Monique LHuillier's touch of Malachite

It was feeling awful breezy round these parts yesterday.  A welcome relief following the last weeks heatwave.  It seemed daunting to even think of Fall fashions just ten days ago, where seeing tweed and cashmere in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf seemed utterly ridiculous.  I needed a hankie to wipe my brow just thinking about boots!

But here we are with commercials announcing 'Back to School' deals and get this - COUNTDOWNS to Christmas!  Not quite there mentally yet.  But Oh! one wonderful caveat of the impending holiday season - Holiday parties!!!

Monique Lhuillier's Fall 2013 Collection answers the dreaded question... "What on earth am I going to wear"?

Uptown Magazine - True Urban Chic by Joy Moyler Interiors

I was really flattered, when Uptown Magazine wanted to feature my Joy Moyler Interiors design work in their Home and Food June/July 2013 Issue.  Editor/Writer Ronda Racha Penrice and Editor in Chief Isoula Harris, were more than a pleasure and I exuberantly want to publicly say THANK YOU to both of them for their support!  

Of course, I am additionally honored to be featured alongside singer John Legend, who I am a big fan of.  Hmmmmm, I sure would like to work on a project for he and his fiancee Chrissy Tiegen - and a whole lot of other projects too!

Hawaiian Royalty - The Surfing Duke Kahanamoku

 Duke Kahanamoku, (August 24, 1890 - January 22, 1968) the famed Hawaiian surfer who later became Mayor of Honolulu, Hawaiian folk hero and five-time Olympic swim medalist.  You cannot walk on the main boulevards of Waikiki in Honolulu and not see images of Duke Kahanamoku.  Fresh leis are placed on his large bronze statue daily.  It is a pilgrimage for surfing enthusiasts young and old.

I have even witnessed a multitude of prayers taking place at its site.  Sure, his name is also on several restaurants throughout Hawaii.  But I yearned to know more about him.  

I love the water, I love surfing (granted I do not participate in the sport), I LOVE watching it!  Whenever I visit Oahu, I drive along the North Shore to Pipeline (stopping at as many shrimp trucks as I possibly can along the way).  Pipeline, is the locale where true enthusiasts surf.  The true desitination point. The waves are phenomenal, upwards of 40 feet  and many surfing competitions are held there.  It's the equivalent of the American Super Bowl or Wimbelton!  And boy oh boy is it worth going to!!! Did I mention just how hot those surf boys are?????

Duke was also a very good friend and surfing companion to Doris Duke, who built a manse (now a museum) on Oahu, known as Shangri-la.

Sidebar:

While living in Newport Beach, California on June 14, 1925, Kahanamoku rescued eight men from a fishing vessel that capsized in heavy surf while attempting to enter the city's harbor. 29 fishermen went into the water and 17 perished. Using his surfboard, he was able to make quick trips back and forth to shore to increase the number of sailors rescued. Two other surfers saved four more fishermen. Newport's police chief at the time called Duke's efforts "the most superhuman surfboard rescue act the world has ever seen."

The Duke with Amelia Earhardt in Honolulu

Duke passed away at the age of 77 from a massive heart attack.  Leaving a legacy carried on my lovers of the sport.

Long live the Duke!

Wedding Dresses fit for Royalty...

It's the heart of wedding season!  The time of year I become a single woman again because my hubby is a wedding photographer and I won't see him again until November (sigh).

Fortunately, I've been able to attend several wedding with him this season.  And I have to say - "the Ladies are bringing it"!  I have seen some of the most spectacular wedding dresses EVER!!!!

So in this week fueled with ideas and dreams of what it might feel like to marry a Royal - I thought I would share some of these exquisite bedazzled frocks fit for a Queen... Feast your eyes and behold!

Images via Preston Bailey and Reema Acra and Berta Bridal

Tile crushing with Ann Sachs!

Call me crazy (go ahead, it's been done before), but I love dirt!  I love mud, and I love clay!!! Beyond the ACTUAL dirt factor, I LOVE what some forms of 'dirt' mud, clay and terra cotta become.  Come on think about it!  The possibilities are endless.

The very best of all is pottery and tile! So what should be a relatively simple task of searching for tile for projects becomes waaaaaay more intense than needed.  Because I totally 'crush' on tile! 

Here are a few that caught my attention from Ann Sacks.  You'll find some pretty great stuff from various designers as well, under one roof.  Clodagh, Barbra Barry, Vincente Wolfe and Michael C. Smith too.

Who is YOUR tile crush?

www.http://annsacks.com

Emilio Sosa - Interview with Project Runways Talented Designer Extraordinaire!

When I met Emilio Sosa of Project Runway a few months back, I was captivated my his charm and quiet nature. Soulful eyes and a gentleman manner pulled me in.  He attended an event along with Casanova, also of Project Runway, who I'd met several times before.  My husband and I attended the event for our Creative Voices Project.  Where we interview artist, getting the backstories on their passions.

I knew there was whole lot more to Emilio, than I knew from television.  There HAD to be!  And  we wanted to discover it.  He is an exceptionally talented designer, whose roots are deep in costume design. Rooted in skills of making characters come to life through their clothing and their voices.  Emilio's career is constantly unfolding and growing exponentially.  Just recently, he completed costume designs for the new Broadway hot ticket 'MOTOWN' The Musical.  Also, under his belt is the incredible 'Porgy and Bess' with the divine Audra MacDonald (whose wedding dress he also designed).  And if you were in New York and lucky enough to see the show... were character 'Sporting Life's' suits AMAZING or whaaaaaaaat?

Clearly Emilio has a WHOLE lot going on.  Project Runway was another vehicle to share his talents with the world.  Doing "what he already has mastered - in another way".  I think that's a fantastic approach to have to life and a career you've been wrapped in fro awhile.  Certainly a great way to keep things fresh!  Wouldn't you agree?

Designing in Curacao!

I recently returned from the most amaaaaaaaaaazing trip to Curacao.  A small island in the Caribbean sea, off the coat of Venezuela.  Curacao is part of the A, B, C islands... Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.  It is a constituent country of the Dutch Netherlands.

The official spoken languages are Dutch and Papimetentu (a Creole language) spoken by most of the inhabitants of the island, in all levels of society.  English and Spanish are largely spoken as well.  Curacao is a beautiful island, with temperatures in the high 70's (Fahrenheit) year round.  If you are looking for someplace new to discover, I recommend Curacao!

I was part of the African American Top 20 Interior Designers, invited to participate in designing a vignette for Building Depot which is the islands largest home furnishing/tool/garden store on the island.  The task was creating a room environment using product ONLY available at Building Depot.  We were given a blank floor, a back wall and that's it!  Here are a few images from my dining space...

The results were great spaces, where customers were enormously surprised were designed from the stores wares.  Notes chefs from Gordon Ramsey's Hells Kitchen, Chopped and Top Chef were on hand providing sinful meals for a week.  Oh, that's why my clothes don't fit! It was soooooo much fun it was ridiculous!  Great new friends were made and it was an absolute blast!  Big shout out to Nadin Benito of Interior Visions for her coordinating and 'vision' in making this all happen.

Blog Pinkeggshell recently did an amazing post of the trip.  So instead of recreating it all, please let me introduce you to Kimberly Ward of Pinkeggshell as our Guest Blogger!

So, if you have a moment please check out Kimberly Wards Pinkeggshell's coverage here!

Inspired by... Ralph Lauren Home and William Sonoma Home

Inspired by...

As you all know by now... I Love and Adore everything Ralph Lauren.  Blah, Blah, Blah - yes you all know I worked there for years... Blah, Blah, Blah...

So ingrained in my thought is RL styling and product ye, which I Love and Adore.  So just this morning I posted an environment from William Sonoma Home, which I too Loved and Adore.

I just new there was something about it... You decide... Inspired by...

Architectural Digest images of Alfredo Parades home

Architectural Digest images of Alfredo Parades home

and...

William Sonoma Home 

Yes, I STILL Love and Adore them BOTH!

Imitation is the best form of flattery.  Besides, NOTHING in design is truly original - right!

Feeling 'Beachy' with Williams Sonoma Home!

William Sonoma Home has released their Spring Home collection, and I tell you!  It's making me countdown days to the beach!  In the meanwhile I will just hang back, lie on the porch, reading in a hammock and enjoying watching the blossoms of Spring emerge.

I hope you too, find some quality time to stop and smell the flowers and inhale all the newness before us.  Work will always be there.  Time waits for no one, so let's just enjoy this time of awakening buds and Live it!

 www.wshome.com

Creative Voices Project Interview with tattoo artist Jon Mesa

You may remember Jon from the popular television show, BEST INK 2012 season on the Oxygen Channel, or you may have seen him on the cover of INKED Magazine! 

Well, Jon joins Creative Voices Project in an exclusive video.  In it, he talks about the life and times of a tattoo artist and lends pertinent advise to those interested in a tattoo career.

Hope you enjoy it!

www.creativevoicesproject.com

@jonmesa