Catch Them If You Can

Lately I've been waking up in the dark of the night with a brain incubating with words. Half-formed rhymes dance tantalizingly overhead and threaten to fly away unless I commit them to immediate memory. For a few intense minutes, I attempt various mnemonic devices (Create an acronym! Build an association chain!) in the hope of staying in my warm bed, but eventually I shuffle off to my office and pit myself in a typing race to catch the winged little creatures before they fade to nothingness.

Here's a poem that came to me recently at 4am and was complete by the time the sun came up three hours later. I may embroider it for an upcoming project I'm thinking of doing on Hollywood - I like the idea of stitching words like "Balenciaga" and "Prius" and "ahi"; they are so redolent of our 21st century narrative.

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In Search Of An Ending

She sat in the penthouse bar,

Stylishly wrapped against cold

A capelet adorning her shoulders

A vision for all to behold.

Lace adorning her torso,

(Zac Posen last season, on sale),

Her shoes, Louboutin, half off,

(Via Gilt Groupe's biweekly email).

Neiman's had sold her the handbag,

A Balenciaga, in black,

She felt ill when she thought of the price tag,

And was thinking of taking it back.

The credit card bills were mounting,

The lease on her Prius was due,

The rent on her studio had increased,

Her landlord was threatening to sue.

The bartender reached for her cocktail,

Warm from sitting so long,

She gave him a look, and he left it,

She needed it there to feel strong.

Her Hollywood dreams were still pending,

Auditions had not gone that well,

She had to curtail all the spending

Or it was back home to Tampa to dwell.

The business men wolfed down their ahi,

And knocked back their Grey Goose on ice,

And burped when they thought no one saw them,

And leered at her over their rice.

Her God-given red lips sighing,

She blinked, and surveying the room,

Shook off her creeping exhaustion,

And prayed luck would come to her soon.

(Photo credits: First image, me; second image here; fourth image here; fifth image here; sixth image via marthaadams.com; last image, painting by Christian Schad, 1924)

R & G Collective: It's A' Happenin'

Right now, in Brentwood, there is something very chic and buzzy going on that anyone with a love of design needs the immediate 411 on. It's a new pop-up shop called R & G Collective and it's my favorite place to hang out these days.

(All photos by Lisa Borgnes Giramonti)

Hollywood art director and set designer -- and longtime friends -- Andrea Gibbin and Wendy Riva have spent the last few months amassing one-of-a-kind gems from their recent travels to Syria, Morocco and other far-flung destinations. Think of it as your very own global bazaar, no visa required.

To help them in their exciting new venture, Wendy and Andrea have joined forces with wunderkind LA designer Nathan Turner and NY's fabulous Eric Hughes. Here's a glimpse of one of the rooms Nathan and Eric put together last weekend. Burlap walls, Indian dhurrie rugs, vintage maps and an exciting mix of heirlooms and treasures. Doesn't it make you long to sit down with a cup of strong Kenya coffee and a copy of Osa Johnson's "I Married Adventure" ?

This store window effortlessly captures the global mix-and-match sensibility that I so admire. A room shouldn't shout, "Look at how much money I cost!", it should whisper, "Come sit down next to me and let's have a great conversation."

Yesterday when I stopped by, Nathan was there on a brief break from filming his upcoming Bravo reality show, "Million Dollar Decorator" which was shooting literally around the corner. (It premieres in January.) He is so funny and interesting and charming that I have no doubt the show is going to be huge.

Macie Sears, the very fun owner of the uberchic Sears Peyton Gallery, was also there, and I fell in love with this painting by Clay Wagstaff called "Contrail #2."

Everywhere you turn, you can't help but elicit an involuntary "OMG." In this corner, you can spot textiles from Syria, leather ottomans from Morocco and even a stool covered in Peter Dunham's "Ikat " fabric.

I can't stop thinking about this cute mosque alarm clock that Wendy and Andrea found in Aleppo. The entrancing call to prayer on it (surprisingly loud, perfect for heavy-sleepers) reminds me exactly of waking up in Marrakech.

Andrea and Wendy are planning upcoming trunk sales from Minnie Mortimer, Soledad Twombly (whose striped caftan can be seen on the right) and cult handbag designer Clare Vivier (that's her leather tote hanging off the bench).

Here's the deets:

R & G Collective

11981 San Vicente Boulevard, Brentwood (near Saltair Avenue)

Mon-Sat 11-4pm

Through October and November only

310-729-7755

See you there!

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Editor's Update: Ah, the never-ceasing miracles of the internet. Within an hour of posting this, I received an email from Marcos in Italy who works for Oficina Inglesa and recently travelled to Damascus on a furniture shopping expedition. He was blown away by the talent of the Syrian furniture artisans who sculpt "each tiny piece of mother of pearl to fit the hand-carved wooden spaces." Here's a link to his fascinating short little video.

My goodness, Marcos. It makes me appreciate the detail in a piece like this in a whole new way.

(Syrian mother of pearl dresser, R & G Collective)

Camping at the Kemps

When I was in London in August, we switched it up and stayed at the Knightsbridge Hotel, part of Tim and Kit Kemp's Firmdale Group (they own the Covent Garden Hotel and the newly opened Crosby Street Hotel in New York, among others). It's a stunner of a place, small, discreet and tucked into a leafy court just steps away from Harrod's. Designed by Kit Kemp in her signature English eccentric style, it was filled with so many inspiring details that the memory capacity of my Nikon SLR was sorely tested.

One detail that especially struck me was this lovely use of grosgrain ribbon to border the turquoise wallpaper in the hallways.

(Ribbon detail, Knightsbridge Hotel)

It's a great example of how a small detail can add textural finish to a pattern in the same way that contrast piping adds sharpness to a cushion.

Editor's Note: I had no idea this little detail had a name until I read a post on the impossibly erudite An Aesthete's Lament about Deborah Mitford's vicarage at Chatsworth. Aesthete writes:

"The fillet... in case you didn't know, is a narrow strip of fabric, metal, or gilded wood that outlines a room and its architectural features. It is especially useful when one wishes to provide detail without actual bulk, particularly when a room is, well, deficient in architectural charm.

One could also use grosgrain ribbon to similar effect."

Thank you, Aesthete, for bringing my discovery full circle.

* * * * *

Now back to The Knightsbridge. Seriously, it was so lovely that I wished we could just lounge there all day. The main sitting room off the lobby was decorated with the kind of soulful eclecticism that makes everyone sitting in it seem completely fascinating. I felt as though if I were to ask someone, "When do you next go to Cairo?" or "How is your novel coming along?" or "Is it true that your fall collection was inspired by traditional Hungarian costumes?" that I would definitely get answers.

Beyond the sitting room is an intimate library and it's here that we sat every morning and had a cup of coffee before venturing outside. I am completely in love with the color palette in this room. The muted greens, blues, reds and pinks harmonize wonderfully with each other and it somehow feels moody and cheerful at the same time.

Here's a close up of the fireplace fender upholstered in the same fabric as the club chairs. I love fireplace fenders and think somebody needs to start manufacturing them in the US for a reasonable price (not $4,000 which is how much all the UK ones I like seem to cost. Hello, anyone?) They can be classic or modern, can be upholstered in anything, take up no room and make great extra seating in a pinch.

And look over here. The library ladder is neon. It's these kind of tongue-in-cheek design touches that I love so much because they remind me that great style should be personal, witty and not overly serious.

While I was rhapsodizing over the decor, it was the Honesty Bar that my son absolutely could not get over. When I informed him that beyond it lay a room filled with snacks and drinks for guests of the hotel to enjoy, his eyes grew as big as saucers. "But wh-wh-why would they let us do that?" he stuttered. "Because the staff TRUSTS that you are going be HONEST and WRITE IT DOWN so they can CHARGE YOU LATER," I said.

Luca: Can I go in?

Me: All right.

After much deliberation, he selected an Orangina and a chocolate bar and wrote it carefully down in the hotel ledger in big capital letters. When he emerged, his bearing was more confident and he had a maturity about him that seemed born from newfound responsibility. Who would have thought that a room filled with bottled sodas would turn out to be a watershed moment for an eight-year-old?

* * * * *

I wish I had taken better photos of the room, but I didn't think about it until it was filled with all our things. It overlooked the little tree-lined court and had a fireplace and lovely ceiling-height windows. But what really blew me away were the closets and bathroom -- large, light and beautifully designed with every possible desire anticipated. As a thoughtful touch, there were two full-length lighted mirrors inside the closet doors so I could get a 360 degree view of exactly where all those scones I'd eaten had ended up. (Sadly, I kid only slightly.)

If It's Sunday, This Must Be France

We went to Cap d'Antibes yesterday.

Our good friends Olga and Eric live around the corner in a gorgeous old 1929 Mediterranean villa. In about thirty seconds, we can walk from our little English cottage to the South of France, no passport required.

Olga's back garden is a magical paradise that always reminds me of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Villa America in "Tender Is The Night." Lush vegetation surrounds a stone pool, clambering vines adorn a separate guest house, and romantic walkways lead to a myriad of outdoor seating areas. She designed it herself but modestly deflects all praise. (She's a coy thing.)

She was wearing a fitted bateau shirt with red and blue stripes. Tall and willowy, she possesses that particular brand of Gallic style that's chic and effortless.

Unwinding with them over a bottle of wine was just the restorative we needed after a unusually hectic weekend. Luca disappeared upstairs with the children and peace spread over the land.

We drank a Bordeaux that tasted of earth and figs and black currants in thin-stemmed crystal glasses. (Well, les femmes did. Eric and Piero drank Lebanese beer, just visible in the background).

To say that Olga is a Francophile is an understatement. Everywhere you turn, there is a reminder of the mother land. In a shady corner, a traditional bistro set in Provençal blue creates an artful haven for her children.

Flowers -- roses, camellias, bougainvillea -- were in masses everywhere. The scent was heady and intoxicating. I want a garden like this.

Here, Olga has used a wire frame to train little trumpet vines around an arched window. Imagine what this is going to look like framed with flowers.

Inside, she has created a sanctuary for her family that resounds with colors, textures, layers and personal history. See that white sofa? It used to belong to Valentino (the silent film star, not the designer).

Editor's Note: There are so many wonderful historic homes here in Los Angeles. Magical pleasure domes built in the 1920's and 1930's, they are a heady reminder of Hollywood's Golden Age. Within a stone's throw of my house are a Spanish villa, a Georgian manor, a French chateau and a half-timbered Tudor, all richly weathered and bearing a nobility that only the patina of age can bestow. Despite their different architectural styles, they all work beautifully together. It's my "cocktail party" theory - the most memorable ones are filled with people from all walks of life and all points of view. Houses and neighborhoods are no different.

Peter Dunham Does It Again

(Peter Dunham)

I missed his One Kings Lane sale in August because I was on an island called Unst in the Shetlands surrounded by sheep and spotty Wifi. I actually contemplated jumping on the ferry to Scotland (a 14 hour crossing) just to be able to go online and bid, but common sense eventually prevailed.

However, he's having another sale tomorrow and from the advance peek I was given, I think his items are going to sell out in record time. I'll be there at 8 am sharp. Will you?

Primping Painting

Original price: $620, Sale price: $249

Louis XVI style bergere chair

Original price: $1900 Sale price: $599

Black floral vintage suzani fabric pillow

Original price: $370, Sale price: $179

Pair of Italian armchairs

Original price: $4200, Sale price: $949

(interior, Hollywood at Home)

Update: I purchased this lovely 1949 photograph of the Coliseum in an antique maple frame. My husband's mother is from Rome, so it has a special resonance for us. There were other things I had my eye on, but they were already in other members' carts by 8:02 am. You have to be quick on the trigger for Peter's sales.

Think Pink

Today marks the first day of National Breast Awareness Month and with it comes a sobering thought: Every 69 seconds, somewhere in the world a woman dies of breast cancer.

("Jane" by Sir Gerald Festus Kelly, 1924)

Here are a few things to consider today...

Early detection matters.

Getting regular mammograms if you're over 40 and remembering to do your monthly BSE (breast self-exam) can go a long way in taking helping us to take control of this disease one woman at a time.

("Speedy", Rudolf Schlichter, 1923)

Living right matters.

1. Decrease your daily fat intake.

2. Increase fiber in your diet.

3. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables.

4. Limit alcohol.

5. Stay active.

6. Don't smoke.

(The Duchess of Devonshire, 1990's, by Christopher Simon Sykes)

Getting involved matters.

There are so many ways to participate. You can sign up for an event to benefit the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure (and get in shape in the process), you can help raise awareness among loved ones and those in your community, you can even become an activist and help others achieve important legislative goals.

("Damenknelpe Ladies Dive", Rudolf Schlichter,1923)

For more information on all of the above, click here, here or here.

Editor's Note: A big thank you to Mrs. Blandings for her entreaty to "post pink" today. Duly noted.