Goin’ to California in My Mind

  • Life
  • August 21, 2014

I have had California on the brain a lot recently. The current issue of Town & Country has been dubbed the L.A. issue, my cousin Serena just moved back to NYC from L.A., and my friend Chassity is spending this weekend in the city of angels. Needless to say I feel like my mind is being invaded by Los Angelenos. What many of you may not know is that I moonlighted as a Los Angeleno in my formative years. When I was four, my family moved to L.A. for four years for my father’s work (he produces tv commercials), and we lived there until I was eight. I remember trips to the beach in Santa Monica, shopping at the Brentwood country mart, and the time Michael Keaton opened the door for me at Baskin Robbins and my 6 year old self looked up at him and said “thanks Batman.” While I loved growing up in Connecticut from eight years on, lately I have been craving some California time. Some L.A. time to be specific. Tower 3You all know that I am a sucker for old Hollywood glamour, and nothing says glamour like the Sunset Tower Hotel. A very chic and very exclusive apartment building during Hollywood’s golden era, this building has housed everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Mae West. What I wouldn’t give to spend a night in this building – think of all the stories it could tell! Here are  some photos of the chic terrace at the hotel and the Tower Bar which is always a veritable who’s who of Hollywood on a given evening. Charge it please! Terrace 3 Terrace 1 Tower 1 Terrace 2 Tower 2

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Lacquered Life Charleston Guide is LIVE!

  • Life
  • August 16, 2014

IMG_5826This week I finally put the Charleston Guide on Lacquered Life. I am constantly getting emails from readers and friends asking for my Charleston recommendations, so I thought, why not put them on the blog? So here they are on the left sidebar under Charleston Guide. I have included recommendations on Where to Stay, Where to Eat/Drink, and What to Do while in the holy city. Conde Nast rated us the friendliest city in the U.S. this year, and we have been picked by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler three years running as the number 1 city in the U.S. … so if you’re planning a visit, check out the guide! And if you can’t make it to Charleston anytime soon, be sure to follow Lacquered Life on Instagram for photos of this special place.IMG_5775 IMG_5351 IMG_5488

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A Modern Vacation in Greece

Greece 6I think people assume that because I’m a preservationist, I am not a big fan of modern architecture … but that is just not true. Sometimes I find that well executed modern architecture can be just as fascinating as the layers of paint in an 18th century house. Case in point The Plane House on the Greek island of Skiathos. While I love the typical Greek island homes of Santorini, with their whitewashed walls and blue shutters, to me this modern home is as much a part of the landscape as those whitewashed cottages. Greece 8Slate, from an adjacent island, adorns the walls. 
Greece 5Greece 4The ceiling over the alfresco dining area is made of makuti, or dried palm fronds.Greece 7Greece 2The wood for the deck is also a local iroko wood. 
Greece 1Photos via Dwell. For more pictures of The Plane House click here.

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