Admittedly, I caught wind of Alix of Bohemia on Moda Operandi's Instagram. Once I started looking at their handmade jackets, I couldn't stop. The brand was born by descendants of an Italian textile legacy and generations of French artists. Each piece is its own treasure, adorned with elements that are reminiscent of the sixties and a soulful gypsy. One of my favorites, military-inspired, above. Shop here or visit them (by appointment only) in the East Village in New York.
St. Frank
Sacramento Street just got chicer with the addition of St. Frank's brick and mortar store front. Christina Bryant, St. Frank's Founder & CEO, partnered with Sway Studio to design a bohemian jewel box filled with a cultivated collection of home décor and textiles. The shop was glittering with eager supporters, customers and collectors last Thursday evening as the store made its debut. Every morsel of the store is one sensory pleasure after another, from touching the luxurious Alpaca Throws, to admiring a framed woven Moroccan textile adorned with metal sequins. (The custom Sway Studio light fixtures alone will make you swoon)! Be sure to visit St. Frank at 3665 Sacramento Street to see the collection.
Carolina Herrera: Reflections & Reads
Just ordered Edna O'Brien's' "The Love Object" a collection of short stories Carolina Herrera referenced reading in a recent piece in the WSJ. I also loved the designer's stance on airport dressing - there is nothing worse than witnessing a traveller clad in Uggs and sweatpants. Read a review of the book here.
Oz Farm & The Pacific
A glimpse from a weekend well spent at Oz Farm in Mendocino, California. I slumbered in a yurt on the crest of a hill overlooking apple orchards. We rented out the property for a friend's 30th birthday which proved to adequately supply the perfect amount of mischief in the great outdoors, including a river crossing in the thick of night to explore The Domes and an afternoon shrimp boil with the Pacific Ocean front and center.
Off Duty
The best place to nourish whilst darting around Union Square in San Francisco is Café de la Presse. It's particularly lovely alone with a great read and coffee, as I was reminded Sunday morning. The restaurant is almost always lively and attracts an international flair, complete with a newsstand indoors with some of the best design and fashion publications for sale. Café de la Presse is a true Parisian tabac in the heart of San Francisco.
Antelope
A trip back to the archives.... Nicole Hanley Mellon's home in New York as featured in Vogue. Her home is flooded with an impressive collection of art, bright billowy light and the floor, covered in Stark's Antelope Carpet.
Totes
In love with these hand-painted straw bags by Lindroth Design. Mad about the diagonal canary yellow stripe, especially. The handle option includes a "Nassau" version, which is a dark leather - so chic. (The "Lyford" handle is depicted above). Amanda Lindroth is the designer behind several notable projects in the Bahamas, including The Dunmore Beach Hotel in Harbour Island. View her portfolio here. I'm ready for a vacation....and cocktail.
Just Lovely
Loved seeing Carolyne Roehm's Connecticut home featured on One King's Lane. I just love the shots of her breakfast room, the long marble counter and built-in cabinetry that house her collection of fine china. Her office, as depicted above, is where she keeps her collection of gardening catalogs, perhaps inspiration for the latest release of At Home in the Garden, her highly anticipated book I cannot wait to add to my collection.
Soane Britain
Stripes and citrus via Soane Britain. Also mildly obsessed with their rattan console.
Chef's Table at Long Meadow Ranch
Sunday was spent at Long Meadow Ranch's Farmstead Restaurant with Chef Timothy Mosblech for his Chef's Table Experience in St. Helena. The meal married the property's organic produce and grass-fed beef with wine pairings and an olive oil tasting. The afternoon began with a tour of the grounds which were lush with citrus trees, vegetables and rose bushes. We sampled unusual black beauty peppers, verbena and Mexican cucumbers whilst sipping wine. Out back, the property has a custom built smoker that was smoking ribs and pork shoulder which had me weak in the knees.
