On Haight street my husband and I ate tapas at Cha Cha Cha and then moved on to Middle Eastern cuisine at Kan Zaman where people were smoking from hookahs. Sadly, we missed the belly dancers.

We strolled through China Town and Little Italy on the same afternoon and enjoyed lunch in Fisherman’s Wharf at Tarantino’s. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt on Union Square (which was wonderful) and did a little shopping. We visited the Museum of Modern Art where we enjoyed the Georgia O’Keefe and Ansel Adams exhibit the most.

Seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and the famous Painted Ladies was a thrill. Ghirardelli Square is neat — even the bars there have character with ivy growing on their brick walls. Sausalito was surprising and romantic. It was cool to be in this charming town full of dog lovers and cyclers and to look across the bay at the San Francisco skyline.

In summary, our trip to San Fran was a 10! If you have a chance to visit, don’t hesitate to go.

It’s hard to put a price tag on peace and quiet, and here it is coupled with natural beauty and gorgeous summer weather. These are two of the most beautiful places where the serenity will fill you with a quiet happiness.

I loved learning about the fundamentals of Japanese Garden design in Portland. Trees are trimmed and grown with regard to human scale, so that people feel like they are part of the environment and not overpowered by it. Stone, water, and plants are three of the essential elements in a Japanese Garden, as they represent the bones, the life-giving force, and the four seasons. Click on the above links for more great info.

Here are some photos from my visit to the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco this summer. It was heaven! Again, click on the link for more detailed information — you will learn that this is where the fortune cookie originated!

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After visiting both these gardens you will fall in love with Japanese garden design. If you can’t jump on a plane to check them out, why not add some Asian flavor to your home with some cool accessories like these fabulous lanterns by Dr. Livingston, I Presume? which are available through Collins & DuPont Interior Design.

Asian Lanterns

Donghia is a vendor we often use that offers a wide range of fabrics with Moroccan influence. They use bright colors, fun patterns, and a variety of texture to achieve a whimsical feel.

Mosaic tiles are a huge part of Moroccan design and really punch up a space. Although costly, they last a lifetime and instantly transform a space. These mosaics from Sahara Designs would be great in a ceiling detail, as flooring, or even as wall accents.

The wood side tables are from Baker’s Studio Collection, and are very simple but the carved detailing makes them interesting and eclectic.

The white lanterns below are by Wunderly and have peirced patterned detailing that screams Morocco. These would really make a statment hanging in multiples at varying heights.

Southwest Florida is a great place to use the modern Moroccan style because you can keep it light and airy, while adding pops of bright color that we love to see in Florida interiors.

This grasscloth wallcovering from Philip Jeffries would be great in a Florida home. It is casual, cool, and yet Moroccan – fantastic!

Tell me about Portland, Maine:

Sherri: It was fun being in a city that used to be such a major seaport, that is so rich in American history, with historically preserved buildings. The historic waterfront district, lined with great shops and restaurants is young and vibrant, but with cobblestone streets and the smell of the sea air, is also very much a wharf, so it is a unique blend of musty vitality.  We ate at a few fantastic restaurants, a favorite being Fore Street Restaurant.

Any highlights?

Sherri: The Winslow Homer gallery and the historic McLellan House, which is attached to the Portland Museum of Art, was great.  I enjoyed Homer’s paintings from the front lines of the Civil War, of great American leaders, and especially his marinescapes.  The architectural detailing of the McLellan House was interesting as well.

What is Oquossoc like?

Sherri: It’s beautiful — hilly and green, sitting on the edge of Lake Oquossoc.  It is very picturesque with tall Pine and Spruce trees all around.

How was the weather?

Sherri: It was refreshingly cool: about 50 degrees and rainy through the nights and foggy in the mornings. It would clear and warm up around noon for 3-4 hours of glorious sunshine, and then it would get foggy again and start cooling down. So really, you’re going through 3 climate changes in one day — I felt like I never had the right clothes on! Building a fire and sitting around the fireplace was very welcome in the evenings!

Tell us what you like most about going up there.

Sherri: Really, it’s the people. I love spending time with my friends, Ed and Beth Brunswick. Their home is wonderful and they make you feel so comfortable. Beth’s family has been going to Oquossoc for generations, so she has lots of family and friends up there who by now consider me a friend too. All the people in town and the Brunswick’s neighbors are so friendly and warm. And I love hearing the old family stories and jokes. It is relaxing and good for the soul.

Did you go to any nice restaurants?

Sherri: My favorite place to dine up there is at the Brunswick’s house. It is a grand version of a log cabin; beautiful and outfitted with every convenience you could want. There are five bedrooms, which comfortably slept our group of friends that gets together up there every year.

The group of us would have fun cooking together in their large kitchen and sharing the duties. The food is very fresh, and of course, the seafood is great. One night I made lobster and shrimp corn chowder.

What I really like is that Beth sets her table with linens from the local shops, and that her art and accessories are all made by local artists. It creates a great sense of place which impacts you and makes your visit distinct. I think this is an important element in design and I just really like how all the town members support each other. I have to mention that we had a phenomenal meal of clams on the half shell, foie gras, elk chops and lobster tail at The Gingerbread House.

You are usually so active when you are in town, doing yoga and pilates. Somehow I don’t imagine that your trip was all play and relaxation.

Sherri: Well, Beth actually took me on several vigorous six to nine mile walks up and down the hilly trails. So believe me, I got my exercise! lol. It was fun because her neighbors and friends would all wave and shout hellos as we passed, so it felt like a social outing! Dave would hike up Bald Mountain, an intense hour long hike, just to escape the women’s chatter!

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Last weekend I was fortunate enough to tag along with my husband to a Florida Press Convention at the Breakers Hotel, located on Palm Beach. If you have not been “down by the breakers-where the waves wash against the palm-lined shore” it is a must see! This Italian Renaissance Palace by the sea has the most amazing architecture. I found myself, on more than one occasion, in the middle of a ballroom staring at the intricately detailed ceiling with my mouth hanging open. Check out this Mediterranean Ballroom which was modeled after the loggias of Italian Villas!

The Breakers hotel is not Palm Beach’s only historical monument. Right next door is the infamous Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church where Donald Trump and Melanie Knauss exchanged wedding vows. Also, on your list of must see’s is the Flagler museum, Whitehall. It amazes me that one man, Henry Flagler, is responsible for such a great bit of history

At Amanoka, an amazingly beautiful Indonesian styled Jamaican villa, there is an inviting pavilion with sofas, a cocktail table, and side tables. There are bamboo shades for privacy or protection against the elements and the added comfort of a fan.  Everyone seems to gravitate to this spot to relax and chat throughout the day.

There are neat swinging chairs hung underneath a gazebo by the sea.  This is a great place to catch a breeze and watch the action on the bay.  There are usually people water-skiing, riding a Wave Runner, windsurfing, snorkeling, or just laying on a raft.

Tim Street-Porter wrote a beautiful coffee table book that I love called “Tropical Houses — Living in Nature in Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Java, Bali, and the Coasts of Mexico and Belize”.  He captures my sentiments about living in Jamaica exactly.  Here’s an excerpt:

The ambient warmth of the tropics causes architectural distinctions between indoors and out to evaporate, along with the walls that divide them.  Houses expand into the landscape, while the sights, sounds, and scents of nature waft through living spaces. Indeed, one of the pleasures of living in the tropics is an awakening of the senses that brings us closer to nature.

If you love pictures of stunning settings and exotic locales, recipes for great Island food, and cool stories of Caribbean Living, check out MACO magazine.

You don’t have to go to the Caribbean to live like this, though. Almost everyone is fortunate to be able to enjoy some nice weather for a few months out of the year.  An outdoor living area is the perfect way to take advantage of a nice climate and to maximize the enjoyment of your home.

MBM makes German crafted outdoor furniture that looks like it was made for a hip hotel in South Beach, but you could also buy a piece for your own outdoor area at home and capture that cool vibe.  Here are some of my favorites:

Get going on creating your own little outdoor oasis.  Whether it’s simply adding some potted plants and a fountain to a small patio, or buying an entire furniture set for a large lanai, make your space comfortable and get outside today!    According to the USGBC’s Commercial Interiors (Version 2.0) Reference Guide, Americans spend on average 90% of their time indoors where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that levels of pollutants may run two to five times — and occassionaly more than 100 times – higher than outdoor levels.  There’s some food for thought.