Thank you .. ‘Dirt du Jour’

for the glowing review! "Go ask Alice ... where all the best vineyard gardens are. She's an erudite charmer; you'll have fun!"
Chicago

Cruising Chicago Architecture

Expect terrific views of Chicago’s Centennial Fountain and much more when you take a

Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady Cruises.

Chicago: Centennial Fountain [Photo © Allice Joyce]

Chicago: Centennial Fountain ~  Photo © Allice Joyce

Santa Fe Building Atrium Photo © Alice Joyce

Ensconced in the landmark Sante Fe building designed by Daniel Burnham, the CAF headquarters is a great place to start the day. You can take in an exhibition, peruse intriguing, beautifully designed items in the CAF shop, or scan the upcoming programs and talks that might fit into your schedule. You can also select a tour and get ticketed, be it a walking, bus, or boat tour.

CAF River Cruise Photo © Alice Joyce

I’ve found the CAF river cruise to be the most enlightening, having once through my own error, taken one operated by another company. It’s an experience that opens one’s eyes to the construction history of iconic Chicago buildings and newly completed skyscrapers viewed from the river aboard Chicago’s First Lady Cruises. Passionate about the city’s architectural history, foundation volunteers share their knowledge and enthusiasm as tour guides.

Chicago’s First Lady – Riverwalk Photo: Bob Agra

Once ticketed, you’ll make your way to the Riverside Gardens Dock – look for the blue awnings – on the lower level of the Michigan Avenue bridge at Wacker Drive.

333 N Wacker Drive Building © Alice Joyce

The 333 North Wacker Drive building has always made my heart skip a beat – it’s that magnificent. I have to say, seeing it from the river is unforgettable.

Chicago River/DuSable Bridge © Alice Joyce

A great sense of the city’s growth and importance unfolds on the cruise. You witness a panoply of buildings, bridges and architectural styles. Quite spectacular even on a day with light rain like the one I encountered last week. As a group, we did happily soak up the sunshine that appeared by the end of the cruise.

Of course you can visit the Chicago Architecture Foundation web site before you arrive in town if you prefer to buy tickets online. You might want to add a terrific walking tour of Millennium Park, too. Anyone who revels in art, gardens, architecture or the landscape will find tours to turn a Chicago sojourn into an extra special trip. And the same applies to locals. I wonder why we so often fail to explore the riches in our own back yards.

Comments are closed   Chicago    
Historic Gardens

Barcelona - The Horta Gardens & Maze

Laberint d'Horta Temple of Diana Photo © Alice Joyce

Laberint d’Horta – The Horta Gardens and Maze – Barcelona’s hidden garden:  A historic garden-museum located in the city’s Green Zone, a quiet neighborhood far removed from the Barri Gotic and La Rambla. The 18th century Horta Gardens are perhaps most often associated with the highly photogenic, living architecture of the gardens’ centerpiece – an elaborate cypress maze.

Laberint d’Horta  © Alice Joyce

There is much more to experience within the romantic confines of Parc del Laberint d’Horta, a property owned by the city. Joan Antoni Desvalls i d’Ardena conceived the plan of the Horta’s harmonious landscape in 1791, when the area was mainly pastoral countryside. There are many pleasurable scenes, from intimate to monumental, that await visitors to the beautifully preserved neoclassical landscape.

Laberint d'Horta Porta Xinesa Photo © Alice Joyce

Near the main thoroughfare of Germans Desvalls is the entrance to the gardens. Here, the property’s semi-restored mansion reflects an interesting pastiche of styles influenced by Moorish and Gothic architecture. The exterior is said to have been covered at one time with frescoes, while the presence of a 12th century watchtower, the Torre Sabiana, reflects the structure’s antiquity. Currently used as offices for the city’s Parks and Gardens department, the building stands adjacent to a more contemporary gardenscape, built and enjoyed early-on by the estate’s owners. Delineated by boxwood topiary, the setting is now lush with flower beds, mature palm trees and camellias.

Generally one enters the gardens – known as Parc del Laberint d’Horta – along the walkway opposite the mansion’s gardens. Looking at a plan of the grounds reveals a complex layout, encompassing romantic grottoes, canals, and a bevy of secreted spaces encountered along dense paths through the woods.

Barcelona Laberint d'Horta Pavilion Photo © Alice Joyce

If you choose not to approach the maze directly, but take a side path instead, you’ll pass through the Porta Xinesa or Chinese Gate, and come upon a secluded spot. The gateway, with its delightful openwork design and peaked roof, sets the tone for a perfectly composed, intimate space embraced by the surrounding woodland. Low, trimmed hedging articulates the geometry of the garden. A space open to the sky, and centered upon a circular pool, and the plashing of a simple waterspout fountain.

Statue of Eros … emerging in the center of the Maze:

Barcelona Laberint d'Horta Maze Detail Photo © Alice Joyce

 

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Desert Travel

Breathing Space: Tucson's Arizona Inn

The Arizona Inn provides the same welcoming retreat that travelers to Tucson have enjoyed since the 1930s. Below: Arizona Inn Succulents

Although the historic 14-acre property now features all mod cons – contemporary amenities that seem so necessary, I wonder how I functioned without wi-fi – the hotel accommodations and landscaped gardens have retained a genteel quietude and gracious ambiance guests associate with the notable surroundings.

Arizona Inn Late Winter © Alice Joyce

Arizona Inn Vignette © Alice Joyce

Arizona Inn Main Courtyard © Alice Joyce

From JFK to Salvador Dali, Frank Lloyd Wright to Ansel Adams, this desert resort has long hosted illustrious guests drawn to Arizona’s glorious blue skies and an aspect of privacy .

Arizona Inn wall mural © Alice Joyce

Understated and elegant: Paintings and prints, antiques, crafts and artisan furnishings distinguish all public areas; the restaurant, bar, and inviting library with its wood-burning fireplace.

A favorite place for movie stars to unwind in the hotel’s early years, the Inn has developed a unique DVD collection featuring a trove of films starring guests who stayed here prior to 1960: Film Noir to Comedies with Cary Grant and Clark Gable, Theresa Wright and Katherine Hepburn, to name a few. I gladly dipped into the movie library when a windy weather system came through to squash my plans for a game of croquet on the main lawn. Perfect entertainment and fun to watch Hitchcock’s 1943 film, ‘Shadow of a Doubt.’

Arizona Inn Central Fountain © Alice Joyce

A great friend of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, the Inn’s founder Isabella Greenway is celebrated for her full and prolific life, including the legacy of the Inn. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the family-owned Arizona Inn regularly receives such accolades as the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List and Travel and Leisure’s Top 500 Hotels in the World.   Below: Arizona Inn Pool ~ Not difficult to imagine mid-century film stars lounging around the pool.

Arizona Inn Bar © Alice Joyce

Comfy and inviting whether indoors or on the patio, the bar offers its own menu from late morning through the evening hours. I love the option of a meal whenever I’m inclined, often between lunch and dinner hours.

Arizona Inn Sculpture © Alice Joyce

Talking with one of the head gardeners, I learned that some of the oldest plants in the Cactus Garden had succumbed from an abnormally cold recent winter. Strolling around, I found the roses beginning to bloom, with plentiful annuals adding color to the gardens. Mature trees add to the tranquil atmosphere of this iconic southwest destination hotel.

Afternoon Tea © Alice Joyce

Complimentary afternoon tea in the library – complete with clotted cream, finger sandwiches, and delectable pastries. Quite possibly I’m an Anglophile at heart, because this tradition won me over completely.

One comment - (Comments are closed)   Desert Travel, Hotels & Inns   , , ,  
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