Sojourn to Governor's Island

Photo by A.C. Frieden

Last Saturday, I met up with my friend Kate and we ferried over to Governor's Island to spend a day tooling around before it closed for the winter season (boo).

The ferry ride takes, like, three seconds (it's only 800 yards from lower Manhattan, and even closer to Brooklyn), althought is quite beautiful. Kate was prepared with bagels and the juiciest Asian pears, so we munched and chatted and voila! We were there!

Map courtesy GIPEC

The 172-acre island, originally called Noten Eylant (Dutch) then Nutten Island, assumed the name Governor's Island in 1784, which stemmed from the British Colonial assembly, which reserved the island for the exclusive use of New York's royal governors. Fancy! For nearly two centuries, the island was a military base, first home to the U.S Army (1783-1966) then to the U.S. Coast Guard (1966-1996). From 1996 to 2003 it sat vacant, but, as always, there were grumblings underfoot: in 2001, two buildings on the island (Fort Jay and Castle Williams) were deemed National Monuments, and in 2003, most of the control of the island was transferred to New York state, with 13% transferred to the U.S. Department of the Interior as the Governor's Island National Monument and the island was opened to the public. In 2006, New York's leaders called for proposals to redevelop and preserve the island. A year later, the submissions by architecture firms Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Rogers Marvel Architects, along with urban planning and landscape architecture firm, West 8, were chosen to design three signature open spaces. Further development is progressing, but 22 lovely acres are walk-or bike-able now on summer and early fall weekends.

We first passed Castle Williams, (currently under construction), which is considered one of the best remaining examples of American coastal fortification. During the Civil War it held Confederate prisoners of war. Apparently, it only took four years to complete, which must be the fastest project ever done in the history of New York City (wink).



Here's what it looked like many moons ago – a formidable site for oncoming enemies, no?


Then we roamed around Colonel's Row, admiring the grounds and stately homes, built in the 19th century:


Some of the homes could use a little attention, but we were still able to imagine the Colonels' wives getting the homes ready for entertaining or lolling about on weekend mornings, sitting on the front porch waving to neighbors as they walked by.


Colonel's Row has retained it's bucolic look and feel – here it is in the early 1900s:

Photo courtesy NYPL

At 350,000 square feet, Liggett Hall, designed by the beloved firm McKim Mead & White, is the island's biggest building. It was built to house all facilities for an entire regiment, and it is quite a site to behold!


In the winter:

Photo courtesy The Trust for Governor's Island

Then we headed to the Nolan Park houses, built between 1857 and the 1890s and occupied by officers - aren't they charming? Apparently, the design of the homes are standardized plans out of the Army Quartermaster Corp., and the "French Yellow" is a custom color right out of the Quartermaster handbook.



The Governor's Manse, built in 1810, ain't too shabby:

Photo courtesy The Trust for Governor's Island

In this photo, Manhattan's skyscrapers, visible in the distance, create a stark juxtaposition against the wood homes and breezy tree-lined walkways:


Some of the homes were open to the public. We had a blast poking around inside and checking out various interior details, like pocket door hardware and fireplace etchings:



We also spent some time wandering along the water:


As it turned out, there was an Oktoberfest celebration going on, but we took one look at the miles-long line for what we assumed would be cheap, flat beer and said, "forget it! Let's hit the beach!"



After enjoying a drink (with no line) and battling for territory with a few feisty yellow jackets, we called it a day and hopped on an afternoon ferry back to the city:

Can you believe that sailboat? Does it not look like it just came out of a bottle?!


The Staten Island Ferry chugged on by:


And we prepare to dock:


It was a splendid day for a visit!

Blog-O-Versary CSN Stores Giveaway WINNER!

Illustration by Blanca Gomez, available through her etsy shop, Cosas Minimas

And the $30 gift certificate courtesy CSN Stores goes to ...

DENISE!

I read Denise's blog, and it appears her adorable little girl is stirring up a bit of mama-drama these days, so maybe a little retail therapy will help ease this temporary hiccup in child-rearing. Treat yourself to a new mirror, lady!

Thanks to all who entered, and congratulations, Denise!

Delightfully Dallas

Illustration by Julia Rothman for Design*Sponge

Dallas is an interesting city. I've had family in Texas all my life, and all my travels there over the years have taken me through Dallas, but it wasn't until the last few years that I've actually gotten to see more than the skyline from the freeway. Most people think of Dallas as this vast network of highways, and parts of it are, but there are tons of really great neighborhoods tucked in between highways! On our most recent trip to Texas, Oliver and I took a few days to check out Dallas after visiting Austin. Before we visited, I made a list of shops I wanted to check out. We saw those, and stumbled on a few unexpected gems along the way! We didn't get to see everything on my list, so I'm looking forward to going back and hitting the spots we didn't have time for.

For some reason, we really didn't take many good photos while we were in Dallas, so I'll just write about the stuff we saw and snag pictures from other people....

We made an evening stop in the "M" Streets neighborhood, to visit a friend of mine from college. She, her husband and her adorable baby live an great colonial home in this historic neighborhood named for all the streets that start with the letter "M." It is one of Dallas' most historic and architecturally significant areas. We started the next day in Knox-Henderson, another adorbs neighborhood, where we hit a cute cafe called The Pearl Cup. While the snax were a bit overpriced, they were DELICIOUS. The yummy-ness more than made up for the over-priced-ness. After that, we worked off our several scones and whatnot by walking to a bunch of nearby shops. That's right, this is a walkable neighborhood with great boutiques!

We walked into The Shining, a brand new jewelry shop owned by Houston-ite Vicki Tollemache, because it had a fun sign and looked irresistibly cute. As soon as we walked in I was struck by the similarity in feel to Catbird, a little gem in Brooklyn. When I mentioned that to Vicki, she said Catbird was a big source of inspiration for her. The store had only been open for six weeks when we stumbled on it, but it's getting a ton of foot traffic, and a mention in Daily Candy, which is huge! The pieces she sells are gorgeous and the prices can't be beat. I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area.

Vicki in her element (Photos courtesy Cassie Cakes)

Photo courtesy We Are 1976

On the same block is We are 1976, which sells fantastic prints, letterpress cards and posters, home accessories, art, trinkets and doo-dads. The shop also holds workshops to help you turn your old stuff into fun new stuff! The store itself is well-curated with friendly proprietors; a must-see in Dallas. 

Photo courtesy Again&Again

Next up: Again & Again, an outstanding consignment shop. Lighting, accessories, furniture – the pieces are phenomenal. They've got it all. And they have an in-house team who will refurbish pieces to your liking.

We also visited a few shops I'm familiar with from the online antiques conglomerate, 1st Dibs. It was fun to see the brick and mortar stores selling the wares I check out often on the web! Two standouts were Form and Sputnik Modern, which have the mid-centrury-chic market cornered.

Happily, we stumbled upon Red's Pop Shop, a little pop-up showcase for indie designers selling apparel, toys, prints, books, home goods, jewelry and more. Our favorite vendors included:
Bows and Arrows, who's lovely bouquets added color and yummy scents to the pop up shop, but were also part of the decor at The Shining.

Beatrice Collection, gorgeous hand-made raw brass jewelry made by Marisa Bosquez, who lives in Austin and sells her work on Etsy.

Right on target with skeleton keys and owls

Marisa also has a line called Bosquez Jewelry, using gold fill, silver and gemstones, also available for purchase on Etsy. 

Lilco Letterpress had a cute business card, and great cards to back it up. You know I love a good example of Ikat:

And I loved these plaid cards!

Reminder: CSN Stores Giveaway!

In my excitement to chatter on about the first birthday of our little blog, I neglected to put the info about our giveaway in the title of the Blog-O-Versary post and it may have gotten lost in the shuffle. I'll re-iterate:

CSN Stores has graciously offered one our readers the chance to win a $30 gift certificate to use toward one of their many online shops.

There are good reasons to enter this giveaway:
1. It's a long weekend for some (Columbus Day really sprung up unexpectedly for me this year), and who doesn't love a little holiday shopping on the web?
2. The Great Recession apparently ended, like, last year (I'll believe it when I see it), so support our economy, yo!
3. As a reader of The Studiolo, you deserve a treat.

ENTER TO WIN! Leave a comment here or on our facebook page about how you would use your $30 gift certificate. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, October 13.

Autumnal Interiors

Via Elle Decor

Even though I love autumn, I have to admit that I'm still not thrilled about the loss of summer. Today was beautiful in New York (mid-70s and lots of sun) and the weekend looks to be perfect – one last dash of mild summer before the cold rushes in. Of course, once I'm fully entrenched in fall, I quite enjoy it! See last year's autumn activities: apple picking and pumpkin carving. Doesn't look so bad, does it? (Trying to convince myself....)

Many people, especially those of us with limited storage, stow away seasonal clothing, so each season, we have to set aside some time to pull out the bins, sort through the appropriate apparel and put away whatever's no longer weather-appropriate. Some people do the same thing with their homes. We have not gotten to that point just yet, but I do appreciate a nice, warm autumnal interior. Check out a few favorites:


Domino

The deep peacock blue window treatments add depth and a richness to this wide open space:

Amy Lau

Burnt orange is often the biggest autumn signifyer, but this Angie Hranowsky-designed interior feels woodsy and warm yet clean and bright without it:

Angie Hranowsky


Bunny Williams

The silk drapery, gilded mirror, antique rug and pops of peachy-orange are divine!

Via Canadian House and Home

So many of Ms. Griffin's interiors look warm and cozy. I particularly like this one because I've always wanted a window seat. And I love her mix of pattern and stripe:

Elaine Griffin

Ridder's interior brings in the chocolates and deep pinks but I still think it has a fall feel:

Katie Ridder

Ms. Wearstler never does anything half-heartedly:

Kelly Wearstler


Via Living etc.


Photo by Mark Lund


Martensen Jones Interiors

Can a powder room be autumnal? Why not?

Massucco Warner Miller

First Blog-O-Versary!

Photo courtesy Amy Atlas Events

One year ago today, we fired up the engines for The Studiolo. Neither of us had a solid idea of where we wanted to go with the blog, so we just started writing and let the course and voice appear naturally. We were a bit sporadic with our postings at first, but we've gotten into a routine now, and love how it's taking shape. My journalism background has kicked into high gear, and I've sort of taken over the bulk of the writing. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed spouting off to an audience!

Of course, the process of developing our blog is so gratifying because we have wonderful readers who leave encouraging and thoughtful comments. Without you, I'd be talking to a wall, and that's no fun! In honor of our first blog-o-versary, we are happy to honor one loyal reader with a giveaway!

CSN Stores has graciously offered one lucky reader of The Studiolo a chance to win a $30 gift certificate to use toward one of their many stores. Choices abound! From home accessories to dining room chairs to cookware, CSN comprises more than 200 online stores representing a variety of outstanding brands. CSN Stores has something to satisfy every style! My favorite sections to browse are mirrors, lighting, clocks and decorative pillows under Decor. I've pulled together some of the things I've been looking at lately to give you an idea of their offerings:

1. Cooper Classics Sunburst Mirror in Antique Gold; 2. Kichler Geometric Table Lamp with hand-painted porcelain; 3. Cooper Classics Trevi Mirror; 4. Le Klint Pendant 172; 5. Kichler Pendant in Midnight Chrome; 6. Howard Miller Ball Wall Clock; 7.  Palecek Coconut Feather Table Lamp; 8. Cooper Classics Brooks Mirror in Blonde Zebra Wood; 9. Ferm Living Velo Silk Pillow; 10. Ferm Living Squares Pillow; 11. Hudson Valley Heirloom Pendant

How to enter:
1. Hop over to CSN Stores to check out their wares
2. Leave a comment below or on our facebook page about how you would use your $30 gift certificate. The winner will be chosen at random
3. Check back to see who won! The winner will be announced on the blog next Wednesday, October 13

Thank you for making this year of blogging so rewarding. Here's to many more!

Austin Treats

Hello, dear readers! As I mentioned last week, Oliver and I spent some time in Texas recently, and I wanted to share with you some of the fun stuff we came across.

One of our favorite finds was La Boite Cafe, a little pastry and coffee shop operating out of a repurposed 20-foot shipping container by Design Studio.

We love all varieties of macarons. There are the dense coconut macaroons typically consumed around Passover in the US, there are the Turkish versions, which are smoother and feature an almond on top, and, finally, the light, many-layered merengue-based French confectionary made famous by Laudree and Fauchon in Paris. Learn more about this complex little treat here.

Macarons appear to be sweeping the nation now, replacing the ubiquitous cupcake as the specialty dessert at weddings and events and they are popping up in cafes and bakeries all over. I've never met a macaron I didn't like, but I can't say I'm all that picky. Oliver, however, has an extremely acute sense of smell and taste. He has the capacity to discern distinct and subtle flavors in all foods and beverages ("do I detect a hint of cardamom?") while I just oafishly consume and make blanket statements like, "it's good."

Oliver, ready to dig in

Well, at La Boite, Oliver was rendered speechless by the culinary excellence of La Boite's macarons, going as far as to say they are the best he's ever had. That's big; he's had a lot. They were scrumptious. We were lucky enough to sample the lavender (Oliver's favorite), green tea, honey and pepper (my favorite), fleur de sel, and pistachio.

Remnant of a lavender macaron from La Boite

When we weren't eating or hanging around with our friends from Knifight or Akina Adderley and the Vintage Playboys (bands who's music you should buy, or check out a live performance if you're in the ATX area), we were poking around Austin's many wonderful shops. One standout was Uncommon Objects, a collective of twenty antique sellers under one enormous, seemingly never-ending roof.

Each seller carved out a beautifully styled "shop," complete with color stories and countless curiosities to look at. The prices are outstanding, especially from the perspective of a New Yorker. If you're into beautiful, unique treasures for the home, we highly recommend making time for this emporium.

On the same South Congress strip, we popped into STAG, an apparel and lifestyle store catering to the casual but well-appointed man. Talk about a well-curated shop. Oliver was convinced he needed just about everything in there (we walked out with a business card. We're trying to save money). But seriously, it's a gorgeous – in a manly way – store featuring rugged but classic clothing, outerwear and shoe labels, books and records, masculine trinkets, furniture, personal care and some fun taxidermy. My dear friend's men's clothing label, Life/After/Denim, is also represented. Go Alexis! Started by five stylin' guys, this is a shop not to be missed if you know a modern man with classic style. 

Photos courtesy A Continuous Lean

One spot on North Lamar boasts three shops we enjoyed checking out. The first was Wildflower Organics, which was already bookmarked as a go-to when shopping for my own projects (lovely bedding, textiles and accessories). Next door, we happened on Jaya, which also has locations in Dallas and Houston. The East-meets-West decor was all well-priced and easy on the eyes. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures, but check out this video for an idea of the aesthetic. Our jaunt on N. Lamar concluded at The Khazana, another lovely shop with the most luxurious hand-picked rugs and textiles from India, Pakistan, Turkey, Afganistan, Uzbekistan, and more. Furniture (stocked, antique and custom) and accessories abound. But, those textiles were divine.


Photos courtesy All Things Austin

The last place I'll share is The Driskill, Austin's landmark hotel located in the heart of downtown. Built in 1886 as the showplace of a cattle baron, The Driskill is a magnificent architectural gem. In 1969 the hotel was saved from the threat of demolition by the Heritage Society of Austin and locals. What are people thinking when they crusade to crush such stunning buildings??

The lobby and various meeting rooms are well-appointed with historic details and peppered with whimisical accents like cowhide chair backs, stuffed animal heads, equestrian and cattle-related imagery that give a nod to the Texas location.

The lobby

The Driskill does not skimp on details: their "D" emblem pops up everywhere, classic telephones sit at tables in the lobby, and art nouveau sconces flank the elevators.

The Driskill Bar



Oliver and I had a delicious breakfast at The Driskill's 1886 Cafe and Bakery, which felt a little bit like Balthazar in New York, but with decidedly Texas twists: stained glass complete with the Texas Lone Star and star-shaped chandeliers? Love! While I loved the hunter green tufted banquettes, the bistro chairs, however, were a bit of a departure from the rest of the look. They were oversized and cheap looking, upholstered in a weird "contemporary" pattern. But, let's try to ignore that, shall we? The food was delish and the whole experience was excellent.

Image courtesy 1886 Cafe and Bakery