Highlights from LA and PalmSprings

A few photos from a very fun trip to L.A. and Palm Springs.

 The stunning Venice Canals

Blown away by all the contemporary architecture in Venice
This is along the boardwalk

 The lobby of The Palihouse West Hollywood!
Staying here was a huge highlight of my trip.
#dreamy!
Interior Design by Heather Ashton

Look at this gorgeous space. Full kitchen! Gorgeous mix of materials rugs, marble, velvet etc etc. Loved.
 Gjelina on Abbot Kinney!
Great food and people watching.

 On Sunset Blvd.

Another highight was visiting my friend fellow Illustrator Betsy Everitt in her beautiful home in Brentwood. Here she is in her garden.

Betsy's House on Canyon Road
#wow

 Fantastic cafe!
Joan's on Third in L.A.
Best grilled cheese sandwich ever

The Getty
Architect Richard Meier


My sketch


Incredible midcentury architecture in Palm Springs #Donald Wexler

Photos from Xmas in Chicago


Off we go.
I love Porter Airline's branding which was created by former Wallpaper editor Tyler Brulé and his firm WINKREATIVE. Who knew you could make a raccoon look sophisticated?

The exterior of our hotel: The James. I loved their graphic + interior design as well!
(Ofcourse that's why I picked it!!)
Look at that great sideways sign. :-) Very welcoming.

Gorgeous lobby. :-)

Bedroom.
(my bed at home feels very small now....)

Loved this cozy reading /dining nook + this unique liquor cabinet based on an old steamer trunk.

Chicago skyline!

The famous Marina City also known as the corn cob buildings. :-)
Designed in 1959 by architect Bertrand Goldberg.


First dinner = Chicago Deep dish pizza. Boy was it deep...

The "Chicago Picasso" in Daley plaza.

Chicago is jam packed with incredible public art. This is due to the fact that the city passed a law stipulating that 1.33% of the cost of constructing a building must be devoted to original artwork.
As a result a walk in the Loop area = bumping into incredible pieces by Picasso, Chagall, Miro + Calder. (!!)

The Four Seasons mosaic by Marc Chagall in Chase Tower Plaza.
Dedicated in 1974.



Some close ups.

Christmas eve dinner at mk.

5 stars!
They made the most fabulous cocktails and the decor was to die for.


Here is my cocktail called Holiday Smash .
(My company at the table was smashing too - Groan!)

Thanks so much to fellow blogger Heather Retke for recommending mk + many other great spots.

A trip to Millennium Park

Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate aka the Bean.

Frank Gehry's amazing Pritzker bandshell.

A trip to the Chicago Institute of Art

Love love this piece by Toulouse Latrec - especially that ghostly women' face.


Ofcourse many folk lining up to photograph the Institute' most famous piece: A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by George Seurat.

*Curmudgeon Note*: When I witness scenes like this it always makes me think that John Ruskin would be rolling in his grave! The Victorian Art critic despised the camera and feared that the invention of it would lead to people focusing on capturing the moment for the FUTURE rather than LOOKING at what was in front of them in the PRESENT.
I heartily agree.

This was my favourite piece in the Institute's collection:
Green and White my Ellsworth Kelly. Love.


Perfect ending to trip:
Cozy flight home with red wine + latest issue of Canadian House + Home.
Loved this interview with Jenna Lyons of J. Crew (Total mentor!!) written by the lovely Catherine Sweeney. Thanks Kim. xo

New Print " T strap shoe" for Bata shoe museum


I have a new print "T strap shoe".
It measures 5" X 7" and is 60.00. It is from an edition of 60.
Here is a bit of the process behind the print.

This print was commissioned by the Bata Shoe museum to coincide with their Roaring Twenties exhibit.

So.. Naturally Step 1 was to visit the exhibit!

Our Beautiful Bata Shoe museum designed by Raymond Moriyama.

This is an amazing show -- and it runs till June 2012 -- so still plenty of time to see it!

Some great boots.

Groovy t straps very popular in the 1920s. (I wish they made shoes like this now!)

Check out these floral beauties. Gorge!

Many shoes in the exhibit were created by Andre Perugia a French designer discovered by French fashion designer Paul Poiret. (who I find very fascinating)


Here are some incredible gold shoes designed by Andre Perugia in the 1920s. The roses show the influence of Paul Poiret.

And... here is Andy Warhol's interpretation of the Perugia shoes above created in the 1950s. (Neat eh?)

Step 2: Filled with visions of shoes in my head I begin doing sketches.

Step 3: I decide on the t strap and librarian shoe and get a screen made.

Here is the screen.

Step 4: I cover over + tape the portion of the screen that I'm not using.

Step 5: Mix the pink ink.
Formula = white + magenta + red + retarder (which slows down the drying process)

Step 6: Apply the pink ink with spatula and pull with squeegee.

Ta da. First pass.

Step 7: Apply black ink for layer 2 and pull with squeegee.

Whoosh.

Completed print.

ps! This week I am working on a 2nd print "Librarian shoe" to match this one. It will be same size + price and methinks they would work nicely as a set.
Did I mention Christmas is coming?

NYC Day 3

Ahh Sunday...

Started the day at Cafe Pick Me up
145 Avenue A - right across from Tompkins Square park
The perfect spot to read the NY Times on Sunday morning


Me visiting The High line - the amazing new Park built on top of a former railroad line.
It runs from Gansevoort St. in the Meatpacking District to West 34th St. bet 10 & 11 Aves.
The design was a collaboration between landscape architecture + urban design firm James Corner Field Operations + architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
I was blown away by it's beauty. (A must on your next NYC trip!)


The incredible Standard Hotel which straddles the Highline.
I found it creepy looking - in kinda a good way)
(Has become famous for it's exhibitionist hotel guests!)

One example of the incredible new architecture you can view from Highline.
(A lot of gutsy stuff has been built in last 5 years - exciting)


Dinner Later at the charming Tipsy Parson in Chelsea

Tipsy Parson contained THE best bathroom I've ever seen
Amazing black + white wallpaper
Great lighting + sinks!
(The photo does not do it justice!)
I know Margot Austin would approve of this photo. She also takes pictures of bathrooms. :-)

Late night visit to the Maritime Hotel
so that I could view the Josef Frank fabric in the lobby!

Closeup of a chair
This is Frank's Manhattan pattern which he designed after emigrating here.


On way home through the West Village I read Jonathan Adler's manifesto in his window.
This quote has always been a favourite.