The Escape You Have Been Looking For

It's been a while since a hotel took my breath away.

I"m truly not interested in indulgence and excess at the moment.

Maybe it is the holiday madness, 

but this destination, which interprets it's surroundings so well, is calling..

The Juvet Landscape Hotel, Norway.

Here

sit seven cubes, each uniquely

designed by their architects

to blend in with the terrain

and to take advantage of the spectacular environment,

no matter the season.

To say that they have removed visual distraction from these structures

is an understatement.

But they are not without warmth.

A good sleep is essential for this

or perhaps a day spent visiting the farm

or the spa,

located amongst the magic waters 

of St Olav's spring.

Which is supposed to offer anyone who drinks it health and youth.

Anyone fancy a girls weekend?!

til next time..

Destination Friday: Escape to Majorca

Okay, this Villa isn't for rent, it's for sale,

but a girl can dream, can't she?

I travelled to Majorca several years ago as a stop on a Mediterranean cruise.

 A majestic island tucked neatly below Spain, 

with mountainous terrain making for spectacular cliffside homes at every turn.

I think the greatest luxury a home can have is space, 

and am so impressed with the restraint practiced here. 

Instead of filling these rooms, they remain airy and spacious -

a place to breathe.

A far cry from the holiday madness upon us, yes?

til next time..

Destination Friday: The Lodge, Verbier, Switzerland

We live in a snow belt.

Purposely!

It's not uncommon to find the kids trick or treating with a sprinkling of snow on the ground..

My theory is that if you live in a country with snow, you may as well embrace it :)

So this destination friday takes us to the mountains -

 The Lodge located in Verbier, Switzerland.

The common room is centred around the hearth - and isn't it gorgeous?!

The wood has a beautiful, aged patina without all the red or yellow tones

 that sometimes make timber chalet interiors feel claustrophobic.

The green is a perfect accent to maintain the restful atmoshpere.

The party room uses lively amber accents to stimulate conversation and appetite.

a corner for reading, or wine and conversation..

the rooms provide a peaceful ambiance..

fantastic bunkies! 

This tiny space accommodates six children, and I know my kids would love the sleepover vibe.

Beauty that takes your breath away. If you ski, you know the magic that lies in being above the clouds..

where better to spend a winter evening?

If you are more of a warm-weather traveller

summer offers paragliding, golf and hiking, among other things..

Lovely!

How are you spending your weekend?

We are hosting Thanksgiving Dinner on Sunday,

which means cleaning today and baking tomorrow..

I will try to get some pics of the tables (25 people!!) to share -

hope you all are looking forward to a family and friend-filled weekend..

til next time..

Home and Happy...

source



Has it only been two weeks?

It feels like so long since I've been posting.

A huge thanks to all the Crushing on Colors ladies

 for their wonderful posts that kept the blog hopping 

while I was soaking up some vitamin d.

Want to see what we were up to?

We travel to florida almost every spring, 

but don't always hit the parks.

This was a theme park year.

Day 1 and the kids were beelining for Harry Potter at Universal Studios!

Apparently several thousand other people were doing the same thing,

and it was a wee bit crowded :)

But we persisted and what an astonishing place.

If you have read the series 

(you must read them, the books are far richer than the movies)

you would have been amazed to see the main street of Hogsmeade brought to life, 

a scaled down Hogwarts towering off at the top of the cobblestone streets.

"Mum, another picture?!!"

They were so patient with me,

 taking pics and endlessly examining all the design elements they used in the castle :)

The Hogwarts tour is spectacular,

entering straight into Dumbledore's office 

(complete with a hologram of the headmaster himself),

then through the passageways, where paintings come to life,
ceilings glow, and stairs lead off into hidden passages..

A hologram Harry, Ron and Hermione visit you in potions class,

and then it's on to a hair-raising ride.

To celebrate, the darlings (and some friends) had butterbeer!

Then they watched Hogwarts and other students perform on the streets,

visited Ollivanders and chose wands,

had their fingers attacked by a caged Book of Monsters at Dirvish and Banges..

rested in the Owlry, dined in The Three Broomsticks...

checked out the pranks and toys at Zonkos...

 and brought home chocolate frogs and Bernie Bot's every flavoured beans from Honeydukes.

Crazy, no?!

Two days of that required some serious down time at the beach and pool

and then back to fun at Sea World..

and Aquatica, Sea World's water park -
 by far the best theme park I have been to!

So relaxing, two huge wave pools surrounding an enormous sandy "beach",

and heaps of exhilarating rides with no or very small lines.
The darlings have inherited D's and my love of speed :)

That face says it all, doesn't it?!!
Plenty of good food, time with friends, and shopping (!!) completed a wonderful trip.

I didn't take any color or design books, determined to have a break from"work".

By day six I had bought three design magazines and was
"popping in" to Z Gallerie and Ballard designs at  the mall :)

can't stay away!!!
And glad to be back!

I have found the coolest blog dedicated to provided free vintage images for general use.
There's some really gorgeous bits..
I will post all about it tomorrow - x