for what it’s worth
hello guys, i hope you’re already off to a fabulous sunday.
it’s the first time in a while i’ve had alone so, well, here i am doing what i want to do! and that happens to be indulging in an obsession i’ve had for a couple days.
in spare moments i’ve been collecting shots of the soon to be redecorated (the interior NOT the exterior) hotel de crillon in paris. i’m stashing way too much but thought you may enjoy a little of the edited collection. some of the links to the photos are at the bottom of the post. if any are yours please let me know.
the grand hotel has been on my mind since richard mentioned on his blog that it was going to be ‘redecorated’ over the next two years (not torn down). some of the contents will be sold at auction next week to make room for improvements.
here’s the link to the items on the auction block: artcurial.com/en
i once had a ball there with claudia T and hate that they’re taking some of it apart.
pretty things
it’s one of the oldest and most ornate hotels in paris.
perfect for fairy tale weddings and chic fashion shoots since it’s such a magical public palace.
known for impeccable service
the perfect place for high tea or a quiet rendezvous
great ambiance
attention to detail
and the food’s good too
oh, and desserts
legendary
beautiful garden restaurant grounds
started in the 1800s, she hasn’t changed much since her unveiling in 1909
watching the well heeled come and go
the perfect backdrop
thousands of stories on a romantic stage
the rooms could use makeovers on the upholstery and bedding
but taking down the chandeliers? :(
and the marble mantles? those are up for sale too, for some reason they’re taking the originals out. to replace with what?
they’re also selling linens, dishes and the hotel silver.
it’s always been the place to see and be seen (myrna loy photographed on the roof deck)
and photographers love the setting
even the outtakes are good
not to mention the finished product
it stirs creative imagination
fashionmagazine.com/blogs/fashion/2012/10/11/couture-photo-shoot
links in this post:
sashaparis.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/a-la-russe-presentation-in-hotel-crillon-paris
flickriver.com/photos/22771024@N02/4385399986/
flickr.com/photos/concorde-hotels
waeiskiani.com/blog/2012-11-27/wk-crillon-debutante-ball
1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Kvpws_HFTM/TzcEePxGgyI/AAAAAAAACdQ/CHzP5VVj4OE/s1600/hotelcrillon2.jpg
Random Facts:
The Hotel de Crillon in Paris is one of two identical stone palaces on the Place de la Concorde, wich was constructed in 1758.
In 1788 the Count of Crillon, acquired the building for a hotel.
Address: 10 place de la Concorde, 08 Arr., Paris, Ile-de-France, 75008, France
Website: crillon.com
hi again! just thought i’d share some of what’s for sale in the hotel. i may be over reacting (someone wrote and called me a drama queen), but i just don’t get why you have to take out the orignal and traditional in the process? like these fireplaces, why are they being removed? why aren’t they worth preserving?
- Lot 2327
- CHEMINEE DE STYLE LOUIS XV
En marbre blanc veiné gris
H. : 108 cm. L. : 145 cm. P. : 38 cm.On y joint une paire de chenets, en fonte, à décor rocaille
H. : 23 cm. P. : 44 cm.(19)Estimation 400 – 600 € 
- Lot 918CHEMINEE DE STYLE LOUIS XVI
En marbre gris veiné, à décor de feuilles de laurier
H. : 102 cm. L. : 125 cm. P. : 32 cm.(303 / 305)Estimation 400 – 600 € 
- Lot 946CHEMINEE DE STYLE LOUIS XV
En marbre blanc veiné gris
H. : 110 cm. L. : 145 cm. P. : 40 cm.On y joint une barre de cheminée en métal doré
H. : 83 cm.(311/315)Estimation 400 – 600 €
- Lot 1091CHEMINEE DE STYLE LOUIS XVIEn marbre blanc veiné, à décor de cannelures
H. : 101 cm. L. : 130 cm. P. : 39 cm.On y joint une barre de cheminée, en métal doré
L. : 83 cm.(343)Estimation 400 – 600 € 
- Lot 1TROIS VITRINES DE PRESENTATION MURALES ECLAIRANTES
En métal doré, ouvrant en façade par un vantail
H. : 119 cm. L. : 68 cm. P. : 31 cm.(ENT)Estimation 800 – 1 200 € 
- Lot 65LUSTRE DE STYLE LOUIS XV
En bronze doré, à six lumières, agrémenté de pampilles en verre taillé
H. : 97 cm.On y joint une paire d’appliques de style Louis XV, en métal patiné doré, à deux lumières, agrémenté de pampilles en verre taillé
H. : 27 cm. L. : 37 cm.(102)Estimation 300 – 500 € 
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anyway i’ll calm down now!
up one side and down the other
hi guys! it’s been a whirlwind summer and truth be known, i’m slightly exhausted and am only now going through the pics i just couldn’t bear to deal with while on the road. you bloggers know what i’m talking about. it’s all fun and games taking the shots but editing, resizing, balancing, cropping, and sorting can take all the joy out of it!
so tonite’s the night. my new goal is to do things in real time cause it’s just not the same when you wait, you know?
anyway, going thru it all i remember how much i love californians who let the ÜbeR foliage grow wild even when it’s trimmed.
totally random non sequitor but in san fran i thought it would be fun to start sending stuff from paris to different collectives, starting with this one, past perfect.
they have two locations and happen to have a space available.
actually the shopping there was amazing, with everything from lighting to big furniture.
this is the space they have open:
so changing gears, cause i could stay on cali for another 10 posts but the weekend took us back across the country to a weekend wedding in lake george. i’ve never spent time there but it was an another incredible hotel and the wedding was of course spectacular.
and i have to give them props for the foliage at the sagamore hotel
and though i couldn’t capture the beauty of the centerpeices, they used champagne grapes tucked in with the flowers and it was absolutment charmant!
on the way out i had to stop by the villa marie antoinette antique shop but it was closed.
still there was enough eye candy to amuse me and the staggering beauty of the architecture in our very own country never ceases to amaze me. there’s much to see and do. what a world!
we took the long way home and stopped at little towns along the way like saratoga and woodstock which were as pretty as anything we’d seen yet.
but i have to draw the line somewhere and just say ‘when’! besides i don’t need to bore you with my vacation shots but do want to remember these last couple weeks. it seems like a recurring theme to make sure the memories don’t get stuffed in a folder along with the pics and i’m grateful for blogging to give me that incentive to do more than just let the days pass by. hope you’re having a great summer and making memories you’ll always remember too. have a fabulous weekend!
it would take many lifetimes
when i got to this hotel i had no idea how much of our time in sf would be devoted to it! now i see why the show ‘hotel’ in the 70s was centered around this incredible place! around every corner is more intrigue, history and glory like the tiny vanderbilt in pink and blue above and below.
anyway, from my trip to see some of the ballrooms, i met jessica, one of the kids in charge of running the place who really got my love of the old nooks and crannies. she was gracious enough to give me a tour of the penthouse which was an unexpected treat.
this is just a small sampling of the magnificent floor:
since john’s in food, she introduced us to their hip executive chef (unfortunately i think i erased the photos)! he showed us some of the projects he’s working on, like creating all the hotel’s honey (he put beehives on the roof), and adding sustainable gardens which will grow all the hotel’s herbs and vegetables! fairmont.com/sanfrancisco bee hives
and i didn’t see jessica this morning but wanted to thank her for the invitation yesterday to see the sf ballet in the park. it was a real treat and something we wouldn’t have seen if not for her ongoing hospitality!
so, that will have to do it for my little obsession today as we’re packing up and heading out. i look at this photo above (dorothy draper’s incarnation of the lobby, thanks lynn) and think of the young cool crew that’s handling it now. they’re set to remodel the laurel court restaurant which still has the old school feel but with who’s in charge i know they’ll do a great job preserving it. more soon!
the fairest of them all
hi guys! i can’t believe it’s actually been an entire week since i’ve had a chance to post about this trip to san francisco. even as i write this it’s rushed. lynn is about to pick me up again for another morning of foggy fun and although i got up early to write, it’s dwindling fast and my connection is slow. still i’m determined that before i see another thing or take another shot i’d say hello and nip the tip of this iceberg of a city!
our home for the past week has been the fairmont hotel at the top of nob hill. (yes virgina, they do have affordable rooms)! it’s been an incredible experience as a history buff and lover of all things old and grand.
the gold dining room in the teens above and today below
the detail is stunning.
this grand dame has seen it all. there is no way to squeeze it all into this short time but the hotel halls are lined with ephemera and photos, old menus and archives from breaking ground to the earthquake to the fire to the resolve to rebuild. just being here is humbling, knowing what the early settlers went through to create this splendor, revel in its glory and see it destroyed. their strength to regroup and rebuild, not knowing if it could all just crumble again is mind boggling.
yet they did it without hesitation, living in tents, carrying supplies uphill, in chilly fog, without bathrooms, heat, electricity or phones.
the more i learn about san franciscans and the pioneers who created this masterpiece of a city brick by brick the more in awe i am.
these men and women are unsung heroes whose names are forgotten but their work lives on.
the ballroom was used in the relief efforts after the quake. it is such a grand room, i’m sure they were beyond grateful it was spared. it must have been strange to live and work in such contrast but they did it. twice!
i’m dying to get into the archives of the hotel. the shot above is from one of the many incarnations the lobby has had over the years. i would have killed to see this one by dorothy draper. ok she’s here, more soon. hope you’re having a great weekend!
ny ny it’s a wonderful town
well hey everyone, how’s life?
it moves at the speed of light here in le big city! i’ve been working at home during the days but night have been filled with wonderful friends and beautiful places.
i can only take one at a time, there are so many fabulous facets to each and every one. this is my current favorite place for entertaining, the bowery hotel. if you’re in the city meeting friends for the holidays, this is the perfect place for a rendezvous. you can meet in the hotel lobby or at the bar, both are magnificent with a roaring fire and furniture upholstered in leather, mohair and velvet.
it’s downtown, right on the bowery between bond and great jones. we’re neighbors so we’re in and out, and every time we go we have the best time!
outside courtyard
i haven’t stayed there and am only seeing their rooms for the first time right now.
and this could be my favorite restaurant in the city right now. it’s gemma, alongside the hotel. it’s got everything you could want in a large cozy room with tons of candlelight and ambiance. not to mention great food! i fall in love just walking in the door to this hotel and restaurant. if you’re here, enjoy it!
photos via nitrolicious.com
well anyway, you know how nyc is, you can step outside and a million things happen at once. this was a sliver!
tomorrow i’ll be out and about all day and hope to find some ny magic. (note to self, bring camera)
til then, bon soiree and have a great night!
that was then, this is now
hey gang, how’s life? is time flying by for you like it is for me? i guess i’m one of the people who thinks that it’s not really passing, that there’s always time for this or that, but unless you seize it, take it, or make it, you lose track of it.
it’s been years since i visited our beloved blog bud, lynn with my 1 megapixel camera. we met through ebay and fell in love!
who could resist her? i was mesmerized by her gorgeous home back then and was thrilled to find out she’s on the cover of this month’s romantic homes!
i just had to give props to my girl and her incredible collections. she continues to inspire me every day. if you know her boutique, you know it’s stocked with fabulous items from hotels of the past along with tons of great books and furniture.
the photographer really captured the essence of her home but i was inspired to dig out my own pics from our first day together.
lynn, i don’t know if you’ve ever even seen some of these, i have so many shots, (lynn was/is going to be featured in my new book…i know i know, it’s been years of me saying this but, ok well, it’s finally in the works, more on that soon)!
so these shots are blurry and i never really thought i could use them for print so they’ve been collecting dust pixels all these years. who else would appreciate them as much as i do? i thought you might!
these chairs are from the ritz i think…lynn, can you confirm?
her silver collection is insane and so is the memorabilia. she gets what it was like to arrive at the hotel in style back in the day.
i actually didn’t take this shot below. i’m not sure where i picked it up but would recognize her turquoise vintage bath anywhere.
this is reminding me why i saved these cruddy pics all these years. even at 1 megapic they still send me!
is it just me? lynn, you need to do a book.
she’s the epitome of someone who lives with and enjoys all her collections.
this is of course the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
i hope you don’t mind, lynn, i know a lot of your place has changed completely but i was inspired, what can i say? and it’s good to clean out folder and share such a wonderland.
this is her dog bed. nuf said? anyway, she worked on the article with her best friend, janet of french blue (who wrote it). on that same trip i met her and shot her place too. i hope she doesn’t mind if i post it tomorrow but i can’t help myself, i’m on a roll! more to come!
everyday opulence
hey gang, hope you’re chillin’ on this summer sunday. i just came from bunch with linda of parisien salon. we were supposed to travel together to paris last week but since we postponed, decided to enjoy a bit of it in south beach instead and hit the new restaurant au pied du cochon. we feasted on pancakes and french toast (we are american girls, after all) and made plans and set goals for the next couple months. linda’s moving to paris in the spring but in the meantime is exploring anything remotely french and just wrote a great article for bonjour paris on some of the spots around here that keep her inspired. it’s great to have a new neighbor/friend/blogger right around the corner, especially someone who knows the lay of the land and we’re going cruising this week for fun stuff.
getting off my usual track, i was talking to my sis-in-law who wants to head to venice. she and my bro have 3 darling angels (i’m auntie mame so i of course think that, but it’s also true), and her dream is to take them to venice. she sent me a link which led to falling down that ol’ hole and i spent more time than i’d like to admit looking at all the great old maidens in such a creaky incomprehensible city.
one of my favorite memories is traveling there with my family and staying in a pensione that was both charming and palatial. i was maybe 12 but can still remember the ceiling, fireplace, woodwork, the scents…it would have all been perfect if the housekeeper hadn’t tossed out the coke bottle collection i’d acquired throughout our trip.
after finding these pensiones, i have to say there’s no other place quite like it and would love to visit again.
i’m reading eat, pray, love, and the author spends the first third of the book in italy.
i don’t have immediate plans but it’s nice to go off the beaten path once in awhile and focus on other cities.
this one is bit much. good thing they went for all white linens :)
but they all have a playful touch. just a bit of eye candy i had to share.
some of these places have such history and character
i’m sorry i’m not linking to their sites
but just got too wrapped up in my frenzy. BAD blogger! (some have the name in the title. fortunately there aren’t so many you can’t find them in google images.
of course so many are over the top, but with others, the simplicity combined with a dash of lushness is such a sweet combo.
they’re almost like dollhouses. (my dollhouse, anyway)!
well i hope you enjoyed a little jaunt to venezia, where every day is opulent and luxe.
have a great weekend i miei amici!
giving in to my weakness
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p214024
why is it that i feel guilty when i blog? like i should be doing other things. like work work and more work!
well truth be told i wish this was my work, it’s my favorite place to be, discovering your blogs, amazing sites, creative minds and well, getting to travel through infinity at any given moment.
truth is i have a lot to do cause the paris trip is coming up and i’m trying to make tons of things happen at once.
should i get into it? probably not right now so i’ll make this post a working one, to save my notes on how it’s all goin’ down. if, god willing, it even does.
so it will be evolving. geez, i see how much i already have to label! one of the projects besides hosting clients is working on a book! that’s right, i said it! it’s about real apartments in paris and we’ll be going behind a lot of apartment doors.
i guess what still fascinates me about paris apartments is that they have that je ne sais quoi. ok not all, but so many have it with so little effort. the above and below are just from a random craigslist swap for paris/ny.
so is this one
i’m looking for a 3 bedroom apartment cause 4 of us will be sharing it off and on between the 9th and 27th.
pretty deamy
i love this linen trend with the box that’s ever evolving.
yum, these wide ones really get me! this is what i mean about effortless. these rooms speak volumes with next to nothing in them! then again there is that ever present view out of the iron out the window. there’s some kind of magic in that…
i’ll keep an eye out for these linens while i’m there. ok back to it for moi! mwah to vous!
oh and ps, the flights are looking really good today! via cheapoair.
pss
just heard from my other clients, a family, and they’re confirmed so now i have to bite the bullet and really go. besides, this is madame’s wish list: a bed, mirror, ship chandelier, linen, linens, sideboard, chest, small tables! how could i resist? it’ll be great to see paris again. judging from the solid hotel and apartment bookings, paris will never suffer from a lack of admirers who keep coming back for more. guilty!
keys to the castle
castle, chateau, crib, call it what you will but the good news is we’re going in! tomorrow night hgtv is going to air a new season of ‘keys to the castle‘ where they take us inside these living fairytales.
this is one they feature, i don’t know how many we’ll tour per episode but it looks like pure bliss
check out more of the gardens here (this shot from perseverando on flickr)
below is chateau brissac, another fantasy come to life
how exciting to get to go inside!
of course i got off the track researching this endlessly inspiring topic. below is chateau d’ usse, said to have inspired Jean Perreau to write fairytale “Sleeping Beauty”. i didn’t see this one listed on the series but got pulled into it anyway.
and i just fell in love with this picture of chenonceau castle by eric rousset on flickr
maybe we weren’t the lucky ones born to live in these beauties, but staying in one is closer than you may think. for a special occasion, visit castles for rent and maybe live the dream yourself one day!
ps: special thanks to bonnie for all your help on this post with links and pics! ok back to reality in sunny san fran!
on the flip side
hi guys! hope you’re having a great new years’ day and are kicking back by now. i’ve been trying to maintain my new outlook for the past few days and it’s slowly kicking in. more breathing, less freaking…
these pics are from a place in france a friend of mine goes for her yoga retreats in the south of france. i’ve always been intrigued about it and think this year i’ll put something together there, hopefully with her and hopefully with you! it’s a departure from the shopping trips, but why not do both?
i’m not sure how it will work yet or the costs but going through the site was pretty inspiring. the idea of doing something that’s not business, just pleasure. since yoga seems to be the one thing in life that’s super grounding, i’d like to have a lot more of it in mine. i got a crunch membership today which is month to month which is great, but a rendezvous here would really kick practicing up a notch :)
i’m gonna try to put a trip together for late summer/early. if you think you’d be into it, let me know what time of the year is best and we can build it together!
if you go to their site you’ll see a lot more pics and maybe get inspired too. i personally think it would be so much fun to be there together!
do you? xoc
