Tours Trips and Staying Home
April 29, 2013
Spring is the time for wandering. For some, too, the time to stay home and dig out from the accumulated detritus of winter:
- That's where that magazine went!
- When did I order all these spring sandals??
- Why do we have so many winter coats and boots?
- Could we have more unread newspapers in this house?
- Stop shedding right now! Woof!
- There isn't as much dirt in the world as there as on the screen porch.
- Why can't I zipper any of these capris?
- Why did I ever think I could wear capris?
- My favorite: The realization that you have used the last PG Tips Decaf and you don't need to re-order until the first brisk winds of autumn.
The Pomegranates have been whipping to and fro on the weekends. First, to the cottage to try to line up some people to do work on various things like the tree that came down in the last nor'easter, a fence for the dogs so we can bring them up there without walking them seventy million times a day, and the possiblity of turning the garage into a family room/art studio. Many, many people have come over with clipboards in hand. Many, many plans discussed. Excitement! Enthusiasm! And then....nothing. Either they never send an estimate, never return a call, or just disappear into the ether. I suppose they are all watching the herrings run. And who can blame them?
Last weekend it was time to visit Micalangela and in the true spirit of her parents, she knew where to get the bet seafood at the cutest seaside town. We toured the military academy at Annapolis and read the names of all the Captains lettered on the front steps of the officers' housing. We swooned over the Chesapeak at the foot of Main Street, the Victorian B &B's, and, of course, those sailors in their dress uniforms. Nothing beats a broad-shouldered man in a double-breasted military jacket with one of those flat white hats a la Top Gun.
Just to put the icing on the cake, all my love of the South came flooding back when we hiked up the hill to see the Maryland State House, which was the capital of the United States for two years in the late 1700's. Cobblestoned streets, ancient trees, cottagey houses next to pillared mansions, and tiny shops filled with old chairs, chinoiserie, and pink and green dear bibelots. I fear I would abandon the Cape if I could inherit the AMAZING little bookstore we stumbled into in the historic part of Annapolis.
But home is where the heart is. There's plenty to see around these parts. Had a wonderful trip into Manhattan a few weeks ago with the Traveling Painter Sisters. It was a cold, rainy gloomy morning and then this:
The Sisters of the Traveling Paint Caravan (we change the name with each writing), took off for Soho for the opening of a new store that the fearless and chic Betti Zucker knew all about: Gudrun Sjödén Concept Store, 50 Greene Street.
Never has there been a store as bright, fresh, creative, and whimsical and it was just the antidote for the long, lingering late winter miasma.
Here is the beautiful Gudrun hereself, posing with our own colorful, chic character, BZ, who is wearing one of the beautiful outfits created by Gudrun. Doesn't Gudrun just emanate joy and peace?
Get our your watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils and dream up some of your own textile designs. We can all be Swedish for the day!
If you are not one to wear hand-printed textiles and layers of color, there are gorgeous home furnishings to brighten your life.
Look at the darling entertainment! I am so sorry that I did not get the name of this duo, but I am sure they will be at Terminal 5 in a few years. Can you imagine walking into a store of shoppers on a busy afternoon and just....singing? They were wonderful and wanted to take them home.
We left loaded down with goodies in the fabulous cloth shopping bags that are a feature of the store. Gudrun believes in making all her products as green as possible. Her lovely bags make perfect journal bags, beach bags, or even with a quick seam, a beautiful pillow case.
A photographer was employed to take photos of the customers as we left the store. Some of us had to be dragged in front of the lens. Others? Well, let's just say that "presence" is their middle name.
Great fun!