Love and Inspiration from New Orleans

Welcome back friends. Nothing like the first week after vacation to whip you back into reality with this sweet and short message, in a deep dark voice:  you’ve  got three weeks until Christmas, “you better work b___”. Here we are on a Tuesday night and I’m still slightly in denial about all that and chose to download my inspiration pics from Nawlins instead. Said it before, say it again, there is NOTHING like travel to inspire the senses (and the client projects).

Let’s start with check in at the hotel and go from there.

A little holiday cheer never hurts…

throw in Barbie and its a party…

For whom the bell tolls.

I spy pebble tile. Thump. Thump.

“Will you be dining at the Captain’s table tonight?”

                                               

Love the juxtaposition of all these different design genres coming together. Tres tres bien!

Huge oversize murals and photos everywhere. I gleaned some exciting ideas.

“The Burgundy Bar”

Does this remind you of anything?! #redrum #redrum

High-low-high. Like that.

I dream of designing a navy and white space, you? Carpet: fab.

Exposed brick, thump, thump.

Kiddos, get out of the mad hatter’s chair.

Sophia displaying for you the chain sink skirt. Take that and run with it. First thing that pops in my mind is how it would look around a round table. 

hand-painted, nice and thick.

I fell in love with all the oversized photographs and panoramas. I’m running with this. 

A designer after my own heart. Large and in charge! Completely oversized and over scaled for the space. When you look inside from the sidewalk its all you see.

Okay team, time to go outside and EXPLORE (love, Russell). 

The hubs thought it was a cool shot. What am I to do? Happy my can is blurred, that’s all I have to say.

A favorite…

There’s just something about white. Striking.

lovelanguage

Perfection and quintessential New Orleans.

It was alllll good until the go blue part. GO GREEN. BEAT OHIO STATE!

As you drive in at the W hotel. Dig. They know about dimmers and setting the mood. 😉 

I wanted so badly to capture the crust of this building. It was the best. So goes the iron railing.

We recently suggested a huge vintage American flag for a lake house and seeing this all confirmed it. I mean, for a lake house, hoisting up The Stars and Stripes on a wooden flag pole (https://flagpolesetc.com/flagpoles/wooden-flagpoles) could be the perfect touch of patriotic spirit, not to mention that it looks fantastic as well.

Men to your left. Ladies to your right.

Sometimes the best art is in the bathroom (always come equipped).

Far and away the best meal of the trip, Sylvain (they know about dimmers too). I feel like I’ve missed out on a lifetime of collard greens. I’d eat them every day if they tasted as good as Sylvain. HIGHLY recommended.


The family that loves the Lions together, stays together. #tradition 
Sorry to make you suffer through a few family beach shots, the first three days of our trip. There are a few design shots peppered in. It never occurred to us that New Orleans was a four hour drive away from the beach, thanks to our neighbor. Thank you neighbor! 

“A little to the right, a little higher, a little more, right there!” – Jack

                  

Walking down to Seaside, I noticed this beach house had been repainted and was looking gooood Senorita!

pretty little fence

Christmas at the beach, twinkle lights and palm trees. Took me years to get use to this. All we knew growing up was white. And slush. And ice.

Sophia and I enjoyed A NIGHT watching The Nutcracker outside in the square. And I’d be full of bologna if I didn’t tell you I got pretty choked up shortly after taking this picture, thinking about Mom and how she dragged us downtown to the Masonic Temple to see The Nutcracker (We’re going where?! To see what?! UGH! I gotta dress up?! Darn it, now I have to find my knee socks and I have NO IDEA where they are!)  and here I was in this beautiful setting, on a beautiful night, history repeating itself. I was overcome (and happy I wore a scarf to wipe my face).

Hindsight I thought man, I’m SO happy I got off my ASS, got ready and went. The beach can suck you in sometimes and the show started fairly early. It was Sophia’s idea to walk there and it was a splendid one. She also reminded me that “this was our second Nutcracker Mama and maybe we should try to see Nutcrackers in all different places???” History repeating itself. Have suitcase, will travel.

Happy December friends! Make it cheery. Make it bright. 
xo
Jen 

p.s. Speaking of December, I’d be remised if I didn’t mention my best friend Lori’s birthday. It was this time last year I traveled home to be with her on her 40th, as she was very ill. We’ve been celebrating each other’s birthdays since the second grade. She passed away three weeks later and left a gapping hole in our hearts. I miss her dearly and can’t talk about December without thinking about her. Love you Lor! I know you are up there!

(please pass the scarf).




1 comment

  1. WOW…looks like you had a fabulous vaca! New Orleans and the beach….what is better! Now you better get in gear girl:)
    I know what you mean about Christmas and memories. Nobody love Christmas more than my Mom….

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