A Snake Bite

It's that time again....peak orange season

 This year the orange orchard is incredible....

the fruit is literally pulling the branches to the ground 

and every tree is in full blossom....what an incredible smell

crazy wonderful

so what to do with all of that orange juice?

I'm not much of a mixologist 

but I love tea and especially tea with lemonade

not long ago I ordered an "Arnold Palmer"

from a little cafe and the server said:

"do ya see any golf courses around here?...it's called a snake bite up this a way"

oops

really

?

So here is my version of a 

Snake Bite

using 

OJ

Mix together:

a nice large pitcher of your favorite ice tea 

(make about 4 quarts)

Add:

4 or 5 tea bags of 

Coconut Chai Tea

(I use Zhena's Gypsy Tea which you can find at Trader Joe's

or use a tea that has a lot of spices like Constant Comment)

let this sit overnight in the fridge

When ready to serve/drink:

add 4 cups of freshly squeezed orange juice 

to your pitcher of ice tea

 fill some nice large glasses 

about half full with ice

now you can drink this

"as is"

but to add some 

BITE

to your drink

I like to top it off with a shot of 

Captain Morgans Spiced Rum

I stick a big slice of lime on a wood fork

(you can find these bamboo disposable forks at Target and most grocery stores)

float the shot of rum on the top of the tea

and swizzle with the lime slice

ENJOY

My Dream Home

A few weeks ago a wonderful blogging friend, Cindy who pens the wonderful blog

 Rough Luxe Lifestyle

came up with the idea of having a group of bloggers write about

 building their dream home

and...

 you can visit all of the other blogs 

today too and see what they designed!

This was a bit of a challenge for sure, because like most of us...

I would love to live in many different places...

A loft in Manhattan?

An apartment in Paris?

On a yacht in Monaco?

(remember this is a dream..right?)

Hawaii?

Mexico? Montana?

 But I  kept coming back to a place
that has left an impression on my heart

 this special spot
 has what I consider to be the most compelling and beautiful
landscape
that can be found anywhere....

a big blue sky

rocky coastal ocean panoramas

views,  vistas and rolling hills

plants and wildlife

not one of which takes center stage....

 all are of equal importance to this spot along the coast of California

called Big Sur
it sits
140 miles south of San Francisco

I have had the opportunity to vacation there, quite a few times,
 at an incredible Inn called the 

Post Ranch 

 The Inn and surrounding buildings
were designed by Big Sur architect Mickey Muennig

His designs combine the elements of nature, art and architecture

into a dwelling which becomes part of the site itself

It is hard to see where each aspect of the design begins 

and where it ends

"Architecture is much more than shelter;  it bonds a continuous and worldwide mystery to its inhabitants.  The clients lifestyle, inherent attitudes, cultural background and specific dreams or desires can often inspire new ideas from which a design may spring"  G.K. Muennig

His work is further complimented by the use of raw steel

concrete, redwood, glass and stone

This is a house he designed which has all of those aspects 

as well as an incredible site along the 

coastline

this is it...my dream home!

Big Sur has one of the most stringent environmentally protective land use policies in the United States

which make it difficult to build 

but allows the further protection of declining species of plants, insects and animals

Another aspect of Muennig designs is his use of solar and "off the grid"  

carbon neutral philosophies

such as sod roofs, solar panels and reclaimed gray water

Now for some eye candy....!!!

For those of you who have read this blog for a while 

you know that I am a huge fan of 

modern country

 I have recently fallen for 

 designers that have that certain "thing"...

which is actually the lack of excess and clutter

  clean almost unfurnished rooms 

where art, architecture and texture can be the focus

 Karen Blake

Briggs Edward Solomon

 Pam Pierce

 Ralph Lauren

 Nancy Fischelson

 m. elle designs

 Darryl Carter

I could really go on and on....there are so many beautiful designs to love

but

I have to admit

I really don't believe in dream homes

 life changes so much
and often what you thought you really wanted was just someone else's version
 of the perfect house and not really your version

I wish we spent more time saying
 "right now this is good enough"
and
sometimes less is more
in ways other than decor or architecture

  sometimes all of the hard work results
in a big bucket of flowers and not a house in Big Sur

 so for today I'll take a bunch of lavender

or a swing on the porch

 or a nap on the lawn

in my "dream" house
the one I happen to live in today!

thanks for stopping by, I know this was a long one

here are the others

Collage of Life
Rough Luxe Lifestyle
TG Interiors
Roses and Rust
Linen and Lavender
Splenderosa


please take a peek
I know you will love them

Happy Dream House Hunting

~*Kelley*~