How I dreaded Valentine's Day when I was in high school! With my goal of graduating Valedictorian from an all girls' Catholic high school in New Orleans (so that I could perhaps get a scholarship to Tulane University which was my only ticket to college), I was quite the nerd -- studying most of the time with little time to do anything else. So when Valentine's Day rolled around, all of the popular girls in high school would be called to the office at some point during the day, to collect their floral or balloon bouquet that their high school "sweetheart" from a neighboring all boys' high school would have deliver. And I looked at them with envy and sadness to know that I had no such sweetheart and that Valentine's was just another day in the life.
But on a high note, I did become Valedictorian and I did get that full paid scholarship to Tulane.
Still, when Valentine's Day comes around (even though my husband spoils me rotten now), I always remember that dreaded sense of feeling totally unloved (even if it wasn't really true -- my mother reminded me that she loved me best of all -- but at 15, that doesn't really count, does it?) So to all you fabulous girls out there (whether in high school or elsewhere) who may not necessarily get that huge bouquet of flowers today, don't sweat it!!!!! You are LOVED. You are WONDERFUL and you are incredibly SPECIAL.
Your time will come....
Just love who you are (whether you get the flowers or not) and everything else will fall into place.
Have a wonderful Valentine's Day wherever this post finds you.
I first met Susanna Salk when she emailed me about a piece she was working on for 1stdibs. She was writing a piece entitled "1stdibs Loves New Orleans" and was featuring some of 1stdibs' favorite New Orleans' dealers. When she asked to interview me for the article as one of those favorite dealers to be featured, I felt like the soon to be crowned Miss America at the moment they announce "and the runner up is....." Here I was, fresh on Magazine Street with my recent career change from lawyer to antiques dealer still giving me moments to pause and hyperventilate, when none other than THE Susanna Salk, accomplished design author and television personality who has also spent time working at publications like Elle Decor and House and Garden and appears regularly on the Today Show to discuss style and design, wanted to interview ME for an article on 1stdibs! Needless to say, I ran out and bought a lottery ticket that same afternoon.
And so Susanna wrote the article ...
Almost two years have gone by since that article ran, and my style has evolved quite a bit from the early days of my shop on Magazine Street (I have since closed the shop on Magazine Street and opened a showroom on the 1stdibs floor at the New York Design Center a/k/a 1stdibs@NYDC). See for yourself the transformation:
Yes, I know, I can't stay away from white (except for in my wardrobe which, ironically, is mostly black), but now my New Orleans' antiques are infused with a touch of New York modernism.
But I digress .... as always.
Back to Susanna.
I finally got a chance to meet Susanna in person at the grand opening of 1stdibs@NYDC last February (2011). This tall, slender, gorgeous blonde came up to me and introduced herself, commenting on how beautiful she thought my gallery looked. Again, I was humbled. And from that day forward, Susanna was someone I looked up to from a professional and personal basis and someone whose opinion I have come to value.
The talented and gorgeous, Susanna Salk
I love this photo of Susanna and her son
Susanna has an immense knowledge of design and vast experience in the industry. Most of you may already be familiar with some of her design books which continue to get better and better as they go (not that the first one was anything but amazing). A Privileged Life: Celebrating Wasp Style started us wanting more from this style maven.
We were equally as excited when Susanna released her second book Weekend Retreats.
Room for Children is both visually exciting and inspiring, showcasing the work of Kelly Wearstler, Charlotte Moss, Alessandra Branca, Amanda Nisbet, and Jamie Drake, among many others. Take a look at some of the images in this book:
I love this image. Reminds me so much of a little French Louis XV giltwood chair (below) that I reupholstered in Les Indiennes fabric and flew off to San Francisco the moment I listed it on my 1stdibs storefront.
Well, now Susanna has done it again with her new book, Be Your Own Decorator, to be released next month.
Selecting favorite rooms from more than fifty renowned designers such as Kelly Wearstler, Bunny Williams, Albert Hadley, Nate Berkus, and Mary McDonald—and shot by the world’s top shelter photographers—Susanna offers insightful advice on how to apply basic design principles to interiors.
Organized into chapters on balance, color, mixing, accessorizing, arrangements, rule breaking, and whimsy, Susanna walks through the process of great design, illustrating how the featured designers made the decisions they did to make these rooms…
And here is a sneak peek into this gorgeous book that will surely be Susanna's best one yet! Just click on the photo.
Susanna will be doing a book signing on April 10, 2012 on the 1stdibs floor at the New York Design Center (1stdibs@NYDC) located on the 10th floor, 200 Lexington Avenue, NYC. I have already made my JetBlue reservations to say hello to my amazingly talented friend who has been so kind to me through all my "growing pains" (and while I'm there, fluff up my showroom a bit!).
I hope to see you all there -- Champagne and pens in hand!
To pre-order a copy of Be Your Own Decorator (coming out March 27, 2012), clickhere.
Don't you just hate it when you find out about something that you really would have loved to have seen but are about 3 years too late? I just learned of a gorgeous art/design/textile exhibition in Venice that took place at the Palazzo Fortuny (Textile god Mariano Fortuny's home and workshop) that I would have loved to have seen in person. Living in New Orleans where elegance and decadence (not to mention Masquerade Balls and Carnival) are events de rigueur, I have always had an affinity for Venice. So when I saw these gorgeous images of the Roberto Cappucci exhibition at the Palazzo Fortuny, I pinned them all over my studio for inspiration.
For those of you who, like me, missed the event that ran in 2009, here is a private cyber tour of the exhibition. Like all good tour guides, I am compelled to tell you the significance of this exhibit and give you a little bit of a background into the two great artists behind this event.
Mariano Fortuny was painter, stage designer, inventor of lights and costumes, a true “shaman” of the printed fabric; Roberto is also an artist – architect, creator of convoluted shapes for his exhibition designs, his creations are weaved as clothes but thought as sculptures. Two cultivated and sophisticated artists able to navigate the world of fashion leaving the permanent signature of genius. The Foundation “Musei Civici di Venezia” paid tribute a couple of years ago to Roberto Capucci with an extraordinary exhibition organized at Palazzo Fortuny, Mariano’s house and workshop. Thirty dresses/sculptures realized between 1978 and 2009, are able to describe this specific period of the Master’s development. From the famous Column dress, breaking point of his relationship with traditional tailoring, to the Fan dress a symbol for untamed creativity; we can also admire his creation from the Eighties, with decorations of all shapes and surfaces: flat, tubular, flower-shaped, squared or resembling capitals…- one of the most remarkable is Fuoco (Fire) with an explosion of volume and waves stretching aloft.
Without any further ado, let's start with the gowns....
This gown takes my breath with the drama of the colors and ruffles.
A side view.
The famous red fan wedding dress.
Side view
Imagine the stares you would get walking into a ball with this dress.
The perfect Purple, Gold and Green Mardi Gras gown.
The masked face on the waist would be topic of conversation at a cocktail party.
These two ladies seem very much made for each other.
The barrister in me loves this black gown with the dramatic green interior sleeves. The masked face on the waist is simply surreal.
This gown is absolutely stunning, almost angelic. The perfect way to end the tour.
Roberto Capucci at Palazzo Fortuny
Hope you enjoyed this mini-trip to Venice. And, as always, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, wherever this post finds you.
I cannot believe that it's been already a year since that fabulous Elle Decor party launching the grand opening of the 1stdibs floor at the New York Design Center (200 Lexington Avenue, NYC) on February of 2011. Indeed, it has been a year of growing and learning for everyone involved (from 1stdibs to NYDC to us dealers). For me, especially, new into this whole amazing world of design, NY has been somewhat of a culture shock -- in a fantastic kind of way. Being the only one on the 1stdibs floor from New Orleans (actually, the only one south of the Mason-Dixon line for that matter!), it has proven to be quite the challenge. But I'm loving every single moment of it.
On Friday, I flew up to NYC for the day and with the enormous help of my friend, Sandy Foster, who unsolicitedly took the day off to drive to the city, pick me up from the airport and spend the entire day helping me do the work of at least 4 strong men (which we didn't have!), to redo my entire gallery at the NYDC.
Sandy managed to get us one of those industrial dollies from the loading dock downstairs and the two of us lifted and pulled and moved all the furniture into my new space. We worked until the lights went out and walked out with the sales team who wondered what kind of vitamins two skinny girls in 3 inch heels took to be able to do what we did that day.
We were so down to the wire that I did not have time to snap any photos of my new space, other than these two "action" photos that Sandy took with her cell phone (probably by accident) before we were done. But at least it's a bit of a sneak preview. I cannot wait for my White Feather Murano Glass Chandelier to arrive from Italy next week to complete the look.
Very chaotic at this point but you can get the jest of it.
Needless to say, I was near comatose yesterday and every one of my muscles (muscles which I did not even know I had) ached. But it felt so good!!!!!
So here is to another year at 1stdibs@NYDC. If you haven't already done so and you happen to be in Manhattan, stop by and visit. The 1stdibs floor (on the 10th floor) is open to both the trade and public Monday through Saturday and the sales team there (John, Nancy, Blair, and Stefania) as well as general manager Louise Tanis are ready to help you find that absolute perfect piece for you.
There is something so surprisingly beautiful about something so unexpected....
Let's face it, how many of us would have the courage and vision to upholster a 19th c. Os du Mouton settee in faux cheetah (at least I hope it's faux cheetah!)?
But that's what separates the weak from the strong, the meek from the bold, and the mere mortals from Boston based interior designer Charles Spada.
Have a wonderful weekend wherever this post finds you.
When I first received my Kindle Fire a month ago as a Christmas gift from my husband a/k/a A.J., I was a little apprehensive. I mean, why would I need another electronic gadget when I already had a laptop and a 3G Droid phone? Wasn't that a waste of money and a duplicative internet access toy that would just complicate my over complicated life even more? This just meant finding yet another plug in my office in which to charge yet another little computer thingy and dealing with yet more ugly black cables to hide in my already ugly black cable filled office. But I embraced it, not so much for my sake, but for A.J.'s who I know really wanted to make me happy when he handed me the newspaper wrapped gift (because he claims he could not find where I kept the Christmas gift wrap in the house). Men. But that's a huge other topic for another day.
But my apprehension has diminished in the few weeks since Christmas. What started out as a stand off-ish relationship, has grown into friendship and, dare I say, love and admiration for that little black tablet that allows me to escape to a world of wonderful books, internet access, and netflix streaming, all in the comfort of my bed or kitchen or bench as I sit on the sidelines during multiple children's soccer practices or even plane seat (as I fly back and forth to New York to visit my showroom). Yes, I'll admit it!!!! I've become addicted to that thing. Hi, my name is Karina Gentinetta and I'm a Kindle Fire-a-holic. I love my Kindle Fire! I only wish it could also do the laundry and walk the dogs but I think that will be available in the 5G version next year.
So all this brings me to the title of this post (you were probably wondering when I would get around to that, right?) Yesterday, my sister emailed me that Fairy Tale Interrupted was released and available at all major bookstores and digitally on the Kindle.
This is the hot new book by Rosemarie Terenzio, John F. Kennedy Jr.'s personal assistant, his publicist, and one of his closest confidantes during the last five years of his life. In this, her first memoir, she bravely recounts her own Fairy Tale Interrupted, describing the unlikely friendship between a blue-collar girl from the Bronx and John F. Kennedy Jr. As the Washington Posts points out, "Cynics, don’t groan: The fairy tale was not John-John’s but hers, a working-class Bronx kid swept up in his glamorous world."
Funny, moving, and fresh, her memoir is a unique account by the woman who was with him through dating, politics, the paparazzi, and his marriage to Carolyn Bessette. Her street smarts, paired with her loyalty, candor, and relentless work ethic, made her the trusted insider to America’s most famous man.
After John and Carolyn’s tragic, untimely deaths on July 16, 1999, RoseMarie’s whole world came crashing down around her, along with her hopes for the future. Only now does she feel she can tell her story in a book that is at once a moving tribute and a very real picture of her friend and employer.
Fairy Tale Interrupted is a deeply loving story and a fascinating adventure, filled with warmth, humor, insight, and five years’ worth of unforgettable memories.
I read the prologue to the book and I can tell you, it is an easy to read, down to earth, interesting and absolutely fascinating memoir. A look into a world only few of us could ever imagine. Did you know that John F. Kennedy Jr. had asked the Material Girl to dress up as his mother for the cover of his magazine, "George," but that Madonna declined, insisting she would “never do [Jackie O] justice?" In fact, RoseMarie recalls that JFK, Jr. thought that the idea was brilliant: “I think we should dress Madonna up as my mother,” he said. “Wouldn’t that be a riot?” Like that would have gone over well with Jackie. Imagine this picture:
Fortunately for us, RoseMarie states that Madonna declined, writing a letter to "Johnny Boy" as follows:
But I won't ruin the book for you or divulge any more of the juicy revelations in this book. You'll just have to run to Barnes and Noble yourself or (ahem!) download it on your Kindle Fire.
Have a wonderful day wherever this post finds you.
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