domino video

Just a quick post; check out this video or online HERE at domino . Photographer Matt Albiani gives a tour of his small apartment and his ingenius way of solving problems related to small spaces. I especially love that he didn't go with a conventional kitchen arrangement; he thought outside the box and look at the beautiful results! Storage and fridges don't have to be conventional! Most europeans only have under the counter fridges, anyway!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to me! I'm not one to shy away from birthdays, they're so much fun! Years are just numbers and I only turn 1 day older on my birthday...and I realize I'm still pretty young anyways! So in celebration, just posting a bunch of very pretty images for imagination's sake! I hope you all have a great weekend!!

Minton Compote

I found this compote HERE on ebay for an outrageous price -but wow is it spectacular! I actually have the plate from the TOP of this (the base is missing ) that I got for about $10. It's really beautiful -I love the turquoise and the weaving and the light amount of gilding and have it hanging on my wall.
I just have the plate part exactly like this

But the BASE is where it's at! it's intensely intricate -I could see it as a centerpiece on a very modern Saarinen tulip table -the one with the walnut wood top. The contrast would be striking there, or perhaps just the classic white; I can't decide.... can you see it or am I off?

when my ship comes in.......

Do you have plans for what you'll do 'when your ship comes in'? For me, I've always had just one plan - to buy a Cartier watch -the classic 'Tank Francaise'.This watch is the ultimate in design for me; clean, classic lines, beautiful craftsmanship and an integrated strap unlike so many watches that the beauty ends at the timepiece and a strap is just sort of thrown on as an afterthought. I also love that the dial is a sapphire and those matching blue hands!!As in everything, it's the little details that make the difference. Can you believe this watch was designed in 1910 and is still so modern? It's timeless!Of course, I would prefer a vintage white gold version, but that would have to be an AWFULLY big ship coming in......I don't think my dock is that large! I will gladly settle for the stainless steel version, new or vintage!! One of these days.......I'm sure you're all surprised I named a watch as my first 'I wish' item and not a piece of furniture, art or porcelain! What can I say, SURPRISE!

Edith Piaf

Have you seen the movie from last year, 'la vie en rose', about Edith Piaf? I LOVED this movie, as I've always been a huge Edith Piaf fan - however, while Marion Cottiliard did an AMAZING job capturing Edith I think she also did a big of a diservice to her by...well...over-acting a bit. Edith was a born performer. First -watch this clip of the REAL edith in 1962, a year before her death. She has POISE and COMMAND of the stage despite her ill health and age.

Now -watch Marion Coutillard perform as Edith Piaf in a clip from the movie from the same time period.


Now, she's playing up the bad posture and all a bit much, isn't she? Not to take away from the movie at all - definitely see the movie if you have not yet! I just wanted people to know that the real Edith Piaf was a born performer!!

Have a great weekend!

And don't forget -go to the SATC movie!

S.A.T.C. movie!

If you are a fan -you know what that stands for! Just a short blog posting today as I'm WORN out from seeing a midnight showing of 'sex and the city' movie last night with friends and about 5,000 other screaming fans in heels (no, not me!).

Definitely go see the movie! While it has its problems, who cares!! It's a 2 1/4 hour long SATC episode! It is definitely a crowd please - 4 out of 5 stars!

The fashions are incredible, the apartment Carrie nearly moves into is FANTASTIC and there is even a redecoration of her former apartment (I hope that doesn't give too much away). ENJOY!! Go see the movie so they keep making more!!

Check out the websites HERE and HERE.

Modern House porn

Recently while doing some research for a project at work for modern glass canopy's I ran across this BLOG. While I have an affinity towards a more classical approach to architecture (even stuff as modern as this, symmetry and balance are king) this house really struck me and not just for the beautiful photography!Designed by Shubin & Donaldson in Santa Barbara, the house showcases the views and sunlight the clients were seeking. The wife (who is an interior designer who studied under Rose Tarlow) sought a smaller sized house which I always appreciate - at a roomy 3,200 SF with 1,400 SF of additional storage in the basement ( you can never have enough storage when you're a collector like me!). The house is also very green and aims at sustainability.

view from the back deck
the ground floor plan - that 2nd powder room off the dining room that looks like a sunroom worries me......bad placement!the 2nd flooryet more views from the living room - that fireplace with built-in wood storage is amazing!
views from the master bedroom corner window! Thank you for draperies in a modern house!
Is that a powder room in the middle of hte photo through glass doors off the dining room? That must be a labeling mistake in the floor plan!

a head-on view of the front - I love the amount of balconies!
even the bathtub has a view!
The kitchen is a little too 'trendy' for me but a great layout - love the white terrazzo countertops!

What a magnificent sunset this room must look out over!

Paul Cadmus

Recently I read an article online about Paul Cadmus. I recognized one of his most famous paintings as one I bought as a child on a bookmark at the smithsonian! 'Bar Italia' was painted in Italy while he lived there in the mid 50's and satorizes the tourist in Italy. I think you can see a few similarities between his style of figure painting and John Currin's whom I blogged about earlier. While even more cartooney, it's the same modern but realism style of sketching figures and capturing their essence.
Paul had a very controversal career -I think you can see why and how that went in this painting. In this closeup, he included himself -he is in between the gigilo and the fat guy, his face leaning on his hand. I love learning little things like that about artists - it's sort of like Hitchcock doing cameos in his own films!

Nacional Museu d'Art de Catalunya

While in Barcelona a few months ago, I visited the Nacional Museu d'Art de Catalunya which was near the Barcelona Pavilion and was built for the same world's fair as the head building. It has some of the best views over all of Barcelona and also a fantastic restaurant on the mezzanine level overlooking the city surrounded by a BEAUTIFUL fresco'd ceiling (which is why I went to see it). The rest of the museum is amazing though -housing works of art by masters of art from the medieval period to current times including a large portion of the Thyssen Bornemisza collection. Included are some of MY highlights from the museum :-) If you get to Barcelona it's a must-see!

the back of this ancient church door was so modern looking, I loved it (even had my picture taken beside it!) while the front was more what would be expected -but the colors still so VIVIDthis was the coolest little model of a room! We had a lot of fun looking into this!these 2 portraits were so spanish and SO beautiful! I love the colors