must.go.here.

I mean really? Have you ever?

Lac Rose, or Lake Retba, situated north of the Cap Vert in Senegal

yet another reason to step aboard a plane... Happy weekend! xo

destination friday: Veuve Clicquot Hotel

What are fridays for, if not for grabbing a bag and heading out on an adventure?

a destination friday post is long overdue....

and so...

Although it's technically a hotel,

The invitation-only Veuve Clicqout guesthouse is not a place many of us will ever set foot in.

More than decoration, more than architecture...

it's an attitude, an atmosphere...sultry, chic and very adult.

But what would you expect from the creators of one of the greatest Champagnes of our time?

the sparkle, who would have ever thought to use mirror like this? genius.

and that staircase....

more mirror, herringbone floors....

whats a party without crystal?

serenity reigns in the boudoir...

decadence.

the cellars below, imagine the champagne.....

sigh.

Another one for the travel wish list...

found via The Diversion Project - thank you for introducing me to this gem, Jules!!

happy friday, friends - hope you are heading into a long, relaxing weekend...

we're starting early with a lunch with friends today - x

(oh yes, and my black friday post can be found here - I was a week early!

This is what happens when I try to schedule posts ahead of time, lol...)

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

destination friday: absolute sanctuary in thailand

We haven't had a Destination Friday in a while,

and so here is a lovely one for you.

Absolute Sanctuary is a wellness resort in Koh Samui, Thailand.

The perfect place for a little cleansing and rejuvenating of mind and body.

Spa, yoga centre and healthy fare.

Think my time would be spent right here :)

(the color - look at that luscious color!)

ahh, the spaaaa.. how I love that word.

find a sliver of namaste...

the Love Kitchen menu is tantalizing.. and healthy!

Afternoon naps are a holiday must...

how wonderful are these rooms? 

I love white bedding - it always feels crisp and cool,
here it provides great balance to all the color.

Think leaving the computer behind may stretch you a bit thin?

If you must :)

I can feel my muscles relaxing...

hard to leave this one, isn't it?!

imagine a whole week...

It's been crazy here for work, 

spring is on the way and everyone is beginning to get that

"let's freshen up the house" itch..

Here's hoping we all find some moments like these this weekend...

although they definitely won't be beside an gorgeous infinity pool,

immersed in the warm sea air ... sigh :)

**just a quick note - next week I will be over at Project Gadabout,

the fabulous Poppy has done a series of posts about her fellow bloggers 

and generously invited me to take part - pop over if you like! 

Since Poppy's blog always makes me feel like

 throwing on some red lips and dashing down to the beach in a convertible,

 I am going to have Palm Beach Week on the blog :)

Eye candy galore! You're going to love it - x ***

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..