The word “amateur” has taken on a very negative connotation in our culture, which is a shame. It used to mean someone who had passion for a certain field, and studied it to such a degree that they were exceedingly adept, almost approaching (and sometimes surpassing) a professional proficiency. ... Read More about Mrs. James Ward Thorne and the Thorne Rooms
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Gloria Vanderbilt
To be a stylemaker, you clearly need to make a splash, but there are a gutsy few who actually blaze trails. Gloria Vanderbilt is just such a woman, whose inimitable style has been leaving a path of stunningly scorched earth behind her for nearly nine decades. As befits a style icon, Gloria ... Read More about Gloria Vanderbilt
Doris Duke
Twelve years old and $80 million to burn. No, it’s not another episode of MTV’s “My Super Sweet Sixteen,” but rather the true headlines from 1925 concerning Doris Duke, heiress to the American Tobacco Company fortune. Armed with her father’s deathbed advice (“trust no one”) and an unfathomable sum ... Read More about Doris Duke
Beautiful Venice, Beautiful Book
During the Renaissance, Venice was a center for creating many beautiful things including books. Libraries were filled with volumes covered in superb gilt-edged vellum. Of course during this time Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, Palladio and others were creating a few masterpieces of their own. Fast ... Read More about Beautiful Venice, Beautiful Book
Save Room! – Designing a New Restaurant in the Country
I am always surprised when I see a new restaurant open that made no effort to create an inviting space for the dining experience. Even the most casual and humble of places need a bit of ambience. Sure, FOOD is the prime focus of any restaurant, but it’s the entire experience that makes people want ... Read More about Save Room! – Designing a New Restaurant in the Country
