WALK OVER TO TRAVIS WALK

And score on some sweet and cheap home furnishings. DL Lifestyle is having yet another sale. (Are they ever not having a sale?) Save 40 percent off the Travis Walk shop’s collection of contemporary furnishings. One person you won’t see, however, is co-owner David Lee. He has sold his interest in the shop and is working with Tyler Sweatman on opening a Mecox store in the old Domestic Bliss space off Knox Street. More to come.

METROCON

Okay, I feel a little in the dark here. Metrocon, which bills itself as the largest design related trade show in the country, will be at the World Trade Center in Dallas tomorrow, August 24, and Friday. Admittedly, the volunteer collaboration between ASID, IFMA, and IIDA, is only 4 years old, but I’m still surprised not to know more about it. But, I will–let you know tomorrow.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

As Candy said yesterday, Carleton Varney is the heir to Dorothy Draper’s great decorating style, and we’ll see the magic when he has redesigned the penthouse at the Stoneleigh Hotel. Son Nicholas is a very talented jewelry designer whose collection will be shown at Neiman’s, and ex-wife Suzanne’s Carleton V line of freshly colored, traditional prints, weaves, and wallcoverings seen here is sold to the trade at ID Collection. Seems to be contagious.

HAPPY HOUR II CAN BE A LESSON IN JOURNALISM

Gosh I’ll be there. All my zinnias died, burnt like crispy critters. Would have thought I put them in the oven — oh wait, sitting in 118 degree heat IS an oven. Even my lamb’s ears are dead, but I do see some new growth straining through the dessicated remains. My husband has vowed to Xeriscape next year; he’s becoming very concerned about water conservation and wants to start a home water recycling system so we irrigate with our “gray water.” (This is his new house project.) Which reminds me…a little journalistic comment: Let’s examine the way two publications in this town have handled reporting on the water crisis in North Texas, D Magazine, our brother pub, and Dallas Morning News.
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ABSOLUT CLEAN

This is one cool bar. It’s so clean-looking, you’ll only want to drink S. Pellegrino. But then you’ll notice its organizational features, and you’ll be coveting a tricked-out bar, with all types of liquor, mixes, and several sets of Riedel glasses.

Again, a fab find from Pier 1. And, as promised, I’ll share the top-secret new line. It’s called Scalandia. It just hit stores. Lighter wood. Classic lines. Oh-so-Scandanavian. I dig this bedroom. What do ya think?

HAPPY HOUR

No, put the wine away, Todd. This isn’t our usual happy hour, it’s for all the plant lovers out there.

This Friday (Aug. 25), Calloway’s will be offering customers an extra 20 percent off their entire purchases from 5 to 7 p.m. Sure, it’s not the best time to be adding to the garden, but if you are in the market for a house plant or a spray of flowering plants to go out on the patio for that big party, it’s worth a look. Or, if you’re a plant nerd like me, go buy a few things you’ve never tried to grow before and roll the dice. Don’t worry. If you kill it, you can bring it back for credit. (Just keep the receipt!)

CAPEL RUGS SALE

Capel Rugs is having an end of summer sale. This beautiful New Zealand wool rug has the sheen and texture of silk, and comes in sophisticated, subtle hues of persimmon (shown), sage, denim, and kahki, among others. I can picture these in a minimalist room designed by Emily Summers. A 4×6 version of Stoneridge is $199. You can also go the custom route, at $10.40 per square foot. Check them out on the web, or better yet visit the
store.