JON HAMM ON SNL

I am like every other woman, gay man, or for that matter straight man in America...I Love Don Draper, even though I want to hate him. He is such a bastard, but like melted butter on toast to the eyes. This segment from SNL made me laugh SO HARD. Also, I realize what good wardrobe and a hair cut really does for a person.

Click on the title of you want to watch Jon Hamm.

MATTHEW COURTNEY

I was in Soho Yesterday and there was a street artist called Matthew Courtney that was a force of nature so magnetic, I couldn't help but stop and see him. He had written one of JFK's quotes on a piece of newspaper. It inspired me to commission him to a piece for $40, I'm all for helping out artists on the street. He told me he was a RIDICULOUS OPTIMIST. When I asked him why, he told me about some of his experiences, and one that stuck out is that he has had AIDS since 2002. He is CLEARLY still passionate about life, making art everyday, and doing what he wants to do on his terms. All the money in the world is cannot buy what he has. Happiness and HOPE. I got the chills and immediately wanted to hug him to get some of his energy.

HIS WORK. He uses newspaper, writes quotes with a thick black marker, and then colors a letter or two in with a very colorful chalk. Above, mine has a POP of Kelly Green.

This piece may never get into the Whitney but its a reminder for me, a moment in my life, when I was asked to come to New York for a really memorable experience. It will confirm that HOPE is always the road to a dream's birth. I never thought I would ever meet, let alone be on the Nate Berkus show or meet the lovely Michelle Adams from Lonny.

A quote that has gotten me through some rough times, that I and many of you may be going through, is pictured above. WE ARE THE SUM OF ALL OUR EXPERIENCES. If you are going through an uncomfortable time, have hope and be a ridiculous optimist. You can bounce, and just remember all of the past experiences have gotten you here.

Matthew does not own a cell phone or a website address since he believes that all the technology now has made us socially inept, but he can be found on Prince Street near Greene. Check out his Youtube video by click on the title above. ITS PRETTY COOL!

LONNY MAGAZINE

While I was in New York shooting my segment for the Nate Berkus show on my apt, I met the most amazing and GORGEOUS women that has inspired thousands of interior designers and editors this past year. MICHELLE ADAMS from LONNY MAGAZINE and her work associate Ellie Sommerville who has a great gift guide this month. We were both filming segments minutes from each other and ended up talking a bit and then I realized it was Michelle Adams from Lonny Magazine. WOW. She was giving me a pep talk as I was VERY NERVOUS.

Lauched a year ago by Michelle Adams and Photographer Patrick Cline, Lonny has been featured in Vanity Fair(where I used to work), The New York Times, NPR, Design Sponge, Apt Therapy, Nate Berkus Show, blogs worldwide, and Nate Berkus and Kelly Weartler, look to them for inspiration. Its a phenomenon that is only going to get bigger.


I LOVE THEIR MISSION STATEMENT.
"OUR MISSION is to open the doors to accessible design and connect our readers to their favorite products and resources at the click of a mouse. Our freedom from page limits means that we can share more content in each issue, delivering an intimate look into the way people really live." Check it out by clicking on the title above.


PLEASE...if you are into interior design, this online magazine will change your life. I was so sad when Domino Folded but with Lonny coming out, it was like finding a new boyfriend after a bad breakup.

iRETROFONEBASE

Cerentha Harris, the editor of HermanMiller.com,recently contacted me to chat. I checked out her website and blog, which is AMAZING!

She blogged about this GREAT FIND, called the iretrofonbase. I was really attracted to this for a few reasons...I can set my new iphone4 on something that will charge it, look cool, and best of all, you can find your phone. If you are like me, you lose that perfect piece of machinery every few hours. Check it out on Etsy by clicking on the title above.

Also, check out Cerentha's work on http://www.hermanmiller.com/lifework/more-than-eye-candy or her blog http://thisisadesignblog.com.

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS

My friend Arthur, sent me this video. Its the most beautiful thing I have seen in years. Amazing. Its 6 minutes though, so a time commitment but if you are a visual person, its amazing. Its a visual poem by Mickey Smith...an Irish Surfer.

Check it out by clicking on the title.

A DAY IN NY

Today was such a random exciting day.

This city, as big as it is, is so small. I must have bumped into 20 random people I knew, unscheduled, from my past jobs or random friends today.


It started out going to the Paul Smith Sample Sale. I met an amazing guy named Robert Carruth. He is the General Manager of the Wholesale group for Paul Smith but I think that his calling is in editorial styling. We were just talking and going through all the clothing, and everytime I asked him for his opinion, like a diplomatic champion with calm and easy, he would tell me his thoughts on pieces, like a stylist that had been doing it for years. Estee Stanley, Rachel Zoe, Jennifer Hitgzes, Joe Zee...move over. Robert could easly play with the big boys. He has IMPECCABLE TASTE.

I photographed him at the Paul Smith Sale because he was talent, and the must have's he was pointing out to buy, that of course was 85 percent off retail was a joy. My friend Riza, invited me to the editor only Paul Smith Sample sale, where I went a little nuts.

On the way, I bumped into writer and work collegue Evgenia Peretz, and caught up on things. She was running to meet Tina Chai, another stylist friend at a movie screening. We talked for a bit, and then at my sister's showroom where we were looking at her handbags, (GRYSON), and then bumped into photo agent, Vernon Jolly and Susan Shin who I worked with when I was a Vanity Fair. Vernon was Herb Ritts Agent , and I was the producer for Herb a decade ago.

Onward...then to Extra Virgin in West Village for a quick drink with Riza, moving onto this surreal Arianna Huffington Post party, where we ran into Editor Cynthia Leive who I used to work for, chefs Tom Collichio and Marcus Sammuelson who I had met prior at Shoots for Bon Appetit, writer David Margolick who I worked with at Vanity Fair and might have had a crush on, and then some iconic personalities...like Mayor Bloomberg, Elliot Spitzer, Arianne Huffington, Sean Penn who of course I was afraid to photograph so I passed, Some fun photos to look at. Random.

FENTON/FALLON JEWELRY

Vogue featured a page on cool items for under $100. The necklace pictured above with the plaid mix is $95. The other necklaces are under $300. Check them out by clicking on their website. I really like these ones.

BLACK AND BOLD

There is something so thrilling about being able to DESIGN and create a NEW look whether its for an apartment, office, or home. I think I started something here. Change is good. I might carry that into the wardrobe starting today.

Now that I live in LA, I love it, I swear, but I find LA fashion DULL...BORING...LACKING STYLE...NOT STRIKING. Its so sad that people here have to pay people to dress them.

My best friends including my sister are in fashion, mostly fashion editors or in the media and so I have always been around fashionistas. There is no hesitation mixing pattern, or wearing bold colors or mismatching colors or going out on a limb and mixing H&M with Chloe. If they are decked out in all black or just a hanes tee with APC jeans, its head to toe fabulous. An amazing pair of shoes or a new trendy bag that pops usually is involved.

Can I be mean? LA people dryclean too much, wear flipflops, complain about being broke and shop so everything matches. Nothing wrong with that, but I'm just saying...its boring. I don't mean to sound like a know it all, but come on! If your broke, go to a consignment store or log onto GILT.COM. Have kids? Don't blame it on the kids.

Some of us are at the age, where we talk ourselves out of things because its not age appropriate or is it just that we have gotten dull? "I buy solids cause I'll keep these timeless pieces forever"...LIE. Those pieces are in the back of my closet with holes from moths or can't be reached at arm's length.

I'm inspired.

Fashion week for Spring 2011 (Paris and New York) had some cool images, too many to post. Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, Oscar De Laurenta, Blaenciaga, Mui Mui went super CRAZY WITH PATTERN and color. I do love the simplicity and the mellow designs of Richard Chai and Phillip Lim though. I have attached some photos to inspire me and maybe you too.

DESIGN SPONGE BEFORE AND AFTERS

This weekend the weather was filled with rain and dark clouds which made me stay in and want to do some home renovation and organizing. I also went online to all my favorite blogs and got inspired by all the creative people blogging about their before and after projects. These are a few I found on DesignSponge. Pretty creative what these people did. Its made my mind race and hunt for things that I could redo as well. Check out what a coat of paint, and a little imagination can do. Pretty cool.