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From Kim:

Can you place this shot?  I think it could be one of numerous places in the world - a resort in California, or Spain, Greece or.... Turkey!  All of these destinations have in common the sea and sunshine, architecture and flora, a mood and stylistic expression that I consider classic Mediterranean Style.  This hotel is located in Alacati Turkey. It's astonishing how much it felt like Santa Barbara, with its palm trees, blooming oleander and bougainvillea climbing the walls of adobe and stone buildings roofed in red tile!  It's a wide wonderful world with both unique and familiar touch stones along the way.

Inside, outside, in situ, arranged - here are my "fleurs blanches" - always stunning,

these many dreamy white flowers...

Considered a weed with a name to match please meet "Sticky Snakeroot"!  Even so I adore this

pretty white pincushion-like flower which is a member of the sunflower family.

I discovered it on one of my favorite trails maintained by the

MONTECITO TRAILS FOUNDATION.

These trails are one the greatest gifts to our community here in Santa Barbara!

Sometimes less is more; here classic white wax flowers en masse in an

ASTIER DE VILLATTE vase atop a vintage hand carved Ethiopian tray.

Adjacent, an old brass elephant bell will gently call guests to dine.

New York City in the Springtime - this charming townhouse sports white

flowers in the balcony boxes with an ivy trellis meandering below and...

Clusters of Star of Bethlehem Flowers surrounded by daisies and ivy in the street level garden.

Here at LADUREE in Paris on the Champs-Elysees, sometimes more is more!

This magnificent lily and philodendron arrangement is as dazzling as the

patisseries, however, not sugar free ~

These white hydrangea rank as the biggest and best ever, found in the magnificent gardens of the French seaside palazzo VILLA EPHRUSSI DE ROTHSCHILD on the Cote d'Azur in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Springtime blossoms on a beach in East Hampton, Long Island.

In Sag Harbor, make sure to visit Donna Karan's URBAN ZEN, both fashion and home, sublime!  These masses of snowballs are dreamy in the aqua glass vases, no?  And…

...love the giant pots and simple mass plantings of different white flowers.

Simple, stunning!

Further East in West Sussex, English hedgerows are typically composed of a mix including Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Crab apple, Dog rose, honey suckle, etcetera, etcetera..tres jolie!

A sweet wildflower found near a stream on the grounds of the

PELICAN INN in Mill Valley, California.

What could be more inviting but an open door, allowing you to follow the alluring scent of the casa blanca lilies inside, here at THE HOUSE HOTEL Galatasaray, Istanbul Turkey.  Try this at home!

Once again from the charming establishment of THE HOUSE HOTEL, on each landing,

bright white flowers refresh on each flight as you ascend to the top floor lounge

and restaurant with breathtaking views over Galatasaray and greater Istanbul.

A bientôt with these simple, smashing dogwood blossoms from New York.

All of a sudden I had numerous shots of incredible blue lights from all over the world and wanted them to mingle together here…

Then:

London - Stairwell between two jewelry floors at Victoria and Albert Museum

New York City - Fifth Avenue between Gucci and Armani

Paris - Creative construction view wall at Palais Royal

Cap d'Antibes - Pool at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

Marseille - Maison Méditerranéenne des Métiers de la Mode

Paris - Holiday lights nestled between two favorites: Les Deux Magots and La Societe

Today's title, Sacrebleu, (literally sacred blue/holy blue/good heavens) is an outdated, mild French profanity, but I like it!  I think the world would be a better place if surprise, frustration and anger were expressed in a foreign language.  It seems much more civilized.

From Kim

Gather an armful of our delightful hand-loomed silk Ikat pillows from Istanbul and create your own Shangri La, inspired by Doris Duke's magnificent Honolulu Estate. Built in 1937, the property is an ode to her love of Hawaii and her passion for Islamic art and architecture.

Duke was an adventurous, intelligent and athletic woman who enjoyed the freedom her great inheritance provided; it also allowed her to pursue and support many interests including travel, the arts, historic preservation and wildlife conservation.

It was on her 1935 honeymoon tour around the world that her lifelong enchantment with Islamic arts began and inspired buying trips for years to come.  Her collection is unrivaled and exquisitely curated as only a visionary can create.  One may visit her Shangri La by making a reservation through the not-to-be missed Honolulu Academy of Arts .

Under photo: Shangri La, Honolulu, Hawaii

From Kimberly

From Byzantine jewels to the Byzantine architectural wonder Hagia Sophia, the splendors of East and West merge into legendary artistry.  Translated from Greek, Hagia Sophia means "Holy Wisdom."

Constantine The Great, Roman Emperor from 306 to 337, founded the Eastern Roman Empire in Byzantium (soon called Constantinople, then Istanbul) in a move to bring coherence and integration of the East into the vast empire.  He was the first emperor to convert to Christianity, and as well, proclaimed tolerance of all religions throughout the Roman Empire.

The structure we see today was designed by a Greek scientist and physicist at the bequest of Emperor Justinian.  Constructed between 532 and 537, it was a cathedral until 1453 when it was converted to a mosque with the addition of the distinctive minarets.  Ordained in 1935 as a museum by the Republic of Turkey, Hagia Sophia remains one of the greatest architectural marvels and holy sites in the world.

Under photo: Hagia Sophia

Istanbul is a thriving 21st century city with a magnificent, varied, and historical past. Pictured here is the retail store of Autoban, an incredible design firm in charge of many of the city's best hotels, cafes, homes and businesses--they designed The House Hotel Galatasaray where I so enjoyed staying. The manager and  staff were stellar, making us feel welcome and well cared for, plus, they provided impeccable recommendations during our visit.

The village of Alaçatı reminds me of my childhood when a stroll through the (original) El Paseo in Santa Barbara was full of quaint restaurants and shops.  In Alaçatı, Bougainvillea and Oleander line the cobblestone streets, and pretty things beckon from small shops. Wonderful outdoor restaurants are everywhere - and YaYa is the most chic and fabulous!

Alaçatı is a precious old town on the coast near Izmir Turkey.  Like Santa Barbara, there are strict architectural codes in place to maintain the traditional character of the Turkish/Grecian designs. Buildings are stone or white stucco with colored shutters topped with clay tiles.  Exquisite!

I loved the Manastir Alaçatı Hotel pictured here.

Image 1: Manastir Alaçatı Hotel, Turkey

Image 2: Manastir Alaçatı Hotel, Turkey

A gorgeous Mosque! Called the Blue Mosque because of the blue Iznik tiles covering the walls and ceiling, it was built in the 17th century and has 6 beautiful minarets surrounding the exterior.

Image 1: The House Hotel, Galatasary

We're staying at The House Hotel Galatasaray; a stunning renovation of a 19th century family home in Beyoglu.

 Heading out into the city, we locate the Misir building on Istikal.  It is full of art galleries, most notably The Galerist, which has a showing of Andy Warhol films.

Image 2: Misir building, Istanbul

Image 3: The Galerist, Istanbul

At the top of the Misir building is a spectacular venue, 360. As the name implies, it provides a magnificent view of a magnificent city.

Image 4: 360, Istanbul