Our Summer Vacation: Paris! London!

Lest you feel too sorry for me with my miserable health (thank you, by the way!), I thought I would share our summer vacation plans with you:

We're visiting Paris! And London!

A couple months ago, David and I decided it was time for an easy, breezy European vacation. Since we have only two weeks to spare, and neither of us felt like planning a big adventure, we decided to simply book two weeks in Paris. Ahhh...the romance!

This will be my 4th visit to Paris and David's second, but it's my favorite city in the world (so far) and I can't wait to return to my favorite haunts. Paris is like a second home to me as I lived there for a year as a student, where I studied for my master's degree. That year, I walked every street in Paris (or so it seemed) and know many neighborhoods like the back of my hand. My last visit was in 2003 so I'm overdue!

After we booked our flights, we began talking about making some day trips out to the French countryside and eventually stumbled upon the idea of visiting Normandy for a few days. I've already toured Brittany (pure heaven!) and a little of the south of France, but neither of us has visited Normandy. If we go, we'll visit the famous D-Day beaches from WWII, especially the beaches where the Canadians landed, and the Canadian memorials and graveyards around Courseulles and Beny-sur-Mer.

A second plan, which is rapidly gathering steam, is to do a purely urban voyage and visit London for a few days instead of Normandy. We can easily catch the Eurostar (fast train) through the chunnel, and (for several hundred dollars) have a very pleasant stay in London!

I haven't visited London before and have been voraciously reading guide books supplied by colleagues. Besides the sights, I'm already excited about having dinner at Gordon Ramsay's incredible restaurant. We may pass on the £120 per person dinner menu and simply have lunch. I have a colleague who recently visited London and spent £360 on the dinner service, including wine, with his wife! We're also considering Jamie Oliver's restaurant Fifteen. I am rather fond of Gordon Ramsay, however, so I think his hot Michelin-rated spot will pull rank over Jamie's.

We have yet to plan the London leg, so if you have ANY suggestions about places to stay or things to see and do, please, please send me your suggestions! Do you have a favorite home decor store, a favorite gallery, a favorite pub or restaurant, or maybe a beautiful garden you like to visit?

Also, since I was a mere student when I lived in Paris, I really didn't do much home decor shopping, so I'd love any suggestions you have about great home decor or fashion shops. What do you know about the Paris flea market(s)? From what I understand there is the famous one, but also several others that are less overwhelming. Any suggestions? What about restaurants? Do you have any favorites in Paris?

Your suggestions are welcome!

More travel plans soon...

Stop the World

I have been meaning to write a blog by this title for some time. What that means is that I have been feeling overwhelmed for a long time. I'd like to stop the world long enough to hop off, do a long list of things, sleep for about 6 weeks straight, and then hop back on. Stop it turning and stop time flying long enough to catch up (whatever that means).

I know that "falling behind" is purely psychological and that whether I accomplish anything today is really irrelevant (perhaps only to my boss). But still, sometimes it seems to me like the world is going so fast that I can't keep up.

In the past month or so I've had terrible headaches, worse than normal, which has knocked the wind entirely out of my sails.

Two weeks ago, I started a new drug (for pain) called Nabilone (also known as Cesamet), which is a cannabinoid. Nabilone is a synthetic form of THC, which is the active compound in marijuana, and has been found to help with all sorts of things, mostly with the nausea and pain of chemotherapy.

For the first few days it just made me sleepy and relaxed and a little "out of it" at work, but when I increased the dosage last weekend, I felt definitively stoned, for lack of a more euphemistic term. I'm not sure if it's helping my headaches, but who cares! I want to sleep all day, eat the whole time I'm awake, and I feel great! In the last week, I think I've gained about 5 lbs from having the full-time munchies.

Seriously, it's a dirty drug with a side effect profile that isn't great. And my pain hasn't really subsided by any great measure. Anyone who experimented with "mary jane" in their 20's will recall the (a) spaciness and lack of focus (also called happiness) (b) the general relaxation (c) the pasty dry mouth (d) the slits-for-eyes (does anyone else find it bright in here?), (e) the sense of joyful well-being and (f) the insatiable hunger for junk food.

If I manage not to lose my job and gain 100 lbs in the next month, I think this drug will be a success.

A few weeks ago I started to feel seriously depressed, and luckily that seems to have passed thanks to lots of sunshine (after two weeks straight of rain) and, perhaps, my new drug. I think my deep psychological rut (which felt like an abyss only a week ago) was a combination of my depressing trip home, the exhaustion of chronic headaches, a third round of sinusitis, a serious bout of the flu, and some miscellaneous work and home stress.

I don't think I actually fantasized about killing myself, but I did think a time or two how nice it would be to drift into a nice, warm fuzzy sleep and never wake up again. Or what I should say is never wake up with another blistering headache and have to go to work again. Plus, six weeks straight of post-nasal drip and sinus congestion is enough to make you go postal.

That being said, of course I would never willingly "do myself in" but I was pretty close a couple of weeks ago to checking myself into a nice hospital for a total and complete nervous breakdown. I think this would be an effective way to Stop The World, as they say. Plus, how lovely would it be to have an IV bag of liquid valium and a friendly nurse to change my bed every day and volunteers to bring around books and magazines and ice cream on little carts?

Yes, the chronic psychological stress of headaches and family worries took its toll. I was totally lost and didn't know where to turn. So I cried and slept and didn't sleep and raged and wept and got up and went to work every day anyway.

Oh, and did I mention I am now officially fat? I am not sure when it becomes official, but let's just say that my little cute micro fat rolls I developed this winter - they now have their own little rolls of fat, making double rolls. Seriously, I probably weigh about 150 lbs which isn't obese and isn't the end of the world. But after years of working so hard to stay at my ideal weight, I am not happy with this extra 20-25 pounds. But I have zero energy or desire to take it off. Well, I have the desire, but I don't even know how to start modifying my diet. I was always so strict with myself and exercised religiously, and now that I have let it all go, I don't even know where to start.

I don't mind the way I look, really, but the social pressure is ridiculous. Everyone is so thin these days and the teenaged girls are positively skeletal. Buying stylish clothes is hard, even at this weight (hello thighs!). And don't even mention bathing suits to me. Sometimes those burqas (burkas) that Muslim women wear don't seem like a bad idea. Imagine not having to do your hair every goddamned day? No more ridiculously complicated and tight women's clothing! No more shopping for ridiculous shoes! No more worrying about stupid outfits! I would consider this a blessing at least 3 days a week. I love fashion, but I hate trying to be fashionable when most stores don't seem to want to dress my (now very) curvy hourglass figure. Fuck 'em. I'll just wear my burka today.

So anyway, that's my self-pitying essay.

In other news, and there is always other news as the world continues to turn, with or without me:
- We have a wonderful trip planned for September (two weeks!) that I'll tell you about soon.
- My young cousin Alex graduated from university with his education degree and so we're hosting a little grad party for him and his girlfriend Chelsea (who also graduated!) tomorrow night. I've ordered a Congratulations grad cake and we will barbeque buffalo burgers and have salads and enjoy our glorious back yard.
- We've done plenty of gardening in our yard and it looks lovely. This includes working on all the beds, planting new perennials and annuals, and lots of containers. Despite my bout of depression, I managed to get lots done in the garden! Spending money at garden centers is a wonderful cure for the blues. I will post photos soon.
- I've done virturally no decorating. I did temporarily hang lovely new silk curtains in the living room but still have to get the appropriate rods rigged up. I hate window hardware!
- I went to my dermatologist today and he removed two annoying little moles (right near my bra straps) that have been rubbing and annoying. He also prescribed a medication for my face - I've had no end of dermatitis since moving to Calgary - which he said will clear up my skin beautifully. Unfortunately the medication is Accutane, which is a horrid drug that is a teratogen and causes birth defects and dry mouth and prevents you from healing properly (causes scars if you need surgery, etc). It is a nasty evil drug. Luckily I do not plan to get pregnant soon. But still, do I want this toxic drug in my system? Would I rather live with a flaking dry peeling red face or liver damage? I'm not keen to take this drug, but he's prescribed a low dose for 2 months and will see me again. I'm torn, because my skin looks great one week and awful the next and I'm tired of its rebelliousness! I'm tired of zits and red rashes and itchness and rosacea. That's what I get for being a fair-skinned english rose, I guess.

Oh, and to top off this wonderful month, I fell down the stairs on Tuesday night! I bruised my tail bone and all the muscles in my hips and butt. I could barely walk before today. As I was going downstairs, I reached out to pet the cat (who was coming up!) and lost my balance and started to fall. Since I was wearing slippery gym sockettes on my feet and my Lululemon yoga pants (very slippery), this did not help with stopping. So I fell all the way to the bottom. I really thought I had a broken back when I landed. Let's just say, I've learned how to put on my socks without bending over this week. And I've also learned that when you cough or sneeze, your little tailbone wags just like a puppy! Ouch! Coughing kills my coccyx. Who knew?

So, after that shitty month, I'm happy to be alive (and still employed and able to barely fit into a few of my once-baggy clothes). And thanks to my new Mary Jane drug, I'm fairly happy.

I still wish I could stop the world long enough to get back in shape and do some of my summer projects, but the world doesn't work that way, sadly. So back on the horse for me until the next wipeout. High ho!

And then came Windsor Smith

I’m always falling in love. No, not in real life (sadly) but in my magazine world! Every few months, I discover a new interior designer to love. My designer crushes make me swoon, but can be rather cruel too. It’s hard to find good gossip and you can’t always find examples of their work. Hey, a girl needs information (and photos!) to sustain a decent crush.

Like everyone, I’ve fallen for the big names. They’re easier to love, with more available photos of their work and more published information (like, say, an interview!), and if you’re lucky, your darling has published a book or two.


Over the past year or so, I’ve been smitten by Mariette Himes-Gomez and Victoria Hagan. And then I went a little wild and had a huge Vicente Wolf crush. Then, the dreamy (design-wise) Michael S. Smith smote me and I’ve been in love ever since. I often daydream of photos from his “Elements of Style” and wish I could plaster my body with them. Okay, now I digress…


I have mini-crushes too, like when I fell for Schuyler Samperton and stalked her worldly style on the internet for days.

Most recently I’ve fallen for (Her Royal Coolness) Windsor Smith. I was flipping through a neglected issue of Domino from last summer and WHAMMO, there she was in all her Windsor-ness, showing off her classy, cool California home. I didn't fall for any particular photo - just her groovy personal style, her classic and classy but approachable interiors, and her lovely colour sense. I am smitten!

I find it hard to describe styles to other people, but to me, her work is sophisticated and refined, but also quiet and soothing and liveable. She loves chinoiserie and classic details. And she chooses the prettiest, most perfect colours imaginable. She effectively deploys an arsenal of pale, watery blue-greens and pinks, soft creams and whites, and dusty old muted blues and purples and greys. Plus, I love her unexpected punches of warm colours, like this golden-yellow to keep you on your toes! Pure heaven to my eyes!

The following photos (some rooms are the same as above!) are from Windsor Smith's own L.A. home, as photographed by Miguel Flores-Vianna for Domino, August 2007 (endless thank you's to Style Court)

And to keep you drooling, this glorious sofa (Chloe) is from Smith's own collection:

Isn't she lovely?

A Lovely Wall

I love this bedroom for its simplicity, its spare decor, and tranquil colours. But my favorite element, by far, is the giant bas-relief carving over the bed. What a find! This delightful and rare sculptural piece lends character and drama to the already-charming room.

Architectural-looking pieces like this carving give rooms an old world, sophisticated feel without much fuss. They're an interesting alternative to the typical framed art which adorns most of our walls. But the real effort is finding these gems! While you don't stumble upon massive carvings like this every day, some delightful character pieces can be found at many architectural salvage shops. These pieces can be used as-is or re-fashioned into wall art.

Architectural salvage shops collect and sell myriad architectural elements used in home and garden design. Many come from historical buildings being torn down or renovated and the best classical gems come from old Europe. These include old balusters, corbels, columns, windows, doors, gates, and statuary. Garden decoration, including urns, fountains and ironwork furniture, is often available too.

For the more down-to-earth collector or renovator, many shops in North America specialize in old house parts, industrial salvage, and barn and farm salvage. Some specialize in custom parts, say for every imaginable light fixture ever invented, while others have massive collections of hinges, knobs and pulls. Still others specialize in windows and doors.

Imagine your bedroom with a stunning old character window, installed in a wall, or hinged and hung against a wall. Ironwork gates re-fashion into unusual wall hangings or charming interior windows. The possibilities are endless. In Calgary, architectural salvage is available at Uniquities and Traders of the Lost Art. There may be others, but I have only visited these two.

From my visits, Uniquities is a smaller and tidier store which seems to focus more on British finds, with many things geared toward the garden. There are also some large architectural and smaller decorative elements. Traders of the Lost Art is a very large, meandering shop which features a larger and broader European collection. In addition to their great architectural collection, they also carry antique furniture, mirrors, lighting and smaller decorative elements.

If you are ever in town, look them up, and take home a rare and exquisite find!

The Artful Foyer

Since we finished painting a month ago, our front hall remains painfully bare. I quickly put away the painting gear and replaced the (temporary) rugs, but otherwise, the walls are bare. Not a terribly inviting space!

And yes, for those who asked, we do intend to replace all our trim work and moldings in the future! Either I will buy a mitre saw or we'll hire someone to take care of the whole catastrophe and give me seriously tasteful new baseboards and trim. In the interim, I had planned to paint it all white (to hide the hideousness of the brown contractor-grade trim), but our painting contractor quoted us another $1500 to paint all the trim in the house!!! I wasn't keen to waste that much money on a temporary fix, so we shall live with the dreary brown trim until I (a) get out my paint brush for the next 20 weekends or (b) buy myself a mitre saw and a DVD box set of "This Old House".

But to heck with fundamentals...back to decorating!

As I posted before, I'd like to put a pretty mirror in this space, with a small "demi-lune" wall shelf below (since there's room for very little else). But finding the simple, elegant mirror and shelf I have in mind (or even a middling alternative) may take a while.

The space does have one thing going for it - a rather pretty antique light fixture which is far more lovely than this photo suggests. There is also plenty of light and a nice little coat closet (where I've replaced ugly brass knobs with cute little glass ones).

To get our foyer started, I plan to replace the rugs and put some pretty framed art on the walls. The art we choose is important as it sends a first message about our tastes and style! I want it to be gentle and lovely and simple, and I want it to say "calm" and "peaceful" and reflect the pared-down traditional look we've chosen for the house.

While I don't want to over-emphasize the rosy purple colour of the light fixture, I'd like to choose a few prints that complement it and also work with the creams and greens and pale tones of the living room.

I like these giclee prints from Pierre-Joseph Redoute, which are all available on the consumer-friendly (no taste required) site www.art.com. These prints are simple, pretty and historical-looking and will work nicely with the old-fashioned botanical and bird prints I have elsewhere on the main level.

I also adore the swirling goodness of Arts & Crafts motifs, as shown by example in these delightful wallpaper prints from William Morris (also available from art.com). I'm not sure if these would work in the foyer, but I do think I might need to buy a couple of these for elsewhere in the house!
Choices choices. What do you think?