A challenging day overall, leading into a more stressful week has been the theme for this last week of the first month of 2012. But not everything is perfect and the best we can do is “keep calm and carry on” and of course stare at some photographs of inspirational decor.
After my transition and efforts to downsize during the past year, I have decided it is time to rearrange my surroundings just to give my dwelling a new look. As always I turn to the internet for inspiration, even though in this case, I pretty much have a feel for what I want to do with the place. But, I can’t help falling in love with…
I often turn to rustic decor when I need inspiration for Thanksgiving. So I figured since it is the first week of November, already, it is time to start the planning stages for my favorite family day of the year. So here are some of my favorites so far for this year’s theme:
I just can’t snap out of it, I know I have said this before, but it really is difficult to go to Europe, even for two week, then come back to the states and adjust to the every day norm. While I was in Tuscany, the day tour I took drove through some of the most beautiful landscapes in that part of the world and the guide pointed out numerous villas perched up on the hillside. Of course, every woman on the bus awed and oohed, while the husbands rolled their eyes or laughed at us for fantasizing about owning one. Now, I for one, have always dreamed of moving to Paris some day but in addition to my fantasy of living in Paris, I wouldn’t mind owning a Tuscan villa just for the summer months :). So, to make my day less gloomy, I found my villa of choice from here. Happy Monday.
There are some places in Italy I have wanted to see for a long time but didn’t dare to rent a car, so this trip I decided to take a day tour just to get a glimpse of the small villages throughout Tuscany. After Siena, we headed out to San Gimignano, which is situated on a hilltop somewhere in Tuscany, click here if you want all the statistics and other vital information. After given a brief explanation of what to look for, we were let loose to wander about the village. Which is exactly as it should be during a bus tour. Brief explanation and alot of time to be on our own. From San Gimignano, I took away the following: {photos are the property of http://www.rawsilkandsaffron.wordpress.com}
The best thing about walking everywhere, while on vacation, is accidentally stumbling upon a gem of a place that you just know you must discover. That’s what happened to me with Day 4 in Rome. I happen to be walking about Piazza Navona, when I noticed an insignificant small street and decided to take it because I wanted to see what was past the main plaza. About 50 meters in, I came across what was labelled as Hotel Raphael, a five-star luxury property, hidden behind a wall of leaves. I walked towards the main entrance and was immediately greeted by a bellman, who so kindly waved me inside, even though I am sure he knew I didn’t belong there. He escorted me to a small elevator leading to their roof garden and suggested I have a drink while I rest my weary feet from all the walking. Of course I wasn’t going to argue, I simply followed his instructions and rode the elevator to the fifth floor and exited towards a small set of steps …
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and since I truly believe in that saying, I will let my day 1 pictures do the talking: Please remember the photos are the property of http://www.rawsilkandsaffron.wordpress.com
rawsilkandsaffron.com 