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Nov 5, 2012

Southern Hospitality

Sorry I have missed a few posts this past week! Over the weekend, Coach and I joined many of our closest friends at a destination wedding in Charlotte, North Carolina. What a whirlwind weekend, packed full of partying and fun, as we were treated to not only a spectacular wedding, but also a lovely rehearsal dinner, hosted by the parents of the groom. I have so many photos! Too many for one post, so today I will share the rehearsal dinner, which took place in the Charlotte Trolley Museum.

Upon entering, we were greeted by an authentic antique yellow trolley

a throwback to an era when streetcars were the people movers through the Queen City named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz…

featuring aged leather seats, wooden flooring…

and a vintage conductor’s cap and coat hanging at the ready. “All aboard!”

The decor was autumn- themed, featuring these gorgeous centerpieces

glass vessels filled with flowers, berries and leaves, adding touches of brilliant fall colors.

The dinner? Southern fried chicken, BBQ pork, hush puppies and amazing mac and cheese- all scrumptious southern comfort food. For dessert, luscious pecan bars and these adorable sunflower cupcakes with an M&M ladybug- so cute!

As favors for the guests, these little surprise packages filled with a favorite treat of the bride’s: gummy bears : ) This dinner was such an unexpected treat, oozing that southern hospitality we northerners hear so much about! If this was any indication of the wedding bash to come, we were certainly in for another fab evening! But for that, you’all will have to come back tomorrow : ) Have a great Monday! Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: Charlotte, Fall Centerpieces, North Carolina, Rehearsal Dinner, southern hospitality, Sunflower cupcakes, Trolley Museum

Oct 31, 2012

Halloween Happenings!

By countrydesignhome · 1 Comment

It’s Wanderlust Wednesday, and we are off to..where else…Salem, Massachusetts! The Halloween Capital of the World! For 11 months of the year, Salem is just another beautiful seafaring city along the North Shore of Boston. A favorite year-round tourist destination, Salem features many unique attractions, like Pickering Wharf, filled with boutiques and restaurants

Salem Willows, a beautiful ocean-side park

with an old-fashioned arcade

and the House of Seven Gables– the home of Susanna Ingersoll, cousin to Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Hawthorne’s frequent visits to this home are credited with inspiring the setting and title of his 1851 gothic novel The House of the Seven Gables.

Ah, but come the month of October, the city comes alive with the sights and sounds of Haunted Happenings, Salem’s homage to all things Halloweeny (Click here for all the official event information)

There are costume balls

The Devils Run road race

and thousands of costumed tourists flocking to the city to join in the festivities…

but also to visit and tour the Witch House (the only structure still standing with direct ties to the witch trials of the 1600’s.)

and the Salem Witch Museum where you will learn the true story of the Witch Hysteria of 1692.Salem, of course, is home to the notorious Salem Witch Trials that took place in the 1600’s, when twenty innocent men and women were put to death under suspicion of witchcraft.

Modern-day witches, such as Laurie Cabot, “The Official Witch of Salem”

(as proclaimed by Governor Dukakis in the 1970’s), have fared much better than their ancestral counterparts. The city itself has embraced its historic heritage and is nicknamed “Witch City”, and hosts a multitude of witch shops that feature all things witchcraft and offer Psychic Readings. Tonight, on Salem Commons, you can join in the Salem Witch’s Samhain Celebration (where you will find the true history, based in Celtic roots, of the holiday we now know as Halloween).

But if you don’t want to brave the post-Sandy weather, and the horrifically haunted crowds tonight, you can visit Invocation Creation, where you will learn more about Psychic Readings and Tarot and the practice of modern-day witchcraft. The information is spell-binding!

Ok, time to get my costume ready for work. I am going as a middle-aged blogger/health-care provider. Can’t get much scarier than that! Have a “spook”tacular (and safe) Halloween!! Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: Halloween, Haunted Happenings, Invocation Creation, Laurie Cabot, Massachusetts, Salem, Witch Museum, Witch Trials, Witchcraft

Oct 10, 2012

From Russia with Love

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On this week’s episode of Wanderlust Wednesday, we are off to the magnificent city of St. Petersburg, Russia, one of the stops on our Baltic Sea Princess Cruise. Touring for two days, there was so much to see, and to share, so today I will just show photos from the State Hermitage Museum. This simple bronze sign on the building’s facade shows no indication of what awaits inside.

Begun with a collection of art from Catherine the Great, and housing over 3 million works of art and artefacts of world culture, this is one of the great museums on the planet. Oppulent cannot even begin to describe the decor- every surface glimmered in 24k gold.

Spectacular chandeliers graced every room.

With only half a day to spend touring here, we were limited to the main building, The Winter Palace. Greeted at the entrance by these enchanting dancers,

we kept pace with our tour guide, walking through room after impressive room, filled with velvet and gold

at breakneck speed, snapping pics along the way while she pointed out the works of famous artists and sculptors: “We’re walking, we’re walking, keep moving folks! Here are the Picassos…

oh, and here is the Renoir collection (this happens to be one of my own personal favs: “Boy With A Whip”)

Would you like to see Michaelangelo’s “The Crouching Boy”

Or perhaps Leonardo Da Vinci’s Madonna and Child!?

“We’re walking, folks, please keep up!” Overwhelming is probably the best way to describe this day at the museum.

So much to see,

so little time.

At one point I believe our guide said it would actually take someone a full year to see this museum’s collection in its entirety. Certainly not going to happen in half a day! Following our whirlwind tour, we were treated to lunch at Cafe Literaturnoye, a spot frequented by the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.

We were bearly able to relax with some Russian vodka before we were back onto the bus for the rest of our tour! You’ll have to tune in next week for the castles and churches of from Russia with Love. In the meantime, I think I may have some of that vodka left…time for a martini!?! Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: DaVinci, Michaelangelo, Museum, Picasso, Renoir, Russia, Russian Vodka, St. Petersburg, The State Hermitage

Oct 4, 2012

The Luckiest

By countrydesignhome · 1 Comment

“And where was I before the day
That I first saw your lovely face?
Now I see it everyday
And I know
That I am, I am, I am The Luckiest” Ben Folds

In this Year Of The Weddings, 2012, last Saturday’s nuptials were just as charming and fun as the young couple-Chris and Amy- who declared their vows before loving family and friends at a pretty little church in our hometown. Chris, who’s nickname is Lucky, was lucky enough to have found his true love, Amy- and it is clear that the same holds true for her.

Following the ceremony, we were off to the Danversport Yacht Club

for the reception, a beautiful venue on the North Shore of Boston with landscaped outdoor grounds overlooking the water.

A perfect greeting when we first entered the venue: strawberries and champagne

The centerpieces were colorful orchids floating in clear cylinders with a candle that burned all night!

The bridal party’s bouquets were a perfect complement to their deep aubergine dresses.

The first dance by the new bride and her groom. It is evident just seeing them together how perfectly meant for each other they truly are.

The sweetheart table photo cake- created by yours truly- was a surprise for the bride and groom, orchestrated by his mom and me.

Covered with black and white photos of them as children and the beautiful young couple they are today made for a fitting centerpiece. The topper was their invitation on one side and a current photo of them on the other.

The real (scrumptious) wedding cake provided by Cakes for Occasions. I love the We Do little love birds on the top- so cute!

The mark of a great wedding is when the dance floor is still full while the DJ is playing his last call dance.

Great wedding, great music, great family and friends, great food, and a great time was had by all. Congratulations to the luckiest couple! Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: bride and groom, Cakes for Occasions, centerpieces, Danversport Yacht Club, wedding, wedding cake

Oct 1, 2012

Beachy Bridal Bliss

By countrydesignhome · 2 Comments

This past weekend was a bridal blowout, with a fabulous wedding on Saturday and a beautiful bridal shower on Sunday. Boy, are my feet killing me from wearing heels all weekend- couldn’t wait to get back into my sneakers! The shower, held at The Rudder in Gloucester, with a view of Rocky Neck harbor, was in honor of my lovely niece Lindsey and her awesome fiance Matt,

who are being married on the island of St. John USVI at the end of November. So naturally, the shower’s decorations, all hand-crafted by the mother of the bride, her gorgeous sisters Jamie and Sarah

and her bridal party, were natural and beachy. So cute! Our takeaways were bottles of wine with specially printed labels- Eat, Drink and Be Married- LOVE THIS!!

They were wrapped in hand-made and stenciled burlap bags, tied with jute and a starfish bottle stopper.

And for the little girls, there was soda pop with special labels-colorful and cute.

The tables were decked out in white linen cloths and hand-fringed burlap runners, with stunning white arrangements of hydrangeas

and white flower bouquets surrounded by white votives.

Handpainted driftwood signs- perfect for a beach theme!

The cake. AMAZING. Delicious and gorgeous!

So after eating and drinking my way through this weekend, the reality sunk has in that in two months time, I will be on a beach in St. John. Found an amazing dress. To make it work, I need a tan and a waist. Sparkpeople here I come! Anyone care to join me?!?

The Turquoise Project. Two Months. Twenty Pounds.

Any words of wisdom, help or encouragement would be greatly appreciated. The countdown begins today. Wish me luck. I’ll keep you posted! Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized ·

Sep 26, 2012

Sweet Switzerland

By countrydesignhome · 3 Comments

On this week’s episode of Wanderlust Wednesday:

A couple of summers ago, when Coach and I were headed to Italy for a family vacation, we decided to take the “long way” and fly to Amsterdam, followed by a train trip to Zurich

and then another train ride through the Alps to Milan, Italy.

Coach and I are often the topic of our friends’ travel jokes, as many of our trips are truly on planes, trains and automobiles and well, boats. The plus side? You use frequent flyer miles so it’s cheap and you get to see more stuff. The down side? A quick trip across the pond can turn into a mecca. C’est La Vie. Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy the view.

The movie Heidi, starring Shirley Temple, was a favorite when I was young, and Switzerland was definitely on our bucket list, so a stop there made perfect sense. And so, although we only stayed one day and night, we had a chance to tour the beautiful city of Zurich. The city streets were lined with colorful buildings,

Swiss flags in full display

and even an occasional cow on a condo balcony. (I have no explanation for this)

Zurich is a city that is, in reality, as breathtaking as the postcards and travel posters would have you believe.

Our hotel, the Schweizerhof, was situated directly across from the train station, which made for easy transport of our luggage. Oh, wait, that’s right, the airline LOST our luggage in Amsterdam, so we arrived with only carryon bags in tow. I spent the entire day fretting about how I was going to have to go shopping to replace everything I had packed for our Tuscan vacation. Do you have any idea how expensive Switzerland is?!?So while I obsessed, we strolled through the city, from our lovely hotel at one end, to stunning Lake Zurich at the other. The shopping and tourist district flanks both sides of the Limmat River that flows through the center of Zurich.

Coach and I stopped for lunch at the outdoor Cafe Odeon. Apparently many famous personalities have graced the patios of this eating establishment, including Albert Einstein, James Joyce and Mussolini (I guess that explains the great train system). I am going to assume that most were smart enough not to order this gigantic Bagel Bacon Cheeseburger that Coach did. Gross.

When I think Swiss, I think of two things: watches

and of course, Swiss chocolate. Seriously!?! Have you ever seen a more exquisite candy storefront than this?

Rows upon rows of chocolate-dipped fruits and cookies enticed shoppers to come in for a tasty sampling.

As the day turned to dusk, the buildings along the river glowed in the evening sunset.

Coach and I retreated to our hotel, only to discover that our luggage had not yet been found. Until 2AM. Knock on the door. Luggage outside. Yay! In the morning we took our trains to Florence, Italy, where we picked up our car to head to San Giminano. All of a sudden, Coach reaches into the pocket of his shorts and pulls out this GIANT 3# metal key fob from our Zurich Hotel!! Room 522. Yikes!

A great (unintended) souvenir of our stay in sweet Switzerland. If anyone is heading to Zurich, let me know. I’ll give you the key to return it. In the meantime, always remember to find joy in your journey, no matter how long it may take. Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: chocolate, Europe, Lake Zurich, Limmat RIver, Rolex, Switzerland, Zurich

Sep 19, 2012

Essential Estonia

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When we first saw Tallin, Estonia listed on our itinerary for last summer’s Baltic Sea Princess Cruise, I thought “Hey, isn’t Estonia that fake country that was in “The Princess Diaries!?” (actually, that was Genovia). Having never even heard of it, we really didn’t know what to expect until we approached the docks, spying the ancient towers of the town of the capital city of Tallin in the distance. Once inside the walled city

we were instantly transported back in time, surrounded by great stone churches including St. Olav’s Church– and yes, we did climb all the way to the top of the tower!

Climbing that narrow stone stairways was most definitely not for the faint of heart…but well worth the trip- what a view from the top!!)

360 degrees of spectacular sights greeted us

from the docks to the city center (thankfully there was a grill at the very top, so no chance of toppling out!)

We strolled through the walled city

taking in all the sights, including the chunky tower know affectionately as Fat Margaret – can you see where she gets her name?and the bustling Town Hall Square filled with shops and tourists alike.

The stunningly colorful architecture gives you the illusion of being on some medieval movie set,

I think Shrek and donkey may have gotten lost …

Although the official languages are Estonian and Russian, most of the vendors and townspeople spoke English, so it was quite easy to navigate our way around through the city, shop the local artisans

and dine in the famous Olde Hansa.

Our lunch at Olde Hansa was one of the highlights of the day, sitting in the brilliant sunshine, enjoying the local cuisine. Although we passed on the Wild Boar and Rabbit Roast, we did enjoy a platter of oven-baked cheeses and herb beer. We tried to buy these amazing mugs at the restaurant shop, but they were not for sale!

If anyone knows a potter who could replicate these, let me know- they were fantastic!! What we did purchase was this hand-wrought, iron and copper candle lantern that now hangs proudly in our kitchen.

The salesclerk literally took it down from the wall and wrapped it up, screws and all, for us to take home. Try explaining that bundle to airport security. So another great stop on our Baltic Sea tour, Estonia definitely being one of the highlights of our trip. And that’s no bull!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday… Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: Baltic Sea, Estonia, Fat Margaret, medieval, Princess Cruise, Russia, St. Olav's Church, Tallinn, walled city

Aug 22, 2012

Amo Venizia! (I love Venice!)

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For my recent birthday celebration, I was treated by my children to an “Evening in Italy” at a friend’s spectacular home in the North End of Boston. Prociutto-wrapped melon, pesto tortellini and hand-tossed pizzas were on the menu, all created by our lovely host Holly, who had spent some time with us in during our recent trip to Italy. Inspired by the stunning Murano Glass chandelier that proudly hangs in her space, this week for Wanderlust Wednesday we are off to Venice, Italy! During our recent trip Under the Tuscan Sun, we took advantage of the amazing train systems that criss-cross the country and make travel easy, dependable and affordable. Zurich to Milan to Florence and then, to the final stop on our tour: Venezia!

Stepping out of the railway station, you instantly see all the hustle and bustle of a major city, with people and vehicles moving about at a rapid pace. It takes another moment before you realize that the “vehicles” are actually boats moving up and down the Grand Canal, the main thoroughfare in Venice. Every size boat, from water taxis to cruise ships to the famous gondolas, make their way along the walls and under the bridges, with nary a close call. Our first ride? The water taxi. Shiny. Sleek. Sexy. Did you see The Tourist with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie? Yup, I know, probably not. Well, we did! We rode on those very boats featured in the film! We were able to enjoy the local architecture from below sea level, which only added to the wonder of a city built on water.

During the day, the city vibrates with the hustle and bustle of locals and tourists flocking to St. Marks Square to feed the famous pigeons,

and to visit the Doges Palace,the spectacular St. Marks Cathedral,

and take in the rooftop views of the Grand Canal from the highest point in the Campanille (the bell tower).

Of course, a visit to Venice would not be complete without a ride on the famous Gondolas, for centuries the chief means of transportation in and around the city. Each gondola is exquisitely painted and decorated and steered by the gondoliers, typically costumed in their striped shirts and straw hats.

When the sun sets and night falls, Venice takes on a sense of mystery, as boats glide silently on the blackened waters of the Canal, delivering passengers to their local hotels and inns carved into the city’s banks. We spent our nights at the charming Hotel Villa Laguna

on the Lido, which was easily accessible by water taxi or valporetta (the transit system of barges that moves quickly and efficiently along the canal).

Venice is an extraordinary city on the water and one that we eagerly anticipate visiting again.

We all agreed that Venice was Bellissimo!!! Susanna

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: Gondolas, Grand Canal, Italy, Lido, Murano Glass, Venice, Villa Laguna

Aug 15, 2012

Finding Finland

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On this week’s editon of Wanderlust Wednesday, we are headed for Helsinki, Finland! I have to admit that, prior to our Baltic Sea Princess Cruise, I had no inkling of the beauty of these capital cities. This the the downtown market square where locals sell lovely hand-crafted items along the waterfront.

Helsinki, Finland is a port city founded in 1550, that became the capital in 1812. It is resplendant in ancient architecture,

museums and spectacular churches. We happened upon this photo shoot at the steps of the cathedral. Does the bride’s dress not appear as if it could float away on one of those clouds!? So pretty!

We disembarked from the cruise ship, and headed into town (well, at least that’s where we thought we were headed.) We ended up taking the long way around, finally making our way to the market square, thanks to a lovely local lady…but we did see some nice boats, so there was that!

Once Coach and I actually found the dock area, we then took the ferry to Suomenlinna Fort one of the main attractions of Helsinki. Now Coach, being a history teacher, really does appreciate a good fort. But I do have to say, this one was quite extraordinary. The architecture and the views were nothing short of spectacular. Built in the 18th century, the military fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is home to approx. 900 Finns who live and work there. The fort is (naturally) surrounded by water, and has spectacular 360 degrees of views of the inner harbor area.

This sentinel holds watch over the incoming ships.

Taking the ferry back to the mainland, we strolled through the streets and marveled at the gardens, (I always wonder what the views are for a pigeon perched on the head of a statesman?)

the statues and fountains in the city center.

Apparently it is a yearly tradition to add soap bubbles to this fountain (a protest to the suggestive pose). The sea lions find this quite amusing : )

Saying goodbye to beautiful Helsinki!

On to our next port… Happy sailing! Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: Baltic Capital, Finland, Helsinki, Princess Cruise, travel

Jul 10, 2012

Where’d she go this week? I dunno, Alaska!!

By countrydesignhome · 5 Comments

Old corny joke. I know. But it kept running through my head as I was writing this blog post. It’s Wanderlust Wednesday, and this week we are off to the great state of Alaska! America’s 49th state.

The Last Frontier. Home of Mt. McKinley – @ 20,320 feet (6,194 m) above sea level – the highest point in the USA. Although Alaska is the largest state in square miles, it is 48th in population. Alaska borders Canada to the East and the Pacific Ocean and Arctic Sea, but no other US states. And contrary to popular belief, you cannot see Russia from your back porch.

A few years back, we had the amazing opportunity to cruise with Princess through the fjords and glacial passages of Alaska.

Forget what you’ve seen in travel brochures and read in glossy magazines. There is no way to accurately portray the immense beauty, the pristine countryside, the majestic mountains of this great state unless you have seen them with your own eyes.

Whether we were river rafting next to a glacier

soaring to new heights (no I was not on that plane, have a hard enough time getting on a 747!!)

panning for gold

and that’s what we got (certainly not enough for the new bracelet I had in mind!)

mushing with the dogs (It was summer, so no snow- but it still was fun!)

sailing away at sunset

…we were never out of sight of some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world.

As our ship made its way into the Fjords, the spectacular glaciers came into full focus.

Mountains peaks of turquoise blue, black and white ice,

with melting sections “calving” into the water with deafening crashes.

The Mendenhall Glacier

Our Inside Passage cruise from Whittier to Vancouver, British Columbia took us to Juneau, the state capitol,

Skagway … part of the setting for Jack London‘s book The Call of the Wild.

and Ketchikan known for it’s Alaskan Native Culture and Salmon Fishing.

Each stop along the way was rich with scenic vistas

and local customs and history, including the Totem Bight State Historical Park

Mt. McKinley again! Apparently people travel from all over the world to view and climb the majestic Mt. McKinley. We were told that some folks visit for years and never actually see it, due to constant cloud cover. Every time we walked outdoors, someone said, “Hey, look at that, it’s Mt. McKinely again!” The highest mountain in North America, Mt. McKinley has been the goal of aspiring high altitude climbers since it was first climbed in 1913. Its reputation as a highly coveted summit derives from its location near the Arctic Circle and the Pacific Ocean giving it some of the most ferocious weather in the world. Because of its weather and ease of access, some climbers use McKinley as a training ground for climbing the 8,000 meter peaks of the Himalaya, including Everest.