May 31, 2010

FARMER'S MARKET | LOCAL CSA



Farm eggs, mustard greens, strawberries, beets and summer kale from Arrowhead Farm

Early summer is a perfect time of year to cleanse your body and soul. June gives us our longest days from the earliest morning sunrises to late evening sunsets. In the first week of May, I did a three day juice cleanse through American Yogini. Since, I've been thrilled to visit my local farmer's market every Sunday and fill our kitchen with the most incredible greens imaginable—delicate mizuna, spicy mustard greens, tender summer kale, colorful swiss chard, ruby beets with greens, tender lettuces, and my favorite... heavenly arugula. I've added the mizuna to fritattas and the beet greens with apples and ginger and limes and turnips to my juicer. The most important thing we can do for our planet and ourselves is to eat locally. I celebrate Arrowhead Farm here in Newburyport. It has been a working farm since 1683 and is one of our many local CSA farms {Community Supported Agriculture}. Arrowhead, like most CSAs offers a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs only in their seasons; along with a full selection of farm products including eggs, meat and cut-flowers. There is nothing quite as delicious as farm fresh, local eggs. Read more about eggs on Dominique Browning's inspiring blog.



Find your local CSA here.


May 27, 2010

SUN HATS BY ROBERTA FREYMANN

I can't believe it's finally Memorial Day weekend and the official launch of summer and all of its delights—lazy afternoons in the hammock, bike rides, ocean walks, shell collecting, ferry trips and farmer's markets. It's a great time for some extra sun hats around the house and I love these from Roberta Roller Rabbit — cool cotton canvas that are machine washable and easy to pack. Wishing you a wonderful holiday weekend and the beginning to a happy summer. ox

May 23, 2010

THE MAGNIFICENT 7 | AWARDS


I am honored and flattered that one of the most interesting blogs out there... Little Augury has personally selected My Dog-Eared Pages for two awards—Prolific Blogger and Beautiful Blogger Awards. The Prolific Blogger Award is given to blogs recognized as "...intellectually productive, keeping up an active blog with enjoyable content." Wow, I am speechless as a recipient, and in return for this Prolific Blogger Award, it's tradition that I pass along the award to seven other bloggers, referred to as the "Magnificent 7."

Of course, I would naturally vote Little Augury as one of my Magnificent 7 because I love her blog. Author, PGT has a life-long career as an interior designer and delights us daily with her Devastating Beauties series, Edith Sitwell tales, and so much more. Little Augury is social history, style, design, and architecture all wrapped-up into one smart, interesting and sophisticated blog. It's a must-read! Thank you Little Augury for recognizing My Dog-Eared Pages.

MAGNIFICENT 7


Ivan Terestchenko
I love artists and Ivan is an extraordinary photographer who blogs a daily visual diary

Le petit salon de Marladas

The Plastiki
A voyage drawing attention to the health of our oceans

Expedition leader, David de Rothschild

Hollister Hovey
Hollister and her sister Porter are on the pulse of authentic cool and are fabulous "it girls"


Hollister {left} and Porter {right}

Trail of Inspiration
Designer Lulu de Kwiatkowski's bright new blog that genuinely inspires

Batik Shells by Lulu de Kwiatkowski

The Impossible Cool
"Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn." ~ Gore Vidal

Joni Mitchell

Style Court
A wondrous, historical weave is created with every post about textiles, art and interiors

A globe-trekker inspiration board

Slow Love Life
Dominique Browning's inspiring blog that reminds me to "slow it up"

Dominique Browning


As promised, and as a recipient of the Beautiful Blogger Award, I am to share seven facts about myself. Oh my... here goes:

1. When I was seven, I met the original Spanky from The Little Rascals... of course, he was quite a bit older then!

2. While at art school in London in 1977, I house-cleaned for a very rich Iranian family whose chauffeur delivered me back to my flat via Rolls Royce {not too shabby for a part-time job at 19!}

3. I love being an auntie.

4. I am a closet decorator and a lover of good style.

5. I love swimming in the ocean every day possible from May through October, sometimes November {brrr!}

6. I am lucky to have many life-long friends.

7. I love dachshunds, especially my dachshund Billy. ox

May 21, 2010

May 17, 2010

A NONCHALANT MOM



Carina Schott is the mom and talent behind the online store Nonchalant Mom. It's a stylish stop for a perfect selection of things to wear from baby to kids to mom, and things for body and home. Carina has an eye for chic, modern looks and has created an online store that I promise, you will return to again and again. I was delighted to chat with Carina recently:

Tell us about your fashion background, before the days of Nonchalant Mom:
I'm an oldie but goodie... I've been in fashion for 25 years now. I've worked for very high-end and lived in Italy {loved it} and then for big brands and lived in NYC {hated it}, but I loved New York and ended up staying for a while. I never found anything like where I stared; Esprit in 1985... it was a wonderful bubble, and then it burst. It's where I met some real creative kings that I still respect and watch {and I'm happy to say that many are still friends}. I feel like Nonchalant Mom is my little Esprit, it makes me feel really good and I like my customers a lot, they are a great bunch of women. But I really want to work on my own collection, Nonchalant Kids and I never seem to find the time!


Carina with her daughter Franny and favorite Hasbeen clogs {click image for a list of stores}

Current obsession:
It's Spring, I have a lot of them at the moment! I think that I will have to make a little list for you:
Fasting
Skin brushing with Britt Beautiful Skin
Rose Marie Swift "un" makeup {it's organic, you can practically eat it!}
Afghani shirts by Layla
Hasbeen clogs


Afghani Shirt by Layla

Last thing you bought:
Seeds and a truckload of organic dirt {well, half a truckload!}

Favorite vacation spot:
The Parker in Palm Springs {vacation}
Paris {pretend to work vacation}


Carina with friend Gunn at Brasserie Lipp, Paris and the pool at Parker Palm Springs

Reading now:
Star - How Warren Beatty Seduced America by Peter Biskind and I pretend Vanity Fair is a book and read it cover to cover.



Listening to:
Neko Case and Peter Sarstedt

Inspiring artists:
My husband, Karim Hamid, Jenny Saville and my friend Peirangelo D'Agostin {although he is a designer, he is more like an artist}

Can't live without:
Brown rice and Umeboshi plums {that, and a good Manhattan!}


Portrait of son Sander by Carina's husband Karim Habid and Nonchalant mom's Mac with Manhattan

Store picks {other than nonchalantmom.com}:
Home • Tortoise in Venice Beach
Clothing • Huset and Layla
Italy • Un Momento Nordico

Inspiration from nature:
I think I moved to Rhode Island because of the beautiful rocks at the beach... But I have to say, I do everything I can outside—I hang out my laundry, play with my kids and we eat outside when weather permits. Our home is in the woods and it's great! The colors, the sounds, the animals... it's all so inspiring!


Franny flying by on her skateboard

Most precious belonging:
My father's watch - he died when I was 10 and I can almost feel him when I wear it.

Favorite shape:
A heart

Color of the moment:
Bright blue

Cocktail of the moment:
I make the BEST Manhattan

Favorite room:
My bedroom {and I don't mean that to be sexy, I'm tired!}


Carina + gang: husband Karim, son Sander, daughter Franny and dog Marley

Museum pick:
The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis

Favorite item of clothing:
My Makié jacket - she is amazing!

Most comfortable shoes:
Jack Purcell sneakers

Favorite time of day:
Climbing into bed at midnight {although it's REALLY wonderful if I can get in there earlier!}

Something great you already knew about design when you were 18:
I think that I already knew at 18 if something is made really well, it's beautiful

Words to live by:
Don't run in clogs!

Thanks Carina oxo

• • • • • • • • •

May 8, 2010

THE SPIRIT OF MOTHERHOOD


My sister Carla and her daughter Emily on left. And, Emily and me on right.

My mother Suzanne died of breast cancer at the age of 42 when I was 8 years-old and from that moment forward, I just dreaded Mother's Day. This continued until many years later—when babies were born into our family. I don't have any children of my own [except for a dachshund!] and the day my sister Carla asked me to be her daughter Emily's godmother, was a happy one indeed! I cherish the relationship I've had with Em since the day she was born. My sister has always considered me a second mom and has shared the precious role of motherhood with me at every turn. She is generous with the spirit of motherhood. So, it is in the spirit of motherhood that I wish all moms a very Happy Mother's Day.

May 5, 2010

MIX-IT-UP



I love mixing patterns wherever possible... with napkins, too! You will find a yummy selection of cotton napkins on the Roberta Roller Rabbit site. The fabrics are created using centuries old block-printing techniques by artisans in India. After carefully being printed by hand, the fabrics and are laid out in the sun to dry—creating brilliant hues.


May 4, 2010

WEEKEND GUESTS | FLOWERS


While I was at Anthropologie yesterday, I discovered these wonderful small vases. I am always ready to buy a small vase, another Indian-print bedspread, and any type of good canvas-y bag. Small vases are perfect to tuck just about anywhere. And, right before guests arrive... I love to create small, tidy arrangements for bedside tables. I might select freesia and maidenhair fern for the Fondant vase on the left, large purple anemomes and lavender for the Seahorse Trio vase, and ranunculus and euphorbia for the Staghorn vase. How about you?

May 3, 2010

ANTHROPOLOGIE | INDIA




Anthropologie does it again with a May catalog adventure to India. You can take a look at the land of lemon and cardamon here. Springtime fashion at its best.

May 2, 2010

THE 111 NAVY CHAIR



Coke and Emeco have partnered to create the new 111 Navy Chair—made out of 111 recycled plastic Coke bottles. The chair, which is exclusive to Design Within Reach sells for $230 and is available in persimmon, flint, white, grass, charcoal, and Coca-Cola red. I love the red, but the best part is that the production of this chair is expected to keep 3 million plastic Coke bottles out of landfills each year.