later, I saw my husband walking in the door to the apartment with a gorgeous bouquet of red roses and a shopping bag. He gave me the roses, a hat which I saw in a store window the day before which I had admired earlier that week, along with a beautiful red necklace from the local jeweler. I was not surprised as he has always been very thoughtful and terribly good to me.

We had secured reservations through American Express to have a late lunch at Kong located at 1, rue du Pont Neuf just over the Pont Neuf Bridge. This is where an episode of Sex In The City had been filmed. It offers a gorgeous view from a glass enclosed rooftop. The food was amazing and there is a photo of the room here as well as a photo of the dessert my son-in-law ordered, featuring chocolate pop rocks and all. Read more about it here: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.kong.fr/&ei=zlN6S4PTJsK5jAfUyLmwCg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBQQ7gEwAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dkong%2Brestaurant,%2Bparis%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den
I couldn't help but include a photo of my son (left) my husband and my son-in-law sitting under a gorgeous pink pouf light including crinoline which looked like a big gorgeous cotton candy.

We walked back over the Bridge and took some pictures. One of these is of my son and his girlfriend Venetia. There is one here of my daughter and myself.

We were going to take make our way over near Notre Dame where we wanted to find the famous Shakespeare & Company Book Shop. They are known for stamping the inside of any book you purchase with their well known stamp. The shop has a very interesting history which you can read about here: http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/index.php?categories=113:1
I bought several books, had them stamped and was happy to pick up a copy of the "Hunchback of Notre Dame," by Victor Hugo.

We then strolled into the narrowest and oldest streets of Paris as we took in the sights and did a bit of shopping. It was so enjoyable walking around Paris on a wonderfully sunny Sunday afternoon. I couldn't think of a more special and memorable way to spend St. Valentine's Day other than being spending it here in the most romantic city in the world and sharing it with my family.

A VISIT TO THE PALACE AT VERSAILLES

2010-02-13T02:43:00.007-05:00

Those of you who know me know that I adore Marie Antoinette. I absolutely loved the book "Marie Antoinette: The Journey," by Antonia Frazer and naturally I was in love with the movie. It is so exciting for me being at Versailles once again. It is surreal to imagine her having been here as I am now. It had started to snow on the way there but it didn't hamper my spirit at all.

With tickets in hand, we entered the magnificant and immense palace. We went from room to room with an audio guide and listened to the commentary. As each room reveals itself to you, you can't help but picture her life as it unfolded here. It is so very beautiful and quite ornate. The details, fabrics, colors, size and grandeur is hard to imagine and must be seen to be appreciated. Here is the link: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/homepage

I belong to a group of artists the "Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group." It is a group of very talented artists who undertake all different forms of media and all devoted to the theme of Marie Antoinette. They all share with me their love for Marie. I could not help but think of them while I was walking through the very home of Marie Antoinette. I wondered if a field trip here for the group ever would be possible at some point. How wonderful that would be for everyone!

There is just so much to see with over 1200 rooms, countless corridors, it's own Royal Chapel, the Grand Trianon, the Gardens of Versailles outside which bursts with flowers in warmer weather, it is just too amazing to describe. Yes, I was lucky this time that the Petite Trianon had reopened after having been closed for a little over a year while under renovation. The last time I was able to walk through her little hamlet as well as the Queens Gardens. The Petite Trianon is what Marie loved, although a mansion, it is cozy, beautifully decorated and beyond what you could imagine. You can read more about it here: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/marie-antoinettes-estate

The Hall of Mirrors is incredible to walk through with its French History and of course, our American History, including the history of Thomas Jefferson when he was the Ambassador to France, Benjamin Franklin visiting King Louis XVI, and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles took place in this very room.

The photos above are from inside the Palace looking out over the gardens as it is snowing. My son getting ready (bending down on the floor) to take a picture of the Hall of Mirrors. I couldn't resist this one, a mounted policeman heading toward us in the snow, and the bedroom of Marie Antoinette.

IF I HAD TWO MINUTES

2010-02-11T03:03:00.000-05:00

If I had two minutes I could post of the wonderful places we have visited over the last several days. We visited Invalides, Museé de Armeé, Versailles, Petite Trianon, the Marais, and the Musee Carnevalet. Today we are rushing off to the catacombs of Paris and then we will spend the entire rest of the day at the Louvre.

At Versailles yesterday, our friend Phillippe took this photo of us at the park of Versailles. We were standing next to the beautiful lake where we watched the various crew teams practicing. Please note the beautifully manicured rows of trees behind us. Left to right are my husband, myself, my daughter, my son, my son's girlfriend and my son-in-law.

I will post as soon as I can and go into detail of each as mentioned above as soon as I get two minutes.
Elaine

A QUIET SUNDAY IN PARIS

2010-02-08T05:50:00.003-05:00

This past Saturday morning was so exciting. My husband went out early to the bakery to pick up some croissants, macaroons, baguettes, etc. I stayed in and freshened up the apartment a bit and set the table for brunch. I put out all the fruit I bought, some jams, orange juice, prepared a pot of coffee, got the espresso machine fired up, and put out several other things. My husband had bought a dozen roses for me and I searched for a vase. The only thing I could find tall enough was a plastic polka dot pitcher. It actually looked gorgeous with the pink roses and black polka dots.

We were all set and now just had to wait. Our cellular phone rang and it was the driver calling to say he was downstairs. I gave myself one quick look in the mirror and one quick spritz of Yves St. Laurent Parisienne perfume, which had been a Christmas gift from my husband. My husband went downstairs to greet everyone and to advise them about the lift. Only one person with one suitcase at a time, or two people. If the elevator were to break it would take weeks to be repaired.

The first up was my daughter and I welcomed her with a loud "Bienvenue a Paris." She was so excited. I asked her to remove her shoes and showed her the bedroom that was all prepared for her and my son in law where I had placed chocolates on her their bed for St. Valentine's Day. She absolutely went crazy and started running around the apartment going from room to room. Parisiens remove their shoes upon entering an apartment out of respect for the residents downstairs with regard to noise.
I made it back to my gorgeous double, tall (about 11 feet high) wooden door just in time for the lift door to open once again. I repeated this step three more times until finally my husband was back up in the apartment. We all enjoyed brunch and after a while they all unpacked and we decided to take a little walk around our neighborhood to orientate everyone.

Sundays in Paris are wonderfully quiet. The road along the Seine is closed to traffic and welcomes pedestrians, bikes, roller blades and everyone just strolling along. To start our Sunday we all decided to attend Mass at Notre Dame together and afterwards we could walk just over the little bridge that connects the Ile de la Cite to the very quaint Ile Saint Louis. We were running too late to take the Metro so three women and the three men split up and took two taxis. That's when it happened.

Having been born and lived my entire life in New York I am most aware of scams. Well, I wasn't so aware this time, which I must admit hurt my pride. We got in the taxi and I asked for Notre Dame. He seemed not to know it, so I proceeded to say Ile de la Cite. He started to drive. I guess I was taking in the sights and talking in the taxi that obviously I was not any paying attention to the fact that we had left the Seine River completely. The next thing we knew, the driver pulled up to a metro station named Notre Dame des Champs. I told him no and that this is not where we wanted to go, but gave up quickly as I determined he was a complete you know what. How could anyone in Paris pretend they do not know where Notre Dame is located! Okay, so we were taken on a joy roy with the meter now of 11 euro, about $16 USD, plus the fact that now are in the middle of who knows where. Alas, at least he dropped us off at a metro station!

The three of us ran down the two flights of steps of the Metro and asked the ticket agent for the directions. He was so obliging that he took out a map, outlined with a pen the route and the stations to get us there. He then proceeded to come out of the booth insert my euro purchase the tickets for us and handed me my change. He was so very nice which once again goes to show people are nice all over the world, and then there is the other kind that we cross paths with from time to time. We took this first train only one stop and then had to transfer over to a different line. The second train we rode for five stops and finally emerged from Metro. We had been talking about how worried my husband, son and son in law must be that we never arrived for the Mass. We thought they would be frantic and distraught. Boy were we wrong.

We had two blocks to now dash to still get to the church. Having been married for over 40 years, my husband is privy to the fact that I love to sit up front when I go to church. So when they had first arrived and did not see us, he assumed this is where we would be and that they would see us outside when the mass was over. When we got there the mass was ending and everyone was exiting. We spotted the three of them coming out and we ran over to them. As we approached them and my husband said, "Oh, wasn't it wonderful and we all received too!" They had absolutely no idea what had just happened to us, about how we got ripped off, about how we ran for the Metro, changed two trains, climbed all those flights, then ran two blocks and how concerned we were about their worrying about us! No, I didn't make mass yesterday, but God only knows how I tried.

LE BON MARCHE DEPARTMENT STORE

2010-02-05T04:30:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, we took a taxi to the classic left bank Le Bon Marche department store. It was the very first one in Paris. Located in the 7th, at 24 rue de Sevres, it is in the neighborhood of Saint Germain des Pres, It was built by Gustav Eiffel and dates to 1852. It houses some 40 top designers and the clothing was, well just gorgeous but a bit expensive. The tailoring and detail on the women's suits, dresses and coats is amazing. The quality is definitely apparent throughout the garment. It is known for being a renowned wedding boutique and has a floor dedicated to lingerie. I bought several things that would not be available anywhere but here. The sales girl placed the items in a beautiful pink box with black ribbon wrapped up in pink tissue paper and then placed in a wonderful shopping bag. I don't think I have mentioned up until now that no matter what you buy, it is wrapped up in such a beautiful way. My husband snapped this picture yesterday and I was surprised this morning when I downloaded the pictures.

Across the street the La Grande Epicerie de Paris is located which is the largest supermarket featuring foods from around the world. I bought some of the most beautiful and unusual teas, fleur de sel (french sea salt), some bread from the bakery department along with the fresh butter made with the fleur de sel. This is just an amazing store and we promised we would revisit each week.

Today, our family will be flying out, if they can get out, with the impending noreaster snowstorm which is expected to leave over 20 inches of snow from Washington, D. C. to New York. This is what I heard on the news this morning and we sincerely hope they are not delayed and get out before the storm begins. My husband & I are so excited and just can't wait until they arrive here tomorrow morning. We will keep checking the news today and keep our fingers crossed.

We are going to rue Cler today. It is an lovely cobble stoned street with an open market. We strolled down it several days ago and promised that we would revisit today Friday to pick up some gourmand food. I also have to pick up the olive bread that I ordered on Tuesday at a wonderful bakery on San Dominique. The bread is baked and filled with an oozing cheese, branches of rosemary and thyme, and is an absolutely delicious loaf of bread. I had such a hard time trying to at first buy one, was then directed to come back vendredi (Friday). I just could not get the time I was being told. The lovely woman decided to use the cash register to show me 1130. Okay, so my two loaves of olive bread would be waiting for me on Friday at 11:30 AM. I was then asked to pay in advance and write my name down. No receipt was given, and being from New York, yeah right, well that would let's just not happen in New York.

We have had a plumber all morning attempting to rectify the heating situation. This is his second visit. When we first arrived, it was freezing in the whole front of the apartment and we just could not get any heat. Luckily the radiators were working in our bathroom and bedroom so it was warm in there. The banging and noise of the pipes was dreadful led us to believe that there might be air in the pipes and so today I can feel some difference already.

We are now off to the rue Cler and wish you all a very nice weekend.

A CRUISE ON THE SEINE

2010-02-04T05:53:00.003-05:00

Yesterday it was warm and sunny so we thought we would take the cruise on the Seine. We met with Audra & Joe once again and it was to be their last day in Paris. We had lunch first, don't ask, I haven't had a bad meal yet. This was my fish served over lightly mashed potatoes that really made me want to sway in my seat, close my eyes and swoon.

We actually just missed the boat so to speak, as one was just pulling out and it would be about 40 minutes before another came. We would take the Bateaux Parisiens, http://www.bateauxparisiens.com/EN/boats-cruises-paris-seine-uk.html, which was a beautiful, large glass topped boat. It would be a lovely relaxing 60 minute ride. We strolled around the Seine and saw a little restaurant. They sold wine and we were told that we could buy a bottle, they would uncork it, and we could take the bottle and some paper cups on board. Well, I for one would never want to go against doctor's orders! I have had my 2 inches a day. It is beginning to grow on me. I'm actually glad I have had my 2 inches as I have forgotten to take my Lipitor since I arrived!

Before we knew it it was time to get onboard. They would snap your photo and offer it for sale when you disembarked. It was just delightful, quiet at times, terribly scenic along the way, a little music, and the offering of some important commentary as well. I just love it here. I have said this everyday since I arrived. Well, this was really nice, sipping a little wine, talking with new friends, cuddling with my honey, and taking lots of photos. We sat inside although we did go outside several times as well especially when we would go under the beautiful bridges.

We took a taxi to San Germain des Pres located in the Latin Quarter or 5 & 6th districts to shop, yes I bought a pair of chaussures (shoes), gosh so adorable. Audra found a gorgeous pair of knee high boots. I am lucky as well as the sales are still going on here in Paris.

Later that evening we had dinner at a wonderful little place where we ate outside because it was not cold at all. They do have sidewalk heaters on so it was just perfect. My husband & I shared a pot of moulles et frites (mussels and french fries) followed by crab legs. Okay, so now everyone feels sorry for me right! Yes it was the start of another swaying and swooning episode.

The day ended with saying au revoir to our new wonderful friends as they would be leaving early the next morning. We were lucky once again to have spent the day together, even Louis Armstrong and Einstein wanted to hang out with us! Somehow I know we will keep in touch and remain friends.

WE MADE NEW FRIENDS IN PARIS

2010-02-03T06:44:00.002-05:00

Yesterday started out with no real plan or schedule. I had several things to do and told my husband that we could stay in and go out at about 1:00 PM for lunch and he agreed. We had the most wonderful lunch the first day we arrived at a wonderful restaurant named Cafe Constant located at 139, rue Saint-Dominique. He is the most talented chef and has three restaurants and a chocolate shop. As planned, we

We were waiting for our starter to be served when a couple was seated next to us. We overheard them speak English and began a conversation. Their names were Joe & Audra who were visiting Paris for the first time and were from Seattle, Washington. We hit the jackpot meeting them, they were so very nice and we all hit it off immediately. We sat there enjoying our lunch talking and before we realized were the last patrons sitting in this usually crowded cafe. We bid au revoir to the restaurant and went to see the apartment they had rented through the same company as we had. It was quite a lovely and cozy apartment located one block away from ours. We then extended an invitation to come to see ours as well. We sat, got to know each other a bit more, had a glass of wine and decided to take the metro to see Sacre Couer in Monmartre.
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com%2F

We took the metro at Ecole Militare for several stops and then changed over to another train which then took us directly to the Basilica. It was amazing to see at night which affords a view over all of Paris. We got quite lucky so see that as we entered a service was starting and we heard the beautiful voices of the nuns and saw that candles were being handed out and lit. The Basilica is a place of pilgrimage and is certainly not to be missed when visiting Paris.

We walked around a bit around Monmarte and after a while took the ride on the metro back to our "neighborhood." Once there, Joe & Audra recommended an Italian restaurant that they had tried called Il Sorrentino at 121, rue de Sevres, Paris 6th, The food was simply divine. I had the four course dinner, which consisted of fresh mozzarella with tomatoes, the most delicious freshly made ravioli, a plate of shrimp, swordfish and tuna, followed by a chocolate dessert. It was fabulous!

We had no real plan or agenda yesterday, we just let life take us and we followed. How lucky were we to have met and spent almost an entire day with new found friends. We enjoyed their company so much until saying Bon nuit.

MASS AT NOTRE DAME DE PARIS

2010-02-02T03:23:00.008-05:00

One of the things I love to do on a Sunday when I am in Paris is to attend Mass at the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. The cornerstone was laid in 1163 when construction began. Notre-Dame is on point zero or "0" km where all road distances throughout France are measured. It is located on the Ile de la Cite. If you would like to read about it, see this link:

http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/On-the-Ile-de-la-Cite

I have never been lucky enough to actually receive the Holy Eucharist during previous visits, but I was determined to today. After checking the mass schedule on Sunday morning, my husband & I thought it might be fun to walk about half a block and catch the Bateau Bus, which would be a bus/taxi boat that stops at various points along the Seine River which runs through the city of Paris. We started out with good intentions, but as everyone knows, life happens along the way.

We got to the river and saw the boats and asked a jogger how far to Notre Dame. We were quickly told only 10 minute walk, or at least that is what we thought he said. It was sunny, clear and not too cold, so we decided to forego the boat and hike it. It is now only 11:15 a.m.

We passed such wonderful things, kept asking for directions and then realized that everyone would make a face or motion that would indicate that it is still very far away. It is now 12 noon.

We came upon the Jardin des Tuileries which is the beautiful park filled with ponds, statues, topiaries, architecture, etc. and stretches all the way from the Place de la Concorde to the Louvre. It is now 12:40 PM with no cathedral in sight. I started to get depressed at the thought that we might miss attending the mass all together. We kept walking. We tried to take the Metro, but the information booth was unattended because it was Sunday.

I heard a very young Englishman attempt to insert his ticket into the machine and said quite loudly "Aw, f.......sake!" I went over to him and said, "Oh, you speak English!" He said as he laughed and seemed a little embarrassed, "Yes, I'm quite good at the obscenities, aren't I!" It was so funny the way he said it. Anyway, we had to climb above ground again and I saw a taxi and we hopped in. We were only about 3/4 of a mile from the cathedral left to go. Hurry, hurry please Monsieur!

It is now 1:10 p.m. and I gave up all hope. We entered and went straight up the aisle almost to the front while the mass was going on. I saw that the collection was still being taken and realized that we had not missed Communion at all, they were up to the Consecration. I was so very blessed to have made it after walking about a total of 5 miles, 5 miles! Yes, we did get to receive Communion and to listen to and enjoy the incredible music coming from that famous, historic organ. I cried a little to myself when I returned after receiving, because this thought went through my head, and that was, that he waited for me. Perhaps, or for whatever reason I don't know, maybe the mass had started later, was delayed for some reason or the time was wrong on the computer, or maybe I misread it, but I did get to attend Mass once again at Notre-Dame de Paris and receive for the first time!

If you would like to read about the three necessary parts of the Mass, see here: http://www.theholymass.com/

GROCERY SHOPPING IN PARIS

2010-01-31T16:07:00.015-05:00

One of the first things anyone must do is go food shopping shortly after arrival at any rental. So off we go about 4 short blocks to the rue de San Dominique. We were in this area yesterday and saw a busy little supermarket. In one of our utility closets we found the cutest little shopping cart. I just happened to give one of these to my daughter last month as a Christmas gift. She and my new son-in-law live in an area where you must walk a little to the shopping area and these come in handy when you need something to help you get your groceries home. Here I am on my way to go shopping, just look at what is behind me. Every time I see this I just can't believe it.

We stopped into the busiest little bakery where the line was out the door to buy their beautiful breads. They would give you the baguettes warm wrapped with a little square of wax paper that just fit in your hand so you could carry the bread. Everyone that came out had three or four baguettes with this little tiny paper between their hand and the bread. For some reason my husband came out with a bag, they must have known how special he was!

Here is my husband standing in front of the iron gate which is the entrance to the building.

It was so much fun wandering up and down the aisles recognizing some brands and labels but of course having a bit of difficulty reading exactly what it was. I wanted to buy ground coffee as we really do not drink espresso in the morning. What a daunting task that turned out to be with over 30 bags of coffee. After spending what seemed to be an eternity of reading labels, I selected a bag of "Prix Choc." I took that to mean first choice now who could go wrong with a name like that. It said 100% Arabica. I guessed 4 fat tablespoons to 8 cups of water and hit the button. Drum roll please, I am now enjoying a good old hot American cup of coffee, aahhhh!

Oh, I just glanced out the window, it was snowing for a minute and then it stopped.

WE RENTED AN APT. IN PARIS

2010-01-30T12:24:00.005-05:00

Guess what? Elaine is not At Home! I was going to do a separate blog for Paris. I set it up before we left the states and Murphy's law kicked in, I cannot access it outside the U.S. Therefore, I must add this diary about my French adventure to this blog.

Okay, so where was I, oh yes, yes we did, we rented an apartment in Paris. We will be here for quite a long time and are really excited about this new experience. We have been to Paris several times before, but we always stayed in a hotel. The last time we were here we stayed at the Ritz Hotel in Place Vendome. That was an amazing experience, but we going outside the box this time, by going it on our own and hopefully will enjoy every minute.

We could not get into the apartment until about 3:00 PM and we had about 2 hours time, so we decided to have lunch. We had lunch at Christian Constant, on the corner of San Dominique and rue Augereax. I was a bit nervous asking for a table for two in French, since I have only been learning for the last several months. It worked, we were ushered upstairs by climbing a slightly twisting staircase, and then on to a table waiting for us. Our waiter said, "Bonjour" and handed us two menus in French. I think my husband without realizing made a little face and the waiter must have noticed because he then asked, "Anglais?" We said yes and he ran off to switch the menus to English ones. We chuckled as we confided in each other that we were taken for French!

We had the most incredible meal, the menu du jour. The menu du jour consists usually of three courses, a starter, an entree and dessert for a fixed price. We have been having larger lunches for the past month at home followed up by small and light dinners. I ordered the menu du jour which was the most delicious soup then served with a sea bass which had a crusty top on a bed of lightly cooked spinach and just a dash of a juice over it. My mouth was singing! It was just amazing. My husband ordered an artichoke and egg salad starter which I think I will dream about for a long time. His entree was a fantastic and delicious, slightly crusty dish of about 5 extra large shrimp.

Before leaving home I had promised my husband that I would drink wine with meals. My doctor had told me not long ago that a little wine would be good for me. So here goes, I practically never had a drink in my whole life of anything! I have tasted several things at several times, but have never finished or had more than two sips. My husband ordered a small carafe of red wine, enough for two glasses. I was held to the promise and began to sip the wine.

When we were finished and asked for check. I asked for it in French and the waiter gave me a big thumbs up, indicating how well I did that, now I have another star on my forehead. Anyway, that is when I told my husband that I drank all wine and thought that I perhaps could not make it down the stairs. He whispered back, "That's okay, I don't think I can get up!" We laughed out loud together.

The scary thing now is that we must find the block and the building where the apartment is, and I am almost afraid to go out in the air. We started to walk and found our way to the 7th arrondissemont. Our location is absolutely perfect. We were a little nervous about finding the building and then entering the several entry/security codes to gain access to the building. We had no problem, then up the lift and wha la, we found the apartment. We pulled on the long tassel on the side of the double door to ring the apartment.

A young gentleman by the name of Alistair and his young protege Tarin greeted us. They were representing the company that we used to secure the apartment. They were both very nice and walked us through the three bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, small office, living room, dining, kitchen, etc. We were walked through the proper use of the appliances and given the instructions in a lovely bound presentation folder.

The table in dining area was completely set for dinner and looked beautiful. We were given a welcome basket complete with a bottle of wine, crackers, water, milk, orange juice, etc. We were instructed on the locking up, lift use, disposal of trash, washer/dryer, televisions, cable boxes, etc. and shown the case full of dvds for our use. There was also a selection of books and reading material on the language of France, along with numerous travel and guidebooks. We were given all the information on calling the US, or calling from the US and given the phone number of the apartment.

We were informed of the local customs and given an idea of what we would find in our new neighborhood. They couldn't have been more friendly and knowledgeable. Can you believe it, we are now on our own, together, in Paris in our own apartment!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU

2009-12-24T07:09:00.004-05:00

I wanted to take a quiet moment to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I thank you all for participating, sharing and being part of my life. Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings and good tidings to all.

THE KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD

2009-11-19T16:28:00.014-05:00

Exciting news! I have been awarded the "KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD" and I am excited and honored to be the recipient. You can see the award on the right side of this post. It has been awarded to be by Katie at http:// whereyoucamefrom.blogspot.com As winner of the award, I am asked to reveal 7 things about myself which you may not know, so here goes:

l. I was a Baton Twirler and the Drum Majorette as a teenager in Brooklyn with a large band.

2. I was invited to perform at the World's Fair at the New York Pavilion and had three shows a day.

3. I have tried many times to play the piano well, but I just didn't have the talent.

4. I truly am possessed by family history and the research it requires. It is like being a detective.

5. I have a huge passion for travel and try to as much as I can.

6. I am quite adventurous and love trying new things.

7. I have never ridden a horse.

Now, I have the pleasure of passing on the KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD to seven bloggers. They should be in the genealogy field and be passionate about their family history and/or passionate about their artful expressions and creativity. I have been doing my family research for over 20 years and was inspired by my grandfather. The award goes to the following bloggers who I hope in turn will be encouraged to continue to pursue their passions.

1. Tea At Trianon, http://teaattrianon.blogspot.com/

2.. Stampers Touch, http://gaylepage-robak.blogspot.com/

3. Terri's Blooming Ideas, ttp://terrisbloomingideas.blogspot.com/

4. ? I will post and award later today.

5. ? I will post and award later today.

6. ? I will post and award later today.

Pass on the bliss of your artful adventure whatever that may be. Have a great day and congratulations to the recipients. Elaine

VISITING MANCHESTER, VERMONT

2009-11-15T07:32:00.004-05:00

I have just returned from Manchester, Vermont. I had such a nice time as it was a great vacation with my daughter, husband and our dog. We stayed at the beautiful Equinox Hotel & Resort in Manchester. It is a lovely historic hotel which by the way was dog friendly. Our Lexie got to go on vacation with us and it was amazing. After about 5 minutes in our room someone knocked on the door with a welcome gift (a really cute squeaky, stuffed eggplant toy) for Lexie and two bowls for her.

We had the Dwight D. Eisenhower duplex suite which had a large flight of steps up to the second bedroom, which was surrounded by 6 or 7 large windows and an incredible view. Our large room was surrounded with the same amount of windows featuring this beautiful vista of the village and the mountains. By the way, Lexie would run up and down the flight of steps all night long giving everyone their chance to sleep with her! The patter of her little feet was so cute at 3, 4 and 5 in the morning.

Manchester Village is a beautiful New England town with the steeples you picture everywhere. Manchester is full of outlet shopping and I hit the jackpot.

As you may know I have a recently started fly fishing. It is something I have wanted to do for about 20 years and finally just got started out in Wyoming in September. Well, in Manchester there is the Charles Orvis store along with the Orvis Outlet. I guess you could say I was in heaven. My husband bought me my first fly rod "The Helios." I was outfitted with a vest, insect repellant shirts, travel bag, reel, etc. I found some great Christmas gifts there as well.

We all had such a great time in this lovely town and this beautiful hotel is now definitely on our list of places to return to again. The staff was wonderful, the food was delicious, and the spa was fantastic. We went just a bit too late to enjoy the fall foliage and a bit too early for the snow, but it didn't matter at all. We did bring home some delicious Vermont maple syrup, honey and some fantastic authentic Vermont Cheddar cheese.

HOMEMADE BREAD FOR A FALL DAY

2009-11-15T07:16:00.002-05:00

There is nothing like a loaf of homemade bread for a fall day. When the temperature starts to drop, I think of making bread often once again as we start to prepare those hearty winter meals.

This loaf is a crusty, whole grain that I made with ingredients from the King Arthur Flour Company. They package this great big bag of Harvest Grain Blend which is incorporated into the flour mixture and I use it again on the outside. It is crunchy and delicious. It can be used in many recipes like bran muffins as well.

The pot of soup is a Spinach & Mushroom along with Japanese Soba Noodles which is delicious.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2009-10-31T08:39:00.002-04:00

Wishing everyone a Happy Halloween.

OUR OWN SWEET MARIE ZINE

2009-10-22T08:53:00.003-04:00

Follow this link to Cassandra's My Artf ul Adventures

to download this Marie inspired art filled zine.

Brought to you by the members of the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group.

MARIE ANTOINETTE HALLOWEEN TREAT BOX

2009-10-21T18:12:00.004-04:00

I participated in the Marie Antoinette Treat Box Swap for Halloween over at the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group. Everyone was to decorate a container of some sort, decorate it for Halloween, keep it Marie Antoinette inspired and fill the box/container with lots of goodies for making other Halloween inspired art. So this is my box all decorated and filled with treats. It was mailed out and I received mine from another participant. It was gorgeous and so much fun to receive and open. I can't wait to use all the goodies that were inside!

BAKING FOR FALL

2009-10-21T18:07:00.003-04:00

"COCONUT CUSTARD PIE"

I couldn't help when the weather turned chilly to start to cook and bake once again quite actively. Recently, I made a coconut custard pie and with the fall floral piece nearby, I took this photo and just wanted to share it with you. I made four pie crusts that day, only needed one and froze the other three to have ready on hand.

UPDATE ON ALICE TAG SWAP

2009-10-21T17:50:00.004-04:00

'THE MAD HATTER'

I made this tag for the swap which was the Mad Hatter, and I tried to give it a 3D effect which turned out well. It was so much fun and everyone involved had such a fun time participating. I thought it would be fun to include a tea bag with each of my tags because, after all, it was a tea party! I now possess such gorgeous tea party tags. The Alice In Wonderland Tag Swap was a huge success which was hosted by Terri over at Terri's Blooming Ideas. If you would like to see all the beautiful tags made by these talented artists just go to: http://terrisbloomingideas.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-10-09T10%3A37%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=8

VACATION IN JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING

2009-10-01T07:45:00.005-04:00

Well I can't say enough about our time in Jackson, Wyoming. It was our first time into the Pacific Northwestern part of this beautiful country of ours. I wondered why it had taken us so long to visit our national parks. I wish we had taken our children when they were younger, however, we plan to all go together next August. I want to share with them this absolutely gorgeous area. The boat is handmade in Montana I believe especially for the Four Seasons Hotel and is very comfortable. I guess you could say we know how to rough it by having lunch with a tablecloth on the side of the river prepared by the chef at the hotel for our 9-4:30 fishing trip!

As promised I am posting some more photos taken while we were there. We stayed at the Four Seasons and took advantage of two planned outings offered by the hotel. We did the guided Safari into the Grand Teton National Park and the fly fishing trip down the Snake River for about 10 miles, on which we caught 16 fish! We caught & released these cut throat and whitefish right away. It was the most gorgeous day going from about 30 all the way up to 82 degrees.

On our own we drove up to Yellowstone National Park which was about a two hour drive and was amazing. I can't wait to go back to this area as I was so taken by it and had the best time ever. Some people thought I might not be crazy about this trip, forget it, they were totally wrong. I could move there tomorrow. I simply cannot wait to return next year.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming Vacation

2009-09-22T19:43:00.004-04:00

We are in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and we were taken on a safari today with a wonderful guide through the Grand Teton National Park. We started out at 6:30 a.m. and it was 27 degrees, but luckily as the day progressed the temperature warmed up to about 67 degrees. I would like to share a few pictures with you here and after I get home I will add more.

It is just breathtakingly beautiful. We saw bison, moose, mule deer. elk and pronged horn antelope today, which was just amazing. Tomorrow we are driving to Yellowstone National Park which is about 2 hours away. September is just a perfect time of year to visit this area.

The colors are changing, the animals are in the rut and although the weather has huge swings, it is sunny everyday and just a beautiful autumn time of year.

MY NEUTRAL GIRL

2009-09-13T11:39:00.002-04:00

I did this all in neutral tones.

MY UMBRELLA GIRL

2009-09-12T09:32:00.005-04:00

This is my first attempt at coloring in my petite doll. I just had to give her wellies with an umbrella, as I was definitely inspired by the rainy weather yesterday. I have named her "My Umbrella Doll."

MY LITTLE GIRL COLLAGE

2009-09-08T16:27:00.005-04:00

I created this little girl background in the Creative Collage Workshop class. I love the luminosity the pattern and especially the light.

FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY

2009-09-08T06:35:00.003-04:00

I love the beautiful hot pink persimmon cabochon earrings that Venetia is giving away over at Venetia Jewelry. Check it out here to enter to win:

http://venetiajewelry.blogspot.com/2009/08/end-of-summer-giveaway-hot-pink.html

GREAT GIVEAWAY

2009-09-08T06:26:00.004-04:00

Check out the great giveaway going on at Lori Anderson's blog here at: http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/2009/09/win-bead-day-calendar.html

DRAWING CLASS BEGAN

2009-08-31T17:55:00.003-04:00

So this is after lesson 1b and it was so awesome. I like that Suzi says eat candy, so I did. I was humming to her french music, eating candy and drawing!

I PLANTED FOUR PUMPKIN SEEDS

2009-08-30T20:28:00.009-04:00

It's beginning to look a lot like fall in my garden. I cannot believe that I have about 80 pumpkins from 4 little pumpkin seeds that I planted.

ALICE TAG SWAP

2009-08-29T17:22:00.006-04:00

I'm participating in a delicious Alice In Wonderland Tag Swap being hosted by Terri over at Terri's Blooming Ideas, which you can check out through the link. My character will be "The Mad Hatter." I have to start my research asap and get started soon. I would like to thank Terri for hosting this swap which I know will be totally awesome.

MARIE WITH ROSE DIGITAL COLLAGE

2009-08-25T15:09:00.002-04:00

Created in Creative Workshop.

MY VENICE COLLAGE

2009-08-20T07:09:00.004-04:00

I just completed a workshop in digital collage with Gail Schmidt at Creative Workshops. It was so much fun and I really enjoyed it. This is my Venice Collage.

ART JOURNAL PAGES

2009-08-17T08:36:00.008-04:00

I prepared these pages for the project at On The Wing called The Decorated Page. Although I have never made an art journal before, I am having so much fun and I realize just what I have been missing. I don't know why I just cannot bring myself to write in it yet because it is not finished. I picture myself writing in this book, but just can't bring myself to do it yet, as it does not have a nice cover, or beautiful bookplate denoting ownership to me yet. It's like when you want to do something but can't until the house is clean and in order first. I don't know why that is, but that's how it is for me.

MY LITTLE ARTISTS KIT

2009-08-12T20:56:00.006-04:00

For the month of August I am participating in a challenge at the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group. . We are to put in beautiful little ribbons, pictures, embellishments, etc. It is so much fun to make up this little kit in the hope that the person who receives it will be happy to create something using some of the elements in the box. I used about a 3" box and filled it to the brim with little goodies after decorating the top using decoupage, ribbons, lace and flowers.

BAKING ZUCCHINI BREAD TODAY

2009-08-04T12:52:00.008-04:00

In the summer when my zucchini starts coming in, I love to bake about 8 loaves at a time of zucchini bread. I freeze it right away and start to store the loaves for over the winter. It is so great to be able to pull out a loaf when a guest comes, or if I am going visiting. It thaws in about 30 minutes.

MY SUBMISSION FOR THE JULY MARIE POSTCARD

2009-07-31T11:24:00.010-04:00

This digital collage I have entitled "All Eyes Are On Marie." I have given her quite daring red lips to express her own inner strength, and tried to express in it the way she must have felt everywhere she went while all eyes were fixed on her as they gossiped. There is a brief note to her beloved Louis in french informing him that she will return in two days. I am submitting this as my entry for July monthly challenge and contest to the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group. The theme was to be a postcard that was a bit out of the box and to share my creative journey and expression.

GOTHIC ARCHES BATHING BEAUTIES

2009-07-24T22:36:00.011-04:00

I am submitting the above for the theme of Bathing Beauties on the site Gothic Arches due this Sunday. We are to think of bathing beauties, swimsuits, the sea, and oh, don't forget the gothic arch. This is my first attempt and submission to the site as a new member. I am glad I got to finish it before this busy weekend. We have an engagement party on Saturday and Sunday is our Wedding Anniversary. You can see a larger photo here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40189730@N05/

VACATION IN LAKE PLACID

2009-07-23T06:07:00.006-04:00

We were away for a few days in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains vacationing in Lake Placid, New York. Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics. I thought I would share two pictures with you of the day we went to the top of Whiteface Mountain. As you can see, it was so beautiful up there, the vista was absolutely gorgeous. It is so nice to be in the Olympic Village of Lake Placid We stayed at a beautiful lodge called the Whiteface Lodge, in case you visit or this area.

MARIE ANTOINETTE TAG SWAP

2009-07-13T13:10:00.007-04:00

I enjoyed participating in this swap so much and am happy to say these are the last two tags that I mailed out today. I made the digital collage and then it was embellished with various objects. I have learned so much along the way and have started to receive the most beautiful tags in return. This was just so much fun and now I am so anxious to get my mail everyday because, everyday I receive another creative expression from another person! It's so exciting to open each gift. I would like to thank you all so much.

CURRENT & COMPLETED PROJECTS

2009-07-10T08:18:00.001-04:00

OFFICIAL WEDDING PHOTOS

2009-07-01T07:03:00.013-04:00

We have some official wedding photos I would like to share with you. When we returned from our vacation in Canada, my new son in law and daughter had come to visit and had returned from their honeymoon. They had gone to Jade Mountain Anse Chastanet Resort in St. Lucia. They were full of exciting stories about the food, their two butlers, the infinity pool in their three walled room up in the mountain, the people, etc. They had a fabulous honeymoon and took tons of pictures and would like to return there someday. So as promised, I am would like to share some photos of the wedding.

Above my son is kissing his sister. A photo of my beautiful and radiant daughter just after the veil is put on. I thought about this day for a very long time as any mother who has a daughter, you think of their wedding day. The years certainly have flown by, I am blessed they were such wonderful years, and I am grateful I have lived to enjoy this, my daughter's wedding day. My daughter wanted a white Phantom Rolls Royce to take her to the church, so here we are on our way. The bride and groom would enjoy the car on their way to the reception after the ceremony.

My son escorts me down the aisle. Here, my husband is quite nervous at this point as he is ready to give his daughter's hand in marriage. We are grateful to be welcoming our new son in law into the family, as well as his loving family. The aisle is incredibly long and here they are making the walk which all brides and fathers remember always. They each look so very happy.

A photo of the bridal party. The bridesmaids wore beautiful french blue gowns and carried the prettiest bouquets of pink peonies. The groomsmen all looked so very handsome in their tuxedos. The reception was held at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

The priest welcomes the groom on the left with his brothers who are his two best men. In the next photo is the happy Mother of the groom, who looks lovely in her champagne gown. Finally, we have one of the very first photos of the happy newlyweds. Congratulations to you both! They are so very happy together and so are we.

VACATION IN NIAGARA FALLS

2009-07-01T06:28:00.004-04:00

A short time after the wedding, my husband & I drove up to Niagara Falls, Canada. We plan our visit each and every June, and we looked forward to going once again.

We pack our golf clubs and try to get several rounds in while we are there and we typically visit the Niagara Botanical Gardens on the Niagara Parkway. We love the drive out past all the vineyards, farm stands and beautiful homes on the way to the gorgeous little town of Niagara On The Lake.

We know we have arrived by the welcoming display of beautiful flowers on each side of the avenue. We see the clock and know we are there. We slowly stroll in and out of each unique and pretty little shop for the afternoon. We pick a place for lunch at some point and follow it up with ice cream. There is a hat shop I always visit to buy several new hats. There are several little shops that we can call our favorites as well.

Before leaving the town my husband & I drive down about two blocks to find an empty bench and sit for a time along the beautiful Lake Ontario. It is so nice to read there, finish that ice cream or just sit and relax. The view is just beautiful and we always finish our trip to this town by sitting by the lake.

We had a wonderful time again this year, even though it was just the two of us, as typically some family members join in the trip and we all go together. Well, I have to wait until next June to visit once again.

UPDATE ON NAMING THE ART STUDIO

2009-06-23T07:03:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to keep you posted on what I should call the art studio. Several names have been submitted and they are all presently under consideration.

Le Maison

Le Chateau

Magnifique Mondo

These were great suggestions and I appreciate it, keep the ideas coming.

PERFECT WEDDING DAY!

2009-06-16T07:23:00.007-04:00

Congratulations and best wishes to the newlyweds! They are now on their honeymoon starting their life and their memories together. A long life, love and happiness is wished for them forever. May God Bless them both always.

The wedding was so wonderful and everything was just perfect. The ceremony was so beautiful being held in a very special church in Brooklyn. My family has a history there since 1930 when my grandparents moved to Bay Ridge from downtown Brooklyn when they started to build the Gowanus Expressway and had to relocate. Generations of the family have married in this church including my parents in 1946 and myself in 1970. It was amazing for me to remember being a school girl there, receiving the sacraments, then the day that I was the bride, then as a mother christening my two children, and then to see my daughter on the day that she was the bride. These are amazing events that I was truly blessed with experiencing.

Today, I would like to go into the details of the bride and her attire for her wedding day. The bride wore a white Amsale Wedding gown style that bears the name "COCO." The ballgown made of silk taffeta with an alençon lace bustline, spaghetti straps and rouched natural waist. The gown was custom tailored into a double french bussel which would allow her better movement on the dance floor during the evening reception.

The bride's veil was a custom design by Homa. A mantilla of white tulle, which was cathedral length and trimmed with alencon lace. The border was an all over embroidered floral lace with a double scalloped border, and an open design, bearing french crystal clear sequins and crystals. Homa has established herself as the most exclusive designer of bridal veils in this country after many years in Europe. Her heirloom veils are individually designed and handmade. The veil was breathtakingly beautiful and will be cherished for generations to come. For the evening reception, my daughter had a feather hair pin handmade fashioned with a rhinestone for her hair in white, which was placed on the side. It looked stunning on her.

Something old, her ring made of opal and gold. A family heirloom handed down to females on the day of graduation. My great-grandmother gave it to my grandmother, my grandmother to my mother, my mother to myself, and I gave it to my daughter on her graduation day. Hopefully, my daughter will be able to pass it on to her daughter someday.

Something new, her wedding dress, veil, diamond and pearl earrings, etc.

Something borrowed, my pearl ring. I kept asking what she would like to borrow and this was her requested item. It looked beautiful on her, however, it was big so I had to wrap some scotch tape around the band on the bottom. This is why she had two rings on her right hand. Her pearl bracelet was a Mikimoto, which had been a graduation gift. Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in creating the world's first cultured pearl.

Something blue, I had ordered a small piece of white grosgrain ribbon about 2" x 2", embroidered with her 3 initials in paris blue, along with the wedding date embroidered underneath the initials.. I had requested the dressmaker to sew it near the label of the dress. It would also serve in a way as documenting the ownership of the dress, as well as the time period. Another blue item was a handkerchief that I purchased on the island of Burano in Italy near Venice. It was a lovely hand made white linen background, with the initial "N" embroidered in a french blue with a small blue border. When I first saw it I thought of her wedding someday and purchased it and put it away. I gave it to her at her shower along with the personalized grosgrain ribbon.

I will be posting more details soon so check back.

FRENCH & MARIE ANTOINETTE INSPIRED

2009-06-13T06:59:00.004-04:00

I have so many ideas for French & Marie Antoinette inspired creations and I am so anxious to get started. The new studio will begin its interior remodeling the first week of July. My head is filled with beautiful visions of Marie and the wonderful items I plan to make. I have been gathering supplies, attending a workshop, reading, and looking forward to getting started soon. If you know me personally, you know that I have been busy for the last several months with wedding plans. But, I have every intention of getting back to work creating items for you Marie lovers.

We are now leaving for several days to attend the wedding. Let's toast to the soon to be Bride & Groom and wish them a lifetime of happiness together. I will share some details of the wedding when I return. My daughter will make a beautiful bride and her soon to be husband will look as handsome as ever.

For those of you who are inspired by Marie as well, the image I have posted is another project which I am currently working on.

HELP ME NAME MY NEW LITTLE STUDIO!

2009-06-08T08:34:00.005-04:00

Someday is finally here! My husband & I have always talked about turning this little house into an art studio for me "someday." Well, this past Saturday we went to buy a shed to keep our outdoor furniture in over the long winter months here in New York. This will free up this adorable little house for me to finally call my very own. I'm so excited about it and wondering about so many things like what color scheme to use, how to store the numerous supplies, what will I get for a work table, etc.

It would probably take at least a month or so to get it set up well enough for me to actually be able to craft in this new space. Until then I welcome feedback on what to call it. I am trying to think of a name that conjures up some fairy tale or imaginary place. A special place where a creative soul would feel inspired to unleash ideas and to find that special inner voice that leads us to the actual artistic process and the inspiration.

So feel free to submit names you think might visually evoke the place where you would feel like creating your masterpiece, your inspiration place. I welcome all feedback and I will keep you posted.

French Macaroons for a French Themed Bridal Shower

2009-06-05T17:56:00.007-04:00

I thought about what little favor would be special along with the others. Then I found it, little pink purses! They were just perfect. The sweet little purses contained dark chocolates.

These pretty little pink french macaroons were really delicious. I had asked the baker to monogram the pastries with my daughter's initial. You will see some other listed below also.

My kitchen table before the party when I was getting everything ready.

French Wine & Punch

2009-06-01T20:18:00.016-04:00

We served white and red french wines. All lined up they look so neat and tempting.

I made a really yummy punch. It was made with pomegranate (yes, it is spelled correctly) lemonade, champagne and sprite. I froze a container of sherbert in a bundt pan the day before then released it into the punch bowl. It floated on top and melted slowly into the punch. It looks pretty and is so good. A friend of mine gave me a recipe for this but it called for hawaiian punch which I changed to the pomegranate lemonade. If you are interested in the exact measurements just email me for the recipe.

We served Pink Champagne in keeping with the pink theme to which a toast was made to my daughter by her Maid of Honor and then by her Mom, which of course, is myself.

I prepared the menu and placed in the a beautiful silver frame. The background I made it on was a pretty pink swirl

pattern which looked great. I sized it to the frame so that the guests would know what was to be served.

The 50' tent set the stage perfectly and sat actually quite majestically in our backyard. With the whole front side left open and the sides pulled back, it appeared quite welcoming. The white lights inside made it cozy and they added a touch of sparkle.

Our Beautiful Cake

This was our fantastic cake! Strawberry Shortcake, topped with sliced strawberries, chocolate dipped strawberries, large white chocolate bar wishing good luck to the soon to be bride & groom,then all wrapped up in a chocolate ribbon and decorated base. This truly was the most delicious cake I ever had.

I could never forget the cupcakes, after all Marie loved her sweets too! These were honestly as pretty as they were delicious. Everyone really liked these. Some of the flavors were Red Velvet, Coconut, Jam Filled, etc.

New Pictures From The Bridal Shower

2009-05-29T11:22:00.020-04:00

"N" MONOGRAMMED PASTRIES

These are some of the mini pastries I served. Pictured here are the mini lemon tart lets and mini chocolate mousse that I had the baker monogram with an "N" for my daughter. They looked so pretty. Oh, and they were so good too.

MY PINK INSPIRATION BOARD

I looked for pictures of things I wanted to include and have in the shower theme. I started an inspiration board and this was the final board. I attached the almonds, mixed media, colors, etc. It was then displayed on an easel so that everyone could view my ideas and how it all came together.

CLOSER LOOK AT THE SHADOW BOX

Here you can see a little better that I dressed my daughter in an 18Th century French gown altered with glitter, ribbon, crystals as a ring and earrings and a lovely pink fan. Naturally, there are lots of sweets and pastries nearby. Her fiance is in the frame to her upper left sporting a french man's wig. Notice the cute white veil on her head!

THE DESSERT TABLE

When ready to serve the desserts I used a cupcake tower with lots

of (dozens actually) beautifully decorated cupcakes. The flavors were Red Velvet, Coconut, Chocolate with Strawberry Jam, etc., the colors were just beautiful. We had French Macaroons and Eclairs.

The cake I selected for my daughter was to be Strawberry Shortcake wrapped in a chocolate ribbon with Dark Chocolate dipped strawberries on top. There was a large bar of white chocolate across the top which had a sentiment of good luck to the engaged couple and with the wedding date.

I hope you enjoyed these and thanks for looking.

MARIE ANTOINETTE THEMED BRIDAL SHOWER

2009-05-18T11:15:00.017-04:00

On Saturday I held the bridal shower for our lovely daughter at our home. I had so much fun during the planning process and it was so beautiful.

My idea was that the theme would be a Marie Antoinette French Bridal Shower. The colors I decided on were to be pink and white. Everything was just perfect and could not be nicer. I wanted to share some photos of the things I made and include some pretty pictures of the shower setting as well. It was so very pretty and feminine. So take a moment to look around and enjoy!

I made this shadow box featuring my daughter with her fiancee in the photo frame up in the right corner. I glittered a dress, found some shoes, placed lots of desserts around and put a veil on her head. Oh, I did not forget to include a stunning diamond engagement ring and some earrings as well. I placed some tulle in white above the top of the picture. Everyone got such a kick out of it, it was so cute and very different. A girl's got to have a little fun right!

I painted a watercolor on paper and embellished it with various mixed media and then placed in the center the

seating chart which I had previously prepared. I then placed it into a frame and it was so pretty, unique and functional as well.

I had table arrangements for each table with a low profile so the

guests at each table could speak to one another without swaying from side to side. It was simple, but lovely. Pink peonies with some greenery and a touch of white lilacs. They were so pretty on each table.

I ordered some jordan almonds from a grecian import store, placed five in a cellophane bag and made a candy topper on cardstock. I encircled the ititial "N" on the front and wrote a small saying on the back. Pink and white cardstock were used and lined up on a pretty silver tray in rows of pink and white. They were tied with pink ribbons and elastic string. They looked so colorful! The guests were happy to take one home.

I will be very busy over the next few weeks since the wedding is now upon us. I will continue to post whenever I get a chance.
I wish you all a wonderful spring and a great summer.

Thanks for looking and please don't hesitate to make a comment or post a question about anything.

Regards,
Elaine At Home

WELCOME TO MY GARDEN

2009-04-25T06:41:00.007-04:00

Welcome!

My garden is coming along really well this spring. If you need

to take a break and relax for a moment, just stroll through the arbors and enjoy some flowers along the way.

Follow me through the patio, past the gazebo, keep going past the putting green and see the white arbor, this is my vegetable garden. Next time we will take a little tour of that area.

Many years ago I purchased two gorgeous estate urns and each year I replant them with something colorful.

They are beginning to show some age which just enhances their beauty.

Walk by the tree ring, pause and notice these double impatiens. They are light pink, and so much like little roses and bloom all season long.

Here is a close up picture of these amazing flowers.

WHAT A WONDERFUL EVENING

2009-04-16T06:17:00.000-04:00

I absolutely pulled the surprise off until 5 minutes before I got there! My husband who loves to go outside the building where he works to have a smoke happened to see a gentleman that used to work for him. As soon as he saw him, he knew something was up. It was okay though, it was just a few minutes before it was to happen anyway.

He was surprised in the end. He never expected to see some of the invitees. At first, he was mad, he really didn't want any fuss made about his retiring. He never likes being the center of attention and will do everything for everyone but not for himself. In the end he was so happy about it.

My son worked hard to be my accomplice and he makes a good partner. He met me outside as he said he would and brought me through security which can be a bit daunting. He then gathered all the guests together outside and brought them in to see my husband.

So many wonderful words were said to my husband. He is such a well respected man in the realm of finance. He has built an amazing reputation, is quite well known in his field and loved by many, yet it was humbling to hear the many kind words from the many friends, co-workers and peers. He can be so proud of himself for the job he has done. He has provided for his family, and I mean provided, and now he can finally relax, reflect and feel great about how well he has done.

The cocktail party was perfect. The food was good, the setting perfect, and the people were the best. Our very dear friend started to say a few words poignant about my husband and was doing fine, until the emotion of something ending and the realization of not seeing my husband any longer on a daily basis, came up and slapped him on the back of the head and he suddenly and completely burst into tears. His emotion was shared throughout the room and he ran to seek comfort on my husband's shoulder, and we all watched them share a very tender moment.

My son immediately took over and began to speak about his father. His words were expressed with sincerity and were truly from his heart. He spoke of the size of the shoes he must now try to fill and the very fine example that had been set by his father, he will now try to live up to. My son does not realize just how very talented he is, or perhaps he has felt a bit overshadowed by his father. However, he could not possibly know just how wrong he is to possibly feel this way. He is/was spoken quite highly of in conversations I overheard last evening as I mingled throughout the room. He is just as cut out for this business as his father. He is as talented as my husband and will continue to pursue his own dreams. He will be able to carry on his father's reputation into the many years to come. He is described just as my husband is, when others speak of a natural talent and abilities for this business. My husband would come home in the evenings and always tell me of the amazing instincts he has. My husband is always described by many as, "a stand up guy and a man's man." This is our son. He is the example of honesty and integrity, just as his father. No one knows what will be, but we do know our son will carry on and do quite well for himself. He will not only fill his father's shoes but will need a larger pair for his own son to fill someday. Just know this..."There is a new man in town, and he is our son!" We are very proud.

Well, the evening led on and we all had dinner together and it was just perfect. I cannot thank everyone enough for coming, for their kind gifts, and for their friendship and love.

We love you all very much. I love my husband dearly and he loves me. So, wish us luck and wish us well for today we start our new chapter together. This is where you picture us riding off into the dust together, hand in hand, as we have always been and now the music starts once more.

Elaine at home

FATHER AND SON

2009-04-16T06:15:00.000-04:00

TODAY IS THE BIG DAY!

2009-04-15T06:54:00.000-04:00

Today is a very special day. After 42 years my husband will be retiring and I have been busy planning a surprise for him.

My husband & I have been together for almost 43 years. We have been married for almost 39 of these wonderful years and I remember the very day he started to work at this location. He was so nervous back then, so anxious, and a lot less confident in himself. But I tried to encourage him and told him in a few short months, he would know this position very well and become at ease and love it. I was right, and he did grow to love it. Now, I find myself a bit shocked and amazed at how the years flew by.

I will be surprising him at his place of business along with my daughter. My son who works with my husband will naturally be there as well. We are going to greet him and tell him we came to take him out to dinner to celebrate. During this time, hopefully everyone that was invited will be going to another location in preparation for his arrival. I hope he will be surprised and I know he will be moved to tears, he's such a softy. I have a cocktail party planned to be followed by a private dinner consisting of family and a few friends.

I asked him this morning if he had packed some tissues in his pocket, as he may have need to use them throughout the day. He smiled and then turned a bit somber. It will be a very emotional day for him. I think he has some mixed feelings about this whole retiring thing. I, myself, feel it is like ending a chapter and beginning another.

I realized today just how much my son is going to miss his father each day. It will take a bit of time to adjust to the fact that his Dad is not at his side on a daily basis, but just a phone call away. He has been so lucky to have had this opportunity, as opposed to when my husband started to work there, he had no friend or acquaintance. My son will carry on and do it well. We have spoken of this a lot recently and we have faith in him. He is very talented at what he does and has dreams like everyone else. This is the drive we all share to do well in our lives.

My husband has plans to continue to work from home at his own pace. No more commuting, no more rushing and no more schedules. However, he will be leaving behind all the familiar faces and many friends he has incorporated in his life over the last several decades. I think he will miss this network of friends, this too will take a huge adjustment.

I will keep you posted as to how today unfolded and post some photos as soon as I can.

So please join me as we wish him luck as he moves into the next phase in his life along with me, his very lucky wife. As for myself, I am quite excited and look forward to the many years ahead we hopefully will share together. I hope we continue to grow, explore and love. I am looking forward to a new beginning and I am so very happy.

Have a great day!

Elaine at home