Happy New Years from Spain!

I'm so happy to be in Spain for New Years because that means I'm able to celebrate it with my boyfriend, Chris who lives here in Segovia. I did a little research and based on what I've been told, this is a summary of how the Spanish bring in the New Year:

"Like most festivals in Spain, New Year's Eve, known as "Nochevieja" is usually a family affair which takes place at home. Until midnight people tend to stay at home and on the stroke of midnight it is traditional to eat 12 grapes, one on each stroke of the clock to bring good luck for the New Year. This tradition began when after a particularly big grape harvest the king of Spain decided to give everybody grapes to eat on New Year's Eve.

It is traditional to listen to the clock from Puerta del Sol in Madrid, usually via the television. Even young people won’t go out with their friends until they have seen the New Year in with their families. Throughout the country there are street parties and special nights in hotels and clubs everywhere."

-via Eye on Spain

The Puerta del Sol in Madrid on Nochevieja
image via Monsters and Critics

Chris and I picked up some grapes at the grocery store last night, and I accidentally ate a few not realizing they were for New Years, but we should have enough for both of us to have 12. Since our families are not here we are having a little potluck at one of his friends apartment until 12, after which we'll go out and celebrate some more.





via Nuevo Estilo





via Mi casa

Favorite Places: Mount Vernon

George Washington's Mount Vernon is a reminder of the self-sufficiency of farms of historical significance.

Did you know that Washington introduced the mule to America? Washington improved the soil at Mount Vernon by practicing crop rotation and mulching. He brought in a gardener from Scotland to manage the kitchen garden and greenhouse.

The farm and reconstructed gardens are worth a visit alone, but touring the house, outbuildings, grounds and museum for at least half a day will give you the best insight into life during Washington's time. There are trails around the grounds to the cemetery and the different areas of the farm. A restaurant and a food court are available if you want to take a break during your visit.



My husband's family has a connection with Mount Vernon through John Jacob Frobel, a musician and teacher. Frobel also had a love of growing flowers and introduced a camellia that he named after Washington's nephew, Bushrod. Visiting Mount Vernon with my husband was enhanced by his knowledge and stories that he shared with me about the Frobel connection.

The setting of Mount Vernon, in the Virginia countryside south of Alexandria is beautiful. Overlooking the Potomac River, it must have been wonderful to take in the glorious view each day.





Words and photos by Freda Cameron; Location: Mount Vernon, Virginia, August 2009

If you like Amy Butler you will LOVE these prints!

I was just introduced to Artaissance, and I adore this line - 40 colorful, beautiful prints from Amy Butler. Check them out:









See more and get the goodies here.

They also have a great deal where you can get a sample of the art - about 5.5"x8.5", for $5.00 - and if you choose to buy then that $5.00 goes to the full-size version!

Do you like these as much as her fabrics?

STUNNING Antique Spanish doors

Segovia and the older cities of Spain are full of gorgeous, ornate wooden doors which I would love to be able to pack up and bring back home with me, but with the price of checking bags these days it's just not an option. However, one can acquire such goodies in the states from wonderful companies such as Portera Doors, who lovingly restore antique Spanish doors in California. ...Oh if I was a rich girl...


A close-up


Does the door above look familiar? Remember the chest from the Castle Alcazar in this post?
The two images below are the chest -





A close-up

A close-up

So - over the next couple of weeks I'm going to try and take pictures of all the gorgeous doors around the city so you can compare for yourself!

images via Portera Doors

I'm off to blog from Spain for a month - so I'm kicking it off with some Spanish houses!

I'm literally about to walk out the door to the airport to fly out of Newark tonight and land in Madrid in the morning. I'll be in Spain with my wonderful boyfriend, who's teaching English there this year - Segovia to be exact - for about a month. However, the first week in January we will be in Morocco visiting Marrakesh and Fes - which I'm super excited about. Don't worry I will be updating you with photos as often as I can!

For now, I thought I'd try to gain a little serenity with these lovely homes from Spanish magazine, "Micasa," in order to mentally prepare for dealing with the airport!

beautiful coffee table



check out the shoe storage!




what do you think of the newspaper finish on the ovens - or cabinets I can't tell...





images via MiCasa

An up-and-coming interior designer you must check out

House Beautiful had an exciting article in the Dec/Jan 2010 issue called "The Next 20 the Next Wave," which showcased 20 designers their editors picked for keeping an eye on. Danielle Fennoy was one of them and I think you guys will really appreciate her beautiful, practical, fuss-free design sense - and her philosophy that design is not only for the privileged, but "good design should be accessible to everyone." I agree.

The perfect bedroom - pretty and serene


The above are from a West Village apartment.
"The goal of this project centered on accentuating and filtering the light, restoring the original character of the building, adding modern conveniences, and making the place look and feel like home. In this case, the floors became the most major transformative feature of the project. Instead of staining them, we chose to “whitewash” them with a hint of blue tinting. Although each room has a specific mood and function, the continuous blue floor became a unifying feature throughout the entire apartment."



I love the bedroom in this one too, modern, yet still warm and pretty.

The above two are from a midtown apartment.
"With an open living/dining space and closed kitchen at one end, the goal of the project was ultimately about “defining” space without putting up physical walls. In order to achieve this, we created more functional and intimate zones that created an open kitchen with peninsula and nearby dining area."

The amazingly large kitchen above from a Lower East Side apartment.
"In addition to giving the place an overall "vintage chic" aesthetic to go with her collection of vintage furniture and barber's accessories, we also changed how the space would feel and function. What was once a closed eat-in-kitchen became a large open kitchen with lots of storage, a dining peninsula, and views of the living room, terrace, and the gorgeous city beyond."

This shot is from a Chelsea apartment.
"This was previously a segmented studio alcove apartment.... a unifying color scheme ties it all together. All these elements really made the space look and feel spacious while still providing the necessary functions of a modern day NYC apartment."


What do you think of her style? You can see more and read her philosophy on her company site, Revamp.