More Plans for 2014

  I have been blessed to traveled a lot in my life. My parents loved to see new places and they made a distinct effort to travel with me whenever we had the chance while I was growing up.  In college and after I traveled all over Europe. Prior to moving to the US I frequently traveled for my work.  So, needless to say, traveling has developed into a passion of mine, and I get a thrill visiting and exploring new places.  Here is where I went in 2013 and I'm so happy to accomplish it!

I'm working now on my new traveling plans.  This year I would like to travel more locally ... I intend to stay in the US and maybe explore both coasts.  Or perhaps take a nice drive along the Pacific ..... by RV might be a fun choice.....We'll see... so far Las Vegas, Napa Valley, and the Caribbean are all on my list .... and of course my favorite winter destination is Miami Beach and St. Petersburg, Russia for summer :)

Well, I'm dreaming big....and I want to make memories all over the world! Woohoo!!!!

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Have you turned any dreams into plans? How did it work out? 

I would love to know....please share it with me,

xx, 

Lana

MIAMI BEACH According to my IPhone

I think this holiday season is once again another extremely busy one for many different reasons.  Not only in trying to maintain your family happy, also as business owner and creator, in trying to keep my customers happy with happy purchasing experiences!  I would love to spend more time with my blog but it is seems like it gets the short end of the stick most of the time. I think I missed the last week of posting and it almost feels like I'm back to school and forgot my homework or deadline for an assignment!
I would love to share with you this week getaway trip to South Beach MIAMI to celebrate our anniversary. It was so relaxing, exciting, and fun, with exquisite food, amazing weather, lovely company, and extremely luxurious accommodation!

View from our room from the 9th floor Hotel 

One of two pools - This one is the party pool!

Tapas restaurant in hotel 

our room

one of few restaurants - The Bazaar 

Rooms are neat and comfortable

relax on the beach

private beach access for guests

Our stay here at the SLS Hotel was so inspiring!  I painted a few watercolors ... so stop by my store to check them out ....

Last but not least, I would like to say thank you dear bloggers for staying in touch with me and especially for featuring me in your blogs:

- Mike from  The Artistic Blog

- Duni from Duni's Studio

- Liz from What Dress Code

- My Teammates from  Etsy
(for your numerous treasuries and leaving your inspiring notes)

XX,  Lana

OCTOBER What To Wear in FLORIDA

I made this for my friend who lives in NYC.   We laughed about the winter season and the cold, dreary weather that will soon be afflicting her there in NYC.   We also talked about making plans for her to visit me here in Florida.   Fall & Winter is the best time to come and enjoy Florida!  The weather and opportunity to be outside without the oppressive humidity is just perfect!  She asked me what to bring -  I just could not resist to make this welcoming poster for her :) 

Lanasartstudio.blogspot.com

Also, I added more to my Etsy stores this week...so please stop in and see more of my new original watercolors and floral abstracts. 

                          GIVEAWAY

This is a giveaway for any of colorful prints made by me for my print shop!

i love all things colorful + abstract

+ now i have these!:) travel wanderlust 

just leave your name + (email or shop name or blog ) in the comments section below to enter!

+ your name will be counted 2X i will randomly pick a name next weekend + announce the winner on next monday's blog post ! in the meantime + all the time, more prints can be found here

Also,  there will be one more other giveaway in the next month...just would like to give thanks for all the blessings I had this year and if you like my art you can pick any items and I will make a special print just for you!

Good Luck! 

with much love 

xx, Lana

Comments are closed and the winner is Kim! Thank you for cooperation and I will be doing it every month, so stay tuned! 

Traveling Abroad Tips

Traveling abroad can be one of the most amazing experiences to add to your life’s resume, but in order to make the most out of what can be a most life-changing experience, attention to details and pre-planning must take place.

With that said, before even hopping on the plane or train, let’s take a look at all that needs to be tended to before you walk out the door:

Currency is a new app that beautifully and simply helps you make quick currency conversions while you’re traveling. I love this! It’s a great way to avoid the stress of international purchases. Or is that just me that gets totally stressed out when checking out in a foreign language with foreign currency? 

Here’s a little video that shows more about it:  http://vimeo.com/63844761

Do you use Currency already? Or maybe you’re just a whiz at quickly calculating exchange rates. :) Do you have any other favorite apps for traveling? I love new Google Maps!

Valid Passport – make sure your passport is current (US passports typically expire every 10 years – renewal currently is $115) or if you don’t have a passport make sure to apply for one six months in advance (often turn around is 2-3 months, but don’t take the risk). Also, if you're passport is set to expire in six months, be sure to have it renewed before traveling as some countries will not allow you to board if this is the case. Also, to travel some countries like to Russia you must have a visa! You need to apply for it! ( if you need more information about how/where/and what please don't hesitate to ask me).

Contact Your Bank & Credit Card Company 

• Based on which cards you will be using, call that institution and let them know you will be traveling (when and where) so that they don’t report your card stolen when a purchase pops up for tickets to see a ballet in the theater "Bolshoi" in Moscow for example:)
• Ask about all possible fees (ATM, general card use, etc) so that you can calculate that into your budget and plan how many withdrawals you will want to make. 
•  Choose what works best for you!

What pre-planning musts would you add to the list? 

Please, do share....xx, Lana