>> tedde bears

I'm kind of into these weirdo "tedde" bears by illustrator Daniel Birch, especially the city collection shown above (NY, LA, Chicago, Dallas, Vegas, DC). About a dozen of the L.A. bears were hanging out at the Paul Smith store on Melrose and they are really funny looking, but I seriously debated putting one on our couch (maybe it wouldn't go so well with our David Hicks pillows, but...). They run from $11 for the teeny versions to $60 for the couch/bed size which you can get here, or you can pay $75 at Paul Smith, up to you.

>> deer path inn

I recently heard my hometown hotel, The historic Deer Path Inn, was being renovated— and not just new carpeting and thinner TVs, but renovated by Monica Pedersen, an HGTV Designer. I emailed her a few questions about how she would take on such an quaint hotel that people love for its charm and refusal to modernize.

The hotel opened in 1929 and quickly grew to become one of the most popular pastoral escapes for Chicagoans willing to make the 30-mile drive north. Modeled after the mid-15th-century Manor House, a half-timbered and stucco Tudor home in Chiddingstone, Kent, England, the inn features authentic detailing, including stone fireplaces, leaded windows, beamed ceilings and an extensive collection of antiques and artifacts that evoke the atmosphere of an English country estate. But to me and my family, it's all about heading downstairs to the White Hart Pub for a beer and burger.

LG: Have you done hotel design before?

MP: No, this is my first leap into hotel design.

LG: What is the plan for the hotel and why the renovation now?

MP: The plan is to update the hotel’s guest rooms, bathrooms and some of the public spaces not only through décor but also by offering guests updated services such as WiFi. We are doing it now for a couple of reasons. 1 – It’s long overdue – the décor is feeling a little tired. 2 – We need to stay competitive with the other hotels that have recently popped up in the area.

LG: Any modernities that are going to be added to the British Country decor/design? And if so, how do you walk that fine line of upgrading in style/technology without downgrading the classic integrity of such an old hotel?

MP: The design will still reflect the classic look of an English Country House. Given the architecture and history of the Deer Path Inn doing anything but that would be a crime.

LG: One of my favorite things to do when I’m in town visiting my parents is to go to the White Hart Pub in the basement of the Deer Path Inn, any changes in order down there? (Please say the cast-iron baked feta will still be there, it’s my favorite!)

MP: Yes, the cast iron baked feta will still be there. We also have sushi from the former sushi chef from the Peninsula Hotel. Next time you should try the Pub Burger, it’s the best burger on the North Shore. Nothing is changing about the White Hart Pub (did you know it has a sister property in England that it was modeled after?). But the Hunt Room next door has been completely redone – tufted leather seating, nailhead trim, lots of bar space, great energy – it’s getting great reviews.

LG: What items will you (the hotel) be splurging on and where can you cut corners on such a large project--and how can that be applied to any home renovation/remodel?

MP: We splurged on bedding from Anchini, natural stone in the bathrooms and durable grasscloth wall coverings. The bedding is extremely comfortable and luxurious, the tile work gives the bathroom instant luxury and everybody appreciates a great bathroom when they are traveling. Since the hotel is old, the weighty grasscloth wall covering hides some of the unwelcome signs of aging. You can always find a deal on art frames – if a frame is beautiful, the artwork inside will look more expensive. Also, you don’t have to have different art for every room. Once great piece can be digitally reproduced on the cheap. There is also this great website that I am working with, MasterCard Market Place, which is open to all MasterCard cardholders. The site offers deals and coupons from thousands of merchants I love like Home Depot and Target.

LG: Will you be adding any vintage/found/flea market sourced items to the hotel? If so, do you have any strategies when looking for those sorts of objects d’art, etc.?

MP: Yes, I have filled many of the bookshelves with old pewter pieces, serving trays, and antique books that I’ve found at these kinds of places. When I shop at thrift, flea market or garage sales, I keep three things in mind. Is the item something that I can cash and carry? Is it versatile? Meaning, can it be moved into different spaces? Is it priced right? You would be shocked at how many people walk off with property that belongs to the hotel like pewter jugs, plates and old books. If I don’t spend a lot, the loss isn’t as great.

LG: Do you have an absolute favorite possession in your home? What is it and why?

MP: My four poster California king Farmhouse Collection bed. The distressed finish takes the pretentious appearance out of a four poster bed and the fact that it is California king makes it comfy for me, my tall husband and cat Hal.

>> camellia house chic

I'm loving this over-sized menu circa December 1961 from The Camellia House, the super glam restaurant once located in Chicago's Drake Hotel. The menu was stylized and designed by the infamous Dorothy Draper and is available for purchase ($75) from, where else, Paris Hotel Boutique.

Here's an old Camellia House matchbook up for auction on eBay for $3, I think I might have to have it.

>> vintage belgian matchbooks

My cousin Quinn sent me a link to these beauties this morning. They're 1940s steamship matchbooks found via the Chicago general store P.O.S.H.—which imports vintage hotel china and flea market finds from Europe. A few years ago I learned the word posh is derived from the initials of ‘port outward, starboard home’, referring to the more expensive side for accommodation on ships formerly traveling between England and India that were shaded from the sun—seemed like a relevant factoid for this post.

>> antique color

Online antiquing can be addictive. I've been combing the internets lately looking for things and I've come up with a list of candy-colored items I wouldn't mind having in my home. Above: Late 18th/early 19th century painted Smith tin tinderbox ($595) from Richmond, NH.

Balthazar by Lawrence Durrell, 1st Ed. 1958 ($65) from PHB in San Francisco.

Vintage pieces blanket ($250)—I think I saw these at the LA Gift show—from Jayson's Flea.

Vintage Highballs ($35 for four) from the Etsy shop White Elephant Vintage.

David Hicks on Home Decoration, 1st ed. 1972 (sold, sorry)

Vintage Scandinavian books ($40 each).

Mid-century Palm Beach Chippendale ($1,395).

Jayson Home for The Holidays

As thrilled as I am to be back living in L.A., I am really missing walking into Jayson Home & Garden during the Christmas season. Their holiday decor is always so great and I just loved the smell of their store around this time. Luckily now through December 20th they're providing FREE standard shipping and FREE gift wrapping! Yesssssss!!!!! Above: Black Pine Seeding ($30), what a great hostess gift!

Stella Ornaments ($10 for two).

Antiqued silver tinsel garland ($25 for 25 feet), also available in gold.

Feather trees ($42-$60), cool centerpiece idea, no?

Floating feather ornament ($25).

Happy Labor Day weekend!

More fuel for my badminton obsession. Birdie lights ($50 each) from the Chicago store Post27. Enjoy the last weekend of Summer!

Vive la France!

This Vintage French Tricolor Ribbon found at market in the city of Orléans is so pretty ($12 per yard). I want to drape it all over and have a party. Too bad Bastille Day '09 has already passed.

Livingston + Porter

I'm currently loving Holly Regan's Chicago-based Etsy shop Livingston & Porter. Check it out! Above vintage bird cage ($78); below: vintage yellow bamboo ceramic container ($29); first edition "Kennedy" by Theodore C. Sorenson, 1965 ($20); bucket with hand-painted red cross ($23); vintage scout badges ($11); vintage flower frog ($10).

Hecky's

Just stopped into Hecky's Barbecue for lunch while waiting for our car to get serviced before our drive out. Now I'm in a food coma and can't possibly tape up any more boxes for at least an hour.

Guerrilla Truck Show

Jake over at Chicago's RJA Design told me about the the 5th annual Guerrilla Truck Show that occurred last Tuesday in Fulton Market in Chicago. It's a brilliant idea is that helps artists and designers display their work at little or no cost by simply renting box trucks and turning the back of each truck into a portable gallery. How simple! The trucks are backed up to the docks on Fulton Market where everyone opens the back doors to create a fantastic pop-up art show. I couldn't make it on Tuesday but it looks like a lot of fun and was made possible by The DIFFA (Design Industry Foundation Fighting Aids) and Morlen Sinoway. Thanks Jake!






All photos by DIFFA Chicago

Cy Twombly at the New Wing

On Sunday, my friend Kim and I scoped out the new modern wing of The Art Institute of Chicago, which was brilliantly designed by architect Renzo Piano. We had a very special tour from a docent-friend and were both blown away by all of it, especially the Cy Twombly exhibit. Twombly is back in Chicago at the Art Institute after nearly 60 years (his first solo exhibition in 1951!) with large-scale pieces that represent his signature style of merging painting, drawing and writing. Run, don't walk, to see the new wing, it's free after 5pm on Thursday nights.

Second Seaty

Matt and I went to Second City last night and it was a lot funnier than I ever remember it being. What was even cooler is that many of the current cast of SNL were in the audience. Jason Sudeikis was a couple people away from me, and it was really interesting to see the guy that plays Blago watch another guy play Blago. But the biggest thrill was definitely when Matt came back from the men's room and said, "I just saw MacGruber!", (a.k.a Will Forte, his favorite SNL character). From a design perspective, I have to say I think it's really cool that in the fifty years they've been doing improvisational comedy, they're still using the same bent-wood bistro chairs, similar to the original side chair Model no. 14 designed by Michael Thonet in 1885.

Maptotes

When I travel I always throw a few empty totes in my suitcase, and they always get use, whether for it's to schlep tennis balls, dirty shoes, picnic blankets or cameras. Some of my favorites are these from MapTote ($15-$40). They have a great selection of cities, styles and colors—and I think they make an excellent gift too.

Mini Gator Belt

My friend Danielle works at the Neiman Marcus-owned national boutique chain Cusp—a younger-skewing, women's only, edited selection of dresses, denim, shoes and accessories. Last night I stopped in and she helped me pick out some dresses for upcoming weddings and graduations, and she also hooked me up with my new favorite belt, The Mini Gator Belt by Moss Mills ($98). It's almost sold out, so get one while you can. Oh and the best thing about Cusp, if you haven't experienced it yet is the fact that, unlike Neiman Marcus, they take all forms of plastic.

Chanel graffiti umbrella

It rained all weekend in Chicago which wasn't too much fun, save for the sloshing around in puddles with Hare and a pair of Hunters. On Saturday night I was in a cab with my friend Danielle when I noticed a little something special in her grip: a Chanel graffiti umbrella. Screw the Hunters! I want it to rain all week just so I can hang with Danielle's brolly. I haven't been able to find a link to this exact one on the internets, but I have found a similar white version ($439).

Speaking of rain, has anyone ever checked out the household tips section of Morton Salt's website? Who knew salt could be so helpful.

Zap Props

Woah. I was just incredibly overstimulated by the most awesomely-bizarre antique warehouse I've ever seen. Tate of the Gr8 blog Strange Closets picked me up this afternoon with the idea of heading south to Zap Props, a rental and buying warehouse of props from the 1920s-1970s. It was crazy and I'm still trying to digest everything I saw today. Mostly these items are used by set designers for movies, theater and commercials; it was like looking at the prop closet for all three Back To The Future movies. Most of it was dusty, some of it too creepy to take photos of—like IVs and stretchers from the 50s and scary clowns. I'm just going to dump the photos right here, if you're a serious about antiques, it's definitely worth checking it out. They literally have everything you can think of. Call to make an appointment: Zap Props: 3611 S. Loomis, Chicago. 773-376-2278.

The entrance.

Old hilarious pharmacy sign.

Love that Whisky dispenser.

Oh hello.








My favorite pic.

Old mic.







T8 taking some snaps.