We've been busy on the show front. We just finished the Avenue Show at the Park Avenue Armory here in New York, and it was a big success. We saw lots of old clients and met many new ones. Gus and Marcella did the fall show in Miami Beach, and also went to Annemette Clausen's in Lake Forest to do a private show. Our seed pearl evening bag that belonged to Florence Gould is in the “Notable and Notorious” exhibit at The Museum of the City of New York.
We want to mention a wonderful new book that's out, Paul Flato: Jeweler to the Stars by Elizabeth Irvine Bray. The first exhaustive book on Flato, this beautiful book contains photos from the family that were never before published. The photos of the jewelry are breathtaking, although I have to admit some prejudice as my beautiful brooch is on the back cover. His jewelry was beloved by the stars, and there are many pictures of them wearing his pieces. This book is a must for any serious jewelry collector.
We have Van Cleef and Arpels’ “Snowflake” earrings in the medium size. Approximately 7 carats of diamonds, set in platinum, these sparkly earrings. The Art Deco straight line bracelet of black onyx and diamonds is by Cartier. Then, there is a lovely platinum and diamond straight line bracelet by Wasilkoff. Set with approximately 12 carats of diamonds. The pretty Edwardian diamond Riviere necklace is set with about 20 carats of diamonds. For a splash of color, our 5.41 carat cushion cut pink sapphire ring, set in platinum with pave diamonds. Then we made two dressy cuff bracelets. One is in black crocodile with five diamonds, a total of 2.60 carats, set in 14k white gold bezels. One is in dove grey shagreen with a .70 carat diamond and dozens of bright red rubies set in white gold
This is a fabulous tiger’s eye and gold necklace by Bueche Girard.
Here, we have a very wearable 18k yellow gold and diamond necklace by Marina B. To its left is a great pair of 18k yellow gold earrings set with about 2 carats of diamonds in a leaf motif. To the right is a big ring, signed “Le Triomphe,” with green tourmaline baguettes and diamonds, set in 18k yellow gold.
We love purple, and have pulled some of out favorite pieces to feature here. We have a large, dramatic 18k gold and amethyst cross pendant on an 18k gold chain. It certainly makes a statement. Next, we have a lovely faceted amethyst bead necklace. Then, the piece de resistance is a lavender shagreen cuff, set with a yellow gold and carved amethyst flower brooch with diamond accent.
The gold rings have no purple, but yellow gold works so well with purple. One is designed as a ram’s head in 18k yellow gold. The other is a David Webb ring, also in 18k yellow gold.
We have no amethyst earrings at the moment, so we picked ones that would work. First, we have gold diamond and ruby flowers. Then we have gold chain circles. Then we have Faraone gold and emerald "scarabs". Lastly, we have a copy of my retro earrings in gold and diamonds. We made these and the originals are among my favorite earrings.
Zodiac pendants are always popular. This one with a chain is Capricorn and is signed by Cartier on both the pendant and the chain. Next we have a big Scorpio pendant with diamonds. We have a smaller Pisces. Eileen Aube made a series of zodiac pendants and we have two of her Scorpios in silver and gold.
More bracelets by the staff at CDB Ltd. Ashley and Marcella have been busy. The ebony cuff is set with beaded circlets of gold. The yellow gold and ebony cuff has pyramid shaped studs. The brown shagreen cuff has three gold bars. The wood bangle peaks at the center and is set with a gold wire. Lastly, we've got a wooden cuff with a little pearl Scottie with a ruby eye and a red enamel collar. Is he cute or what? As a stand alone brooch he'd be dinky, but on the cuff he's fabulous.
We are featuring wood and gold jewelry we designed this month and think it is terrific. The two cuffs were designed by Ashley in wood and 14k gold. One with stars and the other scallop edged. The two necklaces were designed by me and have 18k beads and clasps. Marcella thinks they'd be fabulous worn together, and I think she is right.
We just love these earrings that we bought yesterday. They are gold with mother of pearl and for pierced ears only. They hug the ears like a dream.
We have two fabulous Cartier evening bags this month. The first is an Art Deco one in black silk with coral, enamel and gold. Then we have my favorite, which is black velvet with tortoise. These are extravagances but lovely ones and less than a Birkin bag.
Deco rings galore! I have been designing several rings in the Deco style with wonderful French and baguette cut diamonds. The emerald cut ring below is surrounded by French cuts and accented with sapphires in the corners that really set off the center diamond. A client brought me their beautiful cushion cut sapphire and I designed this mounting for it. She wanted an elegant ring that she could wear possibly during the day but mostly at night. The architectural elements and the accents of color were combined to create truly unique and refined rings.
I scootered the other night to the Cipriani on 42nd Street, for the 2010 Americans for the Arts Arts National Arts Awards. Martha Ingram of Nashville was honored for philanthropy in the Arts, Herb Alpert for Contributions to the Arts, Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte as the Young Artist, and Angela Lansbury, The Lifetime Achievement Award. It was a very special evening to see Martha honored for all she has done in putting Nashville on the map with the wonderful Nashville Symphony. Needless to say, she has been a wonderful Chairman of the Board of Trust of Vanderbilt. By luck, I got to meet Angela Lansbury and she was as charming as one would expect. Two points: she is very tall and looks fabulous at 85. We should all be so lucky.
I scootered to the opening of LOOT, the exhibition and sale of jewelry at The Museum of Arts & Design (MAD) on October 21st. Alas it was open only until the 26th, but it was fabulous. It was mostly costume jewelry, but using all kinds of unexpected materials like telephone wire, feathers, etc. There was a focus on Dutch artists. This was a terrific show at MAD Museum and I love this museum.
I was scootering up Third Avenue on Saturday and came across a wonderful store at 75th Street called Sur la Table. It has all kinds of things for cooking and the home and I found great presents. I can't tell you what I bought as my sister reads the newsletter.
I made a little junket downtown to 6th Avenue and West 20th Street as everybody has been commenting on my room diffuser and I didn't know the scent. I went to Soapology in the Limelight marketplace and was told it is red bamboo. I got another one for the bedroom and it is luscious. The Limelight is fully open now with lots of restaurants and shops. Soapology's number is 212 359 5503, and they will ship.
Then I went over to Fifth Avenue, between 23rd and 24th Streets to visit EATALY, Mario Batali's homage to Italy. There are restaurants, food shops, book shops, food equipment shops, etc. I had some lovely pistachio gelato. My friend Marti got yummy pumpkin ravioli to go, and some of Mario's tomato sauce. Alas, my timing was off as the New York Times did a big write-up a few days later. They loved it and raved about the whole wheat pasta. My friend Christina loved the vegetarian restaurant as did the NYT. If the weather is nice, you can go to the Greenmarket at Union Square, along Broadway from 14th to 18th Streets on Saturday. It is open on a smaller scale on M/W/F and features all sorts of farm-fresh produce and food products from upstate New York, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut. Many top restaurants get their supplies here.
Kathy Grier recommended that I read Jenna Blum's Those Who Save Us and she was right. It is a heartbreaking story, set during World War II in Germany, featuring a young German woman and her little girl. The story jumps to the present where the daughter is a German professor, and is wondering who her father was. I read this book in the Kindle and loved it.
I had Little Bee by Chris Cleave on my Kindle for quite a while before reading it. It was published in February 2009, and has been on The New York Times paperback best seller list forever. It is the story of the friendship between a 16 year-old Nigerian girl and an English woman, and is disturbing and wonderful.
There were two books by old favorites to read this month. Charles Todd, the American mother/son team who write novels about World War I, came out with their second Bess Crawford book, An Impartial Witness. Bess accidentally sees a woman in a crowded London train station arguing passionately with an officer. She recognizes the woman because her husband has been a patient of Bess’s and carried her picture on the trip back to London. He had been badly burned and subsequently commits suicide after his wife is murdered later on the day that Bess saw her. Bess is dragged into the case by Scotland Yard, and I was totally flummoxed by the killer's identity. This is a good read.
I finally got Jo Nesbo’s fourth book in English, Snowman. I bought it through Amazon, but it came from a store in Virginia and was published in Canada. You have to work a bit sometimes to get your favorites. It features our favorite Inspector, Harry Hole, who encounters his first Scandanavian serial killer. Harry had been involved with a serial killer case in America but never at home. A woman is killed and a snowman is left in the yard. By going over other unsolved cases, Harry finds striking similarities and realizes he’s dealing with a killer who has operated over a long period of time. This book really grips you.
At the urging of Patty Gorelick, we recently saw Mao’s Last Dancer, which was playing at the Paris. If you miss it, you must rent it from Netflix. It is the story of a Chinese peasant who became a ballet dancer, and defected while he was performing with the Houston Ballet, and the Chinese wanted him to return. This is an exquisite movie.
I also saw The Social Network, and thoroughly enjoyed it. You don’t have much sympathy for anybody, although I rather liked Roberto. Mark Zuckerberg does not come across well.
I saw Hereafter , Clint Eastwood's new movie. It is three stories at the same time, one in French, so it is not easy to understand. It is with Matt Damon and a talented French actress called Cecile De France, who has wonderful hair. There is also a little boy who is very good. Wait and see this on Netflix.
PBS is presenting the second season of Wallander the series on Masterpiece Mystery based on the Kenning Mankell books. Kenneth Branagh is perfect as Kurt Wallander and we urge you to watch this series.
The second season of The Good Wife on Tuesday night reaffirms our contention that it is the best show on television.
I love bok choy. Apolonia, in our office, comes from Peru where there are lots of Japanese people. She steams bok choy and serves with a bit of soy sauce. It is delicious.
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