i LOVE New York

The LOVE pop art piece by Robert Indiana on the corner of Sixth Avenue & 55th Street has been here for years yet I'd never photographed the famous sculpture. So as an addition to The 365 Project I snapped a few shots before continuing downtown for some shopping. Anyone else visit this famous corner in Manhattan or other interesting art space? Share your pics on my FB Wall with a note! 

Happy Valentine's everybody :-)

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Manhattan Skyline

Twilight on 5th Ave. overlooking Central Park... what a view indeed. When it's time for me to move in, I'll invite everyone over for a grand soirée! Haha.. Have a positively rich weekend everyone :-)

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photo via French Vogue

New Orleans Revelry

Speaking of masks, New Orleans must be a fun place to celebrate Halloween, right? I went in September though and the first order of things: the colorful, loud, feathery, kitschy shops! I usually hate those, but c'mon, it's part of the culture here.. how do you like my necklace? :-P... A walk through the French Quarter with its elaborate iron details and beautiful architecture lead to the old slave-auction site which now houses an outdoor market. I searched high and low for some real voodoo stuff but no luck. And yes, that is in fact a man in full feather gear of some sort.. The Big Easy indeed.

Day-Tripping in Philly

One of my favorite things about traveling is finding cool little places with unique trinkets that I can bring back home. I absolutely fell in love with The Little Apple, a boutique of new, vintage and repurposed pieces, such as a gorgeous Hollywood film set room divider. There were vintage postcards, artsy wine bags, great jewelry, coffee table books, etc. Molly, the delightful shopkeeper and owner stocks the shelves with such fantastic things that I wished I could bring the whole store back with me in a shopping bag. I even wanted to take the dog, LoL!

I Heart Street Art : Manayunk

A quick day trip to Manyaunk, a small neighborhood in Philadelphia, lands you smack dab in the middle of some really cool street art. Besides already having art covering some buildings and walls, the Mural Arts Project is an additional effort to infuse this chill Philly outpost with new and innovative public art. 

A Vintage Style Bath & Body Boutique

Happy Monday guys! Isn't this the most romantic little boutique ever? I found it while traveling through Carmel, California but unfortunately it was closed. I would've loved to come out with a shopping bag or two of fine soaps and vanity pieces.  I found some interesting history on the store and its name, with possible plans to add an intimate retreat with spa services and tea room. The vintage style and pretty little details are so sweet, don't you think?... Wish it were in New York!

Cute Illustrated Maps by English Muffin

How cute is this European map from English Muffin Shop? I've always had a fascination with geography and globes, etc.  Love how pretty and colorful these are.

Glen Oaks : An Eco-Friendly Hotel

After a good, long day we settled in at Glen Oaks, the next best thing if you don't want to spend on luxury accommodations but still want comfort. It's eco-friendly, beautifully designed, modern, uber- clean (very important!) and didn't cost $500 p/nt for such amenities. I loved the hints of retro and traditional outdoorsy decor and overall, was a fully modern hotel housed in cute lodge-like rooms. The best part? The fireplace and heated stone floor! And the delicious inexpensive brunch next door at Ripplewood's. 

Most Beautiful Beaches in Big Sur California

The Big Sur. If you've ever seen photos of it, McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer State Park was probably it. Gorgeous! I thought I was in Hawaii. The water is too cold and wild for swimming but the view makes it all worthwhile. Like I said before, put this place on your list of must see's! There's hiking, picnic & bbq areas, wildlife, & all sorts of activities. But of course, the vistas and panoramas take top honors over everything else.

Roadtrip! The Pacific Coast Highway

The California saga continues! A roadtrip down Pacific Coast Highway 1 to the Big Sur is a must before you die. Mark it down people. We were oohing and aahhing at every curvy turn, it is literally one of the most beautiful landscapes ever. The clouds and fog hang low and then clears out before your eyes to reveal the open feral Pacific – the waves crash hard, the cliffs drop steeply, and the wind is relentless. Raw nature at it's finest, the grand prize being Big Sur...stay tuned for more :-)

Boardwalk Carnival at Santa Cruz Beach

Sometimes you're just a big kid in a big playland :-).. (and thank you to the ugly ambulances making my shot look like a nursing home.)

Sweet Heaven : Day 2 Monterey Bay California

I looove sugar.. chocolate, caramel, cupcakes, peanut clusters – you name it and I probably like it. Sooo to my delight I found this old fashioned candy shop, Carousel Fine Candies in Old Fisherman's Wharf to satiate my sweet tooth. How fun are these swirl lollipops! After getting our sugar fix we headed to Cannery Row which used to be 'sardine canning' central therefore the name Cannery. Chilly morning but luckily it warmed up a bit and I peeled off some layers. Cool beach art right?

Cool Cruising : Day 1 Monterey Bay California

Monterey Bay is one of those places that still feels pure. The water is crystal clear and freezing, yes, freezing, lol. This part of Cali never really warms up and is often foggy and chilly but still beautiful nonetheless. It's a must-do if you love the open ocean and wildlife and a great stop if cruising along the Pacific Coast highway as I did. Maybe you'll have more luck than me if you go whale-watching, and you'll actually get to see a tail.. or something.. 

Taste of Napa - A Toast to Summer

Summer, you say hello and goodbye too quickly. You know how much I love to eat out and enjoy your warm weather, just as I did during my last meals in Napa when I had lunch at the Culinary Institute at Greystone and then dinner at Tra Vigne. Could your al fresco dining and refreshing, fruity drinks really be over so soon? Sigh.. Yes, I know, you've already said your farewells, so I raise my mocktail (no alcohol cocktail) to you and bid a final adieu for now. We have a dinner date next year, don't be late!

For more on Napa Valley visit my posts on Castle of Love and Vineyards & Chateaus.

Napa Valley Vineyards & Chateaus

The Beringer mansion has the most splendid gardens and stained glass windows so try to make at least a quick stop here. Though I wasn't supposed to be shopping, I picked up a great coffee table book from the gift shop called Napa Valley: The Land, The Wine, The People... I couldn't resist the breathtaking photos and white hardcover. After strolling Beringer we continued on to the French-inspired Domaine Carneros chateau. Pull up a seat, relax with a glass of premium sparkly brut and revel in one of the most stunning panoramas Napa Valley has to offer.

(P.S. You must absolutely visit the Castle of Love before leaving Napa. You can thank me later. ;-)

The Best of Napa Valley : Castello di Amorosa

Castello di Amorosa or Castle of Love is a definite must-do in Napa Valley. We planned only 1 hour there but I tell ya', we time warped to medieval Tuscany and stumbled out in a (sober) stupor 4.5 hours later. What a dreamy place! It may be California wine country but depending on which winery you're in, you could very well be in a chateau in France or a vineyard in Italy. I actually purchased my first wine (don't like liquor remember? so much for that.) – Fantasia, a delicious & sweet partially fermented rosé that I happily packaged in a new vintage-style leather wine case from the winery boutique.

For more on Napa Valley visit my posts on , Vineyards & Chateaus, Taste of Napa and Wine Country.

The 2011 Tennis US Open with Nadal

I was invited to attend the US Open yesterday, I had never been before and had such a great time! Maria Sharapova got wooped on the court and then I watched Spanish hottie / Armani underwear model / tennis star Rafael Nadal take his shirt off between the match and eventually shake his little butt to a win. I just wanna bite his delicious calves, LoL. Great game! (Sorry for the fuzzy photos but all I had was my friend's blackberry.. Thanks Diana! :-)  Happy Weekend everyone!

Napa : California Wine Country

I've mentioned before that I don't drink but boy do I love me some wine-tasting and vineyard trips! Strange, I know, but there's so much more to 'wine country' than just drinking. There's the amazing food, the chateaus, the ambience, the art of wine-making... I mean the list goes on and on and Napa Valley is no exception. Our first stop was Chateau Montelena followed by Castello di Amorosa, which was so grand, it deserved a blog post all its own. I'm obsessed with how yummy those grapevines look so I tried to coerce my friend to drive up next to a row lining the driveway which would allow me to snatch a few and speed off with my prize, but nooo. She refused. So Napa, I'm coming back for you and your grapes.

I Heart Street Art : San Francisco

I'm baaack! LoL.. I've been away from the blog for some weeks now so have lots to share. First thing is the sensational street art I came across in the Mission district of San Francisco. As a whole, I wasn't impressed with the city in the least, but these murals blew me away. They were so detailed and beautiful and showcased real local talent. The neighborhood itself is known for its ethnic culture, with taquerias, bakeries, and shops lining the streets.. But of course, the most 'amusing' part was when I asked a dude to take a photo of me and after much ado stands in front of the mural thinking I was asking for a photo of him.. hahaha! So I went along with it and here he is, little white cup and all, lol.

Gelato in Miami

I finally got my gelato, strawberry for meee! What's your favorite??? Btw, this small strip in SoBe called Española Way had some really interesting little galleries but unfortunately, were already closed by the time I got there :-( ... Shot with the hipstamatic app on iPhone! I seriously need to get one already.

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