Forter Castle

Prior to my first visit to Scotland I had the romantic notion that castles were on every corner. While I did not immediately see any castles surrounding the airport or dotting the M8 I did fall for one in particular after reading a fascinating article on a Christmas afternoon.

Forter Castle in Perthshire was originally built in 1560 and then destroyed by the Duke of Argyll in 1640. For many years the derelict castle remained uninhibited and became yet another ruin in the Scottish countryside. That was until Robert Pooley purchased the property in 1998.

At the time of purchase the stone walls were crumbling, the interior was scarred by fire and the entrance was obstructed by three feet of debris. Mr Pooley hired experienced craftsmen from all over Scotland to restore Forter to its former glory. After restorations were complete Mr Pooley commissioned his daughter Katharine Pooley to design the interiors.

The great hall is an exceptional space with beautiful wool rugs covering flagstone flooring. The main seating area of deep red sofas and leather arm chairs are centered around an enormous open fireplace with tartan rugs and a large ottoman. Also in the great hall is a mahogany dining table that seats 26. The fabric covering the dining chairs is Pooley family tartan. What a fantastic room for hosting a dinner party!

Tomorrow I will introduce you to Katharine Pooley, an amazingly fascinating woman.

click photos to see larger view

Profile: Joanna Weinberg

I love London author Joanna Weinberg's new book How to Feed Your Friends with Relish. After I received my copy (thank you Kate) I read it cover to cover in a weekend. More than just a great cookbook, it’s a celebration of food, friendship and comfort cooking.

Joanna’s love affair with cooking began when she was away at university. While existing on pasta and other typical college fare her sister would call from London with sensational stories of extra virgin olive oil, smoky pancetta and hunks of fresh Parmesan. Inspired, Joanna started cooking for her friends and realized early on that a great meal was as much about the food as it was the fun and the feelings shared among good friends.

How to Feed Your Friends with Relish is replete with great menus for every occasion, from an impromptu kitchen supper to an all-encompassing birthday party; from a cosy afternoon tea to a summer barbecue.

I personally cherish memorable dinners at home surrounded by friends, and Joanna’s book indulges my obsession for entertaining. This book will be the gift to give and get this holiday season.



What is your idea of a perfect dinner party?
Sitting around my kitchen table, tucking into a steaming plate of stew and masses of red wine, with old friends who haven't seen each other in a while and have lots of catch up on.

What is your entertaining trademark?
I like to use old-fashioned linen tea-towels—the ones with the plain stripe of colour through them—for everything: napkins, or tablecloths, or to wrap around ugly saucepans. I like to drink wine out of tumblers. And I never make starters.

What did you most enjoy about writing Relish?
Testing all the recipes - sometimes I'd have made a sensible balanced meal, but more often than not, I'd get engrossed in perfecting something, so friends would come round for tastings. Once, I ended up feeding 6 people nothing but pudding - 5 different kinds, and they left on a total sugar high.

Have you always been passionate about cooking and entertaining?
No, but I have always been passionate about eating. The cooking started at university when I decided I'd had enough on institutional food, and I've never looked back.

What is your favourite CD at the moment?
I feel like I've lost track - I'm a complete luddite about some things and iPods have got me foxed. But I listened to the boy least likely to a lot - it makes me smile, and has made up for the lack of sun this summer.

What is your favourite luxury in life?
A massage at home.

What is your most prized possession?
My two Burmese cats - though they're so much their own people I'm not sure they can be counted as possessions.

Who would you most like to meet and how would you spend the day?
My baby - but I'll have to wait a couple more months for that (I'm due in late November). I'd love to get a preview of what he or she will be like as a grown up, so I'd probably just want to hang out with them - but I'll have to wait a lot longer for that.

Profile by Ronda Carman

Studio Annetta & ELLE Decor

I wanted to extend a sincere thank you to the many of you who read All the Best each day and a very special thank you to fellow blogger Suzy of Studio Annetta. I was thrilled to learn that Suzy had sent a letter to ELLE Decor naming my blog as one of her favorites.

All the Best began innocently enough as a quest for the best champagne and blogging seemed like a great way to document my findings. I was shocked the first time someone left a comment! I had no idea that anyone other than my family was reading my blog.

Of course the recognition is personally gratifying, but the best part by far is the daily interaction with readers. Each day the number of visits to my blog continues to surprises me. I love all interesting comments and the kind emails that I continue to receive. Thank you!

Profile: Nathan Turner

What do Carolina Herrera, Carolyn Roehm, India Hicks and Soledad Twombly all have in common? Okay, besides the fact that they are all beautiful and successful women. All have hosted hosted parties with Nathan Turner.

Nathan Turner must have the world’s most fantastic job! He has successfully managed to blend his two great passions, food and design. His wonderful store on North Almont Drive in Los Angeles, California has become a faithful source for the country's leading decorators, as well as some of the most stylish people from coast to coast. And, not only does he entertain the best of the best, he is also a contributing editor with Domino magazine and C magazine.

Perhaps once I publish a book version of All the Best I should be so lucky as to have a US book launch at Nathan’s shop, now that really would be all the best!

I love that you have been able to combine your two great passions, food and design, and that you host fabulous dinner parties in your shop. What is your idea of a perfect party?

One where I have a good time!!! To me that is the point of getting people together after all. So often people get stressed out or too concerned with having the right people or china etc. They end up missing the point. The host sets the tone for a party so a happy host equals a great party.

What is your entertaining trademark?
Casual entertaining, but with style and fun!



How would you describe your decorating style?
Personally I love a traveled bohemian mix matched look.

What do you most enjoy about owning your own business?
Freedom! I LOVE to travel and would shrivel up and die if I only had 2 weeks of vacation a year!

What is your favorite book?
If I had to pick one favorite book it would have to be The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa. I dream of traveling back in time to those Sicilian palazzos.

What is your favorite luxury in life?
Travel. I can’t get enough of it and feel it’s the ultimate luxury in
life, getting to see the world and experience different people and cultures.

What is your most prized possession?
My dog Daisy. She's a fixture at my shop and parties.

Who would you most like to meet and how would you spend the day?
I would love to meet J.D. Salinger. Besides The Leopard, The Catcher in the Rye is an all time favorite, and I would have him over for an outdoor lunch.

Profile by Ronda Carman

10 Most Influential Design Bloggers

The Home Rejuvination Blog is in search of 10 Most Influential Design Bloggers.

To cast your vote send an email to homereju@gmail.com with your top five favourite Design Blogs.

New York Living

Home of Muriel Brandolini

Home of Amy Fine Collins

Home of Hamish Bowles

While making a regular visit to one of my favorite second-hand bookshops I came across New York Living, an exquisite book for the mere price of £3.99. Written by Lisa Lovatt-Smith and photographed by Alberto Heras, New York Living, offers a fascinating glimpse into private homes belonging to some of the city's most creative personalities.

I was especially intrigued by the homes belonging to Muriel Brandolini, Hamish Bowles and Amy Fine Collins. The interiors of their homes are as fascinating as the owners themselves.

Shopping on Saturday

Lemon vinegars from Dalmeny, vodka from Shetland, Tuscan olive oil, damson gin from East Lothian, Demijohn in Edinburgh and Glasgow combine the best of locally sourced Scottish ingredients with those from around the world.

Demijohn “the liquid deli” is a family run food and drink shop that allows customers to taste all products before making a purchase.

The store houses a remarkable collection of products from around the world including delicious liqueurs, mature Single Malt Whiskeys, rare spirits, complex olive oils and unique vinegars. Once you purchase a Demijohn bottle you can replenish your bottle for the cost of a refill only. Good for the consumer, good for the environment.

Interview: Jay Jeffers

Jay Jeffers/photo by Thomas Hart Shelby

I love, love, love the work of fellow Texan Jay Jeffers. The day that I can afford to fly an interior designer to Scotland, Jay will be at the top of the list.

What draws me to his work is the way he unites bold colors, playful patterns, traditional antique and modern elements. Not an easy task, but one that Jay has mastered perfectly. I particularly loved doing this profile. Jay’s sense of style and humor come across effortlessly in his answers, as it does in his designs.



What is your decorating trademark?
I always tailor each interior to the individual, but vibrant colors and mixing graphic patterns have become signatures. A comment I get often from people who see my work is, "I would have never thought to mix those patterns and pieces, but it works beautifully." I try not to be typecast though. I would love to do an all neutral, minimalist interior. It would be a challenge, but it would be fun!

How would you describe your decorating style?
I've coined the phrase "sophisticated fun" as my decorating mantra; it means there is always a focus on impeccable quality and detail, but there’s also a provocative twist. The interior may be contemporary, traditional or something in between, but there’s always an element of surprise or whimsy.

photo by Michel Arnaud

What is your favorite book(s)?
From a design perspective, my most referenced is Parish Hadley: Sixty Years of American Design. Albert Hadley is such an incredible genius. A new favorite is American Houses: The Architecture of Fairfax & Sammons. The architecture is divine. And I love discovering out-of-print David Hicks books. I've been collecting them for years and found countless ideas not only in photographs, but in his advice and quotes.

What is your favorite luxury in life?
A wonderful, intimate hotel with great service -- great service being the most important part. I'm not one of those people who say, "I'm never in the hotel, so it really doesn't matter." The Chambers in New York, La Casa Que Canta in Zijuatenejo Mexico and The Maurice in Paris are favorites. It’s an amazing luxury, but in my line of work, it's also market research (at least that's what I tell myself).

What is your most prized possession?
My partner and our dog, Kingsley.

Who is your favorite artist?
I'm intrigued by the controversy that always surrounds Damien Hirst and I do like some of his work. I love the simplicity of Donald Judd. I just saw the mind-boggling sculpture series by Richard Serra at the MoMA in New York and I'm currently obsessed with Lorraine Shemesh. Her most recent work is spectacular:


What is your idea of a perfect party?
The perfect party is first and foremost about the people - a mixture of old friends that you love but never see and new friends you'd like to get to know better. A cocktail or two and everyone becomes best friends.

Which brings me to the cocktails, the second most important part - something quick and easy that doesn't take the bartender twenty minutes to make (I hate a party where the only drink is a mojito - is it tacky to order two at a time?).

If the party is at my house, it's usually white wine and clear liquors only. A very important third to people and drinks: delicious, easy food (single bites, please), great music and for God's sake, dim the lights. Everyone is prettier (including the interior space) under a dimmer and some candles!

Who would you most like to meet and how would you spend the day?
You are killing me with these questions! I just couldn't possibly pick one. How about a dinner party at my house. Guests to include Hillary Clinton, Damien Hirst, Karl Lagerfeld, Robin Thicke (after dinner, he can sing!), Axel Vervoordt, Picasso (do they have to be living?) and Truman Capote.

And for those who drink too much and have to spend the night, I'll make French Toast with strawberries in the morning!

Interview by Ronda Carman

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer

Each year in the UK, nearly 44,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 1,000 women die from the disease every month. In the United States, breast cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer and colon cancer).

In my life I have lost a grandmother and mother-in-law to this horrific disease. I love writing posts for my blog each day, as it’s a great creative outlet, but I feel strongly that when given the chance I should also use this medium to raise awareness and promote good and worthy causes.

I was particularly delighted to learn of the new partnership between The Council of Fashion Designers of America Foundation and online global luxury retailer Net-a-Porter.com. Jointly the two organizations will launch a series of limited-edition -branded items, the first being a Ralph Lauren polo shirt.

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) began in 1994 as the U.S. fashion industry's response to breast cancer - a widely recognized effort that raises public awareness and funds to support breast cancer research, education, screening and patient care. The initiative was inspired by Ralph Lauren in memory of his late friend Nina Hyde, The Washington Post columnist who died of breast cancer.

100% of the net profits raised from the sells on Net-a-Porter.com will go towards breast cancer research.

Profile: Timothy Whealon

I love so many of the interiors designed by Timothy Whealon. Timothy has a fantastic eye for art and antiques, a trait that is evident in his designs, and results in a wonderful mix of tradition with a modern approach.

Timothy is both interior designer and antiques consultant. Prior to opening his firm in 1994, he completed the Sotheby's Works of Art course in London and the corporate–management training program at Sotheby's New York.

What is your decorating trademark?
Orchestrated subtlety in both design and color.

Who are your style Icons?
Billy Baldwin, David Hicks, Emilio Terry, Joaquim Tenreiro, and the Ottoman Sultans.

How would you describe your own style?
Fresh, airy, edited and referenced.

What is your idea of luxury?
A day in New York with nothing to do.

What is your most prized possession?
A Candida Hofer photograph of Trinity Library, and a handmade birthday card from my niece that says, "You fill my 'hart' with light"

Who are your favorite artists?
Paul Klee's small, intimate watercolors, Gerhard Richter's ocean paintings, Joan Mitchell's early works, Ellsworth Kelly's works on paper.

What is your idea of the perfect dinner party?
Everything fresh, either just picked from the garden or prepared fresh from the sea, outside with stars and moonlight, finished with runny cheese and a bottle of Chateau b'Yquem.

Who would you most like to meet and how I would spend the day?
James Joyce. I would ask him to re-enact the writing of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

Your favorite travel destinations?
Istanbul and South Africa

Editor's note: Yum, runny cheese and a bottle of wine outside with stars and moonlight, I want to be a guest at one of Tim's dinner parties!

Profile by Ronda Carman

Cours Saleya

The must visit market in Nice is Cours Saleya. Not only is it a favorite gathering spot among the locals, the market is filled with colourful fruit stalls, flowers, soaps and lovely cafe terraces. Every day is market day, from the flower market to the antiques fair.

For an insiders guide you can spend a day with food writer, Cordon Bleu-trained cook and long time resident Rosa Jackson. Rosa, owner of Les Petits Farcis, provides guided market tours followed by a cooking class in her beautifully renovated 17th-century apartment, just steps from the vibrant food market.
Bon Appetite!

Patricia van Essche - pve design

I cannot draw a stick figure to save my life. My inability to draw was the deciding factor in pursuing marketing at university rather than interior design. It stands to reason that people would actually like to see renderings of their projects. I am most impressed by people blessed with artistic talent and Patricia van Essche, founder of pve design, certainly falls into that category.

For several months I’ve had an image in my mind for a new blog design. I can be quite picky and I was uncertain as to how best to convey my ideas. That was until Patricia came along and brought my vision to life. Through emails and photos Patricia worked her magic. If only I looked so pulled together at 5.30 am.

Patricia attended the University of Cincinnati’s acclaimed College of Design, Architecture and Art, where she received a BS in fashion design and was awarded the school’s coveted “Golden Brush” award. For 15 years she worked in New York City as a designer and design director for Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Liz Claiborne.

What do you love most about being an entrepreneur?
Freedom to work when I want and still have time to be a good mother and wife! (Well most of the time). I loved designing for other companies but doing it for me is completely different. It really forces me to do my best and really keeps me motivated as an artist. It requires dedication, persistence and a strong constitution. Little luxuries also keep me going - like new art supplies, love a fresh micron pen 01.!

It is always fascinating to work with so many incredible people and feel that my work makes them smile. That is what I love most about being an entrepreneur, the smile and happiness my artwork brings to people. Of course, getting paid for what you love is the best!


What inspired your logo?
Like a bird, when the time came for me to leave the nest, I needed to spread my wings and "branch" out on my own and take the risk of organizing my work and growing my business.

What inspires you?
Light and COLOR. Believe it or not, I do have times of not being inspired or I feel that my work is missing something. That’s when I need to take a walk in the light of day. Without the light, there is no color. I adore all the seasons, but the light in the winter is so pure!

Who are your style icons?
All mothers.
My mother-in-law is incredibly chic. She is always dressed elegantly, she is also confident, smart and kind. She was born in Holland and when she was a little girl, during the war she had to eat tulip bulbs, then moved to Monte Carlo (when Princess Grace was alive) it was a magical time! I love to look at pictures of her when she was a young mother, she looked incredibly happy to be a mother. She adores her grandchildren and has a lovely laugh.

My grandmother Elsie had wonderful style, she was a classic lady, full of strength and beauty. She was very talented. She sewed and made amazing things for me as a child. She always dressed very elegantly and smelled lovely. She always remembered everyone’s birthday. She was a wonderful cook and her home was all in aqua.

Of course, Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn, Mother Theresa, Princess Diana, Diana Vreeland, Elsa Peretti—all incredibly strong women.

What is your favorite luxury?
TIME! A clean canvas, nice white paper to be drawn upon! A clean paint brush. Clean water! My home after my cleaning lady comes, freshly laundered linens and hot coffee! But a nap, now that would be luxe!

What are your most prized possessions?
The ability to draw, but of course I am nothing without my family and friends cheering me on and my Tiffany engagement ring.

Fall Fashion

I could not help myself. At least that is the excuse I will give my husband. As you all know, I have a weakness for accessories. Okay, pretty much all things related to shopping and fashion. After my profile of Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti I spent way too many hours shopping Vivre and make a wish-list for fall. It's great to be a girl!


At the top of my list is a great jacket by Beretta. It's belted with a fur collar and goldtone snaps, and the inner lining boast a whimsical dog print.


I love this wooden clutch by Ports 1961. Constructed of American black walnut and shaped into a smooth-edged clutch with wooden clasp, so cool.


Of course there is my all time favorite designer Kenneth Jay Lane. I think this shimmering hematite pavé ring in gunmetal is just stunning.

Shopping on Saturday

Accessories are my favorite part of the decorating process. More than any other element they inject personality into a home and make a room come to life. What defines your own style is not only the character of the pieces you collect, but how you live with and display them. My tastes run along the more traditional route, but I love interesting and quirky accessories. A room void of accessories is equivalent to cleaning your house and not making the beds, it just looks unfinished.

19th Century Tuscan Hounds from Cox Interiors Ltd

20th Century Bronze Buddha Hand from VW Home

Rare Sea Sponges on 19th Century Stands from Suzanne Golden Antiques

Interview: Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti

Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti is the visionary and the driving force behind Vivre, the ultimate luxury retail experience. She has been hailed as a "mail-order magnate" by TIME and "one of the fashion industry's ten most stylish women" by VOGUE.

In my humble opinion, Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti embodies and defines the words style and class. Every photo I have ever seen of Eva depicts a beautiful, impeccably well groomed woman, and I especially love the way Eva pairs bold jewelry and accessories with classically tailored clothing.

Born and raised in Switzerland, Eva's familiarity with the European culture and her multilingual command of five languages has uniquely positioned her at the center of the international luxury market.

When ever I visit Vivre I always feel like a child at Christmas—full of wonder and excitement. It's simply the best!

What do you enjoy most about being an entrepreneur?
Having that strong conviction that makes you think that anything and
everything is possible!

How did you come up with the idea for Vivre?
Why I started Vivre is an interesting question. After growing up in
Europe and working as an investment banker at Lazard Freres in New
York, I was surprised that a country as wealthy as the United States
didn’t have as much exposure to the luxury brands in their stories
as Europeans did. People really didn’t know about them or have many
stores where they could buy them. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we
could bring these brands into their homes?

What is your favorite luxury in life?
I’d have to say my favorite luxury in life is having a fantastic
dinner or lunch with my friends.

What is your most prized possession?
There are so many but one that always stands out to be is a figurine of
Maria that my grandmother gave me when I was young. It is incredibly
old and made of ivory.

What is your greatest accomplishment?
My children

Who are your style icons?
Maria Felix for her exuberant and extravagant approach to life.

The Marchesa Luisa Casati for her eccentricity

Frida Khalo for her passion and inner strength to surmount

Babe Paley- for her simplicity, strength and elegance

How would you describe your own personal style?
Style to me is in the way you do everything in life. It is an
expression of details that are unexpected, individual and often
acquired. I am always trying to mix pieces in an imaginative way. I
feel that jewelry is a form of art that should be complemented by a
background of simple clothing.

I’d describe my own personal style as tailored and chic, always including a touch of something unique to accent what I’m wearing, whether it be an interesting piece of jewelry, a beautifully designed handbag or a fabulous shoe-it should be a piece that highlights your outfit and expresses your personality.

What is the one thing in life you can’t live without?
Espresso!

What is your favorite hotel in the world?
What a hard question, I have so many. I adore the Hotel de Russie in
Rome, Amanyara in the Turks & Caicos, and of course the Cove on
Paradise Island where our first boutique, Escape by Vivre is located!

Interview by Ronda Carman

Artist Kelly Stewart

Paris Series

Edinburgh Series

Edinburgh Series


I was recently having lunch with friends at Howies restaurant in Edinburgh, when I discovered the beautiful artwork of Kelly Stewart. Born in Sydney Australia, Kelly studied at the University of Western Sydney and moved to Edinburgh in 2000 to begin her illustration career. Kelly takes her inspiration from Victorian, Georgian and Gothic architecture and uses the medium of Silkscreen as a way to combine architectural sketches and hand-written text. I'm fascinated by the muted colors and sketching of the Edinburgh and Paris series posted above—simple, yet beautiful.

Profile: Mark Christofi

Mark Christofi and Fred/photo François Dischinger

Mark Christofi's living room/photo François Dischinger

I love interior designer Mark Christofi’s fresh style and his ability to juxtapose traditional and classical elements with surprising contemporary accents.
Warmth, wit, and whimsy are all hallmarks of his award-winning style. Mark was recently named one of The New Tastemakers for 2007 by House & Garden magazine.

My personal favorite is the living room of Mark’s Greek Revival home in Massachusetts. The living room features an antique Italian armchair refinished with skull-and-crossbones fabric from 19th-century funeral curtains.

What do you love most about your work?
The creative process.

What is your decorating trademark?
Combining varying styles with unexpected accents.

Who are your style icons?
David Adler, Dorothy Draper, Karl Springer

What is your favorite travel destination?
Barcelona

What is your favorite luxury in life?
Taking long walks with Fred, my dog

What is your most prized possession?
My 93 Chevy Blazer

What would people be most surprised to learn about you?
I hope to be able to take an engine apart and put it back together someday.

What was the inspiration for the Moorish wall motifs in your home?
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston

Handbags

Yesterday Patricia (aka pve design) and I were discussing handbags via email—a subject that I never tire of talking about! She’s on the search for a great handbag, and doesn’t want to take out a second mortgage. I completely sympathize as I am on the hunt for a new fall bag and have fallen in love with two designs by Miu Miu. However, with a trip to NYC next month and visits to Pennsylvania, Texas and California scheduled for December, the Miu Miu bags are not in the budget! I have found two great bags at Nordstrom that just might fit the bill, literally. Great designs don’t always have to cost a fortune.

Miu Miu ($1,155 USD/£579 GBP)
Maxx New York ($148 USD/£79 GBP)
Miu Miu ($1,590 USD/£799 GBP)
Steven Madden ($195 USD/£99 GBP)

Interview: Steven Stolman

I knew there was a reason that I liked Steven Stolman and after our recent correspondences I now know for certain just why.

Of course it was his fabulous clothes that initially caught my attention. I first learned of Steven by way of a very fashionable girlfriend from Dallas. We were having a few couples over for dinner and in walks my friend with the most amazing yellow Chinoiserie pants I had ever seen. My first inclination was to rip them from her size-two-body and reupholster a chair!

After oooing and ahhhing I learned that the designer was Steven Stolman and that many of his designs were cut from decorators' fabrics—pique sundresses, toile trousers, Chinoiserie shifts. I instantly fell or his designs.

I did a post on Steven back in January of this year and since that time a few readers have asked about the closing of his Southampton store (the Palm Beach store continues to be operated by his former business partners). Steven recently wrote the forward to Susanna Salks’ new book A Privileged Life, and it got me to wondering about him and his current undertakings.

Thanks to the wonderful World Wide Web I was able to get in touch with Steven, inquire about his recent projects and share several great emails. It turns out that we have very similar tastes in books and now share the same profession.

Steven has taken a hiatus from the world of fashion design in order to turn his attention to a most worthy project—Director of Development for FoundCare. FoundCare is an organization in Palm Beach County with a mission of becoming Palm Beach County's FIRST and ONLY non-profit, non-governmental community health center for the uninsured and underinsured.

Did you decide to take a hiatus from fashion design before or after you took the post at FoundCare?

Things happen for a reason, and in this case, it was a matter of all the planets lining up. After shepherding several friends and family members through the nightmare of the health insurance system in a rather short period of time, I became acutely aware of the magnitude of this impending crisis. FoundCare had approached me to chair a major event for them some years ago, but they really weren't ready and my busy schedule and previous commitments to other charities prevented me from doing so. However, I remained in touch with the organization, as I found their mission beyond compelling.

I feel that the decision to become their Director of Development was made by someone else other than me, it was an answer to a calling that came from "higher up" if you get my drift. There was simply no question about whether or not to take this on.

What do you find most rewarding about your new position?
Blowing the horn! FoundCare is a groundbreaking organization in Palm Beach County. Its success will pave the way for major advances in the delivery of quality health care to all. Our mission is to build Palm Beach County's FIRST and ONLY non-profit, non-governmental community health center for the uninsured and underinsured. Statistics show that we need 8-10 non-profit, non-governmental community health center as soon as possible. Currently, we have none. As a citizen rather than just a resident, this is simply unacceptable.

What can others do to help or become involved?
Donate money to FoundCare, especially to our capital campaign, and spread the word to friends, medical care providers and legislators. Too many people in Palm Beach County have absolutely NO health insurance, that’s roughly a quarter million children and adults. I find it shocking given the pockets of massive wealth that co-exist with these same people and they don't think about the exponentially growing population of hard working lower-to-middle class (in most cases) that make the lives of the wealthy more comfortable and convenient. Please visit www.foundcare.org or contact me directly at sstolman@foundcare.org.

What do you miss most about designing clothes?
I don't have time to miss it, what with $10million to raise and a 28,000 sq. ft facility under construction! Besides, I still have to get up and get dressed every morning like everyone else, so I'm still involved in the creative process, even if it's limited to my closet.

Do you see yourself returning to design?
Who knows? One thing I can assure you, it's like riding a bicycle.

New York

Hollywould Nolita Boutique

Next month I am off to New York. Actually it’s my first trip to NYC, if you don’t count flying into Newark or driving though the city on the way to Cape Cod.

Last week I received a lovely handwritten note from Courtney Cochran asking me if I wanted to come to New York for the launch of her new book Hip Tastes. Well of course it sounded too good to pass up. I booked a ticket and my sister decided that she would fly up from Texas.

Courtney’s book launch and signing will be at Holly Dunlap’s amazingly glamorous shop Hollywould in Nolita.

I am also planning to catch up with fellow blogger Habitually Chic. It should prove to be a great trip! If you know of any must visit places, do let me know.

Shopping on Saturday

Circa Antiques in Westport, Connecticut

Pair of 21st Century Honey Comb Calcice Lamps from France

Reproduction French Metal Lantern

Teak and Iron Bench Belgium