first visit to texas

March 11, 2016

It has been a crazy week for me – a very busy time for two of my jobs! One was in Texas and gave me the opportunity to travel to the Lone Star state for the very first time. The Texas weather could have been better – the area I visited experienced some of the rain that has been so severe in parts of Texas as well as some other areas of the South.

In spite of the weather, I experienced many bright spots in my life over the past few days. It wasn’t the weather providing these bright spots…the sunshine was provided by the people I met! My job gave me the opportunity to meet many fabulous people and the experience made my heart sing!

I had to hit the ground running when I got back from my few days away – very busy with another job and trying to control the wave of sadness over the loss of a friend’s brother that really breaks my heart.

So, Friday field trip today is just a few quick glimpses of the location I visited in Texas. I thank those I worked with in addition to all the new people I met for making me smile during a week that ends with heartbreak – particularly for my dear, sweet, friend that lost her brother. xo

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things and to appreciate those close to you, Jackie

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baita pop-up in nyc

February 26, 2016

If you happen to spend any time in New York City, you know about Eataly; particularly if you are a foodie. For those of you that may not be familiar with Eataly – it is the largest Italian marketplace in the world! A collection of restaurants, food and beverage counters, bakery, retail items, and a cooking school, Eataly occupies over 50,000 square feet near Madison Square Park.

For Friday field trip, I am taking you to Eataly, but not to the popular main floor. Today, we are traveling above the market to the 14th floor. Why the trip up the elevator? Because, from December to March, Baita, a pop-up restaurant reminiscent of the Italian Alps, has taken residence on the 14th floor and we are making a visit!

Enclosed by a retractable roof, the restaurant offers wintry views of New York City, including those of the neighboring Flatiron Building.

With cozy plaid blankets hung over chairs and smells of mulled cider, a snowfall would have been the perfect way to complete the Northern Italian atmosphere!

Seared Arctic Char with Beer Braised Brussels Sprouts & Roasted Hazelnuts at Baita in NYC.

It is a fun spot to visit. If you don’t have time for lunch or dinner, have a drink with a friend while sitting on an Adirondack chair facing the evergreen trees – still up and decorated with antlers from the holidays.

If you are lucky, your trip will take place during a good snow. ;)

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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country living magazine fair 2015

June 9, 2015

I am so lucky. I get the chance to attend the best fair ever! The Country Living Magazine Fair is held in four spots across the U.S. each year and one of the locations is the Northeast!

The Dutchess County Fairgrounds are located in Rhinebeck, New York and each year, for three days in the beginning of June, it is host to the Country Living Magazine Fair.

The Rhinebeck countryside pleasure in simple things blog

Driving through the Rhinebeck, NY countryside.

This venue is amazing. Think lush, green grass and beautiful landscaping – with views of rolling hills. Think real, (not portable) nicely maintained restrooms. Think great food. (maybe a delicious chicken lemongrass salad for lunch?) Think free parking. Yes, it is amazing.

The Fair provides tons of great inspiration and shopping, seminars and demonstrations, and a chance to meet the magazine’s editors as well as some fun celebrities.

So, as I attempt to settle down from my busy weekend exploring the Country Living Fair and the community of Rhinebeck with friends, I am sharing some of my weekend inspiration with you.

I hope you enjoy these few photos from my weekend. You can also find some additional photos on Facebook by clicking here or on Instagram by clicking here.

vintage bride and groom pleasure in simple things blog

A vintage collection of wedding toppers caught my eye in a little shop in the center of Rhinebeck.

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Thoughts From Alice, and Finding Silver Pennies.

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glass blowing adventure

January 9, 2015

I love all creative arts. One place I had been eager to visit ever since I knew of its existence is Peter Greenwood’s Glass Blowing Studio in Riverton, Connecticut. Peter offers workshops for beginners with no experience and I really wanted to give it a try!

My idea was to visit before Christmas and create a glass blown ornament for my tree…how special would that be?! But, after discussing the workshop options with Peter before I made my visit, I decided to create a glass paperweight rather than a glass ornament. Yes, the ornament was an actual glass blowing experience, but if I took the workshop for the paperweight; I could actually make my piece from start to finish. I decided to go for the hands-on experience of forming molten glass and sculpting it into a paperweight – with Peter’s guidance, of course.

I am so glad I did. The process was fascinating.

A friend and I made the trip to the quaint little town of Riverton where Peter’s studio and showroom are located inside a historic stone church built in 1829.

I am sharing some photos from the visit on today’s Friday field trip, but I think the best way to really get a sense of the process is to watch the short video created from phone videos the day of my visit. In hindsight, I probably should have brought a video camera with me, but my friend Wendy was nice enough to take some video of my experience and I am thrilled to have it documented.

Click here for A Video on Creating a Paperweight in Peter Greenwood’s Connecticut Studio.

In some ways, I found creating glass pieces very similar to throwing pots because of the symmetry component, although working in conjunction with a 2,000 degree oven was a little more daunting! I was very much aware of the dangerous temperatures involved and was extremely cautious.

2,000 degree furnace glass blowing pleasure in simple things

The 2,000 degree oven used to create my glass paperweight at Peter Greenwood’s studio.

beginnings of a paperweight pleasure in simple things blog

The beginnings of my paperweight at Peter Greenwood’s studio in Connecticut.

glass chips from glass blowing pleasure in simple things blog

Glass chips like this are used to create the design in the paperweight…I used blue chips for mine.

When completed, the blue swirl I created in my paperweight glowed orange from the high temperature. Once cooled, the blue color would be apparent. The cooling process is done very slowly or the piece would have exploded due to the quick temperature change!

I hope you enjoyed today’s field trip. Peter is a wonderful teacher and I highly recommend looking him up should you ever want to take a trip to Riverton and experience some of your own glass adventures!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Peter Greenwood pleasure in simple things glass blowing adventure

The glass master himself, Peter Greenwood.

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to enjoy pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Elizabeth & Co., Nancherrow, and House of Hipsters.

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visiting a sheep farm in ct

October 10, 2014

I have to admit that the 332 miles of shoreline in my home state is my favorite part, but there are so many more places to visit in Connecticut! And today, for Friday field trip, I am sharing one of these places – Connecticut’s largest sheep farm.

Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm, located on a 175-acre setting in the town of Lyme, has been owned by Stan and Suzanne Sankow since 1984.

Named after the creek that runs through the property and continues on to the Connecticut River, Sankow’s is currently home to 600 sheep.

The farm makes and sells artisanal sheep and cow’s milk cheeses as well as yogurts, milk, and gelato.

The wool shop features handspun wool garments for sale and the farm store also sells fresh lamb meats and homemade entrees such as white bean chili and lamb curry stew.

I have to say, I found the idea of purchasing lamb meats or entrees made with lamb a little unnerving after feeling like I developed a relationship with the resident sheep! But, I did leave the farm with some sheep’s cheese that I later used in a pasta dish back at home. Afterward, I felt really guilty about eating it because I learned, that although sheep’s milk has more calcium than cow’s milk, it also contains almost double the fat!

It is a lovely time of year to visit Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm to spend some quality time with these gentle animals while admiring the (soon to be) breathtaking backdrop of fall foliage. It is open 9 to 4 daily.

I hope you enjoyed today’s visit to the sheep farm!

Fun sheep fact…What do you call a group of sheep? Did you say flock? Herd, mob, drove, or trip are also used! Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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the best park in nyc

September 12, 2014

I can’t deny that Central Park is magnificent, but it is not my favorite park in New York City. For Friday field trip today, I am sharing a glimpse of my favorite park in the city. It not only provides an amazing display of shrubs, grasses, trees and perennials that rival any public garden, but also provides a unique view of the city from 30 feet above the ground!

Running from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street, the High Line is a one mile New York City linear park built on a section of an old railroad spur. This unique park, 30 feet above street level, contains innovatively designed seating areas and beautiful plantings in addition to expansive views of New York City and the Hudson River.

The park provides a view of life in New York like no other.

office along the High Line NYC pleasure in simple things

A view of an office from the High Line in New York City.

Seasonal blooms (click here for September list), art on display, and scheduled activities are all part of the High Line culture. Dining is also an option during a visit and a fun way to take a rest and admire views of the Hudson River.

It is an exciting time to be a High Line fan, because on September 21st a new High Line section, from 30th Street and 10th Avenue to the curve near 12th Avenue, and up to 34th Street will be opened to the public. I can’t wait to check out the new design features and plantings in the new Rail Yards section!

original rail tracks on the High Line in NYC pleasure in simple things

Cleverly designed seating amid the original rails on the High Line in New York City.

If you should visit New York City, be sure to include the High Line in your schedule of activities.

Thanks so much for stopping by for Friday field trip. Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to find pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Finding Silver Pennies, and Crafts a la Mode.

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beauty by the sea

July 11, 2014

Come visit an iconic New England seaside resort located on the bluffs of Watch Hill, Rhode Island…today on Friday field trip!

If you are a beach lover, Ocean House is the definitive beachside luxury that inspires at every turn…the kind of place dreams of made of…I am excited to share some photos of this ‘must see’ location with you for today’s field trip – especially for my friends that have never been to this area of the country.

It really is impossible to include enough photos to give an accurate sense of the beauty of this destination and the incredible attention to detail displayed throughout the property. (I will post additional photos on my Facebook page to help!).

The resort originally opened in 1868 and was a widely recognized summer destination back in the 1800s. After welcoming guests for more than 136 years (and surviving the Great Hurricane of 1938), Ocean House was rebuilt replicating the original exterior design. Isn’t it amazing?

One of only seventy-six hotels in the world to hold a Forbes Five Star rating, the Ocean House offers 49 spacious guest rooms, 15 extraordinary suites, and 6 gourmet and casual al fresco dining options.

Boasting a 650-foot private white sand beach and world-class amenities, Ocean House is the ultimate New England resort destination.

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed visiting this iconic New England spot with me today for Friday field trip. Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Finding Silver Pennies and Coastal Charm.

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visiting the st. augustine lighthouse

June 27, 2014

The latest issue of Coastal Living Magazine named St. Augustine, Florida in the top 5 for happiest seaside towns in America.

For today’s Friday field trip, I am taking you on a lighthouse visit – one of my happy places during a recent weekend visit to the “Nation’s Oldest City” in the Northeast part of Florida.

Completed in 1874, after taking three years to build, the lighthouse is St. Augustine’s first and oldest surviving brick structure and rises 165 feet above sea level.

Walking past the nine windows in the lighthouse provided beautiful panoramic views as I ascended the 8 flights of cast iron spiral stairs – a total of 219 steps.

This is what one of the windows looks like from the inside…now, check out some of the views to the outside!

view from lighthouse pleasure in simple things

A view of the keeper’s house from one of the St. Augustine lighthouse windows.

I was able to make it to the observation deck at the top of the lighthouse just before an impending lightning storm cut my visit short.

The lightning storm was probably a good thing – no telling how many photos I would have taken if I was given the opportunity!

I hope you enjoyed sharing my visit to the St. Augustine lighthouse on today’s Friday field trip. Thank you so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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april showers bring may flowers

May 2, 2014

Who visits a flower nursery on a cold and rainy day? Apparently, I do!

Although I usually plan my visits for the summertime, I recently decided to make a trip to White Flower Farm on an April day.

I expected a different seasonal view, but certainly did not expect a day that turned out so cold that I dreamed of wearing mittens!

You, my friends, are a wee bit luckier than I; since you can visit White Flower Farm from the comfort of your own home on today’s Friday field trip…no mittens required!

White Flower Farm, both a working nursery and a private residence, is located in Litchfield, Connecticut and is an awesome place! If you are an avid gardener, you may be familiar with the nursery, even if you live outside the area, since they do a huge mail order business. I ordered from them long before I decided to make my first location trip.

The visit turned out to be an inspiring one as I discovered the beauty in the preseason garden. My typical visit is in July when the trees are filled with leaves and all the perennials are in bloom. This quiet, somber day gave a special quietness and sense of promise to the gardens. And, the trees looked so majestic in their bare state!

Unfortunately, I was forced to take ‘rest stops’ in the heated gift shop to thaw out my frigid fingers! Of course I would not have dropped in; if not for the cold hands! ;)

I hope you enjoyed sharing some of White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut for today’s Friday field trip…definitely worth a trip if you are in the area! By the way, White Flower Farm takes its name from their first perennial border, the all-white garden (and my favorite) called the Moon Garden because the white flowers gleam even by moonlight! Have a fantastic weekend!

And, thank you so very much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Craftberry Bush, Mona’s Picturesque, Fridays Unfolded, and Crafts a la Mode.

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summer in the cape

August 16, 2013

Cape Cod, Massachusetts is one of those places that holds many happy memories for me. During my childhood, I enjoyed many family vacations in ‘the Cape.’ I had an opportunity to visit my old vacation spot recently, when I attended a service to honor the life of a special friend that had passed.

While there, I got the chance to reconnect with some friends that live in Chatham…not only did I enjoy spending some time catching up, but also enjoyed the beautiful view at the Wequassett Resort…

I thought I would share some of the beautiful view with you in today’s Friday field trip. Now remember, this is just a brief point in time at the Cape…dinner with friends as sunset approaches…Can you even imagine the beauty when you live there full time? Enjoy the photos!