The Alps

We drove through the Italian and French Alps on our drive back from Italy to Paris.  Lush green mountains cascaded up to snow-capped mountains, which made me feel like I was dreaming.  Even the warm May air did not scare the billowy snow clouds away.  I was excited to see Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps. In order to get to the other side you drive through a 30-minute tunnel and once you exit you are greeted with undulating valleys with brave hand gliders overhead.  Here are just a few of the images that I managed to snap while hanging my head out our Renault rental car.  

Arles, France

 I hope that everyone had a great long holiday weekend, three day weekends are one of my favorite things!  It is hard to believe that it is September and I still have some photographs from places that we explored on our honeymoon in May.  I purposely spaced them out so that when I was ready to share them the memory would again be fresh in my mind, because precious memories they were.  

I have a love for France, obviously, I have shared that many times here!  I have visited northern and eastern France and the South of France, but until May hadn't really explored Provence, a place that has now left an indelible mark on me. My mind is oftentimes blown by the beauty that exists in this world - there are just so many places to see and experiences to be had.  The charm of Provence is like no other, from the cobbled stones streets, stone homes accented with the prettiest pastels to the Roman ruins that still linger, it is a site for the eyes.  We visited Arles, a place once inhabited by the Romans and a plethora of artists including Vincent Van Gogh (it is where he painted the famed  Cafe Terrace at Night).  It was pure pleasure to wonder the narrow streets and stumble upon a Roman amphitheater (that is still used today!) or the best open-air food market that I have ever seen - artichokes! lemons! cheese! bread! melons! (the list went on an on).  All I needed was a kitchen.  Our stay was not long enough, I hope to return to this section of France once again but visit Avignon, Aix, and St. Remy.  If you are looking for a boutique hotel to stay, I recommend the Hotel d’Arlatan, it was a relaxing and beautiful space.  Okay, now I officially have the travel bug once again...

Portofino, Italy

The beauty of Portofino was exactly as I had dreamed it would be – still  turquoise water, Italianate mansions perched high atop a cliff and a enlivening breeze of lemon blossoms and salt water.  We drove from Genoa to Portofino with a goal of laying in the sun, lingering over a long afternoon lunch (that was finished with gelato) and climbing to the top of the hillside to see the view from up above.  The end of May is the near the end of the mid-season and right before high-season which allowed us to spend an entire day not completely overwhelmed by fellow tourists.  We ended up hiking from Santa Margarita, a beautiful seaside town just under two miles away from the port town of Portofino.  The trail we hiked took us high into the hills where all you could hear are birds chirping and the invigorating smell of the water and towering cypress trees.  Like that of the Cinque Terre you enter Portofino from the top and make your way down the hill, where you are quickly surrounded by luxury boutiques and outdoor cafés.  A hike to Castello San Giorgio is definitely something that anyone exploring the town should do since it gives way to one of the best views of the port.  The colorful architecture of Portofino is very unique.  The facades are painted in tromp l’oeil and are made to look as if they actually have textural details.   Here are some of the moments that captured the beauty of this stunning Italian locale.  

Jardins des Tuilleries, Paris

Wandering around Paris it is hard not to get pulled into the beauty of the Jardins des Tuilleries, a vast garden oasis stretching from the Louvre to the Place de la Concorde.  Dotted with fountains, sculpted boxwoods, blooming flowers (ruffled garden roses, heady lavender and pink fox glove were in full bloom in May) and green iron chairs that are spread out so the modern day flâneur can relax and take in the beauty of their surroundings. Meanwhile, gardeners are out in full-force manicuring even the littlest corners to make sure that its perfected beauty remains that way.   During the day, the garden is bustling with tourists and Parisians alike, but come sunset or sunrise it is the perfect place to take in a deep breath and enjoy a few minutes of peace, where you can hear the water splashing from the fountain and the birds chirping from high above the linden trees. 

Our Wedding (Part III) :: The Little Details

Happy Monday everyone, I hope that you had a great weekend! Since it was such a beautiful weekend, I tried to spend as much time outside as I could, including a nice Father's Day brunch on our terrace and a stroll down by the river and a visit with the family to the Smorgasburg.  I am excited to bring you the last installment of our wedding which includes the details that made our day special. You can check out my wedding photographs here and decoration here.  

Romantic, rustic with a touch of whimsey was the feeling that I really wanted to create in each detail  of our wedding.  Since we were getting married in a rose garden, I wanted to incorporate a concise floral theme, consisting of season garden roses and peonies by adding a rose botanical print for both our wedding pamphlet and our menu cards.  For our favors, I wanted to tie it back to the venue where we had our dinner, Frankie's 457, a fantastic restaurant that also produces their own olive oil in Italy.  I decanted olive oil into small bottles and added a custom floral label that was placed at each setting.

Palais Royal, Paris :: A Quiet Morning with the Roses

One morning, I woke up early and ventured out when Paris was just beginning to awake to revel in the beauty of the Palais Royal.  I first experienced this garden in the fall and was struck by it's manicured beauty - the perfectly shaped linden trees, the fountains and how it offered a quiet respite from the city, but I had no idea what spring had in store.  The space was practically my own except for the few joggers doing laps with their happy dogs or the older man taking a morning stroll before the crowds slowly make the garden their own. The garden was overflowing with fragrant roses in the lightest pinks to vibrant crimson, their beauty left me breathless.   Here is just a peak into this garden oasis that to me is a little slice of heaven.  

Our Wedding (Part I) :: Our Dinner Decor

Well, we are back! After a wedding that felt like a fairy tale and a honeymoon that was stretched out for nearly two weeks in France and Italy, I have many amazing stories to tell.  They say your wedding day is one of the best days of your life and I could not have agreed more.  Not only did I marry the most amazing man and my best friend, but I was surrounded by the people that mean the most to me.  In order to tell how everything unfolded I am going to break it up into three parts starting with the reception decor.  And the honeymoon, oh, stay tuned! I took so many photos to try to capture the beauty of France and Italy and I hope that I was able to do it justice.  

When choosing our wedding venue the most important thing was that it was a reflection of who we were as a couple.  We decided to forgo the traditional reception and do a dinner where there conversation would be flowing, the location a bit rustic and the food would be exceptional.   Frankie's 457 in Brooklyn was an easy choice, not because it is around the corner from where we live but because it had everything that we wanted and more - exposed brick, long tables, a European flair (we adore the rambling grape vines and twinkling Thomas Edison style lights that create a romantic ambiance) and delicious food that would have our guests talking for months to come.  Since I have a great love for styling, flowers and baking, I decided to take on all three - it might seem crazy for a bride to do such a thing but this is something that I live for and being a bit particular (okay huge perfectionist!) I wanted to be the one behind the scenes, plus this is something I would dream of doing one day.