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visiting chanticleer

April 25, 2025

Chanticleer landscape

I recently visited a spot I have been admiring on Instagram for years!   It was my very first visit and I enjoyed it so much I have to share a few photos of this glorious place – to give you a sense of what it is like.

bucket of pansies

Chanticleer railing

Chanticleer is a contemporary garden within a historic setting, located outside Philadelphia in Wayne Pennsylvania.

orange garden chair

It opened to the public in 1993.  Most of the floral and garden development presently has occurred since 1990, designed by Chanticleer staff and consultants.   Chanticleer has 20 full-time staff – 2 manage facilities and 14 are gardeners and groundskeepers.

garden at Chanticleer

ferns at Chanticleer

Visiting in April, not too much was in bloom, but this garden has such beautifully designed foliage, it didn’t matter!  The garden is a study of textures and forms filled with ideas to take home!  Even though my visit was on a dismal, rainy day, it was a wonderful visit!

Chanticleer rooster

The Chanticleer Foundation owns 50 acres, 35 of which are open to the public.

plants at Chanticleer

blooms at Chanticleer

Today’s photos are a little overview of this fabulous garden.  There are actually seven areas of Chanticleer – each design unique.  Today’s photos are a little overview of the entire garden.  In my next post, I will share some photos of one of these unique garden areas.

garden fence at Chanticleer

garden chairs

If you are a garden enthusiast, be sure to put Chanticleer on your list of places to visit!  (Do what we did – combine it with a trip to Longwood Gardens!)

Thanks for stopping by!bowl of flowers

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

 

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a dinosaur on the high line

December 13, 2024

Dinosaur on High Line

Any day I spend in New York City usually includes a walk on The High Line.

My last visit to the city, planned as a day to enjoy the holiday festivities, was no exception.

I hadn’t been on The High Line since a particular piece of art, titled Dinosaur, was installed last October on the Plinth located above 10th Avenue and 30th Street.  This celebrated spot is part of a contemporary art program that has been displaying sculptures in the heart of the city since 2019.

highline pigeon

The piece called Dinosaur is a 2,000-pound, nearly 16-foot-tall cast aluminum sculpture of a pigeon created by Paris-based Colombian artist Ivan Argote.  Argote’s pitch was selected from a group of 80 artists in 2020.

pigeon on plinth

The sculpture’s foundation was laid in Mexico, and it was hand painted in New Jersey.  It took a crane and a lane closure of 10th Avenue to position the pigeon on its perch (the concrete plinth).

pigeon claws on High Line

Why is it named Dinosaur?  Apparently, the sculpture is an ode to the pigeon’s distant past as the birds descended from dinosaurs.  Who knew?

pigeon highline

Anyway, my daughter and I really wanted to see the hyper-realistic bird in person and we hadn’t been on The High Line since before last October, so we used our recent visit as a chance to get an up-close view.  I am so glad we did – despite the bitter cold!

me at HighLineThe pigeon has to be one of my favorite sculptures I have seen on the High Line.   (The two tons of Legos dumped on The High Line is still my very favorite installation!  Click here to see.)

I feel lucky to live close enough to New York City to visit on a whim!  And the holidays are always an extra special time to visit.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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halloween fun 2024

October 25, 2024

carved blue pumpkin

Although I’m not a big Halloween fan, I usually will carve a pumpkin or two – or, create something in the Halloween spirit.

evergreen

This year, my pumpkin was carved in a little less than traditional manner.  I used wood carving tools rather than a knife.  Carving in this manner is much easier and, I think, can be more interesting.

carving blue pumpkin

I was inspired by an evergreen tree in my yard.  The tree has the traditional needles and tons of little mini pine cones.  My idea was to carve the pumpkin with ‘needles’ and then add some of the pine cones from my tree.

carving pumpkin

I purchased what is called a blue pumpkin, rather than an orange one, to complete the task.  Because the blue heirloom pumpkin looked almost green, I thought it would work well as my ‘evergreen’ pumpkin.

pumpkin carving

blue pumpkin carving

I used woodworking tools to carve the needles.  I had planned on adding the pine cones with straight pins, but I began to wonder if the pumpkin would not live as long with holes punched in it!  With this in mind, after I finished carving, I ended up using my glue gun to add the pine cones.

evergreen pumpkin

I have to say, using the woodworking tools is much easier on the hands than the traditional method of carving through the pumpkin with a knife!

pumpkin with pinecones

After I completed my pumpkin, I carved a few baby boos to use at place settings for an upcoming brunch.  I love little white baby boos!  I did a little bit of carving and added a ribbon.  I did end up adding some pins on these little guys – some pretty gold ones!

baby boo white carved

white baby boo

In the Halloween spirit, I also created some favors for my brunch.  I made some butter cookies in the shape of candy corn and packaged them in the holiday theme!  Why are they not the traditional yellow and orange?  Well, I made them totally organic – so I couldn’t use red dye!  I used organic cocoa to create color variations.

packaging candy corn

So, that’s the extent of my Halloween preparations!  I hope you are also creating something fun!

candy corn cookies

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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white pumpkins 2024

September 27, 2024

white gourd

You must know my love for neutrals by now!  And, in the fall, white pumpkins are my fave!

stacks of white pumpkins

In my last post, I showed you some of the more traditional pumpkin sightings I’ve seen so far this year.  Today, I am sharing some of the more neutral pumpkins I’ve seen.  Enjoy!

row of white pumpkins

daisy and pumpkin

I would like to substitute white pumpkins to mix with these daisies!  More like this –


Not white, but what a lovely neutral!

pale pumpkin

white with orange pastel pumpkins

pumpkin tower

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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pumpkin peeping 2024

September 20, 2024

pumpkins with pottery

I do feel just a little bit guilty posting these photos while it is still officially summer!  Not one to easily give into fall, I did visit a couple farms to check out what was displayed for the upcoming season.  Here are some of my favorites from the traditional – orange – color pumpkins.  (My favorite – white pumpkins – will be in my next post!)

I love the addition of green – with plants or squash – to a fall arrangement!

white and other gourds

pumpkins with ferns

A squatted pumpkin shape is so much more interesting than a round one!

sunlit pumpkins

How great do these colors look together?

pumpkin character

closeup pumpkin color

 

cascade of pumpkins

 

orange pumpkins in sun

basket of gourds

I always love an interesting stem!!

pretty pumpkin stem

 

colorful pumpkin mix

 

crate of pumpkins

It is the best time of year for visiting farm shops and garden centers!  So much to explore!  Have you started yet?

Have a great weekend and start to the new season!  Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie  

 

 

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a flirty restaurant

August 30, 2024

For me, this may be the summer of visiting restaurants with beautiful wall paintings!  In my last post I showed you some beauties in Connecticut and today I want to share some I found in Massachusetts.

wall painting coquette

I found these paintings on a recent trip to Boston, when I had dinner at a wonderful restaurant called Coquette at the Seaport in the Omni Hotel.  The food was fabulous and the aesthetics were just as great.

menu at coquette

Right in line with the restaurant name (translating as flirt), the vibe was definitely flirty!  My favorite part of the décor though were the paintings on the wall.

How pretty are these walls?

corner painting coquette

And, I had a major crush on these light fixtures!

light fixture coquette

Some other favorite décor details:

The chandelier in the main dining room, some of the large-scale paintings that truly added to the feel of the place, the ceiling above the bar, the toile wallpaper in the restroom, and the seahorse doorknobs!coquette details

mood at coquette

If you should ever be at or near the Omni – even if you don’t eat at Coquette (which I highly recommend) – I would peek inside and check out the décor!

artwork at coquette

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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brunch at the mayflower

July 12, 2024

Inn from garden

Summer is such a fabulous season in Connecticut.  There are so many great spots to explore – many that take on an aesthetic excellence during the summer months.

The Garden Room

One of these spots is The Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, Connecticut.  The Mayflower is a luxury country retreat set on 58 private acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and woodland in Litchfield County.  The Mayflower always exudes distinguished luxury, but the spectacular grounds make a summer visit extraordinary.

beignets

mayflower beignet

Cacio y pepe beignets served at The Garden Room at The Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, Connecticut.

My recent visit to The Mayflower Inn was for brunch in The Garden Room – a beautiful light-filled dining space overlooking the Shakespeare Garden.  Though the menu showcases the finest in seasonal and local ingredients, the views were the star of the brunch for me.  Two fabulous views:  1. the view of the indoor décor and 2. the view of the outdoor grounds.

From the painted gardens scenes on the walls…

wall painting

wall art

corner wall art

art on wall

…to the fresh flowers…

fresh flowers

ferns

close up

the décor provides the perfect garden ambiance – right down to the perfect bathroom wallcovering!

bathroom wallcovering

While dining, the outdoor view of the Shakespeare Garden prompts a walk outdoors to visit and appreciate all its nuances!

back view of inn

 

garden path

 

hydrangeas

garden tree

 

inn from back of garden

me on garden path

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you are inspired to explore a spot near you!

Have a fabulous weekend!

 

 

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

 

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lavender iced coffee

May 31, 2024

lavender iced coffee

I love culinary lavender.

A subtle taste of lavender in a drink or a baked item is delicious!  So, I was very excited when I heard Starbucks added lavender drinks to its menu.  An iced coffee with a hint of lavender sounded very appealing to me!  That is, until I actually visited my local Starbucks and found out the only way to get a lavender drink was with the addition of a lavender sugar syrup!   “Is there any way to add the lavender to a drink without adding the sugar?”  I asked the barista.  “The lavender is part of a sugar syrup.  That is the only lavender we have” was the response I received.  Yuck!  Determined to enjoy a lavender iced coffee without sugar, I set out to make my own.

diy iced coffee

The usual iced coffee I make at home is made from organic coffee.  I combine brewed coffee I keep in the fridge with walnut ‘milk’.  The walnut ‘milk’ I buy is from Elmhurst and has two ingredients – water, walnuts – that’s it!  (These ingredients make my everyday coffee very clean!)  Using my usual iced coffee ingredients, I was determined to create a lavender iced coffee.  I came up with a very simple way to accomplish this!

I filled a tea infusion ball with culinary lavender and dropped it into a glass jar filled with my walnut ‘milk’.  (Use whatever nut ‘milk’ you prefer.)  I left this jar in the fridge overnight and by the next morning the milk was infused with a lovely, subtle lavender flavor!

infuse lavender

I combined my infused ‘milk’ with some of my cold, pre-brewed coffee and voila! I had a lavender iced coffee with no sugar or other unwanted added ingredients!

lavender coffee iced

The taste of my lavender iced coffee was perfect!  (Of course, the longer the lavender remains in the ‘milk’, the stronger the flavor.  Overnight was just the right subtle flavor for me.)  Mission accomplished!

I hope you will try your own iced coffee creation by creating your favorite flavor(s) in a clean way!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. Be sure to use culinary grade lavender – lavender that is intended for ingesting!  It will be marked accordingly.  I usually can find it at a bargain at Home Goods or TJ Maxx – in the food aisle.  Try it in your scones!

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chocolate bunny beverage servers

March 22, 2024

strawberry milk in a chocolate bunny

Want a fun way to serve milk at your Easter breakfast this holiday?  Use a hollow chocolate bunny!  What child (or child at heart!) wouldn’t like Easter breakfast milk served in a chocolate bunny!

Here I’m using Lindt chocolate bunnies because Lindt 3.5-ounce hollow chocolate bunnies are the perfect size to serve a small drink!  (Each bunny holds about 4 ounces.)  Plus, they are very easy to find…pretty much any store that sells Easter candy will carry them.  I purchased mine at Target.  The bunnies are sold wrapped in gold foil with a bow around their neck.  The bow color distinguishes the type of chocolate of the bunny…a red bow is milk chocolate; a brown bow is dark chocolate and a cream color bow is white chocolate.

milk in a chocolate bunny

Are you wondering how I got the milk into the bunny?  It was pretty easy.  I heated up the spout of a small stainless-steel funnel.  While the funnel was hot, I gently pushed it into the chocolate bunny to make a hole.  I used the funnel to pour milk inside the bunny via the hole and added a straw to serve!

Easter bunny chocolate beverage

milk in a chocolate bunny

Serving milk in a milk chocolate bunny is the obvious combination of tastes, but there are so many more great combinations!

For my milk chocolate bunny, I poured in banana flavored milk!  I think a chocolate milk would also taste great.  For a more adult treat – how about Amaretto?!

I decided to pour my favorite beverage – iced coffee – into a dark chocolate bunny.  Yummy!!  I bet Kahlua or Baileys would taste great in the dark chocolate as well!

iced coffee in a chocolate bunny

For the white chocolate bunny, I poured in strawberry flavored milk – a great flavor combo!  For an adult version, I would try Chambord or Limoncello!

Wouldn’t these bunnies make a great favor at Easter brunch or breakfast?  Tie a bow onto the bunnies, like I did here, to match your color scheme.  How fun for your guests to eat the container when the drink is finished!

I hope you are inspired to serve a beverage from a chocolate bunny this holiday – what will you serve in your bunny?

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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3 Ingredient Organic Brownies

February 9, 2024

3 ingredient brownies

I haven’t bought sugar, eggs, butter, or milk in five years, so I’m thrilled when I can make something that tastes like a dessert without using these traditional dessert ingredients.  This brownie recipe uses only 3 ingredients and the taste is close enough to the real thing to satisfy any brownie cravings I may have!

bowl of hearts

clean brownies

To make these, I use all organic ingredients from Trader Joe’s that I pick up during my regular grocery shopping.  To make them a little fancier, garnish with walnuts and/or dark chocolate chips (or spread the top with peanut butter ‘frosting’).

brownie ingredients

3 Ingredient Organic Brownies

  • 3 ripe organic bananas
  • ½ cup organic creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup organic cacao powder

Line an 8” or 9” square baking pan with parchment paper.  Mash the bananas in a medium mixing bowl.  Add the peanut butter and mix well.  Sift the cacao powder in with the bananas and peanut butter and mix well.  Spoon mixture into the baking pan spreading evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees about 27 minutes.  Cool completely before cutting.

hearts

So easy to make and a great guilt-free treat…just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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