COZY BY THE FIRE!

          

     

To say I am happy to have the mild winter that we have had this year in an understatement. Compared to the piles of snow we had last year, New England has been completely ignored by the snow Gods this year and I will drink to that. However there have been a few yucky days and today is one of them. Snow was predicted, but instead we are getting freezing rain. Since we have had very few of these days I am totally loving it and have decided to spend the day inside cooking, reading and maybe some work (probably not)   

    The Romanian aka the hubby is sick sick sick and all those wives out there will feel worse for me than for him grrrr. However he has made us a lovely fire and I have just finished the homemade chicken soup and Romanian apple bread cake. Yum

     

    So I thought fireplaces would be an appropriate subject for today. I have never lived in an apartment in NYC that didn't have a fireplace. They didn't always work, but I filled them with candles and tada...magical. Enjoy!!

  

NORWAY COTTAGE

I don't always post on the weekends because I just have time and Sunday in our house is basically electronic free...I know Amish right?? However today is a sick day, which still means I need to work, but also means I get to explore other blogs because I can't go anywhere. This was a blog entry from Craft1945, one of the few designer/carpenter bloggers I have heard of. His blogs are always interesting and this one was so gorgeous I had to borrow it. He gives a lot of description of how the structure is built if you are interested. ENJOY! 

craft1945.blogspot.com/

A rustic, recycled boathouse/summer cottage off the northwest coast of Norway.

What's in the Attic??

If you lived in our 1805 farm house our attic would be where you would not journey without a flashlight, hard hat, sneakers and maybe a ouija board. The flashlight would be to see since the one light bulb never works and honestly its too far back for me to want to try (I'm not looking for girl scout badge) the hard hat is to protect your head from the millions of nails that stick down from the roofing (I have nightmares about this) the sneakers are so you can climb up a ladder and the ouija board is so you can ask the spirits if you will make it back out of there safely.
        I dream of turning it into something useful and have even suggested a few options to my husband, who even as a contractor says ummm no. But I won't give up and there is plenty of time to change his mind, so until that day comes here are some lovely attic rooms to inspire those of you who are ready to work on that forgotten room in your house. 

MADRID APARTMENT LIVING

When I think of Spain I think of colorful people, flamenco dancers, wine, gorgeous green olives, cobble stone streets, squares filled with cafe tables...among other things. I haven't been to Spain in years and I must go back now that I am an adult...well kinda. 

          I went to college with a girl from Madrid who became a dear friend and always says "please come visit." Why I haven't jumped onto a plane I am not sure.  I was in high school when I went and although it was a memorable trip, I feel that I didn't fully appreciate the history that I was standing in the middle of. Touring a different town or city every other day made me appreciate what I was seeing as a tourist, not as a resident and the difference is vast. I have now learned to travel differently. I rarely stay in hotels opting instead for rented apartments where I must buy my own groceries, visit local farm markets and meet the neighbors. Instead of "town hoping" I spend a week or more in the same area really learning my streets, local transportation and when lucky meeting new friends. This way of traveling has benefited me greatly. Now when I visit Paris I know so much, have my favorite cafes, pastry shops and bars, yet totally feel ready to explore new parts of the city that I haven't had to to see. I would love to do this with so many areas, but I think Madrid is in the top 3.

  This apartment actually belongs to a New York couple who works together, but began a business in Madrid and decided a hotel was just not going to cut it. Instead they found a fabulous apartment that would become their home away from home...for business, but really for enjoying a life away from what they are used to. Their use of color and "fun" in this space is not only a reflection of who they are, but also WHERE they are. Enjoy! 

apartment from micasavista

The Clutch

Okay, are you one of those people who goes out and sees someone with a clutch and thinks "I should have used my clutch tonight." I do this allll the time. It's not that I don't have them, I do, but I just forget or get so focused on what jewelry must stay or go that the clutch doesn't stand a chance. 

        So today is dedicated to the handbag most ignored in my closet. While my other purses and totes get to make an appearance at least a few times a year, my poor clutch sits high on a shelf like an ugly step child. No more! This is my promise to myself, like during Lent when I take away one indulgence, this is going to be opposite...I will bring out a clutch once a week until I leave for Europe in April. Anyway, for all you clutch-less people out there, GO buy one. They are the most have accessory for Spring. 

 Alexander McQueen 

Giovanna Battaglia
Freelance Stylist, W Magazine

My Picks for Spring/Summer 2012

Stella McCartney

Anya Hindmarch

Christian Louboutin

McQueen

Banana Republic

DVF