California Window Shopping

Hi Everyone. I have been a bit distracted as we just found out the sex of our baby. A boy! So exciting, I can’t wait to post new nursery accent ideas that lean more “male inspired.” The Mister says he has to approve all my selections. Somehow he thought that a bronze vintage chandelier was not “boy” enough. The nerve! More to come on that.

A couple weeks ago the Mister and I were in LA watching the Oregon Ducks takedown the USC Trojans. The day before the game, I strolled around Fashion Island in Newport with family for some much needed girl time. While there, I came across a Room Service store, which I have always wanted to visit. Below are some poor i-phone shots I took of the fabulousness.

Check out this headboard and mirror. Not to mention the canvas of Old Blue Eyes and Bridget Bardot.

Loved this Burl Wood Table

This set-up of reminded me of my student days abroad in London strolling down Neil Street

If I ever own a boutique, this is the chair I will sit in to ring up customers.

Or maybe this one…

We also checked out the Jonathan Adler store. I have been to his location in downtown LA, but this one seemed larger and way more laid back. Again, please excuse the i-phone.

 

I adore the Maurice lamps, and didn’t know until now that there was a ceiling version. Sigh, this would look so good over my kitchen island.

The black Genie lamp I have been lusting after for years. Isn’t it so pretty?

These lamps I had only seen online and I love them even more in person. The pillow wall was pretty tempting, look at all that color.

We are so excited for a healthy baby boy…but if we ever have a girl, I might have to reference this pic for her room. The mirrors, and that lamps? Can it get and cuter? The pillows, the headboard. Love it.

I will need somewhere comfy to sit while I read her a story and I think this red chair is perfect. Ok, it’s burned into my mental rolodex.

I wonder if my Mister would go for giraffe wall sconces. Very masculine. All boys/men like giraffes. Right?

The next night we were doing this, as the Ducks cleared the stadium in the 4th quarter.

Happy Monday.

-Susan

Dreaming of Tuscany…

Let me be honest: when Friday rolls around, my head is usually in the clouds. However, this Friday…my head is in Tuscany. Last night the Mister and I were reminiscing about our family Italian get-away in 2008. The reason: I have been trying to wrangle my pictures from the trip into an album (all 500 of them). I am determined to get it done this summer! All that talking about Italy made me realize that I had to share some amazing and inspiring pictures with you. Allow me to set the scene. We stayed in a lovely town in the countryside just a quick drive or train ride to any beautiful Tuscan city. We woke up early, ate a bit of breakfast , and spent the days exploring towns and cities. Then we would drive home, cook a lovely and simple meal, open a bottle of wine…and chat about what a fantastic day it had been. Yes, that is what we did for one whole week. Which is why, this July I am missing this trip. However, my favorite day out of the week was different. On this particular day (my favorite day in history, besides my wedding day of course) we took a cooking class. Let me walk you through the visuals of the day.

Here is what I saw when I woke up on my (second) favorite day ever…

The beautiful view from our Tuscan Villa

Next we were scooted off to a cooking class on our property. We learned how to make fried squash blossoms, pasta (from scratch), cold spaghetti sauce, Gnocchi, stuffed chicken, and a lovely plum tart. Here are some amazing shots of the day.

Here is the start of the pasta, and that is our gracious chef and instructor Vallia

There was plenty of this

Squash blossoms and melon wrapped in proscuitto, the first course

Gnocchi with local foraged mushrooms, mmmm!

Spaghetti with cold "no cook" tomato sauce

Chicken stuffed with handmade sausage and sage...divine!

Cheese with pepper jelly

Plum tart (fresh from Vallia's organic garden) with pine nut crust...heavenly

And with dessert, the best sparkly wine ever, (In my opinion) which tasted like lavender, honey, and hmmm, beauty. Yes, it tasted like beauty would taste, if it had a taste.

Finally, biscotti and a nice espresso to finish

With bellies full of delicious food and heads a bit fuzzy from loads of wine, we ended the afternoon here…

Our very own private swimming pool

Can you see why this goes down as the best day ever?? I have been meaning to try out some of the recipes we prepared on this day and when I do, I will share them with you. I am waiting until the warm sun brings us Oregonians some fresh tomatoes.

Happy Friday!

-Susan

New Orleans trip…

For my “real” job, I’m lucky enough to get to go to some great places on business trips (as well as some not so great places…Orlando..uuuggghhh), and recently I headed down to New Orleans for a business event. In my free time, which totaled just a few hours, I rushed out to check out New Orleans; a place I had been dying to go to for a long time, and it’s design shops. I spent my breaks armed with my trusty camera, and walking shoes over on Magazine Street in the Garden District and wandering around the French Quarter. Both areas are fantastic and give you a peek into the unique culture of New Orleans.

French Quarter, New Orleans

Classic southern home in the Garden District

The first place I headed was to was Perch New Orleans, thanks to great tip from the DesignSponge city guides! This place did not disappoint! In fact, I really think it was one of the best design shops I have ever been in. I wish I had gotten a picture that captures the fantastic entryway of this store. When you enter the store, you are welcomed by a long foyer hung with 10-15 vintage chandeliers that are all just amazingly beautiful. Some worn looking, some beautiful murano glass, some modern, all beautiful. You know how Susan and I love a good chandy, so I was instantly smitten.  That is just the beginning of the styling of this lovely store. Below are a couple of shots I got in the store, but to really get the full feeling of the place, you MUST put this place on your list if you’re headed to New Orleans.

Perch Home - Hello my favorite ikat patterned cushions. Hi, artichoke lamp. I see you....

It was "pretty as a peacock"....

I knew I couldn’t leave without bringing something with me to remind me of this awesome store. So, this lil guy will be arriving on my doorstep soon. I’ll post where we eventually decide to hang him.

Perch Home, stag head

One of my other favorite stops while I was out and about was in the French Quarter, at a vintage consignment store called A to Z Consign It. This store was much more eclectic and not as beautifully styled as Perch, but had more reasonably priced wares, that were more of the culture you would envision old New Orleans having. I picked up two great items here, a beautiful brass soap dish and a great coral beaded necklace. I was known for the rest of the event as the girl with the orange necklace, because I don’t think I took it off after I put it on :).

A to Z Consign It's shop entrance

Overall, I loved the (short) time I spent in New Orleans, and would love to go back one day when I have more time. The culture is so unique and there is SO much more to see there than I was able to. There are many more design shops, art stores, and bars, than I could ever have imagined!

Have any of you been to New Orleans? Any shops that I should not have missed?