Angels make a return ...

I'm hoping 2011 is my year for angels so I'm finishing 2010 with stock of Versailles Angel and all it's twinkly sparkle.   

Available here

One winter's day in Annecy ..

I've never been to Annecy in the winter before - at least not in December - and I'm sure I've blogged about the town before when I visited with family over the years.  But a town always looks different when dressed for Christmas, and the below zero temperatures kind of give a 'Brothers Grimm' feel to some of the medieval buildings.  We visited yesterday ....

The flower shop above always looks as pretty as a picture but never more so than this!

It's not called the 'Venice of the Alps' without good reason...

 

It looks cold, it was cold ....

I love this photo!

'shabby chic' gone terribly wrong?

market stalls on the bridge covered in colourful tarpaulins to keep the chill at bay still look pretty ...

bundles of mistletoe and holly - for me this is Christmas!!!

 

gingerbread treats at the Christmas market ...

... as well as pretty textiles ....

.... and total cuteness!!!

 Cafe Saint Antoine is definitely worth a lunchtime visit - but get there early for a table!!

I'd never seen a french bottle dryer used as a light fitting before - definitely a glass chandelier with a difference :)

no town in France is complete without a carousel .. I think it's law :)

an old fairground organ..

The very fine La Cure Gourmande shop was the icing on the cake for my visit - just how pretty is this ?????

 

.... lollipops...

.... biscuits....

 ... chocolate olives ...

... and boxes and boxes of toffee ..... *sigh*

and then it started to snow and it was time to go home :)  * I love Annecy*

Snapshots of Budapest - Part 3 - Boscolo New York Palace Hotel

Before travelling to Budapest I joked to Aaron that I'd probably be happy not to leave our hotel for the 48 hours we were in town.   Well the thing is, now that we're home again, I'm plotting an anniversary trip so we can do just that :)   This place is gorgeous!! 

Anywhere with lots of twinkly fairylights and huuuge glass chandeliers wins my vote :)

Christmas shopping and the baltic windchill looks as if it's taken it's toll on this fellow guest :)

the stairs were impressive ...I just looked and took the lifts ...

the central atrium ( which was decorated like an advent calendar) from our 4th floor ... Aaron had to take this picture because my vertigo kicked in :S

 

the lights in the bedroom were gorgeous too.

The cafe and restaurants were exquisite !!

Not many hotel restaurants are this fabulous - the service was faultless and the food amazing, it was here that the hotel really won us over !!

oh and the ceiling was quite pretty too :)

 

noooo !! not ALL mine ... just sampled a few Hungarian wines.... as you do. 

Snapshots of Budapest - part 2 - St Stephen's Basilica

We visited the Basilica just before leaving for the airport - we had decided not to visit any museums, churches etc on this visit and just enjoy wandering the city, window shopping and people watching but it was so cold we came here to get a little shelter ... and it was stunning.  a little garish but stunning.