Good Eats, Cool Treats

Last night 2E and I attended the opening of LA's CB2.



Followed by dinner at one of my absolute favorite eateries, Terroni.



And returned home, well fed, with a few goodies from the party.


I just can't resist anything with an elephant!

Before & After

Ages ago I ordered these very tall Barbara Cosgrove wood lamps for the shop and found them to be extremely drab. I had custom granite linen shades made, using coral scalloped ribbon trim, and lacquered the bases in a high gloss Chinese Red. Wah-Lah..

They lasted exactly one minute on the floor so I didn't get much time to really enjoy them but luckily I snapped a few pic's as they went out the door.

Here are a couple of vintage lights I am currently loving at the store...




I prefer vintage pieces to most of the lighting out there but refinishing a new lamp and designing a custom shade can make it equally unique and give it that special one of a kind feeling.

Get inspired!

Happy Birthday Vanessa

Another year passing us by.......

image 1,2,& 3 via ffffound. image 4 flickr.

More Nicola

My new number, in black, above. Some great editorial images below;







And Poof! just like that I add a new designer to my list of favorites.

My New Party Dress

From the Winter '05 Nicola Finetti collection. I was lucky enough to purchase it at a trunk show this past weekend. Now, where to wear?

As seen on the runway

Have A Great Weekend

Nothing to celebrate this weekend but the weekend itself! See ya when the smoke clears.

ps. I realize I didn't spill my big beans this week but I'm not quite ready. Next week, for sure.

Flickr

Apples and Oranges

Obsessed with trying to track down the pear decal I have been spotting on laptops recently, I came across some other interesting alternatives. The 24K gold MacbookPro with diamond studded Apple logo may be a tad extreme but the Gelaskin covers below are kind of cute.



I may be too old for making a personal statement with a computer but you know I would have been all over this a few years ago. There are way more to choose from but these are my faves.

gold computer here, others via Gelaskins.

PS ARTS

Last night we got all dolled up and hit The Los Angeles Antiques Show with Heather, above, and Alex.


As per the usual at these things I didn't take nearly enough photos but the show was full of treasures (both people and pieces). There was some delicious jewelry on display and some really unusual objects and furniture. All in all it was fabulous as were the Apple Pan burgers that followed.



Update: I had to add the boys!

Earth Day

Happy Earth Day my eco-conscious friends. I'm doing my part and selling beautiful vintage furniture up at the store. This year I need to up the earth love factor and get involved with my community. I used to be more active, in the nanny years, but these days I barely have time for extracurriculars {much less volunteering}. Today I resolve to contribute more and consume less.


Viva!

pretty pictures taken recently in Pasadena

This Whole Post Is Brilliant

And exactly captures the mood of these spaces as well as my wandering mind...

Who Lives Here?

Oh, Rug Company! You torment me, you really do. I could feast on your catalog all day. Who takes your photos? Where are all these stunning locations? Every spread is so tantalizing that I can't help but play my favorite game...

Who lives here?

A twenty-something journalist who just returned to Paris after a two year stint in Tokyo, where she ran a weekly podcast about Japanese fashion called "Cherry Blossom Girl."

Who lives here?

A hot young show runner for a top 10 comedy show. This is his home office. He deliberately specified that the curtains pool on the ground at exactly that length. He hates the desk, but it'll do for now. These little details are why he makes the big bucks.

Who lives here?

A newly married couple who just moved into this ancestral home in Cheshire. He plans to turn it into a boutique hotel for London's media elite. She's an ex-model who's currently developing a line of organically sustainable hand cream. This morning as she gathered the flowers for the windowsill, she thought, "I miss my friends."

Who lives here?

A stressed-out fashionista. She just moved into this Milanese apartment after a messy breakup and wants to spiritually declutter her life. She's into spare white spaces now...because her personality is colorful enough.

Who lives here?

The son of an international media kingpin. His father disowned him when he found out he wanted to be a tattoo artist -- thank goodness for that trust fund. He just bought this loft in Boerum Hill and is going through a big Sex Pistols phase.

Who lives here?

A massive rock star whose extracurricular exploits usually end up as headline news. He's currently entertaining a couple of visitors in the next room. Shhh. Let's leave them be.

If A Bloomsbury Life is not yet on your roll do yourself a favor and add it today. I have already shared its magic and the personal photos alone make it so unique.

Scorcher

It was a cool 90 degrees in LA yesterday and over 100 at Universal Studios Hollywood {where I was entertaining the out of towners}. Luckily I wasn't above crashing their hotel pool for lemon drops and toe dipping.


Today will be more of the same but I'll have to rely on the AC and iced tea. Lots to do and more to come! Hopefully my announcement will be sooner rather than late's.

first photo: Lizzie Dinkel, second two via Shorpy.

I'm Dead

Dead tired that is. I had to pack 5 days of work into 3 and what long days they were! Last weekend I went to Boston and this weekend Boston comes to me. I am hosting half of the family that I used to Nanny for (yep, thats right folks. 6 years to be exact) and seeing my new city through 11 year old eyes. It will be a departure from the norm (Universal Studios here I come!) but I'm really looking forward to it.


Back next week with some BIG news. So big I'm not sure I'll be able to share it by next week but if I am given permission than you will all be the first to know.

xoxo

all images by yours truly taken while sightseeing in Boston last week

Harvard Museum of Natural History

This is going to be my longest post to date but I wanted to share my pictures of the museum and I couldn't bare to leave anything out.

The Mineralogical and Geological Gallery

There were thousands and the colors were incredibly inspiring! So much so that I took dozens of photographs that, if I'm smart, I'll pull for reference on future projects.

The Glass Flowers

All of the botanicals that you are seeing in the images above are made of glass. It took me a moment to wrap my head around this but they became unbelievable once I did. There is so much detail in each piece and together they were magical.

"One of the Museum’s most famous treasures is the internationally acclaimed Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants, the “Glass Flowers." This unique collection of over 4,000 models—some 3,000 on display—was created by the glass artisans, Leopold Blaschka and his son, Rudolph. The commission began in 1886, continued for five decades, and represents more than 830 plant species."

The Zoological Galleries

My favorite exhibit by far filled with beautiful old cases and hundreds of interesting taxidermy. The colors in each display were absolutely gorgeous. The whole experience was wonderful and I urge Bostonians to take an afternoon to check it out.

26 Oxford Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

617.495.3045