Kate Spade Boutique hosts Rue Magazine Launch Party

Refreshments at the RUE Launch Party

Yesterday afternoon, I dashed home after a wonderful morning at the Grand Opening of the Crocker Art Museum (more on that tomorrow!) to throw on some party duds. I hopped in the car with my friend Jori and headed to Marin, (Corte Madera to be exact). Destination? The Launch party for new online lifestyle magazine, RUE being hosted by the gracious guys and gals at the Kate Spade boutique.

After the trip, it was so nice to be greeted with a line-up of refreshments and....ahem...the fresh color and fun of the Kate Spade shop.

Kate Spade Boutique in Corte Madera, CA

Rue's main gals were on hand to say hello and let us in on the latest. Co-Founders Anne Sage ( Executive Editor) and Crystal Gentilello (Editor in Chief) were there with Managing Editor Alaina Kaczmarski. Bloggers, all, these ladies have put together a pretty impressive Premier issue with articles featuring some of our favorite designer slash bloggers, like Grant Gibson, Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic, Vicente Wolf and Victoria Smith of sfgirlbybay, and that is just a start. You can look forward to more RUE on a bi-monthly basis.

Anne Sage, Crystal Gentilello, and Alaina Kaczmarski of RUE

Anne Sage and Bri Emery, Art Director at RUE

And did I mention refreshments? There is nothing that'll get a girl's attention like fashion and cupcakes. (These were supplied by delicious SusieCakes.)

SusieCakes

There were lots of people helping to celebrate the launch....



Kate Spade Boutique



Kate Spade Fashions



There were lots of oooo's and ahhh's, and trying on of coats.

My Friend Jori and Kate Spade Coat

And trying out of handbags...and why not?...I'll take three!

And saying "hi" to friends, old and new!....

That's me in the middle with Scot Meacham Wood of Tartanscot (old friend, right) and his partner Drew (new friend, left)

It was great to have the chance to meet the Rue gang! And Kate Spade never disappoints. It was a good time had by all.

One last thing...a big THANK YOU to the folks at Kate Spade for providing such a fun spot for a party! Especially Charles, the boutique manager...I'll be back!

 

From One Happy Place to Another: San Francisco Magazine's Top 5 Design Blogs

I just returned from a five day Disneyland Adventure celebrating my eldest's graduation, with my youngest in tow. It was definitely the Happiest of places for the last few days....Then I returned home to find out THIS very happy news!

Diane Dorrans Saeks, author of some of our favorite design books (Michael Smith Elements of Style, Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, Paris Style and Hollywood Style to name but a few), and contributing interior design editor for San Francisco Magazine included katiedid in her TOP 5 local Design Blogs! Diane has been a kind and generous supporter of katiedid, and for blogs in general. I am very honored to be included in this brilliant group. I am so happy to know talented designers and bloggers, Scot and Grant and am looking forward to meeting Kendra and Kit as soon as possible!

Please do visit all of the Top 5...and do not miss Diane Dorrans Saeks fabulous blog, The Style Saloniste. It is a MUST READ! Diane chronicles her adventures in travel, design, and style from all over the globe. She profiles top designers and style mavens, artists and architects all with enthusiastic aplomb.

Great thanks to you Diane! Congratulations to all of the "listers" and huge appreciation to all of the katiedid readers.

My day is made.

Life is Full

Alley Party Guests, Jenny and Andy

Life has a way of becoming bountiful all at once. I think the more one is involved with people, the more opportunities arise. Lately life has been very full, and I must apologize for letting my blog slip a little. Especially since the blog has been one of the main sources for how much life is giving at the moment!

So a little sharing is in order. As you know, we live in a turn of the century neighborhood which developed with alleys behind all of the houses ( presumably so horses could be put away behind the houses). Tim and one of our back alley neighbors, Rob, had been conceptualizing a party with all of the alley neighbors for a few months now. The idea was to have a Pot Luck in the alley with a band in our garage and the homemade beer brewed by Rob (fan-TAS-tic BTW!!!!) in Rob's garage. This all ended up coming about on Memorial Day weekend.

Vital Signs, Classic Rock in our Garage

We really had no idea how it would turn out.... We know most of our neighbors, but not all. We had never heard the band before....they were recommended by a friend, and we didn't know how many would show up! Wellll....From the response, it looks like it will be an annual event. Perhaps semi-annual! We have had requests for an Oktoberfest. (I will keep you informed!). The band ( Vital Signs....Classic Rock...916-388-1931 if you are in the Sactown area...contact Dave Mauck) was great....everyone was up and dancing . The Brew was so popular Rob had to break out a second batch. And the Pot luck was delish. Brats, salads, and lots of watermelon. Sometimes a casual thing can turn into the most fun.

Pot Luck

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

This last weekend was quite eventful as well! Saturday, Tim and I drove with my Mom to Healdsburg to empty out a storage unit Mom had been renting for the last 15 years. We thought it was about time to let the contents see the light of day once again.....and Mom could save a little cash to boot! Mom used to live in Healdsburg, and for those of you unfamiliar, it is located in the wine country right along the Russian River. (More HERE) It is beautiful, charming, and home to antique shops, great B&B's, restaurants and recreational opportunities.

Oakville Grocery, Healdsburg

Although the main reason for the trip was to empty out a treasure trove of furniture and art that had been in hiding for such a long time (we didn't even know exactly what we would find!)....we still had to have lunch, right? So after a morning of driving to Healdsburg (about 2 hours from Sac) picking up a U-haul truck and loading it up with fantastic loot (more later on that!) we headed over to Oakville Grocery for lunch. Located right on the town square...it is THE place for sandwiches and salads. Me? I had a Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich and Roasted Beet Salad with a Sparkling Pear Cider. Mom had the Roast Beef, and Tim had a Roasted Veggie Sandwich with a fresh Snap Pea Salad.

Lunch at Oakville Grocery in Healdsburg

Refreshed we were ready for the drive home and a late afternoon of unpacking. We finished just in time for the guests to arrive for a year end pizza party for my daughter, her girlfriends and moms. (Actually, I did need to leave to pick up Tim from returning the U-Haul truck.... perhaps we were trying to pack in a little too much for one day!) We had fun making pizzas with Trader Joe pizza dough (I highly recommend!!!) and any topping you can imagine is also available at TJ's! Easy.

Sunday...it was a quick trip to the Sacramento Farmer's Market....it is Cherry Season....and I am addicted to Rainier cherries....had to have them.

Sacramento Farmer's Market Cherries

After breakfast, I drove to San Francisco to meet one of my favorite bloggers! Grant Gibson, designer and blogger extraordinaire, threw a scrumptious brunch for Architect Design blogger, Stefan Hurray. (Stefan lives in Washington DC and is enjoying a birthday trip to California....Happy Birthday Stefan!!)

Brunch at Grant Gibson's lovely San Francisco Home

Grant is not only a fabulous designer (Ahem...top 5 designers to watch list in Elle Decor, people!) he is also a consummate host and cook! We were treated to Roast Vegetable Quiche, Smoked Salmon Quiche, Asparagus and Fingerling Potatoes, Fresh Strawberries, Homemade Scones and Clotted Cream. There was minted iced tea and Prosecco Mimosas. And the company was so much fun! (I wish I had been able to get every one's picture...but here are a few)

Stefan of Architect Design blog, and Grant

Sally Swing and Scot Meacham Wood, Fabulous designer and author of Tartanscot Blog

Moi and Stefan

It has been a very busy time...and a very good time as well. We will be celebrating my older daughter's High School graduation this weekend with family, and the girls and I will be heading to the Happiest Place on Earth for a little Grad Trip in a couple of weeks. I am working on some really fun work projects which I hope to share with you very soon!

So...without further adieu....it is back to work!

Have a great day!

San Francisco Decorator Showcase, Part VI: Third Level

The Aerie by Benjamin Dhong

We are heading into the last week of the San Francisco Decorator Showcase, and there is still time to hop on over!

There was so much to see, I am not going to be able to show you everything, but I had to give you a glimpse into the third level! Some of the best work was up here.

The talented Benjamin Dhong created a perfect escape which he entitled "The Aerie". It is the perfect "refuge from the daily commonplace".

His mix of modern and traditional is always spot on. Familiar, yet unconventional....it is just the sort of thing I love.

The Aerie

Michael Burg also had a petite space which he called up images of a European hotel room....perfect for Sherlock Holmes. A mixture of quirky vintage furniture, fine antiques and modern edge makes this space so very cool.

Blakes, Room 27 by Michael Burg. Rare Louis XVI Secretaire and cow hide ottoman.

The perfect resting place.

Industrial Chic Tufted Daybed, Blakes, Room 27

Next up, "Poetry in Time, The Horologist's Laboratory by Brian Dittmar conjured up a time wizard's study. Full of clocks, watches, hourglasses and sundials....what better place the wile away the hours?

The Horologist's Library by Brian Dittmar. Brilliant Clock!

For a full study of how this room progressed in time from conception to fruition, hop on over to The Style Saloniste for the prefect recap!!! Truly not to be missed. I was so intrigued by the whole process from start to finish.

Custom Wing Chair by Brian Dittmar fabricated by Gilbert Herrara Upholstery. Note the etching in the mirror

A place for time, a time and place.

Blackman Cruz Lamp on the desk. Note the custom area rug with a quote by Rodin, "Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely". (I am putting that up on my inspiration bulletin board today!)

Brian Dittmar

I had met Cecile Starin at last year's showcase where I was enchanted by the Master Bedroom design she did. This year, Cecilie designed a room no less enchanting, which she entitled "Ivory Tower, A Room for Thought".

Ivory Tower by Cecilie Starin

Cecilie thought of every corner and every surface in this space. The daybed was the perfect fit between the window alcoves. There is everything here a person could want. Wouldn't this be the perfect design for a small New York apartment? A bed that doubles as seating, Storage in the coffee table, A dresser that doubles as a sideboard, bookcases for even more storage, and everything is so stylish and cozy! Take note, those of you in small spaces. This is how to make it livable!

I mustn't forget the ceiling! Cecilie stenciled a caning pattern up there and the light fixture was brilliant!

Cecilie Starin

Level three was packed with surprises....I will have a few more for you before week's end!

And please hop on over to Tartanscot for Scot's own take on the San Francisco Showcase this year HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE! More fantastic pictures and always interesting to see through another person's eyes. (And he does have such nice eyes!)

Happy Monday!

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!!!

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!