KSW Travels: 2 Days in Venice

Justin and I just returned from a wonderful Italian Holiday to celebrate my birthday.  We started out, just the two of us, in Venice and then met up with the rest of my family in the Amalfi Coast.  I can't wait to tell you about the entire trip but let's start with my favorite things to do in Venice!  I collected tips and advice on Venice from a few friends including the amazing Jan Showers who heads there annually to work on her fabulous lamp collection.

 Day 1

After a charming water taxi ride from the airport to the hotel, we checked into the wonderful Hotel Londra Palace.  We requested a room with a terrace and it was certainly worth the extra cost.  Our view of the city is above! The location was wonderful - close to shopping and San Marco Square - and the staff was incredible.

Start your trip with a gondola ride through the city.  We loved seeing the city this way and it is as romantic and charming and you imagine!  There are several spots around the city where you can start and we found one on a back street with a singing gondolier.  Take a photo or two and then sit back and enjoy the ride! You will need cash (half an hour runs 80E).  

I love this shot from Grey Magazine showing a pendant from Attilio Codognato.

Whether you are in the market for a new bauble or not, a visit to Attilio Codognato is a must when in Venice.  Four generations of gentlemen have been designing and presenting the rarest and most extraordinary jewels.  We had a blast trying on these exquisite bracelets, necklaces and rings and hearing the stories behind the gems.

We wandered to our lunch reservation at Grand Canal Restaurant

Hotel Monaco Grand Canal, a recommendation from Jan  Showers that didn't disappoint.  It was the first of many meals of pasta for me as I can't eat seafood!  Our view from our table on the terrace is the image I used to open this post!  It was the wonderful and exactly what I expected from Venice. 

After lunch we decided to walk off our pasta-induced calorie overload.  We wandered toward the Ponte dell'Accademia bridge and crossed over to the other side.  Our first stop was for some Venetian Slippers.

With soles made of old bicycle tires and tops of colorful velvet, Venetian Furlane Slippers, or Gondolier slippers are both trending and comfortable.  They are a must-have souvenir from a visit to Venice!  The advice I got was to select a size that is "snug" because, over time, they mold to your feet.  I have to admit that I left with more than one pair and even bought a pair for my three year old!  There are stores everywhere but we enjoyed a stop at Pied-a-Terre.

With our new shoe purchases made, we stopped for a quick coffee and then wandered through the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.  Located in her dramatic one-story Villa, the art is beautifully arranged and the scenes of the rooms and art as she lived with them really make you feel at home.

Venice is the kind of city you want to get lost in.  When we let ourselves wander down side streets, we always found our favorite surprises.

On one wander, we spotted the most charming antique store that is only open from 5-6 PM every evening.  If you have the time, please check out Canestrelli Claudia - Dorsoduro 364A/30123  Apparently they only open when they feel like it so be sure to call ahead!

We stopped on the steps of Santa Maria della Salute and enjoyed some live music being played outside and waited for the ferry.  It was one of the best parts of the day!  People were gathering around to listen and there was a calm and serene feeling in the air.

Back at the Hotel Londra Palace, we dressed for dinner but took our concierge's challenge before we left.  He was positive that we would prefer the Bellinis at the hotel over those served at Harry's Bar!  They were invented at Harry's Bar so I couldn't imagine he was right but he was!  Dinner was still amazing thought...I can't decide if I liked my food or the people watching better!  It is certainly a must in Venice! 

Day 2

We started our second day refreshed and ready with a beautiful buffet breakfast at the hotel.  I loved having my coffee under the row of Venetian chandeliers!

A small section of the windows in the Murano Glass Factory.

A water taxi picked us up and took us to Murano where we toured a glass factory and wandered in and out of the little shops.  The large factories were impressive but I really loved finding shop keepers hard at work on their own small projects while waiting for customers.  Click here for a great article about buying Murano glass.

After wandering and shopping in Murano, we took the Ferry to Burano, a nearby island famous for it's colorful buildings and it's lace.  La Perla seems to have the best reputation for it's hand-made lace so we went there first.  Of course, after admiring the work of a charming lady making lace right in front of me, I found a beautiful dressing gown that I just had to take home.  It is important to ask to see the hand made pieces as the shop is filled with both machine and hand made items.

We almost skipped our lunch reservation in Burano because it was a bit out of the way but I'm so glad we stuck to it.  It was the best meal we had on the trip and people were waiting for hours for a table! If you are headed that way, please make yourself a reservation at Trattoria al Gatto Nero! 

Loved the colorful building's in Burano!

We loved our day in Murano and Burano but we were exhausted!  We had a water-taxi take us back to our hotel and we relaxed on our terrace for a little bit before wandering to dinner.  Our reservation was at Cip's Club at the Hotel Cipriani.  I stayed at the Cipriani twenty years ago so it really brought back memories!  To reach the hotel, you have to take a boat from the Cipriani stand in San Marco Square.  It was a lovely evening on the floating terrace restaurant and the service was outstanding!  I certainly recommend it!

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My List: Lace Plates

I adore anything for the table-top and I also adore anything made by hand so when I found these amazing lace plates by Brazilian artist Caroline Harari I went crazy.  They are so gorgeous!

Harari imprints gossamer Lace on clay and the plates she creates are gorgeous!

$25 each on Ecostasy.com

The Dallas Flea is back!

I can't wait to visit The Dallas Flea again this weekend!  I love what Daily Candy Editor and all around stylista Brittany Edwards has created for great weekend fun!  This is the perfect opportunity to find one-of-a-kind handmade trends from scarves and vintage clothing to furniture and lamps.  I promise that this in-door market is not to be missed.  The Dallas Flea's September show will help support Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with it's $5 admission fee.  The first 100 shoppers will receive a free canvas shopping tote so arrive early!  The Dallas Flea takes place on Saturday, the 11th of September at the South Side on Lamar (1409 S. Lamar St. 75215) from 9 to 4.  See you there!

A Greentastic Tablescape!

Huge thanks to Shari Lidji for sending me pictures of her fantastic green dinner party!  I absolutely love the way she used all natural elements on the table (Banana leaf table runners, cactus pad salad plates and hollowed out oranges were used as bowls) but didn't sacrifice a bit in style!  She says that it made for really easy clean up too! Check out her blog for more photos and ideas.  She is also the very talented creator of Red Llama Studio Quilts!

BAM! A New Tablecloth!

I always knew that I loved setting the table but I must admit that our newest tablecloth has already brought us great joy!  I was so thrilled to meet local artist Beverly Ann Moore earlier this year and I adored the amazing tablecloth she made for our Easter Egg Hunt.  When I saw some of the samples for tablecloths that she created for other clients, I knew that I just had to order one right away.  

There were many reasons for my immediate order:

1. Beverly Ann Moore is one of the sweetest ladies around.  I loved the idea that she was going to put her heart, soul and positive energy into our creation.

2. I knew that this piece would be passed down for generations and would only look better over time. She uses acrylic paint on sturdy cotton canvas to create a design that can be spot cleaned with a soft sponge or gently machine-washed.

3. I loved the designs and I love the fact that it was being created just for my little family.

The process was a blast but it did take a few months.  Here are the steps:

First, I met with Beverly at our home so that she could measure our table and we could select the design and the colors.  Beverly really took the time to study our kitchen, make recommendations and gave me some fantastic input.

The second step was the most fun!  We talked about ways to personalize the cloth for our family.  I gave her a piece of my china so that she could copy it onto the cloth.  I also told her about the silver service that my mother-in-law gave us when Justin and I married.  It had a beautiful W monogram on it that I had already copied on some stationery.  She took a piece of stationery home with her so that she could copy the monogram.

Beverly came back for another visit after she had drawn out some design options for us.  She incorporated our china and our family silver!  She also used some of the curvy designs that she knew I would like because she saw them on my website!

Beverly is so kind and so involved in her creations.  Consulting with her on the design was so much fun!  We moved the designs, which were drawn on to tracing paper, around the table and played with various ideas.

After deciding on a design, Beverly sketched it out to scale and brought it by our home to lay it out on the table. She wanted to be sure that the scale, placements, and sizing was correct before she started painting.

Beverly told me that when she is painting, she is thinking about our family and how many great memories we will make around our table.  She puts love into every single one of her creations!

The finished product!  There is a place-setting painted on for each of us, complete with a personalized place card!  I love the clean white paint on the linen colored background but I also loved a cloth that she made with a natural canvas background black paint.  It was hard for me to choose but when I saw the finished cloth, I knew I had made the right choice for us!

A detail of my place setting!  Although it looks beautifully pale, it can handle spills and will not stain!  Beverly told me that she actually tried to stain one with red wine once and it came right out!

He is obviously thrilled with our new tablecloth!  That smile made the process completely worth it!

What I didn't predict is that my two and a half year old son would want to set the table now that he sees that everything has a place!


To order your BAM cloth today visit www.bamsart.com


Photography by Brian Coats  www.briancoats.com

Fabritations!

I love invitations and stationery! I am actually a little bit obsessed with it!  When I saw what my dear friend from my SMU days had created in her invitation and stationery line, I thought I had died and gone to heaven!  Heather Centurioni has truly come up with something unique and that is not an easy thing to do anymore!

Her amazing creations for HBDesigns are a fantastic combination of fashion and paper trends!  They are sure to get the attention of their recipients with their fabric covered backs and clever printing on the front.  

Here are a few of my favorites:

LET'S TEE OFF was created for a wedding weekend Golf Tournament.  It is covered in Astroturf and has a golf ball (well....half of a golf ball!) on it.  The white card attached is printed in green ink and a yellow tee is attached.  It was mailed out in a clear top box.

DOT DOT DOT is a fantastic and fun polka dot fabric covered card that could be used for so many things!  It is perfect for social stationery or thank you notes, birth announcements, holiday cards and invitations!  

All of the cards can be personalized too!  I love how Heather personalized her daughter, Sophia's, Thank You Note Cards with "S is for Sophia, T is for Thanks."  Adorable!

Check out HBDesigns website and sign up and she will send you a coupon!  

Spring Bash this weekend!

Even though I am not that crafty myself, I love shopping for handmade items.  In this crazy world of mass produced items available everywhere, I find the idea of purchasing something one of a kind or hand made even more special!  I am really excited about the Spring Bash coming to the South Side on Lamar this weekend!  It is on Saturday May 1st from 11AM to 5PM.  There will be over 50 handmade artists, crafters and designers to shop from!  The admission is free and the first 50 people will get a fantastic goody bag!  I always pays to be the early bird!  There are also fantastic free do-it-yourself make and take crafts!  Most of the designers featured at the Spring Bash sell their treasures on Etsy.com but this is a wonderful opportunity to see the items up close and get the know the people who made them! See you there!

Kitty Love

I adore finding things that are made by hand or designed in a unique way. Somehow, knowing that they were not mass produced and the idea that the items were made with love instead of in some sort of factory causes me to cherish it more! I love giving hand made things as gifts too! I always know that the recipient is not getting something that they already have or that I might be giving them the same thing that someone else is!

I was thrilled when I stumbled upon the KittyBabyLove booth at the Saturday Market in Portland last weekend. They adorable kitty shaped crayons were the perfect thing to bring back for our son, JR! The crayons are made at home by Sara and Ben who describe themselves as stay at home parents who cherish the time they are able to spend raising their precious son. The business is clearly a family operation but I must say that the items look so stylish and chic that it is hard to imagine they are not backed up by a major branding corporation or a professional design team!

The crayons are ergonomically correct and fun to use. They are sold in a pre-selected pack of either six ($18) or four ($14) and are packaged in adorable egg containers. The website is wonderful so order yours today! They are capable of doing custom jobs too so write to them if you are looking for something specific.

If you want to do some good and get a new dress then you can do them both in the same spot this Saturday! Lauren Bush, the grand-daughter and niece of our Presidents, has found yet another way to give back and combine her passion for business and fashion design with Lauren Pierce Atelier.

You might already be a fan of her Feed Bags which have already given away over $5 million dollars to the UN World Food Program. Their new bags and bears support the hungry children in Haiti. The bags are fantastic and the line has expanded from the classic tote to backpacks, bracelets and small pouches all made from eco-friendly burlap.

Once you have your sac, you should stop by to meet the designer and order a Lauren Pierce Atelier dress at Barney's Northpark this Saturday, March 20th from 2 to 5 on the Main Floor. The dresses are made from environmentally friendly and handcrafted fabrics purchased by female survivors of the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa. There are four simple steps to designing your own dress:

1. Select your fabric.

2. Choose from 1 of 5 easy dress designs

3. Feel good about buying the fabrics as it supports the livelihood and traditional craft of the women of the Congo.

4. Pick up our own design and wear it with pride!

The Flea is Back!

Last December I told you about a fantastic new Flea Market at the South Side on Lamar featuring popular and stylish Texas vendors. I am thrilled to say that it is back! The Dallas Flea will be returning to the South Side on Lamar this weekend Saturday, March 13th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry is $5 (cash only) and the first 100 visitors will receive a canvas goodie bag chock full of freebies from EatZi's, Bliss Spa, and other local establishments. From paper goods to puppy treats, The Dallas Flea is going to have the most unique lifestyle finds around.

See you there!

Not Your Grandmother's Quilts

I confess that I adore quilts. My Grandma Horst makes one every year and donates it to her Church auction and my Grandma Schlegel had such an amazing collection of them that her local newspaper dubbed her the "Queen Bee of Quilts." I have a few really lovely quilts that my grandmother made for me and truly treasure them. You can not imagine my excitement when I heard that the classic quilt has been given a makeover! I adore the quilts that Shari Lidji or Red Llama Studio is making. These quilts are truly one of a kind! Her quilts look like a work of contemporary art and the fabrics she uses are modern and chic. She even uses baby blankets and old tee shirts to complete her masterpieces. She recently made a beautiful prayer shawl for a special bat matzvah and posted a video about it. Check it out here! Amazing!