December 31, 2009

All the Best for 2010


seagull on lions head at piazza San Marco, Venice - 29 Dec 2009
(photo Suzie for Palazzo Pizzo)

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Wishing you all the best in 2010 !
May your deams com true.
Thanks for your interest and trust.
See you here again next year !
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Suzie
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Travel: un giro a Venezia


Yesterday morning the weather was not too bad - for a winter day in the Veneto province where fog is very common during several winter months. Above is the view from my room at my Italian family's house that is located between Venice and Padua, at the river Brenta. The sky is slightly grey, but no rain yesterday - sunshine only on top of the far away Alps. The climbing Santa (left in the pic) was already seen in the region last year. This year it seems that a container ship from China full of climbing plastic Santas has flooded the area.

Okay, we said, this is a good day to go for 'un giro a Venezia' - to go for a walk in Venice - which is 15 car minutes away.


Remember our last window shopping tour in Venice? Different window from a different Murano glass shop. The name of the shop and part of the newly renovated basilica at San Marco square are reflecting in the window.


More reflection of Venice architecture here in mirrows outside an antique shop near campo di San Stefano.


Above is not a gondola rented for 100 Euro or more. It is a traghetto - a public ferry that you can use to cross the canale grande for 50 cents including romantic feelings for several minutes.
Seen at Palazzo Grassi (BTW museum is closed on Tuesdays!).


A clever painter paints sexy women in red posing in elegant rooms with a view on the canale grande - attracting tourists of all gender and age. I like the lamps (below) - and of course this view !




Another red called 'rosso Venezian'. Remember my reflection about the outside colour for our house ? Pink or yellow? My suocera (mil), originates from the Veneto region, suggested Venetian red, with a smile of course.



  
Both pictures above where taken through the window of a restaurant near Rialto were we had lunch.


This was the secondo piatto of CC - seppia nera con polenta - not everyone's favorite - black squid. I am not a professional food photographer or stylist... but it did not look any better than this.


Away from the tourist path walking about Norhwest through Cannareggio - not exactly knowing where we are, but the best way to discover new corners in Venice.


A fun traffic sign discovered at the end of our walk through Venice.
It probably means: 'no passing except for gondola'.

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December 21, 2009

Inspired by Sweet Paul

Since I have not been reading or writing blogs for a while I had to catch up a littele bit. I started by checking blog by blog from my blogroll (inspiring blogs). After a while I came across a list of "50 of the world's best design blogs" by the London Times online.  Some of them are already in my blogroll, but most have been new to me and fun to discover. However, a list like that compiled by a single person is never complete or pleasing everybody. So I did miss some of my favorite bloggers (you can find them in my blogroll). - Anyway. I am writing all this, to let you know that I discovered one interesting blog in that top 50 list: Sweet Paul by Paul Lowe, a stylist who works with both food and interior decor:



Photo by Victor Schrager, stylist Paul Lowe

This blog is so clean and serene - not overloaded with tons of colourful mosaic photos as it is now popular in many blogs - Paul's pictures are styled by himself and photographed by professional colleagues of him. The above photo - he writes in his "Holiday countdown" post dec 17 - was shoot on a hot summer day in August for Country Living and he discribes how to get the style.  Right now, Paul posts everyday until dec 25th a new fun craft or recipe that sets you in the right peaceful Christmas mood.


Photo by Studio Dreyer Hensley

Paul loves "chasing the sweet things in live" (this is the subtitle of his blog), and so all the sweet recepies are by himself.  During his childhood in Norway he used to bake gingerbread cookies with his mum while his grandmother used to make a gingerbread house every Christmas. Enjoy Paul's recipie and house making instruction here.

Sometimes a good blog is inspiring other bloggers. Sweet Paul definately is inspiring me and gets me back on the creativity track. I also realise how much styling is important for a good photo and got familiar with the job of a prop stylist.

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*  Happy Holiday to all of you !  *
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December 18, 2009

This is not an anniversary post


This is not an anniversary post - yet it could be one - almost.
It is almost three years of blogging (wow!) and almost my 200th post (yes, I am into slow blogging)!

The Holiday Season is around the corner and I know, I am not going to make the 200th post on time to match my three years anniversary of blogging. I started on December 31, 2006 here.

It's the swine flu's fault and the other virus and bacteria that followed on top. It is unbelievable how many weeks it took and still takes us to recover. To ensure the food supply for the family was core - writing or reading posts was absolutely not possible.

Therefore, I am glad to see that even some new readers dropped in! 

I promise to be back with inspiring posts before the New Year from Northern Italy where we will visit our Italian family.

Until then, all the best - especially HEALTH to all my readers and your beloved ones !
 
Cheers
Suzie / Susan
 
 
photo: il palazzo e la chiesa del Carmine in Pizzo