Sunday, February 28, 2010

portland me.


my kids and i went back up to portland maine to visit my old friend chris b. at the fantastic victorian he is busily fixing up step by step. this morning we took a stroll in the old port, portland's charming shopping district. after stopping off at the standard baking co. for some breakie treats we wandered down to the water, and chris got some fantastic pix of the gritty texture of ye ol new england.

Friday, February 26, 2010

etsy sale!




this week i have spent quite a lot of time photographing stuff for my first ever spring cleaning sale over at etsy. many of these pieces are one of a kind, and will never be duplicated..which is kind of cool..so..get em while they last!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

anthropologie


every time i go to anthro i get blown away by their amazing displays. they are truly breathtaking, and so truly original. you can feel the art department and skillset as you wander through the store. i have heard that each one of their stores has its own design department. no wonder it looks so good in there. the only rub is that there is no coffee table book that has documented what they have done over the years..with all of us fans taking snaps..it might just be do able.



a touch of tara donovan.













just rolled up pages!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

portobello sandwich


this past weekend, my little girl was inspired to create a little luncheon sandwich of her own creation...
she thought to make melted mozzerella with pesto on a baguette. we made the melts in the frying pan with some olive oil. i decided to add slices of sauteed portobello, and a light side salad of mixed greens daikon and carrots..fantastique! do try this one at home..simple and so yummy.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

barlows dessert


the other night we went over to barlows for a bday celebration for my little one. it is a new spot in our ft point neighborhood, and i thought that although it had a very suburban chain-ish vibe thanks to the decor..(exposed brick walls..etc) the food was quite good, and their homemade ice cream that came with this dessert melange was so great.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

the selby


last night i had a great time lying in bed with my sick girl getting cozy with 1776 and the selby. this is a fantastic website created by photographer todd selby who visits with friends and acquaintances and documents their worlds. spending time here was a wonderful chance to let out my inner voyeur. have fun.



Saturday, February 20, 2010

guess who?


i just read this fun story about a ballsy girl from NYC who in 2006 impersonating her own publicist convinced the owner of the Bitter End nightclub to give her a shot. the girl's name was stefani germanotta, and she did perform at the Bitter End looking very young and fashionably dishevelled. who would have guessed that this Convent of the Sacred Heart grad would today be known as the pop disco star Lady Gaga?

Friday, February 19, 2010

a fab house built for 20K


last weekend, i was looking over an older issue of met home (RIP), and i read a fascinating article about the work that Pam Dorr (formerly of Baby Gap etc.) is doing in Hale County Alabama. She found that though people on fixed incomes could not handle large mortgages, or get loans to buy most houses, they were able to get loans for $20,000. Dorr realized through outreach in the community, that if she could come up with a house one could build for 10K of materials and 10K of labor that there would be a sizable demand. the charming homes pictured here are a sample of their handiwork. so cool.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

so wonderful


..really i just cannot get enough!

Monday, February 15, 2010

the galligan's house





































this weekend we went skiing with the galligan's at their wonderful house in new hampshire. it is totally beautiful as every detail has been given careful thought by the house's designer..sheila galligan. the house has a very modern and clean look which means that it is enviably clutter free. (oh how i wish i were..) nevertheless, the house is extremely warm and inviting due to the rich materials that were used in it's construction. lawrence shot the house for boston magazine last year and the pictures came out so beautifully. sheila prefers mostly neutral tones so that the brights she chooses really pop. check out the use of yellow in the kitchen..it definitely has a wow factor..right?

Sunday, February 14, 2010

happy valentines day

in 2007 bill buford had an article in la new yorker called "extreme chocolate" about the creator of (yummy) dagoba chocolate frederick schilling (cute). this entrepreneur is a fascinating guy who had a brand new approach to making and producing the most delicious chocolate possible..a modern day willy wonka, and a hero to all chocolate lovers. treat yourself today and read all abvout him. you'll thank me!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

i heart pucci


i know it's totally obvious that i am crazy for pucci..but it's nice to know i am not alone.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

mini icons







a theme that stood out this year in new york was the junior versions of many classic furniture silhouettes. these mini bauhaus classics killed!

ugly furniture

this is so funny..i wept.

skeem


the gift show is but a memory, but i thought before i put the lid on it completely, i would share a few more precious bits of info, as the experience is always a rich one.
skeem, a scented candle company has a booth opposite ours during the show, and it is run by the wonderful husband and wife team of geoff weiser and suji meswani (formerly of anthropologie). the two not only have a gorgeous line of products, but they are super gorgeous humans, and a delight to spend a light and air deprived week with. i will miss them until we meet again.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

snow and graham


during the NY gift show where your booth lands can be very significant. inside the javits center many temporary neighborhoods grow out of nothing when the show begins, and disappear as soon as the show is over. closing a show becomes bittersweet because as much as you are ready to see the show end, if your neighbors are cool, it can be sad to say adieu. BUT whether you like it or not, before you know it, it's showtime again, and that means you get to go back to the old neighborhood one more time to hang out with your old buds! this year i returned to the corner of 4200 and main to reconnect with the wonderful ebony snow of snow and graham..and just so you know..she is as fabulous as her beautiful and lovely products!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

vera neumann renaiisance



growing up we all had everything VERA!
her designs were so ubiquitous..i don't think that we even realized how many of them were hers due to the fact that her oevre was so many splendored. her signature was happy and color. well now she is back with a book and new products from home source. all i can say is she deserves it..her work rocks!











Tuesday, February 2, 2010

grammys


what can i say..i admit it. i adore award shows. they satisfy. so here is my review of grammy night 2010. pink made me dizzy spinning in the sky..she made me remember how much i loved moulin rouge. also i wondered if one is really allowed to wear so few clothes in front of so many people. taylor swift can't sing..and i am thinking no one told her yet. i feel really badly for stevie having to sing with her. rhianna's hair made me think about grace jones. what was beyonce's dress made out of? lady gaga is so elton john..that was fun having them sing together..but then i thought how overproduced the show was..too much stuff on stage, and then i missed michael jackson's classic 1988 grammy performance. so today..treat yourself with a trip down memory lane..and go over to you tube to watch michael put them all to shame!