Large Scale Prints

I'm loving large scale prints right now.  Just need to find more pieces to reupholster!  I recently discovered Christopher Farr Textiles in an issue of Elle Decor (they're carried at Thomas Lavin in LA).  I'm thinking I need to use this "Carnival" fabric somewhere.  How fabulous is it?

Although this fabric "Span" is so unique and mid century - you could almost just stretch it and use it as art.

Headboard Headboard on the wall...

After a month or two of psyching myself up for hanging, the headboard has finally been hung in the master bedroom.  Credits:

Valley Forge - pleather
Stupid Amazon store - nailheads that ended up in three bandaged fingers
OOK - hanging cleats (remains to be seen how we feel about these)
Home Depot - wood, screws, brackets etc (in total 75 lbs on the wall)
Joanne Fabrics - batting, foam etc
Davis parents - lovely paint job that contrasts nicely with the white headboard

Lesson Learned: you can probaby purchase a similar headboard or have one made for just a tad more and save your fingers, time, weight, and end up with something a little more professional looking. And if you do decide to do it yourself, use a straightedge!

China treasures

So, I went a little crazy at the Dirt Market in Beijing.  Panjiayuan, otherwise known as the Dirt Market (don't ask my why because the Chinese name doesn't mean that), is an outdoor antiques market that takes place on the weekends in Beijing.  You can find just about anything there - a lot of which is at this point not truly antique, but fun nonetheless. 

As I said I went a little crazy and ended up trekking around China with a big box.  But everything arrived on one piece.

Turqoise vases (yes, the wall sculpture still needs to be hung)

Yellow vase and crackleware ink container  and 3 new snuff bottles to add to the collection.  I decided to display them a little differently than before.  I think once the coffee table is painted cream, they'll show up a little better.

 

Mexicatessen!

Yes, it's really a word.... At least here in Eagle Rock that is.  Cacao Deli Mexicatessen opened up about a year ago and was just featured on Tasting Table.  So Scott and I decided to take our newly revamped bikes and trek down Colorado this weekend to try it out.  Really great authentic and well-priced Mexican food in a casual quaint atmosphere.  We sat out on the patio overlooking Eagle Rock.  No liquor lisence so it's BYO and on the DL but aside from lacking margaritas and Dos Equis, this place leaves the likes of El Coyote, El Cholo, and Gardens of Taxco in the dust.

Check out the grilled cebollitas (green onions) with lime and cilantro sauce and super flavorful chile burrito.

And if you're not too full afterwards, cross the street to Blue Dot and try their healthy frozen Acai treats!

Etsy Find

I'm loving these Rick Zarris prints i found on Etsy- yes, they're prints on canvas of his original paintings.  Four 12" x 12" canvases that have been hand-gesso'd for $120.  Not bad.  Any takers? If you buy them, send me a pic of the installed product.

This is

What Floopy does when we are outside gardening (after her "encounter" with Mean Black Cat she knows to stay near the back door).

Tolomeo!

I just won this classic Mini Tolomeo lamp from Artimide!  I love that it now comes as an LED instead of a halogen.  Did you know that the little tab at the bottom of the lamp is commonly thought to be a handle so you can move the head around and not burn yourself?  In reality it was added so that the lamp didn't fall over and burn your table top or the papers on it.  The tab was still too hot to handle in the halogen version. Hmm.... where to put it.

Ride the Wave

So, for the final of my travel related posts (at least I hope for a while), I'd like to introduce everyone to Wave Hill.  I can't believe I didn't know about this place while I actually lived in New York.  On Memorial Day Leigh, Jason, baby Drew, Scott and I drove up to Harlem and had a BBQ lunch at Dinosaur BBQ (if you can't get all the way up to Wave Hill, at least go to Dinosaur) and then headed up to the Wave Hill Botanical Gardens in Riverdale to walk off our lunch.  Wave Hill sits on the bluffs overlooking the Hudson and the large swath of land on the other side that Rockefeller bought up to maintain the pristine views.  The gardens are amazing, and the views are breathtaking.  You can buy a bottle of wine and drink it on the patio of the former residence.  And if you happen to be planning a wedding, I have no idea what their rates are, but it seems the ideal spot for a garden soiree.

Baroque part Deux

So, I had no idea that people were actually FOLLOWING my blog.  I ran into my friend Brooke at Princeton Reunions a while back and she mentioned that she had actually had purchased the prints that I wrote about from Etsy store Black Baroque.  She got them framed and put them up in her kitchen.  They look pretty darn good if I do say so myself.

A trip to the Highlands

While in NYC we met up with some friends to catch up. As is requisite for New York nights out, the night began at Rosa Mexicana with a few rounds of margaritas and their delicious guac.  And as is also requisite for NY nights out, a few people dropped off and we ended up with a core group throwing around various places to go for dinner.  There were 6 of us with no reservation. The Spotted Pig was discussed as were other locations that would have required a long wait and we finally settled on The Highlands, a new gastropub on a quaint West Village Street.  The meal of nouveau Scottish food was delicious and the restaurant was easily able to seat us.

And the decor was refreshing after having been in LA and not seen much new for a while.

Rummage Sale

This Sunday at Lady in Eagle Rock.

Everything is $10 - cash only - 8am to 10am

45 Three Sale

My favorite vintage furniture store is having a sale.  45 Three on Fairfax in Little Etheopia - check it out this Friday, Saturday and Sunday!
Some of the treasures include this pair of lamps

And this awesome bar cart

OK Silverlake

Our friend Larry Schaeffer has opened a Silverlake branch of his West 3rd Street store OK. Check out the new location at 1724 1/2 Silverlake Blvd.  It's a great spot for unique home accessories, art and design books, jewelry, gifts etc. And it was just featured in the New York Times Home and Garden Section!

Kitty Chalet

Saw this great little cat cabin in Readymade Magazine this month.  It seems like every cat house, chaise, toy that is remotely stylish is ridiculously expensive.... yet still made out of cat-preferred corrugated cardboard.  Well Marie-Pier Guilmain and Maud Beauchamp of Canada's Loyal Luxe agreed that these prices were ridiculous and came up with their own flat-packed version complete with antlers, play balls, and interior carpet.

Opposites Attact

While in Beijing last week, I visited the new hotel (well, new-ish) Opposite House in Sanlitun.  I remember when Sanlitun was just an alley with cheesy bars.  Now there's Sanlitun Village and Opposite House all developed by Swire and Sanlitun Soho, another high end condo and shops development across the street.  Sanlitun Village is replete with high end shopping and all sorts of dining options.  And Opposite House is a new 5 star boutique hotel designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.  It feels like an art museum housing works by the best and most of-the-moment Chinese artists, and the restaurants and bars Sureno, Bei, Punk, and Mesh feel like something you'd find in New York's West Village.  Here are some photos I took while I was there.

The lobby atrium

The check-in area and lounge

Open bar area at Bei Restaurant

Part of the newest portion of Sanlitun Village housing such shops as Agnes B, Longchamp, Commes des Garcons, Miu Miu and Balenciaga

Numb + Spicy = Mala YUM!

While wandering around Dalian I came across the food court at the Qingniwaqiao Shopping Mall.  The following sign made me cry out with glee!

It says Sichuan Mala Tang Mian (which means Sichuan Numb Spicy Noodle Soup)

Now, if you had been following my blog previously you know that Noodle Soup is quite possibly my favorite food - especially spicy noodle soup.  The Sichuan region of China is known for their spicy foods and especially for their Huajiao pepper corns which unlike our black pepper is spicy like a jalapeno but also has a distinct numbing effect as well.  Sounds odd, but tastes oh so good.

The noodles and cold dish that I ordered.  The food court was clean and modern and my meal cost about $12 RMB which is less thant $2 USD!

Fishs Eddy

While in NY a few weeks ago, Scott and I stopped by one of our favorite stores.  Fishs Eddy has been a New York staple for quite a while.  They started by repurposing and reselling vintage dinnerware and flatware from old hotels, cruiselines and airlines.  Now they have their own line of fun flatware, dinnerware, dishtowels, etc.  all with a sense of place a whimsical point of view.  We bought these Brooklyn dishtowels to remind us of our old stomping grounds.

Pamper yourself!

So while in Beijing last week I had the opportunity to take some time for myself.  I read about Tata Salon in Time Out Beijing and thought I'd give it a try.  For less than $30 USD I was able to get a really good hair cut at a top notch salon.  The guy spent 2 hours cutting my hair including a great head massage.  And it's right at the north end of Worker's Stadium (Gongti Beimen), so you can hop on over to the bars and restaurants to show off your new do afterward.

This weekend I made the journey to Hong Kong for the final stop on my 3 week travel adventure.  Mom and I had some mother daughter bonding time, taking a hike down Wong Nai Chung Gap and ending up at Sheila Beauty & Spa for facials.  We arrived completely sweaty but were happy to find a nice rain shower awaiting each of us in our massage room.  The salon attendants customized our facials based on our skin needs and really did a great job.  I highly recommend a stop in to this oasis above the bustle of Central's De Veoux Road.

Sheila Beauty and Spa Lounge

View from my parents' Repulse Bay Balcony (it's decieving because you can't feel the sweltering heat)

First Harvest

We came back from our New York / NJ trip to find 2 peppers had grown from our pepper plant (unfortunately I was too rushed to take a photo, and Scott ate them while I was in China) and an artichoke growing on our artichoke plant! 

Actually there are two growing now.

And look how the garden has taken off!

Congress Hall

This weekend we attended Eli and Becca's wedding at Congress Hall at Cape May on the Jersey Shore.  The setting was quintessential old school beach town.  Congress Hall which is the oldest beach resort on the East Coast has burned down and come back to life a few times.  In it's current iteration, it was pure Nantucket meets Dorothy Draper.

 

Love the cute and clever beach themed table number cards at the wedding reception.

First Dance in the Tiffany Blue Ballroom (the floor was wood with black and white painted checkers)

The Pink Cottage (which was in my previous post) was also as cute an can be (below, me on the awesome retro phone in the cottage - faux bois console I think is from Arteriors).

I can totally envision future vacations with family and friends. Love it!