Natalie Erwin at Beretta

Who said hunting and drinks don’t mix? Beretta Gallery is hosting a cocktail reception Thursday, May 15, for Dallas artist Natalie Erwin’s latest works, including custom hunting dog portraits, and I predict it will be a successful outing. Her unique look, created on wood-burned birch panels with wax and stained colors, have caught the eye of many, including mine, at the Nest Gallery. Meet the artist and order one of these puppies for Father’s Day. 41 Highland Park Village. 6-8 p.m.

Georgeous

D. Porthault’s going in a completely unexpected direction with these black and white embroidered linens, inspired by the night sky.

Williams-Sonoma Home Party Tonight

In the words of a co-worker, “do you enjoy free food, wine, and sales?” If so, join us for all three tonight at Williams-Sonoma Home at The Shops at Legacy. We are celebrating our new Best of Everything issue, so come grab a hot-off-the-presses copy and eat treats from George catering. Oh, and did I remind you about the 10 percent off any and everything? 6-8 p.m. 7300 North Dallas Pkwy.

Anteks 20th Anniversary Tonight

Go over to Anteks on Lovers Lane this evening and help Jason Lenox and family celebrate 20 years of business in that location. And, as an added bonus, the party benefits Dallas Habitat for Humanity - some of the vendors will be donating 100% of sales on certain items, and a portion of all sales from May 7 to May 14 will go the Habitat. Go, enjoy, and release your inner cowboy - you and your ranch will love it, and so will Habitat for Humanity.

Mother’s Day’s Ideas (x4)

1. Time with Mom: Swiss Avenue Historic District Mother’s Day Home & Garden Tour, May 10 and 11. Promote historic preservation and citizen involvement while securing the title of best child. $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
2. Sweets with Mom: Cakes from La Duni Latin Café are now available online with a 5 percent discount. Order favorites such as the famed Quatro Leches Cake, and save yourself half the calories by splitting it con tu mama.
3. Flowers for Mom: See No. 2. La Duni now offers signature arrangements (at left) of Amazon roses, tulips, lilies, and orchids online. With 72 hours notice and a few clicks, La Duni’s signature arrangements will be made to order at $20 and up.
4. Best choice: All the above.

Sofa Sale at Haven

While you’re out this weekend, enjoying the weather and trying to figure out how to spend your tax rebate money, go down to Victory and check out the sofa sale at Haven. Victory is rocking on the weekend, interesting shops with a different take on retail shopping, and some fun restaurants. I particularly love this Gonzalez sofa - available this weekend for $1500. It’s a deal, and very chic. And if you haven’t met Homer, it’s high time you did.

May/June DHome at William Sonoma

If you haven’t made that drive up to the shops at Legacy to visit the new William Sonoma Home store, you should. Even at 6:00 pm - which is when DHome is hosting the preview party for our May/June issue, next Thursday, May 8. The drive is worth it because a) William Sonoma Home is one of the coolest, design oriented home store there is anywhere - I know you get the catalog, but you really have to see the furnishings. And b) this DHome issue features outdoor living like you have never seen - there’s not a striped umbrella, barbecue tools, or a pitcher of Margaritas in sight. PS - there’s a 10% discount on all purchases that evening.

Everyone Gets Cake

Peggy and I just returned from cake and champagne at George Cameron Nash’s showroom. (150 Dallas Design Center) People, there’s still time to enjoy petit fours and Veuve Clicquot. Drop by today, and wish George a happy 21st birthday. Also, enjoy the luscious bright flowers (excuse the poor cell phone image) by Chris Whanger.

Spring Thing at the Decorative Center

Be sure and go to the Spring Thing tonight at the Decorative Center - it’s always fun, and you never know what kind of extraordinary new product you’re going to see at Scott + Cooner, and what high fashion both Loyd Scott and Josie Cooner will be wearing. William Stubbs, host of A Moment of Luxury on PBS is the featured guest, but Loyd and Josie are always the stars. PS - great food and wine, too. It’s all good.

Peacock Alley at Vintage Living

One of our very favorite linen collections is now at Vintage Living in Snider Plaza. Peacock Alley used to be downstairs in our building - very convenient for a little product pick up, then they moved to Postal Way. That’s right, over by the main post office - not so convenient. Love the linens, hate the drive. So, we’re excited to have them in the ‘hood at one of our favorite stores. Check out the trunk show on Friday, May 2, along with new linens from Matteo.

Fete du Muguet at Yves Delorme

That’s Mother’s Day to you, or sort of - the French celebration of spring, the scent of lily-of-the-valley, and the love of children for their mothers. Hello? Are any of my children reading this? Yves Delorme celebrates this special day with gifts of robes, sleepwear, candles, and fragrant soaps. All with a savings of 30%. Which is great, because I don’t know about yours, but my children never have any money.

Charles Faudree Book Party

Charles Faudree, the “king of toile,” as Peggy crowned him, is stopping by At My Table on May 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, to sign his newest book, Charles Faudree Country French Florals & Interiors with Toni Garner. Faudree, despite his international clients, is still a Oklahoma man, and like me, a Francophile. At least it seems that way (previous titles: French Country Signature and French Country Living). This book features some variation–Toni Garner, a Tulsa florist who has been named Oklahoma Magazine’s “Best Florist” for 10 years and counting–with the addition of floral.

Everyone Gets Cake

Thursday, May 1, drop by the George Cameron Nash showroom for cake and champagne - it is the showroom’s 21st birthday. And they said it wouldn’t last. At least, there were those who thought that - when George opened in 1986, he had some open stock fabrics, a few pieces of upholstery, borrowed antiques, and a super-abundance of style. The showroom has changed, the style remains the same. Be sure and go upstairs for the latest surprise. P.S. - he always serves good champagne.

Donald S. Vogel: A Painter’s Life

Valley House will feature a preview of its founder Donald S. Vogel’s art this Sunday, May 4, 12 - 3. Vogel was one of the innovators of the Dallas art scene, opening the first modern art gallery in 1952 with his wife and then Betty McLean (now Betty Blake.) His primary inspiration was found in the beautiful grounds which is now the gallery and sculpture garden in North Dallas. It’s not exactly the South of France that inspired the French Impressionists, but right now in the spring, you can see the resemblance.

Sabina Braxton Models at Allan Knight

Sorry if you missed the Sabina Fay Braxton trunk show at Allan Knight. Not only did we see some of the most splendid fabrics I’ve ever seen, she very quickly found exquisite coordinating shawls for some of us, here I am hamming it up with Mary Ann Smiley and Harriet Adams - Charlotte Comer and Myrl Talkington were probably laughing at us. We perused volumes of haute couture runways featuring her fabrics used by Lagerfeld, Christian Lacroix, and other names you might recognize. Too bad she couldn’t whip something up for me for the Art Ball on Saturday, rather than the LBD that I wore.

Looking For Young Design Talent?

Are you an interior decorator looking for someone young and eager to work with you? Check out the open house tomorrow night at El Centro College’s department of interior design — you might see the next Julio Quinones or Myrl Talkington there, both alumni.

It’s from 6-8:30 pm Tuesday, April 29 in “C” Building at the corner of Lamar and Main Streets, 3rd floor.

The $175,000 Bed

This can be yours for a mere $175,000 and is on display right now at William & Wesley, where designer and author Betty Lou Phillips is signing away her newest book. Meantime, go lay on 250 yards of precious Christopher Hyland fabric and look up at the candelier which is not included in the price. (Would it drive you crazy to pay $175K for a bed and then have some naughty couple, ahem, mess it up?)

Ann Sacks Grand Opening

If you haven’t gotten a chance to visit the new Ann Sacks Showroom, here’s your opportunity.  Today is their much delayed grand opening from 6 - 8 at 1616 Oak Lawn Ave. It’s right across from their old showroom that now says LOL on the front. The tile and marble displays are exquisite - it makes you wonder how they come up with some of these new tile concepts. Until you realize, some of these tile designs date back to the Ottoman empire. What changes stays the same, I guess.

April in Paris in Inwood Village

If you haven’t had a chance to sample this, shame on you. Our favorite souffle restaurant Rise No.1, featured in the March DHome and the May DMagazine, is having French accordian music on the patio on Saturday, and, of course, dinner on Friday and Saturday. All part of Inwood Village’s family friendly weekend event, I’m sure there will be music, food and fun everywhere.

Cocktails at Alessi Thursday Night

Alessi is having cocktails at its new store Thursday night. If you haven’t been, it’s a cool place. Go to the jump for details. (more…)

Design Divas in Dallas

We’ve got a full week of events at showrooms with very talented women. In order of appearance….. the grand dame of Los Angeles design Sally Sirkin Lewis will be at the J. Robert Scott showroom Wednesday, April 23, 11 - 3 presenting The Golden Collection - 60 fabrics in the warm, golden tones of the Golden State of California. From this understated world of shimmery textures, go to Allan Knight on Thursday, April 24, at 4 for High Tea with Sabina Fay Braxton. Her couture line of hand-painted velvets are so beautiful they will make you cry. Then, head over to William & Wesley at 5:30 to meet author Betty Lou Phillips and one of her fabric inspirations, Seth Pariser of Christopher Hyland. There you will see new textiles from one of the greatest collections of antique French and Italian document fabrics. If this doesn’t fulfill all your fabric needs, I can’t help you.

Beautiful Mood

Texas artist Danny Williams has spent the last few years working in France, where he drew this. Love the mood. “A World Apart–Drawings from Central France” opens at Barry Whistler Gallery tomorrow night. (There’s a party for the artist, with wine and bites — Barry would love to have you come.) (more…)

Highland Park Artist

Vassar educated, Highland Park-dwelling abstract artist Vikki Holden Davis has a show at Uptown Vision starting April 24, as a part of Uptown’s Artwalk tour. Her work makes me think of what Jackson Pollack might have produced if he’d been sober and on lithium.

P.S. For a really fun, interactive Pollack experience click here.

Very James McInroe

Dave Waisman, a fine minerals dealer out of Spokane, WA., expects a number of Dallas decorators to turn up at the Dallas Fine Mineral Show May 2-4. I wonder if James McInroe and Michelle Nussbaumer hit these shows to find mineral bases for those amazing lamps they sell. At any rate, I know McInroe would love this color of orange. Why, you ask?

Hit the jump if you want details about the show.

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Salone del Mobili - Milan

Once again, I’m receiving all kinds of cool invitations to events at the grandissimo annual furniture exposition in Milan - again, my airline ticket must have gotten lost in the mail. Once I get there, (positive thinking), I’ll just have to bunk with my friend Loyd Scott since there are no rooms available for under $1200. It is the coolest, most innovative show - as those crazy Italians just outdo each other in the pursuit of designs that will capture our imaginations and our dollars. I’ll report back when Loyd Scott returns and tells me all about it.

Pretty Invitation

I had our art department scan the envelopes from an invitation I received to an art auction benefiting The Bridge Breast Network. The outside envelope is black faux alligator, with an interior envelope crafted of handmade paper. You can’t see it in the photo, but the paper has a subtle sparkle to it, and I love the pink and black logo interpretation. The rumor is that Mike Thompson designed the invitation (the alligator envelope is a dead giveaway in my book).

Ju-Nel Home Tour

As my friend Adam can attest, I have become obsessed with the weather. I attribute this to getting old. Anyway, the weather this weekend going to be lovely, my friends. Let’s hope it keeps so that NEXT WEEKEND (I jumped the gun earlier) is the perfect weekend for the White Rock Home Tour and Art Festival. I love home tours—it saves me the trouble of knocking on the doors of strangers in East Dallas and begging for a looksee. (Rarely successful.) Anyway, this is a good event, benefitting a great cause (Hexter Elementary). After the jump are the words of my lovely and amazing friend Christine Rogers, who knows all about the tour’s bells and whistles.

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Jan Barboglio in the House

Actually, she’s at the downtown Neiman’s store until 4 p.m. today. And she’s signing stuff—one presumes her own products—but you can ask her to sign something a shade spicier if you dare.

Errata

Porcelain appraisers Debby DuBay and David Lackey will be at Forestwood Antique Mall Thursday and Friday. We got that part right.
Debby DuBay has never appeared on the PBS Antiques Road Show, as was misstated in an earlier blog. We apologize for the confusion. Forestwood Antiques Mall would prefer that we word David Lackey’s association with the show as follows: “David Lackey has appeared on the PBS Antiques Road Show as a pottery and porcelain appraiser,” to avoid any unintentional confusion that his talk at Forestwood is connected with the popular show, which it isn’t. Forestwood mall wants you to know, too, that Lackey won’t be talking about Limoges…

Quick, Dig Out The Limoges

PBS Antiques Roadshow porcelain appraisers David Lackey and Debby DuBay will be in Dallas April 10 & 11 at Forestwood Antiques Mall…

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