Books

Bookreview & recommendation

Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book", beautifully illustrated by Robert Ingpen.
When we saw this book in Waterstone's "The jungle Book" suddenly took other dimensions. It's a must have for all lovers of books for the illustrations alone. Robert is a highly awarded and world-renowned Australian illustrator, designer and author. He was born in 1936 and has had time to illustrate and write more than 100 books. Rudyard Kipling was the first Brittish author to be awarded the Nobel Prize, and quite rightly so. We have all read shorter versions of the book and we have all seen the Disney film - but we were curious about the full version, the original. First published over a hundred years ago and at nearly 200 pages long it is some piece of work! To think that we could read it to our five year old on was perhaps a little naive. We'll let you know what we thought of it when we finish it! In the meantime enjoy Robert's work here.

N street lofts - tour

A few years ago I was able to tour the 'N street lofts' on a construction tour. They're an anomaly in DC as they're strictly modern. However, they nod to the typical victorian row houses so well known here in the city through scale and the large front bays facing the street.Above you can see the street side of the lofts. While not a historical recreation of the typical DC rowhouse, I think they still fit into the neighborhood. Variety is the spice of life afterall! The back though, is another story.

Off of the alley is parking for each unit bounded by a high concrete wall (transitional neighborhood afterall). A large back patio lies below this at the basement level. I love the green! so unexpected!Each unit also features a roof deck off of a small den with bar area. Who wants to run down 2 flights of stairs to get a drink of water!Below you can see to the patio from the roof deck - the parking spot is to the left hand side. It's pretty spacious.I keep meaning to go back and see how they turned out; beautiful I'm sure. The architect is a professor of architecture at Catholic University here in DC, Suzanne Reatig, and also a very prestigious FAIA (Fellow of the American Institute of Architects)

Day WWOOFing - work experiance on a Melbourne balcony garden

A lovey Rose Came over on Thursday to help tend and beautify my garden.

Rose plays violin.This led me to expect excellence, sensitivity to beauty,
and attention to detail.Yes, that's what I got.

It was so enjoyable and helpful for me, and a chance to learn lots for her, so I've now planned 'Day-WWOOFing' days, once a week, for people who want to come and have Permaculture fun with me. New gardeners can learn from my gardening mistakes, rather than their own.

Here is what Rose did.

She tended the balcony garden. She chased away spiders, examined the plants for health. The Roses, Loganberries and Peach had some fungal troubles, so we mixed up a batch of Eco-Rose and Eco-oil, and gave them a squirt. If you don't know what to do when things look crook(we don't), if you don't anticipate, have a remedy at hand, you will use magical thinking. 'It will get better" you will say. But it won't.
Grown from seed, a Silvery and frilly-leaved broccoli, center, Sept 2008.

We talked about how I usually have pairs of plants, one in the big back garden, and one on the balcony so I can compare their progress. For example, in the limited balocny sunlight, the broccoli only produced a 1cm edible flower, yet I would plant it again, for its silvery-frilled beauty.

She Revitalized a shabby wheelbarrow garden with left over paint from my Front door
And like all good compositions, the day included lots of rests.
("Cecilia!", she is saying. "I'm working hard down here")

We tried to make cupcakes:

Tricked you. That's the compost Heap.

She turned the compost, with the idea of getting the 'made' compost to make another wheelbarrow garden for sowing rocket, my number-one favorite urban edible.
We discovered the heap was rather barren - someone had filled it with exhausted potting mix, a filler which just doesn't contribute to the fermenting process. Now we know, just put the old potting mix in the garden..
She removed the sunburnt Ferns from my back courtyard, ready to replace with something more useful on the next Day-WWOOFing day, Monday March 16 2009 (coming?)

Lucky for me, Rose was still here for a dinner in the huge, shared back garden - Soba salad with wasabi dressing AND Yuzu dressing (I'm indecisive).

Thank-you for coming, you were a blessing!

I heart Studio Ilse

Today is a day of recovery. After a bitter snowfall yesterday in NYC and biting winds today and then the whole drama with The Bachelor, I'd say we need some gorgeous interiors to aide in our emotional restoration. I discovered this design firm Studio Ilse that does boutique contract design and they have a line of home goods. They have a unique style and the pictures are just pleasing to look at. I hope you enjoy.

This is from one of their residences in Notting Hill. I love how this organic light fixture echoes the glass one in the next room.

There is the chandelier again in the Notting Hill flat. How much are you in love with those antique medical anatomy prints? I love those and I've been on the hunt for some for quite some time.

This is simple, but I love it. I love the desk, flooring, and circular staircase for this Mount St. Shop.

In the restaurant of the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, this neutral kitchen is perfectly organized. I especially love the light fixture; they didn't choose the typical industrial pendant.

I HATE those light fixtures but those aggressive white high backed breakfast table chairs are calling to me.

Stunning. And I love the dark green soft texture contrasted with the shiny smooth gilded screen.

Ceiling. Look at it. And also I feel like even though there are different "conversation areas," as there should be in a hotel common room, this room seems unified. Maybe it's the ceiling.

This huge room with soaring ceilings is made intimate with a fireplace and that cluster of paper chandeliers. I love how they mixed that large traditional sofa with more modern shaped chairs. They could be seen as cold, but not here--the whole room looks so soft.

How amazing was that? I love when hotels are designed like this. They are like a home; like an actual person designed it and not like some formula that they had to follow. They are self described as Modern and emotional design. Makes sense I'd say. Studio Ilse has super creative product design, too. Take a look at it HERE. I know a lot of this is modern/mid century which is not something that usually appeals to me but somehow I'm drawn to it. NOW, who watched The Bachelor last night? HUH? ANYONE?? O. M. G. PS- Don't judge me for that.


Alicia B.

Style house - Pottery Barn?

I have a confession to make: I'm sort of in love with Pottery Barn again. Shocked? I was! While still not really a fan of most of their furniture (which I find too clunky) they have great bed linens and bath accessories and have started to go organic! I've just included a few of my favorites here, please indulge me, more interesting stuff below these images!

I love this sophisticated print called Bettina! There is another one similar to it with different colors too. Shown at the very top of the post is Fiona (why are they all women's names like ships and cars?)
This set called 'woodland organic' reminds me a lot of a very popular and very expensive linen company's popular print (who shall remain nameless here). It's very pretty if not my personal taste.The organic crewel linens are really exquisite. I love it here in neutrals; Just not that ugly clunky furniture!I think this really retro print called 'butterly' for obvious reasons is great for a weekend getaway!

But getting to my point (this is not just a free advertisement for Pottery Barn) on their website they have some GREAT video interviews of designer's homes which they use as backdrops in catalog spreads (don't you always wonder where these houses from backdrops are located?). I can't seem to link any to this post but please go check them out HERE

My favorite is the home of Martha Angus who also is a Carnegie Mellon Alumni like me! The home which is featured second in the list of videos is above: a pared down, modern neoclassical style. She has been one of my favorite designers for awhile now with offices in San Francisco and in New York (where she shares the office with Paula Caravelli). This is the most cheerful, tomato soup red bathroom!

I love her classic sensibilities with a modern eye; clean use of space and her use of well chosen antiques with modern pieces and art. This is how I want to live! Her home outside of San Francisco in Napa is a great example of this aesthetic.Her living room is big, open and bright! What a perfect room this is!

Check out the interview Decorati did with Martha if you haven't seen it HERE and Martha's website, full of interesting projects HERE.