Monday, October 31, 2011

Saturday, Pre-Halloween

Phew, what a weekend! I didn't even take the time to check emails, let alone write a blog.

Saturday, both of my children agreed to run errands with me. Woohoo, best day ever, when both of my children are with me. I even ran out to San Berdo, to try and make nice with my mother. I haven't spoken to her in a number of months because I have been angry with her. Looks like she was on an RV trip. I left her a gift of a marble cheese board, a new cheese knife, with California artisan cheese called Holy Cow. It's the most divine cheese. Three pieces of fruit, Asian Pear, Red pear and a perfectly sweet/tart apple. I also included some water crackers and fresh walnuts. I hope she enjoyed them, but I haven't heard from her. I ran around all day Saturday and finally got home at 5 PM.


Just enough time to get ready for a Halloween party that I attended with my friend Maureen. It was a fun party. I had a good time. I had a few jello shots and watched people play beer pong all for the first time. Jello shots are over rated, too much sugar for me. It was a pot luck so there was an eclectic mix of foods. Everyone wore costumes.......very festive. All of our kids were supposed to go with us but the all reneged at the last minute....except for Malik. I dragged him along and he didn't enjoy himself much. We stayed at the party for a few hours and home I went. After 11 PM and Camille's curfew, I 'stalked' her, as I saw her at the local Starbucks with a young man. My son and I enjoy torturing Camille, we text'd and circled around the parking lot, forcing her to get home. Looks like a new romance is in the air for Camille, but she's pretty fickle, so who knows.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Nod to All Hallows Eve 2011

























I kept Halloween decorating to a tiny area and bare minimum. All of my holiday decor is still in my mother's garage attic and I won't collect everything until I have unpacked all my stuff, cleaned the garage and have the room to store everything. I have so many boxes of decor. I sure miss my Department 56 Halloween Houses, but there's always next year!


HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Sh-H-H-H, Shopping Like Secrets from a Stylist, Emily Henderson

I have been dying to go vintage furniture shopping on Los Angeles for over a month now. I need to quantify myself, I have always been a new item purchaser, but because I need so many pieces and I'm tired of buying crap, I'm trying to go vintage. I never stop at garage sales but one day I did and found an amazing Regency table and ornate frame all for $20, both needing major renovation. Now, I am dreaming about a walnut round dining table, probably mid-century.

I have found inspiration from a designer on HGTV, Emily Henderson. I feel that my style is eclectic and Emily is the designer that I have seen do it best on HGTV. She's quirky, fun to watch and shops in LA, an hour from where I live.

I gathered my daughter early Sunday morning, which is no mean feat to wake her up before noon. I was on the road by 9 AM, with a scheduled plan that included shopping recommendations from Emily Henderson. I started on the 210 Freeway, toward Pasadena, 30 minutes from my house. I had my co-pilot Camille (my daughter) find directions on my GPS and then call ahead if we had phone numbers. The two places in Pasadena didn't answer the phone, (hmmmmm, must be closed). While my daughter napped, I kept driving on the 210, Camille awoke just in time to tell me to keep driving until I found some strange freeway that I wasn't familiar with. I should have known that a 16 year old isn't the best co-pilot but she's all I had in a pinch. I kept asking her to check her directions, finally after another 1/2 hour, she realized she had skipped two steps in the directions. GADS.........Finally we reached a NOHO (North Hollywood) destination and they were all closed.........sigh. I was sure that stores on Melrose wouldn't be closed, so I headed that direction. My luck, it was the AIDS walk and Melrose and a few other streets were closed down...........Arrrghggggg. This wasn't fun man. I was getting tired and cranky, so I high tailed it to Fairfax and the Farmers Market. I purchased a terrible snack at the market and $20 worth of petit pastries. Camille and I devoured the pastries all the way home. They were delish but oh so pricey!

The next weekend, I headed out Saturday Morning 9AM alone this time. I decided to start near downtown, taking the 10 freeway all the way to the Santa Monica Freeway. I have always known how to get there, I guess. GPS sure gives a strange description, with all the little twist and turns to transition to the 10 (such an old freeway). I went into the Ethiopian area (I think).

There was one cute tiny shop 45 Three Vintage Modern that had horrible prices for me (I said for me....). The proprietor had some great pieces that I admired, but they had already been restored. I was drooling over two unique chairs with amazing green silk striae fabric. $1,200 for the set. Then I noticed a very ornate wall table, that I really really LOVED, $650.

On to TINI, I am IN LOVE WITH THIS STORE! They had a vintage Little Lulu doll.....sigh. I found my dream table but the legs were short, as it was a coffee table. It was only my second store so I wasn't discouraged. I felt very overwhelmed in Tini, there were alot of things that I liked but I promised myself that I wouldn't spend a dime until I got a table first. I always spent so much on accessories that I never have enough for the primary item I'm after.

They want $250 for this chair, I bought a Bergeres chair for $80 in better shape than this(?)


Then I hit Big Daddy Antiques. This store took my breath away, but I knew this was wayyy-y-y out my my price range. I enjoyed looking and circled through the store three times. I especially liked the bird cages and the canary.

I also went to the Mid-Wilshire area, near Paramount to Design Modern. This is a real dumpy store, difficult to squeeze through the aisles. The guy there was funny and rather snobbish. I told him what I was looking for and he showed me a dreadful black table which he wanted $750 for (he also said he would take $450 without asking). I believe he was spouting furniture designer names, but I'm just not that knowledgeable. I feel in love with a small credenza, but he said it was 'signed' and wanted $950. DRAT!

I then went to the Echo Park area of Sunset Blvd off the 101 and Rampart. I went to Pepe's and fell in love with a black walnut desk, WOW, it was lovely, just not what I was looking for.

I stopped for some tacos and started reflecting. I expected more junk I guess in these stores and much better prices. I have come to the conclusion that I can be a picker at the swap meets, the Rose Bowl or Long Beach. I can't afford this kind of vintage at the moment.

I was very sad and defeated that day........

Guess I can't shopping like Emily........

Dreams of Emily Henderson and Secrets of a Stylist doing my humble abode.......

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Decorating Lulu Style.......

Can I tell you have many blog/sites I have developed over the years? Too many, darn it! I've had this site since 2007, but never spent much time here or developed it. I'm in a bit of a learning curve which I don't like too much....how do I post a new blog? HA!

I have been crazy busy, no real time for blogging really, but I have a lot to say. Being a W-O-M-A-N of 50 going on 35.........Whooop! I turned 50 last week and let me tell you, I don't like and DON'T want IT! So #$@! if I don't feel 50 or some blind man says I don't look 50......I don't wanna be 50. Simple as that. I leave my rant...........

To those of you that really know me, know of my previous struggles......an update. Since June 2011, I moved into a 3 bedroom town home, in a town adjacent to my town, Upland. I'm really content, happy and my place is very comfy, cozy. When all of my processions went into storage in the year 2008, I sold most of the big stuff, like washer, dryer, fridge, sofa, dining table etc. So in July 2011, I had a lot of creative purchasing to do. I LOVE nice things. Really nice things and this time I really don't want to compromise.....much. First purchase I made was a custom sofa, with three cushions and a chaise. The sofa has clean lines and a neutral texture that I like. I chose it because I wanted a sofa that could grow with my ever evolving aesthetic and taste. My current decor style (according to ME!):
  • Modern
  • Hollywood Regency
  • Moroccan
  • Coastal
Having lived at the beach for 25 years, I will never leave my love of the coast and decor. I suppose the same holds true for my Moroccan style (since I was married to a Moroccan for 13 years). I am not classical trained in interior design, but I love all styles. I know what I know, which I would say is very little. I like what I like, I know it and tend to have a fantastic eye. (I can say that right? It's confidence, not braggin'!) I'm not decorator, I could never be on HGTV. Anyway, with all the disclaimers out of the way. I have some really really crazy decorating stories to tell........(does the anticipation make you tingle?)
Here's a 'before' picture of my sofa......Stay tuned for the evolution
A lot of help is needed is it?......

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Confessions of a Panera Addict.....



Lunch............(happy sigh)


Is it delirious to have lunch at Panera's every day of the week for the last two weeks? You see, I love soup. I don't eat much soup in the summer, so when it starts to feel like Autumn.....I crave soup. Not just any soup, really, really good soup, like,

     Chicken and Wild Rice......
          Broccoli......
               Potato......
                     Clam Chowder......

With lovely French bread too!

M-M-M-m-m-mMm-m-M-M-M-M