If you are a sucker for design-y hotels like I am, Hotel Healdsburg will satisfy your needs. Whenever I’m at a loss of places to stay, I look on Tablet Hotels and see what’s in the area of where I am headed.  We were torn between staying at Farmhouse Inn, Indian Springs Resort (Calistoga), and this place. The tricky part here was we needed a room that could accommodate 4 people and we went with the convenience of being in a small town and not as isolated, like our other options. 

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I am finally getting around to writing up my visit to the Modernica factory in downtown Los Angeles.  Between hosting mulit-course food tasting parties, working fulltime, and keeping up with every new food destination popping up in town, writing about the things I love sometimes have to wait. I figured since I am still on my sugar high from Scoops, I should get to it right now.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to get a lowdown as to how things are done, by the co-owner and founder of Modernica, Frank Novak.  What ensued for the next couple hours was not a heated debate about design authenticity, but more a discussion of what two enthusiasts of good design had to share with one another. My guess is that I was invited down there by my honest display of confusion that I proclaimed in my article regarding the Eames Demetrios letter in Dwell magazine last month.  As for making sense of my messy note taking while walking and talking, well I hope what I recap is accurate.

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GO GO GO!  This season’s A.P.C. clearance sale is upon us. I have noticed that online, most items are sold out.  If you are feeling desperate, you can call a store location and have items shipped to you but they are FINAL SALE.  

Online purchases allow returns from what I could read, but since there’s nothing left online, that really isn’t an option.  The nice thing about having a store in LA now is that many items come in multiple color options that are not available on the online store.

For example, the sleeveless ruffle collar short black dress comes in white as well.  And the white is not transparent at all. Also, for whatever reason, Los Angeles, is just not an A.P.C. town.  No wonder there aren’t more cutely dressed, understated, parisienne wannabe gamines walking the streets.  It’s hootchie or bust around here. Good! More for me. 

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Don’t get me wrong-  I like and appreciate plenty more than just modernist and mid-century design, but I had to post this about the Eames series of US postal stamps that were released June 17th, 2008.  I just ordered some online. I was kinda wondering before I got to the check out how much the post office was gonna try and charge me for “shipping”.  Good news-  only one dollar for shipping.

This would make a great little gift, framed or unframed, or would just be great to mail ‘thank you’ notes and invites and not ruin all the cute stationery you have with a hideous stamp.  Afterall, it’s all in the details.

One might think there are no limits to my wanting to “save” money.  Here’s a deal that I must share with everyone.  The revamped Merv Griffin Hotel and Givenchy spa, is now known as the Parker (Meridien) Palm Springs, almost completely re-hauled by Jonathan Adler.  Adler is a product / interior designer who’s inspiration is heavily drawn from past decades.  Incidentally, his life partner is Simon Doonan, the Creative Director of Barney’s New York.  Talk about gay, power couple.   You might notice some overlap in their quippy, clever “hand-written” notes used throughout the hotel.  Taste. Luxury. Humor.  Do you see the commonalities yet?

I stayed at this place last year on the Labor Day weekend because the rate of $99 a night , including breakfast, was too good to pass up. Aside from the 120˚ F heat, I was feeling rather indulgent.  Room service, breakfast in bed, pool side cocktails and deeply discounted outlet shopping since most people won’t brave these conditions.  We are talking 90% off already discounted Bottega Veneta housewares, like the lovely red linen interciatto placemats that you spy in some of my food photos.   Some weekend monogram duffel bags from Etro, etc. etc. etc.  It was all more than pleasant.

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Today I mourn the death of an incredible man, visionary, and creative spirit.  Though I didn’t personally know him, I admired his work from afar for many years.  Yves Saint Laurent passed away Sunday, June 1, 2008 in Paris, at the age of 71.  A great article chronicling his life and accomplishments can be found in the New York Times Sunday Style section.

Probably most famous for his “le smoking” the women’s version of a man’s dress jacket as well as a women’s tuxedo pantsuit, what one might not know is how he modernized and evolved the way women dress today-  let them wear pants!

Thank god someone had some sense.  And to this, I say, was his biggest strength:  the ability to know what women wanted to wear and how they wanted to be perceived.  His designs exude a relaxed elegance, taking much of his inspiration from the street.  He was also known for his beatnik and safari inspired creations, all which seem to be prevalent in this season’s landscape of designs. (more…)

It was brought to my attention by a friend and fellow Modernist design enthusiast, that in the June issue of Dwell magazine, Eames Demetrios wrote a letter to the editor, in regards to allowing Modernica to advertise in their magazine.  

I recently just posted the flyer for the Modernica sale on WF and have somewhat naively purchased products from them thinking they were the Eames reproductions.  I was led to believe they were the same ones that are being sold on DWR, my nemesis.  These are produced by Herman Miller.  I should have known you get what you pay for.  Though this is not true in this case.  I purchased my shell chair with arms at the warehouse sale a few years back for $80 bucks, but brand new it goes for the same price as the Herman Miller one.  If I had to buy one now, at full price, I guess I would go with the Herman Miller one. 

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A couple weeks ago, my better half, Jason Filipow, aka JRF, was invited to participate in a typography show at a clothing store in Los Angeles, Rodan vs. Griffith.  After finishing up the movie poster for Death Bowl to Downtown, skateboarding documentary about the evolution of skateboarding in NY, he was definitely inspired to do some art work.  Here’s a sneak piece of his type piece.

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The somewhat annual Modernica 2008 Sales Event is upon us again.  Mark your calendars. I caught wind of this from a friend of a friend of a friend.  It’s been a couple years since I have gone, but it is well worth it.  Usually, they have a pre-sale the Thursday night before the actual weekend sale, but I’m not sure if that is happening this year. Still waiting for my postcard before hoards of people read about this in the LA Weekly.

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A couple weekends ago, between attending baby showers and launching WF, I was able to stop by a wonderful store opening in Studio CIty.  It was the grand opening weekend of the store Henry Road, which carries the wares and textiles of the same name, by founder and creator, Paula Smail.   

The shop is brightly lit and packed with hard to find unique items ranging from one of a kind antique tea cups and saucer turned candles to art work hung on the salon wall to decorative Chinese calligraphy brushes.  I was happy to see the line of Alyssa Ettinger knit impressed ceramics.  Last Fall, I had ordered some online through Etsy and had to pay quite a fee for the individual shipping costs for each item I ordered though they were shipped in one package. bummer. This line of delicate dishes and vases, are perfect for the person who thinks they have everything.  

The store is like going to someone’s home that just loves decorating and knickknacks and is quite possibly a borderline packrat, and I mean that in the most endearing way.  I, myself, fall into that category. The best part is that almost everything you see is for sale.  Her bright textiles and patterns would warm up any decor style.  They are reminiscent of the boldness of Marimekko, who currently have a tribute line at H & M.

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I title this with entry with complete affection and a tinge of jealousy.  My friend, Bebe Lerner, had informed me about the Christian Louboutin appearance at the Beverly Hills Barneys New York store on May 7th.  Of couse, I had received the postcard but had written it off as another impossibility to attend at 2pm on a Wednesday.  Most people who can attend things like that live a life of leisure and don’t report to a desk job. Unfortunately, I am not quite there yet.

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Before there was Rachel Zoe, there was Jennifer Hluska.  Half Italian, half Polish, she has a flair for putting together those outfits of cheap mall clothing and a sky high pair of Costume National ankle boots.  Or vice versa, a Marni dress off Ebay with pleather flip flops.  Her fashion sense sometimes mimics her mood swings.  high low, high low.  Lucky for her, she is petite and all clothing looks good on her.  I on the other hand, cannot seem to get away with it as easily.  Most things from Forever 21, or should I say Forever 31 since our thirties are the new twenties, are ill fitting on me.  I either look four months pregnant or like I got dressed in the dark.  

The YSL screw ring is an exaggerated gold toned adjustable ring.  it’s purely for flash factor and satisfies the high low craving we all have.  She was flashing it around one day and I had to have it.  Working on Rodeo Drive doing hair, has your advantages.  She was able to pick one up for me the very next day.  We knew they would be selling out quickly since it was highlighted in Bazaar or Vogue last month in their high, low mixing it up article.  I couldn’t find this style on the YSL site but i think they still have the silver toned ones left at the store.  

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i received a postcard in the mail from one of my favorite online home shopping sites, velocityartanddesign.com

the coupon code is for 10% off on angela adams rugs.  ADAMS2008

good thru june 30, 2008.  she has some new designs out.  i find her rugs to be very warm and inviting, and well crafted (they better be for the price) but for the price points they are at, i do have to really consider this kind of purchase as well as how long it will be before i will tire of the pattern…

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i’ve officially caught the letterpress bug.  For years i have been trying to take a class to learn about and make letterpress items.  I was aware of classes offered at Art Center as well as Otis, but i couldn’t seem to make the evening class times.  Alas, i had put it on the back burner like many of my other interests.

A few months ago, my boyfriend stumbled on a new boutique shop in our neighborhood, Freshed Pressed, that was created to bring the art of silkscreening to the public.  In this same vein and spirit, Lala Press have done that for letterpress.  I feel so fortunate to only live two miles away from this oasis of a print studio.  Upon entering, i knew this was my kind of place.  i had signed up for the business card workshop which takes place one day on the weekend.  perfect. Upon entering the industrial gate, i was welcomed with a garden of bamboo and succulents.  It was a complete hidden treasure, right down to the fresh baked goods from porto’s that awaited me innocently on the table.   good food. check.  good company.  check.  good design.  check.   The day was turning out just perfect. 

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I love the font, bodoni, that they used for the huge address numbers on this building facade. The font ,bauer bodoni was originally designed by the Italian, Giambattista Bodoni, who was a typesetter for the Vatican back in the 18th century.

The bloated poster version used here was widely popular in the late 60’s and 70’s in graphic design. The original version of bodoni is very fashiony. You can find more information on this site, eyemagazine. I’m no typography buff, but i do know i like it and can appreciate anyone who can write two pages about the history of a font face. I like it so much i used it for wallflour.