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Venice Art Walk

Coming right up...love this year's tag line:

For two days, Venice becomes an art museum. Well, I'd argue we're pretty arty 365, but those two days are pretty amazing. This week (Thursday night) is the Art Happening event (which I coordinated last year, should be a great time), and my favorite part, the silent auction, will be Sunday 5/17.

Here's a list of all the artists presenting work in the silent auction. Pretty killer. I may need to buy myself a pre-baby push present...

Venice Art Walk & Auctions, May 17 - 18

Now open: Le Depot

One of my favorite furniture haunts in Venice, French 50s 60s by Michele Sommerlath, has been sadly shuttered since last summer as construction drags on...

Michele doesn't let a little thing like the loss of the primary address for her business slow her down, though. She's been running Galerie Sommerlath on Venice Boulevard for several months, and today announced the opening of yet another location, Le Depot, in Jefferson Blvd. (In case you haven't caught on - all of these addresses are in LA).

From Michele:

Originally we intended just to consolidate our many storage locations but soon after we stumbled upon this particular warehouse, we realized the potential of the space.  The plan quickly mushroomed into a floor to ceiling restoration and the result is the biggest showroom yet. 

Michele's specialty, no surprise, is mid-century French design, but I've found such a range of amazing finds with her, there's no end to her ability to find something unique and incredible (and fairly priced, I always find) to satisfy your modern sweet tooth.

Can't make the trip to LA? Visit online, too.

Le Depot, 4321 W. Jefferson Blvd., Culver City, CA - now open 12-5 Saturdays and by appointment
French 50s 60s, Abbot Kinney, Venice, CA (closed till summer 08 - we hope)
Galerie Sommerlath, 9608 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA

 

Counter stool update...

I'm done complaining and searching. The time has come to give my ever-growing belly (and rest of body) a place to sit in the kitchen.

So I bought the stools at Surfing Cowboys here in Venice (and yes, I got a good deal. Thanks, Donna!). They're fantastic. Photos of them in my new and improved kitchen coming soon. Woot!

Julius Shulman

While I'd love the 3-book set of Julius Shulman's photography from Taschen, I can't quite justify the $300 (or $270, Amazon-style).

What I can afford is to add to my small but growing collection of SoCal/Palm Springs photography books with this brand new tome filled with the famed architecture photographer's Palm Springs images.

I do enjoy an occasional trip to the desert as much as any Angeleno, but I find that the idea of Palm Springs is always more glamorous and aspirational than the actual visit.

The book features more than 60 different buildings, all presented in the iconic style Shulman has made famous.

Dream a little dream with me...

Julius Shulman: Palm Springs, $34.65, Amazon.com

Modern addiction

I just found this Flickr site via Craigslist. I know nothing of the person behind it, but s/he seems to sure get their hands on a lot of good vintage modern stuff and sell if for reasonable prices...worth a look.

Modern Addiction

Yellow-brown glass

I'm obsessed with it. A few manifestations of this obsession:

The Diod glass from Ikea also comes in red, white and smoked glass, but in my house it's yellow-brown all the way. These are great for juice, cocktails, sparkling water (which is all I seem to drink these days), whatever. Design is minimal and perfect; color is sort of sexy. Yes, sexy.

Diod glass, available in 4 colors, $1.99, Ikea

I might have to pick these tumblers up to mix in with my Diod glasses. They're fun and really well-priced at $25 for the set of four. They can replace the gorgeous bamboo patterned ones I bought (and have just about completely broken) from Surfing Cowboys.

Mid-century tumblers, $25 for 4, Retro Art Glass

Now that I've mentioned one of my favorite Venice haunts, I'll keep going. I guess I didn't realize how much my local shops have driven my yellow-brown obsession.

The vase shown at left is clear glass, but I have the same one, also from Turquoise LA, in my beloved color. It's vintage Italian (though it says unknown on the site, I've decided it's vintage Italian, anyhow), hand-blown, curvy and sturdy and gorgeous. Turquoise always seems to have a good selection of such things...see her current full selection here. Another one of my favorite glass vases came from French 50s 60s, yet another local favorite here in Venice.

Clear glass vase (others often available in green, gray, yellow-brown), $125, Turquoise-LA

The last one I'll show you is one I have my eyes on...a vintage Blenko cocktail set. Umm, I need this. It would look so so spectacular in my kitchen, on the "bar" (aka countertop), on the dining room table, set atop some cool tray in my living room, etc. A few of you reading this still owe me birthday gifts, don't you? You'd make me really, really happy...

Vintage yellow-brown Blen ko cocktail set, $95, Retro Art Glass

Update: It Isn't Lasting

That credenza is now at $202.50, less than 24 hours after I wrote the original post. With more than 4 days to go. Add it to your Watch List, though, I still think it will be a good deal. Though I've been wrong before...(damn you, Florida Supreme Court).

Well this won't last: Danish modern credenza

I know I just wrote about a Danish piece and I should mix it up, but this is a good one.

This from one of my favorite sellers on eBay. As I write this, the high bid is at $24.50. Still more than 5 days left, though; I'm sure it will go up significantly. But I'm often surprised. And this is such a great, small-ish size, 28" w x 24.5" h.

Perfect piece for that entryway, or hall, or small corner spot where you need something but can't figure out what? This might be it. And in L.A., so if you're here too, you can just pick it up = free shipping.

Danish modern credenza, bids started at $24, on eBay

Jonathan Adler Sale

P.S. Rugs aren't included, but there's a bunch of good stuff on serious discount at Jonathan Adler's online (and in-store) sale.

Shop good

This is an easy one for Do Good Donnerstag...

The Eco Gift Expo in Santa Monica this weekend has a lot of good things going for it.

1. The event itself is committed to being "zero waste;"
2. 10% of gross proceeds from the event will be donated to The Whole Planet Foundation and Global Green USA. That includes the admission fee of $10 (free for children under 12 and seniors). So just by showing up you're pitching in a buck.
3. The exhibitors are great, and in two ways. If you can get to the Expo itself, you'll be able to finish your holiday shopping (or in my case, pretty much start your shopping) with a clear conscience. And if you can't make it to the actual event at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium the online exhibitor list is a great resource for green shopping designers, etc.

I'll be there. Feeling slightly better than you for being such a good green citizen, of course.

ECO Gift Expo, Sat Dec 15 - Sun Dec 16, EcoGift.com