Jetsetter

As you read this, I am almost home from my weekend in Vegas!

On my last trip to Vegas, I fell for these two spaces, with hanging lights and floating glass balls...

Top image - the John Varvatos shop. Bottom image - Julian Serrano at the Aria.


When I go to Vegas I usually shop, eat and sun. I'm not a huge gambler. But when I found the Sex & the City slot machine, I was kinda hooked.

As you can see, I was rolling in money :)

Hey Ace - I'm A Comin'!

I love me a little getaway. Which is why I cannot WAIT for an upcoming trip with my man to the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs...

The Ace Hotel puts me in a bohemian chic state-of-mind, so all I want to do until we go is...

Caftan by Temperley London from Neiman Marcus.

Drink created by the genius ladies at Fashionably Bombed for an amazing lady's trip that I was lucky to attend - find the recipe here!

Rug from Anthropologie.

All hotel pictures from the Ace Hotel website.

Palm Springs Yacht Club

It's hard to get back to work after a long weekend - especially when I spent it at my favorite hotel (The Parker Palm Springs) designed by my favorite interior designer (Jonathan Adler) with my favorite man (my husband.)

We were greeted by this gorgeous entry.

Check-in doesn't feel like a chore when you do it in this lobby.

All dreams are sweet in this bed.
Because it was chilly, we spend our days in the spa, the Palm Springs Yacht Club, relaxing in bathrobes, reading, and hoping into the jacuzzi. Best turkey day ever!

Take Me Away!

Keep your fingers crossed - my amazing husband and I are trying to plan a trip to Costa Rica! If all turns out right, we will be visiting a mineral springs hotel in the Arenal volcano area, a yoga and surf retreat at the beach at Nosara, and a hideaway at the Rio Celeste (a bright blue river.) Just looking at these photos lowers my blood pressure a few notches.

Hot springs with a Volcano view...


Yoga and surf retreat... which wouldn't be complete without a hammock.





And the magical blue river.



Can I leave now please?

Y is for... Yucatan! and Yummy Dinners!

What a lovely holiday break I've had! We spent Christmas in Mexico, in Playa del Carmen, at the most incredible resort - Royal Hideaway Playacar. My husband hurt his leg (which is now on the mend) and we had to cancel our ski trip to Deer Valley. At first I was bumming, but once I saw the resort I knew spending a week on the beach reading my Kindle was exactly what I needed.

My typical view of the day - at the infinity pool overlooking the beach.

White sand beaches... when can I go back?

It's an all-inclusive resort, so the drinks keep-a-comin' all day long!
After our relaxing week in Mexico, we decided to amp it up and spend our New Year's Eve in Vegas.

As you can see below, I am not such a big gambler (this picture was taken of my big jackpot in Vegas)
And now to the biggest news, (drumroll please), today I am celebrating my 30th birthday! I'm very much looking forward to the restaurant we are going to tonight - Bazaar at the SLS Hotel. It's supposed to be a killer designed hotel by Philippe Starck/SBE, and the food is supposed to be incredible (one of last year's Top Chef contestants, Marcel, works there.)

Here are some pictures of what I have to look forward to tonight...




Hope you are all having a great New Year!!!

"Lucid Dreaming . . . "

Good evening,

Next week begins a somewhat gruesomely busy 10 days in my life, so tonight, before I drift off into the world of dreams, I've decided to go on a little REM sleep vacation before the gauntlet of Monday begins . . . .

ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . . . . . .

. . . . just landed at London/Heathrow and have only a few moment before the taxi carries me away to South Kensington to my favourite hotel near Hyde Park.

First, a yummy dinner at the Indian place around the corner - and a good night's slumber . . . then there's a morning run through Hyde Park, with a few laps around "the round pond" by Kensington Palace as the day begins.

After a shower, a yummy breakfast at the hotel, and the required "viente, 1/2 caf, non-fat latte" from the Starbucks near the High Street . . . then maybe some shopping.


David Linley's shop in Pimlico for amazing hard-carved home accessories . . .

Hackett, in Sloane Square, for a few new things for my wardrobe . . . wander down King's Road to search for antiques . . .

or brave the crowds at Portobello Road Market. Hopefully, some antique tartanware from that great little place in Gray's Antique Market . . , or maybe Henry Gregory?

in the afternoon, the glories of Bond Street - Burberry, Pringle, Gieves & Hawkes. . . and a wander through the Polo Store. Oh, can't forget Crockett & Jones for some new shoes. And, hell, Paul Smith too.

gonna need some culture . . . some Shakespeare - "Henry V" or "Midsummer Night's Dream" - and hopefully some new productions in the theatre district . . . and let's chuck in a big-budget musical just for balance.

The National Portrait Gallery, near Saint Martin's-in-the-Field. It has been, and remains, one of my all-time favourite art/history galleries.

and finally, a glorious Sunday service at Westminster Abbey . . . and since I'm in charge of this dream, we'll have all my favourite hymns, the 8 part Martin Mass for double choir, and the Bach G Major Prelude/Fugue as the postlude.

beep, beep, beep, beep.
time to get up and face the week.

tartanscot