coquina

March 20, 2020

Coquina is a new oceanfront restaurant set to a backdrop of the ocean breezes of Amelia Island, Florida. While staying at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Coquina is a great place to order up local seafood and coastal dishes inspired by the island’s Spanish heritage.

This al fresco restaurant serves dinner under some beautiful coastal lighting (click here to see more) overlooking the resort’s dune-lined beaches. Coquina’s menu includes ceviche made from freshly caught fish and shareable tapas. A full-bar overlooking the ocean is a great spot to order a signature cocktail. (See some signature drinks by clicking here.)

One of the first to sit in this beautiful new spot with friends, I happened to be staying at the Ritz at the time Coquina opened, just this March.

I hope you enjoyed these few photos of the new restaurant Coquina on today’s Friday field trip!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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return to the giraffes!

March 13, 2020

I was very fortunate to be able to revisit White Oak Conservation in Northwest Florida. If you remember my post, the giraffes were my favorite animals at White Oak and I was so excited to have the opportunity to visit them once again!

White Oak is one of the world’s premiere wildlife breeding, education, and training facilities. This wildlife conservation facility spans 13,000 acres of pine and hardwood forest and wetlands. Its mission is to save endangered wildlife and habitats through sustainable conservation breeding, education, and responsible land stewardship.

Meet Jigsaw and some of the other giraffes I was able to meet!

Did I scare you? I threw a photo of this cassowary in here since you may have never seen one. This one at White Oak is the first one I’ve ever seen! Scary looking, isn’t it? Considered one of the most dangerous birds in the world! The cassowary can sprint as fast as 31 miles per hour and can kill a human being with slashing blows of its feet! Huge contrast to the sweet, gentle giraffes!

Click here for ‘giraffe love’ – more on White Oak from my first trip!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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half-pound cookies!

February 28, 2020

Trips to New York City always include some great eating stops – there are so many to choose from!

One great dessert place to visit is Citycakes. The unassuming storefront of this bakery is easy to miss – it is located on the basement level of 251 West 18^th Street in Manhattan.

Because it is only a few blocks from the High Line, Citycakes is a fun stop after an invigorating High Line walk! The menu here includes cakes and cupcakes, but for my daughter and I, the true hero of the shop is the signature line of cookies – weighing in at half a pound each!

Here is my pick this trip:

Though this shop may not have the finesse of a New York City bakery like a Dominique Ansel Bakery, there is definitely something to be said for a huge, delicious cookie!

As a Food Network junkie, I have seen Chef Benny Rivera from Citycakes compete on many different programs – making the shop all that much more attractive to me!

If in the neighborhood while in Manhattan, it is worth a stop to pick up some cookies! They are definitely a fun gift to bring home to someone!

(For comparison – one cookie is half a pound or 8 oz. – an entire box of Girl Scout Toffee-tastic cookies is under 7 oz. and cost $6. I used a Girl Scout cookie to compare because everyone knows it! Of course, a boxed cookie is not freshly baked!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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the vessel nyc

February 21, 2020

It has been almost a year since the official opening of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project in Manhattan, New York City.

What fascinates me most about the area is the soaring new landmark built as part of the project that is the extraordinary centerpiece of Hudson Yards. I am talking about the Vessel.

An interactive artwork that is meant to be climbed, the work was designed by architect Thomas Heatherwick. Comprised of 154 intricately interconnecting flights of stairs made up of almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings, it is a spiral staircase that offers climbers a way to see some remarkable views of the city, the river, and beyond by witnessing perspectives of the city from different heights, angles, and vantage points.

Anyone willing to climb can do so for free by obtaining a same-day ticket. All time-specific tickets are offered without charge on a first-come, first served basis.

Last time in New York City, I was hoping to climb the Vessel, but no tickets were available! As time goes on, I am sure the free tickets will only get harder and harder to achieve with milder weather arriving to the city soon!

Here I am offering some views of the Vessel from the ground level. I will continue to try to score a ticket on any visit I make into Manhattan – hoping I can soon make the climb!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. I think this coming Thursday’s episode of Project Runway was filmed at the Vessel – check it out!

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cruisin’ ocean drive

February 7, 2020

My favorite hotel along Miami’s famed Ocean Drive is The Betsy – a chic hotel with a rooftop pool…if I were to plan a future trip to Miami, this would definitely be my hotel of choice.

Walking along ‘the drive,’ there are a couple of super cool features outdoors at The Betsy to check out.

My favorite is an orb-shaped sky bridge, considered a groundbreaking piece of Miami public art. I was so fascinated with this structure!

The other unique feature is a sculptural Poetry Rail honoring local wordsmiths – from Langston Hughes to Muhammad Ali.

Cool, right? And you haven’t even seen the inside of the hotel!

I hope you enjoyed sharing a couple of the interesting features of The Betsy Hotel on Ocean Drive in Miami! Can’t wait to share my favorite restaurant!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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lilly, palm beach

January 7, 2020

If you are a Lilly Pulitzer fan, you really have to visit the Palm Beach store! I know in the past I have shared photos from the Lilly store at The Breakers in Palm Beach, but there is also a store on historic Worth Avenue.

This past stay at The Breakers, I had some time to visit this larger store and want to share some photos with you.

Of course any Lilly superfan would have something custom made while visiting the Worth Avenue store!

I love this piece of art hanging in the store! If you know anything about the history of Palm Beach, you know the monkey is very significant! Johnnie Brown was the pet spider monkey of Addison Mizner, an eccentric Palm Beach fixture of the roaring twenties – and Johnnie’s grave is located in the first shopping arcade built on Worth Avenue!

One of the best parts of visiting any Lilly Pulitzer store is checking out the dressing rooms!

To read about the origins of Lilly Pulitzer design (and see the Lilly store at The Breakers), click here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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pretty in pink at terrain

November 22, 2019

I promised to share some pink holiday accents from Terrain in Westport today…I am a gal of my word!

Check out this ‘pretty in pink’ holiday décor inspiration! Enjoy!

I hope these photos have inspired you to incorporate an unexpected color into your holiday décor!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend!

And, remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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s’mores for dinner

September 20, 2019

Well, I didn’t actually have s’mores for dinner…they were dessert to my dinner of a fabulous cheeseboard and a glass of Napa wine!

Connecticut has had some cool evenings this week – perfect fire pit weather!

On today’s Friday field trip, I hope to inspire you to enjoy something unconventional for your next meal. Maybe some Ferris Acres (my favorite ice cream spot)…or, Trader Joe’s yummy cinnamon bun spread on apples! Don’t rule out ‘cake for breakfast!’

Have a fabulous weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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everywhere you look…

August 16, 2019

No trip to San Francisco, no matter how short, would be complete without a stop at the famous Painted Ladies. These are a row of colorful Victorian houses located at 710–720 Steiner Street, across from Alamo Square park.

So, of course, on my first trip to San Francisco, one of the stops on a 9 mile walk around the city included Alamo Square park to snap a couple shots of the famous ladies!

I am sharing my glimpse of these gals here for today’s Friday field trip.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. The title of this post, if you don’t recognize it, is taken from the Full House theme song ;)

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alcatraz

August 2, 2019

One of the places I did not expect to go when I started thinking in advance about my recent California trip was a tour of Alcatraz! However, my son set up a tour and I was enthusiastic to check it out!

One and a quarter miles offshore from San Francisco, this small island was once a fort, a military prison, and a maximum-security federal penitentiary (closed in 1963). It is also the site of the first lighthouse on the West Coast.

Alcatraz Island is a designated national historic landmark and the National Park Service does an excellent job of preserving the island. It also provides tourists a very well organized ferry ride out to the island with a great self-guided tour once on the island.

I have never seen any prison in my lifetime so it was a little creepy to tour a vacated federal penitentiary, but so very interesting!

I spoke with a guard who was working on the island at the time the penitentiary closed and he told me his family never even locked the doors of their home while living on the island! Learning that the island housed prisoners who continually caused trouble at other federal prisons (including the notorious Al Capone), I think I would locked my door if I was an island resident!