Hello and happy Friday. This week has flown, as it’s been a week of getting back in the saddle and returning to my normal routine which I have to say I am really enjoying. I am definitely a creature of habit.? We returned on Tues. night with a snowfall the very next morning, I would be lying if I didn’t tell you I loved every minute (as long as I was indoors that is)! And wouldn’t you know…it’s snowing outside right this very minute.

I am thrilled to announce that after many many votes, we have a grand prize winner for the HOLIDAY LOVE contest! A hearty congratulations goes to Lisa H for this fabulous picture…

Lisa, please email me with your shipping info so that you can select one tole item from my shop and it can be on it’s merry way!

And a congratulations to Kathy as well for being a beautiful runner up.Once again thank you to every single person who sent in their amazing pictures depicting holiday love…I so enjoyed looking at each and every one and putting this fun contest together.

As most of you know, I just came back from vacation. We had such a? marvelous time, I must say being under the warm sun is a natural healer for just about anything….mind, body and soul. We were lucky to be able to experience a brand new hotel, The new Gansevoort in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Click here to learn more about the property.? It had just opened weeks before and admittedly there is always a little risk in being one of the first guests at a newly opened hotel.

It is indeed a fabulous boutique hotel, very luxurious with a hip modern edge to it. There were some “hiccups” mostly in the service dept though to their credit they tried very very hard to please and for the most part, did. I am confident that once it is completed (still working on finishing the resort) it is going to be one of the “hot spots” in the Caribbean.

We were lucky to have had travel agent extraordinaire, Sandy from You May Be Wandering to arrange our trip including some nice little perks:) I cannot recommend her highly enough, she goes well above and beyond and gets an A+ in my book! If you have a trip in your future, I highly suggest you contact Sandy, her travel tentacles stretch far and deep into all travel realms and big or small, she can create and make just about anything happen. Her customer service and “aim to please” knows no bounds.? Click here to contact her via her blog.

Here are some of the highlights from our trip, to say it was beautiful would be an understatement and the 80 degrees and sunny skies certainly didn’t hurt:) So join me as I share a bit of our vacation with you……

I had fun getting reacquainted with my favorite summer clothes, sandals, white bags, etc……

Hello warm air and sunny skies!

Passports were kept handy:)

Arrived to our magnificent suite with a spectacular ocean view…..Our enormous terrace

The grounds are out of a postcard….

Headed right away to a wonderful lunch oceanside, a perfect view to enjoy a glass of rose to….

One of the best tartares I have ever eaten….and I had it nearly every day!

My son and nephew scoping out the placeWhich probably meant really looking for cute girls:)

Every morning before we even started to order breakfast started with a fresh assortment of heavenly pastries!

And these fish tacos and accompaniments were to die for…I have since discovered my own excellent fish taco recipe (to be shared on Sunday)

One afternoon after a brief tropical shower…we spotted this beautiful rainbow

And soon enough the sun was shining once again…..

A late afternoon just chilling on the balcony (after an amazing beachside horseback ride) legs are STILL sore!

Every night promised a beautiful sunset

And loved this “silhouette” shot of my son walking at sunset

And this silhouette of a waiter carrying my glass or rose lol, hey I am on vacation!

Some snippets from the room…..

This was one of the three luxurious baths, the boys loved this shower!

Above were all three of the bedroomsI loved the little touches like them arranging all of the toiletries and anything else I left behind into a nice neat little basket:)

My absolute favorite meal……the fish tacos, out of this world!! And the pizzas were pretty amazing too Lunch here every day could never get old

The gorgeous infinity pool that looks right over the oceans edge And the beautiful cabanas, it was hard to get up:)

This was one of my favorite “scenes” the silhouette of my son and nephew against the sunset walking along the infinity pool

This might be my favorite picture which means a lot to me…….my son and husband were one of the last to come in that day from the ocean, it was a beautiful “son and father moment”

Such wonderful memories, so happy to have had my trusty iPad to capture all of the beauty! But really looking forward to using my new camera, it was just that taking it on vacation was cumbersome. You can’t beat the convenience of an iPad!? Once again congratulations to Lisa and many thanks for stopping in. Hope you have a wonderful day and a fabulous end to your week.? Until Sunday….

PS NEW PROMO! Annabel Ingall totes on promotion from Friday night- Sunday night. Great opportunity to get a bag that never goes on sale? at a? sale price! Click here for promotion.