This past week we were so excited to attend the Solvang Festival Theatre once again! We've been attending the performances under the stars since 1999, and truly missed taking our theatrical sojourn last year. For those of you not familiar with this Danish village gem off the 101 FWY, Solvang (Danish for 'sunny field') was established in 1911 by a group of Danes who wanted to leave the midwestern winters behind. Today, it's an eclectic little town filled with shops, eateries and loads of wine tasting venues featuring the wares of local vineyards (the movie Sideways had scenes filmed in the area). Come with your taste buds in full gear, the Danish bakeries are a sweet lovers dream (pistachio almond bars dipped in dark chocolate---OMG)!
We stayed at the lovely Hotel Corque during our stay, enjoying the many nooks offered to sit back and relax in. I had to take a picture of the new chandelier in the lobby 👈 made from wine bottles and glasses---we might just have to try and make one of these...Gemma would love to have one at the winery at Cherrywood Hall. 🍇💀🍷 #JustSayin
We were pleasantly surprised to see some new restaurants in town. Our fav, the 246, was unfortunately closed, a victim of the #pandemic. The new Brewery was hoppin' (windmills galore) and our steak eatery, Sear Steakhouse, satisfied our carnivorous cravings to a tee!
And now for the play...
Because of the extended #lockdowns in California, there were only two plays offered this season at the Solvang amphitheater. We chose to see, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. It was a bittersweet tale of singer Billie Holiday's final days at this Philadelphia venue. She died only four months into the gig.
The play featured twelve of Ms. Holiday's songs, intermixed with the narration of events and relationships of the singer's troubled life. The dialogue was gritty at times, but the audience was spellbound by the performance. Such a talent, ravaged by many of life's darker demons...
Our night under the stars was a welcome event, and just for a moment, we could enjoy the beauty of the evening (it was cold--49 degrees---can you say faux fur vest?!) and be entertained listening to the jazz and swing songs of a gifted songstress. If you're in southern California during the summer, I'd highly recommend heading to Solvang for a magical night! It's Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
Tangled Webs is here!
Hard to believe our little book baby has arrived! Bibiana and I are so grateful to our readers who have supported us on this literary journey. We had our first drawing (see the link👇) for some unbelievable Halloween swag. This week, the winner is: Amy Reade!
We have our next drawing on Monday, September 13th. If you buy our book this week, let us know (pre-order readers get a second chance to win)! #Boo 👻🎃🦇
Yuletide, cozy mystery tales this week from the writers of Twitter...
Author Lee Straus, Lady Gold Investigates; Christmas Edition (Vol 4), 5⭐
In this charming, Christmas, mystery collection, Lady Gold, aka Mrs. Ginger Reed, is off to investigate The Case of the Haunted Castle and The Case of the Missing Christmas Goose with her curious dog, Boss; her chief inspector husband, Basil, and sister-in-law Felicity.
While in Scotland on a pre-Christmas, business trip with husband, Basil, Lady Gold is approached by Charles McCallum, who has recently inherited a castle that had been in his family for generations. He's renovating the castle to open as a hotel for guests. The problem he and his construction crews face--ghosts! When Ginger travels to the scene to investigate, the specters begin to appear. Will she be foiled by the ghostly fiends as she uncovers the mysterious clues?
In the days before Christmas, Lady Gold's maid, Lizzie Weaver breaks down in despair. Her brother, Lewis has been arrested for stealing a Christmas goose from the butcher shop. As Ginger and Felicity visit the scene of the crime, they find there are more than a few secrets that are being kept that led to Lewis being charged with the theft. Will she find the evidence to bring justice, or be on a wild goose chase?
Two cozy, Christmas tales sure to bring a smile to your face--highly recommended!
Next up in the #reading queue:
Heading to Catalina for some Anniversary R&R!
It's another getaway, this time just 26 miles across the sea! We're heading to sunny Catalina for a few days to celebrate our anniversary (9-9-99) and soak up some relaxing rays. Loads of stars to enjoy here and at night, nothing but the sounds of the waves hitting the shore. I'll share new pics on a future post...
Crowns and Kisses,
Veronica
P.S. Next week we have a fabulous #author interview with writer, Cathy Maza you won't want to miss--you will love her latest tale set in a southern city I adore! Gemma and Rikkhe most definitely approve 💖👑
I missed this post last week because I was out of town--I'm so excited to win the swag! I look forward to the mail lady's arrival! And we celebrated our 26th anniversary the same day you celebrated your 22nd--hope it was wonderful!
Happy belated anniversary! Wishing you many more! Solvang sounds like such a cool town! Thank you for sharing your happy times and AMAZING adventures with us all! 😍
Happy Wednesday! And Happy Anniversary- love your anniversary date! Your night under the stars and visit to Solvang- how lovely! congrats on Tangled Webs-excellent and I’m savoring each story. i always look forward to your posts.