Mail Boxes

I love mail boxes.  Is it because I live in two countries and spend so much time mailing things back and forth, mostly to myself?

This beautiful mail box was photographed in the South of France by my friend, Shell, who is vacationing there.

These are mostly French mail boxes except for the last ones which are American.

Remember the days when we used to get letters from family and friends?  It is still very exciting when a lovely hand written note arrives in the mail.  Maybe we should do it more often, the recipient would be thrilled.

Personalized stationery set

VVVera Wang gorgeous notesera Wang gorgeous monogrammed notes

Vera Bradley writing set

Vera Bradley ballpoint pen

Have fun!!! 

Getting ready to take a ski trip

Since I will be going to Deer Valley for Thanksgiving and I am in the States now, I am doing a bit of shopping.  Ski clothing is more readily available here than in La Tour Blanche France Ha, Ha!!!!!

I return to France next week and then back to the U.S. the end of November to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family.

Deer Valley Beach is a wonderful place to hang out waiting for friends and family to ski in and have lunch.  The food is really wonderful at the restaurants on the mountain. Deer Valley turkey chili is simply the best there is.....

    parkcitytickets.com

Gorgeous gloves

Love this hat

Bogner ski jacket

Uggs in color

Kate Somerville moisturizer

Hip Pack

Chanel lip gloss

Click on the BLUE for details of each of the items.


I hope you create wonderful holiday memories and I hope to do so too!!!!!

A Bientôt

Audrey

What a lovely weekend in Paris

When I got the invitation to go to the home of a very dear friend for a "cocktail" party last weekend I immediately said yes.  Little did I know that none of Skye's nou nous were available to take her so I took her with me. She was a little angel and enjoyed every minute with me.

The Hotel Costes was my hotel of choice and as always it was wonderful.  Without a doubt it is "tres chic" and the clientele is all beautiful.  The room was gorgeous, all done in red with magnificent fabric on all the walls. It is an elegant hotel in Paris' 1st arrondissement, Hôtel Costes is just as infamous for its vampy style and complex cocktails as it is for attracting Europe's super chic.

Coupe de champagne with a friend on Friday night in the hotel lobby, breakfast and lunch in the dining room all lived up to expectations.  
I ordered a paillard of chicken for lunch but didn't get to eat much of it as Skye smelled it and looked at me as if to say, "is that for me?", and of course it was.  She finished it and considering that she is a Maltese and only weighs five pounds seemed almost impossible.

Have bed will travel, she loves hotels.  The streets of Paris did not do her tiny feet justice as they were clean when we arrived.

    glamorous-monk.com


A Bientôt to all.

Audrey

Fashion 2014

The first Tuesday of every month some of us bloggers get together, pick a topic and write about it.  This month it is the best and the worst of the runway fashions.  I chose Spring 2014.

In my opinion no one does prints better than ETRO.  It was very hard to pick just one dress out of the many gorgeous prints.  

Here is a little history of the Etro family.

 Paisley might originate in India, but the modern fashion world associates it with the Italian textile firm Etro. Founded in 1968 by Gerolamo “Gimmo”. 

Etro remains a family concern, with all four of Gimmo Etro’s children involved. Jacopo, the eldest, oversees the textiles, home, and accessories divisions; Kean handles menswear; Ippolito, the business end of things; and Veronica, the youngest, designs womenswear.

Kean once described the house’s approach to design as “poetic, not aggressive" and those words could well be applied to his sister’s ready-to-wear collection. No matter what Veronica’s touchstone is in a given season—maybe science fiction, or Dada, or Russia, or sixteenth-century armor—the end result is always bohemian, usually executed in a blithe mix of prints and patterns.

The dress with the yellow skirt......I would probably close the neckline a bit but this dress can be worn to one of the ladies lunches at the Dallas Country Club..... it would be perfect.

The flowing turquoise dress..... is perfect for dinner aboard a Monte Carlo yacht cruising the Mediterranean.

As for my least favorite, there were many but I chose this one by Stella McCartney  as I cannot imagine it looking good on anyone.

Friend and fellow blogger, Vicki Archer is giving away a week at beautiful Le Petit Bijou in Provence, click on this link to see how you might win this.

 http://vickiarcher.com/2013/09/would-you-like-to-spend-one-week-in-st-remy-de-provence-at-le-petit-bijou-its-french-essences-fifth-birthday-and-time-to-celebrate/

 Happy Shopping

A Bientôt

Audrey

Country weddings

Inspired by this photograph by Mozi photography, I am dedicating this blog to Country Weddings. 
I have been to a few and they are always so much fun and the attire is always unique.

So many weddings are held at destinations other than where the bride and groom live so how about renting a barn in a beautiful setting and having a wedding there.

Ilovefarmweddings.com

bloodyloud.com

weddingelation.com

juniperanddash.com

The idea of a country barn wedding works in both of my lives, Texas and country France.  Maybe that's why I love that idea so much.

From French Vintage Home is this gorgeous vintage cake board, perfect to hold your wedding cake.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/163896453/vintage-cake-board-hand-painted-wedding

Wishing you all much happiness, love and patience.

A Bientôt

Audrey

The good old Red, White and Blue

Traveling to Malibu this past weekend I passed Pepperdine University where 3000 flags were placed as a memorial to the 9/11 terrorist attack.
I loved that people were having a picnic and children were running through the flags to show that we did survive this attack and are living our lives as before. But, we will never forget.

photo by filmoregazette.com

These are some of my red, white and blue favorites

Cherry Red Bag

Cutest blue/white stripe bag

Gorgeous cable knit scarf

Chanel Rouge lipstick....gorgeous

Darling melamine plates

Cloth Dinner napkins on a roll.... lots of colors

Enjoy your day, bonne journée.

Audrey

Restaurants in plant nurseries

Eating at garden centres is becoming increasingly popular. I have had the most wonderful meals in nurseries around the world.

decor-medley.com

Sometimes it is just a burger bar and sandwiches and sometimes it is a full blown restaurant.  It you haven't tried eating at a nursery, I recommend it and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  For sure it will be beautiful and have lots of plants and flowers all around.

The Petersham Nurseries Cafe – which isn't a cafe at all, but a restaurant with a Michelin star in Richmond, UK.
Skye Gyngell was awarded a Michelin star this year for her cooking at Petersham Nurseries in Richmond in the U.K.

Photograph by Almay

Tiny Boxwoods  Houston, Texas

 

photo by wondersnevercease.blogspot.com

We had brunch here this past weekend, it was fabulous.  I had their famous "Beet Burger".  Delicious.

This recipe and picture is from the Post Punk Kitchen

1 1/4 cups cooked, cooled brown rice

1 cup cooked brown or green lentils, cooled, drained well( you could substitute black beans as they do at Tiny Boxwoods)

1 cup shredded beets

1/2 teaspoon salt

Fresh black pepper

1 teaspoon thyme, rubbed between your fingers

1/2 teaspoon ground fennel (or finely crushed fennel seed)

1 teaspoon dry mustard

3 tablespoons very finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons smooth almond butter

1/2 cup very fine breadcrumbs ( you can leave this out)

Olive oil for the pan

Peel beets and shred with the shredder attachment of your food processor, then set aside. Change the attachment to a metal blade. Pulse the brown rice, shredded beets and lentils about 15 to 20 times, until the mixture comes together, but still has texture. It should look a lot like ground meat. 

Grill until done.  Yummy!!!!!

High-Hand Conservatory in Loomis, California is the most beautiful of all.

Some of the cutest ideas for your gardening.

Just click on the blue writing to get more info on my favorite products.

Just for girls garden tote  

Laura Ashley kneeling pad, gloves and tools

Ultimate Garden swing

Enjoy!!!!!

A Bientôt