A Winter Wonderland

The snow outside is piled high, powdery and soft, and with the exception of a trip through the woods on skis, the only traveling I did today was from the comfort of my Ekornes ultra cushy chair.

An article on the Yin Yu Tang House at the Essex Peabody Museum brought back memories of an early fall escape a few years ago – definitely worth a trip! The stone and wood house has been rebuilt far from its origins and is the exact house one might come across on travels to a remote village in the Anhui Province in China.

The other article brought memories of Helsinki – and the wonderful Arabia building north of the city – a treasure-trove of beautiful design and a little dose of Alvar Aalto at (slightly) reduced prices. Most definitely worth a trip on the tram to the outskirts of the city.  Also worthy of heading a bit outside of the city center – you can hop on and off the tram here on the way to Arabia – is the Hakaniemi Street Market and Market Hall. The hall has food stores, amazing seafood, specialty and handcrafts shops, cafeterias, and is a great place to buy an inexpensive traditional Finnish lunch. Yum! But the real reason I have stopped there in the past is the Marimekko booth – a must-stop if you love this design company.

Worlds apart – they both provide inspiration for the delights of beautiful and simple designs in everyday living.