I simply cannot get enough of the balconies, wrought iron, or colorful facades.

How cool are these still working gas lights?

Of course I went to Marie Laveau’s grave (google it) where I left an offering (in sets of 3s) , placed my hand on the stone, and made a wish. But while walking in the cemetery, I found the most wonderful shadows. Below are some of my favorite scenes.

Ms. Laveau’s grave on the left and another voodoo grave on the right.

How cool is the shadow and light play. The city has always been a balance of “light” and “dark” both literally and figuratively. Naturally crosses are abundant in a cemetery, but they’re just so cool and different. I just bought an emerald cross necklace to wear, as my obsession will not fade. Explore the cities “buried treasure” here www.graveaddiction.com.

Some of my favorite views in the Quarter.

I get very excited about hardware and building materials.Want the same architectural details in your home ? Try exploring salvage yards or online at sites like this http://www.thegreenproject.org

This is Kelly Israel’s decorated 1981 Cadillac Fleetwood Hearse. Just remember that if you take a photo, drop a donation in the window. Check out his other works at www.myspace.com/deadicateddetail

So these are a few of my favorite things. I hope you enjoyed the pictures and get inspired by your own surroundings. Seeing New Orleans moving forward after Katrina really gives me hope that Haiti will be able to rebuild, as a memorial for those lost and a promise to the future. Plan your New Orleans vacation soon- it’s a perfect place for both families and singles. www.neworleansonline.com

And please continue to support Haiti by donating through various charities.re.clintonbushhaitifund.org

Look for more pictures from my  Mardi Gras trip and be on the lookout for my interview with my  favorite painters in the whole world, right in NOLA – Miss Ashley Longshore. www.ashleylongshore.com

Now if I could just get Brad Pitt to meet me at the Napoleon House for a few Sazeracs, who knows what could happen.

In case you want to see the great work Brad’s organization is doing in the city , click on http://www.makeitrightnola.org/. Photo from celebrity- gossip.net.

GO SAINTS

My best friend of 23 years Alison (an amazing costume designer for films) and Justin (the fabulous star of Cirque Du Soleil’s La Nouba in Orlando) both to my left.

I have always had an affinity for Florida and its colorful landscape. I lived in Tampa for one month with Alison, just before our 2 month cross country trip when we were 22. I remember most vividly the dark green leaves and deep mossy brown of the palm tree in our yard. I also remember staying up so late that I welcomed some of the most beautiful sunsets.

My trip to St. Augustine had a most unique palette. Instead of the bright ‘in your face’ yellows I associate with Florida (it is ,after-all ,the sunshine state) I encountered the most serene earthy tones.

I really enjoyed the ocean’s palettes of warm blues, tans, and reds. The shallows of sand were masterpieces of neutrals. An unfortunate jelly fish has the most tranquil affect in the glistening water. An alien species for sure.

The jelly fish was only the first in my St. Augustine menagerie. A friendly dragonfly landed on Alison’s hand displaying colors of green and brown. Another alien looking creature. I have to admit that I became a squirming city girl at the sight of this animal.

I have to admit that I became a squirming city girl at the sight of this animal.

We took a trip to the Fountain of Youth, where we not only imbibed the restorative waters, but encountered many interesting , colorful creatures. Including these 1960s models of ancient Spanish explorers.

The official greeters of the Fountain of Youth parking lot are peacocks. I’ve never seen so many strutting young males in my life (except for the streets of Chelsea in the summer) . Peacocks roam freely throughout the grounds in various stages of showing off. One actually flew over my head , landing on the gift shop roof. It was exciting to see the rich jewel tones of blues and greens.

I also had never seen a white peacock. It’s albino feathers were a pure shade of white – not a speck of dirt.

Across from the peacock patrol, inside the grounds were a muted set of friends. Ducklings had hatched a few weeks before we arrived. Their dark striped downy was so rich and masculine. The yellow of their beak was a beautiful contrast to the dark stripes. I wanted to reach out and touch them.

The little duck’s neighbor was a feisty ostrich. She has such a beautiful coat of gray feathers, but isn’t so cuddly ; I had no desire to touch her. I also love the white feathers around her neck- she looks likes she dressed for the opera.

I can only imagine what Ponce De Leon thought of the native flora. The bright flowers and variegation of leaves is like nothing in the rest of the country. The bronze Indian adds a distinct royal touch to the woodsy surroundings.

After a severe sunburn squashed our beach plans, we all headed to old St. Augustine for some shopping and refreshments. Old St. Augustine has a cool old town artsy vibe with beautiful Spanish architecture. I am a sucker for the tiled roofs and elaborate iron work. Is there anything more relaxing than sipping a martini overlooking sailboats and a marina (an an old fort / prison)? I think not.

I wholeheartedly suggest you take a trip soon to St. Augustine before it’s pristine beaches are attacked by hungry developers. Right now, it’s an affordable sanctuary.

So, as I fly home to NYC, I wipe a tear from my eye. I can’t wait to get back to the beach, BBQ, and colorful memories. As I write this, I sadly report the untimely death of the greatest Pictionary teammate Mr. John Robbins of Southampton. He was my best friend’s grandfather and a true English gentleman. He will be sadly missed ! Here’s a picture of him at the beach house enjoying an afternoon cocktail. Cheers !

Where have you traveled that has an inspiring palette?

All in all, another colorful trip out West!

Must own a 1970ish model truck soon… a puppy with the coolest eyes ever- one crystal clear blue, one dark brown

There must have been at least fifteen hummingbirds hanging out around me- it was so beautiful to watch them playing and taking turns at the feeder.

I love that this faded Coca Cola sign was repainted not painted over, speaking of vintage signs… this neon sign of the Butterfield Hotel has been around forever and is spectacular in person… oh yeah and another cool truck, must own cool truck soon- must own cool truck soon!!!!

Wow there really is a horizon… living in New York sometimes I forget

A gi-normous rosemary bush- and some dried chilies from a local crop ( the other big crop there is pecans- yum) -that may or may not have been the ones that “got” me

Have you had a colorful trip this Spring?

I expected a snowy wonderland…very Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in Narnia. So I packed furry hats and boots and warm wooly sweaters. I should have packed short sleeves and another bathing suit. The weather in Iceland is known for its unpredictability; unfortunately, I didn’t know it.

Read all about my colorful adventures in Iceland…

I am so please that CMG featured my article on Marrakech in the Winter 2007 Color Chips. The photos they added look great!

If you’d like to read the article it is available on Sensational Color.

Also you might want to look back at Jaima Brown’s post Blushing Beauty which she wrote shortly after her recent trip to Marrakech.

Another great read is the blog My Marrakesh. Maryam does a wonderful job of giving us a view into an American families quest to build a guest house in Marrakesh. The pictures and writing are both inspirational.

Enjoy the journey to this colorful destination…even if only virtually.

South Beach has the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings anywhere in the world with more than 800 of these gems within a square mile.

Constructed mainly of masonry or stucco, their flat roofs, geometric patterns and rounded motifs give the many small, pastel-colored hotels a distinctly modern look.

Pastel and neutral painted buildings in beige, gray, cream, rose taupe, and butter yellow are accented with brighter pastels in peach, pink, aqua, and green, or with deeper neutrals such as charcoal gray or black.

Both the style and colors signaled a period of renewed optimism and confidence in the U.S. during the post-depression building boom of the 1930s.

Today the Art Deco treasures are being preserved and some newer buildings that complement the distinctive architecture of the area have been allowed to go up.

The show doesn’t stop when the sun goes down on this historic district. Neon and colored lights beckon in red, white, orange, blue and gold adding to the festive atmosphere of this international hot spot.

Can you blame me for not coming back to work until today?

CMG’s International conference is going to be held in India next February so I wrote an article India — a Country of Symbolic Colors that is the feature story in Color Chips Summer 2007.

If you’d like to read the article it is available on Sensational Color

I’m already anticipating the journey and meeting with my colleagues from around the globe. Would you like to join us?

For the launch of the new Volkswagen, international artists used graphic design, urban art, and illustration to turn Copenhagen’s Hotel Fox into the world’s most exciting and creative lifestyle hotel.

Amandine Guisez’s photographs transport the reader around the globe where she “discovered a passion that knows no political frontiers.” She also discovers that “those who deal with colour speak the same launguage, a language concerned with the intensity, brilliance or depth of a particular tone, value and shade.”

The 200 plus photographs are divided by color and supporting text touches on the meaning of colors and how different cultures have viewed colors through the ages. This book is “a celebration of human creativity” and I thoroughly enjoyed viewing each page.

Buy the book at Amazon.com

~View All Book Reviews~