Reggie Darling At Home!

A couple of years ago Alberto and I went to a wonderful summer party in New York, hosted by Eddie Ross and Jaithan Kochar. It was the best party with many bloggers in attendance: Reggie Darling, Debra Phillips 5th and State, Lauren Leiss from Pure Style Home, Michelle Ginnerty from My Notting Hill, Elizabeth Moyer from Pretty Pink Tulips, Patricia van Essche from PVE, and probably a few more we didn't get to meet in the huge crush of revelers.

The beautiful living room of "Darlington Hall" - The gray walls add a modern touch to this 1817 Federal House

Reggie (aka Craig Fitt) introduced himself to me as a fellow blogger, and I was immediately charmed and intrigued. As soon as I got back to a laptop, I looked for his blog and added it to my blog list.

Reggie and his partner Boy (aka Bruce Shostak) and their home Darlington Hall are the main characters of what often reads like a blend of fiction and charming story telling along with useful tips mined from reality.

Boy at the front door of Darlington Hall

So I was so thrilled when I got the current issue of Architectural Digest and saw Darlington Hall featured! It is gorgeous. The entire issue is dedicated to New Country Chic. The pictures online are pretty, but they are really beautiful in the hard copy. This is an issue worth saving.
Pick up a copy of AD’s June issue, on newsstands now, or download the digital edition to see more photos and to read the complete story.

The June 2013 issue of Architectural Digest is very pretty

I always feel proud when bloggers make the big time outside of the blogosphere. So hurray for Reggie Darling!

Enjoy the photos from Architectural Digest, from the story "A Federal Case": Written and produced by Mitchell Owens; Photography by William Waldron;  Styled by Howard Christian.

 

Love, love, LOVE the color in the entry hall

The Master Bedroom - A circa-1810 four-poster stands in the master bedroom; the toile canopy is lined in a Jasper fabric - the bed linens are by Restoration Hardware

"If architecture could be compared to dance, the Federal Style house known as Hillstead, in the Hudson Valley town of Claverack, New York, would be a quadrille - The brick Federal Style house is painted in a Benjamin Moore white".

And here's a photo from the party on the day I made the acquaintance of the fabulous Reggie and Boy.

Bloggers meet at Eddie & Jaithan's: Michelle Ginnetry, Valorie Hart, Patricia van Essche, Elizabeth Moyer - Do you remember us Reggie Darling? We will never forget you!

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Hello Dalai!

A different type of colorful flags have been popping up all over New Orleans. They are prayer flags to welcome the Dalai Lama to New Orleans!

Prayer flags to welcome the Dalai Lama in my side yard visible from the street

from the Dalai Lama website:
"In honor of this historic visit, we are inviting you, business owners and residents across the Greater New Orleans Area, to raise up colorful Tibetan prayer flags outside your homes and businesses beginning April 20, 2013 and leaving them up through May 20 as a celebration of and welcoming to His Holiness the Dalai Lama."

Tracy Thomson made a special New Orleans edition of prayer flags that made to Mount Everest - photo by Marc Pagani

Local artist and milliner Tracy Thomson made a special New Orleans edition of the prayer flags that actually made it up to Mount Everest! Tracy says, "I make them in strings of 12 flags, either in multi colors, or in traditional Tibetan colors. I call the set 'A Prayer for New Orleans', and the prayers are rebuild, recover, recycle, rejoice, etc. They're each hand made." They are out of stock, but Tracy says she is making more and they will be ready in about two weeks. Find her on her website Kabuki to get yours.

Tracy Thompson making the NOLA prayer flags in her shop Kabuki

I got the traditional ones at one of my favorite home furnishings shops, Spruce. Stop by and get a string of them and hang them up outside of your house. His Holiness The Dalai Lama arrives any day now in New Orleans.

The New Orleans prayer flags by Tracy Thomson

As we all know Buddhas of every kind have invaded home decor and fashion over the past few years. I found some rally wonderful pieces of jewelry at Trashy Diva. What a perfect time to get a ring or a pair of earrings to wear when you go see the Dalai Lama.

Wonderful Buddha rings at Trashy Diva at 2048 Magazine Street - They are made from vintage materials

Asian inspired earrings at Trash Diva at 2048 Magazine Street

How many of you have a Buddha in your house, or on a T-Shirt? I have a couple in my garden that I really love. I wonder of His Holiness The Dalai Lama will be cruising around the Irish Channel to see my prayer flags to welcome him.

I made the painting of this Pink Buddhas for my patio

This Buddha came from a restaurant and ended up in an antique shop on Magazine Street before it came to my yard - I love how it looks with all the iris pants

Hello Dalai! Welcome to New Orleans!

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The House On First Street Is For Sale

Julia Reed and her husband John are selling their famous house on First Street in New Orleans. I say famous, because of the post Katrina memoir Julia wrote.

Photo by Sara Essex Bradley for New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles

The book blurb: "After fifteen years of living like a vagabond on her reporter's schedule, Julia Reed got married and bought a house in the historic Garden District. Four weeks after she moved in, Hurricane Katrina struck. The House on First Street is the chronicle of Reed's remarkable and often hilarious homecoming, as well as a thoroughly original tribute to our country's most original city."

The House on First Street is a wonderful read

So I guess with a track record of fifteen years of living on the road as a reporter, it seems to be time for Julia to move on again. It's going on eight years since Katrina. For one with wanderlust maybe a forever house has a shorter expiration date.

When I read the book (which I loved) I was so curious to see the inside of the house. I got a chance as an invited plus one to a party Julia and John hosted in their home. I was such a geeky blogger and fan, so of course I did a post about it HERE

The House on First Street is listed for $2,995,000.

I did a second post when the house was published in Elle Decor. I also had a chance to go inside the house again when I styled a photo shoot of Julia and John's kitchen (and wrote the story) for New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles.

Julia writes that the dining room went through a parade of paint colors. "Before it was all over we put at least ten coats of paint, including two shades of coral, one shade of gray, three shades of brown, and four shades of blue." She says, "We had already bought a dining table that seats twenty-four from Patrick Dunne."

I happened to by driving across First Street the other day and saw the "for sale" sign. I was amazed and a little sad. But on the other hand I am hoping that Julia and John are moving on to something even more fabulous in their lives.

A powder room

So I collected all the photos from the real estate listing, so we can have a last peek into The House on First Street. If you have read the book, you will really enjoy these photos.

The enclosed back porch is a pretty sun room.  A chintz called Floral Bouquet (2003101, $198 per yard, Lee Jofa) is very similar to what Julia uses on the arm chairs and pillows

Do you move house frequently? What's the shortest time you lived in one home, or the longest? It doesn't matter if you are a renter or an owner. A home is a home. We have been in our current home since 2004, a year before Katrina. So far we are blessed to be able to stay in it, and I think it has the feeling of forever. For now ha ha.

Another bathroom

The master? Note the Suzani on the bed and the Aubusson carpet

An upper balcony -A beautiful porch & this balcony overlook First Street

Another bathroom (there are five)

This looks like a guest room

The side yard - The garden house shed could be converted to a guest house

Julia uses a palette of white flowers with greenery

The brick driveway

A better view of the shed that could be turned into a guest house

There is a lawn too

And a slate patio

The kitchen that I called a soft renovation HERE

The famous front parlor - Julia says, "I'd been preparing for owning some house, somewhere, sometime for so long that I'd saved every World of Interiors and House and Garden magazine since I was twenty.
More than a year before I laid eyes on the house, I had bought (on the layaway plan at a local antique store) the pair of gilt Regency benches I now knew would go in the front parlor."

Julia Reed's New Orleans library with Claremont's Georges Le Manach Mortefontaine Gris fabric on a pair of armchairs - Read more in an article by Sara Ruffin Costello HERE

Here's a nicer photo of Julia Reed's chintz chairs by Paul Costello for the WSJ

From the listing: "One of the finest properties in the garden district. Exquisite home & yard. Magnificent architectural details-wonderful rooms for entertaining which open onto beautiful gardens which are perfect for outside entertaining"

I hope you enjoyed another look into The House on First Street.


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An Explanation

Have you ever done a post that is not fully understood?

I did a post about Camp Jake HERE.  It was a fund raiser. I didn't want to do a sad begging for money post. The two guys who helped start Camp Jake are so upbeat and positive. Whenever they talk about their work in Haiti they light up, and you are swept away by their enthusiasm and compassion. The kids at St. Vincents don't want sadness and pity. They have an admirable joie de vivre we can learn a lesson from.

So I entitled the post Money for Comments. I wanted to get the reader interested enough to stop and read the post, and get them over to donate for Camp Jake.

Some of you thought I was sad because I don't get comments. The post was not about me. Really. And I got over comment counting a long time ago ha ha. I am not sad.

A snarky hater crawled out of the woodwork in the comments. I made a donation for her/him. I got a Spam comment. I made a donation for that one too.

Tom Landry one of the principals behind Camp Jake felt obliged to comment on the snarky comment, along with a couple of other readers. Thanks.

In the end I got a bunch of you to focus on Camp Jake. Thank You and You're Welcome! Alberto and I made a donation today, and I hope you go on over and donate too. Here's how:

http://www.redthreadpromise.org/help.html

Then the donor hits the DONATE button which brings them to Paypal. They must put CAMP JAKE in the commentary of the donation for my program to get funds.

I heart Camp Jake

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I'm A Sucker For Seersucker

The official kick off to seersucker season starts this Friday, May 10 with a huge fun party hosted by the Ogden. It signals the time of year to get out the seersucker for the hot summer ahead.

Here in New Orleans people could build a house out of seersucker. Before I moved here I didn't give seersucker much thought. I had a seersucker suit Norma Kamali designed in the 80s, and I bought it then because I thought it was quirky and amusing to wear a fabric I associated with baby clothes.

I thought seersucker was for babies - Here in New Orleans seersucker love starts early - Get this HERE

I began to see grown men wearing seersucker suits here in summertime New Orleans. And they were not going to a costume party, or making a quirky fashionista statement. They were carrying briefcases and serious faces. Then I heard about a party called Sippin' in Seersucker, that made total sense to me as I acclimated to local customs.

The gents in New Orleans rock seersucker

Seersucker originates from the Persian words "shir o shekar," meaning "milk and sugar", a resemblance of the smooth and rough stripes to the smooth surface of milk and bumpy texture of sugar. It is the perfect fabric. It doesn't wrinkle, it comes in great colors, and it is cool (temperature and attitude wise).

So here's a round up of seersucker love. I have to get something to wear. Maybe I'll shop the boys department at K & B for shrunken suit look ala Brad Goreski. The prices at K & B are a bargain, especially in the boys department.

Brad Goreski styled this for GQ

It is not so far fetched to think we in New Orleans would upholster the furniture in seersucker

Maybe I'll whip up a seersucker rosette for Friday night

Ahhhh - Seersucker bedding is so refreshing - I love the orange for mod fresh look Get it HERE

A seersucker evening gown - How divine!

Of course we use it for table linens

Love these seersucker napkins! Get them HERE

Seersucker lifestyle created by NOLA girls Jolie and Elizabeth

YES!  A seersucker koozie! Get it HERE - You know you want it!

Julie and Elizabeth put the sexy in seersucker

Geeky sexy seersucker swimsuit - Both J, Crew and Old Navy did a version

Love these hot color seersucker drapes - Sadly discontinued from Curtainworks

You can get seersucker pillows HERE

Seersucker shower curtain - How fab! Get it HERE

This is a DIY idea for all your crafty girls

Some nice seersucker outfits to inspire you for Friday night

The Ogden Museum Sippin' in Seersucker

And here's the info for Friday night Sippin' In Seersucker (the most important fund raiser for the fabulous Ogden Museum). See you there!!!!

The Details:

When: Friday, May 10, 2012, 6 pm. to 9 p.m.

Where: The Shops at Canal Place, 333 Canal St., New Orleans

Dress: Summer cocktail; Seersucker, preferred!

Entertainment: Bonerama; Luke Winslow-King

Contest: Best seersucker ensembles—the winners get a special prize!

   Guest Judges: Trixie Minx and L. Kasimu Harris

Raffle: Deluxe packages include Entertainment, Fashion, Wine, Indulgence, “Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown,” and Kohlmeyer Circle Art. Tickets are $5 a ticket, or $20 for 5 tickets.

Food: A stellar line-up of restaurants! As of 4/22/2013: Baker Maid, Booty’s Street Food, Chiba,

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