Speaking of Signage...

I just stumbled upon this old photo of my grandfather's camera shop on Post Street in San Francisco. I love the old neon sign.

He retired and closed the shop in 1978 after decades of being part of the downtown scene. In fact, you can see the "retiring" signs in the windows. Now his shop is a "memory" in the Crocker Galleria. Sad but true.

And the Winners Are...

(trophy ribbons photo from velvetstrawberries)

Sincere thanks to all of you for your participation in the Paris Hotel Boutique Spring Fling Giveaway! Your wonderful comments and reciprocal blogs posts were greatly appreciated. And, thanks to you, I have a whole new list of blogs to read!

A click at random.org selected the winners...

1st Prize - Edgar & Edgar (Antique Souvenir Box)

2nd Prize - Real Card Studio (Colette: A Provincial in Paris book)

3rd Prize - The Pickled Hutch (19th Century French calligraphy pen & a handwritten French receipt)

THANK YOU AND HAPPY SPRING! STAY TUNED FOR MORE GIVEAWAYS IN THE NEAR FUTURE!

Disappearing Store Fronts

Claudia (The Paris Apartment) just told me about this amazing coffee table book called, "The Disappearing Face of New York." It's about New York's traditional mom-and-pop store fronts being replaced with chain stores or closing. It breaks my heart to see this happening in cities all over the world.

This fabulous book is compiled by photographers, James and Karla Murray, and beautifully captures the neon and hand-painted signs, old doors, peeling paint, aging steel, and the items hanging in the front windows of these shops and restaurants.

Richard's Barbershop, Brooklyn, closed 2006

Manhattan Furrier, Brooklyn 2004

Chain stores are posing a serious threat to these humble institutions and are replacing the unique appearance and character of the beautiful streets. I'm sure you see it in your cities as I see it here in San Francisco. It breaks my heart to see a beautiful Art Deco theatre turned into a gym, or a snazzy old cocktail lounge turned into a Starbucks.

Long Island Restaurant, Brooklyn, since 1951

Katy's Candy Store, in business from 1969-2007, Brooklyn

The text accompanying each image in the book mentions the year the store opened and often includes detailed remembrances of the stores' histories obtained through interviews with managers or owners.

Reynold's Bar, One of the last Irish bars in the neighborhood. Manhattan, 2004

Almost all of these businesses are a reflection of New York's early immigrant population, a wild mix of Irish, Germans, Jews, Italians, Poles, Eastern Europeans and later Hispanics and Chinese.

Ideal Dinettes, Brooklyn, in business 1953-2008

D. D'Auria and Sons Pork Store, Little Italy of the Bronx, in business from 1939-2006

We can get involved in preserving our ever-changing neighborhoods. The National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to save America's diverse historic places and revitalize our communities. Or contact your local city. In San Francisco we have the San Francisco Preservation Society.

I'd love to hear about your neighborhoods. What changes have you seen?

{Photos courtesy of James & Karla Murphy Photography}

Great Find: Look For Fiddleheads

I just received the t-shirt I purchased from Look For Fiddleheads, a wonderful shop on Etsy. These vintage-inspired t-shirts are made by Lee, a Maine-based artist. Lee's designs are quirky and absurd pairings with reflective curiosities and experiential meanderings, inspired by rare newspapers (1832-1845) that belonged to her grandmother.

The name Fiddleheads is the result of Lee spending seasons with her stepmother who would take her to the woods to look for fiddleheads; (coiled up baby ferns). They would pick the fiddleheads and cook them for dinner (with a touch of vinegar, or butter, and some salt.) Cute, huh?

Lee has a great selection of shirts on her site in different colors and sizes. Tees are organic cotton or an eco blend, printed to order in a studio striving to be zero-waste. Check them out here. (Thanks Lee...I love my shirt!)

Just In From Beaudesert: "Beaton Sailors"

Awhile back I posted about Cecil Beaton's Fabrics' "Sketchbook Collection," inspired by Beatons' fashion sketches from his book 'The Glass of Fashion."

They just added some wonderful designs of "Saucy Sailors," also inspired by the book. The prints are available on silk, linen and wallpaper. Of course I was excited to see this, as I love anything Beaton!

"A stylish, fun nautical design depicting Sailors contentedly lounging off duty, in fresh fifties ice-cream colourways."

Also new from the Sketchbook Collection, "Beaton 1929" (below)

You can view the entire collection available here at Beaudesert Fabrics!

Photos courtesy of cecilbeatonfabrics.com

Get all luxury temptation in Las Vegas-hotel

Get all luxury temptation in Las Vegas-hotel

by N Singh

Where is heaven on the earth? Before, anyone could draw an opinion; one must know that we are talking about an artificial heaven which has been embodied by extreme human endeavor. Though, there are a many places recognized as heaven like Switzerland, Kashmir, and few more but Las Vegas is an ultimate example how human can turn a stone into gold.
If you are planning a trip to Vegas and thinking that you are alone then think again because this entertainment capital of the world every year hosts approximately tens of thousands of meeting. Besides that millions of tourists in all over the world wait in long queue for visa and other legal formalities for experiencing the luxury and beauty of the city. Hence, the point is very clear; you are not alone at all in this dream land.
Las Vegas vacation has something exclusive for everyone for family, friends, or business people. Even, it seems as if Las Vegas hotel also practically understands needs of every individual. You can find amusing experience at The Magic Motion Rides or the Sundance Helicopters. The Coney Island Emporium also might be a fantastic entertaining place for your friends and family.
Las Vegas travel can be proved as the perfect idea for wedding ceremony, and bachelor parties. Las Vegas hotel offers theme based party venue, plan, and facilities. If you wish, you can broadcast your party over internet as well. Probably, it would be injustice if the name 'Grandview' has not been mentioned here. This is the place where one can experience the whole universe viz. an artificial volcanic eruptions which simulates the original beauty and pirate battle reenactments, access to the world famous Strip, spacious and luxurious suites, including the neighboring South Point Casino and entertainment complex, and tropically inspired pool area and spa.
If you are seeking for something adventurous then again Las Vegas would not disappoint you. You will find skydiving lessons here for indoor as well as outdoor learners. Though, all these high-end amenities are quite expensive here but online Las Vegas special tour-tourism portal like vegas-vacation.org can make your trip simply memorable.
You just set your budget and vegas-vacation will show you the way to Las Vegas. It suggests all its clients, 'please, plan your trip in advance'. Advance planning means more luxury on the most economic price. For the sake of awareness, vegas-vacation would like to make it clear that accommodation in the near about area of Las Vegas strip can be quite expensive. Almost all hotels in these areas are fully booked for up to one year in advance. So, don't waste anymore time and login vegas-vacation.org for instant hassle free Las Vegas Vacation.
About the Author
Vegas-vacation.org is providing information about Las Vegas travel, Las Vegas vacation and Las Vegas hotel and shows etc.

A Must Have: The Diana Camera

Victoria at sfgirlbybay recently posted about her love of photography and one of her latest acquisitions, the retro-inspired, Diana Camera. This is the first I've heard of this camera line--I'm obsessed and think I may have to buy one!

Dating back to the early 1960s, the all-plastic Diana camera is a cult legend - famous for its "perfectly imperfect" dreamy, gorgeous, color-drenched, sometimes-blurry, and often mind-blowing images. It went out of production in the 1970's, has been reproduced, and is now available at Urban Outfitters and here.

The Diana has a panorama feature that allows for unlimited and nearly seamless panoramic shots. It's a point-and-shoot camera that uses film. Yes, that old thing called film.

Remove the lens, set the aperture to a super-small pinhole and shoot a super-wide-angle, severely old-school image through a tiny hole.

The "Diana" is basically a .35mm. "toy" camera. Great vintage designs. Reasonable prices. I'll follow up with Victoria to see how she likes hers. Or, I may be off to buy one myself...

And...they have this adorable camera case available. Love this!

Estate Sale Friday

I can't believe how quickly the week went by. Today was a gloomy, overcast day in San Francisco with 3 estate sales to go to.

The lines moved quickly except for this one (above) where they only let in a few people at a time. Small homes in San Francisco make it impossible to allow too many people in at one time.

Lots of knick-knack tables, but nothing that really caught my eye.

Not too much interest in anything here...

Cute pair of pink chairs, but a little petite for me...

I loved this pair of vintage chalkware bookends by Borghese. Unfortunately, one of the paws had a big chip. Too bad!

What a fun 1920's wooden ticket box from an old theater in Spokane, Washington. I thought it was a great prop, but what to use it for?

My purhcases from all three sales; a 1930's trophy for "accuracy typing" (love that), a sterling napkin ring and a vintage book. Hope to find more next week!

Have a great weekend!

Going On You Las Vegas Vacation-hotel

Going On You Las Vegas Vacation-hotel

by Peter Davenport

People are working most of the time to be able to support their family and their lifestyle. However there is a point where too much work can be very bad to one's health and sanity. This is when you are already too stressed and have been working non-stop for months or years. If you are one of these individuals who have been working endlessly, then it's time to go on vacation. There are a lot of vacation spot you can choose to go to and one of them is the ever exciting Las Vegas. You may think that it would cost you a lot of money or it would take you a long time to save up for this vacation. You need not lose hope on that. There are cheap Las Vegas vacations available for you. A number of travel and leisure companies are offering great packages for you and your family so you can enjoy having a vacation. Among the many packages that they usually have is a cheap Las Vegas vacation package. This vacation would already include the hotel and fare to get you to the place. Some packages would even provide you with certain meals. All you need to do is pick out the package that would best suit your budget. Your vacation need not be expensive. Visit the many travel companies online that provide inexpensive travel and vacation. They provide great discounts and offer a lot of added value for your money. Just plan out everything and get a good agent and you can get your cheap Las Vegas vacation and the much sought after rest from work.
About the Author
Get a vacation package at a very cheap price. Start planning your dream vacation now.

SPRING FLING GIVEAWAY!

Let's celebrate Spring with a giveaway from Paris Hotel Boutique. If you can't spend April in Paris, perhaps one of these gifts can transport you there!

FIRST PRIZE: Bring home a souvenir... Antique French beveled glass souvenir casket box from Dinant La Citadelle.

SECOND PRIZE: Explore Paris with this great read, Colette: A Provincial in Paris. In this 1954 first edition, Margaret Crosland tells the story of this French legend, one of Paris' most colorful personalities and France's greatest fiction writer.

THIRD PRIZE: 19th Century French calligraphy pen & a handwritten French receipt dating to 1920.

Here is how the giveaway works. Starting today, you simply enter by leaving a comment on this post. Limited to one entry per person. Help me spread the news about the giveaway by mentioning it on your own blog and you'll get a second chance to enter. Simply enter a second comment alerting me of the mention.

The entries can be made until Friday, March 27 at 9:00 pm PST. The winners will be picked via Random.org on Saturday, March 28th and announced on this blog. I will contact the winners for your mailing addresses. You must provide a valid e-mail address or link to one.

Thanks! Good Luck! and HAPPY SPRING!!

THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS FOR ENTERING. WINNERS ANNOUNCED TOMORROW!

Romantic Homes: The Paris Issue

Just received my April issue of Romantic Homes magazine. It’s the Paris issue…my favorite! Special thanks to Janet at FrenchBlue & Co. for including Paris Hotel Boutique’s ‘'hotel silver" in the “Ten Trends in Paris” feature. I’m thrilled to be included among Lanvin, Goyard, and my friend Lucy at Paris Flea Market!

This issue is brimming with goodies! The talented Sandra Evertson has a feature on creating charming custom place cards. She even provides her own artwork for you!

Claudia of The Paris Apartment (yes, you Claudia!) has written an 8-page story titled, “ The Art of Conversation” that you won’t want to miss. And, Larry Solomon (FrenchBlue’s husband) shares his experiences of the Paris Flea Market in “Le Marche de Paris.”

There are many more great features, some beautiful homes, including Janet Rodriguez’s French-style home, with her cute Bichon Frise on the cover! Check your newsstands or purchase a copy here.

Photos courtesy of Romantic Homes

Cheap Las Vegas Vacation Packages Increase Local Tourism-hotel

Cheap Las Vegas Vacation Packages Increase Local Tourism-hotel
by Virgil Carr

Like any other city that has a local economy largely based on tourism, Las Vegas, Nevada spends an incredible amount of time and money in catering to and luring in visitors; however, for many tourists, it takes more than the twenty-four hour lifestyle and glitz and glamour of the hotels and attractions to commit to a visit - hence the existence of cheap Las Vegas vacation packages that increase the local tourism. These special packages are created by the local commerce office and local hotels, casinos, and restaurants in order to make a visit to the city more enticing, more affordable, and less intimidating. By making a trip to the area more affordable and less intimidating, the city can increase the amount of tourists that visit its hotels, casinos, and restaurants thereby increasing the amount of money these businesses take in and further driving the local economy.

The number one reason people cite as a reason for not taking a vacation is the associated cost of such a trip. Even though Las Vegas is primarily a tourist town, the cost of a visit can be out of reach of many potential tourists. With the cost of a hotel room, casino visits, entertainment, food, and other amenities the price of a visit can run into the thousands of dollars (and those casino visits can escalate the cost of visit exponentially). In order to combat these soaring price tags the city commerce office approaches various businesses and asks them to offer certain discounts or special deals that they then put together to form specially priced packages. Local businesses agree to these discounts because they draw in out of town customers.

Over the last decade, the trend in Las Vegas development has been towards constructing huge hotel and entertainment complexes. These complexes offer hotel suites, dining options, casinos, spas, salons, retail options, and many other entertainment opportunities. Taking the local government's idea, these complexes offer cheap Las Vegas vacation packages that include discounted access to all the associated amenities located in the complex. Since these very large hotels are in direct competition with each other, these packages can become very cheap as the competition heats up. The idea is to draw as many out of town guests to the hotel as possible thereby generating more capital.

Another reason that many individuals or families do not make the investment in a trip to the city of Las Vegas is the coinciding image that the city portrays. With its casinos, strip clubs, and twenty-four a day life style, the city has created a self fulfilling image of debauchery, crime, and over indulgence. While this image may appeal to a certain type of tourist, it also alienates a much larger portion of potential visitors. Families therefore may not see the city as a place they want to take their children for a summer vacation. Since these cheap Las Vegas vacation packages are generally geared towards families who are trying to save money while still going on vacation, they can increase the amount of families who visit thereby helping to debunk the city's nasty image.

Therefore, these packages offer discounts in order to drive tourism by drawing families to the city thereby transforming a city that was once only a gambling hot spot into an entertainment center that anyone can enjoy.

Find out more from us @ Las Vegas Suites

About the Author

Virgil Carr writes regularly about travel related topics. I hope you enjoy this article.

Follow these Top 5 Tips to Bagging a Holiday Bargain-hotel

Follow these Top 5 Tips to Bagging a Holiday Bargain-hotel
by Kate Tee

With all this winter's snow, ice and rain, you're sure to be in desperate need of some sunshine, but the credit crunch can mean the pennies won't stretch far enough for a break abroad.

Fear not! There are ways to get a great deal for less.

1. Compare Hotels

Hotelscomparison.com is an independent hotel finder that searches some of the best-known bargain hotel sites out there, such as Rates to Go, Hotel Club and Alpha Rooms. What's more, the service beat out rival hotel comparison sites in road tests by the Sunday Times and Mail on Sunday.

Simply follow the link to find great hotel deals.

2. Compare Package Holidays

If you'd prefer a combined flight/hotel package, there are thousands of holidays now available to buy online. It might take some searching to compare quotes, but there are often great deals to snap up.

Most holiday websites enable you to easily narrow your search by showing only holidays within your budget. If you've got £400 to spend per person, see what you can find within that price range and compare what the price includes. That way, you should be able to whittle down the best deal for your money.

Handy hint: If you're booking online, using a credit card can provide added insurance. Depending on the type of card, purchases costing between £100 and £30,000 are covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The act allows you to claim against the credit card company if the service you receive doesn't come up to scratch or if a supplier goes bankrupt.

3. Go Old Skool - Visit a Travel Agent

There are some things technology can't replicate and that's the personal touch. So if you can tear yourself away from the computer, a local travel agent will be able to offer expert knowledge and advice to help you get a great deal on a holiday.

Travel agents are eager to get the sale too, especially in the current climate, so it's worth visiting one or two, to find out what's available. What's more, they have everything at their fingertips so can answer all sorts of questions without you having to slave away on the internet for hours on end.

Also, many holidays found online are also available through high-street travel agents. Why not try your face-to-face bargaining skills to see if you can barter the price down. Go into the shop forearmed with the internet price and see if they can better it. Play them off against each other to barter the price down - who knows what deals you'll be able to walk out with, thanks to the credit crunch.

Alternatively, if you can't get a discount, ask the travel agent to throw a few extras into the mix, like a day excursion or activity for the kids.

Handy hint: Don't let the travel agent talk you into buying holiday cover in store, you'll find much better travel insurance deals online.

4. Annual Travel Insurance at the Right Price

To save further time, money and last-minute stress, an annual travel insurance policy will mean you're covered all year round, so you can jet off wherever and whenever you like! But if you only want single trip cover, this is also possible.

5. Find Cheap Holiday Money

Before booking your holiday, make sure you've got the best deal on your holiday money. This is especially important during these times when the exchange rate is so low.

About the Author

Compare travel insurance on http://www.confused.com/travel-insurance.

Estate Sale Friday

I thought I'd start a post called "Estate Sale Friday" and share some of my adventures of searching for antiques at estate sales.

Going to estate sales is not as glamorous as one may think. In fact, it's quite exhausting as many of you know. Getting up at the crack of dawn to stand in line, rain or shine. Some camp out overnight in their cars to be first in line in the morning. I don't know about other cities, but the antique dealers here in San Francisco (yes, you guys) can be pretty competitive, ie; pushing and shoving people out of the way, ripping up sign-up sheets that we added our names to hours earlier, and more horrific stories.

I have been doing this for many years and have some "whopper" estate sale stories. I look forward to sharing them on this blog!

Thanks heavens today was a mellow day with a 10:00 am sale in the pretty city of Burlingame, 20 miles south of San Francisco. My friend Renee and I showed up about 1/2 early to be pleasantly surprised that there were only about 30 of us in line. Is that a bad sign?

What's this in the backyard? A preview of what's inside? Eeks!

Can anyone tell me what this is?

Nothing much to speak of in the kitchen...

A nice pair of brass sconces, but not quite early enough for me...

Love the piano...no room for it in the van...

Renee is checking out a vintage clock...

Nice silver set, but I think I'll pass...

Lovely crystal chandelier, but unfortunately it stays with the house...

This vintage inlaid chair is nice, but not quite my style...

An inlaid box...

Aha! Love this pair of Victorian chairs near the piano. They have carved musical instruments on the back...unique...perfect for a music room...okay, they're mine!

So there it is. A total of 45 minutes spent to wait in line, peruse the house, and buy a pair of chairs. But, not so fast...they need to go to the upholsterer to be glued and tightened. That's just part of the business. There were no "pushers and shovers" today. Just a mellow day.

Stay tuned for future Friday estate sales and join me in my hunt for treasures! Hope you enjoyed the sale. Hopefully next sale will be more successful!