It was hard to enjoy Domino this month.

Why? Well, seeing Katie Lee Joel on the cover just reminds me that she sleeps with this old troll.



Ick.

I don't mind celebrity covers, if they are interesting people. But there is no reason any of us would possibly be interested in Katie Lee Joel. Why should we be interested in her?

One magazine I have never really liked is In Style. It's so suburban. It's never felt like a city magazine. It's a mall magazine. All that blind love of celebrities. The Katie cover smells like In Style, which is disappointing. The good news is, there were a few features of homes of people I didn't know and their style charmed the pants off me. That's Domino at its best.


BTW, Katie - I scored myself an old dude and he is waaaaay hotter than your piano man. So take the money and run, girl. Go get yourself a young buck and spoil him with your divorce settlement. (I am sure that's your plan anyway.)

Get your fash on.

Oh Chloe. How I love thee.



I cannot tell you how delighted I was to discover a few weeks ago the narrated online audio slideshow's of Bill Cunningham, the NY Times photographer responsible for shooting street fashion for the Sunday Style pages in the paper. I've always love the fashion he shoots for the paper because he's great at putting together themes and trends as they blow up on the street of NY, but it's even better hearing him talk about fashion. He loves it maybe more than we do.

Click HERE to listen to the most recent of his slideshows.



THIS is a great one... it's just shots of New Yorkers at the weekend market. I love it when he says, "This is the part of fashionable life in NY you don't see... People with affluence go off to their country houses and so forth, the rest of us stay here in the city and we find beauty."


You can click HERE for past slideshows.

News of the world:

1. I learned that I have an extra bone growing in the back of my ankle. Gross. About 7% of the general population has it. Signs? You feel a distinct pinching pain when you point your toes. I rarely need to point my toes which explains why at 32, this has finally been discovered.

2. The heel and ankle bones in my right foot are fusing together. It's called fibrous coalition. I learned that on this one, it occurs in less than 1% of the population. Why can't my odds be so good when I am entering a raffle? Why this? So lame. Nevertheless, I fear that fixing my foot problem may obligate me to actually abandon my sedentary lifestyle. Fuck.

3. The Drink of the Week is a mojito. I got a little off track with this new program, but then I spied rum in our fridge, which I didn't know we even stocked at Chateau Decorno. And conveniently, I have bunch of mint in pots that are begging to be harvested for my drinking pleasure.

4. My job is kicking my ass.

5. I am worried that blogging is just scrapbooking for computer users. This concerns me. A lot.

6. My landscaper brought the planting plans over. I have a BINDER full of tear sheets of the things I love, which I showed him at my first meeting. I also already have tons of lavender, rosemary, mint, and other specific plants growing and his plan included NONE of them... except daphne, which I told him I love, but pointed out at the first meeting that it's toxic to dogs. I am not pleased to know he's trying to kill Rickey.

7. I am the one woman in America not going to see Sex & the City tonight. It's sold out at any theater I would dare drive to. (Not going to Oak Tree near Aurora, if you know what I mean, Seattlites...)

8. The other day, NPR was playing the Sex & The City theme (the new big band jazzy one) between segments and that made me smile. It's truly a classic TV theme song, huh?

9. I paid off my car today. It's now officially the most expensive thing I own. I feel like a grown up. I am so excited that I now have an extra $250 a month to spend on hookers and coke.



What's the news of your world? Who saw/is seeing SATC?

Got wanderlust?

So do I. Which is why I am enjoying the "Grand Tour" blog by Matt Gross travel writer for the NY Times. He's on a 12-week tour of Europe and reporting about it HERE..

Ugh.

So, I wake up this morning, check the ol' nytimes.com, and right there on the virtual front page is a story about my hometown. "The area around Alberta Street in Portland has become popular with young white couples, forcing many longtime residents to sell their property and move away."

And about the woman in the photo up top, the NY Times writes, "Joan Laufer, 55, a nurse practitioner, said she was not aware of the area's history when she moved there in the fall of 2006. The price was right, and she loved the front porch."

What??? No. Sorry, no. That's a lie. Even if you don't know about Vanport, a neighborhood decades ago that blacks were forced to live in thanks to Portland's old racist housing and real estate restrictions, and how it flooded and caused people to move & establish new neighborhoods like Alberta.... even if you don't know that, you know what Alberta is about. So please don't parade your white guilt around the NY Times and don't act shocked when attending the neighborhood reconciliation meetings, because you KNOW what buying a home in a neighborhood like Alberta adds up to when you're not the only one moving there to take advantage of how cheap it is.

I don't even mind gentrification. Really. Neighborhoods will change. That's what free market will lead to. But I did mind waking up and reading about this obtuse woman who is somehow surprised that moving to this neighborhood might actually make her part of a displacement machine.

Full article is HERE.


When observed in their natural habitat, white people will often camouflage their capital and other resources by hiding in dumpy clothes and hideous shoes...

Bacon - Yes or No?

I'm pooped.

Does it make me a bad dog owner that I just put a Kong stuffed with cheese in front of my dog to give me five peaceful moments to blog?

So, tonight was the blogger panel event at Velocity Art & Design. Whoo boy! There were so many of you. I had visions of maybe 5 people showing up and then we would sit in a circle and talk like we're at Narc-Anon. But no! It was like Donahue!

I met Tula of Whorange. And I am SURE you can imagine we bonded over having weird/combo/dirty blog names. I love her already. Now you can, too.

I also met Mary of Shelterrific, Paola of Mirror Mirror, and Megan from Not Martha, the other guests/speakers of the event. I like these broads.

I will have a much better recap tomorrow of the event, specifically, what it takes to write a blog that gets traffic. I am not sure I am the expert on that (I would say Megan is... she gets loads of traffic...) but for what it's worth, all secrets will be revealed tomorrow.

John - you make an excellent Donahue! Now we just need to find you a big, fabulous, retro mic, and a starchy blue suit, and it will be game-on, friend.

Book Report: Domesticities

Lesson 1: When in doubt, paint it white.




Lesson 2: Not rich? Vintage is the answer.


Lesson 3: Dogs should always be allowed on the furniture.


Lesson 4: Never dismiss a cinderblock house....



...until you see the view from the inside.



More about the book HERE.

When did sheeting become a word?

Seriously. Come on.

Anyhoo... I do need new sheets. But if anyone even mentions "Frette" or "Leontine" or Porthault or brands I know we all don't really buy, I will smack you with a Nerf bat.

Now... the sheets on your bed right now - where did you get them? Do you love them? Hate them? How often do people buy new sheets? I feel like I need Bedding 101.

I am checking out my online options right now. Bed, Bath and Beyond scares me because it means I have to drive outside the city limits. I just know that one of you will have the perfect secret source.

Suggestions, please.


Photo up top... kinda makes you throw up in your mouth a little, doesn't it?

Decorno speaks.

Tomorrow I am speaking along with other bloggers at a design event here in Seattle at Velocity Art & Design.

I'll be speaking about why I blog, what it takes to drive traffic and interest to your blog, and the ways that blogs are changing how we buy, and how for many of us, blogs are the new TV networks. (I barely watch TV anymore... I am tuned to Girl Meets Glamour, Habitually Chic, Isuwanee, and so on...) It should be fun.

Stop by to meet design-y types, see John's amazing store, and test drive Dry Soda.

From Velocity's website:

Wednesday, May 28th from 6-8pm

Velocity Art And Design presents The Lab: a series of events at our South Lake Union showroom which will feature guests integral to shaping our landscape here in the Northwest and beyond, while helping to foster opportunities for creative thinking, networking, and inspiration.

Please join us Wednesday, May 28th from 6-8 to meet prominent voices in the rapidly growing, ever-evolving world of blogs... We welcome Northwest design bloggers Elaine from Decorno, Mary from Shelterrific, Megan from notmartha, and Paola from MirrorMirror to meet and greet and answer your questions about this fascinating topic. Please join us to learn how to start and promote your own blog, whether for business or fun, from our delightful and knowledgeable panel of experts.

Thank you to Dry Soda for providing the refreshments at this event!

SOUTH LAKE UNION SEATTLE STORE
251 Yale Ave N.
Seattle WA 98109
P: 206-749-9575
Velocity Art & Design

Saw this book at the store yesterday...

...and almost had a seizure, it was that good. It features the homes of Catharine Malandrino, Martin Grant, Louboutin, and other fashion designers. Glossy pages, amazing images, cool people with interesting and eclectic homes.

Why are the homes of fashion designers way sexier than that of interior designers? Maybe it's attention to fabric and the body and how it will work in a space. I like how everything looks tossed together. I sometimes think certain interior designers must constantly walk around their homes making sure their "tablescapes" are up to snuff, whereas, I like to imagine these fashion designers as the kind of people who keep things minimally cool so that it's easier with one swipe of the arm to clear off a coffee table and pour out that bag of coke for all to enjoy during a hedonistic post-show romp.

When reading, wear a bib to catch the drool.

You can get it HERE (naturally).

I bet you wouldn't have guessed...

That THIS is my favorite lighting fixture of all time.

My 2nd-home dirty fantasy includes buying an old shack by the water, whitewashing the whole damn place, and hanging this from the middle of the room (I may need to pop the roof & ceiling up to accomodate the awesomeness of the light, actually.


Or maybe just go all the way with a kit home from HERE.

As soon as I make my millions from blogging, I am sure this plan will come together.

I want this.

I really want THIS. But I have no use for it. My house is enough of a project. I need to remind myself that I don't, in fact, run a shelter for neglected and abused chairs and settees (as much as I would love to...).

I don't wear flats.

But now I am seriously reconsidering.

When I posted about shows (scroll down two posts) someone asked in the comments section what I would recommend for flats.

I don't wear a lot of flats because I am a shrimp (5' 2") and I know I lose about 90% of my awesome superpowers when I am not wearing heels. That said, I think there are a ton of cute flats out there. And since you asked, dear reader, here you go:


Sam Edelman
Sam Edelman makes flats that have the same kind of design interest that you'd usually see in a pump. So cute. And when fashion types say "day-to-night" or "work-to-weekends" this is what they mean (or should, anyway...).



Nine West "Lovable"
Satin. Yep. You can wear satin for day. It's cute.



Enzo "Cameron"
I love the rough edges with the glammed-up shine on this shoe. I bet they look very fetching with denim.



Vince Camuto "Capital"
I like the Jackie O/Roger Vivier/Mod vibe on these. These aren't just flats... this is Fashion. Capital F.



Nine West Kapow
I *guarantee* you that if you wear these out for a few hours shopping, you will get compliments. Do you even know how these are going to sparkle in the sun? Heart-stopping. I am buying a pair for myself. Now.



Sam Edelman Colette
It also comes in a cute pewter version. Although if you're an Anthropology kind of chick, this sunny yellow will go with that explosion of color that is your closet, you ric-rac-loving modern bohemian, you.



ALL BLACK
Big fan of this brand. And this color? Adorable. Like wearing the sky on your feet.



Pour La Victoire
This new brand turns out real stunners. I used to think of them only for pumps, until I just spotted this. I *know* you are thinking "$250 for a FLAT?" Yes. Worth. Every. Penny. I mean, look at it. Yum.



If you need a true grocery-getter shoe (something you throw on when you run to the store... something with traction and flex), I would go for Privo. But...

WARNING: Wear with your Lululemon cropped workout pants and zip-up hooded yoga jacket at risk of looking too suburban.

TIP: Wear with your hair pulled back, classic white woven cotton shirt with sleeves rolled up, an arm full of silver skinny bangles, substantial silver hoops, big-ass sunglasses, and some rocking denim, and you'll be the hottest bitch in the produce aisle (and your feet will thank you).



Dolce Vita "Bali 1" I think this is super cute. In fact, just browse all DOLCE VITA sandals. They are all yummy.


There are quite nearly a bazillion other really good options for you... just check the flats category and the sandal category. And Endless.com lets you select your desired heel height, which makes it really easy to find non-ankle-breakers that your doctor will approve of.

Let us know what you get.

Oh, I am so excited...

So, I just saw THIS book at the store.

...and I fell in love. It's a surprisingly good book of inspiration for rooms, gardens, baths, etc. I just ordered it from Amazon. The cover looks stuffy, but the chapters inside are grouped by decorating sensibilities, so even if you're not a traditionalist, there are more directional ideas inside.



And then when shopping for said book on Amazon, I noticed THIS book, which is available for pre-order. And, well, yeah. I bought it, too. I am very excited about it. It smells of "before & after" porn, which I know we all love.

House Beautiful, the magazine, has been excellent lately, don't you think?

Leah's latest:

Miss Leah of Revival Home & Garden has got new tricks in store now:


"Drum roll, please... MetroSofa has arrived. What is MetroSofa, you ask? A fabulous company that finds and refurbishes vintage furniture frames and, with the help of their upholsterers, transforms them with fabulous contemporary fabrics and finishes.

Last week we received our first shipment from them, what I'm sure will be the first of many, as three of the pieces are already being held for customers. We are currently the exclusive Seattle retailer for MetroSofa, which makes us even happier to have them in the store."

You can read more HERE and get directions to the store, or contact info if you live in, say, Philly, and need her to arrange shipping for you.

Loving this blog:

Trick My Brick

Flameless candles - yes or no?

My good instrincts say no. But last weekend when hanging out in my backyard late into the evening, the candles kept going out. Hmm. A dilemma.

See candle HERE.

The mystery remains.

Where is Agathe?

Fashion bloggers are addicted. You might remember here HERE.

But she's gone.

Maybe not gone (because someone reports below that she's logged into Facebook and approved some friend requests), but she's not blogging anymore and has basically gone missing.

Style Bubble
Eye Eclectic
Fashion Haley
The Coveted
Since we are decor freaks more than we are fashion freaks, I thought you would enjoy THIS post of hers, since it combines the two loves.


I hope she just gave the finger to blogging for a while and is doing just fine.

Almost gone.

An institution is closing its doors. Great article about it HERE.

Yikes. I did not know I was supposed to take design blogs so seriously.

Photo removed at Holly's request.


Holly of Decor8 writes:


(Update: Holly has since updated the content of her post on the Real Simple website... below is what was posted originally.)

"Because anyone can start a blog also means that anyone will -- so you need to watch what your reading and make sure that the blogger isn't feeding you what they've either stolen off the web elsewhere and that they're walking the talk in their own life. Ask yourself:

Does the blogger have their full name and complete bio readily visible, or at least their email address so you can ask them?

If they are offering advice, do they have the credentials to do so?

And when I say credentials, I don't mean they need to have some fancy background, I just want to know why they have a blog in the first place, what life experiences give them the 'right' to an audience so to speak.

If they show photos on their blog, are they crediting their images giving the source full credit?

Do they write well?

Is their content consistent?

Do they answer comments left on their blog?

Are comments made by fellow readers constructive or are they snarky and bitter?

I think all of these points are very important things to consider because you want to make sure that what you're taking in is worth your precious time. When I read a design blog I have to 'click' with the author. I need to like them."



Read it all HERE.

I missed this a while back (because I never read Real Simple), but I thank Reclaiming Miss Havisham for pointing it out on her blog.

Jamie Mears is NOT happy with you, Kristin Van Ogtrop.

Jamies Mears is NOT HAPPY. Read it HERE.

Or just read it here:

read this letter written by kristin van ogtrop from the june real simple. (click on image to see full size...)

and then think about what she just wrote. and published. in a magazine.

if i really was ignorant enough to do this, i’d be embarrassed to tell it.

kristin. its 2008. we don’t fill up dumpsters with "stuff" until they are full, and then RECOMMEND it to others as THRILLING.

you're not a construction worker. you aren't demolishing something. its not ground zero. there's no rubble to remove.

there is absolutely no excuse for having enough things you cannot DONATE, RECYCLE, REUSE, or otherwise do something else with- to fill up a dumpster in your driveway.

its so irresponsible.

an editor's letter sets the tone for the issue. its a (much sought after) forum to offer advice, set an example, and encourage your readers to apply the things found in the magazine to their own lives.

kristin, if everyone of your readers filled up a dumpster, do you know how much shit would go sit in a landfill?

where do you think it goes? or does it not matter, as long as its not in YOUR basement.

the whole article is sickeningly bourgeoise.
i'm not suggesting she go hug a tree, but really?
(or maybe those were tossed out too in the scorched earth clean up)



I heart Jamie. But I would NOT cross her.

Serena... listen up:

General notes for the Gossip Girl crew:

Lydia Hearst: GET OFF MY FUCKING SHOW. Gossip Girl doesn't need you. You look like Nellie on Little House on the Prairie and there is NO WAY Chuck Bass would ever go for your skinny white ass.




Chuck: You wear more foundation than Ru Paul. Tell make-up to go easy on the Ben Nye foundation. Seriously.




Serena: You have the southern California version of Madonna's fake accent. What the fuck is up with your voice? And as much as we are all supposed to love your Kate-Moss-inspired wardrobe, guess what? I don't. Don't love it at all. What was up with that 70s yellow carnation of a dress you were wearing? Dumb. And the gloves? Come on. Also: you're super boring.



Eric van der Woodsen (Connor Paolo): Every time I see you on screen I think, "Good fucking God. This kid MUST have learned to act in NY where every young actor overacts like they are on Broadway, or God forbid, an episode of Fame. Guess what? I was so f-ing RIGHT! Tone it down, cupcake, or Los Angeles will never come calling.



Blair. You are horrible, rotten, no good, bitchy & conniving. Keep up the good work! The way you cut down that imposter bitch was FAB.U.LOUS. You are Heathers reincarnated. Love it.


I don't love much television. But I *really* love Gossip Girl. Good work, team.

If you like to cook or want to learn...

you MUST get THIS book.

Lovely. Just one photo & cooking tip per page. It's like a fine culinary text for ADD types.


Oh, and I cannot wait to get THIS one. I love HER RADIO SHOW. Love, love, love. If you're the kind of person who, like me (and JJ) who can kill about an hour on a road trip just talking about our favorite fried foods (fried Snickers? Battered and fried green onions...) then you will love her radio program. You can probably even find it on the internets.

White hot.

I had to have them.

And now I do.

Apartment Therapy: The Eight Step Home Cure

How many of you have read this?

Did you like it? Was it useful?

(Update: So the reason I asked this is because we know that the author is also the guy behind the Apartment Therapy website. I guess I expected this book to be kinda cheeky and smart, but I am astounded how poor the writing is. He writes about things like he's an alien who has just landed on Earth:

"Apple's products for computer music are terrific." Yes, he wrote that.

I refuse to believe he's not a cool guy. I am sure he is. I just wish the book had a little more personality.

Nevertheless, it did inspire me to start purging my house. I started with my closet. It's scary. Scarier are the things I have been holding onto. Red cowboy boots? Those should have been burned 4 years ago. So embarrassing.

Anyway... I know I am like 3 years late, but I guess on am doing the "Cure.")

What one thing could you do before labor day....

that would seriously change your life?

Here are 3 things I am going to do:

1) See a specialist to fix pesky problem on my foot that makes walking difficult (seems like a dumb thing to keep putting off, no?).

2) Use more hairspray. Not kidding. My friend Tracy has glorious hair. It is coarse, thick, and stunning in its honey-colored goodness, but above all... it's perfectly styled ALL THE TIME. I asked her the other day, "How do you keep the perfect (I am talking-red-carpet-ready) loose curls in your hair all day?" She answered: "Hairspray. Lots of it. I did my hair YESTERDAY."

That sealed the deal for me. In order to keep my kinda wimpy hair in check, bitch is gonna spray the shit out of it. In fact, I am rocking some pretty fluffy chic hair at the moment, thanks to Salon Grafix Freezing Hair Spray, the modern girl's Aqua Net.

3) Lose 10 pounds. I would like to lose more. But honestly, when you have a big goal, you need to start with manageable chunks. So 10 lbs. in a month. I can do this.

That's all. If I do those 3 things by Labor Day, my life will be much better.

I mean, the hair already is.


So what's your thing gonna be?

Armchair traveler.

Vernazza, Italy.

I am an excellent armchair traveler. When I need to get my travel on but I can't exactly leave the country in a moment's notice, I go to travelblogs.org, where you can find all kinds of blogs from regular people who have traveled around and documented it all on this site. You can search for nearly any country or city and find it here. The photos are often quite impressive.

Another cool travel site is couchsurfing.com where you can sign up and find people in cities all over the world who will host you in their home towns. You sign up for whatever level of "hosting" you can manage... everything from offering up your couch for a night, to just meeting up with someone for coffee and showing them around your city. It's a very cool project.


Santorini, Greece image found HERE:

Let's go.

Let's go here.


From NYTimes.com travel section...

Well, aren't you generous!

I bet you will enjoy your lovely weekend even more knowing that you gave a little to help those in need right now in China and Myanmar.

Lucky for lazy, blog-addicted sloths like you and me, Amazon makes giving to the Red Cross super easy (and no, they don't take a cut of your cash).

Donate HERE using your Amazon account (so you don't have to re-enter your credit card and all that silliness).

Restaurant pet peeves?

My friend Hannah was lamenting the use of square plates at restaurants... a thing made worse when they trot out mini drinks to "complement" the meal... which usually means serving up some pine infused bullshit that tastes like a Christmas tree.

I don't like overly clever things. When bringing you the bill, Gramercy Tavern sends you home with a tasty muffin for your breakfast the next morning. Now THAT I love. Licorous here in Seattle brings your bill in a flat little white bag. Um, did I just buy a bunch of penny candy at the general store? No. I didn't. So bring me a bill in something a bit nicer than a paper bag.

So - let's hear it. Dining pet peeves? You know you have them.

Garage sales - worth it?

Well, it's going to be ridiculously hot this weekend here in Seattle. And with the weather brings out all the peeps in the neighborhood. I was thinking it was time to open up the time machine of shit that is my basement and host a little garage sale to rid myself of some crap.

What does everyone think? I seem to hear that they are more work that it's worth.

Sherry from blog This Young House raked in a cool $475 from her yard sale. $475 could buy me a lot of Lillet. Read about Sherry's yard sale HERE.

Thoughts? Experiences?



That's Sherry of This Young House in the photo. Not me. First clue that it's NOT me? Her skinny-ass thighs don't touch. Mine have since I was in diapers. But I'm not bitter.

Rickey.

It occurs to me I have not done enough bragging about my excellent doggy.

This is Rickey. He was a bit younger in this photo. He hasn't been able to fit into that tiny collar in a while.

I am sitting in my backyard tonight... at my little teak table, with my feet up in another chair, with fresh-cut lilac on this table, waiting for Jon to come home with what he tells me will be the fine ingredients for a night of BBQ-ing and general good times. Yay.

I am sitting here watching my dog sniff stuff. His pleasures are simple:

-Sniff new things
-Sniff old things
-Chew on rawhides and dried bull penises (yeah, I said it... dog-owners now these as "bully sticks")
-Sit on laps
-Get attention from friends and strangers alike
-Eat cheese (GOD he loves cheese... just saying the word nearly gives him an orgasmic kind of dog-seizure)

Pets are the greatest. If you need proof, you just have to think of those Katrina pet-owners who waited with their dogs on rooftops. It does defy biology to love a furry little beast so much. But what a constant friend your pet is, right? So happy to hang out with you in the backyard, or on the couch, or in the car. So happy to just be with you and to give you such an easy, uncomplicated love.

Monograms - yes or no

In a post a few weeks ago, the topic came up and one reader left this comment:

Why do we need monograms? It's our own house; we KNOW that the sheets are ours, the towels are ours... It's not like this is summer camp, and some other kid's linens could get mixed up with ours.

Monograms... yes or no?

Discuss.

What are you doing?

I am not an early adopter when it comes to technology. A very sad fact. I am more middle-of-the-pack. (Part of it, too, is that things like My Space had no value for me. What was I going to DO with it? No utility. Plus, it's ugly.)

So I am finally catching up on social networking / bloggy things like Twitter, good reader and such (readers blow... someone needs to do a better job here), Facebook (I just joined and my friend Hannah sarcastically wrote me, "Welcome to Facebook...it's the future.").

I thing I have liked for a while is 43 Things. Maybe because I am a nut for lists. Love, love, love lists. And checking things off. 43 Things is the best because you can make your life's to-do list and when you enter things like "Change my name for one year" ior "Go to Rome" or "Open a store" it connects you with people who want to do the same thing.

The BEST LIST is that of Erik Benson, aka Buster McLeod. You should read what he's working on and also click on the tab that reads "I've done 184 things." Very amusing. And inspiring, actually.

So... how is everyone connected?
What social networking stuff do you even bother with?
What's proven useful (or at least amusing)?


Photo up top is The McLeod Residence... a member's-only drinking club plus art gallery for hipsters here in Seattle. Opening it was on Erik Benson's $3 Things list... until he checked that off.

Martha Stewart is totally insane.

Got an email from Jules... it went like this:

Jules:
So do you ever read Martha Stewart's blog? It's hilarious. Not intentionally, but it's really funny all the same. She takes, like, 9,000 detailed pictures and in every post title asks for comments...

Anyway, I saw this and thought of you for the gardens (she's in central park). I still wasn't going to send it to you, but when I saw what she has her "wardrobe mistress" do to her "Laboutins," I laughed out loud and couldn't resist sending you the link. It's near the beginning.

Best,
Jules


I respond:

WTF? She's insane!

This is like back in the richie-rich pre-dot-com-bust days when I read about someone who had a hollow gold bracelet with fancy-ass diamonds INSIDE. That's just conspicuous inconspicuous consumption, right? I'm so rich, I hide my diamonds in my noisy rattle bracelet! I am so rich, I will take a poop on my Louboutins!

Christ.

I think you have just written tomorrow's post. I owe you, Jules.




From Martha's blog: "Karena, my wardrobe mistress, painting the soles of my Laboutins* black - I am not a fan of the signature red soles and always change the red to black - this is easy if you use a broad sharpie."

Read insane Martha here HERE


*Spell check Martha.... spell check.

Alex Prager.

I love me some contemporary photography. And I am pleased to see that PCNW is showing Alex Prager right now. If you live in the area and want to make a night of it, it's on the same block as LARK and its sister bar LICOROUS, and also just a few steps from CAFE PRESSE.

You can read more about her HERE.

alexprager.com

Damn you, Town & Country Travel.

Thanks to you, I want to get on a plane and jet off to Hydra, Greece and Cartegena, Colombia. You can read more about each desination here:

Greece
Cartegena, Colombia

Incidentally, the photos below are by everyone's favorite photographer, Paul Costello. Town & Country Travel says he's working on a book with Miles Redd. I had no idea. Anyone know the scoop on that?

Drink of the Week: Jimboni

So, a few posts ago, I decided I would break out of my vodka/tonic rut and try a new drink. I opted for Lillet. (See HERE.)

Lillet has since brought so much joy to my life I decided I needed to branch out more regularly. The happy side affect is that it's going to help me stock the bar.

So, since I recently bought Campari, I decided this weeks drink will be the Jimboni, suggested by The Quarter Rat (see his blog HERE.

The liquor store yesterday was an afterthought... only when there did I realize I needed to start my Drink of the Week and I didn't have ingredients on me. I asked the guy at the store, and he went to his computer to look it up. After much computer trouble and a long delay, he returned with a sheet of paper in his hands. I looked at the tiny type on the big white page and said, "Is that it?" It was only 3 ingredients. He replied, "Yes. And it doesn't even look that good." Ha! I cracked up. (As you can see in the photo I went with Dry Fly over Hendricks gin because I hear it's the first distillery in Washington state since prohibition. Gotta support local drunks.)

I think Jim's version might be great.

Jim posted this:
As far as Negronis go,they're too sticky for my taste. Try this alternate recipe for a nice dry but fruity summer cocktail:

The Jimboni (Jimbo's Negroni)

Mix equal parts Campari and gin (for this I use either Gordon's or Tanqueray) and the juice of 1/2 to whole lemon (depending on season) with peel - the oil is important - in a cocktail shaker, stir lightly, let sit. Don't shake. Ever.

Coat the inside of a cocktail glass with sweet vermouth, then rub edge of glass with lemon twist. Pour contents of shaker in glass.

(watch out, they're pretty lethal!)

Enjoy,
Jimbo


Drinking will commence at 7pm. I will report back on the drink of the week promptly.

This is Jim's pug Etta... had to post her, being a pug owner myself. So damn cute.


**UPDATE** - - Weird and bitter (it's Campari after all), but quite interesting. I like it. More lemon juice. Lots. That makes it terrific. I would like it more if it were hot as hell here in Seattle. It's not. This will be a good August drink.

I like drinks that are NOT like cosmos and other bullshit that women drink. Drinking this made me think of Manhattans, which are totally chic and will knock you on your ass. As seen in that fabulous movie with Linda Fiorentino, The Last Seduction. I believe next week's drink will be a Manhattan and will require an encore presentation of that fine film.

Girly goodness.

So cute, right? And achievable. That table looks like it was adopted from Craigslist and given a new paint job. The lamps you could score on ebay or online. Ditto the bamboo chairs. The mirror is one hot mess. That would require hunting around, but I am sure we could find something similar.




And here's a cute little bar set up from friend of the blog Tia Zoldan... (remember her HERE?). Now I am thirsty.

Both images from this month's Cottage Living.

Hot garden fantasies.

Oh, doesn't this look like an Ina Garten kind of place... where she calls you up at 3:30, invites you over for supper and brings out trays of lobster bisque & warm bread and then feeds you 'til you pop while you listen to crickets and watch the sun set?


It's not Ina's place. But it is featured in this month's Cottage Living. How I love thee, Cottage Living.

Attn Seattle: Georgetown Art Attack and Design After Dark tomorrow

24 Karat Vintage Interiors, host of tomorrow's Design After Dark.


That's right... my favorite neighborhood on the verge is hosting another Art Attack tomorrow from 7 - 10.

Furniture whores and other design types may want to stop by Brigh Wright's excellent and under-the-radar antique & vintage shop, 24 Karat, (featured HERE) where he's hosting Design After Dark, a champagne and social affair where you can lust over antique chairs and chat up Jeff Wickland, an expert on Georgetown real estate. It's a good time to get the low down on this soon-to-boom neighborhood.

Don't forget to visit Leah at Revival Home and Garen, and Kirk at Great Finds. All 3 of these great shops are featured in THESE posts.

Start with pizza at Stellar, and then make your way gown Airport Way to all the shops, bars, and galleries.

See you tomorrow, Seattle.


Revival Home & Garden


Great Stuff

Reader decorating dilemma: Whitney's chair

Whitney sent this in:

I picked one up just like this at a thrift store, and I'm flummoxed about what sort of fabric to put on it, especially since I'm a cheap-o, but I hate cheap-looking fabric. I know, it's a problem. I was hoping some of your readers might have ideas for me. (Although this could spark up the Damn-You-Straight-To-Hell-For-Buying-Discounted-To-The-Trade-Fabrics-Online brouhaha that broke out over the last Domino post.) It's going in a pretty neutral room, that currently has white walls, a cowhide rug, my desk and a platform guest bed with boring white bedding on it. So I think I can do just about anything color/pattern-wise, and I'd like to do something with a bit of oomph.


P.S. Tried my first taste of Lillet last night . . . mmmmmmm. I felt very Duchess of Windsor-y.


What does everyone suggest?


**Update**

Whitney wrote in to let us know she bought this fabric.

Great book...

No text, just photos organized by ideas (pots... water... gates... paths... fences.... steps... and so on...). Was quite a handy reference when I needed to explain what I liked and didn't like. Good ideas to steal. A little more traditional, so if you're an Etsy/mod kind of girl, you can skip it.

(PS - thanks Mom! It was the perfect birthday gift!)

You can buy it HERE, of course.

I thought you might like to know..

I met with my landscape design guy this morning and we reviewed his plans for my new backyard. After we reviewed his plans, suggestions, materials, I opened my little MacBook and read to him a bunch of your comments and suggestions that so many of you offered up this weekend - - the reader from Portland who mentioned basalt, Joni's suggestions for slate lined with brick trim, the running bond vs. more disorderly pattern of stone... all of it.

I am not sure what a designer thinks of a chick opening up the comments of her blog for discussion, but I do know this: I don't want to make any mistakes. And I am super grateful for everyone who chimes in when I need advice because it's a huge help. With HOBACs, Joni's, and the Anons of the world, I feel like I have several designers helping me out on this project.

Joni asked for photos from the backdoor facing back, so here they are. Looking at the photos, it's hard to believe I am going to spend money on a new backyard. I mean... these pics clearly convey a certain kind of polish, sophistication, and refinement, no? Take the tree house for example. I am pretty sure I can use it for extra seating and set up a bar out there.

Ha.






So his plan is up top... I am nixing the water feature at the moment. I am pretty sure I told him I didn't want a water OR a fire feature, and both showed up in the design plan. I would want to add in $3000 extras, too, were I a designer. Anyway, other than that, I liked plan two (which you see here), and have asked him to draw in a low wall on the patio edge, with a break to the left and a break facing where the boxwood hedge/bird feeder thingy (or whatever we plan to put there) is. It could mean extra seating and make the patio more of a room. But I am still not totally sure.

Progress. I think.

If you are late to the party, you can click the "backyard" tag at the bottom of this post to follow along.

Thoughts? Love it? Hate it?

Where can I find this mirror?

These images from Coastal Living. Love the dining room. It's decorated by former lawyer turned stay-at-home-mom, Cheryl Guibone. Not too shabby for a dilettante, right? Those housewives should know better than to try their own hand at decorating. Silly women. You just can't control 'em.* I bet she found a way to get a deal on her fabric, too.



*Kidding... only kidding. Read the comments to THIS post and you'll see why... :)


And here's a LINK to a NYTimes article about design getting democratic.

Marble subway tiles?

Who knew? I love it.



Image from Canadian House & Home

Don't worry Jen...

...you'll fuck this one up in no time.

How long shall we give this celebrity couple? I say 6 weeks. Just long enough for her "attentiveness" to turn into more of a chain-smoking, self-help-book reading clingy cougar death grip of desperation.

Nice 80s ponytail Jen. Keep up the good work.

My backyard, courtesy of Patricia from PVE Design

How cute is this? This morning, I got this nice surprise from Patricia (of PVE Design), an illustration of what my backyard *could* look like. I certainly hope it will look like this!

Patricia - thank you so much. This is adorable.

Stoned.

As everyone who has been following along this weekend knows, I am hellbent (one word? a word at all??) on getting my backyard in shape for all 4 days of summer here in Seattle.

Bluestone, flagstone, flatstone... I am not sure what is best. Joni is losing sleep over me even considering bluestone, so I might avoid that. Other people like the idea.

I don't really know my stone, so, I need to do more research. If you have suggestions - and especially - photos... I would really appreciate it.

For now... I like this stone business in the photos up top. Courtesy of Canadian House & Home (America's Hat, y'all!).

What do we think?

Wisteria - the lovely menace?

So, in a recent post, I mentioned I was considering a wisteria-covered mini-pergola over my backdoor.

WRONG.

I think I may have a new contender for my best comment ever, from one of my very favorites, Anonymous Hardware Guy. He writes:


Wisteria...Hoo boy! Wisteria will kill everything in its path. You'll never be rid of it. It's Plant Dracula. You think you give it a nice place to live, some sun, and it'll be happy. Nope. It wants your house. You'll wake up and it'll be in your bed. Then it's eatin' your left overs and sending you out for a 6-pack and another bag of chips. Think this one through. Get a freakin' J-O-B, you freakin' plant!

Progress?

Ok... let's check in on the color: Yes or no?

(Let's hope yes, because I don't plan to start over.)

More still to do... it goes slower when you have margaritas and dance around to Frank Sinatra while you work. But, you know, I am not exactly getting paid to do this, so I plan to proceed at my typical slow, plodding, sing-along/drink-along pace.

I did learn while scraping and prepping and looking at the wood-framed windows and the door that, indeed, they are all in terrible shape. The right thing to do is replace them, but we have the special joy of wood rot happening right in our bathroom, so the windows and door will get prioritized on that "Things to do when we run out of things to perfect" list that I imagine will get reviewed in about 2014.

Backyard before photos....

A little more context for my previous post... here are a few snapshots of the backyard when we bought this massive fixer, and where we are at now. I can't wait to get enough done to warrant posting "after" photos.

But for now, this is where we are at:

Before.

Now.


Awesome chainlink weird dog-run kind of fence before diving the patio from the backyard... and then no fence between our house and the neighbor's. The neighbors got their fence last year, and we got ours this year. Makes a bit of a difference.


Before.

Now.


Not much of a difference here except that the chainlink weird fency thing is gone and I have lots of little pots growing. I am not usually a pots person, but it was the only way I could quickly grow something without having to contend with the mess of the backyard that is out of view in these photos.

So, you comments were SUPER helpful... I especially loved the idea of glossy green paint for the door and window trim. Here's the thing... what about the brown paint up top on the dormer? Leave it for now? Or trim up the whole damn house in green? (I guarantee my fiance will come kill every one of you if you advise me to start another project like that... but let's not worry about him for now...)


Note: THIS is the color HOBAC suggests in the comments of this post. Me likey.

Please boss me around.

I need advice on my backyard.

I am going to have a new stone patio installed. I have been looking around at different kinds of stone... I liked some sort of bluestone and I thought I might like it installed with an irregular patterns, but honestly, I am starting to get decision paralysis because there are so many options and I have been dreaming of de-ghetto-ifying my backyard for so long now that, well, I would probably say "Yes!" to the first not-horrible option I come across.

Landscape designer guy says he is drawing up plans and might build stone planter box thingies along the wall so that I can actually plant all that mint, rosemary, lavender, jasmine, etc etc. Plus it will cover up the cement business on the bottom of the house.

That weird wood strip above the door is where I used to have an awning dangling off the house... the real estate agent just tore it off since it managed to make the back of the house look worse (hard to believe).

I am not painting the door red. That was a bad idea gone worse (I am going to blame whatever I was drinking before Lillet). I am going to paint the door and the windows that really exciting brown to match the gutters (unless anyone has a better idea).

I *would* like to get a new awning for right over the door and I really want black & white stripe, but I am not sure that would work. Also, I am obsessed with wisteria and think I might ask the landscape guy to build a pergola thingy and train wisteria on it... right over that doorway section. What does everyone think?

The cable thing handing down over the windows will be re-mounted up and out of sight, and the electrician is also going to be called to come repair that old broken fixture above the door.

The chairs and the table are staying... the table is teak and 2 years old, the chairs I just got in March from David Smith & Co here in Seattle, also teak. Love me some teak since it will stand up to the rain here in Seattle.

The vintage baby bath is staying (though maybe not there). Those plants inside it need to be planted. The baby bath is actually just going to be our big ice bucket when we have people over for food and drink in my new-fangled backyard this summer.

Ok - - please start bossing me around. I need opinions on the stone, the wisteria/pergola/awning decision, etc etc.



Here are some random photos from the neighborhood... will any of these work? Or am I making a mistake not considering a more orderly pattern for the stone?

Opening day.

Tomorrow is "opening day" of boating season here in Seattle. What you see above is an ariel view of boats lined up from the Montlake Cut, a little passage for boats between Lake Union and Lake Washington. Tomorrow the University of Washington (you are looking at Husky Stadium up there) will host the Windermere Cup regatta, which will zip right through that cut and through those boats you see lined up.

I live about 5 blocks from this hot mess and have never bothered to check it out. For some reason I am super excited to walk down to the cut and see it tomorrow.

I grew up in Portland, Oregon. What I did not fully realize when I moved here (by way of glamorous Alameda, CA) is what a coastal kind of place it is here. Pretty much a day doesn't go by when you don't see or hear a seaplane flying over our neighborhood heading for Lake Union. A number of houses a few blocks over (closer to the cut) have row boats or kayaks parked in the their driveways. The Seattle Yacht Club is a short walk away, and now that opening day is nearing, the number of boats anchored there is swelling up every day. Seatte, incidentally, has the highest boat ownership per capita of any US city. If you have ever been here you probably know it's hard to get anywhere without crossing water of some kind.

So, tomorrow I plan to fully embrace a bit of Seattle life by watching the races from the cut. Seattleites: the race starts at 10:20. Get there early to get a spot on the cut.

Confidential to Jon:

You're always asking when I will buy you a pimp chalice, but the truth is, I just never knew the proper place for it. Now I do.

toothpastefordinner.com

Ouch.

Funny. What's below is from HERE by Elizabeth Spiridakis.
(And, um, super-ouch on the Butterfinger comment!)



The closer we get to the May 30th release of the “Sex and the City” movie, the more these promo pics keep popping up. They are presumably meant to spark our interest in what promises to be two hours of relentless shopping, dating and complaining. But we’re much more interested in the behind the scenes goss because this picture suggests it was no slumber party happy times on that set.

This forced group hug is:

Very very uncomfortable. They look so disconnected and like they hate each other as much as the tabloids suggest. Would anyone be surprised if this picture turned out to be four separate images photoshopped together?
Very ladies who lunch…on the blood of virgins and sacrificed lambs. They all have crazy eye!

We’re also getting very different vibes from each of these ladies:

Kim Cattrall is:

Very “Real Housewives of New York.” Aren’t cougars out by now? Her face is frozen in a hate smile mask and we can just hear her hissing, “If your skinny little shoulder comes even close to blocking my cleavage, I will cut you, Parker.”
Very Alexis Carrington Colby Dexter, the kind of woman whose diamonds are older than her boyfriends.
Sarah Jessica Parker is

Very Julia Roberts Oscar speech forced sincerity. Gee whiz, wow, I’m a star? I love everyone! Wheee!
Very Cha-cha de Gregorio meets Teen Vogue prom styling.
Cynthia Nixon is:

Very post sex-scandal humiliated wife. We have seen this face — the forced smile! — a lot lately in the news except behind Nixon’s is the awful realization that whatever amount of cash she was paid was not worth all this.
Very Forever 21 fun summer shift and matching belt. Definitely not the slick Miranda we remember.
Kristin Davis is

Very J Crew bridal collection (always the bridesmaid limited edition).
Very “Oohh, who dropped that butterfinger on the floor and can I have it?”


****

Nevertheless... the movie opens n 30 days and I. CAN'T. WAIT.