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Nothing says “lush” like gold.  We’ve included some golden items on our list, including a golden opportunity to bring some holiday love into your life…and give it in return.

Add some gold to your bridal bouquet with our gold painted flowers.  Shown here a bouquet of gold-trimmed red roses.

A spectacular gold necklace by Fiona Paxton at Saks Fifth Avenue.Ines Disanto has created this beautiful gold wedding gown embellished with roses.Expresso flavored gold cupcakes at MarthaStewart.com.

And best of all, Casey, the 4-year-old, Golden Retriever.  Sadly, the economy has forced many pet owners to relinquish their beloved pets to shelters.  Casey is one of hundreds of pets up for adoption.  These pets are now left without a family and need a loving home.  To see adoptable pets all over the country please go to Iams.com  and click on their “Home 4 The Holidays” link.  If you can’t adopt a pet this season, please donate to your local animal shelter.

What better way to begin a new year then to bring some love into your life and save the life of an animal.  IAMS Home 4 The Holidays program is working with shelters around the country to give wonderful cats and dogs a permanent home.  Please consider adopting a needy pet.  For pet profiles and details on how to adopt a pet, donate or volunteer, please go to: IAMS HOME 4 THE HOLIDAYS and click on their Home 4 The Holidays Link.

Want a day away from the hustle and bustle?  Then hop onto US 19 and head for Homosassa Springs in Citrus County, Florida.  The quirky, 166-acre park, is a wildlife preserve where you can get a glimpse of the majestic Manatee, and an abundance of Florida wildlife.  Although there are gators in The Homosassa River, the pontoon trip up these waters is anything but frightening-more like a relaxing visit to the Florida of old.

There is a also a Manatee show and an underwater observatory.

Photos: A giant Manatee swims by in the Manatee pool; a gorgeous Flamingo; gators stretch out in the sun; an Eagle poses for my camera; I catch a big fish at the underwater observatory; I think Tortoise faces are cute.

In San Francisco you can more or less choose any type of wedding you want.

Here we show a few locations for ceremony and reception and a few famous landmarks.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time in San Francisco a few years back.  Its a city that leaves its mark on your memory and emotions.  In many ways its amost a country unto itself with so many different things to see and do, from bright city lights to wine country to historic landmarks.  Rich in history and natural beauty, San Francisco also rivals the best of world-famous cities with its magnificant architecture.  If ever there was a place made for photography buffs… and weddings, this is it.

I am showing just a sampling, in two parts, of all that is available in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

I could spend weeks on all that “NOLA” or “The Big Easy”, has to offer couples who want a destination wedding/honeymoon.  The spirit of the locals burns as bright as ever and the city still has much to make it stand out in a crowd.

Food always tops the list in New Orleans where great restaurants and hotels serve up Cajun and multi-ethnic delights.

If charm is what you seek then consider the many B&B’s which can host your wedding, including the food and cake.  Below: a wedding cake from Victoria Inn B&B.

In NOLA, vows are exchanged in Plazas, Piazzas, Parks, and Hotel Courtyards.

The Piazza d’Italia was built to honor the city’s Italian culture.  The Piazza provides a stunning backdrop as does the fountain at the Plaza de Espania, gifted to the city by Spain in 1976.

The Pavilion of the Two Sisters is another beautiful wedding venue.  The Louise Xvi Courtyard is just one example of the many hotel courtyards.  The beautiful St. Louis Cathedral is a towering local landmark.

Steamboats, Streetcars, Jazz Fests, Mardi Gras, Beautiful Balcony houses and Mansions, Historic pubs and shops, Swamps and gators, Ghost tours and above-ground burial sites, Voodoo and mystique…What more can you ask for in one little city? 

There is always plenty going on in the picturesque city  of Gulfport, Florida.

On a typical Saturday, local artists show off their work: a glass blower fires up a demonstration; a metal artist creates stunning copper flowers, vases and bowls, while a metal statue of a horse, done by another artist, proudly keeps watch over the square.

Gulfport Casino holds dances and is available for weddings.  A boat drifts lazily with the current.  A kitty takes an afternoon Siesta, totally oblivious to my camera.

You can always grab some coffee in the open-air, while crafters and artists alike showcase their wares.  Brightly colored flowers and artistically decorated homes can be found on every block.

My four-year-old Old English Sheepdog, Jazmine, was so excited by the gift wrap, that she ran off with the paper as each gift was opened.  She created a little treasure pile for herself and as you can see, the effort exhausted her, so she needed a nap.

Nikki, a white tiger at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, had her second liter of cubs, a boy and a girl, Born October 4, and weighing about 3.6 and 2.5 pounds.  These blue-eyed babies are just too cute not to show.