There's a camp in old Tuxedo that's really super neato!

Keep safely the memories that we share, the friendships that taught us all to care.

Today might quite possibly be one of the saddest days ever, literally, EVER. For the past 16 years of my life I have spent at least a week at one of the most marvelous places on earth: Camp Greystone. I started at August, the two week session, the summer after I finished 1st grade (in 1991) and went all the way through as a camper and finished out going into my senior year (2002). I then returned to my summer home as a counselor the summer after my freshmen year of college (2004), spent three years counseling my little loves and then last year was asked to be a Hostess for the best (and my favorite) session: Main Camp. Tomorrow is opening day of Main Camp and sadly bff N and I will not be there to greet all our favorites. However, as much as I will miss camp this is for the best. I have put in my years and it is time to move on. Lucky for me all my hard work over the past four summers paid off and my children will hopefully not have to be a 100+ girl wait list when their time to attend nears.

For those of you with daughters I strongly encourage you to look into sending them to Greystone, it is a decision you will never regret. Also, just an FYI get them registered ASAP as there is already a huge waiting list for summer 2009 and sessions fill up 1.5 years in advance! Greystone is a marvelous, enriching, christian environment (and half the time it looks like a Lilly country club) that allows girls of all ages to grow mentally, spiritually, physically and socially. There are four sessions offered:

Junior Camp- 5 days (rising 1st grade-rising 5th grade)

June Camp- 3 weeks (rising 2nd grade-rising 8th grade)

MAIN CAMP- 5 weeks (rising 4th grade-rising 12th grade)

August Camp- 10 days (rising 2nd grade- rising 7th grade)

I am more then happy to answer any questions you might have and I can also give you the 411 on who to contact at the office as well as care package ideas, places to stay in the area, stores to hit up near Tuxedo and all the musts a Greystone parent needs to know! I will leave you with some glimpses into the best summers of my life:

June Camp 2005 (Upper Tentalow One) I was such a good role model and even got them to wear pink and green!!

Main Camp 2005 (Upper Tentalow One) These babies were rising 4th graders when I had them, tomorrow they will be in the high tentalows as rising 7th graders!

August Camp 2005 (Lower Tentalow Two) Banquet night!!

Main Camp 2006 (Upper Tentalow One) Corn Roast, we changed people's lives in our matching outfits!

Main Camp 2006 (Upper Tentalow One) Dancing to Do You Believe In Magic and One, Two Step. Don't you adore how they are wearing my Lilly shifts? This night was not only the highlight of my summer, but ranks as one of the top ten best memories ever!

Main Camp 2006 Banquet Night. Banquet was Beauty and the Beast and H, N and I were perfectly cast as the three girls obsessed with Gaston!

August Camp 2006 (Upper Tentalow One) The session my dream of having babies (rising 2nd graders) came true.

Main Camp 2007 (Hostess Cabin) Yes N and I were 22, yes we wear matching Lilly. I wore Lilly everyday in a row for 33 days in last year. Impressive I know. N and I have standards we must uphold at Greystone, we were known for our Lilly (as mentioned in my Lilly post...when Lydia had a break down). D, we will miss you this summer!

Main Camp 2007 (Hostess Cabin) Sunday morning nursery, our favorite time of the week!

Camp Greystone

1991-2007

The mountains, the valley, the tall waterfall. The friendships, the laughter, the good times and all.

Delicious Reads!

Okay, I have FINALLY updated my 'daily reads' list. I tried to include everyone who comments, but if you are not on it please let me know. It is probably just me, but it makes me so sad when I comment on someone's blog quite frequently and I am not on their list. I want to make sure you all get proper shout outs so do not hesitate to email me or leave a comment with your blog address!

Trip 3- Part 2: Paris

I was up at 4am on Thursday morning to allow ample time to get to St. Pancras station and board the chunnel to the one and only Paris! I studied in France twice during college. Freshmen year while at Hollins University I did a French immersion course in Tours, France during January term. Though I was not studying in Paris I still made it into the city four times during my one month stay. Then, junior year at Minnesota I took a Gothic Art, May term course with my thesis professor in Paris. This was one of the best courses I took in college and three of my Kappa sisters took it with me so we had a ball! Needless to say I adore Paris and am always looking for an excuse to visit!

I had my day all planned out a week in advance as all you readers know. I am happy to report I did just about everything on my list, plus a few extras. I decided against going to the Louvre as I have literally been 6+ times and it was a bit crowded. I did however take the Metro from Gare du Nord to the Louvre (Palais Royal) stop so I at least got a taste of art!

A really dreadful photo of the building that houses one of my thesis paintings (The Louvre).

I took a few photos before heading to grab my pick-me-up that would allow me to make it through the rest of the day. I was a bit upset I had forgotten to put Angelina on my list for breakfast as it was on the Rue de Rivoli, instead I stopped a block before and ordered my cappuccino. However, as I was in the middle of enjoying my drink it dawned on my that Angelina was just down the block so I waited and grabbed my pain au chocolat there. I also picked up some of their famous hot chocolate as it is to die for! C and I are going to have to have a hot chocolate party when it cools off in Dallas; I have so much!

After Angelina I headed for the famed Rue Saint-Honore to hit up the Paris sales. I stopped to look into the windows of Catherine on my way, but since they did not open until 11am I was only able to window shop. I stopped in Herve, but stood strong and did not buy anything; imagine that! They actually did not have any bags I was dying for. There was a cute pink and orange combination, but seeing as I already have four Herves and about a dozen pink bags this was the last thing I needed. However, for all you HC fans they do have a new style out. It is very similar to the LL Bean and J Crew totes except it costs about three times as much. Very, very durable though. I peeked in all the windows of the other shops on my way to Longchamp, there were some beautiful dresses and shirts! When I arrived at Longchamp at about a quarter after 10am (they opened at 10am) it was already packed. This is why you have to hit the Paris soldes at the beginning, if you wait too long everything is gone. I was crossing my fingers that there would be a few Le Plaige bags to spare and I was indeed in luck. The Plaige wall was actually still full, though the Rose pink I had wanted was long gone. I did however pick up a wonderful lime greenish bag which will match all my Lilly. Perfection! I did not know they had done a fun, bright green again this year so I was very excited. I still regret not buying the true lime and hot pink they did in summer of 2005, but this green should hopefully make up for that.

Then, I was headed to the area around the Madeleine; I peaked into Hermes, but it was far too crowded to enter and I am not one that enjoys wasting time waiting in a line while in Paris. I stopped into Fauchon and picked up a few surprises for the family and also snapped a new photos before heading up to Gallerie Lafayette. I had not originally planned to go here, but seeing as I had time I had nothing to lose. I stopped in their grocery store and picked up some Bonne Maman (the BM in France is so much better then what they import to the US) and a few other little items. Afterwards, I went into the main store in which I could barely move due to the sales. I picked up three pashminas (one pink, one blue and one cream) on my way out and was off to the Opera.

I adore Maille mustard!

What a delicious window Fauchon had!

I adore the Place de L'Opera; the building is lovely inside and out and there are some great stores in the surrounding blocks. I wanted to stop by Zara to look for my 'Oscar de la Renta' dress. I walked in and there was one sole dress right in front of me. I ran over to grab it only to realize the dress was part of Zara's maternity line. So sad, but at least I had Catherine to look forward too! I took the scenic route to one of my favorite stores in all the world. I walked through the Place Vendome and got a snapshot of the Ritz too!

I had been looking forward to Catherine and it is actually one of the main reasons I decided to go to Paris. As soon as I walked in the owners recognized me, what a wonderful feeling after an entire year! We quickly got down to business and I started inspecting all the bags. To my disappointment there was only one bag I wanted. I asked if they had anymore in the back, but sadly they did not. However, they proceeded to tell me since I was one of their best bag customers and had been shopping there for the past five years they would be willing to order any bags I wanted! I about feel over I was just beyond thrilled! I bought the below bag (for a mere 95 euros!) and then ordered one in the exact same style in hot pink, but in a smooth/normal? leather. I also got the larger, 'Birkin' style in a caramel color, croc. The bags are being shipped to me Monday and should arrive by Wednesday and I will of course post pictures as soon as they get here! As I mentioned before if you are EVER in Paris you absolutely MUST go to Catherine. They have the best handbags as well as makeup. They are one of the only stores in the city that gives you your detax when you purchase your items. They also give an additional 15%-25% discount to all tourists on cosmetics (this includes Chanel and Dior which are rarely discounted anywhere).

After all my amazing luck it was time to celebrate with lunch at Laduree (you all probably think I have an odd obsession with Laduree, but it is just so amazingly wonderful). I got there just before the lunch crowd and was seated right away. I ordered the Laduree club and opted to get my macaroons to go as I was also purchasing tea and caramels. I am so glad I went ahead to got my copy of the Laduree book at Harrod's because they were indeed sold out of it in Paris! After Laduree I headed toward the Champs to hit up Porthault. I grabbed mother a gift here and ran into a few other stores before heading back to Fauchon To-Go to grab my dinner. As you can tell I had the most marvelous day and was so lucky the weather was just gorgeous. It was sunny and in the high 70's/low 80's. On my way back to the metro and stopped and grabbed an Eiffel Tower Limoges box and a gold Notre Dame charm for my bracelet. I also picked up a special gift for mother dearest and was then off. I was so thrilled that no one sat next to me on the train as I was able to stow my many purchases here. It felt so wonderful to sit down and rest my arms and swollen feet! I arrived back into London around 5:30pm and took the next train out to the house. It is so amazing that you can go to Paris and London in one day (and it also amazes me that a cell phone can work anywhere you go). What a perfect vacation day. I am so thrilled I went ahead and bought my chunnel ticket and visited two of my favorite cities. I hope you all enjoy all the photos even though they are not too amazing. I found it very difficult to snap and walk. I have saved a selection of special/favorite photos from London and Paris which I will post early this week, you all are sure to adore them just as much as I do. I am off for a bike ride through the countryside. Have a marvelous Sunday!

I had better get back to the books!

"106 Books of Pretension"
-stolen from Houndstooth and Nail

Books I've read: 19

1. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
2. Anna Karenina
3. Crime and Punishment
4. Catch-22
5. One Hundred Years of Solitude
6. Wuthering Heights
7. The Silmarillion
8. Life of Pi
9. The Name of the Rose
10. Don Quixote ( I have read parts in Spanish, but have yet to read the entire book)
11. Moby Dick
12. Ulysses
13. Madame Bovary
14. The Odyssey
15. Pride and Prejudice
16. Jane Eyre
17. The Tale of Two Cities
18. The Brothers Karamazov
19. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
20. War and Peace
21. Vanity Fair
22. The Time Traveler’s Wife
23. The Iliad
24. Emma
25. The Blind Assassin
26. The Kite Runner
27. Mrs. Dalloway
28. Great Expectations
29. American Gods
30. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
31. Atlas Shrugged
32. Reading Lolita in Tehran : a memoir in books
33. Memoirs of a Geisha
34. Middlesex
35. Quicksilver
36. Wicked : the life and times of the wicked witch of the West
37. The Canterbury Tales
38. The Historian : a novel
39. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
40. Love in the Time of Cholera
41. Brave New World
42. The Fountainhead
43. Foucault’s Pendulum
44. Middlemarch
45. Frankenstein
46. The Count of Monte Cristo
47. Dracula
48. A Clockwork Orange
49. Anansi Boys
50. The Once and Future King
51. The Grapes of Wrath
52. The Poisonwood Bible : a novel
53. 1984
54. Angels & Demons
55. The Inferno
56. The Satanic Verses
57. Sense and Sensibility
58. The Picture of Dorian Gray
59. Mansfield Park
60. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
61. To the Lighthouse
62. Tess of the D'Urbervilles
63. Oliver Twist
64. Gulliver’s Travels
65. Les Misérables
66. The Corrections
67. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
68. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
69. Dune
70. The Prince
71. The Sound and the Fury
72. Angela’s Ashes : a memoir
73. The God of Small Things
74. A People’s History of the United States : 1492-Present
75. Cryptonomicon
76. Neverwhere
77. A Confederacy of Dunces
78. A Short History of Nearly Everything
79. Dubliners
80. The Unbearable Lightness of Being
81. Beloved
82. Slaughterhouse-Five
83. The Scarlet Letter
84. Eats, Shoots & Leaves
85. The Mists of Avalon
86. Oryx and Crake : a novel
87. Collapse : How Societies Choose To Fail Or Succeed
88. Cloud Atlas
89. The Confusion
90. Lolita
91. Persuasion
92. Northanger Abbey
93. The Catcher in the Rye
94. On the Road
95. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
96. Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores The Hidden Side of Everything
97. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance : An Inquiry Into Values
98. The Aeneid
99. Watership Down
100. Gravity's Rainbow
101. The Hobbit
102. In Cold Blood : A True Account Of A Multiple Murder and It's Consequences
103. White Teeth
104. Treasure Island
105. David Copperfield
106. The Three Musketeers

Looks like I have alot of reading to do! My mother should fill this out as she is sure to have read all but maybe 20!

Trip 3- Part 1: London

Since the past two days were so busy and too fun I just have to split up the posts. I would not only overwhelm you, but also myself if I tried to write one massive post about my perfect 36 hours! So here it goes, Trip Three- Part One: London:

Pretty homes along Jubilee Walk; on my way to Kensington.

I took the train into London around noon on Wednesday and arrived into Paddington just before 1pm. I headed to Kensignton Palace first. I wrote about the exhibit, The Last Debutantes, which I have been dying to see. No photos were allowed in the exhibit, I was smart enough to take this before I entered Kensington though!

It was amazing! I highly recommend this to anyone in London over the next few months. If you adored the Jackie O: The White House exhibit this is something you cannot miss. It was all about the last year(1958) young ladies were presented to the Queen. If you do not have access to the exhibit I encourage you to order and read The Last Curtsy a book written by a former London deb. While also at Kensington Palace I stopped in to view Diana's dresses as well as the state apartments.

Our bulldog, Winston, is the grandson of the 2003 winner of the AKC show. Therefore, I could not resist this photo, I am sure it will take him back to his roots!

Afterwards, I took the Tube over to Mayfair and stopped by my mother's favorite bookshop: Heywood Hill.

She had made a list of books I was to purchase for her. Being the lovely daughter that I am I of course I did as I was told. I mean after all it was mother who got me a room at one of the most fabulous hotels in all of London! Rather then packing up all the books only to haul them around Paris (not only would that be very un-Sloane Ranger, but can imagine anything more dreadful then lugging a pretty bags of books on the chunnel and into stores?) I had them shipped to where I am staying. I was surprised to know the delightful, British author Nancy Mitford worked at Heywood Hill... no wonder mother adores the store!

After HH I headed to one of my favorite areas of London: Burlington Arcade.

Everything and anything one needs is here or across the street. If you need to pick up some tea stop into Fortnum and Mason before perusing the arcade. You can also find the Berk cashmere sweater you cannot live without, a wonderful leather accesory from Pickett, grab an afternoon pick-me-up from Laduree and complete your jewelry collection at one of the many posh jewelers. I just love, love, love Burlington Arcade!

Nan, this is for you. For a few hundred pounds you might want to consider making it yours...

The wonderful thing about Burlington Arcade is that it is just a block away from Bond Street; fabulous, right? You honestly can do all your shopping in a five block radius. I had such fun looking at all the fabulous window displays. I popped into Smythson to see all their fun accessories, check out their sale and view calling card options. They had the cutest pet Passport on sale that I wish I would have gotten for our dogs. Along with too many other items I spotted they also had a beautiful, signature pink Bible I am thinking about purchasing some day. I adore leather accessories so Smythson and Pickett were perfect stops for me. Also while on Bond street I walked by Sotheby's who was getting ready for their Impressionist Evening Sale later that night. As an art history major I could not resist taking this photo of The Fine Art Society which is directly across the street from the auction house:

Lucky enough for me Colefax and Fowler is not at all far from any of my other stops. I have been dying to see Nancy Lancaster's yellow room so of course I had to pop in!

The store is so beautiful and each room welcomes you. The accessories are timeless as is everything else; what a fabulous way to end my out-and-about time in London!

The famed Yellow Room.

Finally, I headed toward the Connaught. I had a lovely walk and enjoyed all the beautiful architecture.

I think this could be calling my name, a future home perhaps?!

Grosvenor Square

The Connaught Hotel

As soon as I arrived to my London home I settled into my room and then decided to have high tea. The Connaught has the BEST tea, far better than the Ritz I think. You pick from a list of 20+ teas and then get to enjoy a variety of sandwiches (they have me nine!), four fruit treats and a plate of four other pastries. That is just the first course! A basket of scones, strawberry jam and they most divine clotted cream follows course one. The scones were some of the best I have ever had, not at all too crumbly and perfectly smooth on top. Finally, once you do not think there is anyway you can put another bite in your mouth your server brings over a pastry cart. The cart is loaded with a selection of pies and cakes from which you must choose one to top off your tea.

Before the eating begun! Thank you fabulous father for this wonderful afternoon treat!

It was a good thing I missed lunch and had planned on having tea rather then dinner. Tea was truly delicious and a perfect way to end my day in London. I headed to my room to prepare for my early morning (I woke up at 4am to catch my 5:25am train) and spent the evening doing my hair and watching the UK MTV Hills marathon, thrilling I know. Have a wonderful day and look forward to my Paris update as well as a special selection of photos from both cities!

Pretty lobby/entrance to Terrace. Room 308, my home for the evening!