Mixing Mid Century with Georgian

I have been waiting since April of 2011 to feature this house from the New York Times Style Magazine. 

I clipped it out and waited to have a computer that wasn't really my daughter's so I could scan this place and talk to you about it. Maybe that is all some lame excuse but it is what it is (as I am so fond of saying and most people are so sick of hearing).

And how stupid am I? All the pictures are online. Oh well. I am using my scans anyway.

Let's just try and get past the clear picture that these people have more money than God. You don't live in a Georgian Mansion with six kids unless you are. 

The real questions are:

Do you love it? Do you hate it? Or are you like me... a mixed bag?

Check it out and decide for yourself even though I have my opinions and I am not keeping them to myself.

I love everything about this playroom, especially the red velvet couch that any sensible person would wonder how on earth they keep clean. It doesn't matter. If I had six kids and a Georgian manse, I would definitely put a red velvet couch right up at the crafts table. Totes. I also love that even if they staged that little house made from a cardboard box, it is awesome. I will never forget the day our manny (yes, we had a manny) Julian made the coolest cardboard airplane I have ever seen for my son out of a giant box.

I love this dining room more than I have words to express, except for that chandelier. I think I could have done better than that. It is weird - like space alien weird. The table and chairs perfectly blend with the fireplace, ornate gold mirror and ceiling trim, and the colorful inlaid bohemian chest below. I want that chest. The floors are cool too. This seems very, very practical to me. Easy to clean, no frills and perfect for a family of 8. I can imagine 6 children fighting over who gets to sit in what color chair 'cause I would want a pink one. The eggplant walls really seal the deal, no? Best seen in the third picture. Flove. I get why they took so many of this one. I think they ought to maybe put a bunch of cool kid art in this room though...maybe, just a thought.

 They completely lose me at this master bedroom. I love the walls but the bed is too much - maybe if it was not painted silver? I personally would have carried the mid century theme in here and the bed could work (even silver) with something else all together. And excuse me but where are the bedside tables? Sorry, not buying this. That bathtub is calling my name though.

This bathroom, very practical. Hoping there is lots of storage somewhere and that the little ones can reach that chain up there and that really tall sink but the two rolls of tp...people are clearly thinking. I like it. Wall paper is pretty cool too.

Nice digs, no doubt.

Not sure about this kitchen. I need to see more of it to decide. I like clean lines and again, it is practical just kinda weird at this angle. Not enough information.

 This is cool. Again I want more. I wish I could go tour this house. The whole thing.

TV anyone? Interesting. I don't hate it. I kind of really like it. I think. It is a little hard to wrap my brain around it. 

Nice view. Who needs TV? Go frolic kiddos!

A Few Of My Favorite Things - Fall 2012 version

Here are a few of my favorite things. Enjoy!

This is what I am listening to right now:

While I make something from this

Love these condiments - huge time savers, perfectly delicious

 And this

Add to avocados, mangos, jalapeno, red onion

 and admire

My new chair for my new computer

 where I peruse

one of my fav books - read it, make Genius Soup

 because

My eldest, home for the weekend, steals my bathing suit and takes her sister to the beach

Princess Parties!

Just because and

sleeping boy who wakes up and goes fishing with a little girl from the neighborhood

And diamonds, of course!

That and feeling better. I have been under the weather for too long.

Happy Labor Day my friends! xo

Tiny Beautiful Things

If you are my friend and you are reading this...if I die in the night or get cancer or a drunk driver crushes my body and I burn beyond recognition, I ask only that you give my children this book and you make them read it. Every. Single. Word. Skeptical?
Read this: http://therumpus.net/2011/02/dear-sugar-the-rumpus-advice-column-64/
That is all. Thank you.

Little Hollywood

Between Iron Man 3 in Wilmington and Safe Haven in Southport it really is like Hollywood has come to town.

Facebook, Twitter and my email are hopping with celebrity encounters. I haven't met anyone yet but here are some fun pictures of what is going on around here.





GP getting a cooking lesson from Keith Rhodes at Catch.
http://catchwilmington.com/





Spotted outside of Manna in Wilmington with Style Girl, Jess James.
Mannaavenue.com
stylegirljessjames.com





In Southport, a picture of the new set for Safe Haven, from the water.
(Picture courtesy Captain Betsy)





Josh Duhamel and Julianna Hough.
And no, I had no clue who they were until someone told me he is married to Fergie and she dates Ryan Seacrest.(Picture courtesy US Magazine)
Here are some close ups of the set that I took this weekend. Filming has started in earnest so I'll keep you posted.

I guess the market is going to be a gas station too

Entrance to the "market"

Adorable herb garden in a wooden boat



View from the set

Zooey Deschanel's boyfriend is one of the screenwriters so she was here for a while. I didn't run into her either but I really don't get out much. She signed the wall of my favorite coffee shop, Moore Street Market.



She stayed at a local B&B and the owner asked her if she worked.
Her reply was, "I play piano" - both true and kind of sweet. It has to be pretty refreshing to hang out with people who have no idea who you are.

It is just a matter of a week now before this onslaught.



The fairies came in the night to bedeck and bedazzle.

They are supposed to be filming the parade for the movie so we've all been roped into particpating in the Parade by the possibilty of being on the big screen (yawn). By all I mean some of my co-workers and my children.

I guess this is ours because someone sent me a picture of it. We will share it with a 5 year old beauty queen so that should be good times in 100 degree heat. I may just throw the kids on there and wave from the shade.
Bring on the little fans with misters. I'll probably be there with my camera pointing right back at the crowds. It should be totally over the top this year. Our little town could have as many as 50,000 people here for the day.
Thank goodness we can walk wherever we need to go because one thing about the coast, there are only a couple of roads out of town and they are sure to backed up for miles and miles.

Happy Independence Day!
xo