Club Monaco's New Culutre Club

I have to admit, the first email I received about this project I sent back  with  a prompt, 'no'. I can't write for one more site! I love the ones I write for now and I want to give them all the attention they deserve.
Then, embarrassingly, I got an email back from Club Monaco kindly letting me know I did not read the email properly and they just wanted me to submit some images that inspire me with quick quote. OH!

And now I'm addicted. I take pictures of all sorts of things around the house and out on the street. I don't think Club Monaco will ever use them all, alas.

But this new site looks great! It's the perfect place to peruse interesting images and get inspired for your own, as well as to see what Club Monaco clothes are looking like these days. Pretty slick!

Click and enjoy and see if you can find my pics.

Ralph Lauren's New Womenswear Mansion

I may of never said it out loud but I am always wondering, "Why can't they build building like they used to?"
Yes glass towers will never leave our design aesthetic but for smaller shops, stores, boutiques and yes even houses, what ever happened to good ole limestone?
Well Ralph Lauren nearly made my weep yesterday when I went to visit his new mansion on 72nd and Madison Avenue that houses his womenswear collections and homewares on the top floor.

The building is designed like a Beaux Arts mansion, and the press is saying it is the first mansion built on the Upper East Side since 1918. His menswear is in the Rhinelander Mansion on the opposite side of Madison.
I can't tell you how many times I tapped things. Is it all real? Yes it is. Real limestone, real wrought iron banisters, real crystal chandeliers, real marble floors. I know it sounds tacky, but I was just amazed in this day and age a space like this could be built.

The entire mansion had the scent of Tuberose wafting through and every sales person and shopper were doe eyed. All of this splendor just opened last Friday.

When I was in the fine jewelry room the young, chic sales girl just spun around smiling saying, "I'm just so luck to work in such a place of beauty!" Isn't that just marvelous?

It reminded me when we opened Jeffrey New York back in 1999 and we were all so excited and everyone who came in had a smile on their face and a credit card ready to smoke out. Remember those halcyon days?

The only fake thing I found were the props. Fake flowers abound and the caviar at the bar was little black beads. I didn't check the whiskey in the decanters but I assume that was tea...

I loved that I saw a rather brawny man in plaid and lumber jack boots wearing a white lab coat monogrammed with RL. I finally realized he was part of the visuals team and had to hide his woodsy look with a lab coat to look more pristine in the all white environment. How YSL of Mr. Lauren.

As you know I don't care much for womans clothes (no drag jokes please!). Hey if I can't wear it, why obsess over it? So I marched up that divine staircase to the homewares section. Decadence to the deuxieme fois. Each room was carefully curated as bedroom, living room, bar room. Plus there were piles of books, candles, what nots and hoo has for gifts, or to just marvel at.

Upon leaving I saw two old grand dames walking in arm and arm and one looked around and exclaimed, "Well Helen if this doesn't get people outta their recession rut I don't know what will! Have you evah seen sucha place?"

He friend simple shook her head and smiled.

Thank you Mr. Lauren for giving New York something glamorous to gaze at again.

Missing Africa

My New Blue Bedroom, or my 'Bluedoir'

I have been itching to repaint my room for some time now. Nine years of 'Butternut Squash', many parties, suitcases, cocktails and more parties, the paint was lookin ratty and I was ready for a change.


Ever since I went to Catherine's Palace in Russia, I have been obsessed over bright blue in design. Then seeing rooms in old plantation homes and townhouses in Charleston I was hooked.

So I picked out this bright blue, (I will never tell you the name Mr. Moore gave it) I call Monticello Blue, headed to Atlanta for the weekend and had the room revamped.

I'm happy as a blue jay with the results and rearranged my decor to give the next a new feel. I was looking for something new to add to the mix and when I saw mothers portrait from when she was 16 I knew I had to ship it up from Atlanta.

There are still some tweeks I would like to make but waking up in such a color is like waking up on a cloud, not quite Catherine's Palace, but close enough for me.

Enjoy.

Rod's Visit to Lake Lanier

It's been a long time coming but FINALLY Rod flew down from the torrential rain in NYC and spent an idyllic weekend in Georgia.

I gave him a quick tour of downtown before spending the rest of the weekend at Hathaway on Lake Lanier. On our way to the lake we bought a case of wine and nearly ran out by the end of the trip!



Friday night we spent the evening at the Yacht Club boozing with the best of them. This was a favorite for Rod who loved how everyone brings their own booze, mingles around for an extended cocktail hour and then continues mingling through dinner till its time to teeter home.
We also took a tour of the docks and were most impressed by Aida's boat with her eyes and lips emblazoned onto the bow of the boat.

Saturday we got the house in order for a luncheon where Angela, Leah, Cator (aunt) and mom and dad sat down and dug into mama's fantastic food, had a good family gossip and catch up and drank several bottles of vino at the table, on the balcony and at the dock.
Rod and I took a tour around the grounds, cut some azaleas and arranged them for the table (with wine of course!)


That evening mother made a mean dinner and we lit up the fire and watched, Far and Away.

Sunday morning we were up in time for my favorite show, CBS Sunday morning then we headed out to the boat and twirled around the lake showing Rod all the homes, islands and damns.

Then, sadly, it was time for Rod to head home. I stayed in town till Wednesday to hear a lecture by Jeff Koons at the High.

Can't wait for Rod to come back and thanks mom and dad for a much needed relaxing and amusing weekend.

My First Post for W Magazine's New Banging Website

I am pleased as punch to post this new story I did for W. Been reading that magazine since I was a wee child. So excited to finally write for them.
You can see the story here.

Enjoy!