Hit the Scene with Chelsea Clinton

Kaki Hockersmith, my friend from Little Rock who decorated the White House for the Clintons, let me know about this fun event. Chelsea Clinton will be at the Scene Sunday night for a party benefiting her mother. I can’t wait to see the newly re-decorated Scene that Ike Isenhour is frantically putting the last touches on, I think Chelsea is a wonderfully poised young woman, and with Martha Tiller planning the event, it’s bound to be a success.

I heart old-fashioned cards

Maybe it’s because my mom always made the holidays so traditional and special (oranges and walnuts in my Christmas stocking, petits fours from Stein’s Bakery at Easter), but I love anything reminiscent of the past when it comes to paper and small gifts. Vicki Peterson, owner of Paper & Chocolate, does, too. She’s brought in Easter cards from Moonlight & Roses, reminiscent of the Victorian era with pretty violet, pale yellow, and robin’s-egg-blue colors. And she just acquired the line LeClair Handcrafted Cards (which has designs in the same scheme)—and is the only one in Dallas that has them. I like her thinking.

Victory Park Parking Situation

Ever thought, “I’d really like to pop down to Haven for some shopping?” But then wondered–dun dun duh–”where will I park?” Victory Park’s got your back (tires, that is). Today marks the dawn of complementary valet Thursdays through Sundays from noon-5 p.m. The drop-off is Victory Park Lane and Museum Way. (And I know the resemblance is striking, but that isn’t my Jetta featured in the photo.)

Dallas Contemporary

Beau Black and Stephen Dunn hosted a party at their new swank new home introducing the design community to the newest addition to the Design District - Dallas Contemporary museum is moving to 161 Glass St. Their current lease on Swiss Ave ends in 2009, and they have bought an old industrial building that is being magically renovated by the award-winning architect Edward Baum. Director Joan Davidow presented the plans with a little history of their mission and the compelling reason for a contemporary museum as well as the encyclopedic DMA. This is what excites me - it is the meeting point between art and design, and a great way to really make the district a fusion of both.

NYLO Opens in Style

Another hotel opening? It’s not where you are thinking. NYLO Hotel, in Plano near McAfee, Pepsico, and other corporate headquarters, aims to cater to business travelers. Room rates are reasonable. (In fact this weekend, book a room for one night at $119 and get the second night free. More than doable.) The polished concrete floors, exposed brick, and mod furniture are a delightful departure from the uninspiring pastel palette most travelers expect. The pizazz can be attributed to designer Stephane Dupoux, who has created award-winning restaurants and nightspots such as New York’s Cielo and Buddha Bar and London’s Cocoon. (I shouldn’t leave out Project Runway’s Daniel Vosovic either.) The Loft restaurant features pink faux cowhides, straw-filled plexiglas tables, his infamous cocoon chairs, and orangesicle-colored accents. Perfect for a TX Exes party.

Neil Sperry’s Garden Show

If Neil Sperry were a flower, he’d be a perennial. It simply wouldn’t be a planting or blooming season in Dallas without him, and I can’t remember a time when I didn’t hear his voice on the radio talking plants. Sperry’s All Texas Garden Show opens tomorrow, February 29, with some demonstrations, including Growing Orchids and Pet Friendly Gardens. Highlights of the complementary lecture series on March 1 & 2 include area experts discussing Absolutely Fantastic Azelas; Gardens that Work, Gardens that Don’t; Honeybees 101; and Texas Tough Plants.

Ikebana at the Crow Museum

March 1 - a perfect time for a spring-like activity. How about Ikebana? The Japanese art of flower arranging will be demonstrated on Saturday from noon to four at the Crow Collection in the Arts District. I’m not promising you’ll be able to create this, but you’ll enjoy spring flowers. Plus, the Crow Museum is a gem - so serene and civilized, and I love the Lotus Shop.

Marcie Bronkar at Donghia

Donghia hosted a luncheon for Marcie Bronkar last week. I chatted with David Cadwallader, Robin Menter, and Paul Garzotto (wow, twice in two weeks for Mr G). It was fascinating for a fabric freak like me. Cloth & Paper is just her latest creation. She created a line of solid textures called Home Couture in 1990 as a result of “visual indigestion”. Of course, we know that soon after with Rogers & Goffigen, Great Plains, and Classic Cloth, no pattern was the only way to go. Now, she’s showing prints, but only on the very best fabrics - only Belgian linen of the highest grade, only Italian silks. And the patterns are huge - with repeats of 88 to 123″. Expensive, but really worth a look.

DIFFA Gems

 Feast your eyes on these pups generously lent to me by J. Pacetti for DIFFA, where everyone is be-jewelled — design by Mauboussin in 18K yellow gold: 55 cts diamonds, 15 cts rubies, 15 cts sapphires, 15 cts emeralds. And they felt like heaven to wear.

Elloise Abbott and Rusty Arena

Rusty Arena, one of the most talented textile artists we know, has just announced his new partnership with Betsie Weatherford, owner of the Elloise Abbott showrooms. We say perfect, because Rusty is as talented as they come, and, like many terrifically creative people, could use a little business savvy. Betsie has all that, and she’s represented Arena Design for years. Look for lots of new delicious product from this “21st century Fortuny.”

Kathryn Ireland at ID Collection

Kathryn Ireland, one of the most talented and fun women I know, will be at ID Collection tomorrow for lunch and a book signing.  She introduced her fabric collection a little over ten years ago, inspired by an old quilt her boys and dogs had destroyed.  Her signature look is a little country French with LA funky chic, and her home is always open for grand scale, informal entertaining - say 30 for dinner. I don’t know how she does it with 3 boys, but she’s quite an inspiration. I look forward to seeing the new book, one of the quirky elements of her style is un-matching - colors, patterns, but, somehow, it works. Let’s go see how.

More DIFFA

Our host for the evening, the delectable William Kolb of Sherle Wagner International.

More DIFFA Divine

The gorgeous Michelle Nussbaumer, one of the event sponsors, wore feathers. Loyd Paxton and me again, and how I wish you could see those earrings up close…

Diffa Divine

Saturday night was DIFFA in all its glory…..and here I am sitting at Sherle Wagner’s table with Lee Ann Harrison, the gorgeous wife of plastic surgeon Scott Harrison, and designer Sherry Hayslip. (Note to self: never pose for photo next to plastic surgeon’s spouse.)
What you cannot see, but I will show later, is the bling I was privileged to wear courtesy of the one and only Mr. Joe Pacetti: $300,000 worth of it!

March Design Calendar

[Karim Rashid, left, will speak at the Dallas Architecture Forum March 29]

March 3: Meet the great Italian product designer Alessio Alessi at his new Dallas store, Alessi Dallas, located at 629 Preston Royal Shopping Center.

March 5: Dallas designer and showroom owner Jan Showers is previewing her new spring shipment from Paris. 1308 Slocum Street. Lunch from 11:30 - 1. RSVP, 214.747.5252

March 25: Patrick Frey, president of French fabric house Pierre Frey, will talk about the history of French textiles and how they are used today in modern interiors. 4pm presentation, cocktails from 5-6pm, at Walter Lee Culp Associates. 214.651.0510.

March 29: Celebrated pop designer Karim Rashid will join designer and architect Christopher Deam and architect and urban designer Howard Elkus at a symposium for the Dallas Architecture Forum. The trio will discuss interior and product design from 9 am - 1pm, at the Inwood Theater. $50 per ticket, 214.764.2406 for ticket information.

Lexington Avenue

I know real estate is not my favorite subject, but I do like to walk and critique the neighborhood.  The corner of Lexington and Byron is new construction on steriods. Period.  We walked through the house, I thought it was an apartment complex, on the SE corner.  It’s a spec house built almost to the property line of a very big lot.  Not to worry, there are about 6 fireplaces for our frigid Dallas nights.  Lots of balconies, one is about 15 feet from the neighbor’s house - nice view.  And your choice of living areas downstairs - so you don’t have to mingle with other people.  Who is going to buy this?  Someone with 12 children?  I think not.

Room on Your Love Seat?

The Oscars got me in the mood for movie nights. Aren’t those montages nagging reminders of all the films you’ve meant to see but haven’t? Design Gallerie is all over the comfy cinema seating. Head over to Dragon Street for their floor sample sale. The Solana sectional (shown) is perfect for entertaining ($3,499 now $1,499). If your party includes Laura “butter popcorn” Kostelny, though, you better go with leather. The modern, Italian leather Hugo sofa might fit the bill ($1,299 down from $1,999); Hugo not included.

News on Newport

The Newport Collection is alive and well, thanks, on Slocum St and at the Elloise Abbott showroom. Yes, Blair Newport has cancer, but he is responding well to treatment, and Dennis is taking good care of the showroom. Go see him, and ask about Blair while you’re at it. Blair is one of my favorite people in the industry - he is such a gentleman, and, having grown up at the EC Dicken showroom, he is truly an expert on antiques. Get well, we need you back.

Dallas Women Win Approval of Olsen Twin

Sure, we’re known for our big hair or whatever, but for the most part, aren’t Texas women—and Dallas women, specifically—known for our sense of style? This was apparently news to Ashley Olsen. Her spokeswoman remarked of their trip to Dallas (and Forty Five Ten specifically): “We really had a good time. Ashley was surprised. The women were really chic. A lot of them had such great style. And we didn’t expect there to be so many women like that.” Check out the story in WWD.

Pretty Piggy Banks

I don’t want to brag but Christine and I had lunch at Craft last week. It was amazing. In case you care, I fell in love with the pastry chef, Shannon Swindle over a dutch baby—long story. Anyway, as we (Christine and I, not Shannon and I) rolled to the car, we decided to stop by Haven. If I had any money, I would store it in this fabulous piggy bank. If you’re swimming in change, stay away from the Coinstar, and get thee to Haven now.

Joy and Sadness at Rise

In a few weeks, you’ll be reading a feature on Rise in DHome, the wonderful new restaurant in Inwood Village that has opened to unbelievable success. You’ll hear about the delicious souffles and the unconventional furnishings. What you won’t read is that this is Hedda Dowd’s dream finally realized - she hounded her partner Mark McGuire for several years before he said yes, he would go in with her. Her vision is a decidedly un-hurried dining experience where patrons can relax on old sofas, maybe read a book or become friendly with otherwise strangers. It has been a success beyond her wildest hopes and dreams. And then, this….. On February 12, Hedda’s husband Jack came home from a trip to London ill with what he thought were kidney stones. By the end of the week, he was diagnosed with a particularly cruel, virulent form of leukemia. He died on Saturday.

Those of us at DHome that worked on the feature and enjoyed the fantastic hospitality of Hedda, Mark, Cherif and the Rise staff share in their sadness.

Voyager Trading Closing, Big Sale

Jon Verhaeghe just sent me an email saying that Voyager Trading Company is closing. This made me sad. It also brought back a lot of memories. I first wrote about them 10 years ago when they opened in Deep Ellum, and Jon was still making trips to South America himself, loading up an old truck full of interesting finds, and then navigating down the bumpy dirt roads for days in hopes of getting his cache shipped safely to Dallas. He was the Indiana Jones of the imported furniture business. Since that time, he’d moved to a big place on McKinney Avenue, and much of his wares were imported from Indonesia. A good, popular look for less. Jon says he wants to focus on his acting, music and modeling career, none of which I knew he did. So, I asked him. “Mostly foreign films and stuff. I’m huge in Belgium and Luxemburg. Obviously I’m kidding about the acting and stuff. But I’ll let you know my next move.”

He had me going there for a while. Jon was always a good story teller, which is why I almost always quoted him verbatim when I wrote about his store, because he could do it better than most of us. If acting is not in the future, maybe writing?

Jon wants our blog readers to be the first to know about the big liquidation sale starting Saturday. It will go for 60-90 days, and everything’s going.

A Stroll in Highland Park Village

Don’t forget to come visit me tomorrow at Ralph Lauren in Highland Park Village, from 1 to 4. I’ll be showing off the new collections that they have madly brought in and put together for this event. Choose your lifestyle between Mayfair, Cape Lodge, and American Summer. There are great new pieces in all collections - my favorite right now is the Mayfair dining chair, but that could all change by tomorrow.

Re: So Chic

Sorry, I neglected to say that Margaret Russell will be at the North Park store from 6 - 8 next Thursday. And, of course, the North Park store is much more Elle Decor style, and a lot easier to get to.

So Chic

  Margaret Russell, editor in chief of Elle Decor magazine will be at Robb & Stucky next Thursday, Feb. 28 signing her new book aptly named “So Chic”. And, I’m sure the style level will be at a new high because A-listers around the country have always opened their doors to this magazine, and we can be voyeurs into the lives of the rich and famous. Of course, we already have our local ultra-chic magazine, DHome, but we’re not afraid of sharing the love.