i need a new drink

For the past ten years or so, my "signature drink" has been a Stoli Dirty Martini. It started when I moved to Manhattan and was ready to abandon the Jim Beam and Coke that dominated my college years at the University of Virginia (I once referred to this concoction as a "sweet treat" and now the thought of it sets off a gag reflex). The first year or two that I lived in the city I toyed around with several drink options--Stoli O on the rocks was a popular first choice--until I finally settled on the Stoli Dirty Martini.  I think I originally chose Stoli because it sounds more sophisticated than something like Absolut, and I never abandoned it for the more "en vogue" vodkas Grey Goose or Belvedere.

The Stoli Dirty Martini served as the signature cocktail at our wedding, and anyone who knows me knows exactly what to order for me when we're out on the town. I was initially drawn to this idea of having a signature drink because I thought it somehow defined you and was something you could be remembered by (but as I get older, I'm not sure I want to hear anyone say "you know my Grandma...she's the one who drinks the dirty martinis"). So I need a new repertoire of drinks from which to choose, and what better time to re-invent myself than after the baby is born? Here are some fun options that I can work into my drink rotation:

The Dark 'n Stormy: I first had this drink at Bobby Flay's restaurant Bar Americain in New York. With just two simple ingredients--dark rum and ginger beer--it doesn't sound like much, but it packs a serious punch. And it's quite tasty, too!

The Mojito: It's Margarita's Cuban cousin--more refreshing and refined. It's been hot on the drink scene for a while now, but it's a still a great summer concoction that should be enjoyed with gusto.

Lychee on the Rocks: Last year while visiting a couple friends in New York, one of them presented me with a light, refreshing lychee-flavored cocktail that was sweet (but not too sweet) and not too strong. Although the liqueur only recently launched in the United States under the brand name Soho, it's been a staple in Asia for years, where my friend has traveled extensively. It's perfect poured straight from the bottle over ice.

Vodka Soda: Sometimes you need something reliable and simple (and easy going down). While it's not glamorous, it's not going out of style either. If you need an extra something, simply get creative with your vodka choices when ordering this old standby.

celebrity splash

It's still hot in Charlotte (heat index of 100+ degrees today), and it's only June 15th! While playing around on the Internet during my son's "Dora time" this evening, I came across a feature on Elle Decor's website that told me I'm not the only one who's been thinking about pools lately. Check out these celebrity splash pads that are definitely worth a look (photos from elledecor.com):

Urban Oasis: You won't believe it, but this pool is located in the backyard of fashion designer Cynthia Rowley's Manhattan townhouse. Talk about city escape...

Photographer: Roger Davies

Tropical Retreat: Ben Stiller and wife Christine Taylor enjoy a blooming tropical garden surrounding the pool of their Hollywood Hills home.

Photographer: Grey Crawford

Infinite View: There's no better way to enjoy an oceanfront view--like that of Cindy Crawford and husband Rande Gerber at their Malibu home--than while relaxing in an infinity pool (preferably with drink in hand).

Photographer: Simon Upton

Infinite Beauty: Of course, an infinity pool with a mountain view isn't too bad either. Fashion designer Elie Saab's weekend home near Beirut has incredible views of Lebanon's Sannine Mountain.

Photographer: Fernando Bengoechea

Simply Modern: Coach president and creative director Reed Krakoff and his wife lend a modern vibe to their Southampton pool and poolhouse, which reflects the 1970s style of the main house.

Photographer: Reed Krakoff

lovely little bungalow

photos courtesy of carolinahome.com

Five years ago I would have loved this house. Built in 1928 and located in Elizabeth, one of my favorite neighborhoods in Charlotte, it has all the character and charm you'd hope for in a lovely little bungalow. My son and I visited an open house here yesterday, and what would have drawn me to the house five years ago is what has me running in the opposite direction today: the hardwood floors in need of refinishing, the outdated kitchen and bathroom, the traditional nature of the house that's calling for me to set it apart by juxtaposing my modern decor. While I still find the home charming--and it is certainly ripe for renovations to be custom-tailored to my own design sense--I'm not feeling up to the challenge (and honestly, I'm looking for a little more closet space).

This house boasts the ubiquitous "rocking chair front porch," which is standard on most bungalows you see in Charlotte. When I first moved here, all I wanted was an adorable front porch. I pictured myself rocking the days away with a mint julep or some other southern cocktail in hand; however, I've grown to realize that people here don't really use their front porches. Perhaps it's because we aren't living in the 1950s or it's the simple lack of privacy that keeps people away from their porches, but I've decided a courtyard or amazing backyard space would be better suited for the outdoor living that is possible three seasons out of the year in Charlotte.

Inside, the "charming" living and dining rooms retain much of the home's original character with 9-foot ceilings, crown molding and worn (but nevertheless beautiful) hardwood floors.  Although I've been known to tear down crown molding and ebonize original hardwoods, the house has everything a girl moving to the south from New York City could dream of. But this girl has evolved over the past five years and is looking for something a little less traditional.

Although the smaller bedrooms don't scare me away, it's the tiny closets that snap me back into reality. I'm not asking for a separate changing room or walk-in-closet the size of my current home but a couple hanging racks and maybe some shelf space for shoes and a light...a light would be nice.

dive in

Summer in Charlotte is hot (to state the obvious). Temperatures have bounced around in the low- to mid-90s for the past few days, and the five day forecast promises more of the same. So today when it was too hot to play outside with my son--at least for someone who's eight months pregnant--I dreamt of owning our own pool and found inspiration in the following images from Architectural Digest:

Pool designed by landscape architect Mia Lehrer for actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her family.

Long Island residence of Michael and Carol Newman; architecture by Shelton, Mindel & Associates.

Homeowner Tony Chatman and his wife, Cyndi, renovated a lakefront property in Gainesville, Georgia that features the above saltwater pool.

In LA a 1950s house on the hills is given a new look by architect Paul Ashley of TempleHome.

Complete with poolhouse, the home of producer Joe Roth in Los Angeles.

In Kukio Bay, Hawaii, landscape architect David Tamura incorporated natural elements into his outdoor design.

found art

Images from www.paletydhp.pl/en

For my 30th birthday I hosted my own party in our backyard and hired a DJ complete with karaoke machine to commemorate the milestone (I even had t-shirts made and named the event Wheatstock so we could forever refer to it as such). The gift my husband gave me that year was an 8' x 8' patio. I know it sounds like a strange gift, but it turned out to be perfect for the event as it became a stage during renditions of Ice Ice Baby, Busta Move, I Love Rock and Roll and the like. Did I mention that my husband built the patio himself with pavers and a do-it-yourself book he purchased at the Home Depot? I was actually quite impressed with the result since I'd never seen this type of "handyman" work come from him.

The point of the above anecdote is that my husband's project led me to what I consider one of my more clever ideas (although it has yet to come to fruition). My husband brought the pavers home on a palette similar to those pictured above; thus, I saw a brilliant piece of "found art." I pictured hanging the palette on a huge, blank wall and imagined the conversation it would provoke. Of course, what I didn't realize was how incredibly heavy--and large--the palettes are, and I'm not sure our 60 year-old plaster walls could handle such a task. However, I haven't forgotten the idea and plan to find the perfect space for it in our next house.

By the way, I'm wearing a Wheatstock t-shirt as I write this. Remember Wheatstock? So great...

party crashers

My husband and I have a blast crashing parties. We did it before Vince Vaughan and Owen Wilson made it cool in Wedding Crashers, and it's one of our great bonding experiences. We joke that if there's free food and free booze we'll be there. It's been a while since our last crash, but tonight an opportunity fell into our laps, and we were able to bring our two year-old son along for the ride (my only regret is that my pregnant self was not able to partake in the boozing side of crashing).

While imagining our next home, I've been stalking two modern Charlotte websites. Recently one of the sites began teasing a mid-century modern jewel that was about to hit the market, so I've been keeping tabs on it. Tonight there was an open house: free food, cocktails and the chance to snoop around someone else's house.

Images from Mike Carroll Photography

While the 4,300 square foot home is ridiculously out of our price range (and almost twice the size of the box house I've been obsessing over) the open house did not disappoint. A brilliant showcase of everything you'd hope for in a mid-century home, the house features vaulted ceilings, post and beam construction, Nelson lighting and incredible walls of windows. The reason I was eager to see the house is not because I'm a total snoop and weirdo but because it's so different from most of the architecture in Charlotte. Besides, owning a mid-century home is another dream of mine--I'll call it Plan B in case things don't work out with the aforementioned box house.

On a side note: I've often ridiculed Americans and their incessant need to have everything bigger, but the 1,500 square foot master suite, which includes the above gallery, wouldn't be a bad place to wake up every morning. Did I mention 1,500 square feet is bigger than the house I live in now?

chicer than thou

I love my husband--you know what's coming next--but he's never been the best at choosing gifts for me. I can't really blame him. After all, how feasible is it to get into my ever-changing mind and figure out exactly what I want at any given moment? So a couple of years ago, I gave up on the dream of having him surprise me and started sending hints by ripping out blurbs from Sunday Styles or sending him links to articles or postings from daily candy. He got it, and now I get exactly what I want on any gift-giving occasion (within reason, of course).

For Mother's Day this year I received the book Decor Chic: Designing your Dream Home from Wreck to Ravishing by Robert and Cortney Novogratz. Having become obsessed with their show 9 by Design on Bravo!, it was the one and only thing on my list. While watching the show, I marveled at the Novogratz's flair and how incredibly cool their family is, and I couldn't wait to see more from this design duo who manage to stay grounded while raising seven children in New York City.

Some of my favorite images from the book are posted below.  Perhaps I see a little bit of my own design sense in their work--like the ability to mix old and new, high and low--or I'm just looking for similarities to validate my own crazy ideas.

There are two things I love about this picture: the bold use of color and--this will come as no surprise if you've been reading my blog lately--the Lucite chairs. Clear furniture will win me over every time, and the whole concept of white walls is growing on me as an option for showcasing furniture and artwork in a modern home setting.

Displaying family photographs interspersed with random artwork creates a great point of interest. I've started a similar grouping of photographs in our current home, and I love the inherent freedom and ever-changing nature that allows you to build upon the "story" over time. I also feel that having similar, but not matching, picture frames adds to the organic quality to keep it from becoming too stark or gallery-like.

At their country home, the Novogratzes have an in-ground trampoline. This was the first time I'd ever seen (or heard of) such a thing, and I think it's brilliant. I've already carved out a little space in our future yard to put one. I also like this picture because you see the yellow shutters on their white house. My husband thought I was a little cuckoo when I wanted to paint the front door (of our white house) yellow a couple years ago.  Not so crazy, I say.