LIVING LIKE A SPARTAN

Candy, check out the songs by this French-Finnish couple, Mi and L’au, who moved from Paris to an isolated snowbound cabin in Finland. Like the site promises, their music is bare and haunting like a Finnish landscape in winter.

DAVID GRIFFIN, GREAT HAIR

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Here I am with architect Lionel Morrison, who is designing the new One Arts Plaza 24 story mixed-use development to include 70 breathtaking condominium residences a mere stroll from the Meyerson and the arts district… we are enjoying David Griffin & Company Realtors’ new modernist offices at 3535 Travis, Suite 100. This was all last Thursday evening when Bill Lively, prez and CEO of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation gave the 150-plus crowd of hip designers, cool Realtors, an update on the state of the arts in Dallas. (Splendid.) Loved the program, food and wine but the offices are to-die for gorgeous. David Griffin & Company is the exclusive broker for the condo residences being built by the Billingsley Company.

ALEXANDRA STODDARD

Started reading Stoddard’s book, “Time Alive”, from yesterday’s Theta luncheon and have to report this: Stoddard says she has shunned technology in her Connecticut cottage. They store tea in the microwave, shut off the icemaker and dishwasher to prevent frozen pipe dilemmas, wash and dry dishes by hand, use ice trays for cubes, no washer/dryer, no email or computers, no air conditioning, no cars. In other words, pure living that is incredibly liberating and actually gives her MORE time. This reminded me of my recent interview with “>Philippe Starcke when he told me that he has no electricity or even running water in some of his homes. It is, he said, “liberating”. Here we work like mad to collect our Viking gas stoves (way more labor intensive), our two dishwashers and temp controlled wine cellar only to find our schedules crammed with repairmen! I think these people are onto something!

RE: CORAL WATCH

Judging by the countless (okay, maybe not countless, more like four or five) examples of coral at Z Gallerie this weekend, our favorite trend just won’t go away. I saw it on pillows, on its own, even in a snow globe! I hoped that, when shaken, the globe would fill with thousands of little fishes swimming around, but no. Sigh.

PEN THIS ONE IN

Nuvo offers a sneak peek of its new Acme Studio boutique (the first of its kind in the U.S.) this Friday, Nov. 18, 5-9 p.m. If you’re not familiar with the Acme line — and no, we’re not talking about the company that funds the Coyote’s numerous failed attempts to nab that pesky Roadrunner — you should acquaint yourself. Its line of pens, business card holders, and numerous accessories are inspired by the works of the Eames, Warhol, and other famous artists and designers. With the holidays fast approaching, Acme’s goods make smart and smashing stocking stuffers. Plus, 15 percent of sales during Nuvo’s event will benefit TITAS. Good gifts and a good cause.

SHUTTER ALERT: GABBERT’S

Gabbert’s Furniture and Design Studio is closing after 32 years in Dallas. This is not a surprise. When Florida-based Robb & Stucky entered the market about five years ago, rather than reinventing themselves, Gabberts responded by organizing its showroom into “lifestyle vignettes” — essentially the R&S showroom formula. Google Gabbert’s and you discover it doesn’t even have a website. In a market as competitive as Dallas the only way you an be all things to all people is to be as large as Robb & Stucky. You can’t be a quart-sized generalist, as Covins, a pint-sized now defunct generalist, proved. Fingers crossed that a company with imagination picks up the pieces.

Christmas Corals

I also spotted the Christmas Corals at the Festival of Trees today —relieved you will report this travesty to David Feld. (Was that really Watercress soup? I thought it was spinach!) In any case, in-between Alexandra Stoddard’s invigorating keynote — promise to never waste time again! — but do I really want my grand daughters to call me “Big Momma”?? — I chatted Real Estate with Len Bourland and Lucy McRae, who both tell me how wonderful the market continues to be. Miss Lucy is having her best year ever!
Len had just come from hearing an economist talk to the Briggs-Freeman people about how many new jobs will be coming to Dallas — a bunch. Meantime, Briggs-Freeman is expanding as much as my girth and envious of David Griffin’s new haute moderne offices on Travis. Which I will tell you all about manana.

Sorry this entry comes so late — I had to work off that wonderful lunch. OK, truth be told: I also had to check out Nordstroms — fabulous!