Design Guy

Artist Adam Silverman at Cabana Home, Santa Barbara

2012-01-04T00:26:00.000-08:00

ADAM SILVERMAN at Cabana Home, Santa Barbara

Adam Silverman "New Pots" is part of an on-going sequence of exhibitions organized by

Edward Cella Art + Architecture in collaboration with Cabana Home, Santa Barbara

Through January 14^th, 2012

Adam Silverman was born in NY, raised in Connecticut and educated at The Rhode Island School of Design, from which he holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Architecture. He moved to Los Angeles in 1988 after college, and practiced architecture, earning his California Architects license in 1993. Since high school Silverman has been fascinated with ceramics and has been a full time professional potter since 2002.

Silverman has exhibited extensively in the US and Japan. His large-scale installation piece, Boolean Valley, in collaboration with architect Nader Tehrani has been exhibited at The San Jose Museum of Art, The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and most recently at The Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas.

He is currently working on a site-specific project at The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth Texas, where he is the self-described "potter in residence" on the construction site of the Renzo Piano addition currently being built next to the iconic, original building by Louis Kahn. In 2008 Adam became a partner in, and the studio director of, Heath Ceramics, a 62 year old California maker of dinnerware and tile.

For more information:

CABANA HOME

111 Santa Barbara Street

Santa Barbara, CA 93101

805-962-0200

HOURS: Monday – Saturday, 10 AM – 6 PM

Las Vegas Market, Day I: January 2011

2011-01-28T22:42:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas Market, Day I
January 25, 2011

Arrived in Las Vegas on Sunday evening for the Surfaces Show (flooring, carpet and rugs), and for the Winter Furniture and Gift show at the World Market Center (WMC).

Theres nothing like Vegas and from the minute I stepped off the plane your greeted by slot machines, everywhere except in the men’s room.

But when I stepped outside to hail a cab, the taxi queue was a block long, and then it turned into a line that rivaled any at Disney World! Ten rows of zigzagging lines separated by stanchions, each about 200 ft. long. It took 30 minutes to get a cab, and that was on a Sunday night!

I booked the Luxor Hotel because it was cheap, and fortunately I was upgraded to the newer towers that are next to the famed pyramid building, which is beyond tired. I'm in the West Tower with a room that overlooks the pool which would be nice but its been drained for the winter, and all of the landscaping apprently has also been pulled.

Monday morning I caught the WMC shuttle at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, which is connected to my hotel, the Luxor. On the way passing monolithic pharaohs, multiple pyramids, the river Nile, even passing through the paws of a 5 story sphinx. I couldn't help wonder what the hieroglyphics on the the faux stone panels lining the elevators actually said. I passed 3 Starbucks in the Luxor, and passed by the lobby’s 2 story high billboards hawking tickets to Menopause the Musical, Criss Angel, and Carrot Top. The walk must be about a mile, all indoors, using elevators, escalators, and stairs, while enduring 2nd hand smoke from mullet-coiffed gamblers.

The WMC buildings are impressive architectural behemoths. Though I didn’t feel that I'd found many new sources by days end, I'd seen a lot of fashion violations by the attendees; unfortunately the fashion police were nowhere to be found. The jail would surely have been overflowing by nightfall had they been around.

Next to the WMC is a striking Frank Gehry building, the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. I goggle the name expecting to be impressed with a roster of the world’s most revered brain surgeons, etc… heres what it said: “home to symposiums, meetings, concerts, fundraisers, that sort of thing. They'll rent it out -- it's got a full kitchen and, of course, the liquor support of founder Larry Ruvo's Southern Wine & Spirits -- to help fund the research and patient care operation”.

I attended the opening day of the new Palecek showroom in the WMC, designers and manufacturers of high end rattan furniture, similar to McGuire Furniture whom we also carry at Cabana Home. The new showroom was fresh and smartly detailed with raw concrete floors and a “whited” out ceilings, instead of the standard blacked-out ceiling. I noted a few items for an order, visited with Daddy Palecek and his son, design director Andrew Palecek.

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At Jaipur Rugs I was photographed for Rugnews.com (woo hoo), by the editor and publisher, Lissa Wyman, from New York. I liked Jaipur’s wool flat woven striped rugs which were well priced, the felted wool thick shag rugs, and the abstract rug that featured an oversized beige and lime green “Pear”, which is made for outdoor use of 100% recyclable polypropylene. Now, thats green in more than one way!

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I checked out Esquire Magazines new Esquire Home Collection, which was less than exciting; actually it was a compilation of items that have been around for the last couple of markets.

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At the Four Hands showroom an Asian inspired Cocktail Table caught my eye, which was in a silver leafed finish and featured a brown shagreen top. In another showroom, I liked an ottoman that was upholstered in natural burlap and trimmed with a nailhead pattern.

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Potential trends: Moroccan lighting, first seem last September at Masion & Object in Paris, hung in multiples, made of punched tin in shapes, some featured colored glass for a little punch. Also from Morocco; Furntiture clad in German Silver including a Poster Bed, and a Chinese Chippendale Cabinet. Also watch for patchwork rugs made from pieces of old hand woven rugs, dyed in bright colors. Trends? Maybe so.

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At “Studio A” had a cabinet, clad in an interesting application of bamboo material, and a great looking lamintaed linen clad chest with an oversized bronze pulls in the center of each drawer.

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I finished the day at Viz Glass, as iin the genre of master glass blower Dale Chihuly, but made in China. They blow “Chihuly-esque” chandeliers that sell for $5,800, about $500,000 less than a Chihuly.

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I can’t resist writing a market report without showing the “Worst in Show”. French Chairs upholstered with red leather seats and gold painted sticks for the seat back by desinger Christopher Guy (who was inducted as an "Industry Icon" on Thursday at a fancy event; then there was the showroom that was filled with crystal dripping from from ceiling to floor, and rows of glassware in red and white zebra stripes; and there was a showroom packed with Victorian style furniture, perhaps the only Victorian furniture showroom in Nevada.

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The WMC buildings are arranged in a U-shape, creating a huge courtyard which was lined in bedding displays, backless Europena style low sofas, round firepits, and the site of tonights “Pajama Party" themed cocktail party. Center stage was set with huge mattresses and boxspringa, and a troupe of gymnast’s/dancers dancing, bouncing and jumping and pillow fighting to 80’s hits such as “Jump”. Corny, but the event was packed (free cocktails and cupcakes), I can’t imagine who picked that combo. Male and female models served cupcakes dressed in winter-white clothing, and large knitted scarves and toboggans, an interesting look in the desert. Not exactly my idea of a pajama party in Vegas!

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So, what a heck of a day! I was exhausted, and di not look forward to my mile walk back to my room from the Mandalay Hotels front door!

As I hiked back to my room through the Mandalay Bay Hotel, the Mandalay Bay Casino, the Shops at Mandalay Bay, then through the casino and the shops at the Luxor, past the LAX Night Club (their billboard claimed it had has 26,000 sq. feet on two floors), the IMAX Theatre, the Titanic Artifacts and the “Bodies” Exhibits (scientific body’s) at the Luxor. Once back in my room, I was exhausted and hungry, but where to go for dinner? Can I walk this cavernous place once more to find a suitable eatery, or do I order room service again tonight? My choices, The CatHouse, hummm...wonder what they serve? I peered in thru the window in the front door and scan see what the hotel dining guide called “a lounge/dance area where all the Las Vegas naughtiness happens....hummm. Or, how about Tender (a steak house), or Strip (another steak house)? I settled on T & T (Tacos & Tequila) and was seated on the rail overlooking the lobby and casino, featuring direct inhalation of 2nd hand smoke from the casino, below.

In the shops at Mandalay Bay, a sock store, not a store I would have envisioned in a Vegas mall.

A reveler at Club LAX, though she looks like shes been there for a while! Is she a she?

The IMAX Theatre at the Luxor.

The "Bodies" Show is on exhibit at the Luxor.

The first restaurant I first stumbled on, billed as, "Where all the Las Vegas naughtiness happens."

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Back in my room, I jumped on the computer hoping to finish my report, but at 2:00 AM I was too tired to upload the day’s 47 pictures. I resolved to retire for the evening and post it later, so here it is!

Since tomorrow will be spent at the flooring show, I have no expectations that the day’s report will be anywhere near as interesting as today’s! But check in with me, because after all, this is Vegas baby!

Saturday morning Coffee and Artist Talk by Sculptor Michael Whiting at Cabana Home - Santa Barbara

2011-01-20T02:07:00.000-08:00

Birdie (2009), as it hoisted into place by crane, into the Palm Court at Cabana Home - Santa Barbara.

Steel with Automotive Paint Finish, 96 x 96 x 48 in

Please join Cabana Home and Edward Cella Art + Architecture for Saturday morning Coffee and Artist Talk with Sculptor Michael Whiting.

Saturday, January 22nd, 10:30 AM

Cabana Home, in collaboration with Edward Cella Art + Architecture in Los Angeles, presents a solo
exhibition of steel sculptures by California artist Michael Whiting. Constructed from welded steel and
coated with bright automotive enamels, Whiting creates playful works inspired by the forms and imagery
of early video gaming and computer graphics.

Recognizing the extreme sparseness of forms inherent to the constraints of pixel-based technologies, Whiting states, "In my visual experience Pac-man came beforeDonald Judd or Carl Andre. For me, Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie will always be a homage to Pacman Taking the square, or "pixel" as a building block for all technological innovations in the computer Age. Whiting brings to life the forms initially rendered for video games, creating a universe of relics from the not-too distant past. Since receiving his MFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY in 2002, Whiting has exhibited his innovative work in both group and solo exhibitions nationally. His Santa Barbara debut runs concurrently with his highly anticipated fourth exhibition at the critically recognized Plus Gallery in Denver, Colorado.

You can have one last look before Mike’s Birdie and other works “fly the cabana”

Cat Ears (Pair), 2005. 25 x 30 x 3.5 inches

Do Not Cross, 2006. 46 x 46 x 6 inches

Peckerhead, 2006. 21 x 18 x 15 inches.

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Dog - Large (Blue over Black), 2010. 14 x 16 x 5 inches.

“Puppies (ltd. edition)”, 2009, automotive paint on fabricated steel, 7 x 9 x 3 inches each

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Favorite T, 2004. 36 x 46 x 8 inches.

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Red Bird, 2010. 30 x 36 x 6 inches.

Whale, 2010. 32 x 52 x 8 inches.

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Blue Chip, 2005. 20 x 26 x 18 inches

Eye, 2005. 16 x 20 x 12 inches.

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Left: Doe, 2007: 60.5 x 55 x 16.5 inches.

Right: Buck, 2007: 77 x 55 x 16.5 inches.

Both, Paint on steel

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Before I close, I want to show you a wonderful permanent installation of Whiting's work at a skate park in Albuquerque, NM, below:

Kickflip (Permanent installation, Albuquerque, NM), 2009, fabricated steel with powder coat finish. 202 x 520 x 46 inches.

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I'll see you this coming

Saturday, January 22nd, at 10:30 AM

PHOTOFUTURES AT THE SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART

2010-05-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

Let's try this post again! Sorry about the repeat, but the first time I posted this article, I was in the middle of spell-checking, when the article posted itself! Here goes, again:

Photofutures. No, not that kind of futures...not as in the commodities futures market, but as in a group of like minded people who collect photography, who aren't speculating on anything. Photofutures members, are considered the most active and ardent group of collectors at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA), and whom share the common goal of furthering the holdings of the museums collection of master photographers, both historical and future.

Thirty-five individuals comprise the current Photofutures group, whose members hail from a variety of professions, ages, and backgrounds, but have in common an appreciation and passion for photography. The popularity of collecting photography is partly because the medium is accessible--affordable, if you will. With the growth of digital photography, it's become even more so. You can find beautiful pictures that are still relatively affordable.

Group members travel with the museums curator of photography to various cities around the US, visiting museum shows, art fairs, and most interesting to me are the private collections that we are able to tour. As a group, we become more educated about the medium.

But alas, yesterday was the last Photofutures event for the year (late August through early May). Our meeting featured two artists, both represented by Christa Dix, owner of Wall Space Gallery in Seattle, WA, http://www.wall-spacegallery.com/.

The meeting was held at one of our members homes, which happens to be a house that I covet, and that I consider one of the most beautiful homes in all of Santa Barbara and Montecito. A relatively modest home by local standards, this home is a beautiful study in scale and restraint, with a beautiful balance between decoration and ornamentation, and simplicity. The balance is further evident in the wonderfully allocated indoor and outdoor living space which flow seamlessly from one into the other. The simple stucco exterior is centered with an elaborate Spanish style carved limestone surround, punctuated with a glass lined, period style wrought iron front door--a hint at what lie ahead for the
"hous-e-o-phile" and casual observer alike. Out of respect for the home owner's, I will post only exterior shots of this wonderful home, sorry!

Now to the business at hand:

The first artist to present their work was photographer Aline Smithson, http://www.alinesmithson.com/ . A former New York Fashion Editor for Vogue Patterns, Smithson worked alongside some of the greats of fashion photography, including Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Meisel, Mario Testino, and Peter Lindbergh.

PHOTOS, above:

TOP: Photofutures member and President of the Santa Barbara Arts Fund, Joanne Holderman, Artist Aline Smithson, and Photofutures member Caroline Thompson.

BOTTOM: President of the SBMA Board of directors, Marshall Milligan, looks at the hand colored photographs by Aline Smithson.

PHOTO, above, from Left to Right:

Left: Photofutures member, and SBMA Board member, philanthropist Mike Healy;

Center: Photofutures member, and former President of the SBMA Board of Directors and philanthropist Mercedes "Merci" Eicholz (widow of the late Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas);

Right: Photofutures member Amanda McIntyre.

We learned that when Aline Smithson discovered the family Rolleiflex camera, she never looked back. Smithson said she creates her (award winning) photography with humor, compassion, and a 50-year old camera, which is most evident in the series that features her 85-year old mother, my favorite series of Smithson's work.

PHOTOS:

TOP: Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist Mother, 1871, by James McNeill Whistler

BOTTOM: No. 10, (The Last Super), by Arline Smithson. Hand colored photograph.

The series of 22 images feature Smithson's mother juxtaposed with various imagery, costumes and props, some familiar, and some just darn clever! The series was inspired by Smithson's favorite

painting, commonly known as "Whistler's Mother", painted by James McNeill Whistler in 1871--see photo above. I may be somewhat partial to that painting myself as a copy of it hung on the wall of my family's Breakfast room for the first 18 years of my life...I had many a meal with Whistler's Mother!

PHOTO'S, above: Images available in 11x14, editions of 25; or 16 x 20, editions of 20:

LEFT: No. 14 (Blue Elvis), by Aline Smithson. Hand painted photograph.

RIGHT: No. 8, (Pinkie and Blueboy), by Aline Smithson. Hand painted photograph.

Aline Smithson is an instructor at the highly respected Julia Dean Photo Workshops, http://www.juliadean.com/ ,

the West coast's largest non-degree based school of photography. Smithson's workshop, Creating Art with Toy Camera, teaching participants the history of, and how to use toy cameras, and learn why "blur" (the principal characteristic effect of prints made from toy camera negatives) is such an extremely popular style of fine art photography.

PHOTO'S, above:

Legoland, taken with a toy camera at Legoland California. Through the lens of the toy camera, the images appear 100's of times larger than their actual size. According to Smithson, none of the subjects in the images above, are larger than three feet in height!

Aline Smithson's artist statement: "I try to create moments that are at once familiar, yet unexpected. The odd juxtapositions that we find in life are worth exploring. The poignancy of childhood, aging, relationships, family, and moments of introspection or contemplation continue to draw my interest. I want to create pictures that evoke a universal memory". And that she does!

Smithson's works with four cameras: a twin lens Rolleiflex, a Hasselblad, and a Diana and a Holga plastic (toy) cameras. She said the first two cameras provide clarity and formality; the latter two provide spontaneity and simplicity.

Aline Smithson writes a blog, http://www.lenscratch.blogspot.com/ , highlighting the work of other photographers, both known to her and brought to her attention by others, giving thorough insight into a particular artists work. She also writes on photography shows, dealers, and features related websites. A great blog to subscribe to!

Our second presentation was by photographer Charles Groog, based in nearby Ojai, CA. Groog, a college English professor by day, is a fine art artist who works with botanical, still life, and natural imagery.

PHOTO, above:

Artist Charles Groog discusses a "Bonsai" photograph from his Botanical Series, with Patsy Blake, Photofutures member, and a member of the SBMA Board of Directors. Groog created the mixed media piece by processing nine negatives, each an individual photograph of a single object (plant), then stitches them together, matching the parts to create the complete image. On some images, he adds strings to replicate ropes tethering the plant to the earth.

Groog prints his work with a hand coated platinum/palladium process, printed on handmade Japanese Gampi (a flexible, natural fiber), mounted on a rare and beautiful natural fiber Washi paper. The nine separate photographs on Gampi are sewn together, and that image is sewn to the Washi paper.

Groog's website, http://www.charlesgroogphotography.net/, describes his work as follows: As a cross-disciplinary artist, Charles has synthesized imagery from literature as well as the pictorial arts to his imaginative work flow. Botanical and other natural imagery, architecture, and nudes are often isolated from environmental backgrounds both to draw attention to their inherently sensual details and to make their implausible disconnection from the natural and vital world a cause for further investigation. A little deep, I know, but when you see the work, the verbosity of the description of his work rings true.

PHOTO, above:

Butterfly, from the portfolio, "Once Removed", by Charles Groog. Here, Groog blends the natural and artificial worlds into a working order of references.

Groog shoots Polaroid film on a 4x5 inch camera, or medium format film developed in PMK Pyro...hand developed, a rarity indeed in today's digital image world.

PHOTO'S, below:

Left: Bonsai 4, from the Botanical's Series by Charles Groog.

Right: Bonsai 5, from the Botanical's Series by Charles Groog.

The platinum/palladium development process, printed on the hand coated gampi, creates images that are sensual artifacts. Stunning!

As the Photofutures group entered it's tenth year, in acknowledgment of the groups support of the museums photography collection, the SBMA showcased 58 of the acquisitions made by the Photofutures members with the exhibition, Ten: Gifts of the SBMA Photofutures.

Photofutures purchases are made with combined funds from its members, at an annual Photofutures Buying Spree, of which Caroline, my wife, and I have had the honor of co-hosting for the last two years. I must say, keeping order at a buying spree with a group of overachieving philanthropist types is no easy task!

The Ten exhibition highlighted those areas of strength in the museums photography holdings, including work by Western Pacific Rim artists, photography at the Intersection of Art and Science, and Contemporary works.

The museum has identified photography as important from the Western Pacific Rim, China, Japan, and Korea--all nations in the midst of significant technological and economic growth--works that express the complex nature of cultures in flux, which reflect upon the rapid transition from traditional to modern ways of life.

WESTERN PACIFIC RIM:

PHOTO, above:

San Xia 2, 2005-2006/2007, by Chen Nong. Eight hand-colored gsps, ed. 5/10.

The image above is a detail from a group of eight hand-colored photographs depicting groups of Chinese men wearing mock armor created by the artist to evoke the terracotta army of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi which was discovered in the region in 1974. The San Xia region of mainland China is home to the Three Gorges Dam which harnessed the power of the Yangtze River resulting in dramatic environmental changes.

In his melancholic portraits of local Chinese who were hired by the government to demolish their own communities in anticipation of the regional flooding, photographer Chen Nong calls attention to the socio-cultural and environmental impact of modern industrial development.

CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHERS:

PHOTO, above:

Sandy Skoglund: Revenge of the Goldfish, 1981. Silver dye bleach print.

Sandy Skoglund photographs installations that she builds in her studio, employing actors to populate her fabricated tableaux. In the large-scale print, a young man, consumed by nightmarish anxiety, sits at his bedside, inundated by flying goldfish while his mother sleeps nearby.

When members of Photofutures attended the international contemporary art fair, Art Basel Miami Beach, relationships forged between the collectors while traveling, increased knowledge of contemporary photography, and exposure to private collections in Miami led to the joint purchase of the photograph, below, during the next annual Photofutures Buying Spree.

PHOTO, above:
Jackie Nickerson: Grandmother, Masiphumelele Township, Western cape, South Africa, 2004.
Lambda photograph, ed. 4/4.

The next photography exhibition at the SBMA is Chaotic Harmony: Contemporary Korean Photography, which opens July 3, 2010, and runs through September 19, 2010.

PHOTO, Above:

PA-YA: Noblesse Children #12, 2008, From the series Noblesse Children (2008). Chromogenic photograph. Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Museum purchase with funds provided by Photofutures Group of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

The exhibition first opened at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH), and is the first major exhibition in the United States of photographs made by contemporary Korean artists presently living in Korea. This exhibition opens a window into the rapidly expanding field of photographic practice in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Bringing together work by 40 contemporary photographers, this exhibition surveys the range of contemporary issues through the themes of family, urbanization, globalization, identity, and nature.

Co-organized by the SBMA and the MFAH, this groundbreaking exhibition is not a presentation on "Koreanness, " although issues of cultural and personal identity are strong components. Rather, it is an attempt to identify Korea as a source of complex and stimulating visual ideas expressed through the medium of photography.

Chaotic Harmony offers an enticing glimpse into the new century as it is perceived by two different generations of Korean artists - those who began exhibiting their work in the 1980's and 1990's, and those who are now exhibiting images from their first or second series of photographs.

Wow! The SBMA, what a museum! Interested in Photofutures? Contact the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, http://www.sbmuseart.org/.

Good Night Moon.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Part III

2010-02-19T00:26:00.000-08:00

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Part III

Oh, my gosh! Had I known how many people would contact me about the lack of customer service in this world, I would have written this series long ago!

Is customer service dead?

I think not! There's even a "Dummie" book on the subject, Customer Service for Dummies?

Customer service will never be dead as long as their is a desire by the public to be appreciated for their business. I'm talking about all businesses, whether for goods and/or services, or even a business like the Dept. of Motor Vehicles (notorious for the lack of service and cooperation of any kind).

And speaking of the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, and I've had experience with these departments in Texas, New Mexico, and now in California. I have to say one thing about this particular governmental department, no matter which of these states your in, it is exactly the kind of experience that you can have at Starbucks, it is the same every time you go there!

So lets give Starbucks a break (for a moment), and consider customer service at the DMV:

Visualize, if you will, the DVM: You pull up to a building that used to house a supermarket. You walk in, and there are posted instructions in several different areas, in both English and Spanish. Good, so far. There is a well worn Formica counter in front of you, and an oddly placed stand that dispenses "numbers" (a queue in jolly old England) similar to the one at Baskin-Robbin. There is no one behind the counter, but you can see the "bull pen", a plethora of mostly empty desks, with the exception of the handful of employees, who all happen to be on the telephone.

Now, I don't know about you, but anytime that I've needed another document, or an important question answered, I have never had one of the employees leave the front counter and go back to their desk and telephone anyone on my behalf. I estimate that I've licensed no less than ten cars in three different states, and I can't for the life of me figure out who in the heck these people are talking to.

Do you?

What I do know is that if they're talking on the telephone, then they're not at the front counter helping the people who have taken "a number". I would rather have my wisdom teeth extracted than register a car, in any state!

Photo, above: Ouch!

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Photo, above: The "Express License Dept.", Dept of Motor Vehicles, NYC.

I wonder, what kind of customer service training these employee's have had? Or, do they have so many more rights than their employer, that the employer doesn't even have the right to enforce a customer service policy? I don't know the answer to this, but as a California business owner, I haven't one right if a disgruntled employee files a claim of any kind. That's for another series!

For those of you engaged in the workforce, public or private, when you've given good service, and it is appreciated by the recipient, is there a sense of satisfaction for having put yourself out there? For me, absolutely. It is almost as gratifying as the financial reward.

But a funny thing happens when I give good customer service, the financial rewards come more frequently. If anyone can refute that, then bring it on!

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Here is some of the email from this weeks post's:

Received 2/18/10, from one of the mega-producing real estate brokers, in Dallas, TX comes this story of customer service gone awry, and this time it was at the GAP (I've already said that Starbucks may get a break from me today!):

"Regarding your Design Guy comments about Customer Service... thank you for railing against those who know nothing about good service and its importance.. It's rampant.. today I was in the Gap and waiting in line to check out with another person. Ahead of us was an off duty employee purchasing something who was getting so much attention from the two employees checking customers out... it was unbelievable... they were joking, gabbing, on and on amongst the three of them with no regard whatsoever for the real customers behind her waiting to pay real money for the purchases... it was shocking... I really wanted to say something but my desire to just get out of there was stronger... And worse, one of the idiots was the manager!! Where's she getting her training? So, tell me about soapboxes... I'm right up there with you.
Take care and keep writing.. you're really quite good at it!

Photo, above: A new Gap Ad...maybe they should spend a little time with their employees explaining what this thoughtful message means!

And this received 2/19/10:

By the way..."when these girls were gabbing uncontrollably, there was no eye contact with the other customers waiting, and the talk was loud and obnoxious...they were even yelling at her on her way out of the store...it was absolutely appalling!"

Photos, above: Some fashion ideas for getting rude salespeople to make eye contact with you.

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GAP, Inc could have a huge influence on the world in the area of customer service, just look at these stats:

GAP operates 3,167 stores in United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Ireland and Japan. The company also operates its stores in Asia, Europe and the Middle East through franchise agreements. GAP is headquartered in San Francisco, California, the U.S and employs 15,000 people.

The GAP's revenue in 2009 was down 7.8%* below 2008 results (*Business Week 2/19/10)

How about it GAP, Inc management...you want to invest in a little customer service training? Why don't you give it a whirl?

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Today's helpful hints from the Design Guy:

To reduce a high incidence of computer key-board damage, consider supplying this new style Aeron desk chair to your employees:

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Enough said (for the moment).

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To my readers:

Thank you for your emails and feedback on the Customer Service series of articles. I agree the time is now to turn this problem around, and articles like these, and with the interest that you've all expressed, I think we can turn it around, one employee at a time!

Thank you,

Good Night Moon

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Part II

2010-02-17T23:09:00.000-08:00

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Part II

Expectations for Customer Service (and Life)!

I want to address the concept of a “customer having the same experience” every time they visit a Starbucks store, and let’s look at the components of that experience as it relates to our expectations.

Now, I think expectations are resentments waiting to happen.

How so?

Well first it means that I given up on allowing an experience to 'just happen'. I’ve decided in advance of the happening, how it should be. And, rarely do things 'happen' the way that I thought that they should have happened. Then, when this expectation isn’t fulfilled, I’m disappointed, or even sometimes resentful.

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Here’s an example:

Your kid gets ready to leave home for college; the school assigned him/her a roommate, based on whatever or however they do such a thing. Prior to the kid’s arrival on campus, they receive from the school contact information on the person that they’ve been assigned to, in hopes that the two will make contact with one another prior to their arrival on campus, and perhaps even find some common interests or goals.

Move in day arrives, your kid walks into the dorm room and sees the other kid standing there, and they immediately begin to size the other one up. If one kid is dressed with designer labels on their clothing, and the other kid is more natural, earthy, they will immediately judge each other as being different from one another. If they have different body shapes or “looks” accents, or skin color, then more judgments.

Without uttering a word, these students will size the other up, and think that they somehow know the other person, even if just a little, or even assume something specific about what the other person is like.

Okay, so what, then?

The designer label kid is probably going to be judged by the earthy kid, as shallow, materialistic, preppy, and rich, sorority girl, a snob, etc…

The earthy kid might judge as brainy or a dropout, uncaring about the finer things in life, poor, lazy, even a druggy, etc…

For these two to get along, they will have to first exhibit tolerance and an appreciation for the fact that they’re different from each other, but are alike in some ways. They must find the areas of interest or likeness that they share in common, or they have little chance of surviving as roommates for an entire semester.

To do this, they have to get rid of any expectations of one another; they have to be open to finding the areas of commonality that are more important to them than the way things appear or look.

It’s very possible to do this if they can drop their expectations. They will have to listen carefully to one another, and use this 'sense' to really ‘see’ what the other is about.

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Here’s a personal example:

I belong to a group where most of the guys are professionals and are gainfully employed. For the most part, the group is well mannered, well spoken, dressed somewhat conservatively, and we have few if any tattooed members…except for one member (there’s always that one!)! I have sat in that room week after week, year after year, sometimes catching myself focusing on the tattooed one.

Never listening to what he says, but focusing on my own preconceived judgments of people who would tattoo themselves, along with expectations I would have of that type of person. In this instance, I have no preconceived expectations of this person doing anything right, or well. I expect him to speak poorly, dress like a gang banger (which he does), drive a motorcycle, come from the wrong side of the tracks, wear his ball cap backwards (which he does), and a few other traits. He’s also a body builder, so if he’s a gang banger, then he must be a ‘bad’ one, so I wanted to, and did, stay clear of him before and after meetings. At some point at one of our meetings, unavoidably we ended up talking briefly. Whatever he said, or didn’t say, created some interest in me about this guy, enough so that the next time I heard him talk in one of the meetings, I listened. And over a period of time, I’ve heard some areas of commonality.

Turns out, he’s not a gang banger at all, though he dresses like one. He was raised in Beverly Hills, graduated from Beverly Hills High School (the school crest, shown below right, is inscribed "Today well Lived"), his father was a successful producer who retired and moved his family to the beach. The guy doesn’t drive a low-rider truck as I would have presumed, but a new BMW. He has been a successful entrepreneur in his twenties and hasn’t worked since. Now in his early 40’s, he’s back in college finishing his degree. He’s very well spoken, has excellent manners, and sports a near full body tattoo. Now that is about as incongruous to my preconceived ideas about a tattooed person as I can think of.

Somehow, I heard this guy when he spoke to me that evening. I was somehow open to hearing him. Sure I kept my prejudgment of him near the surface of my thoughts the first time we talked, but I had to have put them far enough way to allow something to happen…to allow me to listen to what this fellow had to say.

Since then, we’ve had coffee after meetings, and have had some really fun and meaningful conversations. When I walk into a coffee shop or retail store with the tattooed one, I can’t help but snicker at those who seem to immediately judge him for the way he looks, and me for being with him!

Wow! What a great thing to be able to see. I feel like I’ve got a new pair of glasses with which to see!

The skill in both of these examples is listening. Really listening to what the other person was saying. Listening allowed me to put away forever my preconceived idea of who this person was. Had I not been able to listen to this man, I wouldn’t be able to count this man as one of my friends today.

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‘So what’s the point?’ you ask. “How does this tie-in to Starbucks Customer Service Policy”?

I thought you’d never ask! Thank you!

When I walk into a Starbucks, I do have an expectation of how that experience is going to be, and I have to admit, that experience is about the same one that they’re counting on: The transaction is quick and efficient; the Latte tastes the same every time; I say, “thank you”, and the barista says, “no problem.”

But I’m not happy with that experience! I want my business to be appreciated! I want the barista to thank me! Yes, he/she should thank me! I want to say “you’re welcome,” just once.

But it’s not going to happen the way I want it too. I’m the customer, but that’s not the way their employees are trained. They’re trained to do it a certain way, and manners have nothing to do with it.

So what gives? Accept this shoddy service, this lack of appreciation for my business? Absolutely not! At the price that I pay for a cup of Starbucks coffee, as compared to what I used to pay for a cup of coffee pre-Starbucks, I expect more.

If I put .75 cents into a vending machine for a cup of coffee, I don’t have any expectation for this ‘cup of Joe’, other than that it contains the ingredients and tastes halfway decent. I don’t even expect the machine to say “no problem.”

Now, see my point? And, yes, that is a Starbucks coffee vending machine you see, above. Am I so far off now?

So what can Starbucks expect? I believe they can ‘expect’ a continued decrease in their business. They’ve closed stores, scaled back plans for opening new stores, and who knows what else is on the radar for them. Further, they’ve opened the door both regionally and nationally for their competition from the likes of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf or Peet’s Coffee & Tea (both California based coffee chain stores), or for anybody else that can ‘build a better mouse trap.’ Their competitors here in California aren’t competing with them for a lower price per cup of coffee, or with a better location, or even a different or better flavor of coffee; they’re doing it with good old customer service, and they say ‘thank you’ when they hand you your cup of coffee.

There has never been a substitute for customer service, and there never will be. As long as companies, retailers, and service sector industries continue to miss this important business component, there will always be room at the top.

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To my Dear Anonymous Reader responding to the Customer Service: Part I Article

Thank you for responding to my article, I really appreciate it. Customer testimonies weren't used for this article, because it's my opinion of the coffee shop that lacks customer service, and it's my belief that it can be done better. I'm the owner of retail stores, and in today's business environment if we didn't excel at customer service we'd absolutely be out of business. Why is our business growing in this economy? Is it because my company's Internet website is the biggest, fastest, contains the broadest selection, and the cheapest prices? NO. "Today's" way of doing business isn't the reason for our growth, and none of those attributes of "current" successful businesses in this web based world have anything to do with our success. It's customer service. Pure and simple. There is no substitute for it, and there never will be.

Regarding my mentors you said, "they are not cutting edge Sellers...a dying breed", I beg to differ. Neiman Marcus is one of the most successful high-end retailers on this planet; likewise, Ebby Halliday Realtors is among the largest independently owned real estate company's in the world. Both of these 'mentors' are very easy to check out, and I encourage you to do so.

Lastly, you ask, "But what is good about cusotmer service these days?"

Everything about receivng and giving good customer service is rewarding to both the customer and the giver. People are working harder and making less, and care about how and where they spend their hard earned money. I know that I would be a lot more likely to give up my hard earned cash to someone who offered me good customer service than to someone who didn't. I do see your points, and I thank you for sharing.

Please join me for CUSTOMER SERVICE: Part III

Good Night Moon

CUSTOMER SERVICE: PART I of … however many it takes to make a point!

2010-02-15T12:45:00.000-08:00

Nothing upsets me more than to feel like I haven't received even marginal customer service.

QUESTION: Which is Worse? Receiving no customer service, or bad customer service?

ANSWER: To me, they're one in the same.

Today's post is an official soapbox of the Design Guy. There is no excuse for the lack of, or a replacement for, common decency and manners, which are the basic blocks from which one builds customer service.

And please do not say, “This is California, we don’t say ‘Yes Sir’ and ‘Yes Mam’.

Because I'll say to that, bull shit!

Let’s start with the basics:

Here's what Wikipedia says about customer service: Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.

According to Jamier L. Scott, “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation.

Customer service should be provided by a person (e.g., sales and service representative). It says a person; not a computer, not a list of questions, and not an email.

In the book Rules to Break and Laws to Follow, it says that "customers have memories. They will remember you, whether you remember them or not." Further, "Customer trust can be destroyed at once by a major service problem, or it can be undermined one day at a time, with a thousand small demonstrations of incompetence."

From the point of view of an overall sales process, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement.

I'm one of the most fortunate salesman in the world having been afforded the opportunity to train under some of the worlds most famous salesman/saleswoman. First I benefited from the extraordinary sales training at the venerable Neiman Marcus department store upon graduating from college and entering the Executive Training Program established by retail great, Stanley Marcus (affectionately known as Mr. Stanley).

The next, was my mentor in Real Estate, Ebby Halliday, owner of the largest independently owned real estate company in the world, also based in Dallas (http://www.ebby.com/). If there was a Mr. Stanley in real estate, it would have been in the form of Miss Ebby. I'm so proud to be espousing what I learned from these two great sales people.

I was told this early on in my retail career: A customer who has a good, or even great experience with your store, may or may not tell anyone about it. But, a customer who has a bad experience with your store will tell everyone they know. Nothing has more true than that, as I've watched myself do that very thing.

Take this example as an experiment and see for yourself: Watch your own discussions about customer service, taking note of how often you're in a conversation where your relating bad customer service experience, versus that of a good customer service experience.

Customer service stories are like an evening news broadcast or a morning papers headlines, good thing don't attract viewership or readership; but tragedy, loss, scandal, do.

It's the same for business, good things are rarely made mention of; but be certain that the bad things will be shared.

One often hears that the quality and level of customer service has decreased, or is non-existent in recent years, and if so, it has be attributed to a lack of support or understanding at the executive and middle management levels of a corporation and/or a customer service policy.

Here's a real life example:

I'm was at a Starbucks in Santa Fe, NM, and I ordered a Latte. I wait. And I wait.

I walked over to the counter and saw that there was a drink sitting there.

"Is this my latte?" I asked the barista.

He looked up from a steaming pitcher of milk, and furrowed his brow. Without making eye contact with me he said, "I called your name."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you," I said, and picked up my drink.

Then I said, "Thank you."

There was no response from the barista, and still no eye contact.

"Humm," I muttered to myself.

"Excuse me, I said thank you," I repeated still standing in front of him.

He looked up from behind the machine, loooked towards me, but not at me, and almost inaudibly said, "No problem."

I stood there, staring at him for a moment, and then asked him, "Why would you say that?"

"Say what?" he asked, clearly irritated, his eyes finally locking onto mine.

"No problem," I answered. "Why would you say 'no problem' when I said 'thank you'?"

"What? What should I say?" he asked.

"You're welcome," I answered him.

"Why would I say that?" he asked.

"Because it's polite."

I left the store, resisting the urge to shake my head in disgust.

What I should have said was this:

I’m a customer and I’m patronizing the business where you work. My doing business with your store pays your salary, and keeps the doors open, thereby insuring that you have a place to work. Therefore, it’s incumbent on you, as an employee of this business, to thank me for my business. You should have said “thank you” to me upon serving my drink. At the very least you should have said “you’re welcome” when I said “thank you.”

I would finish my diatribe by asking him, "Got it?"

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Do you know what this guy would say about eye contact...

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And if I could get to the Starbucks manager for that store, I would finish the paragraph above with, "Is there any question as to this lesson in ‘Business Customer Service 101’?"

Good!

Here's a question for you, my readers:

QUESTION: Now, from where does this problem stem? The parents?

ANSWER: Yes, at the very least.

But, since I’m talking business here, I won’t focus on the “P-Units” (as my daughter refers to us as her parents)…but only for the moment!

The problem with the barrista lies with his boss. A Chinese proverb holds that, "A fish rots from the head down." So if the store is the fish, then the boss is the head of the fish, and the fish rots down to the barrista.

I can understand a kid not knowing basic rules of etiquette if he's had bores for parents on the manners front.

What I cannot accept is a manager not properly training an employee. That’s right, the problem lies with the manager, and there’s no excuse for him.

The manager will whine: “It’s hard to get good employees!”

To which I say: Deal with it. If it’s hard to get good employees, then train your own. As my mentor said to me once, “grow your own (employees).” I get that.

But I had to ask her, "How do I grow my own?”

PHOTO: Texas Real Estate legend, Ebby Halliday

Here are some ways that I "grow my own": I have sales meetings every week. All employees are required to be there, from the Designers and Sales Associates to the Delivery Team; they’re all present. The sales meeting is designed to assure that every employee hears the same thing. Each person is cross-trained in order to ensure that our customer's experience the same level of care and service that they experienced on the sales floor, all the way through their experience with our delivery department.

We discuss proper greetings to customers, acknowledgement of the customer’s presence in our stores, respect for the customer’s personal space while they’re in our store, how to listen to the customer’s request, and how to properly deal with a customer who calls on the telephone while we’re dealing with a customer who is physically in the store. And, we teach them how to properly thank the customer sincerely for their business, and then to follow up with a hand written thank you note to the customer after the sale.

We teach about product quality and construction to all of our employees. If a sales meeting is focused on a recent market buy, we show photos of the furniture that were purchased, the fabric, and the finish. We pass the actual fabric sample around for everyone to touch. We discuss the styling, the fabric content, and the price, for both the furniture and the fabric. Some fabrics cost as much as $650/per yard, so it’s important that everyone know this and why, especially the delivery crew, as they’re the ones who will be handling it. Our delivery crews are taught to understand their importance to the entire selling process, and are always included in the sales meeting.

So, am I asking too much of our employees?

Absolutely, not!

Everything written above (and much more that isn’t) is basic to my concept of “Management 101”, and should be included in every training manual on the planet in one form or another.

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To learn more about Ebby Halliday, read her new book, Ebby Halliday, The First Lady of Real Estate.

It's her autobiography, recently penned by this 98 year old dynamo, who still drives herself to the office everyday!

I love this lady!

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As I researched customer service, I Googled "Starbucks Customer Service Training", and got pages of sites. As I went through at least 25 sites, not one of the customer service articles, either by Starbucks or some other entity, featured customer service as it refers to politeness and proper handling of customers. Most sites focused on Starbucks training of barista's, not as in proper etiquette, but in proper preparation of the drinks.

Not one of the sites focused on how to teach employees or barsita's to remain cool under pressure in high traffic times or locations, and there wasn't a word on any of the listings about good old manners. Not a single word!

So here's what I learned about Starbucks customer service training for their employees: Their main focus is to give the customer the exact same experience each time that customer is in the store. So, if you get some punk kids with no manners running one of their stores, then you can be ensured of having the same lousy experience every time you visit that store.

What a brilliant plan!

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Join me for, "Customer Service, Part II," coming soon!

Good night moon e can fix this! And, it starts with me, and you. Please j me for the next article on Customer Service,night moon

LORO PIANA SUPER YACHT REGATTA & LORO PIANA AS NAUTICAL FABRICS

2010-02-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

THE LORO PIANA SUPER YACHT REGATTA:

The Loro Piana Super Yacht Regatta (www.loropianasuperyachtregatta.com) is scheduled for June 8-12, 2010, in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. Daily racing events are organized by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (www.yccs.it)

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Photo's:

The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, pictured at day and at dusk with the super yachts moored during the 2009 regatta.

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Photo's:

Yacht owners and the racing glitterati ensconce themselves in the fabulous Hotel Calla di Volpe.

Rates during racing season, Euro 750-1,000/per day, per person.

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In the 2009 Loro Paina Super Yacht Regatta, Pier Luigi "Pigi" Loro Piana captained his yacht, the 84ft. My Song. Pigi and his 25-member crew, were all decked-out in Loro Piana's chic high-tech storm proof sportswear. My Song won 2 of the 4 day events.

The overall event was won by Gliss.

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Photo's:

All by the Italian photographer Carlo Borlenghi, who followed the yacht's on their 30 mile race course through the islands of Maddalena archipelago in the Straits of Bonifacio between Corsica and Sardinia.

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Photo:

The yacht, Gliss, the overall winner of the 2009 Loro Piana Super Yacht Regatta. In case your interested in this winning "boat", Gliss accommodates 7 guests in 4 cabins and is on the market for Euro 14.5 million. Contact Toby Maclaurin of Ocean Independence (www.ocean-independence.com).

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PIER LUIGI LORO PIANA ON NAUTICAL FABRICS:

Soft, warm, delicate, a cashmere bed coverlet alone is enough to give any space, be it in a villa or a yacht, a final touch of elegance. Until a few years ago, no one would ever have dreamt of using cashmere in interior decor, much less aboard a yacht. But then Loro Piana launched its Interiors division.

"The idea to use our fabrics in interiors goes back a long way because we used to use it to upholster our sofas at home, " explains Pier Luigi Loro Piana, President of the family firm. "And so almost by chance, I began thinking that maybe our fabrics were actually suitable for domestic use and that there was an opening in the interiors market for this type of product. Silk and linen were already widely used, but not wool and cashmere."

"We use the same materials -- fine wool and cashmere -- to give fabrics for sofas, armchairs and curtains that same felling of softness," explains Pier Luigi. "It's certainly surprising for anyone who's never seen a cashmere-upholstered sofa.

Some people think that they're going to ruin it but cashmere fibers are very tough and wonderful to the touch. From my point of view, the world of interior design has to offer optimum quality and not be about showing off. Cost doesn't interest us. we focus on uncompromising quality because that's genuine luxury."

The Interiors division "Started off as a feasibility study as part of my son Franco's degree thesis," says Pier Luigi. "The analysis confirmed our ideas were good." we like working with our retailers, architects and designers so that we can experiment and everything possible with our materials. We often create colors using a customer's sample, even if it isn't part of our color range. The advantage we have is that we have control of the raw material and production so we can develop special tough, stain-resistant, water-repellent materials."

Photo's:

The 43-metre yacht, Rubican. Discrete, natural colors, together with the use of exquisite materials, all manufactured by the renowned Italian label Loro Piana. The leather walls of the stairwell, curtains, the carpeting, the upholstery are all crafted from noble materials and fibers to ensure maximum resistance, as well as the utmost in comfort, lightness and softness.

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Moving into the nautical segment was very much the next step. "Wool is very much the seafarer's material of choice -- it's always been used for sweaters and bed covers. But cashmere is actually even better suited to yachts because it doesn't get damp. I always have a light (cashmere) coverlet on my bed aboard every summer. And as far as I'm concerned that coverlet really furnishes the cabin: because simplicity is synonymous with elegance."

"We did our research and came up with materials designed for people with beach houses. For instance, we did a linen and cashmere design (blend): it doesn't crease, it's as tough as lien and as soft as cashmere." Progress, and all focused on spoiling clients and lavishing them with tactile sensations. Even when they're simply relaxing on a sofa.

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Loro Piana's motto has its that true luxury is "knowing, not showing," i.e. dressing for your self, not to impress others. It's "an inner satisfaction that comes from an aesthetic, intellectual, tactile pleasure, stemming form tradition, research and genuine quality."

What could be better than that?

Perhaps the Baby Cashmere (trademarked) eye mask, neck pillow, and throw, shown above!

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See the entire Loro Piana Interiors Collection at Cabana Home, Santa Barbara.

Visit: 111 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Telephone: 805.962.0200

Email: info@cabanahome.coom

Good Night Moon

LORO PIANA INTERIORS

2010-01-31T09:55:00.001-08:00

LORO PIANA INTERIORS fabrics now available on the West Coast

Loro Piana has selected Cabana Home Stores of California (http://www.cabanahome.com/) as a West Coast dealer of the super luxury Loro Piana Interiors Collection, the newest division of the luxury cashmere manufacturer. Loro Piana is the largest Cashmere and Baby Cashmere manufacturer in the western world, with exclusive collections of sportswear, leisurewear, and accessories, and now the same highly desired textiles are made for the home interior.

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The company officially launched Loro Piana Interiors in their New York showroom in the fall of 2009. The Interiors fabrics collection offers a wide range of textiles in Cashmere, Wool, Silk, Linen, Cotton and Leathers. In addition, the fabrics have been Rain System (trademarked by Loro Paina) treated, protected by an invisible barrier against dirt and spills. But the true test of durability resides in the manufacturing process, whereby Loro Piana has created cashmere strong enough for sofas and chairs.

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Photos, above:

The new Loro Piana Interiors Collection includes (uncharacteristically) well priced Cottons, Linens, and Wool/Cashmere blends, in addition to their famous but pricier Cashmere.

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The Loro Piana (the last name is both words, "Loro Piana") family started as merchants of wool fabrics at the beginning of the 19th century. The current company was established in 1924 by Pietro Loro Piana in northern Italy.

After, the war (World War I) , the firm began to establish its reputation of superior wool and cashmere textiles for a growing European haute couture industry, and since then the Loro Piana's name has become synonymous with the manufacture of exquisite cashmere products.

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Photos, above:

Loro Piana cashmere throws with embroidery by the chic New York home and lifestyle fashion house, Ankasa (http://www.ankasa.com/)

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For six generations, the Italian maker has maintained access to the world's most valued raw materials, and in recent decades it has assumed a proactive position to replenish those resources as part of its business model.

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Photos-

Left: Loro Piana cashmere and wool fabric options displayed in the New York Showroom.
Right: A classic club chair made modern in an over sized "menswear" style, window pane pattern, shown with a winter white cashmere throw. All from Loro Piaina for Cabana Home (http://www.cabanahome.com/).

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"There was a lack of substantial use of prestigious raw materials in the interior decoration market before. We identified this need and developed a very sophisticated series of fabrics," says Pier Luigi Loro Piana, the current chairman of the company.

Interjection-the DESIGN GUY: Since the brothers Sergio and Pier Luigi Loro Piana (grandson's of the founder) took the helm of the company in the 1970's, they have designed a unique management system in that they rotate the chairmanship of the company between themselves every three years.

"The Loro Piana Interiors fabrics were created to enable Loro Piana's customers to furnish and 'dress' interiors with the same refined quality and attention to detail as they dress themselves," say Pier Luigi.

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Photos-

Left: A selection of Loro Piana wool sateen's.

Right: A contemporary arm chair upholstered in Loro Piana wool boucle fabric.

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Photos-

Left: A classic wing chair is simplified by the blue cashmere/wool blend upholstery fabric, shown with cashmere throw.

Right: A stack of the well priced 100% linen and 100% cotton Loro Piana fabrics, available in multiple colorways, patterns, and solid wovens.

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Photos-

Left: A bag of vicuna wool awaits processing into a luxurious textile.

Right: A product label on a finished Loro Piana product, declaring it "legally sheared".

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Whether it's a yard of the interiors fabric or a cashmere scarf, the fibers are sourced from three continents: Europe for Linens and Cottons, Cashmere and Loro Piana's patented Baby Cashmere (also trademarked by Loro Piana) from Mongolia, and from the other side of the world the Andes, Vicuna, a relative of the llama, which produces the softest, warmest and one of the most exclusive materials in the world.

One vicuna produces less than a pound of wool a year and can be shorn only every two years, making their fibers exceptionally rare and expensive.

Almost extinct by the 1960's from poaching, the vicuna is now protected, and herds have been replenished by companies such as Loro Piana. In the 1950's, Franco Loro Piana (son of the company founder, Pietro), discovered the animals and longed to see them thrive. His sons realized his dream with the 2008 purchase of a 4,942-acre Peruvian preserve in his memory.

"Like all precious goods, it [vicuna] crosses the barrier of time. It can be kept for years and even passed on without losing its authenticity and uniqueness. whoever buys one of these fabrics is mad about quality, continuously searching for the best in this field," says Pier Luigi.

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Photos, above:

Loro Piana Interiors includes sumptuous suede's (left), and leathers.

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"Ours is a very discreet luxury, which relies on top raw materials and never forgets about comfort and functionality," comments Pier Luigi. "Elegance means in this sense, not to show off, but to be at ease in every circumstance. More than a style matter, it's an attitude."

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Photos, above:

The new "One Step to Heaven" carpeting anmde of 100% cashmere by Loro Piana at Cabana Home Stores.

At the top of the luxury pyramid is a product that is truly unique in the industry: One Step to Heaven carpeting made of 100% cashmere, naturally colored, and designed for the most intimate atmosphere, not just for the home but for private yachts, planes and helicoptors as well.

It comes in three natural shades (White, Brown, and Kasha--taupe) and has been treated with stain resistant technology.

Expensive?

Yes, it runs approximately $117/per sq. ft. ($1,053/per sq. yard), depending on the value of the dollar the day you buy it against the Euro. The carpet has 2 kilos (2.2 pounds) of precious cashmere per sq. meter (10.7 sq.ft).

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SEE THE ENTIRE LORO PIANA INTERIORS COLLECTION AT CABANA HOME, 111 SANTA BARBARA STREET (one block from, and between, the Pacific Ocean and Highway 101), IN SANTA BARBARA, CA.

FOR INQUIRIES: 805.962.0200

WEB INQUIRIES: http://www.cabanahome.com/

EMAIL INQUIRIES: info@cabanahome.com

On the next DESIGN GUY post: "Pier Luigi Loro Piana on Nautical Fabrics"

Good Night Moon

Epilogue Part II of II: CARTIER and AMERICA

2010-01-24T00:27:00.000-08:00

Epilogue part II of II: Cartier and America

This is the epilogue (I swear!) to the three part series on the incredible CARTIER and AMERICA exhibit at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, CA.

The show runs through April 18, 2010

Above: An artists rendering of the Cartier, New York store.

Cartier, founded in Paris in 1847, the final year of the French monarchy and the dawn of the Second Empire, the firm quickly attracted an international following in addition to French aristocrats, but also Russian princes and wealthy Americans. It was the belle epoque era, and Cartier expanded to London in 1902, and the United States in 1909, to capitalize on a potentially large customer base of wealthy industrialists and other well-heeled Americans who encountered Cartier on trips to Paris.
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Phot0: The Mexican actress, Maria Felix (Mexico's Joan Collins?), wearing her famous jeweled double crocodile necklace, with a few hundred carets of other things and species.

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The extravagant bijou in this show, however, can seem relatively modest compared to the life-size serpent necklace created for Maria Felix (married four times), the Mexican film star and femme fatale who understood (as did the brothers Cartier, perhaps more profoundly) that seduction begins with caprice. Her alarming chef d'oveuvre, which takes tow hands to hold and was two years in the making, has an ingeniously articulated body of 2,473 diamonds, set in platinum and gold, that weigh just over 178 carats; on its underside, the red, black and green enamel scales area as flat and cool to the touch as a snake's belly.

Photo, above: Snake Necklace, made for Mexican film star, Maria Felix. Cartier Paris, 1968.

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Photo, above: Crocodile Necklace, another distinctive piece made for the actress Maria Felix. Cartier Paris, 1975

Felix also asked Cartier to reproduce her two pet crocodiles in yellow diamonds and Colombian emeralds, and when her husband gave her an enormous emerald solitaire, she pretended to believe that it was an earring and asked him for its pair, where upon they were added to the necklace.

Made in gold, and set with 1,023 brilliant-cut fancy intense yellow diamonds weighing 60.02 carats in total; two navette-shaped emerald cabochons, 1,060 emeralds weighing 66.86 carats in total, and two ruby cabochons.

I read that Ms. Felix actually had the two live crocodiles delivered to Cartier, and asked them to hurry and measure them before they grew any larger, because they were the size of the necklace she wished to have made.

For God's sakes!

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Photos
Left: American actress Grace Kelly, photographed for the cover of Life Magazine (April 1955) after she won the Oscar for Best Actress, for Country Girl (1954).Center: The Life Magazine Cover
Right: Graces Kelly's engagement ring from Prince Ranier of Monaco

For the first time, an American museum features the personal jewelry of Princess Grace of Monaco (from the time of her wedding to Ranier III, Prince of Monaco, in 1956).

Among the items lent by the princess; children Prince Albert, Princess Caroline, and Princess Stephanie, is her engagement ring, a 10.47-carat emerald-cut diamond set with two baguette diamonds mounted in platinum (which she wore on the set of her last film, the 1956 movie "High Society" before she became Princess of Monaco.

Photos

Left: Hen Brooch, Cartier Paris, 1957. Gold, platinum, diamonds, emerald, mother of pearl, pears, and coral. It appears that the Princess had a sense of humor.

Center: Necklace, Cartier Paris, 1953. Diamonds and platinum.

Right: A trio of clip Brooches, Cartier Paris, 1955. Diamonds, rubies, platinum and gold.

Grace Kelly's death in 1982 was a big surprise, The princess of Monaco, who was only 52 and seemingly in perfect health, suffered a stroke while driving with her daughter Princess Stephanie. It was just as she was driving on the edge of the upper Corniche, and the stroke left her incapacitated and unable to control the car. It careened off the edge of the mountain and rolled down, flipping several times. Princess Stephanie suffered fracture and some bruising and survived, but Princess Grace died from her injuries.

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A few other extraordinary things:

Photos above:

Left: Tiara, Cartier Paris, 1914. Blackened steel, diamonds, rubies, and platinum.

Center: Tiara, Cartier London, 1937. Citrines, gold, diamonds, and platinum.

Right: Tiara, Cartier Paris, 1914. Diamonds, onyx, pearls, platinum and enamel.

Photos, above:

Left: Egyptian sarcophagus vanity case. Cartier Paris, 1925. Bone, enamel, gold, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, platinum, and mirror (sold to Mrs. George Blumenthal, aunt of Katherine Graham the former editor of the Washington Post).

Center: Tiara, Cartier London, 1936. Turquoises, diamonds and platinum.

Right: Vanity case, Cartier Paris, 1927. Sapphires, emerald, coral, moonstone, topazes, gold, enamel, diamonds, platinum and mirror.

Photos, above:

Detailed working drawings, left, for the Rose Clip brooch, shown finished at right. Cartier Paris, 1938. Gold, enamel, diamonds, silver and platinum.

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Photos

Left: The view from the front door of the Palace of the Legion of Honor Museum, looking toward past the glass pyramid, Rodin's "Thinker", and Mark di Suvero's sculpture, to San Francisco Bay.

Right: The Marin (county) headlands.

As we left the museum we were struck by the awesome beauty of this setting. The enclosed columned courtyard anchored by Rodin's imposing bronze sculpture, The Thinker, seemed to be contemplating the elegant and colossal di Suvero sculpture in the distance, juxtaposed with the abstract beauty of the Marin headlands, and the smell of the salt air from the powerful ocean below.

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I'm done! Yippee!

Oh...except I haven't told you about the Mystery clocks!

How they work:

The central crystals are located in Brazil (sometimes they'll use a topaz); it not only has to be flawless, but sufficiently light and transparent. The lapidary then cuts it into a six, eight, or twelve sided shape.

The rock crystal at the heart of the clock is cleaved into two perfectly matched halves, which are then scooped out. Into the hollows are placed two crystal discs with sawtooth edges to which the clock's hands are attached, making the hands seem to float and spin around the dial of their own accord.

That's it.

Really!

Photo, above: Chimera Mystery Clock, Cartier New York, 1926. Agate, nephrite, citrine, gold, onyx, enamel, coral, diamonds, platinum, pearls, emerald cabochons, and clock movement

Good Night Moon

Epilouge Part I of II: CARTIER and AMERICA, SAN FRANCISCO

2010-01-21T23:27:00.000-08:00

Epilogue (in two parts): Part I: CARTIER and AMERICA

Are you wondering if this series on the Cartier exhibit is ever going to end? Well, the exhibit itself may end its run before I ever get the whole series written!

The exhibit runs through April 18th, 2010 at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.

Let's see now...that give me a little less than three months to finish the series.

I can do that.

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Wallis, Wallis, Wallis...tsk, tsk, tsk!

Photos:

Left: Edward the VII, the British King

Center: The abdication of Edward VIII commands headlines

Right: The American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, whom wrecked the Royal's
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1936: The soon to be thrice married, Wallis Warfield Spencer Simpson, was named Woman of the Year by Time magazine. It was the first time the magazine had a Woman rather than a Man of the Year.

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Photo:
Sitting at this desk, King Edward VIII traded the British Crown for the freedom to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson by writing a letter. When sold at auction after the Duchess's death, the desk brought $415,000.
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When the American socialite and divorcee, Wallis Simpson married the newly abdicated King of England, Edward VIII, in 1937, the former King became His Royal Highness the Duke of Windsor, and she became the Duchess of Windsor, but she was prevented from using the style, Her Royal Highness. They settled in, and made their home in France immediately after leaving England.

Photo: 1937, the Duke and Duchess on their wedding day, France.

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In 1937, The Duke and Duchess again set tongues wagging when they visited Germany as personal guests of the Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler.

Following the outbreak of war in 1939, they fled from Paris to to Biarritz, then to Spain, then Portugal, and in August, 1940, a British warship was dispatched to take the pair to the Bahamas where the Duke was installed as Governor. However, the Duchess hated Nassau, calling it "our St. Helena", in a reference to Napoleon Bonaparte's final place of exile.

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The Duchess survived the Duke, and upon her death, most of her estate went to the Pasteur Institute. At the 1987 auction at Sotheby's Geneva, of the duchess's remarkable jewelry collection, it raised $45 million for the Institute, approximately seven times it's pre-sale estimate.

Photo: The cover of the hardbound, 1987 Sotheby's Auction Catalogue for the sale of The Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor.

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Mohammad Al-Fayed, owner of Harrods, had bought much of the non-financial estate, including the lease on the Windsors Paris mansion. A year after the death of his son, Dodi, in the accident that also claimed the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, the sale of Mr. Al-Fayed's purchases from the Duchess of Windsors' estate raised more than $20 million, which he donated to charity.

Photos:

Left: The fabled Harrods Department Store in London

Right: The illusive couple dodging the press, the late Dodi Al-Fayed and Princess Diana

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Wallis was plagued by rumors of other lovers, including the otherwise homosexual American playboy Jimmy Donahue, an heir to the Woolworth fortune who claimed to have had a liaison with the Duchess in the 1950's, but Donohue was notorious for his inventive pranks and rumor-mongering.

Photos, below:

Left: Jimmy Donahue and the Duchess of Windsor
Right: A dour Duke of Windsor

"She married a King, but screwed a Queen, " the Duke was heard to sourly observe of the Duchess's affair with the homosexual Jimmy.

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Lord have mercy! I can't take much more of this! Back to the jewels!

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The Windsor's were often patrons of Cartier, and in 1949 acquired The "Panther Clip" brooch made up of sapphires, pave diamonds, yellow diamonds, platinum and white gold is yet another exquisite piece of jewelry worn by the Duchess--set atop a Kashmir cabochon sapphire of 152 carats.

The Duchess of Windsor's exotic "Flamingo Clip" brooch, Cartier 1940, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, with a citrine beak, set in platinum. The Duke of Windsor provided Cartier with four bracelets and had the brooch made as a special order for the Duchess of Windsor--it has never been seen in a museum before now.

A "Tiger Lorgnette" (pronunciation: lorn-'yet; Eye or opera glasses with a handle), Cartier 1954. Made special order for the Duchess of Windsor and a legacy from the "Duchess of Windsor's Jewels."

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Photos: Bib necklace, Cartier Paris, 1947. Gold, amethysts, turquoises, diamonds, and platinum. Sold to HRH the Duke of Windsor.

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Photo: The Diamond that started it all! The Star of South Africa

The Star of South Africa (also referred to as the Dudley Diamond) was the first large diamond found in South Africa, and is credited with setting off the South African diamond rush. The stone is a now 47.69-caret old style pear shape diamond, was cut from a diamond crystal of 83.5 carets, and is credited with being the diamond that turned the tides of fortune in South Africa. The story goes, in 1869, it was picked up by a Shepperd boy on a farm near the Orange River. The Shepperd traded the stone for five hundred sheep, ten oxen, and a horse. Where upon the man he traded with, immediately sold the diamond for $56,000, and that was in 1869!

Later the stone was fashioned to what is described as an "oval, three-sided brilliant", a flawless pear shape, and was sold to the Earl of Dudley for $125,000.

The diamond now resides in the Natural History Museum in London

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Photos: The drawing, left, and the finished product, right. The signature pendant brooch for the Cartier and America exhibit. Cartier London, 1923, for Marjorie Merriweather Post (Mrs. E.F. Hutton). Emeralds, diamonds, platinum, and enamel.

A most fascinating part of the exhibition included a room that featured the original drawings, in pen, ink, watercolor and gouche exquisitely painted on thin brown tracing paper and complete down to the last tiny detail. Many showing notes and signatures of both the designer and the beneficiary, such as the preliminary sketch of a diamond-ruby-pearl-gold-platinum necklace has red pen comments written by its eventual wearer--Elizabeth Taylor

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Whew! I need a brake from all this finery!

Good Night Moon

Part III of III: CARTIER and AMERICA, San Francisco

2010-01-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

Part III of III

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Featuring an 143 carat emerald, this platinum, emerald and diamond necklace was owned by Lady Granard (nee Beatrice Mills) a descendant of the founders of the town of Millbrae.
Cartier London 1932.

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Photos: Tobacco heiress Doris Duke, left photo, wore this platinum, diamond and pearl bandeau, at her "coming out" party, which she inherited from her mother. Cartier Paris 1924.

Note to readers: "Coming out" had a different meaning back in those days, as in debutante. For more on the subject go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/debutante

Doris Duke was the only child of James Biddle Duke, founder of the American Tobacco Company (and benefactor of Duke University). Upon her birth the press named her the "Million Dollar Baby."

According to legend, her father on his deathbed said to his daughter: "Trust no one. They all want your money."

Ms. Duke liked to say: You can't buy a person. But you sure can rent one for a while."

She once worked for $1.00 per week in the war relief effort, donating the balance of her salary to charity. I've discovered," she said, at the time, "That it's fun to work, I guess."
But mostly she indulged in philanthropy. According to the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ms. Duke gave away $400 million during her.

Photos

Left: Doris Duke in 1978 at the storied Studio 54 in New York with Steve Rubel (co-founder of Studio 54 with current hip hotelier Ian Schrager), and dancer and choreographer Martha Graham on the right (founder of the Martha Graham Dance Company, the oldest and most celebrated modern dance company in the world).

Center: Crowds throng 54th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenue) outside Studio 54 in its hey day, with 'wanna-be' patrons jockeying for position and a chance at a highly coveted 'admittance nod' (i.e. "your in") from the door keepers. My sister and I made it in once, and now 32 years later my daughter lives next door in a new high rise building. Small world!

Right: Doris Duke with Imelda Marcos her close friend, and neighbor to her famed home Shangra La in Hawaii.

In 1988, The New York Times reported that Doris Duke posted the $5 million bail of the former Philippines first lady, Imelda Marcos, who was charged along with looting her country. A lawyer for Ms. Duke, was quoted as saying that his client had been "happy to help a friend."

Miss Dukes gesture of friendship followed the loan of her personal Boeing 737 to fly Mrs. Marcos and her entourage from Hawaii to New York.

Photo

This is an image of a Boeing 737 jet, the type owned by Doris Duke as her private aircraft, from the Boeing website. The caption for this image says, "seats 112-132 passengers."

Nice flight...if you can get it.

Mrs. Marcos was described as being "grateful and tearful" at Ms Dukes gestures.

How sweet! Oh pulleeze

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Ms. Duke collected treasures, homes pets, even including two camels and a pet leopard. She died at 80 in 1993, at her home, Falcon's Lair in Beverly Hills, once the home of Rudolph Valentino, leaving an estate worth an estimated $1.3 billion.

Photo: Falcon's Lair built by actor Rudolph Valentino

In the end, she made her butler, the executor of her massive estate. He got $5 million in fees plus $500,000 a year. Other beneficiaries were Ms. Duke's camels, which were kept for life, and her dog, which got $100,000 a year.

Photos: Two of the many beneficiaries of Doris Duke's vast estate

Left: Bernard Lafferty, the Butler, $5 million, plus $500,00 per year

Right: Her two camels

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Doris Dukes legendary Islamic inspired home, Shangra La (photos below) is possible to tour. Contact the Honolulu Academy of Arts (http://www.honoluluacademy.org/)

Photos: Shangra La, Dukes home on the island of Oahu.
Left: The Dining Room

Center: The Baby Turkish Room, purchased from a Syrian palace required the demolition of a room of the house in order to accommodate its size. Duke installed Persian silk carpets, ceramics and textiles from the Ottoman Empire (particularly from the 14-15th century).

Right: Dukes private bath inspired by her visit to the Taj Mahal, with inlaid marble walls and floors, designed and made for her in India.

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Photo: The Playhouse at Shangra La, quite possibly the most coveted of invitations by friends of Ms. Duke.

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Here is a tidbit that is quite possibly more interesting to me than my readers, but I'll give it a try: As I researched the jewels on display at the exhibition and the history of those that once possessed them, I learned about a rare necklace owned by Doris Duke, that she purchased from Madame Ganna Walska (as in Lotusland fame--see Part II of III)

The Doris Duke/Ganna Walska Indian Arya Necklace

The Doris Duke/Ganna Walska Arya Necklace has great historical significance not only because it was designed and created in the 19th century, but also because it came to be owned by two of the most prominent and illustrious ladies in history, Madame Ganna Walska, the renowned Polish soprano and Doris Duke, the American tobacco heiress, philanthropist and art collector.

The Indian Arya Necklace is an extremely complex example of the goldsmith's art, made up of diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies and seed pearls set in gold "kundan settings", the method perfected for setting stones during the Mughal empire prior to adopting the "claw" settings from the west.

Photos

Left: Portrait of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan

Center: The Taj Mahal in Agra, was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal

Right: Portrait of Mumtaz Mahl, wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan

The elaborate "Arya" necklace is made in two halves, a narrower upper half which fits around the neck, and a wider lower half which rests on the upper part of the shoulders and chest.

The necklace, was a part of the exquisite jewelry collection of Madame Walska, who was a nature lover and garden designer. Walska sold part of her jewelry collection in order to finance one more shipment of plants which included the worlds most rare Cycad plant for her final creation, the "Cycad Garden" at her 37-acre estate, Lotusland, at Montectio (Santa Barbara), CA. She bequeathed her personal gardens and her fortune at the time of her death to the "Ganna Lotusland Foundation."

Photos, above: The worlds most famous Cycad Garden, at Lotusland, for which the benefactor, Madame Walska, sold her jewels to complete.

Thus the name if the necklace quite appropriately reflects the names of the two previous owners of the necklace.

I seem to get to know the Madame better on almost a daily basis.

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Okay, I've had enough, and written enough for Part III, but I'm not finished! I'll have to right an epilogue to this series in order to get in the jewels owned by Duchess of Windsor, Princess Grace, and someone I knew nothing about, but whose jewelry was the most outrageous jewelry on display, the Mexican actress Maria Felix (see the snake pic, below!).

Now you believe me?

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Good night moon

PART ll OF lll: CARTIER and AMERICA Show, San Francisco

2010-01-13T23:59:00.000-08:00

Part II of III

In Part I of this series, I made mention of the stories that accompanied the jewels as being almost as interesting as the jewels themselves, so I've included a few of them in this posting.

The exhibition opens with one of the famous Cartier Mystery Clocks--it is said that the clocks are to Cartier what the Easter Eggs are to Faberge. The mystery clocks are so-called because the clock is clear and transparent and one can see the hands which seem to float in solid crystal, but one cannot see the clock movement that make the hands move.

The secret? Well you'll have to read all the way to the end of Part III of III, where I will reveal what makes it tick!

Photo above:
Large Portique Mystery Clock, Cartier Paris 1923

Platinum, gold, rock crystal dial, columns and Billiken figure (the Billiken is the "God of Things As They Ought To Be"), rose-cut diamonds, coral cabochons, onyx, black enamel, gold plate, 13 jewel Breguet movement. In this clock, the Billiken figure is removable to provide access for winding the movement and setting hands. This clock was the first in a series of 6 in the form of a Shinto "shrine gate" (portique), all different and all made by Cartier between 1923 and 1925.

PHOTOS Above

Left: Ganna Walska, the young Polish beauty.

Right: Madame Ganna Walska in the courtyard of her private quarters, The Pavilion at Lotusland, with her beloved Cockatoo, Happy.

This clock was of particular interest to us, and will be to our fellow Santa Barbara residents because it was owned by the former Montecito resident, the late Ganna Walska, who bequeathed her beloved Lotusland Estate to a foundation so that we might all enjoy it in perpetuity.

PHOTOS

Top Row: Left, Lotusland, the main house; Right, The Lotus Pond with the Bathhouse beyond.

Bottom Row: Left, The entrance portal to Lotusland; Right, Madame Walska's private chambers, as completed by Cabana Home and Santa Barbara based designers Steve & Caroline Thompson.

Many of the Cartier jewels owned by Madame Walska were sold in order to purchase the worlds most rare plants and to create the foundation for Lotusland.

Our particular interest lies not only in the rich history of this estate and its former owner, but also because Caroline and I were asked to re-furnish Madame Walska's personal villa at Lotusland, The Pavilion, for last summers fundraiser. Through our research on the project, we began to feel a sort of kinship to Madame Walska as we came to know something about her taste and interests, so the surprise of seeing her name associated with this clock sent a chill up my spine. We felt like we got to know an old friend even better.

There were several pieces in the exhibition that had belonged to Madame Walska, and of particular note was this Chimera Bangle, an Indian/Chinese inspired bracelet that features a pair of colorful carved coral dragon heads, with emerald, sapphire and diamonds highlighted by green, blue and black enamel decoration.

More about the Madame: According to many sources, Madame Walska was a marginally talented opera singer whose genuine gift was marrying well and often (six times). When researching Madame, I found an interesting reference to her influence on the book, CITIZEN KANE (1941). According to Orson Welles, "the patented recipe for creating the character, Charles Foster Kane, included these ingredients:

"10 ounces of Chicago newspaper czar Harold McCormick (of the Chicago Tribune family), who left his wife, Edith Rockefeller McCormick, after being seduced by a Polish prima donna named Ganna Walska."

McCormick was the chief sponsor of the Chicago Opera Company and used his influence to have Walska cast in the opera Zaza. Frances Alda, one of the most expensive voice coaches in the world, was hired to make a singer out of Walska, a task that was in vain because Walska had an awful voice, and Zaza went down as one of the bigger disasters of 1920. Eventually, Walska walked out on McCormick, but he chased her to Europe where she convinced him that the only way to cure his impotence problem was to have thyroid glands from monkey's transpalnted into his own body by a European quack. Apparently Welles was fascinated with this story in his youth.

Viagra would have been easier (and I suspect cheaper).

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Photo

Actress Gloria Swanson

In the next room we edged our way (yes, the rooms are small and they are crowded with jewels as well as visitors) closer towards a sparkling pair of rock crystal and diamond bracelets, Cartier Paris 1930, owned by the legendary actress Gloria Swanson.

Photos above:

Left: "Closeup" of the rock crystal and diamond bracelet, one of a pair owned by and worn by Ms. Swanson in the film, Sunset Boulevard.

Right: Gloria Swanson, waiting for "her closeup" (Mr. DeMille), as the fading film star Norma Desmond, shown wearing the rock crystal and diamond bracelets in a publicity photo for the film, Sunset Boulevard.

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This silver, onyx and nephrite eight-day clock, circa 1943, with one central and four smaller time zone's (estimated to be worth $600 thousand - $1 million), was given as a personal gift by Pierre Cartier to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

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Photos
Left: "The poor little rich girl", Barbara Hutton

Center: The flexible Tiger brooch, part of a suite including ear clips, Cartier Paris 1957.

Right: Barbara Hutton and movie star Cary Grant on their wedding day.

Undoubtedly, the stories surrounding the Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton were the saddest. She, the granddaughter of F.W. Woolworth and niece of E.F. Hutton, was the heir of the $40 million (estimates go as high as $150 million) Woolworth fortune.

At her debutante ball, guests were entertained by the stars Rudy Vallee and Maurice Chevalier.

She was married seven times: Five members of royalty, one Diplomat, and one movie star (Cary Grant).

In the film "Poor Little Rich Girl-The Barbara Hutton Story" (1987), Hutton was played by Farrah Fawcett. When Barbara Hutton died in 1979 (46 years and seven husbands after inheriting the estate), this $40 million fortune had been reduced to a mere $3,000.

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Jewelry belonging to Dame Elizabeth Taylor (the oft married--eight marriages, but to only seven men) is the legendary ruby and diamond suite that her then husband Mike Todd gave her while vacationing in the French Rivera in 1957 (given to her at poolside wearing only a bathing suit, as captured on a film clip that is part of the show).

Also on loan from Ms. Taylor's jewelry collection is the legendary "La Peregrina" pearl, one of the largest natural pearls in existence. Although Elizabeth Taylor is usually associated with diamonds, La Peregrina pearl (the pilgrim), the pear shaped drop weighing more than 203 grains, was discovered in the 16th century and purchased at auction in 1969 by then husband Richard Burton for $37,000. Cartier set it with diamonds, pearls and rubies in 1972, as a gift from Burton to Ms. Taylor.

An interesting account of the pearls 500 year history is that it was found in Panama in 1513 by a slave and brought to Spain and given to the Crown Prince, Phillip II. He rewarded the slave with freedom. The pearl was given to Mary Tudor of England (daughter of the notorious womanizer, Henry VIII, and the first of his 6 wives) as an engagement present in 1554 from her husband King Phillip II of Spain.

She ascended the thrown in 1553 but she had differing views on religion from her Dad. See, he needed to keep divorcing or beheading his wives because they couldn't give him a son. Catholicism, and mainly the Pope, wasn't so hot on his marital practices so Henry had to turn the entire country Protestant in order to get his divorce.

The problem is the person he needed to divorce was Mary's mother, Catherine of Aragon, who was Spanish and devoutly Catholic. Henry made Mary sign papers renouncing Catherine as ever being Queen, basically making Mary a bastard. She was bitter and held a grudge, so when she ascended the throne she made the country Catholic again, which didn't go over so well. Many died during this period, for which she was held accountable, thus given the lovely nickname "Bloody Mary". Now you know what had to happen next time your hung over and enjoying one of her namesake drinks.

Are you starting to see a pattern of the often and well married?

Good Night Moon

Part I of III: CARTIER and AMERICA Show, San Francisco

2010-01-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

Part I 0f III: CARTIER and AMERICA

On the Friday after New Years Eve, we made our way to the CARTIER and AMERICA show at the Palace of the Legion of Honor Museum (exhibit open thru April 18th).

The show was absolutely amazing, and was much better than I could have possibly imagine, and it would be worth the trip just to see the Legion of Honor building! The museum building, which is a spectacularly beautiful is in the French Baroque style, overlooking Lincoln Park and the Golden Gate Bridge. The Legion of Honor was completed in 1924 and was a gift to the City of San Francisco by Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, wife of the sugar heir and magnate Adolph B. Spreckels. The building is a copy of Palais de la Légion d'Honneur in Paris.

Photo above: The Palace of the Legion of Honor
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An interesting tidbit: The Spreckels Mansion (pictured below) still stands in San Francisco, at 2080 Washington Street. It is now owned by romance novelist Danielle Steele.

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A little known fact: The plaza and fountain in front of the Palace of the Legion of Honor is the western terminus of the Lincoln Highway, the first road across America.

Photo Above: The official highway marker.

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The pillared outdoor court is centered by a glass pyramid which was added in the early 1990’s, somewhat on the order of (but much smaller than) the one at the Louvre, by I.M. Pei, 1989. The pyramid at the Legion of Honor is supposed to supply natural light to the rotunda sculpture gallery beneath it.

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Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a cast of Rodin’s The Thinker; the French sculptor was the personal passion of Alma Spreckels and the collection of his work is second only to that of the Musée Rodin in Paris. The motto "Honneur et Patrie" (Honor and Your Country) is engraved on the frontispiece of the building.

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On the garden terrace in front of the museum is the sculpture, Pax Jerusulum, by American artist, Mark di Suvero, lent jointly by the artist and the fabulous San Francisco art dealer, John Berggruen (http://www.berggruen.com/) of San Francisco.

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For the “Cartier and America” exhibition, the Legion of Honor curator Martin Chapman amassed close to 300 jewelry, fashion, and decorative items, pieces that belonged to the most prestigious figures of American meritocracy, including pioneers of the New World, financiers, explorers, politicians, great artists and Hollywood and Broadway stars, as well as a range of highly creative and energetic American patrons.

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The jeweled broach used on the cover of the exhibition catalogue, Chapman sites, of all entries, the circa 1923 pendant brooch of seven carved Indian emeralds—including one from the Mughal era—as the surprise showstopper. It belonged to the cereal-fortune heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, who has five additional treasures on display, and was worn at the shoulder, the stones cascading from a diamond buckle.

“She was a restless jewelry wearer,” says Chapman. “She was constantly having things altered, constantly buying things.

Her daughter Dina Merrill, the actress, once said that when her mother became ambassadress to the Soviet Union, they must have thought the regime of the czars had returned.”

Above Left: A painting of Marjorie Merriweather Post wearing the broach, with her daughter, Dina Merrill.
Above Right: A close up of the the emerald broach.

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This extensive jewelry exhibition features iconic Cartier pieces borrowed from clients, estates, and the vaults of Cartier’s Swiss archives in Geneva.

Included are a necklace owned by the Singer Sewing machine heiress Daisy Fellowes then known as, “the world’s most elegant woman.” In the thirties, she commissioned Cartier to create this Mughul-inspired necklace (shown below, left) whose colorful gems (a riot of rubies, emeralds, diamonds and sapphires) which became known as the Tutti Frutti style; and a pair of Tutti Frutti double-clip broaches made by Cartier in 1935 for Mrs. Cole Porter is also on display.

Above Left: The first piece of Cartier Tutti Frutti jewelry was this necklace made for the heiress to the Singer Sewing Machine Company fortune, Daisey Fellowes.
Above Center: Mr. and Mrs. (Linda) Cole Porter.
Above Right: The Tutti Frutti broach owned by Linda Porter.

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There was also Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III’s diamond-and-platinum pendant brooch; a classic Tank watch designed for Fred Astaire, as a gift from him to his Jockey.

Above Left: A clip brooch (with three emeralds) made in 1937 for Mrs. Irving Berlin.
Above Right: A jeweled handbag of Mrs. Condé Nast, engraved with her home address (1040 Park Avenue) in the possibly delusional expectation that it would be returned if ever mislaid.

And among the other giddily refined oddments is Mary Pickford’s vanity case, J. P. Morgan’s perfume bottle, horse racing's Triple Crown Trophy, and Mrs. Vanderbilt’s jeweled car travel case; A model of the Lunar Module, one of three individual 18 karat gold LM models were made in 1969 by the jeweler Cartier in Paris on behalf of Le Figaro Newspaper and presented to the three Apollo 11 astronauts (Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins) during their post-flight tour in Paris. This example was presented to Michael Collins.

Good Night Moon (literally, this time!)

Day 4 - Late Afternoon: ADVENTURES IN MOVING A (MY) COLLEGE STUDENT!

2009-12-29T00:45:00.000-08:00

By late afternoon, we were back on I-10 West, and headed for home (actually after we made one more important stop at the Desert Hills/Cabazon Outlet Malls, in Cabazon, CA).

For miles we passed through the somewhat eerie looking electricity generating windmills, on our way to the Fields Road Exit for the outlet malls (a 20 minute drive East of Palm Springs).

PHOTOS

Left: Desert Hills Outlet Mall

Right: Cabazon Outlet Mall

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As we neared our destination, I made a mental list the things that I hoped I would find, and Caroline (MC) was verbally mapping out her shopping list, by category and by store.

The two malls are built side by side, and most people just call them the Cabazon Outlets. This place is huge, so we were ready for some serious shopping! These outlets have a lot of the higher end stores not usually found in Outlet Malls, including Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Diane Von Furstenberg, Dior, Dolce & Gabana, Fendi, Ferragamo, Georgio Armani, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, even Judith Leiber Handbags, Loro Piana, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Zegna, and even super watch retailer Tourneau (plus dozens of others that you would expect).

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PHOTOS: Not everything was a "deal". Pictured here are a couple of models that they may have trouble selling at any price!

Left: Gucci

Right: Dolce & Gabana

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I found it interesting that the announcements over the malls PA system were made in English, Spanish, French, Chinese and Japanese. For a moment I felt like I was in a European mall, where hearing multiple languages is the norm, instead of in an American outlet out in the middle of the desert.

Also, you will be happy to know that the Cabazon Outlets have plenty of "Public Restrooms" for their customers.

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Five hours after arriving at the mall, we were still there. We were famished, and the mall was closing. We asked the sales associate who was ringing up our final purchase (a Juicy Couture sweat suit for one of the grandmothers!) at the Juicy Couture Store if there was a nearby restaurant, to which she answered, "Yes, right next door, Ruby's".

I kind of laughed, thinking I heard her say "Boobies". I thought I'd better check, so I asked her, "Did you say Boobies?"

Well the whole counter of check-out gal's started laughing. I think they were all punchy by that time of night, then the customers joined in the laughter too!

She had of course said "Ruby's", as in Ruby Tuesday's Diner.

We dragged our multiple shopping bags out to the parking lot and sat them down next to Jetta Jane. Somehow as we shopped, we hadn't given any thought to where our purchases might fit into the already overstuffed car. I'd already decided that we could donate some more of MC's old stuff to the Goodwill so the new stuff would fit in.

Fortunately for MC, we managed to wedge in all of our purchase, sans the shopping bags and shoe boxes, as there was not a smidgen of extra room for such luxury's.

Once seated in our booth at Ruby's, we were promptly greeted by smiling Darleen, our waitress. We quickly assessed the menu, and both ordered the Kobe Beef Burgers, and a big fat order of French Fry's. We were famished, and the Kobe burger was fabulous, really!

I must tell you that Darleen completely understood the concept of giving great customer service, and we tipped her accordingly. And note this: Ruby Tuesday's has "Public Restrooms" for their customers as well!

If you eat at Ruby's, be sure to ask for Darleen!

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We arrived home in Santa Barbara at 1:15 A.M. on the fifth day!

Whew!

Good Night Moon