Mellow Yellow

 I went to Palm Springs for the weekend after the LA conference. My first time there and I really loved it! The desert is phenomenal (photos to come in a later post) and I stayed at the Viceroy which was truly rock star-like fabulous.  This is where I renewed my love for all things yellow.

Kelly Wearstler has made "citron" her signature color for the hotel. It works so well when used as a "splash" of color. It completely lifts a room instead of just using white all the time.

This spring in fashion, it is all about pastels. And yellow dominated across all categories. No doubt we will see yellow in all its guises on the streets. 

Carolina Herrera Spring '12

Derek Lam Spring '12

Oscar de la Renta, Spring '12

Burberry, Spring '12

Jimmy Choo Spring '12

Givenchy Obsedia Yellow Clutch

So whilst its cold and drab in wintry New York, I have compiled a few things yellow that make me feel happy - and bring a little color back into my day. 

Wallpaper from Scalamandre

Mark Rothko

Marimekko fabric

Porthault bedlinen

Le Creuset

images: (1) apartment therapy, (2, 5, 13) mine, (3-4) Viceroy,  (6-9) style.com, (10,11) bergdorf goodman (12) mind of a christian girl, (14) gilly's place, (15) habitually chic, (16) great modern pictures, (17) luxist, (18) sue fisher, (19) this next, (20) stock news on net, (21) drive, (22)camille's style, (23) decor pad

A Hearth in Winter

When the thermometer refuses to budge above zero, the city is covered in snow and you are trudging through this every day,

All you really want to do is sit in front of this:

My favorite of favorite places here in winter is the lobby of the Bowery Hotel. It has the feeling of an old hunting lodge and is perfect for a weekend afternoon tea or drinks. It is full of persian rugs, oak chairs with tapestry seats, sofas that you sit back in and never want to extricate yourself from and huge roaring fires framed by marble mantlepieces.

The wood paneled ceilings and wrought iron lighting help lend a middle aged feeling. I keep expecting Aragorn to walk through the door.

Although I think this interior is too heavy for spring/ summer, they do have a lovely outdoor area with wicker furniture under a glass roof, overlooking fruit trees and grass on a vacant block behind.

And if you get sleepy and decide to stay, check out one of these rooms that have featured in numerous movies. Sleep soundly under Frette sheets and dream of your favorite Lord of the Rings character.

images: (1-2) mine, (3) elle decor, (4) hotels.com, (5) agent smith, (6) hotel chatter  (7) cool gadget concepts, (8) flixster, (9) bowery hotel

End of an Icon?

The Chelsea Hotel is up for sale. This news has angered some old timer New Yorkers and just made others really sad. The last great bohemian outpost being sold to make way for a slick, modern, soulless hotel? Let's hope not.

The Chelsea opened in 1884 as one of the city's first co-op buildings. It was turned into a 250 room hotel in 1905 and can boast a history as checkered, controversial and colorful as many of its inhabitants. It was a place of bohemian and artistic creativity whilst also being the home of bad behavior. Bob Dylan composed songs here, Alan Ginsberg wrote here. Dylan Thomas died of alcohol poisoning here and Sid Vicious allegedly murdered girlfriend Nancy Spungen here.

It has been the topic of many a book.

It has featured in art.

Room 100, Chelsea Hotel, Dexter Dalwood, 1999

It has been immortalized in songs by Nico, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

And it has been called home by Andy Warhol, Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe, and Arthur C Clarke, who wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey whilst in residence.

I have to admit that I have never suggested for one of my visiting friends to stay at this hotel, offering instead The Bowery or the Standard. But I do appreciate the history of the place and the fantastic urban myths and legends attached to its corridors and rooms. Let's hope the new owners try and leave some pieces of this infamous hotel.

images: outside left, nancy 110mb, hotel chatter, saatchi gallery, new york times, chelsea hotel blog,

The Surrey

We are hosting an international PR Managers meeting here in New York later this year. Bizarrely, it is quite difficult to find a beautiful, chic, modern hotel uptown, that also has conference facilities. But we finally found the perfect place; the new Surrey Hotel. It is an aesthete's dream.

Built in 1926 as a residence hotel, it has been home to many characters over the years, including JFK, Bette Davis and Claudia Colbert. In 2009, it was given a $60 million overhaul by architect and interior designer Lauren Rottet and has gone from pre-war elegance to super-chic contemporary. Think calming grey, black and white palette, art deco feel, peppered with fabulous contemporary art pieces.

The lobby includes an interactive video by South African artist William Kentridge, and a giant Kate moss tapestry greets you as you make your way up to your room.

The quilted walls in the Bar Pleiades - named in homage to the original French restaurant frequented by the worlds art elite from 1971 - 1992 - are reminiscent of Chanel's famous handbag.

All the bedrooms have the out-of-this-world Duxiana beds.

The bathrooms are spacious and classically elegant with modern finishes and gorgeously packaged Surrey amenities.

And the Presidential suite where we are hosting our meeting is to die for! With views over Madison Ave, Central Park and the beautiful architecture of the UES, it has a huge living room, TWO bathrooms, a bar, dining table for 10 and a grand piano in case you are staying there with Billy Joel.

The piece de resistance is the roof garden, where you can sip a cocktail and watch the sun set over Manhattan.

The Surrey is in a perfect location. You are on E 76th St, with Michael Kors opposite and every other fashion brand imaginable around the corner on Madison Ave. And it's only a hop skip and jump the other way to Central Park, with a 10 minute walk to the Met, Guggenheim, Neue and Whitney! And if you are looking for a real New York experience on a Monday night, nip across the road to the Carlyle, where you can hear Woody Allen play the sax. You can't get more New York than that!

images: (1) gawker, (2-9) the surrey, (9) luxury hub, (10) village voice

Recipe for a Happy Weekend

What does one do on a summer's day in New York, when the sun is shining, the sky is blue, humidity is low and the wide blue yonder beckons? Go sailing of course! And because New York is surrounded by water, it is relatively easy to get this together.

Take one lovely yacht that is not too big and grand or too teeny and squishy, but just right for 2 people.

Add one able seaman to chart your course.

Mix with the Long Island Sound that hopefully has enough wind to propel you across the currently very warm water.

After you have reveled in a couple of hours of tacking, jibing and the occasional straight course sailing where the only sound is the bow skimming the waves and the sail billowing in the wind, you might come across an archipelago of islands and decide its time for terra firm. We dropped anchor beside Great Captain's Island off the coast of Greenwich and rowed onto shore.

Ready for early evening drinks after all that work? Hoist up the anchor and motor gently into Bel Haven Club, where they generously have guest moorings for reciprocal yacht clubs.

While you're waiting for the Connecticut law student clad in Ralph Lauren to come and pick you up in the club's motor boat, marvel over the Greenwich houses that grace the shores of the Sound and then salivate over the beautiful boats that sit chained to their moorings like dogs on a lead waiting to be taken on a walk.

Once at the club, freshen up by showering in the gorgeous bathroom, resplendent with blue and white wallpaper, white wicker towel baskets and brightly colored roses.

Then head to the deck for a gin and tonic overlooking the water, before eating a hearty dinner in the bar.

For a well earned night's sleep, why not check into the heavenly Homestead Inn, a Relais & Chateau hotel that is a 3 minute cab ride from your yacht. There, you can experience all the charm of New England, without having to travel that far.

In the morning, indulge in a huge breakfast in bed before sailing idly back across the Sound to the grit and grime of the city. I hope you feel renewed!


images: mine except for (1) visual photos, (3) media bucket, (18) elegant small hotels