Christmas decor outside

Well my husband won again-no Christmas lights outside. Dont know if any of your husbands are like mine-but getting him to put up the lights is worse than a root canal without Novocaine. But that doesnt stop me from decking the yard and front porch.

















If you missed my inside tour click here.

Im linking this to Southern Hospitality for the Holiday home tour

and The Nester Holiday home tour- which is about to break the 1000 mark!!

Perfect Penthouse

Recently, on one of my favorite blogs, The Realestalker, I came across the apartment of the late Dominick Dunne. It came as no surprise to me that Dunne had one of the most PERFECT NYC apartments that should I ever win the lottery, I would snatch up in a heartbeat!
It's not the space itself that is so wonderful (small but cozy, see the floorplan below) but the enormous south facing terrace that is larger than most New York apartments at 850 sf. I would fill this with trees and ivy with potted geraniums for low maintenance greenery.

The best room which takes advantage of the terrace views is the study, where I assume Dunne wrote his Vanity Fair column. Since I'm a movie buff, I would put a long deep couch under the windows facing built in bookshelves with a tv mounted on the front. The couch of course would double as a guest-bed for overnight guests. A low coffee table would hold bowls of popcorn and jelly beans during movie nights and dozens of potted orchids and plants on a console behind the sofa would enjoy the sunlight with 2 lamps for nighttime.The long living room, seen below, would house my collection of framed architectural watercolors, be painted a french gray and receive an antique oak herringbone wood floor. I would also need to source an antique white marble fireplace and some lalique crystal wall sconces to brighten the space. I would leave the french doors without any window treatment for a clean look and an antique rug would define the seating area. 2 comfortable reading chairs in a warm velvet, an antique sofa and mirrored coffee table would finish off this end of the room.The other side I would treat as a dining area with 60" round dining table, perhaps with parsons chairs for comfortable seating for long suppers with friends. The kitchen I would continue in the same french gray color (including painting the lower cabinets. A mirrored backsplash and countertops (ala Miles Redd) and painted wood shelving instead of cabinets to open up the space would be a great way to display my collection of china! I might even go with undercounter refrigerator drawers to create more counter and shelf space. That plate rack has GOT to GO as does the dated light fixture. I would continue the same wood flooring from the living room.The fussy roman blinds in the bedroom would be replaced with simple drapes in a gray linen to match the wall color: Continue the wood floor and a soft carpet would be nice underfoot near the bed. Would a mirrored 4 poster bed be too over the top, or perhaps overdone as many NY interior designers seem to favor this look? The dressing room currently has a beautiful chipendale mirror, seen through the doorway, that I would definitely want to keep!What would you do with the space? Would you prefer such a generous terrace or a larger apartment?

Lessons from Small Animals

The world is now a global crisis, imagine a super country like America to have to do layoffs everywhere.. While in Indonesia, the crisis is not too heavy but its impact lately has also begun to feel the pressure of life, natural disasters, and crime problems are more widespread, our society seems increasingly fragile and easily lost control in dealing with these problems. . That's because we start to lose the basic values of the nation, so that we become vulnerable and easy to unsteady problems.

One thing that is becoming obsolete in Indonesia is help to each other. . is the attitude of mutual cooperation. Once each faces a tough job for example: grow rice and build a house with a lot of people will volunteer to finish, but now each work valued in money, so all must be paid for, if grow rice without paying workers a wage so that work not be done, this is not only happening in the city even in the villages were also occurs.

Now in urban areas is normal if the neighborhood but did not know each other. . Sense of harmony and mutual respect began vanished. . Let us learn from the little creature that is a very industrious ants work together to help each other every problem, every meeting with their own flock, they will recognize each other, as if to shake each other. . I hope to help each other and support each other our nation will be stronger in facing global challenges today.

a few of my favourite things

the weather outside IS frightful. i hear sleet. but inside i smell roast chicken soon to be accompanied by sauteed broccoli rabe in olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and a squeeze of lemon. also attending will be orzo tossed with juices from the chicken, salt , pepper and a knob of butter. this deliciousness will be served whenever german girl gets off the malfunctioning metro and sister of brings back our dog! i'm admiring a vase of roses brought to us on saturday from pinchbecks rose farm in guilford, conecticut. they opened perfectly, the lavender roses smell like summer, and as i turned the vase around for another shot, they shattered over the table. summer is indeed over.

Dining Table Gossip

This is the dining table that Bunny Williams designed for the Kips Bay Showhouse.

I was so sorry that I couldn't make it to the Holiday House 2009 Showhouse; a tablescape show house on the Upper East Side, but I read a fun article about it in the NY Times. It sounded like a glamorous event to be sure but the main thing that I took from it was a fabulous quote from one of my favorite designers Bunny Williams. In regard to dinner and seating she said, "First off, hosts need to separate husbands and wives. Nobody does that anymore, and I think it’s disgusting. I don’t want to sit next to John (her husband), I want to get in the cab with him later and gossip." Oh Bunny, you are too hilarious! And of course, she's right. Bad form. Anyway, here are some gorgeous dining rooms that you can all gossip about later in the cab.


Here is Bunny Williams's table that was inspired by the Summer Solstice! So gorgeous and I love the colors--they look delicious. If you want to see more pictures, Heather from Habitually Chic was lucky enough to attend the gala and take amazing shots of everything there. Check it out HERE. Also, oddly enough she did a post on dining rooms today too...weird.

A simple X-based table with two benches, this dining room is simple and glamorous with the glass top on the table. By Tom Scheerer.

I normally hate a skirted table (yes, it's not a popular opinion, I know.), but for some reason this one is really working for me over this round table. Maybe it's the cheery yellow fabric in the otherwise muted, soft shaded room. By John Peixinho.

This traditional looking design by Eric Cohler is soft and unstuffy. I think that shade of blue freshens up the room that is fully antiques and plush fabrics.

I'm not sure why all of a sudden I'm drawn to round dining tables, but I am. I especially love the pewter vase full of flowers. Barry Dixon.

Not LOVING the rug there that Barbara Westbrook chose, but how can you not love the shade of grey against the gilt wood frames. Swoon.

Just a little flash of what must be an incredible dining room by Bunny Williams, I'm loving the yellows and that rug is exquisite. Yes, exquisite.

This post really makes me wish that my kitchen table didn't function as a dining table, craft table, drafting table, and counter top. It would be amazing to be able to throw a dinner party in a formal dining room but for now, I can blog. These are sure inspiration enough and now I must get back to my drafting table which is covered in fabric swatches right now! You can gossip in comments, thanks.

Alicia B.

so there I was

I was studying for my historical furnishings final last night when I got a text from a number I didn't recognize. The stranger sending it let me know that a friend's friend had said he needed to meet me. An interesting diversion to Queen Anne and Duncan Phyfe so we chatted via text while I went over my notes.

This lead to becoming friends on facebook so we could check out each others profiles { step to the dating scene some of you may not be familiar with}. Texting turned into a little chatting online about the friends we have in common and the photos featured on our home pages. I was concentrating on my reading when I realized it had been awhile since I'd gotten a message. Maybe he just got busy too. But not a peep since.

No harm, no foul. I don't know this person and don't feel the need to take it personally. {Besides, he could be stuck in an elevator somewhere.} I shared the story with the folks tonight as we chatted on the phone and we all got a good laugh over it. My social life is entertaining if anything. This kind of abrupt end to online conversation is pretty common. I wouldn't think twice about it if it was someone I knew. While it is a far stretch from the kind of first meeting anyone would rave over, it was still technically meeting for the first time.. Would you consider it good etiquette to just up and disappear?

The crazy side effect is analysis of the lamest things. The guy has over a thousand facebook friends. I have a fraction of that. Am I considered a social misfit? Should I become friends with every person I have ever bumped in to just to up my online popularity or should I keep it to just those people I really would consider my friend? I've been tagged in less than stellar pictures online but I like them because there are fun memories attached. Should I untag myself so as not to be judged by them?

So there I was enjoying my sunday evening when a stranger comes along saying we should meet. Somewhere between meaningless texts and checking out photos I found myself a little off balance and second guessing myself. What is that?

Christmas Tea

Yesterday was my annual Christmas tea. I started this tradition years ago when I first got married and knew NO ONE in our neighborhood. I was newly-wed, moved away from all family and friends and living in a new State. So around the holidays I started getting homesick and decided to throw a tea party. I invited all the ladies in my cul-de-sac (mind you I didnt even know their names-I just walked up to each door and handed them an invite-very brave of me! I know) I had about 5 ladies show up. It was a lovely time and to this day I still keep in contact with two of these precious women even though we now live miles and States apart.

So yesterday I had some dear friends old and new attend my tea. And dumb me forgot to take pictures of these lovely women! but the guest list included Kristen from WeAreTHATfamily, Bridget from Bake at 350, Karen from Maydaymayday3, Sandi, Kimmy, Cheryl, my sisters Sarah, Lauren from TeamGiles, my Sister in law Mia, my mommy and my daughter (who was a HUGE help this year!).

The menu was a-la Sam's Club. Girls! with 3 little ones I have NO TIME to bake and play Martha-so Sam's Club to the rescue. My first few tea parties I REFUSED to have anything store bought! I made everything from the scones down to the mock devonshire cream! pshaw! not anymore.

Thank you ladies for such a wonderful day!!