sandr018

I've recently been looking back at a cache of saved emails I have from my online penpal Neil (who if you remember sadly passed away last year) and came across photos of a small town in Gloucestershire, Lechlade , that he had visited. Not only is the town near one of his favorite houses which I've blogged about before, Buscot Park (see that post HERE ), the surrounding towns have a lot to offer including some really beautiful gardens and houses made of the local stone. There is nothing I love better than an old house with a crunchy gravel drive -note the wisteria on the bay window above too. Located centrally in the town is the 15th century church of St Lawrence and the beautiful parish house above.  This is the southern edge of the  Cotswolds  so you get a fair number of their famous stone cottages here as well.  I think just these few pictures are reason enough to prove why this area is such a tourist destination. In nearby Fairford is the Bull Hotel which looks a...

One of the many small charming museums of Paris is the Musee Cognacq-Jay , covering the influential design of the 18th century. The collection was formed by the founders of  La Samaritaine department store and opened to the public in 1929 although in a different location. The city of Paris, which manages the collection, moved the museum into the Hotel Donon in 1990. This 16th century hotel particulier was renovated heavily over the centuries before the city rescued the structure in 1974 and restored it to its supposed 18th century appearance. What an excellent place for the collection then, and a great location in the heart of the Marais. The move into the structure though was heavily debated and frowned upon by the founder's family. I loved the wallpaper in this room, which feels so modern, and especially the little bookcase above. While the collection is comprised of furniture, art, and decorative objects of the 18th century there are some noted exceptions.  One of the hig...