I spent much of Saturday walking on holy ground. First at a memorial service in the East Bay hills, next at a choral concert in an ornate San Francisco church, and finally, at a gathering of saints in a basketball gym. Sacred spaces all. The memorial service was held on a private ranch overlooking Contra [...]
Speaking of birthdays. In a few days it will be my middle daughter’s birthday and that means it’s time to go hunting for a rose for Sydney Rose. Her dad picked out the very first birthday rose when she was a baby. ”Bewitched,” a beautiful clear-pink hybrid tea, captured this spellbinding strawberry-blonde daughter perfectly. Every [...]
The night that Boston police were shooting it up with the Tsarnaev brothers, I was at our favorite restaurant Camino celebrating vegetables. Renowned cookbook author Deborah Madison was in town and Camino was hosting a dinner for Madison with a menu inspired by the recipes from her new cookbook Vegetable Literacy. I’d like to tell [...]
Look for an extensive overview of the San Francisco Decorator Showcase in the Bay Area News Group papers this Saturday, but in the meantime here’s a peak at design elements that felt fresh and noteworthy this year. Contemporary Art as Inspiration Check out the Cy Twombly inspired floors in Catherine Kwong’s living room, above. See those [...]
My Boston kids are on lockdown and I’m locked on to news sites again. What a crazy, distressing week this has been. I’ve been so grateful for peaceable things this week, including several walks through Mountain View cemetery where I saw how the quality of light can change everything. Like the way this stone angel’s [...]
Picking up from last Friday’s post—a mama racoon died unexpectedly right here beneath the floorboards of our home and her cubs went missing and that’s left me unsettled all week. But there was also a happy circle-of-life surprise this week. My niece Kristen gave birth to little Lila Sharon and all of a sudden I [...]
Reading about how a walk in nature can relieve brain fatigue (no kidding) makes me even more grateful to be surrounded by rejuvenating spring greens this time of year. Other things that perked me up this week: 1. These charming Coach videos of old and young fashionistas playing dress up together (via Advanced Style). 2. [...]
Some design pros contend that old things are obsolete. They insist that modern design is where it’s at and that the passion for patina is definitely past its prime. I beg to differ. In a world gone Green, the desire to reuse, repurpose and recycle is really blossoming. Ask designer Joanne Palmisano, author of the [...]
Chipped polish on my dirt-encrusted nails reminds me that I should not be bothering with manicures this time of year. I’m just too busy digging in the dirt. Or frequenting nurseries to find more plants to dig in the dirt. Though I’d already picked up a little spring color at my neighborhood nursery, I was [...]
Spring played peek-a-boo this week with on and off showers and some balmy days punctuated by frosty nights. Nevertheless, I enjoyed several playdates in the garden with some cold-weather annuals. Like my mother always says about lipstick—everyone needs a little color! Here are a few other things that brightened my world: 1. If you, too, [...]
