Tag Archives: Oak Alley

Romance & Roses

Posted on by

47


Slim Paley photo.

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but looking outward together in the same direction” Antoine De Saint-Expery

 

.

It’s Smoochie Smoochie Time again…no, Silly, not The Grammys-I’m talking about kissing on the LIPS!

Valentine’s Day Tomorrow!!


What Lips My Lips Have Kissed

by Edna St. Vincent Millay

What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why,
I have forgotten, and what arms have lain
Under my head till morning; but the rain
Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh
Upon the glass and listen for reply;
And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain
For unremembered lads that not again
Will turn to me at midnight with a cry.
Thus in the winter stands a lonely tree,
Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one,
Yet know its boughs more silent than before:
I cannot say what loves have come and gone;
I only know that summer sang in me
A little while, that in me sings no more.

 

Sigh.


Let’s stroll down a romantic path together, shall we?


What’s your favourite romantic restaurant ? What foods spell ‘Sensuous’ to you?


Your most treasured romantic novel?


Mine is;

“To him she seemed so beautiful, so seductive, so different from ordinary people, that he could not understand why no one was as disturbed as he by the clicking of her heels on the paving stones, why no one else’s heart was wild with the breeze stirred by the sighs of her veils, why everyone did not go mad with the movements of her braid, the flight of her hands, the gold of her laughter. He had not missed a single one of her gestures, not one of the indications of her character, but he did not dare approach her for fear of destroying the spell.”  Gabriel Garcia Marquez

.

.

Slim Paley photo

 

What about a film, flower or song?


Where’s the most romantic place you’ve ever been, or dream of going?!

.

Herewith, a few images and some of my picks;

.

Slim Paley Photo

Oak Alley, Louisiana- that’s Romance for me.





One of my favourite songs about LOVE (And played at our wedding :) )

Let’s Stay Together  

.

.Slim Paley photo

Romantic Roses in my garden

.

.

.

..


Slim Paley Photo

“Sofia” is a nice, light, inexpensive Rose’ in a very pretty bottle

.

.

Slim Paley Photo

“LOVE” by Kilian.

A seductive blend of neroli, orange blossom, jasmine, rose & vanilla

.

.

Slim Paley photo

My friends Dani & Bill Hahn’s magical rose farm in Carpinteria, CA; ROSE STORY FARM

.

.

Slim Paley photo

.

.

Slim Paley photo

Rose Story Farm

(spot the kitty- distant kin of our cat :) )

.

Fun reference book by Diane Ackerman- I love her books

.

.

 

Slim Paley Photo

Beautiful little arrangements for a Father & Daughter event created by TOAST, Santa Barbara

.


.

i love you cards- check out their cute site here

.

.

“The Lover”  A steamy, sensuous feast of a film

.

And for sensuous food…pretty much anything that involves white truffles gets a big pungent thumbs up from moi.  Quite honestly- just bury me with a good bottle of fresh white truffle salt (but make sure it’s pure, no “Essence of” stuff- Could there be anything worse than heading off into The Afterlife with an aftertaste? You have to think of these things…)


.

Slim Paley Photo

Ultra long stemmed red roses from Toast, Santa Barbara

.

Slim Paley Photo

One of The most Romantic Gardens I’ve ever been to, NINFA, outside of Rome

.

.

Robert Longo Rose Print

 

 

Unison Heart ornaments on sale now here

.

.

.

.

Slim Paley Photo

A single votive illuminates a friend’s fahboolus rose photo printed coffee table

 

.

Dior Couture 2011

How do I count the ways I love  thee, John Galliano??

.

Slim Paley “Shake It” photo

 

 

photo via Lola’s

 

A Rose is a Rose (by any other name) Martini

In a shaker filled with ice ..
2 parts Capt Morgan Spiced Rum
2 splashes Rose Le Sirop de Monin
1 part of fresh pear juice
Shake vigorously and pour into a chilled champagne glass. Fill the glass to the top with rose petals .. which are completely edible and quite simply .. gorgeous. enjoy

(Recipe courtesy of Lola’s)

.

Slim Paley Photo

‘Le Sirop Monin’ mixed with champagne, yesterday afternoon…  For the sake of THE BLOG, People

 

 

 

PS. So I cheated and used a camellia petal because I didn’t have pear juice or roses in bloom right now-  not poisonous, right?

It’s been almost 24 hours now…

So far, I’m feeling OK.

 

 

.

Slim Paley photo

This Cherry Bomb cupcake from Whodidly Cupcakes, Montecito, CA. made me feel even better :)

.

.

.

Slim Paley Photo

.

 


 

Wishing you a LOVEly Valentine’s Day and if you’re up for a Grammy Good Luck !!


xoxox

 

~

A Tranquil Palette

Posted on by

60

.

Slim Paley photo

A tranquil moment in my beach house


.

.

Slim Paley photo

.


This is the fireplace in the library of our beach house.  Above the mantle I’ve hung an antique glass navigational chart.  Well, actually to be honest, I have no idea what it is.  It has a bunch of lines and numbers on it. I found it at an antique show many years ago. I like to believe it was used by a Sea Captain in a “The Ghost & Mrs. Muir” scenario but then again it could just as easily be for astronauts. I don’t have a fantasy for that though as Space really creeps me out.  I had planned on making it into a table, but then decided it looked quite interesting above the mantle instead. The “Mariner” book ends are also old. The ‘eggs under glass’ are from Paris.

.


Some classic tranquil music to listen to for the rest of post (BTW, how great is this song?!)

.

.

This painting is by the artist  Katherine Bowling

.

.

Slim Paley photo

And yes, all the books in our beach library are required to be “In the blue  family”

Feel sorry for my husband yet?


.

A Bal Harbour residence by Frank de Biasi via All The Best Blog

.

.

Antonio Lupi Onyx pedestal sink

.

.

From the Ra Collection Papyrus Fabrics

 

.

Amy Lau Design

All rugs by Orley & Shabahang

.


Slim Paley photo

A close up of a favourite old painting of mine, one of a pair of exquisitely detailed birds.

.

 

 


.

.

.

..


Painting by Andrew McNeile Jones

.

.

Slim Paley photo

A cat with the right idea by the kitchen of Oak Alley, Louisiana

.

.

 

The great artist  Vilhelm Hammershoi

.

 

John Saladino’s dining room  (He lives in the neighbourhood but I do my best not to stalk him :) )

PS. Love the contrast between Hammershoi and Saladino’s table- both beautiful in their own way.


.

.

Painting by Katherine Bowling


.

Let’s say…House Beautiful??

.

.

Vilhelm Hammershoi’s paint palette via “The Blue Lantern”

.

.

.

A close up of a stone slab from my field trip the other day- back off Chinese Jesus!

.

.

.

Slim Paley Photo

So quiet you can hear a petal drop

.

.


Just thought it felt like the right time to partake in a little visual calm before (and in Southern California’s case) after the storm.

From now, until after Christmas, I know I always tend to feel as if the days are spinning away faster than I can ever grab hold- do you feel the same?

As my friend says “September is the New December”

Oh…right…it’s October. See what I mean??

I hope you find this tranquil palette as soothing as I do.

Have a Wonderful Day and please,  feel free to take a nap.

~

.

.


Oliver James & Oak Alley

Posted on by

6

100_4021Slim Paley  Photo

 

OAK ALLEY

    This is a hauntingly beautiful song by Fleet Foxes called Oliver James. Please click twice.

The trees came first, long before the house was even a thought.  The clock on the landing is stopped at the hour of the last owner’s death.  You  stroll through the grounds and under the magnificent trees and hear nothing but the whispering ghosts of another time and place.  I’ve been five times now. Twice all alone.  There’s absolutely nothing that compares to the first time you glimpse that 800 ft. Allee of Oaks as you approach the plantation from the small road hugging the Mississippi  River (btw, is there anyone who doesn’t sing the “M-I-S-S-I….” song when they’re spelling Mississippi?)  I took these photos about two years ago.  It was the first time I had returned  to New Orleans since the hurricane and I couldn’t wait to get out to Vacherie, to check on my beloved Oak Alley.  It takes only about 45 minutes from the centre of New Orleans.  Please don’t miss it if your travels ever take you to Louisiana.

Down the street there are two other plantations worth visiting.  One is the Laura Plantation and the name of the other escapes me at the moment (woops), but it’s almost right next door.  Both are worth visiting.  The plantations are much smaller than Oak Alley but the family histories are fascinating-  ie; the neighbouring plantation had a lovely teen-age daughter who possessed every gift except that of good skin.  The parents decided to take her to Paris for a cure, and shortly after taking the cure, she died.  The mother, who never forgave the father for his insistence they travel to Paris, returned to the plantation, shut herself in the bedroom facing the Mississippi and never left the room again.  These are the things you learn when you attach yourself to tour groups.  How were they to know I wasn’t on the bus??


100_4030

Slim Photos

100_4028Slim Paley Photo

.


postcard

mint-julep-sl-422793-x-1

Photo from Google

.

Classic Mint Julep

Yield
Makes 1 (8-ounce) julep

Ingredients
3  fresh mint leaves
1  tablespoon  Mint Simple Syrup
Crushed ice
1 1/2  to 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) bourbon
1  (4-inch) cocktail straw or coffee stirrer
1  fresh mint sprig
Powdered sugar (optional)
Preparation
Place mint leaves and Mint Simple Syrup in a chilled julep cup. Gently press leaves against cup with back of spoon to release flavors. Pack cup tightly with crushed ice; pour bourbon over ice. Insert straw, place mint sprig directly next to straw, and serve immediately. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Southern Living, MAY 2003

Click here on info for Oak Alley