A Very Exciting Announcement: High Gloss Magazine!

For the past three and a half years, I have explored my love of writing and design on this blog. I know that I’ve said it before, but never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the places La Dolce Vita would take me. It has afforded me the opportunity to embark on several amazing adventures, the greatest of which I am sharing with you today. Last winter, I started dreaming up the possibility of creating a fresh, new magazine rooted in interior design, fashion, travel, and entertaining…all of the things that so many of us love and that I have explored with you on a daily basis here on La Dolce Vita for the past several years. My dreams soon turned to plans and I found myself turning to the very friends I’ve made through blogging, asking them to embark on this creative adventure with me.

{The Fantastic High Gloss Team}

It is with much excitement that my amazing team and I would like to announce our stylish new baby, High Gloss Magazine! We have many been hard at work for several months now and have so many new and exciting things in store. We look forward to sharing them with you when our premiere issue hits the virtual newsstands in January! You didn’t think we’d leave you hanging for two months, did you? Until then, we invite you to check out our website and sign up for our weekly newsletter which will be packed with style secrets and tidbits. Please help us spread the word about High Gloss through Facebook and Twitter (please use hashtag #highglossmag).

Thank you for your support throughout the past three and a half years and in this exciting new endeavor! It truly means the world to me.

Going for the Gold

{This small room appears to be much larger thanks to the mirrored panels on either side of the 19th century French fireplace.}

There are a few colors that I never seem to tire of. Orange, kelly green, and peacock blue come to mind. One combination that is as timeless as it is glamorous is that of black, white, and gold. I was recently admiring this Madrid apartment in Nuevo Estilo and fell in love with this beautiful combination of colors all over again. It is the perfect neutral palette! The apartment belongs to Estefanía Carrera and Alejandro Fauquié, both of whom are interior designers. It seems they’ve figured out how to work in harmony, but I would imagine that having two interior designers in one home could be dangerous!

{The bench used to divide the living room into two smaller spaces was designed by Carrera and Fauquié. The Curtis Jeré starburst sculpture near the windows is from the 1970s. Notice how various shades of gold are used throughout the space.}

{I love these gorgeous black and gold mirrors designed by Carrera and Fauquié. The Fauquié-designed desk on the right is pretty gorgeous as well!}

{I love the way these shelves are covered in mesh. It looks great and makes hanging things quite easy, though I do wonder how functional they would be in the day to day. The framed pieces are by Gilbert Poillerat and Henri Matisse.}

{The dining room features chairs designed by Pierre Cardin in the 1970s. They are covered in gold, velvet chevron fabric by Fadini Borghi. The massive table was designed by Fauquié.}

{I absolutely love the mix of grey, white, black, gold, and abstract art in this bathroom. It reminds me so much of Lázaro Rosa Violán’s work since he gravitates towards this palette in so much of his work.}

{This little console table doubles as a breakfast table for the pair who have maximized their use of space in this beautiful, historic Madrid apartment.}

 

{Image Source: Nuevo Estilo}

10 Things I Can’t Live Without: Kelly Oshiro of Santa Barbara Chic

Even though it has been over five years since my wedding, I still love looking at wedding blogs. Maybe because they really didn’t exist back when I was planning my wedding! The brides today are so lucky to have amazing resources like Santa Barbara floral and event designer, Kelly Oshiro’s wonderful blog, Santa Barbara Chic. Kelly is super talented and often shares images from the events she plans, along with inspiration for everything from place settings to interior design. Did I mention she does a feature called “Shoesday” in which she posts a fabulous pair of shoes every Tuesday? Enough said! In all seriousness, Kelly produces some incredibly beautiful events and is a frequent source of inspiration.

1. Shoes

I like shoes a lot. In fact, I blog them every Tuesday (Shoesday) because I think everyone needs a pretty shoe fix on a weekly basis.

2. Entertaining

I love throwing parties (it's no wonder I do it for a living) and inviting friends and family over to enjoy good food, wine, and conversation.

3. Puppy heads

Their sweet innocence and desire to simply bring joy into the world is so comforting in this crazy busy world. My dog Mira keeps me from working too much and makes sure I get outside and spend time away from the computer. Plus, she’s a big cuddle bug and is ever-vigilant to the threat of the evil postman.

4. Design blogs & the community of bloggers

Design blogs are always a wealth of inspiration and escape from the daily grind of life. Not to mention I count so many bloggers as friends, the community of bloggers makes me feel like I am a part of a small, close-knit, and über-stylish community.

5. Martha Stewart

Martha is a genius and so many sectors of the lifestyle and event community are forever in her debt.

6. Art & Architecture

I was an art history major in college and I love studying Moorish architecture, illuminated manuscripts, and appreciating the monumental lines of Romanesque architecture. The craftsmanship and intricacy of each art form is mesmerizing.

7. England

I love England, the saturated green grass, the free roaming cattle, the weeping willows, medieval churches with faded tombstones, timber truss pubs decorated with baskets of colorful flowers, meandering rivers, and country estates. I love getting a cup of tea and with a scone in the apple orchard in Granchester that Rupert Brooke called “Forever England.”

8. Pretty pictures

I love lifestyle, still life, food photography, and fine art photography. Photographers like Elizabeth Messina, Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie, and Polly Wreford, to name just a few, are so good at capturing a moment in time and the beauty of that single instance.

9. Fresh Flowers

I love to have fresh flowers in my office; the life they breathe into a room is so special, I could stare at them for hours. I particularly love café au lait dahlias (the bigger the better), hydrangea, ranunculus, and peonies.

10. Peanut Brittle

I admit it, I’m a peanut brittle addict. If you give me a box of peanut brittle I will eat it all and I won’t share. Seriously, I have a peanut brittle problem, is there a support group for that?

Photos: 1. Elizabeth Messina 2. Styled by Portland Mitchell 3. Halberg Photographers 4. Blog Montage by Kelly Oshiro 5. Photos via Martha Stewart 6. Kelly Oshiro 7. Mikkel Vang 8. Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie 9. Polly Wreford 10. Lisa Hubbard

A Colorful Celebration: Dia de los Muertos

Today is the first of two days in which those who have passed are honored and remembered in Mexican culture. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead is not a morbid or scary holiday like Halloween is meant to be. It is a time in which we remember our loved ones who have passed away and celebrate their lives. On November 1st, children who have passed away are honored and on November 2nd deceased adults are remembered. This celebration dates back for thousands of years in the indigenous cultures of Mexico and was later blended with Catholic traditions after the Spanish conquered Mexico.

Both sides of my family are Mexican of Spanish ancestry, but to be completely honest, we never celebrated the Day of the Dead in the way that I used to teach my students about. My family is from the city of Monterrey, the country’s industrial capital which is in northern Mexico. For my family, the Day of the Dead simply meant taking flowers to our relatives at the cemetery. However, this rich cultural tradition of celebrating the dead is more prevalent in central and southern Mexico where elaborate “ofrendas”, or offerings are set up with marigolds (the flowers of the dead), the deceased’s favorite food and drink, pictures of loved ones, favorite objects and so on, in order to make them feel welcome. This video gives a great, albeit brief explanation of Día de los Muertos:

 

{Colorful Accessories from Cerulean and a little Oscar de la Renta}

{Are you inspired to host a Día de los Muertos party next year? Keep these papel picado invitations from Etsy in mind. This recipe for the “Fresh Catrina” from Espolón Tequila would make a great signature cocktail!}

Fresh Catrina Cocktail

Directions:
Muddle strawberry with black peppercorns. Rinse a cocktail glass with absinthe. Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker and fine strain into the rinsed cocktail glass.
Background:
Who better to create this Dia de los Muertos cocktail than the talented Waugh at New York’s famed Death & Company? The cocktail is named for Catrina, a skeletal figure who has become closely associated with Day of the Dead. In this recipe, the light and fruity taste of strawberry combined with the dark pop of anise and black pepper pays tribute to both the elegance of the Catrina and the darkness of death.

 

Día de los Muertos is a very rich tradition that I hope to experience in Mexico some day. However, given the current state of affairs there, I am making that statement with a heavy heart. I have not been to Mexico in five years and I can’t imagine going back in the foreseeable future. At least not until the drug cartels loosen their grip on the country. It is a terrible situation. One that worries me every day considering the fact that my entire extended family lives in Monterrey. 

This Week’s Quote

 

{Image Via Mary Ruffle}

Fabulous Room Friday 10.29.10

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would put an Ikea kitchen in my dream house files. Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t anything wrong with Ikea, but they have taken things to a whole new level with these shots from their upcoming catalog!

I honestly love everything about this kitchen. I would bring in some higher-end light fixtures, but other than that, I love the look. There is such a great balance between the more traditional look of the cabinetry and the raw, almost industrial feel of the space.

I really love the look of this open shelving against the exposed, painted brick. I don’t think I would do a kitchen with all open shelving, but since this kitchen already has a ton of upper and lower cabinets, this adds a nice touch.

Happy Halloween Weekend!

{Image Source}

The Style Files: Lee Kleinhelter

Lee Kleinhelter opened her fabulous Atlanta store, Pieces back in 2004 after sensing a void in the style market there. She sought out to create a concept that could bridge the gap between the mass-market stores we all know and high-end antiques dealers. Pieces offers a variety of unique textiles and accessories along with an array of vintage furnishings that have been given new life through new paint and upholstery. If you mention Pieces to most design lovers, they can most likely envision the store’s signature aesthetic. It is a great mix of unique furnishings, poppy colors, and amazing vintage inspiration. It’s a little East Coast, a little West Coast, and decidedly Southern with a modern twist, just like Lee.

Name: Lee Kleinhelter

Occupation: stylist, shop owner, mom

Hometown: Greensboro, NC

Current City: Atlanta

LDV: What do you love most about your career?

LK: I love styling and pulling pieces together. Editing and seeing a project come together is what I enjoy the most. 2nd most favorite would be bumping into a cool object or piece  of furniture that we salvage and bring back to life. So many of our pieces go through lots of steps, and it's always fantastic to see them transform. Of course, with our vintage pieces, the absolute final joy is when they find a great home. But back to favorite: by far it is editing and styling.

 

LDV: Where do you find inspiration?

LK: Restaurants, hotels, traveling ... But honestly it could be a paint chip, my child's new sippy cup or spread in a fashion magazine. I believe we all need to get out and see different things to be inspired. It's easy to get stuck in our daily routines. I also find it refreshing to stop and flip through old magazines. I'm so glad I saved some of my favorites since most are no longer in print. We are constantly on our phones and computers...so its nice to stop, relax and flip through the beautiful pages of what's gone on before.

{Room Designed by Miles Redd}

LDV: Who are some of your personal style icons?

LK: Miles Redd is just beyond fabulous. His color! And Billy Baldwin of course. I also spent hours studying architecture and building models in school. That is when I fell in love with Richard Meier (obviously love all the white grids). And then... I also have secret mentors in other areas of design (fashion, etc) who inspire me...I'll tell you about those some other time.

LDV: How would you describe your own style?

LK: Clean, WELL edited and styled with a punch of color.

LDV: What is the trait you most admire in a person?

LK: Honesty.

 

LDV: What is your principal weakness?

LK: Without a doubt, shoes.

8. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Always trust your gut feeling.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I'm not sure if its happened yet.

10. What is your idea of living “la dolce vita”?

Doing what I love for a living, and waking up every day with the two most important men in my life. I feel very lucky.

Bloom:  Palm Tree

Food: Cheese. Amazing cheese!

Drink: Lately, Skinny girl Margaritas (wish I had invented!)

Thing to Wear: Great shoes!

Destination: Would love to go back to Parrot Cay or St. Barts, both to die.

Season: Fall

Musician: Lady Gaga (dying over her clothes)

Television Show: All Bravo.. And Flipping Out. I can always relate!

Book: Sadly, lately, I don't have time to read.

{An Entry from Mrs. Lillien’s Blog}

Magazines: Vogue, Us Weekly, Elle Decor, ALL travel magazines

Blogs: Ms. Lillien

Texture: Soft fur (like our tibetan goat fur pouf...to die!)

 

Fabric or Pattern: Chevron

Color: Hot Pink...like our tufted hot pink/chrome chairs.

Scent: Basil

Extravagance: Have I mentioned shoes?