Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Happy St. Patrick's Day

As I got dressed this morning I realized I'm not that big a fan of green. Hmmm... But I love green in nature! Maybe I just don't pay enough attention to it as I should. Of course I started to google after I had come to this realization. The final verdict... a little bit of green is not that bad after all.  

Elle Decor Interior

Apple Martini Cesarstone Kitchen

Liz Lange country residence designed by Jonathan Adler

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone. Be safe and enjoy your green beer but don't drink too much so your green in the face :)

Monday, March 15, 2010

Welcome to the Parker

If you haven’t been to The Parker Hotel in Palm Springs yet you just have to go! Haven’t heard of it? Let me educate you... This cute 131room boutique hotel on 13 acres was the former Melody Ranch of singing cowboy Gene Autry. If that name doesn’t ring a bell then maybe "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" or "Frosty the Snowman" does. Yes... those are songs written by Gene Autry. He was known for much more than Christmas songs though and also was owner of the Los Angeles Angels from 1961-1997. While staying at the Parker one can rent the restored and updated actual Gene Autry Residence! The way I came to know about the hotel was from its very own TV show called "Welcome to the Parker" which aired a few years back. And guess who the Interior Designer of the Parker is? The one and only Jonathan Adler :)

Almost 3 years ago my friends and I stayed at the Parker to celebrate my 25th birthday and this last Saturday I returned for a visit and some dinner after watching some tennis at the BNP Paribas Open. Although I enjoyed everything about the Parker the first time I was there this time it was a whole different experience for me after being employed by the designer.

The Parker is unlike any other hotel with its beautifully landscaped gardens sitting almost at the base of the desert mountains where room service is brought to you by bicycle. The grounds include 4 pools, hammocks, a croquet lawn, fire pits, tennis courts, and even a lemonade stand with ping pong tables. It was so much fun for me to explain everything I knew about this place to my long time middle school friend who came with me.

What makes more sense than hanging a key on the wall where everyone get's the key to their hotel room!? This reception desk displays a ceramic frieze showing cute characters illustrating what guests can expect on their stay at the parker. Sunshine being in the center and illustrations of a couple lounging and the words "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you shall check out"







Dinner at Mister Parker! Behind the blue velvet curtain is a groovy French restaurant where my friend and I enjoyed mustard encrusted rack of lamb, pancetta risotto, and gnocchi with roasted artichokes, olives, fennel, and tomato, parmesan while sipping on a glass of Cabernet.

The restaurant has a masculine feel from the wood paneling but the most important layer to the space is the collection of artwork on the walls which displays racy pop art.


I took so many pictures and could go on and on about this fabulous hotel. If you are intrigued I suggest you check out The Parker website and consider shelling out a little bit of cash to experience it for yourself.


Goodbye Parker Palm Springs until next time...

Friday, March 12, 2010

Get Carried away...

Before I go to bed each night I pop something into my DVD player to doze off to. I refuse to have cable in my bedroom so usually it’s an episode of “Friends” or “Sex and the City” since I own all the seasons of both. Sometimes I switch it up and pop in a movie out of the DVD collection. Last night was a mixture of both. Sex and the city the movie :)

Are you wondering what this has anything to do with design? Well… If you remember Carrie’s apartment gets a floor to ceiling makeover which I think looked fabulous. Not just the apartment looks great but every space in the film is visually pleasing from the "heaven on fifth" apartment to Mirandas Brooklyn home, the Mexico honeymoon villa, which I found out is actually a private residence in Malibu. Even the hospital that Charlotte has her baby at isn’t bad on the eyes.

For those of you that have no idea what I’m talking about I hope you’re a heterosexual male because if not, shame on you! Carrie's apartment has already been blogged about by many after the movie came out in the summer of 08 but I love the space so much I have to do so as well. Plus this is the perfect time to remind everyone to get excited about the sequel coming out Memorial day weekend! Yayyy.. I can’t wait to see what Sex and the City 2 has in store for us in regards to life, relationships, fashion, and of course decor.

Here are some before and after shots of Carries apartment which was featured in the July 2008 issue of Traditional Home.


Before: I have the same exact same Calvin Klein sheets on my bed right now!


After: A great example of a frame photo gallerie as I blogged about before


Before: Former love interest and furniture designer Adin’s Chair sits in the right corner of Carries old living area


After: The paint color on the walls is a custom shade but a close match to Benjamin Moore's Electric Blue.

Shout out to The Rug Company! A London based company that also teams up with many designers such as Kelly Wearstler, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Vivienne Westwood. This pretty Overleaf rug from Carries apartment was designed by Marni for them, as well as this LOVE rug which hangs at the entrance of Carrie's apartment designed by Paul Smith.


Other visually pleasing spaces from the movie


Charlotte's Upper East Side apartment


Charlotte's daughter Lilly's pink room




Miranda's Brooklyn home. What caught my eye here was the Jonathan Adler reform temple vases she has sitting above her fireplace.


Mr. Big's swanky apartment


"Mexico" Honeymoon Villa

As I said before... I cant wait to see whats next! Be sure to check out the movie trailer on the Sex and the City 2 website and check back here after Memorial Day because I will surely be gushing over the film.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Interior of the week


Hope you all had as good of a weekend as I did! Just wanted to share with you this amazing restaurant Rock Sugar Pan Asian Kitchen I went to with my girlfriends in LA while waiting for Friday rush hour traffic to die down on the way to Ojai. Not only was the food amazing but the interior of this place was a treat for the eyes. As you walk past the statues and tall boulders into the entrance you find yourself in a zen like lounge waiting area. Paper lanterns hang from the high ceiling while diners sit on sofas in front of fireplaces waiting for a table or just enjoying a cocktail.


This place made me feel like I was at a trendy hip spot in Bali. Even though this restaurant is rather large the way seating was arranged made for an intimate feel. Love everything about this restaurant! I even caught myself taking my phone out to take a picture while in the restroom.


Rock Sugar is located in the Westfield Mall, Century City right off of Santa Monica Blvd. Check it out for yourselves. You won’t be disappointed!