Spoiler alert: I am obsessed with Amsterdam! I’ve never been so taken with any city before - loved the culture, the ambiance, the people, the light…EVERYTHING. So here’s a quick recap — with more posts on Dutch style to come!
Ok, first things first - where to stay. I took my friend Page’s recommendation & stayed at The Pulitzer hotel & it was perfect. As you can see below, The Pulitzer comprises 25 historic buildings dating from 1600’s on, all ringed around a lovely courtyard….
Read MoreIn classic fashion, I’m doing a Year End Review a little LATER than the rest of the blogosphere. A Southern friend said to me with a smile, “You’re like the bloodhound trying to catch the rabbit!” And it DOES feel like it sometimes — everything takes more time than I imagine, while others (younger??) seem to snap their fingers & voila, DONE! But we all know that’s not exactly true & no matter, I’m quite happy with the pace of things & don’t WANT greater speed in my life right now…
Read MoreI wanted to share something kind of personal with you all in this post, about transitions and opportunities-in-disguise, as it’s been on my mind a LOT these days.
Lately I have been meeting more & more people who are embracing change & finding new ways to “live their best life,” as Oprah used to say:) So in that spirit, here’s a bit about who they are, what they’re doing & how we can all learn from their experiences!
Read MoreI have been slightly obsessed with Carolina Herrera for years - from investing my own meager funds in college to buy her eponymous perfume, to more recently ogling her at NY Fashion Week. So you can imagine my shock when I opened the New York Times 2 wks ago to find she is “stepping down” and handed the creative reigns over to a young designer, Wes Gordon. What??! I’m in a bit of withdrawl so I decided to create a post on her and sum up the things I admire about her so much...
Read MoreIt’s the time of year when we all need a boost to stay motivated, right? For me, that energy almost always comes from entertainment or infotainment — some way to get out of my own head & think about or LAUGH about something else. I’ve been lucky lately, finding all kinds of stuff to keep me engaged. Check these out & feel free to add your own favorites in the Comments so we can ALL enjoy!
Read MoreI’m not a real estate professional, but thankfully I work with a great one, my longtime friend Hans Wydler of Wydler Brothers! Hans sold our previous home in record time and did so again this time around, with contracts submitted just 1 week after first listing. My husband & I were not “planning” to move from our house below this Fall after 12 happy years here, but the chance to try a different lifestyle (moving from Washington DC suburbs to closer downtown, in Georgetown) kind of fell into our lap & so our move is ON — officially set for 10 days from now (gulp!).
Read MoreLast week was my husband & my 21st anniversary, bittersweet because it was same day as a memorial fundraiser for our late friend & Best Man, Bob Miller. So there was no celebration exactly but there was some talk about our time together. “You’ve done some CRAZY stuff in the decades we’ve been together,” Ted said, "but THIS... is by FAR…. the craziest yet,” shaking his head. “This” is our decision to put our house on the market and move to this place….a 19th century row house in a historic part of DC, Georgetown.
Read MoreI recently had a really cool experience in NYC as a guest panelist on Sirius XM’s “Tastemakers” show, hosted by the multi-talented Pauline Garris Brown, a friend and fellow Dartmouth classmate. Her show is packed with tips and inspiration for living a beautiful life, so I was honored to be included in the conversation!
Read MoreAs a transplanted New Yorker living in Washington DC, I love it when I find other people with similar background. Anna Matthews is a design crush of mine & although we haven’t worked together (yet!), I adore how she creates lovely LIVABLE spaces, especially for families and dogs! A Parsons grad, Anna has a beautiful sense of color and scale — making each of her projects somehow both cheerful and yet sophisticated. DC is lucky to have her:)
Read MoreSince I launched this blog last January, perhaps the question I’ve gotten more than any other is about how women who are juggling so many different priorities can tackle something NEW...
Read MoreI’ll admit, I’m 99% motivated by the aesthetics vs. health/planet, but I feel that virtue should not be denied from me. THIS IS A LOT OF WORK & I’m looking for big satisfaction in the end!! I’m such a sucker for home makeover projects.
Read More“Do you have any wrapping paper?” Why yes, I thought so — afterall, I LOVE wrapping presents and finding new ways to put a package together. But in point of fact, my wrapping supplies were picked clean post-Christmas and I hadn’t replenished any supplies. Arghhh…
Read MoreLet’s face it - we are ALL doing too much. I mean it - too many of us are chasing the dream of Pinterest-perfect homes (guilty as charged here), insanely accomplished offspring, healthy gourmet meals (now that one, I cannot be accused of!), stunning social media presences for our businesses & causes, & on…and on.
Read MoreSo against this crazy backdrop, it is a welcome distraction and relief to talk to you about some great fashion items for Spring, brought to us by two amazing women entrepreneurs! I needed an escape & some inspiration today and these ladies do not disappoint.
Read MoreSo against this crazy backdrop, it is a welcome distraction and relief to talk to you about some great fashion items for Spring, brought to us by two amazing women entrepreneurs! I needed an escape & some inspiration today and these ladies do not disappoint.
Read MoreOne of my intentions in starting this blog was to help the design-obsessed homeowner find unique ways to express their style on their own, often without access to an interior designer.
Read MoreLet me state at the beginning that I am an old house snob. I grew up in an 1890’s Victorian house in Darien, Connecticut which was not even considered old by the town’s standards.
Read MoreI don’t know about you but I seem to have 2 speeds in my closet — super casual/working from home outfits, or dressy/office-cocktail. What about the in-between outfits?
Read MoreSince launching this blog, I’ve received so many inquiries from friends and new aquaintances about how THEY can get started on their own website or blog too, which I find very exciting. The funny thing is that as a brand strategy consultant, I’ve helped clients around the world design multi-million dollar online ventures & can do it in my sleep….but doing it for oneself (everyone’s toughest critic & client) and on a shoestring budget - that is hard!
Read MoreWhile not every week is this full of calamities, everyone has SOME weeks that are like this. So the question I’ve been pondering lately (& need more help on!) is how can you automate your home more, so that you — and your brain — are not the exclusive starting engine to keep things humming along??
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