T.C. Donobedian

I'm totally crushing on T.C. Donobedian, a wonderful eccletic home decor store based out of San Francisco. The store looks like it is packed with a treasure trove of goodies. It's on my list of places to visit then next time I fly to S.F. Take a look at this darling "trolley" bar cart:

19th century produce scale. I'd would stash my bananas on this cute scale and hang it in my kitchen.

Gypsy Windchime

Laduree Bar

I think I have died and gone to heaven. I just found out that Laduree, the best French Macaroon makers in the world, have come out with a bar. Yes, a bar! They serve all sorts of delicious cocktails inspired by the plethora of flavors they whip up for their macaroons. Yeah, I know.. I have an obsession with french macaroons. Heck, I served them at my wedding. The urge to buy a ticket to Paris with my paramour has never been greater than now. Here are some pictures of the whimsical bar below. All I can say is... Wow.

Panteek

I love antique hand colored prints, especially in beautiful old frames (yes, yes I know I love my prints!). It is a great way too add a little color and life to one's home. Panteek offers an amazing antique print selection that you should check out when you have time. It's amazing. The above print is titled Arabs & Moors by Charles Theodore Middleton, published in 1778. The camel reminds me of my honeymoon in Morocco!

Here's a map of the "colonies" dated to 1856 by Levasseur, a French engineer and geographer. What's so cool about this print is that it depicts little vignettes, statistics, topographical features and beautiful images of South America.

This is a beautiful print by Adam Perelle of the Luxembourg Gardens that was part of his series titled Veues des plus Beaux Lieux de France et d'Italie. The series were published in Paris circa 1690 by Nicolas Langlois, showcasing the glories of France during the reign of Louis XIV. I adore the jardins de luxembourg, probably more than any other park I have ever visited. Neat huh?

NYC

Jack and I are flying from the Windy City to the Big Apple this weekend! Our stay will be short and sweet but we are going to try and maximize our stay as much as possible. We will spend Friday afternoon/evening in NYC and then Saturday at a dear college friend's wedding in Nyack, NY. Since we only have the afternoon really to explore NYC we are just doing two things: 1). Eat at Market Table and 2). Visit the Empire State Building at night and share a kiss (or two) a la "An Affair to Remember" (if you haven't seen this movie you should!). I found the rec for Market Table via Goop and I'm hoping it lives up to its reputation. This little West Village gem promises to be good with it's focus on fresh seafood and array of tasty desserts. Looks warm and inviting no?

We fly out tomorrow and I still haven't found something to wear to the wedding! I always do things last minute unfortunately. I'm trying to decide between the blue or the raspberry dress from Club Monaco. The wedding will be outdoors with a summery picnic "theme" that reflects the couple to a tee. No fuss, casual and carefree is how I would describe the bride and groom to be. Which dress would you go with? Or perhaps neither? Advice would be greatly appreciated!

(P.S... I went with this dress after it went on sale!)

Just not that into you

I usually post about things that keep me inspired but today I'm going to go out on a limb and do a post about certain trends that...well....I'm just not that into. These trends are really hot in the design world right now and I have been quietly waiting for them to wane (well quietly no more). The overkill has gone on long enough. I may get flamed for this, but I'm waiting for the following trends to take a vacation and come back in a couple of years:

1. Zebra carpets: Originally I loved how zebra rugs would diversify a room, make them less stuffy and hip. Now all I see is a dead carcass on someones floor. Ok... perhaps I exaggerate:)



2. Suzanis: I love ethnic prints- love them. I love the workmanship, the history, and the bold burst of color suzanis give to a room. But it's like eating a deep dish Chicago style pizza- one slice is so good but if you grab another slice and another and end up eating the entire pie you are going to make yourself sick.


3. Trellis: I still love the trellis design but on a small scale, say a throw pillow. Or outside in a garden. Just not an entire wallpapered hallway.


4. Keep calm and carry on posters: I pined for the poster at one point in time and then the poster turned into a mug, then to a t-shirt and now to an entry mat. I wonder what's next?

I hope I don't get hate mail from this post! (j/k). I really used to love all the above before they became too trendy and mass-marketed. Any trends you wish would go on vacation?

Upkeap

I'm not sure how the above celebrity came to the conclusion that too much sleep causes aging (because well... you are going to age no matter what) but I have to say getting a good nights sleep makes me look fresh, alert and not the least bit old. I would probably use a little less make-up to hide my raccoon eyes if I slept at least 8 hrs a day. These days I've been slacking off with my general upkeep hence the tired, washed out look I've been pulling off the past month or so. I came up with a list of things (because you know I love lists) to help improve my overall well-being and appearance. Here's my commitment list that I am going to try to keep up with:

1. Drink 2 liters of water a day: I'm actually really good at keeping up with this during the work week. I have a nalgene bottle that I keep filled with water at my desk that I drink from. Only problem is that I'm spending more time walking to the bathroom than working! On the weekends I drop the ball. Perhaps I need to buy another nalgene bottle to keep at home.

2. Waxing: Keep up with the monthly appointments! I hate waxing and the ensuing blotchiness/bumps I get from it but after my skin recuperates I love the results.

3. Take my vitamins: For some reason this is such a chore for me. I've never liked swallowing pills but I know I'm not getting the complete nutrition I need. Perhaps I should get myself one of those vitamin dispensers to help keep me organized.

4. Manicure/Pedicure: I'm looking at my hands as I type this post and my nails are in bad repair. I'm lucky that my nails (and hair) grow in quick and strong but they need some TLC. I always put this off thinking it is a unnecessary grooming expense but it is similar to getting a great haircut... you always feel like a million bucks afterwards. A small price to pay for a boost in your self esteem!

5. Beauty Sleep! I only get around 6-7 hrs a sleep a night if I'm lucky. I have to make a commitment to myself to be in bed by a certain time and stick to it.

6. Eat healthier: We are eating more salads, grilling frequently and eating out allot less (1x week). But I need to increase my fruit and veggie intake everyday day, snack healthier (dried fruit/nuts or a yogurt) and make myself eat flaxseed.

7. Exercise: Last but not least. I admit I have fallen off the bandwagon and I'm currently paying the price. Each year I freak out towards the end of Spring because my clothes don't fit which is alarming to say the least. I fit right in with the trend of women in my bracket gaining 5-10 pounds a year. I'm going to get back into attending my pilates classes 2x week, yoga 1x week and cardio 3x week (either by jogging or spinning).

It's never to late to start a healthy lifestyle!!! What are you doing to maintain your overall upkeep?

Gwyneth Paltrow for Tod's

I love the new Tod's campaign featuring Gwyneth Paltrow. Cool, classic and chic is what comes to mind (it helps that they styled Gwyneth a la Grace Kelly). I'm not in the habit of spending lots of money on handbags (I would much rather save my money or buy antiques/art) but I'm slowly starting to see the necessity of owning at least one nice chic bag, especially one that is not covered in "look at me" logos. Tod's also carry an outstanding shoe line (which is how they originally started) that pair so nicely with their handbags. Time to start saving up!

Foo Dogs

I've always wanted to participate in an auction and I finally got my chance this past weekend. I signed up to place an absentee bid at the New Orleans Auction Galleries and I ended up winning an item! I had my eyes on a pair of really cute and sassy antique ceramic Foo Dogs that both Jack and I fell in love with. I had to bid against several different people (both online and on site) but I came out ahead. Bidding live time is really, really fast and a little intimidating. Luckily the Foo dogs were towards the middle of the auction so I had some time to get a feel for the process.

So what are Foo dogs? Foo dogs, or Chinese guardian lions (lions of Buddha), are believed to have powerful protective powers that have traditionally stood in front of places of import in pre-modern China (Imperial palaces, government offices etc). Foo Dog statues are always created in pairs and carved out of expensive stone or cast in bronze and iron. Because of the expense and labor to produce the foo dogs, they were usually reserved for the very wealthy. The dogs always come as a pair, one male and the other a female. The male plays with a ball under his left paw that represents the flower of life and the female holds a cub under her right paw representing the cycle of life. Here is some other interesting mythology associated with the foo dog:

-The female lion protects those inside the dwelling, while the male guards the structure
-If the lion mouths are open it symbolizes the enunciation of the sacred word "om"
-According to feng shui the lions should face the entrance with the male on the right and the female on the left.

My dogs are obviously not gigantic statues but little ceramic ware statues for the home. The pair are glazed in a"Kingfisher" glaze and they only stand 10" tall on top of open plinth bases. I highly recommend New Orleans Auction Galleries. They had some amazing stuff up for auction and I'm already anticipating the next one! I'll post pics of my Foo dogs once I get them:)

Travel in Style

I'd like to be this woman...

In this car...


Driving around the California coastline or the Almalfi Coast. Hmmm.. that's not going to happen anytime soon but a girl can dream! The car above is the gorgeous Porsche 356. This ladies and gentlemen is my dream car and out of my reach. But there are many gorgeous replicas out there that are affordable and custom made to one's specifications without deviating too much from the original design. Isn't she pretty?!? (the car I mean...;)

Tasty Tuna Sandwich

This is very easy to make, filling and downright tasty. You don't have to use pecans (I had a bag of them from making spiced pecans yesterday) so go with whatever nut you prefer (walnuts would be tasty). The Dijon gives it a little zip and you can also use the dressing as a dip for vegetables.

Caroline's Tuna Sandwich

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped

2 cans of albacore white tuna

Finely sliced tomato slices (1 to 2 per sandwich)

Leaf lettuce (2 leaves per sandwich)

4 slices of toasted bread

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic

2 dashes of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of fresh dill

Salt/Pepper to taste

This will make two heaping sandwiches. In a separate bowl add your drained white albacore tuna, onion, pecans and celery. In a food processor (or you can do this by hand) blend your mayo, mustard, garlic, vinegar, dill and salt and pepper. Adjust consistency to your taste. Add the dressing to the tuna mixture and heap onto toasted bread. Layer with tomato and lettuce and enjoy!

Calling Cards

I love these tongue in cheek calling cards from Mr. Boddington's Studio. I'm getting some made for Jack as a gift to commemorate his new venture coming up next spring. He is starting a Ph.D. program in Aerospace Engineering and the whole family (and of course Jack) is super excited. The first thing Jack said when he got in was, " I'm going to be a Rocket Man!! WooHoo!!!" Oh boy.

With that said I think I should get him a calling card that says "It's not Rocket Science...".

Simple Pleasures

I scored at Whole Foods today. Don't these cherries look delicious! I'm trying not to eat them all at once! I used a pretty fruit bowl Jack and I bought in Morocco that we hand carried back with us. I take all my photos outside because the lighting in our little place is...well lackluster.

I also tried my hand at a little flower arranging (I hope to take a class one day). I bought some pretty pink peonies and white hydrangeas for a deal. Not bad eh? Fresh flowers always bring a smile to my face!

It's almost the weekend... I hope you are all enjoying the balmy soon to be summer days!

Kate Spade

I'm really digging Kate Spade these days. During my college days I was obsessed with her nylon handbags (and to some extent I still am). I'm so glad she's delved into fashion the past couple of years. The rose print dress above looks perfect for a summer wedding (which I will be flying to in yikes! 17 days). She makes a regular white blouse look beautiful with her attention to details.