Quick Visit to El Museo del Barrio

About 10 days ago my psychiatrist said getting out and exercizing, even if it’s just walking a mile or two, is an essential curative action for my depression and grief. Despite my new 20mg Lexapro subscription, I’ve been spending about half my days in bed, in a darkened room, feeling bad, so I decided today to take this advice to heart.

El Museo is small and friendly and all about how tough it was/is to be a Puerto Rican in New York. There are fewer but similarly inspired works by Dominican and Mexican Americans also.

I wish I could say spending a good 40 minutes considering the systemic oppression of Latinos made my personal problems seem small by comparison, but it didn’t. Aren’t all catastrophes essentially personal?

It was a nice experience and reason to get out of bed nonetheless. Kind people, good art, good restaurant, and the entrance to the area of Central Park with the formal garden and duck pond is right across the street.

I walked around the pond a bit despite the rain. That was the theme of my day: sometimes it rains; sometimes it’s dark and gray; whether it’s the weather outside or the weather in my mind, from now on I won’t let it stop me.

The obstacles I’m facing are pretty serious, but the world didn’t end today.

Gritty Sh*tty Tribeca

I . . . never loved Tribeca. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t turn down a multimillion dollar cast iron palace à la Blake Lively and Harry Styles, but the reasons celebs love it tend to be the very reasons plebes hate it. Street life is nil . . . many brunchy bistros, all with very expensive potted plantings rotated biweekly; the occasional superbougie toy shop or book store; dive bars, dollar pizza places, graffitied vacant storefronts, and brutalist highrises mix indiscriminately with the sedate, darkened lobbies of luxury condo buildings made from gutted Victorian factories and warehouses.

Façades remain deliberately gritty and retail deliberately shitty for the discreet, impressionist lifestyles of the überrich: going about their business in chauffeured black cars, they do not participate in street life; from afar (say the huge windows of a $20 million loft apartment) the graffiti and grime are picturesque and “old school New York.” Dollar slice shops are headspaces to glance at punk teenagers and daydream, NOT a dietary option, symbol of class polarization, or symptom of an urban food desert.

For all my disdain, I understand how the neighborhood remains aesthetically inspirational for many. So here are some themes I like in Tribeca!

1. The neon lighting shops along Canal. This has been an electrician source place for at least 70 years, and they don’t bother doing anything with their windows at all, which is fun!

2. Graffiti . . . this is what the tourists come for!

3. Brutalist architecture and public sculpture

4. Art Deco

5. City Hall Park. Small enough for a peaceful pretty stroll, and the golden statue Civic Fame is visible from almost anywhere in the neighborhood, calling like a beacon of serenity.

And here are two unique spots I just like:

1. The Ghostbusters fire station? How have I lived 36 years as a native New Yorker and not realized this?

2. Philip Williams Posters. Local legend since 1973 and he’s in the shop every day, a decorator MUST

Hanging Around the Brooklyn Museum

Every time I go to the Brooklyn Museum, I spend the whole day there. I fully intend to venture out towards the other attractions of Prospect Park, I just get sucked into the place! It’s the perfect size museum to do in a day, special exhibitions included; the cafeteria is scenic and peaceful for a solo casual meal and the restaurant is viable for a business meeting.

On a beautiful day, the sunny plaza in front is also a great place to sit and eat something from the food trucks that line up outside. There’s usually popcorn, ice cream, pretzels, hot dogs/fries/classics and halal available.

Unfortunately photos were not permitted in the Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving exhibit, so stay tuned for an additional post discussing that with professional images.

Meanwhile, I checked out Infinite Blue, a collection of art & objects dating from 3500 BCE to the present focusing on “spiritual, powerful, beautiful blue”; Arts of Korea, featuring decorative arts through the centuries and Kwang Young Chun: Aggregations, very recent work from a contemporary South Korean artist; Eric N. Mack: Lemme walk across the room, the first NYC solo exhibition by the artist; and the iconic permanent installation The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago.

I was losing steam by the time I sauntered through One: Egúngún, and finished my visit breezing through the permanently installed Period Rooms and Decorative Arts collection I am so familiar with.

The Brooklyn Museum permanent collection is also so great at teaching American history through art; it’s a lot more digestible than the American Wing at the Met.

For me, the fun in going to museums is noticing little things I never have before. On this visit I noticed how Klimt must have been familiar with and inspired by 18th and 19th century Korean or Chinese portraiture when creating his famously gilded, ornate, abstract, two dimensional backgrounds; I also got up close for the first time and observed how 3D and textural the best stained glass is, with rocks cut like rocks, and petals softly rounded like petals. The effect was sadly impossible for me to catch on camera in the limited time I had before the gallery closed!

I wasn’t able to eat in the neighborhood, but at least I took the time to stroll past the Brooklyn Public Library and Grand Army Plaza monument to the next subway stop. What a lovely day!

Rockefeller Style: Inspiration & Picks from the Peggy & David Rockefeller May 2018 Auctions at Christie's

Wealth, New York City, politics, modern art, banking . . . the name Rockefeller evokes such strong associations of privilege that most people assume they couldn't pick up anything from their style. After all, what room wouldn't be improved by a Renoir or Picasso? What dinner wouldn't be beautified by a service made for Napoleon?

Looking over the Peggy & David Rockefeller auctions, though, there's a lot to be gleaned by the average decorator. The areas in which they chose to collect (apart from blue chip art and gems) are both indicative of their milieu and easy to imitate, with high quality reproductions or inspired modern products:

• Granny's antique porcelain dinner and dessert services, with hits from virtually every active region of creation in the 18th and 19th centuries (Sèvres, Coalport, Minton, Wedgwood, Edo period Japanese, Chinese export, Herend, Meissen, etc.)
• lots of coats and crests engraved on silver, almost all George II & George III, with emphasis on tea and chocolate pots and salvers/waiters/trays
• animalia in textures from Meissen porcelain figurines to vintage wooden duck decoys
• exotic souvenirs including Greek relief pottery, gilded Buddhas, Chinese watercolors, African masks, and Persian miniature paintings
• English furniture, again almost all George II & George III, with a focus on veneers and inlays in amboyna, amaranth, and fruitwoods
• Americana: hurricane lamps, naïve portaits and nautical paintings, southwestern Native artifacts
• comfy Victoriana: andirons, tea caddies, bedwarmers

The classic palette is also of note: hallway and kitchen walls are ivory; rooms for entertaining are mustard yellow, cherry red, apple green, and papered; rooms for relaxation and reflection are wood paneled. Floor length curtains with matching pelmets are the only sort of window treatment, with chintzes featuring prominently. Upholstery is the aforementioned chintz, silk damask, cotton velvet, or needlepoint. Rugs are antique Oriental carpets only.

Finally, the arrangement of objects is very classic: art and lighting is always centered, tablescapes always symmetric, lamps and side tables only come in pairs, every mantel is furnished with a garniture. Lighting comes from sconces, chandeliers and table lamps, no overheads or standing lamps. Folding screens artfully hide doors; most every surface has a decorative bowl or grouping of humorous porcelain figures flanked by a pair of table lights. Display cabinets abound, and mirrors are set up to reflect careful arrangements of objects, rather than expand the feeling of space. 

The online sale lasts a week, starting May 1st, and there are several items with estimates below $1000. If you need a special touch or conversation piece for a room, these are my picks:

In Perfect Taste: Moda Operandi Starts Selling Housewares

My heart flutters when I 'windowshop' Moda Operandi fashion, and their home decor is no different.

Today they debuted their offering of luxury housewares, and just like the fashion, it's a refined edit. 

These are my picks:

1. Anything Vladimir Kanevsky

His flowers are magical realism rendered in porcelain. Deceivingly true to life, yet fantastic in their perfection, Kanevsky's sculptures are modern high society's take on granny's precious antique Capodimonte flower baskets. Small pieces begin around $3,000; huge centerpieces range as high as $180,000.

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2. Venetian Glassware

Speaking of Italian grannies, I've long held onto a Venini blue and white ribbon handkerchief vase, despite its utter lack of stylishness. Over the past 60 years it's been downgraded all the way from cherished display object to vessel holding my facial cotton in the bathroom. I am delirious with validation that LSD herself is also a lover of traditional Venetian glass, and I think tabletop is a great way to incorporate it into modern life, beyond tourist totems.

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3. Exclusive Luisa Beccaria Home Collection

Unapologetically feminine and frilly. The glasses are great, the dishes fine but the table linens are divine. It's only available at M'O.

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4. Arjumand's World Italian Fresco Wallpaper

$3000 is a bargain to instantly get the feel of Pauline de Rothschild's bedroom, non?

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5. Frances Palmer Ceramic Vases

Perhaps my favorite thing about Moda Operandi is that it introduces me to designers and artisans I haven't heard of. Frances Palmer is a working artist in Connecticut, who has been making ceramics since 1987 but was educated in art history. This combination lends a poignancy to her best pieces, which look as if a very talented amateur spent hours upon hours sitting in a museum, copying neoclassical ceramics with limited resources. Palmer's vessels retain the elegance of their period inspirations, but have a high-end homemade feel, like true sculptor's editions.

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are you picking up any fresh decor from m'o?

6 Pairs of Flats I Wore to Death and Bought Again ( . . . and Again)

I've been a real estate agent in Manhattan for 8 years. Before that i was in school and working luxury retail. 

So, I have always needed my flats to be both more comfortable and more status-broadcasting than the next person.

Like real estate agents, 75% of shiny new flats that come to work in Manhattan don't make it through their first year, and 90% are gone halfway through the next. 

To give you an idea of how hard I wear my shoes, I often handle 2-3 appointments per day, showing 6-12 apartments per appointment. If apartments are closer than 5 blocks away, there's no sense in taking an uber so we walk between them. If there's no elevator, we take the stairs. Could you imagine showing 30 walkup apartments or townhouses per day?

I think I've worn most of the classics: Tod's drivers, Gucci loafers, Chanel ballerinas, those Prada and Lanvin elastic bendy-sole ballet flats, Stubbs & Wootton, Manolos, Repettos, Vivier Belles and Chips, Castañer espadrilles . . . I even had Wallabees at one point. 

I enjoyed all these shoes, though remembering them makes me ruminate, recalling that Sex and the City scene where Carrie realizes she could have put a down payment on an apartment with what she spent on Manolos while renting. 

So older, wiser, more frugal, more selective, and (a tad) more arthritic, I thought I'd share with you the shoes I have repurchased, without regret, time and again.

THESE SHOES WERE SO GOOD, I COMPLETELY WORE THEM OUT, and bought another pair.

1. Ferragamo bow flats ($575 and up)

I call them 'bow flats' because the original style with the perhaps 2" heel is Vara; the modern slightly updated version with the very flat heel and slightly wider vamp is Varina; and there are always season-specific versions with special heels or pointier toes, plus sneaker and espadrille versions. 

If memory serves, I have kicked 6! pairs of Ferragamo bow flats: Varas in ivory, navy, black and gunmetal, a pair of Varinas in navy patent, and printed cotton espadrilles. These are simply the most comfortable flashy designer type flats I've come across. The leather is thicker than the Chanel but not as soft, so it molds to the foot better and stretches out less over time. Similarly, the arch is more molded for support, unlike the totally flat and thin Chanel.

They are also the most hardwearing designer shoes I've owned. Even with frequent wear (2+ times per week), the Varas each lasted 3-5 years before they became too scuffed to impress, and I donated them. Worn less frequently (maybe once or twice a week in the appropriate seasons), the Varinas lasted 8 years . . . at the end they became my 'rain flats' for perhaps 2 months before the patent leather started splitting at the heel and I finally threw them away. 

I have had the same experience with other Ferragamo shoes-- I've had a pair of tan suede oxfords for over 10 years now and they are one of the comfiest pairs of shoes I've ever owned.

I just can't recommend Ferragamo highly enough.

In my opinion, they are completely worth paying full retail for,

and they are available in the usual places:

But if you are cruising for a discount, I have frequently seen them here:

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2. Toms ($54 and up)

The socioeconomic mission of TOMS makes them acceptable for almost any occasion in Manhattan. My first pair of Toms was the light gray cashmere pair made in collaboration with The Row in 2011; my second pair was a Bergdorfs/Neimans exclusive in red silk in 2013 or 2014. I wore them with a ball gown once and was complemented all around.

I subsequently bought grosgrain versions in navy, black and orange from Neimans, until they stopped carrying them; thankfully Toms has kept the more upscale grosgrain fabric in their own line and frequently collaborates with high end retailers and fashion designers. I'm definitely going to pick up this Zhou Xun pair:

and I'm really excited about the upcoming Clare V. collab!

Worn 24/7, a pair will last 9 months or so, and unlike Ferragamos they are not the type of shoe that can be resoled or reheeled. I stick to the original style in the most expensive textiles or the designer collab pairs, as those are sort of business-casual appropriate. 

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3. Sperry TopSiders($95 and up)

Boat shoes speak an international language of preppy. New York (obviously,) London, Hong Kong, Rome, Paris, Istanbul (and that's just where I happen to have travelled in the last 2-3years) . . . preps wear these shoes year round into old age. While they're very casual shoes, they are easily dressed up with a clean pair of deep indigo or white jeans, collared shirt, cashmere sweater and peacoat/camelhair coat/ Barbour, perhaps with a Longchamps nylon tote or ancient Louis Vuitton mono bag.

I have worn through just three pairs of these in 20 years and consider that an accomplishment. With constant daily wear, a pair can easily last 3 years. And the set of people who appreciate these consider them to look better, the older and more beat up they become. 

Like Toms, Sperry has begun working with designers on limited edition options for each season. They typically choose a hip, masculine label (in the past they've worked with Band of Outsiders, Jeffreys, Gray Malin, Barneys, Jack Spade, Patta, Noah NY and Quoddy). Also like Toms, it's best to not go for the new house designs. I stick to the authentic/original, gold cup, limited edition and designer collab lines. Or I should say I would stick to those lines . . . I've been wearing the same pair of original brown 2 eyes for four years now, with no end in sight. I think these are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn.

Gray Malin x Sperry 

America's Cup New York Edition

Liberty x Sperry

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4.  J. Crew Leopard Print Calf Hair Shoes In Almost Any Style ($54 and up)

Around 4 years ago I discovered J. Crew Factory existed and wanted to try it. I waited until a ludicrous clearance sale and purchased sunglasses, PJs, 4 oversized V neck cashmere sweaters, three pairs of cropped cashmere/wool blend pants and a pair of leopard print calf hair ballerina flats.

The shoes looked far better than I expected (especially for the price; CHEAPY CAT PRINTS ARE AWFUL), were incredibly comfy, coordinated with everything, and lasted somewhat over a year with very frequent wear. 

When they were shot, I bought a pair of smoking slippers in the same leopard print calf hair and have been even more pleased with them. They started to bald in places after about a year; while that's unacceptable on a ballerina, it's sort of decadently fab on the more masculine smoking slipper. I think they have a solid 6 months+ left in them depending on how frequently I wear them; when they're put to rest I will definitely sign onto the J. Crew sale section and do it all over again. These shoes are comfy and look much pricier than they are.

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5. minnetonka moccasins ($45 and up)

Minnetonka mocs are pure Americana. I have never met a granny who didn't wear white unbeaded leather kilties, nor a little boy who didn't shuffle around the cold Northeast wearing shearling lined softsoles (a style they appear to have named 'Charley'). Old people and kids wear them because they are extreme comfort shoes.

My navy leather boat sole Thunderbird 2s took me seven years to wear out (wearing them once, or rarely twice, a week). My suede kilty hardsoles took almost two years to wear out with very frequent, almost daily wear. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I've worn both the 'sheepskin hardsole moc' and 'alpine sheepskin moc' as outside shoes rather than slippers, and they lasted one winter and 3/4 of a winter respectively, which is not bad for house slippers!

Moccasins can be worn in the same elevated preppy looks as boat shoes, and where Tod's say "I'm an aggressive negotiator!" Minnetonkas say "I will ensure you pass your board interview". 

Since 1946, Minnetonka has been dedicated to using quality materials to make footwear that defines comfort. Watch this close-up look at the stitching and attention to detail that goes into every pair of Minnetonka.

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6. Limited edition Converse Chuck Taylors($125 and up)

Grimey, beat up Chucks are too adolescent for me, but the Converse collabs have made them acceptable sportswear accompaniments. My first pair twelve years ago was, I believe, the first Converse designer collab: red silk unisex low top slip-ons designed by John Varvatos, sold exclusively at Neiman Marcus. It might have been the first time they did the laceless slip-on. I loved those shoes so damn much I still occasionally search for them on eBay, but it was so long ago the internet seems to have no record of their existence. I wore them constantly until they were stinky and frayed; I think I had them a total of three years.

Around 2009 the Play/Comme des Garçons hightops hit and saturated the market; Converse limited editions have been art-and-design-crowd signifiers ever since. There are an insane number of drops every single season, and just trying to keep up got me hooked on HYPEBEAST. My favorites have been Damien Hirst and Missoni, they are great for days when I can't be bothered to wear a look beyond all-black-everything. I don't wear them much, so they're both good as new several years later. 

Chucks and Jack Purcells are not supportive, but are incredibly comfy in the way worn-in slippers are, lightweight and flexible. There are also lots of limited edition One Stars, which are personally nostalgic for me as a kid who wore them in the 90s, but they've got less caché. Did you know Converse has been selling the low-top all stars silhouette for 101 years??? CLASSIC is an understatement for these.

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What are your favorite workaday flats?

Right now my wishlist includes: Bass penny loafers, Belgian shoes and *maybe* some red Gucci Jordaan loafers, which is a progression of loafers from sweet schoolboy to banker to bath-house proprietor. 

Any recs for me?

Things I Always Buy At Home Goods & TJ Maxx

Ralph Lauren lamps at TJ Maxx, $75-$95 each

90% of the housewares at home goods, marshalls and tj maxx (all owned by the same company and carrying much of the same stock) are ~weird~, why? or no.

It's easy to get SO overwhelmed by the junk you can't see the gems, 

but there are certain categories of good, cheap items that are almost always in stock at these shops, that I rely on for myself and my interior decor clients.

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SHOWER CURTAINS:

They sell what seem to be private label (Hotel), licensed (Vera Wang, Cynthia Rowley, Tahari etc.), and sometimes simply last-season (Kassatex, Kate Spade) shower curtains that are reliably classy, just as high quality as what I can buy at Saks, Gracious Home or ABC Carpet here in New York, and 1/5th the price. These are all $20 or $25; at Neiman's you'd be spending $85-$300.

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classic white 100% cotton bedding:

For $40, there is always a pure white/100% cotton embroidered quilt, matelassé coverlet or waffle weave blanket available. This is one of the most popular types of bedding (or backup bedding) in most of the homes I decorate. Not only is each type of bedcover in unquestionably good taste, but pure white in different classic textures layers so beautifully. It's also washable, bleachable and therefore kid, pet, kink and breakfast-in-bed friendly. If a client wants the best and has the money, there's nothing wrong with getting the $600 Matouk or Sferra version. Most people prefer 4 or 5 of these in the closet for themselves or guests, though.

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hangers, hampers and overdoor racks:

When Home Goods opened in New York City I knew my life would never be the same, because the baskets, hampers, velvet huggie hangers, and overdoor racks I had been purchasing at the Container Store were dethroned! Sometimes they've got good options for shoes storage or drawer organizers as well, but not as reliably.

Overdoor hangers are $7 or $8, which is no cheaper than Bed Bath & Beyond, but the selection is always on trend. Basket hampers are a far better bargain, typically priced at just 10-20% of what I would pay at Bed Bath or Container Store. Sets of 25-35 hangers are $12-$17 (about 40% cheaper than Joy Mangano huggable hangers), and again the options of goldtone and coppertone metal bits are very on-trend. 

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Sheets under $50:

SO . . . cheap sheets are not my thing. Yet, I respect that expensive sheets are just not everybody's thing. If you've decided that sheets are a place where you want to conserve funds, TJ Maxx/Home Goods/Marshalls are a great place to buy them.

For  $30/40/$50/$60 they usually have Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein for about half what you'd pay at the department store; sometimes they've got Kate Spade, Donna Karan, Maurizio, other sort of higher-end of the mid-range stuff. Once in a blue moon I've seen Anichini, Frette, and Sferra. Sometimes it's still really pricey ($175, $250), but nothing compared to what you would normally pay, and it usually goes on clearance as well.

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Dog Beds and Bowls:

I'm a stickler for chic pet accoutrements! People often take out their tacky on their pets, or neglect to buy their things with anything but utility in mind, though they are constantly on show in the home. Pet boutiques are notoriously expensive, and pet chain stores have woefully little variety and even less of quality. TJ Maxx/Home Goods/Marshalls represents a good balance.

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White towels:

Pure white long loop terry towels are available everywhere. The only reason to buy them somewhere more expensive is if you want a specific weave (ie double satin hotel band, floral damask), or want to get them monogrammed at the same time. If you don't do monograms (or like to have really great ones done by a dedicated pro) and aren't hung up on a specific texture, these are great bang for the buck ($8 each, vs. $20+ at a department store). Like white bedding, pure white cotton toweling in different textures can layer up to provide extra style and convenience.

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Tablecloths:

I repeat, I AM A LINENS SNOB! Give me Porthault or give me death! But for casual events, everyday dining, outdoor events, kids' events etc., there's a place for mid-range and bargain priced linens. Kate Spade, Cynthia Rowley, Tabitha Webb and Ralph Lauren are consistently available for $15-$30, and sometimes nice imported Italian linens as well. 

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Shell and Stone Decorative Items:

Lots of their decorative accent stock seems to be imported from India. That means capiz shell, lacquered items and semiprecious stone accessories at really accessible prices. Geode bookends are usually $20-$30 each; shell trays $12-$25 and shell furniture $50-$150.

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Lamps:

The lamps here are a bit more expensive, but also more conservative and better quality than Target-- sort of halfway between Target and West Elm. I can usually find a matching pair of Ralph Lauren blue and white lamps, and can always find a great individual desk or bedside lamp. Prices range from $25-$99.

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KITCHEN: 

As a decorator (and terrible cook) this is an area that I typically don't handle. But for things that people tend to leave displayed (pans on an overhead rack, canisters on open shelving) I like to pick up color coordinated stuff. I also couldn't help but notice that they have a lot of the same brands sold at nice mid-range retailers like Macy's (T-fal, Cuisinart, All-Clad, Breville, Bodum, Riedel etc.) for discounted prices.

Of course, I have found various other gems at times, but these are the categories that I KNOW will not be a waste of my time.

What do you always buy at Marshalls/Home Goods/

TJ Maxx?

any recs for me?

How far can $100 really go at H&M?

I love cheap clothes and I cannot lie! I feel like my reasons are pretty valid. First, I have committed to owning my first home in the next 5 years and therefore have also committed to seriously curbing my spending during that time. Also, running around showing apartments all day is a sweaty business (and nothing impresses clients less than a pit-stained $1500 Chanel blouse), so washable/disposable clothes are more valuable to me than expensive clothes. Finally, I am heavier today than I plan to be in 2-3 years, so 'investment pieces' aren't logical for me. 

Cheap, cheap clothes with comfy flats, a good piece of jewelry and a beautiful status bag or accessory are my uniform.

I'm not trying to be fashionable per se, I'm just trying to do the best I can on a very tight budget. I totally get the problems involved with fast fashion, and I sympathize with it. I buy cheap clothes and wear them until I literally can't anymore (as in, splitting the thighs on jeans), I don't buy new cheap clothes every week.

I like shopping H&M in person, and then ordering online. The sales inventory is better online, there's frequently a 20% off discount code as well, shipping is fast and reliable, and returns can be made in-store. Plus, I like trying on clothes in the privacy of my home: those halogen lit dressing rooms really push any small level of self-esteem I have right through the floor. 

SO . . . . 

Here's what I got RECENTLY on super clearance, online at H&M:

GLITTERY SWEATER, $9.75

SLIPPERS $6

SATIN DRESS $7.50

SWEATSHIRT $7.50

FAUX FUR SWEATSHIRT $11.25

FLOUNCED TOP $9.75

RUFFLE DRESS $13

JEANS $13

JEANS $13

MERCH TOTAL: $91

+ FREE SHIPPING CODE

+ NEW YORK CITY SALES TAX @ 8.75%

TOTAL TOTAL: $98.97

I''ll let you know how it goes . . .