Lonny Magazine 2nd Issue...Yeh!!

It's here! The 2nd Issue of Lonny Magazine and it is better than ever. So thrilled that someone has picked up the baton and carried on. I cannot image what it would be like to put something like this together and keep the day jobs. I am all about juggling but this is over-the-top dedication. You guys are fierce!

Still Staging Away

Look how fabulous this entry was can be.

Entry before.

Before

Large beautiful dining room that really shows itself off.

Before

Isn't the rug fabulous? I think it's Pottery Barn.

Before

Sleek and sexy

Yawn...

This job was put together by a very smart Windermere agent Julie Polkinghorn.

It is located in the coveted Greenlake neighborhood. Doesn't staging makes a huge difference? It clearyly has tranformed this home. The transition in the basement was even better.

An Evening with Friends.

Dinner Menu:

Home made Gnocchi with Creamy Gorgonzola sauce

Wild Greens with Pomegranate Seeds & Blue Cheese

Moulton Chocolate Cakes

Jeremiah Chocolate Wine Canyons Edge Winery

Celebrating 20+ years of friendship with former roommates at 1234

Empiric Studio Los Angeles

This shop was worth the U-turn we took to get there. We kept passing it and never stopped so finally we went for it. Empiric Studio in Los Angeles.

2nd photo courtsey of Empiric

The Getty Museum Los Angeles

We actually slid the Getty Museum into our crazy schedule. We only had 2 hours but what a fun time it was. Irving Penn's "Small Trades" exhibit was on our "to-do" list. It was amazing...

The Cactus Garden

5pm Traffic. And we thought Seattle was bad.

Irving Penn's Small Trades

Irving Penn documented some of the last remaining trades of the time. This was such a wonderful exhibit.

Seattle Night Life

We have to go out on the town occasionally to continue our journey for inspiration. This night it was a club called The High Dive in Seattle. We went to see a friend of our cousin-Robert Francis.

We began our evening with dinner and drinks at the very hip Bastille Cafe and Bar in Ballard.

Then moved to the High Dive in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood. We ran into our brother and nephew coming to see Robert Francis as well! A huge suprise that just made our evening.

"Sisters 3"

The bonus of the evening was the first band The Republics. The audience loved this band. They were so natural and spontaneous. They did a great Christmas number that was a ton of fun.

 

Other highlights and laughter:

The visual highlights of the High Dive. Hmmm... What kind of inspiration should we take away from this? Something for everyone I suppose...

How about this? The curtained bathroom stalls:

And finally...

The PCC shopping bag turned into an evening hand bag.

December Staging

Despite all of our blog entries on our amazing Los Angeles shopping trip we have been working.

A sweet home listed by Liz Suver of Windermere.

This home is located in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood. The street is such a lovely quiet place and the neighbors were very friendly.

Photos courtesy of photographer Jim Arcari

Grace Home

What can I say... Grace Home is spectacular!!!

We had only 20 minutes to shop before our flight home to Seattle. In the end we did have to do some racing for the plane. This shop had us bewitched.

Located in Brentwood in a sweet little shopping area. We thought the prices were great and had a wonderful time spending the last of our travel dollars. This place is an absolute must.

Rachel Ashwell-Couture

Briefly checked out Rachel Ashwell's shop. For my sister and I the jury is still out on how it will do. We thought it could use more accessories and way better displays. That kind of stuff makes a difference to us.

I was shocked to hear her Shabby Chic stores went bankrupt. It seemed like she had a good thing going. Rachel's blog is really sweet though. She is currently on a book tour and slpunking along the way.

These chairs were so lovely. It was the only cute display in the shop.

This was another window display. Nothing about it looks "couture".

Now the tree is cute but again the display was lacking.

Jonathan Adler Los Angeles

Loved the Jonathan Adler store! We went crazy inside. More wonderful inspiration. I think what is really nice about JA is nothing is over-the-top expensive. We both found some fun pieces that they happily shipped for a nominal fee. Can we have one in Seatttle? Please....

Happiness IS chic indeed.

Barbie turned 50 this year. Lucky her that she got an entire room designed by one of the best. Do you love the little throw on the couch below?

Shopping is very fun in L. A.!

The Forgotton Children's Fund

This letter to Santa says: "Dear Santa, moma said you got lost last year and couldn't find your way to our house we wrilly mist you aspeshely my little sisters Pleas come this year Santa we are beaing very good. Moma sais youll get lost again so hear is a map love, craig. ps. dont leav aneything for dady becuse he isn't hear anymore"

Thank you to Sister Extraordiniare for arranging for our crazy huge family to volunteer wrapping gifts. The gifts are delivered on Christmas to families with so little. The  Forgotton Children's Fund is an amazing organization.  

We participated in memory of our brother Bryan who helped start the Fund on that day in 1976.

The Parents

Middle sister & brother Steve

Sister extraordiniare & Mother

Piles of donations from stores are in a borrowed warehouse. You are given a family to "shop" for. It's especially fun watching your brothers grovelling with the wrapping part of the job. You start calling each member on your "shopping list"  by name and make certain that they would like what you have selected.

The Forgotten Children's Fund is always taking donations. Check out their website: http://www.forgottenchildrensfund.org/