I am a Domestic Goddess

My Wheat Sheaf Weakness

2011-02-02T22:29:00.024+08:00

I have been a little obsessed. And when I am obsessed you know how I can be. In the past month I have purchased three items for my home with a wheat sheaf motif.

It may be time for rehab.

Shafts of wheat are symbols of abundance , prosperity and bounty and are used metaphorically as emblems of a good harvest, fertility and a closeness to mother earth .

I can't remember exactly when this table first made its appearance in abundance in my shelter design glossies and more importantly when my subconscious took notice, but I would have to say it must have been at least two to three years ago when I decided that I would indulge my Coco Chanel- like fetish for all things wheat !

Images above and below from Chanel's famed apartment

at 31 Rue Cambon.

The wheat sheaf became Coco's personal emblem that marked her incessant creativity . Her repeated use of the sheaf in both her own home and her designs is evidence to the fact of how personally significant the wheat sheaf was to her.

Below another photo from her Rue Cambon salon.

In his Spring /Summer Collection for 2010, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, paid homage to Coco's infatuation . The elaborate show at the Palais Royal was set in a magnificently fabricated barn . Models trampled over hay in their haute couture carrying sheaves of wheat.

Lily Allen, one of Lagerfeld's muses of the moment , with an exquisite wheat sheaf hair piece.

It was not only Coco Chanel, however, that had a penchant for sheaves of wheat, Yves Saint Laurent was also known to have embraced its charm .

Although Italian in origin, the golden classic wheat sheaf table was the epitome of Parisian chic. A similar table is seen at YSL's 55 Rue de Babylone duplex on the left bank.

His private rooms were said to have constantly been festooned with bouquets of wheat .

At his funeral, Catherine Deneuve carried a simple sheaf to honor her dear friend.

Sheaves were also used to decorate his casket as a symbol of the long and fruitful life that this 20th century fashion icon had led.

I have gathered a few more images so that you too may hopefully arrive at the same level of appreciation ( and preoccupation!) for this much used and celebrated article of nature.

Frequently seen as a side table, I enjoyed coming across this photo of one of Nate Berkus' right hand women with her glitzy sheaf dining table.

The golden sheaves also work incredibly well as lighting fixtures.

Sconces from Candace Bushnell's apartment seen at Elle Decor ,

or as lamp like this one from Assemblage at 1st Dibs .

How chic is that?

This chandelier from Downtown also shown at 1st Dibs has me swooning.

If I had a big tree in my yard I would hang this beauty from a low branch and serve dinner beneath it while substituting low lit candles for the bulbs!

But wait, there is more! Check out how Mexican designer Arturo Pani does wheat sheaf. No other word to describe his interpretation... its just fabulous!

Gilt Sheaf of Wheat Cocktail Table over at Downtown via 1stdibs
Simply gorgeous!

Have any wheat sheaves adorning your home? I'll show you mine if you show me yours!

Life & Style : Cafe Society: Socialites, Patrons and Artists 1920-1960

2011-01-10T09:05:00.037+08:00

I am completely rapt in my new not so coffee table, coffee table book.

Hmmm. How best to describe?

A glamourous and visual compendium of the lives of the vastly wealthy and avant garde during the heydey of the international jet set.

Do I have your attention now?

Thierry Coudert shares his own archival photos "from a time that was" in Cafe Society: Socialites, Patrons and Artists 1920-1960 from Flammarion . And what sumptuous photographs they are! Gracing the pages are images by the legendary Cecil Beaton, Horst and Richard Avedon.

Who made up this ultra chic vanguard you ask? Coudert explains that it "extended beyond matters of rank or birth". Here we have an eclectic mix of millionaires and socialites fused with the world of those they encouraged, intellectuals and creatives - artists, musicians, designers and dancers. Their position legitimized of course with members of aristocratic pedigree.

Modest and unassuming were not words they chose to live by. Their lavish living defined not only where, but how to spend one's money . As arbiters of taste, their behavior determined where it was vogue to dress, shop, live and travel.

Interesting to note was the domination of influential and fascinating women in this circle of " everyone who's anyone" such as Gertrude Stein, Elsie Wolf, Mona Bismark, Peggy Guggenheim Diana Vreeland and the undisputed queen of Cafe Society, Wallis Simpson.

For more, check Galleries on The Daily Beast .

Available at Power Books, 2nd level Greenbelt 4, Ayala Center

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T12:58:00.006+08:00

As we usher in a new decade full of possibility, I share this with all of you.

Make everyday count.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T21:51:00.014+08:00

We decided not to do a tree this year and celebrate the holiday season on the second floor of our home instead...

Many thanks for all your presents. Where do we begin?

Chris Everard

Came across these pictures earlier this year and fell in love. I have been waiting a full year now to share them with you. They are all from uber talented photographer Chris Everard.

Hope they bring you some joy and holiday cheer this season.

Drool over Chris Everard's portfolio listed on his agent's website, Sarah Kaye Representation. A blessed holiday season to you and yours.

Penguin Clothbound Classics for Children

2010-12-17T15:56:00.028+08:00

At last, Penguin has published clothbound classics for kids and just in time for Christmas too!

For those with a voracious appetite for the literary accompanied by a strong sense of aesthetic, I know that I need not urge you to add these beautiful books to your own collection, but may I also suggest you bestow a few upon your favorite children this holiday season?!

Find them now at Anthropologie.

Ever since I discovered the Coralie Bickford -Smith clothbound collection of Penguin classics, I knew it was just a matter of time until this design direction made it's way into children's literature. I can't help but just marvel at all the beautiful linen embossed covers.

My favorite read and cover would have to be The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgsons Burnett . I can't help but think that somehow the artist was inspired by the sublime colors of India, where the story begins. Marigold yellow ,saffron and shades of red and pink all somehow allude to an adventure the reader will soon encounter.

Having said that, all of the covers are exceptional and I can't find one that I don't love!

I haven't quite figured out why any information on the books themselves is not available from the Penguin UK website. Even less has been written about the cover designer so for now I won't assume that Ms. Bickford Smith designed these beautiful brightly colored covers since even her own website mentions nothing about these latest editions to the Penguin Clothbound collection.

What I have discovered over at Penguin Australia is that two more titles were simultaneously published but are not currently available in the United States.

I can't wait to get my hands on the full lot!

Happy 10th Birthday Love.

2010-08-09T09:20:00.005+08:00

We are celebrating another milestone in our home today.

My eldest daughter, our original baby is now 10 years old!

No fancy Martha Stewart planned party. Just an intimate dinner with family over the weekend, Sunday Brunch with friends who might as well be family, and today, on the birthday proper, we have a fun filled day planned out that begins this morning with pancakes made by Little Sister to be followed by an afternoon of pampering with some of her closest friends.

My Style Goddess. My Fashion Guru. Our Queen of Culinary Cool.

Happy Birthday Love... I Love You Forever.

A Vanity Parade

2010-08-07T10:31:00.004+08:00

From the time our tots are born, we parents are besieged with comments on how our little ones are miniature versions of ourselves. Rightly or wrongly, we decide that those observations are in fact compliments. We relish knowing that out there exists someone so familiar , somebody that resembles us in so many ways, that we hold onto the idea of the "mini me" for as long as we can.

And then one day, BAM!

That same little person, the so-called extension of ourself, says or does something completely out of character, (well out of your character at least) that you are left stunned by the sudden realization at how different they really are. You look at them in bewilderment , and as if meeting them for the first time, pause for a moment and find yourself muttering "whose child are you anyway?!" In a split second they become strangers to ourselves.

As was the case when both my daughters requested that they each be allowed to have vanities in their room to primp and preen.

"Primp and preen", where the hell did they get that one?

This coming from the offspring of a woman who barely looks at herself in the mirror before she walks out of the house and puts what little makeup she does standing over the bathroom sink! Oh, and did I mention they were both under the age of 10? My BAM was louder than most people's I assume.

After the initial shock, and a quick consultation with my extremely talented Interior Designer, we opted to have mirrored vanities made in true hollywood glamour girl fashion for both of them.

My starting point of course was the internet. Here are some of the images I found.

Instantly my favorite of the bunch but possibly too mature and elaborate for my daughter's rooms. This would be just fabulous for me if ever I found the time to actually sit down and fix myself!

Or maybe if I looked a bit more like her to begin with, my personality would warrant one of its very own.

This was one of the nicer vanities I thought , but as much as I like it , I think I love that chair a wee bit more. And the billowing rose colored silk drapes- yum!

How lovely to be able to look out the window, especially when what you see in the mirror is less inspiring -haha! The shape of the apron is different, but will it allow for drawers?

Hmmm... still not sure.

Cabriole legs? Perhaps. Am not sure about this bench/stool though. Proportions are off and am thinking it is missing it's Elton John mirrored piano. But I think I must get them one of those white furry rugs to complete the ultra-glam look!

Not sure about this one either, although I do like those lamps. I think it's having an identity crisis. The table looks more like a fabulous place to sit down and write a check then a delicate area to pamper and perm. The pouf seat, on the other hand , might work nicely. Let's see.

Now this is a great simple silhouette. Just need to add a little more oomph- it needs embellishments and detail that will make it truly fab.I love the matte gilded gold accents on this one. And the rope trim is very appealing as well.

I really like the slats (those tiny pieces of mirror stuck to each other side by side) is the single detail I love the most about mirrored pieces. A gold frame on the tapered legs is a must as well. Some simple etching might be nice too.

And I have always been partial to the kidney shape for a vanity.

Perfect!

And I know just the place to have them made! Will share photos of the finished products soon.

Click here for a great mirrored furniture resource!

They're Finally Here!

2010-08-05T11:38:00.009+08:00

Indulge me if you will and I'll release a less self serving post tomorrow.

I promise!

Remember those Elkin's chairs I was obsessing about here? And then, struck in a moment of my own genius, I came up with the idea of having a few made as barstools for my kitchen counter possibly covering them in pen shell to simulate the horn covered chairs I so coveted?

Well, I ended up taking that idea further and they finally arrived last night. I'm ecstatic!

Aren't they gorgeous?

They came out exactly as I had imagined. Thank you Gerly and Daniel for all your efforts and to everyone else at Skyshine Designs.

And a last note for those of you who may be concerned, tiger pen shells, which are indigenous to the Philippine waters, are not endangered species . This was something I verified before ordering them.

What do you think?

A Spot of Tea and a Good Book

2010-07-25T21:44:00.037+08:00

A spot of tea and a good book.

This is how I have been spending most of my my time recently...

and I love it!

I have just finished this beautiful story, The Help. If you haven't read it, run don't walk , and get yourself a copy. I absolutely adored this book by Kathryn Stockett.

With it, my selection of tea would be anything from my my absolute favorite purveyor, Mariage Freres. Bourbon, Casablanca, Vert Provence and Buddha Bleu are my preferred blends of choice. All green or red teas with fruit, flowers or spices to give them distinctive flavors of fantasy!

A great book must be accompanied by a great tea after all.

While waiting for my husband to finish the next book on my list, I thought I would read Ash in the interim. My 10 year old recently finished it and declared it to be one of her "best" books ever. Will be interesting to see what she defines as an entertaining read .

With a fresh young novel by the promising and highly acclaimed Malinda Lo, I will enjoy sips of Paris-Singapore and Magic Flute from the equally promising newcomer, TWG.

Next up is The Little Stranger.

" The number 1 book of 2009... several sleepless nights are guaranteed!"

- Stephen King for Entertainment Weekly

I can't wait to start devouring it!

Sounds perfect for one of the many rainy afternoons we've been having . You'll find me absorbed in it on the porch this weekend, enjoying a a pot of a smokey Lapsang Souchong from Dammann Freres .

Bon Weekend!

I Just Love, Love, Love It!

2010-07-25T14:53:00.009+08:00

Tell me, is there a little girl out there who has never dreamed about living like Eloise at the tippy top of The Plaza Hotel?

Lucky for all the precious women in Tommy Hilfiger's life, our dreams are their reality.

Feast your eyes on this!

Mr. Hilfiger's grand new apartment that sits atop the newly restored Private and Pied- a- Terre Plaza Residences. Click here to read the full article and see more pictures of the Hilfiger family's exquisite new home on one of the highest floors of the iconic Plaza Hotel in NYC.

There are Warhols and Basquiats adorning the walls of the Hilfiger residence, but this Eloise mural by Hilary Knight, painted on an original French Renaissance style turret would have to be my favorite work of art in this home.

And yet another black bistro kitchen for me to drool over!

Oh to be wickedly wealthy certainly has its perks!

I'll be in New York this September and while I don't think an invitation to see this apartment is in the cards, I am very excited to go to the new Todd English Food Hall at the concourse level of The Plaza.

Be tempted by this slide show on Zagat Buzz.

Searching For The Perfect Pair of Wings

2010-07-21T21:12:00.003+08:00

You think it would be easy. Need a chair. Go out and buy a chair.

When did I allow everything to get so complicated?

Yes, I need a chair. Actually I need two. Ok, so maybe need is not exactly the right word . Let's just leave it as I have a strong desire to purchase a pair of wing backs for my living room. Once decided upon, these will eventually become the best seats in the house so of course comprehensive research is of vital importance!

Why do I sound moostruck over a chair you ask? Read on and see for yourself.

I find that the mood a wing back chair creates in a room is unique and unparalleled. Comfort and warmth, elegance and refinement, a wing back exudes all of these distinguished characteristics and more .

That gorgeous gold gilded tea paper on the walls , the soft ambient light and that velvet upholstery, tell me, could there be a better chair out there to curl up in with a good book?

I think not.

Any chair more elegant than this baby ?

Love that lamp and the pouf on the right, have been seeing a lot of these lately.

Note to self, must add more gold furnishings to my home .

A dusting of gold adds a layer of luxury and a final polish to any room.

Personally I like my gold matte and I adore most anything that has been gold leafed.

So many superb styles and interpretations. What to do?

Should I go classic and elegant?

Or maybe something with a subtle twist on the traditional like this Grosfeld House wing chair available at Aero and as seen on 1stdibs.

This one from The New Traditionalists. The animal hide back and trim are just so nyc bobo (bourgeois bohemian) chic!

Have been enchanted for some time with these tasteful chairs from Victoria Hagan Home.

Am a big fan of nail heads as you can see.

Or something completely mood changing- perhaps some mid century modern flair with the Papa Bear Chair designed in 1951 by Hans Wegner?
Here is another chair caught my eye particularly , because I can't make out if its a vintage design or of a modern interpretation of a classic wing. Either way, I am drawn to it's silhouette.

And any chair that sparks that much curiosity deserves consideration.

Here are a few more interesting takes on the wing back.

Not necessarily my taste for our current home but possibly for another time and place.

Another mid modernist take on the Wing chair.

Can't you just see this chair below in Dan Draper's office?

And then to add new depth to my confusion, there is the allure of canopied porter's chairs I have to contend with. I have been enamored with these for a while now. Ever since I was reintroduced to these beauties at BG, (decorated by none other than the fabulous Kelly Wearstler), I was captivated by their form and grace not to mention their sense of drama and mystery.

While their origins may be humble, (these guerites were literally porter's chairs in 16th Century France ) they will always be the epitome of chic to me!

Below is a photo of the chairs as seen in BG. I don't know what I love more, the chairs or the

de Gournay wall paper! Ooh La La!

Decisions, decisions.

Which ones would you choose?

Oh My Sweet, sweet paul!

2010-06-29T19:25:00.026+08:00

It's been a while. Anyone still out there?

I've been away, but mostly I've been procrastinating. Deferring action is definitely something that I do better than most, it's a fine art after all . I like to to think of it as time served as a "springboard for the imagination". Whatever works , right?

During my hours of restless inaction, I did come across this new gem of an on line magazine , so all was not lost and procrastination came to flourish. From the man who brought us the widely enjoyed Sweet Paul blog comes the first issue of sweet paul digital magazine!

To my friends and family , expect to see lot's of sweet paul influence in my cooking and entertaining. I am so excited for the next issue! It's my Lonny for the kitchen!

Take a look at all these fantastic ideas!

Better than bowl of chips.

Isn't this a great snack tray for playdates and impromptu afternoon guests?

Breakfast is my favorite meal, anytime of day.

And plenty of party ideas!

I do so love the internet and all that it brings!

A Peek Into My Pantry

2010-06-19T17:51:00.032+08:00

When we first began to think about our new home and the rooms that we wanted within , not once had it dawned on me to create a separate space for the storage of our better china, linen and silver or to have a designated preparation area for large dinner parties. I mean all of this was supposed to happen inside the kitchen, right? But once the suggestion of adding a Butler's pantry had been made by our architect, I was smitten with the idea!

Of course I googled like crazy to come up with a design scheme that would suit and I came across several wonderful images and ideas to guide me on my pursuit of the Ultimate Butler's Pantry- well ultimate to me at least! One of the most enjoyable and informative sources of inspiration came in the form of the refreshing blog Willow Decor. The posts on the author's Butler's pantry and Kitchen renovation are just incredible , robust with information. Please do check them out here and here.

So here it is!

My penchant for black kitchens lives on in my new Butler's Pantry! I really am happy with the decision to use black to add to the room's sophistication and to transition the space from kitchen to dining room. I do hope that you all like it.

A view from the dining room looking in.

The countertops and backsplash is the same polished Arabescato marble that we used in the kitchen. Bin pulls and knobs courtesy of Restoration Hardware and cupboard latches from Cliffside Industries as recommended on Willow Decor.

This shot taken from my kitchen. It's a very narrow space so with my low tech camera it's very hard to get a good wide shot.

On the top, the hanging shelves have glass windows and shelves. One day when I buy a better

camera (and learn how to use it!) I hope to be able to take better shots.

Almost There... My Kitchen Preview

2010-06-03T23:06:00.019+08:00

One week in and it almost feels like home!

A few of you have been sending me messages asking for pictures of the new "crib". Everything else is still a mess but I have sorted through the 40 boxes or so that belong to the kitchen . Please excuse the pictures as I took them on my iphone but here's a glimpse of our favorite room!

The butler's pantry is the room off the top right. I can't seem to get a good shot of it just yet.

Another angle taken in the evening. The door on the right leads to the service area.

And the other side , our breakfast nook. It looks really bare, I know. It will take some time to adorn. I have three bar stools on the way for the center island and some blinds for the windows, but I'll still need some more accessories. All in good time I suppose.

Hope you enjoy this sneak peak.

I promise to take some better pictures soon and describe everything in more detail.

Meanwhile, the rest of my house beckons for immediate attention!

Flame Tree at Amorsolo Open House

2010-05-26T10:40:00.011+08:00

“Flame Tree at Amorsolo invites you to a fun Summer Soiree gathering of unique artwork, delectable goodies for the most discerning palette, handmade crafts and wearable art, the best products and styling tips to keep your tresses in tip-top shape during the hot days of summer, and much more!”

If you have time on 1 June, please do drop by from 8am-4pm. I’ll be there with my French inspired rolling market basket and plate of goodies to share! Coffee, Tea and other refreshments will also be served.

I hope to see you!

To Market, To Market!

2010-05-22T09:47:00.045+08:00

I'll let you in on a little secret. I am dazzled by all things French.

A few years back I became particularly obsessed with a French market basket.

A rolling "panier" for weekend sojourns to my local "marche".

Yes, my Francophilia can be very annoying!

For weeks I romanticized . Hundreds of images filled my head of me and my environment conscious style of marketing . Gathering my fruit , vegetables, flowers and other Farmer's market goodies with such European Flair !

So very, very Continental Chic. I had to have one!

I searched on line and while I found a few suppliers in both the United States and France, I could not find a realistic and cost efficient way to ship it to this part of the world. Here are some of the items I found:

From mothology,

Over at Etsy from my pink cottage,

And finally, from the French Basketeer. This rolling cart is without a doubt absolutely gorgeous and judging from the way it looks, extremely well made. I loved everything about the basket except the $360 price tag! I understand it is made in Burgundy from a 3rd generation basketry and caning family. The quality , authenticity and detail is sublime.

But unfortunately it was over what I would be willing to pay for my rolling Panier. Not to mention, if I had bought it and attempted to send it to Manila, the basket would have cost over $500! So again, a no go and the basket idea was shelved.

Fast forward to early 2010.

One afternoon as I was reading through my daily dose of blogs. I came across a giveaway at Cote de Texas. To my delight, they were running a giveaway of a French Basketeer rolling basket. I rationalized that if I won the basket, then I could justify the shipping cost. I entered the contest but alas, did not emerge as the lucky winner.

It was time to take matters into my own hands ! Afterall, the Philippines exports millions of dollars worth of baskets each year, there had to be a local manufacturer that could make me one.

Turns out I was right!

Last April I chance upon a large and very well established basket company at the Manila F.A.M.E exhibit. They work with many local and indigenous fibers and with different types of leather. Their young creative director fresh from spending a few years studying in London and coincidentally third generation basket maker in the Philippines, was very eager to take on my project. I sent a few reference photos and then gave her carte blanche to play with the design .

She added a few bells and whistles.

A recycled leather handle,

and a fully detachable denim liner, also trimmed with the same leather .

And here it is! Isn't it fantastic?

Drop me a note if you would like to order one. I am trying to make a minimum and need a few more interested parties. I am selling them for US$100 and they will be ready for pickup right here in Manila by August. They are not cheap but I believe they are a wonderful value.

Believe me, I have certainly done my homework and shopped around!

Tablescapes

2010-05-12T07:25:00.054+08:00

To say I am busy would be an understatement. Thirteen days until we move and our house is no where near to being livable. My husband is stressed and he is never stressed . And while there are probably 100 other things I could be doing right now, I am determined on publishing this post.

When I need to calm down and unwind I read magazines. Not books, magazines. Lots of them. These days, with the million and one things going on, I feel as if I could spend the whole day browsing through my various shelter publications. One of my favorite things to stumble upon while skimming through the pages are tablescapes . The stillness of someone else's life in progress is something I find to be extremely relaxing, soothing even.

So please join me today in my quest for calm.

A composition created by a curatorial eye.

A space that is layered and complex,

that only reveals itself slowly over time.

Organized , comforting and decorative clutter,

reflective of the inhabitants consuming passions.

A beguiling mix of the modern and the familiar.

A room filled with vernacular furniture and objects that

were once carefully edited but now lay casually forgotten.

A space that projects soul , because you can't buy ambience.

You can only hope to create it over time.

A vignette with a sense of calmness and quiet elegance,

in every room,

every space,

both inside ,

and outdoors!

Audrey's Birthday Party: Where Pink met The Wild Thing!

2010-04-28T09:09:00.070+08:00

The day had finally arrived. Months of planning .Weeks of preparation . Days of shopping, packing and wrapping . The entire time I was luxuriating in the process.

All leading up to the celebration of another year!

First up, a Sweet Treat Table for my sweet girl!

Another angle...

And a profile shot!

Our gorgeous cake took center stage and was made by no other than our very own Marta Matute from Marta's Cakes. I had decided on pink and gold as the color theme weeks ago. I also love cameos and had that incorporated into the design. The cameo on the banner, cake, and cookies were inspired by the same frame of her invitation. Notice the flower on the top of the cake. Look familiar?

The table's treat selection included strawberry flavored everything. From marshmallows, Sticko wafers, Pocky pretzels, to mentos and different gummy candy . It was a berry explosion!

We also had polvoron wrapped in pink tissue paper and pink meringues.

For the baked confectionary, we had cookies, cupcakes, petit fours, madeleines and an old time favorite of mine, coconut macaroons-yum!

Look at the detail of the cupcakes! The toppers were sugar filigree in pink and gold and were extremely delicate. I broke a few while setting up . Lucky for me Marta sent extras.

My Petit Fours were more like Maxi Fours, they were so big. Larger than an average cupcake but still they were delicious.

Madeleines courtesy of Kookie Korner, as were the meringues and polvoron.

And coconut macaroons by Kookie Korner too!

I had little paper bags made so the children could collect their goodies in.

On the children's tables we laid out their party hats and had Goldilocks caramel popcorn in retro aluminum pails. We also had little bags of strawberry yogurt pretzels and jam filled biscuits for the children to munch on while they were playing games and partaking in the planned entertainment.

As the children arrived, they were given coloring sheets and some other art supplies so they could make their own Wild Thing mask. They later used these masks to role play during the story telling.

We had an interactive story telling and shadow puppet play of Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, told and created by the teachers from My Masterpiece Movement.

The book was read to a shadow puppet play . I must say, the story teller and her assistants did a great job in holding the children's attention for almost an hour!

Roarrrr with The Wild Things!!

The shadow play begins with the coronation of the celebrant!

Children were active participants in the activity.

After the story telling, they all played Pass the Parcel and got ready to start another Wild Thing inspired activity.

Audrey insisted on having a Pass the Parcel. Really, who doesn't love this game?

Everyone's a winner!

Up next, the My Masterpiece artists created a mural with much involvement from the audience. They began by tracing some children and then started to draw .

They even incorporated a game of"pin the tail on the wild thing" and had all the children finger paint the color on to the mural. I wish I had pictures of the children painting but I think my photographer was afraid to get to close to a bunch of screaming 5 year olds and their finger painting fingers! Not that I could blame him.

The end result!

When the games were over, it was present time. I let her open five presents and then we brought the rest of her loot home to open and play with over the next few days.

Audrey is one lucky girl!

She too had a little something for everyone to take on their way home.

It was a tiring afternoon (week!) but if my little Audrey had a great time, then it was all worth it.

And judging from the pictures, I think she did!

My little wild thing!

A Buzzing Bee Birthday for Lucca

2010-04-22T00:39:00.019+08:00

Happy Birthday Lucca!

My good friend Eds sent me these beautiful pictures of her nephews 1st birthday party.

Isn't everything just gorgeous? The attention to detail is utterly inspiring. Eds shared with me that her sister wanted to incorporate a yellow theme into the celebration to show their family's support for Philippine presidential candidate Noynoy Aquino. For those of you who are not familiar with Philippine politics, yellow has been the official color of the Aquino family since the assasination of Benigno Aquino Sr. in 1983. Noynoy's mother, the former President Corazon Aquino always wore yellow and for millions of Filipinos yellow is a symbol of hope, courage and peace.

As always, presentation is paramount. And don't think the perfect backdrop by Arturo Luz goes unnoticed!

The snacks are simple and familiar but everything seems so special when repackaged in an intricate and personal way.

I am absolutely loving the play on the bumble bee stripes and the honeycomb on the paper parts. And, the yellow with gray is a subtle alternative to the traditional bumble bee black and yellow color story.

This table below is just delightful. Inviting and enticing. The "lemon drop" jelly is such a wonderful idea.

Well done to Lucca's mommy! And of course to Tita Eds!

Lucca , every year is a gift.

May you have many , many more special celebrations ahead.

Happy Birthday Love!

2010-04-15T22:15:00.006+08:00

It's been a hectic day. Lot's of running around for the upcoming birthday party, cupcakes at school, swim practice, homework, dinner out... homework again.

I couldn't let the day pass without posting a very special happy birthday post for my Number 1 five year old- (who is happily conked out on her parents bed as I type!)

Happy Birthday Audrey! I hope that we never stop dancing!

PS. Found this photo on the internet. Not sure of the source but am hoping the owner won't mind. His/Her picture speaks volumes about mothers and daughters.

Inspiration for Audrey's 5th birthday

2010-04-11T16:22:00.006+08:00

My baby is turning 5 in a few days.
When I think of little girls , or see pictures of young girls playing, I always imagine they are five years old. I don't know what it is about this age that is so special and sentimental to me.

What I do know is that I can't let her usher in this year without a party befitting of a princess!

Initially we were thinking of having a tea party to mark the occassion. Her big sister had one when she turned 4 and I assumed the little one would want a similar soiree as well . My mistake. As soon as I brought it up she informed me that she was "too big na" for a tea party. My heart sobbed just a bit. She's too big? "You're never to old for a tea party I told her" thinking of the many afternoons I have spent over a pot of tea in gorgeously decorated rooms with my girlfriends.

But I decided to let her have her way. Something I know from experience I am going have to get used to now that she is a little lady.

So we sat down and planned out the different elements of her birthday party together. Well, mostly together, mother still knows best after all!

We started with color. I showed her a bunch of photos and these were her favorites.

I was beaming with pride after reviewing her selections. My girl's got taste!
Can you guess what her favorite color is?

Of course balloons for a birthday party are de rigueur but I have been toying with the idea of utilizing pom poms for a while . It seems as if they are the hottest thing right now in party decor. When and why did we ever stop using them? They are so festive and fun!

Check out Pom-love for more dazzling pom pom decor.

I have been waiting for one of my girls to have a birthday party since I discovered the Amy Atlas website and blog and all the images that I have collected since discovering the delight of the sweet treats table. Some people are just so creative . I'm so envious of their talent and take comfort in knowing that my own talent lies in appreciating their efforts!

Here are some of my favorite pictures of birthday treat tables although there are so many more I have come across during my on line research.

So many wonderful ideas to be had from just looking at these tablescapes.

How simple is this? Cookies, doughnuts, cotton candy and soda pop. Longtime familiar favorites set out in a delightful and winsome manner. Presentation is truly everything!

A few more tables that tempt!

After seeing these gorgeous photos below, it was decided that pink and gold would be the color theme for our dessert table.

Details, details... aren't they exquisite!

I loved this party set up too and really wanted to incorporate this idea into the celebration but we might have to wait for the 6th birthday for our own ice cream parlour bash.

And of course the cake. You all know my obsession with birthday cakes. I must admit my opinion definitely prevailed over this decision. Add it to the list of things she'll thank me for when she's older! This will be the centerpiece of our sweet treats table so it has to be special.

I am in love with the the idea of a framed silhouette ,ornamented with dainty flowers.

And of course there will be birthday hats !

And story telling!

And games too!

Fun will be provided by My Masterpiece

And don't forget the goody bags!

I really could have used this image three years ago when Audrey turned 2 and had her vintage ABC birthday as seen here. Aren't they precious?

And lots and lots of treats to take home!

One could really go crazy planning a birthday party! The possibilities are truly endless.

We can't wait for her party and will post photos next week!

Decorating with Books Part 2

2010-04-10T12:43:00.012+08:00

I've said it before.
I'll say it again.
I love a room thats filled with books...

What a dream, a library ante chamber!

Walls lined with books, I can't get enough of them! And although I love a great piece of art adorning walls, bookshelves lend so much character and soul to a space.

The play of volumes and novels, collectible memorabilia, and framed pictures of loved ones truly personalizes the interior and helps to create ambience, which is something that cannot be purchased or defined by a single element but only by a melange of components.

I love this pink room accented with black,very sophisticated. It's so Dorothy Draper!

Ah, to dine with great authors. A perfect room for those with a voracious appetite for the literary. Can you imagine the riveting and mixed bag of conversations that can be had with this much inspiration!

The dichotomy of this room is just brilliant. It manages to be elegant and polished but at the same time both cozy and welcoming, wouldn't you say?

Books and the Elkins chairs, pure perfection!

An Archway of books! What a clever way to transition a room.

And my favorite library accessory...I really have to get me one of those ladders!

Now tell me , don't you want to meet every person that lives in each of these rooms? I am intrigued by anyone that resides in these homes. The force of personality or character just shines through each and every photograph.

Look What the Easter Bunny Brought Me!

2010-04-03T20:10:00.021+08:00

Who needs chocolate bunnies, jelly beans and peeps when I got two boxes from Amazon!

Amongst other titles for the family where my first batch of the newly released hard bound Penguin Classics with cloth covers designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith. Initially only available in the UK in 2008, they were released in the US last quarter of 2009. It took me a few months to order them from Amazon but here they are and I can't wait to complete the entire collection!

My eldest daughter is already devouring Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll with Louisa May Alcott's Little Women in waiting. What a wonderful way to discover these classics for the first time!

Some additional reading for you over at Vogue and some interesting interviews with Ms. Bickford- Smith at Design Sponge and Caustic Cover Critic.

Here are a few of my favorite covers, which ones do you like best?

So much for not judging a book by its cover!

For the Pooch That Has Everything

2010-03-31T20:22:00.008+08:00

I promised the girls a dog when we move.

Aren't these chic? Only the very best Italian Carrara for my canines!

Viewed at Luxury Culture. Available at Kevy K designs.

I could get into this "owning a dog" business.

Interactive Art for Kids

2010-03-29T17:56:00.039+08:00

Wow!

I am just thrilled at my new on line find and am extremely excited to share it with my fellow Domestic Goddesses out there who wish to enrich the art experience of their favorite children.

As I was searching through the Moma Store, a favorite place to browse for books, toys and other unique gifts, I found myself on the Family Programs page of the museum. A few minutes later I was amazed to land on an interactive segment for children, MoMa's Destination Art. This site is just awesome for children from 4-11 years old. Learn more about varying forms of Modern Art like the Wassily Chair by Marcel Breuer, Three Musicians by Pablo Picasso, or Blossom by Polly Apfelbaum, and many others.

Thrilled with my new find, I eagerly searched out similar content at The MET and sure enough there was plenty to be found. Start out at the Just for Fun page and wander through all the stimulating options for children of varying ages. There are even a few engaging activities for adults!

Let your youngest Art Critics sing-along with Cezanne's Apples,

read -a- long with Aaron's Awesome Adventures or An Apple a Day,

or learn more about Edgar Degas and his Ballet related paintings and sculpture through The Dancer's and Degas . Join Marie and her friends from American Ballet and curators from the museum as you navigate closely through this information and activity loaded page. There are also three stories in the sub category "A Day with Degas" that bears repeated reading.

I tried to search other World Famous museums like The Louvre, The Tate Modern and Museo del Prado but have not been able to access anything similar just yet. The British Museum had a Young Explorers Page with some fascinating facts and games. I will most definitely have a follow-up post if I do find anything more.

Meanwhile, I did find a few very interesting games from The Getty Museum in L.A. Check out The Getty in conjunction with Whyville, an appealing site on its own or some other fun GettyGames.

One more site I came across on was SFS Kids , a website where children can familiarize themselves with the instruments of the orchestra, learn how to read notes, or create a tune in the "Music lab with the Composerizer". Sounds like fun huh?

I sure know what my girls will be doing over the Easter Break during their allotted computer time!

My Kitchen , My Vision

2010-03-17T07:52:00.104+08:00

As I have mentioned , we are in the process of building a new home and we have about eight weeks to go until we need to vacate our current premises- so this is crunch time !
Many friends have been asking me to post pictures of of our house at its current stage. I have hesitated because I felt that if they saw it, they would not see past the chaos and mayhem that is characteristic of a work in progress. Without a clear vision of what we are trying to create, it's very hard to see beyond the dust and dirt, the unpainted walls and unfinished carpentry. Any pictures posted of the house up until this point would have utterly disappointed and underwhelmed. However, I think we have reached the stage wherein if given enough explanation and detailed description, one could easily visualize what we are trying to achieve.

Of the rooms in the house, the kitchen has been my baby since the moment we broke ground so I think this should be a fun place to start our tour. This room will ultimately define how we live and its design will be reflective of the mood of our home. But before I show you the actual pictures of the house, let me share with you the images that have inspired us.

This photo above is a kitchen by one of my favourite interior designers Ilse Crawford .The grey cabinets, the polished white marble countertops and back splash, the gold hardware,(the wheel of what appears to be parmigiano reggiano!)= pure perfection in my book. It achieves that delicate balance of traditional and modern. It remains elegant and refined while still being cozy and inviting. Although our interpretation of this design is not literal, the ambience that we wish to recreate is exact. Old world glam with modern nuances.

My search for the "ultimate "kitchen began as most searches often do, on the internet. I googled, took notes, landed on one site after another. I googled again.I chanced upon a website of Christopher Peacock , who at the time was an exclusive and predominantly east coast based kitchen cabinetry firm. Since then , his fame has reached international proportions, a buyout and then a buy back not withstanding .

Like many who had discovered his work before me, I fell in love.

Willow Decor chronicles her quest to discover and decipher everything Christopher Peacock, here, here, here and even here. Lucky for me and anyone else out there who is desperate to recreate a similar kitchen,this comprehensive and well thought out primer was an essential tool that I referred to over and over again.

Why the obsession you may ask? Well to begin with, the level of his craftsmanship is sublime. In a time where we can find some of the finest prefabricated kitchens, Christopher Peacock's work reminds us to appreciate the art of things that are handmade and custom , crafted by talented artists . His look is what I call artisanal yet organically modern.

Another influence that helped us shape the overall design direction for our kitchen, was The Beaux Arts collection by Siematic, I really love how they incorporated stainless steel in the cabinetry. Usually we see this material only introduced in more traditional kitchens by way of heavy appliances. Utilizing the stainless steel in a matte finish for drawers as seen in the kitchen below was pivotal in turning an otherwise country looking kitchen into something with a more urban and contemporary feel.

We contemplated purchasing this kitchen in its entirety, however, my heart was really set on something characteristic of a truly bespoke kitchen. So the search continued.

Of course any pursuit for the ultimate kitchen would have to include some research on those of the woman who practically coined the phrase, domestic goddess, Martha Stewart.

Above is Martha's main kitchen at her former residence, Turkey Hill in Westport , Connecticut. I think I prefer it to her new one at Cantitoe in Katonah, New York. shown here. And I'm sure you all notice the resemblance to Ilse Crawford's picture of perfection at the beginning of this post. Does anything say "gourmet kitchen" more than a row of hanging copper pots?

Another image below, this time from the set at the Martha Show, I love the clean lines of the drawer and cabinet faces, very traditional yet updated and fresh. Again , the copper pots to authenticate the look!

After reviewing these photos and hundreds more I didn't include in this post, I started to define the detail for our kitchen. First, I knew that the cabinets and drawer faces must were to be hand made and hand painted, not prefabricated.

Next they had to have very clean lines with minimum ornamentation like the ones below, again from Christopher Peacock.

Hardware would also be updated classic pulls in brushed nickel. And wherever possible, I would want to have solid wood drawers on state of the art gliders with the soft close feature.

Then came the decision of color. For a very long time I thought my kitchen would be white. I adore white kitchens, and black kitchens for that matter. But in the end, I decided on neither of the two. I followed in the footsteps of Ilse and Martha.

Our cabinets will be painted in the subtle neutral shade , Worldly Gray by Sherwin Williams, similar but not exact to the cabinets above.

We also decided to introduce stainless steel into the mix by way of a row of drawers and the appliances to impact our traditionally designed kitchen. The photo below is just breathtaking, love it!

A farmhouse kitchen sink would be essential in the organically modern design we craved, as would an updated classic for the faucet

Oh and polished white italian marble was one of my uncompromising positions despite protests and advice against it. In fact, I wrapped my entire kitchen with it!

After all those decisions, I was still desperate to use black after reviewing numerous photos of some of the most glamourous kitchens . And through a stroke of genius by my brilliant decorator, we finally decided to incorporate the color into my butler's pantry. The result of the black cabinetry against the white marble countertop and back splash is something so sophisticated, classic yet edgy .

Afterall, I needed a black background somewhere , because like Kelly Wearstler, I always wear a gown to put away my limoges!

A few more photos.

It appears Gwyneth is a fan of black too. Below her kitchen in the Hamptons.

Another image from House Beautiful, my decor porn of choice these days.

Windsor Smith is a fan too!

So this is where we began.

Next up, where we are now!

What I'm reading now

2010-03-07T14:51:00.029+08:00

I love Sundays.
Bookstore. Lunch. Pasta for lunch at that! Another bookstore.
Literature and carbs, who could ask for more!

My only purchase being the next read for my book club but I easily could have picked up a few more titles. As I put down the four other novels that piqued my interest , I vowed that I will first finish the evergrowing stack of books by my bedside before I even entertain the thought of purchasing another ! Every single one of them a good read, mind you.

My backlog with my posts reveals the same story. One day I'll get my act together. Meanwhile here are the good reads I will finish cover to cover before Easter.

Yes, you read that right, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society . A mouthful of a title that to be honest, put me a bit off originally, but turned out to be an intelligent, touching story. The book is a series of letters written between different characters and is set in post WW II England. Just a fewpages more to go!

The authors of Nurture Shock have published some very interesting articles in New York Magazine in recent years. My friend touts this as "her best parenting read of 2009". I think this compendium of essays will be a fruitful and stimulating read.

This tell all novel by Michael Gross is most engrossing. 740 Park is the tale of one of the most affluent and sought after New York City addresses. Once the home of John D. Rockefeller and built by Jaqueline Kennedy Onasis' grandfather, James T. Lee, it has been residence to many of the past century's wealthy and famous personalities. including , Henry Kravis and Carolyne Roehm, Saul Steinberg, Ronald Lauder and Vera Wang. It reads like a soap opera. Extremely entertaining.

Michael Gross' follow up novel to 740 Park, Rogues Gallery is again an unauthorized tale of America's wealth and power and the personalities behind it all. This time Gross focuses on the social history behind The Metropolitan Museum of Art and is ripe with gossip about some of NYC's most moneyed families, the Morgans, the Vanderbilts and the Rockefellers. Throw in some tidbits of tittle-tattle on Brooke Astor and Annette de la Renta, and it makes for a juicy summer read. That being said, Rogues Gallery provides much insight into one of the country's beloved and cherished cultural institutions.

So that's what I'm reading now. What's on your bookshelf. Drop me a note, I would love to hear from you.

Art on My Mind

2010-03-01T09:50:00.049+08:00

I've had art on the brain lately.

As evidenced by my recent post, Art Books for Children, an appreciation for the visual arts is something that I have tried to cultivate in my girls since they were toddlers. It is something that I enjoy and would love to be able to share this interest with them through the years.

During the month of February I received invitation after invitation to various art exhibits around the metropolis. It is very encouraging that the apparent pervasive interest in the local contemporary art scene continues to captivate and engage. Over the weekend, I had the chance to take the children for a thoroughly enjoyable stroll through Art in the Park at Salcedo Village. Distinct and impressive works of art to be had below Php 20,000 ( approximately USD$450), what a concept?!

But what I am most excited about right now is the much anticipated occasion when premier art collector Paulino Que once again opens to the public selections from of his vast art collection through a retrospective, Meaning to be Modern Philippine Paintings 1907-1959 . As a follow up to his much lauded, exhibit in 2009 , Figuring The Times PhilippinePaintings 1996-2009 , Mr. Que, through his discriminating eye and exceptionally intense awareness guides us through his own visual narrative of Philippine modern art through a selection of his collected works with a kaleidoscopic range of artists .

The opening of this exhibit (by invitation only) is on Friday, 5 March at Finale Art File and will be open for three weeks after that to the general public. Despite his splendid modesty, Mr. Que, who is private by inclination, eagerly shares the intellectual and emotional pleasure that propels him to collect, and we are very fortunate for that!

If you are a resident of Metro Manila or plan on visiting sometime soon, I urge you not to miss this unique opportunity!

And just another quick recommendation , for those of you who still cannot get enough of art related activities , try to find a way to watch this controversial documentary , The Art of the Steal.

The Art of the Steal

Enjoy!

And the Party Planning Begins!

2010-02-22T14:17:00.007+08:00

Just placed my order for these adorable birthday hats! Aren't they darling?

My youngest daughter requested that she have "pointy hats" for her birthday party (which isn't until April by the way!). She actually wanted the Disney Princess hats but I think I found something even more special. Another Etsy find at thepolkadotpinwheel .

I showed them to her and she smiled from ear to ear. I just love them too so as we like to say in our family , Everybody Happy!

For the girls, the Sparkly Sweet collection hats...

and the Boys will be Boys series for our young male visitors!

Expect more birthday party planning posts in the weeks to come!

Art Books for Children

2010-02-14T20:43:00.060+08:00

We love books in our home. We have them everywhere! On shelves, chairs, tables, in baskets, on ottomans, in our house a book is always within easy reach. I love the way they contribute to the clutter in my home that I like to refer to as my "organized chaos". Books are our favorite gifts too, both to give and receive.

My last post got me thinking about how I could decorate my girls room using the hundreds of books they have accumulated through the years, not only by incorporating them into the decoration but having the books play the key focal point in the design of the space.

This library that Kelly Wearstler created for her sons is particularly inspiring.

At last count, the children's books we owned were a just a few shy of 500 titles. Ours is a very varied selection with all the requisite series for little girls - Madeleine, Eloise, Olivia and Fancy Nancy to name a few. But amongst all the titles we have amassed over the years, I particularly enjoyed putting together a small collection of art books for children and to date, we have 60 books that fit under this category.

Many friends always call me for ideas on what to purchase for their children or as gifts for a special child in their life and I find that books or stories with reference to art or a particular artist are always greatly appreciated.

Here are my top picks for art books for children:

We also have "I Spy Animals in Art" which is a great book as well.

This book will forever remind me of my two little girls. They each adored this book and it is a very special read for mothers and daughters. So appropriate are the Mary Cassatt pictures.

We also have the Museum 123 version of this book and the companion nesting alphabet blocks, a great introduction to letters or numbers, wouldn't you say?

I have this book in French but it is also available in English. I bought it at the Musee Picasso in Paris but have seen it in bookstores outside of France as well. And with Amazon, all is C'est possible!

Who doesn't love Babar? and Celeste? and their children? Had to have this one to complete our Babar collection!

This is a fun book below, Seen Art? (just in case you can't make out the title) published I believe right after the Moma in NYC reopened after it had been remodeled 5 or so years ago.
I grew up going to this Museum and for many reasons, it will always be a special place for me. No trip to NYC would be complete for me without stepping into the MET . I love that I can share this book and this museum with my children.

This book is published by the MET and is a story of prima ballerina Anna Pavlova with the art of Edgar Degas as a background to the story. A great gift for any little ballerina!

Inspiring and enlightening prose by Maya Angelou set to the artwork by Jean Michel Basquiat.

A compendium of art for children. It's and excellent reference for me as well!

Wouldn't you just buy this book on the title alone? It's so playful and the illustrations are very colorful. Will be a favorite with preschoolers and early graders for sure!

James Mayhew has authored several books in his Katie series. We have them all but Katie and the Mona Lisa is the one we read over and over again.

Another great series for an older girl (8 and above). Also available are Charlotte in Paris and Charlotte in London , which are equally as wonderful.

We have two titles that refer to the same story of Edgar Degas and his dancers, this one and another book, Marie in Fifth Position. Two other great books by the same author, Laurence Anholt are Camille and the Sunflowers, a story about Van Gogh , and Picasso and the Girl with the Ponytail.

This book originally hails from Norway and it is an entertaining introduction to art history for the youngest of readers.

Can you imagine the icon Andy Warhol for an uncle? He definitely was the cool uncle everyone wish they had!

And a few more titles that we enjoy...

A story about Rene Magritte,

another about Georgia O'Keeffe,

and last but certainly not least, a book about the life of Jackson Pollock.

I really hope this list serves as reference for all of you and encourages you to share an art book with a child soon!

Enjoy.

Decorating with Books Part 1: Lonny Style

2010-02-12T08:09:00.033+08:00

Over the past few days, I have been collecting images for a post related to the idea of decorating with books and incorporating them into room design. I was planning on releasing the post sometime next week. But as I was reading through Lonny's 3rd issue, I couldn't help notice the numerous images of how different decorators use books in their design composition and I have decided to preempt that post with this one.

Here are just a few photos taken from the current issue of Lonny , that capture the many ways we can showcase the books we own .

1. Books set on a table as a part of a vignette with other objects and curiousities.

2. Books on a shelf, again mixing other paraphernalia such as photos, sculpture, and other tchotchke. I love the ladder idea, especially since we often only see ladders used with tall bookshelves in formal rooms. This is a very unique way of incorporating this idea in a more casual setting.

Another bookshelf of interesting sorts but with a dual purpose. In this room, the bookshelf is used as a divider between the living area and the bedroom.

3. Books on the bar cart. This gave me an idea, place books where you may not think of using them in conventional design. It may work well on a dining table where you would not expect to find a stack of books. Also, notice here the copy of Osa Johnson's "I Married Adventure" and its Zebra skin- like cover on the bottom. This book can be found in so many of my pictures and I only realized why after reading this post at The Peak of Chic.

4. Books piled up on a chair. There is something so stylish and confident about this look.

Highlighting a magazine collection works equally well.

5. Books stacked high on the floor. This is my favorite picture in the current issue of Lonny and I think I'm going to say that amongst the designers featured , Ryan Korban's work really grabbed my attention the most. His rooms were so sexy ! I think we can expect to hear more about this talent in the years to come.

6. And something I have never though of before, in the absence of a book collection, or maybe as a supplement to one, the use of wall paper or wall stickers. The one above is from thecollection. Look closely at the picture above, what do you think you see? The books aren't really there. Isn't it great? It sure had me fooled.

All these great ideas from just one magazine issue! I'll publish part two next week with a whole bunch of gorgeous images . Stay tuned!

Lonny Issue 3 - just a click away!

2010-02-11T07:46:00.009+08:00

Just a quick post before I'm out the door. You must all drop by and visit the new issue of Lonny. Boy, my "grab" mode was on overdrive this morning! 218pages (219 if you include the cover) of the most scrumptious, inspiring eye candy- and it's free ! I'm missing Domino just a little less now that Lonny has arrived and is beginning to get it's groove.

I would like to think of better adjectives to describe this new and brilliant on-line magazine, "modern", "chic" and "vibrant" are the first that come to mind. But like I said, I'm in a rush, so those will have to do for now. You get the idea.

Enjoy!

Keep on dreaming!

2010-02-08T13:22:00.038+08:00

Years ago I started a file of sort, filled with tear sheets of pictures from magazines , brochures and alike. The idea was that when the time came for my husband and I to build a new house, we would have a vast array of personal references to ease our selection for the many things we would need to furnish our home. This precious collection of sheets with tattered edges of all shapes and sizes, were tucked away in a clear book that I quickly named "My Kokuyo". I have spent many, many happy hours filling and looking at this book! I would like to say that Kokuyo means something elegant, like "a repository of ideas" but not quite. Yes , I am just about that prosaic to call my beloved KOKUYO by the Japanese brand that my clear book really is!

I am happy to say, however, that the "Kokuyo's" time has come. We are beginning to furnish our new home and this weeks decision to be made: a headboard for the masters bedroom.

Among all the pages I have, (and believe me there are hundreds!) this photo above, of what seems to be a European, possibly Italian, piece of wood that may have once served as a top of bed, was the picture I made sure not to loose or misplace. I fell completely in love with this idea and was determined to find something similar to replicate this look exactly! In Manila, finding a similar antique with European provenance would prove to be quite challenging. I decided that if I could find a similar Philippine antique, that would be fine, even better perhaps, but no luck there either . Sadly, I decided to abandon my headboard dream.

Years later, in the age of blogging , I came across this photo on Velvet & Linen by Brooke Giannetti, I fell in love a second time. .... I reinstated my search, but still no luck. I haven't given up though . I am hoping the next time I come across something like this, it will not be in a picture but at an antique store, preferably one on this side of the world. Well they do say third time's a charm right?

But in the meantime, maybe it's time to dream another dream.

I do like this headboard. I don't know exactly what it's made of but it seems to be inspired by by architectural detailing, and it reminds me of molding. I could easily have my plaster supplier make something like this, but do you think it's plaster or wood? This might be a great way to add some character to my 5 year olds bedroom, but I don't think my husband will want this for us.

Below is another option. I love the tufted look. It's got that modern classic twist that I'm always drawn to.

Another tufted headboard from Usona. The height and the way it envelopes the mattress frame is quite interesting. What do you think?

Yet another tufted headboard, but I'm pretty sure I kept this picture because of the Herve Van der Straeten mirror hanging above the bed. I love him. Mental note, separate post on my man Herve!

Another way I could dress up my headboard aside from tufting, would be to add nail heads to an upholstered piece. I do love these guys. They dress up anything and look very tailored and smart.

The gold pillows and quilted duvet really look gorgeous against the shade of blue, and make this room absolutely stunning .

The pillows soften the masculinity of the nail heads and I do like the idea of hanging a piece of art above the bed.

This Moroccan headboard is by Alessandra Branca. Love her, but am not sure this shape is for me.

Another ravishing bedroom by Madame Branca below.

Beautiful! This is more my style.

Still the art over the bed is proving to be a good option until I find my gold headboard!

So now I'm thinking upholstered head board, definitely. But what will it be folks, tufted or with nail heads? I'd love to hear from you. Either way I think I'll finish the look with a nice piece of art hanging above. And you know what, I think I have just the piece!

It will be perfect, well almost perfect.

For now, I'm still holding on to my dream.

Kung Hei Fat Choi

2010-02-05T19:40:00.027+08:00

Ok, so I'm a tad bit early but I just couldn't wait to post this image.

This adorable and child friendly chinese zodiac wheel is the work of my friend, Isabel "Pepper" Roxas. Pepper is an accomplished artist, illustrator and designer and has exhibited her work both in the Philippines and internationally. She is also a member of Sheer Joy, a group of remarkable Philippine illustrators. Please click on the links above to take a look at other creations of this gifted lady and other equally talented Filipino artists.

A few years ago, I bought some giclee prints of this wheel to give away to some young friends on the occasion of Chinese New Year. Something I thought would last a wee bit longer then the bills in their red envelopes! As I was recently rummaging through my drawers, I realized that I only have two left. I better save them for my girls, they are her biggest fans !

Not that they lack in their own collection of Pepper's work, below are some pieces that I commissioned a while back for my children. The four originals are hanging on a wall at home. I was, however, able to share three images with my friends and family, as Studio Roxas produced blank cards that I gave away one Christmas. Needless to say everyone loved them!

"Puppet Play"

"Surprise"

"Glitter Girls"

Which do you like best? I find it very difficult to choose just one!

If you reside in Manila or are planning a visit, you can find some of Pepper's work on display and for sale at:

Tawalisi Antiques

Ground Floor, L'aO building

1000 Makati Avenue corner Arnaiz St.

Makati City

(632) 844-1977

You may also purchase items from the Studio Roxas website with link above.

Guess who's coming to town?

2010-02-04T14:12:00.005+08:00

I am a Foodie.

When I first told my friends that I was going to start a blog, most of them assumed that the content would be food related. Not an unreasonable assumption since I love dining , cooking and entertaining. Funny, I haven't really had a food post yet.

My husband and I are the types of people who begin planning our travels with the question, "Where are we going to eat?". Once that has been sorted out, then the rest of the itinerary follows. I recall once that I had threatened to cancel a trip to Sydney if we couldn't get a reservation at Tetsuya's. Really what would have been the point? Smirk.

We did. Disaster averted. It was well worth the empty threat, it was fantastic.

We do street food , we do Michelin stars.

I'd like to say that we are equal opportunity eaters, as long as it's good food we're happy.

So, when I heard that the Grand Daddy of Michelin Stars was coming to our neck of the woods, I HAD to get a seat at his table!

Alain Ducasse and his chefs from Le Louis XV in Monaco will be preparing a dinner on Tuesday, 23 February at the Enderun Campus in Fort Bonifacio, Manila. And through a good friend, my husband and I , along with some other couples, were able to secure some of the few and highly coveted seats. Rumor has it that they will be flying in their ingredients and will recreate dishes from his Monaco menu.

I am so excited!

My Loopy Obsession

2010-02-02T17:56:00.026+08:00

It was about 15 years ago when I first fell in love with these loop chairs , the design of which is attributed to Chicago decorator, Frances A. Elkins. It is written that she had designed and produced only 8 of these chairs in 1930 . Her inspiration were chairs from 18th century England. Since then, they have been reproduced in many variations.

I must have accumulated a few dozen tear sheets from magazines through the years of this one chair. When I see it featured , I feel compelled to tear out the page and keep it as a reference. Ever since I learned how to save images and "grab" on my mac, I must have added another dozen or so photos of these chairs .

Obviously I am not their only fan.

Aren't they just soooo chic!

The chair above is something I saw on auction. They are not exactly like the other loop chairs but the inspiration and reference to the Elkins chair is clear. They were made by Karl Springer in the 1970's. Check out that horn detail. The seat cushion is pony hair. I really love it, deep sigh.

And look how much fun you can have with them! They can be lacquered in almost any color and the fabric possibilities are endless.

I just love them in black. This room below is just so smart. I would want to use the chair in this way,so discreetly elegant . The chair draws your attention without shouting or demanding for you to notice it, you just do.

I have been wondering how I can uniquely use these chairs in my new home. I must be able to justify their purchase and have an immediate need and purpose for them or my husband will nix the idea in a hurry...

And then I came across this photo in my July/August issue of Elle Decor...

EUREKA!

Ok, so again, another thing Aerin Lauder has that I want, vintage Frances Elkins stools. These would go PERFECTLY in my new kitchen which will be a combination of old and new. I am combining white marble, wood and stainless steel for the cabinets, drawers and counters. A deep dish farm sink with an updated classic faucet. Old fashioned pendant lighting. A combination of drawer pulls, some similar to the ones above in brushed nickel. "Greige" (greyish beige) walls. Black Butler's pantry.

Can you see it yet?

Won't these stools look fabulous in black or wait... what about brown pen shell to recreate the horn look! Ooooh , and my Mi Ming Chair at my kitchen desk will go great since the loop chairs have got that "chinoiserie" vibe going on!

The planets are aligning!

Angelina Ballerina Birthday Cake

2010-02-01T16:22:00.005+08:00

Here is another beautiful cake created by Marta's Cakes for my daughter's 5th birthday. I had wanted to include this in my Party Time ! post but did not have a digital image and my scanned picture was horrendous. A quick email to Marta and these pictures arrived in my inbox this afternoon.

Notice the detail of the dancing Angelina Ballerinas. No two poses were exactly alike. There were 16 different poses that wrapped around the bottom layer. It was just so sweet! And have I mentioned how delicious these cakes are? Marta offers many different flavors with chocolate and pound cake being amongst my favorites. The pound cake is quite dense and the flavor is redolent of almond, although I do not know if there is any almond flour or almond extract in her recipe. Everyone I know really loves Marta's pound cake.

Revisiting photos of all these wonderful cakes has made me all the more excited to come up with something extra special for our upcoming celebrations. Will post pictures of my ideas soon!

Lucite Chairs

2010-01-30T19:44:00.022+08:00

I never thought I was the lucite chair type of girl until I saw this photo in an issue of the now defunct Metropolitan Home... And now I HAVE to have one in one variation or another.

When I saw this chair featured on Chinoiserie Chic and sold at Perch, again it was love at first sight! (I'm a sucker for ballroom chairs!)

And with a Toile du Jouy cushion to boot, I was in heaven!

Then I stumbled upon the Chinese Checkers version of the Kartell Louis Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck and thought, this would be absolutely too cool for my girl's rooms!

And what about a Mi Ming Chair for my desk?

And when I saw this photo of the Mademoiselle Chair by Kartell, elegantly placed in a room that was totally my style, I knew this was THE one for my vanity.

In an animal print perhaps? Me likey!

Or faux skin? Very Smart!

Your thoughts on Lucite chairs?

Party Time!

2010-01-30T08:21:00.044+08:00

Nothing is as happy as a child's birthday party. I just love them! The balloons, the food, the games, the food, the goodie bags, the food...

It's that time of the year when I begin to think about my little darling's birthday parties. Who am I kidding? I am always thinking about my kids birthday parties! The defining piece for me is always the cake. I feel , that along with the invitation, the birthday cake sets the tone for the occasion. We have had some wonderful cakes through the years. Here are a few pictures of some of them.

Audrey's 4th "Fancy Nancy" birthday.
A cupcake tower from Audrey's "Cowgirl" party.

Her "Vintage Alphabet" party- the tablecloth is unfortunate
but the cake was gorgeous! You really need to double click on this photo so you can appreciate it in all it's glory. The artist got the vintage colors spot on.

Alexa's 7th "Fairyland" Party, isn't the detail divine?

The fairies were inspired from the Flower Fairies series.

A tea party at Bizu - I just love the macaroon tower!

The cake above was from Alexa's "Nail and Foot Spa" party.

And the cake below is my all time favorite- Audrey's baptism cake. This picture doesn't do it justice as I just scanned it in this morning. Double click on the photo so you can appreciate the workmanship of the cake artist. Really. This cake vignette was just breathtaking.

The colors, the quilting, the little daisies all in the middle segment and then scattered around the table. Those boxes you see stacked up are sugar filigree, (see up close Here) and had little chocolates inside. The quilted square cakes were given to each Godparent to take home and the lollipop cookies in the two bouquets flanking the cake were given to all the children in attendance. See details Here, Here and Here.

AND that pram. That pram just made the cake extra special.

All the cakes featured in this post, with the exception of the tea party macaroon tower, were made by Marta Matute. Marta is a genius and has helped me execute all my ideas , and has made my children's birthdays unforgettable. She is easily one of the best resources for children's birthday cakes in Manila.

Top photo courtesy of Flora et Henri, one of my favorite purveyors of children's clothing.

Sweet Dreams

2010-01-29T20:59:00.008+08:00

I have bed linens on the brain. Am fantasizing about these babies from Leron. I may as well keep on dreaming as they will set me back a few thousand dollars- at least. But to my dear husband, if your reading this, anything from Leontine will do just fine too.

What about me Mama?

2010-01-26T13:44:00.004+08:00

I am so excited! I finally found cute bookplates for my little Audrey! She has been complaining recently that all of their books belong to "Achie" (older sister), since Alexa was given lovely book plates years ago from her Godmother. They have since been placed in every children's book that enters our home and the little one is feeling a bit left out.

It took a while for me to find the right one but I finally did on Etsy. If you haven't shopped Etsy, it's really a treasure trove. Thousands of creative and talented sellers peddling everything and anything that is handmade. If you are looking for something unique and extra special, I'm sure you'll find it here.

These are from Oiseaux, a lovely art and stationary resource. They have a beauiful range of book plates, cards etc. and they personalize almost all of their product.

Keeping my fingers crossed that the plates that get here won't say Sarah!

Looking for a Labandera...

2010-01-26T12:43:00.003+08:00

Please let me know if you know of anyone!

Only because I met Chris first....

2010-01-26T12:33:00.004+08:00

Saw this on Habitually Chic.. Now this is a good looking man!

An Education

2010-01-24T10:16:00.013+08:00

If you haven't seen An Education , I urge you to do so immediately. What a fantastic film! Nick Hornby delivers once again , with an intelligent, witty and at times, humorous screenplay. This beautifully stylized (imagine Mad Men but across the pond) coming of age film takes place in a London suburb in the early 1960's .

The all British cast is led by stars Carey Mulligan , as the bright, Oxford bound young girl who is seduced and ultimately given "An Education" by Peter Sarsgaard , a "smooth as silk and cool as a cucumber" playboy that is twice her age. The acting is precise and impressive. Even supporting cast is filled by fine actors like Alfred Molina and Emma Thompson . Their performances, however, do not overshadow those of Dominic Cooper and Rosamund Pike who I might add plays gorgeous and vapid brilliantly!

Ouch!

2010-01-22T07:30:00.003+08:00

I have not posted for a while. Have been sorting out what to do for a toothache and the decision made- extraction and implant! Will be back to posting soon.

Good Morning!

2010-01-08T08:05:00.007+08:00

After the gluttony and culinary debauchery that was the holidays, I have been having variations of the breakfast on top for the past five days. While it looks and is in fact delicious, especially when it's homemade granola and Fage greek yougurt, some days you need, want and just have to have eggs!

I think today is that day!

What are you having this morning?

P.S. These are not my original photos. The first is from one of my favorite blogs Cote de Texas and I am searching for the source of the second. I will post the link soon.

Troubleshooting

2010-01-07T17:05:00.005+08:00

This is proving to be harder than I thought is was going to be. I am trying to write more posts but am having trouble uploading multiple pictures and laying them out where I want them to be within the post. Help! Anyone!?!?!

Meanwhile, I leave you with this image of a walk-in closet/work area that I have been salivating over. Isn't it drop dead gorgeous? Well so is it's owner, Aerin Lauder. The hand painted walls with the gold leaf branches, love it! I love the whole gray and gold combination. And the size 2 dress hanging on the left, nice! I bet you I wouldn't have these blogging problems if I was working on my lap top at this desk! And if I could fit into that dress, life would be perfect.

My husband says when I inherit a billion dollar empire, I can have a dressing room just like this too.

Hong Kong Holiday

2010-01-03T21:16:00.006+08:00

We are back from what has become our annual Christmas and New Year holiday in Hong Kong. I adore Hong Kong. It reminds me so much of my beloved NYC but then it has such unique character that it can definitely hold it's own amongst the great cities of the world.

I don't take good pictures so this is something I will need to work on if I want to make this blog more interesting. Hmmm.. maybe this is an excuse to invest in a better camera!

More on our trip coming up soon including three new restaurant reviews. Stay tuned!

Enough Procrastinating

2010-01-03T18:15:00.008+08:00

This is something I have been wanting to do for a while now.

New decade so I figured, "Why the hell not?" Go for it.

My 9 year old has been quite supportive of this endeavor. Oh to be 9 again! When nothing seems impossible and the idea of instantly publishing your thoughts and making them available to the entire planet at the click of a button is a reality. Things sure have changed since I was 9!

It will take me a while to get this to where I want it to be. I am what they call technically challenged among other things. But I'll get there... eventually.

Stick it out with me and and I'll make it worth the wait.