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it’s not uncommon to bond with animals on vacation – that irresistible golden retriever at your bed and breakfast, or a furry feline lounging by the inn’s fireplace. but being neck to neck with a giraffe (so to speak) is a bit odd. unless you happen to be staying at the giraffe manor in kenya.
photographs of the manor and grounds look like they were plucked from a story book. this elegant, exclusive hotel outside of nairobi allows visitors the experience of feeding giraffes at the breakfast table (literally). additionally, many species of birds, warthogs and bush buck can be found on the property and the surrounding 140 acres of forest.
sometimes a hotel is a just a place to lay your hat while touring the city. in this case, the giraffe manor is the vacation. magic!
we spent our honeymoon in zihuatanejo at the tides. the ever changing floral arrangements on the pillows was just one of the hotel’s lovely touches. as you can guess from the photograph, this was the pillow on the day of our arrival. we truly felt melcomed (it had to be said). this is a simple and sweet idea for valentine’s day – spell out your love for your sweetie in petals.
this post explores the age old question of: what the heck is a cheese curd? cheese curds is cheddar cheese in its natural, random shape and form, before being processed into blocks. this regional phenomeon started with wisconsin cheese makers taking handfuls of the morsels home to their children. i experienced this first hand in madison, wisconsin this weekend.
it began with a trip to the farmer’s market where i sampled many a curd, and my husband purchased several bags for friends. i learned that the orange color associated with cheese curds is really a dye; the natural color is white. later i learned that cheese curds that are fried and dipped in horseradish sauce is the most decadent and divine snack ever created. we tried this delicacy at the old fashioned , a jamming restaurant near the capitol. the bartender described them as fried mozzarella sticks, but better. indeed. we should have stopped here, but alas our meal was on the way – chili (served over spaghetti) and bratwurst. but no need to dwell on this over-indulgent, calorie infested meal…
let’s face it, sconnies love cheese, and who can blame them? whether it’s cheese curds in a plastic bag or artisinal cheeses from fromagination , it’s all delicious. just one of the many reasons why i love wisconsin.
photographs by william cronon, studier of american environmental history and the history of the american west. he is a professor at the university of wisconsin-madison, where i had the privilege of taking one of his classes and was recently featured as a commentator on ken burns’ the natural park series. for more stunning photographs – from wisconsin to iceland, go here.
a sampling of rooms at the ace hotel. from top to bottom: palm springs, new york, portland and seattle.
in mexico, vw bugs are a dime a dozen. after snapping this baby blue, i had a brief idea to photograph a series of bugs, creating an exhibit or blog dedicated to the little buggers. being in mexico on my honeymoon has its distractions, therefore this photograph steals the spotlight. beep beep until next time in zihau.
last weekend was my first exploration of the catskills. we want to buy a getaway spot and this was our initial trip to get the lay of the land. first impressions: stunning scenery (often reminiscent of california), kind people, tremendous food (more on that later) and good vibes all around. we stayed at a wonderful b&b called breathe inn. from the impecable design to the delicious breakfast to the owner’s adorable kids, it was welcoming and inspirational.
when we first arrived in phoenicia, we ate at sweet sue’s. i had the “carrot cake” pancakes and made the mistake of ordering 2 cakes (1 was plenty). while waiting for my meal, i flipped through edible hudson valley and noticed a feature on the owner of peekamoose, a restaurant in big indian. i didn’t think much of it until a shopkeeper on main street recommended it – and later the owner of breathe inn just assumed we would eat there. nevertheless, i have already claimed peekamoose my favorite restaurant. we dined in the tap room, soaking in the cozy atmosphere, with the rain gently falling outside. we were unable to enjoy the best feature, however: the rain prohibited us from roasting marshmallows on the pit in front. you can bet i will be back to do that.
the teepee at breathe inn:
breathe inn decor:
pancake menu at sweet sue’s:
the perfect house (with a red door):
the bar at peekamoose:
california courtyard
January 5, 2010 in architecture, commentary, media, travel | 1 comment
every winter when the new york temperatures plummet, i consider my state of residency. why do i live here? why wouldn’t i live somewhere warm, like i don’t know, santa barbara? sb may seem a bit random but i’ve been coming across it recently. it was the picture perfect backdrop for the film, it’s complicated and in a recent sunset magazine spread, there was a feature on santa barbara architecture.
architect jeff shelton was featured in this article. i love his spanish / california style: the bright colors, tiles and iron are so warm and inviting. i can just imagine the bright community feel that this courtyard would offer. to see more of his gorgeous work, go here.