Here we go again.

For the nursery, which was painted before the baby was born, the choice was turquoise. "I figured the blue had enough green so it would work for either sex," Ms. Louie explained.


Another totally newsworthy home featured in the paper of record. HERE.

In search of a less bleak playground, the toddler pedaled faster.

HERE.

Dwell gets a much-deserved spanking.

(Thanks E for sending.)

Belize Trip Review - Jay and Heide - Hackensack, New Jersey, USA - September 2009

This place is simply fantastic…and unique. The scenery is beautiful, the dogs are protective, the service is great, the food is amazing and the people are wonderful.

We feel like we have made a lifelong friend in David. He is one of the greatest guys. We never got a chance to hike with him at night in the jungle, but we know it would have been memorable and we know he is going to make a great guide one day. Test him on his knowledge of the land and the birds and his Texas Holdem Skills!

We did the Caracol and the Cave Tubing/Zip Line tours with Luis and the ATM Tour with Emil.

The best thing about our experience is everything we learned from David, Luis and Emil. These guys have a wealth of knowledge and are willing to share with anyone who asks. We hope to never forget anything on this trip but will certainly never forget the people we have met.

Thanks Jungle Dome!!

Jay & Heide (just married)
Hackensack, NJ

September 19, 2009

This kitchen: Yes or No?

"I wanted a place where the dogs can get up on the furniture, where I can make a mess in the kitchen," she said. "My biggest thrill is making omelets for my friends. In New York I don't even know where my kitchen is." - Joan Rivers

HERE.

Deep freeze.

From the New York Times:

Serious cold, Justen Ladda said, is when the sponge in the kitchen sink feels like wood or the toothpaste freezes or the refrigerator turns itself off, as it did one particularly frigid day last winter. Not that Mr. Ladda, a 56-year-old sculptor who has lived heat-free in his Lower East Side loft for three decades, is bothered by such extremes. “Winter comes and goes,” he’ll tell you blithely, adjusting his black wool scarf and watch cap. (Along with fingerless gloves, long underwear and felt slippers, they are part of Mr. Ladda’s at-home uniform when the mercury dips.)

Mr. Ladda, whose work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, decided long ago to live without central heating. Proper temperature control, you see, would require insulating his wooden ceiling, and ruining its fine acoustics. “I know this sounds really lame, but I listen to a lot of music and it just sounds better,” he said. Also, the rent on his unimproved live-work loft is only $300, well below many people’s winter utility bills.

More HERE.

Slide show HERE.

Could you? Would you?

Is it spring yet?

I can’t wait to garden. I realize I am a few months away, but still.

Mmm. Twinkies.

Still shaking my head over the writer of Decorno, who apparently only knows three yummy recipes and is resolving to learn more this year. What’s astonishing is that the writer thinks it’s an achievement to follow a recipe for Boeuf Bourguignonne. And that one of the commenters succeeded in ruining one! Maybe they really do grow up on Twinkies over there. HERE.


Fuck. Now I am hungry for Twinkies. Thanks a lot, Chookie.

Belize Jungle Dome has won a 2010 TripAdvisor® Travelers' Choice Award for BBs Inns - Central & South America

• Belize Jungle Dome

Belize Jungle Dome was chosen as a Best BBs Inns - Central & South America Hotel by TripAdvisor® in its 2010 Travelers’ Choice® awards. Now in its eighth year, the annual TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards honor the world’s best hotels, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travelers.

Unlike any other hotel awards programs in the world, TripAdvisor® Travelers' Choice® winners are based on the millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions about hotels on tripadvisor.com™ and content from across the web.

“Inspired by the millions of trusted traveler reviews and opinions on TripAdvisor.com, the Travelers’ Choice awards have once again highlighted the finest hotels in the world,” said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. “From remarkable bargains to the trendiest hotels, travelers worldwide are recognizing more than 700 hotels for their outstanding service, value and quality.”

For the complete 2010 Travelers’ Choice list, go to www.tripadvisor.com/travelerschoice.

Busy.

Kinda busy last few days. Sorry for lack of quality posts.

News:

Totally in love with Jersey Shore. Why can't you guys start calling me DWOWW?

I tried making homemade tortillas this weekend and it was a bust. Too cake-y. Maybe I didn't put enough water in? I used flour, not corn, followed a well-reviewed recipe, let the dough rest and everything. I need to know the secret! Someone help, please.

I made homemade mac & cheese, THIS recipe. WOW. I also baked it at the end to crisp up the breadcrumbs. Bad idea. Just out of the pan is best. Next time I am going to put bacon in it. And a little garlic.


Talk to me. What's happening, my people?

Remember that kitchen? The owner speaks:

Did you read THIS post? Here is follow up from Mark, the owner. (Mark, thanks for leaving our comment on that post.)


Wow, thanks for all of the discussion about our house. I'd like to help some of you understand how we use this kitchen. I cook everyday in this kitchen. I am a foodie and am in the process of getting an Italian cookbook/memoir published. All of the recipes in the book were tested in this kitchen. When we have parties in the house, whether it is for a couple of friends or for a party of 200, I prepare all of the food. Trust me, this kitchen gets used a lot. True there is no "prep" area next to the stove, but the griddle surface on the stovetop is used as a prep surface and the marble elliptical slab behind it it a huge work surface. Some people step to their left or right to access their prep surface, mine is just directly me--just as close.
The sink is very functional, and unless you are taking a shower in it, the frames do not get wet. They have been there for 10 years and are still in perfect shape.

If you are interested in seeing the Sub-Zero fridge and the Bosch dishwasher, I invite you to check out my blog: www.mark-leslie.net and scroll down to the Oct 22, 2009 entry untitled "To refrigerate or not to refrigerate. There is a photo of that angle of the kitchen. The Sub-Zero is on the wall opposite the sink. Thanks to everyone for the comments both positive and otherwise. We love this kitchen. Oh, by the way, the kitchen is not huge, it is only 12' x 14' and is manageable and comfortable. HERE is a direct link to my blog entry with the fridge picture.

-Mark

Ina's beef bourguignon

I make resolutions with gusto. The reason I am able to keep so many of them is that they are often wildly selfish. (Request a month off of work! Go to Italy for weeks! Learn to make 12 delicious new recipes that can feed a crowd! Learn Italian! You see how this becomes so easy. Life-improving hedonistic things make the list. This is how I stack my deck in my favor.)

Tonight was dish one of twelve in my resolution to learn go-to recipes to feed a crowd. I went with Ina's beef bourguignon. I didn't follow the recipe perfectly because:

a) I didn't have the little frozen onions and I didn't really want to cook with frozen onions
b) I didn't have cognac
c) I didn't have a full pound of mushrooms. Poor planning on my part.

No matter. It turned out just fine. My people were happy, not to mention incredibly patient given that I started prepping and chopping and dicing at 6:30 and we only finished eating at 9:30. The recipe tasted a little too much of the cotes du rhone, so maybe next time I will cut back on that in favor of more beef broth.

I served it with garlic-rubbed crusty toasted bread. Holy god, sopping up all the broth-y business with the bread was delicious.

So there you go. I am going to call this a success.

Next up is mac & cheese with a white sauce, not the ghetto fabulous all-cheddar version I usually make. (Lisa - - I am trying to fancy this up for you. Get ready.) The closer I can get to the kind they make at Volunteer Park Cafe, the closer to heaven I will be.



Reggie, not helping.



Rickey, also not helping.



In other news, I bought THIS book and I am just in love with it. It's like cooking school in a book. It's fascinating. (Why didn't we get to read this in 7th-grade home ec? Oh yeah, because they were busy having us all sew ill-fitting Bermuda shorts since the sewing skill will be used exactly never again, and you will need to cook for the rest of your life... argh.) When the author details some assumptions in the beginning of the book, one of them is the use of unsalted butter. I feel so stupid. We always keep salted butter around because, duh, salt is delicious! But I bought unsalted for my cooking now that I am, you know, on this cooking rampage. UNSALTED. Heaven. How did I not know that this is how it's supposed to be?? I feel like a rube. Oh well. If you see someone standing at QFC eating unsalted butter straight from the dairy case, it's probably me. Just look the other way, please.

My friend emailed this deep analysis of decor mags, and it was too good to keep to myself:



"As much as I love HB, I will always think of Elle Decor as my first love. Reading ED is an erotic experience, at least when it's good. It's all about hitting that pleasure center. Whereas HB is about hitting the cozy button.

Elle Decor is dating, HB is marriage.

So what was Domino? Dry-humping in a bathroom stall at the club. (And I mean that as a compliment, of course.)"

This kitchen.

Let's discuss this kitchen from this month's House Beautiful. That kitchen is a grower. I liked it when I first saw it, but now I am just having dirty fantasies about it. Why isn't Lady Blogger Land afire with talk of this kitchen? It's pretty special. Everything looks very furniture-y. It's fussy, but a smart kind of fussy.

See more of the Richard Norris and Mark Leslie house HERE.

Philippine Vacation Destination: Subic Bay

Subic was first known because it was very near the former American base in the Philippines. Now, although the American base is no longer there, Subic has managed to keep up with modern developments making it one of the thriving areas in the Philippines.

Located in Subic is the Subic Bay International Airport which makes this place very accessible. This modern airport caters to international flights and can handle up to 700 passengers at one time. The Subic Bay International Airport is competitive when it comes to technology and security so one will always feel safe here.

The Subic Bay Freeport is one of the reasons why Subic is frequently visited. The Subic Bay Freeport is located north of Manila and it is surrounded by Olongapo City, Morong and Subic. Because of its strategic location, Subic Bay Freeport has become a deepwater seaport that can handle the largest ships. It currently services all kinds of vessels and is used by both importers and exporters.

Subic is part of the Olongapo area which is a known tourist destination in Manila. The former Subic Navy Base has been transformed into an economic zone and is now the center of recreational activities. It's also very easy to get to Subic from Manila because of the recent improvement of the North Expressway and the completion of the Subic-Tarlac expressway. The biggest attraction to Subic among tourists is the expansion of tourism facilities and the promotion of ecotourism. Add this to the fact that going to Subic is very affordable, we've got the perfect holiday right at our fingertips.

The Greater Subic Area has several provinces including Bataan, Zambales, Olongapo and the Subic Freeport Zone. The area is inherently beautiful thanks to its rich biodiversity, historical landmarks and white sand beaches found along the coastline.

A great place to stay at when in Subic is the Kokomo's Subic Bay Treasure Island. Being in a tropical island has never been so enjoyable than at this place where the beach is not just the main attraction but the whole relaxed atmosphere. When in Subic, it's a good idea to pick up diving and other water sports such as jet skiing and parasailing. Many offer these activities in Subic at competitive prices. Indeed Subic has something to offer the backpacker, honeymooners and just about everyone else.

A national landmark in Subic that is a must see when in the area us the Shrine of Valor. Among other trips that should be made are to the Zoobic Safari and in particular, the Tiger Safari which showcases a dozen or so golden-eyed tigers. The Ocean Adventure is definitely a wonder and Jungle Joe's World has many attractions for kids and adults alike.

Food is not a problem when in Subic even if one is a picky eater. There's a wide choise when it comes to dining and there are restaurants that serve international cuisine for foreigners who want a touch of home in their food.

Aside from being affordable and offering such a wide array of activities that will annihilate the word boredom, Subic is an affordable getaway for both locals and foreigners alike.

More on Philippines' best tourist vacation destination.

More Le Creuset research and a 2010 resolution.

Someone made a comment about Staub in the last post and I checked it out. That research led me to heated debates on the plastic Le Creuset lid handle which shouldn't be put in an oven. I thought this was a deal-breaker until I learned that you can either cook with it (many people do, rules be damned) or you can unscrew it and replace it with a stainless steal handle which you can buy as an accessory on Amazon, at Sur Le Table, or wherever. So that settles it because I've fallen in love with the carribean blue Le Creuset.



That leads me to this:

Why am I buying a french oven? Well, it seems like such a workhorse for making great food. And one of my resolutions for this year is to learn to master 12 really delicious dishes. I need to expand my repertoire. I make about 3 yummy dishes, but I make nothing that is truly special.

So imagine my horror when I learned I would be making Christmas Eve dinner (and New Year's Eve dinner, for that matter) and I realized I didn't have a go-to dish to make for 8 hungry people. I ended up making spaghetti with meatballs (tasty homemade meatballs, but still... what is this? 1950?). Then for New Year's, having exhausted my one big-feed dish (pasta), we gave up on cooking altogether, plopped 8 crabs on the table, and went at it like animals.

It's clear that I need to master better dishes if I want to have any kind of respectable adult life.


So tell me: What should I learn to make? Post to comments, please. Or tell me what your go-to dishes are when you are cooking for two, or when you are cooking for 6.


Photo from epicurious.com. RIP Gourmet...

Le Creuset french oven.

Which size? I am usually cooking for 2 -3 people. Help, please.

My beloved Ina tells me to buy a large one, but, you know, she's probably cooking up for every last person in East Hampton. She's popular, no? My crowd is a tad smaller.


In other news, I loved what she told Town and Country recently:

"I'm not an adventurous eater. I'm always interested in making something great out of what you can find at the supermarket or the farm stand. I'm not interested in what octopus eyeballs taste like."

How do you find a great decorator?

Someone has posted this question to comments twice now. Let's help.

“It almost seems like I owe you — and I don’t.”

“The client usually begins by pointing out things that they like,” Mr. Mishaan said. “It almost seems like I owe you — and I don’t.”

Mr. Logozzo, furious, sat in stony silence, barely making eye contact.

Mr. Mishaan proceeded to give a detailed explanation for every change that had been made, and for why he had opted not to make others.


Oh. No. He. Didn't.


You must read THIS design drama.

The writer responds.

Thanks for your note. The goal of the Habitats column is to focus on the lives of interesting New Yorkers and to tell their stories through the places where they live. When it comes to choosing subjects, I try to spread the net as widely as possible, geographically, economically, professionally, etc.

Sometimes the point of the story will be the amazing décor, sometimes it will be the ingenuity with which a family has stretched a modest budget, but mainly, I'm simply looking for good stories that give a sense of the variety of lives lived in the city. I found the young couple in Woodlawn interesting for a number of reaons, one of which was that she had such specific decorating ideas and he was so patient in accommodating her tastes.

Best,
Connie Rosenblum


**Also, thanks to a reader posting a link to THIS in comments. We are not alone wondering why this made it.

Why is this couple or this apartment featured?

HERE.

Reader mail: sofa fabric

Hey Decorno,

I need some feedback to make sure I don't make a big decorating mistake.

Redoing my living room (a very, very, very belated farewell to RA Shabby Chic!) and the first purchase will be a sectional. Not the prettiest piece of furniture, but it is the most functional choice for our lifestyle. I have a black dog and a fawn dog - pugs - which you probably know means they live on the couch, shed like mad and leave curious little stains behind. I also have a husband who has been known to spill a thing or two. Me? Thanks, I am perfect.

I am stumbling on the best choice for fabric. I am looking for something that will look nice for the next 10 years?! After living with slipcovers, which offer about as much stain protection as a Q-tip to grape juice and, hence require constant washing, I need to move to upholstery. What is the best choice? Color-wise I want to go with solid off-white or a light stone/taupe. I know: bad choice but I get bored easily and want to have a light, neutral room so I can simply switch out bold/colorful pillows and accessories and deal with my fickleness inexpensively. For fabric, I am being told leather (I can see the scratches already and that cold fabric would almost make me cave and buy a Snuggie) or ultra-suede (which I like but it seems like it would tear easily and act as Velcro to pet hair). The sales people and decorator giving me this advice do not have pets of their own. I would love to hear firsthand what stands up the best.

I am on a budget and looking at Mitchell Gold and Room & Board and both seem to carry the basics.

Please help me off the ledge I have been standing on for 3 months.

Thanks,

Jill

Best fake color names we wish were real.

This comment came in response to a thread asking people to confess costly decorating mistakes. I am not sure anyone can beat John's color name, but let's try.

Winner gets a free pony. (Must pick up in Seattle.)

Burj Dubai (Burj Khalifa) Fireworks Show, 4th of January, Dubai

Belize Trip Review - Ajay Padgaonkar & Family - Dec 2009 - San Jose, California, USA

What a wonderful place and fantastic people! From the first email inquiry response to the end of our first two days today, it has been a great experience. Lightning-fast responses from Karen made our planning of this trip very efficient. She has been consistently patient, resourceful, responsive and accommodating. The staff here at the Dome has been very friendly. Home-cooked food here is tasty and the choice for us vegetarians and vegans is great! David is always here and helpful. Luis is so knowledgeable on the Maya culture and history, he is an encyclopaedia. He is well read, has worked with botanists and geologists and is also great with the canoe and cave tubes!

Every Belizean we have met is friendly. The tour guide, William, at Che Chem Ha who owns the property and discovered the cave was very helpful and informative in the cave. His family made a simple but delicious vegetarian meal for us. I think this friendliness rubs off on the visitors too as everyone staying here at the lodge has been friendly. Sitting together for dinner at the same table promotes this friendliness even more.

The countryside is beautiful. The variety of trees, fruits and flowers is bewildering. Weather has been pleasant – not too hot, not too cold. Many roads are dirt roads and poverty is rampant and obvious but friendliness and simplicity beats all.

It is the last day here already and we are sad to leave this place as it has been like home.

Karen was wonderful in making last minute changes for us in the last 2 days. Tikal was excellent, zip line was great. The night walk with David was a neat adventure. We got to see crocodiles, monkeys, racoons, a variety of spiders, herons and other water birds. Luis is so full of information about the Mayas. The long ride to Guatemala and back was full of conversation. He is quite versatile with his knowledge of botany, caves, history and politics.

Karen you are the best part of this all; you made the experience memorable. Thanks a bunch! We will never forget how you cared for Tanya when she was sick the first day.

Ajay Padgaonkar & Family
San Jose, California

December 25, 2009

Nick Olsen for hire.

This just in:


As of today I am no longer in the employ of one Mr. Miles Redd, my boss and mentor and friend of 5+ years now. This was no easy decision, first of all because I adore Miles and owe him, uh, everything ... and there's that unfortunate Great Recession/record unemployment situation. But I'd be a traitor to my ME generation if I didn't feel entitled to leave a perfectly stable job and pursue true BLISS. Whatever that is. But I gotta be me!

So I'm officially hanging out my own shingle. Open for business. In 2010 I resolve to update this blog on the regular and get back to what brought me here in the first place -- high style decorating for folks who don't have a Mugatu-client-size budget.

You can read more on Nick's blog (HERE).

Costly mistakes?

HOLYHUDSON recently posted this comment:


Will you think hard and see if you have anything to add to my latest post?
http://holyhudson.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-biggest-design-or-renovation-mistake.html

I want to gather helpful, funny stories from as many bloggers as possible. I feel like you think long and hard about your decisions (and have a pretty enviable budget) so you may have avoided any royal f'ups. But maybe you have something to contribute?


This is a great question. Honestly, the biggest way we avoided costly mistakes was by not doing anything major for the first 4 years we lived in the house. This is my first house and I didn't know anything about remodeling or even, say, patching plaster. So we did nothing. It was very frustrating not being able to make big changes, but I am so glad we just lived with the house as it was for a while while I figured out what I really wanted. During this time, I saved a good chunk of money. This helped later on when it was time to update the kitchen. This way, I didn't have to cut corners on things I wanted to splurge on like the counter and the faucet.

KITCHEN MISTAKES
But I did make other mistakes. Lots of them. We didn't figure out under-cabinet lighting before we started the project and we still don't have them. I did ask the contractor to wire for it, but that part is left unfinished. Amateur move on my part. Not paying enough attention to lighting at the start of the project was my biggest mistake. So now, when people at work talk about doing their kitchens, I tell them 2 things: (1) figure out your lighting first and (2) splurge on your faucet if you having something special in mind (you will be touching it ALL the time, so buy exactly the one you want once you've saved for it).


COLOR MISTAKES
The other mistake I have made (or currently am making, really) is not making a color plan for the whole house at one time. I am not great with color and I've made several mistakes already. I should have sucked it up and hired someone to help with that early on. But, it's kind of a catch 22, because 5 years ago, hiring a color expert or designer was not in the cards and now it's possible. So, you know, maybe ask a friend with good design sense to help you figure it out if hiring someone is not an option at the moment.


GO SLOWLY
The other mistake I would have made if I'd had the money to do it back then would have been decorating the place all at once. I am certain I would be regretting furniture purchases made five years ago if budget hadn't kept me from making them at the time. My taste is kind of settling in. I am more sure of the things I like, less excited about trends, and more interested in buying things I will have for a very long time.


This is a great topic, so thanks for throwing the question out there.

What mistakes have you made? Any advice to give a new homeowner? Post them to comments below or post them on HOLYHUDSON.

Carrier and Company

Stumbled on Carrier again today. More info on the designer over HERE on So Haute.

Photography lesson.

I was poking around online looking at Peter Dunham stuff, and I noticed these two photos. Isn't it amazing what good photography (on a tripod, with natural daylight...) can do for a room? When I look at the top photo, the whole scene looks tired and a bit granny with that harsh light. And then I see photo B and I want to move in.

With more people blogging about their own homes, I thought it might be useful to re-post THIS bit of interior photography advice that Paul Costello was kind enough to email me a while ago.

Last night.

Good news! My night was nothing like theirs.










HERE.