South Beach::Not Your Mom's Beach Cottage

In the midst of winter cold, there's nothing like a little escape to sand & water & warmth.
Last February I had a call from my business partner in South Beach
asking if I could come to Miami to help with a couple of projects he had been working on.

How quickly could I pack my sarong and Havaianas
and run for the airport!
Yes, it would be work - but there would be plenty of time to enjoy
the gentle warmth of dining al fresco and perhaps even a sail on a friends' boat.



He was in the midst of installing a remarkable condo, which I'd been following and helping with via some long distance consulting. Though his style is decidedly more contemporary than mine, we've worked together for many years and each have great respect for each others mutual strengths. He wouldn't do final touches without me and I wouldn't do an initial floor plan without him.

It was time for final touches and I couldn't
wait to see how everything had turned out.

I'd been in the condo only once before -- - it was a shell of raw concrete
and a lot of rough wires where walls had been planned.
We went through our proposed floor plans and tried to make
final adjustments while carpenters and electricians
growled at us to get out of the way.
I remembered boggling views .. . . up the ship channel to the
Port of Miami and across to Fisher Island.
Talk about a great location ... . literally at the corner
of the channel and the Atlantic.

This little bit of whimsy is a take off on a garden folly.
The recessed seat is covered in that Janus et Cie faux greenery
... . . rather a contemporary version of an ivy covered wall.



Every ship (cruise, cargo or small dingy) which enters Miami passes beneath their
dining room .. . . 35 floors up.


Incredible contrast of the downtown Miami
skyline to the right and the vastness of the ocean to the left.
This wine cooler was done by utilizing a series of Aalvar Alto
plexi vases as bottle holders.
We then backlit the sections with LED lights which gradually
change colors from warm pink to cool blues and purples.
Set behind large glass doors,
this becomes a rather mesmerizing sculpture
(should you be able to take your eyes off the views).


The powder room wall is done in a giant mosaic tile mural
(see the top photo).
This tub in the master bath creates a welcoming invitation
as it's approached through the
long closet which connects the bathroom and bedroom.


Though I'm personally more of a beach cottage kind of girl . . .
screen porch with a swing and all that . ... . there's a lot
to be said for the view from the top.


All photos copyright Judith Thibaut.

Heartfelt Thanks

Nothing can be the reminder of how much we depend on the presence of our bloglandia friends quite as acutely as a computer crash (and burn!). Mine had been balking at an overload of photos ... about 9,000 ... and finally just said "NO MORE." Three days later, all has been remedied and I'm catching up .

What a delight to find that Miss Catherine, at A Thousand Clapping Hands, had bestowed my little blog with a lovely award , A Superior Scribbler - no less. Gotta say , that concept made me giggle as I started this blog as images only and just recently started scribbling.

As with many blog awards, it comes with the requirement that I post the links and rules, along with my choices for the award.


- Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass the Award on to 5 most-deserving Blog Friends.

- You must link to the author and name of the blog from where he/she has received the award.

- You must display the Award on your blog and link to THIS POST, which explains the Award.

- Each blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add your name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, they will be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this prestigious honor.You must post these rules on your blog.

- Each recipient must post these rules on his/her blog.



And My Winners' Are

Tara at Paris Parfait

Leau at Look What Leather Lips Sees and Says

Judith at Paris Atelier

Vicki at French Essence

Ruth Rae at My Creative Soul

Heartfelt Thanks .. .. .
to each of you for enriching my world by
sharing beautiful glimpses into your worlds
and
your hearts.

-----------------------------
A little note on the Valentine Hearts above.
These were done last year, as part of my Recycling frenzy. I'd always loved the designs on our local Trader Joe's grocery store bags; so, I cut little hearts out of various pieces of the images on the bags - then embellished and layered the hearts with a bit of golden tulle and stitched them on black cardstock. These little ( 2.5 x 3.5 inches) cards were then hung on some apple tree branches as my Valentine centerpiece.

more MOO

Your Question:
May I use your idea to customize my MOO MiniCards with the ribbons ?

My Answer:
Why, of course ... . I'm so pleased you like my idea enough to try your own version!

And ... . .just in case you might desire a little more inspiration, here's more
of my own MooMadness.
The set above I did as a small portfolio of my art. Twelve different photos strung together on a piece of waxed linen, embellished with a bit of tulle and ribbon and finished with
small silver charms.

These pieces are both small ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) which incorporate a Moo photo of another piece of art, then layered and stitched and wired. The parameters for these ATC's specify only that the size be 2.5 x 3.5 inches. I obviously enjoyed creating lots of multiple layers and numerous collaged effects. Puzzle pieces, fabric, wire, tulle -- - even glass microscope slides, which enclose the Moo card below.
I just adore working in this petite format. I find these pieces to be reminiscent of the small personal portraits done in the days before photography. Since they easily fit in the palm of one's hand -- - they also have the quality of a small jewel.
A little secret .. . which requires close examination.

More repetition .
More recycled art.
_____________________________________
[ I do regret that you can't each hold one for that close examination -
but, you can click on each image to view LARGE and see a bit of the detail]

Sculpture :: Recycled

Last year I was invited to participate in a local art show whose theme was Recycled Art.
How many places could I take that concept ? ? ! Great fun.

My interior design focus for many years has been ReThink-ReUse-ReInvent. I like nothing better than taking a pile of junk and creating something surprisingly amazing with it. Isn't that what we all do when we go to a flea market, find an odd weathered window frame and hang it on our wall. Viola ... . . instant art.

The sculpture above started out life as this simple sculptural backdrop in my living room (details, later). This very long , high ceilinged , wall cried out for something very textural and soft on a rather grand scale. I also knew I liked the idea of being able to change the focus seasonally.

A few bamboo rods + many (many) yards of wrinkled cotton muslin should be a good start. I then found some large vintage music rolls, which had started life in an elementary school classroom.

This was my first version of "How Many Things Can I Do
with a Few Sticks and A Bunch of Fabric Hanging From The Ceiling."

Soft, serene, summery ... . . and really rather Zen.
Winter approached and I was feeling the need for bit more solidity and structure. Something with an edge to contrast all that wrinkled softness. I was also mourning the loss of one of my favorite dresses - a simple black voile wisp. Alas, there were rips along the shoulder. Those rips may have been sad on a wearable garment .. . but, as a piece of sculpture - they were just added texture.

Up went a piece of foam insulation board, which I covered in leftover Caramel Silk Taffeta . My fascination with vintage music continued by ripping some pages out of a music score and pinning them between taffeta and voile. Look closely and you'll see a couple more of those pages under the black mats on the dining table, as well as crumpled around the steel balls on the oval platter. We like repetition almost as much as recycling.
The photos of this wall ended up on two of my business cards .. . . part of a series done by that wonderful London company , Moo. They'll do these adorable little cards with various pics on the front side and your contact info on the back.

I was then involved in trading small art cards called Artist Trading Cards, primarily through a flickr group. In this piece I stitched and layered a Moo card over some remnants of that muslin and caramel taffeta.
Recycled image, recycled fabric AND the repetition of the fabrics pictured in the photo.
The photo below documents what I eventually did with those Moo business cards. I felt that placing a square hole in the corner of the card with a black ribbon through it made for a much more amusing card. People really love them and always smile when handed one of these cards. It feels more like a tiny gift .. .
and several together comprises a compact portfolio.
But, I digress.
Let's get back to that first photo, of the Suspended Hearts, for the Recycled Art Show.
The fabric ball is composed of ripped strips of the wrinkled muslin, which started out life as that sculptural backdrop. After two years, new upholstery rendered it obsolete.
I took it down and ripped one panel into a very long pieces ... . which were then tied together and wrapped into a series of fabric balls.

Art : Recycled
Life : Recycled

It's really just about seeing everything with new eyes.
In today's world
the question asked should move beyond
"What is it?"
to
"What can it be?"

24 K. Gold Chocolate

'Tis the Season .. . . to be thinking of Hearts and Valentines
and .. . . Luscious Yummy Chocolate.

Since small luxuries seem to be the theme for 2009; what could be more delicious than taking a bite of a handmade chocolate milagro which has been delicately brushed with 24 Karat Gold??!

These insanely decadent treats are made by Hayward Simoneux at Todos Santos Chocolates and Confections, in Santa Fe's Sena Plaza. His shop is a magical jewel box of treasures which Chocolatier Magazine touted as one of the 10 best Artisan Chocolatiers in the country in 2001. Hayward is far too busy in the kitchen to bother with a website, but you'll find a great peek through this Madelyn Miller / Travel Lady Magazine article.

These gems are called After Dinner Saints.
Perfect for passing around after any special meal ... . and guaranteed
to absolve the sins du jour.






Over the years, my husband has learned that shopping for something special for me is actually quite simple: JUST SEND CHOCOLATE . ... . . and make sure it's from Todos Santos. For a recent wedding anniversary , I awoke to find this divine little treasure box waiting on my breakfast tray.

Christmas gifts included this Silver/Gold treat of two silver flaming heart milagros and a golden Our Lady of Guadelupe .

Did I mention that these small luxuries start at around $18.00 for a small single golden heart?

Now,now - just stop drooling and call Hayward.
He'll describe what's available and ship them right to your front door.


Todos Santos
125 East Palace Ave.
505-982-3855

____________________________________

All photos copyright Judith Thibaut
Please don't use without permission

Como Dreams .. . Continue

Consider this post to be a bit of clarification, prompted by your most thoughtful comments and questions on the previous Lake Como post.

All these photos are of a single property - - - a Villa, which includes a main house and 3 additional houses, sitting amid a spectacular garden . A butler and house manager live on property in one of the houses, which seems to be part of the boat house. ( Great perks for their job!) Additional staff includes 2 gardeners, cleaners and a chef. I can only suppose that their view, as they commute by boat to work, looks something like this:
After spending a great deal of time researching the "Ideal" villa for my Lake Como vacation , I feel this one far surpasses any others I've seen. Let me clarify: this is my little dream ... . . so, why not go for The Very Best! No price was posted for this marvelous piece of Heaven. I feel quite sure it comes under the heading of "If you have to ask - you can't afford it." My guestimate (based on other published pricing for this type of property) would be in the neighborhood of $25,000.00 - $40,000.00 per week. Perhaps a pittance for you .. . . but quite a significant chunk for my current reality. That said ... . . know that I'm a big believer in miracles and the fact that realities can change in a heartbeat. I've experienced incredible change in my life in the past . Guess that's another way of describing life on a roller coaster. One just hangs on to see what's coming around the next bend.
Not always easy ... .. . but, it's never boring.
Aren't these photos amazing!?? (no credit was given on the agents' website - so, if the photographer is out there --- know that I applaud you) I love the fact that great attention to detail was taken and they easily allow me to place myself on the garden path, by the pool or gazing out the bedroom window. So many agents are limited with their photos or don't bother to have them professionally styled. These guys, Unusual Villa Rentals, know the wisdom of posting lots of great pics.
Small details -- - such as placing these trays by the poolside lounges and on the beds are a perfect invitation to write out a big check and declare my pending arrival.
Thanks, too, for taking the extra time to do this after dark shot. I'm a stickler for great landscape lighting and this tells me my evening experience will not be spoiled by some dreadful harsh lights.
In addition to good lighting, I've got a major thing for grass tennis courts. Not because I'm a tennis nut: just because they signify a special elegance and reference to a rare bygone time. Can't you just see ladies and gentlemen in Proper Tennis Whites on this playing ground? And .. . they would be 100% linen ( and crisply ironed by that dear staff).
No wrinkle free poly blends will be allowed!
Ahh, this bed ... . I can smell the freshness of these sheets -
along with the perfect coffee in that silver pot.
Even in my current ( simple ) life - - -
I must have a proper breakfast tray every morning.
Though I find the style of these chairs a bit prissy, I'm willing to overlook this because I find the floor inlay just divine, along with the window details (shape, color, depth of the sill - which allows for the multiple shutter feeling).
So often in pics of very good ( and very pricey) villas, you'll find that they did a great job on the master bedroom ... . . only to leave the secondary bedrooms rather sad. This photo tells me I wouldn't hesitate to assign my guests to any of these rooms. Love the way they put this brilliant pink stripe on the bench - with a slight reversal on the chair stripe fabric and the baroque feel of the headboard. This gives the room a subtle touch of whimsy, while retaining a classic feel.
Can't you just feel the polished old world solidity of those marble steps? Part of what I love about this house is the total lack of stuffiness and forced formality. Those rather rough wood shutters on the doors are the perfect touch to keep the balance between the polished marble and the tres swirly ironwork of the handrail. Look closely at the bedroom doors and the depth of the walls. Substance ... . . sublime substance! Whomever did the design renovation on this house gets a big BRAVO from moi.
This little moment along a garden path just screams (ever so quietly), sit - - - be still and feel protected, beneath the arms of this grand tree. Truth be known: I'd probably throw myself on the stone walk, gaze up through those branches ... . . and weep from pure joy.
This little door in the garden wall seems to lead to another level of unknown treasure. Perhaps to another house and certainly another perfect vista .
More subtle substance.
The weight of the door and the soft arch echo the mountains
beyond the lake.
These colors take my breath away. I'll need to stagger to the chaise lounges at the far side of the terrace and throw myself on one ... .. . before I faint. The decision to keep the chair slipcovers neutral, really allows those repeated aqua french doors to speak. Note the little balcony on the left. I long to sweep through the door, look down on the terrace to my waiting husband and say
"Darling, I'll be down to join you in just a moment .. . please go ahead and pour my champagne."

Dreams of Lake Como

I'm feeling the need for warm vistas ... . plans for a summer vacation.

Truth be told, I've been seeking the perfect villa on Lake Como for over a year. My first thought had been one of the two villas on the grounds of Villa d'Este ... . . certainly strolling their gardens with a morning cup of coffee would be heaven. I then realized that wouldn't really work for me, because I'm a privacy freak .. . . and those gardens would be available to other hotel guests. Oh , no - no - no! Even if I could bear the intrusion of others, it would require being dressed.

Coffee + divine garden with lake promenade + silk pajamas = Perfection.

This equation started my search . Then the list of requirements grew and grew.

1. Old World Charm & Great Gobs of Understated Elegance

2. Pool - overlooking the lake, with sweeping lawns and giant sheltering trees.
3. Private dock which will accommodate several boats . (the boat house roof is peeking from just below the pool)

4. Privacy. Privacy. Privacy.
The steep hill behind this villa renders it accessible
only by boat or seaplane.
5. Numerous intimate garden spaces for dining al fresco.
6. A giant bathtub in a marble bathroom ... . with a view and french doors which open to a balcony.

7. A bedroom with more french doors, a fireplace and crisply ironed sheets.
8. A staff ... .. to iron those sheets and prepare the lovely meals served on all those terraces, balconies .. . .

---- - and lakeside / poolside.
9. Views ... . especially those which allow me to recline and read and doze off in blissful relaxation.


Yes, yes!!
This one will be perfect.
I do hope we're not too late to book for a June arrival .... .. .
_____________________
Pardon me - while I call to make a reservation.

( Do click on each of these photos to view large and get the total YUM factor)

Photos courtesy of Unusual Villa Rentals

Fripperies

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The New York Times magically appears each Sunday morning, just beyond my front gate. Part of my morning ritual includes opening the gate (yesterday that meant stepping into my Wellies - over the pajamas - to avoid the snow on the flagstone walk) and delighting in finding it waiting .. . a true Gift ! Several years ago, when we first moved here, I attempted to subscribe -
only to be told we were too far in the country and they couldn't even find our address. Our city has grown and the Times has found us.

Such a treat mustn't be consumed all in one sitting. I save several sections to enjoy on my breakfast tray for Monday and Tuesday. Today's Travel section was headlined by an article on the new Canyon Ranch Spa in South Beach. What surprised me was that it was written by Maureen Dowd, whose usual territory is the Op-Ed page and political commentary.

This girl clearly has a way with words. In her article she questions the relevancy of luxury in our current world of economic paring down; specifically the indulgence of a spa visit.

She posed two questions which really struck me:

"Isn't it obnoxiously self-regarding to focus on "Your Transformation" - a phrase Canyon Ranch has somehow trademarked - when America has undergone a transformation into a place where vain fripperies and vulgar extravagances are met with a gimlet eye?"

"With America so busy detoxifying from its toxic greed, hubris and overreaching, is there still room for the more aesthetic form of detoxifying?"
________________________________________________

Vain fripperies / vulgar extravagances / toxic greed ... . ..
concepts which are clearly overdue to be purged .



Perhaps with those out of the way, we can have more room
for Simplicity, Grace & Elegance.

Simply Puzzling

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My Current Puzzlement :

How do we maintain a modicum of grace & elegance
in a world which seems
to be crumbling chaos ??

My personal motto has long been -
Courage is grace under pressure.

Guess I just needed to remind myself of that ... .. . .