The Sept 2008 issue of Veranda has the apartment of Bill Blass's former employee (model then design director), Laura Montalban, who seemed to have learned a thing or two from the master, Blass. Namely - impeccable taste! The apartment screams refined elegance in the form of restraint and a collection of beautiful but edited pieces.
I love the white mouldings against the gray walls and the dark brown carpeting. The walls supposedly are a different shade of gray in each room which seems a bit over the top, but you can't deny the beautiful results. She opted for carpeting here instead of wood as the floors were in bad shape and I think it works. It definitely feels cozy due to the carpeting. The only thing I would change is to get rid of the leopard print fabrics ( i know it's supposedly stylish but it's just not my thing!) and maybe opt for more architecturally shaped upholstered pieces in the living room. I don't mind a little bit of mirrored wall as this is probably a dark and small space in the city, but the wall of mirror behind the secretary is over-kill. 
The bedroom has soft color with the green fern prints on the wall and the green swan vase as well as the beautiful carpet and bedspread. What a relaxing retreat in the city!!!
So one of my favorite hollywood couples, the perfectly adorable Jennifer Garner and cutie patootie Ben Affleck, are probably purchasing the most perfect family home west of the Mississippi! Located in swank Holmby Hills in LA, this beautifull restored home from Hollywood's golden area makes me drool with envy!! I spotted it here on the Real Estalker
This foyer is so beautiful! I love the marble floor, that glamourous hollywoody staircase for grand entrances and the furniture; Those mouldings are really nicely done and I love the lantern!
This cavernous master bedroom is really cozy -i love the french doors out to the deck! What a cheerful room to wake up in :-)
This is the 'his' of the 2 bathrooms in the master suite. I LOVE this dark wood and the sink -not so crazy about that marble in the shower but I'd live with it. I'm just glad it doesn't have a black toilet to match the marble. I think black toilets are the most disgusting cess pools of disease I've ever seen -ugly too -never look clean!
The back of this home is really pretty nice, I LOVE the poolhouse -but notice anything missing? umm - landscaping? Is this a soccerfield? First things first - hire a landscaper! So much potential!! I see some trees, bushes, a rose garden, big lilac bushes, an herb garden -there is room for it all! Make it lush! Hope you enjoyed the home tour! Hopefully it will be in some trashy celeb magazine in a few years for us all to check out!
I came across this gelato from Martha Stewart Living -she mentioned the company and in particular their blood orange gelato ( yummy! ). I've become a fan of this brand and have about 3 different tubs in my fridge now with my 3 favorite flavors - hazlenut ( my FAVORITE i've had from any brand!), blackberry cabernet ( really delicious) and of course chocolate. I like that they use all natural ingredients, have delicious but unusual flavors and the packaging is really pretty (i'll admit that is part of the draw! call me a snob!). Definitely check this out next time you are at the supermarket for a special treat, you won't regret it! I recommend any of the flavors listed above -if you try any others let me know what you think!
I came across these photos on Bunny Tomerlin's blog. I love how they show the Queen as a normal mom with Prince Charles. Look at that huge smile on her face! Isn't it funny how Charles looks exactly the same now (without the baby fat!) - plus he's still as surly and dour-looking as a child!
I got flowers here at work this week! So a big THANK YOU! I thought I would share them with all of you to brighten up your day, like they did mine and now do to my desk! 
So, I got an answer about the basket shown in the Williams Sonoma home catalog - it's not offered for sale by them!! The ONE thing in the entire catalog that is not sold by them is the thing I desperately want! I received this polite email today
I love WilliamSonoma home - I anticipate the seasonal catalogs from them like it's 'World of Interiors' , 'Domino' , 'Elle Decor' or some other publication! Check out these beautiful nickel and glass trays. I am so resisting getting the rectangular tray for my coffee table! It would be SO BEAUTIFUL THERE!!!!
The Presidio bed, alone in leather and in a room setting
However there is one thing in the catalog I can't find on their website or in the print version. In this photo below you see that basket beside the couch with all the 'architectural digests' in it? (yes, my eyes are that good). I would love that beside my couch with all my 'world of interiors' in it that are curerntly hiding in the recesses of my bookcase. Anyone have any idea where to find a storage container that shape and size?? I just may break down and buy it!
Recently a friend asked me about what I eat for dinner since I live alone. My mom is a nutritionist and I learned a thing or two about healthy eating from her. This was my dinner on Sunday - a chef's salad: Dark red leaf lettuce, 1 hardboiled egg, a ripe tomato, hazlenuts, salt pepper and some balsamic vinegar. Fast, easy, filling and healthy. Of course the most important part is how it's served (to me anyway) -this is my 'orleans' pattern -by haviland limoge - around the rim are different birds and a beautiful blue pattern. It makes even the simplest meal special! What is a fast easy dinner for you when you're alone?
I spent the past week in beautiful Provincetown, MA. P-town is at the very tip of Cape Cod and had been settled as an art colony from its earliest days. The skyline of the small, quaint town is dominated by the Pilgrim Monument which I climbed up this year to take in the view, which I highly recommend! 
It was built from 1907-1910 to commemorate this town as the location in which the pilgrims first arrived (we're talking about the Mayflower in 1620 here, people). Roosevelt laid the cornerstone and Taft dedicated the tower once it was complete -big time! While the Pilgrims didn't settle here initially, it was known as a location for great fishing and is still known for its seafood (YUMMY). The tower was designed by a Willard Sears and was directly modeled after the Torre del Mangia in Siena, Italy and is 252 feet tall ( a lot of stairs and ramps!). 
looking up and down the interior
view from the top, you can see one of the 'gargoyle's' here
These are some of the pictures I took, I hope you enjoy them!
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