Ready for Fall

I don't know about you, but every year at about this time I start to crave fall. The middle of August feels tantalizingly close to September and I am ready for the crisp and cool weather of the upcoming months. And right now we are in the middle of a heat wave. Although the weather continues to be hot here in September, the month brings shorter days and with that comes a sense of the changing seasons. So even in Los Angeles we start dreaming about pumpkins and apple pie.

But in my opinion, there is no place more beautiful in autumn than New England. One of my favorite things to do in October is travel to the east coast and stay at a country hotel such as The Pitcher Inn in Warren, Vermont. This year we are going to New York -- we got tickets for Hamilton! -- and then on to rural Litchfield, Connecticut for some leaf peeping and all the other things that go into a New England fall. We were there many years ago and loved it. I remember gorgeous gardens, antique stores, great restaurants, Federal style architecture and country walks. Every porch is decorated with chrysanthemums and pumpkins. I can hardly wait!

With fall on my mind, I began to think of my favorite things to do at this time of the year.

So here goes:  

Ten Things About Fall That Make Me Very Happy

1. Traveling to New England

Historic Deerfield, Massachusetts
Photo via here

One of my favorite places to visit in New England, especially when we are staying in the Berkshires, is Historic Deerfield, Massachusetts. The village consists of one street lined with 18th and 19th century houses that have all been restored to their original condition. Each one is like a little museum.

Here are some other things I like to see and do in New England in the fall. The list is far from exhaustive and in no particular order, but includes some of my favorites.

Shop at the antique stores in Woodbury, CT

Visit the covered bridge in Kent, CT

 Go to The Mount, Edith Wharton's home, in Lenox, Mass

Drive the beautiful Mohawk trail in Western Massachusetts and admire the stunning fall foliage of the Berkshire mountains

 See art in Williamstown, Mass. The Williams College Museum of Art and the Sterling and Francine Clark Museum have stellar art collections

  Visit Stockbridge, the idyllic Berkshire village painted by Norman Rockwell

 While in Stockbridge, stop at the Norman Rockwell Museum
Explore Woodstock, VT, one of the prettiest towns you'll ever see 

Go to nurseries in the area, such as the White Flower Farm in CT
Visit my alma mater Bates College in Maine and walk on the Quad which is carpeted with fall leaves
Eat a bowl of clam chowder at M.C. Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine

 Admire the fall displays of mums and pumpkins that are everywhere!

2. Fall Cooking

There's nothing like cooking up a Wild Mushroom Risotto such as this one from Judith Jones' The Pleasures of Cooking for One to get you into nesting mode. This is a great dish for a cozy night at home. Go here for the recipe.

3. Flowers

I love the colors of fall flowers. These are from a flower arranging class I took last year. 

4. The beach

I have always thought that the beach is at its most beautiful in the fall and winter months. This photo was taken on a gorgeous day in November. There is something about the light at this time of year that makes the air crystal clear and the water glisten.

5. Sinking into a classic novel

I have just started rereading "To the Lighthouse" and am swept away by the beauty of the writing.

6. Adding some tartan to the house

I think that tartan looks especially good in the fall. It has the same crisp and tailored feeling of the season. These dishes finally arrived from Scotland and they remind me of my wonderful trip in June and my visit to the Anta store in Edinburgh, which has to be the the mother lode for all things tartan. I love the way the dishes look on the kitchen table!

7. Pulling out my favorite cookbooks

There are certain cookbooks that do seasonal recipes really well and Nigel Slater's Notes From The Larder is one of them. His pork chops with pears and cream is one of my favorites. Go here for the recipe.

8. Taking out fall table accessories

I have been collecting table ware with fall motifs forever and it's so much fun to take them out once October arrives. This table runner is from Italy and the leaf candle holder from a trip to Paris almost 20 years ago. The amber tea lights I bought in bulk one year for a party.

9. Lighting the candles at dusk on a fall night

As the days get shorter, candlelit tables bring a glow to the house and make staying inside feel very  cozy!

10. Wearing my Bloomsbury poncho

 Having lived on the east coast for so many years, I have been guilty of buying too many sweaters and coats for L.A. But it does eventually get cool enough here to wear some of them. This year I can't wait to bundle up in the Bloomsbury-inspired poncho I bought from Burberry last year. It was part of the Fall/Winter 2014 The Bloomsbury Girls collection and I got it on sale. After learning about the literary and artistic heritage behind this collection and Burberry's support of Charleston, the country retreat of the Bloomsbury Group, I was so happy to have one of these pieces. It will be perfect for a crisp day in October.

Have you travelled to any of the beautiful New England Inns during the fall months? 

I would love to know your favorites!

Midsummer Favorites

How has your summer been? It's hard to believe it's almost August. I've gathered together a few of my favorite things from this summer so far. I'd love to know what yours are!

1. "Euphoria" by Lily King

My favorite book this summer is Euphoria by Lily King. Inspired by the life of Margaret Mead, it tells the story of a married couple Nell and Fen who are working as anthropologists in New Guinea in the 1930's. When they meet another young anthropologist and decide to work with him, a passionate love triangle occurs. This book tells two fascinating stories: one, about the lives of anthropologists working in the field in the 1930's and two, a dramatic love story that threatens the careers and lives of the three main characters. At only 257 pages, this book delivers a powerful punch with such efficiency. I loved its intensity and passion.

Gratitude List

Mother's Day flowers  

 This week I want to borrow an idea from one of my favorite bloggers -- Miranda Mills of Miranda's Notebook. If you are looking for inspiration in styling your wardrobe, cooking great meals, making a cozy home, finding beauty in your surroundings or going to fabulous places and events in London, her beautiful blog is a wonderful resource. Every Friday she writes a gratitude list and this week I wanted to do one as well. I have so many things to be grateful for.

First, my family--

 I have the most thoughtful family. On Friday of Mother's Day weekend, the door bell rang and there were four flower arrangements for me. It turns out that my husband and my daughters had separately ordered flowers from my favorite florist Hollyflora to be delivered on Friday and they all arrived at the same time! It was so much fun to decorate the house with Mother's Day flowers.  

The scent of flowers perfumed each room

And the beauty of the arrangements reminded me of my wonderful family


Second, the Garden Conservancy--

A garden in Santa Monica

 I am very grateful for the Garden Conservancy. Do you know about this organization? They do the most wonderful work sharing and saving outstanding gardens throughout the country. Last weekend they held their Open Doors Garden Tour here in Los Angeles and I was able to visit several incredible gardens in West Los Angeles. The photo above shows a lily pad pond at a house in Santa Monica. We could have been at Giverny. Only on this day in May does the Garden Conservancy open the "doors" for us to see the secret gardens in our city. It is always amazing to discover these garden sanctuaries. Have you been to the Open Doors in your city? Go here to learn more.

The roses in Julie Newmar's garden.

Julie Newmar has one of the most beautiful and prolific rose gardens; she even has a rose named after her.

This charming vegetable garden is part of a large property that includes a rose garden, a great lawn, a swimming pool and a fabulous pool house and outdoor kitchen. They all exist behind a house in a neighborhood that I drive by all the time. I marvel that these beautiful gardens exist in Los Angeles and that their owners have put so much time, love and energy into them. Without the Garden Conservancy, we would never see them or learn so much about gardening.


Third, the Morgan Library in New York--

"A Certain Slant of Light: Spencer Finch at the Morgan"

I love the Morgan Library and Museum. Every time I am in New York I visit and feel grateful that this wonderful place exists. This time I noticed the beautiful courtyard with its colorful panes of glass and their reflections. I discovered that it is a special installation by American artist Spencer Finch. Inspired by the Morgan's great collection of medieval Books of Hours, he applied films of color to the windows in the four-story, glass-enclosed Gilbert Court to to make a kind of calendar based on the movement of the sun. This amazing installation is up until August 23. If you are in New York, be sure to stop by to see this; it is so inspiring. As I looked up, I was reminded of the soaring imaginations that went into the writing of each and every book contained in this fabulous institution. In addition to its impressive collection of books and manuscripts, The Morgan also has fascinating exhibitions. One of my favorites was The Little Prince a couple of years ago.

Fourth, tea and scones with my book club--

Image via here

I am in a couple of book clubs and each one has the most wonderful women. I have always thought that the members in a book club are more important than the books. If you have the right combination of enthusiastic, curious and open-minded people, good books and exciting discussions will naturally follow. This month we read Vanessa and Her Sister by Priya Parmar. It's about Vanessa Bell, Virginia Woolf and the early days of the Bloomsbury Group. (review to follow) The lovely woman who was hosting our meeting decided to have an English tea for the occasion. She made delicious scones, delicate tea sandwiches and served tea that she brought home from Fortnum and Mason in London. Amazingly, she had just returned from a trip to England where she visited Charleston, the home of Vanessa Bell, and showed us her photos. It was such a special meeting and everyone was touched by all the trouble she had gone to.

Fifth, the world of blogging--

I am so grateful for the world of blogging and the amazing people I have met because of it. When I was in New York last month, I met fellow blogger Gail Gallagher, a talented artist who paints in the Hamptons. She writes a lovely blog about the vibrant art scene in the Hamptons. We had made a date to meet for a glass of wine at my hotel. Something came up and she needed to reschedule; we weren't sure we would be able to get together. In the meantime, she dropped off a package for me at the hotel. When I opened it the next day, I found this beautiful little seascape that she had painted. I was so touched. Fortunately we managed to get together the following morning for a cup of tea and I was able to thank her in person. I now have a new friend in New York and a beautiful painting to remind me of her. Go here to see Gail's blog Painting in the Hamptons  and her art.

I hope you had a good weekend and a wonderful Mother's Day!

The Orchid Show: Chandeliers

The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden

I just got back from a wonderful week in New York where the weather was beautiful. The week was filled with great theatre, interesting art, fascinating book exhibitions and many fabulous meals. And there was walking! A lot of it. New York is such a walker's city; spring has definitely arrived which makes walking around the city delightful. The highlight of the trip was going to the New York Botanical Garden to see The Orchid Show: Chandeliers. Some of you may have had a chance to see this stunning exhibition, but if not, here is a little photo tour. I was in awe of the New York Botanical Garden -- this was my first time visiting -- and absolutely wowed by the orchid show.

The NYBG sits on 250 acres and the extensive grounds are an oasis for the weary urban dweller. I can imagine going here as a retreat from the city. There wasn't time to see everything, but on the walk to the orchid show I noted many cheerful signs of spring and several examples of garden beauty.

I loved the poetry quotes that are scattered throughout the grounds, making me think that every garden should have poetry. Gardens and poetry just go together!

The magnolia tree along the way is magnificent -- I overheard someone say "I could live in there!"
It was a bit like a small house.

 The white blossoms made it look like a wedding

Inside the conservatory, we were greeted by floating islands of orchids

The reflections added to their beauty

We began in the conservatory's aquatic collection, a magnificent room overhung with vines 

There was so much to look at

This is an elegant place

And there were orchids adorning every possible surface

On the ground next to the pool

On the higher ledges

And up in the air

Where we saw the centerpiece of the show -- a three-tiered, star-shaped chandelier that overflowed with blooms hanging from the dome in the central room of the conservatory.

There were signs telling us to look up which was a very good idea

Orchids were growing on trees

Hanging in baskets

And enveloping us in garden rooms

Wherever you looked, you were surrounded by the intoxicating sight and smell of orchids

At every level

In trees

In flowering columns

Mixed in with ferns 

And hanging in incredible baskets up above

The beauty was simply off the charts

Everyone had their cameras out

There were so many photo-worthy moments 

I read that this exhibition was especially beautiful and romantic at night. And that there have been dates and proposals amidst the orchid show. Not surprising. I spotted a bride being photographed and thought what a storybook setting this would be for a wedding. 

If you missed this exhibition, don't despair. There is an orchid show every spring. And now the hardworking staff at the NYBG is getting ready for the next blockbuster exhibition: Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life. This one also sounds wonderful. It's a good reason to plan another trip to New York!