Texas Embassy

When we get homesick in London for a little bit of Texas, we sometimes hop down to the Texas Embassy Cantina located just off Trafalgar Square. Mike gets there more often than I do, since his office is nearby. The Texas Embassy is located in the same building that once housed the White Star shipping company, the owners of the Titanic. After the tragedy, friends and relatives came to this very spot to see the list of the survivors.

Today the Tex-Mex restaurant honors the time in Texas history between 1836-1845 when Texas was actually a country called the Texas Republic, and its president was General Sam Houston. The Republic actually set up an embassy in London during this time which is now the location of the Berry Brothers Wine Shop on St. James Street.

Today, the cantina offers traditional Tex-Mex food such as fajitas, quesadillas, enchiladas and nachos. Once Mike hosted a group of local CFO's from other energy companies for dinner, and it was a big hit.

At the end of our kids' stay in London, the girls and I had time for lunch before catching a matinee, and this was their restaurant of choice. You can find their menu and more about the restaurant by clicking Texas Embassy. What do we think of the cuisine? Well, you're asking a native Houstonian, so I'll just say it's good for London! Tex-Mex food is always our first dinner out when we come back to Texas, always is and always will be.

Hanging Out With Jordan

I've had some special requests from readers lately to do another post on my granddaughter Jordan, who will turn 2 at the end of October. OK, you don't have to twist my arm, that's an easy request to fill. I just have to be careful not to overdo it and be one of "those" grandmothers who talk about nothing else. I could you know. Jordan's mother has been doing some summer work at the church, so we've been able to spend a lot more time together recently. I've been amazed at how her imagination has taken over her little world.

Is there anything sweeter than a baby with her baby?

Keeping a baby happy is a big job, you know.

You have to feed her

and coax her to eat her vegetables.

When we went shoe shopping, her eyes were drawn to the jewelry display just like all fashion savvy women.

Of course, we had to buy some baubles to take home to wear

and to use for decorating Gigi's cabinets. Notice too, her leopard print "tick-tock" that she borrowed from Gigi to complete the look.

Doesn't she have an eye for design?

When she got home, she took her two new pairs of shoes and surrounded herself with the new and old shoes. What makes a girl "happier" than a couple of pairs of new shoes? Click the arrow above and listen to what she has to sing!

Every perfect girls' shopping day ends with lunch out, so I bought my first Happy Meal in over 15 years, and she devoured it. These days they come with apples and milk. Now why didn't they do that when my boys were young?

I will close with a serenade by Jordan--click to enjoy more imagination at work.

Paris style

Final thoughts on Paris this week must include some references to fashion and to that inimitable style that all French women seem to carry off. It's a sense of self-confidence and an emphasis on quality over quantity that distinguish the French women. They may buy very few new pieces of clothing and accessories each year, but they will typically be items of classic style and quality--timeless.

Of course, France is usually considered the capital of haute couture, which sometimes comes off as being a little extreme, perhaps even bizarre, but always something to talk about, such as the dress I saw while walking along the Rue du Faubourg St. Honore. Is it to your liking?

John Galliano featured these hats this spring with his designs. They sure caught my eye as I passed by.

Do you think Jordan needs one of these 18th century dresses I saw in a children's shop?

Of course, the classic Chanel suit is the icon of French fashion and imitated worldwide, but the quality of her studio's work outshines all the copies.

This year for the first time, I made a Chanel purchase--a black classic quilted lambskin bag. I'm sure I will carry it forever, and it's one of those items I should have bought years ago before they escalated in price. Coco Chanel was a fascinating character with a controversial story. I'm looking forward to the movie of her early life which is currently playing in the UK, and due in theaters in the US in September. Here's the trailer if you'd like to get a preview.

So I'll close out this week's postings on our spring trip to Paris with this parting shot of sunset on the Place de la Concorde and a glimpse of a twinkling Eiffel Tower in the background. Magical!

With all the thoughts about fashion introduced here, I thought it would be an appropriate time to share with you the results of last month's poll on the hats that my daughters-in-law modeled in London. Thank you for voting and your choices are as follows. I agree! They look pretty classy in these.

Versailles in April

The weekend we were in Paris, we headed out to the Chateau of Versailles, one of my favorite places in all of France. So much of the country's history unfolded there. On spring and summer weekends, the fountains are turned on with music playing in the background, as you stroll the grounds. You are seeing the Latona Fountain which is just behind the palace.

Of the 1400 fountains and waterfalls that were originally built, 600 remain today.

It required 6.2 million liters of water to run the fountains, which was a real challenge in the time of Louis XIV,

So he instructed that each fountain only be turned on as he passed by it on his daily stroll, and then turned off after he left. You can click on the picture below to hear a quick clip of the music in the background.

I snapped a picture of one of my favorite photos of Marie Antoinette while I was there. This picture is especially interesting, because it shows her with her children and was painted by one of her favorite artists of the time, Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun. On the left, is her daughter, Madame Royale, Princess Marie Therese. She is the only child of Marie Antoinette to survive the French Revolution. Pointing to the cradle draped in black is the dauphin, the future king, Louis Josephe, who died of natural causes about a year after this was painted. The empty cradle alludes to Princess Sophie who died as a baby. In her lap, is the second dauphin, Louis Charles, who died as a young boy, while he was imprisoned in the Temple during the Revolution.

I have a copy of this painting in my guest room, which I sometimes refer to as my "Marie Antoinette room," since there are many allusions to her story in the decor.

While at Versailles, I also took this photo of Marie Antoinette as a young teen aged girl

and this one of Louis XVI as a teenager. They were married soon after these paintings were finished. Little did they know of the tragedies that awaited them.

And this picture, thanks to Photoshop magic at the Versailles Palace is of me imagining living in another world, in another time.

I love Paris in the Springtime

Before I started my blogging journey in June, Mike and I took a weekend trip to Paris in April. April in Paris--it's hard to beat. For those of you who know me well, I'm a self-proclaimed Francophile. I love France, its art, its history, its culture, its countryside, but believe it or not, I'm not crazy about French food--except for the pastries, of course. From London, the journey by train from St. Pancras Station in London to the Gare du Nord Station in Paris takes just over two hours. The trip through the Chunnel is the fastest way to get to Paris now, considering how much extra time it takes at the airport these days. Through the years, I've probably been to Paris, my favorite city, at least 50 times. So, even though I've done the check list of all the things tourists should see and do, I always marvel at its beauty as if it was my first time there each time I go.

Spring was just making its arrival in Paris when we were there in April. Tulips and daffodils were the first hints of the splendor ahead.

Suddenly open air buses were all the rage for tourists once more.

Sidewalk cafes were full since everyone wanted their lunch or coffee outside. That's where the best people watching takes place.

Time for fresh starts and moving in--see how the conveyor lift moves your goods to the top floor?

A bride rushing down Rue Royale.

Spring chickens in the windows of Laduree--my favorite stop for macarons. More to come in future postings about Laduree.

YUM--can you beat this assortment of spring colors?

A quick walk in an April shower to the boulangerie for bread. Notice some one's faithful friend waiting patiently outside.

The Louvre seen here with all its treasures inside, but with spring fever, most Parisians wanted to be outside in the Tuileries gardens

Strolling the grounds and taking in the sunshine.

Sitting around the pond catching a few rays

And watching the children play with their toy wooden boats.

This week's posts will feature more of Paris in April, so stay tuned. We'll get back to London soon.

The Little Princess

Glitter Graphics

Jordan's coming home from her beach vacation today. I can't wait to see her!

Rose Garden at Regents Park

Enter through the Jubilee Gates

into the Inner Circle of Regent's Park. Mike and I took a walk through this historical 410 acre park last Friday before heading back to the States. Regent's Park is located in northern central London and was originally designated as hunting grounds by Henry VIII. For him, it was a short ride from the Whitehall Palace. Then in 1811, the Price Regent (later George IV) directed John Nash to come up with a master plan for the park. Today it includes a lake, canal, restaurants, the London Zoo, sporting fields and two villas from the original design.

In the summertime, my favorite part of the park is the Rose Garden, which has 30,000 roses (wouldn't you like the job of counting them) of 400 different varieties.

The colors, the smells and the textures are breathtaking.

Enjoy some of our photos. You can always click on them to take a closer look.

Among the wildlife there, are some fascinating black swans. You remember from an earlier post who owns those don't you?

Alas, I wish I could leave you with a Scratch 'n Sniff application. Imagine....