Traveling to Italy!

Even though I have taken many trips to Italy I have never been to Venice. This past May I was able to correct that mishap and what a beautiful city it was. I had been warned of the smell, crowds, and flooding but I did not see any of that. I was amazed that it was so small from the air. Such a remarkable city to be surround on all sides by water. 




Getting around by water taxis was interesting. Our hotel was on a different island so we were on those water taxis day and night. Luckily there were very handsome drivers! 

Dinners at beautiful historic villas which open to wonderful courtyards inside their guarded walls. 

Some images were just as I imagined ...

We were introduced to Col Fondo Prosecco, unfiltered. Slightly salty and cloudy.

Amazing chefs and amazing food. 

Just walking down the streets, every view was amazing. 

                         Beautiful architecture

With breathtaking details

A visit to the oldest fabric maker. The women were using old fashion wooded looms to create fabrics that were around $1000 per meter. Amazing! 

This is the home of the Scalamandre silk velvet tiger! 

Antique shops that are within the dealers homes. Incredible finds from some of the most prestige old homes. 

These Medieval columns were my favorite! 

We never missed a meal or a glass of wine that is for sure! 
Local would be a restaurant not to be missed. I loved the Squid ink! 

Off to Murano for the day! It is on one of the other islands. We brought a few things home. 

Dinner at an Organic Winery on another island called Mazzorbo. The winery is called Venissa with grapes that were once almost extinct called Dorona grapes 

Not only were the wines good, the food was amazing. Truly farm to table - fresh and flavorful! 

Next it was off to the countryside outside of Venice …..

Bridget Beari Travels to New Zealand.

Bridget Beari Travels to New Zealand  - Gibbs Farm

This 1000 acre sculpture park has been open since 1991. What a beautiful landscape for some of the most creative and unusual pieces. This is my kind of theme park! 

Anish Kapoor - "Dismemberment"
                        red steel frame tube



Neil Dawson - "Horizon" - welded and painted steel





Marijke de Goey - "The Mermaid" 





Richard Serra - "Te Tuhirangi Contour"





                Happy Travels! 

                                                       

Bridget Beari Travels to Westport CT

Bridget Beari Travels to Westport, CT

On the way to NYC this weekend we stopped in CT to visit family. We explored the surrounding towns like Derian, Rowayton, and Westport. There were great shops and restaurants but the coolest place was Terrain. Owned by the Urban Outfitters Company this is a garden shop, kitchen and home goods, and restaurant. 

The exterior of the building was once a car dealership but now contracted with rusted corrugated steel and glass it has a hip new look. 

It is not any old garden center. Inside they specialize in terrariums, ferns, and succulents. Beautiful glass bowls and shapes to create any type of terrarium. The largest ferns 6-8 ft. tall that I have ever seen in beautiful rustic containers. 

Cut branches of all kinds. Interesting pottery and kitchen wares, soaps, and linens. The outside garden center sold all sorts of plants with the cutest garden shed structures. My pictures are on Instagram if you follow me and if I can figure out how to get them off to share them, I will add them to the blog. Great red wire furniture too! 

                              I loved this interesting Bromeliad! There was even a pineapple plant. 

The displays were gorgeous! Even though we did not eat anything at the cafe, it looked yummy! A definite stopping place if you are traveling this way. 

We are off the NYC today for Kravet's Blogfest2012! It is sure to be a treat! 

Happy Travels.....

Bridget Beari Travels - A Day in DC

              
                      Bridget Beari Travels to DC

I am always going up to DC from Richmond for the day. This day I visited the Washington Design Center and since there is no need to sit in traffic going home we went to my favorite French restaurant, Matisse.

The most exciting event at the Design Center was the designer  Dream Home! 

Here are some images from the event: 

The Mad Men inspired room.

After the Dream Home we toured the showrooms. Here are some of our finds! 

Carpets at Galleria

Table from American Eye

Lighting from Edward Ferrell

Bench from Century

Outdoor furniture

A short video of our Dinner at Matisse - interior design by Thomas Pheasant. 

Bridget Beari at Matisse from joe bernado on Vimeo.


                            Happy Travels  .......

Bridget Beari Travels to Hotel Unique

Bridget Beari Travels to: 

Hotel Unique

I love this hotel in Sao Paulo Brazil designed by Ruy Ohtake. The half pie shaped hotel is made of concrete and copper. The gives off this wonderful blue - green color.  

Gorgeous interiors - big and bold like the belly of a ship. The details are stunning like the cut-out in the door. 

Beautiful library! 

The end rooms have this wonderful curved floor - how ingenious! 

The round windows are like portholes. 

An interior shot of those portholes. 

This is the bar they call "The Wall" for obvious reasons. I love the scale! 

A very unique hotel and well worth a stop or a visit. Check out this hotel and others from:

Design Hotels