Summer Wrap Up

It's hard to believe that summer 2015 has met its unofficial end. But I couldn't let the season close without one more adventure! The past few weeks have taken me from NYC to Texas, Louisiana and back home again. And it very nearly got me a short 25-hour road trip with a family of nine strangers and a school teacher! More about that later...

Adventure-cation began three weeks ago when I hopped a 5 a.m. flight to New York. While this first part of adventure-cation was actually work, it's the best kind of work. I had a ball visiting showrooms across New York City. The Javits Center, D & D Building, de Gournay and the garment district were just a few of my stops. Shopping online is a great way to acquire items you can't purchase locally (and thank goodness for samples!) but there's nothing like getting your hands on something in person and meeting with the most well-versed sales reps in the country to find the best products available. The hustle of the city may have ruffled my feathers a bit at first- it's always unsettling when your cab driver tries to convince you that you're not in Times Square when the bright, blinking sign he's driven you past three times clearly says "Times Square"- but after 24 hours, I started to feel the love and gain a ton of inspiration. 

Classic gilded pineapples at William Yeoward 

Gothic glam at Bacarrat

New sheers obsession at Osborne & Little

The best periwinkles at Quadrille

Hot pink Katie Ridder fabric

I was even lucky enough to meet up with one of my dearest friends. Kelly and I had a great walk along the High Line to dinner at The Standard Hotel. Y'all, everyone needs as good a friend as Kelly. It's always such a treat to spend time with her. She has lived in New York for 10 years but is a Southern belle at heart. Her knowledge and hospitality became especially helpful when my flight to Houston got straight up cancelled with no hope of flying out for three days. With no hotel reservation, car, travel companions or real knowledge of New York, knowing Kelly was not only there but graciously willing to host me for an undetermined amount of time was all that kept me calm. As I waited in line for more than an hour to rebook my flight, a family of nine Texans, one school teacher and I made friends. The outlook to get a flight within 72 hours looked bleak at best so the nine relatives decided they would rent a 14 passenger van and drive 25 hours to Houston. Now, that might sound like the worst idea ever but standing alone in LaGuardia with no answers after six hours of waiting for a flight and little hope made that terrible plan seem very attractive! By the grace of God, a seat opened up on a flight the next day so to Kelly and her husband's apartment I happily fled. Hope my Texan stranger-friends got home okay! 

Love you, Kel!!!

World Trade Center memorial

Once I got back to the South, it was all about family, Friday night lights and a little shopping. My beau's nephews play football for their high school team. If you've never been to a Texas football game, then you should put it on your bucket list. It's all blitz and glitz with a big side of hometown pride. 

Go Lions!

 After the Lions' win!

In Louisiana, I stumbled upon several more delightful finds. The first was Nader's Gallery, a glamorous little slice of modern, chic furnishings, home decor and artwork gleaming on the side of King's Highway. My beau, his mom and I had so much fun at Nader's, each of us finding more than a few things we would love to take home, that we went back a second time and were just as impressed. We also made several stops at King's Ransom, perusing antiques and reclaimed goods. A few of their goodies made the road trip back with us. Lastly, we met a local lighting designer whose unorthodox custom lamp designs were a fun new addition to my resource list. It's amazing what you can find when you go looking for nothing in particular!

The green doors of Nader's Gallery

"Secret" back entrance of King's Ransom

A few snaps of some of my Louisiana loot...

 Lacquered turtle shell

 

Antique telephone from Denmark

Cane ladder, a.k.a. my new fabric workhorse

After 14 days of whirlwind travel, my beau and I finally road tripped it home from adventure-cation. We had an easy 14 hour drive home and, as you can imagine, crashed when we walked in the front door. There's no rest for the weary though- several of my design projects are midway through, just getting started and in line to begin! Plus fashion Christmas is upon us- New York Fashion Week starts the 10th! Thank you, summer. You were good to us. But fall is my favorite time of year. Can't wait for those crisp fall days, High Point Market, my business's one-year anniversary (eek!) and hopefully a few football games! 

Lots more to come!