Just a little reminder that the La Dolce Vita 2nd Anniversary Tolani Scarf Giveaway ends tonight at midnight! Click here for the details and to enter if you haven't already done so. Good luck!Sunday, July 12, 2009
The 2nd Anniversary Giveaway Ends Tonight!
Just a little reminder that the La Dolce Vita 2nd Anniversary Tolani Scarf Giveaway ends tonight at midnight! Click here for the details and to enter if you haven't already done so. Good luck!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Fabulous Room Friday 07.10.09
This week, I am totally loving this gorgeous veranda by Michaela Scherrer. Not only is the architecture of the home itself beautiful (check out the door and arched windows), but the furniture and accessories suit it perfectly. I am not sure where this home is located, but I would imagine it is somewhere in Europe. Both the architecture and aesthetic are very European to me. There is a very relaxed elegance conducive to mornings with an espresso and a good book and evenings with good friends and great wine.
I love this gorgeous arched window as well as the muted color palette on the veranda. The lamp and tulip tables are quite stylish.
An Alternate Look at the Same Area of the Veranda
I normally wouldn't go for rumpled, wrinkled linens, but I think they kind of work in this room. It's outdoors, it's very casual, and is an ideal place for taking a nap.Thursday, July 9, 2009
Kansas City Trip: Day 3
Our last day in Kansas City was pretty laid back. We went to Jack Stack's for lunch, where we sampled some of Kansas City's best barbecue. Afterwards, we went to the Crown Center, drove around for a little while, hit golf balls at the driving range, had dinner, then watched a fireworks show. All in all, we had a great time in a fabulous city with our wonderful hosts!
A close-up of the cool chandeliers at Jack Stack. They are made of old lanterns. The restaurant itself is housed in an old freight warehouse right behind Union Station.
Massive Portions
Cool Bridge Behind Union Station
I love all of the old warehouses in this area. They are so interesting! There was an architectural salvage place down there that I will have to check out the next time we are in Kansas City. It looked really cool, but they were closed for the holiday.I hope you have enjoyed reading about our trip to Kansas City. If you have never been, it is definitely worth a weekend trip!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
La Dolce Vita's 2nd Anniversary Giveaway!
La Dolce Vita is turning two on Sunday, July 12th and in order to thank my readers for their loyalty, I have teamed up with the fabulous gals at Chickdowntown.com (home of brands like ABS Clothing, Cynthia Vincent, Balmain, and Siwy among many others) to bring you another Tolani scarf giveaway! I gave away a Tolani scarf in May and the response was incredible! I figured you might like another chance to win one of these gorgeous scarves that have been spotted on celebs like Jessica Alba, Sienna Miller, Halle Berry, Ashley Olsen, and Lauren Conrad to name a few. The winner will be able to choose their favorite scarf from the fantastic Tolani selection on Chickdowntown.com.
If you'd like to keep up with the latest from Chickdowntown.com, you can follow the founder, Amy on Twitter and sign up for their Facebook Fan Page.
To enter the contest:
1. Visit Chickdowntown.com's Tolani scarf page to choose your favorite.
2. Then, leave a comment stating which style is your favorite. Be sure to include a valid e-mail address so that we can contact you if you should win. Do not worry; your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose!
3. Stay in touch! Scroll to the bottom right-hand side of this blog and become a follower of La Dolce Vita on Blogger, Facebook, or Twitter.
The winner will be selected using Random.org on Monday, July 13th. Good luck!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Kansas City Trip: Day Two
Our second day in Kansas City was filled with lots of sightseeing and fun. We had lunch and then headed to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The gardens and architecture are stunning and the museum is home to some fantastic collections. We were quite impressed. Again, I was so pleasantly surprised by Kansas City!
The Bloch Building is a gorgeous space and houses the museum's collection of contemporary and abstract art.
Bertoia Chairs!
I thought this painting was so gorgeous and haunting.
Fabian and a horse he met along the way
The Nelson Atkins is home to a wonderful photography collection.
There was a great decorative arts exhibit, mostly filled with French and Italian antiques.
It is a shame that the lighting in this room was so dim as it made it pretty difficult to get a good picture. I thought this was incredible! A cloister from a 16th century monastery was brought over from France and is now part of the museum's European collection.
The Grounds at the Nelson-Atkins Museum
The gardens at the museum are filled with sculptures, including the famous shuttlecocks, which have become a K.C. landmark.
After the museum, we went over to Union Station.
It is another example of the beautiful architecture in this city.
I love this shot.
That evening, we went to a Kansas City Royals game. I am not into sports at all, so I could have just brought a book to read. :) It was a very cool experience, though. Their stadium is incredible and we were joined by several of Gissel's and Brian's friends, all of whom were super nice.
The place was packed! We made sure to get some Sheridan's custard right after the game. We enjoyed eating it while watching an awesome fireworks show that they have after every Friday night game.
The Bloch Building is a gorgeous space and houses the museum's collection of contemporary and abstract art.
Bertoia Chairs!
I thought this painting was so gorgeous and haunting.
Fabian and a horse he met along the way
The Nelson Atkins is home to a wonderful photography collection.
There was a great decorative arts exhibit, mostly filled with French and Italian antiques.
It is a shame that the lighting in this room was so dim as it made it pretty difficult to get a good picture. I thought this was incredible! A cloister from a 16th century monastery was brought over from France and is now part of the museum's European collection. 
The Grounds at the Nelson-Atkins Museum
The gardens at the museum are filled with sculptures, including the famous shuttlecocks, which have become a K.C. landmark.
After the museum, we went over to Union Station.
It is another example of the beautiful architecture in this city.
I love this shot.
That evening, we went to a Kansas City Royals game. I am not into sports at all, so I could have just brought a book to read. :) It was a very cool experience, though. Their stadium is incredible and we were joined by several of Gissel's and Brian's friends, all of whom were super nice.
The place was packed! We made sure to get some Sheridan's custard right after the game. We enjoyed eating it while watching an awesome fireworks show that they have after every Friday night game.
My sweet sister-in-law, Gissel and brother-in-law, Brian at the Royals Game
Personal Style, Defined: The City Sage
This week featured blogger for "Personal Style, Defined" is the fabulous Anne of The City Sage. Anne's gorgeous blog features interior design, fashion, and life in one of my favorite cities in the world, San Francisco.
Welcome to my kitchen! Let me give you the grand tour. When we moved into our apartment three months ago, I began work on this room almost immediately. Because we live in a rental my options for sprucing it up were limited, but I simply couldn't stand the dingy, cramped space that we discovered upon our arrival. My overall goal was to create a clean, neutral backdrop that would respect the original architecture and provide a versatile foundation for creative expression at a later date.
Painting is the fastest and most cost effective way to breathe new life in a space; here we painted every surface except the tile and the floor! A grey and white palette felt like a no-brainer. It's clean and soothing in a room that gets a lot of traffic. As well, I love the unusual architectural features of the kitchen--the building was constructed in 1926--and the colors highlight those gorgeous arches and moldings without overpowering them. The cupboards and trim are 'Wedding Veil', the walls are 'Sweet Innocence', and the ceiling is 'Marilyn's Dress', all by Benjamin Moore.
The next item of business was the complete lack of storage space and work surfaces. Open shelving and a butcher's table from Ikea have been absolute lifesavers in that department. Plus I finally have a spot to display my trusty Pillsbury Doughboy cookie jar! Another cheap fix was to switch out the old cupboard handles for shiny new ones.
I look forward to bringing in some patterned textiles with Roman shades (a draper's stripe, perhaps?) and covers for the chair cushions. I also have plans for a photo gallery on the wall overlooking our table and chairs. As well, the light bulbs are currently bare, so I'd like to find some period-inspired fixtures. For now, though, I'm happy to have a kitchen that is workable and welcoming!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Kansas City Trip: Day One
The Giralda Tower at Country Club Plaza is modeled after the original Giralda in Seville, Spain.
We're back! We had a fabulous time visiting Fabian's sister and brother-in-law in Kansas City. They showed us a great time and we were both very pleasantly surprised by Kansas City. I don't know what we were expecting, but it really exceeded our expectations. It is a very beautiful city filled with interesting architecture. I took 300 pictures in three days, so I will be summing up our trip in three separate blog posts.
Spanish Architecture at Country Club Plaza
I loved the zig zag pattern in the tile work on this dome.
Fabian and his sister, Gissel
Fabian and I enjoying the "City of Fountains"
Halls Department Store
Pretty Vignette at Halls
HallsI really liked this table.
Kansas City is home to Hallmark which was founded by the same people as Halls. They have a huge presence in the city.
One last shot of Halls
I loved this Spanish-inspired mural at the plaza, naturally!
Pretty Architecture
Gissel thinks this might be Russel Stover's house. This neighborhood is right down the street from Country Club Plaza is filled with the most gorgeous homes on the most incredible lots. I could have driven around stalking houses for hours, but my sister-in-law probably would have thought I was weird.
Gissel and her husband, Brian just purchased a new home a couple of months ago. It is really lovely and has a ton of cool features.
Their Living Room
Looking into the kitchen from the living room
Tate's cousins, Shadow and HersheyBe sure to check back tomorrow for Part II of our trip to Kansas City! It was my favorite day and included lots of great sightseeing and experiences.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Fabulous Room Friday 07.03.09
So far we are having a lovely time in Kansas City! It is much more beautiful than I was expecting and we are having so much fun with Fabian's sister and brother-in-law. Thanks to everyone who has given their recommendations for dining and sightseeing in KC. We are about to head over to the Nelson-Atkins Museum, but I thought I would leave you with a fabulous room to enjoy. I hope everyone has a fabulous Fourth of July weekend!This kitchen by Nathan Egan Interiors has been on my list of favorites for quite some time. I love the classic look and casual, elegant feel of the room as a whole. It would be fantastic at any time of the year, but it does have a very summery feel in my opinion.
A view into the kitchen from the family room. I love the demi-lune tables and demijohn lamps.
I love the abundance of light that pours through the gorgeous windows. I also love the seating used in this room. So pretty! 
Lovely Details
All images via Nathan Egan Interiors
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