weekend visit to the grand america

this weekend, my family and i enjoyed a great brunch at the little america hotel in downtown salt lake.

after our meal, we walked next door to the grand america hotel and walked through the lobby and it's other public spaces. the grand america is a really beautiful hotel....definitely the most impressive in all of salt lake city, and arguably the most posh.

i really liked the fresh floral arrangements and flocked trees in the lobby.

the mix of roses, evergreens, and flocked greenery was just gorgeous.

the trees had an elegant whimsical appeal to them, and i thought the pinks and teals and silvers

were really pretty.

 the life size gingerbread house...made of over 400 pounds of gingerbread, 200 pounds of icing and nearly 20,000 pieces of candy. it was amazing!

 a view to the courtyard.

 another tree...filled with handblown glass ornaments in an array of FUN colors! these

almost looked like bubbles....so pretty!

 by far, our favorite "find" was joujou....one of the most amazing toy stores i have ever seen.

 the window displays were all incredible. this one had a whirling wheel made from erector sets.

everywhere you looked in this store, there were interesting things to look at and touch.

in the area behind the cash registers was a metal tree, filled with little "fairy nooks".

 

and don't even get me started on this candy...tower-THING. it was SO adorable. the ground in front if it lights up and plays music when you stand on it.

i loved the free-form "pages" sculpture in the book corner.

loved this frame too...wouldn't this be and easy diy project??

theses pillows, from ferm living were super cute.

i couldn't help snapping a picture of these cute little critters...made from recycled newspaper! 

if it wasn't the week before christmas, i am sure that we would have caved and bought each of our kids something fun, but we walked out of the store empty-handed. however, it was SUCH a fun, inviting and stimulating place to be, and i am sure i will be back sometime. it's the prefect place to find a unique gift for a child of any age.

if you are ever in salt lake city be sure and check it out, as well as the weekend brunch at the little america!