Royal Palms

We have been spending a fair amount of time in Arizona this year.  Our hands down favorite place to
stay is the Royal Palms in Scottsdale.

It was nice to escape winter for a bit.  All the flowers were blooming and the temps were pleasant.
We hope to go back at the end of this month when the orange trees are blooming.  When our kids were growing up, we would make a trip to Phoenix every Spring Break.  My husband is a baseball fan, and some of the baseball teams are in Phoenix for Spring Training.  I'm pretty content to lounge by the pool.  There is nothing quite like a city that smells of orange blossom.

We have stayed in many different resorts in the Phoenix area, but the Royal Palms is always the one we love the most.  I love the architecture and the way the paths meander from one outdoor room to another.    The spa is also quite nice.

 Unfortunately, while we were away this winter, there was a deep freeze at our Texas house.  I follow the Austin, Texas garden blog - Rock Rose - so I wasn't surprised to come back and find the garden looking rather dreadful.   My orange tree survived, as did the Fig Vine, but the Sago and Fan Palms look half dead.  Hope they can rebound.   As I type this, a deer is just outside my window.  So many things I have planted have become expensive deer food.  I can't bear to keep them out though.  What a treat to see them come up from the lake to graze on my lawn, and everything else:-)  Part of the joy of living in the countryside.

Photos By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman
Sotto Il Monte

The Summerville Cottage Adieu

The digital ink had no sooner dried on my previous post - when the call came in, letting us know that we would be moving yet again!

I'll remember fondly our time in this little cottage.  The house is small that when we have guests over, everyone spills out into the garden.   Our beautiful friends Bart & Katherine first introduced us to this house.    Their friendship, hospitality and southern grace, will stay in our hearts always.

 Spring and summer are so beautiful here.  The landscape was mostly in place when we moved in.  I planted a few things.  Failed at some and had success with others.  The ground is nothing but sand!

 I'll miss the Highlander felines that live next door and visit now and then.  I hope to have one of my own when we are more settled.  They have tipped ears like a bob cat.

Living here gave us the opportunity to explore Charleston, Savannah and Atlanta.    Thanks to B&K, we attended the Masters Tournament each year.  Jim scored four tickets to the Masters one year via the lottery and his best buds Mike and Frank flew out from California spend a few days.

 Many other friends and family came to visit during our time here.  It has been fun to show them how beautiful the south is!

The payoff!  Now we get to move to the Austin, Texas area to spend more time with "THE CENTER OF OUR UNIVERSE!!!!!"  Ever since this sweet little boy was born we have been working our way back to him.  He has stolen our hearts and we just can't be away any longer.  He needs his Nana & Gramps!

Bonus - We will be able to spend more time with his sweet Mama, Dada,  brother and sister.

 I fly to Austin next week - check out the housing scene - fly back to meet up with the moving company - spiff up the house a little as it is going on the market - drive back to Texas  and spend weeks unpacking!

Adieu to this little cottage and Bonjour to the next chapter in our lives!

Cheers!
Ry

Photos By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman (except the last one - taken by my daughter)

THE SUNKEN GARDENS

Too much work and not enough play. I gave myself the day off and I went to check on the progress at the Japanese Tea Gardens in Brackenridge Park. The Tea Garden was developed in 1917 in an abandoned limestone quarry. Donicio Rodriquez, recognized as one of America's foremost Faux Bois sculptors, was commissioned to replicate a Japanese Torii gate. His work is featured throughout the park.
In 1926, the city of San Antonio invited Kimi Eizo Jingu, a Japanese-American artist, to help design and maintain the gardens. He and his wife Miyoshi opened the Bamboo Room, where light lunches and tea were served. Jingu was a representative of the Shizuoka Tea Association and was considered an expert in the tea business. He died in 1938. His wife and eight children continued to maintain the gardens and operate the Tea Room. In 1942, the family was evicted amid the rise of anti-Japanese sentiment of World War II. The name of the sunken garden was changed to the Chinese Tea Garden.

In 1984 it was returned to the original name of The Japanese Tea Garden in a ceremony attended by Jingu's children. I wonder if they will change the name back on the Torii gate?
Koi ponds lie at the bottom of the quarry.Over the years, the Tea Gardens were neglected and became a target for graffiti and vandalism. In 2005, the City began the restoration process that is underway.

A waterfall cascades sixty feet to the Koi ponds below.Scaffolding and metal fencing surround the original stone buildings. Perhaps by summer's end I'll be able to enjoy a Japanese Tea Ceremony and lunch at the gardens.



In the meantime, it's back to the pied-á-terre for a light lunch of European Smoked Salmon, cilantro and cream cheese finger sandwiches........................................................
Diane's Sugar Cookies (the only recipe I've found that works with my pineapple cookie stamp)

And tea - kept in a tea canister that my Mother gave me when I was 14....................
Served on a tray that my daughter made for me. Not a bad way to spend the day.

Photography By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman

Sotto Il Monte Vineyards

Top Image: Unknown Artist - If anyone knows who this artist is - please let me know. I've had this image in my files for years .

A TYPICAL SATURDAY

A typical Saturday - when we are not at the beach - consists of visiting some of our favorite spots in Houston. Starting with the Farmers Market. It is pretty small - not nearly the size of the Farmers Market that we were used to in Santa Barbara - but it has everything we need.

Fresh flowers..................................................................Grass fed beef, fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, tasty Indian food.......................................................
Freshly baked breads...............................................
Locally grown fruits and vegetables..........................................After that, we went a few short blocks over to Chateau Dominque to look for inspiration for the casa...........................................

Plenty to be found here..............................................
I would love both of these tall, marble topped tables .... great for rolling out pastry....
And this one too.............................................................
Still looking for the perfect front doors for the casa - they have plenty to choose from.............
I'll take this set of Limoges............................(Wishful thinking)


Jim was interested in this pair of Olive Oil pots ..... He was decidedly less enthusiastic when I told him they were $12,000.00 for the pair.

Beautiful stone urns, columns and caps.............................................
Fireplaces of all shapes and sizes..............some so large you would need a castle......................Rich patina and detail..................................................
After spending considerable time in Chateau Dominque we went across the street and had lunch at Tiny Boxwood's Cafe.......................................
Which is connected to my favorite plant store Thompson & Hanson, so I had to take a little walk through..............................................................






Then over to Indulge - right next door. Indulge deserves a blog post all it's own - so I'll save for later.

Hope you had a beautiful weekend too...................................Cheers!

Photography By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman

Sotto Il Monte Vineyards