Here’s the evening version of the view from our room and it only got better from there. Our last night in Turks and Caicos we were treated to breathtaking sunset cocktails followed by dinner on the beach and then moonbathing by the bonfire. I’ll get to the moonbathing part in a minute but first, some photos from local photographers Paradise Photography
Simple, elegant and so pretty. I watched the Regent Palms staff, from my chaise lounge on the beach, set this up over the course of two hours that afternoon. I will admit that for every box, bag and cart they dragged onto the beach I couldn’t help but think what a pain it would be to have to take it all away when we were finished (much) later that night. (PS it took them much less time to disassemble)
Once again, I’m wearing stripes but the important thing to note is the perfect summer cocktail – The Grand Fizz (champagne, Grand Marnier and grapefruit juice) 

Even though I’m not a crustacean/mollusk fan I can appreciate a menu like this especially when the palette cleanser is a Lemon Lime Sorbet and Belvedere Vodka shooter. Another great idea for fun summer drinks people.

And now for the moonbathing explanation. It’s when you sit around an open bonfire with your Grand Marnier 100 (Bob) or Ruinart Champagne (me) while the spa performs head / neck / shoulder massages. Seriously. It was unbelievable.

We brought our anniversary champagne to the beach Sunday morning to share with our fellow boondogglers and toast the weekend. It made leaving just a little bit easier.

all photos courtesy of Paradise Photography unless otherwise noted

This trip was a highlight for us – a four day trip to Providenciales in Turks & Caicos where we stayed in the Regent Palms on Grace Bay Beach. It was an incentive trip for Bob but it just so happened to coincide with our 21st wedding anniversary – perfect timing! We’d never been before but we would go back in a heart beat. It was a few days of sun, food and drinks – after all, this trip was made possible by Moët Hennessy / Grand Marnier.

Here now is a visual recap of our few days in paradise. I pulled some of these photos from my instagram feed so they may look familiar and the debut of my second blog video.

the morning view from our suite. (I just realized there’s someone swimming underwater in this photo)When we checked into our room there was a lovely bottle of anniversary champagne waiting for us.
the weather was sketchy for our snorkel cruise on Friday but that didn’t stop us (top photo courtesy of Paradise Photography)using only a snorkel mask and your feet you can find some serious sand dollar / conch shell loot along the sandy ocean bottom (PS the brown sand dollars are still alive so we threw them back)

Please enjoy my amateur iPhone video and editing skillz -

We dined off resort Friday night at Coco Bistro (top photo courtesy of) outside under the cover of gorgeous lit palm trees. Get this – our waiter overhead the conversation about our anniversary and gifted us with this special dessert. Now THAT’S service.

Check back tomorrow for a recap of our last night  - we were treated to a phenomenal dinner on the beach complete with sunset cocktails (obviously), music and ‘moonbathing’ by a bonfire.

I’m not sure what it is but I can’t get enough of this black and white business and fortunately Zara is on board. good news? each of these beauties is under $100 and I would like all four in my closet please.

cloche / earrings / embroidered top / tassel necklace / clutch / palazzo pants / metallic mary janes

I didn’t get to the theater this weekend to see Great Gatsby but it’s happening this week for sure which got me to thinking how much fun it would be to get a group together to see the show and dress the part. You could either go full-on flapper style or something very wearable and current. Ralph Lauren’s Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear show was all about this look and I love it. I put a Great Gatsby inspired outfit together last summer for a Friday’s Fancies with {av} and thought it might be fun to try again. I actually have versions of pieces from both of these outfits in my closet – each of which were purchased between eight and ten years ago which proves the point about buying classic pieces and taking care of them.

And if you enjoy all things 1920 you should check out the pinterest board of blogger / interior designer Lynda Quintero-Davids called ‘deco details‘ – she’s got some great finds.

What about you – have you seen the movie?

here’s the birthday girl last month in Florida taking a selfie on my phone (wearing stripes just like her mother.) her sweet sixteen last year was celebrated with a lulupalooza weekend but we’re marking #17 with far less palooza. that and her birthday usually gets lumped in with Mother’s Day which is fine by me. After all she’s 1/3 of the reason I get to celebrate.

Lulu has always been a sensitive and caring kid who loves to laugh. She makes friends easily, has a really big heart and she’s not afraid to stand up for what’s right. She’s truly beautiful inside and out. I’d like to take all of the credit but as I’ve said before, these kids come hard-wired and she definitely didn’t get her speed and athletic ability from me. it’s been so fun to watch Lulu grow into a confident, strong, kind and clever young woman and I’m incredibly proud to say that she’s mine. HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY LULU!!!

and just as I was getting into a great groove, too.

I apologize – things have been quiet around here and in my studio. while the adventures near and far were great I’m ready to get back into the swing of things. (PS – I have no idea how Bob does so much traveling – it’s exhausting and you miss your own bed and I know Fenway would very much like the suitcases to be put away, too) I’m not really sure what’s up next or where to start but I’m so glad you stuck around.

I’ll be sure to update you on our Turks and Caicos boondoggle as soon as I get access to some of the professional photographer’s shots.

here’s the birthday boy in 1995. we were both babies back then but he was a little more than a year old and completely toothless. I vividly remember what it felt like to hold him and carry him around at this age. The way he smelled and the shock of wavy red hair. I remember all the little hand gestures he invented because he didn’t talk until he was two. (this was WAY before people taught their children sign language because it made them smarter) I remember the many crazy / sleepless nights because apparently, not talking until you’re two has some parallel with not being able to sleep through the night until you’re two. And I remember his pacifier trick – if we put it in upside down, he’d spin it right-side-up without using his hands.

You’re nineteen today. You wear your shock of red hair cut super short and you smell clean-shaven with a sharp wit and have a way with words. You’re a night owl again with crazy sleeping habits but that comes with the territory in college. We’re so very proud of you and we can’t wait to have you home again this summer. HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK!!!

over on my here’s what I’m thinking board* I’ve been pinning some interesting black and white images.

I’ve been toying with idea of an updated disc version of the caroline necklace (shown above) but I’ve found that translating the spherical beads’ patterns onto the flat discs isn’t nearly as successful as I would’ve liked. The two colors on the discs in a straightforward halves or thirds pattern like the claire would work but I think there’s a more interesting way to go – with two such high contrast colors I think it’ll make for a more dynamic composition if there were circles within the circles (see crude rendering below)

you know the drill: stay tuned…

* Dear Pinterest: could you make it possible to create boards within boards? like sub-categories? I like the general subject of ‘here’s what I’m thinking’ but I’d like to have a ‘black and white’ folder/board that sits inside it. It would fall under the general umbrella of ‘here’s what I’m thinking’ and would keep it separate from my regular b & w board.

in an effort to lighten things up around these parts I thought I’d share some highlights from my 2013 reading list. I posted last year that I typically only read when I travel because I prefer to read books in their entirety in one sitting or at least large chunks at a time. I can’t stand picking up and putting down and trying to remember the conversation thread or who is what. And since 2013 is shaping up to be the year of travel for me, I’ve collected some great suggestions through the magic of crowd sourcing on facebook. Seriously, my favorite use of facebook is polling people for ideas. Well, I guess it’s my second favorite thing – the first would be embarrassing my kids. I’ll spare you the synopsis of each of my recent reads. Instead, click the hyperlinks to take you to good reads which is another great way of finding new books. (and all the great quotes from the books you love)

I was able to blow through Fault in Our Stars on the way to Jackson Hole as well as an entire pack of tissues. It was Lulu’s summer reading last year and I’d forgotten it was on my kindle. On the way home I read Alys, Always and would definitely recommend both. On this recent trip to Florida I downloaded 5 new books and the only one I wouldn’t recommend is The Art Forger - a fictionalized version of the recovery of a Degas painting from the 1990 art theft at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It was generally unbelievable, full of unnecessary art jargon and repetitive. Meh.

I would absolutely recommend Wonder for the way the story is told from each character’s point of view. The Expats was an interesting whodunit but without having read it in one sitting I’m not sure I would’ve been able to follow the twists. I bought a paperback edition of The Great Gatsby for the girls to read so we could go together to see Baz Luhrmann’s extravagant movie remake when it opens next month but neither daughter was compelled to read it so I gave it another go around. At least I thought I was re-reading it. It’s one of those books you’re “supposed” to read but it turns out, I never actually read it in high school and now I know why. It was tedious so I probably skimmed. I don’t blame the girls for not wanting to read it but we can’t wait for the movie. The soundtrack is unreal.

The Interestings was recommended by my good friend Jen. It’s the newest novel written by one of her professors at Skidmore and now I’m really sorry I never got a chance to take a creative writing class with Meg Wolitzer while I was there. Meg’s one of those authors who has the ability to assemble every day words together in such an unusually descriptive package so the words seem entirely new. I’ve already started another of hers – The Wife: A Novel.

The last book on my ‘list’ is Rule Of Civility. Technically I read it last summer while we were away but it remains one of my all time favorites. I’m tempted to buy the actual book so I can hold it in my hand and dog-ear pages like you’re not supposed to do but I do it anyway. Truth? I won’t ever read Fifty Shades of Gray or The Hunger Games or The Twilight books. I just can’t do it. I did, however, devour the entire nine book Harry Høle series by Jo Nesbø because I loved The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series so much. I’d love to know what you’ve been reading. Sweeping sagas? Gruesome crime novels? Historical fiction?  Leave ‘em in the comments!

just wanted to check in and say we made it back last night from our snow bird adventure.

while our city sits in lockdown, with conflicting and erratic news updates bombarding us from every angle, I will be offline for awhile longer. some may say I’ve got my head in the sand but I don’t care – I’ve had enough of the wannabe news reporters on facebook regurgitating what they hear and the actual news reports full of speculation. I’ll wait patiently for those in charge to do the work they need to do and have confidence in their success.

after all, they’re from Boston.