mod love

i could try and find words to explain all the reasons i love this washington state house. but really, why? just look at it.

although i personally think the furnishings and decor could use some warmth and variation on style, the architecture and materials of this house are, to me, a dream. the footprint is still original from the 1950's and was redesigned by bohlin cywinski jackson to relate to its natural surroundings and i think it does that in the most stunning ways.






i'll tell you this - i am a sucker for house designs that blend concrete and stone and glass and teak and fir. gets me every time.

photos from www.bcj.com

tiny treasures...breathe deeply

as you know, a tiny treasure is a little luxury (under $5) that can have a profoundly positive impact on your home, your life or your day. so often, scents are an example of that for me, and i know for many of you. i guess it's not surprising since it's often said that the olfactory sense is the strongest in regard to memory and feelings. so when i rediscovered dried eucalyptus a few weeks ago, i knew i had to make it a tiny treasure.

now, i personally have very positive memories of the smell - i always had it in my room when i was younger, and the fragrance wafted through the home of a childhood friend i had where i was always happy and creative and laughing. but even without my memories, the smell of eucalyptus is wonderfully relaxing and spa-like. the minty, herbal qualities makes you inhale extra deeply to breathe it all in, and the scent is far-reaching. we have two bunches right now on opposite sides of our living room, and while i'm not knocked over by the scent, i definitely catch waves of it now and then and it is really lovely when i do. i can actually feel my muscles loosen and a smile emerge.

there are also all kinds of environmental reasons to be a purchaser of eucalyptus and its byproducts, which you can read about here if you find yourself interested.

the really nice thing about dried eucalyptus is that it's very easy to find, and very inexpensive. many grocery stores carry it, as well as many of the corner delis here in nyc that have flowers. if neither of those options work, michael's and other craft stores always have it, in a few different colors too. you can usually just follow your nose when you enter the store to find the right aisle. and i don't think i have ever seen a bunch for over $4.

i think pier 1 often carries it too, and that's another one of my memory associations for eucalyptus - the days of my papasan chair. why i wanted to sit in a padded bowl while smelling my eucalyptus...not sure about that.

i think of it like this - why have your home smell neither here nor there when it can smell amazing, feel me?

photos from save-on-crafts

stay the night (or forever)

my visits to the emerson resort have introduced me to a feeling of...how should i say it...never wanting to leave the hotel i'm staying in. yeah, that works. and so when i came upon a few pictures of the crosby street hotel right here in new york, i felt phantom "never want to leave" pangs, even though i'm not staying there (but i SHOULD be).

i just had to share with you how gorgeous every space in this boutique hotel is. here is how firmdale hotels, the british company which owns the crosby, puts it: "hotels should be living things, not stuffy institution... kit kemp [one of the owners] has designed all of the interiors in a fresh contemporary english style. her mixture of colour and texture, modern and antique together with an impressive art collection, has combined to create a unique look and style."

TRUE THAT.

the common areas of the hotel include the lobby, a bar where all-day afternoon tea is served in the english style, a private garden, a drawing room where one can also enjoy their tea, private meeting and event rooms, a screening room and a gym, all impeccably appointed in the most non-hotel hotel style i've ever seen, and one of the first LEED certified hotels in new york city. to me, a place like this being green makes it infinitely better.

i'd be pretty thrilled if i arrived on a soho street (best neighborhood for shopping and dining in nyc, many would say) and checked into this lobby. you?

and the rest of the guest common spaces are just as interestingly appointed. what's nice is that the whole hotel gives the vibe of a very cool home - collected over time, not out of a single catalog page like some decor can be - especially hotel decor.

and then, and THEN...the guest rooms. there are 96 rooms and suites, each uniquely decorated with such whimsy and charm that i just feel like i want to stay in every room. here are a just a few...

now of course, this kind of style doesn't come cheap, but i know you could have guessed that. so especially if you live in new york, and winning the lottery isn't an experience you've had, you might not end up staying here. i feel you.

but i will definitely be keeping the crosby street hotel in mind for something like a small-scale baby or bridal shower - like a lady's tea or brunch. (i wasn't crazy about the way their wedding ceremonies or receptions looked and they're probably mara lago kind of money anyway).

all photos from www.firmdale.com

a sunday among the stacks

so here are my most recent memories of libraries:

1. high school librarian coming into my junior year english class dressed as a human-size book to teach us, yet again, the dewey decimal system. and we still didn't get it or care.

2. stern looking ladies at the "circulation desk" of my public library growing up constantly shushing us and being what seemed like purposely not helpful in locating the books we needed for our reports and projects. thank GOD for the internet (and al gore, of course).

3. being so delinquent on some borrowed books from my college library that i had to make an emergency bursar's office run a couple days before graduation be permitted to walk. and i was a flagbearer (stop laughing) so not walking would have been a problem.

so i guess it's no wonder that i haven't set foot in a library in many years. and i can say it was worth the wait - on a whim, i decided to stop into the port washington public library yesterday afternoon, and it was the loveliest day i've had in a while. first of all, the library itself is beyond beautiful. modern and linear, and flooded with light. also, there was interesting and lovely artwork all around. combined with the comfortable furniture and the hum of classical music, i was ready to move in.

currently on display is the work of carlos page, an argentinian sculptor now based in hoboken. i love the mix of materials he uses and the ways it relates to the building's style and textures. frankly, though, i just loved that it was all there and so beautifully exhibited. it reminded me what a beautiful and vibrant community port washington is, which can be a little easier to forget when its not in its full spring and summer water town glory.

i was equally thrilled to see how frequently the library has live music and other cultural programs - i am so there, now that i know about these things.

you know how barnes and noble has chairs and tables that you can sit at and read? even though they don't say so, i kind of feel like it's possible to overstay your welcome there if you're not spending money. but not at the library. people were there reading the newspaper, doing their taxes, just gazing out the huge wall of two-story windows at lower main street...it was amazing.

looking out the windows, i realized that there is a terrace which is open in the warmer months which overlooks lower main street, and although it looked cold and bleak yesterday, i was thrilled at the idea of it in just a couple short months. so i was further pleased to see these pictures on the library's facebook page. so pretty! i can't wait...

and i was beyond excited by the ease of navigating through the library's collection. it's all computerized and easily searchable on computers placed throughout the library, and any books which are checked out or belonging to another library can be easily requested right there - sort of like a netflix situation but with books. of course it sort of figures it would all be computerized now, but libraries always seemed a bit out of date and behind the times to me before now, so i was happily surprised.

i am so happy about my discovery of the library, though i'm sort of kicking myself for my ignorance and for not thinking to explore it sooner. but of course, no point in looking back, only forward, so i am thrilled without measure that i've come upon such a special place to spend time. it seems like a perfect place to read and listen and observe, perfect for an artist's date - a place to spend some much cherished time in peace and quiet with only myself and thoughts on a page.

carlos page photos from http://www.carlospage.com/index.html, terrace garden photos from http://www.facebook.com/ (pwpl page)