Not So Mellow Yellow

I hate trends and I never follow them but I've made an exception for yellow. It all started innocently enough too. First, I just needed to have some head shots taken which the talented Porter Hovey agreed to take. Woo hoo! Then I needed some scouting photos of my apartment to send to a few publications. I'm a little superstitious so I can't give any details away yet but needless to say, my week was filled with a million decorating projects (and cleaning!) one of which entailed painting my television armoire Benjamin Moore French Quarter Gold and adding matching knobs from Anthropologie. I also switched out my winter wool pillows with spring/summer silk in complementary colors and made an early morning visit to the flower district for yellow flowers. More on that later. I am so exhausted I could keel over but I am delighted with how it all turned out. My apartment is all set for spring now too. Here are some other options to welcome a little yellow into your life and home.

I wanted to include my beautiful new yellow blouse from 3.1 Phillip Lim that I bought at Bergdorf's but it's already sold out in the store and I can't find it online anywhere so another fun option is the J. Crew Summerweight Chino Jacket. You can dress it up or down but I think it would look great with a pair of jeans and flats.

We're not quite into the April showers yet but you could plan ahead by buying a pair of yellow Hunter Wellington boots. Hunter has been in business since 1817 and is the original maker of Wellies, named after the Duke of Wellington. If they can withstand the wet British countryside, then they can certainly withstand slick city streets. They are even endorsed by The Queen! And if they are good enough for her, then they are certainly good enough for you and me.

My signature perfume is Narciso Rodriguez but in the spring and summer I love wearing Mimosa by Calypso perfume. It's the most perfect floral scent that is a "blend of Mimosa, Rose and Jasmine with a splash of green leaves." It seems clean and fresh and not too sweet or cloying. It also comes in the form of a candle so your home can smell like spring too!

An inexpensive way to bring a little yellow into your life is through flowers. I bought some mini daffodils this week that are just the cutest darn things I've ever seen. They make me smile every time I look at them. And for a minute, I forget that my window looks out to the fire escape!

And if all else fails, you can pick up one of the many April magazines with varying shades of yellow on their covers to brighten up your life. House Beautiful and Elle Decor are a little on the chartreuse side but British House & Garden and Martha Stewart Living have perfect yellow covers. And even Pottery Barn got in on the act. Yellow may be a trend but at least it's one that will cheer you up while you wait for warmer weather!

Tinsley Moves Up

I know other people have posted some of these photos already but I really like Tinsley Mortimer's new apartment and couldn't resist. Especially since she's a fellow New Yorker. I also just realized that I haven't profiled any interiors this week and was afraid my readers might stage a revolt soon.

First, I have to say how glad I am that Tinsley and her husband moved from Murry Hill (social siberia) to the Upper East Side, where all the other socialites reside. I'm sure she feels very at home there. Tinsley had a little help with the decorating from her mother-in-law, Senga Mortimer, who is an editor at House Beautiful. Makes me wonder why the home was profiled in HB instead of Harper's Bazaar but anyway, I like the mix of traditional and modern pieces. It's also easy to see Tinsley's Southern roots in the apartment in the form of ancestral portraits.

For a socialite who's claim to fame is her girly style, the apartment is surprisingly grown up too. Wedding pictures and family heirlooms grace an 18th-century marble-top chest above.

Tinsley's china and and crystal are from William Yeoward.

The dining room not only looks very traditional but also very Southern. I love the wallcoverings.

I was very impressed that Tinsley chose her linens from Schweitzer Linen, the place where insiders know to go for luxurious linens at a great price. Love the Scalamandre covered headboard too.

I love that they used the same pattern from the headboard on the closet. "Tinsley's treasures (from Lia Sophia cuffs to Amedeo by M+M Scognamiglio cameos) are kept in a Smythson of Bond Street case." Must be nice.

Photos by Douglas Friedman for March 2008 Harper's Bazaar

Spring Fling

It's still chilly in New York but it's been sunny the last few days so there is a sense of excitement in the air that Spring is just around the corner. I love Autumn but there is something about Spring that makes it my favorite season. Maybe it's because my birthday is in April or all the beautiful fragrant flowers that are abound or the birds that are chirping. The whole city comes alive too. Everyone is so happy to shed their heavy coats and feel the sunshine. It's glorious! And so is the cover of the April issue of Martha Stewart Living! Have you ever seen such a beautiful bouquet?! I love it! Happy Almost Spring!

The Ultimate Indulgence

I just had a facial from La Mer today at Bergdorf Goodman. Talk about decadent! It was amazing! And my facialist Michelle couldn't have been nicer. She told me about how she left a corporate recruiting job to go back to school full time to become an aesthetician and how much she loves her job now. I always say it but I love hearing about people who have found their true calling and love going to work everyday. If you live in the New York tri-state area, you should call them up and put your name on the list for the next event. I also highly recommend the new Eye Concentrate. It's a miracle cream in a jar. Now if I could just afford to slather my entire body in La Mer everyday I'd be in heaven!

Into the Fire

As long as I'm discussing crushes, I should mention that I have a weird crush on Anthony Bourdain. I know you think I'm crazy. He's too old. He drinks too much. He smokes too much. Probably does too many drugs. But he makes me laugh. And isn't that what every woman wants. A man with a sense of humor?! I never laugh so hard as I do when I watch his show, No Reservations, on Bravo. He gets to travel to exotic places and eat his way through the entire trip. Sounds like a dream job to me!

Well, in last night's episode, Into the Fire, Anthony goes back to his old job at Les Halles to see if has what it takes to work the line after eight years away. I think every person who loves to eat out should be required to watch the repeat of this show and see how many people and how much work goes into serving you a meal! It will also make you reconsider ever leaving a less than 20% tip ever again! And I guarantee you'll get a good laugh out of it too!

Creative Type Seeks Same

My post about David Netto had me pondering relationships. The Vogue article pronounced that opposites really did attract but in the case of David and Ione, I think we could all see that it would never last. They were much too different and David finally married a woman he knew from his childhood days. But it got me thinking about how creative types usually end up with other creative types. I could never be with someone who didn't have a deep interest in art and design like a doctor or a lawyer. Not just because I wouldn't have an interest in their work but I'm sure they could care less about the latest issue of Domino or my blog. So let's take a look at some creative types who did get together with great success and some I'd like to get together with. It's Monday people. Let's have some fun!

The couple above is Derrick Miller and Jennifer Vaughn. Derrick is the Creative Director for Barker Black, a 125-year old English shoe company that he is credited with reviving. Their shoes are so fantastic that they sometimes make me wish I were a man! The shop on Elizabeth Street is a kin to a gentleman's club. Jennifer meanwhile is an interior designer and helped to decorate their apartment that was featured in Domino magazine. A match made in heaven if I ever saw one!

Rufus and Sally Albemarle are a striking couple who also share a love of the arts. Rufus came to New York in the late 1990s, as an industrial designer but now he has a company Albemarle of London that makes "fine shirts for gents" and can often be seen out and about at parties. Sally Tadayon Albemarle is a sculptor but has been living in England with their son for a while. Rufus commutes back and forth to see them. They were married in a big international wedding in Havana, which was covered by Vanity Fair. They seem like a true renaissance couple.

One of my favorite design firm, Roman and Williams, is run by one ridiculously creative couple, Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch. They met while working on set designs for movies and finally decided to open their own firm after they were tired of seeing all their hard work at the end of a movie shoot. They just finished the redesign of the Royalton Hotel lobby and are also working on a line of furniture. I love their vintage yet modern aesthetic.

Now let's take a look at some creative types who haven't yet paired up, or at least not that I know of. First on the list is my ultimate crush, Taavo Somer. He is co-owner of my favorite restaurant in the city, Freemans, with it's rough hewn look and taxidermy animals, it's a cozy retreat. And the food is fabulous! Next door is his other venture, Freeman's Sporting Club below, which carries handmade clothing, vintage accessories and the pièce de resistence, an old fashioned barbershop in the back. Taavo actually trained to be an architect which just adds to the appeal. As someone who's tired of stark white modern boxes, Taavo's style is a breath of fresh air.

Next up is my newest crush, Tee Faircloth who bought F.M. Allen a few years ago. “I wanted to buy an old African company,” said the 36-year-old former bond trader. “I kept coming back to Frank Murray Allen, who was the last of the gentleman hunters. Bunny was a nickname. Bror Blixen and Denys Finch Hatton got him started. In 1927, he was second gun for them on the royal safari of the Prince of Wales.” I think we all dream of buying a safari company but how many people actually get to do it?! Tee is updating the company which not only arranges luxury safari vacations but can outfit you for the trip and your home when you get back from their collection of antiques and furniture. Where do I sign up?!

My last crush is Ben Schott, but only when he's wearing his dark rimmed glasses. Ben is the man behind the Schott's Miscellany Empire, which now includes the Original Miscellany book, Almanacs, Food and Drink Miscellany and Gaming and Idling Miscellany. Ben is the quintessential self-deprecating Englishman with a lovely posh accent, floppy Hugh Grant hair, and a vintage Mercedes, which would be enough for most people but he is also frighteningly intelligent and interesting. He typesets all of his books and is an accomplished professional photographer and journalist. And to think it all started with a Christmas card. Gotta love it.

If anyone else has any interesting creative types that they would like me to add to the list, I'm currently taking nominations. I'm sure there has to be some more Renaissance type men around somewhere!

BDDW

I was in Soho last weekend working on a project and I popped into BDDW and was amazed not only at the beautifully handcrafted furniture but also the wonderful vintage pieces dispersed throughout the store. You can get a feeling of what it was like in the photos. Each piece of furniture is handmade in Brooklyn with an attention to timeless design as well as innovation that I'm sure you will appreciate. Enjoy!