I have named this big The Caboose” as she is often trailing behind the herd when they are moving on. @tabadaletravels #cows #cowsofireland #countyclare #countyclareireland ...

We packed a lot into just a couple of days. It made for a great story called “High Art in the Highlands.” ...

Now for the grand finale of the Art Afternoon Tea at The Fife Arms. After the fabulous tour of works of art that spanned centuries from Breughel the Younger to Picasso, it’s great if you’ve worked up an appetite when the tiered trays of finger sandwiches and then sweets arrive. By the time we downed everything from key lime pie to red velvet cake we had to ask for the scones to be boxed up. It was such a treat to indulge in the lavish surroundings, lovely tea and extraordinary edible little works of art. It was definitely a highlight of my summer! @tabadaletravels @thefifearms @visitscotland #afternoontea #arttour #luxurytravel #luxurydining #fingersandwiches #pastries #cakes #scones #exotictea #blacktea #greentea #specialtytea ...

The tea that I settled on was something very exotic sounding: Blueberry Rooibos. It is one of the Specialty Teas at The Clunie Dining Room of The Fife Arms Hotel. It is a blend of blueberry, elderberry,raisins (really?), apple, cornflowers and hibiscus. It was truly extraordinary when I tasted it after it steeped awhile and then I pored it through the tea strainer into the fine bone china cup. @tabadaletravels @tabadaletravels @thefifearms @visitscotland #cluniediningroom #specialtytea #blueberryrooibos #afternoonteatime #luxurytravel #thehighlands #victoriantraditions #finebonechina ...

And now, after the Art Tour at the remarkable Fife Arms Hotel in the Highlands of Scotland, the Afternoon Tea begins! It starts with perusing the Tea Menu. There are FOUR categories: Black, Green, Specialty, and Fruit & Herbal. One Black tea is called: Tomatin Aged Whisky. I am not kidding. The description is: Suspended in whisky barrels to age, this smoky, fruity tea is a mix of Assam, Ceylon and Fujian teas. One of the Green teas is called Blooming Marvellous. It must be fun to name them. This is a Sencha green leaf blended with bright mallow and sunflower petals, rosebuds, sweet vanilla and fresh tangy fruit. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms @visitscotland #thehighlands #clunierestaraunt #afternoontea #blacktea #greentea #specialtytea #traditional #teamenu ...

This close up of the Picasso painting “Tete de Femme” created July 2, 1938 focuses on the poem embedded beside the face of Marie-Therese. In 1935, at the age of 54, Picasso began writing poetry and did not paint that year. This poem is translated: drop by drop hardly pale blue dies between the claws of green almond on the rose trellis. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #pablopicasso #marietherese #poetry #portrait #rarepainting ...

This exquisite Picasso, titled “Tete de Femme” is dated July 2, 1938. Since it is the only painting where a poem is incorporated within the composition it is extremely rare. The subject is Marie-Therese Walker with whom he had a daughter, Maya. It certainly gets your attention the minute you enter the lobby of The Fife Arms Hotel. Upon seeing this extraordinary work, I knew the Art Tour was going to be a remarkable experience. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #pablopicasso #oiloncanvas #marietherese ##arttour #artcollection #thehighlands @visitscotland ...

The Fife Arms is a world unto itself. Especially when you consider the juxtaposition of contemporary art that was commissioned by the savvy art connoisseurs who own the Victorian style hotel with the Highlands location in the center of Braemar. The ceiling of the Drawing Room, created by Chinese artist Zhang Enli is a dazzling example of how a contemporary painter took inspiration from cross sections of Scottish agates. The Cairngorms is one place you can find them, but they are more renowned for their quartz. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #agate #commissionedart #cairngorms #scottishagate #zhangenli #chineseartist #highlands #braemar #victorianstyle #drawingroomdecor ...

Hidden in a corner of Elsa’s Bar at the Fife Arms is this fabulous photograph taken by Sir Cecil Beaton. The title is: Schiaparelli Butterfly Hat 1936. It’s important to note Cecil Beaton was a British photographer and designer best known for his elegant photographs of famous people like Marlene Dietrich, Katherine Hepburn, Salvador Dali and his wife Gala, and Marilyn Monroe. As a costume and set designer his accolades include three Academy Awards and four Tony Awards. And now, it has been announced, next March, the Victoria and Albert Museum is mounting an exhibition called Schiaparelli : Fashion Becomes Art. It will run through November 1, 2026. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #elsaschiaparelli #cecilbeaton #cecilbeatonphotography @vamuseum #fashiondesigner #fashionphotography #marlenedietrich #salvadordali #katherinehepburn #marilynmonroe #surrealist #fashionicon ...

Man Ray (1890 - 1976) born the same year as Elsa Schiaparelli, took this photo of her in 1931. It is a gelatin silver print and the photographs taken by Man Ray when she was first beginning to become well known in Paris helped to propel her as a trail-blazer in the world of couture. This portrait of the Italian fashion designer is displayed in Elsa’s Cocktail Bar. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #elsaschiaparelli #manray #manrayphotography #gelatinsilverprint #cocktailbar #fashiondesigner #portrait #portraitphotography ...

When I bumbled into Elsa’s Cocktail Bar at the Fife Arms I entered a world unique to itself. The massive disco ball was obviously modern but all the other elements felt Art Deco- esque and in a way Surreal. There was certainly a feeling of the Jazz Age as well. The shocking pink was … well… shocking. It became Elsa Schiaparelli’s signature color. Born in 1890 into an aristocratic family, Elsa became well known as an eccentric fashion designer. She even collaborated with Salvador Dali and Jean Cocteau. Her cultural background ignited her imagination but she then crafted an amazing lifestyle. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #elsaschiaparelli #artdeco #jazzage #fashiondesign #excentric #surrealism #salvadordalí #jeancocteau ...

This oil on canvas is by Brueghel the Younger (1564 - 1636). Our guide, Lauren, on our Art Tour at The Fife Arms said although works of art in the hotel’s collection sometimes move around, it is doubtful such a monumental painting might ever take its place in The Clunie restaurant. The composition is filled with many narratives,however, Lauren said the three women in yellow dresses in the lower left were probably added later at the request of the buyer to distinguish this painting from others that are very similar. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #brueghel #bruegheltheyounger #flemishmasters #flemishpainting #oilpainting #oldmasterpaintings #thecluniediningroom #fineart #luxurytravel ...

Her Majesty Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901) created “A Stag Shot by John Brown” in 1874. The sketch is made with pencil and watercolor on paper. We went by it too fast on our Art Tour at The Fife Arms and when I circled back to have a closer look and take a photo, there was too much reflection from light fixtures. I love the way it is framed incorporating the Fife Arms custom plaid. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #queenvictoria #pencildrawing #arttour #fineart #luxurytravel #scottishhighlands #summerholidays ...

At The Fife Arms they describe these huge antlers as that of an Ice Age Elk. I love that poetic description but the massive antlers are from an extinct species of deer. The animal roamed over a vast area of Europe, Asia and North Africa but the best preserved fossils of this animal have been found in Irish peat bogs. The stags antlers could span up to 12 feet and it is theorized they were primarily for display to attract a mate. They certainly are an arresting sight! @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #antlers #iceagefossils #elk #deer #peatbog ...

During our Art Tour at The Fife Arms Hotel I was amused to learn that the chandeliers in The Clunie restaurant are made of Murano glass. The reason being I was reading the book: “The Glassmaker “ by Tracy Chevalier and it is set in Murano in the late 1400s. Well, it starts out that way. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #murano #muranoglass #chandelier #thecluniediningroom #theglassmaker #tracychevalier ...

The Fife Arms website explains what a physical process it was for Guillermo Kuitca to paint this monumental mural as he paced the length of the restaurant and incorporated forms and colors that represented the river and rocks and even rooftops of the village. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #mural #thecluniediningroom #guillermokuitca #painting #contemporaryart #luxuryhotel #luxurytravel #arttour #artafternoontea ...

This is the exact corner where Argentinian artist, Guillermo Kuitca began painting the mural that envelops the entire Clunie Dining Room. It’s fun to learn geeky things about how artists make their creations. @tabadaletravels @thefifearms #mural #fineart #guillermokuitca #luxurytravel #highlandlandscape ...

Joan Mitchell enveloped with works of her own art in her Paris studio in 1956. She lived and painted in eight different temporary Parisian studios. Later on, she moved with Jean Paul Riopelle to 10 rue Fremicourt where she had much more space. @tabadaletravels #joanmitchell #artstudio #paris #abstractart ...

From the same book, I pulled out just this one painting done in 1955 when Joan Mitchell was spending part of her summer in Paris. She later moved to France permanently in 1959. @tabadaletravels #joanmitchell #paris #france #painting #oiloncanvas #abstractart ...

This is the other photo of Joan Mitchell I wanted to focus on from the Monet Mitchell book. She is walking in her garden at La Tour in Vétheuil which she purchased in 1967. She moved her studio there in 1968. This was very close to where Claude Monet lived between 1878 and 1881. Mitchell’s home overlooked the same landscape that Monet famously depicted on the Seine River. @tabadaletravels #joanmitchell #joanmitchellfoundation #monet #seineriver #frenchgarden #artiststudio ...