FarmHouseUrban

NYC - the gift show and other inspirations

I was in NYC last week attending the NYIGF. The trade show takes place twice per year - in August and January. There are literally miles of aisles to walk through with wholesalers selling just about everything you can imagine from plastic gadgets that are one stop away from a garage sale near you, to the finest luxury home furnishings. It can be overwhelming if you don't narrow your focus and spread it out over several days. Even then it's overwhelming!

For the past four years I've been going to the winter show with a brief visit to Northern Virginia first to visit relatives.

Coming from California, I always hope it snows. This year Mother Nature didn't disappoint...

 

The blurry photo was taken from my grandparent's house in McLean.

It seems every year the houses in their neighborhood get bigger and bigger. My grandparents have lived in the same house for my entire life. Until recently, the architecture has mostly been Colonial or Georgian Colonial.  These days, the original columned homes are being torn down, and replaced with a range of architectural styles.

This stone house is so magnificent. I wish I was able to get closer to show you the level of detail.

I took the train from DC to NYC on Saturday afternoon. Even though the time of day and destination didn't match, Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train To Georgia" was playing in my head. And on my iPod...  If you're in the right frame of mind, it can make you cry.

 

I digress. On to the show. I had a mission this time -  accessories!

We had these pillows in the lavender and gray colorway at the shop and they sold out almost immediately. The one above would be spectacular on a brown sofa.

These embroidered Peruvian tapestries can be customized in any color and size. They make me excited for summer.

I'm thinking about carrying these lamps in the shop. They're so universal - boy's bedrooms, family rooms, offices, etc.

This wallpaper line has caught my eye for the past several years. I don't use wallpaper much, but got thinking they be great to line the back of book shelves or in a powder room.

These stunning tin chandeliers were one of my favorite new finds. They come in a range of patinas or painted.

I thought these wood and metal frames were fun and have a great beach house feel.

On my last day in New York, I decided not to go back to the gift show, and instead hit the streets and absorb all I could of my favorite city before my flight home.

Loved this restaurant's forward thinking optimism.  It was 20 degrees outside.

Without a destination or anyone to compromise with, I was free to roam wherever I wanted. As it turned out, I wanted to go to Barney's. Long time readers know, I am by no means a shopper and given a choice I would much rather have clothes (super cute, well fitting clothes!) just appear in my closet. That said, there is no place comparable to Barney's  NYC to spot what's on the forefront in the fashion world. 

I discovered this new-to-me line. 

What would you wear this with? I'm picturing white jeans + ballet flats.

It's hard to see, but there is lace trim around the bottom and back of this long v-neck cardigan. Outfit ideas? How about black leather leggings and high heeled ankle boots?

Cotton knit at the top and arms and crisp cotton in the body. Navy and white stripes are timeless and always look chic. Very Jean-Paul Gaultier. What to pair this with? Faded boyfriend jeans rolled with No. 6 clogs perhaps.

The skirt on this dress is army green although it looks black in the photo. I bet it's cuter on than on the hanger. Especially with great sandals. 

Speaking of shoes... 

After leaving Barney's I had about an hour left before I needed to get back to get my stuff and head to the airport. Since I was nearby and never go, I just decided why not...

No, I did not ride in this, although had I not been alone...

I had another photo from inside the park, but I think I accidentally deleted it. Needless to say, it was a good, productive trip. 

Anything you would like to know more about from this post? Email your questions to info@serenaarmstronginteriors.com.

Happy middle of the week to you!

Summer - is there a road trip in my future?

A week from today unofficially marks the beginning of summer.  It snuck up this year, did it not? With the kids now going different directions as well as our house demo (and preemptive move-out) about to begin, the possibility of a vacation is remote, and more realistically, ain't gonna happen.  But what about the annual road trip???

The new issue of Garden & Gun came this past weekend, so last night I cleared the evening to curl up and savor it.  My favorite article was 'The Art of the Road Trip' by Daniel Wallace.  Read it here. It's a delightful read that outlines the criteria for a successful road trip. In short, it's not about the destination, but how you get there. I love a good metaphor. My two cents to add to that (having several stalwart roadtrips under my belt) make sure the person/people you are riding with have the same 'je ne sais quoi' attitude. Otherwise your curious, adventuresome self will be deflecting a barrage of commentary along the lines of "where are we???", "it's NOT on the map!", "we're going to get shot out here in the middle-of-nowhere-Texas driving on some dirt road in a hybrid." Just sayin.

Anyway, the best line in the article in case you don't have time to click over...

"A road trip wherein one does not get lost is not a road trip, it’s something else, the same way Pringles aren’t really potato chips. If you don’t get lost, you’ll miss all the best yard art, the secret quarries, all the little timeless towns secreted away on the other side of that mysterious hill, sweet towns same as they were fifty years ago, towns where evolution hasn’t happened because most of the people there don’t believe in it. And three-legged dogs—you’ll miss them too."

Some of the highlights from my road trip past, err past road trips...

Perhaps this summer, I will just have to be spontaneous and hop in the car without a set destination or plan....and as a card carrying 'planner', maybe that's the best metaphor of all.

Virtual Valentine's Getaway

I love Valentine's Day.  A day dedicated to love, romance and chocolate is just about as good as it gets.

And if there is one place that says romance, it's the Swiss Alps. I found this little spot a couple of years ago and have been saving it in my 'travel' folder.  We don't have any plans for a trip to Switzerland anytime soon, but wouldn't it be the perfect love nest in which to spend time with the one you love?

For info on La Ferme du Soleil click here.

next to a rock, inside an apple there is a pearl

Rockefeller Center

Up until a few days ago I was unaware that my expectations of having a completely positive hotel experience in nyc were extremely low.  I am what you'd call a hotel snob. I would rather stay home than go just about anywhere and stay in a not-so-great hotel. What I realized a few days ago, was that it really never occurred to me that somewhere, if I looked hard enough, there existed a hotel that possessed my two basic requirements (1. well kept - as in really clean and not shabby or rundown and 2. super quiet)  plus a slew of non-essential, but highly appreciated extras all at a not exorbitant rate.  That is, until I found a little pearl...

This may be my best nyc discovery ever.

The Pearl Hotel 

233 WEST 49TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10019 | TEL: 800-801-3457 OR 212-245-4000

I had never heard of The Pearl Hotel, which opened in Oct 2010 until I happened upon it on Expedia, which offered a rate of $175/night and included wifi, continental breakfast, daily wine reception (never went to it, so I have no details).  The reviews on Tripadvisor, Expedia, Google, etc were all excellent, so I thought I'd try it.

I checked in, and was immediately upgraded. Without asking. I shit you not.

photo from website

When I saw my room was on the 3rd floor, I asked if it faced the street (incidentally, I always prefer and request rooms in nyc that face brick walls or are so close to another building you could reach out and touch it.  It means they're quiet!  A view from a nyc hotel room is a total waste on me. Hawaii is another story.) The friendly front desk receptionist explained that they use a special 'sound proof glass' so even if there was noise outside my window I probably wouldn't hear it.  Sound proof glass?  Ha! Right! If there were such a thing, why wouldn't fancier hotels that rhyme with 'Alice' where I normally stay install them, at least on their lower floors???

The first thing I do when I check into any hotel is open the windows.  Judge away!  As I opened the incredibly heavy window, the street sounds came barrelling in as quickly as the blast of cold air.  I closed the window. Silence. I opened it again. Honking, sirens, etc. Sound proof glass is a beautiful thing.

Are you noticing the cleanliness? 

Carrera marble countertop on the bar area.  Fridge below and microwave above. Keurig coffee maker and to-go cups.  

photo from website

Many of the rooms have patios. I don't mean balconies, but full on lounge-chair-equipped-have-a-little-party-outside kind of patio.  

Nice big full-length mirror.

The bathroom was awesome! Spacious shower and standard size tub, the shower had an overhead faucet.  There was also a tv in the bathroom that faced the shower and tub.


Yes, those are Philosophy bath products!!!

photo from the website

There is a fitness room too.

I was in nyc to attend the Gift Fair, so as I was delighted to find out that the shuttle to the Javitts Center picks up at the Marriott Marquis only 3 blocks away.  

Another great surprise about this hotel is that it is directly across the street from the theatre where Book of Mormon is playing.  Tickets for this show are booked a year out.  Every day they offer 22 front row seats for that night's performance.  You just have to show up and put your name in a box and they will draw the winners 15 mins before the show.  The crowd I saw out front was at least 100 people.  I wished I had time to see a show and this one would have been my first choice.  

For more info on The Pearl Hotel, click here.

As far as the Gift Fair, I found some great new vendors for the shop and for client projects.  I posted a few finds on our FarmHouseUrban Facebook page.  Please find us on Facebook (button is on the right side of the blog) and like us to see the behind the scenes stuff!

cool things

I'm on the train from DC to NYC, finishing this post. It's the first time I've had internet access since Thurs! I've just spent a few days with my darling grandparents at their home in McLean, VA where there is no wifi, salt or oil of any kind. If you happen to have an ache or pain, however, they've got you covered. So lucky to have them still...

Whenever I find something that makes my life easier, cleaner, or is delicious, creative or a great product or is even just an ok product, but the packaging is awesome, I like to share it.  I've got a sweet little list of things I think are cool that has been stacking up as of late. I hope you enjoy them too!

1. Apps. I recently found two apps that I adore.  They are perfect for the foodie and/or traveller.  The first is 'Chef's Feed' which lists the favorite dishes of the best chef's in top US cities and the restaurants that serve them.  The cities include; Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, NYC, Philadelphia, SF, Seattle and Washington DC.  To get Chef's Feed, click here.  It's free!

A page from the San Francisco chef list.

The second app is a city guide from Gweneth Paltrow's newsletter goop. What I especially like about it, is that it maps all of her favorite picks - restaurants, home decor stores, 24-hour pharmacies, yoga centers, etc so that you can see what's nearby where ever you happen to be.  The app just came out in Dec 2011 so, the only city guide offered currently is NYC, but it looks like she will be adding London and LA soon. To get the goop app, click here.

2. Harry & David. During the holidays, we received a gift box from Harry & David. Having ordered from them several times, I think this was the first time we were recipients. When the box arrived, I was fully expecting their signature Riviera Pears, which would have been excellent, but instead it was an entire box of sweet treats!!!  

 

The packaging had me at hello. The sturdy box protected each individually wrapped treasure from crumbling or breaking. My favorite was the lemon poppyseed cake.  

Harry & David is located in Medford, OR.  They deliver a high quality product, packaged to perfection and I can't recommend them highly enough.  

3. Plastic Emeco chair. I was looking for a hard-working chair for a breakfast nook/kitchen project I'm working on and wanted to show my client the iconic and perennially cool 1008 Navy chair which first made it's appearance in 1944. When I went to the website I discovered a new version that I think is just brilliant....

In 2006 Coca-Cola approached Emeco to collaborate on a project to create a new version of the 1008 Navy chair made entirely out of plastic recycled Coke bottles. To be exact -111 recycled bottles per chair.  In May of 2010 they became available to purchase.

The company's commitment to providing long lasting products still holds true. The new 111 Navy Chair is available in six colors: Red, Snow, Flint Gray, Grass Green, Persimmon and Charcoal.  Snow, Flint and Red can be used outdoors.

To find out where 111 Navy Chairs are sold click here.

New York City Visit: no sleep till

BROOKLYN! In the past few years, I've noticed many shops, restaurants and businesses popping up in Brooklyn.  I had to see for myself what all the buzz is about, so my friend and I spent a day exploring. We got a recommendation from our cool waiter the night before, to visit 'his neighborhood' - Williamsburg, so that was our first stop.

We loved finding this little gold mine of a cheese shop - The Bedford Cheese Shop.

In addition to the abundant cheese and salami selection, they also sell hand crafted chocolate - the perfect sweet treat to round out your impromptu Brooklyn picnic. This display of chocolate wrapped in a colorful palette of beautiful papers caught my eye immediately. It turns out the small company - Mast Brothers - is located right around the corner and is open to the public for tours of the chocolate making process.  We hoped to fit it in, but didn't have time. Next visit.

We ate lunch at a great place around the corner called 'Egg'. It was a recommendation from the guy at the cheese shop. Despite the name, I don't think there were any breakfast items on the menu. I took photos of the amazing sandwiches we had, but the photos looked like doo doo, so you'll just have to trust me!

The latter part of the day we walked around Park Slope.  We loved the neighborhood/family feel and great variety of restaurants and shops, stopping for a refreshment at, of all places, a gourmet beer shop.  If you look closely at the photo above, you might see why.

The photo below as well as this article listing this ice cream sandwich as one of the 10 best in ny area, is posted on the door. 

 

If you're into beer, this place will make you very, very happy!

Instead of taking the subway back to the city, we decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

On our way we passed a mall of sorts.  The stores are all converted shipping containers.

We were so enamored with Brooklyn, we came back on our last day to visit the Brooklyn Flea.  

If I wasn't going straight to the airport, here's what I would have picked up.

All this chaise needs is a little fabric love! It is practically the same as the one I have in the shop. Mine was also a flea market find.

I'm still thinking about that flag...

 Happy Happy New Year!

 

 

 

New York City Visit: Food

I have just two posts left on the nyc trip I took last month and can't end the year without getting them both in...so while they're not holiday, I hope you enjoy them just the same!

Why does everything taste so good in New York? Almost everywhere we ate was outstanding, except one horrible Italian place that, come to think of it, may not have even been a real restaurant... 

The shortened list of highlights include:

Accademia diVino - 1081 3rd Avenue. I've eaten at the one on the Upper West side too, and it's equally good. We shared a couple of salad/veggie dishes and the truffle pizza.  The crust is crisp like a flatbread - delicious. Great place if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

Buddakan - By the time we circled through this enormous space and were seated, I didn't care what the food tasted like. It is so spectacular, it was worth going just to see. Fortunately the food was delicious too. Our group was large, so we got to sit at (half of) this table.

Blue Ribbon - 97 Sullivan Street.  Small, quaint and open 4pm-4am.  The food and dining experience are always great, but this time in particular. I highly recommend the fried chicken-- and to share it!

Just a few blocks from where we stayed is the fantastic gourmet grocery Citarella -"The ultimate gourmet market". I was able to take three photos before they politely explained the 'no photos' policy. 

I'll be back in nyc in Jan.  Any recommendations?

 

 

New York City Visit: Windows and Doors

I had one day on my own, which I spent exploring the Chelsea galleries looking for some art for a San Francisco client. Along the way, marveling at all the unique entrances and how they each tell a different story about what's inside...

Entrance to Comme des Garcons

It was a cold day, but the sun was out - the ideal weather for walking in nyc.  What I found as I went from the bustling, crowded, zooming, honking, windy streets to the serene, quiet, calm of these galleries was that the back and forth of these two extremes had an incredibly relaxing effect.  

Perfectly frosted cupcakes at Billy's Bakery, luring in passers by.

Some store had this in the window.  So funny. Loved that they used taxi fabric. I could have used one of these the next day when I couldn't catch a cab downtown to save my ...life. Apparently, they were avoiding the Javitts Center while the marathoners were picking up their packets. Mass chaos, but it was inspiring to see all the runners. Got me considering perhaps giving it a whirl again next year... I said perhaps.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, our apartment was in a great location, especially for discovering new shops.  I highly recommend visiting Gracious Home.  There are three Manhattan locations. Gracious Home has got absolutely everything from Frette sheets to toasters, Swarovski crystal chandeliers to sandpaper.  It takes up two opposite corners and each store is jam packed with beautiful things.

From one day to the next, the windows went from fall to holiday.

A little walk through the store.

Love these sheets!

I still have a couple more posts for you from nyc - Food and Brooklyn. 

 

New York City Visit: fashion

Confession - I'm not all that into clothes shopping.  However, I do like to look as though I am!  If I had a magic fairy that could make the perfect outfits appear in my closet so I would never have to try anything on, I would be a happy camper. In the meantime, I'll take my fashion cues from the ever stylish streets of the Big Apple.

This is a display of jeans at Scoop NYC - a great shop for everything - shoes, accessories, casual-to-party clothes.  Notice they're all flares?  They're back!  I couldn't be happier! I am getting a little tired of the skinny jean look unless they're worn with boots.  What do you think?

This past summer, I bought this pair of flare jeans called 'The Bell Jean' by Current/Elliot and I looove them!  I got them on Shopbop - free worldwide shipping in 3 days or less and free returns!

I found these two outfits below while surfing around the fashion blogs. They are just perfect for work-to-evening. 

 I also found this picture - in my opinion, the perfect outfit.

source
Another trend I'm glad is on the way out are over-the-knee boots. Whenever I've tried on the high heeled versions I look like a total hussy - not that I'm judging - it's just not the look I'm going for :) The flat ones make me feel like a pirate.  I think you have to be over 5'8" to pull them off.

These Rag & Bone boots at Scoop are amazing.  The midcalf height is great and love the flat heel for everyday.

I ended up buying these at Andrea Carrano; a small boutique shoe store - the kind you only find in ny.  Everything is beautifully handmade in Italy.

Andrea Carrano is known mainly for ballet flats. I bought a pair in dark charcoal suede and took these photos of some other colors for future reference.

Was so tempted...

One of the windows at Searle. Such a fun party outfit!

I never know what outerwear to bring when I go back East during the colder months. I only have one really heavy coat - a full length parka. In California, we can get by with just a jacket, and add a sweater on the colder days. So I was thrilled to find this pea coat (from Shopbop) which is the perfect weight for fall in ny and winter in sf.

My overall impression was that the trends seem to be leaning to the more feminine, tailored and sophisticated. I'm so glad the boxy shirts, jackets with shoulder pads and MC Hammer style pants that were resurrected from the 80's seem to be gone! I'd love to know what is your fashion staple?

New York City Visit: nightlife

On our second night in nyc, we decided to go to a play. 'Asuncion' - written and starring Jesse Eisenberg sounded interesting. It's playing at a 179-seat, historic theater (87 years old) in the Village  - The Cherry Lane. I thoroughly enjoyed the play, but more for the overall experience than the play itself. Jesse Eisenberg reminded me of Woody Allen, only not as funny. Hunched over posture, lots of emphatic gesturing and guilt was a recurring theme . The small theater was packed with Hollywood types, some we recognized (but NO Johnny Depp?!) Asuncion is only playing for another couple of weeks, so if you're looking for a true ny experience I would recommend getting tickets now! 

Before the play we had a cocktail at One If By Land, Two If By Sea, which has been in operation for decades. The beautiful exterior and old carriage door set the tone for what's inside.

The floral arrangements, taper candles and chandeliers are set nightly. There is almost no other lighting, so the mood is very mysterious and romantic. It was for this reason that I decided to use these photos taken with my iphone vs. using the ones on the website taken during the day. It really feels like this inside. I'm not sure if the food is so great, but the ambiance is fantastic, especially for a quick cocktail.

After the show we went to Blue Ribbon - the one at 97 Sullivan Street. As always, the food was terrific (I had the fried chicken made with Matzoh meal, my friend had the mussels), good people watching, wonderful service.  They are open until 4:00am (we left waaay before that!) and since the food is so good, it is a favorite hangout for chefs after work. A perfect night in nyc.

Next up, New York fashion.