Row 1 // The props table Row 2 // The team at work - and more porps! Row 3 // Cooper set up for an interview and our antelope table roaming the set... (coming soon!)

Follow along on Instagram for more! 

Have a great weekend!

August documented the trip though food photos (a favorite of ours) here’s what we were eating in China!
Top - These are just cucumbers, but very fresh and crunchy and artfully cut! Bottom - These are the most delicious mushrooms I have ever had...so good! They were cooked with chillies and ginger.
Top - Fried rice with some veggies, also yummy. Bottom - A tasty pork dish that Rachel enjoyed!

Shop the show house:

Batavia Pillow
Gate Pillow
Labyrinth Pillow
Chinoiserie Duvet

Or stop by Eclectic Living if you're in Louisville!

Next time you're in the Bay area - stop into GUMPS and say hello from us! 

(Pictures thanks to Photo Design by Odessa!)

Here are just a few instgram pics from around the city! (Follow me on instagram for more..!)

Row 1: A pair of Santa's browse for street art, The Botanical Gardens in full holiday colors. Row 2: Rockettes in the Christmas Extravaganza. Row 3: Skating at The Standard, our Christmas tree travels home via bicycle. Row 4: We start with the star, The Tree at Rockefeller Center. 

It was a blast. Thanks to all who came! Here are a few pictures from the night:

Congrats Bingka and Andrew, she is absolutely beautiful!

Here's Sabrina snuggled up in her brand new DwellStudio Swaddle Blanket!

Thank you Kelly & Violet! 

Shop the Shoot: 

Deco Bed>

Chinoiserie Bedding>

Orb Objet>

Papier-Mâché Animal Heads>

...and stay tuned to your email in-box tomorrow - we're announcing our biggest sale ever! (You don't want to miss this one!)

This Thanksgiving, I’ve been thinking so much about the physical accoutrements of entertaining – the placemats, the votives, the plates– but what about that intangible, all-important aspect of being a host AND a guest, the etiquette!

Etiquette might seem like an outdated concept, a throwback to white gloves and tea gowns. So what is modern etiquette? What rules should we remember to live by this Thanksgiving? 

I consulted some ultra-reliable sources, the Emily Post Institute (why not go straight to the Etiquette Queen?) and the English etiquette authority Debrett’s (and who knows more about etiquette than the English?), and came up with a few key tips for gracefully navigating the holiday party season. 

For the host:

- As a host, invite your guests at least a month in advance, longer for any guests who might be traveling (Whoops, missed that deadline!)

- In the invitation, make sure you’re clear about what kind of event it is – how formal or informal – so people don’t over- or under-dress.

- If people are staying with you, set a beginning and end for the visit, so there’s no misunderstanding or awkwardness. Three days is typically a good duration for a visit.

- Be as flexible as possible – Debrett’s says, “You must be infinitely accommodating”! If a guest asks to bring a friend and you have the room, you should try to include them! Similarly, if a guest has any dietary restrictions, do your best to accommodate them. 

For the guest:

- RSVP and do it promptly! If you’ve been invited as a family or with guests, let your host know exactly how many people will be coming. Don’t show up with uninvited guests. 

- According to Debrett’s, one must never reply via email to an invitation that wasn’t sent by email – in other words, a snail-mail invitation requires a snail-mail response, unless the invitation offers an email address as an RSVP option. (Not sure I follow this rule, though about half the invites I get are evites, so that might let me off the hook!)

- Offer to contribute to the meal, but follow your host’s lead. If you or your guests have special dietary restrictions, the Emily Post Institute recommends offering to bring a dish that meets those needs: “Grace is a vegetarian – I’d love to bring a delicious tofu dish if that’s OK with you.”

- Don’t be late! Respect your hosts’ effort and planning. And – a related tip – leave on time. Don’t overstay your welcome! - Offer to help clean up.

- Avoid controversial or painful subjects. As the Emily Post Institute says, “This is a day to be together in a spirit of generosity and thankfulness for all you do have. Let it be so.”

- Say thank you with a phone call or a note. Emily Post suggests a handwritten thank you note, but I never do that – is it OK to email your thank you??? 

This season I will make an attempt to write a physical thank you note to my hosts. I really do think nothing is better.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

I mean, look at these sweet faces - how can you help but smile?
Sidney and Marlo hamming it up on set (and charming us all...!)
A peek at the set up of our new Vintage Blossom bedding! 

Can't wait to share more! 

Welcome DwellBaby Ruby! 

Which pattern do you think we should get him to make next? 

The Touch & Feel Zoo sounds tres chic en francais, n'est pas? 

Here's one of Onna holding Parker, does it get any cuter? 
 

We are so excited to show you a sneak peek of the behind the scenes hand crafting of our new decorative animal heads. We have partnered with the amazing Aid to Artisans. Our animals are hand crafted in Haiti! When you put them on the wall they look good and you can feel good too.

Here's a look at the process: 

Check out the finished products here>

It's a great rainy-day project (we built ours durring Hurricane Irene!) and the kids had a blast decorating and moving in to their cardboard creation. 

Here's a peek at the process, check out Built By Kids for the full How To!

Thanks to Timothy and the Built By Kids team for including us! We can't wait for the next project! 

Our Customer Service Super-Star, Robby, stopped by the Go Burger truck last week, here's what he thought of his meal! 

Philly Burger: 8 oz sirloin burger on toasted sesame seed bun with melted provolone, peppers, onions and jalapeno peppers, served with a side of skinny fries.

The fries are truly perfect. The crispy-outside, soft-inside ideal that so few restaurants have perfected. The burger is expertly cooked, juicy without being pink inside, and the provolone cheese is fresh and creamy, countering the spiciness of the jalapeno peppers beautifully. The sesame bun was toasted to order, and that kind of attention to detail is impressive anywhere, and more impressive at a food truck. The onions get lost in the shuffle, but it’s a small quibble with a great burger. Also, they take credit cards! A food-truck first? Hopefully not the last. 

Luckily the storm passed though the city without doing any major damage... and most of us were even able to get back to work first thing Monday morning! 

Rachel made these fun stop-motion gifs with a cool iPhone app: Gif Shop! 

We're very excited that Gump's is bringing a modern and fresh look to their baby area, with DwellStudio's storage bins and layette.

In the fall I always admire the variety and beauty of the Christmas ornaments and the choice of toys under the tree! Lookout for DwellStudio's Fall 2011 Toys at Gump's this year - they are truly GREAT for babies and toddlers.

(photo by Kelsey Combe)

I'm not amused by babies acting like mini adults—in fact, I'm chastened. Because about five months ago baby heard me say "eBay" and repeated the word back at me several times in a row. Sort of cute but more disturbing because then I had to ask myself whether I talk about eBay too often. Probably.

The other day as I arrived at home, the UPS driver pulled up. Baby heard me talking to the delivery man from upstairs and when I went up and explained that I'd been waylaid by a delivery, baby's exact words were, sort of, "Go downstairs. See package."

So there. My sweet, innocent baby not only knows about eBay but he has also noticed the packages that inevitably follow some time on eBay.

I'm currently trying to address my online shopping addiction. Out of the mouths of babes, as they say.

Carson Kressley of Queer Eye! He gave our new kids bedding pattern, Unicorn, his stamp of approval!  

Here's a peek at a few pictures from the night - 

The DwellStudio decor collection on display!

Top: Adam and Bingka enjoying the evening, Bottom: Dwellites and the Modern-Twist team! 

Thank you to everyone who came out for the event (despite the downpours!) Stay tuned for more pictures, comming soon!

Top: Design Meets Real Life in the DwellStudio booth, Bottom Left: Cozy new Draper Stripe Throws, Bottom Right: Montgomery Side table from the NEW furniture collection!

A peek a our new wood toys - arriving this fall!

Top Right: Thistle Blossom Pillows, coming soon! Top Left: Haviland Bunching Table. Bottom: A pow-wow before the day kicks into full gear (with a backdrop of new rugs!)

Top: A few new accessories, Bottom Left: A peek at a new kids bedding pattern, coming this fall, Bottom Right: Zig-Zag rug, coming soon!!

We are very excited for the new collections! What do you think? Which do you want to see more of? 

We've noticed a new dining trend and we like it.  It seems several up-and-coming restauranteurs are beckoning those nostalgic memories of summer camp and implementing them in their decor and food.  We first noticed it with Ruschmeyers in Montauk, which has become a family destination for many of us...and then again, last night, I dined at the hottest new place in Williamsburg: Masten Lake.  

While Masten Lake might not have tee-pees and rope swings everywhere, it definitely has that lake-front, camp dining feel.  The food, however, far surpasses camp-grade-quality.  More on that in another post.

Clean simple lines - lots of white with painted wood gives that fresh, pickled feeling.

White painted benches with simple, rough wooden chairs and industrial tables - all with fresh-from-the-field flowers.

The bar (and cocktail list) is filled with garden-variety ingredients like okra...another trend we are loving.

Even the waitresses felt a little like camp counselors, as they took my 3 year old son around the corner to inspect a grasshopper that had been hanging out with them all day.  A little slice of camp in the city.

It's "behind-the-scene" day (s) here on the Studio Blog. We thought you guys would get a kick out of these shots (clearly) of the Architectural Digest shoot.... I am sure to embarrass Christiane....

With styling by the wonderful Erin Swift, hair and make-up by the fabulous Sara Glick and photography by some of our favorite photographers: Gentl & Hyers. 

Working on blackberries in between shots.

A shot in the making...

Furniture lined up, waiting its turn.

Intense discussion.

As always, keeping up with my Twitter.

I mostly think of Emporio as a cozy, dimly lit place perfect for chilly fall or winter nights. Turns out it’s perfect for hot summer days, too!

We started with a light, refreshing watermelon and tomato gazpacho with a dollop of crème fraiche, followed by great flash-fried artichoke salad with pecorino cheese.

The porchetta panini was simple and thoroughly satisfying, stuffed with juicy, fatty, seasoned pork on crispy bread. Delicious!

Robby says: the trick to delicious red velvet is: equal parts cocoa powder and white vinegar + vegetable oil (no butter). Apparently, if those strict ingredients are not held to, by definition it is not a true red velvet cake, it's just a chocolate cake with red dye.  They were amazing so I'd trust this guy.  Happy Friday!

To celebrate the exciting new arrivals we’ve been sharing our favorite summer drinks! Here are a few more to top off the week.
 
Bingka’s sipping on No-jitos this summer and Ainsley is enjoying sweet Sangria…

 
Our fearless leader Josh’s favorite is a classic margarita on the rocks, with salt. He says the best one he’s ever had was from Dave’s Grill in Montauk.
 

 
What is your favorite summer drink? Let us know!

A huge thank you to Mrs Lilien, we are thrilled to welcome her to the Studio Blog: 

 

 
Hot summer days call for cool bitter libations, which is why the Negroni is my favorite summer sensation. It's bright and packs a pretty big punch, it's the perfect thing to sip during a leisurely lunch. I love this rendition for its unexpected twists, if you're looking for a summer cocktail, this is one that cannot be missed!

Cheers!
 

Don’t forget to browse our new drinkware collection, any cocktail tastes better in a glimmering gold glass!  
 

(images via Oprah.com and In The Mix)
 

I love this drink, the mix of heat from the jalapeno plus a cooling cucumber all in one drink, with a salty rim, is one of my favorite combos.

(image and recipe via Gastro Chic)

And to celebrate the arrival of our sparkly new glasses, we’ll be sharing our favorite summer drink recipes for the rest of the week - we’re kicking things off with Ashley’s favorite, direct from Texas.

So sit back, relax and grab a glass, cheers! 

(image via Smitten Kitchen)

Designer Rachel, is reading Bad Marie by Marcy Dermansky and says it's a "quick, easy, light read that’s entertaining and perfect for the park or by the pool!"

Our Southwest Sales Manager, Ashley, is reading Remember Ben Clayton, by Stephen Harrington. (She says it's "so freaking good!") 

Our resident foodie, Sherry just finished The Great Night, by Chris Adrian, "A modern day Mid-Summer Night's Dream set in San Francisco alternates between a fantasy world and reality - a great escape book for an afternoon in the park!!"

Barbara, is reading Robopocalypse, by Daniel H. Wilson. Sherry just read it too and describes it as, "a fun post-apocalyptic technophobe sci-fi thriller that  makes me wonder how we'd really live without technology."

And our Receptionist, Ashley is on the third book of The Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay. 

Josh just finished Life, by Keith Richards, and Christiane is reading Just Kids by Patti Smith.  

Adam picked up David Byrne's Bicycle Diaries.

After seeing the gorgeous Woody Allen film Midnight in Paris...instead of hailing a cab to JFK and boarding a flight to Paris, Molly walked straight to her bookshelf at home and pulled out Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, "It’s been such a fun summer read...highly recommended."

Tell us! What's on your reading list this summer? 

 
What we need is a playroom organized like this one...

For a not-even-two-year-old, he's very good about cleaning up his toys, but sometimes one gets overlooked and lies in wait on the living room floor, catching me by surprise as I stroll by, barefoot as we're a no-shoes-in-the-house kind of family, and probably carrying a cup of coffee that I slosh all over the place as I reel from the agony of unexpected hard plastic under my feet. So we're looking for some toy storage solutions.

These guys are amazing but maybe more suitable for baby's room than our living room, where most of the toys live.

A friend suggested buying some vintage trunks for baby's toys which is romantic and lovely until I imagine baby accidentally locked inside said trunk. Plus trunks just make me think of Karl Lagerfeld on vacation. Husband has proposed something  more modern and space age but I'm struggling with spending thousands of dollars to store eighty bucks worth of plastic toys.

Given my track record for decorating decision making (we've been discussing reupholstering our dining room chairs since 2005) I probably won't come up with a stylish solution to this toy thing before baby is in college (or plumbing school—we're convinced that's the ideal profession, both lucrative and useful). So if you come over for dinner, um, watch your step.

The 10 ten things I love about France...

10. Butter

9. Baguette

8. Anything Hermes

7. The Burgundy Region (especially the DRC)

6. Couture

5. Cheese

4. Places des Voges

3. Hotel Meurice

2. Parisian Street Style – nobody does more with less

1. Fois Gras

Last week I was lucky enough to attend a great event  hosted by the lovely Moms and the City ladies featuring the amazing Pierre Dulaine and his students from the Dancing Classrooms program to celebrate the new book “Carla and Leo’s World of Dance” by Agatha Relota which introduces amazing traditional dances to children.

I was completely amazed how the dance transformed the children from kids into completely poised dancers worthy of a world-class stage. My daughter and son were transfixed.  We have read the book and tried the dances every morning since. It’s worth a read and the dances are absolutely worth a try.

The prop table and an art installation
Top: Paint swatches (how do you EVER choose!?) and the team reviewing shots; Bottom: Lights, camera action!

Christiane keeping up on her tweets. 

 Happy Friday! 

First, (as promised on twitter) our menu:

First Course: Roasted Baby Beets & Sugar Snap Peas with Shallot-Sherry Vinaigrette Baby Arugula and Pecorino Romano 

Main Course: Lemongrass-Poached Halibut with Red Quinoa and Ginger Jus Upland Cress and Citrus-Roasted Baby Carrots

Dessert: Malted Mousse with Milk Chocolate Sorbet and Sea Salt Flourless Chocolate Cake and Crisp Rice

Left to right: Andy Ackerman from CMOM, me, Belinda Chang, and Josh.

Our wine-glass filled dinner table with fresh peonies.

Chef Robb Garceau from Union Square Events overseeing his (very cute) sous chefs prepare our desert. 

Chef Garceau and the guys of Union Square Events....  

When Christiane was writing "Undecorate" I got to travel the country with her to all the amazing homes. Christiane and I were looking for amazing and stylish modern families. I think we both agree that as spectacular as the homes were,  it is the people we will always remember.

To all the moms across the country that inspired us this year. Happy Mothers Day.

 "I know this is cliche BUT... I would love to sleep in late (can anyone say 9:30 am!), have some breakfast in bed and enjoy a nice walk outside to enjoy the weather!"

Max and Rachel celebrating his first birthday. 

Here's another Studio Mom, Heidi, and her kids: 

Heidi's wish for Mother's Day is a day without fighting!

Happy Mother's Day to all our Studio Moms! 

What do you think of the custom "Madison"? Let us know....would you want one too…?

Top Left: Me, the Hostess Lela Rose, The Author and Chef Rachel Thebault.
Top Right: A gorgeous display of "Sweet Chic" treats.

Above: The beautiful book.

In honor of Mother's Day we want to know why your Mom is the coolest Mom in the World. Leave your reason as a comment and we'll enter you to win a signed copy of Christiane's new book: Undecorate.

We'll pick a winner Monday May 2nd! 

If you follow my twitter, you may have noticed last night the whole family was out partying it up at the Stella McCartney store on 14th Street.  They had a full-on bash with the new Lucky Kids team, celebrating the magazine, the new Stella Kids line, all benefitting Baby Buggy, an organization here in New York I love.  

We thought they were brave to allow kids to the party, but they were fully prepared with the most amazingly-talendted face painter EVER, an amazing balloon clown, a craft table, a photo booth, huge jars bursting with candy...clearly these guys know how to please a young audience. 

I snagged the card from the face painter and the balloon clown in case you need amazing people at your next party...

Face Painter: Faces by Derrick & Company

Clown: Polkadots the Clown

We are very excited to welcome the newest member of the DwellStudio family, baby Otto!

You know Otto's big brother, Tommy, from our catalogs. Welcome Otto! 

(Like Otto's birth announcement? You can order your own from Tiny Prints!) 

We have a lot of Moms around the office, and it is always so much fun to get the whole family involved in our catalog photo shoots.

Here's Carrie, her cute little boy Tommy and his baby-brother-to-be hanging out on set!

How cute are they? 

All the snow was a Jake favorite this year...

This year Jake also discovered his love for the cool cranberry bogs of Amagansett...

This is Jake's happy place - the ocean beach in Amagansett.  

Happy Birthday Old Man!

Our vote for Best Actor goes to the great Colin Firth for his performance in The King's Speech. 

We're giving the Supporting Actor win to Christian Bale in The Fighter. 

Miss Natalie Portman grabbed an overwhelming majority of our votes for the Best Actress win. 

And we're giving the Best Supporting Actress award to Amy Adams for The Fighter. 

Now, Best Picture was a very, VERY close race. The King's Speech barley inched ahead for the win. Black Swan and The Social Network tied for a close second. 

What do you think? Do you agree with our predictions? 

She's wearing a By Malene Birger top and Bally boots! Rachel, you are one stylish mama! 

Unfortunately, I had to miss all this Matchbook fabulousness in New York. My fantastic -and equally fabulous ( I met so many stylish West Coasters and I came home with some great inspiration) trip to the West Coast got in the way. However, my amazingly talented friend and Matchbook cover girl Lela Rose (super chic designer extraordinaire, super mom, amazing cook, worldclass entertainer, biking wonder, composter...I mean the list is way too long) was being feted - so I sent in team DwellStudio to document her night! Could she be any more gorgeous? And speaking of gorgeous...check out her place in Matchbook and this lovely piece in the NYTimes. I have had dinner at that table and it's out of this world....

 
Matchbook founders Katie Armour (top right) and Jane Lilly Warren (bottom left) (above) Coach Master Craftman hard at work...

Our lovely DwellGirls Nina and Crissie....

Cassandra LaValle and Bri Emery with Molly

Anne Sage talking to Sana of The Shade Store (top); Cassandra and Crystal Gentilello

Very, very yummy drinks by Embury Cocktails

A tasty spread of cheeses and a stunning chandelier at House of Brinson

 Make sure you check out Rue's 3rd issue if you haven't seen it- I think it's their best one yet! 

Several of us snapped pictures coming into work, we thought we'd share a few of our favorites.

These are all outside our office in SoHo- glad we didn't bike to work today! 

Some of us choose to brave the elements in boots that would make any outdoorsman proud: 

While others refuse to let  the sleet and snow interfere with their fashion:

Molly is ready for anything- with options for rain or snow.... 

What footwear do you choose in the winter? 

Happy Birthday Ladies!! 

After all our trips down south to NC, and all the blog posts about the amazing BBQ feasts we devoured, we realized the rest of the Studio was feeling a little left out. But that was nothing an impromptu holiday party catered by Dinosaur Bar-B-Que couldn't fix. 

Molly getting set up while Jake searches for the source of the meaty-goodness smell

Dig in!

What a spread! 

Jake patiently waiting for someone to drop a scrap- while Dwellites find creative ways to keep clean...

Delish. We're all ready for an afternoon nap--after we go back for seconds that is... 
 

Sidney is rocking our new Cars Pants while hanging out in the park with his big brother Benjamin. 

Our crew: from left to right: Bingka, Christiane, Adam, Molly

Alpha Workshops and NYCD did a great job with the decor...

Adam felt especially smitten with this guy.

Our glittery masks were a hit!

Bingka feeling peaceful.

Leaving the ball...heading down the street for yummy Mexican...the perfect way to end a fabulous night. 

We're getting our art projects on today, getting ready for the Alpha Workshops Masquerade Ball tonight at the New York Design Center.  A group of us are going - all the money earned at the event goes to Alpha Workshops, an amazing organization here in NYC.  If you're unfamiliar, make your self familar asap by browsing their website.

The theme is "Le Vrai et le Faux Chic" - celebrating the work of French artist George Goursat, otherwise known as SEM.  They are turning NYDC into turn of the century High Society Paris.  What could be better than that??  We'll post pics tomorrow, we promise!

PS - it's not too late to get tix, and you can also buy them at the door! Contact Barbara@alphaworkshops.org or show up (dressed to the nines!) tonight at NYDC at 7pm.

Gorgeous DwellStudio for Robert Allen fabrics in the window outside the showroom.

Hanging on the wall as you walk in...

Christiane tackling designers' questions and problems, one on one.

Philly - you're next....we're on our way as I type this post!

To fule my obsession with the Beekman Boys, Alex bought me "The Bucolic Plague" by Josh Kilmer-Purcell for our anniversary. It's a fabulously written memoir of how two city slickers make the transition into Old MacDonald farmers. It's full of stories of love, learning, mistakes, redemption and all things in between. Oh and GOATS! Lots and lots of goats! Be prepared to sit for a while- you wont be able to put the book down once you start it!

DAVE IS READING: Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville

Surprisingly funny for a Frenchmen writing in 1830.

and The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad

His descriptions of late nineteenth century London are strikingly modern.

SHERRY IS READING: On the Shortness of Life by Seneca

The real reason I'm reading this (besides the profound philosophical insights) is because it's part of the Penguin Great Ideas Series that have beautiful typography and gorgeous letterpressed covers. These are some of the simplest and loveliest book covers I've seen.

JODI IS READING: Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Just started Confederacy of Dunces. It's a cult classic of absurdist comedy. I've been told it's like reading a long continuous Monty Python skit.

CRISSIE IS READING: Advertising: Concept and Copy, Second Edition by George Felton

and Media Planning: A Practical Guide by Jim Surmanek

Both for school- class just started last night- so I haven't gotten into them yet. But I imagine they'll be best comprehended dressed in 1960s attire and drinking whisky while listening to the theme from Mad Men..

Aren't they adorable!? 

But even if it's just one guest - a bag-full is required.  Always. If you're in the hood, stop by and have one with us.

Little Max came to work with Rachel today and he was all business: modeling our 6 month size for our new layette line. Rachel swears she doesn't dress she and Max in the same outfits, but what you don't know is that she un-rolled his jeans for this photo so they weren't identical.  Sorry, Rachel - we're not buying it.

Check out our design department’s little garden. Nina is very excited to share these DIY pots. They are super fun and easy:

1. Take a simple aluminum can and punch holes in the bottom

2. Print out a lovely pattern on a piece of paper and glue it on.

3. Take discarded food container lids to use as the plant saucer.

That clever Nina...

Note - he got his birthday wish. We are doing this on a daily basis...at the end of the year we are going to tally the outfits and crown a Mr or Ms DwellStudio!

Herewith, our current reading list:

RACHEL IS READING: How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer



Rachel says: "This is an extremely fascinating book for those who like non-fiction. It's along the lines of Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, and gives you profound insight into the inner workings of your own mind. I'm learning so much about myself by reading this book, and I can't put it down! It will surprise you to learn the motivation and unconscious reasoning behind decision making."

ELIZABETH IS READING: Enduring Love by Ian McEwan

Elizabeth says: "If the balloon boy incident intrigued you, then you'll probably like the book I started reading this morning: "Enduring Love" by Ian McEwan.  The story centers around a tragic accident in which a young boy gets trapped in a balloon- but without all the creepy publicity stunt aspects of the real life balloon boy fiasco.  I've only gotten through the first chapter, but I'm hooked!"

NINA IS READING: Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl

Nina says: "I am reading Tender at the Bone, written by Ruth Reichl, the editor-in-chief of the now defunct Gourmet magazine. It's a memoir focused on her childhood and teenage years, and the different relationships she had with her family and friends, and of course, food. It's not written in a way that is food-centric though, and it had a great narrative quality- very comforting and entertaining at the same time- so I would recommend it to anyone!"

MOLLY (moi) IS READING: My Life in France by Julia Child

It's like candy...I can't believe it took me this long to read this book. I gave it to my mother last Christmas when the whole Julie & Julia craze was happening and of course she loved it.  Julia Child's hilarious exclamations are exactly like her "character" on television and her (incredibly naive) portrayal of the political landscape of the 1950's, along-side the story of how MTAOFC came to be make for a delicious read.

Rain or shine, it doesn't matter - he can't get in that door quickly enough.  There are a lot of places that kids love that aren't necessarily good for them, but any parent's dream is to take your kid to place they love and know that he or she is actually being educated, stimulated and challenged...and CMOM is this fairy-tale place. 

Since this isn't the first time you'll hear about CMOM from us, I won't bog you down with all the details - you can read all about how this magical place speaks to kids of ALL ages here. But I do want to call your attention to their director, who is being honored tomorrow night at the first CMOM Gala, which we were fortunate enough to be asked to help decorate.

Andy Ackerman is one of those true New York gems - we will have much more to report about Andy after we attend the Gala tomorrow night...but we want to publicly commend Andy for being so passionate about children; their education, their health, their creative inspiration and more. He has dedicated 20 years to this very worthy cause and it takes a very special person to have that kind of commitment.

DwellStudio's partnership with CMOM is only beginning - tomorrow night's Gala is somewhat of a kick-off to a much bigger campagin we are equally passionate about regarding children's sleep and their investment in their personal space.  We hope you'll all take a minute to read about them, possibly donate if you have the means.  And by all means...if you have kids and live in or visit NYC anytime soon - run, do not walk to CMOM for a day of serious fun and education for your kiddies!

More later about Andy, CMOM with party pics!

10AM: Jenna walked in the door, proudly announcing that her vintage trench coat, purchased for $4.00, was back from the steamstress and looks GOOD!  After a shortening of the arms, a little shaved off the length...she is thrilled with her new (old) spring jacket.

11:00AM - One of many many design meetings that occur throughout the day.  This one is to finalize a top-secret new product line we are introducing later this year.  Hm....

NOON: Rachel stops by with our first peek at Maximus!  She braved the subway ride to bring him down to Soho, after much begging from the entire office.  We're all so proud!

Check out our first ever baby and kids catalog.  Are you on our mailing list yet?  It's so inspiring and full of great design tips.  To get on our mailing list, make sure you sign up on our Request a Catalog Page. Happy decorating!

The amazing new Bon Ton concept store on 5 boulevard des Filles du Calvaire in the Marais – just steps from Merci – is beautiful. This is a large scale store in the same spirit as Colette and Merci – replete with a café, hair dresser, a home section, a toy section and, of course, the signature clothes. The building itself is lovely. It must have been a town house. The white interiors with fabulous moldings and what is clearly the de rigueur black trim are a gorgeous black drop for the very special clothing. My daughter was in heaven (my son was asleep) and my very discerning husband was impressed too. From the special hand-made dolls to the great selection of exclusive toys, It’s really worth a trip to this northern tip of the Marais. We walked away with a little of everything! 

A little home set up  - so inspiring for a little girl

 A fantasy nursery set up

 The very hip mint with copper dot landing

 sweet bird mobile

 Lovely space and light

I walked over to the design department this morning and it looks like their Pantone books have exploded yet again. I got the scoop - they are busy at work on our new baby and kids collection for next fall. I see a lot of great oranges, corals, greys and mint green...and oh, is that a mustard yellow? Can't wait to see the patterns these will fill in...

picture -getty image

I am having a very serious mommy moment.  My kids don't eat and it's been going on for so long.  You have to understand the severity of this...you see I am French Canadian and I take food seriously - I dream about it, plan around it and I love to eat and I love to cook.  I had a fantasy about motherhood that involved me standing in the kitchen in my apron (ok - it's a chic DwellStudio apron)  stirring simmering pots of delicious home cooked local organic food with my kids smiling on  - their small hands holding out plates in anticipation of my wonderful  meal. They don't want anything.....There is no hiding veggies under spaghetti or any of those tricks...They are on to me and that just does not fly at our house.

My son will eat the following and only the following -

pizza - but if there is even a flake of dried oregano forget it.

waffles - but only Van's frozen and nothing else. Fresh waffles are apparently not waffles.

Grilled cheese with American cheese

French Fires

Vanilla Yogurt

Crackers

Goldfish

Pretzels

That is it!  Where am I going to hide the zucchini?

I will come clean and tell you that up until now I have been almost force feeding him vegetable baby food - because he seems to tolerate the consistency - but he's two and a half!

We are all going  to Europe next week and I am terrified of being away from my safety stock of food.

If you have tips, recipes or anything to help!  Let me know.  I will do anything....

First, I went to Sherry. As our resident foodie, I thought she would have some exceptional munchies. Found: 1 box Carr's crackers, 1 packet microwavable popcorn, 1 container Godiva Dark Chocolate Truffle cocoa, 1 box Yogi green tea.

My next stop: Nina's desk. Found: 1 box of Corn Flakes, 1 orange.

Next I went to Heidi's office. Found: 1 container sour Ice Breakers, 2 packets soy sauce, 3 mini candy bars, 1 package vanilla & cherry Tootsie rolls. 

As an aside, NYC schools were closed last week, so Heidi's daughter was here on Friday.  Check out the very professional looking signs she taped to mom's door:

Back on the trail, next is Jenna's office.  Found: 1 box Kavali crackers, 1 box Kamut flatbreads, 1 box dried apricots..and a lot more, but too much photograph. You can always count on a pregnant woman for good snacks.

And lastly, Josh, our President's, office...full disclosure, I did not do much snooping here for obvious {he's the big boss} reasons but thankfully Josh's snacks are always displayed front-and-center. Found: 1 container Archer Farms Peanut & Chocolate trail mix, 1 container Archer Farms roasted almonds, 1 container Gourmet Garage rocky mountain mix. Hm, nuts anyone?

What is your "go-to" snack for the middle of the day?

Maximus' first nap at home.

"Hi CL!  I hope things are good with you and at the office.  Things are good here with little Maximus - he is great but it is definitely exhausting!! I wanted to ask you about a book you told me about a month or so ago. I think it was healthy sleep habits happy child, was that the name? I wanted to order it and try to get Maximus on a good sleeping pattern."

Maximus & daddy relaxing

I could write volumes on this topic...I am a Sleep Sargent! Rachel, we will get Maximus sleeping through the night by 3 months!  I promise. My advice? Baby steps...

1st: Order black out shades for his room from The Shade Store

2nd: Read The New Basics and Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child...and a little Gina Ford.

PS - Dr. Weissbluth, you are my god.

So, parents-who-have-successfully-sleep-trained-their-baby, what's your secret trick? 

Left: Carmen. Right: Molly. Dress: Rodarte for Target

Turns out...it’s Target Tuesday at DwellStudio.  We not only love working with Target -we all shop there too.  Today Molly (PR powerhouse) and Carmen (amazing designer) are both in identical Rodarte for Target dresses and I think they look fantastic.  This dress looks like couture.  Next time call me girls and I will get mine out too.

I'm sorry to say they are all sold out online but maybe you can find them in your local store!

We not only design baby products here at DwellStudio – we make a lot of babies too.  Congrats to Rachel Fresno, our production manager...she is being induced Monday!  Rachel is visibly nervous today – she is having her first – he weighs over 8 lbs – she maybe weighs 90...well we all know how it goes. She has been asking everyone who has had a baby for advice.  Jenna and I had this to offer her: get the epidural and get it fast. If any one out there has good advice for a first time inductee – Rachel is listening.... 

Good Luck Rachel and welcome to the world Dwellbaby Fresno!

Me at our photo shoot yesterday...trying to keep the nausea away.

I feel like I am walking around with a combination of mono and food poisoning....I can barely function. The second trimester cannot come fast enough.   It’s been 13 weeks already.... please relent your fury little growing embryo.  Here are some things that I have tried that have NOT helped.. 

·        Acupuncture

·        Magnets on my wrists

·        Sea sickness bands on my wrists.

·        Holding 2 fingers on the “nausea points” that are supposedly on my wrists.

·        B-6 supplements

·        Unisom

·        Ginger candies

And here are some tips that help me get through the day...

·        Plain Oatmeal in the morning – the good steel cut kind.

·        Lifesavers peppermint

·        Mary’s Gone Crackers

.        a ginger tea bag and a peppermint tea bag at the same time.

·        pop tarts toasted with butter

·        Starbucks passion fruit iced tea unsweetened.


Give us any tips that have worked for you!!

And a few more shots from the day...

Jonny setting up a shot.

The prop colleciton ready to go.

Vintage furniture waiting for their shots.

Yesterday a lovely (and very tall) reporter from BBC America, Caroline Hepker, came to get our CEO Joshua Young's take on how mid-sized businesses in the US are holding up in this economy.  Take a look at the clip here and listen for Josh on your local BBC radio station or watch him on BBC America. Unfortunately, the job report that came out today wasn't as hopeful as we would have liked. Here's hoping things get much much better in 2010.

Pre-interview chat.

Josh being interviewed.

The camera man went all over the office, filming us work...ever notice that it's difficult to work with a large camera man filming you?

As I was looking through everyones pictures from our holiday party I knew I had to share them with our readers.  This year we all crossed over the WIlliamsburg Bridge and headed to Brooklyn Bowl, a relatively new bowling alley/music venue/restaurant in Wiliamsburg, Brooklyn (also featured in the NY Times today).  The food is made by Blue Ribbon and can I just say that I believe their fried chicken can heal the world...  It really is the world's hippest bowling alley.

Our office split up into teams and competed to win prizes and glory. The pictures speak for themselves - enjoy!

Every morning my daughter and son wake me up and ask if we can do a project. I mean every morning... A project for them can be anything from making pancakes to dressing up but it usually means arts and crafts. I am always up for it if it means we can stave off the request for TV!  I usually have to execute this task before my morning coffee so it has to meet the following requirements – it’s easy, the elements of the project are around the house and the cleanup is not torturous (this is not only true of the projects but of just about everything in my life from cooking to entertaining to exercise -ok I never get a chance to exercise– make it great but make it easy too.)

We did this project again this morning and it was a hit - I call it the Cardboard Castle. Of course I like the minimal version – so chic – but the fun is in the decorating AND it’s great for play after. Turns out it’s perfect for cars, small animals and dolls.

All you need is:

1 cardboard box – any size will do

Scissors

Decorations – here your kids can do anything from stickers to paint.

Stickers and crayons = easy cleanup

Paint = not so easy cleanup

This morning we used glitter glue and acrylic jewels.

If you make a great one send us a pic!

Why didn’t I pull off a birth in Namibia? Are my allusions of taking my two kids on my work travels just a fantasy? Don’t get me wrong; I’ve traveled with Isabelle and William before, but they weren’t exactly the most Zen experiences – especially since somehow, we inevitably always end up in the very last row of the plane – yup, the one where the seats don’t recline – while the Jolie-Pitts undoubtedly fly private. So I was determined to harness my inner Angelina recently when I decided to take my three-year-old daughter away with me to Paris for a mixture of business and pleasure: our first Girls’ Weekend.

ISABELLE IN PARIS, PART UN: SETTLING IN

Confession: I’m a disciple of Marc Weissbluth (I highly, HIGHLY recommend his Healthy Sleeping Habits, Happy Baby) and have been practicing his sleep training for years. So the thought of catapulting my three-year-old daughter Isabelle into another time zone was perhaps the most terrifying part of our Parisian “Girls’ Weekend” together. What if she never got back on schedule (and in turn, I never sleep again)? I’m happy (well, ecstatic, frankly) to report that she was totally fine on the trip: after watching a little Dora on the iTouch.

Another mother in my office recommended this to me for travel – these little contraptions can be virtual lifesavers (at least it’s saved my life repeatedly). Sure, I could’ve bought one of those huge portable DVD players for the trip, but who wanted to schlep it along with the art supplies, snacks and stroller? Usually I’m ambivalent about the TV thing – but when traveling, all bets are off and I swear by its allure. There is no way one can do Montessori-inspired puzzles all the way to Paris (at least, I can’t!) Isabelle conked out so hard that I carried her off the plane, plopped her into her gate-checked stroller, rolled her into a cab and put her back into bed at our trip accommodations.

We stayed in a friend’s apartment (dubbed “Snowdrop” for its serene décor and location), which rents through a fantastic site called Guest Apartment Services (www.guestapartment.com). Renting a temporary place was more economical than a hotel and perfect for a toddler. Having our own kitchen was ideal – and yes, they did have Isabelle’s fave meal, chicken nuggets and frozen fries, at the Francprix around the corner!

No Joel Robuchon for her – there is only so much gastronomy a North American toddler is willing to try. I joke of course, but for all you moms out there who have only done Europe sans little ones, you’ll be relieved to hear that every restaurant has a Kids’ Menu shockingly akin to ours. So you’re not a failure if your child is not knocking back escargot and Steak Tartare – it’s all nuggets and frites over there, too!

Once Isabelle woke from her nap, we were off and running. Our first destination – a park, so that Isabelle could blow off some post-plane steam and get a taste of Paris’ gorgeous scenery. My park of choice – by way of Ile St Louis and Bertillon ice cream – is Place de Vosges.

This small, gorgeous destination gives one a breathtaking first taste of Parisian architecture, including the home of Victor Hugo, now open to the public (if you have a really, really well-behaved toddler). Even the sand box at Place de Vosges has a Hausmann-ian symmetry! Isabelle quickly made friends with the locals and seemed right at home. Now, with a nicely acclimatized, well-fed and happy toddler in tow, I could get down to the nitty-gritty: Shopping!