Big Easy Arrival

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 Actually it really was pretty easy, despite ramped up security measures in the wake of yesterday's Boston tragedy.  My prayers and good wished are with all the good people who were affected in Boston. 

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I spent a lovely afternoon in the company of Patty Davis Brown of Dig This Design and her hubs, Lee.  They hail from Vero Beach so we were on the same flight.  We were greeted in style so, of course, I had to get picture of it!After a short delay in getting our bags, we were on our way to the Renaissance Arts Hotel, about a 25 minute drive.  The hotel is lovely and features artwork scattered throughout.I recognized this lovely glass chandelier as artwork by Dale Chihuly who's work can be seen at our Norton Museum in West Palm BeachWe were given a map of all the art locations so we can explore at our leisure.My spacious home away from home.After checking in we spent the afternoon lost in the streets of the Crescent City in search of some lunch and sight seeing.Lunch time!On the way back to the hotel we found the two items that  prove without a doubt we are in New Orleans, beads and masks.

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Then I discovered Naghi's at 637 Canal Street.  It's sort of an antiques/jewelry/bronze sculpture/judaica store.This 75 year old Venetian mermaid fountain is sculpted from  bronze.  The price is $7,500.  Mention my name and you'll get a discount. (Just kidding) Did I mention that they also specialize in English nautical instruments?At cocktail hour the blog tour assembled to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with each other and with these yummy drinks called St. Germains.This is a St. Germain.  I know there's orange juice in there but I don't know what else except it's delicious! We also met two NOLA natives, Angel of  Write Robinson and Stacy of  Stacy Naquin Interiors.   They are local bloggers who welcomed us with open arms bearing gifts to boot including gourmet cupcakes and personalized stationery! There was also a lovely goody bag, courtesy of Modenus,  full of treats and most amazingly a personalized embroidered tote made for each of us from Toma, the Antiques Diva.2013-04-16 17.36.24At SoBou we indulged in tapas which highlighted the local cuisine and were delicious.

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This day and the next four are courtesy of Modenus.com and the sponsors of this tour who we will learn all about in the days to come.  Ok I'm pooped.  Although the weather is certainly steamy, I'm out of steam so I'll see you tomorrow.

Favorites on Friday

Happy Friday peeps!  I'm looking forward to an action packed weekend. You know how it is when you're trying to get away, life seems to suddenly accelerate.  Tomorrow I'm signed up for an iphone photography class at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre in the hopes I will learn to take the best pics possible in NOLA.  I'll let you know how that goes and hopefully you'll soon see the results.They also host a yearly event called Foto Fusion. A couple years ago I had the pleasure of attending a lecture by legendary photographer Elliot Erwitt Every Friday Pinterest tells me my most popular pins for the week.  Since it seems like I should do something with that nifty stat I thought I'd share them with you.  I have lots of crazy boards.  If you want to follow me on Pinterest click here.Audrey Hepburn in Rome, circa early 60s, when I named my daughter Sabrina this is who I was thinking of Sign seen in the Big Easy, quote by Louis ArmstrongThis sublime photo can be found on my "Book Heaven "pinterest board Speaking of following, if you would like to follow along on the Blog Tour NOLA, it starts on Tuesday.  Subscribe to this blog and or follow me on Twitter or Face Book.  I promise to do an excellent  job of reporting the good the bad (hopefully not) and the divine.  The days leading up to KBIS on Friday will be so interesting and inspiring.  Then the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show is where new products and design trends are unveiled.   You can find the other bloggers and more info about the whole blog tour over at ModenusLast but not least, food is one thing I'm eagerly looking forward to in New Orleans.  Everyone knows that Cajun cuisine is known for it's SPICE! Yes dat cookin is hot! When the shrimp goes on sale you might want to check out this awesome recipe from "cookedbyjulie" over on YouTube. Incidentally, you can also make an Indian version of this dish. Just switch to Indian seasonings such as garam masala and turmeric and garnish with cilantro instead of parsley. Serve with naan instead of biscuits and you can have your shrimp and eat it Indian style too.  Have a terrific weekend and I'll see you next time in the French Quarter!

Gearing Up as Countdown To Blog Tour NOLA Continues

 Livingston, our outside cat who was busted by a neighbor. Don't worry.  Not gonna show you the hub's eye as it's not as pretty.With one week to go before the start of Blog Tour Nola my head is swimming not only with preparations to go away but with all the crazy events happening here at home.  Sunday our outside/inside cat was trapped by a friendly neighbor and taken to the pound, my daughter and her boyfriend broke up and my hubs gave himself a black eye whilst executing our bi-annual stint of  yard work.  (Yes, it was the shovel.) Throw a jury duty stint in there too and that's how my life looks right now.The Rennaisance Art Hotel in the warehouse district in New Orleans will be my home away from home.In the meantime, Modenus has unveiled more of the details of our trip and I am excited to say the least.  This post has also got me thinking of this opportunity from a deeper perspective.  Naturally I’m excited to immerse myself in design nirvana, to dig into all the new products and design buzz at KBIS, but New Orleans runs deeper.  This blog tour will have a significance that is totally unique from previous ones.  My respect for Veronika Miller, CEO of Modenus only grows, for at every turn she is innovating and pushing the envelope for new insights and perceptions.  She “gets it” that design is not a mutually exclusive enterprise.  It is informed by the life and atmosphere around it.  To illustrate this point we will be visiting a local couple hard hit by the economy and ravages of Katrina which still linger.Homes from the Make It Right Project. Right or Wrong??In addition we will tour and learn about Brad Pitt's "Make it Right Foundation", a controversial project seeking to build sustainable homes in communities in need.  What's controversial you may ask?  Well some peeps think that the very modern design of the homes are just plain wrong.  I'm looking forward to giving you my take on the matter.  Lastly, you may know of my love/hate relationship with HGTV but I must share with you this delightful little clip all about the Big Easy style of New Orleans, a combination of French, Caribbean with a dose of good ole southern comfort thrown in.If you will be in the Big Easy for KBIS come by and mingle with us at:Beignets & Bubbly Meet Up at KBIS Design StudiosWhen? Friday, Apr 19 @ 10:30am - 11:30am (CST) Where? KBIS New Orleans Convention Center Booth # 3352 - New Orleans, LouisianaPS Cat was located and he’ll be back (one way or another) tomorrow.  Daughter is sad but she is young and will maximize her youth and beauty to bounce back.  Hubs is depleting my makeup but the bruise is healing nicely. 

Countdown to NOLA!

A lil trademark NOLA styleIn less than two weeks I will be joining my blogger pals for a great adventure in The Big Easy courtesy of super design resource Modenus.com!   If you love Houzz you'll really dig Modenus.  We will be spending time at KBIS,  the industry’s largest international trade show, and we are also going to immerse ourselves in inspiration, culture and excitement of a magical and vibrant city.  I am very excited to meet new blogger peeps and learn about all the new products from the sponsors who are making this possible.  Speaking of sponsors, the line up is very exciting. Check them out!  Visiting KBIS gives me the opportunity to share with you the very latest in products and design trends for the kitchen and bath industry.  Wheels up April 16!  If you want in on all the design fun you can subscribe to my blog , add me to your Google Reader, follow me on Twitter or Facebook.  (All in the upper right hand corner of this blog)Mr. SteamI've always thought that if I could have anything in a bathroom it would be a steam shower.  Mr. Steam also offers a wide range towel warmers. Let's face it, there's nothing nicer than a warm towel.Silestone by ConsentinoI'm really hot for quartz counter tops these days and there's nothing hotter than this sexy red version by Silestone.  Quartz is more durable and easier to maintain that granite.  You can also get just about any look you want and price is comparable to most granites.Blanco AmericaI am loving the new sit-on-top sinks.  I think they've kind of morphed out of the vessel sinks that have been so popular.  This new one, by Blanco, for the kitchen, is called Modex and the color is Cinder, a recent addition which is an appealing blend of gray and taupe.  I think Cinder is the perfect name plus it's made of Silgranit.  If you're unfamiliar with Silgranit, check out this previous post.PoggenpohlWhen it comes to streamlined efficiency no one can match German engineering.  Case in point is cabinet manufacturer, Poggenpohl.  They call it sophisticated simplicity.  The simplest appearance belies the most complex thinking.Du Verre Hardware Du Verre is a hardware company I've been hearing a lot about lately.  The shapes they offer are truly unique with a modern global vibe, totally funky jewelry for your kitchen!TotoToto makes the best plumbing fixtures for your bath.  In fact they are the largest plumbing manufacturer in the world.  They make high efficiency products with a "people first" philosophy.  Somehow they know what we need in the bathroom ;) and that's a good thing, as Martha would say.

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Not only is the National Kitchen and Bath Association a Nola Blog Tour sponsor, they are also celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.  I have been very involved with NKBA over the years as an industry professional but they offer a lot for the consumer too including organizational tips, design inspiration and a list of qualified go-to industry professionals.

KBIS_lg(4)Last but certainly not least, KBIS, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show  is sponsoring our tour.  The Kitchen & Bath industry’s main event is an inspiring, interactive showcase of everything new, where the brightest and best assemble to spot trends, experience product introductions and find the practical solutions and valuable connections that will take them into the future. Always on the leading edge, KBIS is your innovation resource for staying current, competitive––and profitable.

I'm really looking forward to the learning, networking and, of course, having fun!  If you have any questions about any of our sponsors send them in and I can take them to the experts.  Don't forget to follow me!

10 Etsy Treasures For Your Kitchen

In case you enjoyed a fabulous holiday weekend and are finding the Monday grind somewhat anticlimactic, I thought we'd have a little fun today.Distressed Paint Vintage Oak Cabinet by PickersDesignCompanyRecently I wrote about the value of “the handmade” and the Arts and Crafts Movement of the turn of the last century.  (If you missed it, it's right here.)  It must be a part of our American cultural DNA, we like to make stuff and we like to have stuff people made.  Think of the wedding quilt made by your great grandma or even the home cooked meal.  Anything made with love is imbibed with soulfulness.   The website phenomenon etsy.com is evidence of this love affair with hand crafting.  I’ll be the first to admit you have to wade through a lot of “kitsch” to find the treasures but they can be found.  SO just for you, my peeps, I have uncovered ten treasures for your kitchen.  The Holidays are but a distant memory.  Maybe it’s time to treat yourself or a loved one with something beautiful, original and handmade just "because".  What are your Etsy favorites ?Mid Century Poster Print by visualphilosophy.  Handmade Cutting BoardHandmade Ceramic Dinnerware SetThe Jerry Kitchen Table by The Rum RoomPrimitive Farmhouse Pantry CabinetSage Bundle!1950s Minamalist Side Table Retro Inspired Bowl Print Stoneware Clay Tumblers by Pats Pottery PS  Unfortunately I have been in no way compensated or influenced by any of these shops.  I just give them my "cool" stamp of approval.  I have however, in the past, been a customer of Pats Pottery and probably will be again in the future, just in case you're wondering.