Bringing home the Christmas tree

I miss listening to the US Christmas song radio stations.  Every year, starting on Thanksgiving day there was no other music other than Holiday music played in my car.  My hubby used to go a bit nutty about it.  Luckily we have a good collection of Christmas songs in my iPhone playlist that is compensating my thirst.  Both, my hubby and I miss our families very much so this year we won’t be spending Christmas home, instead we'll be spending it in Buenos Aires.  Hopefully that way the absence of our loved ones will have less impact in our moods and our Christmas tree will come back home next year.  Enjoy!

Above, Jim Lavrakas photography

Christmas in Europe 2012

I did this post last year and since so many people loved it as much as I did, that gives me an excellent excuse to post it again today.  If you are a frequent visitor of Belle Vivir, you should know by now my obsession with Christmas.  As a matter of fact my Facebook bio for more than 6 years goes like this "In love with my family and Christmas" and that hasn't changed a bit.  Enjoy!

I've never spent Christmas in Europe, yet.  Undoubtedly Christmas is warm and inviting everywhere but there is a certain special warmth in Europe during this time that it's not found anywhere else.  Perhaps it’s because Santa Clause is in Northern Europe somewhere? and so the feeling of Christmas is more palpable?  Or, maybe it's because of the way the homes are built, of solid stone and stucco that make the ambiance of Christmas feel cozier.  I definitely would like to spend Christmas in Europe one day and these images just make my wish stronger. 

images via Belgian Pearls, Pinterest, Tumblr, Design Sponge.

Are you ready for Christmas

by Preen

It was about time for Christmas jumpers to get a makeover.  The old Christmas sweaters tend to be so ugly looking that they would only look good on extremely pretty people.  Now we all can look good in these Christmas jumpers because they're so beautiful in themselves that many will be tempted to wear them way past Christmas season.  If shipping to Sao Paulo wouldn't be so expensive I would like one of each.  All available at NET-A-PORTER.

 by TIBI

Mason by Michelle Mason

 by Moschino

Special Time with Family

This is perhaps the most appropriate time to stop and smell the roses and be in the moment and create those precious times with family to later reminisce.  This week I'm going to stay away from the computer,  just for a little bit and spend quality time with my loved ones with no interruption.  I'll see you soon!  Happy New Year!

images via Pinterest

JOY TO THE WORLD

And to your family.  Dear friends and readers, I want to thank you for still being here with me.  Blogging is hard and takes a whole bunch out of your life but it's truly rewarding and inspirational.  Discovering things we didn't even know were possible, it's only a click away.  The best part of it has been the friends that I've being lucky enough to come across with, therefore Thank You and I truly wish you a healthy and wonderful Christmas!

top image via Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle, second via Michael Graydon.

Come to my Home for Christmas

I wanted to share with you a few images of my home for Christmas.  There is a party in every corner in this house and I can't help but share them with you. 

A part of our Master Bath.

And here is the mister.  We chose a medium size Christmas tree and put it on top of a table which I covered with an old remnant of fabric I had.   I wanted a tree that was classic but also funky at the same time; that's why you see properly installed Christmas lights but also you can see lights that are just thrown around the tree to give it a more fun, careless feel.  I love those big rounded light bulbs and the big snowflake ornaments.  To make it a bit more masculine for my guys, I added baseball-like ornaments. 

Love is all you need!

Top two images by Marco Ricca rest by me.

What's your Christmas Dessert?

I grew up with the notion that Christmas would not be Christmas without Turrones (similar to nougats) lying around in the house as long as the Holiday goes on.  Up until last night the only Turron I would buy for our home was Turron De Alicante, Spain.  I swear to anyone I know that the best food in the world is found in the south of Valencia called Alicante.  Having paid a visit a few times and being mesmerized by the exquisiteness of its cuisine I assumed that so was the case with their Turron.  Alicante's was the best.  I had tried many others that have only confirmed that.  Until last night, when my hubby brought home something I wasn't expecting to incite me like that.  It goes by the name of Antica Torroneria Piemontese,  ALAS! What was that..?  I should probably say I prefer desserts that are not overly sweet, so this one was right up my ally!  Sweet enough to brig a smile to my face (and kept me yearning for more) and hard enough as to not threaten my teeth.  The one I tried is coated with a delicious green coating with cedar flavor.
I also tried their truffles and oh my! With an outer coat of powdered coffee that kind of spreads inside your mouth at first until you bite into an explosion of perfectly bitter/sweet chocolate, between the bites little pieces of nuts surprise you.  The whole unexpected experience made me search for this Antica Torroneria Piemontese thing for many minutes to not find a place where this stuff is sold here in the US.  Nothing... that sometimes it's better off not to come across things this good after all.
Below, a few lovely images of Dessert Tables.  Enjoy!

images via Lost Past Remembered, So Darling, A gray blog, Sparkling Events, Pinterest.

A Very Hermes Christmas

Good Morning my dear friends.  What a fun weekend we had, we went to see the Nutcracker over the weekend, but this year we decided to go to see it at BAM in Brooklyn for a different take and we had a lot of fun!  Amazingly, Christmas eve is days away and since it only happens once a year, I figured let's go all the way with Christmas decor and inspirations.  I'm a very fashionable girl, nothing would make me happy than having a Christmas with a good dose of Hermes.  Enjoy!

images via Hermes, Pinterest, Tumblr, The Black Wintour.