tastemaker: aerin lauder part two

Happy Friday everyone!  Now that the humidity has temporarily subsided in the DC area, I can't stop thinking about spending all of my time outside.   I wish I could say I'll be jetting off to the Hamptons or some other fabulous coastal retreat this weekend, but I'll be kicking around DC with a long list of home-related errands.  Of course I'll have to fit in some outdoor cocktailing....

Since I haven't made it to the beach yet this summer (where are my priorities!?), I've been looking through back issues of my favorite shelter mags for beachy inspiration.  One of my all-time favorites comes from the July/August 2009 issue of Elle Decor.  Our very own tastemaker feature girl, Aerin Lauder graced the cover and opened the doors to her gorgeous homes in Manhattan and East Hampton. 

I can't say this enough:  she's living the good life.  Hope you enjoy these photos.  You can read the article on the Elle Decor website  And I seriously hope you're spending this amazing weekend poolside, lakeside, or oceanside!

The East Hampton Home

\

The Manhattan Pad

images via elle decor | photographs by simon upton

a little nosh here, a little design there

abc kitchen nyc

My inspiration today is coming from three restaurants.  One in NYC, one in DC and one in Sacramento.

I've been lucky enough to eat at both Blue Duck Tavern in Washington and Ella's Dining Room in Sacramento.  After seeing ABC Kitchen photos online, I've added it to my list for my next trip up to the City.  Designed by Paulette Cole of ABC Carpet and Home, with a menu from Jean-Georges Vongerichten, it's no wonder this place looks so amazing!  I love the neutral color palate, the chandeliers, the white dining chairs and the beveled glass wall.

Next up on our tour of awesome restaurants is Blue Duck Tavern right here in DC.  Blue Duck has amazing food, a wonderful outdoor patio (I'm a sucker for al fresco dining), and design that makes you feel like you're sitting in Ina Garten's East Hampton barn.  Blue Duck's design concept comes from the talented Tony Chi, and the menu is the brain child of Executive Chef Brian McBride and Chef de Cuisine Michael Santoro. 

You're guaranteed to spot someone here on the Who's Who List. The first time I went, the Prince of Spain was there with his family, and the second time I went the President of Argentina was having brunch.  Blue Duck has fed everyone from Bono to this city's most famous couple.  I have to say, the best thing about the restaurant is that with all the movers and shakers coming and going, they maintain an air of complete comfort and casualness.  It's all about having a good time and eating great food at Blue Duck.  The interior design is just icing on the cake.  

giant black doors greet you as you walk up to the entry

The outdoor patio is to die for 

The final stop on today's culinary design tour is straight out of my old stomping grounds, Sacramento, California.  Sacramento has never been known as a foodie destination city, but trust me, if you ever find yourself in the area, treat yourself to a meal at Ella's Dining Room.  The interiors were designed by UXUS Design and the menu comes from Kelly McCown.  I had the good fortune of eating a wonderful meal with a great group of colleagues when I was in Sacramento for business in January.  We were a large group and everyone raved about the food and ambiance.  

ella's outdoor patio
(I didn't get to on the patio during my January trip, but looking forward to it on my next visit!)

Whew, long post from me today, but I want to hear from you out there.  What restaurants do you love for the food and design?

images from elle decor | ny mag | abc kitchen nyc | blue duck tavern | yelp | ella's dining room | interior design decorating blog

ready for the weekend

I've got a long list of weekend projects to tackle over the next few days and I'm ready to get going.  My backyard needs a little sprucing up to get ready for warm-weather BBQs.  I've also got to get my dining room in shape now that I have a new table and plans to paint the walls a bright blue.  Finally, I've been inspired by my Wednesday post to inject a little turquoise into my office by painting the base of my lamp and re-covering my inspiration board.  I'll be sure to take pictures for my upcoming post on office spaces.  Hope you have a fun weekend planned!

P.S.  I've been meaning to post a link to this, but in case you missed the opportunity to gawk at the amazing gowns worn at the annual Costume Institute Gala held at the Met this week, Vogue has complete coverage on their website.  Red carpet photos can be found here.  A behind-the-scenes video of the event can be found here.  The video about what goes into planning the Met gala can be found here (it also includes a sneak peak at the Met's new exhibit, American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity).  Guy Trebay's New York Times article covering the event can be found here.  

image j.crew via MA Belle 

speaking of blue

Two more blue-themed rooms for your Saturday, both from domino.  Every time I look at back issues or see photos from the mag, I'm reminded of how much I miss it!  Hope everyone's enjoying the beautiful Saturday!


P.S.  Speaking of domino, the April/May issue of Lonny magazine should be going live today.

images from domino magazine

spring fever: blue is the color of the season

(Albert Hadley's NYC apartment)

It's hard to escape the amount of blue in this spring's design mags and blogs. House Beautiful dedicated their entire March issue to the color blue and featured an array of amazing paint colors. I just checked out the newly re-designed Elle Decor website, and they're featuring a slideshow of gorgeously-desgined blue rooms, including this stylish room from Albert Hadley's NYC apartment. I'll be helping my roommate paint her bedroom next weekend in a shade very similar to the one Albert used. Enjoy the rest of the pictures!

all images from elledecor.com