Archive for March 2006

Well, believe it or not, I really enjoyed the long flight to Paris. The seating was spacious and with so many adjustments I had to learn the control panel. The food was actually quite good and a menu with options was offered (it has been a long time since that happened), and the service was…

On my recent Paris adventure I was intrigued by the Cafe Culture. It is not about merely sitting beneath an umbrella at the sidewalk and enjoying a latte, but instead it is about seeing and being seen. Chairs all face the street, not each other as might be expected. It is clearly less about involving…

I have to say I was astounded by the lines to EVERYTHING in Paris. It wasn’t just the tourist attractions but the cinema and the museums had lines 5-6 people wide and wrapping around blocks or weaving amongst a maze of stanchions. Everyone was talking in low voices, no rowdiness or impatience, and it was…

Had a wonderful long weekend in Paris recently! I hadn’t been in over 30 years and joined a friend on a business trip. With frequent flyer business class I got comfortably caught up on three months+ of industry reading (you know all those decorating magazines!) Only got a big jet lagged on way in, and…

Home Therapy: Fast, Easy, Affordable Makeovers, Lauri Ward Ward is the doyenne of one day makeovers and this book is an inspirational compilation of case studies from a wide range of clientele. Whether you are downsizing, shifting from renting to owning, making the most of temporary quarters, merging households with another or creating a specific…

Do you have a useless niche, a room without a reason, an available closet? Transform it into a space with a purpose! No, of course, it doesn’t have to fit anyone else’s definition of useful, only yours, but let’s consider some fresh ideas . . . Conversation Station: Finding yourself constantly on the phone but…

“Syriana” – George Clooney, Matt Damon, Chris Cooper So pleased he got the Oscar for this, only I can’t recall who was the lead since Clooney was deemed Best Supporting! Clearly he stole the movie. Intense, gritty, real and brutal. This was amazingly well acted, directed and produced. I am not usually one for political…

The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, Debbie Ford This is a terrific internal look at some of our most challenging issues. Ford forces us to look at what we are hiding from ourselves or what we avoid looking at. She shows us how our “dark” side can actually bring us more into the light…

House Beautiful has a new editor and a new look! More and larger pictures to view and inspire, and greater how to from top designers. They really have jumped on the band wagon on showing their subscribors the benefits of great design and how to acheive it with ease and even affordability. They used to…