Exciting, inspiring, warm and fuzzy and- oh… who am I kidding?  I was screaming at my screen like a banshee– jacked up that the good old USA would squash our Northern Neighbors like an icy grape. But, alas.  No such luck.

But truly there is no shame in being 2nd.  In some ways, Silver is sort of hipper than Gold anyway. Last week when April, Kim and my favorite little Black Eyed Peas fan went to see the band perform live at Madison Square Gardens (thanks again April!)- the band was awash in Silver throughout the entire show.

In person- Fergie is just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen

When you factor in the fact that the Gold medal is actually a Silver medal covered with about 6 grams of 24 karat gold- well basically if you scratched off the surface, we’d be equals anyway.

The NY Times featured an interesting article about the history of the Olympic Medal tradition back in 2008.  Seems that ancient jocks were awarded Olive Branch wreaths in the winning circle, hum…probably wouldn’t play out so well today.

But in honor of the closing ceremonies of my own personal Olympic Fever the idea of Olive Green and Silver together, seems oh-so-quite inspiring!

source

Abso-love it for a kitchen!  Good enough for Traditional Home magazine like in the one above or completely “home sweet home” as a color combo in my own kitchen, as shown below!

My own little Budda Bar

Every morning I worship my Rohl faucet, like working sculpture I always say (now if only I could actually teach it to do the dinner dishes!)

Tres chic, oui?

Peace branch out.

Olympic image from Getty, Fergie Pix by Ms. April Clark and collage images from House Beautiful and Elle

There was color and style, both good, bad and inspiring- here’s a few I noted:

Best Use Of An Umbrella

Diane Kruger’s eye catching color was hard not to notice (love the ombre)- but I have to admit her dress wasn’t completely wooing me until I saw it in this context. With debonair Joshua Jackson (looking very Cary Grant-ish to me) trying to keep her dry, I’m thinking the rain soaked duo played out the weather hurdle in true glamorous spirit.

Doesn’t this image look like a movie poster for a classic Lomabard/Gable movie from the 30’s. Love it! Well done you two for making the bad weather and one ginormous umbrella work to your advantage!

The One Color Trend I Wish Hadn’t Been Taken So Literally

I know, I know- I read Vogue, too. Statement, black shoes are very RIGHT NOW.  I feel though, that they must be worn with great care. There must be some cohesion with the ensemble with which they are paired – especially to a red carpet event.

Don’t get me wrong, I think all three of these women are super duper GORGEOUS, but the dark shoes paired with these gowns-I’m not feeling it.

OH, No!  Et Tu Anna?!

You know when you’re in a fitting room trying on a dress and in order to check out if the length is o.k. you have to put on the shoes that you wore into the store- that’s what all four are reminding me of.

Case in point.  Whether or not you agree with the fashion critic that Julia was dressed too casually for the evening, you have to at least give her props for actually pulling this one shoe trend off -like a seasoned pro.

Oh and by the way, on a complete side note:I thought that Mickey Rourke’s date played “Cameron Diaz walking a red carpet” better then Cameron actually did this go around-

The Difference Between Good Shoes And Bad- They Make You “OOH” Not “OoowwW”

“oooohhh”

OMG- “OoooWWWww”  There is only one place that I would think white platforms are appropriate and unless Kate is researching a role- she should stay far away from there!

Black is Back (Though I Suppose It Never Officially Left)

Lea Michelle’s black tulle gown was 100% old school beauty, but since Lea is actually young enough to play a girl still in school I would have rather seen her wear a bit of color…though as someone who wore black to my own prom, I should perhaps not judge.

Now with Penelope, I fear as if black has become too much of her uniform lately.  Show us some of that Spanish flair, Pen.  Tomato Red is said to be hot for spring and I can’t think of anyone who would have looked more caliente wearing it!

I actually love January Jone’s dress and that she’s wearing  black.  Two slight changes I would have made.  1. Lose the headband, it’s distracting and not necessary and 2. I would have loved if either the dress was a tad shorter or her heels were a bit higher.  I always feel that when a column gown skims the ground, it makes the person wearing it appear shorter than they really are.

Or in some cases- bustier…wow that’s a whole lot of spray tan!

Most Likely To Be Voted Color Twins

This morning when my husband breezed through the room and told me that “pink and lavender were the colors everyone is talking about”, I felt as if I had perhaps woken up in an episode of the Twilight Zone.

If I hadn’t been in so much shock, I probably would have been quicker on the draw and ready to reply- ‘oh yeah, well how about gray with purple undertones- did they mention that by any chance smarty pants.”

I mention it, because I found it very interesting that two very different style stars choose to wear this ‘complex neutral’ as color junkies like my sister Kate call it.  But in very different ways.

This can be a tricky color, because the wrong move can make this exciting color go from grand entrance to ‘grey gardens’ in a NY minute.

So who did it right?  I think Jennifer Garner.  The added sparkle, the body hugging cut and the easy smile are total screen star-ilicious.

Sadly, I applaud Chloe for her fashion-forward loving self, but the fabric and the flounce, the severe hair and the pucker were lack luster in my book. The dress actually reminded me of something Shirley Maclaine’s character might wear if they made Terms Of Endearment Part 3.

Candy Colors Were Very Popular (a.k.a my husband was right)

Do you suppose these two shopped in the same store?

Fergie was quite pretty in this pale lavender “bodice ripper” number. I’m guessing in person the color made her eyes look spectacular! Perhaps she went with the hair down, to help cover up her lady lumps-just a bit.  I’m guessing the idea was for a soft look to match the soft dress-but I’m wishing she had worn it pulled back in a loose low chignon- it would have served her overall style better.

Now Sandra, whom I love!!!!, makes me sad.  Because though I love this color on her and do agree that it would have been a color to be remembered for, I think because of the fabric- the dress itself looks like something you would find in a little girls dress up box. And when you actually take home one of the awards, that’s probably not a description you would want attached to your outfit.  I heard her joking on the red carpet that her dress was made out of plastic…Sandra-

We must all  learn from Angelina’s Oscar mistake- if there is even a slight chance you might win…don’t pick it as the night you take a big fashion police risk!

Speaking of learning from others’ mistakes- I’m talking to you Marion Cotillard…your walking a thin line, mon cherie

THAT WE MUST NEVER DARE CROSS AGAIN!!!!

Okay I have to get back to color now.

Best use of  accessory color goes to:

Amy Adams.  Amy, I’ve been there and I know how hard it is to rock that early belly bump- when you realize your favorite jeans may never button up again and suddenly nothing fits and you no longer know how to dress your body….  but your pairing of your blue/green dress with orange shoes and bag made you my clever fashion hero of the night.  Let the others have their slinky little numbers, your color pairing took your matronly situation into total modern grounds!

Best Color Goes To Texture

That sounds a bit strange, but since no one color was knocking me dead I felt that the most interesting style statement of the night was the gowns busy with ruffles, bows and layers.  It can be a hard style to wear, but I thought all three of these ladies wore the look with total ease.

Others though, were lost a bit in translation:

I probably would love Drew’s dress if the ruffle at the hip had been just a tad smaller.  I read somewhere this morning that her dress looked as if she was “growing fungus”.

Oh and just a quick quote to the men-

You’re Men- Use It To Your Advantage And Wear A Tux

How fantastically dapper are these two!

As much as I love fashion, if there was a classic uniform for women to wear to these things I would be all over it!  Leave the weird outfits for Mickey Rourke!  Even David Arquette has come around:

though he still needs to have his tailored.

Okay by this point in the broadcast I started to get bored because I started pairing up random couples because of the colors and styles they were wearing.

Perhaps Harrison should ditch Calista’s

and if these too haven’t met yet- they should…

And then I think I began hallucinating….

So I flipped the channel.

all images from Getty via TMZ, Eonline and Moviefone.  Dick Van Dyke as the beloved Bert from IMD

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/the-colors-and-styles-of-the-2010-golden-globes/feed/ 5 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/i-love-la-thanks-to-robert-irwin-and-his-getty-garden/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/i-love-la-thanks-to-robert-irwin-and-his-getty-garden/#comments Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:53:34 +0000 April Clark http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/?p=6890 I recently visited my BFF in LA – a place I always love to go. As a New Yorker,I’m not supposed to love Los Angeles , but it’s one of my favorite places on Earth. What’s not to like ? Constant sunshine, a daily dip in the Melrose Place type pool, lots of yummy ethnic food (Peruvian is my fave) , the many beaches (shout out to Santa Monica and Venice) , my favorite band X (especially the album titled Los Angeles) and of course Fred Segal (best haircut ever and during their bi-annual sale). And now the top of my list…The Getty Museum.

After taking the tram, with amazing hilltop views of sprawling downtown LA, I arrived at the serene Getty. I was interested in the art, especially the Irving Penn exhibit. But another BFF suggested I spend my time in the gardens. After one peak over the stairs, I knew she had my best interest at heart. I ascended down another beautiful staircase to see all the glory.

After meandering through the garden, I became very interested in its designer, artist Robert Irwin. I began researching this amazing artist online and began seeing similarities in the forms and plants in the garden and his art. Here are some of the matches I drew a comparison.

This is the diamond shape at the center of the water stream that cascades throughout the garden. The work of Robert’s Light Column shows the same linear focal point.

The water continues down the gardens and mirrors the luminescence of Irwin’s large Blue Light installation.

The fiery pepper like pods in the garden are similar in palette to the the Irwin exhibit full of yellow paintings.

One of the star attractions of the garden is the beautiful bougainvillea trees. I get the same passionate rush from Irwin’s Red Drawing light sculpture.

I love the serenity of the cactus in the garden; they seem so humble surrounded by such bright flowers. Irwin’s Black Raku (one of a few paintings I could find) has that same peaceful feeling to me, even with the dark pallette.

The beautiful rambling of the azaleas are a twin for this Irwin Untitled light piece. I find the circular form so feminine and curvy. He does it much better than I can describe it, but isn’t that the importance of all art?

A picture of Robert Irwin (from the LA Times- not my pix) under his famous bougainvillea and steel sculpture, looking quite happy. His Who’s Afraid of Yellow, Blue , and Red sculpture has the same form and canopy as the beautiful trees above.

As many of my previous posts can attest, I am inspired daily by artists and the colors/ forms of all that I see. An artist’s gift to us is to help us see the glory in all that surrounds us- at least that’s my 2 cents. I can’t wait to be inspired by another museum and of course, Mother Nature. Thank you LA and Robert Irwin.

To plan your visit to the Getty and its garden , visit Getty.edu.org.

To book an appointment with hairstylist Carlos Ortiz at Fred Segal visit fredsegalbeauty.com. Tell him I sent you- he’ll change your life.

Here’s a delicious recipe for the most amazing Peruvian green hot sauce from www.ivu.org.

ENJOY

Aji (Peruvian Hot Sauce)
From: odalay

This is that wonderful fresh, bright green, hot sauce served in many Peruvian restaurants. It’s great vegetables.

SERVES 100 , 1 squirt bottle

• 2 bunches cilantro, stems removed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 jalapenos, quartered
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• water, as needed

In a blender add the cilantro, oil, jalapenos and salt.

Pulse, adding water as needed until it’s well blended but not runny.

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/i-love-la-thanks-to-robert-irwin-and-his-getty-garden/feed/ 3 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/a-colorful-history-americas-first-thanksgiving/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/a-colorful-history-americas-first-thanksgiving/#comments Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:11:11 +0000 juliehoylen http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/?p=6954 For as long as my flustered mind can remember, the fourth Thursday of every November of my life can best be summed up by the following keywords: turkey, pumpkin, stuffing, cranberry, pilgrim, cornucopia, parade and football.

If you were to build a color palette of my collective T-Day memories it would look something like this:

I had to throw in a little Avocado Green since somewhere in my mind’s eye I keep envisioning a packed solid dishwasher in this very descriptive hue of a late 70’s kitchen

source

and oh yeah, every Thanksgiving table of my childhood also included a set of candle just like these (except the girl’s dress was brown)- I guarantee you my mother still has them

This morning I had to wonder.  If I were to build a palette to describe the very first Thanksgiving what would it look like? I thought about Puritans, Indians and all things New England.  The colors wouldn’t be all that different- I would just have to throw in a few shades of  tanned animal skins and a pretty shade of weathered gray to represent Plymouth Rock, right?

Well, not so fast magical Photoshop tools.  After delving into a little holiday research, I realized not everyone is in agreement with how this palette would actually have first looked. Let alone who was there and where it was celebrated.

Could the official first feast of ‘thanks’ have been a little more colorful then we were all taught? I’m talking Palm Trees, sunny skies, gulf stream blue, some Spanish bean soup and even a bottle of French wine thrown in- just to ruffle the tail feathers of our Mayflower descendants a bit more.

In order to get these quite different versions of Americana history straight, one would have to head way south of Plymouth Rock to a sunny FLA some 50 odd years before the famous Puritans ever stepped one buckle shoe onto Massachusetts’ rocky coast.

According to his book The Cross In The Sand (first published in 1965), historian Michael Gannon believes that it was upon the sandy beaches of St. Augustine, FLA that the Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles first landed, settled and in true Spanish flair-extended a dinner invite to the local Timucua Indians. Legend has it their fiesta included a feast of bean soup.

Hmm.. not a pilgrim hat in sight

A 2007 USA Today article describes the book and Gannon’s version of the first ‘Thanksgiving’ celebration as going basically unnoticed for about 20 years.  It wasn’t until 1985 when an AP reporter picked up on the story and helped bring it to national attention.

At the time Gannon’s clever statement that ” by the time the Pilgrims came to Plymouth, St. Augustine was up for urban renewal” only helped to fuel the historical fire.

So does Conquistador Red need to be added to my historical palette?  Perhaps not says Kenneth C. Davis whose book “America’s Hidden History: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation”, tells of yet a different tale. In his story the first Thanksgiving actually took place just outside of what is now Jacksonville, Florida and includes instead a cast of French Huguenots.

In an article last November in The New York Times, Davis weaves the tale of French pilgrims escaping the religious persecution of Europe to find solace in the new world.  Upon making land in 1564, the pilgrims threw their own soiree to celebrate the seeds of a new land.  Once settled the resourceful bunch were able to build a fort, a mill, a bakery and even produce their own wine (leave it to the French!).  It seems as if they had found la dolce vita, that is until the Spanish took it upon themselves to officially “evict’ their new French neighbors (for the lack of nicer words).

So does my color trail now lead me to include the colors of France fashion circa mid 16th century too?  Better yet am I truly prepared to rethink the entire image of this holiday?

If only this version could be the end of my palette’s plight.  I discover that Plymouth’s famous history has not only some Southerns with their pantaloons all up in a bunch, but a fellow Massachusetts town as well. Thanks to a few Cape ‘Codders’ the mystery grows even more.

It is there in Provincetown that they say the Mayflower first came to shore- six weeks prior to the pilgrims setting sail again and landing at their final destination of Plymouth Rock.  Upon these beach-y shores, the settlers signed the Plymouth Compact, discovered corn and traded goods for the first time with Native Americans.  Provincetown has spent the last 100 years trying to get this word out-that in fact it was here on Cape Cod that the pilgrims first touched American soil.  Yet unless you happen to vacation there, you probably would never ‘thoust hear of thee”.

In 2010 the Pilgrim Monument of Provincetown will celebrate 100 years of earnestly trying to rewrite American history

Geez, I’m starting to think Plymouth Rock just can’t catch a break! So whats to believe?

While I do find these historical accounts incredibly fascinating and I always love a colorful ’shake up’ of ideas, ultimately what I learned in childhood will likely be the way I will continue to think about this day in history.

For me the first Thanksgiving will continue to be a scene set upon a cool New England Autumn afternoon, a table full of the first harvested bounty and the meshing of two distinctly different cultures. In the name of giving thanks to faith, perseverance and friendship.

Of course in my mind it all plays out like a bad made-for-tv movie and includes a scene with a beautiful Indian princess attempting to teach some young studly ‘old English’ speaking pilgrim how to say ‘maize’ while his uptight WASPy parents look nervously on…you know, something like you might see Sela Ward star in on Lifetime.

I could offer up some additional colorful words to describe exactly how I’m feeling about my own personal finances right now- but in the spirit of the season I’m going to play nice (Santa is watching after all).

So with bank accounts lowering and stress levels rising (almost as fast as the prices for food and gas), it’s easy to see how one could lose sight of that ‘giving and thankful spirit’ that this time of year is supposed to be all about.

I’m determined for my own sanity not to let that happen.  Whenever I begin to feel stressed out, I vow to take a breath and to remember how truly grateful I am for my family’s health, for the crazy cast of characters I call my friends and for the not quite clean-but always welcoming house that I am fortunate enough to call home.

So with less cash to spend and more gratitude to give, I spent the weekend surfing the net for gift ideas. Products that will bring a smile to those that I love, all while helping to make the world a better place. I figure this way everyone can profit a little from my (not always this thoughtful) spending habits.

Here are a few of my favorites so far- I hope they will inspire you as well!

1. American Flamingo needlepoint pillow from Michaelian Homes ($150)- choose from a variety of beautiful John James Audubon’s bird images licensed directly from the Audubon Society and help support their fight to protect these beautiful creatures.

2. Fair Trade Napali Hand-knit Stocking Cap ($12.95).  Super cute and for every cap sold through The Rainforest Site, they will fund the preservation of 1145.0 sq. ft. of  land.

3. Lush Hand & Body Creme Charity Pot. Chose any of their beauty products and with the proceeds LUSH will donate to carefully selected charities around the world that support animal rights, environmental protection and humanitarian concerns.

4. PeaceKeeper Eco-Sensual Lip Balm ($3.89). PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics is the first cosmetic company to give all of its after-tax, distributable profits to women’s health advocacy and urgent human rights issues- so pucker up and feel good about it.

5. Mother Earth Seed Necklace ($48) from the Women’s Peace Collection.  Sales of this and their other stunningly beautiful fair trade products help to fund their commitment to empower women through sustainable enterprise. Each product comes with a card describing it’s unique story.

6. Hope Grows Seed Packet (for a $10 and up donation).  If you love her colorful prints, you’ll love all she’s doing to raise awareness for breast cancer research. So gift your favorite Vera Bradley fan with one of her colorful bags and stick this pink flower seed packet from the Vera Bradley Foundation inside as an added special touch.

7. Flock of Ducks ($20), make a donation in your sister’s, mom’s, wife or favorite girlfriend’s name to the Heifer International and let her help supply a family in need with animals that can help to feed and support them for years to come.

1. Tom’s Shoes (Remarque $46).  Hip and thoughtful because for every pair of shoes sold- Tom’s donates one pair to a child in need.

2. Henckels Steak Knives and Wooden Case ($79.99 through the Food Network) For the manly man- every set sold Henckels makes a donation to Share Our Strength- an organization helping to end childhood hunger here in America

3. Vintage 13 Marino Estates Cabernet Sauvignon ($13.99) available through Event Wines, not a Dolphin’s fan? No problem choose from other favorite sports hero’s own labels- with 70% of pre-tax profits going to the celebrity’s charity of choice.

4. Nike’s LIVESTRONG duffel bag ($40)- great for the gym and 100% of Nike’s profit goes to the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s fight against cancer.

5. Orvis’s Malpai denim shirt ($79). Let him channel his inner cowboy, plus for every shirt sold, Orvis has pledged a donation to the Malpai Borderlands Organization which is helping to preserve ranching lands in Arizona and New Mexico.

6. Whether he’s a Democrat or Republican, he’ll get a ‘kick’ out of this- a gift of a donkey ($100) to a village in need through Oxam America.

1. Start off the season by teaching your kids the gift of ‘believing‘.  For every letter placed inside of  Santa’s mailboxes inside Macy’s, the store will donate $1 to Make A Wish Foundation.

2. Kid’s love caring for animals-choose from over 100 different species and Adopt An Endangered Animal in your child’s name ($25-$100) through World Wildlife Fund- wait till they get to tell their friends that they have a panda for a pet.

3. Go to Toys R Us to buy that ‘hot toy of the year’ (yes zhu zhu pets are a one of them) and buy an extra toy and donate it to the stores Toys For Tots drive (through Dec.6th, cash donations at the registers through Dec.24th)  Then become a fan of Toys R Us on Facebook and the company will donate an additional $1 to Toys For Tots.

4. Gingerbread House Kit ($19.95) from Dancing Deer Baking Company.  A great holiday project for the whole family, plus 35% of profits are given to the Sweet Home project, providing education scholarships to homeless and at risk mothers.

5. Make every mealtime a colorful adventure with Children’s Chopsticks ($10) from Unicef, proceeds from sponsored products help to provide children around the world with the means the live safe and healthy lives.

6. Let your favorite little sports enthusiast pass on their love of playing the game and donate  a Gift of a Soccer Ball and Air Pump ($31.25) and provide some fun and playtime for children living in refugee camps- also through Unicef.

7. Delight them with this cool Retro Scooter in St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital’s signature green($49). 100% profits from products are donated directly to the hospital.

Many of these ideas were found in a great article off of Forbes.com .  I’m sure there are many others to know about and I’m still looking for additional ideas, so If you have one to share please leave a comment-Thnx!

The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum (an outpost of the Smithsonian Institute) is housed in what was Andrew Carnigie’s 5th Ave. mansion

April’s Feeling The Felt At The Cooper Hewitt post had caught their eye and they thought she’d like to hear for herself what a few of today’s most successful female designers have to say about juggling life, love and career.

They were so right- we were psyched.  The line up was fabulous.  Elle Decor’s Editor-in-Chief Margaret Russell playing host to this year’s recipients: (minus Josie Natori-too bad, I love her PJs!)

Charlotte Moss (whom the magazine also presented with their annual Vision Award)

Kelly Wearstler

Holly Hunt

and Michelle Nussbaumer

2. Margaret Russell must have some innate sense of direction. I quickly realized that these women represent not only varying styles and life stories, but when pinpointed on a map they also represent a crisscross of locations within our colorful country.

Moss (NY), Nussbaumer (Dallas), Wearstler (LA) and Hunt (Chicago).  Was this just a coincidence? Was Ms. Russell consulting an atlas?  Whatever the reason for their geographical alignment, I was thrilled. Feeling as if I’ve been suffering from ‘NY tunnel vision’ I was excited to hear about life as a designer beyond the Big Apple.

So I happily headed to the heart of Times Square to hook up with April outside of the hip and happening TheTimesCenter housed within the NY Time’s headquarters (wow, try saying that 10 times fast).

3. That TheTimesCenter is an amazing space inside an even more amazing building. Designed by architect Renzo Piano, The New York Time’s new headquarters is a 52 story marvel of glass and steel. It’s transparent facade allows outsiders to peek in and the day’s ever changing light and colors to shine back through.  Here’s a quote I found from the designer himself:

“I love the city and I wanted this building to be an expression of that. I wanted a transparent relationship between the street and the building. From the street, you can see through the whole building. Nothing is hidden. And like the city itself, the building will catch the light and change color with the weather. Bluish after a shower, and in the evening on a sunny day, shimmering red. The story of this building is one of lightness and transparency.”-Renzo Piano (source)

source

The building really does change colors.  I remember it first caught my eye while I was driving in a cab up the West Side- it’s facade had literally turned the same amazing palette of crimsons and blues as the evening’s sunset.

I had yet to ever have the opp to be inside- as soon as we walked through the big glass doors we were struck by the space’s colors- about as close to Pantone’s color of the year for 2009 Mimosa as you can get highlighted with punches of a bright, true red.

When I walked into the auditorium and caught sight of the building’s interior moss and birch tree garden beyond the stage’s windows I was truly blown away. It’s no surprise to learn that Piano has become the go- to architect for museum redos throughout the United States.  The space has the same serene and contemplative feel you’d expect to experience in a modern day gallery or museum.

3. Networking is important, but when you are not in the mood very hard.  Luckily sometimes fate steps in. I was first and foremost there to listen in on the conversation between Ms. Russell and her panel of ‘designing women’.  But the cocktail hour at these events exist for one reason and one reason only- to quench your thirst, feed your hunger and fulfill your need to meet new people and provide your own answer to New Yorkers’ favorite question ‘What do you do?’.

But it was a Monday night and after a busy weekend I found myself lacking all social energy.  Besides I was having way too much fun egging April on to talk to the cute catering guy and playing the ‘Does where we stand effect the amount of hors d’oeurves we are offered?’ game to be bothered.

being this close to Holly Hunt, it probably would have been a smart move to say ‘hello’

By the time we were instructed to line up to enter the auditorium we realized we hadn’t talked to anyone other than each other.  Then as if on cue a lovely woman came up and asked if we were in line and an interesting conversation ensued.  Long story short she owns a ‘fringe’ art gallery and has a very exciting art show opening this month.  We ended up sitting together and now we have yet another interesting event to look forward! So sometimes being lazy does pay.

4.  That we must remember how awesome the founding mothers of modern day design are and that Margaret Russell is really cute in person.  Elsie De Wolfe , Dorthy Draper and Sister Parish were among the mavens mentioned in the opening slide show. It was fascinating to take a quick jaunt through history and see how much of an influence these woman still have on what makes for a beautiful home today.

rooms by Elsie De Wolf and Sister Parish (combining mauves and greens was a big hit for all 3!) and one of Dorthy Draper’s stylish ‘how-to’s’

Margaret Russell was quite poised, able to laughed off a few minor technical glitches and at herself -divulging us with her need to suck on cough drops due to a lingering cold. Once the panel was introduced and took their seats next to her in the living room like set, she charmingly referred to the evening as her own version of ‘The View’.  ( She however did not explain an ankle brace she was sporting with her LBD and heels but judging from her ‘gams and her guns’ I’m guessing kick boxing accident).

source

5. That Charlotte Moss is hilarious. April and I of course loved her for the fact they she’s a Virginia girl turned New Yorker-just like us, but it was her plethora of feisty one liners that kept us chuckling throughout the evening.  When Margaret (or Peggy as Charlotte refers to her) asked “Do you care if you are called a designer or a decorator (since Elle Decor tends to use both terms in their magazine), Charlotte replied- ‘I don’t really care what you call me, as long as you pay my bill on time”.

I also admire that Charlotte is the only blogger out of the bunch.  Tete-A-Tete followers her latest musings and inspirations. (By the way none of the panel including Ms. Russell Twitters)

She was also quite candid about her recent decision to shut down Townhouse, her famed Upper East Side retail store. Saying that what seemed at first to be an incredibly hard choice, once made- was in the end one of the easiest she has ever made.  The demands of the store had taken ‘all the fun out’ of the other areas of her professional life.

6. That even the most successful of designers has a decorating skeleton or two in the closet.  When asked what the worst decorating mistake they ever made was.  Michelle Nussbaumer offered up that at a clients request she had slipcovered a desk- ‘You couldn’t even open the drawers’ she laughed.  While an entrance way  of six different colored stripes led to Kelly’s worst ‘decorating don’t’. Michelle also stated that she has mounted a stuffed alligator over a console in a client’s dining room (it’s a Texas thing, I suppose!)

7. That a good staff can organize your life and perhaps even polish up your fashion styling skills. Kelly Wearstler credits one overly zealous staff member with having the organizational skills of a pro, creating what sounds like an amazing clear bin system of all of her samples, memos and archives. She described it with such awe and appreciation you know it must be incredible.  Then Michelle let us in on the fact (after it was first brought to our attention by Charlotte) that she often takes her younger, just starting out in the business staffers shopping for their professional wardrobes. (Wow-really?  Again, this must be a Texas thing?!)

8.  That Holly Hunt believes success comes from taking risks.  She admitted to making many mistakes when she was first starting out in business, but that it was her risky decisions- like buying a showroom after her divorce and eventually signing on to partnership with designer Christian Liaigre that helped to define her career. I loved that she admits to being totally disorganized and even made reference to the many, many piles of papers that constantly crowd her desk (hey, Holly-me too!).  Plus even though she’s called Chicago home for many decades now, she has yet to lose her West Texas drawl- which I find very cool.

source

the evening’s stylish crowd-we’re in there somewhere

9. A room’s atmosphere and energy is what a successfully designed space is all about. These were the keywords on everyone’s lips. How the room makes you feel, it’s comfort level and how a room can enhance your life are of top priority for all four women.

10. It was refreshing to know that even the most famous of designers don’t always have carte blanche when it comes to running the show.  Charlotte Moss was again hilarious in talking of the trials and tribulations of working with clients saying that she sometimes has to tell her clients “let’s step back for a moment and revisit why you called me in the first place’.

11. Kelly Wearstler believes its important to constantly surround yourself with inspiration-  Scouring bookstores, museums, movies and travel are some of her personal favorite sources. Charlotte makes sure to keep a notebook in every room and bag so she’s always on the ready to jot down an idea,  Michelle works with traditional inspiration boards as a starting point to defining the mood of a new projects, while Holly always keeps an eye open believing that good design ideas are all around us everyday.

12. That Michelle believes that in order to be a successful mother, friend, wife, sister and business woman it takes finding that perfect balance:  Since she manages to be a career woman and mother to four children, I’m guessing she’s found it.  I wish more had been discussed on this subject- perhaps she will start a blog…I will read it Michelle if you do:)!!!!

After a big round of applause we all made our way out to the lobby to say our goodbyes and the panel came out to mingle with the crowd.  As we were leaving, we caught sight of Charlotte Moss and felt it was imperative to give a ’shout out’ to the common bond of our ‘Old Dominion’ home state.

She was very sweet, comparing notes on being southerners in the city and encouraging us to ‘keep blogging’.  When we told her that she was the one that we voted ‘the designer we most wanted to go have drinks with afterwards’, she politely laughed and said’ Oh, yeah, well that’s good, I like that-but I’m off to dinner now” and away she went.

Rats! If only she had taken us up on it- what a fantastic ending to an already great evening we would have had.  Oh, well. Holly…. you’ll be happy to know we took a risk.

Kate’s Talking ‘Colors That Make a Man’s Heart Race’ in this month’s Cosmo:  (Yeah!!! It’s the Fergie issue) Did you know that wearing a vibrant shade of pink can increase others’ heart rates, an electric shade of Teal attracts attention and can up your self confidence, a yellow hues can give a boost to those around you and that certain shades of purple can make you appear either coy (light purple) or mysterious (deep Amethyst) to the man of your dreams?

Cosmo takes a fun and flirty look at how your beauty routine can benefit from a little color knowledge.  Our favorite color guru Leatrice Eisman and make-up artists Jillian Dempsey and Michael Marcus also weigh in with their own colorful spin.

I had planned to show an image of the article’s layout but I’m having some scanner drama…so you’ll have to make a stop at the newsstand to see it for yourself.  Its well worth it I have to say… I realized I had completely read through ‘Get Rid of Muffin Top’ and ‘Wacked-out Things Guys Say In Bed’ before I even checked to make sure we had been included in the issue…:)

Designers Lend Their Creative Passions To a Spectacular Charity Auction: Women In Need (or WIN) is a fabulous organization that has been providing housing, help and hope to homeless families since 1983.  I was shocked to learn that there are over 100,000 homeless people in NYC alone and that 1 in 4 children in our great city are living within poverty level. With the holidays and another cold winter right around the corner these statistic truly hit home.

To help raise awareness and funds, WIN has asked a whole slew of celebs to decorate a paper mache house in their own unique style.  The houses are to be auctioned off through November 30th.  My money is on Oscar De La Renta’s.  I’m flipping for his symmetric landscaping and pink trim.  Here’s a fantastic behind the scenes look at the inspirations behind this incredible event.

Click here to view the embedded video.

‘I’m Not Really A Waitress’ And Neither Is My Laptop: Dell is one company that loves adding a little color to technology.  Their online Color Studio allows consumers to chose from over 300 cover design options featuring among them works by such artists as Tristan Eaton, Siobhan Gunning and Bruce Mau.  Dell has also collaborated with both Product(Red) and the MLB (please no one tell my son about this).  Their latest and greatest partnership is with non other than nail lacquer experts OPI.  Starting next months you can chose from 20 different classic OPI shades and 6 seasonal favorites including ‘Dear Santa’ and ‘Smitten With Mittens’.

“Beautiful nails really are the ultimate accessory to any look,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive Vice President & Artistic Director. “And now, with Dell laptops that coordinate with OPI Nail Lacquers, you can match your nails to your emails!” Parafin dip and complimentary shoulder massage not included.

A Big Book About Minis: Have you ever noticed that the tallest people drive minis (is it just an optical illusion, or am I right?).  Well, the cutest thing on 4 wheels turns the big 5-0 this year and a new book called ‘Wash Me’ pays homage to the auto’s unique spirit and style.  Car as muse- the images include works by 10 distinct artists non of whom have ever had the chance to list ‘car’ as their medium.  The Mini Brand is no stranger it seems when it comes to curating artistic expression.  I was surprised to learn that the auto company has been in an exclusive partnership since 2008 with NYC’s own Ludlow 38, an exhibition space within the Goethe-Institut in New York’s ever artsy Lower East Side.

Over 900 buildings and monuments worldwide are set to ‘go blue’ this Saturday night in honor of World Diabetes Day: “Understand Diabetes and Take Control’ is the theme of this year’s campaign.  It is estimated that around 285 million people are living with diabetes and (shocking to hear) that sufferers are responsible for about 95% of their own life long care.  With (in most cases-  preventable) Type 2 Diabetes on the raise (with an estimated 344 more people at risk), education and awareness has never been more important.  Get the facts on diabetes and read more about this colorful campaign here.  Thanks to Liberty Post, for sharing with her readers how the disease has effected her own life and making us aware of this wonderful event.

Farewell Met Home and Gourmet: Yikes!! Not much to say here….just that the world will be a little less colorful and yummy without you.  Best wishes to you all.

If you follow this blog then you’re probably aware that I am always on the prowl for inspiring color and style ideas. I also love a good party (especially ones filled with interesting and creative people). When these two occasions merge you can say I’m truly ‘living in full color’ !

So it should come as no surprise that when I recently received an invite that included the words paint, palette, The Audubon Society and inspired by the colors and beauty of nature- it took no twisting of this blogger’s arm to get me R.S.V.P-ing YES right away.

The occasion: a colorful party hosted by Olympic Paints to celebrate the unveiling of Olympic’s Audubon Collection, 8 palettes inspired by the beauty of nature, drawing upon the vision and artistic tradition of the National Audubon Society.

With the works of renowned photographer Tim Fitzharris and painter John Jay Audubon himself as inspiration, these 8 Olympic paint palettes (in 48 colors ranging from the softest pastel to the deepest rich hue) virtually come to life before your very eyes, as if they were (sorry Great White Egret- I have to say it) plucked directly from the canvases.

Best part-Olympic Premium Paints (available exclusively through Lowe’s nationwide) are zero VOC , low-odor and- coming in at below $25 a gallon, quite easy on the decorating budget.

It was all sounding to my inspirations-loving-self, a bit too good to be true.  So I invited my pal Mary (a colorful interior designer in her own right) to tag along with me to The Bryant Park Hotel to get a closer look.

We arrived on the 25th floor of the hotel to be greeted by not only a spectacular view of the city but by a spectacular art project as well.

It was so fitting that Mary and I would be there together since we are soul mates in our love of paint-by-numbers. (She’s going to kill me for revealing this but Mary’s phone screen saver is actually a paint-by-number she did of her dog)

We jumped right into the evening’s festivities and began testing out the palettes and displaying a little bit of our own painterly skills.

our goal

and our Olympic palette

I told you we are professionals, check out Mary’s skill-level…even balancing a glass of wine she’s able to stay well with in the lines!

Throughout the room images of Tim Fitzharris’s amazing (and I mean amazing!) landscapes were on display with snapshots of rooms decorated in the colors inspired by his photographs.  The colors in these pictures are so breathtaking.  If you aren’t familiar with Mr. Fitzharris’s American landscapes check out his site.  If you are a new student of photography-like me, he has collaborated with the Audubon Society on what looks to be 2 great books geared towards digital camera users ( just added them both to my Xmas list).

This board shows a bedroom inspired by Olympic’s Majestic palette.

Here’s a better close up of the room from Olympic’s website.  The palette is said to ‘embraces the red canyon depths to distant horizon’s cast’.  I’m totally feeling it. I love the pop of frosty blue (the paint version is First Frost B52-1) paired with the warmer hues of cherry, clay and creams.

Nothing brings the outdoors in quicker than a palette of blues and greens.  Mary and I were both obsessed with the Grandeur palette.  Especially the deep saturated colors of Teal Zeal B58-5 and Guacamole C68-4. The Fitzharris images that go along with this palette include a picture of Bowling Ball Beach in California- which has to be seen to be believed. I’ve had the palette’s brochure open on my desk all week.  Being a bit stressed, I actually think that gazing at it has helped to zen me out. (My family thanks you.)

“Olympic Paint’s new Audubon Collection allows consumers to bring the brilliant hues of the natural world indoors, providing a connection with the landscapes that inspire them”,  Sandy Pinot, The Audubon’s director of licensing explained to us.  “Our relationship with Olympic is well-aligned as connecting people with the beauty of nature: and giving them the power to protect it is at the heart of what Audubon does.”

(A little bit of a side note: I have to mention how intrigued I was to learn some of the fascinating history behind the Audubon Society, like that it was started over a century ago right here in the heart of New York City-who knew?  The more I’ve been reading their site the more I think everyone should become a member or purchase an Audubon product for someone they love this holiday season and help support their tireless commitment to protecting nature, but I will go further on this in an upcoming post)

I also learned (thanks to Olympic’s own Kathy Boytim) of Olympic’s long history and passion in creating environmentally friendly, affordable paint options for consumers and have been doing so for years now. Way before ‘green decorating’ became the buzz- I must add.

Basically, I loved how passionate everyone involved was feeling about these beautiful palettes- the excitement was contagious!

You can experience all of the palettes at Olympic’s ‘Color’s of Inspiration Centers’ as featured in your local Lowe’s. They even have 3″x4″ chip cards of the collection and 8oz. sample cans, making it easy to try a little mysterious, glorious or tranquil colors in your own home.

Or if you are a ’shut in’ like I’ve been lately, thanks to dropping temps here in NY.  Then check out the company’s online paint tool, upload your pix and experiment with the colors right from the coziness of your own home.

With such a spectacular range of colors- I’m guessing there’s a palette for just about everyone.

In fact at the party we discovered that we all had our own palette.  Okay, truth be told I forced everyone to stand next to what I thought could be their personal palette.  Luckily everyone was a good sport about my pushy commands.

Andrea Husarova, graphic designer extraordinaire is perfectly chic next to the Tranquil hues of Crashing Waves (B56-2), Shy Violet (C41-2) and White Smoke (C10-1)

Olympic’s Kathy Boytim perfectly matched with the Majestic colors of Mexican Moonlight (C28-4), Pink Clay Pot (B35-3) and Fortune Cookie (B17-1) in her own stylish version of frosty blue

The Audubon Society’s own fiery Sandy Pinto is serenely matched with the Harmonious shades of “Serenity” (B52-2), “Lovely Lilac” (B46 -3) and ‘Filigree” (D54-1)

While Ketchum Public Relation’s Julie McNeal is camera ready in her modern earthy hues surrounded by the colors of Grandeur (fyi-that’s that image of Bowling Ball Beach!) “River Reed” (C11-2), Turquoise Mist (B58-3) and ‘Parchment Paper’ (C16-1)

Okay, I know Mary will never be my ‘event date’ again if I don’t put a picture of myself in this post- so here I am with my new colorful gal pals Sandy and Andrea.  Oh, yeah and Mary’s purse found it’s own palette as well!

And speaking of Mary, I think she was feeling a little jealous that she has yet to be asked to create a fabulous palette.  So she took it upon herself to create her own- inspired by her glass of wine and the delicious catered spread.

After a good giggle, we realized this was probably the time to say our good-byes (Mary and I DO have the tendency to shut down a party when we are together!)

Thanks to everyone (esp. you Sylvia from Ketchum PR) for having us along on such a fun, color-filled, inspiring night!  We had a blast! xoxo

p.s. Please let me know when you try out any of these Audubon Palettes in your own home, I would love to hear all about the beautiful results!

Without missing a beat April replied, ‘We work for Estee Lauder. We’re the ones that come up with the color names for lipstick’. Knowing full well that we would never see this duo again and because they both seemed very impressed by our colorful jobs ( truth be told we were at the time simply overly-imaginative waitresses) I of course played right along.

Soon after as we made our way out of the party I looked at April and asked, ‘Where did that come from?”.  She laughed and said “I don’t know-but wouldn’t that be a cool job?”

I had to agree…this many years later I’m still thinking naming colors would be a cool job.

So when I heard about General Motors sponsoring a competition to put a name to a color to one of GM’s first ever extended- range electrical car ( or E-Rev)- the Chevy Volt, I figured here’s April’s and my (and yours too) chance to make this little white lie into a full spectrum reality!

Okay here it is- the Volt in all of it’s pre-production glory.  The current name-less color is described as a Silver exterior with an Emerald hue. The color will be available exclusively on the Chevy Volt which will begin production in late 2010.

Once offically named, the color will join a palette of other Volt exterior colors including Black, Cyber Gray Metallic, Crystal Red Metallic, Silver Ice Metallic and premium White Diamond Tri-Coat.

The Volt gets a test drive.  Very exciting considering the car is expected to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt’s lithium-ion battery is depleted of energy, the engine generator seamlessly operates to extend the total driving range to more than 300 miles.

So here’s a quick round-up of the contest from Maria Rohrer, Director, Global Volt & Global Marketing Operations at Chevrolet-

‘Think of a creative name that conveys what the Volt represents in Eco innovation, technology, and the Chevrolet spirit. To enter the contest, simply click on the “Submit Your Name Here” link below beginning at 8 a.m. ET on October 22 and follow the instructions to submit your color name. You can submit a name through 8:00 a.m. ET November 4. We’ll then review the entries and pick three finalists to enter a final round of consumer voting.

Check back on November 16 to find out which three finalists we selected and vote for your favorite name through December 1.  Who knows, maybe you will be the one to join us in Los Angeles for a final “vote-off” and a chance to drive a pre-production Chevy Volt.”

Read the rules and submit your color name here

Okay we’re getting a little bit of a late start since the contest ends in only a few days so April and I will be here racking our brains all morning.  A little bit of a spoiler alert- if reading others submissions throws you off (I know it does me) then avoid scrolling down over what has already been submitted.  ( FYI, you have to be a US resident to eligible to win.)

Here’s a few more images of the Chevy Volt in need of a color name.  So get your creative engines revving (or should I say plugged in) and name that color- Good Luck!

It’s so fascinating to me just how important color is when it comes to our automobiles.  GM’s own study found that 39 percent of consumers will leave a dealership and go to a different dealership, even a different brand if they are not able to find a vehicle in a color to their liking.

It’s no wonder that car companies spend so much time and energy forecasting up and coming consumer trends.  It’s also no wonder that in return, color forecasters for home and fashion keep an eye on what is happening in the world of automotive color.  Funny to think that the latest palette coming down a runway may ultimately have been influenced by what was being seen at an auto show a season or two before.

Check out this video with GM’s own Chris Webb (I remember he took part in one of my favorite Project Runway challenges ever- the week when they had to make an outfit using only car parts from a GM Saturn!).  Here he talks about just how important color and color technology is in the world of General Motors.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Did color choice come into play when you bought your last car?  See what the color of the car you drive says about your personality- a fun rundown of meanings by color guru and Pantone director Leatrice Eisman as featured on Sensational Color.

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/chevy-says-name-that-color/feed/ 4