Bargain Hunting in Brussels

It doesn't matter where you are, a bargain is a bargain!


Amy and I found our way to the Place du Jeu de Balle Flea Market in Brussels, hoping to find a little something I could tuck in my suitcase to make the journey home.

     Too big.

Too new.

Not one to give up, the hunt continues.

By gosh, I think she found it.

One Euro and I am the proud owner of a  Veuve Clicquot ashtray in their signature yellow.  Perfecto!

Thanks Amy, I treasure my treasure almost as much as I do the time I spent with you!


                                MWAH!!!!!

Fountain Update

Yes, the best time to get a bargain on a fountain in the state of Maine is when you are knee deep in snow.  Our $37.00 find is now at home in our very casual garden outside the ell of our home right in the middle of town.


This,

became this.

A year later we added this,

a bit of pea stone and a few chairs.

                               VOILA!!  OUR IN-TOWN OASIS!!

A Monument in Galway

Right in the middle of Eyre Square in Galway stands the Galway Hooker Monument. (No, not what you think! Remember we are in Galway!) 


The monument was erected in 1984 and is actually a representation of the traditional Galway fishing boat called a Galway Hooker.


134 children from 8-13, whipped out their knitting needles and covered the structure with 2,086 patches, using 300 balls of wool, just for fun, just to bring on some smiles.  

Fantastic!  What a great idea. And they succeeded in making me smile!

Something like this could easily work itself into a school fundraiser. Forget the bake sale,  sponsor a square and send the class on their school trip! 


Thanks, children of Galway, you made my day!

Hotel Pantone

Recently, while visiting my daughter, Amy, in Ireland where she is earning her Master's degree at Trinity College, she arranged for a jaunt to Brussels, taking care of every little detail.  Reservations were made at Hotel Pantone (you know the Tangerine Tango, color of the year people) a twenty minute walk to La Grand-Place, funky and fun!

Our room was the fifth terrace up, one down from the top. We were thrilled with the view!

So of course we took advantage of this photo op.

The view was fantastic in every direction.

 Each room has a color theme and this was ours.

Both Amy, and I agreed that they could have done more to set off the color theme, but we were happy  none the less!

The lobby was cool and the young staff extremely helpful, supplying us with wine glasses, silverware and china for our take-out dinner in the room (Exhausted, much?) They definitely were not going for comfort with their quirky chairs!

The mural in the breakfast room says it all.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Pantone, and the day we left were treated to a colorful rainbow. 

                                                   How apropos!

Redish, Whiteish, and Blueish

Since I got a warning from the Tacky Police for putting flags in my ferns on Memorial Day, I thought I'd better watch my step come July 4th!


No flag cake, red, white, and, blue jello parfait or rice krispy stars for this gal.  I'm restraining myself.  


I am planning to sneak in some patriotic colors (and maybe even a star or two).

Ahh, Sangria.  Use your own recipe, and just add the fruit, (pineapple stars).

French bread, goat cheese, balsamic drizzled strawberries with a sprinkling of chopped basil. (Too bad basil isn't blue.)

I see some red and some white and purple is  next to blue on the color wheel.

I will add a bit of  cheese to this spinach, watermelon and berry salad (no, not star-shaped american, I got the memo), cubed feta instead.  Any variation of  balsamic dressing will do.


Safe from the Tacky Police?

Well almost.  I lied about the cake! (Not really.)

Touches of Texture

Texture adds interest.  It makes a room come alive.  I add texture anywhere I can and always like something soft in each room (along with something Black and a little bit of Gold).

Accessories, furniture, wallcoverings, fabric and area rugs all bring texture to a room.  


If your rooms feels blah, perhaps what you need is some texture.  Add a few baskets, a fluffy pillow or throw a rusty old found object into the mix.  Experiment, have fun, express yourself.


You'll see.  Texture may very well be that little something your room was missing!