leisure time | Bead Happily Ever After

Breakfast Bliss

Posted on July 25, 2011 by crystal

Sir Beads and I have always enjoyed an occasional breakfast at a restaurant.

Now that he’s retired, we’re going to make it a regular thing –

but maybe not more than once a week!

Let me explain . . .

We decided it would be fun to try something different, so we did a little research and found a café we’d never visited before. The reviews were so positive; we could hardly wait to go!

“How was it?”, you ask?

Well, all I can say is “wow”! We were not disappointed. In fact, it was the best breakfast-out we’ve ever had. 🙂

Home fries to die for, fluffy scrambled eggs, perfectly crisp bacon, and marble wheat toast!

Light-as-a-feather pancakes with special maple syrup, too!

(Don’t worry; we scooped 80% of that butter off the pancakes before it could melt. No sense in clogging the old arteries entirely!

I think you can see why we’re only going once a week, though. 😉

Do you enjoy an occasional breakfast out?

Hugs,

Monday Night Fever

Posted on April 14, 2009 by crystal

I hate to admit it but . . .

We’re absolutely hooked on Dancing with the Stars.

Really!

And I mean “we can’t miss an episode” – hooked. It’s funny because we really don’t watch any of the other reality shows. Well, ok, we did watch the first couple of seasons of Survivor way back when, but since then, nothing has held our attention – until Dancing with the Stars came along.

This show has it all! There’s glamour, humor, romance, intrigue, suspense, and of course – dancing! Sometimes we wish that the season were shorter, because we know we’ll be glued to the TV every Monday (and Tuesday) night until a winner is chosen.

It’s so much fun to get to know the professional dancers and to cheer for their celebrity partners! We even like the judges – each one of them has a totally unique personality.

I guess I sound like a commercial for the show, but if you haven’t watched it, give it a try! You might love it, too.

If you’re already a fan . . . Who’s going to win this time? 😉

Calling All Jewelry Lovers . . .

Posted on September 8, 2008 by crystal

Talk about heaven on earth! Recently, I had the good fortune to experience an exceptionally beautiful exhibit that’s currently on view at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts.

Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry will continue at the MFA through November 9, 2008. The exhibition features a spectacular array of 120 pieces of exquisitely made jewelry by the premier designers and artists of the late nineteenth/early twentieth-centuries in a style that has been dubbed “Art Nouveau”, which is celebrated for its graceful, flowing curves and themes inspired by nature – the flora, fauna, and the sensuality of the female figure.

This incredible assemblage of mouth-watering beauty will amaze you with dazzling dragonfly brooches, fabulous floral pendants, breath-taking butterflies, trés chic chokers, unique belt buckles, baroque pearl delights, and even elegant hair accessories. The detail and dimension on each piece is superb, and the jewelry has been so expertly crafted that it’s almost as beautiful on the reverse side as on the front! I was especially taken with the color palette, which is wonderfully rich – yet soft in intensity, rather like the glow of an Impressionist painting.

The collection highlights the work of designers such as René Lalique (1860–1945), who was the most renowned of the Art Nouveau artists. His pieces are strikingly bold and they incorporate unusual materials such as horn, enamel, and glass. The color on these pieces was often achieved through the use of enamel, and plique à jour (open to light) enameling was a favored technique. It added a delicacy and a measure of technical refinement that had not been seen in jewelry design, prior to this period. Although Lalique went on to become famous for his artistry with glass, this earlier work is breathtaking and it highlights not only his skill but also his versatility.

The MFA has done a remarkable job of arranging these treasures in an exhibit that gives each piece its due, with well-lit showcases, informative descriptions, and a gallery space that is open, airy and easy to navigate. Those with a passion for jewelry or lovers of art in general will be equally enchanted!

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines. This is an exhibit that’s NOT to be missed!!!

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Imperishable Beauty:
Art Nouveau Jewelry
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 – Sunday, November 9, 2008

Photos courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts Boston