RJ Treleaven

Showing posts with label tales of the traveling tote. Show all posts

Hello, My Lovelies! Welcome to the 44th Tales of the Traveling Tote. I have not been traveling much or even going to the lake recently. I have had family obligations keeping me busy, but my family held an intervention a couple of weeks ago and insisted that I get away for a quick weekend to my favorite city, Chicago. We planned to visit my two motherships: Wrigley Field and The Art Institute of Chicago.

We enjoy staying at the historic Palmer House because it's within walking distance to the Art Institute. Below is the pretty ceiling in the lobby.

On Friday night we ate at a fantastic Mediterranean restaurant called Avec. Everyone loved it, and we particularly enjoyed the family-style presentation.

Saturday morning, we ate breakfast at our favorite bakery and coffee shop, The Goddess and the Baker. They have the best breakfast pastries in Chicago! Then we headed to Wrigleyville. Shanley Belle and I visited a romance-only bookshop called The Last Chapter and had a ball. We like visiting Indie Bookshops while traveling.

After the bookshop, we met up with Christopher and Trip at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.

Unfortunately, La Countess de Monet is too large to get into the stadium. Miss Square Peggy and Miss Candy Max are also too large. The dimensions must be no larger than 16" X 16" X 8". So I carried Miss Check You're Out! because she is petite at 16" X 11.5" X 4". She loved the game!

Clark the Cubbies' mascot before the game. We had great seats behind the dugout on the third base side.

The Cubbies beat the Pirates 3-1, so the W flag was flown!

Saturday night after the game we ate dinner at our favorite pizza place in the city, Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders. They have the best pizza pie in the world! I always order the individual mushroom one.

Sunday morning we ate breakfast at The Goddess and the Baker again because we love it so much. Then we walked to the Art Institute for the Gustave Caillebotte: Painting His World exhibit. Since we're members, we were able to visit an hour earlier than the general public, so we saw the exhibit almost by ourselves. For the Sunday before school started on Monday, there were few people at the museum. I think it might have had something to do with the flooding rains on Saturday night.

Gustave Caillebotte was an independently wealthy Impressionist. He was good friends with Renoir, and he painted pretty much what he wanted to paint. During this time, painters usually painted lovely young women, but Caillebotte preferred painting men.

One of the lions in front of the museum.

I wanted to share with you two paintings, one by Renoir and one by Caillebotte.

I chose the mums by Renoir for autumn.

Chrysanthemums

Pierre August Renoir (French, 1841–1919)

1881-1882

Oil on canvas

21 5/8" × 25 7/8 "

I chose the Caillebotte painting (below) because I thought the perspective was neat.

The Boulevard Seen From Above

Gustave Caillebotte (French, 1848-1894)

1880

Oil on canvas

25 3/5" × 21 3/10"

We enjoyed the member's lounge and a late lunch of Giordano's Pizza. Before heading to the airport, we went to the world's largest Starbucks, the Starbucks Reserve. The four-story shop is truly something. We had the Chicago blend, and I brought some home with me.

I also purchased a beautiful book of the Van Gogh bedrooms because we saw the exhibit in 2016 at the Art Institute. I was so happy to have a lovely reminder of that trip, too. The Caillebotte brochures were really large, so I didn't buy one of them.

I love how the page folds out to show all three bedroom paintings.

This book is so nice, and it also features other paintings shown at the exhibit.

I hope you enjoyed my post on my whirlwind trip to Chicago. I literally have nothing else to share!

I'm sure the other Traveling Tote Ladies have much more interesting posts than mine, so give them a visit using the links below!

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Ricki Jill and Countess De Monet @ The Bookish Dilettante

This TTT giveaway is hosted by Sarah. Please make sure to leave a comment on her post in order to be entered.

Join us for our next adventures in December!

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill

Tales of the Traveling Tote: My Motherships

Monday, September 1, 2025

Happy June, My Lovelies! This edition of the Tales of the traveling Tote will feature our anniversary trip to Amsterdam and our river cruise on the Rhine. I could write a dissertation about our trip because we saw and learned so much. But instead I'm featuring my favorite things about the trip. We left Birmingham on our anniversary (March 19th) which was the opening day of tulip season.

My favorite thing about Amsterdam was the Van Gogh Museum. We had special tickets and went early. There were very few people around, so we were able to take our time in the galleries. Here are some favorites:

The Bedroom

Arles, October 1888

oil on canvas

28.5" X 36"

We had seen this one before when it was on loan at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2016.

Sprig of Flowering Almond In a Glass

Arles, March 1888

oil on canvas

9.6" X 7.6"

Below is one of my favorite paintings. Van Gogh's Almond Blossoms was the most cherished paintings by his family, and it was heavily influenced by his interest in Japanese print making. The perspective is looking up through the branches toward the sky. This perspective loses the view of the tree in its entirety.

Almond Blossom

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, February 1890

oil on canvas

29" X 36"

We also visited the Rijksmuseum which is located on the same campus. It was slightly crowded, but we really didn't have much trouble seeing everything in the galleries. I think most people were outside because it was the first pretty weekend after a cold, rainy winter. They were in the process of restoring The Night Watch which is Rembrandt's most celebrated painting. It shows citizens of Amsterdam protecting the city.

We enjoyed one of our best meals in Amsterdam at the Rijksmuseum. In the café they had these gorgeous (and huge) Delft tulipieres.

Our first stop on our cruise included an eBike tour of Kinderdijk windmills. We saw nineteen windmills in all, and we were able to tour one that is a working museum. It was very interesting seeing the millers go about their day and moving the windmills to catch the wind.

Kinderdijk windmills

One thing that has been on my bucket list as an adult is to see the Cologne Cathedral in all her gothic splendor. She did not disappoint, and I might have been slightly overhwelmed.

Another favorite activity one afternoon was viewing many, many castles along the Rhine from the boat. I sketched several of them while enjoying afternoon tea.

Ehrensfels Castle

near Rüdesheim, Hesse, Germany

This castle was actually rebuilt in 1212

One of my favorite places in Germany is Heidelberg. I've visited there several times, and I wanted Shanley Belle and Christopher to experience it, so we took a little side trip there. This was the only day without sunshine; it was very foggy for almost the entire day.

This is one of my favorite views at Heidelberg Castle. This is the moat, and at one time, it was a zoo for a very spoiled queen.

We were a little early in the season, but this area as well as many of the walls and ruins at the castle become covered in wildflowers in spring and summer.

My new favorite region of France is The Alsace, and we visited several World War II sites and villages. Below is a panorama view of Strasbourg. This region is known for its gingerbread, and it's enjoyed year round.

The last thing I want to share about our trip was a visit and hike in the Black Forest of Germany. This area is known for cuckoo clocks and Black Forest Cake. We took a class to learn how to make and assemble the cakes. It was a lot of fun! After sampling the cakes, it was nice that we had the opportunity to go on a little hike.

Mountainside brook in the Black Forest of Germany

Disclosure: La Countess de Monet was unable to make this trip because I needed a backpack for many of the biking and hiking tours we did. She was not happy, I tell ya! So in order to make it up to her, I took her to a flower arrangement class at a beautiful local farm here in Central Alabama. You can read about our adventure HERE.

La Countess de Monet at Stone Hollow Farmstead learning about floral arranging

Please visit the other ladies' blogs and read about their travels using the links below. Rita is hosting our giveaway!

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Ricki Jill and Countess De Monet @ The Bookish Dilettante

Please join me Wednesday, June 4th for my review of this new Civil War historical fiction novel.

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill

Tales of the Traveling Tote: Rhine River Cruise and Amsterdam

Sunday, June 1, 2025

Pink Magnolia in Amsterdam

Hello, My Lovelies!

It's been a minute since I last posted here. It has been a very eventful spring, y'all. We left for a European trip on our 37th wedding anniversary (March 19th) and while we were there, my mother called in distress. I'm an only child, so there isn't another sibling to help. By the time we got to her, her blood sugar was dangerously low. After an almost three week stay in the hospital, followed by an equally long stint in a SNF, we had to make the tough decision to find a smaller place for her to live, and we also decided to place her in a small apartment on an assisted living floor. We were lucky because the beautiful, historic building was in the process of being renovated, so her studio apartment is like brand new on one of the prettiest streets on Birmingham. That's the important part, y'all. She is no longer in my hometown but in Birmingham! I am sleeping so much better at night knowing she is no longer two counties away. She is so happy, and giggles every time I'm with her because she loves her new home so much.

We moved Mom in last week, and her apartment is so cute. The only thing she wanted from her old home was a pair of paintings she purchased in Paris. I decorated the entire apartment around the paintings! I feel so fortunate to have her near, and I'm able to see her often. We decorated her new home during the month she was in the SNF, so once she was discharged, we were able to take her straight to her new digs.

I read a lot this spring while traveling and while sitting at the hospital while my mom was resting. I also was able to take small drawing pads and watercolor bookmarks with me while caring for Mom and traveling.

I am making tag journals each month chronicling the books I read.

This is April's journal.

I will post about these later this summer.

This is an example of the bookmarks I'm painting and placing in my tag journals.

The stars represent the book's rating.

This is a tulip I drew on our trip to The Netherlands.

Are you going anywhere for Memorial Day Weekend? If so I have the perfect beach, lake, or staycation duology (The Cade Siblings Duology) by Baleigh Jayne for your reading pleasure.

The first book in the series is entitled Tied Together.

According to Goodreads:

In the bustling heart of Paris, where cobblestone streets whisper tales of romance, two friends find themselves tied together in an unexpected journey.

Alana Cade never thought her three year love story would end over a bowl of pasta, but after coming to the realization that her ex was kind of the worst, she’s sworn off men and thrown herself into her work at Impress Magazine. It’s been a full year of no dates, no swooning, and no complications. Now she can’t help but notice the strong and steady friendship she has in her coworker, Alex Ashford, and how it would be so easy to fall into something more.

Alex, one of Impress Magazine’s top editors, has never been able to take his eyes off of his witty and charming colleague, Alana. Her determination, focus and drive make her all the more attractive, but Alex has never made it out of the friend zone.

Bound by their shared passion for success, Alex and Alana embark on a business trip to the enchanting city of Paris. As they explore the city's hidden treasures, from cozy cafés to moonlit strolls along the Seine, Alex and Alana begin to see each other in a different light. With every stolen glance and lingering touch, their friendship blossoms into something more. But as they navigate the delicate balance between professional obligations and newfound desires, Alex and Alana must confront their fears and insecurities, risking it all for a chance at happily ever after in the City of Love.

Will they be able to overcome and fall into the timeless magic of Paris, or will the obstacles in their way keep them apart?

Tied Together is a low stakes, sweet romance that will tug on your heartstrings and remind you what it feels like to love again after heartbreak.

My Review:

I absolutely love Alana and Alex's love story. Of course I love the setting: Paris during Christmas can't be beat for a romance novel. It also has a few of my favorite romance novel tropes such as forced proximity (they are sharing an apartment with a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower); he falls first; workplace romance; friends to lovers; and a Christmas activities list. One if my favorite scenes is something Alex does for Alana to help her get into the Christmas spirit. I don't want to tell you what it is because it would spoil it for you!

Another trope that is also fun is that they are vying for the same promotion, and both are hard workers and deserving of recognition. Could this professional (yet friendly) competition be the cause of a third act break-up? Hopefully not because Alex is such a total "cinnamon roll" hero!

Baleigh Jayne is my new favorite romance author. Her characters are so relatable and likable. I also appreciate that her romances are "closed door" and very sweet. Spoiler alert: Pay attention while reading this one because there are clues about shenanigans that might be playing out at home in New York in the second book in the duology, The Best for Last.

The second book in the series is Best for Last. At first I didn't think I'd like this one as well as the first, but I was mistaken. I loved it!

According to Goodreads:

Charlie Cade has spent his life on the ice, but with his contract up for renewal with the New York Rangers, the one thing he’s not prepared for is the spotlight. After years in the shadows, his agent insists he needs a picture-perfect relationship to keep his place on the team. Enter Cami Slate, his sister's best friend and the last person he ever imagined as his solution.

Cami’s life is in constant always changing, always in flux. Whether it's shoes, men, or her latest obsession, commitment isn't her strong suit. When her mom corners her about her love life and constantly asks if she's bringing a date to her sister’s wedding, Cami needs a quick fix. So, when Charlie asks her to fake-date him, it seems like the perfect (if not completely ridiculous) solution to their problems.

But as the two of them navigate the world of fake romance, they start discovering a few things they didn’t like how much they’ve always meant to each other, how much they want to mean to each other, and how hard it is to pretend when the chemistry is all too real.

Will Charlie and Cami’s love survive the pressure of pretending, or will they find that the real thing was right in front of them all along?

My Review:

This book is considered a hockey romance, and it is an immensely popular sub-genre. Charlie plays for the New York Rangers, and he really wants a contract renewal so he can remain in the city because his sister and close friend Cami live there. His agent's solution is to appear more likable by being more social with his teammates, dating, and community involvement. Cami agrees to "date" Charlie, and this storyline begins during December while Charlie's sister Alana and Alex are falling in love in Paris. Readers got a little bit of a hint that something was up with Charlie and Cami in Alana and Alex's book, Tied Together.

I do like the tropes in this one: friends to lovers; fake dating; opposites attract; best friend's brother; his grumpy to her sunshine; and a dual POV. Charlie's character is one of my favorite romance heroes I've read in a very long time. He has an interesting backstory, and there's a very good reason why his circle is so small. Cami is equally as likable because she is so kind, adventurous, and loyal to her friends. One of the very cutest hobby day and community service montages ever is featured in this book. Just picturing Charlie trying one of Cami's many tried-yet-abandoned hobbies was too much fun for me.

I was also pleasantly surprised because this is the first hockey romance I've ever read, and I really liked it. I know nothing about hockey: I'm Southern, y'all! But it was a lot of fun, and I think this book along with its sister book would be great additions to your beach or lake bag this summer. You are welcome!

I recently celebrated a big birthday, and I was gifted a Flower Arranging Workshop at Stone Hollow Farmstead. I will share what I learned next week.

Meet City the Cat. He was my friend during the workshop.

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill

Late Spring Update and a Romance Duology

Thursday, May 22, 2025

Oak Tree in Audubon Park

Happy Saturday, My Lovelies! It's Mardi Gras weekend, and we've recently returned from New Orleans. This Tales of the Traveling Tote post will feature our two most recent trips to New Orleans during December and last week.

Christmas tree with large bow at Mignon Faget

Mignon Faget is a jewelry designer and a favorite of our girls

We visited New Orleans the weekend after Thanksgiving for a debutante party. We had a wonderful time visiting with friends and finishing our Christmas shopping. We also ate at a few of our favorite restaurants including Vincent's on St. Charles Avenue, Commander's Palace, and District Donuts.

Mr. Bookish and I both love Tasc. This is where I buy my favorite yoga pants.

Le Petite Bleu is a coffee shop adjacent to Commander's Palace. We purchased their French Truck x Commander's Palace coffee for our SIL's stocking.

No trip to New Orleans would be complete without visiting my favorite shop, Aux Belles Choses.

Display shelves in Le Petit Bleu

The two photos, above, feature beautiful Christmas decor and treats from Aux Belles Choses.

Most of their Christmas ornaments are imported from France.

All of the stores were decorated so prettily for Christmas, both inside and outside.

This is just a sampling of the camellias and tropicals in bloom during Christmas.

We returned to New Orleans last week to visit friends and attend a Mardi Gras ball. The ball was such a special evening because one of our friends who stood up for Mr. Bookish in our wedding was King of the Krewe of Dorians, and another friend who stood up for Mr. Bookish in our wedding, his daughter was Queen of the Krewe of Dorians. How special is that!

I was also able to visit with several friends, including one of my closest friends from college and her husband. It was such a lovely night!

We usually stay near Audubon Park because we love walking around the park. I don't think I've ever featured The Tree of Life located near the stables in the park before on my blog. Here are a few photos:

"The Tree of Life"

The de Boré Oak

Planted circa 1740

Audubon Park

We spent a large portion of two days in and around the park. We also visited Aux Belles Choses again. I wanted to see what they had for Mardi Gras. I purchased a couple of things for our Mardi Gras decor, and I also purchased more soaps. (I always buy soaps from Aux Belles Choses.) The latest soap that everyone is loving is their donkey milk soap. I bought some, but I haven't tried it yet.