City of Angels: Margaret Russell at WS Home

The beautiful Margaret Russell of Elle Decor at WS Home

Hi all! I am back from Oregon (more on that later!) and ready to tell you my LA stories! I have to say I made the mistake of not making plans sooner for my trip, as I could have fit more in, but the trip was busy and informative none the less!

West Week was in full swing at the Pacific Design Center, and there were Keynote Panel discussions being held to discuss the rise of social media as it pertains to the design industry at large and to print media in particular. I wanted to attend as many of the panels as possible.

I arrived at the Farmer's Daughter Hotel Tuesday afternoon in time to freshen up before Christian May of Maison 21 picked me up for a party at WS Home for Margaret Russell of Elle Decor. She was in residence to sign her wonderful book, Style and Substance, The Best of Elle Decor (which I posted about HERE).

Before I go further, I just wanted to give you one of the best pieces of news I had during my stay in LA! Margaret Russell told me that Elle Decor now has officially launched their new website!!! (previously Elle Decor was part of the point click home website) The new website is full of exciting new features including a comprehensive LookBook with photos from all of your favorite editorials. You can also explore design destinations around the globe, and get expert design advice in the Home Design 101 section. There are sections on Design, Remodeling, Shopping, Celebrity Style, Entertaining, as well as a Resources section. I am told there is much more to come as well. So have fun checking it all out!

So...back to the party! It was such a fun evening for many reasons. I had not been to a WS Home store in a very long time. There are only two in California: Beverly Hills and Palo Alto. It was a treat to see everything in person and very nice to know that the catalog and website show off how beautiful the inventory is in person. The other reason the party was so great is that I finally got to meet blogger friends from all over the country, and in one case from overseas. I did not get as many pictures as I would have liked, but here are a few people you might recognize:

Moi, Monelle Totah (Vice President of Design for WS Home), Patricia Shackelford (Mrs. Blandings) and Christian May (Maison 21)

It was such a pleasure meeting Monelle Totah of WS Home. She was charming and so very gracious. She is the reason WS Home has such beautiful things! You can check out Monelle's beautiful San Francisco flat on the Elle Decor website HERE! Such a great home!!) And Patricia of Mrs. Blandings was out from Kansas City. She was just like her blog: so nice and welcoming, smart, interested and savvy...not to mention classically beautiful! And Christian May of Maison 21...the perfect host: handsome, witty and so much fun!!!! He made my stay in LA the best (more with Christian later!).

Ronda Carmen of All the Best, Scot Meacham Wood of Tartanscot, me again, and Christian May

Ronda Carmen of All the Best was there all the way from the UK. We time for just a quick "hello" but there were so many people, it was difficult to chat. Next time! My friend Scot from Tartanscot was down from San Francisco looking as debonair as usual!.There were so many there that I could not get pictures of! It was so great to get to meet Andrea Borda Stanford, Design and Style Editor for C Magazine in person as well. She is chic, down to earth and beautiful all in one!
(BTW....the latest issue is fantastic...you might want to run out and get it before it is gone....just sayin').

As the party was winding down, I was chatting with Megan of Beach Bungalow 8, and who should walk by but Eddie Ross and partner Jaithan. We gave each other that immediate warm blogger hug that bloggers in touch over the years give upon first sight. We all decided to go to dinner so we could continue the conversation. As per Megan's fantastic suggestion, we went to El Carmen...home of the best tacos and tequila in LA (250 kinds of tequila at last count!). If you are ever in LA, you have to stop in.....if for no other reason than to see the interior, which houses the best collection of Mexican Wrestlers painted on black velvet I have ever seen. Killer. Kudos to Megan as our guide. It was a riot!

El Carmen photo via Yelp

El Carmen photo via Yelp

After dinner, this girl was off to the hotel to rest up for the Keynote panels the next day. Stay tuned!!!

Sweet Hearts

Gumps has so many beautiful Valentine's Day gift ideas! What better than flowers, chocolates and champagne? But there are so many other ideas as well. The bedside clock with pretty red crocodile case, and notice all of the jewelry in the background? I certainly did!

It's almost here, that most sentimental of holidays. And there are plans to make, however big or small, to show those sweethearts in your life that you love them. "Sweetheart". It is one of my favorite words. Especially when it is broken down into it's parts:

"Sweet":

• amiable, kind or gracious, as a person, action, etc.
• dear, beloved, precious
• fragrant, perfumed
• pleasing to the ear, making delicate, pleasant or agreeable sound, musical

"Heart":

• The center of total personality, esp. with reference to intuition, feeling or emotion
• The center of emotion
• Capacity for sympathy, feeling, affection
• Spirit, courage or enthusiasm

Gumps has beautiful Victorian inspired Valentine's Day cards, sweet little heart shaped chocolate boxes, and lots of goodies behind the candy counter.

I have a few sweethearts in my life: my husband (of course!) and my daughters (naturally), my Mom (always remember your mother!) and my sweet dogs (maybe a little strange, but many of us do love our dogs to distraction!). There is always someone who needs a hug, or some small show of appreciation. This day gives us an opportunity to express it.

So many sweet hearts!

I was in San Francisco last week at Gumps for a book signing for Margaret Russell's wonderful book: Style and Substance. While wandering about, I got so many Valentine's Day ideas!!! Really, there were so many sweet hearts, I was all smiles.

Loved these heart cookies! Perfect for any sweetheart.

What is so nice about Gumps is that they truly think of everything. I found something for everyone on my sweetheart list!

Beautiful heart shaped soaps wrapped in black and white toile paper, or red,or white, from Gianna Rose Atelier.

Rose bouquets...so real!!

I had thought these flowers were brought in fresh for the book signing event. But upon closer inspection realized they were imitation! I was so fooled. I am not fond of faux flowers, but these looked so authentic, I would definitely change my mind. The roses in the pictures above were also faux. Hard to believe!

These peonies, also faux. They really did look so real! Beautiful soap gifts with their own bamboo stands. So pretty.

Love Sonnets, Bronze "key to my heart" paperweight, and more chocolate hearts.

Sweet note cards, and more bronze hearts pierced with Cupid's arrow. In the background, Murano glass hearts and crocodile picture frames (put in a picture of your sweetheart and you!)

Check out the Gumps website HERE for more information and pricing. There are lots more ideas there too!

Many may not think they have a sweetheart for a Valentine. But I say, just show someone, anyone, that you love, or simply like, them. It does not have to be a romantic love. Remember when you were in 1st grade and everyone gave each other those funny little boxed valentine's cards with cartoon characters? My girls decorated shoe boxes to take to school with slots cut out of the top to put in their cards and heart-shaped lollipops. What smiles and goods feelings there were, all kept in a simple shoebox. Everyone smiles when they are given a little something that shows someone cares.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!!!

The Stars Were Out Last Night

Margaret Russell, the star of Elle Decor, and as well as author of the newest addition to my library, Style and Substance, was shining at Gumps in San Francisco last night. Always beautiful, always gracious, Margaret was there for a book signing party.

Style and Substance has been one of my "go to" resource books since it came out. Each chapter is organized by room, and since it is a compilation of the best from Elle Decor, it is simply the book I pull from the shelf first when looking for inspiration for my design projects. And now it has been signed. Sigh...I am one of those who loves to have my favorite books signed whenever possible.

It was wonderful to have a chance to chat with Margaret. There are brilliantly big plans in the works for Elle Decor, particularly exciting for all f us design groupies! So keep an eye out and an ear open in the months to come. I promise to keep you posted!

And the party was packed with other stars from the City by the Bay. Designers Jay Jeffers, Ken Fulk, Scot Meacham Wood (also of Tartanscot!), Claudia Juestel, Gary Hutton, George Brazil, and Furniture designer Paul Benson were there, just to name a few.

The setting was perfect. It is always so much fun to wander through Gumps. Everywhere you turn, there are perfect little scenes that give you ideas, and wonderful gifts for the special ones in your life. (Stay tuned for my blog post in the next couple of days...lots of Valentine's Day Goodies!!)

Delicious bits of things to eat (the miniature Beef Wellington's were fabulous!), good wine and great converstion all made for a a stellar evening.

My good freind Jori, made the jaunt to San Francisco with me. She is one of those people that has fun wherever she goes, and seems to know everyone within minutes.

Here she is with designer George Brazil and furniture designer Paul Benson. George and Jori go way back, and you may remember the genius of Paul Benson from this blog post where his beautiful bar cart is shown off.

I had a chance to chat with Jay Jeffers who is deep in the middle of multiple projects right now. Charming and handsome, he is one of the designers I love to watch.

My good blogging buddy Scot Meacham Wood (Tartanscot) was there. He is always so much fun! Scot just had an amazing trip to NYC where he met up with lots of favorite bloggers like Eddie Ross, Habitually Chic's Heather Clawson. Claudia Juestel of Adeeni Design Group was also on hand. Claudia is a wonderful designer who is a master with the exotic.

I wish I had had more time to show you more of the beauty at Gumps, but I did take a few shots.

There is a sculptor by the name of Gary Stevens that I was quite taken with.

This is an alabaster sculpture he did that I thought was so beautiful in this vignette. The stone was so thin and fine! I understand that Gary is a mathematician as well, which explains his precision and fine detail.

These wood sculptures are also by Gary Stevens. Some look like continous ribbons. Brilliant!

Also showing were these perfect wooden vessels by Philip Moulthrop. Each one a small masterpeice. To read more about Philip and his family history of woodturning craftsmanship, click HERE.

I also had the pleasure to speak with Marta Benson of Gumps, who was excited about the new direction Gumps is taking with tableware. Gumps is well known for it's tradition of offering the best in fine china, crystal and placesettings. Alway beautiful, always the best. But Gumps has been changing over the last few years. There is a powerful trend towards beautiful but more casual entertaining and Gumps is the place where you will be finding young, fresh, and casual table settings that will be fun and usable everyday. I am looking forward to it all!

Such a fun night! Thanks to everyone at Gumps, Margaret Russell and Elle Decor for a great evening!

What Is In That Box?!

I had a delivery at my house last Friday. And there were two very curious canines ready to help me open two largish boxes. There was a label on the outside from one of my favorite retail websites. But pups can't read....so they were anxious to get them open.

Two of these cross-leg stools were inside! I was in need of some extra seating in my living room and had been searching for some affordable stools for awhile. Originally I was hell bent on finding a pair of these:

Photo from Style and Substance by Margaret Russell from Elle Decor

A pair of Jean-Michel Frank stools like this white one used by Albert Hadley . And mind you....I have not given up the search. But I need something in the meantime.

So Nullah and Cooper kept me company while I opened my boxes. They were very patient and did lots of sniffing and playing with wrappings.

They stood a watched while I moved them and inch this way and that.

So here they are, and here they will stay....until I can track down a pair of Jean-Michel Frank stools in my price range. I saw a stool "in the manner of" Jean-Michel Frank that was priced at over $5000 in my online search, so I do not think my new stools will be going anywhere soon. (Perhaps I can have something made.....always an option.)

But I do think Cooper approves.