A Very Longwood Christmas

I've been going to Longwood since as long as I can remember. Every Christmas, my parents dragged me and my sister there to see the lights, ooh and aah at the awesomely under-appreciated (by the 10 yr. old me) decorated xmas trees, and run around the children's maze. To this day the smell of paperwhites transports me back to those many many years ago when I was 3'6" and the 5' walls of that children's maze were just tall enough that I could pretend it was a REAL MAZE. There was even a little ivy covered canape area with a bench where you could have secret meetings. Sadly that famous maze was replaced by a grecian ruins temple thingy that I'm not really feeling. But thats not important.

 Look at those trees!

Seriously, have you been there? It's magical. Its a one of the premier botanical gardens in the US with some 11,00 acres of land in Brandywine Creek Valley, Pennsylvania... 4.5 of which are heated indoor greenhouses. Conservatories! And there is one room for cacti, and one for orchids, and one for banana trees, and a tropical room, and a mediterranean room, and a room for roses, and and and and and and.... the list goes on.

The story goes like this: In 1906 Pierre S. Dupont bought the land to save the arboretum from being sold for lumber. Being into gardens and gardening and fountains and such, Mr. Dupont added extensively to the property. A fountain here, a conservatory there, etc.until it became what it we see today. He made his estate open to the public and in 1946 founded the Longwood Foundation for the maintenance and improvement of the gardens. Upon Pierre's untimely death, the president of the Longwood Foundation, Harry DuPont, announced "There will be no change in our long-standing policy of opening the gardens and greenhouse to the public every day in the week." 

And it is open. 

Every day. 

Rain or shine. 

I obviously went earlier this week and like always... 
IT. WAS. MAGICAL.

And these are my friends... who I've been going to Longwood with since I was 3'6".

Decade Diary enjoys a Fox Fodder Friday

Oh Bernadette, you are wonderful. I dream about living in a world full of your watercolor wildflowers...

I was introduced to watercolor illustrator Bernadette Pascua's work not too long ago by those jewelry making twin friends of mine, Lizzie and Kathryn Fortunato, when they gave me one of her illustrations for my birthday. They have this thing of knowing everyone who is awesome. Bernadette and I had the pleasure of finally meeting face to face and working together this fall when she illustrated and I florafied those same twins SS12 lookbook. Since then I've been secretly wanting to find a way to collaborate with her on something and then boom! xmas arrived and she invited me to guest star on her beautiful blog, Decade Diary.

I put together some FFF style festive flowers and a rosemary wreath for Bernadette to snap a few photos of. She loved them. I loved that she loved them. And her excitement over the silver Kochia was... well adorable. She was like " Ah! I cant wait to paint this!!" It was a blast and  I cant wait to do something together again. 

A couple of my favorite illustrations and images stolen from Decade Diary 

Everyone should visit Decade Diary and see what Ms. Pascua has in the works for this spring. I'm sure you'll love it. Because. She. Is. RAD. 

Thank you Bernadette!

xo

All photos property of decade diary. If you repost, please give credit where due.

Green Building, Brooklyn

I owe a lot to the crew over at the Green Building in Gowanus. They've been a huge supporter and promoter of... well me... since day one. Thank you! Are you reading this? Likely not. To the 5 of you who are reading this, I should thank you also.  It is for you that I can say " oh, gotta blog today" and then spend hours agonizing over the placement of pictures versus text and text versus pictures. Blah blah blah.

Back to the Green Building!This past weekend they shot a promotional video for the space and I was asked to contribute some floral decos as well as some 10 bunches of lavender that I believe were shoved into the butt of a roasted chicken. Sadly, I have no photos of that.

Pompon Amsterdam

I've never been to Amsterdam. I lived in Europe for 3 years, a not so long train ride away, and I never went. I managed to go to Florence 3 times... And I don't even like Florence. Except there was this one restaurant that made a gorgonzola and pear tortellini with shaved truffles that at the time made me want to kill myself it was so good. But that's another story.

Anyways to the point. Amsterdam. If I were to go today, I would visit this place. Pompon Bloemenwinkel (bloemenwinkel meaning flowershop... thank you babelfish) It's beautiful. Visit the website and watch the videos. Even though I have no idea what they're saying, I think I love them.

This guy. He is my favorite. WHEN I go to Amsterdam, I hope to hang out and ride bikes around with big bouquets in my bike basket like that one right there.

*All photos property of Pompon... i have not been there. Yet.