Summer in the City

It's be awhile since my last post, but I've been busy shopping for new inventory and getting photos ready for the web site in addition to updating the site. Should be seeing a "new & improved" Paris Hotel Boutique in the weeks to come!

I just have to share my joy... Indian Summer just started 3 days ago in The City by the Bay. This is my third day of wearing sandals and I couldn't be happier! Gone with the summer turtlenecks and down jackets and time for summer, fall? The fog could take us by surprise, but to my fellow San Franciscans, "HAPPY SUMMER!!!"

California Dreamin'

The other day I decided to pamper myself and get a pedicure at Teashi on Polk Street here in San Francisco. Such a cute salon that I couldn't resist purchasing one of their new lines of candles from Seeay California. These candles are amazing! First of all, they are 100% soy wax and each burn for 55 hours. More importantly, the packaging is gorgeous! Hot pink boxes with wonderful modern graphics that have a Hollywood Regency vibe. Each box is packaged with little matchbooks wrapped in cellophane tied with vintage type material ribbon that is the cutest ever. And don't we all love presentation? More than that, the aroma is divine! My whole house smells like a tropical island and that's sure nice when we're in the dead of winter here in S.F. The scents are inspired by the sights and scents of the California coast. There are 8 scents including Malibu, Big Sur, Half Moon Bay, etc. And, these candles are fairly priced at $28. I think I want to order one of each! You can order them online here at Seeay California. Enjoy!

House of Whimsy

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Kimberlee Edgar's home in the East Bay. Kimberlee is a long time friend and antiques enthusiast. She has been collecting vintage items her whole life. Everyone in her family is a collector with eclectic and over-the-top homes. Kimberlee's Mom is an antique dealer/collector. Her Mom introduced Kimberlee to antiques when she was very young. They went to flea markets, estate sales and shops to uncover hidden treasures.

Kimberlee was fascinated with ribbons, ephemera and millinery items, and started her journey collecting as a young girl. Her Uncle was also a great influence to her collecting. He had an old barn set up like a prop museum with big chandeliers, taxidermy, top hats and more. Mesmerized by the barn, Kimberlee decided to sleep there instead of in the home. When she got older her Uncle would give her a trinket every time he saw her. They were always rare and unusual.

This really got Kimberlee going with collecting. Now her favorite things are top hats, holiday collectibles, dress forms, taxidermy, ephemera (paper) and anything unique. Her advice to newcomers collecting is to try and pick something rare and different which makes the hunt fun and interesting. Kimberlee and her husband Charles love to go antiquing. In fact, Kimberlee claims that Charles has an amazing eye for buying wonderful things. Sit back and enjoy the photos of their home. There is much too much to photograph, but you can get an idea of their whimsical house of curiosities! You can also check out Kimberlee's blog, Edgar and Edgar to see more of Kimberlee's unique finds. Thank you Kimberlee for the most enjoyable visit!

If You're Going to San Francisco...

Click on photos to enlarge...

Be sure to wear a heavy coat! Well, it's that time of year. Gloomy Summer. My favorite. Dreaming of sunshine and sitting in the fog. Brrrr...The rest of the country may be sweltering in the grip of record summer heat and drought, but we here in San Francisco are lost in a blanket of grey gloom. Our usually lovely view of mountains, Twin Peaks and the East Bay is a bank of fog. We can hardly see the cars in front of us while driving down the street. And everyone is all bundled up like we're in Alaska. Actually I think it's colder here than Alaska. It is 51 degrees and windy as well. YES, I just checked. It's 62 degrees in Anchorage, Alaska. Unbelievable! No one believes me when I say, "if you're coming to San Francisco in the summer, bring a coat!" Fisherman's Wharf must make huge profits in the summer selling thousands of sweatshirts to tourists trying to stay warm! Everyone is walking around in Bermuda shorts with sweatshirts of Alcatraz. Scary. As it is said, "the only seasons in San Francisco are Summer, Winter and Fog." Also, the overused quote, supposedly by Mark Twain, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” This is true.

So for all of you in need of air conditioning, please come to San Francisco. I guarantee you will cool off right away and start missing those sandals! I sure do!

Updated House Photos

Just thought I'd share some current photos of my home. Thanks to my friend Sandy who did such a great job with his professional camera equipment! And thanks Della Wilson for all of your help in completing the bedroom. I never thought I'd finish! I do love the Tiffany blue touch.

Be sure and click on the photos to enlarge...

Vito resting in the living room

San Francisco Design Finds

This month's issue of San Francisco Magazine, the "Ultimate Home Decor Issue" is a wonderful guide for design finds in the Bay Area. Nineteen of the region's most discriminating design experts share their favorite local shops and artisans. Love it! The issue also features my Victorian gilt faux bamboo corner parlor chairs. The chairs are available for purchase on my web site.Thank you to my friend Sheri Sheridan at Swallowtail in San Francisco who was my partner in getting this placement.

If you are visiting San Francisco in the near future you should check out Swallowtail located in Russian Hill. It's one of my favorite and most eclectic shops in the City! Check out these photos... The store is jam-packed with the most interesting furnishings...modern decor, black & white photography, eclectic vintage and quirky objects. Much of my own home is furnished with Swallowtail finds.

The 30th Annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase was held last month and what an amazing home it was! I've never toured a 55 million dollar home, and this was amazing. The views, spectacular! The tour was held at the gorgeous mansion located at 2901 Broadway, at the top of Pacific Heights. This home, designed in 1927 by Henry Clay Smith for local industrialist Milton S. Ray, opened its doors to the public for the first time ever. Owned by the Mitchell family since 1946, this Renaissance style mansion consists of 10,000 square feet, with 6 bedrooms, 6.5 baths on four levels and has been decorated by some of the best of the best. The elevator foyer featured a pair of my gilt corner chairs.

It's All Black & White

I just love black & white decor!

Some recent acquisitions...my dear friend was doing antiquing and came across this amazing taxidermy zebra that was used as a prop in a shop window in France. It's a pretty great size. Made of cow hide over a wooden form with stripes painted on it. What a great piece! Check out her cat who had fun climbing on... It will be available on my web site very soon.

I've been working on an update for my bedroom and just purchased some rugs from Thomas Paul. They are a wonderful black and cream damask. I have listed two of them on eBay
since I actually need a larger size.

I am so excited about a recent "loan" from a friend of mine. It's a wonderful vintage bus roll sign from San Francisco. Fabulously large, it's a great piece of art! Since I am a native San Franciscan, it's even that much more special. Thanks Karen!

If you love black & white, you should check out the blog of Jhayne at black. white. bliss. She has every posting imaginable having to do with black and white, including these wonderful tiny, vintage ephemera envelopes created from an Encyclopaedia Britannica about the inventions of man available from Sushipot on Etsy.