My Reading Resolution

I have quite a few New Year's resolutions, although to save myself potential embarrassment should I not achieve them, I'll just keep them to myself. However, there were two resolutions that were a bit less lofty than the rest: to carve more time out of my schedule to read, and to entertain more frequently than I did last year.

I read on a daily basis, and yet it seems that there's still not enough time to get through all of the books that I'd like to read. It would be nice to be able to take two or three days a week and devote them entirely to reading. But, who's got time for that? In the interest of keeping myself focused on the books in which I'm really interested, I've made a list of titles that I hope to read this year. Some of the books might seem a little low-brow, and that's fine by me. I'm perfectly aware that if you wallow with the pigs, you should expect to get dirty. But really, isn't it better than most of the reality shows on TV?

Tomorrow, I'll post my entertaining resolutions.



West End Front by Matthew Sweet. I first read about this book on Beverley Jackson's blog. Sweet's book examines life in London's grand hotels during World War II. Evidently, there was all kinds of intrigue and scandal involving socialites, swells, and ne'er do wells. My copy just arrived in the mail, and I can't wait to read all about it.



Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford. I enjoyed reading Mitford's The Sun King a few months ago, so I'm hoping that I'll feel the same about this book.





Constance Spry Cookery Book. An updated version of Spry and Hume's classic cookbook, first published in 1956.




Down the Garden Path by Beverley Nichols. I've never read any of his books, and I think this title- one of his most famous- is a good start.




Gilded Lily: Lily Safra: The Making of One of the World's Wealthiest Widows by Isabel Vincent. No, I don't plan to read this in hopes that someday I'll follow in Safra's footsteps. I'm just curious. Really.




Life in the French Country House and Life in the English Country House by Mark Girouard. I love books on general history, social history, and architectural history, and these two books combine all three.




Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Horror of horrors. Considering the fact that I'm a native Atlantan who has seen the movie close to thirty times, it's sacrilegious that I've never actually read the book. Shhh, don't tell.

Christmas with Tiffany's

Just in case you haven't planned your holiday table yet, a few photos to get the creative juices flowing.

Baking Christmas Cakes



The Glorious Tree



The Gingerbread People's Lunch



Red, White and Red



Christmas at Mellerstain



New York- December 25

All photos from A Tiffany Christmas by John Loring.

Home for the Holidays

My friend Ned Marshall recently opened his New Orleans house to the public as part of the Preservation Resource Center holiday home tour. According to Ned, between four and five thousand tour tickets were sold! It sounds to me like it was one successful tour of homes.

Knowing that visitors would expect his house to be done up for the holidays, Ned was a bit more lavish with the Christmas decorations than he usually is. A beautiful Christmas tree was trimmed in both white and colored lights, while garlands were strung between the living room columns. Ned's dining table was graciously set for a holiday dinner, while a drinks tray stood at the ready with preparations for holiday libations.

Since most of us were not able to attend the tour, we can take a virtual tour thanks to some beautiful photographs. I hope they bring you some holiday inspiration.

























All photos courtesy of Kerri McCaffety, photographer.

Get Cozy with Mario Buatta

I've had Mario Buatta on the brain lately, and I've been thinking about his apartment as it appeared in the 1970s. There is something very comforting to me about these photos. Maybe it's Buatta's choice of colors, the combination of fabrics and prints, the cozy seating arrangements, or the plenitude of collections. Perhaps it's a combination of all of the above. Whatever the secret formula was, these interiors make me want to crawl into the photos and curl up with a good book in that sunny yellow living room or that rich red bedroom. Can you imagine a better way to relax at the end of the day than to retire in that luxurious canopied bed?




Various shots of Buatta's living room with its glazed yellow walls.




The bedroom with its "Beaujolais" colored walls.

All images from The New York Times Book of Interior Design and Decoration by Norma Skurka.

Silver and Gold Decorations

Yes, I borrowed the title from the Burl Ives' song, but it seems appropriate for a post on metal and metallic colored trim. It's been catching my eye lately. The trim by Aiveen Daly reminds me of jewelry, while Samuel and Sons' studded trim is reminiscent of the leather bracelets that have been so popular lately. Like bold jewelry, metal trim makes a statement so you need to use it wisely. Oh, and try to avoid anything that is too terribly shiny.





The three trims above plus that in the top photo are all by Aiveen Daly. The collection, available in a range of finishes, will debut soon. Visit their website for more details.




Samuel and Sons Diamond Nailhead on Leather. I could see it used on a tailored chair or sofa and perhaps even on a console or side table.



I think that this metallic border by Samuel and Sons is so elegant.



This tieback by Remy Lemoine Passementerie is not a metal but rather mirrored glass. Still, it reminds me of a sterling silver piece by Elsa Peretti.




I like the military look of this Royal Air Force Sword Knot Lace from Hand & Lock.




I'm sure it would be a big-time no-no to use Hand & Lock's General's Gold Twist Shoulder Cords in your home, but you have to admit they're pretty handsome.