I recently came across an old Domino photo of Nick Olsen's home that showed his cocktail table vignette. Displayed on the table was a book titled "Beauty and Nick". I remember thinking that was rather clever the first time I saw that photo. It also reminded me of a lecture that Bunny Williams once gave in which she showed a photo of an old book titled "Naughty Miss Bunny".
On a whim, I did some eBay, Abebooks, and Amazon searches to see what kind of books had the name "Jennifer" in the title. Well, the books that I found don't look like much. It seems that the name Jennifer was popular for both childrens' books and pulp fiction. Talk about running the gamut! I also noticed that many of the titles referred to various items "for Jennifer", titles like "High Heels for Jennifer", "Passport for Jennifer", and my favorite, "Stardust for Jennifer". Now that I write this, I am starting to realize that maybe these book titles aren't so bad after all!
Finally, though, I believe I have found the perfect book for me:
Monday, June 18, 2012
Books for Jennifer
Friday, June 15, 2012
Martinis with Judy Bentley
Visiting my friend Judy Bentley's home is always a treat. Not only is she a wonderfully talented designer, but she's a hostess par excellence as well. I love looking throughout her home as she has so many pretty things in each and every room. (And "pretty" is in fact a word that I hold in high regard.) Judy has a passion for Chinoiserie, something that is evidenced by her impressive collection of blue and white porcelain, and she loves cocktails too. I should clarify by saying that Judy loves the art of mixing cocktails- specifically Martinis- and serving them stylishly to her guests.
Judy has an inviting bar in her house that looks out upon a back patio with a fountain. It's certainly an attractive and convivial place at which to imbibe. But what's even more fascinating about this space, at least to me anyway, is Judy's collection of cocktail shakers, cocktail glasses, and sterling silver bar accessories, almost all of which are either vintage or antique. Judy started the cocktail shaker collection for her late husband, with beautiful bar tools, linens, and memorabilia having been added along the way.
Although Judy admits that her very favorite cocktail is actually a glass of champagne, she has a soft spot for the Martini. As Judy says, "When I think of a Martini, I think of the 1920s, 30s and 40s, James Bond, a groomed man in a perfectly tailored tux, and a lady in an elegant gown and jewels." How can one not like a drink that conjures up such stylish memories?
And when it comes to the question of gin or vodka, the answer is gin, of course. According to Judy, the original recipe for a Martini was one half dry gin and one half dry vermouth. During the 1940s, the proportion changed to two to three parts gin to one part vermouth. Judy prefers the two to one recipe, which I have included below.
I think that after you take a look at the photos below, you will be ready to mix yourself a very dry martini and then hit the internet in search of antique shakers and bar tools.
Judy loves the classic shape of a martini glass, and she has quite a few different glasses in her collection. The lantern cocktail napkins were designed by Judy's dear friend, Nancy Stanley Waud of Beverly Hills, CA.
Also a classic is the Napier Penguin cocktail shaker. The penguin napkins are also a Nancy Stanley Waud design.
Judy first started the cocktail shaker collection as a wedding gift to her late husband. She always purchased one for him as Christmas, birthday, and anniversary gifts.
The majority of her collection is from the Antiques Department at Bergdorf Goodman as well as antiques shops in this country and in Europe.
Judy often has the silver shaker tops monogrammed for added detail.
The silver bell shaker is a great hit at Christmas time.
Antique and vintage bar tools are also part of Judy's collection, much of which has been purchased on Judy's travels.
She especially loves to collect olive forks, picks, silver jiggers, and silver openers.
A sterling pick holding lemon, an olive, or a tiny onion is the finishing touch to a martini.
Judy loves all things Chinoiserie. Here, you have an Asian man and woman whose robes conceal bottles of wine. (They were purchased from Takashimaya, sadly no longer in business.) The oriental motif shaker is antique, while the cocktail napkins are from Bergdorf's.
A sterling ice bucket monogrammed with a "B".
A collection of swizzle sticks. No surprise that my eyes honed in immediately on the Greek Key pick.
A collection of cocktail guides, including Cocktails (Memoirs)
Jockey and cap bottle openers from 21.
Quite appropriately, a bottle of Bentley's Scotch Whiskey.
Judy's liquors of choice when mixing a Martini are Tanqueray Ten, Tanqueray Rangpur, and Martini and Rossi vermouth.
And without further ado, the recipe for the Bentley Martini.
1.5 oz Dry Gin
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth
Olives for garnish
Chill your cocktail glasses to the point of frost. Fill Martini shaker with cracked ice (not crushed.) Ice should be dry and hard frozen. Measure out ingredients for the number of drinks required, pouring gin first, then the vermouth. Stir until very cold. Strain at once into frosty, stemmed cocktail glasses.
In addition to serving delicious Martinis, Judy also likes to put out pâté, cheese, or Parmesan cheese wheels with cocktails. Fresh grapes served in blue and white oriental bowls are also a favorite.
Bottoms up!
Photos by Jennifer Boles for The Peak of Chic
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Bright Lights, Big City
It dawned on me recently that I absolutely love those old interior photos that captured an interior room or a terrace landscape against a nighttime backdrop of twinkling city lights. For me, a city has such energy at night thanks to the hustle and bustle of people coming and going to restaurants, parties, or the theater. Well, that's my fantasy anyway. But a city skyline at night is a truly beautiful sight, one which reminds many of us why we choose to live in the big city. And the photos that depict a city dwelling with a view only add to the allure of urban living.
You don't see these nighttime shots too often anymore, and I'm not sure if it's because of lighting issues or something else. But you have to admit that these nocturnal photos certainly add a lot of atmosphere, and in a way drama, to these spaces.
An apartment designed by Jay Spectre.
Also in the Jay Spectre designed apartment is this terrace where Maillol's Torse de Venus resided.
The Manhattan apartment of Richard Giglio.
A table setting with a view of Hong Kong across Victoria Harbor.
A terrace with a view of Central Park.
A nighttime setting on the terrace of Mr. Churchill Brazelton.
The former terrace of San Francisco designer Anthony Hail; a view of Telegraph Hill is beyond.
Photos #2, #3, and #4 from Architectural Digest New York Interiors
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Strange Fruit
On the Contributors Page of the current House Beautiful, I mention that one of my current obsessions is Italian trompe l'oeil ceramics. In fact, I've been obsessed with Italian ceramics, both of the trompe l'oeil variety and not, for years now, and my passion for it has yet to abate. (And I hope it never will, either!) I will be the first to admit that whimsical Italian ceramics can be an acquired taste. A lot of people just don't get it and even find it to be ugly. But if you do get it and it captures your fancy, then you will become mad for it. At least, that's been my experience.
I was first introduced to Italian trompe l'oeil ceramicware when I worked at Tiffany. Back in the 1960s, the great Van Day Truex introduced a line of ceramic tableware decorated with trompe l'oeil fruits, vegetables, and legumes, all of which was produced in Italy. While some of these plates are still being sold at Tiffany today, much of it has unfortunately been discontinued.
I started collecting these pieces around eight years ago after seeing my friend Kappy's enviable collection, and now I own roughly twenty trompe l'oeil pieces- and I'm not done collecting it, either. You can see part of my collection in the photo at top. I have to say that the plates are amazingly realistic looking, with the exception of those with carrots and strawberries. For some reason, the Italian ceramicists seemed to have trouble with those two.
In addition to the trompe l'oeil plates, I also love Italian ceramic tureens, garden seats, lettuceware, and, well, I'll put a lid on it because I could go on and on. But I'm not the only person who is taken with this type of ceramicware. Mid-century Italian ceramic tureens are hot sellers at my friend Barry Hutner's antiques shop, Parc Monceau. Bergdorf Goodman installed all kinds of wonderful ceramic tableware and accessories in one of their 7th floor galleries, a charming way to usher in the summer season. And rumor has it that the Italian ceramic swan tureen that alighted on Christopher Spitzmiller's Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Spring Benefit table elicited many queries of "How much will you take for it?" By the way, it's not for sale, and if I owned it, I wouldn't part with it either!
This tureen, part of my collection, is meant to look like a stack of plates with chocolates on top.
The egg plate really does look peeled hard-boiled eggs.
A plate of green beans and a pear on a plate.
This trompe l'oeil piece, one that depicts a bunch of asparagus, is a cigarette box from the 1960s.
A pair of Italian ceramic garden stools graced the 7th floor of Bergdorf's this Spring. I wonder if they're still there?
A shell tureen and a rabbit version, both mid-century Italian, are currently available at Parc Monceau.
Christopher Spitzmiller's Lenox Hill table with the highly coveted mid-century Swan tureen.
All photos by Jennifer Boles for The Peak of Chic, with the exception of the Spitzmiller table photo by Roberto Ricci and Marco Ricca.
