Minnie in Malibu

I wish I had seen the APT by LSD on Vogue.com feature on Minnie Mortimer's Malibu home earlier.  Since she's an avid surfer, it would have made the perfect follow up to my Surf's Up post.  I'm waiting for new bookcases to arrive so I was very taken with all her fabulous built-ins.  There is also nothing I love more than seeing what's on someone else's shelves.  The bookcases will flank my sofa so that means I can't hang the art until after they arrive.  I can't wait to create a new gallery wall like Minnie's.  I love her mix of artwork and photography.  Another example of buy what you love and you'll find a place for it. 

Photos by Claiborne Swanson Frank

Kids and the City

This week has me behind on everything including my magazine reading.  I can't wait to take a break tomorrow to leaf through the August issue of Vogue with Sarah Jessica Parker on the cover.  I love the photos of her and her family by Mario Testino in what may or may not be her home.  Reminds me a little of Halston's old townhouse.  Regardless, it's clear that SJP has transitioned from Sex and the City to the chicest soccer mom ever.  

Update: One of my alerted me to the fact that the house in the spread belongs to a friend of SJP and is located in Chelsea.  Just have to find out who owns it now!

Photos by Mario Testino

Elegant Emma

I spent all day yesterday styling for my Microsoft event and today will be hosting press all day and a fabulous party tonight.  I look forward to seeing many of you there and will be of course posting picture soon.  Until then, I leave you with this gorgeous photos of Emma Watson from the new issue of Vogue.  Little Hermione Granger is so grown up that I almost didn't recognize her! 

Photos by Mario Testino

Honoring Arthur Elgort

Arthur Elgort was honored with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Board of Directors Award for his photography Monday night.  Grace Coddington presented him the award so you know it was special. Arthur Elgort has been shooting since the 1970's and his photos are always gorgeous and often amusing.  Some of my favorites include those he took of Keira Knightley in Kenya for Vogue in 2007.  The photos are reminiscent of Out of Africa but completely original and romantic in their own right.  They also illustrate why he is so deserving of his award. Congratulations to Mr. Elgort and here's to many more years of fantastic photographs!

Photos by Arthur Elgort for Vogue

Another Gorgeous Garden

As most long time readers know, I'm obsessed with gardens.  Kind of funny considering how much I hate bugs and even more so spiders.  But as a city dweller, I long to be able to see greenery outside my window and to take a walk in nature whenever I desire.  I do try to take advantage of Central Park but I have to share that with about 18 million other people.  Probably why I fell in love with Bella Pollen's English country garden when I first spied it in Vogue.  You can read the entire article here.  Bella and her husband fell in love with it too when they first saw it but it took many years of work to restore it and the neglected house to an inhabitable state.  I'm sure the final result more than makes up for all the hard work.  Just another reminder to get out and smell the roses this weekend!

Photos by François Halard

White Hot

I'm still over celebrities on magazine covers but at least Penelope Cruz looks beautiful in the June 2011 issue of Vogue. (Don't even get me started on Britney Spears on the cover of Harper's Bazaar!) The photos by Mario Testino also make me wish it would stop raining and warm up so I can finally start wear white dresses.  Is it summer yet?!

Photos by Mario Testino for Vogue

Circus Chic

I can't wait to see Reese Witherspoon's new film Water for Elephants which is in theatres April 22nd and is based on the book of the same name by Sara Gruen.  She looks gorgeous in the trailer and also in the May 2011 issue of Vogue along side and top of some pretty pachyderms.  Rob Pattinson doesn't look too shabby either! Reese is one of those women that other women root for in life and it was nice to see pick herself up and find even greater happiness after her divorce.  If she can do it, so can we! 

Photos by Peter Lindbergh for Vogue