Category: NEW

Across the Pacific

Tomorrow David comes home from a last-minute, week-long business trip to Tokyo. For him, oddly enough, he’ll be home later today (gotta love those time differences!).

While he’s been gone, I’ve slept in late every day and occupied myself with all sorts of fun activities: lots of reading outside in the sunshine, dips (and laps) in the pool, time spent cooking my favorite comfort foods, and watching oh-so-many movies (pretty much a five-day movie marathon of chick flicks!).

I also visited San Francisco with Christana earlier in the week. We toured the de Young museum, photographed beautiful flowers in Golden Gate Park, savored cheap Chinese food, and met up with Sellayel and Sean for tasty treats down in Little Italy (so fun!).

Today I read several design magazines at the beach. Tomorrow I volunteer at LBH&G.

Yeah, I lead such a tough life.

The biggest surprise of this week is how much David and I have been able to talk on the phone. We’ve talked over an hour a day, every day since he left on Sunday and we’ve both felt like we’ve had quality time with each other. I feel totally in the loop and less left behind (last-minute trip = expensive airfare = I couldn’t tag along!). Not only that, but we have been chatting every day FOR FREE thanks to the beautiful internet chat service that is Skype.

So, yes, I’ve had a good week, but I cannot wait for him to get home. I want him to hold me close for a couple days. Thank goodness for weekends together.

Have a good one!

Week of Design (Day 6)

Second to our kitchen, at home we spend the most of our waking hours in our living room, which right now is also our office and dining room (ah, small apartment living!). Let’s do an inventory of items we have already procured that are necessary according to my favorite living room photographs below. Beige sofa: check! Snazzy chair: check! Great artwork: check! Throw pillows, recessed lighting, marble fireplace, and books: check! Evidently all that’s missing is a fabulous chandelier, a styling area rug, and, oh, a beautiful living room with giant windows, gorgeous curtains, and hardwood floors…

For our dream dining room, we are way behind in its execution. We do have a fabulous giant wooden table (from my Grandfather), so that is a plus, and we have tons of great serving ware, etc., but we’re still using wooden folding chairs for seating and pretty much lack any sort of ambiance that these pictures project:

Only one more day in our Week of Design… Stay tuned!

Week of Design (Day 5)

Some of my favorite evening childhood memories center on open fire pits, campfires, and fireplaces. I fondly recall the smell, the flickers of light, the warmth (sometimes overwhelming!), the singing and storytelling, and, of course, the food (and treats!) cooked over them. For several years I abhorred open fires when I was dealing with my chemical sensitivities, but now that I am feeling oh-so-much better, I’ve started to think again about fireplaces and their place in our dream home. While there are so many great ones out there, David and I were amazed about how inefficient many of the designs are. When we build our little cob cottage in the country, I want a fully-functional and efficient fireplace to occasionally cook over and heat our house… and I want it to look damn fine too.

Here are some fireplaces I love the look of, though I can’t vouch for their functionality. Which one is your favorite? Can you guess which one belongs to Brad Pitt and which one is from a popular television show?

Week of Design (Day 4)

I love the use of textures, geometry, and natural materials (such as stone) in gardens. I love courtyards and entry ways, paths that don’t just direct you from point a to point b, but lead you through a beautiful garden, and the use of plant foliage—and open space—in creating a place of escape.

For David and me, our bedroom is currently our most important place to escape, containing the ever-essential calming colors, soft materials, and a feeling of home. Our bedroom is also our greatest extravagance at our house, with our organic mattress and organic sheets. We both sleep great pretty much every single night and never wake up allergied or with puffy eyes like we used to (before we went organic). We get a good night sleep and love and look forward to going to bed each night. Rather than post pictures of our current bedroom which fits my tastes perfectly, here are some photos of other dream bedrooms for your more modern (and not-so-modern) sensibilities. I just love ’em.