I Have Not Disappeared...

Sorry for my recent silence...no, I have not abandoned the world of blogging and I certainly have a lot of catching up to do.

First...I AM MOVING MY SHOWROOM.....Could anyone have warned me how hellish it is to run a business as you are moving 15 years of bad habits....old stock....mountains of paper, inventorying and clearing out warehouses, Design Studio library with thousands of fabric samples, enough wood and stone samples to build a house, catalogs...why did we hold on to so many catalogs when almost every resource is on line???

Did I mention filing cabinets? Does anyone need any filing cabinets??? I just realized that our (smaller) but ultra contemporary new Showroom entrance glass door is not large enough for most of my furniture to fit through it...

The new showroom will be at 228 East 58th Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenues in Midtown. It is really upsetting for me to leave my beloved TriBeCa but I felt that my business needed a change. The neighborhood residents are coming in and expressing how sad they are that we are leaving, even the local online newspaper is upset at us. The count down started, move day is Friday March 26th and we will try to open April 1st...(no it is not a joke). Very soft opening as we have not even sent press releases.....I hope that any one in New York that reads this humble blog will be able to join us on our opening party, yet to be scheduled...

In this mayhem, one needs a little relaxation, don't you think....well such is not the case.. Last week, on Saturday the 13th, we were hit by a violent wind and rain storm actually classified as a Nor'Easter - but more far more like a Hurricane in power - that took down some of our century old trees and power lines. I barely made it home that night driving endlessly trying to find a road home as falling trees were blocking nearly all streets and roads in Stamford. I arrived in a pitch black house, flooded, cold....my son and I moved all furniture out of the living Living Room while my husband was trying to find gas for an emergency generator to pump water out of the house....Yesterday was a beautiful day...we got our power back! One week without electricity, no heat , no water, no septic system, no telephone, no internet, no cell...

Burmese Days ....

Ever since my high school days when I read George Orwell's Burmese Days, I have held romantic notions of a country where time stood still, a country of such diverse ethnic groups, a land where legend tells us that Guatama Buddha once went to teach the people of Dhannavati in the Rakhine region of Burma, a country where the most remarkable monasteries and Stupas were erected.....a country in the cruel grip of a formidable military junta with no respect for human life or rights.

While traveling, we felt the deep fear in everyone around us. Universities were shut, no cell phones allowed, no internet access, very few foreigners. Away from the main cities of Yangon (f/k/a Rangoon) and Mandalay, the people whose path we crossed were kind, gentle, and with a sad tale to tell when they could find remnants of French or English words.

Aung Sang Suu Kyi, from her house arrest in Yangon for the past 18 years, has asked the world to stay away from Burma and to continue its full embargo (including no tourism) against the government. Although I have considerable admiration for Aung Sang Suu Kyi and understand her view that tourists spending money in Burma only benefits the regime, I don't agree with her in this limited sense: People should see Burma so as to witness the terrible hardships imposed on the country's deeply spiritual people, and to let them know that the outside world has not forgotten them.

We also went to see Burma's magnificent heritage and landscape. Via a french organization, I found a french speaking guide to expedite transportation and other matters, and off we went to this beautiful country that has touched the chore of my soul.

The taxi driver is holding the book of his life from which he read to us and
pleaded us to remember and tell his powerful tale of suffering ....
these words were all he had left of a previous life of learning, family and friends.

Bagan, the golden land with more than 2000 temples and pagodas built in the 1000s to 1200s

Mandalay in Upper Burma, once the center of Burmese culture and Buddhist learning during British colonial rule.

Below, a monastic life.... we were warmly welcomed in this monastery near Mandalay. A very old monk gave me a pamphlet on meditation...a five minutes guide to meditation... which is always on my night-stand.

Village life will transport you back in time

The villagers sending their children to the local monastery in hope that they will succeed as Buddhist monks or nuns

A fishing life on Inle Lake..Floating gardens are cultivated around houses built on stilts in the center of this beautiful lake.

Market day on the shore of Inle Lake

Forms of transportation ...

Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, its age unknown, its origin lost in antiquity. Pure golden architectural marvel. Its lower stupa is plated with 8,688 solid gold bars, its upper part with another 13,153. The tip of the stupa is set with 5448 diamonds, 2317 rubies and saphires, 1065 golden bells and at the very top a 76 carat diamond... This temple exudes a soft golden glow at sunset and you will immersed in its serenity....a magical moment.

Ngapali, a small fishing town on the Andaman sea. Unspoiled beaches...pristine water

Sunset on the Irawaddy river.....A bientot Burma

What Might Have Been....

Last fall, Linda O'Keeffe - then Creative Director at Metropolitan Home - , photographer Antoine Bootz and I worked on a photo shoot for what would have been featured in a Spring 2010 issue of Met Home. Alas, days after the shoot, HF-USA announced the closing of Met Home. The designers whose projects had been shot and slated for later publication were able to purchase the images for their respective shoots. Below are a few of the photos taken of my client's very special duplex apartment in West TriBeCa complete with wrap around terraces that loom above the Hudson River.

Originally our client had retained the incredibly talented Clodagh to design the space. A few years later, she called me at my design studio for a meeting to discuss a new interpretation she was envisioning for the space. After many long meetings we were able to re-interpret the space and redesign the main rooms to create a soft, harmonious, sexy feel.

The first time that I ever agreed to sit for a portrait
for a magazine project photo shoot

Living room: it took us close to a year from concept to installing the wool
and silk rug. I was inspired by a photograph I took of rippling water.

The chaise was custom made in walnut, it is
now part of our Interieurs esprit collection

The bedroom was envisioned as a spiritual retreat.
We designed the bed with soft silk chenille textile.

Custom daybed designed to echo the feel of the bed

We kept Clodagh's original bathroom
because it perfectly reflected our sensitivity

Daughter's bedroom

The inspiration behind this media room came from a photograph
of my son and I sitting in a common room of one of my favorite hotels
in the Palmeraie of Marrakech. The silk rug was custom made as
were the sofas. The pillows were cut out of antique shawls.
The chair is from l'Eclaireur in Paris.

The following detail shots were not part of the Met Home spread. They were taken by Michael Grimm for our own records. Most objects are tribal artifacts, and I actually carried the antique alabaster statues of Buddha in my bag from a trip to Burma.

Kreativ Blogger Award (Modified): 7 Places I Love

Back in January, lovely Borjana who writes Green and Stylish nominated me for my second Kreativ Blogger Award. Borjana, thank you for your support, it means the world to me.

In a previous post, I have already revealed 7 things about myself and cannot possibly think of anything else to add that could be of interest..... so, I am taking the liberty to modify the rules a little bit and take you on my self absorbed reminiscence trip back in time to the 7 places in the world where I have experienced pure joy and bliss.

-1- Blackcombe Mountain, British Colombia (view of Blowhole Chute).

In the spirit of the Winter Olympics, this heavenly spot will be first on my list

This is the place, where lying in the snow, in tears of joy

following one of my best deep powder run down blowhole,
I contemplated leaving everything behind (except husband
and kids) and stay in Whistler for good.

-2- Chamonix, France

This is an authentic mountain destination where life itself is intricately linked to the unpredictability of the mountain. I am an avid reader of adventure stories taking place in Chamonix

The 1st Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix in 1924

-3- Mount Everest, Tibet

Pure love of God's creation, elated, humbled to

take in such a sight after arduous efforts

-4- Sahara Desert, Morocco

Saharan Dunes, Perfect peace, endless horizon...

-5- My Connecticut Garden

My Garden is both my refuge and my therapy.
As Candide (Voltaire) said:"We must cultivate our garden.."

-6- Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan (Borneo) Indonesia

Deep in the rainforest, I feel so absorbed and at
peace by the sheer beauty of nature

-7- Clermont Dessous, my small village in South West France

Where it all started....

_____________________

Early in the morning, I love reading your blogs. I have already nominated Dumbwit Tellher, French Essence, Timothy Allen Photographer, Things That Inspire, What Were the Skies Like, Hirondelle Rustique and Aspirations of a Southern Housewife. Now I return to my blogroll to identify other equally (and indeed more) deserving candidates than myself for this Award. Please know, this was not an easy decision process because every blog I follow is remarkably creative and entirely deserving of the award.

On this occasion I nominate:

-1- Red Ticking -2- Doxa Home -3- Alkemie -4- Belgian Pearls -5- Color me Happy -6- Patricia Gray -7- La Dolce Vita