Rothko (peeko train...not)

Are you inspired by color? By art? By certain palettes?

ROTHKO: In 1954 he asked that his largest pictures be installed "so that they must be
first encountered at close quarters, so that the first experience is to be
within the picture." Since my pictures are large, colorful, and unframed, and
since museum walls are usually immense and formidable, there is the danger that the pictures relate themselves as decorative areas to the walls. This would be a distortion of their meaning, since the pictures are intimate and intense, and are the opposite of what is decorative; and have been painted in a scale of
normal living rather than an institutional scale. I have on occasion
successfully dealt with this problem by tending to crowd the show rather than
making it spare. By saturating the room with the feeling of the work, the walls
are defeated and the poignancy of each single work...become[s] more visible. I
also hang the largest pictures so that they must be first encountered at close
quarters, so that the first experience is to be within the picture. This may
well give the key to the observer of the ideal relationship between himself and the rest of the pictures. This one practically glows like an x-ray film.

Hmmmm "Opposite of decorative" yet so inspiring to the decorator. No one wants matching art work, the decor in a box look, but I think that when you have artists that light a fire in you, you find objects, fabrics and shapes that connect and create cohesive rooms.

Rothko's colors are saturated and intense. I saw them first hand at the National Gallery of Art. Huge canvases upon which color swatches blur...I'm a big fan. Like all the greats, Picasso specifically, the road to abstraction and "simplification" is littered with amazing early works, more classic but yet always fresh. The following composition really intrigues me, little figures vs. large architecture. Those painters, always playing with scale.

He also inspires more monochromatic decor ideas for me...thoughts? All decor via artful home.

Historic House Colors, hurray!

But first, an "anti-rant", SPRING IS COMING TO THE SAN JUANS!!! IT IS. It must! This silly spring snow and frigid temperatures are silly little weather whims...it can't last forever. Spring has just been delayed for the time being. Now then, onto our D.C. historical tour, isn't she lovely? Trimmed in sage and cinnamon?
Spring break...
Sorry about the Subaru..editing complications. The grey house looked so pretty with the pink blossoms.
Smart colors.
This one isn't merely here for the colors, I just loved the round window.

Not crazy about the rainbow roof, but main colors are bold and fun...wish I'd taken more.
This was the Fredrick Douglas house.


I'm off to Santa Fe...posting in advance...not escaping the weather just continuing the Spring Break.

Favorite Wish

This tree was filled with handwritten wishes...ahhh so sweet, right? My favorite one though was "I wish Yoko hadn't broken up the Beatles!"

Do you get enough iron?

When I was in D.C I was stuck by the public sculpture and ornamental ironwork.

This was my state of mind! I wanted to be everywhere and see everything...I f only I could have split myself among all the sites...

Love, love love this!

Simple and elegant, no?

ornate but balanced by such a substantial and weighty building.

This brick work would be nothin' much to look at without this ornamental iornwork.

Classic and lovely.

Dining in DC...stumbled upon this little delight

We ate outside on the patio in the still spring night air...it was divine. Especially since we left Colorado in a tiny, little blizzard this morning.

KRAMERBOOKS & AFTERWORDS CAFE

Let me just tempt you with these little beauties...

jumbo lump crab cake over sliced California avocado & seasonal tomato w/fresh asparagus red onion, seasonal greens drizzled w/evoo & balsamic reduction

½ New England lobster stuffed w/jumbo lump crabmeat brushed w/sweet butter & fired under the broiler/puréed butternut squash & Café mac & cheese corn & Lima bean succotash; grilled fresh asparagus

A book store and a great cafe with outdoor seating...how can you go wrong?

It's like a good friends waiting for us to arrive, every morsel beloved and remembered...

mmmm-delish.

Spring Green in DC

We loved Sweetgreen-

loved it! The Green concept wasn't just for show. Wind power, compostable packaging, bring back a bowl idea, bamboo seating, sustainable mission... The best part, though, was the wildflower lined menus that will sprout if you plant them!



We had their yogurt for dessert after going to Afterwords. I swear to you it was THE BEST frozen yogurt I have ever tasted...ever. It was tart and creamy, must have been those delicious little active live cultures. The toppings were perfect. 3 of any thing: fresh berries, nuts, choco chips, coconut, agave syrup, etc. I bought an extra serving, one with blueberries, mango and nuts for breakfast tomorrow. We have a cute little fridge/freezer in our room. I thought this was a brilliant idea...funny, I didn't get any other takers. Just you wait, they'll all want a bite tomorrow. It will be my AM case of brain freeze that will lure them in.

Design Note: The first thing that pops out when you walk into Sweetgreen is the color on the walls. The inexperienced home remodler type might be tempted to match this shade and paint his/her walls in the same paint color. DO NOT DO THIS! I beg you.

The reason the green works so well in this space is:

1. There is actually more white than green

2. The ceilings are huge and light is fantastic

3 The graphic wallpaper pattern eats up a lot of the impact of the color green

4. The wood tone balances the colors and the gaphic print.

If you love this green, accent with it. Use it for that one, two punch not coating your whole room. If you insist on painting all your walls this color, and you are not completely knocked over by the hypnotic, kryptonite like power of the paint, make sure that your wall art or furniture is large and can absorb some of the impact.

It has forces of good when used sparingly...pure evil when abused.

You have been warned. Enough said.

Final note: Our hotel has a great organic line of soaps and other body products. Love the look of the hole in the soap.

The Oprah/Washington DC Connection

My little girl is so excited about our trip to D.C. Her best friend recently returned from there and can't stop talking about seeing Dorothy's Ruby Red Slippers. See Oprah connection here. hint:She touched them.

Bestow's Modern Silhouette earrings (on sale) would look great with Monticello in the background. They are having an Obama inspired sale right now. 40% off and free shipping with the code : BSS09 It would look swell with the dress/coat too. Who's O's fave president? You guessed it!

Jaleo will be fun! I've been recording the chef's series called MADE IN SPAIN for a while...he makes me crazy with food lust. He made a soup once soup that made me want to weep with joy. He creates beautiful little still lifes in the bottom of the bowl with seeds of a cucumber and perfectly toasted croutons, drizzles a little olive oil and then, as a finale, brings a pitcher of a beautiful gazpacho down to flood the dish with tomato/pepper/garlic love.

The only connection here is that I watch Oprah too, love her. We have had a one sided TV fling for more than 20 years....can that be true?

We have reservations at Art's ART AND SOUL! Remember him? he was Oprah's chef for awhile. He's the one who insisted on calling her Ms. Winfrey while the rest of the world was on a first name basis with her.

I love Southern classics. My Mother is originally from Kentucky-she has relatives that to this day insist that a "salad" can include sausage and heavy cheese... so I think it will be a hit.

We're leaving this week...we'll see if I can post some interesting photos when I get there. If not interesting at least charming in all their amateur glory.

Washington DC .... help me Nancy!

Huevos anyone? Should I drag everyone to Perry's?

Elliott Teel Photo
We are going to Washington DC for spring break!!! I'm embarrassed to say I have never been there before. We have so much snow right now in Telluride and Ridgway that it's hard to believe there might be cherry blossoms only a short plane ride away. I miss the dahlias, the hydrangeas, the tulips, and the cherry blossoms the most since moving from Seattle...love being so close to skiing/hiking/here though.

A good friend of mine who is from D.C. suggested the following itinerary. It is a fantastic spring board. Too bad we can't get tickets to do the white house egg roll on Easter! We'll be bringing my Mom who is full of fun and curiosity and our sweet 6 year old...Scott and I might go out for one fancy schmancy dinner. We'll need to see the mall lit up at night...

Here's where you come in!
Where are the modern boutiques? The great furniture places? The funky shops? I'd love to hear your "musts"! PLEASE!!!!
M.'s recommendations:
Day 1
The Mall and the Smithsonian Museums (be sure to see the Natural History Museum)Korean War Memorial/Vietnam War Memorial Tidal Basin at the Jefferson Memorial (lined by the cherry blossoms)Eat at Tenh Penh or Michel Richard's Central?

Day 2 Breakfast at Eastern Market (Saturday morning) on Capital Hill Capitol and Library of CongressNational Archives The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Day 3 Spy Museum (http://www.spymuseum.org/)Lunch at Full Key (Chinatown) or Jaleo (right by the Spy Museum)Newseum (http://www.newseum.org/)

Day 4 Sunday drag queen brunch at Perry's in Adam's MorganNational Zoo and Dupont Circle. Don't know whether you want to see the Holocaust Museum (http://www.ushmm.org/)? Amazing, but definitely adult content.Also to fit in: shows at Folger Theater or National Theater.Neko Case (ALT country) is playing on the 9th at the 9:30 club. She's awesome. Not COUNTRY, COUNTRY, twang, twang.

This sounds like a good restaurant. Any one been?