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Happy Christmas in New York with my Mom

By 12/23/2017March 14th, 201836 Comments

Terreeia and I decided to experience New York at Christmas this year and we brought my Mom with us for a few days as this was her first time!

We arrived on a Saturday night and the city was magical as they were having their first snowfall of the season.

We stay at a hotel right across the street from the park so after dinner we went for a walk in Central Park:

Maria & Hellen

We had a magical three days together, we took in the Rockettes. I have always wanted to see this show! Did you know it’s been happening since the 30s? If you’ve never been, it’s truly wonderful. The best show I have ever seen:

See the wall (image on the right) it was lit up with images during most of the show!

We also hired Bri with Flytographer for a little photoshoot of the three of us in the park. She was fabulous and here are some images she took:

Maria Killam and Terreeia Rauffman (pronounced Maria with a T)

We also dined at some fabulous restaurants. This one is filled with Baccarat Crystal vases and votives and the most stunning flower arrangements. Here’s the bathroom with stunning marble floors in the downstairs hall as well.

I love the way the stained wainscotting related to the colour of the floors.

I love this fun pic of my Mom and I in the park and in front of The Plaza Hotel. My leopard print shoes practically blend into the carpet of fall leaves, haha.

And here we are in front of the Plaza Hotel:

My Mom Hellen Junttila and I

The best windows on 5th Avenue are at Saks Fifth Avenue (first two) and Bergdorf’s (last two). The best time to get photos without a lot of reflection in the window is at night:

This was from the Bergdorf’s windows too:

My Mom Hellen, Terreeia and Maria at Rockefeller Center in front of the famous tree!

My Mom snapped this photo during the photoshoot

It was so much fun showing New York to my Mom, I didn’t get any shopping done at all because I was with two non-shoppers, haha. I’ve been making up for it since I returned!

And I would like to take this opportunity to thank you my dear reader for supporting me over the years, for your comments and your love.

Have a wonderful holiday my lovelies! I have so enjoyed spending this year with you my dear friends.

PS. And check out Flytographer for your vacation pics here.

Related posts:

Happy Christmas to All (2014)

The Real Reason your Lighting Sucks

Holiday Mood Lighting Lessons from Twilight

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36 Comments

  • Joanne Michael says:

    Merry Christmas Helen, Terreria and Maria,

    I love New York at Christmas. Thank you for the special gift of seeing the three of you so happy. I adore you.

    Thank you, too, for changing my life for the better.

  • Anne W says:

    Merry Christmas Maria! Thanks to you and Tricia, I have lovely new paint colors in my home for Christmas. Couldn’t have done it without your help.

  • Nancy says:

    Maria
    Awesome photos thanks for sharing !
    Looks like you all had a great time in N.Y.’
    Nothing like being able to share fun times with those we love !
    Merry Christmas to you and all your family .
    Nancy

  • Jill McDougall says:

    Merry Christmas, Maria and Terreeia! These are such great pictures. Those window displays are amazing, and I love the photo shoot in Central Park. What a wonderful experience! Thanks for sharing!

    Jill 🙂

  • Oceanic says:

    Maria, Happy Christmas to you, Terreeia, your mom and the rest of your family. I am always fascinated with what you are doing. I love that you hired a photographer to take photos — brilliant!! You work so hard and I am inspired with how you make things happen fast. You’ve accomplished so much over the years. Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2018!!

  • Kay Perret says:

    I was so happy to get to meet your mom and Terreeia at the November class!

    Thanks for the pics of New York. So magical in the snow.

    Have a lovely holiday.

    Warmly,
    Kay

  • Sonja Bermingham says:

    Merry Christmas!❄️☃️??

  • Angela Taylor says:

    Thanks for sharing your fun times:)
    Merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy New Year!

  • Jill says:

    What a wonderful time in NYC! Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures. Special moments captured forever & what fun you were having. Merry Christmas and all the best in 2018!

  • Sandy says:

    My best gift this year was to attend the Confidence in Color training and to meet you, your Mom and Terreeia and the team ! Best wishes for a merry Christmas and peace and joy for the new year to come !!

    Keep on enjoying all of your travels !
    Sandy

  • Joanna says:

    Wonderful photos, Maria. I’m sure a couple of these will be framed, as a reminder of your fun together in New York.
    You and your mom have an amazing relationship. I love seeing the two of you together. It’s easy to see you’re mother & daughter – the same beautiful smile.
    I’d like to thank you for all the beauty and knowledge about colour that you share with us. And, wish you & Terreeia a wonderful Christmas!

  • gery says:

    Great photos. I feel like I got to visit there too. Those window models look alive.
    A very happy Holiday to you and your family, and thank you for so many incredible posts this 2017.

  • Rochelle says:

    Fabulous pictures. So glad you enjoyed NYC. You were 3 blocks from my apartment.
    I would have loved to invite you all in for a drink.

  • Mary-Illinois says:

    Happy Holidays to you & your family. Thank you for sharing your pictures of New York. It looks like everyone had a great time. So smart of you to hire a photographer during your visit. Then all 3 of you can be in the pictures. The last one needs to be in a frame.

  • Keira says:

    Merry Christmas to you, Maria, Terreeia, the MK team and the MK universe of fans and followers! Magical photos of NYC. Love your leopard boots.

  • Linda says:

    Maria, do you know anything about the black and white photography in the restaurant you shot. It’s a bucket-list thing to spend a Christmas in NYC. What a spectacular photoshoot. Thanks for sharing and I wish you and your loved ones, a very, Merry Christmas!!

  • Virleen Carlson says:

    We saw the Rockettes last year; my husband proclaimed it the best show he has ever seen, also. We are so happy you had that wonderful chance to see NYC as a family.

  • Ange says:

    What a fun trip and that you took your mom-priceless memories! Thank you for a wonderful and informative blog, I truly look forward to reading it and learning from all your advise. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas And a healthy and happy 2018. ❤️❤️❤️

  • Lisa Behun says:

    Merry Christmas to you both! Your photographer did a wonderful job – great plan to have that done.

  • Susan Thompson says:

    Merry Christmas Maria and Terreeia! What a beautiful experience to go to NY during the holidays and take your mom! The photos of you all came out wonderful!! Your house looks very elegant!
    See you both again someday!
    Happy Holidays!
    Susan Thompson

  • Christine Piper says:

    The photo of you and your mom holding hands and looking at each other is absolutely adorable!!! Thank you for sharing, family is so precious!!!!

  • Precious photos of the three of you. I feel verclempt looking at the photos of you and your mom! This post makes me feel sentimental for one my all time favorite Christmases with my parents, it was the year that Jon worked in Manhattan and my parents stayed with us. It was magical!

  • Glad you got to experience New York for the holidays. It is a magical city, and you were treated to unexpected snow, which we don’t usually have this time of year (it’s gone already) great photo shoot. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

  • Claire Christensen says:

    Fabulous pics, Maria! Merry Christmas and all the best for you and yours in 2018.?

  • Merry Christmas to you all!

    • Christine says:

      Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
      Love your post of New York…the pics are fantastic. We saw some of the magic in November and we’re lucky enough to stay at The Essex House across from Central Park.
      I took pictures of the newly refurbished suite we were upgraded to and thought Maria would like to see these as I was taking them. But I couldn’t think how to send them to you. Of course my children and husband were cozily ensconced in the living room tgough. I loved the navy sectional that was so comfy – I will try and share them on Facebook to you.

      Enjoy the holiday!

  • Virginia Valencia says:

    Awesome pictures Maria! Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

  • Christine Diamond says:

    Hi Maria,
    Merry Christmas from sunny Sydney, Australia. We often head to the beach for our special Christmas celebration. Right now its 34 degrees!
    Thanks for all your great insights and information over the last year. Wish I could get to one of your courses…. maybe next year.
    Best wishes for the New Year,
    Chris

  • Suzanne Reid says:

    Hope you and your family love my hometown as much as much I do! Merry Christmas!

  • Glad you got to see that (lived a couple of blocks from Central Park and worked in Rockefeller Center across from Saks) and documented it with great photos of you, your mom and Terreeia. I just brought mom back last night from her surgery on her leg. She’s doing much much better. It pays to have experts whether doctors, decorators or photographers, as we can see from your great photo shoot. Love your relationship with your family and all I’ve learned from you. Thanks for sharing!

  • Lucy Haines says:

    Thank you so much for sharing such awesome pictures of you, your mom and Terreeia! You will always have such special memories of this trip. The photos were just fabulous and you all looked so happy. Have a great Christmas and a prosperous 2018. God bless you for all of your hard work and keeping us all inspired!

  • Fran W. says:

    I’m glad you enjoyed your trip to New York! Happy holidays to you, your mom and Terreeia!

  • Mary says:

    Happy Christmas Maria! Was thrilled when I opened a gift from one of my daughters yesterday, to find she’d sent away for your VIP colour boards for me for Christmas. Obviously I’d banged on about how great you are enough for her to pay attention! Apparently we were lucky they arrived in time as we live in the Cayman Islands, but arrive they did.

    Hope you had as good a holiday as I did yesterday!

  • Hi Maria,
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I loved your post from The Big Apple. One of my favorite things I did in 2017 was to attend your class in Burlington, MA. I loved meeting you and your team. I learned so much and met the most wonderful people.
    I wanted to join your Facebook page for the people who have attended your classes. Can you send me the link again to participate?
    Thanks a million.
    Happy New Year!!
    All the best, Melissa

  • Mid America Mom says:

    Merry Christmas! Loved those outdoor shots. Christmas for us, these past two years, is visiting family in Southern Florida. It is odd to be taking a walk on a golf course after Christmas Day Dinner to see if we could find an alligator. Today we spotted butterflies!

  • Adriana says:

    How sweet of you to take your mom to NYC for a girls weekend! You guys look like you had a blast. I’m a native NYer… there’s no other place in the world like it! Beautiful photos! You’re all lovely women!

    PS I’ve always thought that your mom and Terreeia looked alike in a lot of ways.

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