Sightseeing at home

One of the great parts of having a houseguest is you see parts of your own home city that you otherwise rarely visit. This weekend I played tour guide to a friend and explored the best of what DC has to offer! Brunch at POV overlooking the White House, formerly the Washington Hotel and a trip to the Newseum and the National Mall filled...

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door handles

Continuing on yesterday's opulent posting, today I bring you a bronze door handle from the Palazzo Grassi in Venice. My best friend Eric (ArchitectDesign's foreign correspondant) was recently there and sent me this photo for obvious reasons: it's gorgeous! Why have a boring handle with a view like THAT, afterall. Have you ever seen a more...

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A beautiful lobby

Last night I had dinner at Ardour, located in the St. Regis hotel here in DC. You may remember I featured the bar of the hotel here, which is my local favorite. Well, this is probably my favorite lobby of any hotel I've seen. Inviting, cozy, beautiful but not overly formal; who doesn't want to hang out here? Sorry for the fuzzy pictures...

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Something new

Yesterday while walking along one of my favorite blocks in the city, I noticed this house for the first time. Clearly abandoned (as a few buildings are on this block suspiciously, which worries me about future development) it has seen better days. But what days they were! The arched window on the 3rd floor and the little Rupunzel tower...

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colorful weekend

While walking through Georgetown yesterday, I really noticed all of the colors of the city in the summer sun. I hope you enjoy your weeke...

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Is it Christmas yet?

I am so in love with this Carlson Etagere from William Sonoma Home! If only I had the space for it I would get 2 for all my design books (and china). Of course, if someone at WSH wants to cut me a huge deal I could definitely MAKE room! *wink wink, nudge nudge* The details are just gorgeous, like these feet, gilded accents and worn ebonized...

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shopping

While in Provincetown, I picked up this ceramic bird at one of my favorite shops, Yates & Kennedy, that reminded me so much of the cute birds at Deyrolle that I wanted to bring back so badly (but couldn't make it through customs). A few people made fun of me calling it 'granny' but I just think it's adorable. What do you think? At...

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Paris Opera House

"It was a singularly mixed world composed of all the talents and tarnished by all the vices; a world where the same fatigue and the same fever appeared in every face" Emile Zola in NanaWhile reading these lines on the beach last week, I immediately thought of the Palais Garnier in Paris, otherwise known as the Paris Opera House. Indeed, the...

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Beaches

I'm off on a jet plane to somewhere cool and wet for a much needed break. I'll leave you with some of my pictures of the beaches in California I saw last month - aren't they breathtaking? The above photos are from route 1 through the Big Sur, a trip I would recommend to anyone. Remember to rent a convertible, it's worth it! Just DRIVE SLOWLY!...

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The Spreckels mansion

What did we do before the internet? And more importantly -what did I do before blogging! I had so many emails and comments on yesterdays post and it's been quite the history lesson on the Spreckels Mansion in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. I thought I should sum it all up in a post so we're all on the same page on this...

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A timeworn beauty

One of the best ways to explore any city is to wander around. While in San Francisco and heading to Grant Gibson's apartment (where he was kind enough to throw me a little birthday brunch for a group of bloggy friends that you can read about over at katiedid; thanks again!!) I decided to waste a morning and walk. Along the way I came across...

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