Wedding Wednesday: Unique not Different

My grandmother is the sweetest little ole Southern lady. I can say that I have never heard one negative thing come out of her mouth but that doesn't mean that she doesn't offer opinions (they're just always sweet). I always think it's funny when she sees something she doesn't like and she says "well isn't that just different" in her sweetest southern drawl.

I always think it's important when planning a wedding to be unique not different. It's fun for a bride and groom to insert aspects of themselves into the details of their special day but also important not to leave guests raising their eyebrows or whispering to one another, "wow isn't that a little weird/different?"

That's why I really liked Miranda Lambert's take on her bouquet. She took something very traditional and personalized it without it being too weird or over the top:

Her bouquet was a cluster of broaches~some antique and some new~but all gifted from special friends and family members. What a special way to recognize the wonderful women in your life on your wedding day.

Given that the colors and styles of the broaches blended well, I think it was the perfect compliment to her stylish country wedding and a wonderful way to make her bouquet a little more unique. Well done Miranda :)

Happy Hump Day!

Bonjour!

Well I'm back from two incredible weeks in France. I have so much to share and so many fun photos and memories to post.

While I collect myself and get back in the groove of things, here is just a glimpse of the many different places I visited:

Hope you have an incredible Tuesday!! XOXO

City Spotlight: Gordes

For the last few days, I have been in Gordes, France. We are staying a luxurious hotel called La Bastide de Gordes. This incredible town cut from the mountains overlooks the countryside of Provence and is just breathtaking. The city, built in the 12th century, makes me marvel at the lasting architecture and history of Europe! Here are a few pictures of us in the town and of our lovely hotel:

What an incredible place in Provence to visit! Back to the Tour...

Restaurant Review: Paris

After spending a week in Paris last summer, the hubby and I made sure to record some of our favorite restaurants from the week for future visits:

LUNCH~~~~~~~~~

Ian and I went to Notre Dame and then walked down the Ile St Louis and found this charming little Italian place called Sorza: 51 rue saint-louis-en-l’ile. It was a quick really yummy lunch if you’re wandering around that part of town and was about 40euros for the two of us. Can’t remember what Ian had but I ate an arugula salad and some risotto which were both awesome. Here’s some other great trip advisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d1035629-Reviews-Sorza-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

DINNER~~~~~~~~

Bistrot de Paris

33 Rue de Lille, 75007 Paris, France

+33 1 42 61 16 83

Ian and I stayed a few blocks from this restaurant and it was recommended by our hotel. It is your quintessential French bistro but the food was better than many I have visited. I know we had a shrimp appetizer that was awesome!

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

5 Rue Montalembert, 75007 Paris, France

You may have heard of Joel Robuchon b/c he has at least one restaurant in Las Vegas. This was maybe our favorite meal just because it was so different. You sit at the counter around this open kitchen and are served tapas size portions of the most delicious food you’ve ever tasted. It is very $$$$ and also hard to get into. We stayed next door at HOTEL Montalembert and it took us several nights of going by to finally get a reservation (call and get one for either really early or really late in the evening). Totally worth it though!! Here’s the website http://www.joel-robuchon.net/

Sormani:

4 Rue Gén Lanrezac

75017 Paris, France

01 43 80 13 91

This is Lance’s favorite restaurant in Paris. It is somewhat of an institution and has the best Italian in the city. This was somewhat of a splurge for us price wise but we LOVED IT! It’s extremely formal with red velvet all over the restaurant and the royals/rich Parisians that dine there too. Walk to the Arch de Triomphe (right nearby) after dinner for an incredible nighttime photo! See here

Food just doesn't get much better than these establishments. Keep this list handy for your next trip to the City of Lights!! :) Au revoir for now...

Je Suis en Paris!

I am in Paris for the day for a few meetings before heading down to the South of France for my Hospitality program. Though I have a lot to take care of in our short time here and am sure jet lag will rear it's ugly head anytime soon, I am hoping for a delicious dinner and stroll around the city tonight.

Photos to come! Enjoy the weekend :)

Yummiest Fabrics

I found some more yummy fabrics. I have been keeping my eye out for some bright blue fabrics for the two armchairs that need recovering in our Living room. Here are some of my favorites from Quadrille:

I also love this fabric from Ralph Lauren:

I'm on the hunt for something fabulous....Have a great weekend!!

Lucite in the Living Room?

What do you think about a lucite coffee table in the Living Room? I have desperately wanted a covered bench or ottoman to serve as a centerpiece for our Living room:

But the other night, I began to worry about the functionality of it. It would be perfect for larger parties if while friends were mingling, they could casually perch on the ottoman, but it would not be ideal for serving on...

I've noticed that whenever we have friends over for entertaining or dinner, they all culminate in our kitchen, which in the midst of my dinner prep, is certainly the least glamourous part of our home. Since we now have a bar in our home study, I think our Living room and study would be the perfect place to "direct" guests. If that's the case then I will certainly need a sturdy table to serve off of.

Here are some lovely lucite photos I have been browsing through. I love how clean it looks. Enjoy!