Category: Gardens

gardens I’ve enjoyed

ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, International, Road Trips, TRAVEL

Beautiful Butchart Gardens

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: A DAY IN THE GARDEN

Welcome! I’m glad you’re here! Today we’re going to visit one of my mom’s favorite gardens. She always wanted me to see it, but I never got there while she was alive. Still she seemed to be there and share every step I took. Come see what Mom loved.

Starting the Day at Hotel Grand Pacific

By 6:30 AM I was at the gym and unlike many hotel gyms I was not alone. The spa at Hotel Grand Pacific has members from the community and the gym was hopping. They had two rowing machines and both of them had little old men on them, working away. I got on a stationary bike instead and watched like a hawk. In 10 minutes they were gone and I put my time in.

Afterwards I found quiet things to do in the room, but at 8:30 I was hungry and opened a nut bar to break my fast. The rattling cellophane also woke up Mr. Bill, who got out of bed on the wrong foot. He never quite managed get back to his best self. He went to one of the most beautiful gardens in the world and managed to be grumpy the whole time, because the crowds were too large for him to get good photos.

Frustrations in the Garden

So far on this vacation we’d seemed to live charmed lives. Everything had fallen into place like magic, but on the day I wanted to have the most magic, it seemed to abandon us. Many things went well. We found the garden easily and had no trouble parking. Our Black Ball vouchers got us in without a hassle and I will never forget the moment I snapped the photo of the big sign in the entry area. I wanted to shout, “Hey Mom! I’m here!”

Like cattle in a herd, we made our way past the statue of the boar and turned right into the Sunken Garden. What a gorgeous, gorgeous place. Yes, we weren’t exactly alone, but as you can see in the photo above, we also weren’t exactly marching shoulder to shoulder either – which is entirely possible later in the summer. So, I was surprised when, on the way to another garden area Bill shared his displeasure at having people in his photos. I confess, I was not very sympathetic and to tell the truth, I resented him inserting his displeasure into my enjoyment of the garden.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. I’ve shared before how critical the possession of a map is to my happiness when traveling. Strolling with the crowd past the boar I had somehow missed the kiosk with the maps. Exiting the the Sunken Garden area there was a signpost with a map and I decided to take a picture of it in lieu of a paper map, but there was a pretty good sized crowd around it. I patiently waited for my turn and stepped up to take the picture, but behind me, someone else wasn’t quite as patient. I was given a pretty rough shove.

From there we obediently followed the crowd to the Carousel and Totem Poles. About this time Bill shares his displeasure with the gardens. As I tried to shrug off his negativity I realized I didn’t have everything with me that I came in with. What was missing was my cape. My very favorite black cape that I wear constantly during the winter and goes with me on almost all of my vacations. This was not a minor distraction. This was enough to ruin any day. I told Bill what was up and ran off to back track my steps.

By the time I made it to the Sunken Garden I was frantic. I was fighting back tears. I wondered how a day I had looked forward to for so long could go so wrong. Then finally, I saw it, not far from the signpost. Someone had kindly laid it across one of the chains protecting a grassy area. I remember the rough shove at the sign post and cursed the impatient tourist who had almost permanently separated me from one of my favorite possessions.

Recovering My Resilience

I was on an emotional roller coaster. Keeping Mr. Bill happy is job one with me, so I was dismayed at his consternation. “Guess what my least favorite attraction has been so far?” he’d asked. How could he be unhappy in such a gorgeous place? And now, here I was adrenalin and anger pumping through my veins. I took a deep breath and took a moment to pray. I wasn’t having my joy stolen by a few frustrations. Mr. Bill was is a big boy. While few things bring me as much pleasure as pleasing him, I am not solely responsible for his attitude. And while I’d been very upset to lose my cape, I now had it back in my possession. So, took another deep breath. I thanked God for how wonderful the vacation had been up to that point and asked Him to help me enjoy the rest of the garden.

With my personal photographer pouting over the people in his photos, I pulled out my camera and took over as primary shooter. Capturing pretty flowers and lovely landscapes are my strengths in photography, so most of the photos from this day came from my DSLR, not Bill’s phone.

And then I saw a kiosk with maps! My day was complete and I was able to confirm I was successfully viewing all the beauty the garden had to offer. I also picked up some other brochures, later incorporating them into my photo book.

Bill Gets Back on Board

With a little help from God, I’d gotten my day back on track, but my surly companion was not doing quite as well. His bottom lip was not exactly dragging the ground. He wasn’t exactly rushing me, but he also wasn’t joyfully lingering over every vista.

With my map in hand I realized we’d seen most of what there was of the garden to see, but I also saw that up ahead was a Gelateria. My sweetheart loves gelato. “Come,” I said, ” I think you’re going to like this!” And here he is, happily standing in line for his gelato.

Up next was the gift shop where he himself found a wonderful birthday present for his sister-in-law. I reveled in that, because gift shopping is usually my responsibility. So, in the end, my visit to Mom’s garden hadn’t been perfect, but it was lovely and I felt a little relief that I’d finally marked it off my list. Having visited the Grand Hotel a few years before, I didn’t owe her anymore vacation days.

Come back next week and let’s see what we find in the rest of Victoria!

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, International, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL

Hotel Grand Pacific – The Way to Stay

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: WELCOME TO VICTORIA B.C.

If you’re as close as a ferry ride from Victoria B.C. then get on that ferry and spend some wonderful days at the Hotel Grand Pacific. These were some of Bill’s favorite days of the trip. See what you think about our arrival.

Well, Excuse Me!

We drove off the ferry, across the street and parked under Hotel Grand Pacific. I made my way to the reception area and began my transaction with the nice guy behind the desk. Suddenly, there was a woman standing so close to me that she was almost touching me. Wild hair, loud voice and a sort of bright floral house dress. Here I was checking into my room with my billfold, vouchers and notebook wide open and she’s so close to me she could put her hand in my pocket. I was afraid that was her goal and it rattled me.

I think she was merely rude and boundary-less, but I had to complete my entire transaction with her standing right next to me, chatting up both myself and the reception clerk. I must have checked to be sure I had all of my belongings a dozen times, but I couldn’t get away from her fast enough. Bill was outside taking photos.

To say we loved this everything about this hotel would be an understatement. The room was a little tight, but well appointed with a great view. The hotel had bicycles for guests and so our first order of business once we’d dumped our luggage and parked our car properly was to grab a pair of cycles and take off.

Remember that not listening to me stuff. I tried really hard to let Bill know the route he should take on our bike ride, but before I could even get started he was already down the street zooming through the traffic. I thought I was going to get killed. Eventually, he did ask me where he should go, but by that time I was so shook by near death experiences I had no idea where we were or where we should go.

Somehow, probably luck more than anything else, we were at the entrance to a park I wanted to visit. I followed Bill to a bench, got off my bike and spent my time praising God for being alive. Once I was in the park, I’d studied the map of Victoria so much, that I was able to guide us back to the hotel.

Back at the Hotel

Once we returned to our room, it was time for coffee and snacks. Then Bill took his nap. This gave me the opportunity to arrange the room for three blissful days of not packing up and moving EVERY DAY. Then, I caught up in my travel journal and did crossword puzzles, while sitting next to our picture window, drinking a glass of wine.

Come dinner time, Bill decides we’re going to drive somewhere. I usually just go along to get along, but I’m the one who had done the research and I knew everything we wanted was within three blocks of us. We were not going to drive anywhere and try to park in Victoria. And that was that.

Our Evening Stroll

I think Bill cooperated so he could prove me wrong, but we were out of the hotel and on the sidewalk, so I didn’t care. We came to a restaurant called Mosaic Grille & Bar. Bill then decides there are actually restaurants within walking distance and he’s ready to go check out the rest. I really wasn’t up for that. I was afraid I’d end up with fast food and I wanted a meal. I didn’t exactly put my foot down, I’d already done that once within the same hour, but I made a strong case for taking advantage of what was right in front of us.

Once we had dinner, we strolled around the area, taking a closer look at the Fairmont Empress. Then back at the hotel, we went to the spa where the exercise facilities were. I knew then what I’d be doing first thing on the next morning!

The next day started at the gym, but then we went to Butchart Gardens. You don’t want to miss that!

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Music, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Surprises in Olympia WA

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: A CAPITAL DAY AT THE CAPITOL

We’re moving along to our next destination in Washington State, Olympia, the Capital. We were in for some surprises along the way. Some were good, some were not so good and one was amazing! Come along and see what happened!

Hilton Garden Inn

I might have mentioned that we were less than thrilled with our accommodations in Tacoma. They were a big let down after the Snoqualimie Inn by Hotel America, but for a budget stay, nothing major to complain about.

I was also looking for a bargain in Olympia, but the bargain ended up being several notches above the Best Western and that was one of our good surprises. Bill was thrilled when we pulled up to the attractive new hotel. He flirted with the cute reception clerk. Then he was absolutely giddy when we got to the room and he saw the TV screen with the personalized greeting.

Food was next and he’d seen a Mickey D’s nearby. That suited him just fine. In the old days, it would have suited me, too, but now I am gluten free, so I suggested I just get one of the frozen food packages in the lobby. I figured, how much could a frozen food meal cost. Try $12! This was the next surprise and I was not happy at all about it. However, we got another surprise, that nice girl who Bill flirted with was embarrassed the food cost so much and sold it to me for $6. That was more like it. Then it was jammies and bed for this girl.

Memorial Day Celebration

The primary reason we were in Olympia was because I had read they have one of the most beautiful capitols in the States. It being Memorial Day, I figured it would be locked up tighter than a drum, but I’d also learned the had beautiful grounds. Even if the hype was wrong and it was just another state capitol building, we were closer to the rain forest and we hadn’t had to spend another night at the Best Western.

There had been no way for me to know that instead of being locked up tighter than a drum, there would be a marvelous Memorial Day Ceremony inside the capitol. That was a biggest and most wonderful surprise in Olympia.

For your information, the capitol building and grounds are beautiful and if you are anywhere near Olympia, they are worth seeing. When I did my research I learned of several free tours you could take around the building and sadly, those were not available, but the celebration honoring the Veterans was a real treat.

We didn’t stay for the whole thing. We wanted to tour the gardens and get to our next hotel by nightfall, so we just enjoyed the opening ceremonies and the initial music offerings. As I said, truly lovely, but soon we were headed further west.

Travel Day Monotony

Washington is a gorgeous state, but when you have the pedal to the metal trying to get somewhere all that gorgeous green stuff can get a little monotonous. As we headed west, that was what we had. I suggested to Bill we might want to go all the way to see the Pacific Ocean and get some fresh seafood for lunch. We did drive out to Ocean shores and Bill loved walking along an empty stretch of beach, but then it was back on the road. No, seafood for lunch.

After leaving the beach area, we headed back northwest and soon there was no question about it – We were in the rain forest. Washington State had been green and beautiful everywhere we had been so far, but suddenly it was greener and more beautiful than we could imagine.

Before we knew it, we’d come to South Shore Drive in Quinault, WA. This was our turnoff for Lake Quinault Lodge – something I anticipated would be one of the highlights of our trip. I was right. Come back next week a see what an amazing place I had found to stay the night!

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Museums, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Tacoma Sightseeing Smorgasbord

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: LE MAY’S & POINT DEFIANCE PARK

We’ll be moving fast today on this tour of Tacoma, Washington. We’ve seen the big rocks and now need to sift through the sand before we head to Olympia. From cars and beaches to jaw-dropping blooms, come along as we see the sights!

A Logistical Morning

Mornings are always tough on vacation. I wake up at the crack of dawn and Bill doesn’t. On this day, we also need to get all packed up, because we’ve spent our last night in the Best Western.

I was up early and slipped quietly out of the room. I headed up to the breakfast area where I could review our plans for the day, spend a little time on Facebook and do a few crossword puzzles while I enjoyed breakfast. When I wondered back to the room, Mr. Bill was still snoozing, so I got myself ready for the day and started packing up. Around 9, he had breakfast and we were soon loaded up for the road.

LeMay’s – America’s Car Museum

Like the Museum of Flight, LeMay’s had been chosen primarily with Mr. Bill in mind, but I was happy to tag along. While planning, I had discovered there were two LeMay’s – one a huge storage facility south of town where the bulk of the LeMay automobiles were stored and the other a more commercialized facility. I was still unsure which to visit until the Chrome & Glass tickets were offered at the Museum of Glass. Discounted tickets to America’s Car Museum sounded like a good reason to go with it instead of the more extensive collection south of town.

LeMay’s was fun, but after the pristine experience at Petersen’s Automobile Museum in LA, LeMay’s seemed a little tacky and dusty. The entrance area, on the top floor, focused on current models of shiny, new cars. The building was built like a parking facility, so you wandered down a ramp that circled down to the bottom floor. Cute, but eventually hard on the legs.

As soon as we left the top floor with the slick new cars, I noticed we were in a museum where the exhibits did not get the love the cars at Petersen’s got. They were lovely and it’s not like they’d been abandoned, they just made me wish I had a duster with me. All the cars below the first level needed a little touch up.

There was a wide assortment of vehicles, from antique luxury cars to a life-size model of the Flintstone’s foot-propelled vehicle. Along the winding concourse there were various educational exhibits and some play stations for kids. Oh yes, and the photo opportunity with the bright blue motorcar. It was fun strolling along reminiscing about various models of cars, but didn’t linger too long, because we had other things to see.

Our next stop was the W.W. Seymore Botanical Conservatory at Wright Park. That wasn’t much, cute, but we were in and out. More time could have been spent looking at the magnificent collection of trees at Wright Park, but Point Defiance Park was calling.

The Gardens of Point Defiance Park

Planning a vacation is a bit of a gamble. You think a car museum is going to be the hit of the day, only to be disappointed dusty hood ornaments. A Conservatory is little more than a greenhouse you might find in a gardeners backyard. What would we find at Point Defiance Park?

What we found in the park was an amazing garden. Don’t get me wrong, the Dallas Arboretum and Longwood Gardens have nothing to worry about. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Point Defiance Park.

First, we hit the Rose Garden. There’s nothing outstanding about the configuration of the garden. It’s just astounding how many gorgeous bushes of this floral favorite they have. Above is a sampling, but it barely scratches the surface.

We saw a few lilies and irises, because they have gardens devoted to them also, but they paled in comparison to the roses. An example of gardens not quite ready for prime time was the dahlias. The massive rhododendron garden had already peaked and faded.

As we strolled along, we weren’t always sure exactly what we were looking at, but it all looked good. Then we wandered, by luck, into the Japanese Garden which was wonderful. We’d been looking for the rhododendrons, but a nice couple overheard our consternation and let us know we’d find that in another part of the park – and that we were too late to see it in its glory.

And Then There Was Owen Beach

OK, we’d put in a full day of sightseeing and needed to make the drive to Olympia. It wasn’t going to be a long one, but we’d need to unload the car and find something to eat, so we needed to save ourselves a little time.

We did have to wander a bit, in order to find the disappointing Rhododendron Garden. We saw boat ramps, restaurants, picnic tables and other forms of amusement, but we stayed on track. Once we confirmed the Rhododendrons had nothing to offer, we started looking for the exit. I did say, “If you see a sign for Owen Beach, you might want to stop there. It’s really popular with the locals.”

Eventually, we did see a sign for Owen Beach and since it was getting to be the end of the day, there were even parking spaces on the lot – something the guide books warned me might not be available. Are we EVER glad we stopped! It was actually one of our favorite stops of the day.

It was a beach for the locals. Some people were getting in their power walk or running along the sidewalks. Some kids were putting off getting out of the water as long as they could, even though their little chins were shivering. Mostly people just walked along in groups or hand-in-hand.

It was beautiful. I’m proud of the way I captured it in my photo book, but nothing could capture the reality. The calm water, the quiet conversations, the laughter. It was just what a pair of tired travelers needed. We walked along, hand-in-hand, grateful for a respite from what seemed like the rest of the world, totally unrelated to the sandy, driftwood-strewn beach.

As the sun began to go down, we returned to our car and made the short drive to Olympia, capital of Washington State. Be sure to come back next week and discover the surprise we found there.

Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Memory Keeping, Photography, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Back to LA

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: GREYSTONE MANSION

Too Many Sad Stories

I go to a lot of historical homes and palaces. One thing most of them have in common is sad stories. He built the home for the love of his life and she died shortly after it was finished. They built their dream house, but were then bankrupt. He never finished his castle, because he committed suicide. The bought the house, did extensive remodeling for their coming child, then the mother and child both died in childbirth. I’m just drawing these out of the air, but each one probably has at least five places I’ve been that would fit the story. It’s rare to find a happily-ever-after house.

Greystone Mansion is no different. “On the night of February 16, 1929, only five months after the family had moved in, Ned Doheny was found shot to death inside the home, at the age of 35 and the victim of an apparent murder-suicide perpetrated by his longtime personal friend and aid Hugh Plunkett,” says beverlyhills.org.

You are welcome to enjoy the grounds, but the interior is off limits. The facility is frequently used for grand affairs and as a location for filming movies, TV shows etc., but most of the time it just sits there sad and empty. There is a tour of the interior every first weekend, but that’s not when we were there.

All the signs say photography is not allowed, but then no one is there to stop you and we ran into some people scouting it as a filming location and they offered to take our picture for us, so if you go, snap away. I do believe what they say about filming, because just a few days after we got home, I saw a TV show where the characters were standing under the lamp in the photo above.

Here’s what the mansion looks like.

From the mansion, we drove around Beverly Hills a bit. We thoroughly enjoy looking at rich people’s stuff. Then we returned to our nephew’s house for the evening and had dinner at an Italian restaurant that was supposed to be historical, but it was really just dirty and old and the food was awful.

The vacation was winding down. We’d be flying back the next day, but I had one more trick up my sleeve and it turned into one of the things we enjoyed most of the whole vacation.

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Memory Keeping, Photography, Road Trips, Scrapbooking, TRAVEL, United States

Leaving Pismo for Santa Barbara

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: PISMO LIGHTHOUSE SUITES & CASA DE HERRERO

Pismo Lighthouse Suites

I can’t abandon Pismo without a shout out to our wonderful accommodations. After the grandeur of the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort, pretty much anything else would have to be a step down, but we didn’t have to step very far down. Pismo Lighthouse Suites proved to be an excellent choice for a stay.

Don’t expect swanky, because it’s not, but it is nice. Very roomy with a bedroom totally separate from the living area and a full kitchen. Bill didn’t think much of the décor, but I thought it was very functional and everything was clean. Who could ask for more when you’re watching your pocketbook at little?

One thing we certainly loved was the breakfast every morning, served in a community room and if you couldn’t find something you liked, then you are really too picky. I’d sure stay here again.

Casa de Herrero in Montecito

Bill usually leaves most of the vacation planning to me, but when he does make a suggestion, it’s a jewel. I didn’t find it in any of my research, but it should be on every must-see list for Santa Barbara. It’s a little pricey and hard to schedule, but it is a gem.

The home is open to the public at 10 AM and 2 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays – PERIOD! And the tickets are $50 per person. I’ll wait for you to catch your breath. If budget is not a constraint and you can be there on their schedule, then you have to go. You will love it. Lotus Land was $60 each, but it seems to me there was a whole lot more to it. Still, I’m glad I had the opportunity to go.

We pulled into Montecito about 1:15 PM and had to kill about half and hour in a shopping center parking lot. We couldn’t just go hang out by the Casa. They keep the gate closed until a few minutes before the tour and you aren’t allow to park in the neighborhood. Parking is at a premium everywhere in Montecito and the signs at the shopping center were very threatening, so we couldn’t even lock up the car and go for a walk. We had to pretend one or the other of us was visiting one of the establishments, while the other guarded the car.

Finally, it was almost time for them to open their gate, so we made our way to the home. When the tour started, we were informed we couldn’t take photos inside, but think San Simeon’s dining room turned into a full house. Very Spanish and a little dark.

The original builder and owner of the house was George Fox Steedman from San Luis Obispo, who started out as a metalsmith and woodworker, threw in a few real estate deals and became filthy stinking rich. The house had a metalsmithing and woodworking studio where Mr. Steedman pursued his interests. The house is full of valuable antiques from the Golden Age of Spain, but they are pretty dark and depressing.

Counterpoint to the interior with it’s nod to the Inquisition, outside was delightful and you could take photos. And that’s what you’ll see on the photo book pages I’ve included below.

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Photography, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Detroit’s Art Deco Treasure

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: A STROLL IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT

The Guardian Building

We’d started our day in an empty world headquarters, had breakfast in ghost town food court and taken a ride on an abandoned monorail. We were beginning to wonder if anyone actually lived or worked in Detroit. Still, finding gems off the beaten path is one of my favorite things to do, so this hunt for The Guardian Building was just my cup of tea.

It was Travel Advisor which clued me in on the existence of a pristine Art Deco skyscraper in Downtown Detroit. Once we got off the People Mover I asked Google Maps to find The Guardian Building and as I thought, it was just around the corner from the monorail stop. Instead of trying to describe it, I’ll just share some of the photos we snapped.

Gorgeous, right? Like the Renaissance Center, there wasn’t much in the way of human occupation. There was a security guard behind a desk in the central lobby and up the stairs was a large open area. A barista lurked behind a coffee bar and there was a tour company office on the other side and that was it. Where were the rest of the inhabitants of Detroit?

Campus Martius Park

While the Riverfront and Greektown are obviously popular areas in Detroit, we’d be seeing those with the family later in the weekend, so I wanted to focus on things we wouldn’t see with them, which took us to this downtown park.

It was here we finally connected with humanity. As we strolled along a well landscaped path between the skyscrapers, we happened upon a beach bar. Yes, I said a beach bar. Sand, lounge chairs and drinks with fruit in them. Don’t believe me?

It would have suited me fine to take a load off and sample their wares, but Bill was not in lounging mode. He was doing his best to play tourist, but he was distracted. Not only were most of our credit cards compromised by hackers, but the market was open and we’d just turned over our real estate photography company to the new owner. We were supposed to be celebrating that last bit, but after nursing our enterprise to success for six years, we were having some separation anxiety. Was this guy going to be able to handle it? It’s not that we weren’t happy to see it go. We just didn’t want it back!

At the end of the park is One Campus Maritus, the Compuware headquarters, famous for this 14 story waterfall.

And that left one final stop along Woodward Avenue we wanted to visit, The Grand Circus. It’s not a circus with a tent, but a park in a circle. It was a much quieter venue than Campus Maritus with its beach bar and perhaps we would have skipped it altogether had we known, but it was right next to a People Mover station, so it turned out to be quite convenient.

On to our Next Accommodations

The People Mover took us back to Renaissance Center, where we claimed our rental car and headed to Pontiac/Auburn Hills. That was the location of the Residence Inn which would be our home away from home over the next few days. It was close to all the family events and had just what we wanted.

Certainly the Renaissance Center Marriott was more glamourous, but the Residence Inn offered a comfort the swanky hotel did not – a separate sitting room I could escape to each morning. I wake up so early out of habit, but Bill knows how to sleep late and I like to give him that luxury. On the way, we stopped at a grocery store to get some items to enjoy during our stay – wine, bottled water, fruit, protein bars etc.

I’m a pretty easy-going traveler. I don’t think I have ever rejected a room, even though there have been a few times I should have. Bill on the other hand is a little harder to please. He will go down to the desk and complain when he doesn’t like something. At the Residence Inn, he didn’t like the view. It’s a suburban Residence Inn, so I didn’t expect a view, but he did. We got a different room and don’t tell him, but I sort of liked the first one better. It seemed a little more convenient and not quite as dorm-like, but Bill did like the view better, so we stayed.

The Family Weekend

Over the next few days, we were involved with family. We had a get together at a local restaurant Friday night and the big Gender Reveal at a Country Club Saturday. Sunday we hung out at the Riverfront, had lunch in Greek town and a game of golf in the afternoon. On Monday, the main event was an absolute feast, fit for a Pharaoh with all our Egyptian favorites. While it was a lot of fun, it wouldn’t be of much interest to anyone outside the family. (It’s a boy by the way. Our Grand Nephew will arrive in October.)

After the feast, we went back towards Detroit and stayed at the Smithfield Westin. It was a nice hotel, but we were just there to sleep. In the morning I was finally getting to do something that had been on every version of my itinerary the Detroit Institute of Art. Come back next week and enjoy our visit.

Decorative Arts, DFW Metroplex, Gardens, Memory Keeping, Photo Organization, Photo Organization Coach, Photography, Scrapbooking, Shopping

Pre-Designed (But Flexible) Photo Projects

Jane Sadek

MEMORY KEEPING 101: DESIGN & PRINT PROJECTS

AutoPrint vs. Design & Print

Last month I walked you through a couple of easy, peasy AutoPrint projects step-by-step. AutoPrint is what you want to use to create very quick projects. The layouts are very simple and while you can make some edits, the primary goal is done.

Design & Print is the next level of (shall we say) fussiness. You want more in the way of decoration and more opportunities to add your own touches, but you also want the heavy of lifting of design to have been done by someone else.

Available Projects

While AutoPrint and Design & Print offer many of the same projects for you to choose from, there are some differences. I have compared the AutoPrint Offerings with the Design & Print Options.

  • Photo Books (In AutoPrint you have all these choices with each photo boo. In Design & Print, options for size, binding and style depend on design chosen, but all of these can be found in various designs.)
    • Sizes 8X8 -12X12
    • Softbound & Hardbound
    • Standard & Layflat
  • Photo Gifts (Varies)
    • Coaster Sets (Both)
    • Tabletop Panels (Both)
    • Notebooks (AP Only)
    • Magnets (Both)
    • Ornaments (D&P Only)
    • Puzzles(D&P Only)
    • Blankets (D&P Only)
  • Drinkware (Varies)
    • Water Bottles (Both)
    • Photo Mugs (Both)
    • Frosted Glasses (D&P Only)
  • Wall Decor (D&P Only)
    • Canvas Prints
    • Metal Panels
  • Cards (D&P ONly)
  • Calendars (D&P Only)
  • Photo Prints (AP Only)
    • Glossy & Lustre
    • Sizes 4X6 – 11X14

Selecting Your Photos and Your Design

When you have a project you want to do in Design & Print, I suggest you first go to your albums and set up one for the project. Then add all the photos you want to include in your project into the album. It’s also a good idea to get them into the order you want them to be in the project. This will not only get you prepared for making the project, but it could help you decide which design to use.

Then it’s time to choose the design for your project. According to your point of view, this part is either your favorite thing about the project or your biggest headache.

If you like shopping online, this part is fun. You can go in and browse around, checking available options for size, style, material and etc.. You can put together your whole project and then decide you want to change the design or the layout. You’ll love it.

I’ll admit it makes me a little crazy. In prepping for this post, I went in to find a coaster set project to walk you through and hit a brick wall. Artisan is my favorite way to design in FOREVER because I like to start with a blank page, but many people find a blank page daunting. They want a design template. FOREVER offers three design options because different people like different things.

Let’s Make a Blanket

Since I’m definitely not in the mood for coasters, let’s make a blanket. I’ll use the photos I have tagged as Floral for the images on the blanket. On FOREVER I would hover over the “Create & Print” Tab and a selection box comes up offering AutoPrint, Design & Print and Digital Scrapbooking & Deign. Under Design & Print, Photo Gifts are in the center and Blankets are at the bottom of that list. Click “Blankets.”

There are many, many design to choose from, but for this project I wanted to include as many floral photos as possible, so I used the “# Of Photos” filter to find the blanket designs which included the most images. I got two choices. (Ignore the pricing. The image I included shows the deals available on the day I wrote this post, not the day you are reading it)

When I clicked on the Photo Grid Blanket, here’s the screen I got. It advises me of all the options I have. There are two sizes, two orientations and two materials available to me and there is a big PERSONALIZE button. Let’s do that.

So, I went in and added a photo for each space and chose a Bible verse as my text. If I clicked on “Layouts,” the designer offered four options, but this was the one with the most spaces, so I chose it. I could still select my size, orientation and material. Then I could add it to my cart and order it!

I like this a lot, but honestly, I would prefer a design without text and I’d probably choose a different background color. And that’s why I love Artisan, but that lesson will be next month. Here’s the link to the project so you can take a look at it: https://www.forever.com/app/users/jane-sadek–1/containers/c7f1ebef-e74c-4069-9d00-0c75dfd7daf8/6ao6nbcgjnp7v0b3adq7j2lrt

Accommodations, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, DFW Metroplex, Gardens, Road Trips, TRAVEL

Pilot Point Getaway

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL HERE – JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Why Pilot Point?

About fifteen years of my life was spent in the office equipment industry and most of that with AIS/IKON. There are people I knew in those days which are closer to me than some of my family. So, when I heard about a jam/reunion that was happening up in Pilot Point, I couldn’t resist going. Initially, the jam was supposed to be held in someone’s house, but the attendee list got so long they decided to move it to the Point Bank Community Center. It was also recommended that attendees book a room at the Lone Star Lodge and Marina. Too busy to do much more than let them know I was coming and making a reservation at the Lodge, I wasn’t too sure what I was getting Bill and I into. On the appointed day, Bill and I loaded up the car and headed to Pilot Point, about an hour and a half from our home on the eastern side of DFW.

Lone Star Lodge and Marina

I cannot say enough good things about this little lodge. It isn’t swanky or luxurious, but it was delightful. Most of the rooms are on the ground floor and at least half of them look out into the woods or have a lake view. The rooms are a bit rustic with a western flair – no frills, but nothing to complain about. For $114 we had a great place to stay and beautiful grounds to explore.

Check-in was a breeze. We ran into friends on the parking lot and let them know we would be on our way to the jam, right behind them. We moved into our room, freshened up a little and them headed off to the jam.

Point Bank Community Center and the Jam

If you ever need some place to have an event in the Pilot Point vicinity, I recommend you check this venue out. It’s nothing fancy, but really is nice. There’s a big community room, restrooms and a kitchen, as well as a storeroom. It did a great job as a venue for this jam/reunion.

I had been warned this wasn’t a reunion in the traditional sense, just the outgrowth of something a group of them used to do – get together and play music. I was also warned some of my best friends from those days weren’t able to come, but I still thought it would be worth it – and it was.

Bill and I walked in just as the band was beginning to play. The band was an odd assortment of people playing drums, guitar and keyboard, but I won’t try to convince you they were good. As I adjusted to the light of the room, I began to see faces I recognized, but even more which were unfamiliar to me. We took our beverages to the kitchen, served ourselves and looked for a place to light.

I was soon up again, going around the room to get some hugs from those familiar to me and was introduced to others. I checked back in with Bill and he was ready to go. He knew virtually no one and those he did know were only slight acquaintances. The music was loud, so starting up a conversation was difficult. I thought the music was fun, but mostly because I knew and loved those who were playing. I excused him from further torture and told him I’d either come back to the lodge with friends or call him when I was ready to go.

I enjoyed visiting with those I knew, but with the loud music, it was hard to chat. The performances were not intimidating in the least and guest musicians took over various instruments from time to time. My friend Tammy and I decided that under those circumstances, we should probably contribute to the jam by singing. The picture above highlights our performance which was nothing to write home about, but a lot of fun.

Having hugged all the necks I needed to hug and contributing musically to the jam, there really wasn’t much more to do, since there was really no way to talk to the people I had come to see. I eventually called Bill to come get me. When he stuck his head in to let me know he was there, laughter, cat calls and innuendo bounced around the room.

Back at the Lodge

We had a good night’s sleep and then headed out of our room to explore more of the Lodge. I can see it being a great place for a wedding , reunion or other event.

As you can see, the scenery is beautiful and the grounds are well kept. There’s a nice ballroom, the gazebo and even several levels of patios. The lobby area is attractive, also.

The lake you see is Lake Ray Roberts and the Lodge is a part of Ray Roberts Lake State Park. We had our morning caffeine and a snack as we enjoyed the beauty of the place.

Then we went back to room, got ready for the day and packed up to go. We visited with some of my friends who were also enjoying their stay at the Lodge as we went to turn in our key.

Ray Roberts Lake State Park

Before heading home, we decided to check out Ray Roberts Lake State Park. It was lovely. Deer gazed out at us from the edges of the wood. It was very, very quiet – perhaps because school had just started. We turned off the main road and went to a picnic area. There we parked and walked around the shore of the lake. It was a great way to spend a morning.

It was time to head back home, but first we needed lunch. Come back next week and find out about a great little restaurant you can enjoy if you decide to visit Pilot Point.

ART, DFW Metroplex, Gardens, Restaurants & Bars, Scrapbooking, Shopping

The Weekend Report

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL HERE: NOT MUCH TO REPORT

Busy Saturday and Sunday, But Boring

It all started Friday morning when the photos arrived from the editors. I don’t want to go back there, but suffice to say, it did not go well and Saturday morning I was still chasing various shots. Granted, this sort of thing very rarely happens and everyone is granted the opportunity to make a mistake, but we had several humans making several mistakes all on the same day. How lucky can you get?

And speaking of being human, I had planned to crock pot a meal on Friday, which did not happen, so while I was madly emailing and texting on Saturday morning to solve all the problems, I loaded up my crockpot. As a start, I added the orzo at the beginning, rather than holding it until the last 30 minutes. So what do you do at that point? It had already sucked up much of my liquids and I wasn’t going to waste food, so I just cranked it up.

Then it was back upstairs to do battle with the editors and when I came down a little later, the crockpot had decided it wasn’t in the mood to cook. Thankfully, with a little technological encouragement – unplug/plug, off/on, try another setting – it decided it would cook my meal.

And speaking of On and Off – Bill had expressed a desire to go to a nursery and start shopping for spring planting. Between Snowmaggedon and the recent Ice Storm, we barely have anything alive in our beds. So, I totally understood the need, but visiting the nursery when the temperature is hovering between the high 40’s and low 50’s didn’t sound like much fun. He agreed it was probably too chilly, so I touched base with my bestie and planned on connecting for lunch.

But then he decided he wanted to run some other errands, which sounded OK. Except that he lollygagged around so long that my bestie finished up her dance lesson. That was not such a big deal, because we all just met for lunch, at Ephesus Bistro & Grill in Rowlett.

My second visit by the way. Ephesus is a great little local place to get Mediterranean food. The hummus has great chunks of chickpea in it, so you know it’s fresh. Bill and I shared a Beef Kabob and she had Chicken Roulade. Both were great. The only thing I warn against is the falafel. When I got it, the inside of the ball was not as done as I like – but that’s me. I prefer the patties over the balls for that reason.

After a morning of dancing and a big lunch, Deb was ready to go home and take a nap. Bill and I headed out to do our errands, but somehow ended up at Covington’s Nursery. It wasn’t quite as chilly as I thought it was going to be, but chilly enough. I think it should be nice and warm when I hang out at the nursery.

We try to shop at Covington’s whenever we can afford to, but they are a little proud of their merchandise. They are without a doubt the most knowledgeable in the area, so we do buy a lot there and we always go to them first for advice.

Sunday was not much better. After I did my greeting job at church, I did get a few pages of scrapbooking done. We also went out and bought each other the Valentine’s Gifts of our choices. We hit another nursery – less expensive, but also less stock and not much in the advice department. After that we hit Red Lobster for dinner.

Yawn, yawn and yawn! Come back next week for more travel, more memory keeping and another weekend report!