At long last, Sarah Bartholomew's new site is live, and her portfolio is stunning (no surprise there, of course, as the southern designer has one of the best eyes out there). This living room at a Belle Meade Georgian home is one of my favorite spaces. The use of pattern and texture is brilliant - classic but modern. Follow along: @sarahbartholomewdesign
Moules Marinières
One of my favorite things about summertime is the food. Fresh fruit for cobblers, seafood from local harbors and salads crafted from garden harvests...
We've seemed to have mastered the "Moules Marinières" dish, as we've feasted on mussels a few times and our recipe has progressively improved.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 small shallots , sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds mussels
- 8 ounces chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- lemon wedges
- salt and pepper
- Crusty French bread
DIRECTIONS:
- Clean and remove beards from mussels.
- Preheat a large pot to medium and add olive oil and butter. Once butter has melted, add sliced shallots, a pinch of salt and pepper then cook for 5 minutes until the shallots have softened.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add wine, chicken stock and mussels, then cover with a lid and steam mussels for 8-10 minutes or until all mussels open. (If any mussels do not open, discard).
- Add cream and parsley, stir and season with salt if necessary.
- Serve with lemon wedges and slices of crusty French bread.
Enjoy!
xx
Fern Fanatic
My fern fetish began when my dear friend Betsy carried the most beautiful bouquet at her wedding with ferns. She later mentioned that Jackie Kennedy also had ferns in her bridal bouquet...
Ferns fascinate me as there are over 10,000 species and aesthetically, they exude a mystical yet understated elegance. On the subject of ferns, one of my favorites to follow on Instagram as of late is the English artist @lucindawhartonartist. Her posts usually include lovely vignettes around her Georgian Country home she is restoring, often with her two labrador retrievers in tow. She also seems to be a fern fanatic as her posts (akin to the above) include garden ferns around her home.
Hunt
We hopped over to Jessica Hagen's Fine Art Gallery last evening to honor the work of Hunt Slonem. Hunt was in town to celebrate the occasion of having a solo exhibition at the gallery. His work, obstreperous in color and material, is well known for its neo-expressionist character, mostly of butterflies, rabbits and tropical birds. Like Hunt's own personal style, his pieces are splashy, colorful and equal parts whimsy. Hunt's work is known around the world, with permanent collections at the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney, and the Moreau Foundation.
I first discovered Hunt's work at a gallery in San Francisco, only to then see one of his bird paintings in Aspen. From then on, I was intrigued. View more of Hunt's portfolio, here.
Above: A personal favorite - A tangerine hued piece as part of Hunt's oil on diamond dust (on canvas) collection. We then left with Hunt's book "Bunnies" and scribe.
WSJ: 'Great Explorations in Kenya'
THE LAUNCH: Private Newport's Parterre Bench
I am pleased as punch to see the launch of the Parterre Bench come to fruition today. C&C Consulting, along with the Private Newport team, worked tirelessly and passionately to truly bring a dream to a reality. The Parterre Bench is a beautifully-scaled, custom bespoke garden accessory that commands celebratory order. It is available for any discerning eye to bring home to their own garden setting.
My client was inspired by a whimsical bench spotted some 30 years ago at Birr Castle in Ireland. She then specifically created a bower in her own Newport, Rhode Island garden (one that effortlessly mirrors Gardens of Versailles, mind you), to house the custom bench she designed to satiate her dreams. Years later, with some guts and grandeur, we are thrilled to bring the Parterre Bench to market.
DO: Get inspired & watch this video.
Thank you for your support & Happy Gardening!
xx
C&C Consulting
(Photograph above shot by the uber talented Jodi Paquin | http://www.jodipaquinphotography.com/)
Green Is Good
I'm coming off of an incredible weekend amongst the Vermont summer mountain air. I haven't felt so relaxed in quite some time. Here is a capture from a swimming post on Chittenden Reservoir. Green is good. xx
Garden Bounty
Thanks to a gracious neighbor, I didn't have to forage long to assemble a bounty of spinach, swiss chard and radish. Her garden was yet another reminder that summer is practically here.
Hat Trick
I'm not having much luck as of late - everything I've lusted after in VOGUE has sold out in a snap. Alas, I'm still loving this fun wide-brim straw "Mustique" hat from Thomas Maier. You can find it online, here.
Hibiscus at The Orchard
The Orchard, a french style chateau in Newport, Rhode Island just steps from the cliff walk, played host to an estate sale this past weekend. The owners enlisted Tresor Estate Sales to sell the remaining items in their garden and carriage house. From the moment I saw the online posting, I had my eyes on the potted hibiscus and an instant vision of admiring their tropical blooms amidst summer cocktails. Tended to for over twenty years by the property's caretaker, the hibiscus are rather substantial in size and were just begging for a new home. I'm happy to report I am the new proud nurturer, thanks to my handsome beau who helped get them home safely.
This coming weekend, the property will be open again for an estate sale, to include interior items from the carriage house. Arrive early and bring your coffee in tow! See here for details.