Something New and Blue!

Following a job interview a couple of months ago I went to Hermes in Manchester in search of a specific scarf in a blue colourway.  Luckily they had one in stock :-)

Yes a Bateau Fleuri - this beautiful pink and blue ship hides
some lovely patterns when you look a bit closer...and I love
the little boat above showing Hermes Paris.  

The scarf and the sails of the boat are covered
in little butterflies, flowers and birds.

Some ways to wear - clockwise from the top left:-

Friendship Knot, a simple tie with a ring, 

a new look I learned from the SA using 

2 rings - I'll call it the "2 ring slide" and a Double Twist

Equestrian with a scarf ring, scarf flower
detail and a Cossack style with scarf ring

The sails of the scarf, an A-symetrical fold
and tie with ring and another look using the "2 ring slide" method.  
(How To coming soon!)

Cossack and Half Bow with ring.

I am really pleased with this scarf I love the colours and it even has a contrast hem (in white).  Hope you like it too.

2015 Venice Carnival Part 2 of 2

In the final travelogue from Venice I am sharing some more photos of the city and lovely costumes the people wore.

The beautiful vista as your approach Venice from the water.

Some truly amazing and colourful outfits!

Fantastical headwear!

Beautiful ladies I think you will agree.

Pure Carnival!

No Carnival is complete without the doggies!!
Bruno on the left is a regular!

I always enjoy the opportunity to have some famous Gelato when I am in Venice and it is VERY good.  The challenge each trip is a) to have an ice cream at least once a day and b) never to eat the same flavour twice!  I usually achieve this although sometimes I do have to have an extra Amaretto flavour if I can find it - usually Gelateria Nico has Amaretto:-)  Another favourite thing to have is an Aperol Spritz and some bars and cafes serve these with crisps too - yum!

So that was Venice 2015...here's to 2016....Carnival is early next year so it will most likely be very cold.  I leave you with one last look of a typical Venetian canal.  Arriverderci Ciao!!

2015 Venice Carnival Part 1 of 2

Somewhat later than usual - here is a little travelogue from my annual "pilgrimage" to Venice for carnival.  You may recall that I had a fall in January in which I sprained my ankle badly so it made walking difficult - not easy in Venice!

Iconic views of Venice - 

Top: San Giorgio Maggiore, Left: Doges Palace, Right Grand Canal

Luckily my hotel annexe was full so I was accommodated in the main hotel so I did not have far to go for breakfast :-) and then the housekeepers kindly made my room up early so that I could go and rest my ankle after a few hours carnival viewing in the mornings.  Experience has taught me that the carnival people tend to come out in the the morning then retire for lunch and return again around 4pm so you can divide your time quite well.  Instead of sightseeing I had to rest my ankle this year.

Puss in Boots

There were of course the usual carnival regulars I have seen year in year our and it is always nice to see them again!

This chap is there most years and is very 

chivalrous with the ladies!

Marie Antoinette - she just gets moodier 

by the year - really!  

I think she should give it up if she's not happy.

It never ceases to amaze me how people create their costumes and it is always nice to see new and unusual ones.   You never know what you will see.  I was quite amused by this chap who decided to dress in some sort of homage to (Coco) Chanel!  The detail of his outfit was incredible.

Homage to Chanel

Of course you get some beautiful fantastical costumes such as these delightful ones -

Really pretty in beige and duck egg blue.

Turquoise harlequin patterns.

Fabulous extravagance in gold and purple!

Simplicity in black and very easy 

to transport I imagine.

As well as seeing the carnival people the sights of Venice are always lovely to see

Basilica San Marco

The Salute and a typical Venetian Canal and Gondola

Around the Rialto - Clockwise from left:- a beautiful Gondola,
the flooded market area, Grand Canal and The Rialto Bridge

One day on one of the vaporetto pontoons I saw a beautiful Little Egret up close. He seemed to favour this spot as I saw him there again another time!

 
Next time I will have a few more photos of the carnival people and the sights.

On My Travels...Random Ramblings

In the last 12 months I have traveled to a lot of cities - I usually have a reason or two to go - ballet, theatre and museum exhibitions being the main reasons.

The Chrysler Building

It is tiring but it gives me lots of memories too.  In December 2014 and May 2015 I was lucky enough to travel to New York.  I love The Metropolitan Museum and they have had some really great exhibitions on lately.  Instead of buying a ticket to enter (although you can pay what you like) I bought myself a membership - not only does this give me entry to the museum as often as I want, but it also means you can use the Members' Dining Room which is one of the very few places in NY that I have found that serves decent proper food.  On my travels I have found the worst place for food is Paris.  I have just been unable to find good food at a reasonable price there and on my last trip the one place I did like has closed - yes the French Onion Soup restaurant!  I could have cried.





I was discussing this very issue with a top London Chef and he agreed with me about Paris - apparently the chefs leave Paris to cook elsewhere to gain experience so the one place you would think would have great food does not.  Anyone got any thoughts on this issue?!

So as well as New York I have been to Venice (Carnival), Amsterdam, Gloucestershire/Highgrove Gardens, Barcelona, London, Paris, Barnard Castle, Northern Ireland.  I have lots of upcoming trips too to Copenhagen, Vienna, Amsterdam, London so you can see I am often not home and I really don't know where to start blogging all these trips!  I do Tweet photos when I am on my travels so that is quite good for keeping up (@Scarf_Addict).  I love Twitter - it gives me so much information about exhibitions and ballet etc...

One of my favourite things in NY is to wander the art galleries in The Met Museum.  It's not as crazy busy as other paces and to be able to stand in front of a painting without crowds pushing and shoving is sheer joy.

Degas - Little Dancer bronze

Some of the famous Degas paintings of dancers in Paris

Renoir - probably my most favourite Impressionist artist of all.
This is an 1878 painting called Madame Georges Charpentier and Her Children
Look at the dog...

...as you can see the child (actually a boy dressed as a girl
as they did in those days) sitting on the dog...

...no wonder he does not look too happy!

I loved this abstract painting - its shape and colours appeal to me

Here you can read about it.

Up close you can see the brush strokes.

So there is lots to see and do and to tell...I will try to gets some blogs done because I have been fortunate to make some great trips this year and see some amazing things.  Whilst I lost my job in June, I have decided to have some time off working and to travel - after working solid for 28 years I figured a break was OK.  It feels odd having no job and at times I feel anxious about the future and what I will end up doing but something in travel or the arts would be preferable to finance!  There are lots more scarves to share as well so don't worry!!