New Year . . .New Beginnings



Udine Rising from the Waters - Chauncy Ives 1884


Reflections and Resolutions

 I love museums. My affection hearkens back to my affinity for all things historical. The exhibit offerings are so telling of times past and lives long gone by.

I was visiting the Smithsonian American Art Museum with my son this past year. Museum hopping has become a ritual for us during my visits with him in DC. Although he is patient with me  by most standards, he nevertheless knows all too well that I take-my-time whilst ambling through the museum halls; especially the Smithsonian's.

Thusly, he had momentarily left me to my own devices when I came across this breathtaking sculpture. I had journeyed down one of the long corridors and turned into an exhibit room. The presence of this statue stopped me in my tracks. A spotlight cast a brilliant beam of light upon the figure. I was captivated by the softness of her garment's drape and needed to get as close as possible to see how it was humanly possible to render such an etherealness out of the solidity of marble.

She is Undine Rising from the Waters and was sculpted by Chauncey Ives in 1884. According to mythological lore, Undine is a water spirit who is rendered soulless by the gods until such time as when she marries and gives birth to a child. Chauncey depicts her as she rises from the water to a new life with hope for possession of a soul.

In this time of endings and beginnings, it is fitting to reflect upon Undine's search for her soul and the promise of a fulfilled life. May we all reflect on our past and resolve to bring good fortune and happiness to our future.

Happy New Year to one and all!

The Stockings were hung. . .



Ah, Christmas time!

It's a time of year like no other.

All senses are on overload as are all of the electrical outlets.

And, yet, it is still by far the best season of them all.

My crafting juices were flowing and I finally determined to repurpose one of my antique cutter quilts. The results may been viewed in the family of stocking ornies above. It truly makes me smile to know that such simple hand crafted ornaments bear such a history of crafting from the original quilter/s to my simple effort to give new life to a wonderful and well used item.

I was checking out at the grocer's the other evening and the cashier was a very personable young man.  We were exchanging pleasantries and he asked me how my holiday preparations were going. I replied that I was heading into the final stretch and asked him the same. He told me that he hadn't even started his Christmas shopping and then he further added that he didn't have the $$$ for gifts for his siblings. Before I could reply he blurted that he would be making the gifts. I asked him if he was crafty and he said yes. I then told him that as one crafter to another, there could be no better gifts than ones that he would make with his hands from his heart. He agreed and we both smiled and wished each other a Merry Christmas.

Ah, Christmas time!

Tis the Season

December now has made her presence known

For merry children both young and grown

Her mantel of white and glistening snow

Blankets each and all as they to and fro

December, fair maiden princess of the year

Bring forth memories both warm and dear

Let us be reminded of all that is had

Banish the negative, the cruel and the sad

December, herald unto us a newness to keep

Allow us this time to reflect ever so deep

Remind all again of what  are the reasons

We celebrate this happiest of happy seasons

Thanksgiving Thyme

It's thyme for the holidays!

For me each season's holiday has its own special and particular flavor and aroma. In my childhood home Thanksgiving in my mother's kitchen did not officially arrive until she began the ritual of her stuffing preparation. Thyme was her herb of choice. It had to be dried, never fresh. Her recipe was simple with few ingredients; white bread, onions, eggs and thyme. Yet the magic that she created when this mixture was ceremoniously prepared and added to a heated skillet that had a pool of awaiting melted butter is one of my fondest holiday memories. Once the butter bubbled up and around  the stuffing and permeated those heaping heavenly mounds of perfection, the house was overtaken with the thymely fragrance of  her divine holiday offering.

So many smells were at play in her kitchen on this holiday, but it was the thyme who ruled and led the way for all other secondary aromas to know their place. As the stuffing crisped up in the frying pan, it was everyone's duty to beg and plead for 'a taste.' Those first morsels of piping hot and butter drenched wonderfulness were the best mouthfuls of holiday enjoyment and far surpassed the formal Thanksgiving meal.

 I have followed my mother's tradition and feel that I have mastered her recipe to the point that would garner her approval. And yet, it just never tastes          the same.

Chez Laurice is all gussied up for the upcoming Thanksgiving celebrations.

We have set our table and are giving thanks for all that we have received this year.

There is a little something for everyone to enjoy.

With the season of Christmas soon upon us,

let us not overlook the importance of our nationdal day of

Thanksgiving.

Autumnal Sojourn in D.C. with Eric

I had the most wonderful past weekend  visiting my son, Eric, in D.C. The weather was magnificent and although our time together was brief, it was a most memorable time shared.

He abides with my perpetual requests to tour one or more of D.C.'s museums each time I visit.  This time we toured Marjorie Merriweather Post's mansion museum, Hillwood.  I don't quite understand why she is called 'Mrs. Post' as that is her maiden name and she was married four times. I guess it's easier that way. No need to change the monograms, of which I am most certain she had many. Oops! 

Mrs. Post was the uber collector par none. Her decorative arts collections are beyond compare and I can only imagine how much more she would have accomplished had she experienced the Ebay marketplace. :) We walked the grand estate grounds all dressed in their fall  finery and took a docent-led tour of the mansion. After pondering whether or not to have a late lunch at the tea house on the estate grounds, we opted  for the famous
Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street.

I do not regret that decision one iota.
 Afterwards, Eric gave me a tour of D.C.'s wonderful Rock Creek Park in its autumnal splendor. Such a glorious day shared with my wonderful son.
 A real memory maker.



Here are the best ingredients for a D.C. Autumnal afternoon at Hillwood:

Start with a canopy of maples and peeking dappled sunlight

 Blend in a bright riot of mums that encircle the luscious lawn .

Sprinkle in several deer grazing along the garden's border.

Listen to the waterfall  gently cascading down the hillside.

Skip across the brook on the delicately balanced stepping stones.

Remember this spent happy day forever.

Simply Boo-ti-ful !

Autumn is upon us and with its arrival comes the preparation of seasonal celebrations.

Chez Laurice has dressed itself accordingly and is stocked with vintage Halloween goodies aplenty. Sorcerers in suspended animation would make Harry Potter proud and witches who appear to be blending up new brews are just a few of the new arrivals on hand. Vintage holiday linens, aprons and smalls round out the mix. A newly arrived Victorian English pub table by T. Green and Son has found its place within the shop. Be certain to come 'buy' and have a howling good time.

Exquisite Weddings Magazine Tablescape

Exquisite Weddings Magazine launched its September/October 2010 issue with a spectacular evening soiree at the Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad. Participating vendors such as Sharon Mintz of Organic Elements (organicelements.com ) enticed brides and grooms-to-be with a potpourri of tabletop presentations, floral elements, food tastings and more.

I had the good fortune to be invited by the fabulous event planners, Rebecca Gaffney and Mia Saling of Red Letter Days Events ( redletterdays.biz ) to participate in their photo shoot for this issue of the magazine. They partnered with Sharon of Organic Elements to create a spectacular rendering of "Romancing Through the Ages." (see below) My contribution to supply the vintage products for the tabletop fantasy was a wonderful experience. Both Rebecca and Mia, together with Sharon, led the team to design and create a dreamy  tablescape that still renders me speechless.

The results of this creative labor of love are found on pages 118-119 of Exquisite Weddings current issue (exquisiteweddingsmagazine.com)

Many thanks go out to Rebecca for inviting me to be part of a great day with a great group of such talented individuals. The collaboration was a true memory maker as evidenced by the magnificent photo spread.

Magazine article and pics follow:

Romancing Through the Ages

“Our table tells the story of love over time with an array of old-fashioned pieces like love letters in antique frames, apothecary jars filled with flowers, dangling ribbon-tied frames and ballet slippers. We wanted to create a Victorian shabby-chic feel with a romantic nostalgic theme,” explains Sharon Mintz and Rebecca Gaffney.
Classic Hot Chocolate: Warm 8 ounces milk in a saucepan. Put 2 tablespoons Joes on the Nose, Organic Hot Chocolate Mix in your favorite mug. Pour warmed (not boiled) milk over chocolate, mix with whisk, immersion blender, or spoon. Add vanilla whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings. Drink, and smile.
Table designers: Sharon Mintz, Organic Elements; Rebecca Gaffney, Red Letter Days Events. Flowers: Organic Elements. Paper elements: Brightly Designed. Vintage elements: Chez Laurice. Furniture and linens: Concepts Event Design. Picture frames: Found Vintage Rentals. Lemon poppyseed cake: Chef Devin Woodall, Dining Details. Hot chocolate drinks and flavored whipped creams: Joes on the Nose.

Summer's Gracious Exit

Autumn has just arrived and Summer has made her gracious exit. I took this photo at Laguna Beach just as another majestic day was bidding adieu and evening was preparing to mark its arrival. It was such a symbolic moment for me as my son was ending his visit and preparing to return to D.C. the next day. The reflection of the setting sun upon the water was in concert with my sentiments toward his departure. Arrivals are forever joyful with farewells always heavy on the heart.

 We, in Southern California as elsewhere, are reaping what has been sown. Bell peppers are at the top of the list for harvesting this week and their riot of colors indicate the forthcoming season's palette : hunter green, harvest gold, pumpkin orange and apple red. Here is a easy-to-prepare recipe for a quick side dish using these delectable veggies:

Mixed Peppers Confetti Salad

Ingredients:

• 
  
  four peppers; one each of green, yellow, orange and red, chopped
• 
  
  one medium red onion, diced
• 
  
  one can of black beans, rinsed
• 
  
  small bunch cilantro (or flat leaf Italian parsley), chopped
• 
  
  one lime
• 
  
  three tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 
  
  two tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 
  
  one tablespoon organic honey
• 
  
  1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
• 
  
  1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 
  
  salt and black pepper to taste

Recipe:

• 
  
  Mix peppers, onion, black beans and cilantro (parsley) in medium bowl
• 
  
  Zest lime and add zest to mixture, then set aside
• 
  
  Ream lime and add juice to remaining ingredients in small bowl
• 
  
  Whisk the dressing ingredients and pour over  peppers,onion, beans and cilantro mixture.
• 
  
  Add salt and black pepper to taste.

This dish is great with chicken, fish or on its own with a crusty baguette, some cheese and a glass of wine.

Enjoy!

The Last Rose of Summer

"'Tis the last rose of summer,
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions

 Are faded and gone."  

Thomas Moore, The Last Rose of Summer, 1830

Ah, September. I truly love this month.  When I lived in NJ, the minute I walked out the door I could feel the charge in the air heralding changes to come. Not so much in SoCal; but the trade off is that the weather is particularly glorious right now and although the seasonal change is less dramatic that in my years past, the beauty of the surroundings more than compensates.

This rose  exemplifies all that is beautiful in Southern California. She was majestically preening for all to see as she swayed along the coastal waters in Long Beach this past week. It was a remarkable day, the weather was beyond compare and I was especially grateful as it was my birthday. It doesn't get any better than to drive along the Californian coast and take in the wonder of it all.

Changes are under way at Chez Laurice as well. I am busy, busy, busy bringing in new treasures that have been collected and curated with a very discerning eye. The arrival of new merchandise welcomes autumn's debut.  Vintage linens, aprons, and such are but a few of the offerings that are finding their way to the shop.

The vignettes are almost complete and pics will be posted within a few days. Till then, enjoy nature's changing of the guard.

Summer's Ebb

Only a week to go before Labor Day herald's the unofficial end of summer. Here in San Diego  our high seasonal temps have been short and sweet, to say the least. I know all too well that few, if any, people care to hear the travails of San Diego's weather. Who could blame them? No complaining allowed!

I visited a new-to-the-neighborhood emporium of all things vintage this week; Urban Barn. It is located in nearby Escondido, CA. Such a treasure trove of wonderful vintage finds from an eclectic mix of vendors. I wish each of them good fortune as they present their curated wares in their new abode.

As harvest season is upon us and the gardens now offer the picking of their bounties, I find it to be the perfect time to showcase  my creation of a one-of-a-kind seasonal tabletop tree.  It is from a series I  call "Trees of Life." Each one depicts a  life style or holiday theme. No two are alike! This one is titled, "The Good Earth." I hope that Ms. Buck is looking down with a smile on her face. Enjoy!

Inaugural Blog. . . and it's a gorgeous day in San Diego

Welcome one and all to my brandy-new blog. Have patience with me, please, as I test these uncharted waters. Mistakes will happen, corrections will be made, but in the end let's have lots of fun and frolic and not take everything too seriously.

Firstly, my provenance:

This 'Jersey Girl' has replanted herself in sunny SoCal; San Diego to be exact. For many years I had travelled to Cali  for business and determined one day to make it my permanent home. Ta da! Here I am.

My previous life was spent in the fashion industry in New York. (That chapter and verse requires another posting to do it justice.) When I landed at LAX for the first time as a newly promoted fashion buyer  I had just left a blizzard back home. Although it took me years to learn that the Santa Monica Mountains were visible from my hotel window at the Beverly Hilton (the smog factor), it was the swaying palms in January that convinced me that warm weather beats cold any day any way.  So here I am.

Of course my timing could have been better; um, make that much better. It appears that I have relocated from one dysfunctional state to another during the second worst economic implosion in our country's existence.  Well, you know what they say about lemons . . . as a result I have perfected the most amazing lemonade.

The top pix is a shot of my shop, Chez Laurice. It is located at Leaping Lotus, which is located at the Cedros Avenue Design District in Solana Beach. It is a treasure trove of all things vintage and it is the embodiment of my many years collecting from domestic and global travels across the world for all things unique and special.

So, that's my intro. I will continue my musings and observations with subsequent blogs. I look forward to new friends and encourage comments and insights from near and far.