How Far Would You Go?

Few things in life are more annoying than rude people and bad customer service. We avoid them both whenever possible.  Recently, we came to the conclusion we needed a third car. With our son home from college and working, juggling schedules with just two vehicles quickly became unmanageable.

So last Friday morning, my husband and I drove three hours south to Williamsburg,Virginia to buy another car. There are about 50 dealerships within a twenty mile radius of our house. You would have to practically give the car away for us to consider stepping foot in one of these places. I don't know about where you live, but in the Washington, DC area buying a car is about as appealing as thoroughly cleaning a rest stop bathroom and takes far longer! Very slimey. So we decided it made perfect sense to just go our favorite dealership. It's owned by two brothers and the salesman we purchased our last car from, nine years ago, is who we called on again for this purchase. When we arrived, he had the cars we wanted to test drive ready to go. After my husband made his choice (our son will now have one of the old cars to drive) we signed the papers and left a few hours later. I hugged our salesman and said "thanks so much, see you soon". Yep, it was that pleasant.

And, since we were already in one of our favorite southern cities, might as well make the most of it and spend 2 days enjoying a little R&R. Even though I've been playing catch-up this week, it was a small price to pay for a little hiatus!

We visited old friends and new....


I had to stop by to see the horses. When I lived in Williamsburg, I would visit them every week.



This girl stole my heart. We just met and she gave me a nuzzle. If my dog was a horse, she'd look just like this!



Sheep are so cute, don't you think?


Did a little shopping....


I really wish I had a place for these bug prints. Guestroom?



This shelf came home with me. It was suppose to go in the laundry room, but it's 3 inches too long!
Any suggestions???



This would be fun in a beach house.



How about an aqua and lime green rug?



 

Or maybe orange and cream geometric?

And, dined in favorite restaurants....

If you are ever in the area, I recommend the BTB. Oh, and you'll need a reservation,
sometimes they are booked weeks in advance!

All photos, except the first image, courtesy of A&A

Equestrian Inspired Decor

I've noticed lately equestrian inspired elements are making frequent appearances in fashion and decor. A look that has always appealed to me. It naturally conjures up images of picnics on plaid blankets, rolling fields, miles of fences, the smell of leather, the warmth of tweed, a love of horses and my childhood.



Hermes bottle opener



Growing up I shared a room with my  older sister. About the only thing we had in common was an  obsession with horses. We  had tons of plastic and flocked specimens lining the shelves and dresser tops of our room. We would ask for our own horse constantly. My father, under the constant barrage of begging, caved and for 3 blissful years while living in Oklahoma we had our own horse. His name was Prince. He was white and had a gentle demeanor and was the most thrilling thing in our young lives.



Horse studies-Susan Friedman for WSH



We moved and said goodbye to our beloved horse. I continued to ride very sporadically throughout most of my life, but now it's been years.  My daughter learned to ride when she was six, but due to costs and other interests, she no longer does either. But, the love for these beautiful and majestic animals has never diminished.


The stable in my "Dream House" via


Whether you ride or not, I think equestrian decor, artwork and fashion accessories can be an interesting addition to your home and your wardrobe!

Here is a sampling of some of the beautiful items I've come across:

Ralph Lauren door knocker



Wallpaper



Mary Sand bronze

Ralph Lauren wrapped stirrup bracelet



Gunnison chair by Hickory

Lladro

English table 1st dibs

Ralph Lauren stirrup watch

Horse studies-Tim Robinson for WSH

Hermes rare stirrup clock

Williams-Sonoma Home saddle stitch hurricanes

A glimpse of horse study prints by da Vinci in my dining room this past spring.