{take me away № 17 | the most beautiful rose gardens around the world}

To bury one's nose in a heavenly array of petals seems to overtake the mind and soul, almost instantaneously, like great winds upon sails. Memories of dreams and hopes may spring to mind -- of possibilities, of receiving your first red rose and kiss, of candlelit pathways, sweet notes read time and time again, and warm embraces; of the words, "I love you". Such fond memories, words and feelings are truly a matter of the heart; the very deepest matter of all.



Yesterday, today and tomorrow, we celebrate roses, as their ever-returning connection to Valentine's Day and love is deeply woven in history. According to number of sources, roses are representative of love in all its forms, and more so became a popular Valentine’s Day flower during the 17th century. It all seems to stem back to the simple belief that a red rose was the favorite flower of Venus -- the Roman Goddess of beauty and love.



Hence, the rose has been claimed as the single flower of love and passion. And just who grows these delicate flowers? There are specialists throughout the world, who devote their time, expertise, passion and pursuit of continuing the tradition of growing and maintaining a beautiful part of our history. Today, we take a dip into romance, as we explore ideas on how to use, preserve and give roses, as well as three wondrous and fascinating rose gardens across the globe . . .

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{take me away № 11 | travel by train}

Imagine the anticipation of stepping on board a grand and majestic train, all aglow, as the brisk winter’s evening has just fallen.



Inside, passengers settle in for the evening, enjoying perfect touches of comfort and luxury, echoing that of a romantic, bygone era.



And as steam trails behind and the new journey commences, the heart flutters momentarily and one is not sure what to expect, but one thing is for certain, guests are abound to endless wondrous destinations, with discoveries and sights to take in at nearly every moment along the way.



Today we explore a wonderful selection of world-renowned trains and journeys, from all different points of the world.



And so, we invite to you warm a delicious cup of drinking chocolate, and please join us on an incredible railway adventure . . .

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{colour inspiration: rose & gold}

. . . warm neutrals, deep blues and pale blues, silver & gold, warm slate & evergreen -- so many beautiful colour combinations for the holiday season, and while this year may be white & gold, perhaps, little bits of rose may find their way into glasses and cushions, cakes and pastries and the edges of teacups . . .











{images: one // two // three // four // five // six}