The Good Life

Wild horses

2010-03-19T14:02:00.002-04:00

I love how these photographs of horses are so graphic and powerful and bring an earthy quality to a room.

Something old

2010-03-17T08:34:00.003-04:00

Even if the statue is not actually ancient, it looks and feels that way and looks great in so many different decor styles. I love the textural quality of a stone artifact especially when it is unexpected, like the piece on the console table at the end of fresh, bright hallway in the middle photograph.

White wedding

2010-03-13T15:27:00.003-05:00

Just another young couple in love on their wedding day. Mick Jagger and Bianca Jagger, May 12, 1971, St. Tropez, France.

Art

2010-03-12T10:13:00.004-05:00

I love the look of abstract art in a traditional room. There is something wildly non-sensical about abstract art that completely energizes a space furnished with serious pieces.

48 is the new...

2010-03-10T07:37:00.002-05:00

Forget it. This is an amazing-looking woman, period.

Kindness is the new black

2010-03-09T07:23:00.002-05:00

Some part of personal style is the way a person conducts herself. You could be doing everything right on the outside, but it seems to me that if your manners are forgotten all the rest doesn't really matter. This occurred to me when I began to notice how just the tiniest shift in behavior (mine and others) could have a ripple effect that takes us all to the next level.
I find that graciousness is that most rare quality, passive and sublte, but it speaks volumes and is a huge part of attraction. We can all try to listen better and empathize more and act with integrity. People who lead with those qualities look that way: their eyes are bright and their smile is warm: what could be more fashionable?

Paint it, black

2010-03-08T08:07:00.002-05:00

I have been seeing and loving black rooms lately. All over the pages of decor magazines and blogs are sexy black rooms, and not just the expected bedroom. Who would think that a dark kitchen could be appealing, but this one by designer Miles Redd is drop-dead glamorous and would be perfect in a city apartment of someone who doesn't necessarily cook, but has plenty of cocktail parties.

There is also the feeling to me that this look might not read as well in a bright, sunny, Southern city such as Miami...it could be too harsh, although maybe a small den/library in an otherwise cheery home could be the perfect, cozy retreat from all that relentless sunshine.

And speaking of Spring...

2010-03-05T09:05:00.001-05:00

I realize that Spring is traditionally about colorful, bright flowers, but my favorite flowers just look better to me in white.

Thinking of Spring

2010-03-04T08:04:00.003-05:00

There is something fresh about stripes, which is probably why they are on my mind when I want it to be Spring soon.

There is nothing like getting into a bed made up with hotel-striped sheets all clean and pressed, or putting on a great striped tee with white jeans for the first time .

Ahh

2010-03-02T08:58:00.000-05:00

The pool at the Standard Hotel in Miami.

Clear winner

2010-03-01T09:38:00.002-05:00

Michael Kors is showing lucite in his Spring collection, including these items and much more, even swimsuits with lucite straps. I love how fresh and modern it feels while also giving a nod to the sixties.

Soyka

2010-02-28T07:23:00.003-05:00

Not a steakhouse or an asian-fusion/sushi house or a "famous chef" restaurant, Soyka is somewhat of an anomaly in Miami. It is a room with serious energy, the kind more commonly associated with dining rooms way above the Mason-Dixon line, and I mean that as a high compliment.

It has all the things you want when you venture out for a meal. A just-the-right size room that looks like a lot going on, but feels cozy; people who work there who know exactly what they are doing, and a menu filled with your favorite dishes, only better than you could ever prepare at home.

Women who rock

2010-02-27T17:08:00.001-05:00

The black bikini

2010-02-26T08:13:00.003-05:00

The only swimsuit any woman needs.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

2010-02-25T08:21:00.003-05:00

Sometimes words aren't even necessary.

Designer style

2010-02-24T07:32:00.004-05:00

These rooms were designed by Brad Ford. I love it when you want to walk through a room and touch everything, and I think his rooms have that appeal. They look not minimal, but stripped down to what is necessary, and then finished off with something beautiful from nature.

A house is not just a home...

2010-02-23T07:34:00.003-05:00

They say that people tend to resemble their dogs, or is it vice-versa? Anyway, I am more inclined to see a similarity between a person's personal style and their home decor. It makes sense to want to surround yourself with the colors and styles that you also choose to wear.

This is a photograph of Kelly Klein at her home in Wellington, Florida, from a photo shoot for Elle Decor magazine. Her living room is clean and classic with sophisticated details and natural elements, which is how I would also descibe her look.

Think about this the next time you are at someone's home, or better yet take a look around your own and see if it refects you back.

All-American style...Ali MacGraw

2010-01-20T09:07:00.001-05:00

Movie magic

2010-01-19T08:20:00.004-05:00

There is something about a great movie poster. Like the best album art, it instantly conveys a mood and can transport you back to the actual experience of listening/watching. This is also the place where the art of editing really matters and the editor becomes the author for the briefest, memorable moment.

Shiny, happy things

2010-01-18T09:54:00.002-05:00

Every room looks good with a little shine in it. These items are from the new West Elm catalogue, but similar things can be found high and low. Something sparkly always catches the eye and brightens up everything around it.

This is glamorous

2010-01-17T08:07:00.001-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, Tony Bennett

2010-01-14T07:34:00.003-05:00

Frank Sinatra called him "the best singer in the business." He is an accomplished artist whose paintings are in demand. He works constantly, spending most of the year touring all over the world. But to see him perform live is get at the what drives all of that. It's joy. When you see him onstage it's soon clear that doing what he does, surrounded by the musicians whom he never stops acknowledging, it is with true joy and wonder that he feels lucky to be doing what he does for his audience, not the other way around. He has the face of a man who has lived the life he was meant to live.

Jackie blue

2010-01-13T11:11:00.004-05:00

I love this portrait of Jackie Kennedy by Andy Warhol. It is one of many images in the extensive series the artist did following the assasination of President Kennedy. Although some of the portraits were shown individually, most were exhibited as a series and mimiced the obsession most of us had (and still have) with wanting to really see who these people were. I think it says so much about how little Mrs. Kennedy revealed of herself that we just can't get enough of observing her.

Pizza!

2010-01-11T19:52:00.006-05:00

I didn't think Andiamo! restaurant could be improved upon after the addition of Frankie & Priscilla and their delicious cheesteaks, but they found a way to make the experience that much more complete by adding Andiamo Red, a smooth, rich chianti, a perfect accompaniment to the food. The wine is produced expressly for Andiamo! in Italy and nicely commemorates their 10 year anniversary.

Fishnets? Yes, fishnets.

2010-01-09T08:11:00.003-05:00

The nude fishnet is the new black. It is the best option when you need coverage or even when you don't. They are so subtle that the effect is your own skin, only with air-brush quality enhancement. So much more modern than any hose. Go for the Wolford brand, pricey but worth it.

What goes around...

2010-01-06T09:19:00.003-05:00

I love a round table. They are so much cozier for dining and they are the perfect piece for the middle of a large foyer. I love to see them stacked with books and a nice size lamp and a huge vase of branches or hydrangea. And a mini Saarinien tulip table as a side table in the bedroom or by a reading chair is just the right size; useful and chic.

Paint it, white

2010-01-05T18:03:00.002-05:00

Clean, fresh, bright...white is right. White furniture, particularly modern tables and chairs look amazing with wood and stainless steel; they go rustic or contemporary. That welcoming white entry says "happy home" and white-washed brick covered with ivy is instant tradition in a family home.

Style icon

2009-12-26T09:10:00.001-05:00

David Bowie.
Then. Now. Always.

Listen

2009-12-22T07:59:00.005-05:00

Another example of the perfect simplicity of new technology. The Bose i-pod speaker takes the place of stereo equipment and stacks of cd's and piles of cords, plus saturates your environment with velevety sound. Turn it as high as you like (there will be no distortion or thwacking). I love that Bose doesn't make it difficult by having a thousand models to choose from. They make one thing and the only choice you have to make is: white or black.

Super stainless steel

2009-12-19T10:00:00.002-05:00

Stainless steel appliances have graduated to classic status by virtue of their mutability. They work with high-tech super modern decor as well as traditional and rustic and everything in between. They are the white shirt of kitchen design.

TV guide

2009-12-16T08:01:00.002-05:00

Most of us have a television or two in our home. Most of us have struggled with designing a living space around the television at one time or another. Should we put it in a cabinet/armoire? Should we have it out or behind doors? What do we do with the cable boxes/ dvd player? How do we hide the hot mess of wires snaking out of the back of that thing?
This is what makes the flat-screen the greatest electronic advance since the I-Pod. Take something that most of us want in our homes and make it sleek and smart-looking even when it's not in use.

Classic cocktail

2009-12-15T11:48:00.002-05:00

The martini will never go out of style. In a world where so much that was deemed the height of sophistication is now verboten ( cigarettes, fur, the one-night stand) a grown-up can still count on being able to proudly order a vodka martini, straight-up with a twist.

Two women

2009-12-14T07:49:00.003-05:00

Anna Wintour is the editor-in-chief of American Vogue. Carine Roitfeld is the editor-in-chief of French Vogue. Both women have their own style and very much stick to their look and embody the concept of personal style.

Tom Ford is back

2009-12-13T07:15:00.002-05:00

I would want to see this movie even if Tom Ford were only the costume designer. But he is the screenwriter and the director. I would also want to see this movie even if it did not get strong, glowing reviews, but it has. And can't you tell just from the poster that the look of the movie will be a powerful part of it's appeal? The angle of the shot, the gorgeous, disheveled beauty of Julianne Moore and Colin Firth, all pale skin and coppery hair, but punctuated by her black dress and eyeliner, and his glasses. This is a movie for grown-ups and I can not wait to see it.

Cover stories

2009-12-12T07:35:00.002-05:00

Here are a few all-time classic album covers. For me just a glance at any one of these records brings back strong memories of times in my life that I associate with the music of each one, but more than that I think they are each also definitive imagery of the artists they represent. Bruce Springsteen = working class rock and roll; Fleetwood Mac = mystical melodies; Rolling Stones = sex gods; Carly Simon= smoldering songwriter.

Iconic photograph

2009-12-11T07:55:00.003-05:00

Photograph of Nastassja Kinski by Richard Avedon published in Vogue magazine 1981.

Stylish foyer

2009-12-10T07:39:00.003-05:00

I love the look of this foyer. Most of us don't live in a place with an expansive area in which to come and go. The large cabinet/console table is great for storing all of the things we grab on the way out the door, and for stashing the other things that we drag in.

I would add a chair or two flanking the cabinet and have fun changing out the display on top to reflect the seasons or holidays.

It's always about the shoes

2009-12-08T09:21:00.003-05:00

Shoe styles come and go ( I'm talking about you, platforms ), but Manolo Blahnik classic styles are truly timeless. Always feminine and lovely, that thin leather sole holds up the woman who holds up the world.

Edit, edit, edit

2009-12-07T07:49:00.006-05:00

Style is a simple way of saying complicated things. Jean Cocteau
Our life is frittered away by detail...simplify, simplify. Thoreau
Elegance is refusal. Diana Vreeland

Favorite things

2009-12-06T07:48:00.003-05:00

What is there not to like from Hermes? I didn't even include great things for the house like the ashtray or beach blanket. Here are three favorite things from the iconic French store. The Cape Cod watch in white leather, the H buckle belt, and a billowing scarf in Hermes orange.

And of course the Birkin.

The jewelry wardrobe

2009-12-05T21:40:00.004-05:00

The jewelry equivalent of the trench coat, the little black dress and the ballerina flat. All you really need.

Watch them for the clothes

2009-11-10T18:35:00.002-05:00

Three of my favorite movies ( whenever I come across one of them I watch, regardless of whether it is the beginning, middle or end) have strong appeal to me because of the style of the leading ladies.

I realize that costume designers have tremendous influence on the look of a film, but when I watch these movies I feel like I am getting a strong idea of the personal style of each of these actresses.

Diane Keaton is probably the best example of a film icon who is so strongly associated with her quirky persona, and Gwyneth Paltrow is a fine actress who cannot escape her New York classic cool style. And Rene Russo may not be as known for her own look, but she epitomizes the sharp, seductive image in Micheal Kors throughout that movie.

Kelly Kelly Kelly

2009-11-09T07:42:00.003-05:00

I was fortunate enough to stay at the Viceroy Hotel in Miami this past weekend and it did not disappoint.

This is a view from the rooftop on the fifteenth floor. It appears that the pool drops right off of the roof. Talk about an infinity pool.

The hotel is immaculate, the service is discreet and the Kelly Wearstler designed rooms are glamorous, especially the massive, marble-appointed bathroom.

There are many luxury hotels in South Beach, but I prefer the more grown-up appeal of downtown, and the Viceroy on Brickell is just that.

Beyond the sea

2009-11-07T08:38:00.003-05:00

I love some coral, or anything natural for that matter, in a home.
Here are some examples of lovely objects that you may have in your home already but the fact that they are rendered in coral kicks them up a notch. White coral especially has such a wonderful rough beauty. I love the mirror in a foyer against a high-gloss dark wall, and the bowl is great on top of a stack of books or with some keys thrown in it.

Stylish because of what it is not...

2009-11-06T07:59:00.003-05:00

Joe Allen is my favorite restaurant in Miami. It has been open since February 1998 but it feels like it has been around forever, which is a good thing for a restaurant, especially one so off-the-beaten path. There are other locations in London and Paris and the original in New York which opened in 1965.
It is the perfect restaurant because of the things it's not. No "themey" decor or towering wall of liquor bottles behind the bar. No small plates or fusion food. No twenty-minute introduction by the server. The menu is loaded with things you actually want to eat (especially the deserts) and service is understated and professional.
Joe Allen recently opened another place in Manhattan called Bar Centrale which serves bar food, but with the volume turned up (grilled fontina and bacon sandwich; quesadillas stuffed with lobster). I predict that one will be around forever, too.

Sexy, cool car

2009-11-05T07:42:00.002-05:00

Every time I see a BMW Z4 I think, "what a sexy, cool car" and I'm not even a sports car person. I am way too practical and safety conscious. I am so practical that even my car fantasies end with me in a big Mercedes sedan.

But then I see one of these on the road and that involuntary desire kicks in. Midnight blue is the color.

Then I found these

2009-11-04T07:54:00.002-05:00

I know I just showed black and white, but then I found these.

Simple, not plain

2009-11-03T08:13:00.002-05:00

The L.L. Bean Boat and Tote is a perfect example of excellent design. Why?

Because it has nothing it does not need. It is classic American ( and I mean New England ) ingenuity executed with no frills. It will serve limitless uses and hold up long after anyone would tire of it. And even though it is immediately recognizable by it's shape alone, you can make it your own by choosing your own size, color and style and, of course, having it monogrammed.

I love them when they have been around awhile and get all banged up, but in a good way, like something humble that has been passed down through the family like a collection of old board games.

Black and white

2009-11-02T07:42:00.000-05:00

Just a few examples of why black and white is always right.

Perfume icon

2009-11-01T07:05:00.002-05:00

When in doubt about what to choose for yourself or what to give as a gift, Chanel No 5 is the correct choice. If you haven't tried it for a while take another whiff. It simply smells pretty and not at all stuffy or like "serious lady" perfume.
Of course you could just buy it for the packaging. The shape of the perfume bottle was such an unusual choice for a woman's perfume. It's kind of masculine for such a feminine fragrance. The label also an odd choice at a time when flourishes were the thing when advertising all things female. And the white box with black outline and just the legend Chanel No 5, well what else did you need?
Everything about it is just perfect.

Grey, not black

2009-10-30T07:08:00.003-04:00

This may be the most useful garment in your closet (there is one in your closet, isn't there?).

The grey cashmere cardigan is great with a white shirt and a black pencil skirt, open or belted; over a strapless dress (any color), or my favorite way, with a white tee shirt and jeans.

You may think "grandpa" at first, but the current styles are more fitted and there is nothing old-fashioned about them. There is even something classic/sexy about wearing one with the sleeves pushed up, the top and bottom two buttons unbuttoned, no shirt underneath, with broken-in jeans.

That dress

2009-10-29T07:21:00.002-04:00

Diane von Furstenberg's entire career as a fashion designer began with one dress. But what a concept. Design a garment that is throw on easy (a dress) and flattering (the wrap). Who wouldn't rush out to buy one?
And the concept and the dress and most importantly, the woman, live on.

Kitchen style

2009-10-28T07:51:00.004-04:00

I love this kitchen.
First of all, it has that blinding, clean, bright whiteness, but the natural floor and wood-topped bar stools provide the comfort level you want in a kitchen. The appliances are state of the art, a nice contrast with the sort-of farmhouse look. The window over the sink, the arcing faucet that any pot will fit under, plus the sink with the same faucet in the island, the lighting (again, you want lots of light for cooking, but I'll bet they all have dimmers), the cabinets with the glass doors, and the smart little flat screen television on the counter. Perfection!

Go bold or go home

2009-10-27T07:15:00.004-04:00

I love the scale of the objects in this room designed by Matthew J. Lanphier. The round high-gloss white table on the animal-skin rug with the equally wide hanging lamp; then that great big star-burst mirror . Then further back into the room is the massive dark and shiny armoire acting like the sentry to the other furniture grouping.
The neutral colors are perfect for this room because the shapes of things are so strong. Lots of roundness ( the white half-chair and the legs of the coffee table and the globe in the background) but then some sharp lines ( the flat-screen television and the armoire) and texture ( the cashmere throw on the leather chair and the velvet sofa) all add up to a room you just want to be in.

Pearls are a girl's best friend

2009-10-24T07:24:00.003-04:00

Pearls are right for everyone. They transend time and trends. They can be small or large, black or white, long or short. You make pearls your own by the way you wear them. Pile them on like Ms. Chanel or keep it simple like Mrs. Kennedy. Or live forever as the focal point of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Style icon

2009-10-23T21:05:00.003-04:00

I love Lauren Hutton.
I love that every time I see a new photograph of her she looks more like herself, like she has relaxed completely into her look. She has amazing style, amazing all-american classic style. I love her crazy curly hair and her always slightly sun-tanned cheekbones and she is usually smiling and looking like she is deeply happy and not jaded the way you would expect a famous model to be after all those years.

Sinatra style

2009-10-13T10:39:00.004-04:00

It's no secret that Frank Sinatra did it his way. He is a legend for very good reason. His recordings endure because his singing style was timeless. He lived and sang the music.

What is interesting and unexpected is to observe the progression from young man starting out in the entertainment business to show-business icon always maintaining an impeccable look that told the world exactly who he was.

I love how he always looks perfectly appropriate, like he respects the job he's doing and the people he is working with, but he can't help but make the look his own by the way he loosens his tie or wears his hat at an angle. He had so much talent that he could just dress well and let his swagger speak for itself.

The Elements of Style

2009-10-09T09:16:00.004-04:00

The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White is a writing style guide which was first published in 1919 and was most often used as a grammar and usage guide by high-school English teachers.

It is a slim volume of rules for speaking and writing properly set down in list form with examples and, in the 2005 edition, lovely illustrations by Maira Kalman.

What I like about it is how relevant these same principles are for expressing individual style. For instance, Do not overstate, Avoid fancy words, Write in a way that comes naturally and my favorite, Omit needless words. In other words, edit, edit, edit.

Thanks, Michelle

2009-10-08T08:20:00.003-04:00

Here are just a few photographs of First Lady Michelle Obama wearing a cardigan.
I love that she wears them everywhere with everything. I don't even know if I have ever seen a picture of her wearing a traditional jacket.
I get that jackets are a great way to complete an outfit, and the pockets are useful, but sweaters just feel better on. I can forget I am wearing it, unlike a jacket which feels so restrictive.
And there is so much more available style-wise. But even if you opt for a simple style and color it is just so much more wearable. Take a navy, cotton cardigan; wear it with jeans, a strapless dress, white walking shorts, even a bathing suit. Perfect, and democratic!

Things that cannot be improved upon volume I

2009-10-05T11:05:00.004-04:00

What do linguini with clams, the Eames lounge chair, hydrangeas, a Chanel jacket, post-it notes and the movie Casablanca have in common?

They are all things that cannot be improved upon.

Please feel free to add to the list.

Favorite things

2009-10-03T19:38:00.005-04:00

Here are three of my favorite pieces from www.dwr.com. The Arco floor lamp, the Saarinen table and the Louis Ghost chair.

They are most definitely iconic mid-century modern designs, but insert any one of them into a traditional space and the effect is like wearing Levi's with a Chanel jacket; it takes the seriousness out of the equation.

For me the beauty of these items in particular is the idea that there is nothing extraneous to them. The way the lamp swans over in that elegant curve is so unlike the typical floor or table lamp; it illuminates exactly what you want illuminated. The table takes the heft of ancient marble and whittles it down into a smooth, cool disc with a super practical sleek, round base. And the chair updates the classic Louis IVX style by rendering it in acrylic of all things.

Another example of the beauty of simplicity.

Style icon

2009-10-02T08:42:00.003-04:00

This is style.

The Mira Nair movie 'Amelia' starring Hilary Swank opens October 23rd.

Stylish house

2009-10-01T08:10:00.002-04:00

This is my friend's house in L.A. It has a glamorous, grown-up look.

The colors are moody but there are hits of sparkle and shine mixed in. I love it when you go into someone's home and you want touch everything and sit everywhere. Doesn't that velvet sofa make you want to lay across it and drink a glass of champagne? Or if you are all dressed for an evening out you want to perch on one of those leather ottomans and put on your shoes before heading out the door?

Los Angeles is such a sunny, happy place. I love that this space is the counterpoint to all that. It's like ducking into a cool, dark lounge for a cocktail in the middle of the day.

I love L.A.

2009-09-30T08:47:00.003-04:00

This was my favorite work of art at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. This Giacometti sculpture is in the lobby of the Getty Museum. The building was designed by Richard Meier and the style is pure Los Angeles. Clean lines, acres of glass letting the sunshine fill the space, pristine white against all the greenery.

The general feeling I take away from Los Angeles is laid-back luxe. There is style, but nothing is in-your-face. The women all look natural; everyone seemed to have great skin and hair, as if they were all the offspring of models. Just very fresh, pretty and friendly.

I also noticed the way the women in L.A. wear clothes. They wear the current fashion, but in their way. Skinny jeans, slouchy tees, shorts with heels, but it doesn't look fierce or forced. There is always some skin showing, but not in the obvious places.

L.A. is such a counterpart to Miami. The two cities have so much in common, but the aesthetics are worlds apart. I appreciate both.

Stylish movie

2009-09-23T08:41:00.004-04:00

I happened to catch this movie by chance last night. It was right at the part where the Cary Grant character gets off the bus in the middle of nowhere and is being attacked by the cropduster.

This Alfred Hitchcock movie just oozes style, from the title sequence to the score, to the cinematography, the costumes and on and on. The the locations are epic American: the United Nations building, Grand Central Terminal, the Twentieth Century Ltd. train, that Indiana countryside, the house that juts out over a cliff, which was in fact built for the movie in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright, and of course Mount Rushmore.

I love the look of all of the characters, particularly how the men all looked elegant, of course Cary Grant can't help but look elegant, but even the villians looked handsome and refined. And Eva Marie Saint had that classic, cool blondeness and looked so lethal in her ladylike dresses.

I would watch this one just for the look of it, but like many Hitchcock movies there is a lot to pay attention to and even after all these years I still something I never noticed before. That's what makes a movie a classic.

Happy Anniversary

2009-09-22T07:14:00.011-04:00

The Guggenheim Museum is always well worth visiting, however, three things make right now a particularly special time to make the trip.
This year marks the fiftieth anniversay of the opening of the architectural landmark that was designed by architect Frank O. Gehry and was recently registered as a National Historic Landmark. The amazing spiral space seems to make the viewing of art an interactive experience; you find yourself climbing along and enjoying the art and you are rewarded by the beauty of the space itself from every vantage point.
The current Wassily_Kandinsky exhibition is especially fitting because his works helped to inspire the creation of the building. Solomon R. Guggenheim enthusiastically collected the artist's work and opened the Museum of Non-Objective Painting and later commissioned Mr. Gehry to design the building that would become the Guggenheim. The museum has also undergone an extensive renovation, completed just in time for the festivities to begin.

The Palm Beach story

2009-09-21T07:10:00.006-04:00

Palm Beach is a jewel of a town. It is a priveleged, pristine part of the nation and a place that has become so iconic that the name itself is shorthand for the best that is the United States.

There is the natural beauty of fourteen miles of oceanfront real estate dotted with white houses on perfectly manicured parcels of land, and Worth Avenue, the fittingly named shopping thoroughfare in the town where only the best of the best luxury goods purveyors are lined up side by side like the designer shoes inside the Vogue magazine accessories closet.

And then there is The Breakers. This is the kind of place that honeymoons were invented for. The kind of place where fourteen dollars for pancakes does not seem unreasonable. The kind of place where you can have a choice of pools to enjoy based on the level of serenity you're after.

Only in Palm Beach.

The great tablescape

2009-09-19T08:44:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite ways to put the finishing touch on a room or to re-invigorate the decor of a space is to gather up a group of items and make that a feature of the design.

One example of this is a tablescape which is a hallmark of the designer David Hicks. Mr. Hicks was one of the best known and copied decorators of his time and many of his signature looks are still used and beloved.

He would amass a collection in a small area, typically on a coffee table or side table, and the components would contribute color, texture and energy to a space. The items could be things that were related in some way or completely random pieces that Mr. Hicks thought would look good together.

This is great way to inject personality and whimsy into a room. So be playful or autobiographical and try it: take a tray, toss a book or two, maybe a candle, a small picture frame and whatever else makes you smile when you look at it. Play around with displaying it on the tray, and feel free to change things in or out.

Lovely living room

2009-09-18T09:11:00.002-04:00

I love the look of this room. It has a perfect, understated blend of my favorite types of decor. Most of the furnishings are traditonal but there is just enough of some contrasting elements that make it interesting.

I love some modern seating in a living room to play off of the conservative main seating and the unmatched lighting flanking the sofa with the whole look grounded by the antique-looking carpet with lots of rich, but muted, color.

Also the hardwood floors and pair of windows seem to contain this section of the room and the pops of natural beauty in the flowers and branches are the perfect finishing touch.

Don't hate her because she's beautiful

2009-09-15T07:40:00.005-04:00

Kelly Wearstler has a gift, and I'm not talking about her loveliness or laid-back glamorous personal style.
I'm talking about The Tides South Beach, the Viceroy Palm Springs, Santa Monica and Miami, the Trina Turk boutiques in Palm Springs and Los Angeles, etc., to name just a few of the places where her designs take the idea of interior space to a new level using bold shapes and exuberant color to evoke a mood of optimistic, modern luxe.

I love that she does things on such a grand scale; countless objects grouped together; rich, saturated colors and some over-sized something somewhere in the room. So she gets to have all that talent and be a goddess too; that seems fair.

I love her style

2009-09-14T20:08:00.003-04:00

This is Ina Garten, otherwise known as the Barefoot Contessa, in her New York City apartment.

Most pictures of Ina depict her in that amazing kitchen of her home in the Hamptons, but when I saw this photo it confirmed what I had decided the first time I bought one of her cookbooks. She has serious style. She keeps it simple in the kitchen; her recipes are always things that you want to eat. A perfect roast chicken, a sexy cocktail, a luscious layer cake. No fussy, complicated meals. And her home has that clean, lovely, comfortable ambience that makes you wish she were your friend and you could stop in for the random coffee and biscotti anytime.

So of course her home in the city has that stamp of her personal style. Of course.

Favorite things

2009-09-11T11:13:00.007-04:00

These are three of my favorite pieces from the Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. collection.

The lacquer doughnut bangle, the bone cuff and the bottle pendant.

This year marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of her collaboration with Tiffany & Co. and these are some of the earlier designs, but they have such a modern appeal. I love the way her pieces look rounded and feel smooth and shine against the skin. Always unfussy and understated. Always perfect.

Style under pressure

2009-09-10T09:56:00.003-04:00

The President of the United States continues to plow ahead with the gargantuan task of running the country despite the barrage of inappropriate behavior, comments and just plain nonsense coming at him from members of the Republican party and their supporters.

Do we really have this kind of time to waste when so much work is needed to solve the serious issues we face? Through all of this I see President Obama maintain his focus, coolly pushing forward and talking about what matters.

I hope it is enough.

Huh?

2009-09-09T08:32:00.005-04:00

I just watched this movie again over the weekend. It's one of those movies that if I come across it when I am just clicking through the channels, I watch it til the end.

But still I miss most of the dialog no matter how far I turn up the volume or how closely I watch. I'd like to buy the movie and watch it over and over and be able to scroll super-slow through the parts I keep missing. Like the small, through-away comments the Maggie Smith character tosses off, and the telephone conversation the Bob Balaban character has in the background while the murder investigation is going on. I think part of it is the style of the director Robert Altman who often has many characters in a movie all talking at the same time and maybe it's the multitude of accents going on.

But that cast of actors is amazing and I always discover someone who I didn't recognize before (this time it was Clive Owen). I love how an American movie director nailed all the details of that exotic world. So if anyone can tell me what was going on in that movie I would appreciate it.

Georgia O'Keeffe on my mind

2009-09-08T17:22:00.004-04:00

Georgia O'Keeffe is getting new attention as an abstract artist in light of an exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York this month. Although she has been most famously thought of as a representational painter, her early work was abstractionist; when she realized her early work was being interpreted in Freudian terms as sexual she began to show more realist paintings.

I have always loved her work. I think she beautifully expresses the awe in the details of natural things.

The Whitney exhibition begins September 17. On September 19 the movie 'Georgia O'Keeffe' starring Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons as O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz airs on Lifetime.

Home

2009-09-07T09:36:00.000-04:00

As a general rule, I'd rather be home more than anyplace else in the world, but I have a never-ending curiosity about the way other people live. I would love it if you took the time to tell me about your home. What do you love about your home? What do you not love? What is your favorite thing in your home? Where do find yourself spending the most time when you are home? When you are not at home, what do you miss? What do want to change about the way you live? Whose is the most memorable home you've ever been in and why?
I can't wait to read your answers and I will post mine next time.

Lipstick

2009-09-06T05:54:00.001-04:00

I am obsessed with lipstick.

Which is odd because for my entire life I've only ever worn some sublte shade of beige. But here's the thing about lipstick; it's very satisfying to shop for. If you've ever walked into a sephora and seen the selection there, you just know you will find the one lipstick that is maybe in the tiniest way a vast improvement on the lipstick you are currently wearing. Maybe it's shinier or shearer or pinker, but you swipe it on the top of your left hand and you think: this is it...this is the lipstick I will wear from now on..this is the perfect shade...this is the color that will make it okay for me to run around the world without any make-up at all on and still look amazing!

I read recently about a phenomena that economists call the 'lipstick index'. When the economy goes down, lipstick sales shoot up. The idea being that lipstick is an affordable luxury, so when we may be reluctant to spend money on big-ticket items for ourselves we will buy lipstick. Even if you buy the most expensive lipstick you're maybe out about twenty-five dollars. This is a small price to pay to walk out the door feeling like the most together woman in the world. So if you want something new but you don't like, won't wear or can't afford what is available, go buy lipstick. Get two.

Icon

2009-09-05T12:48:00.000-04:00

This is the cover of the October 2009 issue of Vanity Fair.

What else is there to say?

That face

2009-09-04T08:13:00.001-04:00

If they ever carve a Mt. Rushmore of rock icons, Keith Richards should be the first face.

Has anyone else ever so perfectly match their persona as this man at this time?

I don't want to meet Keith Richards or know him in any way. I just want to know that his coolness is out there in the world somewhere.

It only looks high maintenance

2009-09-03T06:46:00.001-04:00

It's not. It is actually ridiculously low maintenance.

They look so delicate but the reality is that they last quite a long time with very little attention paid to them. They are available at most grocery stores, and for about as much as two bunches of fresh flowers. And the payoff is weeks and sometimes months of bloom.

Try putting one on an entry hall table, or on a coffee table or on top of a stack of books. It will be like putting that last great accesssory on your outfit.

September

2009-09-02T07:05:00.001-04:00

I'm not going back to school, but if I were, I know what I would wear on the first day.

I would wear a new white shirt, crisp, not wrinkly, cuffs rolled up, not folded.

This may be the most underrated item in the closet. It can go with anything. It can go anywhere. It flatters everyone. It is available at any price range.

If you want to get the most from your wardrobe budget, start here. It will be the perfect foundation for anything else you add and it will instantly update the clothes you already have.

The look is at once chic, snappy and glamorous.

Picture perfect

2009-08-31T21:11:00.000-04:00

This iconic Slim Aarons photograph of C.Z. Guest at her oceanfront estate, Villa Artemis in Palm Beach , epitomizes American glamour.

If you look only at the forefront of the photo you see the preppy, wholesome good looks of a mother and son and the family pets. Look at the photo as a whole and they are American royalty against that Grecian temple pool.

This and other brilliant photographs from "Poolside with Slim Aarons" are available for sale at photographersgallery.

It's an Italian thing

2009-08-30T14:23:00.001-04:00

Sophia Loren.

Bulgari, gelato, Capri, chianti, the Uffizi gallery, a vespa, bolognese sauce, Donatella Versace, fettucine alfredo, lamborghini, Fellini, espresso, Leonardo DaVinci, mozzarella, opera, Rome, Piazza San Marco, biscotti, Etro.

Yeah, I'm proud.

Church

2009-08-30T04:22:00.000-04:00

Reading the Sunday New York Times is a reward at the end of the week. If anything happened anywhere, it's in there, so I know I will get to whatever I missed Monday through Saturday. If you want to know what smart people think, read the week in review section. If you want to know what everybody else is reading, read the book review section. Save the style section for last.

So cool

2009-08-29T16:37:00.001-04:00

These super-dark sunglasses suit females and males equally. They are a little tough when a women wears them, but friendly on a guy. They give gravitas to a young face, and impishness to an older face. Doesn't everyone just look better in ray-ban Wayfarer sunglasses?

LOVE

2009-08-28T12:16:00.000-04:00

I don't think I looked at this sculpture enough when I lived in Pennsylvania. Such a small word with huge meaning rendered in this massive sculpture in that red/blue color combination. Nothing timid about it. Nothing timid about LOVE.

Favorite things

2009-08-27T07:49:00.000-04:00

I want one of everything at http://www.jonathanadler.com/. These are a few of my current favorites, but honestly I am happy just to wander through the shop on Lincoln Road because it is the cheeriest store there.

The lacquer nesting cubes also come in white, brown and orange. I love that they are utilitarian and glamorous at the same time. How many things can you say that about?

The letter pillows are a great, bold graphic accent piece. The muse candle votive set would make a great hostess gift for a couple...one on each nightstand. After the candle is gone I would use the muse to hold paper clips or change on a desk or dresser.

Simple, perfect style

2009-08-26T06:30:00.000-04:00

See, this is what I mean about style. So simple, so perfect.

We recently got an amazonKindle in our home. The idea that it stores all of your books inside itself appeals to the minimalist in me. The look of it, kind of futuristic but not at all "tricked out" with useless stuff all over it appeals to the design lover in me.

The best thing about it for me is...60 seconds! That is all it takes to get the latest thing you want to read. So now I want to download and read John Adams by David McCullough beacause I heard that President Obama has included it in his collection of vacation reading material. I thought about reading that one for a couple of years now, but since I heard that the President will be reading it, I have to read it right now.

Fall Fashion

2009-08-25T10:28:00.000-04:00

Contemplating fall fashion is an altogether different matter when you live in Miami. Obviously it is warm, even hot, all through the traditional fall fashion months of September, October, November and December. You do dress in weightier fabrics, but unless you spend your days in air-conditioning, it is just too warm to even think about layering - so forget the tank or tee under a sweater, and really forget the jacket over anything.
But, still, you want to make some sartorial concessions to the season. I want a few fall-ish accessories. A leopard clutch from, anntaylor, chanel Dazzling nail polish ( a perfect, laquer red) and a spritz of kiehls original musk will do the trick for me.

Welcome to the Jungle

2009-08-24T13:38:00.001-04:00

This zebra rug from ballarddesigns is making me very happy in its new home at the foot of my bed. I've wanted one forever and was content to be on the waiting list for the one by Jonathan Adler when I saw this one in the new Ballard catalog. It looks and feels great and is more affordable too.
I think every home, like every wardrobe, needs a little animal print.

The September Issues

2009-08-21T08:17:00.000-04:00

For some people it's Christmas, or their birthday, but for me there is no annual event that I look forward to more than the September issues of magazines. I love that they are enormous, and even though they are mostly filled with ads, I do not care, I love the ads too. I love that they are filled with winter clothes, coats and boots even though I live in Florida. I especially love that they last me long enough to get to the October issues.

Here we go

2009-08-18T20:36:00.000-04:00

I think often about what makes life good and how to live it with style. I also love a good list-so here is a list, in no particular order, and certainly not comprehensive, of what this blog will be about...decorating, fashion, books, food, travel and the never-ending curiousity I have about what it takes to live a simple, stylish life.