naples botanical garden origami

June 6, 2017

On my first visit to the Naples Botanical Garden in Naples, Florida, I was intrigued by the tag line ‘Gardens with Latitude.’

I discovered the gardens showcase subtropical plants that grow around the world between the 26^th latitude north, where Naples is located, and 26^th latitude south.

One hundred and seventy acres of themed gardens that represent the culture and flora of the tropics – country climates from the 26^th latitude – what an interesting concept!

It did not take me long to figure out that plants growing in the 26^th latitude are very different from the plants in my native Connecticut, or in my favorite public garden – Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania!

But, the difference in plants was not what intrigued me most during my visit. That honor went to the temporary exhibit, Origami in the Garden.

Monumental sculptures created by artist Kevin Box told the story of origami, the Japanese art of paper folding.

The exhibition included large-scale installations, gallery works, Box’s own compositions as well as collaborative works with his wife Jennifer and world-renowned origami artists Dr. Robert J. Land, Te Jui Fu, and Michael G. LaFosse.

Examples of this amazing display are represented in the photos I am sharing with you today. I was thrilled that the installation happened to be in the garden on the day of my visit!

The exhibit inspired me to do a little more research on origami. I hope it inspired you in some way!

Thank you for stopping by and sharing the Origami in the Garden display with me!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

no comments

the breakers palm beach

May 16, 2017

We can’t talk about Palm Beach without including the most luxurious and iconic place to stay!

Industry tycoons and elegant socialites started visiting the then new destination of Palm Beach in the late 1890’s. Soon, the Breakers hotel became the place to stay!

Founded by Henry M. Flagler and opening in 1926 (after two reconstructions – required after fires in both 1903 and 1925), the hotel was built by New York City-based designers Chultze and Weaver (they later created Park Avenue’s Waldorf Astoria).

The Breakers Lobby. Every week the large flower arrangement in the lobby is replaced with a new, fresh arrangement.

Modeled after Villa Medici in Rome, Flagler brought in 75 artisans from Italy to complete his vision for the opulent hotel.

In the early 20^th-century, guests that frequented the hotel included Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, as well as US presidents, and European nobility.

Today, I am sharing a few of my favorite photos from the interior of the hotel during my stay at The Breakers. And, though I can’t say my taste is in line with this ornate and lavish decor, it was something definitely worth seeing at least once in my lifetime!

Since I am from New England, I can’t help but think about the Vanderbilt Mansion in Newport, RI when I walk through The Breakers hotel. Also called The Breakers, and also built during the ‘gilded age,’ the Newport mansion is a museum, not a hotel, but there are many similarities in style between the two.

The entrance to my favorite room in the hotel – The Circle Room.

Detail inside The Circle Room.

The incredible attention to detail The Breakers in Palm Beach provides is not lost on me! One example, I wish I had photographed, were the staff uniforms. The over 2,000 employees at The Breakers are all beautifully dressed – the women in Lilly Pulitzer – not a bad uniform, right?

If you want to experience incredible luxury and seaside glamour, consider a stay at The Breakers. The rates go down dramatically during the summer, so maybe plan a summer weekend for a very special occasion?

Thanks for stopping by as we continue our Palm Beach inspired month of May!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

no comments

cocktails with a view

May 12, 2017

The Seafood Bar, located in the historic Breakers hotel, was completely reimagined around its stunning Atlantic backdrop in late December 2016 and we are visiting it today on Friday field trip.

This place lets you experience the allure of the yachting lifestyle with great nautical details, beautiful new aquariums, and a front-row seat to ocean views.

Of the two large aquariums housed in the Seafood Bar, the most spectacular is the one that creates the bar itself.

It makes sitting at the bar an amazing sensory experience – looking ahead is a view of the ocean and looking down is a view of fish swimming under the spot you placed your drink!

The Seafood Bar serves lunch and dinner. Cocktails are offered at the bar until 1 am.

The beverage menu is wonderful. For something tropical and a little different to try, there is a watermelon jalapeno or a smoked coconut margarita. Local drafts are offered, as well as a great selection of alcohol free elixirs. My favorite is a coconut lavender lemonade made with lemon juice, coconut water and lavender simple syrup! Craft sodas are another great alcohol free option – like an organic summer pear!

The Seafood Bar is definitely Palm Beach life at its best!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!

P.S. If you are wondering about the maintenance involved with this unique bar – hours are spent each morning cleaning both the inside (delicately) and outside of the tank!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

2 comments

a little bit of lilly

May 5, 2017

I promised some Palm Beach flavor in the month of May!

Palm Beach is the birthplace of the Lilly Pulitzer style and no visit to Palm Beach would be complete without a visit to a Lilly Pulitzer store!

The way the historic story goes is that Lillian McKim eloped with Peter Pulitzer and moved to the fabulous resort destination, Palm Beach, when Lilly was just in her 20’s.

She opened a juice stand off Worth Avenue, squeezing the juice for all her famous friends.

Needing to camouflage the colorful juice stains (occupational hazard when you are a juice squeezer!) on her clothing, Lilly created a brightly printed, easy shift dress to work in…the start of all things Lilly!

The bright, fun details pictured here were taken in the Lilly store located at the iconic Breakers hotel in Palm Beach.

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

no comments

an alligator encounter

March 17, 2017

A recent work trip to Florida gave me the opportunity to see an alligator close up! I have been to Florida before, but never really got the chance to check one out.

The first one I saw in the wild looked like this:

Creepy looking, isn’t it? Then, I got the chance to hear a little about alligators and their habits at a sanctuary from someone that actually handles the alligators…and, this was one of the monsters he handles!

I found this guy really fascinating! He looked so prehistoric! Look at the surface of his body up close!

Now, look how ‘up close’ the handler got!

Yikes! I would never get close to that one! But, I did touch one of the smaller ones…of course it wasn’t possible for the one I touched to open his jaw the way the big one did!

I hope you enjoyed sharing my first alligator encounter on today’s Friday field trip!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

no comments

pippi longstocking house

February 17, 2017

You heard my recent trip to Amelia Island left little leisure time. But, I did get to see 3 items of particular interest while I was there. The first was the oldest lighthouse in Florida. Granted, I saw it from a distance, but I DID see it! I wish I had the opportunity to visit it, but tours were not offered on a daily basis and, even if I had the free time, the tour wasn’t available on the day I spotted the lighthouse from afar.

The 2^nd item of interest was the oldest bar in Florida. I can’t say I went inside, but I did see it! I heard the Bloody Mary’s were quite a spectacle – adorned with a skewer that included a shrimp and a hush puppy!

Lastly, and the most interesting to me, the third item of interest was the Pippi Longstocking house. In 1988, the original Pippi story by children’s author Astrid Lindgren, was made into a movie, “The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking” which was filmed entirely on Amelia Island, Florida.

Most of the movie was filmed on Centre Street, in the quaint historic downtown Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island’s only city. The ice cream shop in the movie was actually the oldest saloon in Florida that I mentioned above!

The setting of much of the book and the movie was in Pippi’s dilapidated fictional house, the ‘Villa Villekulla.’ Though in the movie the house looked unkempt, disheveled, and badly in need of a fresh coat of white paint, the present state of the movie house looked a little different. You can see that the weathered white clapboards so prominently featured in the film are currently an olive green siding!

Even if you hadn’t been a Pippi fan, the 146 year old house was something to see – known for having a wider variety of gingerbread motifs, such as sunbursts, fish scales, clovers, brackets, globes, scallops, circles, diamonds, and Maltese crosses than any other in Fernandina Beach, according to a historic museum tour guide.

If you have an interest in the Amelia Island or in the book Pippi Longstocking, you may want to watch the 1988 film “The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking” described as a fantasy musical with a cast that included Eileen Brennan, Dick Van Patten and John Schuck.

Thanks for stopping by Friday field trip to Villa Villekulla!

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things…like reading a favorite children’s story! Jackie xo

no comments

a stop at amelia island

February 10, 2017

This is a great Friday field trip! Why? Well, we are experiencing a blizzard here in Connecticut. And, with 12 inches of snow on the ground, I am transporting you on today’s field trip to a little resort town called Amelia Island in Florida. I thought these beach photos might inspire some daydreaming about warmer places on a day like today!

It was unfortunate that this first visit to Amelia Island was for a work trip since so little time was spent admiring the beautiful surroundings.

Seventeen hour work days don’t leave much time for leisure, but I did take a few moments each morning to stop and admire the sunrise.

And, as you can see by the photos, they were glorious.

The Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island provided many beautiful views.

I hope today’s field trip has you thinking of some warmer weather or a favorite beach. :)

“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink in the wild air…” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank you for stopping by.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things…like a beautiful sunrise, Jackie xo

no comments

wild about harry

November 4, 2016

If you know me at all, you know my favorite entertainer is Harry Connick, Jr. I have watched him perform in person more than any other entertainer… in addition to seeing many, many of his concerts, I have watched him perform on Broadway – from the front row…and, I even sat in the audience for a taping of one of his holiday specials…and now, I can say I have seen a taping of his new daytime show, Harry!

For today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing a few photos from my first visit to a Harry show taping!

If you live somewhere commutable to New York City, I definitely recommend requesting tickets to see the Harry show for yourself! Not only is Harry Connick, Jr. a great guy and a wonderful performer, but his show includes his full orchestra! A visit to a taping is like attending a concert…Harry singing with a full band…incredible! The band even performs during the breaks! And then, a few celebrity guests are thrown in.

Photos of Harry or the actual show to be aired are not allowed, so I can’t share that with you, but if you watch the show today, you may just catch a glimpse of me “backing it up” with Harry!

Have a wonderful weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

no comments

a vermont country home

October 25, 2016

I must admit, I have never really considered a move further north than my home state of Connecticut. I have tent camped in every state in New England and I certainly appreciate the beauty of them all…but, to live?

Why would I never move to Vermont myself? That infamous four letter word…s-n-o-w. But that is exactly one of the reason’s my childhood friend Donna loves living in Vermont. Although skiing every day in the winter is not a motivator for me, it is part of the appeal of living in snow country for Donna and her husband!

stowe-pleasure-in-simple-things-blog-firewood

Ready for winter! Donna’s son and the rest of the University of Vermont lacrosse team made short work of stacking up this stockpile of firewood!

Today, I am sharing a little bit of the home that could actually make me consider a move! With a wonderful sense of style, great resourcefulness and vision, and unique collaborations, my friend and her husband have created an amazing home inside and out!

stowe-pleasure-in-simple-things-blog-plant

Though frost was called for during the week, a couple garden plants were still hanging on!

Starting with a wonderful respect for the view and using many reclaimed materials from the area, this couple has spent the last five years creating a home that is uniquely their own.

I hope you have enjoyed the photos of this home and its amazing views. If you want to see a few sneak peeks of the inside, I have shared a few photos on Facebook and Instagram…you will have to wait till spring for a full inside tour! :)