of pink. My assistant brought back the gorgeous copy of Elle Spose from Italy after Christmas break. While I am not normally a pink girl I have been meeting with brides who are looking for the palette of sherbet or muted or make up pinks and I find I am really taking to it. Now I am seeing it everywhere. Here is a little more from Elle, some postings from CeCi New York and My Luscious Life on Facebook yesterday and edited storyboards .
Elle Spose
My Luscious Life
Cornucopia Story Board
Yesterday afternoon’s program at Carnegie Hall was a touch of magic. When I read the lyrics the incredible Renee Fleming was singing it seemed even more magical for me. As we are in full wedding planning season, with so many new engagements over the holiday…and more to come with Valentine’s Day upon us soon enough, I thought these lyrics by Friedrich Ruckert ( to Gustave Mahler’s music) were most touching and appropriate. I am often telling brides to incorporate fragrant flowers in their bouquets so that should they feel nervous as they are about to walk down the aisle they can close their eyes and smell their bouquet. Let the fragrance take you away a moment and relax you . The photo below is one of my very favorite, simple bouquets, of all sweetpea done for a bride (model Christy Turlington) at the end of a Michael Kors show years ago.
I Breathed a Gentle Fragrance!
I breathed a gentle fragrance
in the room stood
A sprig of linden,
A gift
From a dear hand,
How lovely was the fragrance of linden!
How lovely was the fragrance of linden!
That twig of linden
You broke off so gently!
Softly I breathe in
The fragrance of linden,
The gentle fragrance of love.
We are so excited after hours of editing photos our new site is done! There is now more to share with you with photos of new events and categories in Garden Design and Just Because it’s Beautiful, a category of things that inspire us. We hope to keep updating and adding so please keep checking in and let us know what you think!
Happy New Year…time to get back to real life after a long much needed break. Weekly flower accounts start up again and I am not ready to say goodbye to pine. While many see it as a “Christmas Green” I prefer to see it for what it is evergreen. Now is the time we settle into winter so why not enjoy what it has to offer? Many will go skiing and enjoy the great outdoors which includes these majestic trees. One of my very favorite visual memories is of my one day of skiing near Lake Tahoe. The most crisp day, white snow, lake ahead and green majestic trees all around giving you that open, the skies the limit feeling. This is the time of year they shine since they are the only green we have but they are around all year long adding great texture the landscape. I still love having pine in big bunches at home or in restaurants enjoying the fragrance, lighting candles and sipping tea or red wine while warming up. When spring arrives I can happily make the switch to something new but right now I am loving my evergreen. Here are some photos similar to that visual memory I have of that inspiring day in Tahoe and you will see why I am inspired to want to see pine thru out the winter rather than just at the holiday
As we pour thru our photos for our new website we are coming across from photos from years past of parties we nearly forgot how much we love. A classic combo of flowers, fruits, nuts and candles never fails and multiply by 20 tables well 20 times better.
Making our Christmas lists and scented candles are always at the top of my list for giving and receiving. Giving can be a little difficult if you don’t know a persons scent since it’s so personal but selecting something appropriate to the occasion or holiday usually works. In the case of Miller Harris my home scent favorite since a stay at Covent Garden Hotel ( I’m nearly addicted) I have an emotional trigger attached to a great memory. It makes a great gift for all my friends who stayed at the hotel. The only place I know them to be available in New York city is MIN, but in London Miller Harris has several very chic boutiques.
Other seasonal favorites are… the Roland Pine scented candle by the Soap and Paper Factory , available at the Grand Central Holiday Fair, Balmoral by Cire Trudon, available at John Derian and the Pine & Eucalyptus by Jo Malone, one of our long time favorite brands, available at their boutique in the Upper East side, Saks Fifth Ave and at Bergdorf’s.
Here are some we’ve seen and read about and we can’t wait to experience first hand
Diptyque-Perdigone, limited edition Winter Collection
Laura Mercier-Warm Roasted Chestnuts
Diptyque-Grey Feu De Boi
Miller Harris-La Fumee
I have been MIA for two weeks but for good reason, lots and lots of work! Part of that work is reworking the website …. a very long overdue project. That means pouring over many many photos, giving us the chance to look over our work and be grateful for all the great clients allowing us to be apart of many special occasions and the opportunity to create gorgeous environments, so many looks, colors, flowers……. all fun.
We were lucky enough to work with Maya from Swank Productions again for a Halloween themed wedding at The Hemsptead House in Sans Point. The design was all Maya but we got to execute the rich, lush florals in Mayas ambiance and we had so much fun doing it. While these are not the official ( rather IPHONE) shots couldn’t help but share today .
Zia has been taunting us with thoughts of her upcoming food blog ZiaCooks and now it’s here and it’s as beautiful as I expected it would be. Zia and I have worked on several projects over the years and she has such a beautiful style. The blog went public today but she has many gorgeous photos and great recipes listed already. Enjoy and sign up, and cook!
Here is a visual teaser. I can’t wait to read more.
I have been apple picking maybe five years in a row now and I don’t think I will ever tire of it especially on gorgeous fall days. This year I was able to control myself enough so that I could actually carry all the apples home…which means less apples so maybe I should go twice this year! I love the rows of apples, the dappled light thru the trees, the views thru the arched branches heavy with apples, the smell of ripe apples, the sunflower patches, the pumpkin patch, the apple cider, …In a good fall I will get a tarte tartin out of some of the apples! Fairly easy to do and one of, if not my very favorite dessert when done well. I haven’t tried this recipe but thinking from Jacques Pepin must be pretty wonderful http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/La-Grand-Bouffe-Jacques-Pepins-Apple-Tart
Here is a great site for pick your own thru out the US, including other harvests http://www.pickyourown.org/NY.htm. . I prefer the smaller orchards, as the larger ones can be CROWDED but they may have more activities for families like hay rides. Just don’t get lost in a corn maze like this poor family: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/10/12/141271273/family-lost-in-corn-maze-dials-911-for-help
No mistake on the lead photo I selected. Still heavy-hearted on the passing of Steve Jobs.
