"America the Beautiful" - a Picture Heavy Post

Gentle Friends, this is the 4th year in a row we've made it to the Macy's Flower Show, 2015, 2014 and 2013 - this year the theme was all about America and the flora of each state - it was again very pretty and well thought out......

 ... getting pictures of the front windows, which were really great was really hard.....

 ... this was the best shot of the bunch... over to the left you can see my reflection....

... the front of the store is all makeup and perfume and here's where they set the tone for the show once again...can we say California and the Golden gate Bridge.....  

 ... here's a little better shot of the floor from above..

 ... real fountins tinkling away..

 ... tons of foxglove and geraniums...

 ... and some spectacular rhododendrons

 ... one of the many banners from inside the store...

 ...this was above the perfume counters in the center of the department..

 ... this was above the watch department counters..

 ... in the jewelry department was this statue, I'm thinking it is from some building, but I couldn't identify it and there was no information ....  any guesses??   UPDATE - this is the Dewey Monument topper here in Union Square SF CA....  go figure - thanks Erin!!!!

... across from the statue was this North Eastern inspired setup....

... and the central piece for the show in fine jewelry was the torch from the Statue of Liberty...  from here we went up stairs to the china and tchotchke department..

 ... representing Texas was this Bar-B-Que display...

 ... Florida got a nod with this rustic dinning area... there was a ton of sea glass everywhere, covering everything the globe things, on and under the table, I guess they think the beaches are covered in the stuff.....  I'm from Florida and don't remember the beaches like that, there were also piles of sand dollars and I do love sand dollars..... I was really tempted to swipe one... but resisted....

 ... I'm guessing this was a nod to the Great Lakes region....

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....  on a major landing in the ladies departments was this set up, each figure representing a different state...  the ones I could find info about....

 ...a fugure of Babe Ruth out of popcorn for Maryland...

 ...  these are cloth covered spools representing Betsey Ross and Pennsylvania... 

 ... I couldn't find out about this figure, but isn't it interesting...

and is a hint at the next couple of posts....

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That's about it for today sports fans, I hope you enjoyed the snaps!!  

Thanks for stopping by do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Little Nuts

Gentle Friends, we had a lovely few days off!!  Not nearly enough, and now a distant memory.... but we did some fun things!! and over the next few days I will be bringing you quit a few snaps and a little commentary.....  

We started off the long weekend with a quick trip out to the Mall.   We needed some chicken from Trader Joe's for the Who Hounds and while we were out there I was going to get a new pair of shoes.  Macy's was having a sale and I had a coupon in my hot little hand!!....

 ...here they are, comfortable enough for the plane and dressy enough for when I need them to be.  I live in Chucks daily and have upwards of 25+ pairs of those, but occasionally I need something a bit more than a tennis shoe!!  On the way back to the car we stopped off in the food court for some dinner to go....  then we were walking past the Swarovski store and they had some sparklies in the window....

...  in a display case they had set up an Swarovski Elsa and Olaf from "Frozen" and along with them were some 2016 snowflake Christmas ornaments!!  Now I realize it is just March, but I know they will run out of these things by mid Summer - Usually they do come in until August, but I guess with the "Frozen" stuff, snowflakes sort of go...  so I picked up my annual ornament to add to the ever growing pile!!

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That starts off the weekend sports fans, thanks for stopping by and do stop back by!!

Take care,

edgar

A Little Stitchin'

Gentle Friends, finally finished up Cottage 10 - "Gingerbread Emporium."  Here's a snap...

... now on to #11 - "Elves' Workshop."  Slowly but surely I'm plugging away.....

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That's about all to report today, thanks for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

Happy Easter!!

Gentle Friends.....

..... just stopping in to wish you all a very Happy Easter!!!

Take care,

edgar

Je Suis Bruxelles

An Evening Snap

Gentle Friends, yesterday as the sun set and the rain eased off we had a double rainbow show.....

...this was taken from the balcony looking east over the City....  a nice ending to the day.

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That's about it for today sports fans, only one more day and then starts a really loooong weekend.  Thanks for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Lazy Weekend

Gentle Friends,  it was another lazy, wet weekend....

... we sort of napped and hung out around the house...  not very productive at all!  Short and sweet today sports fans, thanks for stopping by!

Take care,

edgar

Happy St Patrick's Day and Thrifty Thursday

Gentle Friends, I hope everyone is having a super Saint Patrick's Day!!  I know tonight I'll be celebrating as I always do by watching...

..."The Quiet Man" - 1952 - starring Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne, wonderfully directed by John Ford....  you can click HERE to read more about the film.  It's really one of my top 75 films of all time and I usually watch it a few time during the year, but always on Saint Patrick's Day!!

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Last Saturday we ran around to some of the stores we usually hit and I found a few fun things...

 ...  I found two super pieces of Couroc, an early large tray and a Christmas themed bowl for a friend who collects them... a dinosaur for Rico's niece, another matryoshka, a great old book with super gilt spine decoration, a lovely old brilliant cut glass sterling topped powder jar, a DVD of The Razors Edge," and transferware plate of the South Dakota Badlands....

... I love the Wintery scene on these pieces!

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That's about it for today sports fans, thanks so much for stopping by do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Rainy Sunday...

Gentle Friends,  for Sunday breakfast we headed to Louis' out at Lands End overlooking the Sutro Baths ruins....  with the rain storm and fog rolling in we had a dramatic view for breakfast.....

... after breakfast we headed over to the Windmill.....

... with so many rainy stormy days, the flowers have been pretty beat..... but even with the rain falling (some rain got on the camera lens) it was nice to see...

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That's about it for today sports fans, thanks for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Little More Bakin'

Gentle Friends,  Sunday rolled around just as wet as Saturday...  the weather was not going not to deter us...so it was up, out and off to early Mass (the rain kept away most of the folks we generally see,  the 8:00 am Mass usually has about 50 or so people but, this past wet Sunday there were only about 20 with a couple of late stragglers)  ...then is was off to breakfast and back home again.

I was still in the baking mood so I whipped up this treat....

 "Southern Pecan Pound Cake"  I found the recipe HERE on The Country Cook Blog, 

cooling on a wire rack.....

... after making a pot of tea, the cake had cooled enough to cut and was just delicious!!  I love pound cake and I think that the pecan is just about the most perfect nut there is, so together they make a really super duper cake!!!!!

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That's about it for today sports fans, thanks again for stopping by, do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Rainy Day Treat

Gentle friends, it was a wet weekend and after our running around Saturday morning

 ...we headed home...

... I got a wild hair and felt like some shortbread and tea.....  so I hauled out the "Spring Flowers" pan and whipped up some, then made a pot of delicious Vanilla/Lavender tea, settled in with a movie on the tube and watched the rain pour down all afternoon........

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Thanks for stopping by do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Soft Lovely Day

Gentle Friends, we're enjoying some lovely "liquid sunshine" for the next few days....

... this was taken a couple of hours ago here at work.....  no washing the car this weekend!!

Take care,

edgar

A Little Chocolate

Gentle Friends, a little back story...one of Rico's many jobs where he works is to acquire corporate presents and things...after a bit of research into some high end chocolates here in the city he decided on a really nice one called Recchiuti Confections.  They have only two stores - one in Dog Patch (an  up and coming area in the City) and one at the Ferry Building... we chose...

 ... the Ferry Building... after finding parking we walked along the Embarcadero  

there were some great views of Bay Bridge and Treasure Island... the weather was really lovely as it was still a few hours before the rain started... 

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 .... inside the store the back wall is covered with drawings and descriptions of the chocolates they make....and in the front the glass topped counter ....

 has plates full of all the different chocolate pieces that were available on Saturday...the store is not big, but full of beautifully filled and beribboned boxes of all sorts of treats...

 ... one of the seasonal things that was in stock were the Key Lime Pears.  We got a dozen boxes of "Red Wine Pairing" chocolates and then it was my turn. 

 Now you know me - if I'm going to drag my cookies all they way downtown 

I'm gonna need some sort of treat!!!

I looked around and was going for the Key Lime pears but then spotted some Orange Peel, 

and I do love orange peel........

... so a box of the stuff came home with me!!  It is some really delicious stuff and I am savouring each piece!

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That's about it for today sports fans, there are so many other chocolate places we should visit, but that's for other days in the future.  Thanks for stopping by do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

A Little Stitchin'

Gentle Friends, here's where I left off last night on Santa's Village... 

... I tried quite a few motifs in the corners, starting with just lines against lines, that looked a bit on the raw side, then I tried trees, bells, stars...and the hearts seem to fit - at least for me they work and I'm the one to please...only three more cottages........

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Sorry the post is on the  late side,m but I've had no Internet either at home or at work all day...... how could we function before the computer........... Thanks for stopping by, dos top again!!

Take care,

edgar