Adios, Anichini

So yesterday I was driving home and stopped for cupcakes at Sprinkles. That’s when I saw it: A big “For Lease” sign on the former spot for Anichini fabrics. Leaving my space in line at Sprinkles, a desperate act, I ran down the street to see what happened. The place was all packed up, with a few boxes, two chairs, and several chandeliers awaiting something. The sign said the store’s last day was June 22 and for more information to contact the Los Angeles store. I will try to do that–first the Linen Gallery, and then this? Where oh where are we going to buy our $1,000 sheets and load our beds with so many fringed pillows our spouses will just sleep on the couch?

Wine-Oh! Friday

It’s your patriotic duty to consume much wine this upcoming week. Here are some suggestions:

Grand Tastings offers unlimited $1 tastings Saturday, June 30 (3-7 p.m.). Enjoy premium wines (and get a cheap buzz) while sampling other Grand Tastings tidbits.

Wine 2 (Squared) explores the famed white wines of France, tasting everything from Chablis to Montrachet, this Monday, July 2 (8 p.m.). Six wines for $35. Reservations required.

Swirll celebrates July 4 (6:30-8:30 p.m.) with a bottle of your favorite wine, BBQ, and live blues music. $60 per couple. Prepaid reservations required.

Turtle Creek’s Own Blue Tile Cupola

I just got to see perhaps the most beautiful home in Dallas. Big statement, but I am talking about the Crespi estate–you know the one, it’s the blue tile roof with the cupola that you see from Turtle Creek Boulevard. It is now owned by author and art collector Robert Edsel, and being designed by Ike Isenhour. Ike has been working on it for two years, not adding, but taking away layers of walls and paneling that have been added through the 81 years since it was originally built on the banks of Turtle Creek–the only home on the creek to have its own boat slip. And what he has dealt with is solid concrete walls. Since Edsel’s collection of Renaissance art is all wired to the security system, every place where a painting is to be had to be saw cut through the concrete to install the wiring. You’ll see none of that, just a perfectly pared down interior with outstanding architecture and world-class art. Well done, Ike. Now we know what you’ve been up to for the last two years.

New Lines in Dallas

For the first time, the grand-père of scenic wallpapers will be shown in Dallas. Allan Knight has the exclusive distribution of Zuber papers, so designers will no longer have to go to New York. Now you have your pick from the big three–Zuber, Gracie, and deGournay. Also new is Arte, at left, which was shown years ago, badly, I might add (which I can say because it was at my showroom), and now the whole collection will be at Walter Lee Culp. The web site is fantastic: You can search for wallcoverings by color.

The Flowers You Need: 2006 Plant Trial Winners

Attended the Dallas Arboretum’s Field Day Wednesday morning where Jimmy Turner, director of horticulture research, revealed the results of their trial garden plants–the plants that stood up to the Texas sun, wind, rain, and ice and still looked lovely. Next summer look for all your neighbors to suddenly sprout the Pride of Barbados; the already popular pentas have a winner with their butterfly deep pink. Turner says peppers of all kinds are trendy, and one of the crowd faves is the ornamental pepper black pearl (in fact, plants and flowers with a touch of black are all the rage at the moment; see rudbekia, black violas, and queen of the night tulips for examples). For some 2006 trial garden winners and winners of the people’s choice awards, hit the jump. (There are 3000 plants in the trial, so I’m only including 2 lists for obvious reasons.)
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Rock Hudson & Loyd Paxton

Just got back from lunch (yes, it was a long one) with the dashing Loyd Taylor of design duo Loyd Paxton. Talked for hours. I learned that Loyd and Paxton (who met in college circa 1960) got their start in the antique business when a woman named Mary McCormick, related to that famous Chicago family (either the McCormick Reaper or McCormick Place), called and said she was moving to Amarillo, and would they please take some of her antiques on consignment. Dallas was a much smaller community in those days–less than 300,000 people. Had no idea how or to whom they would sell them, but they said yes. (more…)

Post-modernism

Luxus Showroom owner Hilda Yong told me last night at our advertiser’s party that she’s no longer going to try to figure out what people in Dallas want. Says she: “I’m going to buy what I like.” Luxus is known for its contemporary European style, so when she told me she loves traditional, my jaw dropped. She said, “I like to mix things up and use both classical and contemporary at home, so that’s where I’m going now at the showroom.” She’s put a light oak dining table on the floor, for gosh sakes. To make room for the new mix and a new private label furniture line, Yong is hunting for a new showroom space and is leaning towards the Decorative Center.

Ties at William & Wesley

Just when you thought William & Wesley couldn’t squeeze one more industry out of their space (they sell, build and upholster furniture, finish frames, and make draperies), he’s at it again. Now Bill is making ties out of Christopher Hyland fabrics. Sound like a good idea to me, you can make 3 fabulous ties out of 1 yard of fabric. Watch out, Hermes.

Angie Barrett’s Home on Market Again

This time with Lillie Young and not Best Realtor Doris Jacobs. Go figure.

Sweet Rebecca is Cursed–Literally

Do you see the nuttiness we must put up with in this world of shelter magazines? Well, you will now. Apparently, someone has decided they would like to see a hex on our Rebecca Sherman. Like that’ll get his house published. I have no idea what he’s talking about and honestly, I bet he doesn’t either…

P.S. Re: River Rats

Ladies, if you didn’t go to the meeting Tuesday night you should start crying into your pillow right now. Christine Lieb was there (with hubby), so she can testify. I have never seen so many tall, good-looking young men in one place at one time in Dallas that didn’t involve a thumping downbeat and a Stoli on the rocks. Erika Huddleston, the director of marketing for the Trinity Trust, said she was floored when 80% of the RSVPs for the event came in from young men. Seriously, trust me on this, do yourself a favor and become a River Rat today.

Life Goes on Despite Our Tsunami

Jeanne Prejean and I both wonder about the Park Cities Parade–but the great thing about open houses is, who needs a patio?

Says Jeannie: “Just heard from Travis Mathews that they’re going ahead with today’s open house on 6606 Stefani for Woldt despite the storms. Regardless of the tsunami, the Paciugo and Champagne are chilled and NorthPark Gold is in someone’s future.”

Ron Hall’s Organic Insect Oil

We’ve talked about mass insect extinction before but heaven knows this summer’s bugs are getting the best of all of us, right? So, coincidentally, I ran into Ron Hall, landscaper with Ron’s Organic Dynamics, who tells me his wife has concocted an all-natural insect repellent from organic oils. Sprinkle it on your lawn and you’ll be bite-free for one week–pretty good for $15 a bag, right? More info here.

River Rats and Brooke Rydman

Ran into textile designer Brooke Rydman at the Trinity Trust party Tuesday night. She sells her designs at Neiman’s and Forty Five Ten and has just completed a custom project with Emily Summers. She’s just one of the many cool, talented people who are interested in being River Rats, the young supporters of the Trinity River projects. Hey–if you’re 20-40, like canoe trips, hikes, nature seminars, and happy hours, get your $50 ready and join online now.

Big Wine Sale Extended

Due to the rainy weather (“what? It’s raining? Really? I hadn’t noticed.”), The Wine Market is extending its storewide sale for an extra two days. Save 25 percent off everything in the store (wine, glassware, wine accessories, and more) through Friday, June 29. If you want some wines to cellar, this is the time to buy them.

RE: LADD HOUSE

Peggy, Cole Smith told me last night that he and Sherry had built and designed about a third of the homes on D’s 100 Most Expensive list.

WHERE TO SHOP FOR WINE

When interviewing Jason Weaver last week, I also got to meet The French Room’s sommelier Greg Cheval, who is an absolute character, or as the DMN’s Bill Addison wrote, “one of the friskiest and most open-minded sommeliers you’re likely to encounter.” He bounces around the room, presenting each wine with gusto, dispensing tidbits on the soil, grape, taste, smell, and reason for the pairing, and never forgetting to mention he drinks wine for a living. I asked where he shops for wine, and with characteristic boldness, he said, the Chateau Wine Market on Travis Street. The market, which is also a bodega bar, is open seven days a week and has 1,500 different labels and more than 24,000 bottles of wine in inventory. Greg said he could spend entire days in there, but because it’s only opened from from noon to midnight, I guess a half-day would also do.

LADD HOUSE

The home of Sherry Hayslip and Cole Smith’s client Ladd was listed 16th on D Magazine’s “100 Most Expensive Homes in Dallas.” Can we make a correction here? The notes say there are five wet bars in the home. These are coffee bars–the Ladds don’t even drink.

GEORGE NASH IS MOVIN’ ON UP

George Nash informed his partner Mark Williams and me that they had closed on a condominium at the Gold Crest and would be moving in August. It’s the Blocker home built by Booziotis Architects, and designed by Jan Showers. With George’s massive talent, this place is going to be a show-stopper. The Gold Crest on Turtle Creek is home to some of the best art collections in Dallas, you saw Betty Blake’s home in the April DHome. Trust George to pick a place that has this patina of all the finer things. And if I know him, look for him to start amassing a major art collection himself.

RE: WOODLAND AVENUE

A former resident of the 6000 block of Woodland, Susan Lowry, remembers in the ’90s when someone was trying to blow out a McMansion. They had a block cheer “10-10-75–keep our setbacks here alive.” Again petitions were flying, and it apparently worked. Maybe they need some new cheerleaders.

RE: A TOAST TO LESLIE BELL

It was a walk down memory lane. Leslie has worked at Baker for 36 years, walked through the same doors, (except when they moved in 2001) for 36 years. The accolades and memories were so sweet and well-deserved as we all realize that Leslie is synonymous with Baker. When we had Mexican clients, they would frequently say, “Peggy, just send the fabric to Leslie.” And it was up to us to sort it out. There were a bunch of us that all started in the 1970s in the design business–Kelly Hardage, Sherry Hayslip, George Nash, David Cadwallader, and Brad Alford. We’re starting a vintage ’70s club, as it was a rather vintage evening. When Cole Smith asked Sherry where all her previous interns were (she’s trained half of Dallas), she said, “They’re not here; this is just the old-timers.” And Donn Bindler said he was just glad not to be the oldest one there.

BBQ TRIFECTA

First, I hear that Williams-Sonoma has just come out with electric Smokin’ Tex Smoker for authentic Texas beef, pork, or poultry. Second, I find out At My Table is having a 30 percent off sale, and included in the discounts are picnic and BBQ tableware. And last, I guess I’m on grill alert because some D Home staffers are stopping by tonight to taste test bratwurst from local delis and shops. See the results in an upcoming issue–just in time for some late summer backyard parties and football season’s first tailgates.

A TOAST TO LESLIE BELL

Last night, while storms thundered across Dallas and dumped bucket loads of water, Peggy and I joined every interior designer in North Texas to toast precious Leslie Bell, who is retiring from Baker, Knapp and Tubbs. Despite the weather, that huge Baker showroom was wall-to-wall with people who adore Leslie, including her husband Harold. (But where was Lucy?) We are talking Susan Palma, Loyd Paxton, Susan Seifert, Lionel Morrison, Brad Alford, David Cadwallader, Julio Quinones, Jane Rejebian, Sherry Hayslip, Cole Smith, Peter and Jackie Stuart, on and on and on and all the big brass at BKT….. (more…)

PEACHY SUMMER

I’m obsessed with peaches, having experienced a personal baking marathon this weekend. So I loved this article, but disagree with adding tapioca to the pie recipe. (Sugar, fresh lemon and peach juices, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and butter is what I put over the peaches.) I also want to share an easy way to peel peaches using my instant hot water: place a bowl in the kitchen sink and fill with the hot water. Place peaches in that hot bowl until the skin begins to peel. Rinse in cold water, refill the bowl and add more peaches. Sure beats boiling water and heating up the kitchen even more.

CALLING ALL HARRY POTTER FANS

Realtor Donna Parker of Dallas Refined Realty is offering a complimentary viewing of the latest Harry Potter movie–Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix–Wed., July 11, at the Studio Movie Grill in Addison for clients and friends. Contact Donna for details. What a fun way to entertain. Me, I’d take everyone to see Knocked Up. That way it wouldn’t be long before they were moving once again.