Au Revoir July

Posted on 07/31/2011 by Slim Paley

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Here we are, at the end of another wildly fleeting summer month already

Are you feeling well summerized yet? Have you been to the beach, or the lake? Maybe even the drive-in? (I have!)

Or perhaps you’re more of the gardening type? Have you been enjoying all the fruits of your labour?! My garden is in full-on blowsy mode at the moment. To be honest the old girl is in serious need of a new “Do”- you know like when you literally cannot wait one more SECOND to get your hair done? But no time, no time…where does it go??

Though I can’t complain about my roses this year. Even if I do say so myself, they’ve been pretty dang gorgeous. Now I’m always enamored with old fashioned roses; the delicate, breathy hues and lush crinolined layers of all the regal grande dames, but I must admit to having my head turned by this new, ridiculously loud orange fellow. His sheer brazenness just brings a smile to my face and a kick to any arrangement. I can’t possibly think of him in feminine terms. This rose is a dude who goes by the name of “Gingersnap” (Available at Rose Story Farm in Carpinteria) .

The colour is divine with turquoise, another of my all time favourite combos

Rug available at Richard Morant

Speaking of tangerine (how’s that for a segue?)

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Have you ever tried Lillet? My husband recently read Hemmingway’s “A Moveable Feast” for the first time and decided that he must try Lillet (being a favourite tipple of Ernest’s) Aaand guess who’s now drinking the Lillet and who’s gone back to his diet coke?!

Best served very cold with an orange slice.

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A little droopy but still appealing (some of us can relate to that, right?)

I saw these somewhere but lost the credit- if anyone knows where to buy them please let me know

Suzani from Richard Morant

Chair available from Shades of Light

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A big bowl of loquats and tangerines from the garden

Citrus sorbets from another of my fav cookbooks to look at ”Frozen Desserts”

Blu Mediterraneo by Acqua di Parma

ahhh- so light and summery

Lily Pulitzer luncheon plates

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A summer table setting at the beach

Another version of that delicious Louis Vuitton summer bag…I can feel the ceiling fan wafting through my hair…

Happy August to Everyone

Stretch each and every day as long as you can

Take time to read, relax and smell those roses

Sweet Summer Memories

Posted on 07/27/2011 by Slim Paley

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Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho

I‘m baaaack

and keeping Summer Hours

as you may have noticed :)

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But I’m all in one piece,

and had the most brilliant time

My Survival Kit remains sealed

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We traveled over the majestic Sawtooth Mountains into Idaho’s River of No Return Wilderness area.

At one point (by land, not water) we actually crossed the spot where Lewis & Clark decided to turn back.

Ya, we did.

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The Middle Fork of the Salmon River has many moods…

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All equally beautiful

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River’s edge in Idaho is no slouch either

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Our camp in the middle of paradise

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Snakes were wrestled

Giant marshmallows slaughtered

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Waterfalls conquered.

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Ahhnd… then we ate cake

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We definitely communed with Nature,

however I’ll spare you “Le Groover Chronicles”

Suffice it to say that old friendships were cemented and new ones quickly forged.

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One day we came upon the deserted lodgings of an infamous Middle Fork River hermit. With only a dog for company, he lived in this 8 X 8 structure for over 35 years, traveling to town just once a year for not much more than bullets, flour and salt.

I really couldn’t have imagined we had anything in common…

until I heard he also hoarded magazines.

Of course he used his to pack the spaces between the logs of his house as he had an extreme aversion to rats.

Odd lifestyle choice, considering.

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Speaking of packing… all in all I think I did pretty well- though in retrospect 4 hats and 3 books may have been a wee bit excessive.

A decent sized mirror would have been a much better choice.

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Party over

.I live to glamp another day.

Oh, PS.

I just realized this is my 301st post!

That means I’ve been blogging for just over two years now.

What a wonderful Blogmance it’s been- who could have predicted it would last this long?

Thank you so very much for all the memories and for never cheating on me…

Uh…We have been faithful, haven’t we??!

xxx

PPS. For the most incredible rafting adventure you could ever wish for please visit:

Far & Away Adventures

White Water Glafting

Posted on 07/20/2011 by Slim Paley

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Thanks so much again to all of you who contributed book suggestions to the previous post. I’m really looking forward to going over all your comments again and compiling a list when I get home.

In the meantime,

I’m off White Water Glafting for a few days. You heard me.

Glafting is the new Glamping.

Sure, I know what you’re thinking…Slim- you don’t strike me as the sporty type, but believe it or not, I live for danger.

Besides, I’ve done this before, although the river wasn’t as high the last time

and the apparel ante has been seriously UPPED on this trip…

Resulting in some agonizing chapeau editing

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Love these OMO nylon pants, but $1,700??

The adventure includes yoga, fishing, great food and drink, and most importantly, a glamorous toilet (nicknamed “The Groover”) precedes the party to each campsite.

Happiness is a well guarded Groover

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Nothing like a friendly game of Bananagrams after a day battling the elements

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Did I mention the river is high where we’re going??

We’ve been told hiking alongside the river is also an option,

however the concern that lunch will be devoured by the Rafters before the Hikers arrive at camp has already crossed my mind.

So just in case, I’m bringing giant marshmallows for fireside toasting

The days are warm but the nights are still cold

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Have you seen these? They’re about 3 times the size of regular marshmallows- Now that’s my idea of multi-tasking.

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So off I go into the wild blue yonder

Wish me luck & I’ll

See you in a few days.

No “Deliverance” jokes please

Home Sweet Mountain Home

Posted on 07/16/2011 by Slim Paley

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Wild flowers gathered for my front door.

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Greetings from Sun Valley. I’m so blissed out to be here!

In just a few short hours the weather will run the gamut of brilliant sunshine, billowing white clouds, a dark horizon, a burst of quick rain and back to glorious sunshine again.

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The sunlight paints the mountains a multitude of greens after a quick rain shower

The town is buzzing with sporty types all looking very fit and rather chuffed with themselves, having just completed a long bike ride, a strenuous hike or perhaps just a delicious brunch at Christina’s. Being of the “first gear persuasion” myself, I enjoyed a leisurely stroll this afternoon, stopping by some of my regular haunts, including The Iconoclast bookshop (do you think I could remember the name of the book I was looking for??) and of course the obligatory visit to Chateau Drugs. Quel horror! A change of ownership without me being consulted?! This is the shop that our friends and I (we?? yikes-altitude, gin & tonic) used to joke that you could find anything- not no more…(just testing) Change is good, but not always.

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Riotous Lupines by the side of the road

On the up side, as I’m in vacay mode I feel freed up to be as sloth-like as I care to be, which is pretty darn sloth-like. I finished an entire book yesterday; “The Dignified Guest” by Sue Miller. It started off so promising and then sort of petered out for me. Quite honestly, I’m in the market for a great book with characters I can actually fall in love with, or at least admire. I’m on a dry streak of books inhabited by people I’d rather punch than go to lunch with. I’d be thankful for any of your suggestions.

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Looking north from my deck this morning.

The river is running fast and high. I’m not able to catch it with my camera but the sky is filled with fluffy white Cottonwood seeds, (you can just see a fine blur in the right side of the photo) It’s almost like snow drifting through the air. They catch in your hair, on screen doors, in spiderwebs, a fine downy layer coating everything with the promise of thousands of new Cottonwoods next Spring.

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Look at these funny little flowers growing in my garden. I don’t know what they’re called but they look like pink Water Buffalos!

Well, whether it’s the altitude, the sun or just the pure mountain air- I’m knackered.

I’m looking forward to falling asleep to the sound of the river

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Wishing you a great rest of the weekend

and for those of you in L.A.- I hope you’re surviving “Car-mageddon” without too much inconvenience

Red & White Stripes (Act III)

Posted on 07/12/2011 by Slim Paley

Slim Aarons

Red & White Stripes Then

Ugh. June Gloom is back in Santa Barbara despite it being almost the 13th of July. Anytime I’m having to wear a jacket in the middle of summer in Southern California?? I’m not a happy glamper. To add insult to injury, I’ve felt a wee bit muse-deprived the last few days and the photo library on my main computer has become “Unreadable”

… It’s time for a long overdue visit to Sun Valley! I’m looking forward to sitting on my porch with a tall “Old Raj” G & T, a good book (“The Portrait of a Lady”) and the sound of the river rushing by.

In the meantime, I’m delving into my red & white stripes collection, because as long time readers of Slim Paley know, they are a particular “Happy” favourite of mine.

I’m also sharing my song du jour that, well, let’s just say if there was a “Dancing with The Stars in The Car” show, I ~~would~~ could be the winner.

You can only imagine how much my younger son appreciates this particular excruciation when we’re driving together

Turn this up nice and loud and tell me if you don’t just love her. So amazing she is only 21