Thursday, November 28, 2013

New Orleans

 
Cindy's house in New Orleans is absolutely amazing. It is 173 years old!!! It was first built in 1839 for a baker who owned a bakery on Bourbon Street. However, he lost it and the property was auctioned off by his creditors. Louis Janin, an attorney, purchased the house and completed the row of the three houses.
 
Can you believe this beautiful property sat vacant for over 50 years?!!! Cindy purchased the property in 1990 and began renovating the house back to its full beauty. She did a splendid job as you can see.
 
 
 





 








Monday, October 21, 2013

For the Tennis Lover

There is something I love more than words could describe. I love playing tennis. And if you play tennis you know just how addicting the game can be. All tennis players think about is when the next time they can get to the court and who they can call to play.

We are a tennis family and I'm constantly looking for cute tennis gifts for the holidays, birthdays, etc.. As I was looking for tennis accessories I came across these cute items. I immediately thought of Christmas as it is quickly approaching.


I really think these would make an adorable splash as stocking stuffers this year. Are they not too cute?!! You can find them at www.sugarpova.com




Another fabulous gift are these cute flip flops. I love toting a pair of flip flops in my tennis bag during summer. Especially after I've played on a clay court (messy for the car). These would make a statement on the court. I located them at www.womenstennisworld.com


 
 
 
 

 
 

This is a really wonderful tennis bag. I actually purchased this exact bag from my tennis club. I constantly get compliments on it. My husband and I went on trip to the Caribbean over the summer and I used it as a carry-on as well. You'd be surprised how much you can fit in this bag. You can order it from the parent company at www.ameandlulu.com
 
 
 
I don't know about you but I adore stationary. It is one of my guilty pleasures. I keep fine stationary in my closet and enjoy sending people hand written notes. There is nothing as special as receiving an unexpected written correspondence in the mail. Stationary also is a way to express yourself in style and hobbies. I purchased this box set from www.crane.com
 
 
Last but not least, I came across this unique little tennis ball cake. The thing that I like most about it is the size. You could have a bakery create individual size tennis ball cakes for your family & friends. I don't have a website for this but I'm sure any local bakery could make this cake for you.
 
Hope you enjoyed my post!
 

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Charlotte Olympia


I absolutely love shoes. Shoes are a way to express your hobbies, mood, and personality. Shoes can make an ordinary outfit into an extraordinary one. This is why I consider Charlotte Olympia a true artist. She creates amazing shoe art. And instead of hanging her masterpieces across your walls, you can display them to the world on your feet. What a fantastic way to bring style and art together.









Saturday, August 24, 2013

The House of Faberge

A few weeks ago my husband had business around the museum district in Houston, Texas. I was thrilled that he suggested that we take in a few exhibits at the Science Museum. Houston truly has a wonderful museum district if you are ever looking for something to do or just get out of the Texas heat (especially in the summer).

To my surprise they had on display pieces from The House of Faberge. It was one of those "meant to be" moments as I adore Faberge. I honestly love Russian history and the scandalous historical events that wraps around Faberge and the Romanov family has always fascinated me. It is full of the things I love most, royals, palaces, a murder plot, and jewels. It would have made a great Hollywood movie but unfortunately it isn't make believe but a real family (sad).

 
 


The House of Faberge is known for their Imperial Easter Eggs designed for the Romanov family in the late 19th century. I can't imagine what Russia was like during that era. It must have been something else to see some of those palaces prior to the war. I think Russia has amazing artists and musicians. They have interesting architecture as well. It would have been a great sight to see it in the glory days.


 

 
 
The exhibit had displayed over 350 pieces. One of my favorites were the 2 eggs, a Diamond Trellis Imperial Egg and a Kelch Egg. They were gorgeous!!!

 
 
 

However, my favorite piece was the Empress Josephine Tiara. If I were a royal I would wear a tiara 24/7 and would even sleep in it. However, it might look a little funny on the tennis court or in my Pilates class, ha.

 
Here are a few other pieces we got the opportunity to view



 


 




I would love to have some of the jewelry I saw in the glass cases. I don't know if you are anything like me but I am a girl who loves diamonds. The last picture is a pendant that also was one of my favorites.


 

Friday, August 23, 2013

Our Summer

I use to be a huge blogger a couple of years ago. I had so much fun sharing and connecting with old and new friends over like interests. However, I got busy and soon enough my blog(s) sort of just sat on the shelf. After a long break, I thought it would be fun to have a fresh new start. So much has changed in my life as I reconnect with the blogging world. I hope everyone will join me as I jump back into the cyber world.

August is coming to an end so I suppose I'll start off with telling everyone about our summer. We had an amazing season. We spent the majority of our summer in Europe, mostly in Germany. We leased an apartment in Berlin (Charlottenburg area) while my husband was studying abroad. I honestly can't begin to tell you what I enjoyed most about our stay because it was all so much fun.



The architecture is incredible in Europe. I wish we had such beauty in the States. Don't get me wrong, I love the United States and all the wonderful history we have but it is just different. We are so very young compared to the rest of the word. My husband and I spent countless hours touring the museums on Museum Island. I thought we'd have plenty of time during the summer to see everything but surprisingly enough we didn't see half of what Berlin had to offer. Berlin is so enriched with history that it would take years to visit each and every sight. And that would be a full time job.

 
 
One of the most impressive exhibits that we saw was the original Babylon Gates at the Pergamon Museum. The Ishtar Gate was the eighth gate to enter Babylon under Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar II.


The dark blue glazed bricks were stunning in person. Below are random pictures I took in multiple museums. I have hundreds of shots but I thought I'd just share a couple.

 
 

We also attended the opera one evening. It was without a doubt one of the most entertaining operas I've ever seen. The talent that these performers have is quite impressive. The name of the opera was called, "Ball of Savoy." If you ever find yourself in Berlin with a free night, please do yourself a favor and check out the Berlin Opera. You will not be disappointed.

 
 
 


 
One of the most wonderful pros of attending the Berlin Opera House is that they have screens in the back of the seats. You punch in the language you speak and it will translate for you. Isn't that awesome?!!!

We also had the opportunity to visit our friends in Switzerland. I must say that the Swiss are lucky to live in such a beautiful country. And not only do they live in such a gorgeous place but they have delicious chocolate too.
 
 
 
 
The rest of our summer we spent working on our tennis game. My husband's backhand has really improved so it looks like I'm in trouble. Thankfully we found a great pro that has been helping me with my serves. Now if only we can do something about this heat. I'm looking forward to fall and the cooler temps.

My hubby is completing his last semester of law school. He started back to school Wednesday. I'm  beyond thrilled that this is going to be the last year. He is graduating early and I couldn't be prouder. I know I might sound bias, being his wife and all, but I really believe he'll make an incredible attorney.

Well, that seems to be the majority of things. You have officially been caught up with our household.

Cheers!