Living It With Lisa

Secret Garden Catwalk

My niece Laura Fisher has attended St. Andrews University in Scotland and will graduate this year. The past 3 years she has been involved with the St. Andrews Charity Fashion Show.  You know … the one where Duchess Kate was wearing the see thru dress and Prince William took notice.  Yes, THAT fashion show.

This year Laura was selected as the FIRST female Director of FS2012.  So her mother Melea (my sister) and I decided we would trek to Scotland to be part of the festivities.  I can tell you that was a fabulous decision.

Edinburgh Castle

I arrived in Edinburgh early Thursday morning after flying all night.  Headed to The Balmoral Hotel to check in and drop off luggage since my room was not ready yet.  I grabbed my camera and headed out to walk to Edinburgh Castle.  It was a drizzly, cloudy morning with lots of wind.  I share that with you because I thought when I got back to the hotel I thought that my hair would be wet … nope it was like I had a blow dry the entire time!  Too funny!

The Castle was great … steeped in history.  My favorite part was the War Memorial.  I deliberately didn’t tour it in depth because I knew I would be coming back with Vic someday and do it again.  I headed back to the Hotel and had lunch there.

Bath Ritual

Once in my room I saw a Bath Ritual Menu and decided that was exactly what I needed for about $25.   I called and 20 minutes later I had a silver tray full of goodies.  Hot tea, oil for the tub, Sachet and lotion for after the bath.  The young lady who delivered the Bath Ritual  drew the water added the bath oil and tied the sachet over the faucet so that the water was infused as the tub filled.  Once filled she placed rose petals on the water.   Ahhhhh!

Lisa, Laura & Melea

Next was a nap for me until Laura arrive around 7pm.  Melea wasn’t due to arrive until 8pm at the hotel.  We decided to have dinner at the hotel that night so there was no travel need.  We enjoyed an amazing dinner at Number One, and chose to have the tasting menu.  ”Best. Meal. Ever.”  was  Laura’s post was on Facebook.  It was very good and would do it again.

The next day Laura left us to do all of her Director duties as “Team Zhuzh” leapt into action.  Team Zhuzh being Melea and me.  We found out that Laura was wearing her gown with NO accessories.  That would never do.  So off we went and found earrings, bracelets and evening clutch to complete her ensemble.  Turns out they all worked with her After Party dress too.

Afternoon Tea

The only way to travel in ‘style’ to Holyrood would be in a “super nanny” taxi.  So that’s just what we ordered.  Yes, we could walk to the Queens Palace but we decided to taxi over and walk back.  The palace and the grounds were an interesting tour back in time.

We headed back in time for Afternoon Tea at The Balmoral Hotel.  I would say there were good and not so good elements of that service.  But Melea and I did agree that their Goat Cheese Spread, arugula and balsamic tea sandwiches were awesome.  We actually asked for more.  Look for it on our next tea service.

Laura and Ann Maxwell

Next on our agenda was the Muir Maxwell Trust and St. Andrews Charity Fashion Show Black Tie Gala:  The Secret Garden Gala.  The MMT was the designated charity for FH2012.  The MMT has a major fund raiser in February so they joined forces.  MMT provided an event planner who did an amazing job and FH2012 provided the models, sound, and all media.  Not only were we dazzled with fashion, we had amazing singing from The Other Guys (men’s acapella group from St. Andrews) and three tenors that were randomly positioned around the room that sang too.  We also had a live auction and a silent auction of designer handbags filled with goodies.  I will be “borrowing” that idea in the future!

Lisa, Adrienne and The Pippa

One of the silent auction items was a hand bag that was renamed “The Pippa” because the day after the Royal Wedding she was photographed with this handbag.  It is sold out and on backorder in the UK until Spring.  So guess who bid and WON!  Little ole me!  I will say I do like it with one exception… I want a shoulder strap on it for when I travel.  Otherwise I could have one in every color!  Adrienne (Laura’s friend) was swooning over The Pippa!  Maybe I should start a rental program!

The Gala was located at the  Mansfield Traquair.  Which was first a church, then a night club and now an event center.  Beautiful frescos on the walls were used as part of the program art.  Laura and her student  team along with the Muir Maxwell Trust did an exceptional job.  Prior to the gala and the fashion show FS2012 raised 37,000 pounds for MMT.

Adrienne, Lisa, Laura, Melea

Ann Maxwell who is Muir’s mother and founder of the Muir Maxwell Trust just made this Facebook post:

“And the total is £150,000 – not a bad result for a small student team!  Well done FS 2012 and thank you!”

The student lead Fashion Show is celebrating 20 years and has raised a total of  £190,000, the majority of that in the past 8 years.  This year they almost matched what has been raised in the past 20 years.  (150,000 pounds =$239,190)

Can you say our family is very proud of Laura and her team’s efforts?

Absolutely!

I decided to test two of the recipes that I learned in my cooking class in Tuscany at Toscana Saporita with Aleta.  Oh, did they turn out yummy!  Vic says it was worth the trip to eat this at home!  We really felt like we were back in Tuscany.  Isn’t it amazing how food can transport you?

If you are in Tuscany … you must take a class with Sandra!  She is awesome and you feel like you are on the set of Under The Tuscan Sun! In the picture, Aleta and I are in the red aprons and Sandra is leaning on the table.  The rest of the guys are the chefs that help Sandra.  Check out her chandeliers!  It is all cooking utensils.  Love it!

When I went to Tuscany, what I didn’t know was there are two kinds of Gnocchi.  The one I was more familiar with was the little football shaped potato pasta.  There is also another form of gnocchi that is made with Semolina Flour instead of potatoes and take a different shape.  We made both in our class.  Our instructor Sandra Lotti said that her favorite was the Gnocchi alla Romana hands down.  I listened but wasn’t quite sure if I believed her until I tasted them both. The soft pillow center and the crunchy outside is amazing.

When you order Gnocchi in a restaurant you are really playing Russian … well Italian Roulette!  Will it be good or not?  Many times it is NOT!  Gnocchi should feel like little pillows in your mouth.  Light and fluffy.  More often than not they will be tough and that is truly a disappointment.

Gnocchi alla Romana is made with milk and semolina flour. When ready you roll it about 1/2 inch thick and use a ravioli cutter to make discs.  Then you overlap the disc’s on a baking sheet with oil, add whatever flavor you want like Gorgonzola, Parmesan, Procuitto, Truffles etc.  Pop the tray in the oven and bake until golden.

I chose to make the ones we made in class since I brought back some Black Truffle Paste from Tuscany.  It was funny when Vic who love love loves gnocchi came in the kitchen to check it out and he saw the discs and I said that was the Gnocchi. His face said … “that’s not gnocchi but who cares there are truffles on it!”

Then I started on the basic tomato sauce.  The one thing about Tuscan cooking is that it is NOT fussy.  Basic ingredients, picked fresh, cooked simply, letting the flavors sing!  Ingredients are onions, celery, carrots, salt pepper, and either canned San Marzano tomatoes or made with fresh tomatoes.  From there you can customize the sauce any way you want.   Use your immersion blender then add your pasta.

You cook the pasta half way in the water and then add it to the sauce to cook the rest of the way.  None of the plating of the pasta and topping with the sauce.  The pasta needs to absorb the flavor of the sauce.

As I was making these two items I realize we would eat this for days if we didn’t have help.  So a few of our friends on the lake were taking a cruise, a quick text and I had them drop by for a spontaneous Dock Dining moment.  However with 11 people on the boat it was more of a tasting than dining experience!

Vic was still trying to convince me there wasn’t enough food … ha!  He just wanted it all for later!  It’s awesome to have someone who loves your food and it’s even more fun to share the experience with friends. Needless to say my first attempt at recreating my Tuscan experience, was a hit!

Where on earth am I going to find a Derby hat much less more than one in central Florida?  And then what color?

Before I let my fingers do the walking around the world wide web as my shopping grounds, I had to do my research.  First, just exactly what kind of hat did the ladies REALLY wear?  What do the guys wear?  Believe it or not there is right and wrong apparel for Derby.  Tradition states that certain rules must be followed.  Follow these steps for dressing right for Derby Day.

STEP 1:  Choose your hat (ladies only, of course). Hats go with the Derby like the frosting on a birthday cake. It should be large-brimmed, feminine and frilly (think 18th-century France), and worn low on the brow tilted slightly to one side. Design the rest of your outfit around the hat.

STEP 2:  First it is spring, not a cocktail party.  So no cocktail dresses at the races … think Easter.  Think Easter bonnets. And believe it or not, it is appropriate for the men to wear Seersucker Suits.  Do they make those anymore?  The answer, YES!  Trust me right or not … Vic will NOT be in seersucker!

STEP 3:  Dress business casual for  many venues at Churchill Downs.  This means blazers and jackets with collared shirts and ties for men, dresses and pantsuits for ladies. Denim, shorts and tennis shoes, torn or frayed clothing aren’t welcome in here.

Believe me these are the cliff notes.  After scouring picture after picture to get the look and feel of what we were about to embark upon I think I finally got a grasp of how to SHOP!

Now if you want a funny blog post … go to the Blacksnob for a read that will get you giggling.

Vic and I celebrate our birthdays going somewhere.  Last year I stayed home and Vic chose Ireland.  So while we were driving to South Beach for the SoBe Food & Wine Festival in late February, he asked me where I wanted to go this year.  I had not even given it a thought!  He mentioned the Hershey Spa, since that was planned last year and we didn’t go.  I said no, but it was still on my list.  As we passed a billboard that was promoting John Fogarty on April 27th, Vic chimes in and says we could to see him for MY birthday.  NOPE! don’t think so…

That got me thinking and brainstorming just where I might want to go.  I remembered several years ago, Vic thought about going to the Kentucky Derby because his mother was born on May day, in Kentucky on Derby day.  That particular year Derby Day fell once again on her birthday.  Needless to say they didn’t go.  So, I said “well the Derby is on my list, not for this year since we haven’t planned a thing, but definitely on the list”.  And we carried on about other places never making a decision.

Cut to the Food & Wine Festival.  We were there with American Express BIO (By Invitation Only) group.  On Saturday evening we had a private dinner with Chef Michael Chiarello.  During dinner Vic was visiting with Dave and Debbie and I was visiting with Casey from Gainesville sitting next to me.  Towards the end of dinner, Vic leans over to me and says, “Guess where Dave and Debbie are going?”  ”The Kentucky Derby!”   Needless to say I wanted to know where Debbie was getting her hat!

On our way back to our room, Vic proceeds to tell me that he shared with Dave and Debbie that the Derby was on my Birthday Wish List.  During dinner Dave emailed his cousin to see if he could get 2 more tickets to the Derby.  I was shocked and excited at the possibility!

The next day we are at one of the Culinary Events and we see them.  Dave turns around and tells us that he just got an email back from his cousin that they have two tickets for us, if we are still interested!  I am stunned!  Now that is the Law of Attraction at work … in spades!

Needless to say the whirlwind began. HATS topped the list for sure! (no pun intended).  Not one but TWO.  One for The Oaks race which just happens to be on my birthday AND the color is PINK.  Why? Because all the fillies are racing and it benefits Breast Cancer Awareness.  And then there is the Derby Race … run for the roses … the fastest two minutes in sports racing!

So join me on my unexpected journey to Churchill Downs.

Our first dinner was at DEANES Restaurant, Michael Deanes flagship site and the only restaurant to receive a Michelin 1 Star rating in Belfast.

Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants offering the finest cooking, regardless of cuisine style.  Stars represent only what is on the plate.  They do not take into consideration interior decoration, service quality or table settings.

As our custom, when a restaurant offers a tasting menu paired with wine, we usually select it.  DEANES was no exception.  It is a great way to taste smaller portions of cuisine and wine.

Not only did we enjoy the tasting we discovered 2 cheeses from Ireland and witnessed love in bloom at the table next to us. More on that later.

We particularly loved the first pairing of Chilled gazpacho with crab & avocado paired with Sancerre Domaine Andre Dezat.

Now as we were waiting on our meat course we notice a gentleman 2 tables over being presented with the cheese selections for his Cheese Course.  Well we instantly decided that we would indulge after our meal was complete.

The meat tasting was Tapenade poached Lough Erne lamb & confit lamb belly, Pissaladière & artichoke barigoule and was a little disappointing I that for all the flavors on the plate there really wasn’t a “star”.  It was all beautifully cooked, just blaze’ in taste.

The next tasting course was Strawberry & watermelon soup, basil ice-cream which was quite delightful combinations of flavor and texture.  It was a nice palate cleanser for the chocolate dessert.

Valrhona chocolate & caramel tart, pistachio ice-cream & Amarena cherries was amazing in flavor and textures and paired with Fischer Trockenbeerenauslese sweet wine.  Excellent paring.

An now for the Cheese Course.  It was FABULOUS!  The two standouts were a smoked Knockanore from Waterford NI and Durrus from Lorck IE.  You will find those on one of my next Cheese Courses at home soon.

Our general consensus was that the kitchen had some issues with getting the food out in a timely manner.  Since this was on a Thursday night it wasn’t a full house.  Waiting 25 minutes between a few of the courses was a little weary.  Which since the Michelin Stars doesn’t have anything to do with service, that is something to be remembered.

Oh yes … I haven’t forgotten … Click to read about Love, One Table Over

Ok … I have been on blog vacation!  Not planned, just happened.  Almost a computer/internet reprieve.  And it felt good!  Now back at it!

The last 24 days have been crazy … even for me.  It started  with driving to Biloxi (MS) to welcome 4 day

Littlest Longhorn

old grandchild #6 to our family:  Nathan Tyler Johnson 8#11oz and 20 inches long.  Proud parents are Tyler and Savannah with big brother Dylan.  And yes, he had to have his own Longhorn shirt, just in time to wear while he watched (?) the game a few days later!  We spent Christmas with them then drove home to repack for New Years in New York City.

Chris Botti

We arrived in NYC and our first night there we headed off to see Chris Botti perform at the Blue Note.  We have seen him three of the last four years there, as he is in residence at the Blue Note over Christmas and now New Years.  We make sure to see him on our way thru to other destinations even if we aren’t there for the entire holiday.  FYI – I took this picture with my iPhone and yes I was THAT close.  It is an amazingly intimate venue.  A must do if you are ever in New York.  After the show, I had him autograph his latest CD for me and one for my girlfriend Dianne, since the first time we both saw him live was at an event in Dallas seven years ago.

White Christmas

Then of course we crammed as much as we could into those few days.  We saw White Christmas on Broadway.  That was a treat as I remember watching it on TV or the video every New Years Eve.  Just wouldn’t be Christmas without it.  We discovered a few new restaurants and savored some of our favorites.

Times Square

Several years ago we decided that there were too many hotels in NYC to stay at the same one.  So we now try a new hotel every time we go.  This trip we stayed at the Soffitel, very nice.  The bonus was the discovering the secret to seeing the ball drop in Times Square without being with 750,000 people freezing for hours in the street.

2nd Anniversary

One of our restaurant discoveries this time would have to be Joel Robuchon.  Simply a divine dining experience for our 2nd Anniversary.  http://www.joel-robuchon.com/ When ever there is a tasting menu, Vic and I will select it.  You get the best of the best and a great idea of what the chef can really create.  Joel Robuchon did not disappoint.  We placed this dining experience in our TOP FOUR in the world.

Vic, Lisa, Patti, Christopher

We were blessed to meet Patti and Christopher Guerierro for Brunch on Sunday at the Park Avenue Cafe Winter   It too was amazing.  Each season they change their decor to the appropriate season.  Literally close the restaurant down for 2 days, paint and redecorate and then the menu changes for the season too.  Check out their website. http://www.parkavenyc.com/ The food was delectable and we will definitely be back.

Jatana and Lisa

When we left NYC, Vic headed back to Florida and I headed to Austin.  My girlfriend Jatana was getting married in a small family gathering and I was not going to miss it.  She is also in the middle of Chemo for Breast Cancer.  Being an amazing woman once again, was not a stranger to her.  After the wedding reception I changed and headed over to girlfriend Stacy’s house to watch The Bachelor season premiere … which I must say it is getting a little contrived … hummmm

And of course, I got to see my son Joseph, his girlfriend Saia and  grandpup Luca!  And lest I forget to mention … yes I watched the National Championship game (UT vs Alabama) in Longhorn country!  It was an amazing game even though we didn’t win.  It was fun texting

Luca, Lisa, Joseph

James, Laura, Emma

Jessica, Andrew

sister Melea and her children (James, Laura, Emma) in California during the game and sending all these pictures via text.  Isn’t technology amazing.  James is my die hard Longhorn and has now brought mom and sisters into the fold.  Well unbeknownced to me, my niece Jessica has  defected to the ‘other side’.   I got a text from her and her boyfriend  Andrew  that said “Roll Tide” just as the game kicked off!  … HELLO … some animated texting did occur since  it wasn’t a game we expected to play without McCoy!  They texted a photo too.  All in all it was fun ‘texting’ a game around the USA!

Carrie, Lisa, Donna

After a whirlwind trip in Austin I jumped on yet another plane to meet Vic and headed to Bethesda for our Mastermind Meeting.  Where the first night in, I left Vic on his own and grabbed girlfriend Carrie Wilkerson http://www.barefoot-executive.com/ and went to the movies!  We ducked into Ruth’s Chris and ran into Barry Dunlop http://www.barrydunlop.com/who treated us to appetizers and we were off to see Sherlock.  Carrie insists I sucked the air out of the theatre with my gasping.  Hey, I got into the movie!

Then it was two intense days of Yanik Silver’s Mastermind.  I think we could all say our brains hurt with the ideas that we all came away with.  Including me!  I am off and running into 2010!

So in the last few days of 2009 and the  first 14 days of this year,  I have been in Biloxi (MS),  Florida, New York City, Austin (TX), Bethesda (MD) and back to Florida.  I am already worn out!   But in those travels I experienced memorable moments, reconnected with family and friends, determined to focus on the things that make a difference, to stop and take time out to recharge and always count my blessings.

Little did I know how magical Disney World would be.

Joseph was born in 1986.  Epcot opened in 1982.  I decided that I was going to take him there when he was 10 so that he would really appreciated it more.  I had been to Disneyland (California) so knew that it would be fun.  Somewhere along the way I kept moving other things in front of it.

Then I married a Floridian.  I didn’t realize just how imbedded the park culture is for those who live near Orlando.  And of course Vic’s favorite cruise line is none other than the Big Red Boat aka Disney!

Needless to say last year when we decided to take all the kids to Orlando for Thanksgiving and go to 4 parks in 3 days, it still hadn’t sunk in that one of my dreams was coming true.  So the planning began.

We had children, grandchildren and extended family coming from all over Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Kentucky. There were rooms to reserve, plane tickets to book,  food to cook and itinerary to implement.

Once everyone started to arrive on Wednesday and gathered at the hotel you could see the planning in action.  Thursday morning we all got up and went to Epcot.  As Vic and I pulled into the parking lot and I saw that big silver globe, I got tears in my eyes.  It was a very unexpected reaction.  Here I was on property with my son in tow, realizing a small dream 23 years ago.

It seemed so simple and not a big deal on the surface.  I mean really… I have taken my son on many trips from coast to coast (14 states at last count), to almost every ski destination where American flies, to Italy with Vic and the kids.  So it wasn’t like we sat at home and did nothing for the past 23 years.  But here I was.  At Epcot with Joseph, trying to control the tears in my eyes.

What I realize, now that I reflect, is this.  Yes, I had a dream, a wish. But I had not taken any significant action.  Yes, I wanted to take him when he was 10, and there were a lot of reasons why that didn’t happen then.  Disney’s tag line is “Make a Dream Come True”.   Now how can anyone make a dream come true if they are not taking any action?  A dream remains just that until it moves into the goal column.  Once it is a goal you have to take action to make that dream come true.

Our goal was to take our children and grandchildren snow skiing for Christmas this year.  For Vic’s family it would have been snow skiing for the first time.  So Thanksgiving was not on the family get together radar, but because we lost Austin this year and then Tyler and Savannah were blessed with another arrival (Nathan) and a due date of December 21st… that snow skiing goal got moved to another year.  So we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving with the children this year instead and Orlando popped up as an option.  So you see, making that dream list is always a good thing.  The seed gets planted.  The intention is set.  Then all that has to happen is to move that dream to the goal list and take action.

I can tell you that this trip was better than I could have imagined 23 years ago and it had nothing to do with where we stayed or the money that was spent.  It had everything to do with the experience.    Joseph really understood the magic of Disney.  How Walt Disney was an amazing visionary where there was … no dream too big.  Disney’s dreams were off the chart.  Each park was unique.  Each park touched young and old.  And if you looked around there was no age limit.  You can go time and time again and not see it all.  And if you finally do see it all … you just might be showing it to your children and experiencing the magic all over again.

So become your own Imagineer.  Make YOUR dreams come true.

Most of you know I have a  H  U G E aversion, might I even say disgust for sodas.  I am on the other hand a H U G E advocate of drinking more water.  And for good reason.

This summer I bought a new water bottle for Tommy (grandson) and me because he was not drinking enough water.  To make it fun and so that he would realize how much water he was drinking we each got a Camelbak BPA-free water bottle.  I got the liter size and he got the 1/2 liter.  That way when he would race me to drink more water … he always won with finishing his bottle first!  We carried it everywhere we went.  He knew that there was nothing else to drink until one bottle was gone.  Then he might get lemonaide or juice.  Then we would start on the next bottle.  You would be surprised at how many days all he drank was water.  With no ice mind you.

Here is the back story on me.  I grew up in a household where the only soda in the house was Root Beer and that was for Daddy’s Root Beer Floats!  P E R I O D.  And yes he did share with his girls!

When I left home I did drink sodas for a while but realized early on that if you are thirsty and you reach for a soda you are NOT quenching your thirst at all.  Water quenches your thirst.  By the time a person feels thirsty, your body is telling you it needs water and you are becoming dehydrated.

Think about this.  Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day?  You just slept for 6-8 hours with nothing to fuel your body.  Well you also haven’t had a drink of water either.  When you wake up each morning you should drink a glass … yes 8 ounces of water.

I will say that was the hardest thing for me to do when I was training for my first triathlon.  So I kept water by my bed and I would sit on the edge of the bed and make myself drink the water before I went to the bathroom.   I was shocked at what a difference it made in my day.  It set the pace for staying hydrated during the day and an unexpected benefit came along with it.  My dry skin became nonexistent.

Well that makes perfect sense since up to 70 percent of the human body weight is composed of water. Muscle is made up of nearly 75 percent water.  Fat is made up of about 50 percent water. Bones are also composed of about 50 percent water.

However, fat tissue does not have as much water as lean tissue.  So, if you are overweight it does not mean that you are carrying more water weight. Sorry!  If you are overweight it means you are carrying more fat.  Plain and simple.

Every system in your body needs water. Water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.  Your body requires water to function properly.

I try to drink two liters each day.  I have found that if I have a water bottle I KNOW what I have drank each day as opposed to trying to count the glasses of water during the day.

Here are some additional reasons to drink your water:

- One glass of water can alleviate late night hunger

- Drinking at least 5 glasses of water each day can reduce the incidence of colon cancer, bladder cancer and breast cancer.

- Drinking the recommended 8 to 10 glasses of water a can can ease joint pain AND help you maintain your weight levels.

- Soft drinks, coffee, and tea, while made up almost entirely of water, also contain caffeine. Caffeine can act as a mild diuretic, preventing water from traveling to necessary locations in the body.

Water Trivia:  20 Interesting and Useful Water Facts

Here we were enjoying our tasting menu at DEANES Restaurant in Belfast.  While soaking in the ambiance, a young couple was seated at the table next to us.  We had already made the decision to add a cheese course to our menu after glancing two tables over as a gentleman made his selections for his cheese course.  Who knew what we were about to witness one table over!

I noticed that this couple had been served two courses because of course I wanted to see what else came out of the kitchen!  Out of the corner of my eye I saw the young man get up and thought he was going to the restroom.  All of the sudden Vic is nodding his head in their direction and nodding ‘yes’ at the same time.  I glanced over and Thomas was on his knees in front of Leah’s chair asking her to marry him.  She was gasping and in shock, obviously not expecting a proposal.

By the time I gathered my wits about me, I grabbed my camera out of my purse.  Now cut to Mr. Toughguy … he is holding back  the tears and his face is red.  Yes, Vic is a big teddybear and was trying hard not to be emotional.

Thomas was about to get off up after placing a ring on Leah’s finger.  I told him to hold it, I needed to get a picture!  Phoey I should have checked the photo… he really was on his knee!  There was a round of applause from a few staff and diners.

At little more on the happy couple.  Leah Hawksford and Thomas Heavyside are from Liverpool England!  Kudos to Thomas for wisking Leah away to Belfast and totally surprising her with I might add was a fabulous ring that Leah kept looking at, as it sparkled in the lights only to be dimmed by the sparkle in Thomas eyes as he watched Leah with pure joy.

Lean and Thomas …May your life together sparkle a little more everyday.

I saw this in a store in Belfast and felt it appropriate to share in honor of you both…

Irish Wedding Blessing

We arrived in Ireland safe and sound and were met by Michael with the Bentley at 9am and whisked off to The Merchant Hotel. The Building, which was the Head Quarters of The Ulster Bank, was completed in 1860.  The Merchant Hotel Belfast is an intimate  5 star hotel, situated in the historical Cathedral Quarter of Belfast’s city centre which has been recently re-purposed.  The Cathedral Centre was dead 10 years ago.  Not so anymore.  The Vault below the hotel is now a night club and the area is alive with businesses.  We checked in, took a quick cat nap and then off to our private tour of Belfast.

Now that may seem decadent but we have found is that if we don’t get a quick private tour we will end up leaving a city and without seeing an important part and we would rather not be in a large group going slower than we want to.  This way we get the cliff notes and then spend the rest of our time exploring the parts the really intrigue us on our first visit… just in case we don’t get back to visit anytime soon.

It was amazing to see the Murals of Belfast that were scattered around town depicting the religious and political struggle that was resident only 10 years ago.  It was different to see picture of contemporary people who had died fighting for what they believed in.  We are so used to those pictures being hundreds of years ago.

On our tour , we decided to travel 20 minutes to see Carrickfergus Castle.  Which was very interesting even in the rain.  It always amazes me the ingenuity of people hundreds of years ago.  It reminds me that we were in horse and carriage 100 years ago … that is only 3 generations … my grandmother!  WOW!

If Ireland isn’t on your Vision Board … it’s a must see.