That was amazing! What a beautiful dress...Pipa's too, and the sermon, the hats, precious choir, the grace, the grandeur, her elegance, the splendor of all of it--pure perfection. Quite the attractive couple...So fun! What a great way to start the weekend-- wishing you a happy one! 



credits:
dress link
msnbc.com

What A Wonderful World....

This may be the best trip idea I have ever seen or could imagine... 

...Taking a cruise on the Halong Violet up Ha Long Bay, Vietnam...

 "It's a traditional Asian sailboat ["junk boat"] that's been outfitted with six ultra-luxe suites, and it's fabulous. The highlight of our trip was visiting Cua Van, a floating fishing village, where the chef caught fish to cook for us to eat. At night, the boat pulled up to an ancient cave with unbelievable stalactites and stalagmites for a traditional barbecue dinner served under romantic candlelight."--Jeff Klein, Departures

I love everything about the statement above and while I can't even begin to comprehend the sheer magic and majesty of the whole experience, I'm still having a fun time trying...maybe some day...oh! wonder where the royals will be heading...hmm


Credits:
halongbaytour.com
hanumantourism.com
halongviolet.com
Departures Magazine

"iMasterpieces"

David Hockney "iMasterpieces"
All created via the "Brushes" app for iphone.

Pretty crazy...thoughts on the concept of actually collecting these as art for your "second [virtual] life?"..A bit strange if you ask me...I prefer first life, at least when I'm not blogging or Facebooking.......

credits:

iphonepaintings.com

picture of hockney

Charleston Re-Cap

Back after quite the weekend in Charleston.... A place that is as young and fun as it is charming and historic...not to mention delicious. 

The wedding could not have been more beautiful

 with a beaming bride in a gorgeous gown,

 an elegant setting looking out across water reflecting a setting sun,

and an incredible band... and of course wildly fun nights with friends to replenish happiness and laughter reserves until next time... 


A few links to recommendations we had and/or tried if you're heading to Charleston any time soon...and if you are, please invite me:
Blossom
Caviar and Bananas
Five Loaves
Crue Cafe
Husk Restaurant
Fig
La Fourchette
Monza






Photos:
Jen Shad 
and myself

Brilliant Birds

As someone with a number of photos saved to my desktop simply because of pretty colors often in unexpected combinations, I found myself on a pleasant Google path yesterday. Thanks to a Blue Jay who visited our patio and the glass door between us, I fell privy to his lengthy stay, able to observe closely all of his remarkable detail and vibrancy. 

And there began a hiatus from looking for beautiful colors in the form of gowns and handbags in favor of the absolutely amazing colors that mysteriously exist in plenty and perfection in a natural source of beauty. The combinations are endless. 

Isn't it just amazing?

Links for photos:
blue jay link
cardinal link
 unidentified bright bird
Orange bird link
Grey, red, white link
second fruit dove link
parakeet link
purple finch
zebra finch
white parrot
hummingbird

One Day...

...I wouldn't mind being completely surrounded with books, and the time and focus to read them all...

decorati.com

designerlightsonline.com

ourshopblog.blogspot.com

lonny.com

habituallychic.blogspot.com

theselby.com

Happy Monday

Fiesta is officially over... let the exhaustion begin. So this Monday, I suspect there are several of you who might enjoy a little pick me up to ease your way back into real life... so I present to you the funniest videos I so happily received last week from Alo Smith and Muffin.
"Two Dogs Dining In a Busy Restaurant"-- you will not be able to keep a straight face.

and Muffin's elephant:

Timeless Treasures...

Last night was spectacular. One of those rare times in these casual days when words like "stunning" and "exquisite" come skipping hand-in-hand out of your mouth without any airs of pretension or over-exaggeration. Confident in their placement they find themselves in the right place at the right time, genuinely describing a feeling of awe and admiration of beauty-- a beauty unique in its connectedness to culture and craft, youth and tradition, history and of course, art.  

What a gift to see an unimaginable amount of hours worth of thoughtful research articulated through design and artistic execution that results in a kind of magical perfection that I'm skeptical exists in this fashion anywhere else.

The appreciation feels instinctual of beauty wrapped vibrantly in sophisticated whimsy that one could only hope for or expect from a Court of Timeless Treasures, and achieves an element of fun that may only happen in a place like San Antonio.... 

...and so I guess all I can really say to that is...Viva....

Hope you are having a Happy Fiesta!