A New Year Begins

 Ready for the new year, waiting with my love with champagne and grapes . . .

Spaniards eat twelve grapes at midnight, one for each month of the year, and the tradition came to Cuba along with other aspects of Spanish culture.  However diluted some of my other Cuban traditions have become, this one has had staying power.  Besides, grapes taste great with champagne!

Happy 2020!

Merry Coffee

Enjoying a quiet cup of coffee before the house stirs . . . Merry Christmas!

A Buffalo Plaid Christmas Eve

 I'm usually behind several years on any given trend, but this year I was determined to be on fleek . . . oh, wait, I think being on fleek is now passé . . . (sigh!)

While not a traditional tartan, and sometimes a bit more country than my usual style, the black and white buffalo plaid intrigues me, and worked perfectly with all my new Christmas goodies . . .

Like the new "Good Food  Good Friends  Good Company" chargers from Pottery Barn, and the new Woodland Berry Salad Plates from Williams-Sonoma.

These white linen napkins from Williams-Sonoma have seen many a dinner party, and they still look fantastic.  They have now acquired a vintage feel, which makes them even more appealing to me.

The berries napkin rings also came from Pottery Barn, and I used my Jefferson Flatware from Reed & Barton for Monticello.

I've had the glasses for several years now.  I found them at HomeGoods.

Fannie May Candies are a venerable Chicago company, and this year they were celebrating their 100th anniversary.  The tin box features the iconic Chicago "L" and held caramels.  Each guest got to take their own tin home.  

This year, I dressed the chandelier very simply with the red linen shades.

Evergreens, and woodland elements are my favorite way to decorate for Christmas . . .

This year, with the added black and white Buffalo Plaid . . .

I got a lot of practice this year making bows, which is not my favorite activity, but they turned out okay.

Buffalo Plaid pillows were added to the traditional tartan and plaid mix that we've had for several years now.  

The darling, little pillow from Pottery Barn is also new.  The pom-poms are made from different kinds of plaids.  Plaid and Christmas go together like bunnies and Easter.

If you're gonna play with Buffalo Plaid, you're gonna need a truck.  That's what my friends tell me.

My first born, and happiest Christmas gift.  He came from Virginia to spend it with us!

A charcuterie board that went rogue and exploded all over the table!  Antipasti, charcuterie boards, entremés . . . these appetizers have always been around, but seem to be enjoying a rising popularity.

Teardrop pickled peppers . . .

Pistachio nuts . . .

Marinated mozzarella . . .

An assortment of crackers and crisps . . .

A homemade cookie and candy platter . . .

Spice cake . . .

Flan . . .

The family.  May your day be merry and bright.

Sharing with Between Naps on the Porch.

 From our house to yours . . . 

Merry Christmas!

The Art Institute Crèche

The Art Institute of Chicago this rare Neapolitan Crèche in 2013, but I only found out about it this year.  This is what happens when you let your membership lapse.  Shame on me!

In a bit of serendipity, my son, John, happens to have arrived early for the Christmas holiday, so he tagged along with us.  It was so much fun having him with us!

It was absolutely worth the visit!  So beautiful!  

The figures in the Crèche date from the 18th Century, and all the garments are made of silk, so in order to preserve them, the Crèche is only shown for a few weeks a year around the Christmas holiday.

It includes 50 animals and 41 items of food or drink.  

The details are simply amazing!

This is definitely not a pastoral tableau.

  It is modeled after a busy Neapolitan village.

I could not get a clear shot of the gorgeous baroque cabinet in which it is displayed.  Next year, I'm coming in the middle of the week, and earlier in the day!

I am told that there's another crèche displayed at the Met in New York around the holidays, so now I'm thinking I need to add a trip to the Big Apple at Christmas so I can see it!

Afterwards, we wondered around to see the permanent displays.  It's always a thrill to see my favorites.  Here's the stunning La Grande Jatte (1889) by Seurat.  Being at this wonderful museum, with my son, is the best gift I could have asked for this Christmas.

Piper. Sassy.

 This is my granddaughter, Piper.  My son, David, married her mom, and she's now mine.

She's as smart, beautiful and sassy as I could have hoped for.  Happy Thanksgiving to me!

And there he is!

We flew to El Paso to spend Thanksgiving with David and his family.  We got there a bit early, so he wasn't home yet . . .

And, then, there he was . . .

My world just lit up.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

                                                Nature’s first green is gold,
                                                Her hardest hue to hold.
                                                Her early leaf’s a flower;
                                                But only so an hour.
                                                Then leaf subsides to leaf.
                                                So Eden sank to grief,
                                                So dawn goes down to day.
                                                Nothing gold can stay. 

                                                                       — Robert Frost

Venice Again - Day 7

Our last day in Venice.  Our flight is not until later in the day, so we decided to spend the morning relaxing and strolling around the neighborhood.

Kumquats on the terrace of our hotel.

Our terrace became the place where we planned our activities and relaxed at the end of the day.

One more scrumptious dessert before heading back.  A dish of Tiramisù to share because there was too much for just one person,

The winged lion, symbol of St. Mark.

Piazza San Marco.

Arrivederci, Venezia!

The retreating view of La Serenissima from the water taxi.

The Harry Potter store at Heathrow Airport where we took the connecting flight to the U.S.

This marvelous trip is done.  It was very hard to leave.  Where do we go next?

Venice Again - Day 6

 Random photos from our 5th day in this old, beautiful, incomparable city . . .

Primavera by Lilla Tabasso.  Milano 2019.  Flamed Murano glass, hand-blown and modelled.

Masks for Il Carnavale,

Golden mosaics at the Basilica di San Marco.  We were there at the noon hour when the lights are lit, and the gold mosaics shine as brightly as the sun.  The gold mosaics were, indeed, chosen to represent the light of God.  On our previous visit we explored the basilica at length, so this time we just stopped in to pay our respects to the patriarch of this ancient city.

Marble bench inside the basilica eroded by water.  Acqua Alta has taken its toll on most buildings in Venice.

Gondola ride:  Check.  Last time we rode the gondola at night, so this time we tried a daytime trip.

A charming young artist named Daniele pointed out that Venice is a city meant to be painted vertically.

Daniele is an apprentice in the studio of Ugo Barraco, an artist that works in mixed media, primarily etchings on zinc, and acquatinta.  He helpfully lightened the weight of my wallet. I'll show you what I bought as soon as I have it framed.  Right now, it's sitting at the bottom of our suitcase, safely encased in a cardboard tube.

We had lunch at Hotel Pensione Wildner-Venezia.  Paccheri Pasta with Beef Ragoût au Gratin, for my husband . . .

And Beef Tagliata with seasonal vegetables for me . . .

Bridge of Sighs, connecting the Doge's interrogation rooms in the Palace to the New Prisons.

After another exhausting and wonder-filled day, we turned in for the night.  The days are going by so fast!