Guest Spot -- A Curated Lifestyle

The lovely Capella Kincheloe of A Curated Lifestyle asked me to do a guest post for her to run while she was off on vacation in Hawaii GETTING MARRIED! Congratulations Capella! For those of you who haven't checked out her blog, please do and also be sure to check out her Etsy store with her beautiful handmade ombre pillows, they are happiness. For my guest entry on traveling to the one and only Athens, Greece. I tried to make it as detailed as possible, imagine me as your tour guide Barbie with a little red flag, "this way please!!!"

Greek Easter

Easter for the Greeks is a big deal, I would say it's our biggest religious holiday and for sure my Husband's favorite. According to Sandy, "Easter is MINE!" I don't know many men who geek out at the thought of cooking for 200 guests--to me it just seems exhausting. Sandy loves creating his menu which changes a bit from year to year but always includes the basics...Whole Roast Lamb, Kondosouvli (a pork situation--which we made two of this year and everyone said mine was better then Sandy's. I am very proud!), Lamb Chops, Souvlaki (pork, chicken, beef, or all of the above) and then sometimes shrimp or lobster, this year we had octopus as well. He also makes an huge amount of appetizers, typically involving dips (olive spread, melitzano salata--an eggplant dip, and htipiti--a spicy pepper and feta dip) along with 45 different kinds of sausage. Aside from that, my mother in law tackles her traditional fare, pita (spanakopita, tiropita, blah, blah) dolmathes, peas with artichokes, margiritsa (soup), and insane amounts of salad. I am in charge of the bar. It's funny, a friend of mine told me that Facebook was littered with Greek People taking pictures with their lambs on the spit-it's the Greek version of taking your picture with Santa. So true. Here is a glimpse of the Papadopoulos Easter Extravaganza...

That's my backyard (affectionately known as the jungle)

The Papadopoulos Brothers working the grill.

Sandy & Chris pose with the Kondosouvli (mine is the one in the foreground)

Little Arnakia (lambs)

Sandy passing around the shaved kondosouvli (little Yianni was all into it-we teach them young.)

There was an Easter egg hunt (it was anticlimactic and over in 5 minutes--next year I need more eggs) which I forced my niece into running for me.

This was before I told her she was in charge of the Easter egg hunt.


Sometimes I wish we just went out to brunch like normal people, but this is a lot more fun.

Sincerely, Cecelia

I have just done my first guest post! I was so excited when Sincerely, Cecelia asked me to do a guest post about what's on my nightstand, and she asked me right as I was leaving for Greece! Since I hate my nightstands in Atlanta, I thought it would be fun to go international and do a post about my nightstand in Athens (yes, it has integrated lights.) Check it out!!!

I'm back!

I am back and I have hit the ground running. I am in a marathon between now and the end of the year so hold on tight! The calendar is littered with installations, photo shoots, and all sorts of fun things so get ready! I could do a long post about Greece and how amazing and fabulous it was but I think I will save that and instead insert those little bits of beauty to bring sanity to the next few months. Instead here are some photos to give you a taste.

25η Μαρτίου 1821 - Ζήτω η Ελλάδα! Happy Greek Independence Day!!!

25η Μαρτίου 1821 - Ζήτω η Ελλάδα! Happy Greek Independence Day!!!

Today marks 189 years of independence for Greece and it's a big deal. We are ultra-prideful people and we love to celebrate! It is a constant struggle to keep our homes from looking like the parent's house in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. If I would allow it we would probably have a statue of Athena in the foyer (we have one at the restaurant that my husband keeps threatening to bring home.)



Last year when I had about 2.5 readers I wrote about the new Acropolis Museum, it is so beautiful and as I am planning my trip to Greece this year it is for sure one of my first stops! Check out last year's post by clicking HERE!

Today I don't have a lot of time but I wanted to pull some of my favorite fabrics that seem to have some Greek flavor in them. I would approve of any of these in my house (no Sandy, not all of them in one room) but used in moderation would be just fine!



From the top: Donghia, Carly in Charcoal. Maharam, Salon in Lake. Victoria Hagan Home, Summer Square in Indigo/Periwinkle. Jim Thompson, Asia Major in Continental Blue. Maharam, Names in Ultramarine and White. Dedar, Cannella. Glant, Patent Leather in White. Castel, Harushika in Naturel. Knoll Luxe, Galloway in Regent.

I would also like to wish my Mother-in-Law a Happy Happy Birthday!

Pretty Pictures

So I am not a big reader. I am not the type to sit down with a book and plow through page after page. I do however love big big beautiful books. I am a picture person and I will buy a book based solely on the photography and the pretty pictures. That being said, I do draw inspiration from those images as do most people. I love collecting books and it's something I know I will always do forever and ever amen. My husband and I love going to this 5 story bookstore in Athens, Greece and just playing around all day (I even found some of my design school textbooks there...in Greek!) I don't limit myself to Interior Design books, I love fashion books, photography books, cookbooks (not that I use those very often) anything with beautiful photography that is aesthetically pleasing. I absolutely judge books by their covers (and bindings--got to look good on the shelf)...they must look good on my cocktail table.Here are some of the books I just love and become truly inspired by.



About a year ago Mark and I were fortunate enough to go and hear Vincent Wolf speak and give a presentation about his new book. It is stunning and I have used it as a reference over and over again since I got it. I love his calm style, everything just looks so effortless.



I don't know that this book even needs any sort of comment. Tom Ford is a damn beautiful man and just brilliant. The photography in this book is amazing (I mostly love the pictures of him, because he is just gorgeous!) but my favorite part are the interiors photos towards the back. They are so beautiful, besides wanting to lick every photo of him in the book, I also want to lick the photos of his interiors.




About 6 years ago on a trip to Greece my sister in law took me on an amazing shopping trip in Athens. It was really the beginning of this country getting some style. Now Athens has a fashion week full of really promising designers. Interior Design isn't really a legitimate profession over there yet, but people are starting to really get it. This book is one of the best I have seen, one thing I love about Greece & the style there is that people are always mixing the old and the new. Leaving original details and gems, mixing traditional style (I am talking amazing authentic & historic in every way) with fresh and very modern elements.




My dear friend and former employer Scott Laslie bought me this book about 3 years ago. I died. I do not own a pair of Manolos but who doesn't love a gorgeous pair of shoes, and Blahnik's might just be the most beautiful. This book is visually stunning. Go get it.




Sadly the Vogue Living Magazine didn't last, but this book is fantastic. Who could ever get tired of looking at beautiful people in beautiful places. This book has some of the most amazing interiors I have ever seen and some of the most beautiful. I constantly look through here and am inspired. I like looking at all of the over the top interiors and trying to scale them back to make them work for me.




**All of these books are available on Amazon

Greek Independence Day!

In honor of Greek Independence Day I wanted to clue you in on something really spectacular (love that word) in modern Greek culture. The New Acropolis Museum has become a beacon in Athens, just as the Parthenon has. It's official opening will be on June 20, 2009 but already it has quickly become a source of pride for the Greek people. It's incredible architecture and stunning design are not only surprisingly modern but the new building has so many subtle details that reference Greece's most prominent architectural masterpiece.

The design by Bernard Tschumi was selected as the winning project in the fourth competition for the design of the New Acropolis Museum. Tschumi's design revolves around three concepts: light, movement, and a tectonic and programmatic element, which together "turn the constraints of the site into an architectural opportunity, offering a simple and precise museum" with the mathematical and conceptual clarity of ancient Greek buildings.

The museum's website is fantastic. You can see pictures of the transport from the previous museum (which sat atop the Acropolis behind the Parthenon structure--all works were carefully packaged in specially made crates and moved by crane over the city to the roof of the new building.) There are amazing design elements and concepts that were taken from the Parthenon structure and carried throughout the new building (my favorite is the top floor of the new museum, where the Parthenon Marbles are displayed, sits on the same axis as the Parthenon on top of the Acropolis.) The use of natural light and the layout and display of artifacts is unlike an other museum in the world. My father was fortunate enough to take a private tour this past summer and he described is as "breathtaking." I can't wait to see it for myself!