Martini and Milk modern meets vintage

From California to the New York Island!

{Summer Cocktail: Mellini}

Welcome the first day of summer! I am on my way out of the door to grab as much summer as possible with the little twinkle star of mine. I thought of having this classic drink when I come back (probably panting from playing on the beach!) and you might be tempted to have one or two with me, too!

Introducing our Martini & Milk’s version of Bellini: Mellini!

You need: peaches, lemon, and Prosecco (Italian Sparkling wine) or champagne (though it may be a little too overpowering. Just a little) and…thirst.

Preparation: chill your champagne flute first in the fridge

1 ounce Pureed White Peaches

1/4 teaspoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

Sparkling Wine or Champagne

Peach Slice for Garnish

Pour pureed white peaches and lemon juice in bottom of a champagne flute.  Carefully top off with sparkling wine.  Stir gently.  Garnish with peach slice.  A 1/4 ounce of peach schnapps may be added to the pureed white peaches to give this cocktail a little punch:)

If you’re lucky like the Cape Cod goers, you could be sitting here while sipping your Mellini…Restoration Hardware always gets my attention.

Then, don’t forget to feed the baby! The pureed peaches, that is. With no alcohol, please, mommies. I love this Beaba baby food maker I viagra online got from our baby shower. I have been using it since Keira was six months old. It’s so practical, fast and easy to use for mommies and babies on the go! Just puree the peaches in this baby maker, pack it up for later and off you go again to the sand! You can get Beaba from William Sonoma. It’s BPA-free, by the way.

Keira will be sitting happily with her peaches on Mother’s Beach, Marina del Rey, in another Pottery Barn Kids adorable creation.

Have a nice first summer day! Life’s peachy!

XO,

Mrs. McM and Keira

Summertime…the Living is…Breezy!

“Summertime….and the livin’ is easy…fish are jumpin’…and the cotton is high…”

I can hear myself singing my all-time favorite summer jazz song over and over again everytime summer is near. I welcome summer with open arms and heart. With breeze. Two and a half months of warm weather. Well, supposedly. I know for sure that in paradise islands like Maui and Lana’i, the weather, the serene white sand and blue Pacific ocean are so inviting. I want to put my swimsuit on and jump into the blueness of heaven on earth. I wanted to share with you what I felt on Mr. & Mrs. McM’s honeymoon through the below picture of Lana’i beach, a little island across Maui…(the delirious newly-Mrs. took the photo)

Fast forward four years. I cannot believe that summer is here again ALREADY! What happened to winter and spring? Did I hibernate? I wish I could hibernate! But, the fact alone that I am a mommy of a busy toddler already means that doing any kind of a hiding action, let alone sleeping most of the time for months, is impossible! Sleep? What sleep? Besides, I’d rather sit watching Keira grow.

And be served summer goodies with a twist from Jonathan Adler!

Well, officially summer won’t start until June 21. But unofficially, it has started much earlier than that. And it always does. The summer bits and pieces have been occupying everyone’s sight, when shopping for things other than summer things, at Target, all across the nation. Target is just one example, of course. I just had to throw it in since I have an emotional attachment to this store. I can always find a reason to go to Target. So, among my many delirious visits at one local Target, I freaked out a bit. It was in April, the day right after Easter. I started seeing summer decoration items on the shelves, it almost made me dizzy (if it hadn’t for the beautiful colors).  Not only that it was the fourth month after the year just started, and that spring just had begun, but the color combo always absolutely reminds me of my birthday and this year somehow summer came a little too fast. (July 6, I’ll be turning 36. How nice, it even rhymes. Tweet me if you want to cheer me up that day, by the way. I’m a bit on a denial state of mind at the moment). Good thing I can always find a reason to throw (or go to) a party. Be it a party of two, twenty, or two hundred, your next summer parties can be fun and playful, or as quiet and serene as the Pacific Ocean…I am apparently still obsessed with blue these days. Vintage blue, navy blue, peacock blue, turquoise, baby blue, true blue, grayish blue. I am in love with blue. Blue is my color this year. Beaches. Blue sky. Swimming pools. And…apparently, retro fans and “friends”.

A “bestfriend”: the 1,700-square-foot Tiffany Suite at St. Regis hotel, NYC! (I miss this hotel. My former boss used to take me for many happy, HAPPY hours) This is a real deal. I just got this beautiful baby announcement by Lolo’s tweet today from Refinery 29. My jaw dropped and my blood rushed as I squealed. Imagine being in a “box” of Tiffany AND you could even pretend that you are by the ocean (if you even want to)…extreme ecstacy. Thanks, Lolo for cheering me up this good today! Let’s paint the town blue.

My dream house has always been a white house with a bright red door. But then I think I am obsessed with these blue doors now!

Bring in all the summer you can get no matter how close or far you are from the ocean! You don’t have to have an all-seashell theme just because you’re steps from the beach. And you can get all beachy even if you’re in the valley! Why not. The best thing about decorating a space, or coloring a door, is the feeling you are trying to nourish your soul through your eyes without the requirement for traveling far! So, don’t be afraid to try. You can always change your ‘destination’. Pick your summer color for your walls, doors, windows, or anything!

Glam by the beach? Coastal Living magazine made me want to stay in this room and stare at the beach forever. Bathe your room in whites, blues, gold accents and…chandeliers if you want to feel a little glam by the beach. Change the curtains to all white color or add color to all-white furniture and wall with prints in green, blue, and gold. When in doubt choosing curtains, go naked. Naked window, that is. Take off the curtains this summer and enjoy the luxurious ocean view that not everyone has!

Don’t have the ocean view? Not to worry. Just pose by the water in a blue tutu, print and frame the photo, then hang it on the wall for decoration. This would go so well with an all-white, floor-to-ceiling window of a loft in a big city away from the ocean view.

Presenting: my china cabinet. The distressed vintage look on furniture can make you feel like you are in a little cottage. By the beach or not. With a little chandelier nearby, you add an instant glam touch. Which I always love.

Here is the old-fashioned all-American classic decor that involves rattan and lanterns. I am crazy about lanterns. We even had lanters as our wedding favors! You can’t go wrong with a lantern in your small patio, big lanai, or huge deck. Put a candle in the lantern and enjoy the calming feeling while you watch the sunset. Pottery Barn makes me want to shop for lanterns again. And again.

Another red, white and blue classic beach style that I love from Coastal Living…just add fun.

Sometimes I wish we lived in a big house with a big backyard where could house a big playhouse for Keira and her friends. I would have a big patio and a swimming pool where I would lounge all day long (under a big striped, Viceroy-style umbrella) and fabulously be served by a personal butler who would bring me bottomless Mimosas and macaroons. Yea, could be nice. Enough daydreaming! This whole sweet business of Keira taking a nap for hours during the day sometimes gives me some dreamy thoughts. Well, they say, make the best of what you’ve got! I am happy to live in a small apartment home with a small patio enough for two chairs, a table, Keira’s wagon, a market umbrella (no stripes though) and some happy plants. So, no complaints there. Especially, if you like hammocks for daydreaming. Do you want to rush to Ikea tomorrow with me to get this hammock so we can lounge and pretend we are at the Viceroy…no butlers required.

I also know why summer came too early this year for me. I am convinced that it’s also because now we live by the beach. Not Maui. Though that would be nice as a summer home! In Marina del Rey where we live, it can sort of feel like we are on some kind of a getaway when we walk to the beach. Our patio is overlooking a tropical-looking courtyard with manmade waterfalls big enough that we can hear it from our home. We are steps from the beach so I keep telling Sean that I feel like we are on a mini vacation every time I am out in the courtyard or the beach. However, in California, the beach weather is always so cool , can be chilly and breezy at times, especially leading up to the core of summer. The sky can be gloomy in June. It may be summer but it’s 65 degrees (Fahrenheit, that is) and the ocean feels like ice water to me. OK, 72 on a “hot” day. Far away from where I was born (again, not Maui, but similar) where beaches were (and I am sure they still

are) the hottest spots in town (and where the temperature is measured by Celcius). Literally melting hot and humid.  Think drenched wet in sweat and frizzy frazzled hair. I am actually thankful that I don’t embrace the sweat everyday anymore (not necessarily eliminating the frizzy hair part though) but the living by the beach in summertime here in the marina is easy and…breezy (and always sexy!).

Be beachy and safe, darlings! Have a fun summer!

Smooches,

Mrs. McM

Dramatic. Glamour. My Paradise in the Sun.

Spring is in the air. Palm Springs is my affair. Like the quote from Bambi, “You might be looking neither to the left nor to the right when all of a sudden you run smack into a pretty face”. In my case, pretty desert. I was blogging from Palm Springs, darling!  I am only attracted to boutique hotels that have the vibe and style of glam. And love was in the air for sure there at the Viceroy Palm Springs, with interiors designed by the modern-glamour designer Kelly Wearstler! Especially, right where I was editing this post: at midnight, poolside. Steps from our room. I wanted to mark my territory in every corner of this ‘desert home’ of ours. Unfortunately, the hotel is not mine but I feel like it always is. I just pretend it is. No, actually, the fabulous flamboyant gentleman at the concierge told me that the hotel was my home and he welcomed me back when I arrived. So, I was home! My love at first sight with the Viceroy hotels sparked in 2005, when I moved back to the golden sunny state from New York. My heart always skips a beat when I hear the word “Viceroy”. This is the heart of my Hollywood Regency style. It is where I planted my love seeds for the shiny addiction. Where I first found my home decor design style. My place in the sun where I can always find, touch and stare at images of beautiful, glamorous things. And that is why I feel incredibly  happy when I am at the Viceroy! Staying over night or not. I need my own Viceroyship flag. With the sunburst design, too, of course, representing my paradise in the sun. Beams and all.

What is exactly the “Hollywood Regency” home design style? Well, according to Mrs. McM: it’s all about the drama of shine and glam. It is a glamour, chic and sophisticated decor style that originated in the golden age of Hollywood, back in the early 1920′s and 1930′s. A style that gives you that “regency”, Hollywood Glamour feel. It’s a style that is decorated fully by ornate detail of Baroque design, lovely lacquered furniture, luxurious, gorgeous fabrics such as silk, satin, velvet and fur, and lusciously paired with metallic finishes, the sparkle of crystals, glass and mirrors. Think: Dramatic. Glamour. Gorgeous. Old Hollywood. Film sets were created lavishly for movies during the 1930′s era. The sets were dressed with highly theatrical accents that often featured tall white plaster floor lamps, mirrored dressing tables and fainting tufted sofas upholstered in rich satin or velvet. The colors of set interiors were often vibrant even though the movies were filmed in black and white. Regardless, the movies produced beautiful, darling, glamorous images. Just the way I love it.

I pretend that I was Jean Harlow sometimes…fainting, of course.

Dinner at Eight

Some may say that the style may be going to be out of date. I’d say, “Choose your dazzle.” Hollywood Regency that is arising to popularity these days has brought a lot of refreshing elements to home decor by combining the classical regency style with a lot more fresh modern touch. To me, it is such a flexible design lifestyle, a classic approach that never goes out of style since it allows you to mix and match the modern and vintage pieces you find. The interior designers popular from Hollywood’s Golden Age were Dorothy Draper, William “Billy” Haines, Elsie de Wolfe, and today’s talented leading designers such as Kelly Wearstler, Miles Redd, and Jonathan Adler have reinvented the luxurious lifestyle with more fresh modern baroque style. The publicist for William Haines Designs once said, “The whole concept is that this is a suite of furniture for an individual,” she says. “It’s classic furniture that never goes out of style. It’s back because it’s luxurious and glamorous, and because you can create an individual look because it allows you to mix and create your own living space.” Didn’t I say, it never goes out of style? Exactly. So, not to worry, you’ll always be fabulous in it!

I am absolutely obsessed with Dorothy Draper’s color combinations, broad stripes, utterly polished checkered floors, over-scaled classic traditional rooms, intricate mirrors, lacquered doors and wide use of chintz and plaster molding! All became strong elements in the Hollywood Regency style. In 1923, Dorothy Draper established the first interior design company in the United States.

In the 1960’s Billy Haines mixed his early love of Neo Classical elements with modernism. Chinoiserie was added to the mix to create the true Hollywood Regency look we now connect with the name.

“Welcome back, Mrs. McManus to the Viceroy Palm Springs”! Why…Thank you!  I was planning on posing in the hotel lobby, exactly like Kelly Wearstler here. Actually, I had been planning for quite some time and it still didn’t happen at this recent visit. The first time we were here, I was 8-months pregnant. The second time, Keira was about six months old. And then now, Keira is two and a half years old. Somehow, I got busier by each visit. I was always occupied with something more important than posing fabulously by the time I stepped into the lobby to check in.  Yes, the picture below is where you are greeted by the fabulous cheerful staff at the concierge desk (the beautiful designer is not part of the staff, by the way, sorry!), toss your duffel bag on the stripe-y chaise, get your credit card and driver’s license out and take a deep breath. You’re about to enter MY desert paradise. Ok, yours, too. And you’re about to contribute more numbers on your next credit card statement. But, it’s worth it! Just remember, it’s paradise.

The following pictures are all the reasons why I did not want to leave my paradise in the sun…At our very first visit, pre-Keira days – it was actually our “babymoon” because I was about to pop – we stayed at the ever-so-fabulous Dorrington Villa suite. It was an utterly darling villa I’ve ever seen and stayed. The suite we stayed had a beautiful living room, a fireplace, a powder room, a one bedroom and bathroom and a cozy stylish kitchen that opened up to a beautiful dining room with fabulous wallpaper all around, including the ceiling. All with the same touch of modern and vintage that Kelly Wearstler magically and equally created throughout the property. At the last two visits, we have stayed at the Premium Studio Two Queens Pool View room with a “step-out patio” that gives you direct access to one of the three glamorous chic pools. I miss the Dorrington suite like crazy. But, every room is so serene and smashing that you can never go wrong with whichever room you pick!

I JUST LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the VICEROY. Abundantly.

I had never craved for being pampered SO, SO much until I arrived, saw the spa menu in our room and fell in love all over again with the…spa design logo! The logo tells it all. The spa was not only fabulous, but I also received a real star treatment!

Citron. The restaurant, the bar, my special “sunny-side-up”!

Did I tell you that one night I was blogging from my laptop right at the poolside below – which was the view from our patio -, exactly in the fifth chair from the left? At midnight? There I was, in my beloved Viceroy bathrobe, sharing everything about my paradise with you!

I love love love “Hollywood Regency” style in every possible element of my home decor “extravaganza”. The glamour of the old Hollywood era mixed with the “hotel” feel attracts me deeply to the bottom of my heart. Colors! Oh how I love colors and this style gets me. I love the ingredients that made the look of the 20′s through the 60′s. One reason why I am so happy in this style is because I just LOVE celebrating the fabulous old Hollywood, the glamour of that era and having company over to entertain, having cocktails, just like when TV was less important during those years! I have adorned our living room, bedrooms and my little office at home for quite a few years with Hollywood Regency style in mind. Besides, I like to pretend that I was a movie star, living in the past… you know, “oh, daaahrling“!  The bold and dramatic decorating style has influenced Mrs. McM a lot in refurnishing her “homework”.

This is where I put my book down before going to bed…when I don’t pass out in Keira’s bed! Pier 1 Imports carries beautiful Hayworth-style mirrored furniture! I’ve got my nightstand below and Keira’s 4-drawer chest from there.

The bold colors that are distinctive Hollywood Regency elements are known to be in the reds, oranges, yellows, teal, kelly or apple green, pinks. They are mixed with the basic colors of white, black, cream, and brown. Put those bold and basic colors in broad stripes and the look will be so chic. Choose tufted upholstered chairs, sofas or headboards.  Add repeated geometric patterns on the upholstery or the wall. Put a lacquered Queen Anne chair in by the hallway or a group of them in the dining room. Hang chandeliers and sconces made with crystals or glass. Think shiny! Everywhere. Pick a mirrored end table, dress your room with a mirrored nightstand or dresser. Use mirrors on the wall and on furniture. Did I say shiny? Yes, cover the whole wall with different-sized of hanging mirrors. Add drama to the rooms by hanging silk, satin or velvet curtains on the windows, doorways, and even for the bathrooms. I love curtains. No wonder I love Hollywood Regency! Curtains add drama and heavy ones create spectacular scenery. Throw furs and feathers on the sofa or get a rug with a lot of fuzzy furry things on it. (Faux of course!). That will definitely add a dash of opulence. And unusual surprising items are also part of Hollywood Regency characteristics. Layer in some chinoiserie pieces as part of the artwork, wallpaper and accessories, for example.

La Mill coffee boutique in Silverlake was designed by Rubbish Interiors, an interior design firm and store that can be your source for finding new customized Hollywood Regency style furniture or dramatic refurbished vintage pieces…

I found joyfully the round end table in the picture above at Target for $99! Yay!

When you feel blue, you might love these glam pieces from Grace Home Furnishings…

A Horchow Coffee Table

William Haines Bel Air Sofa

Someone else is as obsessed as I am! Tinyabode blog compiled these little darlings in its post on Hollywood Regency:

A year ago, a High School dear friend of mine Lydia gave me this amazing prescription created by the entertaining and talented interior designer Jonathan Adler. Life can be tricky sometimes. And I sure got the right remedy for it! Thanks, Lyd! What a sweet gift! I hope you know that I always adore your style, darling! And I definitely love this book! Especially, coming from the stylish you!

I just love the joy in Jonathan Adler’s reinvented version of Hollywood Regency. Shiny pink poodle, anyone? I want it!

I am getting a tad sleepy and will finally stop talking! A tad. I blame it on the chocolate I have been munching. Thank you for letting me pour my heart out to the fullest on my love for Hollywood Regency! Thanks for staying to read it

Oh, I almost forgot. I intend to keep this teal Viceroy keycard sleeve forever. The color matches my accent wall in the living room! Didn’t I tell you I LOVE the Viceroy? I LOVE! We’re so in sync! (For the wall if you dare like me, the color is “Peacock Tail” by Behr). Here’s my previous post about the wall: Nautical Time.

It’s REALLY time for me to wind down…maybe by watching an old movie and sipping a cocktail before taking off to my other paradise…the bed. I hope to see you in my dramatic dreams, beautiful people!

With love to you always, darling. May your style make you as happy as mine makes me. Rain or shine.

Mrs. McM. Mostly in the sun and mostly shiny.

Not Too Shabby Part I

My home represents a special place for me.  It’s where my dreams are first given life, it’s a safe place to sort matters of the head and heart, where people close to me gather and share a meal.  It’s also where I create….  And since this teeny tiny but very important part of the world is so dear to me, I surround myself with things that are beautiful, things that make me smile.  That’s probably one of many reasons why I love decorating my home so much.

Ask my family or close friends and they’ll all agree that I am absolutely passionate about Shabby Chic decorating!  I remember being in a home specialty store when I first came across Rachel Ashwell’s first book.

Flipping through the pages, I immediately felt drawn to her decorating style.  There was something about it that was comforting, so homey, like a warm fuzzy blanket in a cold winter night.  But it wasn’t just the comfort that appealed to me.  Shabby Chic decorating also epitomized beauty with restraint, character, and history.…..I was instantly hooked!

I even had the opportunity to meet her during a book signing over a year ago.

I started writing this blog post with the intent of providing tips on how to achieve the Shabby Chic look.  But, the more I wrote and mulled over which photos to include, I realized that my style isn’t strictly Shabby Chic….it’s also heavily influenced by other styles that I’ve come across in the numerous magazines and decorating blogs that I regularly visit.  So, what I share with you in words and images is what sticks out in my mind as the most important elements of Shabby Chic mixed in with other elements that I’ve picked up along the way from magazines and blogs.

Choice of color is a key element.  Shabby chic decorating is like being in a sea of white and neutral tones.  Blue and green help to create a peaceful and serene atmosphere, like a beach house somewhere in Nantucket. Pink and shades of it like red or raspberry add pops of color but should be used sparingly; otherwise, the look becomes too sweet.  I love how this raspberry colored planter that I bought from Anthropologie adds just a bit of color to an otherwise white background near my fireplace.

You’ll also notice that a lot of the pink from my living room comes from old faded rose paintings that I’ve hung on the wall.  Most of these rose paintings were purchased from eBAY.

Ahhhhh….and let’s not forget the French white enamelware pitcher with pink stripe.  It adds a subtle touch of pink on the other side of the living room.  These colors should be spread out throughout the room because it keeps the eyes moving and the look balanced.

These fushia ballet flats from J.CREW add a pop of color in my bedroom and serve as a decorative element.  Oh…….and I love wearing them as well!

I never thought I would say this, but I actually like having a pinch of black in my decorating scheme.  I love the contrast it provides against an expanse of white and neutrals.  And when used in small doses, it really punctuates a particular area.  Like this old fan that I got a while ago.  I’m even toying around with the idea of replacing the light blue lampshade in my living room or the green floral one in my bedroom with a black one.

I love how this little bit of black coming from this miniature portrait painting placed vertically between two small frames draws your eyes to the bedroom window.

The choice of furniture is also very important.  The key is to buy furniture that doesn’t look mass-produced.  In fact, most of the furniture in my home is from flea markets, antique stores, and yard sales.  Finding each piece is so much fun, almost like a treasure hunt.  You just never know what you’ll find on any given day!  Shabby Chic decorating is about mixing old pieces, pieces with history and character with clean contemporary pieces.  What appeals to me about antique/vintage pieces is the details and workmanship that is difficult to find in contemporary furniture/accessories…like the details in the frame surrounding the mirror from my living room.  I guess the romantic in me also likes the idea that someone else owned it…that if this piece of furniture, accessory or what have you could speak, the stories it could tell about the lives of its previous owners!

The settee in my bedroom was purchased from a nearby antique store.  I had it reupholstered in white linen to give it a more updated look. I love the splash of color that the red velvet pillow provides.  The old desk with light blue/green chippy paint that has the black fan on top of it in my living room is a perfect example of the shabby side of Shabby Chic.  It contrasts well next to the clean contemporary white slip-covered chair.

I adore this old farmhouse dining table that I purchased from a store in Pasadena.

What I particularly like about this look is that everything goes together wonderfully, but it doesn’t look so cookie cutter….in other words, it has loads of personality and charm.  This decorating style is feminine, but it also has masculine elements that tone down the feminine.  For example, the brown leather chair that I got from Crate and Barrel (it was a floor model and I got it for a steal!!) adds masculinity to balance off my largely feminine living room.  I also love its clean modern lines.

And just like a great outfit, one cannot forget the jewelry!  I consider this beautiful chandelier with aqua crystals hanging in the dining room as jewelry for my home. It’s definitely the chic part of Shabby Chic and adds

elegance to my place.  And, the color of the crystals reminds me of the ocean.  A more affordable alternative could be to purchase a simple chandelier from Home Depot and then decorate it yourself with crystals purchased from a craft store or a jewelry supply store.

When some people think of Shabby Chic, they automatically think of flowers….and lots of it….EVERYWHERE imaginable like Grandma’s house, almost to the point of being nauseating.  Although flowers play a pivotal role in creating this style, it must be used with some restraint.  Otherwise, the look becomes too girly.   Shabby Chic is feminine and romantic but this decorating style is also grown up.  As you can all imagine from my first blog, this was a bit difficult for me initially since I absolutely LOVE flowers.  But just like with a lot of things, moderation is key…….Okay, EXCEPT my bedroom.  I have to admit that in my bedroom, the restraint that I just mentioned went out the window just a teensy bit.

I incorporate flowers into the decorating scheme by having fresh flowers in a vase.

Images of flowers are also scattered throughout my home through paintings, tole trays, and pillows, vintage hat boxes, but never concentrated in one area.

Like this old pitcher that I got from eBAY….  I love the roses on it!

Or this tray on my dresser where I put perfume, lotions, and jewelry.

The delicately painted roses on this French tole tray is so beautiful!

I’ll stop for now and continue in a future post to discuss some additional elements of Shabby Chic decorating.  Stay tuned for Not Too Shabby Part II…..

xoxo

Antonette