Gone To The Beach

Monday, March 17, 2014

Happy St Paddy's Day

Hello! May your beer be green, your corned beef corny and your Irishman full of blarney!
Let's hope it doesn't snow on the Parade[s].

The first year I lived in NYC I was very sick with bronchitis on St Patrick's Day. We lived in the East 80's across from the Metropolitan Museum. I was feverish, and out of it, and had no idea of the date. It was snowing or sleeting---grey and frigid. Midday I awoke to the sound of---what the f&^% is that NOISE! ? I looked out the window...guys in bumblebee yellow and neon blue kilts and black tall fuzzy hats! Marching below my window, bagpipes howling.

I thought I was hallucinating. LOL. NYC parades were a revelation to this country girl.

*****

When I was a little girl living in the far suburbs of Chicago, rumor had it ''they'' dyed the river green and painted all the street markings on Michigan Ave green---for the St Patrick's Day Parade. How cool is that! I love it.

I never actually saw this, and always wonder...true? or urban myth?

EDIT: had to add this YouTube link, showing the Chicago River being dyed green. Love it!

Dying the River Green!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Summer Cottage Hearts

The cold winds have returned, but I still believe Summer is on its way, don't you?

My latest hearts are all about summer cottages at the beach, at the lake, in the mountains, wherever warm summer breezes waft through pretty white curtains and Mr Mockingbird sings happily in the ugly locust tree.

Soon. Sooner than we think. Hot summer days....cool starry nights.

so.
just Imagine this:
The crash of waves, the briny scent of salt-laden air. Maybe---some fuzzy bumblebees? And yes, a butterfly or two, the little powdery blue kind. And lavender, so blue, so perfect, its distinctive perfume wafting down the salt meadows below the lighthouse on Cape Cod, across the endless fields in Provence.

Long endless evenings, picnics under the stars...

Summer....

if only in my imagination! And yours.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach

hearts are listed now in my etsy shop Come by for a visit!

Monday, March 10, 2014

Thrifting

Hello, everyone! Is the current thaw making lots of MUD at your house? My shiny clean stairs and entry hall are already smudgy, big sigh.

Anyway! The best cure for winter doldrums is retail therapy---a day of thrifting with a best friend.

We went to all our usual spots, plus a new shop I found during my seemingly endless rounds of recent medical appointments.
Such a pretty shop! More of an antiques shop than my usual junking/ thrift spots. Note the perfectly robin's egg blue little table in the window. Oooh.

Very fun holiday things. All holidays...wonderful Valentines from many eras including the delicate honeycomb paper kinds.

Some Easter, some Halloween. And lots and lots of pretty pink Christmas ornies!

I wanted them all. Note the pink polka dots one! And soft pale pink handpainted floral just above it, on the right.

Some wonderful jewelry, like a charm bracelet with a minuscule jewelled perfume flask. And this rare watermelon Depression Glass, just 4 pieces. I have a friend who inherited a set from her grandmother, I have never seen it to actually buy.

We peeked into another pretty shop nearby. Nope, too lah di dah! (Isn't that sad! Next time we'll go in.) And on to a favorite vintage clothing shop. Here is her fun St Patrick's Day window display. I loved all her shamrock china.

And the little china girl, like an all white Hummel...holding a bunch of daffodils, with her pet goose by her side. Adorable.

My friend always finds treasures here. Besides clothing there is a wall of smalls.

B found a set of 8 English bone china coasters with botanical paintings of tiny spring flowers on the insides. She has nice wood furniture and can actually use these pretties for her spring holiday dinners, soon.
Sweet spring egg cups, below. Hard to resist.

Not that we'd buy---or wear!---but this shop specializes in vintage millinery.

I just swoon over the hats. Bonnie and Clyde? Gatsby? So pretty...

Then on to the big junky thrift shop, my personal fave. I passed up this pretty Staffordshire plate...

And actually I bought nothing! This beautiful curtain panel is a previous find, the type of thing I look for , either for collector friends/ clients or if damaged to use for my white lavender hearts and pillows.

B got a new-with-tags! cashmere sweater! And a wonderful ceramic pumpkin. Which just goes to show that one should buy ''finds'' no matter what the season. Christmas in March? Maybe I need to go back to the first store for some Valentines? Or pink Christmas balls?

We had planned to try a new Irish pub for dinner. They have a fireplace! And it is right on the beach. But no parking on a Friday night. Typical. So we did our favorite Thai restaurant instead. They now have a liquor license but I am not sure that's a good thing. Saki-kiwi martini, anyone? LOL, we stuck to tried and true food instead:
crispy, delicious spring rolls