Saturdays with Hedy Lamarr #16

Decorating Styles

Mediterrean home decor style
This is the title of the geographical categories. This is a theme, has been with us for a long time to go their own habits that no longer seems to foreign.Authentic Mediterranean furniture and accessories, has become more and more strengthened and fuel interest in this fascinating style.

Italian Design & Furniture

The Samford Royal Estate

"NTABENI" Queensland
General Features
PRICE RANGE: Over $2.5 Million

• Property Type: House
• Bedrooms: 6
• Bathrooms: 4

Outdoor Features

• Garage: 5

Interesting name!
This estate is about half an hour from Brisbane city, northward.
I imagine it to be like a paradise!

Stunning architecture and gardens,
inside the home is a bit tired...

Beautiful stone surrounding the OFP, although the OFP looks a bit odd
(maybe colour? size?)

Bright kids area!

Snazzy bathroom...

beautiful views...

and the Master Plans...

AND here's what the Agent said about it!

NTABENI - Ultimate resort style living & luxury
Magnificent is truly an understatement. The epitome of contemporary style and supreme luxury, this superb abode caters for your family’s every need. With over 800 square metres of opulent living and entertaining, this sprawling eco-friendly home is positioned on 10,300sqm of fully fenced blue-chip land.

Delivering functional space within this resort like environment and characterised by the floor-to-ceiling Himalayan sandstone feature walls and pillars, expansive Italian tiled areas, classic neutral colour tones and exquisite furnishings, this mansion delivers luxurious living on a grand scale.

Positioned in a premium no through-traffic street within the exclusive Samford Royal Estate, this spectacular residence boasts an impressive street presence and will have you enjoying a protected position gazing toward the majestic House Mountain Range.

A short, pleasant stroll to the heart of Samford Village and its vibrant culinary options only adds to the appeal of this rare and privileged position as well as being only 25km to our ever vibrant CBD, 30km to Brisbane Airport and within easy access to bus and rail.

To fully understand the layout of this stunning property, please make use of our interactive floor plan.

Features include:
• 800+ sqm of luxury living & entertaining space

• Gourmet kitchen boasting induction cooktops, steam oven, integrated coffee machine, microwave
grill, Caesar stone bench tops and 2 x dishwashers - all complimented with a working/butlers pantry

• 3 Bathrooms, each with sandstone feature walls and his and her vanity units

• Home Theatre with enourmous 100 inch screen

• 5 x car garage + 2 x utility / storage rooms

• Boat/Float/Trailer space

• 5 x Queen + Size Bedrooms

• Private Master wing inc Retreat, WIR and Ensuite

• Commercial size laundry

• Home management office

• 4 x work station main office

• Pool house including a Tepanyaki Grill, Wood Fire Oven and Swim-Up Bar servicing the sparkling in-
ground pool

• Alfresco area inc wine storage & BBQ kitchen

• Separate guest wing comprising lounge, bath, patio, king bedroom / WIR and kitchenette

• Security system, ducted vacuum, Intercom

• Total - 6 Bed, 4 Bath, 4 Living Zones, 2 Outdoor Dining Areas and 5 Car Garaging

The residence offers an exceptionally rare opportunity, delivering living options of resort proportions that would leave even the most discerning buyer more than satisfied. Must be viewed to be truly appreciated!

WOW

Art I Love

The Grand Canal, Venice, 1835 by J.M.W. Turner

This painting makes me want to go to Venice.

Richa's home

When Richa Kapoor shared her home's pictures with me, I felt as if Mr. Blog has jumped off the blogger platform to live in a real home in California! Richa's home is like my blog's design dream come true. I absolutely love the eclectic combination of materials, forms, textures and colors from different parts of the world in her home. This home exudes a distinctive personality, and such warmth that I am in a good mind to join the crafty Mr. Blog for a personal visit to Richa's home :)

And this what Richa has to say about her design style and home:

I am an educator by profession but an artist in my fantasy life! My decor style (if i can claim any) is unrestrained ethnic! I say so 'cause I can rarely pass up an opportunity to acquire naive and folk art pieces - a roughly-hewn wooden bowl from West Africa or a fantastic-looking Oaxacan dragon find pride of place in my home. Though I  make these objets d' art work hard and rarely have pieces that are purely decorative. Lately I have become fond of postmodern pieces like kitschy, over-the-top platters and Andy Warhol pop art posters. Mostly, in putting together the home I share with my husband and our two daughters, I can say that I have tried to have fun!

Richa, thank you for sharing your gorgeous home with us!

Books. And a giveaway

Tara Books

Tara Books was started by Gita Wolf, initially as a publisher of children’s books. Now their catalogue has expanded to include art and design books for adults, beautiful stationery and posters, as well as a select list of fiction. The thing that immediately draws you to the books published by Tara is the rich visual appeal. Designed by Indian artisans and young designers, each book published by Tara is a collector's copy. And the best news...you can buy their products online! Shop here, and connect with Tara on Facebook to get updates on their latest releases.  

The Art of Book by Seagull Publishing

Seagull Publishing is an independent publishing house based in Calcutta with books in the area of contemporary fiction, philosophy, literature, drama, cinema, music and a selective list of literature in translation.
Seagull is celebrating 28 years in publishing this year, starting with an exhibition 'The Art of the Book' that celebrates Seagull's passion for good design through a recent series of digital collages and book covers created by their designer Sunandini Banerjee. 

You can buy prints from this exhibition here. And browse through the many books (India and UK site) and art prints available for sale online.

And, The Loaded Trunk Giveaway

Do you remember my post on Roni and her fabulously Loaded Trunk? Well, she is back with a fresh stock of treasures from all over the world, and is hosting giveaways on her site to celebrate her first year mark. Drop her a line and you just might be the lucky winner!

Music Montage - Wet Hot American Summer

YES.

HOW TO CHOOSE COLLEGE DORM BEDDING

GO HERE TO SEE MORE!


The summer has flown by with days at the beach a memory, how to choose college dorm bedding is what's on most teen girls' minds these days. With the exodus for college in full swing, for the next few weeks I’ll be up to my eye teeth in dorm room decorating projects.


Actually, after thinking about it just a minute I realize that I've been taking little else in the way of calls requesting decorating consultation since mid-summer and longer. You might be amazed to learn that some girls start bouncing around ideas for decorating dorm rooms right after they returned from spring break vacation. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at their enthusiasm since this is a teen girl’s first bedroom in her life as an adult and having the perfect set of girls college dorm bedding is very, very important.

As excited as the girls are about getting their rooms decorated, after spending several weeks shopping online and browsing in stores for looking for twin bedding, extra long (xl) twin sheet sets, pillows, and room accessories, I have a tip to share with you that will save you some time AND money thus the title of this post, How to choose college dorm bedding...get it?

Before you rush out to buy your dorm bedding and stuff you should consult with your roommate to see what color and style her comforter set is. It would be a raging disaster if you bought bedding that clashes like crazy with hers. Find out what color your roommate's things are and do your very best to be accommodating if she has already jumped the gun and made her purchase. MAYBE, just maybe you will get lucky and learn that she was waiting to find out what color your bedding set might be and you will get to pick first!

Saturdays with Hedy Lamarr #15

To Stretch or Not to Stretch

I apologize for the length of time between blog posts. I spent most of June traveling and have been busy with summer classes this past month. One of the places I went in June was to Philadelphia, PA, for the National Athletic Trainers Association annual meeting and symposium. I did a presentation on some of my ankle research and got to hear many presentations from leaders in our field. One of the talks was on stretching. There is debate in the scientific field and athletic community about the importance of stretching, when you should stretch, how much you should stretch, etc. The big questions are: does stretching improve or hinder performance, and what is the effect of stretching on injuries? I'll go through the questions now with my opinion and what was discussed at the conference.

1) What is the effect of stretching on performance? Most athletes do some type of stretching before practice or a game. There has been some debate in the literature about whether or not stretching right before a competition, especially one involving speed, will hinder performance. Basically, one theory is that stretching will make you slower. There is some evidence to support this, and some evidence that does not. The panel said that there is not enough evidence yet to support either theory, but that for most athletes, a dynamic stretching routine (one where the body is moving) is preferred over static (being still and holding a position) before practice or a game.

2) What is the effect of stretching on injuries? Another question is whether or not increasing flexibility will reduce or limit the potential for injuries. Again, there is not enough research to support the notion that increased flexibility will reduce the number of injuries. It has been established that you lose flexibility after an injury, and that regaining this flexibility is a key component of the rehabilitation program. It is also known that flexibility imbalances between the extremities, just like strength imbalances, may lead to injury. But, for example, there is no concrete evidence that says if you do not have this amount of hamstring flexibility, you are more prone to a hamstring strain.

So, to sum this up and give you my opinion, stretching and flexibility should be an important component of any exercise or rehabilitation routine. I think it is better to do more dynamic stretches before you exercise, practice, or compete, and static stretching should be done after a workout or if the goal is to increase range of motion. There is research to support that tight hamstrings and hip extensors can lead to low back pain, so it is essential to stretch these muscles. Until more research is conducted, the other questions cannot be answered.

One of my favorite real life couples. . .

David Bowie and ImanClassic couple, classicly beautiful.

Modern Bookcases

We've been struggling with the decision whether to buy an iPad or not. We are late adopter, or maybe even no adopter, type when it comes to technology. There is something about holding a book and flipping the pages that is really satisfying to us.

That is, until you want to carry ten books with you when you travel. And most of them are hardbacks. Times like that make us wonder if printed books are going the way of CDs, you know. Like, who buys CD anymore?

But as we were driving down the Melrose Design district the other day, this gorgeous bookcase from the Poliform showroom almost caused us to crash the car. It is STUNNING! It's huge and it's perfect if you have a loft with very tall ceiling.

We don't have the pricing information for this item, sorry. Poliform is very high-end and upscale, so it is probably really expensive. But, if you have a really good carpenter, it's probably really easy to build! And, wouldn't it be great as a room divider too? Just make sure your carpenter anchor it properly.

You see, there is always a place for books! Ipad or no Ipad.

To see more bookcases from Poliform, click here.

Water for Elephants - Book Review

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Water For Elephants was just what I wanted in a book right now: an easy read, fun, romantic, with a unique setting. Sara Gruen's research into the life of long forgotten train circuses and America in the 1930s was obviously extensive and the way she used her knowledge in the writing of the book was loving and playful and made me want to learn more about it. There were a few things that I looked up, curious to know if they were the author's invention or actual historical facts that she incorporated into her story. For example, I had never heard of "Jake Leg" before and commend her for revealing in the context of her book parts of American history that most people must be unfamiliar with. The characters were well drawn and the fictional Circus she created was completely believable. I loved the photographs that accompanied each chapter which added to the believablity of her story. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to immerse themselves in a good old fashioned yarn filled with romance and even a little danger.

Northanger Abbey - Book Review

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm not sure why this novel is considered the "lesser" of the Austen novels. It's brilliantly funny and contains wonderful satire of the gothic romance novels popular at the time and the silly games that suitors play with one another. Through the character of Isabella Thorpe, Austen reveals the damages that can come from a deceptively manipulative friendship. It is only when our heroine Catherine Morland becomes independent from Isabella's influence that she can realize that she wasn't a true friend at all.

I have great affection for Catherine Morland. It is true that she's the least intelligent of Austen's heroine's but that's because this is a true coming of age story. We get to see her journey from naive young girl, to an independent young women, through her profound life experiences. And Henry Tilney is a great hero because even when he is amused and befuddled by Catherine, he does everything he can spare her feelings and to lead her in the sensible direction. Plus he's really funny.

It has been years since I'd read this book and I forgot how many of Austen's best quotes come from it! Here are just a few:

"But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way."

"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love."

"I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible."

Catherine's thoughts on reading History:
"I read it a little as a duty, but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all – it is very tiresome: and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention. The speeches that are put into the heroes’ mouths, their thoughts and designs – the chief of all this must be invention, and invention is what delights me in other books."

And my all time favorite Austen quote, as spoke by the wonderful Henry Tilney:
"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel must be intolerably stupid."

Black and White Animal Print Bedding

A teen girl asked me this interesting question awhile ago, "How many kinds of black and white animal print bedding are there"? The subject came up when she said she would like an exotic black and white bedroom but did not want zebra print bedding.

It wasn't that she doesn't care for or has something against zebra stripes, she just said that too many of her friends had already bought zebra comforter sets and had decorated their rooms accordingly. She said that she wanted to do something more original and that's when I suggested one of the other animal prints.

It never really occurred to me to sit down and make a list of all the animal print fabrics that are available in black and white. But since she asked and I probably need to write them down for future reference, here we go!

There is giraffe print, cheetah print, leopard print and the aforementioned zebra print. OH and I suppose cow print would fall into this category, too. There may be more but if there are I have never had the pleasure of working with them.

If I can't come up with a set of black and white animal print bedding that will tickle this teen's fancy, I wonder how black and white peacock feather fabrics would do in a set of a teen girls bedding? It just doesn't get much more exotic than a peacock feather even if they are in a monochromatic image.

Saturdays with Hedy Lamarr #14

As I Walked Out One Evening

Painting of W.H. Auden by Kenneth Hari

As I Walked Out One Evening by W.H. Auden

As I walked out one evening,
Walking down Bristol Street,
The crowds upon the pavement
Were fields of harvest wheat.

And down by the brimming river
I heard a lover sing
Under an arch of the railway:
Love has no ending.

I'll love you, dear, I'll love you
Till China and Africa meet,
And the river jumps over the mountain
And the salmon sing in the street,

I'll love till the ocean
Is folded and hung up to dry
And the seven stars go squawking
Like geese about the sky.

The years shall run like rabbits,
For in my arms I hold
The Flower of the Ages,
And the first love of the world.

But all the clocks in the city
Began to whirr and chime:
O let not Time deceive you,
You cannot conquer Time.

In the burrows of the Nightmare
Where Justice naked is,
Time watches from the shadow
And coughs when you would kiss.

In headaches and in worry
Vaguely life leaks away,
And Time will have his fancy
Tomorrow or today.

Into many a green valley
Drifts the appalling snow;
Time breaks the threaded dances
And the diver's brilliant bow.

O plunge your hands in water,
Plunge them in up to the wrist;
Stare, stare in the basin
And wonder what you've missed.

The glacier knocks in the cupboard,
The desert sighs in the bed,
And the crack in the teacup opens
A lane to the land of the dead.

"Where the beggars raffle the banknotes
And the Giant is enchanting to Jack,
And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer,
And Jill goes down on her back.

O look, look in the mirror,
O look in your distress;
Life remains a blessing
Although you cannot bless.

O stand, stand at the window
As the tears scald and start;
You shall love your crooked neighbor
With all your crooked heart.

It was late, late in the evening,
The lovers they were gone;
The clocks had ceased their chiming,
And the deep river ran on.

MicMacs - My Review

I went to see the new Jean-Pierre Jeunet film, MicMacs, on Saturday expecting to love it, but I didn't.

Now I know Jeunet is not for everyone. Some people get annoyed with his quirky characters and the complicated plotlines he puts them through, but I usually love it. Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain is one of my all time favorite films, I saw it six times in the theater when it originally came out because I kept taking people to see it!

MicMacs had the same quirky characters and complicated plotline but it all felt rushed and almost like Jeanet was just going through the motions. It's as if he was trying to give us what is expected of him, but without the passion and heart of some of his other films. The characters weren't as deeply drawn as they needed to be. They didn't feel connected to one another, so how was I supposed to feel connected to them?

I left the theater feeling disappointed. So last night I rewatched Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain to lift my spirits. I hope with his next film, Jeanet can get back on track. I think he needs to break free from the box he has put himself in and do something radically different. As long as he still expresses his passion and heart, it should be wonderful.

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And dream - browse away

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