C. Bell: The Belle of The Antique Row

With over forty shops on the antique row of West Palm Beach, I decided to follow Simon Doonan's quick list on my visit last December. I've heard of C. Bell from numerous sources so I was only too eager to check her showroom out first.

A very Palm Beach pink and green vibe going on at the entry

Dorothy Draper's, In the Pink, fits right into this little vignette with paw foot furniture which we see a lot of from Oly and Baker by Jacques Grange. I'm trying to remember the 20th century designer who popularized animal legs and paw feet in these whiteout or whitewashed finishes. He was based in California and died of a drug overdose, if I'm not mistaken. If you remember his name, please let me know. 

Here is Christine Bell, the Belle of the Antique Row.

She gamely posed for the camera and was very nice all throughout

despite going through a major computer glitch while we were there.

This sunny area brightens up the far corner.

The eight frond rattan chair works

well with the restored vintage desk.

The zebra print plate is one of my favorite pieces.

Animal prints and bright colors repeated all throughout.

This 70s mirrored vanity is the perfect size for me 

and small apartments. The built in lights work really well.

The collapsible tole tray on the right with greek key pattern

is a great cocktail accessory and accent table.

Nothing can ever go wrong with the pristine 

combination of white and blue.

 treasure trove of white accessories

This restored tea pavilion chair in lacquered hot tomato

stands out among the sea of white.

Christine is spot on with her style and merchandise selection. Her pieces add drama and whimsy making her a go to source for designers. Check out C. Bell's website for more details. Thank you Christine for giving us a gracious tour. I said the blog post would come out weeks after my visit. It's been three months so I apologize for the delay.

Shell-Shocked

I was talking to my Twitter friend,  Norbridge Antiques   , about antiquing in South Florida the other day. Our conversation and my latest post on the Withit WOW awards inspiration made me go back through sunny moments in Cebu and Florida. The first few pictures are from one of my favorite shops in Palm Beach, F.S. Henemader Antiques, Inc. 

This tableau's got my number with the 

turquoise foo dogs, Chinese blue and white vases, 

and corals.

Nautilus shell and sea fan covered bottles 

romanticizes the idea of sending a message in a bottle. 

Carnaza Island, Philippines 

where I spent a long day picking  

red and blue corals that washed off the shore

a gorgeous mix of Delft tiles, Moroccan lamps,

coral wall sconces, lamps, and the omnipresent sunburst mirror

starfishes from Bungan Island

where we like to go clam digging

The next few photos with an * are from Christa's South Seashells in West Palm Beach.

*The electric combination of turquoise and purple 

is much inspired by nature just like the jellyfish 

drifting along the sandbar as we sunned ourselves.

The colors of the paua or abalone shell exhibit this as well.

I've gotten some great ones for my collection from 

New Zealand and the Philippines.

Open House, Mactan Island Philippines 

Here is one of my projects where I designed

the crushed abalone pedestals as bases 

for the reclaimed wood slab from Carnaza Island. 

The bases and chairs were all made in our workshop.

Snug designer, Clayton Tugunon, 

created the tubeworms and shell light fixtures. 

*If there was one thing I wanted to take home from my antiquing in West Palm Beach last December, it was this horse skull encrusted with pink salts from the Mojave Dessert. 

*This mirror encrusted with an all white/cream ensemble

from mother of pearl discs, corals and shells stood out

among the rest that were multicolored.

*This Nautilus bed crown 

*and curtain holdback make subtle touches.

As much as I love shells, I can only take so much 

of it in a room so these accents are just enough. 

It's not very clear in this photo but I had the aluminum bands of the glass windows of my suite in the Calicoan Island Surf Camp encrusted with tiny shells.  The shutters (which were my friend, Garrison Rousseau's, fab idea) interspersed with the solid panels are covered with handwoven mats or banig made of palm leaves. These were woven by women a few towns away.  I worked with a shell artisan who interpreted my design just the way I wanted it. I kept the interior shell inlay plain with two tone shells mimicking the two tone mats.

However, I added more ornamentation to the exterior shell inlay for the bottom

and top panels.

p.s. I will post more photos of this cottage and talk about Calicoan Island more in a future post.

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Ode to my Father

March 17th is always special for me. Not because it's St. Patrick's Day but it's my dear father's birthday. Low key and unassuming, he would probably cringe that I am blogging about his birthday. He doesn't quite get  social media yet. I told him that I will explain visually what all this is about when I am back home.  I've missed his last four birthdays since I moved here. We communicate almost everyday via email, text, Skype, or majicJack. Amazing how technology works, I grew up in the 3rd World with black rotary phones where I remember screaming into the phone on long distance calls and you needed an operator to put you through. I just miss him so much and wish I was in Cebu with my other US based family members who went home to celebrate. These photos were taken five years ago from his biggest birthday weekend bash in Manila (an hour flight from Cebu) which he co-celebrated with one of his best friends, Pete. His birthday is on the 18th. 

Before the evening's festivities, we decided to have a quiet day and drove 70 km south of Manila and went to Antonio's Garden in Tagaytay for lunch. Much has been said about the fine French inspired Filipino restaurant by Chef Antonio Escalante tucked in lush verdant hills that we had to check it out for ourselves. It is an old home converted into a well ventilated garden restaurant. The koi pond also deserves a mention.

foyer filled with Philippine art, antiques and

furniture

with admirable bases

lovely dining vignettes were created in different areas

providing ample intimacy indoors or outdoors

everything was superb---food, service and ambience

 my recent Google search also shows that 
they've remained consistent.

I am going to post the ode I wrote to my father 

on Father's Day six years ago...

Thank you for letting me fly high enough 

to know the ways of the world

and for clipping my wings 

when it became too much for me to bear.

For the times when you drank champagne 

with me to celebrate,

wine during late night talks,

sambucca to help me swallow 

a few jagged pills,

apple-carrot-echinacea concoction 

when systems fail,

and for sharing a mean brownie cup ala mode 

when I'm down.

For listening to my so-called 

love tribulations without wincing,

and knowing when they've done 

enough karmic justice to my face

(thus understanding why it validates

 a big jar of La Mer charged to your card).

For loving me unconditionally 

despite follies and flaws.

For simply knowing when to be a father, 

friend and professional colleague.

I'm very blessed to have and share 

this rare relationship with you.

I thank God for you everyday.

Happy Father's Day

---published June 2005, Gypsy Queen

Sunstar Daily Cebu, Philippines

According to my feng shui calendar, March 17th is the luckiest day of the year. I am lucky to have my father in my life. He has been incredibly supportive of my passions and continues to foster utmost influence and inspiration in everything that I do. His tenets and values guide me. I hope I'm not being obnoxious by posting our photos but I feel it is important to honor and thank our loved ones as much as we can and let them know it. This is part of my gratitude series which I decided to start after my first birthday post. I have been blessed with amazing people in my life who have supported me along the way, contributed to my growth, and kept me grounded. I want to celebrate them.  I am the sum of the people who've inspired me.

p.s. Review of Antonio's Garden Restaurant and more recent photos here 

Are You Withit?

It's been two years since I joined WithIt , a women's leadership development network, in the home and furnishings industries. Initiated by women who've made stellar leaps and bounds in the furniture industry thirteen years ago, most people think it is only limited to furniture fiends. People have been asking me about the organization so here's a quick 411 but you can go to the website for specific details or post questions on the comments box. I truly can attest to the amazing synergy shared and experienced with the phenomenal women I've had the pleasure of knowing. It isn't just social networking but making real connections where it matters with people who matter whether business or passion related. I've developed relationships and attended seminars that have contributed to my personal and entrepreneurial growth. Just so it's out there, we do welcome women as full members and men as associate members in the following areas:

- residential, commercial, hospitality furnishings

- homebuilders or engaged in home building materials

- kitchen, bath, appliances, cabinetry, decorative hardware,
surfaces

- lighting

- flooring

- interior designers

- media consultants

- students

- and to all passionate individuals who continuously seek self improvement

Come April at High Point Market, Withit will be hosting the following events:

Alexa Hampton "Decades of Design"
Sunday, April 18th

7:30 am-9:00 am

WithIt Education Breakfast

IHFC Green Wing 11th Floor, International Ballroom. RSVP

More Info Register

WithIt Trends/Competitive Intelligence

Monday, April 19th

6:00 PM-8:30 PM

Industry experts explore the hits and misses of market during this interactive session.

Palliser Showroom, 220 Elm, Suite 400

More Info Register

WithIt Student Mentoring Day

Wednesday, April 21st

8:30 am-11:30 am

Experience Needed - Volunteer to Mentor

contact organizer More Info

2010 New York Design Tour
May 15-17, 2010
6:00 PM
Special "INSIDE DESIGN" tour of New York city.

More Info Register

Withit 2010 Professional Conference
Charlotte

August 17-19, 2010

Our biggest event where we gather for our annual education conference covering specific topics of timely interest based on surveys and current events. It is also the celebration of WOW (Women of Withit) Awards Night. Conference brochure here for details. I will be writing a follow up post to discuss our inspiring theme for 2010. Don't forget to send in your WOW nominations . Deadline April 1st for the following award categories:

LEGACY AWARD: For a woman of achievement who has made significant lifetime contributions to the home and furnishings industries.

MENTORING AWARD: For an executive or organization that has fostered advocacy, development or promotion of women in their company.

EDUCATION AWARD: For an executive or company which has developed programs to educate associates, retailers or consumers about home and furnishings.

FUTURE LEADER AWARD: For a woman 40 or under who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and the potential to become an industry leader.

We are an international organization but have regional

groups and events enabling us to get together from time to time

such as this one coming up in 2 weeks:

Libby Langdon star of HGTV's "Small Space, Big Style"

Wednesday, March 31st
6:30 pm-7:30 pm
Libby's Wild and Wacky Path into the World of Interior Design
High Point University, Phillips Hall
Presentation and book signing
More Info Register

Snapshots from NY Design Tour 2009

Cocktails w/ Benjamin Bradley & David Thiergartner

David Thiergartner, Betty Lyn Eller, Jana Platina Phipps

Cameron Cook, Benjamin Bradley, Sara Lyke

---?---, Rebecca Miller, Jena Hall

Jane Matteson, Leslie Newby

Joan Franken, Melissa Galt, Maura Murphy

Mary Frye, Debbie Klein

Carol Gregg, Liz O'Brien at River Cafe