My poor poppy plant was overshadowed by the rhododendron this year, but it still made a fantastic show for a few days
Last weekend was the end of the peonies. 
Archive for the ‘at home’ Category
in bloom: poppies
June 11, 2010return to shangri la
May 29, 2010If you were fabulously rich and could own a home anywhere, where would you build your dream house? I’m not sure of my own answer, but let’s talk about Doris Duke, since in her case this was not a hypothetical question. Sole heir to the Duke tobacco fortune, this reclusive billionaire discovered Hawaii as she traveled the world on her honeymoon. After building Shangri La on the shore near Diamond Head in 1937, Duke spent the rest of her life conintually evolving her Hawaii home into a showcase for her Islamic art collection. The property is still under restoration, but was opened to the public a few years ago. Our trip in March was my second time on this escorted tour of the Shangri La house and grounds.
If you want to tour this house in person, you’ll want to get a reservation well in advance. There are only three tours a day and they often sell out. The tour begins at the Honolulu Academy of Art. As a sidebar, during my childhood summers I used to take drawing classes here and I have fond memories of camping out in the shaded courtyards to paint or draw. Museum admission is included in the price of the Shangri La tour!
Your tour ticket includes transportation to Shangri La. Ladies, when you board the bus, you’ll be greeted with one of these large hisbiscus flowers just to remind you that you’re about to visit a true tropical oasis. Our final destination is strikingly close to my family’s home near Diamond Head. We could have walked there, but I’m sure the Kahala neighbors wanted to cut down on parking issues and foot traffic in this exclusive oceanfront stretch.
Upon arriving we were split into 2 groups and left at this unassuming entrance. It’s decidedly unassuming and will leave you unprepared for the breathtaking entrance hall screen and courtyard on the other side of the front door. You’ll have to visit or take my word for it… I wish I had photos, but they do not allow interior photography!
So you’ll have to take the online tour to see the inside, but what a backyard! Need to dock your boat? Of course!? Duke had this little harbor blasted into the shoreline and when she wasn’t in residence, it became a popular swimming spot for locals…and still is, as you can see below..
What a killer view from the main house! Behind the pool is the Playhouse, with Diamond Head looming in the background.
On the lanai, here is just a taste Duke’s art collection that you will see throughout the interior of the house. In college I took an Islamic art and architecture class from Sussan Babaie and for a while I contemplated pursuing art history. That phase has passed, but I still love the colorful tile-work and complex geometric patterns.
A little floral breather…
Exterior view of Doris Duke’s bedroom.
And we’re back at the Academy of Art!
Grapefruits? Every time I see this photo I just love this fruit and floral arrangement! This vignette is right next to the covered outdoor seating at the museum restaurant. Need to fuel up before browsing the Academy collection? There’s lovely lunch menu and you don’t even have to leave the building.
in the mood
May 27, 2010Wow, this stopped me in my tracks! According to Wordpress, yesterday I hit my 200th post since starting this blog last fall. Thanks to all of you dear readers who check-in on my ramblings. I wish I had more time and photos to share with you!
Earlier this week I was oddly moved to enter a mood board into a online contest to update a home office. I’m not sure why, since I haven’t even contemplated decorating half the rooms Chez Dorney! I would even venture to say the biggest offender is my very own office, where I have piles of boxes, stacks of paper and a sum total of ZERO interior design effort.
This definitely isn’t my dream office line-up (below), but the task was Antro meets Coastal Living meets Restoration Hardware. This 2 hr exercise did teach me the benefit of having some vision assembled before going out to shop! 
1. Anthropologie: Beach Bucket Curtain 2. Restoration Hardware: Lorraine Chair 3. etsy: refurbished vintage electric fan 4. Pottery Barn: Brentwood Floor Lamp 5. Ballard Designs: Le Poeme Rug 6. Pottery Barn: Conservatory Lantern 7. Anthrpologie: Small Rope Magnifier 8. Crate and Barrel: Strut Work Table 9. Restoration Hardware: Madeline armchair 10. Anthropologie: Reassembled Mirror 11. Ballard Designs: Tuscan Bookcase 12. West Elm: Weathered Wood Hanging Strand
Since it’s still the month of my birthday, I have a discount at Anthropologie (how cute is that candle necklace they send in the mail!?) and I intend to use to spruce up some lucky room in our house!
not what i had in mind
May 21, 2010There some nice color in our front garden right now. The main show stealer is this peony from White Flower Farm. I thought I was buying a plant that would bloom with loads of pink frilly petals. Instead, a year later you can imagine my surprise when I ended up with these huge white flowers with bright yellow centers. After all that waiting…I was not pleased. Every year I’ve come to resent my mistake (and this peony plant) a little less. 
I do despise all the harsh shadows in this photo, but the only time I could get out there with my camera was first thing in the morning when the sun was raking down. Brent’s coming down to visit this weekend and there is some planting to be done. I wonder if he minds working in the dirt? He can hang on the deck. I wouldn’t do that to a house guest. It’ll be great to have a weekend at home, we’ve been traveling every weekend in May!
what’s blooming: chives
May 17, 2010This year there is no attempt at a garden. We’re giving up and not wasting our time since we’re hoping to reconfigure that area with some stairs into the backyard. We do have some herbs kicking around in container pots on the deck. It’s amazing even with sheer neglect, the chives are blooming. I couldn’t bear to snip them off for cooking, I’ve been waiting for the delicate purple flowers. Later this week when the rain stops, the peonies should be in their full glory.
cinqo
May 5, 2010No margaritas or Mexican food for us today. I did have to bring back a photo of the papel picado from our dining room last year. It puts me in a festive mood! I’ve been out of order and totally off-track with my blogging and photo editing. I’m hoping to get back to our Hawaii photos in the next week or so. This month we’ve got one more trip to NYC (I feel like I’m going every other weekend) and then a visit to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Portland, Maine. After that, I hope to stay put for the rest of the month! 
at home: with jane and lucy
April 27, 2010Some days I regret leaving my dLSR at home. Cara’s baby shower was one of those times, but I got a few shots of our phenomenal host Jane, at home in her Cobble Hill Brooklyn apartment. And here’s my favorite shot of the day: Jane’s hypoallergenic sweetheart of a dog, Lucy Gumdrop. As the story goes, Jane’s finance told her not to be a ‘greedy gumdrop’ while picking out her puppy-to-be… and the name stuck.
And let’s talk about Nespresso machines. This is the NYC second home I’ve visited with this luxe coffee maker and its jewel colored pods. What do you think of these single serving machines? I will say - these are the perfect bowls for a cappuccino!
at home: with michele & burke
April 5, 2010Once upon a time we had some really cool friends who lived close by in New Haven. They eventually outgrew life in Connecticut and packed up their card catalog and their cats and moved to Brooklyn. Last weekend, we visited their apartment in a Boerum Hill brownstone and I’d say that big city life is the perfect match for Michele and Burke.
You can’t tell from my photo, but that’s a whale pitcher by Jonathan Adler. I love how its ribbing complements the lines of the fireplace mantle.
As promised:
Their monster card catalog from the Yale Sterling Library.
One of their two cats: Kali, enjoying the warm spring sunshine.
konichiwa
February 22, 2010A trip to Japan? Not yet! President’s Day weekend, our first stop was the Mohr McPherson showroom in the South End of Boston. Our home still needs a lot of decorating help. There is a nicecollection of Asian furniture and wares (and it’s not all from Japan). We also took a quick peek at the clearance center in Alewife which has some low prices, but not nearly as impressive a selection our layout. We couldn’t decide on anything. MM isn’t an impulse shopping kind of place. We do have a few pieces in mind… We’ll have to start by measuring up our living room.
polar bear in our frigidaire
February 20, 2010I remember my mom reading me this Shel Silverstein poem. “There’s a Polar Bear In our Frigidaire– He likes it ’cause it’s cold in there.” Does anyone else remember it? As a young kid, I didn’t know what a Frigidaire was, I just assumed it was another name for a refrigerator! I had no idea it was a brand name. By now, you’re probably wondering what’s in this photo. It’s a fridge door and the lines of its design remind me of an mid-century automobile. We’ve got the stainless steel french-door model that’s currently in vogue, but it doesn’t have quite the same style as this Frigidaire! Yesterday, I read that Em and Pete are getting rid of this very energy-sucking beast in their basement. When I took the photo last September, I have to admit I wasn’t sure if it was still functioning! RIP Frigidaire!
