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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