Habitually Chic Book Announcement

I am beyond excited to finally announce that I am working on a Habitually Chic Book!  I met with and talked to many publishers but felt an instant connection at powerHouse Books.  They got my concept immediately and I could tell that I would have more creative control of the final product. It was my intention to not put out a "blogger" book per se but one that will appeal to Habitually Chic readers as well as those who have never heard of my blog.  I can't give away the exact title or premise just yet but it will include the chicest of the chic from the worlds of interior design, fashion, art, and other creative industries.  I will also be the photographer which is very exciting and nerve wracking.  If all goes well, it will be released Fall 2012.  As someone who loves books, I can't wait to place my own book along side my favorites on my bookshelves and I hope you will too! 

Photo: My bookshelves photographed by moi

Minnie in Malibu

I wish I had seen the APT by LSD on Vogue.com feature on Minnie Mortimer's Malibu home earlier.  Since she's an avid surfer, it would have made the perfect follow up to my Surf's Up post.  I'm waiting for new bookcases to arrive so I was very taken with all her fabulous built-ins.  There is also nothing I love more than seeing what's on someone else's shelves.  The bookcases will flank my sofa so that means I can't hang the art until after they arrive.  I can't wait to create a new gallery wall like Minnie's.  I love her mix of artwork and photography.  Another example of buy what you love and you'll find a place for it. 

Photos by Claiborne Swanson Frank

Chic Flea Market Finds

The heat abated slightly on Sunday so I ventured to the flea market.  I was hoping others would stay away so I would have my pick of the good stuff and I did manage to find a few treasures.  My rule of thumb for the flea market is to buy what I love and always have a price in mind before I approach a dealer. 

The first thing I bought was at the parking lot flea market on 25th Street.  The powder box on the right was very dirty but I could see it's beauty underneath.  The dealer dropped it as he was trying to decide how much to charge so I got it for $1. It has hairline cracks on the top but at least you can't see them.  The box on the left caught my eye the minute I saw it because I love that robin's egg blue color. 

It's marked on the bottom T&V France.  It stands for Tressemanes & Vogt which was a porcelain factory in Limoges, France. I loved the color so much that I didn't even turn it over.  According to the mark, it was probably produced 1892-1907.

My pièce de résistance purchase is this Marie Antoinette print.  It was the robin's egg colored mat that caught my eye and I thought it was so beautiful that I had to buy it.  The dealer had a tag on it marked $58 but I talked her down to $45. 

The dealer told me that it was probably from the time of Marie Antoinette which I of course took with a grain of salt. 

A little internet research yielded that the engraver was Jean Charles Levasseur (1734-1816) and it might actually be from the 18th-century.   I found another example online here, which alerted me to the fact that there is also has a companion Louis XVI engraving. 

I think an appraisal is in order soon.  But first I have to drop it off at the framer so I can hang it on the wall.

I also love the tag on the back of the picture.  I am wondering if it was reframed at some point so I can't wait to find out.  I wasn't going to buy anything else but on my way out of the Garage flea market, I noticed the cane bench in the top photo.  I was thinking that a bench would be nice in front of my entry bookcase so I could sit my bag down when I entered.  The $25 price was right so I took it home too.  It was very dusty and when I turned it over to clean it, I noticed a tag from Heywood Bros. and Wakefield Co. San Francisco, Cal. Turns out the company is very well known which means that I probably won't paint it as was my first instinct. The bonus of buying what you love is that it might actually be worth more than you paid.  Bonne chance!

Surfs Up

I came across the book LeRoy Grannis, Surf Photography of the 1960's and 1970's at the Taschen bookstore recently and was immediately hooked. I don't swim much along the East Coast since the Atlantic Ocean is usually very cold and I've also seen Jaws. That's probably why I love looking at these old photos of surfing along the California coast and Hawaii.   LeRoy Grannis started photographing surfers at Hermosa Beach in California when his doctor told him that he needed a hobby in 1960.  He was 42 years old at the time and went on to become the best known surf photographers and was also inducted into the International Surfing Hall of Fame.  He died this past February at the age of 93 which is just one more example of the sage advice of Confucius, "choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."  This  book would make a great gift for any surfer or surf enthusiast but you can also buy prints of LeRoy Grannis photos at M+B Gallery. They would great in any beach house or even a city apartment to remind you to stop and smell the ocean once in while. Aloha!

Greg Noll Surf Team, Sunset Beach, 1966

World Surfing Contest, Ocean Beach, San Diego, 1966

Hermosa Beach, 1963

Henry Ford, 22nd Street, Hermosa Beach, 1963

Malibu Lineup 1967

Kent Layton, Hermosa Beach, 1969

Waimea Bay, 1972

Greg Noll Surf Shop, 1961

Pipeline, 1972

Duke Contest Finalists, 1968

Waimea Bay, 1973

Makaha, Hawaii, 1962

Photos by LeRoy Grannis

Dog Days of Summer

Since we're in the dog days of summer, I figured why not post some real dogs. My favorite features on 770 Behind the Line: The (un) Official J.Crew Blog are the Pet Portraits.  J.Crew employees are photographed by Charity De Meer with their precious pooches and the results are beyond adorable. Bon Weekend!

Photos by Charity De Meer for J.Crew