Are you on Pinterest? What is Pinterest, anyway?

When Pinterest first launched, I thought of it as an appendage to Facebook - a sort of scrapbooking site for crafts-oriented folks - and I was really resistant to join in.  How wrong I was!

Thanks to the urging of Kris Prochaska, a visionary writer and coach, I'm happy to say that I've now fully embraced Pinterest and find it to be a great way to connect with the entire world and refine an ever-evolving "brand".

Pinterest is basically a high tech cyberspace Vision Board

I created my first vision board in 2000.  I had no idea what I was "supposed" to be doing, but the artist in me loved to create collages so I happily ripped through magazines, tearing out images and headlines that resonated with me and depicted those things I wanted to attract - how I wanted my life to "look".

                                                       2000 Vision Board 

Seeing is believing!  In time, the images and phrases on that first inspiration board came into my life; became my life.  

In order to keep moving forward, I created a new board in 2007 which, interestingly, looks way more philosophical and travel-centric than the first one.  And has lots about Paris! Makes sense.

                                                         2007 Vision Board

Fast forward to now:  after opening Piacenza Design in late 1999, garnering a NW Design Award in 2006, experiencing intense involvement with my local professional design organization, Northwest Society of Interior Designers (serving as President 2009-11), and meeting a zillion wonderful clients and colleagues - some of whom have become treasured friends - I found it was time to create a new vision board, cyber style. 

No more tearing out magazine pages, but "pinning" them, instead, on my boards!  Here's the first page of my cyber inspiration board:

                                                 Piacenza Design on Pinterest

....and these are some of the incredible images to be found on my boards - that have been "pinned" from myriad sources.  Just a tip of the iceberg!

And, of course:

Pinterest is a fabulous way to connect with those of like-minded aesthetics and, for businesses, a great way to gauge the market.  

In order to attract what you want into your life, it helps to have clarity...

Creating inspiration boards, either old-school or electronic, nurture and refine those visions.....

                                                                                                 Have fun!

Neighborhood Beat, Seattle Style: Hometown tourist, Part 1

In preparation for our Italy/France trip - we're in training now that it's less than 3 months away - we decided to take advantage of the lovely spring weather recently and "seize the day" to become tourists in our own town.  We spent a warm and sunny day at the Pike Place Market, "seeing" everything as tourists might.  

The Market, as we locals refer to it, opened in 1907 and is Seattle's original farmer's market. There's so much to delight the senses: amazing smells, sights, the people  - it's a must!

We began our tour at Watson Kennedy on 1st and Spring St, a shrine to merchandising - second only to ABC Carpet and Home in NYC, for me.  I love the way everything is displayed in zones: by color, type, subject, etc.  It's my go-to store for gifts for anyone!  Lots of candles, glassware, food accessories, cards, calendars, jewelry, themed items (Paris/London/Rome) - even pet gifts! There's also a smaller location at the Market, itself, in the courtyard of the Inn at the Market.

As we sauntered north on First Avenue, we paused to watch the Hammering Man do his thing in front of the Seattle Art Museum and admired the view of Elliot Bay and the Great Wheel.

We dropped in to DeLaurenti Specialty food and Wine, a haven for foodies, to gather some essential household supplies (hot pepper oil, basil oil, cheese.....you know).

Meandering within the Pike Place Market, we watched fish flying through the air....

....pondered the various gorgeous offerings of flora...

and produce.....

...... before settling on a pint of the BEST Greek yogurt in the city, made by Ellenos.

By this time, we were in need of refreshment, so we snagged an outside table at Cafe Campagne (full disclosure: it's my favorite restaurant at the Market) and had lunch.

I ordered what I always do there (I'm so boring), Croque Savoyarde.  And it was delicious, as usual.

Bob had a wonderful salade Nicoise...

....and we shared some light and refreshing Pic Poul blanc.

It was a lovely day!

Wishing you the merriest!

I have always loved the holidays ~ it's a time when it feels ok to go wild decorating - and the lights on houses, in trees & hedges are a really wonderful way to get through this dark time of year!

~ Please enjoy some Christmas images from Paris, Rome, and Florence....

Here's wishing you a blissful, peaceful holiday full of love and energy and a healthy, prosperous New Year!!

Cyber Monday!

It's Cyber Monday!  Did you know you can shop on Amazon.com by entering through the

Design Beat: Seattle Store

? It's sort of like a virtual passage through the wardrobe to Narnia......  Happy Shopping!

Holiday gifts for cooks (and Francophiles...)

Is Amazon clairvoyant??  It certainly seems that way because I opened an email from them this morning and it was all about French cookbooks!  Quelle Surprise - how did they know?  (Hmmm....how did they know?)  Anyway, it got me thinking about the holidays and gifts and..... I think you can guess where I'm going with this. For any devoted Francophile or cook or cookbook collector, these new offerings are awfully tempting:

Having eaten more than a few meals at Bouchon in Yountville, CA this past summer, this award-winning cookbook, Bouchon Bakery , really is appealing on so many levels.  The photography is lush and the whole French-inspired theme speaks to me.  I hope it's is under the tree on Christmas!   

My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz, former Chez Panisse pastry chef is a collection of stories and recipes with photographs taken in Paris.  A substitute for being there, it will have to do until September....

Who doesn't love Jacques Pepin??  Chef extraordinaire and author of over 20 cookbooks on his own and one with Julia Child - and who doesn't love her?  I remember watching Jacques and Julia cooking together on their PBS program, arguing ever so politely about seasonings. Essential Pepin looks like a good addition to any Francophile cook's kitchen library.

Mastering the Art of French Eating looks intriguing to me, as it promises to be filled with insights about Parisian neighborhoods and non-touristy restaurants and shops.  Written by a young woman whose diplomat husband leaves her alone in Paris for a year when he's sent on a mission to Iraq, it brings to mind a young Julia Child and the movie Julie and Julia - and it's added to my list!

Speaking of Julia Child, My Life in France, which formed part of the back story for the "Julia" portion of "Julie and Julia", is one of the most charming autobiographies I've ever read.  A must!

I read the novel "The Paris Wife" first and was so thrilled to be immersed in 1920's Paris and Hem & Hadley's life there, I just had to follow it up with "A Moveable Feast". 

Wonderful writing, both - one stitched together with beautifully embroidered facts and the other from memories.  Essential.

Finally, "Suite Francaise" byIrene Nemirovsky, has nothing to do with cooking but tells the amazing story of the German occupation of France during WW2, from the perspective of those occupied.  The writing is engrossing, reminiscent of Tolstoy, and particularly poignant when one discovers that Ms Nemirovsky never was able to finish her "suite" of stories, as she was imprisoned in Auschwitz......

You can purchase any of these wonderful books through the Design Beat: Seattle store on Amazon.com and it would be the best Christmas gift for us, ever, if you did!

Holidays: why not dress your abode up, too?

Halloween is over and it's almost time to decorate for the Holidays - hurray!  I don't know about you, but my Christmas decorations go up in earnest the day after Thanksgiving - boxes and boxes emerge from storage and it takes me days to complete.  I've always loved this time of year:  dressing up, wrapping gifts, sharing seasonal cocktails with friends and reveling in how "accessorized" my home feels!  

Always on the lookout for unusual and beautiful approaches to table settings and interior & exterior decor for this celebratory time of year, I've found some wonderful examples:

Charlotte Moss, an A-list designer who is also November's pop-up editor for House Beautiful magazine, designed this beautiful table scape, above.  It could work equally well for Thanksgiving as Christmas. 

Carolyne Roehm, the uber-talented designer, writer, gardener and much more has this take on a Holiday centerpiece that looks so modern but almost colonial, somehow.

 You can almost smell the turkey in this traditional, antique-filled room.

.

Who says Holiday means red and green?  (I prefer copper, myself!)  Turquoise and shades of cream/gold looks so inviting!

Charlotte Moss' take on overflowing mantel abundance....

Colin Cowie, party planner to the stars, uses one of my favorites:  a mountain of unique ornaments in a beautiful, simple bowl or piled in a large vase.  Determine a palette and shop for ornaments that complement at Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel or the wholesale florist (your designer can help you with that!). 

I love these 5 essential entertaining tips from Mr Cowie:

• Serve a signature cocktail (I like it simple: Champagne with some frozen cranberries dropped in the flute)
• Play great music; take your best cocktail playlist and add 20% Holiday tracks
• Set up food stations:  charcuterie (there's that Francophile, again!), smoked salmonrye bread (with Vodka cocktails), etc.
• Assemble a colorful guest list - mix it up
• There's no such thing as too many candles!

• And one from me:  be sure to have everything ready in plenty of time to sit down and have a glass of wine before the guests arrive.....

Designer Stephen Sills suggests metallic papers and Kraft paper-wrapped packages - with gorgeous ribbon, of course.

 An over-the-top mirror Christmas tree by David Stark - just, wow!

Copper antique glass, copper-painted feathers, glass cherry blossoms and twinkly lights. 

Luscious gold and kiwi green jazz op the table, again from Colin Cowie.

Beautiful pieces from Juliska, Calvin Klein Home, Barney's, etc.

Whatever your palette and however you decorate for the Holidays, have fun and hope that this doesn't happen!