change of scenery

March 19, 2019

There is nothing better than a change of scenery once in a while. A recent work trip took me to the opposite coast for a change of more than just environment. Visiting California was like living a different lifestyle for a short while. It came at the perfect time. I am going through so many changes at home and the trip to California helped ‘reset’ my perspective on life.

The best part of the trip was reconnecting with a childhood friend. Though we hadn’t seen each other in many years, once we were reunited, it almost seemed like no time had gone by at all!

My brief time in the OC (Orange Country, California) was jam-packed! I came home so refreshed – satisfied from a job well done and grateful for the chance to get together with a long-time friend – as well as meeting some new ones!

Get ready for some glimpses of Cali in the posts ahead!

Hope your week is starting off great! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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oasis in the desert

February 8, 2019

I shared photos of the white sandy beach I visited in Arizona in my last post. For today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing some additional glimpses from my stay at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. This hotel is currently celebrating its 28 consecutive year as a five Diamond resort. It boasts 6 pools and 2 18-hole championship golf courses.

The most impressive part of the resort for me was the spa. Even though I did not utilize the services the spa had to offer, I did take a quick tour. From the rooftop pool with mountain views to all the thoughtfully landscaped courtyards, the way the facility is integrated with nature is truly beautiful.

The 5 restaurants on property also utilize the outdoors. My favorite outdoor seating is at the restaurant Toro. So comfy looking, don’t you think? And, some great views as well.

It was also a restaurant – La Hacienda – that housed my favorite lighting fixture. (You probably know by now that I have a thing for lighting!)

The Fairmont strives to provide harmony with nature through vast open spaces, lushly landscaped grounds, and plenty of Saguaro cacti.

A fun spot for visitors to party is in the faux Western town created on the resort property. There is plenty of ambience to add Western vibes to any gathering!

If you know me, you know I never visit a hotel without checking out the desserts! My goal is usually to do the best I can to meet the pastry chefs when I am on property – they are my rock stars! My favorites at The Fairmont were this chocolate raspberry torte and a deconstructed Boston Cream Pie. I plan on recreating the later!

I hope you enjoyed this little visit to The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess! Thanks for stopping by!

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

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white sandy beach

February 5, 2019

On a recent work trip, I was shocked to discover a white sandy beach at my hotel. Why? I was in Arizona!

The sandy beach located at the sixth and largest pool at The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is Arizona’s only white sand beach. A 7,000-square-foot pool and 830 tons of white sand beach allow plenty of room for kicking up your heels (or, in my case, boots – I was in the west after all!) on the shore or enjoying a cocktail at the swim-up bar at Sunset Beach.

The resort hauled in 830 tons of white sand from Florida for the 9,000-square-foot beach surrounding the pool. It’s the same pricey sand that’s used in the bunkers at the resort’s golf course – home to the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

The Fairmont has fabulous drink menus. How about trying a Scottsdale Buck (gin, lemon, prickly pear, and ginger beer) or a Salted Cucumber Gimlet (gin, lime, cucumber and salt)? On weekends, Sunset Beach serves drinks in coconuts…so fun!

I didn’t so much regret not getting the chance to try some of the interesting cocktails served at the Fairmont – I was there on a work assignment after all! But, as a coffee drinker, I very much regretted not getting the chance to try one of the 6 varieties of flaming coffees served at the Fairmont’s restaurant La Hacienda! Has anyone ever tried one?

I guess I have to be content in knowing I drank an herbal iced tea sitting on the white sand at Sunset Beach!

I hope you enjoyed today’s post. I thought it was appropriate for today’s heat wave – it’s in the 30’s instead of single digit temperatures here in Connecticut!

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

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for the love of cactus

February 1, 2019

A recent trip to Arizona rekindled an old love for all things cactus! My succulent passion began when I was in junior high school and my grandparents invited me to join them on a trip to Phoenix.

From the moment I arrived in Arizona, I was totally intrigued by all the cacti adorning the landscape. I even tried (unsuccessfully) to smuggle some specimens back to Connecticut. (At the time, this was forbidden by the Department of Agriculture.)

I think it is pretty safe to say I was the only 8^th grader in Connecticut back then who subscribed to Arizona Highways magazine! Every month I eagerly awaited the newest edition – each one filled with photos of cacti – many of the photos including gorgeous, colorful sunsets!

So, maybe you can understand why my recent trip to Arizona had to include observations ‘in the wild’ of any cacti I was able to find!

For today’s Friday field trip, I hope you have enjoyed some of my findings!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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a life-size gingerbread house

December 14, 2018

Yes, I am a Food Network junkie. And, since I love to bake, I particularly enjoy any show that includes baking! Currently, that show is The Holiday Baking Championship on Monday nights!

I was recently lucky enough to meet a current contestant, 35 year old Lerome Campbell, one of 3 bakers at the Ritz-Carlton beach resort in Naples, Florida.

At this time of year, Lerome is something of a local celebrity because of his part in creating a gingerbread house in the lobby of the Ritz hotel. Each year, pastry chefs at the Ritz-Carlton beach resort plan, bake and construct a life-sized gingerbread house. This year’s creation used 60,000 pieces of candy, 1,200 gingerbread bricks, 464 eggs, and is held together with 400 lbs. of icing! No small feat, the house required 1,000 hours to put together!

The first challenge on last Monday’s episode of The Holiday Baking Championship was for contestants to prepare a classic chocolate holiday dessert with the addition of two common pantry items. Lerome chose to create a chocolate trifle that incorporated potato chips and red wine…interesting combo! Coating the potato chips in melted chocolate and then sprinkling them with peppermint insured a crunchy, flavorful chip. He simmered the red wine into a thick reduction and layered it into the dessert.

Even with the twist of having to incorporate the secret ingredient of fruit cake into his second dessert creation of a pecan financier on the episode, Lerome was able to avoid elimination and is advancing to the finale.

I’m rooting for my new friend Lerome next Monday (December 17^th) when he competes on the finale episode!

I should mention, since the gingerbread house at the hotel is not available for tasting (it is lacquered after constructed – so it is totally inedible), I made sure to taste every one of Lerome’s creations while visiting his hotel! I probably tasted at least a dozen desserts and they were all beautiful and delicious! One of my favorites was the yuzu crème brulee.

Hope you enjoyed today’s Friday field trip and a glimpse of the 2018 gingerbread house created by Lerome Campbell and the bakers at the Ritz-Carlton beach resort in Naples, Florida.

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

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a visit to atlanta botanical garden

November 30, 2018

One fabulous stop included on my Atlanta trip this fall was the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The best part was visiting on the tail end of the Imaginary Worlds exhibit.

Imaginary Worlds was a display of giant living plant sculptures!

These topiary-like whimsical sculptures were amazing to see and ranged up to 26 feet tall and 21 feet wide – including an enchanting mermaid, a trio of gigantic camels (my very favorite!), and a beautiful peacock!

The sculptures were made from steel forms covered in soil and sphagnum moss and planted with thousands of meticulously groomed plants – staged in 14 installations.

The process for creating the Imaginary World sculptures took nearly six months. After metal frames were fabricated, the empty frames were shipped to Atlanta, and the garden’s horticulturists began covering them with a mesh fabric and stuffing them with soil.

Then the planting started. More than 200,000 plants, primarily annuals, were inserted, one by one. Sculptures were built in sections that were planted inside a greenhouse just outside the city, then trucked to the garden in spring for assembling on site. Intricate irrigation systems beneath the surface of the sculptures allowed the plants to grow – and the creatures to flourish – in Atlanta’s summer heat.

I am sure the Atlanta Botanical Garden is always worth a visit, but I was thrilled to be able to visit during the Imaginary Worlds exhibit. I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse of the display on today’s Friday field trip.

Though beautiful, we didn’t get the chance to see this goddess in full splendor – she was already being disassembled to create a holiday display.

Thanks for stopping by!

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

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fall on beacon street

November 23, 2018

There are certain things you can do more than once while visiting a favorite city. In Boston, one of these things is taking a walk up Acorn Street.

Acorn Street is said to be the most frequently photographed street in the United States. This narrow lane, paved with cobblestones, is located in the scenic and historic neighborhood of Beacon Hill. The beautiful Federal-style row houses of the area add a unique charm to this quaint New England neighborhood.

For today’s Friday field trip, since it is Thanksgiving week, I thought some fall shots of Beacon Hill and the infamous Acorn Street would be appropriate.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. My favorite Beacon Hill reference is in the story of Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. Most of the story in the children’s picture book is set at the foot of Beacon Hill and it is commemorated every year in May by a parade through Beacon Hill to the Boston Public Garden, where the mallards nested.

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holiday at country living fair atlanta 2018

November 16, 2018

Last week on Friday field trip, I shared some photos of my trip to Atlanta to the Country Living Magazine Fair. As promised, I have a few more photos to share. Last week I shared autumn themed photos.

This week, just a few holiday themed photos from the fair, to give you a little seasonal inspiration!

Many of the vendors did create holiday displays. And, even in the rain, they were fun to enjoy!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Have a really fabulous weekend! Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

Remember to take pleasure in simple things…especially during the holiday season, Jackie

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country living fair atlanta 2018

November 9, 2018

If you follow this blog, you know I am a big fan of the Country Living Magazine Fairs.

The fair takes place in four different U.S. locations each year. Rhinebeck, New York is the closest location to my home and I have been to that fair every year since it started. It is a fabulous venue – with great food, real bathrooms, and plenty of green! The Dutchess County Fairground is just lovely!

You may remember my friend Wendy and I embarked on a road trip last year so we could experience a second fair location. (I shared plenty of the trip on the blog.) We drove out to Columbus, Ohio. It was a great trip. I think we caught the travel bug after that trip because we thought it would be great to check out a third Country Living Fair location this year!

So, I asked everyone in my family to gift me some travel points for my birthday this past year, and we made a trip happen! Where did Wendy and I decide to travel to for our third Country Living Fair destination? Atlanta, Georgia.

Do they not have hydrangeas in the South? I thought it was funny that several booths were selling hydrangeas…they grow like weeds in Connecticut!

I had not ever been to Atlanta (or Georgia, for that matter). The venue was Stone Mountain. It was a cool location, with paths through forests, that was contained inside a huge park.

The only thing that wasn’t so cool was the weather! Thinking Georgia was all hot sunshine, it was a little disappointing to have two days of rain. We didn’t let the rain slow us down though!

We were happy to have light rain the second day after experiencing torrential rain the first day!

We discovered that the beauty of the Atlanta venue was the open space. The crafters and artisans were able spread out and display their wares in fabulous ways…there was even enough room to fit a Volkswagen in a display space!

I hope you enjoy sharing some of my favorite fall images from the Country Living Fair in Atlanta on today’s Friday field trip! Next week I will share some of the holiday inspiration I found at the fair. I also have some other fun Atlanta stops to share! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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atlanta pumpkin tower

November 2, 2018

I know this is the time of the month when I usually post the monthly giveaway. I’m changing it up a little this month. Since it is Halloween week, I thought I’d post a pumpkin tower for today’s Friday field trip! Time to say farewell to all things Halloween!

A cool pumpkin tower has become the icon of the Country Living Magazine fairs. The one pictured here was at the fair in Atlanta, Georgia.

A rainy fair, but a great one nonetheless. I will post the giveaway as well as the winner of the pink velvet pumpkins in next Tuesday’s post. I also have more to share on the Country Living Fair – so stay tuned for that!

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

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country living fair atlanta 2018

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