The newly redesigned T magazine arrived this Sunday in The New York Times, and the wait was so very worth it. With Deborah Needleman at the helm, I knew it would be in good hands. The cover story about Lee Radziwill as told through man-about-the-world & designer Nicky Haslam was insightful on many levels. The photos of her Paris apartment were stunning. A lovely feature of the London home of interior designer Rose Uniacke by my pal Rita Konig was incredibly pleasing with all the amazing shots of the grand home, but also in the way Rita captures a visual story through words. A ‘Take Two’ with Chelsea Handler and Oscar de la Renta where each reviews the same item was witty indeed. The magazine was filled with page after page of visual interest. I can hardly wait for the next issue. That, in my mind, makes for a real winner. A new stack of magazines to save has begun… The magazine fitting right in on our coffee table among one of the ‘T’s from our collection.
The New York Times Style Magazine T LOVE
The Essential New York Times Cookbook
Classic recipes for a new century is the tag line of this phenomenal cookbook compiled by Amanda Hesser from noteworthy recipes dating back to the 1850′s to current day that have been featured in the paper. As she states in her introduction, that it is a 150-year flip book of American cooking. This book excites me to no end. With over 1400 recipes and 931 pages, this cookbook is destined to become a classic. It is not an update of the best seller by Craig Claiborne, which covered a decade span of food coverage when he was at the paper. Hesser’s version works from a much wider scope. The 2 books working great side by side in any well-stocked cooking library. The dandy red cover making this edition a stand-out in the visual department. We have a nice stack that arrived just the other day that has found a temporary home on the front table at the Home store.
Savoring the Moment
A life well lived really is about savoring the small moments. It has been an incredibly fun, super busy week at the shops. I came home last night, fed Bailey, had a simple dinner, then fell dead asleep on the bed at 7, only to wake this morning at 9. TPS has been out of town this week interviewing contractors for our home in New York. It was a trip we were supposed to take together the week the hurricane hit. Me being away at this busy time was just not in the cards. More on his trip later. After I took Bailey out for her walk and then her breakfast, I decided I wanted to sit at the dining table and have a civilized breakfast, solo. I wanted to honor the meal and the quiet time of a Sunday morning. I turned on the Classical music, lit the candles, made myself breakfast, and had a leisurely breakfast reading The New York Times. So often, I think we put huge emphasis on the big moments, and let the small ones slip by without notice–to be still, soak it all in, and savor each moment.
A Perfect Sunday Morning
A baguette with French butter, an iced coffee and all my favorite Sunday morning reading material–and I am one happy guy. I hope your morning and day are filled with all the activities that bring a smile to your face. Ted
New John Derian at Watson Kennedy
It is always such a huge treat when a new order of John Derian’s work arrives. When I see all of it at the show in New York, I generally try and choose pieces that work together to tell a bit of a visual story. Other times I am just drawn to certain color ways. Many to most of the trays & paperweights in this order were in the black, creamy and sepia tones–and I could not be happier. They work beautifully as a group or individually. Here is a peek at some of my favorites.
This one might end up in our personal collection. I just adore it. But then, I really love them all.
These are the coolest little pocket mirrors. One found a home in my Filson bag the minute the order was unpacked.
Perfection in a paperweight.
There you have it. A little visual inspiration to kick-off this Monday. I hope you enjoyed. John’s new East Village home was featured in The New York Times T magazine yesterday. More inspiration as we head into the week.
The Unforgettable Julia Child
It was my intention to mention, say that fast 5 times in a row, the 100th birthday of Julia Child yesterday at the end of my blog post. Julia, please forgive me for being tardy by a day. Turns out it is best that I do it today, as I was able to fully read the wonderful piece in the ‘Dining’ section of The New York Times. The piece written by Jacques Pépin was so heartfelt and full of insight and stories that I had tears running down my face by the end of it. What an incredibly sweet friendship. If you have not read it, here it is. I think you will love it. Enjoy.
Here is one of my favorite parts, as I think cooking with and for friends is one of the more special gifts we can give or receive. “Gloria helped Paul with the oysters he was opening and arranging on a plate as Julia announced: ‘I have a rack of pork. What do you want to do with it?’ I cut the rack into chops, which we sautéed and served with skillet potatoes and string beans with butter and rosemary. A green salad and a perfectly ripened Brie followed, and we finished with Julia’s compote of fruit served with ice cream. I do remember a delightful Chambertin from the late 1950s that Paul brought up from his cellar, which contained wonderful Burgundies. It was a simple, perfect meal to share with friends, my type and her type of cooking, which Julia always referred to as cuisine soignée, meaning a simple meal made with great care and the best possible ingredients.”
Cheers to simple meals made with great care and the best possible ingredients! Thank you Julia, for all that you gave us and shared with us. A happy belated birthday–we miss you.
Kale, 2 Ways
Actually, make that 3, as we made a salad from some of it too. The super vibrant, superfood kale was what caught my eye in the Market last week. I bought 2 bunches of it, and thought the kale would look really cool in one of the displays at the shop.
I took 2 simple French drinking glasses and filled each with one of the bunches. The lush green working beautifully to spruce up a display for the day.
I then packed it up after a busy Saturday, and the bunches made the ferry journey to the island. They would become the ‘flowers’ for the dining table.
The leafy greens so hearty and visually appealing. I made a warm vinaigrette and we had a kale salad with a few of the leaves along with a roasted chicken. Food for the eyes and body.
Check out the article about our beloved Vashon Island in the ‘Travel’ section of The New York Times today. Very fun!
Happy Socks
The New York Times last week had an article about how more and more men are wearing colorful/patterned socks. I then was thumbing through a recent Town & Country and saw a similar article. They both made me think of the line the Nathan Lane character said in the movie, The Birdcage, “Well, one does want a hint of color” and it makes me laugh every time. I am so happy to see this trend catching on. Men have so few options to add fun statements in attire. Colorful socks have been a consistent in our household, always. I immediately checked out a few of the websites that were listed in the Times article. Many were new to me. I placed an order pronto from www.happysocks.com which are designed in Sweden. Within days, 3 jaunty pair of socks were delivered to our door. It is a cool site, with socks for both men and women. Fun for gift giving, or to spruce up your own sock drawer.
A happy, colorful Friday to you all!
The Perfect Coffee Table Book
Part of the fun in staying in a home of folks who are major readers, is the book shelves are full of interesting books to peruse. This week, one book in particular jumped out at me, and I have been looking thru it a bit each day. The New York Times ‘Practical Guide To Practically Everything’ is the perfect book to have set about, so you can refer back to it. Health & fitness, travel, finances, food & drink, science, and arts & entertainment are some of the areas of interest. Plus, the cover is my favorite shade of vibrant yellow. Good looking and good for you–a winning combination in my book.
It is our last full day of vacation today, as I head into the city tomorrow to start buying up a storm at the show. 2 of our nieces arrived yesterday afternoon to spend some time with us as we wind down our holiday. They are both talented cooks, which they learned from their mother who is one of the best cooks I know. The girls are making us dinner tonight, so it will be a perfect ending to an amazing week. Tomorrow I will post photos of the house, which has been so welcoming to us over the years. I think you will enjoy it.
