Alter-native Ideas

Last week while back in Boston we visited our wedding venue for the first time. Like all things, it was completely different than how I remembered it from a field trip in my youth. Although colorless, lifeless and cold it has amazing bones, phenomenal potential and I am happy to say it exceeded my expectations. The best surprise? These adorable stairs, floating in the front lawn, begging to be used as my alter. But, like all things 'wedding', they have given me a new task and will cost more money. Oh joy!

The obvious solution...... 

a topiary such as this one I found at fioribelli. It is modern and simple, like us, but adds a touch of fancy and frames the space. Our service is going to be mid afternoon in the heat of July so possibly a canopy would be more sensible.

This image I found from an Australian based tent company is nice. Of course, the field of gorgeous palms surrounding theirs doesn't hurt the visual! A slightly scaled down version with a combination of potted plants would be ideal. My vision is of something classic and sophisticated but with a bit of whimsy and romance.  I'll have to continue the search but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am not above stealing them but I am above this....

Swans courtesy of Balloon Designs by MS

Tried & True Ambrosia

Close to 20 years ago the women in my family comprised a recipe book of their tried and true favorites. I refer to it often (and fondly) as inspiration for easy mid week meals as well as crowd pleasing dinner party fav's.  Driving home from Palm Springs yesterday afternoon I chose from my mental recipe catalog an oldy but goody. Enjoy.......

Pasta Tonno

1 lb spaghetti

1 can black olives, chopped

1 can Tonno (Italian Tuna in Oil)

1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bunch Italian leaf parsley, chopped

Olive Oil

Boil water and cook spaghetti per directions.

In a pan saute olive oil and garlic over medium low heat. 

Toss cooked pasta together with all ingredients (inc. some salt and pepper).

"Chow down all hands!!!"

Martini Town

I'm off to Palm Springs for a girls weekend of fun! Actually, I am running one day and two hours late for the party but am grabbing some Vueve in route to distract them from my obvious tardiness. Me and Palm Springs have had an on off relationship this year and I am fired up to head east and make amends with my mistress. 

You see, originally Michael and I had decided to tie the knot in Palm Springs. We had visited on a few occasions to buy for the store and always left totally content if not downright buzzed.  In terms of our lifestyle it is a place uniquely us (as opposed to past relationships) and an obvious perfect choice. Gorgeous mid century architecture, furniture stores with hidden gems, a mandatory cocktail hour and enough distance from LA to make it feel like you can jet out there and leave everything else behind. 

Enter Grandma.. 

The family wasn't so sold. In fact, my grandmother said the "F" word three times in one sentence at our engagement party to really hit the point home. With a little disappointment we decided to compromise. Wed in Marblehead, birthday in Palm Springs. I was having my respective cakes and eating every bite of them too. Woot!

Well, my 30th birthday is now around the corner and the idea of Palm Springs has been completely abandoned. The majority of my friends will be away on business and with all the wedding hoopla it feels absurd to throw another soiree in my honor. Apparently there is a limit to how much attention one girl can take!! 

Cue Stacey, who's bachelorette I am running ridiculously late to. Thanks to her I'm off to the desert to live out my spring in Springs fantasy but I leave you with these beautiful images of Sierra Grand, the home we planned to rent for our '08 festivities. It is absolutely spectacular!

Somehow they have made a purple carpet work! This bedroom evokes red hot passion. It isn't lay under the covers all day living. It is enter at your own risk, I brought my Kiki, shit might get weird decor. Brill's.

I am in love with these headboards. They are playful and immediately grab your attention. Used for a larger size bed I don't know if I would feel as strongly but here as matching twins they are charming.   

Holy hairdryer! The hanging pendants over the bath are phenomenal. The over the top use of mirrors has me spinning.. in a good way. This is pure unadulterated girls getting ready wildness. I would love to sit in here, sip gimlets and put on my face with some friends. Ladies? Any takers?

Picture me, a white dress, a stepping stone aisle and a cabana alter... this pool photo was the deciding factor when we chose Sierra Grand for our big day. Ahhh, some day!! 

Now, I gotta grab the booze and get on the road!! 

all images from palmspringshouserentals

Before & After

Look at what a little creativity and many coats of lacquer can do to transform a vintage piece into something modern and desirable (if not down right enviable!!).

Finishing this dresser in a high gloss lacquer breathes life back into what would otherwise be considered a Salvation Army donation. By using contrasting colors the unique features of this particular item totally stand out. 

Although it has already sold I will be bringing you a Before & After each week of something on our floor at Empiric. 

Get inspired......

Love That Dirty Water...

Boston you're my home!!! I am heading back for Easter weekend to seal the deal (read as write more checks) for the wedding. We'll actually be in Marblehead (see picturesque image below), my hometown, and where it is all going to go down. We have our venue, a band, and a caterer booked but as anyone who has planned a wedding knows there is so So SO much more. Crossing my fingers we get as much done as possible because after this trip I don't know when I'll have time to get back again before the big day.

yes, it really is this gorgeous

So, the ironic thing about the name of this post is that I hate water. Its the only drink that I dont like actually. But on days I fly I try to offset every alcoholic drink with some H2O. Oh, yeah, I guess I should have started by declaring that on days I fly I tend to drink a lot of alcoholic beverages. Not because I am afraid of flying, thats what valium is for, more just because I really like to drink and drinking during the day implies you're on holiday so by drinking pre-flight I am, in a sense, beginning my vacation early. Totally logical.

So, on that note, I will leave you with this picture which so perfectly captures the spirit of day drinking and spring.... HAPPY EASTER!!

Tastemaker

Of recent 2E and I have been uber Hollywood, complete with attending the Grammys and an Oscar pre-party at The Chateau Marmont. I only wish I had started posting earlier to report on some of the ridiculousness that transpired at both. This week we were invited to Los Angeles Magazines Tastemakers event. We went in support of our gal Melissa McClure. Melissa makes gorgeous jewelry that I am proud to say I own a piece of. At the event I was incredibly lucky to be sporting this mean hardware.

Yum.

Michael and Melissa were working on her display for weeks and we ended up designing a very Empiric backdrop for her phenomenal pieces.

I know, crazy right?

We also paled around with an old friend, Douglas Little, who's candles and curiosities we have been selling for years. Each of his decadent candles are "specially formulated to ignite the imagination and illuminate shadowy places".

They are pure heaven.

The night was full of signature cocktails, friend sightings, a little networking and some insight on some of LA's up and comers. It was Hollywood (without ridiculousness) at its finest.

Relish Small Pleasures

Last weekend my betrothed and I headed out of town to celebrate his birthday. I wish I could say that we were cruising around the mountain curves, sun roof open, holding hands and singing "our" song but that would be a huge stretch. First of all, we don't have a song and there were mountains and curves but thats where it ends. I was pissed. An old issue had reared its head the day before and we had had a fight. A doozy. We had gone as far as to cancel our ski trip and resigned to barely looking each other in the eyes.

Sunday morning I called a girlfriend from high school who had recently been with us in LA for the purchase of my wedding dress and some girly "accessories" from Kiki De Montparnasse. She listened as I retold the fight. Letting me get it all off my chest and do some serious venting. Agreeing when she should have and advising as necessary. She than told me, matter of factly, some wonderful advice. Get home, get the lingerie and get on the road!

As we left the city behind us we also left a lot of anger. Half way through the trip we started talking about "the issue". Talking. Much better than screaming. We arrived in Big Bear two much happier people (which made signing the credit card slip for the upgraded jacuzzi suite way more bearable). One fancy dinner, a couple bottles of wine, the before mentioned jacuzzi and a day of skiing later we were headed back down the same road in a completely different mind set.

I am so blessed to have my amazing Michael, a life that allows us many spur of the moment trips, our beautiful store, Empiric, a NE summer wedding around the corner and countless small pleasures. It was driving out of the mountains and back to LA that I realized I not only needed to relish all of it but I needed to record it. So enjoy......