Saturday, February 27, 2010

11th Hour


While my client was away in Hawaii it was my job to get his sofa and two poufs reupholstered.


The upholsterer was right on schedule until he unrolled the end of the 24 yards of Peter Fasano's Venetian Velvet in Porcini. It was crimped and creased at the end. Bummer but these things happen. Thank god for Fed Ex. So...here I am driving 3 extra yards of velvet to the shop that was overnighted to me (thank you Salty Pete!).


This stuff HAS to be ready as he is having a party on Friday. A welcome home party. A Truman Capote ode to his fabulous self sort of party.


An 'as his decorator I would have to drape my martini fueled self over the missing cushions all night' sort of party.



Well, it all worked out. Cushions completed. The sofa looks like a silver mink stole. The poufs were repoufed with the back side of an apple green Groves Bros. fabric.


Done? No. It's funny how if you work on a room slowly...the room will tell you what it needs. I don't mean to get ouiji on you...but it's true. I think that is why MOST 48 hr makeovers don't get it right...because the decorators didn't get a chance to listen. To the ouiji. Ness. Of the room. Listen room. This is what you need. Next. A wool and silk Tibetan from Kelly W. at The Rug Company.






2.27.2010 INSPIRATION




























































































Friday, February 26, 2010

Etsy Fave: Old Crow Farm

Love, love, love the vintage farmhouse style from Etsy featured seller Old Crow Farm. In particular, the colorful metal tote boxes are a great way to tuck away odds and ends stylishly, but the industrial rolling cart below would make one very chic bar cart. Happy shopping!

Inspiration 2.26

I am so longing for a beach vacation and this is not helping.

via This is Glamorous

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Pigtown


I went to Portland with some friends and we stayed at The Nines...a former Meier and Frank department store that has been converted into a hotel. I loved the public spaces.


You get a lot for your money here. The rooms were super glam.


Drinks outside on the top floor started off the weekend.


We then headed over to my former hairdresser and friend Ivan's pad. He hired a pianist. In a shoebox. WHO DOES THAT? My own private Tom Ford does that. That's who.


We needed food and Portland is full of it. This is a town where the origin of everything is printed on the menu...even the olive in your martini. I highly suggest taking a trip there...well, unless you are a pig. Pigs don't live long in the City of Roses.

We hit Beast...a restaurant run by a former vegetarian (hard to believe) and her friend.


The six-course prix fixe meal ended with chocolate covered bacon. Really.


The next morning was hard on my roommate.


I told her to get up. We were urbanites now. We had work to do. We grabbed breakfast at The Urban Farmer downstairs in the atrium at the hotel.


Bloody Marys came...


...garnished with caramelized bacon...of course.


After that, I headed out to get reacquainted with an old friend at Saks. Jen...Gucci. Gucci...Jen.
I wonder if any pigs were killed while making these shoes?


Shopping made us thirsty so we took a detour in our limo.


Hardcore shopping was rewarded with another incredible dinner. In a food coma from Beast but still retaining a pulse...we trudged on in our epicurean tour of Portland and enjoyed duck breast under melting duck fat at Castagna. Ducking ridiculous.


Poached duck egg with lardons.


Cabbage atop a pig embryo. Kidding.


I took one for the team and slept on the rollaway that night.


The next morning we were sensible enough to hunt down a more peasant meal. I couldn't look at another pig. Well, unless it was orange and came with a handle and a lock.


We had killer pigless Chillaquilles and pigless Bloody Marys at The Veritable Quandary.


I said goodbye to Ivan (single!!!)...


...and came home. Good times.

Welcome Food Contributor Shulie Madnick!

I am so incredibly excited to introduce you guys to Shulie Madnick, who'll be sharing some of her amazing recipes with us every few weeks.

I just stumbled across Shulie's blog, Food Wanderings, this week and was completely blown away. She specializes in globally-influenced cuisine (largely rooted in her Indian-Israeli heritage), and much of it made from organic and local ingredients. Oh, and did I mention that she is insanely talented at food styling and photography? When I clicked through to her blog, I spent the first two minutes looking for the high-end cookbook she sourced her photos from -- only to discover it was all original work.

Some more about Shulie, in her own words:
"I was born and raised in Israel to parents of Indian ancestry...and that is where my informal culinary world begins. My mom is gifted with a touch only few are graced with in the kitchen and I am lucky to have her collection of recipes. Throughout the years, my friends encouraged me to write a collection of childhood stories and memories -- webbed with food stories and recipes-- so as a first stepping stone I started my blog.

Another inspiration is my son who, although born and raised in the USA, (his dad hails from Massachusetts), embraces his eclectic Indian/Israeli heritage and, up until recently, refused to let me share what he considers heirloom family recipes. Our mostly organic and local lifestyle began when my son was born 17 years ago. (I still feel I need to grow up though :).

I met my husband, Jonathan, at the tail end of my mandatory Israeli army service and his last semester at Tel Aviv University. One thing led to another, and we ended up in the DC area where he went to graduate school at Georgetown University.

For years I worked in advertising, marketing and sales, and eventually, I became a stay-at-home mom. A few years ago I started an import business of high-end costume jewelry and art on leather collection (belts, bags, etc.) from very gifted artists in Israel. I closed the import business recently and am trying to jump start a food product line, cooking classes and now work as a personal chef. I also hope to publish a cookbook someday.

I am only at the very beginning of this budding business but enjoying blogging to a point of giddiness and silliness (told you I need to grow up!)"
Below, Shulie shares a simple lunch she made from the bounty at last Sunday's Dupont Circle Farmer's Market. I am so envious of her ability to break away from the grocery list, choose what looked best at the market, and put together a wonderful treat without a recipe. More detailed recipes to come in a few weeks!

On a sunny beautiful day at the FRESHFARM Dupont Circle market, I found a vibrant, bountiful market today. With a bag full of organic produce, artisanal breads and cured meats, and a quick in and out of Kramerbooks, my morning was complete.

The guys' lunch today was a sandwich made entirely of the delicious and mostly organic findings at the market. Arugula, mache, two kinds of radishes from Next Step organic farm, Nathan Anda's cured beef pastrami and bresaola, whole grain multi-seed bread from one of the bakeries at the market, a vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon and a touch of salt to brush the bread with and lunch was complete.

Inspiration 2.25

Via Domino

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