Tranquil

I love seeking-out quiet moments and interesting nuances within the places we travel to. The history and beauty that lingers in Uptown Palm Springs is such a favorite of mine.

Thank you to: Copley's, Trio, Old Las Palmas, The Movie Colony, The Colony Palms Hotel, The Purple Palm, Workshop Kitchen+Bar, Bootlegger Tiki Bar, On the Mark, Shag the Store, Sherman's and Pelago for a such memorable trip!

 

Desert Get-Away

Would you believe I am actually looking forward to retreating to the desert, simply for some hydration? Yes, there is more humidity in the California desert right now than there is in this frigid climate. We've broken a 130 year record for snow fall too. Such fun.

 

I can't take it any longer and can't wait for our upcoming desert get away. A stay at this quietly luxurious resort should be a suitable remedy...I plan to be poolside with several litres of water in hand!  

~ If you're suffering through a terrible winter too - hang in there! March is coming! ~

 

 

Blooms for the Winter Blues

 

I'm in desperate need of a reprieve from winter! Thank goodness warmer weather is apparent! It is difficult to believe that this gorgeous wintry wonderland  our city has become, will eventfully emerge into greenery and blossom in a few months time. 

 

I've filled the house with the floral scent of Jo Malone's 'Orange Blossom' candles and have been taking a look back at my photos of local gardens in summer; as well as some bountiful blooms from our vacations over the past few years - has been very therapeutic! (Please take note, these are my original photographs!)

 

Can you guess where these locations are? See the answer key at the end of this post...

 

 

 

Winter has taken hold all over the globe it seems!.....

 

~ Wishing you warm and sunny days ahead! ~

 

 

From the top: Our back garden, Calgary; Holborn, London; St. James's, London; Lougheed House, Calgary, ; Colony Palms Hotel, Palm Springs; Bistro Jeanty, Yountville; South Beverly Hills, Los Angeles; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; Rosendahl Palace, Stockholm; Memorial Park, Calgary; Botanical Gardens, Sydney; Reader Rock Garden, Calgary.

 

Painted Doors

Recently, the owners of some red brick townhouses in our neighborhood got together and had their front doors each painted different colors. Their street looks fantastic and each home shows a bit of its own personality with the door color. Spring is here and it's a great time to spruce up your front door with a new color. Here are some photos of different colored doors that I've taken in London, Stamford, Oundle, Chicago and New York......Which color is your favorite??

 

Garden Envy

Lately I have been suffering from a rather serious case of garden envy. Above is just a tiny morsel of the stunning (stunning!!) Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. We have been trying to establish our garden since moving into our house last fall. All we have to work with is grass and some desperate earth. Is it possible for any tree, plant or flower to actually grow here? Alberta does not have the same climate or topography as British Columbia so no recreations of the above will be happening. Our garden "dirt" is certainly different from what Andrew is used to in England so there is a lot of "bloody hell" remarks. All this work (Okay, mostly Andrew's work) has made me appreciate the incredible gardens that many Calgarians have created in our cool and dry climate (Zone 2 - yikes!). I am discovering that each part of a garden large or small should be "furnished" and styled just like an indoor room. Give us a few more weeks and I will post some photos of what we have completed in phase 1 of our garden. In the meantime I will dream of luscious gardens in far away places....Some gardens from our travels that really captured me:

The Gardens at Kensington Palace London, England

The Botanical Gardens in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Relaxed old-Hollywood feeling gardens at the Colony Palms Hotel Palm Springs, CA USA

More of the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Nicely put! Smith Square in London, England