Wednesday, November 27, 2013 at 11:43PM Next time you're at Dia: Beacon take notice of the crabapples as you walk through the parking lot.
If you went to see them right now, as it all keeps happening right now!
Such a gorgeous time, Georgia's still on the mind
Thursday, October 3, 2013 at 8:53AM Where to begin after 6 months astray…
To momentarily look back and see what has been learned from certain failures and accomplishments gained, all smattered together with travel to the Italian Lake Country, Southern California and upstate to Hudson, NY. The summer whirled past absorbing the landscape and in the smiling faces of my friends.
Recognizing the patterns that make us who we are and never wasting a moment in order to gain new expertise, which builds along the way.
Full album of Hudson, NY photos click HERE:
Full album of Lake Como, Italy pics click HERE:
After an intense eight months working for Aesop, the focus on flowers has taken me down a narrow road into plant extracts for skin and wellness.
In addition, one must not overlook the joy in applying color, especially when occasions arise to put forth a bit more effort. A corageous few have lent me their gorgeous faces to doll up and so far the results have been pretty, never overdone.
Reinvigorated with this weekly practice I look to share with you all the abundant beauty surrounding us.
Beauty, Inspiration, Travel , Wellness Monday, April 15, 2013 at 4:12PM Zurich:
Skiing the Alps, taking in the Matterhorn.
Lausanne:
The complete gallery of phtos can be seen Here
Inspiration, Travel Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 4:34PM Time has been needed to recharge from the previous months, a complete drain has reawakened a direction for the new year. This is a time to rethink, not reassure. I ask myself what is to be gained from these entries? This is not a practice to look for the reasurance of status, or for the validation of market culture. These thoughts have changed my floral pursuits, so with this opportune moment I put my business aside to learn from those greater than I.
A continued intent to share the essence of flowers, the subtle beauty that surrounds us and how we can heal ourselves and others. To the clients who have been dear, exceptions will be made as I am here to serve.
To see more pics of my trip home please click here>
Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 6:32PM "Cities are like gentlemen, they are born, not made. You are either a city, or you are not, size has nothing to do with it. I bet San Francisco was a city from the very first time it had a dozen settlers.” -Will Rogers
Growing up the preference was for San Francisco, suppose until a parents visit during the big quake of of '89 a day before an 8th birthday shook out such dreams. Daring that 10 years later Manhattan became home. Whenever SF transplants make the move to NY I wonder.. why have they left? Without much explanation the reason is understood and such conversations solidify where these chips have landed. However, the 'left coast' holds a dear place in many of our hearts. Mind that ground beneath our feet...
Ponds & Streams by Wayne Thiebaud
This weekend took us 70 miles north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay. A small town Alfred Hitchcock put on the map for filming 'The Birds', being more of a Vertigo kind of girl kamikaze crows are too outlandish for my likes, but the quiet fog was unsettiling. Remaining attentive to the birds they payed us no mind and we went along our way identifying the forget-me-not, dill and fushia flowers.
A nice wedding weekend it was, but from it all the greatest enjoyment was driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and noticing its color of International Orange Red, a flash of my father and understanding as to why he chose to paint 71000 square feet of his 'Process Museum' in this famed reddish sienna color. I can see it out there burning in the desert sun I left.
*Previous posts from San Francisco HERE
Monday, September 17, 2012 at 11:35AM The fall is New York's time to shine and with the semblance of crispness in the air we headed out for an adventure through Westchester county, up past Albany to hip little Hudson and over to one of the many small towns, a destination spot that could be overlooked is Sharon Springs, New York.
We saw old friends along the way and excitedly welcomed a day with the fabled Beekman Boys. Sharon Springs is a place they discovered less than a decade ago, and with unbelievable hard work and tenacity they have shared these experiences and breathed new life to a dwindiling farming community.
The mansion is spectacular as are the 30 acres of pristine land they share with goats, pigs, turkeys and one ilama, Miss Polka Spot.
On Sunday as we headed back in the direction of the city reflecting on a full weekend of things we liked best, out of it all was this heart shaped rock on the Beekman property.
How did it get to be that way? Was it carved purposely as a profession of one's love? Simply discovered that way from nature? Or a bit of both...being the perfect stone to sharpen a tool and thus carving its corners to further the heart shape.
My previous post concluded with the thought of sharpening a dull edge and while the focus was on the sharpened edge, the stone is equally important and beautifully whole; with those two objects and the strenghth of carving perhaps the ultimate goal is to being the truest we can to ourselves and others.
just a thought...now as to the object recieving the sharpened edge, how about the neck of this turkey for Thanksgving?
For other east coast explorations from the summer are these posts:
Gardening, Inspiration, Travel Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at 4:15PM I'm back with glimmers of inspiration captured before they fade.
A couple weeks spent in a different kind of Manhattan, the beach kind near Los Angeles, California.
Summer has come to a close and September is here with the demand to refocus with life's tasks at hand. Farewell to the sound of sea while drifting to sleep, morning caffeine replaced with cold jolting dips in the Pacific. It takes commitment to put on a wet suit and drag a board out each day and rewards like a job well done, great work without pay.
Suppose anywhere one goes a complaint can be heard, I scoffed when overhearing a couple of daft LA women complain of humid weather. In such a place?! Not a bug in sight! Best hair days of my life in California!
Yet the bed is too firm back home, a reminder that life in the city never gets comfortable, neither do the narrow spaces in which we inhabit. Mental sorting and simplifying of lifes clutter, we trick our nervous belly butterlies into exciting challenges and recharge from the fruits of our labor to welcome a new fight.
Slight changes bring smiles, the scaffolding is gone from the building next door, the roses have rebloomed and the cool breeze has our windows open giving the sputtering AC a break. A stack of party invitations and familiar faced hellos welcome us home.
Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 3:05PM "Young at heart" the phrase may be cliché but it pretty much sums up my time out west with mom.
I could go on about the Clifford Still Museum in Denver and the fact that this slick museum for one artist has 15 years worth of rotations (that's what the guard said and lets face it they know best) or the James Turrell show and discovering artist Scott Johnson, can I be one step closer to Roden Crater please? but for now that would be sidetracking from the semi-important point i'm going to make.
When mom calls to tell you she's bringing you out for her Ikebana flower show you do as you are told. Yes, I may be a florist, but with zero experience in this style of arranging mama was there to show me how. Yeah it could be a bit of a stretch.. but what the heck.
Silly little square I turned out to be! Her rad accomplished friend has a geodescent dome! (which I would love to remind you from this POST) The husband is one heck of a beeman too! Loaded with this newfound hive knowledge I showed it by eating a bit of the pollen the drones collected from its hairy hind legs. It tasted sweet and pasty, no allergies for me!
I'm not sure what my parents were trying to prove but this over the hill gang is totally living full throttle. Don't mean to brag...much but my gal pal and I got to be co-pilots in steddad Jack's high fly ride!
Clearly one of the cooler experiences, gulping our enthusiasim the focus of the flight was on more somber pretenses to see the damage from the recent fires in Colorado Springs. Over 6,200 acers burned and 300 homes where lost, meanwhile six other fires blazed throughout Colorado. Some caused from lightning, many from arson. The state is scarred and saddened from it all. We may be young(ish) with teeny spans of cyber attention but this again puts nature in clear perspective.
So there you have it.. mom showed me how it's done. Keeping up in the plane, hiking her trails, sea legging it on serious sail excursions and growing those plump tomatoes. Sure the woman has a knack for the thrill, life of the party too, but she is far from careless and sweet as can be. I sure do love my mama!
"Wild at heart" is the other phrase that suits you. The full gallery of photos can be seen HERE
Inspiration, Travel Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at 1:29PM If utopia exist it would be here, and its house would be the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art on the northern coast of Sjælland in Denmark. A statement which may change but thus far it takes the cake.
Have you been brought to tears from an exhibition? New Nordic-Architecture & Idenity did that. Left with regret for not purchasing the book, but as it goes the 2-d never achieves the actual experience, especially with architecture.
The city of Copenhagen is pretty much perfection & with 30 hours to knock through the suggested spots, lucky for us the sun sets past 10pm during the summer months.. La Glace for pasteries, a cortado at Coffee Collective & stroll through Christianshavn. Exactly 30 minuets was spent at Tivoli Gardens. Woohoo! Whirlwind!
The unexpected came from the weekend streets being swarmed with singing graduates aboard open busses, which is the customary 'to do' for highschool seniors. Remember that awesome feeling?
A city which has mastered bike culture! Making so much such sense why are most places slow to catch on? We returned thinking as to how we can instill a similar life here. Best solution so far is visiting again and devoting much more time to experiencing such a special place.
The rest of the pics can be seen HERE
Monday, July 2, 2012 at 10:51AM The now turns into the recent past, then distant.. and as old memories fade new ones create.
Seeing a highschool best carving out an über cool life with her baby in Sweden makes for a wonderful excuse to see it all firsthand. Being with a faithful old friend fades any foreign feelings while strolling down cobble stoned streets recalling forgotten funnies with the loudest of American laughs.
May I also add the design houses we conquered which will be added to my interioirs wish list are:
Svenskt Tenn, Bruka Design & Illums Bolighus
and I especially have my eye on this swedish horticulturalist Coloni and this concept of indoor gardening..
A Scandinavinan life for me please!! The full gallery of photos can be seen here
Monday, June 18, 2012 at 9:45PM 300 miles due south of New York and of equal distance of the Adirondacks we found ourselves in another rural spot: Cape Charles, Virginia.
Sipping Corona's on our low tide landing on this southern most tip of the Chesapeak Bay reflecting on the fact that this spot was formed from a 3 mile long comet landing here 35 million years before. Don't believe me? Read it.
A surprise weeeknd for a friends 40th spent pranking and partying, the most immature of college behavior reminds us we can remain young at heart.
Click HERE to see the full gallery of pictures.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at 8:42AM It's been about time this city slicker see other portions the great state of New York has to offer.
Weekend trips spent discovering the endless pockets of seemingly untouched places, oh natures awesome beauty. One such place is Keen Valley.
The complete album of the photos I snapped can be seen here.
Friday, May 4, 2012 at 2:46PM There are no two ways around it this city has music and a darn good lot of it.
Especially at The Station Inn
Besides the beer and bluegrass 30,000 of us came to Nashville to run in the Country Music Marathon.
Now marking my fourth 13miler this year.
Hot and hilly but overall it was a good run.
Moving along lets get into the subject of horsepower:
It's fitting for the Kentucky Derby tomorrow.
I would like to share something about a particular horse named Bonnie Scotland.
I was told that this champion Thoroughbred from England has sired so many winning horses that today in 2012 for the past 9 Kentucky Derbys every single horse running that race has blood from this mare. A few notable thoroughbreds traced to Bonnie Scotland include Seabiscuit, Secretariat, Giacomo, Smarty Jones, Funny Cide, Barbaro and Mine that Bird "
Now if that is not remarkable then I guess who knows what is!
At its peak the Belle Meade Plantation was known as the oldest and greatest Thoroughbred breeding farm in North America. The beautiful main mansion presided over 5,000 acres devoted to breeding horses with numerous, impressive barns and outbuildings throughout the property. In fact the oldest registered racing silks in the United States belonged to the Belle Meade stud" -Paradigm Farms Horse Retirement
Take a guess at what sport I sure would like to rekindle while I kick back and take a break from running? ...and it aint bettin on no horses. Suppose I'll need to bide my time with the ukulele I keep meaning to pick up.
Monday, April 23, 2012 at 7:27PM Prim Princess Grace has been something of a haunt of mine since girlhood and with a quick switch of plans our anniversary was spent at a place she once called home, the newly rennovated Hotel Bel-Air
But something changed that night loaded with drink during a midnight swim through that thunderous storm.
A better undertanding of Marylin occured.
Then again during check out a crest fallen moment was spent flipping through this book, Three Legends: Norman Mailer / Bert Stern: Marilyn Monroe
"Marilyn Monroe, who lived at Hotel Bel-Air on and off for more than a decade during her marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller. Only six weeks before she died in 1962, Hotel Bel-Air served as the location for the famed three-day Bert Stern photo shoot; he prepared for the event by putting plenty of Dom Pérignon 1953 vintage Champagne on ice and spraying suite No. 261 with Chanel No. 5. Vogue magazine published eight pages of the shoot the day after Monroe died." -The Hollywood History of Hotel Bel-Air LA Confidential Magazine
Yellow Calla & Painting By Artist Gary Lang, Interior Design of Bel-Air Hotel Alexandra Champalimaud & David Rockwell
Obviously the book is breathtaking, as is The Bel-Air and ultimately her life. If a grand happened to be laying around asking to be spent surely it could be on this TASCHEN BOOK
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Inspiration, Travel , fashion Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 11:45AM If you have been you know it... now explore further as I leave writing to the experts.
"You make it look new and people will go, ‘Meh.’ Leave it as is and they’ll say, ‘That piece is fabulous.’” Its history makes it interesting, dings and all. Just like Palm Springs." -John Connel
Care to see Additional Pics I Snapped at Parker?
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How about ones from our other spot La Qunita?
Getting back to the desert climate from which I am from has a familiar comfort I forgot how much I missed. Blidingly hot days spent behind shady hedges followed by cool nights which go on far too late.
We will be back Palm Springs don't you worry..
Monday, April 2, 2012 at 12:26PM Sunday morning we ran the Cherry Blossom Race in Washington, D.C. most of the puffy pink blooms were spent, it has been an early spring.
Monday morning was spent tying daffodil stems in knots. It's something Susan showed me today at the Jefferson Market Garden , it's our neighborhood garden here in Greenwich Village. Tying or braiding the dying daffodils keep the plants tidy and help return the nutrients back to the bulbs.
Loving these longer days.
My mother Suzanne and her Garden Club think daffodils are simply the best and really who can disagree? Down in Virginia they take these sweet flowers pretty seriously with annual shows , over 78 years celebrating an early spring bulb that is found virtually anywhere and bought for just a few bucks. Bright yellow and orange white tight closed buds open and suprise.
But what has hooked me more than all the daffodils and cherry trees combined are for the Dogwoods, those ones continue to bloom nice and strong.
Landscape drafting tonight..
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 9:21PM Not many flower posts to report as we are in the doldrums of winter here in New York and anyone with the means to enjoy weekly flowers is probably down in Palm Beach or warming their toes fireside on some snowy slope far from here. Although, I would like to point out that now is the time flowers are needed most.
Gorgeous Italian Poppies are at the market and with the thousandth thin petaled Rancunculus one can stare away a weekend with a mellow smile on your face. Flowers, yoga & bubble baths are mini insta-escapes especially this time of year. Throw in a bottle of Cabernet or tea for two and make a date to have your friend over to share your flowers. ok?
So with all of that said and the thought of, "the grass is always greener..." I will expound on my euro getaway and tell you about the two places I love most in London (besides my two gal pals and their scrumptious children) On to the V&A and Liberty!
The ultimate delight the Victoria & Albert Museum, where one can learn and lust over the worlds finest objects. Admission to salivate is whatever you choose to pay as all museums in London are virtually free. The museum is not overly massive like the MET or the Louvre and it's oozing with inspiration, the jewelry wing alone will leave you with pangs of longing.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 10:54AM My husband chooses not to believe in jetlag, he's one of those Clark Kent type of guys. In referring to moi being a more delicate flower, I bid him farewell and the no jet lag idea was prescribed.
Reckless youth has a funny way of picking up where once left and jittery exuberance can fuel one through. Three days OK any longer whilst I would wilt.
Some boys have Vegas, I'll take Berlin.
Staying at the über cool Michelberger Hotel in Friedrichshain, the heart of former East Berlin helped. The word Gemutlich is to mean cozy which is the perfect word to descibe this spot. Similar to the Longman & Eagle in Chicago or The Ace, these guys are cut from the same cloth.
Chilling at the hotel as the dj spinned reggae from Dillinger & Grace Jones I sipped on hefferveisen and watched as Berliners packed in for the headline performer from... Portland, Oregon? The singer was something not to be expected, but it put me in a good place the way songbird lullabies do. The crowd got into it too.
With a fresh day ahead mission #2 was set out to be done. Visit the Berlin Wall:
Do you remember when the wall came down? The year was 1989 a distinct memory exists watching this on tv while the family huddled together dad explained the significance of this event. We watched the serious stuff, not this Hasselhoff crap, although I do have a tinge of want for that electrified bomber and throw in that piano keyed scarf while your at it.
I visited Berlin for them
To put it plainly enough being in a place where many world upheavals have occured and to see the youth emerge from the rubble, this city has a voice, an audience and this subculture will emerge as the mainstream the day after tomorrow.
I'm all about these scarfs from Vonschwaenflügelpupke too!
If that's not a mouthfull.
Sadly I visited one week before Berlin Fashion Week, now that would have blown my socks right off.
Inspiration, Travel , fashion Monday, January 16, 2012 at 11:14AM Berlin ist der Ort schlechin! Believe the hype, if you have been you know.
This young city is bubbiling over with its evolving urban form and creative milieu. This is the magnet city for free thinking artisits, designers & musicians. But before I get into all of that...
Having spent the previous three days in London, and before I dove into Berlin I welcomed a day trip journey away from cities and through the wintery Brandenburg countryside to visit the small town of Dessau.
I traveled solo to Germany with this mission:
visit the Bauhaus.
Now lets put on our thinking caps and place these dates 1919-1933
These dates are one year after WWI and three years shy of WWII. In nearby eastern europe Czar Nicholas II of Russia reign has collapsed and communism becomes an unprecedented power.
This rebirth in time creates a cultural revolution of new thoughts and ideas. These fourteen years are in which the Bauhaus school radiated a new social edifice lead by Walter Gropius and a slew of talents.
Putting a period of time in context to what one is seening and being here in January virtually alone can cause something of an of an understanding.
The two dimension of books pales in comparision to being engulfed in the real deal.
Naturally if this does not relate to, or understanding of the magnitude of how ahead of time this is, one could forgo the effort put in visiting such a place. Why one must think to travel during such bleak time of year?
It lent better to the effect.
Before this visit german expressionism// international style felt a bit too removed from nature for my tastes. I was wrong, these structures elegantly pay tribute to the surrounding landscapes.
I could go on about the nuances of large glass being similar to water, the linear beams as surrounding trees, oh the subtlety of color... But better to leave it since I have Berlin to get through.
* the battered Bauhaus after WWII
In the meantime while I gather more of my thoughts and get (actual) film developed you can read about my trip to Münich back in '08.
Auf wiedersehen!
