Monday, May 31

Guest post at Chic Modern Vintage

 
 Today Head over to 
to read a guest post about all things Floral
Thanks for inviting me to take part Tonia 

Thursday, May 27

Chelsea Flower Show and The Gore Hotel


Truly friends are a wonderous thing
The Daily Telegraph garden winner of this years Best in Show

Today I am off to London to attend
This has been a dream of mine for so long
On Dec 25th I opened an envelope from a dearest friend......
So Today we both fly off to London to look at all that is new and wonderful in the world
of horticulture.

images from The Gore Hotel website

and if that wasn't enough..........
my gang of ladies who keep me sane here in the depths of middle Ireland 
pooled together to buy us a night in 
The first time I set foot in this place I vowed I would one day
Lie my silken locks upon their feather pillows for a night.
I was in London for a designer Showcase in the 
Irish Embassy and was tagging along with the girls from 
Tatler Magazine who were staying there. 
Then Lisa from A Bloomsbury life 
did a post which included her stay here and how she loved it
I was further compelled 
So Now this weekend I get not 1 but 2 of my wishes!!!
Then Sunday I am off to NYC again for a month!
And to think in April I was wondering what to do with myself!

 
X

Wednesday, May 26

Limerick school of Art and Design

Last week I had the honour of judging the 
Limerick School of Art and Design
Final year Fashion Students.
The standard was incredible.
Truly I was blown away by the innovation
and craftsmanship of the pieces.

I want to say a HUGE congratulations
to ALL the students.

I was armed only with my iphone 
so here are some, not so great, snaps.


And the winning collection by Sarah Melody

Oh these images do not do the collections justice.

Such Talent.
The question is what do the 31 students do now?
The reality is when I left college back in 1992
Emigrating was pretty much taken for granted.
There were no jobs in Ireland for a textile design graduate.
 During the last 15 years maybe more people stayed here?
Now, I think people will be off again.
Graduates often ask me about what they should do when they leave college.
They want to set up a label 
They want to design a collection
My advice is always to gain experience working for someone else
before embarking on a solo career
There are things that can only be learned through experience in a workplace
and for that the opportunities in Ireland exist but are minimal.

Whatever the 2010 graduates decide to do I wish them all the best of luck and urge them
to hold on to their sense of humour.

Update
Some more images from the show




ps I have not included all the collections because
a) there were 31
b) not all the photo's are usable

Tuesday, May 25

Luis Barragan

Ireland is experiencing a Heatwave

Pink walls only work in the Sunshine



Tuesday, May 18

Dapper Folk and Hazel Lavery

When I came across this self portrait by 
Sir William Orpen
Painted in 1910
It immediately struck me that this dapper fellow should in fact be 
gracing the screen of  
His outfit is so up to date 

In fact it is not simply the outfit but also the stance...very modern.

The Andalusian, painted by 
James Whistler in 1888
could be on her way to 

This painting by Sir John Lavery 
could be a society portrait 
in the current issue of Vogue, were it a photo instead of an Oil Painting.

Lavery was an Irish Artist and I have long been captivated by him 
but more enthralling than Sir John, was his wife
Lady Hazel Lavery


One of the most beautiful women of her time she was reported to have been
loved by many important men 
including some lascivious rumours involving Michael Collins.
I first came across her, like many others as the mystical 
and serene lady who graced the Irish currency until the 1970's


and was then relegated to the watermark of our currency 
until we converted to Euro's 
a few years ago.
This is probably the most famous portrait John Lavery painted 
of his wife, though he did reputedly paint over 400.
I am intrigued to learn more about this lady 
That is why I have just ordered this book
from Amazon


and as I like to immerse myself in a world once I first dip my toe 
I think as soon as I am finished I shall have to order this too


Friday, May 14

Simon Watson

I have been meaning to post about my friend
for some time.
And now seems like the perfect time 
as he is one of my oldest friends and based in NYC.
When I first moved to NYC in 1993 
I slept on his floor for 3 weeks
and he set me up with my first NY job 
working for an interior designer friend of his.





All images by Simon Watson

In Ireland we knew he was a great guy
and a good friend 
what we didn't know was,
he was such a great talent.
For that, as is often the case......he had to leave.

 I look forward to hanging out with my old friend in NYC again.
This time I won't be sleeping on his floor.

Have a great weekend

Tuesday, May 11

so good they named it twice.................

 I love it! ......
New York New York....
As the song goes 
and it's true I do 
That is why I am so excited to let you know

I am moving back!!
It's a huge undertaking with husband, 3 kids, 2 dogs and a cat 
This is not like the last time I emigrated to New york 1n 1993
with $500 in my pocket and a one way ticket

One step at a time though we will get there
and I will take you along for the ride

So this post is all about NY apartments
New Yorkers are obsessed
with their apartments
Location
Size
Rent
Rent control 
(where the landlord can only raise your rent a minimal amount each year...more on this later)
School catchment area

Are all HOT topics, 
so I had a fountain of knowledge to dip into amoungst my host compatriots
on all things to do with apartment searching.
Think I have found somewhere but will keep you posted
Meanwhile here are a few I have seen 
that whetted my appetite





 

I like this "Neo country" in Brooklyn.
A little to modern and sparse for me though.



images from New York Magazine

I like this Greenwich Village apartment of Designer Rita Konig
a little too flowery though..

  

 

I'd take the dog and the apartment......... this one is in 
Williamsburg though...... not for me


But This one in Cobble Hill would be just right









I like the location
Good schools
Period features
Quite spacious looking
LOVE the floors
Homey but not too frou frou
Modern but not minimalist
......... only 1 bedroom........there's always a snag
That and the fact that its not for rent!!!
Which one would you live in?

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails