Some Thoughts on Luxury

Quietly luxurious trays by ceramicist Richard Carter via Nickey Kehoe. Carter is currently collaborating with Kostow on a new line of dinnerware Carter|Kostow.

At the studio (and in my everyday life), I spend an awful lot of time thinking about how to make things feel special, memorable, luxurious even. It almost feels like old news to call this out, but with the world around us feeling increasingly mass produced, encountering something unique somehow feels like the ultimate luxury, yes?

The fact that a "luxury" item doesn't have to be expensive or emblazoned with an expensive label to be luxurious is also a given, but I'm still astounded by how many people I encounter who still believe otherwise.

So I love coming across someone who seems to have the concept of a subtle understated luxury down to a science, like, say, Christopher Kostow, the wunderkind, totally badass, Napa Valley chef profiled by writer Chris Ying in the June Bon Appetit.

To wit:

"... throughout the menu, Kostow downplays his use of luxury ingredients, like how when you're a real baller you don't need to tell anyone how much you spent on your watch. The caviar is hidden under tiny succulent leaves, seasoning rather than gilding the lobster."

"There needs to be a perception of value, but I think our diners are extremely sophisticated, he says." I want them to experience luxury, but it's more our definition of luxury." Kostow describes it as "concern and care. I don't think anyone leaves feeling like they weren't incredibly cared for."

Seasoning rather than gilding. Concern and care. So key, yet so often completely overlooked. Luxury as a touch --  a whisper rather than a shout; putting down your device to look someone in the eye and really listen; abundant generosity -- of your time, your resources; taking deep care, when you make something -- a meal, a gift. Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Well played Ying and Kostow. Well played.

What I Packed for Paris (And What I Wear Pretty Much Every. Single. Day.)

My trusty wardrobe components: 1. CV duffel and pouch. 2. Uniqlo ultra-stretch jeans in grey. 3. Cozy striped sweater and a sheer white blouse. 4. La Canadienne waterproof boots (perfect for tromping through the rainy streets of Paris. 5. BLK DNM black blazer -- the best blazer I have ever owned. Full stop.

Owning up to my wardrobe, ahem, consistency is something that took me a long time to accomplish. The reality is I wear the same thing -- a lot. And as much as I talk a big game about the virtues of a uniform, truth be told, deep down, my lack of sartorial adventure has always nagged at me a bit. I see the gals sporting the bold color and the artfully mixed prints layered just so, and I can't help but feel that my outfit M.O. is boring. But every time I dip my toe in those waters myself, I feel off and race back to the comfort of my go to pieces.

It was while I was packing for Paris that I finally seemed to overcome this harbored sense of wardrobe inadequacy. (At least, once I got past my intimidation of the super-chic French woman.) In my bag, with almost no hesitation, went the components of my uniform: my trusty Uniqlo jeans in grey and black, a skinny black blazer, a few long thin American Apparel tanks, a couple of tweedy jackets (one from Madewell, one from Rag and Bone), a stripe, an easy white blouse, some chunky (yet walkable) boots, a statement piece of jewelry or two, my CV bags, and I was good to go. Throw in my Givenchy Pandora and some wedge sandals (not practical for Paris in December), and you have, well, pretty much what I wear 99.9% of my life.

But the real revelation happened when I arrived in Paris, opened my suitcase, and proceeded to spend 10 days never wondering what I was going to wear. I felt like myself, and (as weird as it feels to admit it) I felt chic. I suppose there's something about being comfortable and confident in what you're wearing that's chicer than layered prints and a pop of color any day, yes?

That's what I'm going with at least ;-)

"Editing is The Skill of The Century"

Chance founder Julia Leach's impeccibly edited house in the latest Lonny. Photographs by Patrick Cline.

I recently watched a TED talk by TreeHugger founder Graham Hill entitled, "Less Stuff, More Happiness" that was right in my wheelhouse. I've spent the better part of the past three years thinking/obsessing/writing about this very notion. I'm pretty sold (no pun intended) on the idea that having fewer, more lasting, more special, better made things (and the "fewer" part is key here) is a happy maker...at least it is for me.

Muchness stresses me out. I like to cull, to edit, sometimes (according to Bryan) ruthlessly. In all fairness, this task is relatively easy for me. I'm not overly sentimental about things, and lack of sentimentality is a pretty essential element in any truly successful purge/cull/edit...

But back to Hill's talk and specifically this line which made my ears perk up:

“Editing is the skill of this century.”

Amen Graham.

We just live in a time of such massive abundance, figuring out how to sort through it (whether the "it" is what we're going to wear, buy, watch, listen to, eat, put in our homes...) is really the holy grail, don't you think?

I'm faced with this more than ever in my new gig. It used to be that I would visit stores only occasionally to shop -- maybe a few times a month. Now I'm in stores and showrooms several times a week. On top of all the in-person stuff culling, I'm also weeding through scores of press releases and catalogs and publications, not to mention websites and Pinterest and... (I get overwhelmed just thinking about it.) Let's just say there is a lot of stuff out there friends, and trying to figure out what out of the mass bubbles to the top is like my "Sorting Through the Muchness" exercise on steroids. I feel like I'm some sort of editing athlete in training.

But it's a good thing. The culling is making me smarter (maybe), stronger, more discerning...It's, oddly, making me want less, as there's just something about seeing so much stuff that makes you realize there's always more just behind it. It makes me less "covet-y" and more aware of when something really is special.

Count me in on this editing thing Graham Hill. 100%.

Sorting Through The Muchness -- January

{yikes! I forgot to credit the images yesterday...I'm off my game this week friends. Sorry! The gorgeous flowers on the upper left are via the equally gorgeous Heather and the ones on the lower right fom Jamo Associates via tiny museum}


I have to say January was a bit of a blur... Between Alt and family health stuff and preparing to leave the old job and embark on the new one, it was a whirlwind. So looking back, the things that seemed to stick were happy and simple and well, for lack of a better term...calming.

Here's what made the cut:


Flora and Fauna -- I found myself pinning a boat load of crazy, lovely flowers last month. I was especially smitten with ones that seemed to have a life of their own. Dr. Seuss-esqe poppies and the like all bowing and arching like little floral ballerinas.

Kinfolk -- Then there was the matter of Kinfolk...just so lovely and calm in every way. I had a chance to talk to one of the founders, Nathan, ever so briefly at Alt, and he was so soulful and thoughtful and pretty much the complete embodiment of the publication.

Astrud Gilberto -- My soundtrack for January was all Astrud all the time. I was unnaturally fixated on the Bossa Nova station on Pandora. At first Bryan was totally on-board, but by month's end he begged me to stop the madness, as apparently he felt like he was (and I quote) "trapped on an elevator where he was forced to listen to an endless loop of mid-60s easy listening". Ouch. Needless to say I had to broaden my musical horizons a bit after that. I miss you Astrud.

Coconut Sparkling Water -- And last but not least (and also falling squarely into the category of things I loved and the rest of the family hated) is coconut sparkling water, specifically this coconut sparkling water, which is pretty much the best. beverage. ever.

On Being Bold...

film still from Beginners and Goethe quote both via Spartan Journal


Lourdes Sanchez watercolor print via Let it Be...

For all practical purposes January embodies mellow (as least for me). We cruise along, calendar largely open, days mostly quiet, diligently putting things back in order after the mass festivity that is December. I wholeheartedly embrace the mellow, wallow in it even.

But here's the thing, I've been feeling some restlessness brewing of late.

I woke up this morning itching to do something bold... I immediately pondered the feasibility of loading my family in the car and embarking on a random trip right that very second (for the record: not feasible at all).

I am itching to stay up late (I'm not a night person), I'm oddly drawn to hot pink (!), I want to splatter paint a wall à la Jackson Pollock...

I read this "resolution" by the ladies at Banquet:

"eat thick greek yoghurt and tagines and grilled fish and izakaya and oriechette and nice wine and lots of mint and paella cooked over hot coals in the backyard and pear gelato and thin green beans and home made granola and porchetta sandwiches and cavalo nero any which way."

and instantly thought, "I want to eat that too"... And I don't even know what the heck cavalo nero is.

Yesterday I pinned a photo of a chic girl wearing a black turtleneck and burnt orange pants. There are a slew of reasons why this was an odd move on my part including (but not limited to) a general disdain for turtlenecks (on me), a staunch opposition to colored pants (again, on me) and a steadfast refusal to ever wear black and orange together for fear of looking like a giant, walking Halloween decoration. And yet I can't get that outfit out of my head.

I'm craving some wacky, itching for a shake-up, dreaming of going big...

Does this ever happen to you?

Sorting Through The Muchness -- December

clementine via kate miss / emmanuelle via kate @ wit and delight / string art via the stranger

When I sat down to sort through December's muchness I was a bit daunted... December is, after all, abundance incarnate. There is muchness on top of muchness. Sussing out what made the cut seemed all but impossible.

But then, well...it wasn't. Amidst all of December's food and drink and sweets and stuff, the simple pleasures seemed to rise to the surface effortlessly. I love it when that happens.

Here's what made my December cut:

Citrus -- unoriginal I realize, but it would feel a sacrilege if citrus didn't make my December list. The amount of clementines and satsumas and grapefruits and lemons we ate (and thoroughly enjoyed) last month was almost criminal. Good stuff for sure.

Emmanuelle Alt -- The EIC of French Vogue is just endlessly chic. I came across several photos of her last month that stopped me in my tracks. She manages to be at once incredibly glamorous and timeless and simple. Her eye, her intelligence, her taste, her uniform...all hugely admirable.

Sibu Beauty -- I read about Sea Buckthorn last month and made a beeline to Whole Foods to give it a whirl. I've been taking the supplements and using the products for a few weeks now and am really digging what's happening with my skin. Big time.

String Art -- I'm obsessed (not with the owls and sailboats of the 70s but with spare, graphic shapes done up in white string and diminutive brass nails against pale wood). I have a major string art project brewing for a big wall in our living room. Have any of you done string art? Any tips?

Sorting Through the Muchness -- November Edition

images clockwise from top: rings via catbird/feist via last.fm/burning papers via lafco/bill cunningham via zeitgeist films

It's time again to "sort through the muchness"...to mull over the multitude of images and media and, well... stuff that I encountered in the past month and identify what "stuck", what I can't get out of my head.


Here's what made the cut for November:

The Stack -- After seeing Jen's stack, I'm totally fixated on creating one of my own over time. The look of several delicate bands combined is lovely in and of itself, but what makes the whole "stack" enterprise so appealing to me is its highly personal, collected nature. I love the idea that each ring represents a moment or milestone in your life... The fact that, combined, they create a sort of wearable history is just really lovely to me.

Feist -- Specifically Feist in concert. Bryan took me to see her in early November as a belated anniversary gift, and it was (not to be dramatic) transcendent. Her voice, her stage presence, her sort of self-depreciating sense of humor (she is seriously funny)...all perfection.

Santa Maria Novella Burning Papers and Incense -- I walked into my friend Kristie's house a few week's ago to what can only be described as a wholly magical smell. She told me it was this action from Santa Maria Novella. It is goodness friends. Big time.

Bill Cunningham -- *sigh*... Watch the documentary. Just do it. You will be just as smitten. I assure you.


Have a fantastic weekend friends!

Sorting Through The Muchness -- October Edition...

the kitchen of my dreams via simply pi...

I'm continuing my efforts to cut through the clutter and suss out the things that stuck with me each month amidst the flotsam and jetsam (visual and otherwise)... It's actually a pretty fun little exercise. I might even be hooked.

images clockwise from left: kitchen via living etc / sweater via beklina / citrus fruit via here / weleda rose oil

So to end the week, herewith, in no particular order, the things that made the cut for October... Have a splendid weekend!

A Kitchen of Windows
Those two images above of the kitchens made-up pretty much entirely of windows are just so incredibly, crazy, over-the-top gorgeous, yes? I have no idea how to realistically make something like this happen in my house (never mind the implications to our electricity bill or how you would keep that action clean), but nonetheless I find myself 100%, unequivocally obsessed. I want a kitchen made of windows friends. I do.

Groovy Chunky Knits
I'm pretty fixated on all the almost lacy, big open weave sweaters floating around out there. I'm digging the crafted sort of hippie vibe + they're just really, really pretty. I love this one from Anthro, as it seems a bit more substantial for fall, but I grabbed this one at UO on the sale rack recently and have worn the heck out of that bad boy...

Lemon Water in The Morning
A few months ago I read this post on my friend Stephanie's excellent blog and was instantly intrigued... I sort of mentally filed it away, as I've always been a big water girl but just not a big "water in the morning" girl. But I decided to give it a whirl last month and have since started every morning with a tall glass of water, and to make it more palatable (and presumably healthier), I squeeze the juice of a whole lemon into it. Here's the thing... Stephanie is literally one of the most beautiful, glowy women I know in real-life. Of course it could be due to her amazing character shining through or genetics or the fact that she completely eschews coffee and alcohol, but (especially given my dependence on my morning cup of joe and my fondness for the occasional gin and tonic) I’m going to pretend it's the water.

Weleda Rose Oil
I picked up a bottle of Weleda Rose Oil at Whole Foods last month based solely on the fact that it was extremely on sale (in general I love Weleda's products, but in this case, I really had no valid need for purchasing a bottle of rose oil...the sale sucked me in). What I didn't expect is that I'd get completely hooked on the dreamy smelling stuff. I've been using it after every shower instead of lotion. It's my new go-to.

Sorting Through The Muchness -- September Edition...

bold, mixed-up print and pattern is playing on a endless loop in my head of late (image by Tommy Ton for style.com spotted via Banquet)

Like last month, I wanted to share a few of the things that rose to the surface and stuck with me over the past 3o days. September is a particularly challenging month to "sort"...the magazines are massive, Pinterest and blogs are teeming with visual goodness, there's just a lot of eye candy friends. But I'm committed to this little"Sorting through the Muchness" exercise, as it really does help me distill down everything I've taken in and disover the things that resonated for me in a real and lasting way.

In August, I was feeling a rediscovered messenger bag, some lip balm, the "rebirth" of magazines and simple salads...Here's what's captured my attention in September:


images from top left Shayla's Rabbit Hole, Amazon, L.A. in Bloom, Barneys NY

Print and Pattern:
Despite the fact that in matters of dressing I almost always gravitate toward neutrals (or at least earthy, muted colors), I am seriously obsessed with the massive color and pattern mash-up happening of late in the fashion world. The look requires some pretty major sartorial moxie (of which I am lacking), but it's so fun and quirky and irreverent than I'm determined to figure out how to successfully pull it off.

Linda McCartney: Life in Photographs:
My lovely and kind friend Michelle gifted me with this book after the pop-up shop we did together, and I've poured over the pages countless times since. Linda McCartney's photos are gorgeous -- intimate, dreamy shots of her family are interspersed with honest images of major rock icons like, say... a (totally dreamy) young Mick Jagger. But what really made me fall in love with the book was getting a glimpse at the grounded, simple, private moments of a family who, given their massive fame, could have chosen to embrace a far more ostentatious lifestyle. It's just a really lovely and honorable thing.

Statement Nails:
99.9% of the time I wear clear or nude polish on my nails (if I wear any polish at all), so the week I sported that orangey/red polish on my fingernails (for the first time), I felt like a completely. different. person. It was (surprisingly) wholly and completely transformative. Every time I looked down at my hands, I experienced a little burst of happiness and a feeling that my neutrals-embracing self just *might* be able to pull-off some crazy print action after all. Heather's silver nails were equally mesmerizing...I think I might have to try that next

"Carine's World" :
I loved former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld's Fall campaign for Barneys NY. I love that she chose friends and family as the models. I love that stunning photo of her with her son. I love the way the clothes took a backseat to Roitfeld's heartfelt comments about what made each of the people featured special and interesting... Knowing a little back story, getting a a glimpse of the wearer's humanity just made the clothes far more compelling to me.

Ok so now your turn... what stuck with you in September?