table time

running around like my usual "madman" self this weekend, but wanted to post a few images from the turkey day table.

i did my usual last minute scramble for the decor. i snatched up all the leftover herbs from all the cooking (thyme, rosemary, sage), then sent someone out to pick some local "white berries", grabbed some bay leaves from the yard, as well as some baby ferns..... a bit of Eucalyptus and fruit and i was done. Snappy indeed.

i used to spend a few moment's thinking about the table and setting it, but with the out of town company and other distractions, the importance of presentation took a backseat this year...which was perfect for 2011.

lost in the shadows

i hope this finds you all enjoying a bit of a holiday glow....that is if you were able to take some time away from your regular routine and enjoy the great company of friends and family and hopefully something out of the ordinary on the table.

we were lucky enough to have some great friends in town from nyc and had a full cabin all weekend. feel blessed indeed.

well, the images are some shots i have taken over the last year and for some reason they did not make the brock street cut. who knows why? i can actually tell you why..i have great intentions to blog more and then i start looking at photo's and spend hours recounting the memories and the moments the photo's were taken (talking about photo's of friends and family that are woven into my brock street images....so, these guys got lost in the shadows.

all circles too. all images brock street...all items great and meaningful finds.

pushing it

i know, i know...i hate to push the holiday's as it tends to feel forced at times and since i am in the product development world...christmas can feel year round at times as i am approving products in june :). not complaining.

these projects are soooo approachable, that even i feel like i can carve out a little time to fill in that "crafting" void in my life. can you imagine a great bay leaf garland, dripping with glossy white pine cones? i can :)

have a great weekend.

running and hiding

made a quick stop by a secret location to check on the inventory...of course i was a day too late as everything i gravitated toward had a big ole red dot on it....sold to a local french patisserie. shoot.

nonetheless, it seemed a bit like christmas with the "loaded" shelves. i was able to run out before i got sucked into the internal conversation of "do i really need this, or do i just want it:)", i guess they were all wants as i came out empty handed.

happy wednesday.

the welcome committee

bmo is definitely our welcome committee in the country, not the warmest, but he is first to the door upon everyone's arrival.

one of the best gifts at hillside is the foliage...its everywhere. the bay leaves, the ferns, the lichen covered branches...and i make sure to utilize them as often as possible.

the little zinc tin also serves on the welcoming committee...:)

japanese editing

some of you may know of my affinity for Japanese sensibility. whenever i travel to asia, i ensure/secure some time at muji..mandatory visit(to be honest the product imported into US is not the same product you get in asia..its just how it is). i will sacrifice sleep, dim sum, foot massage...and everything to stock up on some basics.

well, Hitoshi Uchita, owner of j'antiques in tokyo really blends the flea market find with his minimal approach. everything in his home seems so loved and full of life..and a quite used, yet everything is so organized and clean. just how i like it.

anyway, with the condition of these finds there are never worries of something getting a scratch or stain...and if they do, they are just part of the story.

i hope you enjoy these images as much as i do. found on the selby

seats for three

you know how we can, at times, not even visit the wonderful destinations in our own backyard (when i was in nyc i never got to the statue of liberty or the empire state building) shameful?

well, in sonoma we are in the heart of jack london land. jack had a home in glen ellen..or should i say many homes and there is a state park that we had not visited until last weekend (that is what company does...they embarrass you by saying..."i can't believe this place is only a few miles from hillside and you have never been ..why not?"). hee, hee.

so, last weekend was the first and definitely not the last visit to this breathtaking state park. it was amazing there, quiet, lush and socked full of history.

these photo's were taken in the museum, which used to be one of their homes. the upper level of this grand, stone home had 4 huge window seats and each windows decor was inspired by one of the locations they traveled to. they were the perfect size. one could get totally horizontal with plenty of room to snuggle their favorite pet or friend.

we were only able to explore 1/8 of this state park as we only had an hour, but will return again this weekend.

put this on your list when you come for your visits.

Hillside 10/15/2011

editing away here at hillside....

No time to work as we r blessed with more company, so I thought I would just post some autumn light at 10am in the country.

The chores and projects are stacking up, so please feel free to sign up for a work day soon...just bring your work clothes and an appetite...

no more coulda, woulda...shoulda

when it comes to hillside (also now know as grandpa mo's tree house..ha, ha),i am taking all options into consideration these days. i think there is a reason why we are so behind on schedule with the cabin...because we need more time to think through every detail,.... not at all the money thing :). i am proclaiming this delay to be a "silver lining".

i found this image while hunkered down out east during hurricane irene. thank goodness our friends home was stocked with current periodicals...they kept me distracted for several days. anyway, i think this image is from metropolitan homes or elle decor..and it is also a blurry one. sorry.

i am totally drawn to the banquette bench. the simple built in that covers the seating for half of the table. this is a great solution to utilizing every square inch of the 800 square foot cabin. we could even gain a bit of storage out of it too....

what also drew me to the image was the placement of all the windows in this space..same as hillside. what do you think? i've included a recent image of our hillside dining area...just so you can give me some input if you have time. do you have any experience with built in benches? i don't...but exploring all options.

roughin it

these chairs are MUCH better in person. this image was taken with a phone, so the clarity is not what i wish you could see.

what i wouldn't give to find these at a flea market on my own and take pride in the find and hopefully competitive price.

this pair of twins has an amazing modern/mid-century/metal frame with a rough textured burlap cover. a very versatile pair too...i can imagine them in my home :), on the lawn in "out of africa", fancy camping, in a french country estate or a modern home in the vineyards of chile.

if you are in sag harbor, you must stop by bloom (she does not have website, you have to visit in person) and gaze at these beauties.

they were surprisingly comfortable too.

stuck on you

.....i've got this feelin down deep in my soul that i just can't lose. REST.

peaceful images keep luring me in. this image evokes the most simple of times to me: bed, light, books and casual attire and seemingly no distractions.

hope this finds you after a peaceful weekend. i went up to hillside for the day yesterday with the intention of getting some painting done. well, after some raking, laundry and talk radio, i found myself on the sofa with a quilt in a complete horizontal position. needless to say i will start the painting next weekend. :)

it was dreamy.

image

where to start

i am in the midst of old fashioned exhaustion and you have no idea how much images like this speak to me. i have been browsing images for a half hour and the only thing singing to me are the images with beds and what seem to be cozy and kind linens. ha, ha! actually, the images with beds and little puppies on the beds send me to the moon and back.

this room is one of those rooms that immediately transports you to another place and almost another time. those tiles on the wall are art in its purest form and i think i will stare at them for a long time.