Winter at the Beach

As a kid and a young adult, I remember sitting on the beach in Laguna or Newport Beach in February. The beautiful weather we are enjoying several days a week here in February of 2009 is as I remember as a kid. We do battle some traffic here in our beach communities and on the freeways, but the trade-off is we are not battling blizzards, icy roads, loss of electricity and all that goes with the white blankets of winter covering so much of the country. Having this clear air at the beach to breathe, the beautiful pounding surf, layering only a top, sweater and sometimes a jacket in winter here is a far cry from the 2 winters we experienced in New Hampshire where temps reached down to 20 below. Yikes. I'll deal with the traffic ! Here are a few photos to whet your appetite for a California Winter. We hope our Eastern friends might be able to visit us someday soon. The surfers are Jim's son Craig and our grandson Connor, cutting quite a swath in the curl (well, sort of in the curl !). The painting with the folded umbrellas above is entitled, York Beach, Maine. I painted it during the winter of 2004 as a blizzard hit New Hampshire. Wishful thinking, in this case, wishful painting. It was inspired by a neighbor's photograph of his beach house there, casting a shadow onto the sand.

And for dinner, how about a variation on the classic chicken pot pie. Instead of chicken, add some Andoille sausage and fresh shrimp. Just include some herbs and a little garlic and now we have a shrimp pot pie ! Serve with a crisp salad and a lovely light wine and it is a perfect supper, after a walk on the beach. Place some of your collection of sea shells, sea fans, sea glass down the center of the table; low white votive candles between the shells, some white napkins, natural straw mats and throw in some white roses from the garden and you have a "beach scape" to complement the dinner. Or, use the pie for dessert elevated on a cake stand and covered with a glass bell punctuated by spring tulips. Either way, it is a welcome table for a relaxing meal.

Beautiful Days Doing our Jobs

It has been a very busy week with social events, real estate, design clients and friends. For example: celebrating a 30th birthday for a remarkable young man, Alex ; attending a beautifully prepared and lovingly organized baby shower for a dear friend expecting her first baby at 39; and caring for a sick husband. There is a nasty flu going around, so I can only suggest you watch that you eat very nutritous foods, hydrate, eliminate or minimize your alcohol intake, get lots of good sleep. With all the stress out there, we must take good care of ourselves.

About that Birthday Party: given by my dear friend Alison and her stunning daughter Meredith, for Meredith's excellent boyfriend Alex. Alison gave me all of a week to paint something for him, for this special occasion. It was wonderful to dive in last weekend and paint for 12 hrs. straight one day and 4 more hours 2 subsequent days. It was joyful for me to see how happy he was when he opened the box. The painting is still drying, but at least he could see it. Soon it will grace his walls and we have yet another connection of great memories.

I have the good fortune of working with some excellent clients in both real estate and my design business. Everyone is feeling the challenges of this historic time in America and it seems even more important that we do our jobs very well; that we treat our clients, family and friends with respect and calm. My son Seth has said since he was a teenager, that if everyone would "simply do their job, 90% of the problems would disappear !" So true. Going bonkers is not the answer. It seems that the grass roots level of individual efforts is going to help us all survive and get through these economic challenges with some dignity left and hopefully we can all spend our hard-earned, remaining dollars with forethought and prudence. This brings me to spending time at home with yourself, your pets, your mate, your family, both immediate and extended. Spend quality time together making a "potluck" style dinner in one home, maybe yours, with everyone bringing some ingredients for the dinner and chipping in to prep those fresh ingredients for a comforting meal. Make a homemade sauce for the pasta, and you will feel calmer just going through the process. The smell of it cooking is worth the simple effort ! Set your table with a bowl of red, yellow and orange sweet peppers, use your big, colorful napkins and see the smiles of contentment at your table. And add a great wine to that table. Go to Dani and Ed Sellers Winery blog at: http://edwardsellerswines.blogspot.com/

Every day is a gift; let's use it !

Seizing the Moment

On Thursday I enjoyed opening our home to family, friends, collegues and their guests for my Annual Painting Soiree. The day was clear, like this wave and with a sapphire sky. We were gathered to view my most recent body of work: paintings completed in 2008. It was wonderful to prepare the house, the nibbles and refreshments, the flowers, choosing the best spot for each painting. I had a total of 15 new paintings and sold 12. Dear friends who have been collecting my paintings over the years, again stepped to the plate with a smile as the painting(s) they chose gave them joy. New friends bought and old friends added to their collection. Each painting has a story behind it because I paint where I have been or where I would like to be. My darling friends, Janet, Mary Jane, Nancy, Debbie, Candace and Marian all bought paintings. I was touched and grateful to each of them for their kindnesses, their grace, the laughter they bring every time I am with them. Janet has collected my work from the beginning. One of the most heartfelt reactions I had with her display of my work, was when I spent a weekend with her in her graceful home in Pauma Valley. The guest room walls only held my paintings, all hanging at the same (eye) level, one after another like a circle around the room. I was so touched, it brought a tear to my eye. I slept in that room that night comforted by my surroundings ! A few days after the Soiree, Alison commissioned me to do a painting, needed next week so I have been painting for 12 hours straight today and it has felt wonderful to commit an entire day to painting and all that goes with it; intellectually, imaginatively and technically. At the Soiree, Jim took over the cocktail duties; Seth and Anthony worked the crowd and brought one of their friends and client, Barbara. In the next few days I will add some photos of the paintings for you. And again, my heartfelt thank you to all who attended and participated in a wonderful day.

So when you have time to follow your passion, do it. Even if is a few minutes a day. That moment is like this transparent wave photographed by Scott Brashier. Treasure its beauty, the time spent because it is quickly gone, but never forgotten.

Weekend in Review

Taking advantage of the overcast skies by embracing the changing cloudscape: rain, no rain; bursts of sunrays through puffy thunderheads inspired me to brighten up the dining room with winter's citrus bounty. This weekend I set our table for the family with a bright yellow and purple toile tablecloth and took lemons off our trees in the backyard and put them on Aunt Ruby's old pressed glass cake plate and covered them with a bell jar from the garden. Using the simple starfish from a decorating accent I made this summer, I placed them on top of the toile napkin on a set of Bobby's unique dessert dishes I wanted to use as salad plates.

This all set the stage for a rejuvenating look that brightened the eyes of the family, as the needed rain poured down outside. The kitties always help me by moving the tablecloth into the right position. If you don't have the tablecloth you want, go to the fabric store and get some fabulous print or color and use a big swath on your table. It doesn't have to fit; if it is too small for your big table, crinkle it up and use it as an accent going the width of the table, not the length and let the extra length fall on each side of the width. Add accent colored napkins unfolded as your placemats on "the diamond" instead of squared on the table. Little things mean a lot in this case. Add tiny vases filled with leaves, herbs, flowers for miniature bouqets in the vases at each place setting.

The photos

Rain has arrived at the Beach

Everyone thinks of California as the land of fun and sunlit days of endless surfing; but did you know the "State Dance" is the Rain Dance? Yes, we have days on end of stunning sunlight, but our corner of the earth still rejoices when the sound of rain hits our roofs and gardens. Yes, Californians by and large don't know how to drive well in the rain. It takes a lot longer to get home. But when you do, all the living parts of the garden seems to be turning upward in thanks. While most of the country is buried in ice and snow; my sweet peas are beginning to make the climb to the clouds their blossoms looking much like their destination. Even our cats, Maui and Luci love to go out for a minute and feel the rain; shaking their paws with each step.



I mentioned 4 days ago I was going to write about the famous "Bobby" in our lives. We met Bobby and his partner Clive, in the wonderful antique shop they owned in Laguna Beach in 1978. We fell in love with a Queen Anne English Highboy with burled walnut drawers. They had lived with it too, in England and no longer had a use for it in their cottage in Laguna. So, they delivered it to us, joined us for cocktails and our friendship began. Bobby is one of those remarkable raconteurs who can keep one captive for hours (it seems like 15 minutes) with stories of his exuberant past. Dancing with Ava Gardner with her natural enticing personality; one of his great friends, Bumble, was the Edith Head of London Theatre. Through her and other pals he met all the greats of film and stage; and writers, producers, directors too. Bobby and I fell hard for each other. He tells me now, he knew instantly we were soul mates when we walked into his cottage for the first time and I said, "Oh, that must be tarragon and thyme on the lamb that I smell". Jim loves him as much as I do. The incredible sets of porcelain chinas, the hand painted crystal goblets and cordial glasses and so much more come from Bobby. When he presented the first remarkable set to me from his long relationship with the Baron, he explained that we are all just the caretakers of these beautiful things and to pass them on to those who will use and appreciate them as we do. Over the years, he has given me rare and valuable pieces, which I do use. I have some hanging on my walls around an antique mirror in the dining room. I have the luscious 19th Century green and white tea set on my mantle during the holidays and into Springtime. They are there now. Silver chargers from Bobby accent many of my table settings. His mother's handmade lace tablecloth is used often. You can see every stitch and loop. Only one of my friends has ever met Bobby, not because I don't want to share him, but because of his schedule. Everyone close to me knows about Bobby and I give him all the credit for my table settings. There is a photo here of Bobby and me in the foyer of our home. He is 94 years old and going strong. His mind never halts or waivers, the legs may need a rest after a bit, but the mind never stops. Writing about him in this blog is an ode to him. There will be others.



So when you are ready to set your table for an intimate dinner, a family or friends gathering, make it special. Use the leaves, herbs and flowers from your garden; use those special plates that are in the high cupboard. Each day, each moment is a gift and is also an opportunity to create.

Monday Evening Quarterbacking

Even though my sports are limited to my workouts and watching the occasional sporting event, the spirited Superbowl Game of yesterday between the Steelers and the Cardinals, was quite the nail biter. I waited until after the game to give myself a manicure.

Thoughts wander however, during those internable minutes with the "clock" at 2 minutes left in the game, when you know it will be at least in real time, 30 minutes. Mine wandered to the enjoyable evening the night before with my son Seth and his partner Anthony and our always interesting conversations they encourage. I know I will leave the evening having learned something new, like setting up this blog with Seth's help that night. Which brings me to food, entertaining and "Setting the Table".

We are all busy; we all have excuses, however excellent. But when it is time to share a meal with your mate or friends and family, why not make it a visual treat. It really only takes a few extra minutes. I have always thought that I can serve you a glass of water and a peanut butter sandwich, but why not set the "tablescape" so there are interesting things to look at besides your plate and each other. The tablescape becomes part of the larger environment, but can be its intimate centerpiece. The water can be in a pretty glass with a spring of mint; the peanut butter sandwich can be served on a vintage plate of milk - glass. Taking off from that simple fare, why not take it a few steps further and throw down your elderly Aunt's vintage tablecloth from the 40's; some fresh white daisies from the garden in your grandmother's syrup pitcher; that old bakelite silverware you bought at the flea market in college and make a statement to all, that yes, not only do we learn from the past, but we borrow its "visuals" too and make a humble snack a moment to remember. Each piece becomes an opportunity to expand the quiet conversation and speak of moments we all remember. After all, isn't a large part of life made of memorable moments?

I look in my cupboards; I iron old linen tablecloths; I see a basket of strawberries in my refrigerator and I remember picking them when linen sheets on the clothesline were creating shadows in my grandmother's backyard when she lived in Bakersfield and I was a little girl. There is nothing like that crisp, fresh strawberry smell, with the berry not seconds off the vine. I ate so many I got a rash on my behind and my grandma thought I was allergic. I didn't care, I have continued to eat them all my life and remember that moment in her garden each time. When I made dessert this past Saturday night a fresh berry cobbler, I remembered her garden again. And of course I remember her. Lilly.

So, when I stage a house; or freshen up my own; or set the table for another fun dinner, I know how lucky I am to have some history in my cupboards and drawers and even luckier to share them with people I love and treasure. In staging a home for a client, I like to start with using what people already have, then edit. Severely. I seem to breathe fresher air as a home begins to change and really show its light, angles and perspectives. It is lovely to see the relaxed surprise of the owners, to see how their very own things can transform a space into something more "au courant" and ultimately, "more them".