NOLA on my mind -- Zeitoun, Hazelnut and Robert Tannen

Sometimes things just come at you all at once. I've been meaning to write about some very cool jewelry designed by New Orleans artist and planner Robert Tannen.

I saw his work at the Lori Warner Gallery earlier this month. AND, he's the father of my friend Erica Tannen who carefully composes the e-list -- which encourages shopping and cultural visits along the CT shoreline. The shape is based on the traditional New Orleans shot gun house. Proceeds from the sale of the wooden shot gun house necklaces go to rebuilding the city. I like (love) the silver "block" necklaces (see below). Thanks to Kim Tyler for the photographs.

Then I heard that Tannen is collaborating with architect Frank Gehry on some new affordable housing for the city. Here is a model of the Modhouse.

Last night I finished reading Zeitoun Dave Eggers magnificent non-fiction account of the lives of Kathy and Abdulrahman Zeitoun during Katrina. Phew. This afternoon I see in T&C mag that Mad Men's Bryan Batt has a shop in NOLA called Hazelnut where he has a line of toile de Jouy based on the city's scenes. Check out this tray below.
NOLA, we're done for a while. Except I need something from Hazelnut. Anything.

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Categorizing PIECES -- Atlanta

I was admiring a very cool chandelier in the "what's hot" section of Elle Decor recently.

The store's url was listed and so I visited the Atlanta store Pieces. (Note: it is also a 1stdibs shop) Yes, the store has lots of cool stuff, but what I like about it is that it categorizes it's wares not just by function, but by color -- which is FUN! Am I obsessed? I'm rather like that with my collections, although I do shapes too. Time to get back to work!
Wonderful hand blown etched glass.
And a raincoat for my imaginary whippet Hermes.

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Joachim Froese Photography

Happened upon the work of Canadian born photographer Joachim Froese this morning. Wow!


At first I was drawn to his work because I like art/photography and just about anything else with insects on it. Except in my kitchen, little ants.

I particularly like his first Rhopography Series. It's about the decay of everyday items; in this case fruits and insects. Poking about his site I saw a series of photographs of book -- another favorite subject. It is called Portrait of My Mother and speaks volumes (not funny) about his last days with his mother. Below is an excerpt, and here is the whole link (http://tinyurl.com/5go4ub).

She always had been an avid reader and literature played an important part in both of our lives. I had previously often thought about a project involving her library and I soon embarked on the idea to photograph all her books, one after the other in one long row. It quickly became our joint project.
At first it made us talk about individual authors and about literature in general but towards her end she could only recognize the objects and family photos I placed amongst the books. While her life was coming to an end the row of books grew and grew. I photographed at night and during the day assembled the pictures on the computer at her bedside as she wanted me to continue with 'our' project until her last moment. After her death I finished the series until all her books were photographed in 'her' order.

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Too much Edith Wharton -- Never

I am flabbergasted. I have been reading a Wharton book in bed titled " A Son at the Front". It is so moving and about my favorite war (in terms of literature).

While in St Barts a couple of weeks back I bought a book of short stories by Wharton. She is so darn relevant that it shocks me. I wanted to grab the person next to me on the plane and read to her/him. How cool was she?????? It's my downstairs and in the car book.

The Mount, Edith Wharton's home in the Berkshires has been suffering from -- what do I know --bad financial management and a not-so-good economy. I hope they make it. She is a literary and decorative inspiration. I suppose I am a person of other eras.

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