A long repose...

I have missed you all so much.

After a terrible bite from a ferocious beast,

*Marmalade, the ferocious California Alley-Cat

I was left somewhat paralyzed

(and thumbless)

for quite some weeks.

I am back with a thousand stories and adventures to share, 

and cant wait to fill you all in on the incredible moments

I've recently encountered.

To start:

I recently discovered 

(and subsequently became obsessed with)

Sharon Montrose,

a local Los Angeles photographer,

who takes photos of animals in her studio, 

and captures THE most incredible moments.

I am trying to decide which of the many I want to line my hallway, 

I'll post some shots once I've decided and installed them.

Thanks for standing by me in my absence,

I am so excited to get re-acquainted.

xx

Good NIGHT, Moon.

Last night, the girls and I went out to the beach to watch the sunset.

I live in the Hollywood area, and I always forget
how remarkable the coast truly is,
how fresh and invigorating.
(not to mention CLOSE!)

I was awestruck by the colors of the sky...
they reminded me how much I love being
an Interior Designer-


slate grey, light blue, pale lavender
dusky rose and peach...

The sand a milk chocolate...


The nearly full moon reflected off the turquoise and navy water
in a gorgeous silver...


And it dawned on me...
ALL color comes, from one place or another, nature.
SO
as a designer, I just have to trust my instinct
about what colors work together,
and because nature created all of them,
I literally can't screw up.

And when I'm a little unsure of my choices,
I can take a drive to the beach, catch a sunset,
and find a deep rich palette to draw from thats foolproof.

Now THATs awe-inspiring.

xx

To each her own...

I went to the LA Flower District this morning
and was awestruck by the incredible
display of spring.

The peonies were in FULL bloom,


Lilacs are back,


And the hydrangeas were so fluffy and delicate.


I even fell in love with the ROWS of tulips,
which have never been a favorite,
but they just remind me how MUCH spring is HERE.


Its like a living museum.

I could spend hours just walking around,
smelling the different blooms, taking in their colors.

Now, I know...
I DO have some issues with the cut floral industry,
and DO believe it is important to be aware of what goes IN
to bringing us these blooms.

This awesome book, and article, touch on some of the issues...
(pesticides, humanitarian issues, fossil fuel emissions)

But I'm starting to get a tad softer on life in general, loosening the rules.
Because if I am not allowed to appreciate the beauty of something already
underway, meaning something already harvested etc,
I am denying what is happening for ME, the beauty I am experiencing,
in THIS very moment.

The way I've found a compromise?

I bought nothing but THIS:




And it will flower for 6 weeks, and I can lovingly
tend to it and encourage it to bloom again.

I'm starting to see that we CAN make different choices
to show up for ourselves, and our planet,
in a different way,
But that we can at the same time appreciate and savor the moments
that life presents us.

Happiness, like all things, is a choice, an attitude.
And so I bless all the lovely blooms that wait to make some mother
incredibly happy this Sunday,
and sit quietly and enjoy my orchid.

To each HER own.

xx

Heard it through the Grapevine...

Looking out my bedroom window this morning,

I was shocked at how quickly
my grapevines are growing...



To see the tiny little seeds of grapes starting to blossom
warms my heart.


Its no secret what a fool I am for wine...

One of my dreams is to retire to Sonoma
(Russian River Valley to be exact)
and rehab an old house into a fabulous boutique inn,
with an award-winning restaurant,
and delicious vineyard.

*isn't this just BEGGING to be turned into a gorgeous inn??

I would spend my days tending the chickens,
caring for my grapes and roses,
and throwing fabulous luncheons for my guests.

*THIS is actually for SALE in Healdsberg...

Nights would be spent telling stories around a campfire,
roasting marshmallows with folks of all ages,
and drinking wine I'd bottled myself
before tucking away
for a deep, restful sleep.

I may desire to travel this world and explore its glorious locales,
and will spend much of my time doing so.

But my heart and soul forever belong in California.

xx

Whitsunday of Oz...

I clearly need a vacation.

And on a Monday,
WHAT better topic than yet another gorgeous locale?

Scanning some of my favorite blogs
(there are some GREAT ones out of Oz)
I stumbled upon Bespoke Press,
a lovely letterpress boutique's journal

and saw
THIS:

*they are travelling here now

Ok, what ARE the Whitsunday Islands?


An archipelago of 74 individual islands
bordered by the Great Barrier Reef
in the Coral Sea
off the coast of Queensland.

Yes. Please.


I would love to hop aboard a
tall ship and sail from island to island
for at LEAST a month or more.


Oh, yes and Also, please note:Bespoke has the
sweeetest limited edition prints...



I mean, I love California,
but I gotta say,
the land of Oz is looking pretty good right about now...

xx

I wish I were...

HERE right now.

*she even kinda looks like me...
(thanks Joanna for the GREAT shot!)

It's a Monday. sigh.

xx

Happy Birthday, Thir-ty!

My thirtieth birthday is coming up.

And I want to celebrate it with more than just

the traditional dinner out with friends and some wine.

This year, I'm dreaming of going with the girls to
the Parker Palm Springs,


to lay by the pool,


get a Sugar Daddy
(scrub treatment, rather)
and take a nap,


then eat a delicious dinner

*Mister Parker's

and have a few cocktails while dancing the night away.

Maybe Sunday will have to be spent

antiquing,

*Dazzles, the best antique store

window shopping,

*Trina Turk Residential

and mexican-lunching

*Las Casuelas Terraza

in the deep desert heat.

Is it too soon to start packing my suitcase?

xx

Lie-lac.

It's one of those balmy, humid nights.

And I can't help but want it to just downpour
as I sit and listen.

It's so warm, the windows are open...
it reminds me of those late-spring evenings in Michigan,
when the moist breeze would carry the scent of lilacs onto my
bedroom sheets.



And somehow I knew, even then, at that tender age,
that this was the stuff happiness was made of.

Thank goodness SOME things never change.

xx

I went to a garden party...

Last night at Peter's sweet design haven,
Almont Yard,
I had a glass of blueberry-lemonade
(with a touch of vodka, I wont lie)
and chatted with new and old friends.

The occasion:

Annie Kelly and Tim Street-Porter have just released an
amazing follow-up
to their brilliant design bible,
Rooms to Inspire


(which features the most delicious spreads by some of the greats-
Miles Redd, Jonathon Adler, and LA's own Kelly Wearstler).

The new tome,
Rooms to Inspire in the Country


features front and center
Tony Duquette's iconic Malibu home,
as well as divine layouts by
Martyn Lawrence-Bullard
(who was at the party showing off his zebra print,
which I requested to be fashioned as a summer party-dress)
and another one of my favorites,
NY's Stephen Gambrel.

I haven't had a chance to scan any photos
but I will, and soon.

Please be prepared, you may be hearing about this book for a while...
I could do a daily post on each featured home,
its THAT well compiled.

Styling beautiful homes and having your
lovely husband photograph them,
then sharing your work in a gorgeous book.

Another dream job is revealed...

xx