Olde Good Things

I've rummaged through many of NYC's antique & resale stores over the years.  Recently when I was in New York  I ran across 'Olde Good Things' on west 24th street for the first time.  It specializes in architectural salvage.  I can spend hours in these type places. Here are a couple of photos of some of my favorite finds.  I just wish I could have brought some of these home with me!  Those greek key brass grills have my name written all over them and that fiberglass chair is unbelievable.  The wooden unit is a candle mold holder and it would make a killer shelving system.  Oh, well.  I just have too many ideas compared to the cash in my pocket!

                        

  

White Orchids

I send white orchids.  It’s just what I do when I need to send flowers.  I must admit I stole the idea from a very chic friend of mine.  White orchids go with any interior and are beautiful and elegant. 

The orchid solution became a best practice for me, especially during my New York years.  It was one of the first things a new secretary had to learn when they started in my office.  Until then, I always struggled with Mother’s Day presents.  I never liked to send basic cut flowers or some other expected gift.  Not only does the orchid last for months, but it’s especially a good thing for my Mother since she’s a plant person.  Also, she has an incredibility bright kitchen where she was already growing African Violets and the like. 

But here’s my advice when ordering. 

The first year I sent the white orchid it was a huge hit.  I was lucky.  I stopped by a local NYC florist pointed to the type I wanted, paid my $100, and a couple of days later a two stemmed bud loaded plant showed up on the Mom’s front steps.  Success! 

The next Mother’s Day I called a local florist in South Carolina where my Mother lives and placed an order for a white orchid to be delivered.  I was very specific that it had to be completely white with large blooms, none of those little one inch things.  It was shockingly inexpensive compared to the previous year, but I wrote that off to paying a NYC premium price the year before.

On the afternoon of Mother’s Day I called my Mom, and the conversation went something like this.

“Happy Mother’s Day.”

“Well thank you,” she said.

“Did the flowers get there in time? I was a little late in ordering.”

“Oh yes, it was delivered on Saturday morning,” says mom.

“Is it white?” I inquired.  “I told them I wanted solid white.  And big blooms.”

“Yes, it’s white.  Completely,” she answered.  “And the blooms are at least three inches across. They’re huge.”

“Great.  You never know what you may get when ordering sight unseen.”  I was relieved. 

“Oh it is really beautiful,” she added.  “All the ladies at church this morning commented how gorgeous it was.  I told them you had sent it for Mother’s Day.”

There was a long, very long pause on my end of the conversation.  First, let me say that my mother is a very young sixty-something.  Think Sally Field in Steel Magnolias.  She runs, goes to the gym and works-out couple of times a week.  She regularly plays golf.  She’s current and a snappy dresser.  So, quickly blazed in my mind, was an image of my mother walking into church in one of her fashionable suits carrying a huge potted plant.  I knew she very much respects my design aesthetic, but this was going too far.

“What do you mean, ‘the church ladies loved it”?  I asked.  “Why would you take the orchid to church.”

“Well what else was I supposed to do with it, baby.  It’s Mother’s Day.”

“Well I thought you’d put it on the kitchen counter.”

“For what?”

“To look at.”

“But, it would just die. And I wasn’t going anywhere else today, except church.”  She stated.  “I guess I could wear it to work tomorrow, but that might be a bit much.”

“Wear?” I asked.  Then another long pause.  “Wait a minute.  Are we talking about the same thing?  Is this orchid in a pot?”

“Of course not,” she answered.  “Why would I carry a potted plant to church?  It’s a corsage.”

After ten minutes of me ranting and apologizing she did finally admit that she was a little surprised I would send her a corsage. 

She did not wear it to work the next day.

Room design and photo credit (in order of post):
Life and Work:  Malene Birger Life in Pictures
Australia Vogue Living John Hay
Kelly Hoppen Design
Pheobe Howard Design
Ron Marvin
Brown Designs
Thomas Pheasant

Limelight Marketplace & Eataly

Recently I was in NYC on business.  I went up a day early to check out some of the latest retail and other interesting things happening in the city.  I like to keep up with new NYC trends for the consulting business, and although many of them do not relate to AJ Barnes, the ones that do provide me good blog entries.  I had my day planned out, but unfortunately the weather and Delta did not cooperate.  So, after several cancellations and delays, my free time to explore the new and most current was significantly reduced.  







However, I was able to make it over to the Limelight Marketplace, which was the first on my list.  I had heard a lot about this new project.  The Limelight is an old Episcopal church at 6^th and 20^th in Chelsea.  During the late 70’s it was a notorious nightclub.  In 2001it was shut down due to excessive drug use, but resurrected itself a couple of times until it finally closed for good in mid 2007.  I was there once during one of it’s resurrections in the late 1980’s when I was in my early 20’s.  I remember being on the center of the dance floor looking up at the stained glass windows of the church dancing under a huge cross.  Across from me was this crazy women who could barely be considered an acquaintance of mine (but that night we were best friends) and some guy she had picked up who claimed to be a Middle Eastern prince.  There were drag queens to the left, Chelsea boys to the right, bridge and tunnels behind, and straight upper Westsiders in front – all dancing under Jesus.  It was so perfectly wrong. 

This photo credit:  Lidrado Romero/New York Times

Very recently the old church has been revamped into what was supposed to be one of New York’s new hip shopping destinations.  I was hoping to have some great pics to share and talk about how interesting it was.  But it’s not!  I could explain why, but honestly it’s not worth my time other than to say it’s product mix is simply not relevant to the neighborhood and the new design is choppy and trying way to hard.  But it was interesting to be there and stand in the same place on what was the dance floor and look up again at the stained glass windows.  The windows and all the historic church detail was mandated to remain in tact and the new shiny retail environment was applied over it.  So if you are in NYC, do not waste your time at Limelight Marketplace.  Besides, I doubt it will be open long. 

This photo credit:  Victria Will/New York Post

However, far more interesting and more appropriate to this blog is Eataly. It is just a short few block walk up and over to Broadway and 23^rd Street.  This huge new gourmet market was opened by celebrity chef Mario Batali, his business partner Joe Bastianich and his mother Lydia Matticchio.  I’ve never cared much for Mario Batali.  I like his food, but he makes me nervous and I’m over those orange crocs, cargo shorts, and chef’s jacket he always wears.  I believe everyone needs a signature look, but just make sure your look is more than one outfit!  But, Lydia reached Goddess like status in our house years ago. And, I like Joe, who was on the recent TV show ‘Master Chef’ with that awful Gordon Ramsay. (I know, I know, I need to do a better job about being more open with my opinions.) 

The space doesn’t try to be some architectural marvel like the Limelight.  Instead, the space itself fades into the background and the product and offerings create the environment.  It’s a gourmet market place, restaurant, take out, meeting place, and retail environment.  Eataly has everything from a coffee shop, wine bar, fresh seafood, beautiful vegetables, housewares, bakery, meat counter, and every package product you can imagine.  My favorite was the mozzarella bar!  If you love great food, want to have a great meal or especially if you categorize yourself as a foodie, GO.  It will be there, no matter when you visit the city! 

Classic Modern Mix

I'm pulling from the shelter magazine archives for today's post.  This Hudson, New York loft was published in the now defunct New York Home's January 2006 issue.  It was the inspiration for my New York apartment.  One big difference was that I had an overwhelming 225 square foot semi-furnished studio in a Tudor building.  I had to deal with two modern love seats, a Murphy bed and an ugly glass top table.  I  slip covered the love seats, added white architectural mirrors, and hung a few over sized maps with wood frames.  Plus, I incorporated some black sculptural and architectural wood accent pieces.  However, I did not pull it off as well as this loft's design.  Of course the guy that lived here owned a well-known antiques gallery and admitted to moving things in between his shop and the loft.  I had to work with what I could ship up via UPS! 

Now four years later I've taken a second look and I still like the thoughtful mix of classic accents and variation of wood furniture and the casual white slipcovers.  I see plenty of room here on the farm to incorporate many of these ideas. 

New York Homes

January - February 2006

Photos by Joshua McHugh

House Maintenance

I try to only post the best photos of the house and grounds on the blog site.  And, I do have a tendency to excessively ‘style’ a shot as to never reveal anything out of place.  But, more than I would like to admit, often things are not always so perfect.   

We have a wonderful big old white house, which requires a lot of attention to keep it that way.  Currently a couple of local guys, Billy Bob and Jim Bob (of course that is not their names but it may as well be) have been on the property doing maintanance.  So, there have been paint cans and ladders lying around the house for weeks.  Not to mention other little ‘Bob’ droppings like empty caulk tubes or a forgotten paint brush.  They were supposed to finish the last of the painting this past Monday.  I have not seen them all week, so they are right on schedule!   When the 'Bobs' get here we usually spend far too much time talking about nothing before any work gets done.  Last week I learned that Jim Bob has a side 'poltergeist hunting' business so he's dying (no pun intended) to get into the house with his video cameras and audio recorders and find a ghost.  I have explained to him that I am just not ready to open that door at this time, so I think it's best to be left alone.  Besides we never experienced anything in the house to make us believe that there are any spirits residing within.  However, there was one time years ago when a friend of ours (and you know who you are!) spent the night and the next morning she insisted that something or someone of spirit persuasion woke her during the night by touching her ear.  But, I never have been sure of her story.  She was sleeping with her two Scottish Terriers and had been drinking heavily that evening. 

During our two year renovation of the house we had a cast of characters working on the project.  In fact, the man who did our floors was named Bill Clinton, so I like to think the floors got the presidential treatment.  As much as we wanted the construction to end, just like this maintenance project, there's always a little void when the Bobs and their friends leave.  I call it contractor withdrawal.  But, I shouldn’t worry about it because I know the way it is with a big old white house – just like in the movie Poltergeist, “they'll be back”, whether I want them to our not!

Pizza Slut

Friday night is usually pizza night at our house.  When we lived in Atlanta often we would have pizza delivery on Friday night.  We did not have a lot of options.  We lived in a starter neighborhood.  A fixer upper.  Who am I kidding.  It was a ghetto and the only delivery we could get was Pizza Hut.  Then something happened.  I do not remember the details, but basically Pizza Slut (as they became known in our home) was no more.  I think it was some disaster over a lost order, then the wrong pizza.  Words were exchanged.  The Better Business Bureau informed and probably a letter written to our state senator.  C was mad and still holds a grudge. 

When we moved to the country there was no option for any kind of delivery.  Even the closest fried chicken joint is five miles away and they would not even think about bringing food to one’s home.  So the perfect dough for the crust had to be developed if we wanted decent pizza.  

The dough is simple.  All you need is a Kitchenaid mixer and my partner.  Actually, you can do it with just the mixer and this recipe.  It looks easy; however I must admit I have never made it.  I do not have to I have C and he learned long ago that if he wanted pizza on Friday night, he would have to take matters into his own hands.

1 cup all purpose flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 package quick rising yeast

1 tsp sugar

¾ cup warm water

2 T.olive oil 

Mix flours and salt together.  Mix yeast and sugar with water, let foam.  Mix yeast mixture with flour mixture and 1 T oil.  After dough comes together coat with 1 T oil and let rise.

This makes a thin crust.  We usually stretch it out on a pizza pan, crisp it up in a hot oven for a few minutes and then add accoutrements.

                            

Avoid things with no shoulders!

My general rule is to avoid any animal that does not have shoulders.  Think about it.  Name one shoulderless animal that is completely harmless.

See you can’t do it can you.  Snakes, Sharks, Emus, Jelly Fish, Flies - I could go on and on - don’t have shoulders and they could all harass a person unnecessarily.  But, birds are the worst.   I believe my distrust of birds started at a very early age.  I blame my father!

As a youngster, I remember we had a pair of parakeets.  The male was named Pete.  His wife was named Petey. 

No one ever accused my family of having very original pet names - Tiger, Bear, and Coco to name a few.  Although at one point my youngest brother had a dog he named Ezekiel, but everyone else just called him Steve and that was the name Ezekiel began recognizing.  Eventually my brother broke down in tears and my mother demanded we only refer to the dog by its proper ‘given’ name.

My mother told us Pete and Petey were a married ‘love bird’ couple because they would sit in their cage and peck ‘kiss’ each other.  But looking back on it, I doubt she knew for a fact that one was male and one was female.  I hardly identify my mother as an animal expert and I do not remember her ever having verified their sex.  For all she knew those birds could have been lesbians.  Often, my father would let them out of their cages and they would fly around the house.  I was terrified.  They were fast and I couldn’t always see them speeding in my direction.  One day while my mother was cleaning their cage, Pete escaped and flew away.  Several days later Petey died.  My mother said it was from a broken heart.  Looks like she may have been right about that.  But, Pete and Petey were gone and I was OK that the bird situation was resolved. 

Years later when I was a teenager, my father decided to get another parakeet.  He named it Petey. 

The family living space in our house was situated so that Petey could fly unimpeded in a giant loop through the connecting rooms.  When my father would let Petey out of his cage, he would buzz around his flight path and after a few loops would land gently on my fathers shoulder where he peck ‘kissed’ my dad’s 70’s porn ‘stash.  When he wasn’t making bird love to my father, he would just zoom around like some feathered WWII dive bomber.  No one in my family seemed to mind this, except me.  Whenever that bird was out of his cage I was on a constant state of alert.  I believe animals are aware of how you feel about them and I think Petey knew when it came to me; he was only an open door away from meeting the neighbor’s cat.  It was bad enough when I knew Petey was out of his cage and freely terrorizing the house, but it was horrifying to come home and find him bearing down at full speed towards my face un-expectantly.  Petey lived with us for about a year.  It was a year in which I developed spontaneous ducking reflexes and the urge to randomly sling my arms around my head.  To the innocent bystander, I’m sure I appeared to have tourrette’s or some type of rude uncontrollable spasms.  Occasionally I would man up and try to befriend Petey.  After all my two younger brothers seemed to have a very pleasant relationship with Petey and considered him a loving member of the family.  I would try to extend goodwill to Petey by putting my finger in his cage so he could peck ‘kiss’ or perch on it like he would do to my siblings.  Instead the bitch would just draw blood!  On rare occasions when Petey would light on my shoulder, he usually only stayed a moment, but it was long enough to leave a present! 

I don’t remember what happened to Petey.  I’m sure he dashed out an open window or fell over dead in his cage.  Either way, he was gone and that was all that mattered to me. 

Years later, while living in New York I would sometimes be reminded of Petey.  Think about what would happen if all the pigeons decided to revolt and make a move against humanity like in the movie ‘The Birds’.  Those NYC pigeons are not afraid of people, so if they wanted they could really wreak havoc.  Remember what those birds did to Tippi Hedren’s French twist!  I’ll never forget.

I started writing this entry because I had a couple of photos from last week’s visit to the coast that I had not included in previous posts.  Upon a second look I realized that seagulls were in most of the photos and I was reminded of my bird issues.  I’m not sure if you can tell but those are seagulls swarming that shrimp boat.  If I were on that boat, I would have to be sedated.  One afternoon I was taking photos of the marsh and encountered these two gulls on the pier.  The photos were taken at very close range.  See how sinister they look.  That’s the same look that Petey had!