Chateau Miromesnil

Chateau Miromesnil is known for it's architectural beauty but also the wooded country in which it sits and its vegetable gardens (seen below). It has also been home to some famous characters. The famous author Guy de Maupassant was born in the chateau in 1850 while his parents rented it for 3 years.
Earlier the chateau had been home to Armand-Thomas Hue de Miromesnil. Armand was made a Knight of the Holy Spirit Order by King Louis XVI and later tried to defend the King at his trial during the revolution. He also abolished the use of torture for those who were imprisoned for supposed crimes. He died here in 1792 and left his fortune to the peasants of his estate.Of course the chateau has its own private chapel, as most ancient estates do. Solid and square -don't you think?
The chateau also acts as a bed and breakfast with very reasonable rates! Can you even imagine staying here? Heaven!
Visit the official website HERE
see information about renting rooms and photos HERE.

The Best of the Best!

425 Magazine just published their Best of 425 (as in the area code) issue. Take a look and see what makes Bellevue such a wonderful place to live. Bellevue is home to the best dessert, lunch spot, place for people watching, boutique and much, much more!

425 Magazine's Best of 425.

The Best of the Best!

425 Magazine just published their Best of 425 (as in the area code) issue. Take a look and see what makes Bellevue such a wonderful place to live. Bellevue is home to the best dessert, lunch spot, place for people watching, boutique and much, much more!

425 Magazine's Best of 425.

Afternoon muffins

Cheeky bank holiday muffins with a rhubarb and marzipan filling. Yum yum!

Antiques Garage Saturday Adventure.

This weekend was too much fun! On Saturday, my friend and I braved the rain and headed on over to Antiques Garage and the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market. Antiques Garage, on 25th street has always been a favorite of mine and may I just say, it was a success.

How gorgeous are these patterns? There was so many pages of them and I wanted them all but wall space in my apartment is growing scarce.

Butterflies! They also had many beautiful botanical pages.

In this booth they had the sweetest old cursive practice books. These were so carefully done, and this one was actually framed.
A + GOOD JOB! Btw, it says "Eat to live, do not live to eat."

After taking a fencing class with the US Olympic Fencing team a few weeks ago, my bf is a master fencer! I should have gotten him one of these antique fencing masks.

Woah.

I really loved this woven basket and really wanted it but it was broken on the bottom.

Here is super fun lantern that my friend found. That would be a great accessory on a window sill, coffee table, or bookcase.

There were SO many buttons! Buttons galore!

And, yes. I got some. These will be really useful for pillow making.

The best part was that we found what we were looking for! My friend needed a mirror for the living room of her apartment and wanted something round or oval with an interesting rim. This one was just taken from a home the day before and my friend scored it for $60! I'm obsessed with the rope detail on the rim.

Here it is in situ! Without the weird man from above! It was the perfect size as well.

Tomorrow I'll show you our adventure to the Hell's kitchen flea market and what we found. I can't wait to go back when it's not raining and there are more treasures to be had.

Alicia B.

Remembering Yukari Desjardins

Tonight I'm thinking of Yukari Desjardin, joyful and irrepressible.

photo of Yukari from Shalom Japan website
デジャーデン由香理

"I will be going back to Japan teaching Permaculture and doing the african workshops and concert, my long time wish to demonstrate physically that the permaculture living includes full of art and celebrating"

Today she was to be teaching a workshop in Osaka, Japan "Balcony Garden, creating forest in the Urban situation". Making paradise on concrete. Yukari just had this knack for making something special out of whatever was at hand.

Last time I was with her was a whole ten years ago, when we spent two weeks in Bill's Food Forest, doing that first Japanese-language PDC together, joking and telling stories as we wiped the foam off the dishes we were drying, Aussie style. But her effervescent creative presence was always popping up for me, in e-mails and stories, her excitement telling of her newest babies and endevors, and lovely permaculture projects we could be doing together one day.

Here is a video I watched thinking of you tonight Yukari. It makes me think of how precious us darn humans are, how much fun we could be having together.

Matt, you are on...



Yukari, you brought us together like this. You just wanted to, and decided to, and as one little woman in a big, big world, you did. Now we are so, so sad.

The Essence Of Autumn

Those who know me- know that Fall is my favorite time of year to decorate. Living in the hot humid South causes me to yearn for Fall-like weather in August (which is usually when I pull out the fall decor). This year when I ventured up into the attic (which by the way was well over 115 degrees up there) I was surprised to see that I had accumulated 5 larges tubs and 3 trash bags full of Autumn Splendor! WOW I do have an addiction. But because I have been scaling down my home this year, cleaning out, throwing out, giving away, re-organizing, etc., etc., I decided not to use every singe garland, pumpkin & pine cone- and you know what? I like it. Its just the right touch of warmth. I feel like my home has been lightly kissed with the warm, yummy spices of fall and not assaulted with fall frenzy. I always thought because I couldn't "really" have fall here in Texas that I could "make it happen" within my home- but I'm pleased now to just have the essence of it and it not look like an aisle at Hobby Lobby. So if you want to just "spice" up your home this fall- use what you have- scale down-lean towards little and you might find it quite the pleasure.








































For more fun fall ideas head on over to Rhodas at Southern Hospitality cuz its Fall ya'll!!

Paris Opera House

One of the things I hope to see while in Paris next week is the Paris opera house by Charles Garnier -especially the ceiling by Chagall (one of my favorite artists!). This sketch by Raoul Dufy depicts the opera house in 1924, long before Chagall started the ceiling - can't you see the similarities? How did he know what was coming?!The Dufy sketch is part of the Phillips Collection here in DC.

Rando Inspiration Design Friday

Precision Rigging.

Happy Friday! This week has flown by like a rocket ship! What a great week--I'm sorry it has to end with this dreary rain. Yuck. Anyway, I'm offering 20% off my Nature photography today at www.aliciabdesigns.com. This is only today, and ONLY because I'm in a good mood. Who knows how long this will last...Enjoy my pictures in design inspiration from this week!

Point Click Home has a wonderful house tour of a family in DC. This super minimalist fireplace caught my eye. An asymmetrical look is quite often very wonderful.

From Marie Claire Maison, this foyer is so quiet and calm. I wish I could see what's behind that door, and the wispy curtains.

Hamilton Design Assoc. I wonder who designed this, the designers or the kids?! So charming. I was a deprived child and my father never built us a tree house (he was afraid that we would fall out of it and hurt ourselves, BUT WHATEVER).

I have a feeling the good mood might last as I have a great weekend ahead of me. Flea market shopping with my friend on Saturday, and visiting my cousins and the little cutie baby on Sunday in Prospect Park. Plans? Tell me!


Alicia B.

The Boden Fall Catalog had me at striped t-shirt.

Parisienne Tee Shirt. Only $34.

Every time the Boden catalog comes in the mail, I get so excited. It has just plain great clothing; practical with a bit of a flare. They have fun wrap dresses, really pretty jumpers (sweaters in British), and they always have the most fabulous shoes. Here are some of my faves so far...

I'm beginning to think I have a sweater dress obsession. Nothing is more comfortable and pretty to me, and perfect for work. Flattering Knitted Dress $ 128.

Oops another sweater dress. How striking is this shade of orange? Henley Knitted Dress $108.

Yup, I want everything in this picture right here. This tweed skirt also comes in the cheeriest shade of yellow but I'm a sucker for tartan plaid. British Tweed Skirt $88.

Seriously smart looking autumn coat. Carnaby Trench coat with large cuffs and collar

What did I say about the shoes earlier? They are SO CUTE! Giraffe Bow Flats $128.

I would just die to have these shoes. I love wingtips and these are perfectly feminine. Pretty Brogues $148.

They have tons of great Men's stuff too, like this checked shirt. I really like the girl's outfit too--reminds me of how I used to dress every single day.

Looking through the catalog made me more and more excited for fall. As much as I love summer, sun dresses, gold sandals etc, I always welcome a fun wardrobe change!


Alicia B.