Under the Tuscan Sun

Debbie Mazar and her Italian husband, Gabriele Corcos, seem to have a wonderful marriage bound by a love of cooking. Together they write a blog called Under the Tuscan Sun and podcast inside there home in Los Angeles where they whip up some serious Tuscan fare. Debbie seems as approachable and down to earth as she did when I met her while I was working at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills some fifteen years ago and she has not aged a bit. She still looks a cross between vamp and 50's house wife with a touch of Queens, NY. Glad to see she still wears her nails long and red but can't figure out how she cooks in them!

They have recently upgraded their podcasts to a cooking show called Extra Virgin on the Cooking Channel. She posted on her blog today that they would be airing the traditional lasagna recipe but I missed the episode. I can't wait to try some of the recipes in their blog especially their Nutella Cake. Yum.

Lonny Magazine

Hot off the blogosphere, the latest edition of Lonny Magazine has arrived!

Montauk Sofa

We had an unseasonably warm day here yesterday and it felt like summer. When it's warm like that I fantasize about being in a minimally designed house on Carbon beach filled with modern slip covered sofas. The sofas that come to mind are the ones designed by Montauk Sofa. They are an eco furniture manufacturer based in Canada but you can by any of the sofas online and they're pricing is as competitive as Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn. I could not find a photo of a slip covered version but I think there other styles are just as beautiful. They have photos of all there sofas online including the slip covered versions. If you are in the New York area, you can pop into their store.

Entry No.65

I've been monkeying around with my camera and took a pic of my kitchen counter.

Entry No.64

"P" and I had a rough morning. She managed to pour a whole cup of hot coffee all over me and my white linens. Not good. Now we are spending all morning doing lots of laundry. I, so badly, need to watch a funny movie right now. This movie will do.

Entry No.63

I am turning in my homework assigned by the decorator and I have narrowed my inspiration pics to fourteen. Not one of the pics are of interiors that resemble a modern rustic house. I can't imagine how Heidi is going to apply any of these styles to my current place. Guess I will have to watch and learn from a pro.

Hollywood at Home

Hollywood at Home

Hollywood at Home

Christine D'Ornano

Jeffrey Alan Marks

Jeffrey Alan Marks

Jeffrey Alan Marks

Lulu De Kwiatkowski

Aerin Lauder

Soho House West Hollywood

Ashley Whittaker

Amy Neunsinger

Amy Neunsinger

Entry No.62

I am back in LA after what seemed like the longest flight from the Oakland airport. Ms. P was in rare form practicing her screaming and egging me on to join her. I feel sorry for the folks within ear shot. Heading home after a few weeks away brings up a lot of anxiety. I hope while I am away that my house will look closer to being done but inevitably I come home to the same disaster I left. While up in Northern California I met with a designer/friend who will be helping me finish the last of the details of the house. My first priority is getting the downstairs living room and dinning room done. I have been given a home work assignment. I am supposed to gather as many photos from magazines of interiors that I like. I asked her if I should narrow it down to rustic modern interiors and Heidi, my designer/friend, said I should gather all photos. I am posting a photo of my current living room. Clearly, I am in desperate need of accessories and a few more storage furniture pieces. I will be chronicling the process. First by posting the current living room, next I will post the interiors I love, then the possible choices of accessories and finally the finished room. I hope you all learn as much as me during this process. This should be fun. Cheers.