A perfect summer day with Mon of Splendid Willow

Good morning......its Tuesday and you know what that means, another round of "A perfect summer day". Can I just tell you how much I am enjoying all the interpretations from all 0f my many talented blogging friends! From beaches on both coasts, to Paris to Sweden, we are getting  a glimpse into some pretty amazing places! Today's guest is no stranger to many..... a beloved blogger, Mon of Splendid Willow. A kind, fun, genuine, thoughtful,generous and authentic girl.....someone I am proud to call a friend. 
Mon is the talent behind her very popular blog, Splendid Willow and highly successful shop, Splendid Avenue brimming with all kinds of stylish (mostly Swedish) items for your home and self. Its an absolute must stop and visit! Let's just say Splendid Avenue is a wonderful stop for a little "retail therapy".  If you are not already a reader of Splendid Willow I think you will be delighted when you head over, a wonderful mix of home design, retail therapy, inspirational homes of her readers and a little bit of travel. I am so so happy to have Mon here today and immensely  enjoyed her take on what a perfect summer day is to her, and might I say she is onto something pretty grand! So take it away Mon.............
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It is an honor for me to be here today. Tina is one special lady and friend. Talk about someone who brings the sun & goodness -- all year around!  My perfect summer day would start.... at this time of the morning (or afternoon).....6:00 am (yep!) when the rest of the house is sound asleep and I get to enjoy the first sun with a hot cup of tea/coffee.

The bedroom I wake up in would look something like this....Feel the breeze!

And my bathroom like this.......

A favorite beauty product I love to use during the summer........OK, I have just ordered my first jar of Karin Herzog's Vita A Kombi 1 creme. The one that the Duchess of York is using and the Brits now are going nuts for. I will let you know if it does wonders!
And this is an ideal summer outfit you might find me frolicking in......Long, summery, bohemian dresses. Work with sandals and heels. I have been trotting around in several this summer!
My view from my bedroom in the summer looks like this......I wish I still could say it looks like this. My childhood summers had this view - from the most stunning island on the planet, in my opinion, Gotland in Sweden.

 And of course this perfect summer day is located in...........Sweden on the beautiful island of Gotland again. An old viking island.

For breakfast I would indulge in........Anything with good smoked salmon and hand picked berries.

After I am showered, fed and revved up to start my day, I will......Head for the beach with my kids. Or go exploring. As a family we love visiting new places but we also enjoy the great outdoors.

For lunch this is my absolute favorite summertime meal......I never grow tired of a really good, thinly sliced beet salad with some good crumbled cheese.

An afternoon snack might comprise of........A cappuccino from a good coffee shop. And a pastry. I am European after all!
My afternoon activity would be.........Golf, horseback riding with the kids or hanging out in the hammock equipped with a good book.

The ideal summer drink is........Something refreshing with mint, cucumbers, coconut water and (w. or without) vodka.

This is what would be served for my ideal summer dinner......Small, thin, wonderfully prepared lamb chops or anything with seafood. And a glass of really excellent, chilled wine.
And where I eat it might look like this................

A perfect summer ending to a perfect summer day would end..........With close friends over and kids and animals everywhere - everyone enjoying the good food and vibe.
The best part of my summer day is...........The quality time I get to spend with my wonderful husband and kids and many wonderful friends. I am one lucky gal. Thank you so much for having me over! Summer hugs to all of your readers and one extra big hug to you Ms. Tina. You are the best.
Sold!! You don't know need to twist my arm,  I am so there with you Mon! From the  early morning wake up call (yes guilty of this too) to the fabulous view from your bedroom to the wonderful bevy of leisure sports to while away an afternoon, it all sounds amazing. Then that last picture showing a dinner with those you love and care of is absolutely a perfect way to end an already perfect day, could not agree more! Want more Mon?......then click here to visit her fabulous blog, Splendid Wilow. You too will want to make it a daily "stop in". Always something wonderful going on over there. Thank you Mon for being my guest and to all of you for stopping in today. Wishing everyone a splendid day!

Which would you choose?

Hi there.....hope you had a great weekend! Thanks for all of your advice about migraines. I look forward to reading over a lot of it today, seems to be a lot of good advice in there! I can always count on my readers to come through and truly appreciate it. Can you believe we are already in April? 2012 is already flying by or is it just life in general as we get older? Think it must be the latter! Anyway today's post is fun.....just imagine this, you are throwing a luncheon for a bunch of your friends. The reason? Why spring of course! Just a lovely "spring-y" get together to celebrate the newness of this majestic season. Its up to you as to what your theme and feel will be, casual and laid back, formal and fancy, a beachy vibe perhaps or a more colorful setting tickling your fancy? There's something for everyone. Intimate for six or big and lavish....... If you were throwing a party for your nearest and dearest which setting most appeals to you? Have you or are you planning a party any time soon? Have fun and cannot wait to hear which you choose!

CHOICE 1 Sunflowers for sixteen

The Casual Gourmet

CHOICE 2 Colorful and whimsical

Pizzazzerie

CHOICE 3 Serene and elegant on the porch

Hire Society

CHOICE 4 Vibrant blue and white

Carolyn Roehm

CHOICE 5 Under a tree canopy 

Little bits of lovely

CHOICE 6 A more formal affair

Tara Geurand

CHOICE 7 A garden party wonder

Southern Accents

CHOICE 8 Country cottage charm

Cottage coastal

CHOICE 9 For the garden lover in all of us

Alchemy Fine Events

CHOICE 10 Soft and sweet

HGTV

CHOICE 11 Rustic feminine elegance

A little cuppa tea

CHOICE 12 Oceanside

Carolyn Roehm

CHOICE 13 Feminine and sweet

Desiree Spinner Events

CHOICE 14 Elegance on the terrace

Veranda

CHOICE 15 Grand and formal

Southern Living

CHOICE 16 Old fashioned elegance

Little Sooti

Well....don't know about you but I would be delighted to be a guest at any one of these soirees and this has me in the mood to plan a little spring fling! Hard to pick a favorite but those outdoor settings always draw me right in. However give me any table with beautiful flowers and I am sold. I am hard pressed to pick just one, have it narrowed down to my top three. How about you.....your turn! Which is your top pick if you were to set a table for a spring luncheon? Wishing you a wonderful spring day..........

Thank you  Mon of Splendid Willow and  Barbara from The Treasured Home for featuring The Enchanted Home Shop on their  blogs today!! So appreciate it. Please stop by and have a look if you have a minute.....

One word with Mon of Splendid Willow!

Good morning everyone! Today I am so excited to be here with one of my blogging BFF'S, the girl everyone loves. In continuing my One word series...I am thrilled to present Mon from Splendid Willow. I know many of you know her already, being the oh so  popular blogger that she is. But for those who don't yet..think chic Swedish style to the max, and Mon delivers big time! She is so incredibly sweet, warm, full of energy and enthusiasm, and its felt every time I visit her blog or every time she visits me. Her kindness, generous spirit and friendliness  have won her over with so many and for good reason. 
Besides her popular blog, she has her ever so popular store chock full of amazing, beautiful and unique goodies, many from her native Sweden. And might I add some of her most recent additions are particularly fabulous,as in gorgeous boots that I haven't seen anywhere else  (best part of all). Splendid Willow Avenue is a shop you must visit...with its unique primarily Swedish offerings, something you don't see everywhere. I am so happy to have Mon with me today and loved and enjoyed getting to know more about her. Mon, if its possible...love you even more now. And that book? PLEASE consider it...I would buy it in a heartbeat! Many thanks for coming aboard and to all the readers for stopping in. Without further adieu, here is Mon.....

Mon of Splendid Willow

Hi everyone. What an honor to be here today. I am very fond of Tina (who isn't)and find her to be a remarkable lady. She is so generous, kind and inspirational. Tina is everyone's best friend. We need her in blog land for a long time to come.

One quality I love in people is kindness. If my house could only be furnished in one color it would definitely have to be light gray.

One luxury I cannot live without... is a  high quality pillow to rest my head on. If I had to have one designer decorate my entire house with 0 input from me it would have to be.. the design duo Heiberg & Cummings. (I love them! One of these days I am going to team up with them). NYSD

If I had to choose coffee or tea it would be...

green tea in the am and coffee whenever I  start to nod off! Zen to fitness One place I have been that I would love to go back to...is Italy.And this time with my hubby & kids. One place I am longing to visit is... Cuba. And  I want one of my best friend's, Gunilla, to

 show me around. 

One talent I wish I had is.. being able to play a piano. I think most people would agree I am... loyal, authentic and generous.   If I could change one thing about myself it would be...  My flawed sense of time.  I hate it when I'm running late. One career I could see myself having would be..

working for the FBI.I have good people skills and

 intuition. And I love puzzle solving!

If food is therapy, when stressed...I indulge in anything crunchy! Chips, pickles, carrots, Swedish crisp bread, you name it! One of my favorite brands for clothing is.... Odd Molly Just because it is Swedish and relaxed chic.

If my life were a book, the title would be... "Life with a bit of an odd accent " - A guide for enriching relationships with people across cultures and borders" My favorite flower.... peony. I would love to have coffee and a chat session....with Melinda Gates. A favorite TV show is... 24. And it is coming back  for another season people!

  

Hollywood is..... not for me.Too few have their  life priorities right in that area. I lived in LA for 3 years.  Tuscany or Provence? Tuscany in a heartbeat! The next presidential election will be....fascinating.  The one best thing about blogging is.... the real connections. Many virtual friends have become personal friends of mine - who I chat and have coffee with. That is when blogging started to become real fun and meaningful to me. A guilty pleasure for me is..buying a pair of fancy sunglasses every spring. I admit I splurge! A clothing designer I think that has great style is.. Tom Ford. My strongest quality would have to be..That  I bring the best out of people (I had to ask  Hubby for this one!).

The best restaurant I have ever been to.. I  can't even name! There have been so many. The most memorable ones are often small, local restaurants in foreign countries with great food and  no food and no tourists. (I once went to a local snake restaurant in Taiwan)

Most overrated actor/actress is...I hate to say it, but many of the big name Hollwood stars. (who often play themselves) and they can't act! Gary Oldman is an example of a really fine actor.

If my life were a documentary, I could see this actress playing me... Noomi Rapace. We are  both globe trotters and we both speak Swenglish. One thing I like about my appearance is my green eyes. One thing I can honestly say I love about myself is.... that I am really happy at heart. Town or country? Country when the kids are young. Back to city when the kids have left the nest! One person I admire... My Mother-In-Law, Beverly. (She raised 9 amazing children) Pick a decade to live in, any decade.... Now is good. But quite often I want to go back to my  own childhood when my Mom would say "come  home when it gets dark" and we survived just  fine without cell phones and computers! My favorite room of my house is...our formal living room where we have a great reading chair  by a sunny window. If I were an animal I would be... a red panda. A book I would recommend to everyone would be.... Hanna's Daughters by Marianne Fredriksson.  (A very well written Swedish classic). If I were planning a huge family reunion, this is where I would want to have it....In Stockholm! I would want to fly my friends and famiy over (you too Tina)! and unite with friends and family over there. We did it for a wedding and it was one global love fest!

One thing I wish everyone could be more of: Compassionate.                        In one word life is.... treasurable! Thank you again for inviting me over, Tina. I had fun putting it together and I learned a few new things about myself too! Warm hugs.

How amazing is this girl!! Mon, you delivered in a big way here and I know many agree. I loved what you said about going back to childhood, a time when things were not complicated with cell phones, texts and laptops! (though believe me I also could not live without with any of it) I kind of lost track truth be told about how many things I would have answered identically ....having lunch with Melinda Gates, now that would be fun! Heck yes to peonies, crunchy goodies, but sorry unlike you I do not give equal weight to potato chips and carrots, how I wish I viewed them the same way..lol! 

Fell in love with Gary Oldman as Beethoven in Immortal Beloved, his dark, moody edgy character entranced me and made me a fan for life! Loving light gray right now and soft mushy down pillows is practically my trademark for anyone who knows me really well (and travels with me no matter where I go). And you better believe I will join you for your family love fest in Stockholm! So needless to say I love you even more and I know everyone else will too! To visit Mons beautiful blog, Splendid Willow...click here! Thanks for stopping in and have a  fabulous day.