Culture Potato

Is it possible to increase the amount of adventure, exoticism and sophistication in your life while barely stirring from a supine position?

Why yes it is.

On June 7th, I handed in my manuscript to my editor at Random House and lay down to rest my eyes. When I sat back up, it was two weeks later. 

Below, five culture-enhancing things I discovered during my experiment with sloth that require little or no energy expenditure whatsoever:

1. Bellocq tea (HERE).

 You can buy it online (unless you live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn or Los Angeles - they just opened a tea atelier at the Restoration Hardware in West Hollywood).  For me, the real cult appeal lies in their exotic blended teas, so fragrant and steeped in history and meaning. If you are a fan of French teahouse Mariage Frères, then you are in for a treat with Bellocq.

Just listen to these descriptions:

No. 12, Le Hammeau -- in their words, "Manon of the Spring meets Marie Antoinette after a stroll through l'Orangerie." 

Lemongrass, verbena, rose petals, lavender, mint, sage.

No. 40, Charleston -- created for "the cultivated yet bohemian spirit of the magnificent gardens at Charleston, the country residence of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant."

Ceylon black tea, red poppy petals, chamomile, lavender, blue cornflower petals, natural floral essence. 

No., 52, L'Etoile de l'Inde -- inspired by "barefoot late afternoon monsoon showers."

Dragonwell, jasmine silver needles, petals of passionfruit, rose, marigold.

And how can anyone resist No. 42, Little Dickens, a chocolate-kissed Rooibos blend with soothing mint and cinnamon for children (and adults too)?

2. André Leon Talley on Youtube (HERE).

I love Vogue fashion editor André Leon Talley. His swiftness with a bon mot, his predilection for wearing capes and robes that require the yardage of curtains, and his unapologetic eccentricity make him a near-mythical figure to me, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Well, did you know that last month he spoke to a roomful of Oxford undergraduates about his life and legendary adventures with Diana Vreeland, Andy Warhol, Halston and all those crazy nights at Studio 54?

Oh yes he did.

3. Trader Joe's Beurre Meunière Popcorn (HERE).
(Okay, this one's a stretch, but here I go.) 

It's the popcorn of Gertrude Stein, Jean Cocteau and Ernest Hemingway -- or so I like to tell myself. With its distinctive Gallic taste of brown butter, lemon, parsley and thyme, it's la belle France in a bag. Try to restrain yourself to one serving. D'accord?

(Trader Joe's Popcorn Beurre Meuniére HERE.)

4. Brasil '65 with Wanda de Sah and the Sergio Mendes Trio (HERE).

Because the sultry jazz-funk beats of the Sergio Mendes Trio will lessen the pain of summer humidity. Because even though you probably don't speak Portuguese, Wanda de Sah's emphatic croonings tell you all you need to know about life and love. Because music is sonic architecture and listening to it makes your brain cells dance.

5. The Paris Review interviews, online (HERE).

Yes, the entire magazine is fantastic, but it's the countless person-to-person interviews with writers like Ernest Hemingway, Rebecca West, P. G. Wodehouse and countless others that are really the precious gift. 

Read them to get for style inspiration on getting old:

"Her hair was white and short; she wore beautiful rings. She was wearing a bright and patterned caftan when we first met, a loose blouse over trousers the second time." (From Rebecca West's 1981 interview)

Read them for tips on decorating:

"At the far end of the room is an armoire with a leopard skin draped across the top. The other walls are lined with white-painted bookcases from which books overflow to the floor." (From Ernest Hemingway's 1958 interview)

"A spacious and high-ceilinged room, furnished in the Edwardian taste. One’s attention is caught by a massive carved wooden mantelpiece of elaborate structure holding blue china in its niches." (From E. M. Forster's 1953 interview)

Heck, read them for sheer joy:

Interviewer: Do you have any definite projects or ideas for the future?

Truman Capote: Controlled extravagance.

(From his 1957 interview)

Large Was His Bounty, and His Soul Sincere*

(Lisa Borgnes Giramonti, 6/19/13. Artwork made on computer with Bamboo Splash.)

*Title taken from "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray, 1751.

Are You Brave Enough to Fail?

  “They fully embraced vulnerability. They believed

that what made them vulnerable made them beautiful.

They didn’t talk about vulnerability being comfortable,

nor did they really talk about it being excruciating.

They just talked about it being necessary.”

~Brené Brown, from her Ted Talk,

The Power of Vulnerability

(watch it HERE)

(Virginia Woolf at Monks House, her home in Sussex, England, undated. Via.)

Vulnerability is the key to everything.

It's being willing to let go of who you think you should be and be who you are.

It's putting yourself out there.

Despite the odds.

Despite the discomfort.

And despite the voice in your head.

It's doing what scares you not because the process is necessarily enjoyable  (It's hard. I'm tired. I don't know how. They'll say no.) but because you don't want to leave this earth not having tried.

It's being brave enough to fail.

On Saturday I went to a memorial service for a neighbor. He was 91 years young and had a great life. One by one, his oldest and dearest friends stood up and gave the most beautiful, heartfelt and erudite speeches. I sat in the back and felt this growing nagging feeling that I should go up there and say something too. Because he was the coolest guy. He knew everything. He'd been everywhere. The week before he died, he was studying German verbs and advanced physics for fun. 

But I hadn't prepared anything. And speaking in public makes me nervous. Because who I want to be isn't necessarily who I am.

Writing from your sweet spot is one thing. You can edit. You can delete. You can go over every word with a fine-tooth comb. Speaking from your sweet spot is entirely another.

So I sat there. 

And sat there.

And my heart was pounding.

And then finally when it was asked if anyone else wanted to speak, I raised my hand few inches and somebody saw it. So I went up to the podium.

And I was super nervous but I took a deep breath and plunged ahead. And I stumbled over my words a few times but thought of how much I admired Oliver and kept going. And I told a couple of stories about how funny and brilliant he was and how proud he was of his three children and how much I was going to miss just sitting in his kitchen listening to him. 

I think I got my point across. I hope so.

And then last night I discovered Brené Brown's TED talk. (If you have time, watch it. It's really that good.)

My admiration for my friend Oliver gave me the courage to be vulnerable.

What about you?

Is there anything you're brave enough to fail at? 

If you're lucky, there is.

x/Lisa

The Well-Layered Room, Redux

Editor's Note: This post originally appeared on March 29th, 2010.

When you enter a well-layered room, you feel it. It welcomes you graciously and fills your senses with texture and color and vitality. It accommodates all kinds of activities and all kinds of moods. It can be cheerful, cozy or intimate. It speaks volumes, quietly.

(T. F. Simon, "Vilma Reading a Book", 1912)

If you ask me, I'd say there are four qualities to a well-layered room:

1. Comfort

There is always a pleasant chair waiting, a place to set your drink, an interesting book to leaf through, and a vista to settle your eyes on (whether it's a postcard leaning against a mantel or an open window onto Rue Jacob makes no difference). Furniture is arranged with meaning so that even as a first-time visitor, you feel immediately at ease.

2. Passion

A well-layered room reflects the kind of life lived within its walls. It offers an intimate glimpse into the lifeblood of its owners and makes you realize, "Aha, now I see who they are." It's like a journal entry into their soul.

3. Honesty

A well-layered room contains no concealment or pretense. If a piece of much-loved furniture is slightly shabby, it doesn't hide in a dark corner -- it's valued for its faithful years of service. Books and paintings and objets are collected piecemeal over time instead of during one-stop shopping trips. Nothing is overly precious. Curiosity is welcome.

4. Fearlessness

Timidity does not belong in a well-layered room. (Timid rooms are only one layer deep and usually colored beige.) A fearless room embraces the juxtaposition of different sources and patterns and histories. Just like a great cocktail party, it's filled with an assortment of interesting characters taking part in the same conversation.

The Bohemian painter Tavik Frantisek Simon comprehended all of this.

("Interior of My House in Paris", 1909)

So does Peter Dunham.

(Photo by Miguel Flores-Vianna)

Edouard Vuillard (1868-1940) had an innate understanding.

("Interior", 1920)

As does designer Michael S. Smith.

(photo from "Michael S. Smith Houses" via Mrs. Blandings)

Matisse got it.

("Interior with Phonograph", 1924)

Tim Clarke does too.

(via Hollywood Style by Diane Dorrans Saeks. Her blog is HERE)

And Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947).

("Work Table", 1926)

Nicky Haslam grasps it on a cellular level.

(Photographer unknown. Nicky's blog HERE)

Do you have a well-layered room?

The Good of Small Things

It doesn't take a lot to make me happy.

In fact, I get an inordinate amount of joy just looking at this photo of a row of cups drying on a linen dish towel. It makes me think of order, tidiness, and all the inspiring possibilities that can spring to life over a pot of tea with friends.

It's the small things.

 

(Photo by LBG.)

And behind every small thing -- the freshly-washed teacups -- there's usually an even smaller thing that deserves a little credit too. An unsung hero, if you will. Something that doesn't get a lot of attention but whose contribution is equally important. 

Stand up and take a bow, scrubbing pads.

These cheerful striped ones are just aching to join your kitchen team, don't you think?

(Kitchen scrubber trio, $16.00. Available HERE.)

Below, some more beautiful small things and the small things behind them...

The Small Thing: 

An errant rose vine that strains for you to notice her while she's at the height of her powers.

(Photo by LBG.)

The Small Thing Behind the Small Thing:

A twine stand with set of scissors to gently give the fair dame a bit of support should she need it.

(Twine stand with scissors, $20.95. Available HERE.)

The Small Thing:

The gleam of a sweaty ice bucket as it waits for guests to arrive.

     (Photo by LBG.)

The Small Thing Behind the Small Thing:

Seeds Merit Silver Polish, recommended by both Tiffany & Company and the Winterthur Museum.

(F. A. Seeds Silver Polish, $10.00. Available HERE.)

The Small Thing:
Freshly-baked pumpkin bread for an eleven-year old who didn't do as well on the test as he hoped.

(Photo by LBG.)

The Small Thing Behind the Small Thing:
Corn broom cake testers. Used since colonial times to make sure there was something coming out of the oven to be thankful for.

(Broomcorn cake tester, $5.00. Available HERE.)

The Small Thing:
Italian parsley. For enhancing frittatas, soups, salads, and almost any other savory dish you can think of.

(Photo by LBG.)

The Small Thing Behind the Small Thing:

Kitchen herb scissors. Made to quickly chop delicate leaves without crushing them.

(Herb kitchen scissors, $16.00. Available HERE.)

The Small Thing:

A tidy laundry nook.

(Photo by LBG.)

The Small Thing Behind the Small Thing:

A dark galvanized pail for presoaking chocolatey napkins, red wine accidents and grass-stained jeans.

(Old-fashioned wash bucket, $18.95. Available HERE.)

The Small Thing:

A corner to call your own.

(Photo by LBG.)

The Small Thing Behind the Small Thing:

A traditional turkey wing whisk broom, ergonomically designed to sweep pumpkin bread out of corners.

(Turkey wing whisk broom, $9.95. Available HERE.)

I'm curious: What small thing makes you happy?

x/Lisa

Won't You Join Me For A Cocktail?

I've never put those words into a headline before, but thanks to MK Collection, I can. :) They have invited me to be the guest of honor at their Thursday open house for Legends 2013: Past Present Future Design. And I would love to see you there!

WHEN: 
May 9th, 2-5pm

WHERE: 
MK Collection, 8629 Melrose Avenue, CA 90069  (310) 436-4995

WHAT:
Lively libations and fresh fare

(All photos by Joel Longnecker.)

Legends is part of the annual celebration of the La Cienega Design Quarter, the renowned style corridor along the intersection of La Cienega and Melrose Avenue. Every year, leading designers team up with showrooms to create fantasy windows and it's always so exciting to stroll the sidewalk and see what everyone has come up with.

Inspired by this year's theme of "Past, Present and Future," designer Hillary Thomas decorated the MK Collection window in the spirit of the WASPy jet-set glamour of the '50's and '60's as chronicled by Slim Aarons. Don't you just love it?

MK Collection is a brand-new kid on the block, geographically speaking, and their Melrose Avenue showroom offers rugs, trims and a beautiful fabric collection inspired by the far-flung travels of designer Melissa Kirkpatrick. 

Here, frequent visitor Kole lounges in a sybaritic stupor on a chair upholstered in "Midsummer Madness" in Turquoise/Lapis.

See you on Thursday, and please do come up and introduce yourself -- some of my favorite people are people who I've met through my blog!

x/Lisa

The World's Most Poetic Wallpaper

I know what you're thinking. "It's just sunlight on a wall."

Yes, AND. The wall just happens to be in Emily Dickinson's bedroom. 

(The poet as a shy 16 year-old, December 1846, via)

The Story:

Uber-cool textile company Maharam commissioned artist Spencer Finch to travel to Dickinson's house in Massachusetts and use time-lapse photography to record the path of sunlight as it fell across the wallpaper in her room.

So this wallpaper is more than just wallpaper.

It's a historical document.

("Sunlight in an Empty Room" wallpaper by Maharam, available HERE.)

Over the years, Dickinson became more and more reclusive. By the end of her life, she lived in almost total isolation from the world. Her room was her refuge and her sanctuary.

So this wallpaper is more than just wallpaper.

It's a boundary line.

Within its confines, Emily Dickinson wrote nearly eighteen hundred poems. To me, those golden triangles on the wall are a metaphor for the passage of time, a poetic record of all the hours and days and months and years she must have sat there writing.

So this wallpaper is more than just wallpaper.

It's an ode to the creative process.

(Digital wallpaper installation. Approximate dimensions 10 feet high by 16 feet wide.)

I dwell in possibility--

A fairer House than Prose--

More numerous of Windows--

Superior--for Doors--

Of Chambers as the Cedars--

Impregnable of Eye--

And for an Everlasting Roof

The Gambrels of the Sky--

Of Visitors--the fairest--

For Occupation--This--

The spreading wide my narrow Hands

To gather Paradise--

~Emily Dickinson, Poem 657

* * * * *

Editor's Note: If you have a minute or two, check out Maharam's lovely "Stories" section.

Contributions include Todd Oldham's vintage paper dolls, art by Maira Kalman, an animated film by Hella Jongorius, and much more.

Have a productive week.

x/Lisa

Wish You Were Here - NYC

New York is a seductive mistress.

(All photos by LBG.)

And that's what I love so much about it.

Don't sleep, it whispers. And so you don't. Come down and see me, it whispers. I'm all dolled up for you. And so you grab your coat and go for a late-night walk and everywhere you look there are glittering tableaus...

...and muscular monoliths...

...and reminders that, in this town, enlightenment happens on the pavement.

While gazing through your window pane, 

you see the human struggle,

Framed.

The Book Deadline

It was real before, but now it's really real.

My manuscript is due in 60 days.

Writing it these last seven months has been like getting lost inside the most fascinating rabbit hole ever. 
But now it's time to think about finding my way out.

(Illustration by Katogi Mari)

So for the next two weeks, I need to take a blog break and buckle down.
Otherwise, my lovely kind editor at Random House will be sad and I don't want that.

You know what else I need?
Your positive energy.

Any comments, tips, or advice you care to toss my way?
I would be most grateful.

x/Lisa