Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Wine and Food Anyone?

If you've never made it to the South Beach Wine and Food Festival well, you've never experienced one of the most amazing events on the planet. To be clear, it's a tad pricey - $300 for ticket. Ouch. But, I think it's something you should save and do at least once in your lifetime. When else could you sample endless amounts of the best wines, top shelf liquor and premium cuisine from some of the best chefs, and see and chat with said chefs? It's hours and hours of complete foodie debauchery and can't we all use a little debauchery in our lives? I went a few years ago - when tickets were a lot cheaper thank heavens - and had a blast, though I was severely hungover for a few days. My dearest friend Rosalie had the pleasure of attending this year and managed to stay sober enough to snap us a few photos. From Rosalie's camera to our blog, we bring you a few highlights. Thanks again Rosalie!    

An orchid display with a twist of lemon and lime.

Ah, that coveted ticket!


Top Chef Judge, Mr. Emeril Agassi

Our girl Bethenny's Skinny Girl booth. Word is hubby Jason is even hotter in person. Yum.

The Neelys

I see pork. I see burger. I see what must have been a heck of a burger.  

One hell of a Paella!

Give me wine! And give me more wine!



Shrimp and Grits!

Fabio aka Mr. Boorger

Shrimp tempura with a cream filling 


Octopus anyone?



Some devilish looking mozzarella


Yes, I'll take one large lobster please.
   

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Pendant Lights

As I mentioned a few posts back, we're knee deep in a major kitchen renovation. I mean, really deep. As in bringing a decades old kitchen into the 21st century. Popcorn ceiling has been eradicated, drop ceiling smashed to the smithereens, dated cabinets banished to never, never land.  It's now a raw canvass. We're refinishing the walls and ceilings this week, some seriously sexy tiles will be installed this weekend. Woohoo for major progress.
This weekend we scored a major scoop on the pendant lights for the island. Now lemme confess to something ya'll should know about me: I have an inkling for the finer things and so will often gravitate to things that cost a pretty penny. But I also have a knack for finding something that'll be just as stunning at a friendlier price.
My client is already spending a huge chunk of cash on this renovation, so there are some things we have to be smart about and I think we made a smart choice on our pendants. Here's a look at what we both considered until we saw that they all cost $500 to $800 a pop. We need three, and $1500 to $2400 on pendants just wasn't going to happen. Our final selection was an amazing $48 - a steal! Lemme know what you think of our final selection.
The Leeza Pendant


Alina Pendant







The Winner!

Allen and Roth

Monday, February 27, 2012

Monday Morning Hues

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. Man, why is it so hard getting out of bed on a Monday morning? I'm on my second cup of java and it's not even 10 o'clock yet....sigh
Lets hope that these Monday Morning Hues gives us the jump start we need. Today's color of choice? You guessed it - Sunny Yellow.



                                                        Photo from Houzz.com




                                                              Photo by KuDa Photography 


                                                    Paula Patton in Monique Lhuillie gown


                                                              Photo by Paul Costello


                                                   John Crowe Photography


                                                                      The Sartorialist


                                                                          Decor Pad


                                                                       Decor Pad


                                                                      Decor Pad



And here's to a sunny week ahead for us all. How have you incorporated yellow into your personal space?

Sunday, February 26, 2012

TAG! YOU'RE IT!

There are plenty of kindred spirits in the blog world who, in the spirit of spreading the love and learning a few things about each other, have started a game of tag. Kudos to Jessie over at Mix and Chic for spreading the news and for keeping the tag going.
Here are the rules she's asked us to follow:
1. You must post the rules.
2. Answer the 11 questions the tagger posted for you and then create 11 new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
3. Tag 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Let them know you have tagged them.

Here are my answers to Jessie's questions, and below are the questions I've posted to several bloggers I read daily. Can't wait to hear from you all. Let the tagging begin.

1. What is your favorite room to decorate and why?
The bedroom. It's the one true place in the home where you can escape to feel relaxed and to unwind after a long, long, day and I believe it's where you should really look around and feel at peace.

                                             Photo by Charlie Trainor for The Miami Herald

2. What is your favorite decorating trend?
Wallpaper and the use of the color grey. It's become my all time favorite color and I've used it quite often in recent years. It's one of the colors in my home office and my son's nursery.

                                                Photo: William Abranowicz

                                                     Photo: Kerri McCaffety

3. Which decorating trend do you think is way overrated?
Faux paint. Two words: Please Stop.

Image Source


4. What is your biggest decorating pet peeve?
Most design shows. They don't reflect the realities of the decorating process. i.e. their budgets do not include labor and hello, paint doesn't dry in two hours. I also give two thumbs down to designers who design for themselves and not for the client. True, we're there to take them out of their comfort zone, but could you seriously sleep in a room with feathered walls or a room covered wall to wall with Jackson Pollack art? I thinks not. 



5. Averagely, how much time do you put into a blog post?
Hmmm, at least an hour. Not to write, but to source photos, info etc...My assistant, Debbie, needs a major raise for all the time she spends helping to research some of the the items posted. Pssst....I'm working on that.

6. What have you learned/gained from blogging?
Keep at it. It's hard work! But, I'm loving all the cool blogs I stumble across daily, the resources and information I'm learning from fellow designers.

7. Who do you most admire in the blogging world and why?
All the bloggers I've tagged. I'm fascinated that so many of the blogs I love are by women who had careers that were polar opposites of their true passions, and that blogging has allowed us all to explore that creative outlet.

8. What is the coolest opportunity that has come your way because of your blog?
Bonding more with my little sister Lisa, who has an amazing blog: Beautyandababy. The tables have turned from my days of mentoring her as a big sister, and as a fellow writer, and now she's helped/coached me through the intricacies of blogging.

9. Who is your favorite decorator and why?
So yes, I know I poo poo'd most design shows earlier, but I make an exception for Candace Olson. Her designs are layered to the hilt, with texture upon texture.  I do wish she would share her budget because man, we all know those makeovers cost a pretty penny. 

                                                               Image Source

10. What is a little-known fact about you that your readers would be surprised to learn?
I'm head over heels in love with my 4-month old son Xavier (his dad isn't half bad either). 


I'm an award-winning writer who spent seven years at The Miami Herald, covering everything from murders, to politics, to sex for rent on the Internet, trends in the black community, police profiling members of the hip-hop community  and the ill-conceived idea to shutter a clinic that served some of the city's poorest kids.
They would also be surprised to learn that in my new life, I get down and dirty with my design projects. I love all the pretty stuff, but I'm also there with my crew on demolition day, knocking down walls, chipping away tile and hauling that stuff to the dump and I help to install tiles, wood floors, drywall etc...And oh, I almost always have a glass of wine at the end of installation day. It's well deserved and needed!

11. What do you hope your blog will achieve in the long run? Please elaborate.
I really want my blog to be a cool place for fellow designers, event planners, fashionistas and just anyone with a creative spark, to check out frequently to be inspired and to in turn, leave me with some food for thought. In essence, I want it to be a fun conversation hub where folks can gather to shoot the breeze.  

My questions:
1. When did you start blogging and why?
2. What is your design aesthetic?
3. Who’s your favorite fashion icon and why?
4. What design trend are you dying to try and what trend are you sick of seeing?
5. What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?
6. Which celebrity home you would love to design?
7. What inspires you the most in the design process?
8. What is your favorite piece of home furnishing and why?
9. Your must have design tool?
10. What is your favorite song and tell us three words that describes how it makes you feel.
11. What city/country did you visit and fall madly in love with and why? 

Here are the wonderful bloggers I'm tagging.
  1. Jessie at Mix and Chic
  2. Kimberly at Pink Eggshell
  3. Erica at Blu Label Bungalow
  4. Nathalie at miamiweddingplannerblog
  5. Danielle and Alaina at TheEverygirl 
  6. Coco at Cococozy
  7. Dayka at Dayka Robinson Designs
  8. Kim and Jo at Desiretoinspire
  9. Typhanie at shoeboxdecor
  10. Lakeitha at home23duncanboys
  11. Linda at mycraftyhomelife
Show them some love. I wonder who will get tagged next? 

Friday, February 24, 2012

WHISK ME AWAY FRIDAYS

We survived another week!!!!

I know I'm not the only one that wishes this was another long holiday weekend. So, as I watch the clock slowly tick away to 5 p.m, here are some of the places I wish I could escape to this weekend. 

                                                   Ayana Resort - Bali, Indonesia

                                                      Park Hyatt Goa India

                                                         The Caves - Jamaica

                                                     Goldeneye - Jamaica

                                                         Gallows Point Resort

                                                       Six Senses Laamu - Maldives

                                                          El Silencio Lodge

Can you tell I'm longing for a tropical escape? What's your favorite dream escape? 

Thursday, February 16, 2012

First Impressions

Should your entryway reflect the tone of your home's design aesthetic? Or can it be your one touch of fantasy in a world of reality?


                                  Eclectic entry design by Chicago interior designer Sean Michael Design

                                  Contemporary entry design by Chicago interior designer jamesthomas, LLC


                                                                  Image Source

                                                          Image from Rue Magazine

                                                    Image from Lonny


                                                                   Image Source

These inspirations are stylish with a touch of whimsy. Can you tell I'm totally crushing on a black, white and gold entryway? What are your thoughts? 

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

PANTONE 2012 Color of The Year: Pantone 17-1463 Tangerine Tango

So following last year's choice of Honeysuckle, Pantone has chosen a bright and seductive color for 2012....Tangerine Tango.


“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”


                                                             Image Source
                                                   Tory Burch on Madison
                                                      Image Source
                                                      Image Source
                                                 Image Source

                                             Lee Kleinhelter's room in Lonny
                                           Fergie in Jean Paul Gaultier at this year's Grammys                               

I'm addicted to colors, so I think they have the right idea. What are your thoughts? Are you also addicted to this year's color choice? Would you be bold enough to paint a room in this color (confession: my office was painted orange for years) or would you rather add orange accents throughout the room? 

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