Anybody with the stamina to marry six times is nothing if not energetic. Ganna Walksa was certainly that–and a visionary as well. Her beauty was legend, her voice sublime, her past a touch scandalous, and her portrait a gift from the czar of Russia. But her most fabulous legacy is Lotusland. Prepare to swoon.
Home & Garden
Just Another Night at the Ranch… Starring Shirley Jones and the Cassidy Brothers
How often do you have in your living room an Academy Award-winning actress, a Tony Award-winning costume designer, an Emmy-winning composer, and a Grammy-nominated bona-fide teen idol all at once?
We did when we hosted a singalong with Shirley Jones and Shaun Cassidy and decided to make an evening of it. Rancho La Zaca was filled with music, laughter, and a tear or two.
500 Square Feet of Style, by Mary Douglas Drysdale
I admit I always fall a little in love with every single project I write about for magazines, and Mary Douglas Drysdale’s work in a tiny-ish Georgetown townhouse was no exception, except that it is exceptionally charming. Like her.
Fun Summer Fabrics to Refresh on a Budget
Summer’s sweltering right along and you may be hankering to spiff up your porch or sunroom without breaking the bank. Laurette Kittle has cooked up a line of fun summer fabrics that might be just the thing. Slipcover a sofa or or whip up a pillow or two and see if that doesn’t splash a little… Continue reading Fun Summer Fabrics to Refresh on a Budget
Tom Britt’s Impossibly Fab Hamptons Pool House
Nobody sizzles up a summer house like designer Tom Britt, whose Water Mill “barn” and pool house grace the July/August ’13 issue of Veranda, reported by moi. Tom’s designs are, like him, often bigger than life, and I am happy to call him friend. Even though he yells at me for half the interview and we laugh the other half.
Portraits in Fabric and Lace, by Maria Torroba… And a London Shopping Tip
If you like your shopping streets to have charming home decor shops, stylish one-off boutiques, a few antiques, and a good lunch or drinks spot, Walton Street in London is one of the best. Nina Campbell’s shop always seems to have exactly the thing you didn’t know you were dying to have, and Stephanie Hoppen’s… Continue reading Portraits in Fabric and Lace, by Maria Torroba… And a London Shopping Tip
Fixin’ Up for the Fourth of July
Time to star spangle the banner. if you’re having a big crowd, consider one long table. It’s a great look and you won’t worry about uneven seating at smaller tables – 14 crammed around one while two or three are at another, feeling unpopular. Pennant flags and big paper lanterns are a lot of look for the money…
Letter From the Loire – Part 2
Ever wonder why the Mona Lisa ended up in France instead of Italy? One of the benefits of travel is you wonder about things like this instead of why you missed the first season of Game of Thrones.
Letter From the Loire – Part 2 Coming Up. Meanwhile… a Highlight
Visiting this marvelously whimsical folly (is that redundant?)–the Pagode de Chanteloupe– was a highlight of a recent, sometimes rainy, romp through the Loire Valley of France. Feast your weary eyes. Your not-weary eyes, too, of course.
Letter From the Loire – Part 1
It was a dark and stormy castle… Ominously begins the sequel to “Wine, Women and Watercolors.” Week 2 of summer sojourn begins with the Principessa (aka Carolyne Roehm) and me flying from our painting workshop in porto Ercole to Paris to meet our menfolk and friends, and then to cycle around the Loire Valley…
Everything’s Coming Up Roses
Everything’s coming up roses… or it would if the damn sun ever stayed out. Still it is a joy to be at Bee Cottage for a bit. And as roses ramble, so does this post… Just go with it.
Hang Flowers on Your Wall – Ingenious “Epergne”
This ingenious “epergne” is something I saw several years ago and have thought of ever since. So simple and so charming. A sprig of grass, a few leaves, a blossom or two, and boom, you have a beautiful arrangement and a work of art.