Traditional / Modern

Miles Redd impeccably mixes the 2.

Kitchen Garden {just planted}

Inspired by the White House garden of First Lady Michelle Obama and the One Million Garden campaign, I planted one of my own today in fabulous new grey pots from Lowe's.

Of course, I had 3 beautiful raised beds created in my backyard 2 years ago. Set behind a lovely weathered picket fence and filled with near-perfect soil.  And I planted them.  Trouble is, out of sight, out of mind. Everything came to an untimely end minus H2O. But this year, pots planted with Fajita Bell peppers, Better Boy tomatoes, Quinault strawberries and miscellaneous herbs are nestled in a bed of pine straw just steps from the back door. And I'm feeling cautiously optimistic regarding their chance of survival.

I'm So Over Kelly

Kelly, we're, like, up here.  And you're, like, down there.

Classic Kate

Kate Spade stepped down as chief designer of her namesake brand nearly 2 years ago. And while her shops are still completely fresh & chock-full of amazingly fun objects...

I miss Kate.

J'adore Cookies

and Laduree macarons are my favorite. The best I've had this side of the Atlantic are from Bouchon, but nothing beats the real thing!

Harbor & Home

The latest exhibition at Winterthur is Harbor & Home: Furniture of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1710-1850, which opened Saturday. On display are 84 pieces of furniture, and more than 100 paintings, prints, historical photographs and other items drawn from 50 public and private collections. Lenders include The Met & Old Sturbridge Village, plus many smaller institutions throughout southeastern Massachusetts.

Isn't this scrimshaw dressing box perfect?  It's attributed to whaling captain Richard Luce of Vineyard Haven, and was probably made at sea between 1830 and 1850.

Kudos to Captain Luce for crafting this beautiful piece while sailing over the Atlantic's rolling waves.  Just the thought is making me a little seasick...

Domestic Goddess

I wake up early on weekdays.  I love reading e-mail, walking the dog, and having my first cup of coffee watching the sun come up.

Weekends are different. And Nigella Feasts is on a very short list of things {w/estate sales, Wimbledon, Metrolina, and dog} that get me out of bed before 8:00 a.m. But I can't help it. Her show is warm & cozy, like a big hug. And I adore her Web site as well. Here's what's cooking today...

Isn't that lovely?

Spring Cleaning (blog)

Like the new look?

Spring Cleaning (house) this weekend...

Happy Spring.

Dog Perfect

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful, she said.

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.

No Green

What better way to spend St. Patrick's than drinks @ Zanzibar and some fabulous Italian @ Cascina next door?  Fun.

Ok, maybe a smidge of green...

Wellies

I love Great Britain. Pringle cashmere, Harvey Nichols, Number Sixteen, Ab Fab, PG Tips, aran sweaters, Lush, Aston Martin, Boots Apothecary, Tate Britain, St. Martin in the Fields, The Conran Shop, Mary Poppins... And on days like today, when it rains cats & dogs in the Carolinas, making huge puddles & kicking up red clay, I head to the mud room for my black Wellies -- the classic Scottish rubber boot.

But when I saw the original Hunter Wellingtons in Silver @ WinkNYC, I had to re-think my blind love of all things UK. Silver. Really. Not sure even Trinny & Susannah could make it work.

Crisp White Sheets

Of all the rooms in my house, I love my bedroom most. I designed the headboard to add punch to those All White walls, and the tufted cotton velvet upholstery is a soft support for bedtime reading. Nothing relaxes me more than settling under freshly laundered, egyptian cotton sheets with a wonderful, aromatic candle flickering on the night-table.

Jane Scott Hodges, founder of Leontine Linens, originally opened her New Orleans shop in 1996 to showcase the Eleanor Beard Studio's artisinal work. Jane offers very special products based on her belief that one’s linens should be a reflection and extension of personal taste and lifestyle. I first laid eyes on a Leontine Linens sham in Town & Country. The hand-worked monogram on crisp, white cotton appealed to my love of both timeless quality and a 'less is more' aesthetic. I immediately ordered a pair of my very own in Althea and fell in love.

As for the candle, what else but Votivo's Clean Crisp White?

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.

Spring Fling

A few weeks ago there was sun, lots of sun, and warmth. Skies were cloudless, a pale and clear Carolina blue. Daffodils were up, my lawn was a patchwork of dark green tufts, and most of the neighbors had replaced their holiday magnolia swags with pots of fresh pansies. Temperatures were pushing 70. Was I wrong to think Spring had arrived?

I'd first seen the Townie in Vogue, then on Nantucket, and finally -- in early February -- through the window of my neighborhood cycle shop, a brilliant mass of peony, tangerine and limeade.   The Townie is a model of simplicity, and I'm so about simple.   The flat-foot technology makes riding in flip-flops a breeze.  

One of the originals, a pearly lime 3-speed with the coaster brakes of my childhood and a comfy seat, was too much to resist. Really, who can turn away from a bike that offers a surf rack accessory?  I succumbed. And not just to the cruiser, but to a big wicker basket and bright, shiny bell.

I was able to ride my new Townie around town for exactly 1 day before Winter returned.  Tomorrow we're expecting 3-5 inches of snow...

Must-See TV

Sure, President Obama signed a stimulus package today, but tonight the Housewives are back. Wonder how K.K.B. will fare against Bethenny, LuAnn, Alex, Ramona and Jill?

Bensimon is a patron of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute and graduate of Columbia,

author of American Style...

and In the Spirit of the Hamptons, 

 

and recently divorced from Elle Macpherson's ex.  

Am I the only one to sense that five of these things are not like the other?

Alternative Lifestyle

Jealous? 
Me?  
Really.  Of course I am.  Who wouldn't be?

Childhood friend Jeff Noordsy & his delightful significant other Holly are living the dream. My dream. Since graduating from Middlebury College in the early '90's, they've been skiing the world, dealing antiques, and restoring the Vermont parsonage they call home.  

I ran into them during American Antiques Week, just before a woman who'd lived in their parsonage 50 years earlier (her father had been a minister in their small Vermont town) entered their booth.  

Small world...

Anyway, their stuff was terrific, and I wanted to know how they did it. So just after exhibiting at The American Antiques Show last month, Jeff & Holly answered some of my burning questions. 

HGL:  Tell me about your antiquing roots -- how did you get your start?

J&H:  I always admired antiques at the home of my Mom’s aunt and Mother.  I started attending flea markets and auctions in college and things quickly escalated from there.

HGL:  So how long have you been actually dealing in antiques?
J&H:  We started dealing just after college in 1992, focusing primarily on bottles and stoneware, though didn't become full-time dealers until the late 90s.

HGL: What's the current focus of your business?
J&H:  Quality, quality, quality  Not necessarily the most expensive objects but anything that’s “the best” of its given type.  We still do much of our business in glass but are having increasing success with art and paint decorated high country furniture and accessories.

HGL:  Do you have a favorite period?
J&H:  Late 18th / early 19th century

HGL:  What's been your most interesting find to date?
J&H:  Too many to count!  It’s not just the “big hits" (monetarily) that resonate but also the fun little things acquired in out of the way places.  Our most exciting discovery was probably an important glass collection that had been “lost” for thirty-five years.  We traveled to Chevy Chase, MD and entered a home where I immediately recognized a number of iconic objects.  The buyer was a “closet collector” nobody knew of – it caused quite a stir when we unveiled these objects at the next show…

HGL: Do you have a piece you love too much to offer for sale?
J&H: Lots of them but we have learned that if we are to “make it” we need to keep our options open.  With that said, we do have a few treasures that I can’t ever imagine selling.

HGL:  How many days a year do you travel for business?
J&H:  Too many!  At least 120 nights in hotels and many more on the road.

HGL: What's your favorite town to travel for a show?
J&H: We always enjoy Baltimore because we have a number of friends there and are learning to take advantage of the opportunities offered in NYC.  Have had a few great trips to the South with Memphis being the best stop.

HGL: What's your favorite road food?
J&H: D’Angelos when we are on the run and whatever we can find online when we are staying put for a few days.  Road life is difficult so we do not scrimp on our food choices.  Yes, pizza in the room is at times great but we love to see what culinary delights we can uncover.

HGL: What do you do when you're not working?

J&H: Cuddling, long walks on the beach – oh wait, that’s for another profile!  Skiing is an important aspect of our lives, as is hiking.  We also enjoy working on our home and in our gardens.  When we return from the road we are truly homebodies.

HGL: What's on your iPod?
J&H: What’s an ipod?  Believe it or not, we don’t have one (don’t tell my Dad) although music is very important to us.  We listen to selections from Wolfgang’s Vault and archive.org at home and XM radio on the road.  We like an eclectic mix of music – jam bands, 60s Jazz, some modern R&B…

HGL:  If not an antiques dealer, what would be your occupation?

J&H: Firewatcher!  Hard to say – I now deem myself “unemployable” in that I have been my own boss for too long for me to conform to a structured set of rules.

Thanks Jeff & Holly.  And not to rub it in, but here are just a few of the fabulous items you've recently missed from Noordsy Antiques...

 

PAIR OF CARVED WOODEN DUCKS

Weathered white paint. American, early 20th century

MOCHA TANKARD

Foliate handle terminal and tooled base edge. English, C. 1800

 

19th CENTURY OIL ON CANVAS 

Connecticut River Valley landscape painted in the manner of Benjamin Champney

 

FREEBLOWN DEEP BOWL
Blown in Western New York State C. 1840

What Women Want

According to Wikipedia, the Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend on average twice as much money as women.

Consider this my effort to ensure those dollars are well-spent.

A Smythson fuchsia calf notes book (for extra points, add a love letter to your sweetie on the first page), $180

 

No man or woman will ever want to take off this lucky charm once it is tied, states Hermes regarding its new Cartouche bracelet in silver & evercalf leather, $405

Chocolate never fails, especially the Love Tower from Vosges Haut Chocolate, $58

For an old-school romantic, the sterling Tiffany Notes locket, $450 (+ charming picture of you)

100 pink Sarah Bernhardt peonies from fiftyflowers.com, $440

You get the idea...

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.