Awnings

The west side of our house has five awnings. We're debating whether to take them down or not. They are really old and in need of a little TLC. If we take them down, it will brighten up our kitchen, my office and the dining room which is a good thing. I'm wondering how much added heat we'll have in the summer with them gone . . .

Hiking is Hard Work

We climbed Pinnacle Mountain today and boy was it exhausting (mainly for Ryan). Harrison managed about a tenth of a mile and insisted on being carried the rest of the time. My legs were so sore that night. But the day was beautiful and definitely worth it.

Heading Home

Warmer weather here we come. This shot kinda reminds me of the moon.
I had to snap this picture. This guys were playing right next to the baggage claim. Welcome Home!

Modes of Transportation

I started off early this morning and made my way to the bus station. It took about 15 minutes to find the right bus to Newport. I sent R a text saying I hope it was the right bus but the state is small so I couldn't get too lost. As a designer, I noticed these three graphics. The first is a No Smoking symbol, the last one looks like a radio from the 80's. Not sure about the middle one.

After I arrived at Newport, I found the local trolley and hopped on for a little sight seeing. The driver was extremely nice and dropped me off in front of the Breaker's Mansion. It was unbelievable, talk about curb appeal! The mansion was used as a summer "cottage" for the Vanderbilt Family in the early 1900's. The architect Richard Morris Hunt was inspired by 16th century palaces in Genoa and Turin and it includes 70 rooms. My favorite part was the bathtub that had 4 knobs (hot and cold water and hot and cold sea water).

I would definitely visit Newport again. There are 10 different mansions to tour but during the winter season only a few are open.

My date met me at the train station for travel to Boston. The train information board caught my attention because it makes a ticking noise everytime the status flips over. I'm used to the airport signs were everything is electronic, it was nice to see a good old fashion flip of status.

We stopped in this little hide-away for a cup of tea. The waitress said it would be ready in two turns of the timer. I love the small touches.

Providence

Since I had the day to myself, I decided to take the shuttle to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Art Museum. If you're ever in Providence, make sure this is on your list. The museum is composed of 5 buildings with the oldest one from 1893. The collection consists of 84,000 objects of international significance. I was very impressed.

The weather was cold and snowy but sometimes the best way to explore a city is on foot. Not many students walking around Brown University today.

I finally found shelter from the wintery mix inside a giant shopping center. Can you believe this view? The city is the perfect size for me, not too big, not too small. Plus the mall had a H&M Clothing Store.

Gotta Getaway

Ryan and I are off on a new adventure to the east coast. He has to attend a seminar while I get to enjoy a little vacation time. Sleeping in here I come!

Do you have a favorite drink when you travel? R always goes for the Ginger Ale while I satisfy my thirst with Club Soda. The lime was a bonus from this airline.

Does anyone notice anything odd about this picture? Ryan spotted it right away and I knew something was off.

Bathroom Before/After

Here's the before image of our bathroom. Note the black walls, dated wallpaper, cracked ceiling . . . in need of a makeover.

Ahh, breathing a sigh of relief! We replaced the walls with new drywall, added molding, trim, bead board, towel rod, new toilet, fresh paint and more. The towel holder is actually a wall plant holder with the brown moss-looking stuff cut out. They are in season right now so it's easy to find one.