Sibella's Secrets

I first 'met' Sibella Court on Man Shops Globe, when Keith Johnson visited her fabulous home/shop, The Society Inc., during a scouting trip to Sydney. Her distinctive viewpoint is amazing -- I love her mix. But prior to returning home to Sydney in 2006, Sibella lived & worked for a decade in NYC, which she describes as 'the most exciting, contained, energy-filled city in the world'. And in her new book, The Stylist's Guide to NYC, she shares that excitement, revealing her favorite shops, boutiques, galleries and markets {along with recommendations for a savory bite mid-hunt}. The book, which 'celebrates the beautiful, original and unusual' and is nearing release in the UK, seems destined to become a classic.

Moved!

My favorite NYC patchwork & knit shops just moved into a new space...

In the case of Purl, I'm positive bigger will be better.  Can't wait to visit.

Uniform of Summer

I was at Post & Gray the other day and another dealer / designer {just back from NYC} had on this Alexa tunic from Calypso in Violet with a pair of jeans & sandals

Loved it so, I think it may become my Summer uniform {available in 6 colors + white}

G.P. Schafer, Architect

Most everyone recognizes Gil Schafer's work as beyond beyond, so no surprise that the Greek Revival he built for himself in the Hudson Valley is equally fabulous. Take a peek...

{love old Hitchcock chairs with a farm table]

{Colefax & Fowler's 'Bowood' is brilliant under the eaves}

{i could live here}

Pearl Oyster Bar

Last Spring I blogged about a fabulous Manhattan fish shack -- one that reminds me of a summer beach in the midst of a sea of concrete. It's time to add another (and this one has been recently seconded and therefore validated beyond question by Mario Batali). Pearl Oyster Bar (not to be confused with The Black Pearl, a fantastic spot on Newport's waterfront) offers a lobster roll that's a real contender.

Next time you're in Manhattan, try it and let me know if you agree.

SATC the Sequel

Filming in NYC has begun, and look who's back.

Roger Vivier

champagne & shoes. be happy...

Calypso St. Barth

This gauzy wrap from Calypso is perfect Summer party-wear... and check out Calypso Home in East Hampton for beachy-fun home furnishings.

The Mermaid Inn

try their Lobster Sandwich on toasted brioche w/a side of Old Bay fries...

it's a sunny day at the beach

Traditional / Modern

Miles Redd impeccably mixes the 2.

SoHo / Greenwich Village

Sunny.

I squashed 4 favorite things into 2 hours.

cupcakes & Magnolia

fresh cut flowers near Broome

trunk shopping on W. Broadway

and inspiration @ Purl.

I love NY.

Purl Patchwork

When was the last time you were inspired to try something new?

A year ago I was shopping in New York and came upon a tiny shop tucked into a snug SoHo side street. Full of fabulous textiles. It was Purl Patchwork.  

At PP, 100% cotton fabrics are displayed floor to ceiling, all colors and styles, artfully arranged to make selection the easiest thing in the world. But here's the thing... finding wonderful fabric has never been my issue. I adore all textiles -- new calico, old ticking, crazy quilts, antique toile, even ric-rac. 

It's sewing that scares the *&%! out of me. Ever since 7th grade Home Ec and an unfortunate reversible bermuda bag cover incident.  

So it took a year.  And I'm not sure if it was vintage ticking at The American Antiques Show or a documentary on the Quilts of Gee's Bend that pushed me over the edge. But last week I finally bought a new Janome and some Liberty fabric. 

It's time to face my demons.

The American Antiques Show

During my January trip to Manhattan for American Antiques Week, I also attended Antiques at the Armory and The American Antiques Show. Although the Winter Antiques Show highlighted the big names, and the Armory Show offered affordable pieces for young collectors, TAAS was by far the best show of the week. Admittedly I am biased. Childhood friend Jeff Noordsy and his fabulous wife Holly of Noordsy Antiques, positioned just across the aisle from Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques, were clearly one of the best new exhibitors at the Show. 

While the Noordsys are best known for their extensive collection of antique bottles & glass, it was their offering of period decorative arts that garnered significant attention. During the gala benefit preview, the buzz indicated that the entourage accompanying a certain omnimedia executive known for her exquisite taste and collection was paying close attention to this remarkable flag-holder, most likely created in celebration of our nation's centennial...

and another astute collector snapped up this perfectly lovely portrait of a young girl very early in the show...

All in all, TAAS is a show not to be missed.  Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with the Noordsys, and for more coverage of TAAS, check out Antiques and the Arts Online.

The Winter Antiques Show

The best grown-up scavenger hunt ever, American Antiques Week in NYC, is on. My first stop, the Winter Antiques Show, was wonderful... especially for fans who don't have time to cull the smaller auctions & shows for significant pieces.

For those who have never been, its location -- the Park Avenue Armory -- is magnificent. It was constructed from 1877 to 1881 for the 7th Regiment, the first militia to respond to President Lincoln’s call for volunteers in 1861. The Regiment hired prominent design firms in New York to create the interiors, most notably Associated Artists, a collaboration among Louis Comfort Tiffany, textile designer Candace Thurber Wheeler, the Hudson River school painter & decorator Samuel Colman, and ornamental woodcarver Lockwood de Forest. The Library, with abstract stained glass by Tiffany and a fireplace, latticework, and wainscoting designed by Stanford White, is one of the most stunning spaces in Manhattan.

With the Armory as backdrop, the forced Spring blooms were a magnificent adornment of the show's entry hall (check out the ceiling...)

And after walking under those fabulous blooms, I'm in. I must admit that after hearing Leigh Keno (perviously of American Antiques, currently of Traditional Modern) & twin Leslie speak at an August Antiques Show lecture on Nantucket a few years back, and following Leslie around Sotheby's as he explained the provenance of a few key American pieces to some clients last year, I'd really hoped to see them here. Leigh had a prominent space and great pieces, but the man himself was, hmmm, perhaps shopping elsewhere?

Regardless, the show was packed with fabulous examples of Americana. My untrained eye, however, kept going back to this New England blanket chest. I love its fresh color, the simplicity of the design, and the incredible vinegar-based faux finish...

(Can you see that?  It says $48K)  Happily it was featured in the Catalogue, because a photograph of this fabulous piece is all I'll be cherishing...

Sign of the Times: Manhattan

60 East 66th Street was redesigned in 1919 by the architect Mott B. Schmidt, which accounts for its architecturally significant façade. It was commissioned by Mr. and Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw. Having led a landmark 10,000 person march to Washington in 1924, Mrs. Laidlaw was a prominent suffragette and also on the Board of Directors of the League of Nations Non-Partisan Association. Schmidt's creation was in the neo-Classical style, a six-story building with projecting Spanish title roof. There was a center arched entrance and 3 arched windows at the second story, as well as an iron balcony. There are columns between the third story window and a cornice above. Schmidt also designed 1 Sutton Place for Mrs. W.K. (Anne) Vanderbilt, the Ann Morgan townhouse at One Sutton Place, the Vincent Astor Mansion at 128 East 80th Street, the Emily Trevor Townhouse at 15 East 80th Street, selected commissions for the Rockefeller family, the apartment building at 1088 Park Avenue, and the beautifully proportioned 53 East 66th Street on this very block.




Yours for $10.9M

New York Simple

I'm a banker living on the East Coast, and every once in a while I make the journey from one large East Coast financial center to the other. When venturing North, I traditionally travel by air. Efficient, but not particularly enjoyable. The airports are neither welcoming nor attractive, and the ride into the city usually leaves me curbside at some nice little Greenwich Village hotel feeling completely nauseated.  While I perk up nicely after a cupcake & trip to Purl Soho, I find the whole experience somewhat draining.

This time, however, my junket began in New England, and with no snow in the forecast I drove my very own car.  But here's the thing... beyond a trip every now & then along the Henry Hudson Parkway, I'm not too keen on Manhattan driving, and find city parking a dismal (and unreasonably expensive) experience. What to do what to do?  

Guess what?  I found a new place to stay.  It's called New Jersey.  And as much as I hate to admit it, I would stay there again in a heartbeat. For the doubting or faint of heart (I know you're out there... I used to be among you), here's my simple step-by-step from New England to the State they call Garden:

1. 

2.  This phase depends on how deeply embedded you are within New England. If you're really up there, with coffee in hand, get yourself to the nearest on-ramp for

3.  After a few hours, switch to

4.  After a bit more, you'll come upon a bridge.  It's busy but beautiful, so don't be afraid. Enjoy it, and if you get a chance, take a peek up. Magnificent.

Once you've crossed this bridge, you're there. A divine and simple place called New Jersey. 

5.  Settle into lodgings on the Hudson,

near a ferry,

and take that ferry into NYC.

If you're lucky like me, you'll only need to walk a few feet more, and there you are.

6. (Optional)  Take an evening and view Manhattan with a drink beside a window from your perch upon the Hudson.  And enjoy.