As promised, today I am sharing a few more glimpses of the 2017 Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio! (Part 2 from September 26th!)
Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
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more 2017 country living fair
October 3, 2017
2017 country living fair columbus
September 26, 2017
If you read this blog regularly, you know I am a big fan of The Country Living Fair. I have been attending the fair in Rhinebeck, NY, only a short distance from Connecticut, annually.
The Dutchess Country Fairgrounds are picturesque and provide a beautiful venue for the fair.
Put on by Country Living Magazine, the fair is a big show and sale of antiques, vintage, handcrafted goods, art, furniture, home decor, handcrafted clothing, jewelry and more. It also includes scheduled seminars and artisan demonstrations.
Each year, The Country Living Fair provides a fabulous weekend of shopping and inspiration.
I started thinking last year, why limit this fun time to a weekend? With three other Country Living Fair locations at different times of the year, why not visit one of the others? Atlanta, Columbus, or Nashville were my choices.
After some consideration, Columbus won as a second destination choice when I discovered Ballard Designs, Frontgate, and Grandin Road all have outlet stores near Columbus!
So, many months ago, a good friend and I put together plans to brave the 10 hour car trip to Ohio!
The photos here are from the 2017 Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio! I will share some additional photos from the fair next Tuesday. I hope you enjoy them and are inspired to attend one of the Country Living Fairs yourself!
It is so fun to visit a new locale! Which location do you think I will visit next? ;) Nashville? Atlanta?
Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
katalina’s in columbus
September 19, 2017
I have some fun things to share with you from a recent trip to Ohio…my first ever!
Part of visiting someplace new is checking out the food scene and my visit to Columbus was nothing unusual in this respect! My first Ohio share is one of my eating adventures.
The best way to find the best eating in town? Talk to a local, of course! After receiving a glowing endorsement from an Ohio State student, my friend and I decided Katalina’s was a must-see and we headed over to try it out on a bright Sunday morning.
Located in an adorable Columbus neighborhood, this fun and colorful, tiny café is located in a renovated 100-year-old gas station and on this particular morning (like every morning?) had a line of regulars out the door! Not to be discouraged by the line, we reviewed the menu to make the tough decision of what to order. The choices were very innovative and seemed to have a Latin flavor – all made from scratch.
Since Katalina’s boasts of creating pancake balls, I was intrigued and ordered them. But then, I saw their version of avocado toast with toasted pepitas listed as a special. I just had to have some! So, I added that as well as a cup of bottomless coffee to finished out my order.
We were able to snag an outdoor table when our food was ready. The pancake balls – over a million have already been made – were very yummy! Made with stone ground flour, they were filled with organic pumpkin apple butter and served with bourbon barrel aged maple syrup.
Of course, I ordered way too much food by getting both the pancake balls and the toast, but I was glad I tried both…they were each super tasty!
I am so happy we listened to the recommendation of our new friend from OSU and I would do the same for anyone visiting Columbus!
I hope my brunch adventure has inspired you to try a new eating spot! :)
Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
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naples botanical garden
June 27, 2017
June is coming to an end and since Friday’s post this week will be the monthly giveaway, today will be more like a field trip. I shared my favorite exhibit in the Naples Botanical Garden in a post this month…it was a temporary exhibit called Origami in the Garden. (Click here if you missed it!)
Today, in keeping with my garden focus, I am sharing my favorite floral spot in that garden. And, guess what? The flowers aren’t white! I know – out of character, but can you see why I fell for this gorgeous spot in The Naples Botanical Garden?
Once in a while, I am a sucker for some color! Like this:
Talk to you again on Friday. If you haven’t entered the book giveaway for June, you have a couple more days. I will pick the winner at midnight on Thursday. Click here to leave a comment on the giveaway post to be entered to win. Good luck!
A docent at the Naples Botanical Garden in Naples, Florida.
Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
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 26th latitude north, where Naples is located, and 26th latitude south.
One hundred and seventy acres of themed gardens that represent the culture and flora of the tropics – country climates from the 26th latitude – what an interesting concept!
It did not take me long to figure out that plants growing in the 26th 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
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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 20th-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
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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
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
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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
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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 2nd 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
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