A Few {14} Favorites

Fourteen years ago, I drafted Stylish Heath as a creative outlet, a place to share my interests, experiences, and appreciation for things that make life interesting and beautiful. What started as a passion for books on “Blogger” with the title “Beignets and Books” eventually evolved into a fantastic journey of discovery, inspiration, and self-expression.

For me blogging has never been about perfection or keeping up with trends. It’s about embracing experiences, remaining curious, trying something new, while recognizing that a little elegance can be found in the simplest of things.

Here are a few of my favorite photos taken over the year highlighting a collection of work that marks this celebratory milestone.

Earlier this year, just a few months after the headline-grabbing robbery at the Louvre that captured international attention, the City of Light continued to possess an added sense of intrigue and excitement. Heightened security added an unusual layer of fascination to moving about the museums and city. Paris continued to exude its unmistakable charm, culture, and everyday elegance at each turn.

Visiting the David exhibition last January at the Louvre was a phenomenal experience, and a painting that I’ve admired since college was part of the exhibition. By zooming in on the painting and photographing the space around the model which is empty, and the décor is kept to a minimum. The furniture and the pose of Madame Juliette Récamier possess an enormous simplicity, this antique severity is heightened by the grace of the model, the supple curve of the arm, the lines of the back and neck, and the delicate face with its profound look. A few months after starting the painting David abandoned the incomplete picture.

In the lobby of the Bourse de Commerce- Pinault Collection. Francois Pinault and the Council of Paris converted the city’s landmark Commodities Exchange building the Bourse de Commerce into a contemporary art museum in April 2016.

A group of Theravada Buddhist monks from the Huong Dao Center in Fort Worth, Texas completed a 2300-mile cross-country Walk for Peace that culminated in Washington DC.

Dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in the DC area, Grace’s Mandarin, located along the waterfront in National Harbor is always a highlight to an outing. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, creating the perfect setting for an enjoyable evening.

Our approach to dining here is to order an assortment of hors d’oeuvres to start, followed by each of us selecting and entrée to share. It’s a wonderful way to sample a variety of flavors, and to savor different dishes.

Thank you so much for being part of this journey and am delighted to have you here!
Kathleen