Can you say Amalfi...

The Amalfi Coast, or Costiera Amalfitana in Italian, is a stretch of coastline on the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula of Italy (Province of Salerno), extending from Positano in the west to Vietri sul Mare in the east. The towns lying on the Amalfi Coast are Vietri sul Mare, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Ravello, Scala, Atrani, Amalfi, Conca dei Marini, Furore,Praiano and Positano.
Renowned for its rugged terrain, scenic beauty, picturesque towns and diversity.

Today's post was suggested by Lil Bee ... the lucky girl got to spend time there on her honeymoon #2! Lil Bee "spent a couple days in Capri. We stayed at La Minerva in Capri, which was really cute"... "This boutique hotel in Capri is pretty in blue and white, with sea views, in a quiet part of town." Notice they put PINK tulips in the room just for us!

Look at this spectacular view of Capri... let's go see it up close...

Love the colourful architecture... I think I see a tint of PINK...
Perhaps we should hop on a boat and take a little cruise up and down the coast...Food on the Amalfi Coast and Cilento fall under the greater category of Campania Food, since they are both parts of that Region. In general you will find out yourself that the ingredients are very fresh and the local kitchen is superb. An outstanding gourmet's paradise! The Mozzarella di Buffalo from this region is famous. As an appetiser select Caprese (not named after Capri for nothing) which is fresh Mozzarella with even fresher tomatoes and Basil.

The people of Campania are renowned for their fish and seafood specialties. All alongthe Amalfi and Cilento coasts cooks tenderise octopus by stewing it in a sealed clay pot with olive oil, garlic, capers, olives, and parsley or with chili and tomatoes. Squid and cuttlefish are boiled and served in salads, stuffed and baked, or fried into crunchy rings. Mussels and clams are cooked with a whisper of wine and tossed with handmade pasta or added to seafood salads.

Love outdoor eating and drinking and people watching in Amalfi... According to Lil Bee "The thing about Italy is everywhere you eat is delicious, and the views are all unbelievable."More PINK flowers for our visit... yummy spot for breakfast... The Villa Lara in Amalfi is where Lil Bee stayed and made day trips to Positano and Ravello. Watch out for the birds... A day in Positano... crowded beach with a sea of umbrellas...Off to see more beautiful sites in the gardens of Ravello...
Oooh to stay and look out this window to beautiful gardens below...I'm going to stay a little longer and smell the flowers... and then I'm head to Beverly of How Sweet the Sound to see what all the PINK girls are up to for this PINK Saturday... you better go take a peek too! Thank you Lil Bee for a fabulous virtual getaway!

Don't Forget to come shop at "Fifi-by's Art Auction" on Tuesday... Italian themed artwork will be up for auction... grab your number paddles... I've got my gavel!

Information and via Wikipedia and Authentic Italy.

Hooked on Fridays... Hooked on PAINTING...

Hooked on painting houses...
Hubby hooked on living in a house in the foothills... soooo we can be hooked on watching wildlife eat our plants... Hooked on giving Lola a friend... meet Beppi...

The girls, Beppi & Lola, are hooked on gossiping according to Muffy Martini...

Maybe if those girls wore clothing... they would be hooked on fashion like moi... this is from my new collection of FASHION FRAMEABLE NOTECARDS... coming soon! LOVE this dress... it reminds me of a black and white checkered floor which I am sooooooooo HOOKED on... I would ADORE one in my home... sigh!Hooked on home decor and more painting projects involving commissioned ADORABLE family portraits like Valerie mixed with interior decor...

Hooked on starting NEW POSTS... COMING SOON... Tuesdays @ Fifi-by's (like Sotheby's) Art Auction. I will display a few of my ORIGINAL PAINTINGS and you can bid on them... bidding will start at 15.00!

Hooked on seeing what is going on over at HOOKED ON HOUSE... Hooked on Fridays! Pop over and visit Julia and all her friends!

Hooked on traveling on Pink Saturdays! Tomorrow we're off to the Amalfi Coast with Lil Bee!

What a Drive!

This song title sums up my drive home from working... Chasing Pavement...

Yesterday my 15 minute drive took 2 LONG hours!!!

Overturned Big Rig Shuts Down Eastbound 210 Freeway
KTLA News
January 14, 2009
The big rig was said to be hauling 50,000 gallons of liquid asphalt when it overturned, blocking all eastbound lanes. About 1,000 gallons of the liquid spilled onto the roadway and some also made its way into storm drains, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos. The lanes were expected to be closed until 3 p.m., Villalobos said.
No word on what caused the crash. Crash occurred at 5:41a.m.

This is also my excuse for no paintings or proper post... sigh... soooo... I hope you ENJOY Adele's music!

MORNING UPDATE: Last night hurrying to put something on my blog... I called this a "nothing" post basically... BUT... the more I think about yesterday... it is SCARY!

I was basically STRANDED like everyone else... this was one freeway... one incident... WE ARE NOT READY FOR A NATURAL DISASTER!!! Had something happened to my children yesterday... I would've had NO WAY to get to them... SCARY!!!

What is the solution? A fold up scooter or bicycle in my car? The roads were parking lots!

Fifi Re-Designed by Imogen...

Recently, Imogen created a post for La Belette Rouge on How to Dress Like a Literary Star for her blog and I wanted her to re-design moi! So I contacted her and BEGGED... and yesterday she posted Creating Your Personal Style about ME! I feel so honored!!! (because she I can't do it for everyone, but Imogen encourages you to have a go creating something for yourself).

Sooooo I gave Imogen a list of words and few clues about moi such as I ADORE chunky jewellery including cocktail rings. Andddddddddddddd she put together this selection for me... (I must add... I'm horrible at putting together polyvores... so I am even more impressed with her!)

Fifi Flowers by imogenl

IMOGEN SAYS: You can see the selection of words that Fifi has chosen, and I will explain my choices of clothing and accessories based on these words:

Fun: include some colour, don't make it too serious and 'businesslike' with classic clothes head to toe - look for accessories that make a statement. Leopard print shoes create a fun impression.

Inviting: don't wear all stiff and structured clothes, some should have some flow or ruffle to show your softer side and invite people in.

Kind: along with inviting, colours like blue and green are seen to be kinder colours. Overly structured clothes are avoided.

Warm: warm colours such as red make the wearer appear warmer and more friendly. Knits help to add to this appearance.Independent: this person has her own style, she is not scared of larger scale jewellery or dramatic blocks of colour, she doesn't follow the crowd.

Strong: teaming colour with a dark neutral such as black, charcoal or navy will create a strong impression. Large scale jewellery, and colours such as red, denote strength.

Creative: look for some creative detail, such as the unusual construction on the vest (far left). Don't feel you have to match shoes, belts and handbags, mix it up, for example the blue and black outfit (second left).

Intellectual: these are not the clothes of someone who is less than very intelligent. They show savvy and thought in their composition.

Thank you soooooooooo much Imogen... NOW... I guess I will have to go shopping... BUT... think I will hit the gym and Slim Fast bars first... I would like all of these 2 sizes smaller than my current size. I'd also like to add some height... hmmmm... I don't think that part is possible.

Please tell me that I am not the only one that is horrible at putting polyvores together... I think I lack patience... hmmm

Ooh... and another thank you, Imogen... for purchasing FASHIONABLE paintings from MY ETSY STORE... I will be sending a SURPRISE along with your order!

In the beginning...

These two met and fell in love...

My grandmother pulled through her surgery... Now it's time for her to recover and be ready to celebrate her 55th year of marriage to my grandfather in May.

Once Upon a Time...

There was a dog named Hansel...and a dog named Gretel...Fifi painted both of them and the owners, along with their paintings, lived happily ever after!

You too can live happily ever after with a painting of your beloved pet... all you have to do is COMMISSION ME!

P.S. An update on my adorable grandmother... she was admitted back into the hospital last week... and today she will be having surgery early in the morning... I will be with my mother and grandfather at the hospital... praying that all goes well and this procedure will give her many more years with us.

Day Trip to Lovely Giverny, France

Thanks to Alison of Dear Alison for suggesting this trip and telling me, "I loved Claude Monet's gardens!" Today we will be visiting CLAUDE MONET'S HOUSE AND GARDENS in Giverny, France...

Claude Monet has PINK tulips in front of his house that looks PINK in this photo!

Fondation Claude Monet, rue Claude Monet 27620 . Giverny.

Open daily except Mondays from 9.30 am to 6.00 pm from April to October.

We're getting close to Alison's favorite part of the gardens... Alison says "When walking over the bridge it was as if I was in his (Monet's) painting with the lily pads laying in the water."

Claude Monet's Painting of the Japanese Bridge... Fifi's painting of the Japanese bridge...

Claude Monet's painting of the iris garden...Fifi's painting of the iris garden... Alison loves exploring the gardens and tells her own words... "the bridge and the arbor of roses and walking under them. It is absolutely gorgeous."I hope you enjoyed our stroll through the Monet Garden... next on our day's adventure...
The Musée d'Art Américain... about 100 yards from Claude Monet's home and garden...

99 rue Claude Monet 27620 GIVERNY, France
Tel : +33 (0) 232 51 94 65 Fax : +33 (0) 232 51 94 67
The Musée d'Art Américain is open from April to October every day except Monday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is also open on bank holidays. No booking or advance tickets are necessary for individuals. Reservations are mandatory for groups... GOOD THING WE HAD A RESERVATION for this SPECIAL VIRTUAL VISIT!!!
Before we go inside the Musée... let's have some lunch at their Terra Cafe... shall we sit outside... or inside... I'll let you make the selection... After our tummies are filled with appetizing quiches, original salads, marinated fish or meat fresh from the grill and delicious american pies... Let's take a peek at

T h e C o l o n y o f A m e r i c a n A r t i s t s E x h i b i t
Displaying American artists in Paris. "In the 1880s and 1890s, virtually thousands of American students were invading Paris and its art schools. Attracted by a more liberal curriculum than what was available in the United States, and aspiring to compete on an international scale, the American artists' success in assimilating the traditional French training is reflected by the number of entries and awards they received in the annual Parisian Salons."

Here is my favorite of the paintings...

Richard Emil MillerThe Pool, n.d.© Terra Foundation for the Arts

Currently, there is not a Temporary Exhibit scheduled... so let's tour the gardens...

I saw you trying to pick a PINK TULIP... non non non... you must not pick the flowers... how will I paint them if you pick them... Now off you go to visit Beverly of How Sweet the Sound and all her PINK post friends! ENJOY YOUR DAY!

Information and Photos via Givery Vernon: In the Heart of Impressionism ... Fifi Flowers paintings are available in frameable notecards, prints and the originals are available at this time.

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