I’m Addicted – New York Times Home Section

I’ve lived in LA for 15 years, and at times felt like I’m behind on current events. Since leaving Boston, I had stopped reading the morning paper.  The Boston Globe was one of my favorite papers and at that time you could not get it delivered daily in Los Angeles.  I was getting the Wall Street Journal however, something was missing.  Over the last few months, I started picking up the Sunday New York Times and it always seemed to cover the things I loved.  I found myself engrossed in the paper and reading it cover to cover.  I decided to go on-line and order the paper for weekend delivery.  I noticed that many of the areas I was interested in such as the dining and food section and the home section were printed during the week.  Let’s face it, I scan the front page.  I decided what the heck, I’ll order it for daily delivery. I’ve been getting it now for a week and a half and I’m addicted.

Prior to getting the paper, I would get up and go straight to my computer.  Occupational hazard working for an Italian company.   I stopped having “me time” in the morning.  What I mean by “me time”, is no phone, computer, TV, etc.  Not anymore, the NY Times is my savior. I now pick up my wet paper (thank gosh for plastic bags), thanks to the sprinklers with my coffee in hand and sit on my front porch.  I love the calm of morning, the sound of the ocean, and just me, myself, and I reading the paper

with a cup of Joe

on my front porch

equals ~ UTTER BLISS!

I read it cover to cover and my favorite is Thursdays home section.  This week it featured the incredible 1787 year old home of Michael DesRosiers, an artist from  Lyme, CT.  Lyme, CT is a little town sandwiched between Old Lyme and Hadlyme.  It’s namesake comes from Lyme Disease.  I grew up directly across the Connecticut River and was so excited to see a house from this charming area featured in the Times.   I’m so bummed because I could not copy the pictures from the New York Times home section to my blog.  They were so beautiful and would have brought this post to life.  However, it’s a fascinating read and you cannot help but be inspired by his creativity, mix of mass market home accessories with flea market finds.  His greenhouse is to die for….I would love to host a luncheon or a dinner party there.  It would be my favorite place to read the New York Times.  Click the link to view the article  New York Times Home Section and the link direct to the photos is here Lyme, CT home.  Make sure you let me know what room was your favorite.  Who knew this little gem existed near where I grew up.  Maybe when I’m home for the holidays, I will beg him for a tour. 

Long Beach Flea Market

I love going to flea markets.  In the past, I had to look at everything and it would take me hours to get through the flea market.   Now, I whisk through in search of whatever item is on my current agenda.  This week it’s a tea cart and art.  I had a friend in town who loves antiquing and flea markets and wanted to check out the Long Beach Flea Market.  We both brought our cameras and snapped away.  There were some great vendors and here’s a little of what we saw and purchased.

This hanger brought back so many memories as a kid when I saw this.  It reminded me of my great grandmother.  As a kid, I would help her do laundry on an old fashioned washing machine (the kind from the 40’s).  I thought it was so cool because you could see the clothes washing (it was open) and then I got to help push them through the top of the machine which squeezed the garments and ring them out.  She had one of these hanging dryers and would clip her undergarments to it and let them dry.

Angels are everywhere, but there was something about this sitting on a wicker chair.  Had to photograph it.We loved this oversized black phone next to the regular sized one – It felt like a scene from BIG.  Hundreds of matches in a big bin. He just made me giggle. 

My girlfriend took these pictures and I was like why didn’t you tell me there were beakers ~ she said they were selling them for $20.00 a piece.  I know you can find them for less at other flea markets and on Ebay so I didn’t feel so bad.

I loved these silver trays below and how the vendor had them displayed in drawers.  Silver trays and teapots are great.  I collect sliver tea pots and have them in a grouping on my fireplace.  I actually got the idea from my Aunt Pat.  I put tulips in them, hydrangeas, etc.  I love the silver platters for a multitude of things:  entertaining, jewelry, in the bathroom with soaps, perfumes, and accessories, etc.  There are so many creative uses for these.

These butter spreaders looked so pretty in a group on the silver tray.  Just goes to show when you group similar items, it doesn’t matter what it is, it looks good.

We loved how this one pair of booties with the pink laces stood out in this picture. When I saw this, I immediately thought Eddie Ross (see below).  Nicole and I thought this looked beautiful – the vintage pearls with the key and pendant hanging on a framed chalkboard.Creative marketing using scrabble pieces.There was something about these vintage shoes paired with these tubs and pails – maybe Cinderella is taking a break.  These baskets are so versatile.  There are so many things you could do with them:  use as recycling baskets, toys in a kids room, vegetables in a kitchen, towels in the bathroom, etc.

We were cracking up,  the watch vendor was not a happy man and did not want her taking a picture of his watches or booth.  She had to sneak this one in…  think he didn’t have any coffee that morning. 

I thought how great it would be if you could find your street name.  I also like them in groups, pairs or by themselves.  There are so many creative things you could do with these signs. 

  I thought these antique yarn spools would look amazing grouped together on a shelf or to add an element of design somewhere using shapes and textures.       

You can’t really tell in this picture but the legs on this table and chairs are chrome with a bamboo pattern.   This table would look fabulous in any style home paired with fabric or antique chairs.  It was a great piece.

My girlfriend loved this crown made from a measuring stick.     

I’ve been fascinated with maps and globes since I was a kid.   They make great accessories in a home in large groupings on an armoire, a bookshelf, or a credenza type table.  A single one always works in a home office or a kids room.

Now to the purchases of the day.  I found what I was looking for YEAH!!!  I bought this painting below for $8.00 of a pink lady.  It was so cheap, I had to buy it and didn’t even have to bargain.  The guys said it was from an estate sale in Beverly Hills (so he says).  She will be added to my portrait collection.  She reminds me of springtime and pink peonies.

My other purchase was an antique map of California for $5.00 (normally they sell for $100.00). This was a bargain.  I bought a Boston one and an Italy one last year in Santa Monica and paid $150.00 for both.

    

Last but not least my tea cart for $15.00.  The cart was the major score, it’s made of wood with a bamboo pattern, like the brass one I posted.  The difference is this was $20.00 and not $300.00.  Granted the one on craigslist was much nicer but I’m in budget mode, so a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.   We happened to spot it when we first walked in but it was as a little wobbly so we decided to walk around.  I kept thinking about it and we decided to stop by before we left and see if it was still there.  The vendor who was nowhere to be found and while we waited and waited, we agreed if she didn’t take $15.00, I wasn’t buying it.  She came back and accepted my offer.    Ms. Madeline was a trouper and wheeled it to the car for us.  We told her she had to be careful of potholes because we were afraid it would fall apart.  We used it that night for our picnic all chipped and everything.  Of course, my boyfriend looks at this cart like another piece of junk.  He thinks I will get bored of it and it will end of in the garage.   Little does he know, this baby it getting painted and he’s fixing it this weekend.

Stay turned for before and after pictures.

Bloomingdales Big Window Challenge

Currently, Bloomingdales is hosting a Big Window Challenge at their flagship store in NYC.  There are three different designers doing a various window displays with their own concept idea and storylines.  Eddie Ross is one of the designers, representing Elle Decor for this competition.  I fell in love with Eddie during Top Design. I have watched Top Design since it’s inception. My girlfriend Erin and I always giggle because it reminds us of us a few years ago at FIDM.  As crazy adults, we decided to go back to school for design.  We both had a love for design, textiles & homes and wanted to fine tune our skills and see if this was a life we’d want to lead.  Anyone, who is a professional working person and goes to school full time for interior design at night can attest how insane and crazy it is ~  pulling all nighters, laughing because your so delirious and deprived to sleep that your going crazy, and the joys that come from all the hard work and seeing the end result.  I always related to the Top Design contestants because sometimes you do need a little time to get the creative juices flowing but not on this show – you jump right in and sometimes they had to work on a tight deadline and/or had to work through the night, something I related too!  Eddie Ross was one of those contestants that always pulled the rabbit out of a hat and made, whatever he did, look like it was magazine worthy (table settings, room vignettes, etc).  He’s been in the business for sometime and has had an already successful career working at Martha Stewart and now he is thriving even more!  He has a fabulous blog which everyone should read Eddie Ross.  If I lived back East, I’d want him as my neighbor.  I know we would have a blast entertaining together and I think he would be great fun to chat and gossip with!

What I love about this contest is each room done by a designer is to have a story.  Eddie’s is a woman who owns a fashion PR company with offices in Paris and New York. She has two children who have recently moved out of the house likely on their way to Harvard or Yale (that’s my thoughts) or maybe off to school in Florence to study textiles or apparel. While I read the story of who this woman was and how she lived, I really got lost in the story, it was as if, I was reading a modern day novel of Coco Chanel, but more the business woman.

What I love about Eddie is ability mix the bold with the subtle.  I truly enjoy pops of color but my natural esthetic tends to be whites, linens, tans, etc.  I appreciate color as a designer and wish sometimes I had the ability to do it myself ~ go to the bright side!   After reviewing the photo’s of Eddie’s window display (See Photo’s Below) I was stumped on the walls ~ I couldn’t figure out if it was wallpaper or if he splattered paint on the walls.  I was torn – do I like it or don’t I?  I loved the color but wished I could see it in person.  The more I pondered it, I was pleasantly reminded of a class that we took at FIDM with a quirky instructor who taught us about the imagination and about shapes, proportions, and various elements as an art form (think Andy Goldsworthy and the late Gene Moore, the window dresser for Tiffany’s) and I looked at it in a new light.  I always love his mix of materials.  The brass chandelier in just the right color – not to shiny not to dull.  I love how Eddie and his team added pops of color and how the orange and pink’s compliment one another.  The furniture is simple and understated but the woman expresses herself through her art, pillows, and classic accessories.

  I love this statue (See Below).  It makes me want to go to Italy and scour the flea markets for one. I think I’m in love.

Dear Apollo,

How I wish you would come live with me? If we lived together, you’d probably be my new best friend – I’m sure we’d have many conversations ~ on how our day is going or not going, maybe I’d throw things at you when I was angry, but, your far to handsome for that.  I see us as being best friends, while my dog barked at you – like, who is this stranger that invaded our house? I think my boyfriend would likely hang his clothes on you…but I would take care of you.  Don’t you worry! Of please come stay with me!

All the Best,

Ann

I absolutely love this table display below.  My dream is to have a room dedicated to nothing but dishes, glasses, serving platters, etc., so, I really could begin to collect all different colors for the various seasons.  I remember reading about this brass tray below Eddie bought he was guest blogging on Pure Style Home– another of my favorite blogs.  He shared with her readers how he bought it for next to nothing at the flea market in the hopes it would clean up nice but even if it didn’t – it still would look amazing.  A little brass cleaner and elbow grease and look how well it cleaned it up ~ looks like something you’d see at Bergdorf’s.  Also, another accessory I love on this table and something I’m collecting myself, is this white urn.  I have one in my bathroom, I got for a $1.00 when I was at an antique shop in Old Saybrook, CT.  It currently holds my Q Tips!  I broke my other one (I do everything in 3’s) so I need a replacement.  I’ve been looking for a larger sized one to put my orchid in and this was is perfect.  Eddie  it’s perfect for my bathroom ~ where did you get that?  Can I buy it when your done???

The picture above does make me feel like this woman is in the fashion industry – with the ever so popular Ikat fabrics on the pillows to classic Toile and Leopard  print ~ it’s timeless yet current. I want to sit on that pink (I think it’s pink – maybe red) blanket with a glass of Cristal champagne. I love the sense of whimsy (See Below), the pink and white gumballs displayed in a beautiful vintage porcelain and of course, the ever so classy Eddie, has it in a beautiful bowl with peonies behind it – I LOVE IT!  When I talk about decorating is in the details, this is a great example of it. It’s just the right touch color, texture, whimsy and everything blends together beautifully.  I want to be friends with this lady – never mind!  I want to be her!

Eddie has an incredible eye for putting together unique and creative ways to display barware.  He puts them together in such a chic way.  I love how he mixes the silver tray with vintage glasses and even throwing in the whimsy skull head or monkey head LOL!  I don’t know what it is, but, it looks like an ice sculpture.  These brass flowers are amazing!  All the bloggers are talking about them and how they want them and so does muah!  I welcome the touches of fresh flowers when entertaining but I also enjoy it in my personal space when I’m alone.  When I was broke in college, I told my best friend, Sue when I had my own apartment, I was going to buy fresh flowers  every week and have them in my house.  I do, whether, I have company or not.  Depending on my budget that week, it can be a fresh rose from the garden in a bud vase, or star gazers (my favorite for smell) in my living room, tulips or hydrangea’s in my teapot,  or my green goddess calla lilies to brighten my kitchen.  The quickest way to warm your home is through flowers and candles.

This is probably of my favorite pictures in his storyline for his window display.  Why?  Because this picture hits so close to home and is SO ME!  His storyline indicates that, this woman loves to entertain and she and her husband are having friends over for drinks.  She only has a few hours and wants to catch up on her favorite indulgence ~ reading magazines.  She’s looking for ideas for her house or inspiration?  While this lady can afford anything  ~ I cannot!  So for me, magazines are my pure pleasure and they transport me to a place of utter bliss.  I know what I love, but, unfortunately, my pocketbook cannot afford my champagne taste on my beer budget.  So until I am in a place where I can decorate the way I want, I will live vicariously through Eddie Ross’s window and fantasize about this fabulous woman’s life and story he has created.  While our lives are very different, she lives in chic house in NY and I’m in a beach house in Manhattan Beach, we do have a few things in common ~ we love to shop at flea markets and find those secret treasures(whether it’s $1.00 or $100.00), the fun is in the hunt and spotting a good thing in a pile of ruble also, kicking off your heels off after a long day, relaxing with our magazines and then having close friends over for cocktails!

Make sure you check out Eddie’s beautiful window display and read the story line.  I assure you for a blissful 10 minutes you will be transported to Paris and a chic apartment in New York.  I promise the journey will be worth it.  Make sure you vote for him and his team!  You can only vote twice a day online or via text.  Click here to cast your vote for the designer of your choice.  All excellent, but, I think you know who my favorite is!

 

PHOTO CREDITS:  EDDIE ROSS

Flea Market Finds

I went to the Long Beach Flea Market on Sunday.  I was so excited, it was Ginger’s birthday, and thought it would be great for her to get a nice long walk in and spend her morning sniffing everything.  I’ve never brought her to the flea market and didn’t you weren’t allowed to bring your dog, unless, the dog is carried. PLEASE!  I did not bring my carry bag, it was warm, and for the first time in the  history of flea market shopping, I couldn’t find the person selling the flea market carts. I thought, I would buy a cart and some fabric – put it down on the bottom and I can wheel Ginger around.  She’ll have a blast people watching and I can take my time. However, the cart guy was nowhere to be found.

I was excited to see there were a bunch of new vendors and I really wanted to share with you my new finds.  However, a dog in one arm and a painting in the other didn’t make for easy photo taking.   My arms were getting tired from carrying Ginger, so I raced through the front vendors just searching for portraits. I did manage to score a bargain in my frantic search!  A lady was selling a bunch of portraits all for $10.00.  Three women were scouring through the paintings snatching up all the good ones, just as arrived. I was in flea market envy!  I did manage to find this lady for $10.00.  I guess they were all done by students.  I got home and showed it to my friend Nick and her Aunt Cyndi who was visiting.  Aunt Cyndi immediately named her Emily Rose. I love a bargain and if those ladies weren’t there snatching up all the paintings, I would’ve  had 4 or 5 more (do I sound bitter?).  Let me introduce you to my new portrait, Miss Emily Rose.