San Diego Floral Association 2012 Garden Tour

Over the weekend...

I volunteered for the San Diego Floral Association's garden tour in Point Loma. The weather started out overcast then turned into a beautiful 75 degree sunny day. For the few hours I manned my station, I greeted lovely people who were just as enthused about seeing beautiful gardens as I was. For volunteering, I was allowed to visit the other six gardens that were on the tour. Her are some photos...

The cottage

Wow. Great color for a piano. I want it.

 The piano was a in very large estate and the owners not only invited guest through the gardens, but into part of their home as well.

They had a thing for Dr. Suess

This was the room where Jimmy Carter stayed in 

Can you believe all these wind chimes? 

I wonder what it sounds like when it gets really windy.

A vegetable garden that supplies a local Thai restaurant 

This view from this home was pretty amazing. You can see the harbor, and beyond that is downtown San Diego and the Coronado bridge in the haze to the right.

That was a fun tour. I'll definitely do it again next year.

Balboa Park Parisian Photos

A few years back I vacationed in Paris. What a treat. Anyone that has been there, you know it is just as mesmerizing as photos we see and watch on television. I recently watched the movie, "Midnight in Paris" with Owen Wilson, which is set in Paris. Great movie, by the way... anyways, that is what got me browsing for images on the web that would enchant me as if I were there. I came across a book called "My French Life" by Vicki Archer. I have not yet seen the book, but it is about the author and her family who move to France and buy a 17 century farmhouse and property to restore. She shares lots of photos and their experience of their life there.  What intrigued me was this cliche cover in black and white:

So what, you say. The funny thing was, I was at Balboa Park just after it finished raining, taking photographs, and the a lady from the book cover walked right by me.  See, here she is:

My daughter posing as well:

Ok, it really wasn't the same lady from the book, but she made a neat photo!

Merci for looking!!!!

1920's Spanish Home

Living in California all my life, I have come to enjoy the styles of homes that were built around a century ago. Browsing the web for architectural eye candy, I stumbled upon one of my favorite California style of home, the 1920's Spanish Colonial. There are many versions of this style, depending on the architect and area. This one is is considered Spanish-Moorish and is located in Alta Dena, California. The photos and info from the article here, say it is known as Casa Andalusia. Andalusia is a territory in southern Spain.

Isn't it gorgeous??? Scroll down for more photos...

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Fabulous entry door:

Colorful tile stair risers:

Kitchen:

Bath:

Patio:

Well, guess what? It's for sale!

$1.545 MILLION!!!!

Not so thrifty. But it's free to look!!

Cinque Terre

Oh, how I love color.
For some color inspiration, I sifted through some of the photos my husband and I took in a village on the Mediterranean coast in Italy called Cinque Terre (Five Lands). It was such a neat place, I thought I'd share some of the beautiful colors and textures that are everywhere.

It sure would be nice to go back.

Someday, maybe.