Art Show at the Spring Bull Gallery

If you are going to be in Newport, RI this summer, take a jaunt inside Spring Bull Gallery on Bellevue Avenue and buy a painting for your pad!  If there is one thing that shows good taste, it is real art.  I hate prints.  Real art is a lifetime investment for a beautiful home - and an appreciation of beauty.  Its fun to go through a Museum or gallery and discover a painting that connects with all of your personal thoughts and experiences.  Maybe you don't know what I mean, but you will when you find a painting that you really like!

Lilacism

Correction:  New favorite nail color:  Essie's opaque lavender called Lilacism.  I still like Coney Island, but it only lasts for like a day.  Today I was scrubbing pots, swinging around little children, and still my nails are good.

Random Beauty Tricks

This summer I've been favoring some pretty random beauty habits, but I think they work and I thought I'd share them with you. 
1.  Drink my cocktail especial - tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, dash of cayenne pepper and teaspoon of maple syrup to sweeten.  This drink is a cure all and I basically drink it whenever I feel like I've over-eaten, (which is pretty much daily now - I mean, how can you eat just one of my grandmother's biscuits?  They are so small!)  It helps digestion and revs up the metabolism.

2. Dry Brushing - I'm too lazy to do this everyday, but I like to do it before I take a shower.  I just use a dry bath brush.  Exfoliates and tones the skin - I did this religiously when I was pregnant both times too, because I think it helps to prevent marks.  Also, it feels really good, like someone is scratching your back!

3.  Paint my nails in pastel colors because they make me look tan (in my opinion, I'm not sure if anyone else really notices) - my col-ahs:  American Apparel Nail polish in Coney Island (opaque light pink) and NYC color in Kisses (sheer lavender)

4.  I'm still shedding...grrr.  Its very aggravating - but I have to say I like my hair better post pregnancy, because I just have way too much hair as it is, so my hair getting thicker during those nine months was just not a good thing.  Right now, I'm using Lavender Baby Shampoo (Johnson's) and Morroccan Argan oil.  I don't use conditioner.  My hair is shiny and looking great, even despite my dumb looking bangs that I cut myself!

Just Add Water

I haven't painted in almost a year - Here are my first two attempts!

The Perfect Omelet

Their is a very common schedule to our mornings these days.  I will describe:  My daughter and son wake me up, I get dressed and make the beds and then we go downstairs where my grandfather has set out cut-up oranges or cantalope and tea waiting.  My grandparents always get dressed before they come downstairs, so you know, when in Rome do as the Romans do.  For breakfast we pretty much always have an egg with toast and tea, but sometimes one of us gets ambitious and makes some kind of fried egg scramble.  Well, I'm alot more confident in my breakfast foods these days and very happy to be in a fully outfitted kitchen, so this week I made omelets for everyone.  I will tell you the steps as ingrained in my brain by America's Test Kitchen :

1. Use a stainless steel pan and put it on the stove on low - pour a little oil on the pan too (I use coconut oil)

2. Cut up small chunks of butter and put them in the freezer.

3. Put two eggs in a bowl with a third egg yolk - beat for exactly 80 strokes

4.  After ten minutes, take the butter out of the freezer and add to the egg mixture before pouring into the pan.  Also, pour some of the excess oil out of the pan before you do this.  

5.  Scramble eggs gently and then spread evenly.

6.  Sprinkle cheese and chopped chives.

7.  Once eggs are cooked well enough to move without breaking, tip pan over a plate and let the omelet slide out onto the plate.  The show I watched used a paper towel on the plate to roll the omelet without breaking it, but I'm not that skillful yet, so I usually just fold it in half.

Oia-La! 

If you want to be really fancy you could warm the plates first and sprinkle a little extra chives on top, but I'm usually too hungry and distracted with little munchkins to bother with that. 

Fun at the Lake

Now that we are living with my grandparents for the summer - life has certainly gotten more interesting.  I love being at their house for a couple of reasons:  (1) They live on a lake and I practically grew up there - so nice memories (2) I love to cook and my grandparents are very happy to have someone cook for them, and I have never met an audience as easy to please as they are (3) My children get to enjoy them as well. 

                       4 generations of bathing suits - You think we have something in common? ;)  

Gifts for the Discriminating Gentleman

None of the men in my life would be what you would exactly describe as "descriminating" so to speak - but everyone likes nice things in one form or another and I really like to indulge them if I can.  This Father's Day my husband and I bought all of our fathers (which includes my dad, my step-dad, my grandfather, and my father-in-law) pens hand-made from a student of his back in Toledo.

 For my husband, I got him a vintage alarm clock (because he hated his so much last year) and a sunblock stick.  I know, you are thinking that is sooo practical, what the heck.  But this is my dream list of gifts that I would give to all of them.  I like to get ideas from movies too by the way - because certain stylish characters can always give you good tips for real life.  For example: 

1.  Elizabeth Taylor gives Big Daddy a cashmere robe in the film Cat on a Hot Tin Roof  - and I think that is a very sweet gift for anybody - especially a father.  This is my pick because black looks a little too Karate and brown is just blah.

2.  Some Stationary from Crane&Co - In Brideshead the characters are always scribbling little notes to each other - invitations to parties and so forth - and it is so much classier than sending an e-mail.  

3. Crystal Cut Decanter set  - I guess you could refer to Cat on Hot Tin Roof too, but there are alot of stylish films where Decanters make an appearance.

4.  And finally, a daytrip to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, or any scenic locale that works for a pleasant surprise.  Maybe a sailboat charter?  

Old Disney Favorites

I miss all the "other" Disney movies that did not follow some beautiful-but-independent princess.  I think I might barf at the next Pixar creation I see.  Here are some of my daughter's latest viewings.  I forgot Disney once had beautiful animation and catchy music.

Silver-Spooned Desserts

I once over-heard my step-grandfather talking about how delicious blackberries with milk and sugar are, and later that night I tried it.  It's not a fancy combination but wow- it is really really good.  I've tried it with all kinds of berries since then, but only blackberries hit the spot.  Use fresh when possible.  For a party, put in a parfait glass and add a long spoon. 
Another parfait-worthy dessert - sliced bananas with whipped cream, chopped walnuts, and agave nectar. 

My Favorite Illustrator- Karoly Reich

I first encountered Karoly Reich in the form of some postcards in the gift shop of the Art Museum in Budapest, and I liked them so much that I had to buy all of them.  I know that I still have them around here somewhere!  (Its a little hard to keep track of small items like that with all the moving)  But I always wanted to frame them and put them in my daughter's bedroom.  Anyway, there are plenty of children's illustrators, but there are a few who really have individual styles -  and within their illustrations, their singularity shines.  I love Reich's bright colors.  There is a special romance and innocence in each of his pictures. 

Foggy Day

I love waking up in the morning and feeling sleepy from a grey, foggy day.  Its a delicious feeling!  The trees always seem greener and the atmosphere quieter.

Here is my grandmother doing her morning journal writing.  Mind the artist clutter!

A foggy day painting that she did last week in Newport - seemed to really capture the day. 
Greenbridge at Newport  by Jacqueline Roy.  $500

organic color- just add water

I'm always amazed by my daughter's watercolors.  I know I'm the Mama, so I'm just a teensy bit biased, but I don't remember ever having produced anything so colorful and fluid at the age of two.

Cape Cod Sketch in blue Ink

Blue was all that I had at the time, but it turned out to suit this picture perfectly, I think!

Sunshine is good for you

I did believe the whole sunscreen hype for a good five years or so, and maybe I still do, I don't know.  I never go out and intentionally bake - but I'm done with slathering it on everytime I want to go outside.  I know this is like blasphemy in the beauty world right now - but come on...don't you feel so good after you come back from a day at the beach, or even just a day spent outside?  I always notice that my eyebrows seem to grow.  They always look jet black and thick after... as weird as that sounds.  I saw this woman on T.V. once who believed that people were like plants and all you had to do to was drink in the sunshine for most of your nourishment...I know thats crazy, but at the same time, I don't think the sun is as evil as everybody says.  And hey, I'm not out everyday trying to look like a greasy steak!  But I have olive skin, I eat lots of vegetables and drink lots of green tea - I'm not saying that I'll never wear sunscreen again, I'm just not worrying about it so much anymore. 
Some of my favorite summertime products:

I love this because it is so elegant, and can be used all over - face, hair, and body.  also it smells wonderful.  Last summer I was pregnant and I used it every day.

I like this sunscreen because it is milky and light in texture and smells nice.  Also, it is supposed to help you get a tan and I like that.  ;)

This is the mother of all toners - it is probably something you could use instead of a moisturizer because it is very hydrating. 
And that's it.  What else would you need anyway?

Top photo of Marisa Berenson from Style.com

Dream House List Continued

3. A bookcase:  because once I put all my books up nice and organized, the room already begins to look warm and homey: then I would take a book out, stretch out on my lobster rug, and relax!

From Ikea: Their shelving is clean and efficient.

4.  I like this coat rack from Urban Outfitters - then maybe my family (ahem-you know who you are) would hang up his clothes when he comes in. 

5.  A silver tray - makes dinner - lunch -or breakfast!- in bed so much more luxurious.

Dream House

I'll just buy one of the buildings from Salve!

Now that I am home and have survived being scrunched in the backseat of our Saab for 13 hours (with my legs under a little red potty, no less!) I've begun to think about what really makes a space stylish and inviting from the very beginning - Like for example, if you just buy a new house or get a new apartment and don't have money to decorate completely yet, what are the basic things that would at least give a little color, warmth, luxury, etc.?  When my husband and I first moved into our last apartment, we didn't waste any time filling it with furniture - it almost seemed to make us restless to not have a coffee table or desk right away - but the weeks preceding our departure, the apartment got barer and barer as we sold things, and I began to realize how little you really need to be content.  (I'm sure it was also the welcome prospect of moving back home to New England)  All I can say about our last space was that it was blank white, shoddily built, and lacked any character whatsoever, so that could have had to do with my nervous obsession with trying to completely redecorate it.  A certain thought kept coming back to me; that if the architecture that surrounds you is beautiful in itself, than the less you will feel required to put things in front of it.  Of course that's easier said than done, but if one looks for quality rather than quantity in anything, I think the result will be far more pleasing than trying to compensate.  I like America; after all its my home, where I was born and grew up.  I like having a free market (as free as it can be right now given the current circumstances) but I do sometimes think of Alexis de Tocqueville when he talked about the inclination for fast money in our culture, which does seem to produce alot of creations lacking in quality or beauty. 

And so, here is my list of things-to begin-living-comfortably-without-going-wild.
1. A nice carpet - provides color to the room, can be sat or laid on - feels nice underfoot.  I could wait for other stuff for a while if I just had a nice rug.  Also, I am just maaaaaad about rugs. 

My pick: this lobster rug from Anthropologie:  to also commemorate my husband's new channeling of careers.  It would look good in any room and it looks so soft.

2.  A tea set.  Tea is my morning ritual.   Whenever I'm at the mall I have to go into the Teavana store and ogle at all the tea sets and take a sip of their so-fancy tea that costs an arm and a leg!  I think this is my favorite tea set from them: it looks so classic.