Holiday Dress Up

I remember those days so well...............searching for glamorous outfits to wear over the holidays. Of course those were the days when our mothers and others did most of the cooking.........wearing freshly ironed Christmas aprons and comfy slippers, wiping their brows after opening the oven to check on "the bird" with one hand, stirring the bubbling gravy with the other.

I still love high fashion but realize it's mostly for the young, slim, rich..........with enough stamina to spend hours trolling the crowded department stores, survive the heat of tiny fitting rooms while pulling on and tugging off a ton of clothing, and still have legs strong enough to stride out in 5 inch heels!

Hey, guess what..............I've somehow become that woman in the kitchen enjoying stirring something delicious on the hot stove in my apron and flats!

Dressing up for Christmas..............New York style.

Images from Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Anthropologie, United Colors of Benetton and Aldo.

Night on the Town

View of the Empire State Building from our hotel window on the 33rd floor. Yesterday we rode the elevators to the 86th floor of that building to look down on New York City under 10" of freshly fallen snow!

Last night was a special night on the town. In a nutshell, we left our hotel room after sunset....................

..........walked gingerly along the slushy, slippery sidewalks.........through charming Bryant Park (Janet, thanks for telling us about this lovely place which is opposite our hotel!), complete with European style Christmas Village shops, and packed skating rink and carousel.......

.......sighing over Saks windows full of amazing red dresses.......

........shoes and accessories.........

.............and sparkling decor.............

We arrived here at Radio City Music Hall, great tickets in hand (center stage, fourteen rows back!) excited and and ready to enjoy the Christmas Spectacular with the world famous Rockettes.

A great night of beauty and fun.

.........ending with the true meaning of Christmas, thankfully!

The Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, Dec. 20, 2009

Winter in New York City

Evening at Rockefeller Plaza, NYC

Thankfully we made it here before the 'epic storm' hit the city streets.

Jasmin and Mary - Times Square before the snow arrived.

Window - Bergdorf Goodman

Window - Bloomingdale's

Anthropologie's amazing windows were already 'snowy'.

Will show more of the city later...........more beautiful windows dressed for Christmas, the sights, shopping venues, parks in the snow, and all that fabulous New York City offers the traveler. Off now to venture out into the snowy streets.....see you later.

Pink Saturday - Christmas Traditions

A tree to decorate - not Christmas without one.

I'm in New York City! Arrived ahead of the storm which will be hitting the city this afternoon. Heavy snow, up to 8" predicted so don't know what we're in for. New York City, an amazing place which actually holds no traditional memories of Christmas for me. I first arrived here many years ago on my way to Washington, D.C. All I remember of that cold night, following a long flight across the pond (my first time ever in a plane), was having all my luggage opened and examined by Customs & Immigration because, after all, I was an emigrant!

So, like most of us, my Christmas traditions go back to my childhood. In England we celebrated in a much simpler way in the 1940's and '50's, the years when I was growing up. These images were not taken that far back, but they will give you an idea as to some of the things that still mean 'tradition' to me.

Stockings that actually were everyday stockings or socks.

Snuggling by a roaring fire and reading this, the most wonderful story ever of British Christmas traditions. Best is the audio version actually read by the author, Dylan Thomas.

A British must, festive Christmas Crackers to pull at Christmas dinner - so you have a silly paper hat to wear.

Definitely a must, Christmas china to serve all those holiday foods - this set was at SuzAnna's Antiques a couple of years ago. Love the simple design of a holly sprig - now that's tradition.

Of course there's plenty more that is traditional in my home but the city calls, time to pull on boots, bundle up warmly as it's freezing here, leave you and head out to see the Big Apple sights before they're blanketed in snow.

Be sure to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound where all the Pink Saturday participants are sharing their holiday traditions.

Not the North Pole

I'm heading to New York City today with DH and 'traveling granddaughter' Jasmin. Hold that snow, sleet or rain, please! Send it Santa's way, he knows how to deal with it. You may remember we planned this same trip for last year. Then, just as I stepped on the gas and headed toward the airport, phone rang and dear Delta told me all flights to the Northeast were canceled.........due to snow, ice, and wind, a powerful storm.

Fingers crossed please. I would really like to share images of the city dressed for Christmas. Hoping and wishing it all works out for us this year.

Weather Update:

It's beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas, all around the town we're leaving. A chance of snow flurries here in North Carolina later today........after we fly out. BUT, an accumulation due in New York later tomorrow and Sunday..........looks like we will enjoy an early White Christmas in the city and that will be awesome.

Thank goodness we bought real snow boots, they may get a workout on the snowy pavements of New York! I'll be posting from the city during the coming days.

Hidden Christmas Beauty

I thought my Christmas decorating was complete! Have you ever done this....................opened the door to a little storage/hiding place only to discover more beauty?

Yesterday, while searching for something while packing my travel bag, I found these perfectly lovely trees staring back at me from the cupboard of a little hallway table. Oh yes, I do remember buying them early in the year, knowing they'd be perfect for this Christmas. Tucked them away in the cabinet as I didn't want to crawl through the attic to stuff them in the monstrous green storage boxes.

I thought these filigreed trees very lovely topped with stars. Their soft patina is similar to mercury glass, but with a matte rather than shiny finish. I'm so happy I found them in time!

Kick off the covers...........................

.................and get going. Lots to do today.

Hope Santa remembers I've been nice and puts a tiny something in my stocking come Christmas Eve!


No sun peeking out today to flood the dining room with bright Winter light, murky fog and drizzly rain again........................

................but the snowflakes glitter a little in the window.

Sitting here in the early morning I check my 'to do' list......it's long, I must get moving because at the end of this week I'm off on a trip.

No, not Paris unfortunately...............some year I truly would love to experience Christmas in the 'City of Light'. Some of you thought I might be crossing the pond and spending the Christmas holidays at home in England. No such luck..............but I would love to be there, strolling the streets of London in all its Christmas finery, then traveling South to the Devon coast and enjoying some time by the sea in my home town over the holidays.

Keeping fingers crossed for good flying weather later this week. "North Pole"? Someone asked if that's my destination. No, but it can be almost as cold where I'm going!