holiday happiness

The second day of the new year burst forth with a spectacular red sunrise that has given way to gray skies and cool beach-like temps that are holding steady at 39 degrees. 
We've had a wonderful holiday break. Jeff totally enjoyed his birthday. In-between landscaping we would come in for a coffee break and speak with family who called throughout the day. I got in a great conversation with my bff Paula and my daughter-in-law Erin. Jeff received birthday greetings from his brothers.
And, although, it took all day, seriously, I did finish watching "the Help" as dusk began to fall. A lovely movie. I think the movies we enjoy best are those we can so closely identify with... as a child of the sixties, this is cetainly a theme I grew up with and one that I am SO glad to see vanished.  Yet, watching this, Rachel, came to mind (my aunt's housekeeper and nanny) and I wonder if she felt like this? And thought that she must have in a post war northern California town that was clearly segregated by ethinicity...
Skeeter's and friends homes: I've always had an affinity for colonial-styled plantation homes, but what I really love is the 1920's/30's interior design, not so much the largeness of space, but furniture layout and design that has a 
multi-generational lived in look, English/French homes have this ambience about them as well. It's something I grew up with and feel most comfortable in... a look that I have in my house and can't seem to get away from, I always fall back into it.

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Midnight in Paris. Again, fabulous set design that transported me back to my fav era 1920's/30's Paris with the Fitzgeralds, Hemmingway, Gertrude Stein and every other name imaginable of that golden era-- the dialogue was classic Woody Allen at his best.

Let's fall in love, Cole Porter, Midnight in Paris.