So you think it’s time I did a blog post, or what?! I know… So here we are. Was just chatting with The Washington Post’s Jura Koncius and readers of her “Home Front,” answering great decorating questions and dispensing my so-called wisdom;) “Home Front” is a weekly jewel of design advice and info. I was happy to discover it, and you will… Continue reading My Chat With the Washington Post
News & Notes
The Perfect Easy Summer Menu, Full of Farm Stand Freshness
With all the goodness spilling over from gardens and farm stands, I feel a menu in my heart… Maestro, cue Porgy and Bess: Summertime, and the cookin’ is easy / Bacon’s fryin’ and the corn is high / ‘Maters burstin’ and zucchini’s good lookin’ / Set your pretty table / Company’s nigh. Okay that was dorky. But the… Continue reading The Perfect Easy Summer Menu, Full of Farm Stand Freshness
The Power of Flower (Magazine)
Hi. Been a while. Confess I’ve been seeing a lot of Instagram on the side. And then there’s been this book thing… But we are still buds, you and I, right? Good. I missed you….Hey, do you know Flower magazine ? Begun in 2007 and growing ever since, there isn’t anything else like it. It’s all about “floral lifestyle.” I’m not sure what that is, but I think I have one.
Create a Chic and Stylish Bedroom on a Student’s Budget
School’s out for summer, but it won’t be long ’til it’s in again and time to decorate your (or your child’s) dorm room or apartment, or maybe you just want to freshen up a bedroom for summer. Oh, and you want a designer look, but not the designer. Two clever North Carolina gals have started a “luxury dorm brand” called LeighDeux, because both of their names are Leigh. Cute. And so are their designs.
The Magic of Tidying Up, Even (Especially?) for Non-Minimalists
FINALLY a way to be happy with the stuff I love (and there’s a lot); to get rid of what I don’t (a lot of that, too); and how to decide which is which. With no guilt. Srsly.
Travel Essential–Best Little Hair Dryer Ever
As you prepare for summer travels, you might try this little jewel of a hair dryer: the Babyliss Pro. Tiny and lightweight, but will blow your hair clear into next week if you want it to.
8 Great Fancy Frocks–for Brides, Guests, or Glamorpusses
Coming back to earth from the Met gala in early May and its barrage of derring-do-dresses, I’m still a bit googly-eyed. But at the end of the day, what works best for me, and probably most gals who are not Kim Kardashian, is simple, timeless, feminine, and flattering. Here’s a peek at some pretties from Dee Hutton, a… Continue reading 8 Great Fancy Frocks–for Brides, Guests, or Glamorpusses
Tablesettings From New York’s Prettiest Party
Just a lovely way to start your day, or end it… The Horticultural Society of New York held its annual dinner-dance this past week, a beautiful night for a great cause.
The Slightly Wacky and Totally Wonderful Madoo Gardens in “World of Interiors”
Just the word “Madoo” makes me smile. It means “my dove” in Scots and is but a hint of the charm, whimsy, and wonder that is this jewel of a house and garden in Sagaponack, New York. How great that Madoo gets its due in the vaunted British World of Interiors magazine here this month.
Hello Spring, a Toast to Green and Lavender, and a Contest!
Spring began officially on March 20 with the vernal equinox, when the sun appears directly above your bathing suit drawer. Astronatomy* aside, spring is about green, which I love. I’m throwing in lavender for fun, because they are great together.
Sure Cure for Post-Downton Abbey Depression: Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries
If you miss Downton Abbey, take heart. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries will have you obsessed anew. Men like it, too. If not for the fabulous clothes, then for the murder, scandal, sex, glamour, good stories, and great characters.
A Texas Antiques Shop and Visual Feast–Vignettes at Every Turn
Rarely do you visit a shop where everywhere you look is an artfully arranged tableau. Except maybe in Paris, where they invented it. But this is Texas, hun, in the charming Hill Country town of Fredericksburg, where I was last week. Carol Hicks Bolton antiques is an acre of heaven for the vintage/rustic/industrial-chic set, and oh, what fun.