THE STREETS OF ST. LOUIS

I spent about a week in my home town last month and had a wonderful time - I was flown there by Mary Engelbreit and Company to be a guest teacher at their workshop extravaganza. Everything they did was top notch - the venue was at the venerable Chase Park Plaza hotel by Forest Park, the classes were packed full of women who were very happy to be there, engrossed in learning how to make everything from glitter chandeliers (me!) to antique French jewelry (Kaari Meng)!

One of my teaching projects involved making a Victorian "moss lady" (pictured). Each table was given all the elements to create this whimsical figure, including piles of different moss species, and lots of antique trim from Tinsel Trading, and then unleashed to create from their own imagination. The variety was astounding!

I also took a couple of days off to visit my old haunt in south St. Louis, Cherokee St., which is an ancient neighborhood of old brick buildings, still filled with antique shops.

One of the shops looked just like it did 35 years ag0,
including the old hound dog sitting watch behind the counter....the ceiling was of old pressed tin, knick knacks gathered dust and the light filtered in and looked like a memory from long ago.

I left with a collection of antique file boxes, an old engraving, and a collection of old milk bottle caps!

THE BEST CAFE IN NEW YORK

For weeks I wandered the streets of Manhattan looking for a decent latte - I have been spoiled forever by Peet's coffee in San Franscisco - and I finally found the best cafe for a REAL latte, and a fantastic array of handmade French cookies. It is called MACARON, and it is on 36th street at 7th ave. It is a tiny hole in the wall with only a few seats, within a block of Macy's and the garment district. It is cozy, the people who run the place are charming, and it is a perfect place to sit back and drop out of your day for a moment and reflect on life's pleasures!

STREETS OF NEW YORK

I continue to split my time and my life between my home in Port Costa and, at the opposite end of the spectrum, physically and mentally, Manhattan! The pace of business in New York leaves my head spinning and there is endless input everywhere, every moment. But I do get away from it all and just walking the streets of New York is like a smorgasbord for the creative eye. My beautiful daughter Monica came for a week and after lattes at my favorite cafe (called Macaron) we walked about 35 blocks from 35th to 70th and took pictures all along the way. Here are just a few of the gorgeous windows we saw!