What does a gal do with her last 3 hours on a sunny morning in Madrid?
Well, she grabs a quick bite to go with her espresso (in her Rodarte for Target tshirt and Banana Republic cashmere cardigan)…
at a hip, light-filled restaurant…
that looks out at the Puerta de Alcalá :
Then on a caffeine high she speedwalks to the Plaza de Cibeles (goddess of fertility), where the grand, white post office–that’s now the mayor’s office–can be found:
With two hours left, it’s a brisk stroll through the Parque del Buen Retiro which I’d mentioned to you on my first entry about Madrid. This park takes center stage, literally, in the heart of a bustling Madrid. You could easily spend an entire day in this large park. A lovely spot to visit is the Rosaleda del Retiro (rose garden):
And there are stretches of paths for running or strolling:
In another part of the park you can find an art gallery inside the Palacio de Cristal:
It is still rather cold this morning, and there is ice instead of water in most spouts:
The park is so enormous that it can accommodate an artificial pond, Estanque del Retiro…
that surrounds the Monument to Alfonso XII:
So that’s how this gal spent her last 3 hours in Madrid. I can’t wait to come back!
Tags: Banana Republic, Estanque del Retiro, Madrid, Monument to Alfonso XII, Palacio de Cristal, Parque del buen retiro, Rodarte for Target, Rosaleda del Retiro
So here we are, on our seventh and last look of this series. I hope you’ve had as much fun reading the last 7 entries as I’ve had in pulling them together. You should know I am writing this just 18 hours before my first flight out of LA. I know mostly what awaits me on this trip, but the thing is, plans on a trip this long usually play out to only 40% of what was anticipated. Luckily, the best memories are made in the remaining unexpected 60%.
Anyway, to commemorate the final look I thought I’d feature something festive. See you in real time at the next entry!
Look 7: JCrew Gypsy Rose metallic top, black Banana Republic cashmere cardigan, Chanel silvery gold “Leo” flap.
Tags: Banana Republic, Chanel, JCrew
Smokers tell me that the only way to not get addicted is to never pick up a cigarette. Looking at cigarette ads in print or on film won’t get you addicted. Even growing up around smokers won’t necessarily get you hooked. First, you must inhale. I confess I did try smoking–sorry Mommy & Daddy–when I was clubbing in my very early 20s, but either those YSL cigarettes (yes, there is such a thing as a designer cigarette!) were mere props or I just didn’t inhale enough to get addicted. Luckily I quit before I even started. Too bad I can’t say the same about my addiction to jewelry. Actually, it’s more of an affliction, to my budget. Self-ornamentation does not come cheap.
But I’m an equal opportunity voyeur when it comes to bling. There’s no pearl, diamond, or gemstone unworthy of a second look in my book. People may notice handbags or shoes on someone, but my radar always closes in on the jewelry first. It can be costume jewelry (such as this Chanel piece in my photographs today) or of Harry Winston caliber. It can be a trinket in a sale bin at a local Banana Republic store or the Hope Diamond on display at the Smithsonian.
It doesn’t matter the pedigree or price or design. Whether it’s mined from the universe…or made in the other universe better known as China . If it’s within my periphery, I am all over it.
So where am I going with this blog today? It’s hopefully a kickoff to other blogs that will feature whimsical designs from around the world. As much as I love designing my own jewelry, which so far only my mom has been brave enough to wear, I take greater delight in other people’s imagination.
I understand the excitement sparked by inspiration that comes at the oddest of moments (while washing dishes at a friend’s apartment in London or playing with a lost puppy on Cat Ba Island), followed by the aggravation of wrangling with wires and stones as you try to mold thought into wearable art. But when it’s done, the thrill never leaves you. And with a little bit of luck, the person who wears it feels a little bit more special.
I received my first real strand of pearls in my teens from my parents for some milestone event. You might say that’s when I became afflicted with the jewelry addiction. I inhaled. And have not yet exhaled.
Tags: Banana Republic, Chanel, cigarettes, costume jewelry, Harry Winston, Hope Diamond, necklace, pearl, Smithsonian
