On our last day in SF the fog rolled in.
Triptych
Hotel Vitale
One of the very best things about our San Francisco trip was the hotel.
Hotel Vitale is a brand new building on the Embarcadero, close to the fabulous Ferry Building and with views of the Bay Bridge.
Click to enlarge. For individual pics see Flickr.
The building itself is no great shakes architecturally, it was panned when it opened and is so boring that I found I hadn’t bothered to take any photos of it, but the interior design, by San Francisco-based design company McCartan is inspired.
To a basic palette of naturalistic neutrals – limestone, wood, and textured fabrics in earthy browns, beiges and moss greens – the designers have added a pink plastic love seat; glamorous light fittings at every turn; nature photographs dotting the walls; a sprig of lavender above every door; adorable green velvet chairs; a gorgeous glass table lamp hanging from the ceiling; an amazing shrouded chandelier in the round bar; and lights in the corridors made of pressed flowers.
The whole vibe was of easy relaxed glamour, just perfect for San Francisco.
Even the slippers (which *blushes* I somehow seem to have acquired) were inspiring.
I like putting together collages of design details from groovy hotels. I find them a good way of getting a quick overview of the hotel’s design concept and feel. Why not pay a flying visit to the Cotswold House Hotel , La Coluccia and the Chromata while you’re here?
California Dreamin’
I haven’t felt heat like it since we were in Sardinia last year. That dry soaks-you-right-through-to-the-bones heat of the Mediterranean, which makes mornings sparkle, early afternoons in the dusty city unbearable, and evenings soft and luxurious.
I’m told we’re lucky to experience such heat in San Francisco, though I would be feeling a bit luckier if I were lying by an infinity pool drinking caipirinhas. Instead I’m either shepherding the Minx from trolley bus to cable car, or chasing her round the Bay Cruise boat, or, worse still, across the Golden Gate Bridge. Tourism wih a baby really is not all it’s cracked up to be and with the Husband working all day and schmoozing by night I haven’t yet been to a single groovy shop or gallery.
Am seething with frustration. ‘Snot fair.
Garden Design
So on Wednesday I had my first chat with a garden designer.
The previous owners had plans drawn up last year to redo the front and back yards and we’re piggybacking off the plans they had done to get the back garden sorted out (the front garden will have to wait until next year or until we win the lottery).
I’m a bit nervous about the process as we didn’t do as much research as we should have done into Seattle-based designers, nor did we get any competitive quotes – the completed plans lying on the kitchen countertops were just too tempting, as the was the fact that the company specialises in organic gardening. But Brian seemed lovely and very amenable to my ideas (which he called ‘fun’. This could of course be a euphemism.)
I’ve never worked with an interior or garden designer before and I’m really looking forward to the experience. I sort of know what I like when it comes to gardens, but don’t know much at all about what goes where, what grows where and how to group plants together. Fortunately the climate in the Pacific North West is so similar to that of the UK that many of the plants I love the most should grow well here.
At the moment the garden is decidedly oddly configured, with a down-at- heel patio that seems to be expressly designed to draw you away from the lawn and towards the very un-picturesque driveway, and with a wall round the lawn which acts as a barricade. Even the Minx seems confused when she goes outside as to whether she’s ‘allowed’ to climb the steps and run about on the lawn.
We’re going to rejig the previous plans somewhat so that there is a definite progression from a pretty seating area to a small area of lawn; some sort of fence and gate to the left to trap in the Minx, and lots of underplanting round the tree (which is currently a mass of weeds). As for planting – I didn’t even look at what the previous owners had requested, as I’ve got a pretty good idea that their taste will not exactly coincide with mine.
Kitchen Inspiration
Look what the postman brought me today!
It’s apparently a genuine 50s enamel breadbin found in some warehouse in Holland. Or that was the Ebay seller’s story anyway. Actually the condition bears this out – its definitely vintage and is in pretty much mint condition, with the manufacturer’s sticker on the lid.
And it goes very nicely with my butter dish (china made to look like vintage tupperware, I’m definitely going to get some of those in the shop) and my very favourite Le Creuset spatulas. The colour scheme for the downstairs kitchen is now pretty much a done deal, I would say.
Peacockery
I love the way that French design trio Atelier LZC – one of our very favourite suppliers – continually re-invent their offering, while remaining very much true to their original aesthetic.
Though they still produce the silhouetted, naturalistic birds, flowers and butterflies that made them famous, in recent seasons their work has become more stylised and naif, using charming folksy images such a matrioschka dolls, eggs and for this season, peacocks.
We’ve just added these little hanging objects to the mirrormirror site and there’s something about the earnest expressions on their faces, which I find particularly adorable.
I photographed them hanging on the twisted willow branches left over from my Easter tree and they look so good I don’t want to take them down.
Peacocks are obviously in the zeitgeist too as Maryam in Morocco and Tara on Vancouver Island have both just written great peacock-y posts.
SPECIAL SHIPPING OFFER FOR OVERSEAS READERS: Until the end of May, any blog readers anywhere in the world can buy any Atelier LZC product (with the exception of mirrors) from mirrormirror and just pay standard UK shipping. Just select the Standard (£3.95) shipping option from the drop down list.
Poesie
From Flickr
From Flickr
From Flickr
From Flickr
My tulip photos have led me to peek at some ‘Flower’ groups on Flickr and I was totally bowled over when I came across these ethereal flower photos by Poesie, which are some of the most exquisite photos I’ve ever seen on Flickr or anywhere else for that matter. Poesie indeed.
Give yourselves a treat and check out her Flower and Pastel sets.