Today

Today is the MOST beautiful, sunny, cool day (for Florida), with no humidity and a slight breeze...
Let me tell you how much I wanted to go to the beach today, such a shame my car knows the way to work... ;)

Enjoy this fantastic day!!!

Natasha

Image via thesethingtaketime on Pinterest

Merry (Tropical) Christmas!

My favorite (Christmas decorated) palm... is this not amazing?

So many try to do the Christmas light thing on the palms down here in Florida, but it's really only a handful of places that truly get it right!! I love when the lights are carried all the way to the tip of the branches, but not all of them... :)

Enjoy the evening!

Natasha

Image by NHH for Northern Light Blog

Into the deep...

I could not help but be drawn in, when I saw this image for the first time!! This garden has been designed by Fernando Wong, an award winning Landscape Designer from Florida.

As much as I love flowers for their beauty and vibrant colors, I also appreciate a well planned garden with lots of foliage. Living in Florida I see many gardens, but not a lot of flowers... I have come to appreciate all the variations of greenery; Foliage in many shades of green, ranging from almost yellow, to white, to blue-ish to Kelly green... you name it!
It takes a real professional to make it look this good though, and a small army to keep it up :)

Do you have a garden? A green thumb? A terrace with potted plants? I have a very small front terrace with a beautiful and fast growing palm, and a back terrace with a few orchids in "hibernation". (from time to time I am lucky to see them re-bloom :) )

We planted a night blooming Jasmin in the back, and it is so fragrant and beautiful!!
Natasha

Image via Fernando Wong

Preparing...

Rumor has it we are in for a bad hurricane (Irene) this week, so a small break in blogging will probably happen as I need to concentrate on securing my house...

UPDATE: 

Looks like Hurricane Irene is taking a more easterly course, so we should be good!
Phew!!

I have been slowly starting to prepare the last couple of days, not wanting to panic, nor wanting to get caught in the supermarket stampede, fighting for the last couple of necessities either! So for those of you who have not been through a storm like this before; there is a lot of prep work involved! Don't really want to bore you with the long list....

If you are in the Bahamas, STAY SAFE, as you will be getting the brunt of this storm!
...that is it for now: See you later!

Natasha

PS. I have come to really like the day before a hurricane, as it's often sunny, quiet, not too hot and windy. LOVE when it's windy in Florida! Sometimes I go to the beach to see the huge waves roll in with the dark clouds in the horizon... Beautiful!
The Clam Before the Storm, for sure.

Image via Google search

Shopping: Bal Harbour, Miami

There is a place where the stores are exclusive, the people watching is world class and the inspiration is abundant... It's one of my favorite spots to spend an afternoon!

You can shop till your hearts content, but what I love the most is the atmosphere!! Nestled on the ground level, are Koi ponds with turtles sunning themselves and kids of all ages are mesmerized by the tranquility and sound of the fountains, keeping the place cool. As this is an outdoor shopping area in South Florida, shade and cooling water are essential! Flowering Orchid plants soak up the moisture and display their beautiful flowers, palms sway in the breeze....

You really can't beat the Hermes windows, always classy and colorful.  The staff is always nice, considering it must be obvious, that I'm meerly looking :)  Love brwozing in there...

Trina Turks store is such an explosion of color, so much fun!!!

100 % Capri... I can tell you this much; I have NEVER seen such PERFECTLY pressed linen before!!!!   E.V.E.R.!    I secretly wonder how they dress the mannequins without a single wrinkle.... ????

Snap shot of the tropical foliage from the second level, just to give you an idea of the space.
There are cafes and restaurants, with people watching that is not to be believed! Jet setters from all over the world come here. Many stylish South Americans shop here and it is always fun to watch what they are wearing!!! Black, White, Asian and Slavic people shop here, many different languages are spoken, which I find so refreshing...

Shutters protect the higher levels from the sun, fans keeping it cool...

For the design savy shopper blogger, one store is more interesting than the next. As for my favorite... While I like the clean and crisp (in every sense of the word) 100% Capri store, I always make sure to visit the Oscar de la Renta store. It's cool, tropical, classy, coral-y, beautiful collections... and no, I didn't get a picture (sorry).... :)

Feel like a virtual tour? Click here.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend planned, feel free to share!
Happy weekend!

Natasha

All images NHH for Northern Light Blog

Sunday Drive

Today was the most beautiful, sunny & low humidity day in a long while!!! No way I was doing any indoor holiday shopping... just took a long drive.

I did, however, catch this cheery holiday window display...

Natasha

Images NHH for Northern Light Blog