Stealing Away to New Orleans: Stealing Magnolias....A Give Away!

Now that the Holiday Season is over, I am asking myself, what is the next excuse for a huge dose of outrageous fun? It occurred to me that Marde Gras in New Orleans was what we all looked forward to all year when I was living in Louisiana studying interior design at LSU. It was the yearly celebration all of my design student friends looked forward to. Whether it was the colors, the originality, the creativity, the music, or just the great excuse to forget about studying and party all day and night, it didn't matter. New Orleans was calling....and calling loudly....with a big trombone leading the band.

You can imagine my delight when it all of the Southern pageantry, a juxtaposition of beautifully elegant propriety and campy costumes in drag came tumbling back into my mind when I received a copy of a stunning new book .....Stealing Magnolias. Author Debra Shriver, chief communications officer of Hearst Corporation, debuts her first book with passion and obvious love for this one-of-a-kind pearl of a city. It is written in a way that is approachable and extremely informative, especially about the things that matter most in this graceful and bewitching town. All that visit cannot escape without losing a part of themselves. 

Stealing Magnolias is made up of the best bits of Debra's New Orleans experiences....there are beautiful photos of the home she and her husband renovated and decorated not long after Katrina..there are delicious Southern recipes with photos that simply make one's mouth water in anticipation....there are gardens and architectural treasures, all shown through that filter of light that can only be found in this place. That light that sweeps in from the side, bouncing off courtyard walls and underneath iron balconies and finally through gauzy sheer covered windows. 

New Orleans is decidedly French, but oh-so American....home of jazz and the mint julep, world famous Cafe du Monde, and voodoo shops..the cultural diversity buzzes with energy and mystery.

Debra captures it all and gives you a brilliant glimpse of the heart and soul of New Orleans. With it's fabulous photography, snippets from taste makers who have been touched by it's gorgeous decadence (Anne Rice, Dave Matthews, Mark Twain, Alexa Pulitzer, Tennessee Williams, Patrick Dunne and Cole Porter are just a few who's impressions are quoted throughout) and all of the extras of what and how to enjoy this city, Stealing Magnolias will take you away on a fabulous adventure. 

Did I mention the Preface by Blue Dog artist, George Rodrigue, the Forward by best-selling author Mary Randolph Carter, and Introduction by the one and only Roald Dahl? Icing on the cake my dears.

This book is unforgettable and perfect for those who have been and want to rekindle fond memories.....for those who have yet to go, it will get you out of that easy chair booking tickets in time for Marde Gras...for those who love jazz...or find that all things French make them smile inside and out.....and what a gift for those you love!

So.......I am so very excited to be partnering with Glitterati Incorporated in a

GIVE AWAY

of Stealing Magnolias!!!

Here are the rules:

1) Head on over to the Glitterati Website HERE and take a look around. You might just find another book you must have!

2) Become a katiedid Follower by clicking on the Google Follow button in my sidebar.

3) Leave a comment here in the comment box about your favorite memory about New Orleans....real or imagined.

4) You must include your contact information to win! And that means an email address so I can email you with the great news and thereby retrieve a mailing address. 

I will announce the winner January 26th, two weeks from today!!

 GOOD LUCK

and

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER!!!

(all photos from Stealing Magnolias by Debra Shriver, copyright 2010, published by Glitterati Incorporated. http://www.glitteratiincorporated.com/)

Highland Living

Main Staircase laid with carpet in the Campbell of Cawdor Plaid. Firearms taken from defeated French invasion forces from 1797.

Are you one of those people (like me) who collects all of the Oscar winning movies from every year? If so, then you have Braveheart in your collection. And so it might follow that you have a little place in your heart for the Scottish moors, castle strongholds, and tartan plaids.

Scotland has a rich history full of legends and romance from the drama of MacBeth to Nessie to the enchanting castle keeps. I recently received a copy of the upcoming book Highland Living from Flammarion due out mid-February. The authors, Stephane Bern and Franck Ferrand, splendidly capture the heart of Scotland with their tales of the early clan chiefs on through to the most recent inhabitants of Cawdor Castle. It reads like an historic novel with all of the color and depth of an epic family chronicle.

But I have to say, my imagination was first captured when I opened the book and found page after page of brilliant photography by lifestyle photographer Guillaume de Laubier. You may be familiar with his work as it has been featured in Elle Decoration, Vogue, and A French Country Home (Flammarion, 2005). Castles and common dwellings, formal gardens and windswept moors, grand sittings rooms and cozy hunting lodges are all represented here in beautiful full page color.

Cawdor Castle

The stories and photos focus on the Scottish National treasure, Cawdor Castle and the lands surrounding. We get a insider's view of lifestyle and decor inside the castle walls and the other dwelling on the vast properties.

I am showing just a few of the photos that particularly caught my eye.

Main staircase with a group of monogrammed fire buckets.

The tale of Cawdor Castle is strewn with the personal remembrances of the current Dowager Countess of Cawdor, Angelika Cawdor. She has also written the Forward, in which she ponders the question: was Coco Channel inspired to design her famous logo after seeing the interlocking C's after visiting the Castle of Cawdor?

The Main Drawing Room of Cawdor

The Drawing room shows off the architectural volume common to 17th century architecture. But even in it's grand scale, there is a sense of comfort, even coziness here, I think.

Portrait Gallery

Pryse Campbell, the 17th Thane of Cawdor

Dining Room Mantle

Doorway leading to the Dining Room

Hallway at Cawdor

The keep at Cawdor was built between 1370 and 1380, maintained and owned by descendants of MacBeth himself. The castle has been open to visitors since 1976, but had been losing money until Angelika transformed it to what you see today. Now it is regarded as a fine cultural and heritage enterprise. As old as it is, it is no wonder there are legends of ghosts and spirits, all of which are written about in Highland Living. Wouldn't it be wonderful to sit in the castle restaurant and feel the presence of a Thane of days past sitting next to you?

The history of how the castle grew to it's present size and appearance is captured beautifully in this book, as well as the creation of the gardens and additions of surrounding properties which encompass 18,000 acres of forests. These forests are known as "the Big Wood" and look today almost "exactly as it did after the end of the last ice age", because of the guardianship of the family of Cawdor.

The tree house in The Big Wood

But the estate does not end there. The Cawdor estate covers 58,000 acres, over 90 square miles. A hunting lodge or two would of course be necessary.

Hunting Lodge Dining Room at Drynachan

I loved this photo of the Dining Room in the Hunting Lodge at Drynachan. Apparently guests at the lodge in the 19th century entertained themselves by decorating the walls, and it has stayed like this since. So very modern looking isn't it? The white walls with the river of local scenery washing across it is wonderful!

Sitting Room at the Hunting Lodge

This Hunting Lodge can be rented for Family vacations. Located in the heart of the Highlands, I am just dreaming of making that visit.

Desk at the Hunting Lodge

It would be the perfect place to tromp through the moors and discover ancient cottages.

Cottage roofed with Heather at Culloden

The moors at Drynachan

Highland Living is full of stories about Cawdor and the estate, but it also contains other fine jewels of information. At the end of the book, there is information about visiting Cawdor Castle as well as many other places of interest. There is a listing of the Best Hotels, Restaurants, and Bed and Breakfasts. There is also information on Shopping, Fishing, Golf, Riding and Shooting.

And I cannot forget the whole section on recipes served at the Castle, like Pheasant Curry, Cranachen, and Roast Rhubarb and Apple Crumble with Creme Anglaise. Top it off with Cawdor Elderflower Cordial.

Haggis, the traditional dish of the Highlands

So I hope you are curious and inclined to look into Highland Living. It is the perfect companion for taking tea by the fire and letting your imagination take flight.

Tea in the small Dining Room. Family Crest on the table linen.

Love a Good Sale?!

Andreas Cellarius. $49.99 down from $150....save $100.o1

Who doesn't? I admit it. It is almost impossible for me to pass up a great deal. So when I got the memo about a Taschen book sale, I caved. Just in case you are like me and are always on the lookout for a great book, I thought you might like to know:

TASCHEN News
January 21, 2010

TASCHEN'S ONLINE SALE

It’s sale time again!

For a very limited time only, TASCHEN is offering great discounts on various titles.

From January 22 - 24, dozens of popular TASCHEN titles will go on sale online at 50-75% off the regular retail price.

But hurry: demand will be huge and this offer is subject to stock availability!

Order here!

You prefer a 'physical' experience? Check the warehouse sale at Taschen stores.

Here is just a little sampling:

The Temple of Flora. $69.99, down from $150....save $80.01

Meier. $69.99 down from $150....save $80.01

Shop America, $14.99 down from $59.99....save $45

Domus Series. $29.99 down from $69.99....save $40

Eileen Gray. $9.99 down from $29.99....save $20.

The End of the Game. $19.99 down from $39.99....save $20

It is a grey and rainy day where I am. A little online shopping couldn't hurt.

Have a great weekend!

Design Books Library

My design book library is exploding along with the trend. For years, I had a few books on interior design: ones I had from college, some early youth book-of-the-month club books, a few others collected here and there. But for the past five years it seems, new, glorious and hard-to-resist design books come out every week. The months leading up to Christmas are particularly hard on the pocketbook. My favorite books seem to be those about one house: Bunny Williams' An Affair with a House, Rose Tarlow's, The Private House, and Charlotte Moss' Winter House immediately come to mind. I also love the series on French Design by Betty Lou Phillips and Charles Faudree. I'm trying to collect all of Beta-Plus' gorgeous catalogue and am almost there. Then there are the series from the magazines owned by Better Home and Gardens - they seem to put out new books daily! Even Pottery Barn has a nice series, believe it or not.



John Saladino's only design book is a bible to me. When will Dan Carither's write one? I want that book! Henrietta Churchill has a great series of English design. Anything put out by Rizzoli House is worth reading. The same goes for British House and Garden. I'll buy any book that has the word Provence or French or Antique in the title.




Why all the books? Interior design seems to be the rage. Witness all the national chain home stores in business today: Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Ikea, and Z Gallerie. The furniture business used to be only local with maybe a Pier I thrown in the mix. HGTV helps the trend, but it's bad for designers - we can't all redo a home, or a room for the matter, in 24 hours. Here are a few pictures of my design books and where I'm stashing them. My French home (hopefully!) is beginning to take on the look of an English country home (I wish) where books lay around for generations. Où devrait je mettre mes livres?

Design Books Library

My design book library is exploding along with the trend. For years, I had a few books on interior design: ones I had from college, some early youth book-of-the-month club books, a few others collected here and there. But for the past five years it seems, new, glorious and hard-to-resist design books come out every week. The months leading up to Christmas are particularly hard on the pocketbook. My favorite books seem to be those about one house: Bunny Williams' An Affair with a House, Rose Tarlow's, The Private House, and Charlotte Moss' Winter House immediately come to mind. I also love the series on French Design by Betty Lou Phillips and Charles Faudree. I'm trying to collect all of Beta-Plus' gorgeous catalogue and am almost there. Then there are the series from the magazines owned by Better Home and Gardens - they seem to put out new books daily! Even Pottery Barn has a nice series, believe it or not.



John Saladino's only design book is a bible to me. When will Dan Carither's write one? I want that book! Henrietta Churchill has a great series of English design. Anything put out by Rizzoli House is worth reading. The same goes for British House and Garden. I'll buy any book that has the word Provence or French or Antique in the title.




Why all the books? Interior design seems to be the rage. Witness all the national chain home stores in business today: Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Ikea, and Z Gallerie. The furniture business used to be only local with maybe a Pier I thrown in the mix. HGTV helps the trend, but it's bad for designers - we can't all redo a home, or a room for the matter, in 24 hours. Here are a few pictures of my design books and where I'm stashing them. My French home (hopefully!) is beginning to take on the look of an English country home (I wish) where books lay around for generations. Où devrait je mettre mes livres?