#LoveCPH: Doodads at the Hay Store...

Just a few fun shots of the Hay Store in downtown Copenhagen to add some color to your day...

Recommendations: Vero Beach

I often get questions about where I might have stayed on a particular trip, or eaten...and it also occurred to me that I was losing track of some of the fun finds on trips that I'd love to pass on to others.  So giving a new format a try here, at least for a little bit, to go beyond just the pictures and make sure I note the little discoveries along the way.

You can probably tell from the Instagram feed that most of my trips are a day or two at most, unless I'm on vacation for fun.  Which means that these lists aren't at all definitive, or may not even be the best places to go...That's the thing with short trips, sometimes you go with what you come across...but nonetheless, if I enjoyed it, perhaps others might too.

So here we go, first up, Vero Beach, Florida.  Maybe a bit of an unconventional candidate for one of these but we recently attended the wedding of two close friends, and the only thing better than seeing two people who you admire and who are beautiful inside and out get married, is to be able to do that while soaking up some first class Vitamin D on a beautiful beach (and just in time to rejuvenate me for all of this impending winter grayness here in Copenhagen).

Vero Beach is a charming little town, and from what I could tell, a planned community with many a snowbird flitting about, but that beach...can't beat it.  Often times, while we flail about the world, it's easy to forget that sometimes nature's best gifts aren't too far from home in the US.

Here's what we did this time in Vero Beach:

SLEEP: Vero Beach Hotel and Spa, a Kimpton property, was recommended to us by the happy couple and spot on - ocean view, a nice room upgrade and a balcony for sundowners.  Perfect.  And I slept like a baby in an oceanside cocoon.

DON'T MISS: Sunrise for sure - you get it right over the water.  I went for a run in the morning that ended up being more of a walk as I tried to keep footing in the sand, but worth the early morning hour.  You saw the pictures yesterday, but that sand has a way of developing a pink/gold tone that just lovely, especially with fresh coffee.

CRAVINGS: Speaking of coffee, this little shop is just a stone's throw away from the hotel and apparently the snowbird place to be in the early AM hours.  Coffee, check, but also a to die for cappuccino chip muffin, and birthday cake and red velvet flavored ice cream.

RELAX: The White Orchid Spa, the one in the hotel, completely surprised me.  We had a bit of time before festivities so took advantage and the massage staff there delivers through and through.  What a completely pleasant surprise - also, if you're on the beach in the afternoon, the staff also does free shorter chair massages as well and didn't turn those down either.

QUIRKY: The Driftwood Resort is a kooky place down the road, built with out blue print or floorplan of any kind.  The owner just directed construction by feel - quirky, right? In addition, he collected all sorts of conquistador and european antiques, which the hotel will inform you are "museum quality", and I'm pretty sure there might be a piece of the nina, pinta or santa maria in there.  Waldo's, the hotel bar and restaurant, is a festive place to snag some casual lunch and libations.

AND ONE MORE! I couldn't find a good picture and I hadn't taken one myself but on the beach there is an adorable shop for all things bedding and bed clothes called Very Fitting.  We found it towards the end so I didn't get a chance to look around as much as I would like (ahem, for myself) but long enough to pick up beautiful white pyjamas with cotton candy pink piping for the diplo tot - just add a matching bathrobe and she could pass for one of the Von Trapp children to be sure in that ensemble.  Next time, pyjamas for me are definitely on the to do list.

Vero Beach...

I don't know that there is all that much to narrate here, I think the sweeping views of the coast pretty much speak for themselves...sharing a few of these today since I figured if we're sitting in mountains full of snow, what better to share with you here today but the beach? 

Tomorrow I'm debuting a bit of a new series with picks and finds so for those veering off to Vero Beach, mark you calendars!  And for those not as lucky who are joining me in these gray skied winters, hopefully these warm you up a bit!

Cable Traffic n.05

A quick set of cable traffic today as we're out for the start of the holidays - mountains and hopefully some snow will be on the menu!   A few things:

1/ #LoveCPH: With winter here, there have been some spectacular clouds and storms on the water and turns out, living right next to the ocean in the off season is just as beautiful as in the on.

2/ You've probably noticed but with so many work trips, my big camera has become a little dusty. While I continue to be amazed at how much one can do with a little phone these days, I'm missing my trusty canon.  I brought it on our Salzburg trip and looking forward to giving it some love this week.  (artwork credit)

3/ They're not matching....they're complimentary...December is my birthday month and have my eye on this set of sleepers, and well, since it's diplo-tot's birthday too, it's only fitting that she should get pajama's too?

4/ After our long weekend, I'm working the rest of the week in Paris.  I've heard rumors of a Christmas market there beneath the lights of the Eiffel Tower - if the rumors are true, I definitely need to make time for these holidays, paris style.  (photo credit)

Let the Holidays Begin!

It's the most wonderful time...of the year....holidays, here we come! We're off to Salzburg to get ready for the holidays in the best way we know how, but I've gotten a bit of a head start with a few favorite pins that just seem to say all the good things about winter...decorating the home with greens of the season, pausing to actually taste your cocktail and listen to those drinking it with you, a chance to make an extra effort for others and for yourself, and the spirit of winter that invites us to share and to help out.    Here's to enjoying all the good things that the Holiday's bring!

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