SECRET GARDEN - WEEKEND PHOTO

Happened upon this pretty last weekend. A charming enchanting intriguing mysteriously beautiful garden door and gate. Was roaming through the streets of Charleston, SC with a large group of friends (we were all there for TF and KF's fantastically lovely wedding). CCF, DH and I were taking our time walking through the streets while everyone else barreled ahead towards the shops. The guys were checking out the plaques on all of the houses to find out which was the oldest...I was furiously snapping photos. Trying to take all of Charleston home with me in my little camera it seemed. I paused and looked up from the camera screen and I saw this. A breathtakingly sweet black garden gate door, surrounded by an ivy covered wall and it was wide open.  Behind the gate...a mossy brick covered patio, a fountain in the distance I think, some iron furniture and lovely cobalt blue pottery.  Felt like a dream.  Oh how I wanted to just open that gate, walk in and take a seat and enjoy.  I did not...don't worry...

So now, back in Los Angeles, this is my weekend photos.  Memories of a lovely weekend past.

Happy Sunday!

xo
Coco

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AN brick, door, garden, gate, ivy covered wall, outdoor living, WEEKEND PHOTO, white brick, wrought iron, yard

THROUGH THE CHARMED GATES OF CHARLESTON

Took a walking tour on Saturday of a very posh residential area in Charleston, SC.  Was with my dear best of friend FF and her wonderful husband CCF, dear of dearest friend JH and her far too charming husband DH, and very sweet friend JH and her so nice husband FH.  We were all in Charleston for a very warm and convivial weekend at TF and KR's lovely wedding.  In addition, it was so fabulous getting to spend lots quality time with my good friend FM and her super fun husband CM...and great seeing CF (who wore a gorgeous Valentino gown to the wedding), CF, E, RM and lots of others I hadn't seen in awhile.

One of best parts of the whole weekend was getting to hang out with my super cute god son CGF.  CGF danced with me at the wedding (standing in for TE who was back here in Los Angeles shooting some kind of commercial).  When we got on the dance floor for a slow dance, my 9 year old god son CGF whispered to me, "I don't know what to do. I've never done this before". I leaned down and said, "Just look up at me and move your feet back and forth and you'll be fine".  He was fine...more than fine.

Anyhoooo....hmmm.....I digress as usual...

Where was I...oh...Charleston.  Yes. Charleston.  What a stunning city. A jewel in the south.  I have to admit something right off...I have not spent too much time in the south...my favorite place being New Orleans...otherwise, I haven't had too much time exploring that region of the country...so when I was invited to this wedding and sent in my handwritten reply note, I had no idea what to expect...I really had no expectations...none.

Well I can tell you Charleston, South Carolina...is one of the most lovely cities I have ever been too...the nexus between small town charm and big city sophistication.

I caught a glimpse of myself in a car window as we were all walking from King Street downtown, over down Legare Street to see the stunning old mansions, then onto the Battery and to see the ocean view...I was so in awe of the residential architecture, the horse drawn carriages, the Palmetto trees swaying in the warm (slightly sticky) breeze, the adorable downtown filled with the most darling shops, that when I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection of that car window, I saw a girl with her mouth wide open in awe, a huge happy smile on her face (in a beautiful setting with such lovely friends), looking up, moving along, feet back and forth...and like my little god son, she (me) was more than fine

So now I bring you a collection of photos I took of some of the homes and surroundings...looking through the magnificent gates of Charleston, SC.

The grand entrance to the historic Sword Gate House known of its ornate wrought iron gate. The mansion is currently for sale for $18.8 million dollars...see the real estate listing for this home here! (above)

A divine manicured garden with trimmed boxwoods and crushed gravel (above)

This stunning glossy black wood fence rivaled many of its iron counterparts in the neighborhood (above and below))

This scrolling wrought iron front gate was open just a crack to reveal an arched carved red door with checkered patterned marble path (above and below)

After all of the snooping behind gates...sightseeing and shopping were the order of the day...

So fun to see Charleston's version of a tour bus - horse drawn carriages! (above)

American revolutionary war statue of a commander named Moultrie in The Battery park overlooking the Charleston Harbor. (above)

Stopped into antique shop Birlant & Co and bought these vintage rock cut stemware glasses...the set of 6 was only $165 - so love these...they are being shipped to my house here in Los Angeles! (above)

Thank you FF and CCF for inviting me along on such a lovely weekend in Charleston!  Absolutely love my friends FF and JH - my dear dear friends for life!

Am back in Los Angeles, in my tiny little cottage in the Hollywood Hills, blogging, getting ready for work, to start the week...dreaming of all of the delightful things I saw this past weekend and all of the lovely people I spent time with...dreaming of my weekend in Charleston.

Happy Monday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Uh oh...just got on the scale...after several days of Charleston cooking (went to several nice restaurants)...various Southern delicacies (fried food), lots of grits and eating to my heart's content, I am two pounds heavier this morning!!!  ARGHHHHHH.  Okay...fruits and veggies...here I come!

All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY

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AN Charleston, garden, gate, iron, ironwork, mansion, sightseeing, Southern, tourist, wrought iron

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY & MY NEW GARDEN GATE!

All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY.

Gorgeous fuschia bouganvillea in my garden! (above)

These photos were taken this morning...early...on this Memorial Day 2012.  A bouganvillea plant with bright pinkish flowers climbing up my new garden fence.

Best of friend AM is in town with her hubby JE and their two kiddies.  They left the comforts of their large New York City apartment to come visit Los Angeles and stay with me in my tiny tiny cottage in the Hollywood Hills. We have been having a wonderful time.  Yesterday we spent the day hiking, at brunch, at the beach and then out to dinner.  Needless to say we are tired but happy!  The kids are adorable and it is alwasy great to spend time with dear friends.  This has been a fantastic holiday weekend so far.  I'll share more later in the week.

As an aside, in order to prep the kids on how small my house is, I strangely for some reason felt the need to tell them I lived in a "doll house".  Yesterday at brunch, the AM's cute kiddies told the very posh people we were dining  with, "Did you know she lives in a doll house?  It is sooooo small.  It is the tiniest house you've ever seen.  Really"...the people looked at me in wonder as if to say "Whoa...kind of weird...that grown lady lives in a doll house?  Bizarre."  Hmmm...

Anyhoooo...over the last few weeks I've been doing some construction on the garden and the side of the house because there were some major issues that were actually causing some water damage inside the house.  One of the things that was torn down was my old fence and gate that had gotten soaked by the sprinklers and were starting to rot.  In their places, I designed a new fence and gate  with white trim on top (similar to what I've designed for the rest of the house).  I am so pleased with my new white fence...my own take on white picket!

My garden this morning...we also added a hardscape flagstone stone path that leads to the side of the house. (above)

From my little cottage in the Hollywood Hills - California living :-)!

Would like to take a moment to remember why we get today off from work (and I get to spend time with friends and family).  Today is meant to honor those service people who have given their lives to protect the country.  Whenever I start to complain or think that my life is challenging, I do immediately and always consider the sacrifices and real hardships that others have undergone...and I recognize that instead of whining I should be thinking good thoughts for those who really need the help or who have really been courageous.   Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Monday!

xo
Coco

All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY.

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AN bougainvillea, fence, flowers, garden, gate, my house, outdoor living, patio, plants, yard