Author: Frances

How divine is this Montecito house in the March/April issue of @verandamag. Formerly the music pavilion and underground ballroom of a grand old Santa Barbara estate, since subdivided, but lovingly preserved. Interior design by Ann Holden of New Orleans, photograph by @maxkimbee, text by moi, and my great pleasure. #Montecito #AnnHolden #classicalarchitecture #warnergroup #warnergrouparchitects #santabarbara #graciousliving

How much do I love this book and this the most divine bathroom in the world?! The book is Patina Farm, by my friends Brooke and Steve Giannetti, whose art of living is beautiful, soulful, and authentic. I was lucky to write about this house for @verandamag a few years ago, and visiting them there was a day I will always remember. Watch for a few more posts highlighting this gorgeous book. Photos by the super talented @maxkimbee Brooke’s fabulous blog is @velvetandlinen

Morning walk with friends, near Alamo Pintado, Solvang, Ca. Watercolor on paper, by moi. #morningwalk #solvang #santaynezvalley #santabarbarawinecountry #watercolor #landscape #pleinairpainting

A round hole in a square cloud, first I’ve seen. View from my office window at #rancholazaca. Boy were we happy to have the rain these last few days! #clouds #santaynezvalley #blessedrain #weirdsky

Having a mellow Monday morning, looking back at last week in New York and the visit by Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh to ABC Carpet. His calligraphy art was on exhibit, as were various flower and sand sculpture offerings. The beloved holy man is a friend of the ABC family. #thichnhathanh #abccarpetandhome #buddhistart #sacredart

“Man wonders, but God decides when to kill the Prince of Tides.” Pat Conroy, rest in the peace and certainty that you shared your gifts unstintingly with the world and enriched our literature and our lives with joy and meaning. Photo re-grammed from @charleston_daily

Our “curio cabinet” of a hallway at the ranch is filled with #birds‘ nests, #butterflies, #heartshapedrocks, and other scavenged treasures. Going to be an inside day today because of rain! Yippee! #rancholazaca #overgrowngirlscout #curiocabinet

Mustard flower in bloom and out of focus, looks like a painting? #foxencanyon #santaynezvalley #losolivos #iwanttopaintit

Treat yourself and your teenagers to Manchester Girl this weekend in Los Olivos. You won’t “regret a minute spent in her company,“ said LA Times about this Edinburgh Fesitval Fringe Award winner. Says creator and star Sue Turner-Cray: “I decided to volunteer to perform at St. Mark’s in Los Olivos, as did my lighting and sound crew, Carl Mahoney and Oscar-winning film editor Richard Harris, to help our community deal with the challenges of growing up, of making painful choices, and then regaining wholeness after suffering seeming losses,” Turner-Cray said in a statement released by St. Mark’s. “I hope that these shows will inspire communication and empowerment.” St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley is located at 2901 Nojoqui Ave., Los Olivos. Tickets are $25 for adults, and free for youth. More information is available at 688-9533 or smitv.org. #whattodothisweekend #santaynezvalley #losolivos #manchestergirl #sueturnercray #tourdeforce #mustsee And then pop by and see Sue and her fabulous vintage boutique @sueturnercraythestylejunction in Los Olivos.

Have just come back home to #rancholazaca with the hillsides aflame in #californiapoppies. This beautiful photo a re-gram from @himee1341. Afraid the rain tomorrow will beat them down, but we will welcome the rain thankyouverymuch.

My “Oscar dinner” table from above. Was just two of us so I didn’t bother to clear table of books and things. Flowers and a few votives made it sparkle. The napkin rings are silk flowers glued to grosgrain ribbon., which I did a hundred years ago. The result looks like more of an effort than it was. #tablescape #tablesetting #dinnerparty #dininglibrary

Dinner and the Oscars, at home in New York in our “dining library.” So nice to stay in and cook for my friends, on and off the red carpet. #lovemygirlfriends #dinnerparty #tablesetting