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Dream Design Scheme: Doggy Décor

August 01, 2012

Whether keeping your décor scheme classic English country cottage or super-eclectic beach bungalow, infusing a little puppy love into your home has never been more popular. We’ve compiled a few pieces sure to suit every taste.

—CAIT ROHAN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATHY YL CHAN (MAISON 24 BANKS)

 

Mary Giuliani's Small Bites, Big Stories: Soiree to Honor the Summer Games

July 31, 2012

Ahh…another Olympic summer has arrived! Those five colored circles, country pride, Wheaties commercials (do they still make Wheaties anymore?), and memories of Olympic dreams past come to mind. Whether it was swimming, gymnastics, or running, who didn’t dream of taking home the gold?

My Olympic dream started in 1984 when I became obsessed with Mary Lou Retton and her “perfect 10” vault. I decided at the age of nine that I needed two things in my life: a gold medal and a hug from Béla Károlyi. I convinced my best friend Lauren Balkin to take Saturday gymnastics with me, cut my hair like Mary Lou (wasn’t hard…as I already had a Ralph Macchio ‘do going on), and told my parents that I needed to turn our basement into a gym because “I had to get to work.”

Come Fridays, I began my vigorous regiment in my basement with Lauren. Couch cushions on the floor to comfort our falls, Romanian music blaring as we pretended to be Little Olympians flipping, leaping, jumping, and always throwing our hand up at the end to the invisible judges.

Here’s the catch….we STUNK. Neither of us could barely do a cartwheel but with Waiting for Guffman-like determination, I truly believed that she and I would be standing side by side like Nadia Comăneci and Mary Lou.

After our intensive Olympic training workouts (about 45 minutes running around my basement) we would run upstairs and make food. This was the only part of training where we excelled. English muffin pizza in the toaster and Crystal Light iced tea: lunch of champions.

This was the build-up to Saturdays spent at gymnastics class. My mother loves to tell the story about when she picked us up after our very FIRST class and I burst into tears. When she asked what was wrong, I tearfully responded, “I’m just going to miss you and Daddy so much when I have to go to the Olympics.”

A grilled cheese sandwich and a chocolate milkshake (another lunch of champions) would wash away my tears.

And while Lauren and I never saw that Olympic Gold, we did cultivate a fond appreciation for comfort foods. So, this Olympic party will salute the failed Olympian in all of us!

As my mother told us in that booth at Friendly’s: it doesn’t matter if you get there; it matters that you wanted to go in the first place. For this, I salute you all with a mini pizza and a few grilled cheeses…one hand held high!

Happy Olympics!

—MARY GIULIANI

Mary and her husband Ryan launched marygiuliani.com in 2005, based on their shared love of entertaining, food, and hospitality. The figurehead of the company, Mary creates parties and mingles with the absolute crème de la crème of the Hollywood and fashion scenes. Her clients look to her to break the traditions of entertaining norms and to provide them with party ideas that are one of a kind, out of the box, playful experiences.

Her schedule is jam packed from morning to night when she’s on the party circuit. Mary is the exclusive caterer for J. CREW, Madewell, and Christie’s. Her client roster includes: The Rolling Stones, Bradley Cooper, Sheryl Crow, Natalie Portman, Sephora, Conde Nast, Hearst, Time Inc., Stella McCartney, Warner Brothers, Universal Pictures, and many more. In 2011, Mary executed 27 events in one evening across Manhattan for Vogue’s Fashion’s Night out and her company produces over 600 events a year. Biz Bash also honored her as “Caterer of the Year” in 2011. Follow Mary on Twitter: @mary_giuliani

 

My South Fork Favorites: Louis Marra of Maison 24

July 30, 2012

Maison 24 (2424 Montauk Hwy., Bridgehampton, 537-2488) doesn’t just sell funky home décor and lifestyle items—walking into the Main Street shop is like happening upon the carefully curated home of a person who loves Lucite, pops of color, and everything eclectic. One-half of the brother-sister duo behind the shop, Louis Marra shares the same well-edited mantra when it comes to choosing favorite spots in the East End. Here are some of his musts:

Favorite Restaurant – I love Almond (1 Ocean Road, Bridgehampton, 537-5665). Everyone should try the jumbo shrimp cocktail (the best in the Hamptons!) and one of Eric's house-made Cosmopolitans. It’s the perfect fare for a warm summer night.
 
Favorite Nightlife – I’m a fan of late night at Phao (29 Main St., Sag Harbor, 725-0101) when the restaurant transforms into a small club with a DJ and a really fun crowd.

Favorite Event of the Summer – The annual Hamptons Tea Dance is always a fun party! This year it was hosted by DJ Lady Bunny and ticket sales benefited the Empire State Pride Agenda so it was a great to party for a good cause!

Favorite Place to Shop – My favorite places to shop are the stores in the Hamptons that are the same as when I was a kid: all the local farm stands, the kite shop in Sag Harbor, the fudge shop in Southampton, and the kitschy souvenir shops in Montauk.

Favorite Best-Kept Secret – If I told you then it wouldn't be a secret anymore—but let's just say there is a general store somewhere between East Hampton and Amagansett that has the most delicious fried chicken ever. You'll need to figure out the rest.

—LOUIS MARRA

 

Weekend Entertainer: Unbreakable Pieces for Your Next Pool Party

July 27, 2012

Nothing kills a party mood quicker than the sound of a tray of glasses shattering on the floor of your poolside fête. Save your favorite crystal and china for indoor soirees and choose from an array of stylish, unbreakable substitutes that won't be crashing your next alfresco summer party. 

—BARBARA PAGE GLATT

Hampton Hostess, a lifestyle blog by interior designer Barbara Page Glatt, explores the latest in home design, travel, and entertaining, with a specific focus on the Hamptons. Stay tuned for Barbara's weekly blogs on décor, entertaining, and more in the Hamptons.

 

Add a Splash of Ikat to Your Abode

July 27, 2012

Skyline chair, Joss & Main ($346)

“An ikat pattern adds worldliness and character,” explains Christina Murphy of Christina Murphy Interiors, whose projects include homes in Southampton and Sag Harbor, as well as Greg Blatt’s East Hampton abode. Vibrant, colorful ikats can also “add a little punch of color,” bringing liveliness to the traditional Hamptons décor and white walls.

For this spirited pop, Murphy especially likes the upholstered ikat armless wingback chair, available on the new members-only home décor retail site Joss & Main, which holds meticulously curated sale events. “The bright pink adds a playfulness that feels like summer in the Hamptons,” explains the designer.

Beyond hue, the shape of the lounger, with its clean lines and exclusion of traditional arms, creates a modern appeal that is balanced by the exotic pattern. “I think it would look best in a room that’s simple, especially all white, so it can be a cheerful focal point without competing with too many other patterns or colors,” says Murphy, who recommends pairing them in a living room or opposite a fireplace. The armless style also allows the chair to fit nicely in a corner to round out a guest bedroom. “The combination of modern and timeless always works in the Hamptons.”

—ALLISON POLSTER

 
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Brooke Shields
Cover shoot: Memorial Day 2013 issue of Hamptons magazine.
 
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