Firing Up The New Year

Happy New Year!!! Here's how we celebrate in Las Vegas. Back in the day we would have been out on the town with the rest of the party goers but now a days we ring in the new year at home to avoid the crowds and drunk drivers.

The town puts on a great fireworks show that we can see from our house.



It starts at one end of the Strip and goes to the other end with one of the highlights being the Stratosphere in the middle.


We have fireworks over the fake Eiffel Tower and in front of the fake Venetian but wouldn't it be great to actually travel to some fabulously exotic location for the New Year? ( When you live in Vegas it loses all of it's exotic local status and it is just your hometown)



Here is the real Eiffel Tower lit up and ready for New Years. Now that is a party that I would love to attend!!!


How about Rio di Janeiro? That blue band of light along the beach is the crowd of party goers assembled to watch the show! I wonder if they are all in Bikinis? Isn't it summer down there now?


If you're into seriously cold weather you could ring in 2009 in the Red Square in Moscow and watch the fireworks over the onion dome.


I think I would love to celebrate in Sydney. The weather is great this time of year and the celebration is said to be top notch. I think Aussies know how to have a good time.



Can you imagine watching these fireworks from atop the London Eye? That would be a spectacular view.


No matter where you are at the stroke of midnight I wish you a spectacular New Year filled with good health, a dash of luck, happiness and contentment and dreams come true.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Photo by Jessica Craig-Martin

The French Table

I've been doing some research lately on table linens and I realize how sorely neglected my dining room table has become. We rarely eat in a formal setting and take most of our meals in font of the TV or at our desks. Since most of the time it is just my husband and I, my thought is that it's just too much trouble to set the table, but I realize that I am really cheating myself out of the experience of dining. One of my New Years resolutions will be to take more care in planning and executing our meals.

I love the simplicity of fine french table linens. The table above is to die for but sometimes you want something with a bit more color and pattern.


I ran across a fabulous website, F & B Fine Linen that offers a full range of French table linens. They import only the finest brands and have a large assortment of beautiful, everyday and special occasion products.


These toppers are from Beauville and are almost too pretty to use.



Other lines carried are Sferra, Yves Delorme, Le Jacquard Francais, and Garnier Thiebaut.



These colors are divine, they make me want to redecorate.



Classic Provance, the rooster and chicken towels are done in wonderful color combination's that would brighten any kitchen.


Well, I'm off to set my table for dinner! Enjoy....

Don't judge a book by its cover...

I think my reaction to hearing that the Olsen twins were coming out with a book was "what-ever" but even I should remember not to judge a book by it's cover or in this case authors. I happened to flip through it at the bookstore recently and was pleasantly surprised. The book is titled Influence and it's less about the Olsen twins themselves and more about fabulous influential designers, artists and interesting people. I think it was the interview with David Collins that sold me though. As you know if you read my blog, I very much heart David Collins and I loved reading more about him. Others interviewed include Diane von Furstenberg and Lauren Hutton below, as well as Peter Beard, Karl Lagerfeld, Jack Pierson, and Christian Louboutin and many others. Check it out and you just might be pleasantly surprised too!

Mr. Mlinaric at Home

I'm off to Shadyside to shop with friends and then catch my flight back to New York so in my absence, I thought I would leave you with a little treat. The New York Times had a lovely piece on interior designer David Mlinaric (pronounced mill-in-AR-ik) and his lovely flat in London. Just goes to show what you can do in a small space. For more information, click here. Cheers!

Christmas Memories

I was telling my friend Kelly recently about my favorite Christmas memory and she couldn't believe that I had one. It happened one Christmas when I feel asleep on the sofa waiting for Santa. The next morning I awoke in my room with a new canopy bed with Holly Hobbie bedspread and linens as if by magic. I think it was also the same year that I received a doll house. Now you know why it was so memorable. Do you have a favorite Christmas or special holiday memory?

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish all my fabulous friends and readers a very Merry Christmas!

Card from R. Nichols

Christmas in New York

Before I left for the holidays, I managed to take a few photos of the city dressed up for Christmas. The twinkle lights look especially beautiful at night! Kind of makes putting up with the hoards of tourists and lack of taxis worth it! Enjoy!

Holiday Chic Gift Guide: Gold

I wanted to do a gold themed gift guide but wasn't sure what book would work with it until I saw Megalomania: Too Much is Never Enough on Style.com. I have to say that I'm not exactly sure what the book is about exactly but at least the cover fits the theme perfectly. Kind of also reminds me of Dictator Style which is a favorite of the design world.

I don't know why they don't make gold cell phones and PDA's and the ones they do make are ridiculously expensive. I wear gold all the time and would love it if my technology matched my jewelry. It's really too bad that Vertu is priced way over most people's budget's because they are perfect. Maybe if we're lucky they will come out with a Tar-jay line since there might not be anyone left who will be able to afford them soon!

I read somewhere that the tradition of hanging wreaths on doors began when athletes of the Greek Olympics would take their laurel wreath prizes home and hang them on their doors. This gold bay leaf wreath from Jayson Home and Garden is so beautiful and simple that I think I might have to buy one for myself and leave it up past Christmas.

I already have my gold rimmed china and stemware but I love Gold Aves from Royal Crown Derby. It's a little Versace but you could tone it down by mixing it with some simple white pieces. Also reminds me of a fancy version of a Thomas Paul design.

I love the gold Piggy Bank by Harry Allen but it costs more than the money you could fit in it so my new favorite is the Doggy Bank by Ototo for $57 that I saw on Coco & Kelley! Not only is the price right but you could also tell your friends that it was designed by Jeff Koons and they might believe you.

Another kitchy piece is the gold bar door stop designed by Arik Levy from the Conran Shop. Looks like something a bachelor would have in his apartment or Bart Bass would keep in his safe. Could be the perfect gift for the man who has everything...or perhaps in this economy...nothing left.

I have a fabulous chunky gold bracelet that I bought on J. Crew for $37 that everyone thinks is vintage but unfortunately the "gold" is rubbing off and now it looks pink. I would love it if I could put this Diane von Furstenberg for H. Stern bracelet on my wish list but at $9,700 it seems a bit extravagant or crazy. Maybe someday.

I hope the gold doesn't rub off the shoes too because these little metallic gold flats from J.Crew would be perfect with jeans. Is it crazy that I consider gold a neutral?

The ultimate gold standard has to be the Portofino vacation home of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana who obviously live la dolce vita there but then again, who wouldn't! Maybe you can make friends with their friend J. Lo and she can help wrangle an invitation. I hear she may be on the market again soon so she might just need a getaway or a babysitter. Buon Natale!

Bedroom of the Week

This beautiful bedroom was designed by the very talented Maura Taft. I love the combination of silks and linens used. To me this bedroom has just the right mix of comfort and luxury.



I usually don't include other images in the bedroom of the week post but her work is so gorgeous I had to share a few more photos.



Delicious! See more here.