text:
"This one hurts."
This week Megan, Linda and I take on the August issue of HB – specifically, Bunny and Joe Nye. Be sure to listen and grab your copy of the magazine first, if you have one. If not, we've posted all the pictures for you. And shhh, don't tell Bunny about this one, ok? Thanks!
Go to www.skirtedroundtable.blogspot.com to listen.
AND – there's a winner in the Lavender Market giveaway: Aspirations of a Southern Housewife!!!! Claim your prize. Thank you everyone for entering and remember – you can still get a 15% discount at The Lavender Market during the month of August. Just use the code Cotetx7.
In the past decade, Swedish style has exploded on the interior design scene. It seems people in American can't get enough of the gray and creamy toned antique furniture, often mixed with cheery blue and white gingham fabrics and surrounded by exquisite gilt mirrors and crystal chandeliers. The look is so soothing and calm – perhaps its popularity is sought as an antidote to the frenetic lives we lead today surrounded by technology 24/7. There is something so relaxing about a Swedish interior – the cool colors, the quiet atmosphere, the subtle sparkle reflected from mirror to light fixture and back. Riding the wave of this much in-demand look is the team of Rhonda Eleish and Edie van Breems, two childhood friends, both of Swedish descent, who back in 1998 opened Eleish van Breems Antiques. Their shop, unlike any other, was first set in a charming 18th century house that the two had turned into a living Swedish home where everything just happened to be for sale. Located in Woodbury, Connecticut, their first location served them well for over eleven years, until success forced a move to a larger showroom, located in Washington Depot, Connecticut.
Rhonda Eleish and Edie van Breems – childhood friends, now shop owners, authors, and interior designers.
The two friends, whose Swedish antiques business was one of the first of this current trend, adored their 18th century house, but a need for more office space, showroom space, a reference library, and room for photo shoots forced their hand to sell. No matter - they are now happily ensconced in their new shop and things couldn't be better for Eleish van Breems. Besides their extensive collection of antiques, the pair sell a reproduction line of Swedish furniture made to their specifications back in the mother land. In addition, they can now show more modern Swedish furniture in their showroom. They also carry other furniture lines such as Chelsea Textiles. According to Edie, today over 50% of their business is conducted virtually, through their website and 1st Dibs, so a pure store front was no longer needed. The best part of their location is the view – overlooking pine trees and a rushing stream, the scene is reminiscent of the Swedish countryside. Moving to their new location last year has been liberating since they no longer have to run a storefront seven days a week, and this has produced a creative renaissance for the women who are energized by the new directions Eleish van Breems is taking. And then, there are, of course, the books. Just two years ago, the pair wrote a beautiful book on Swedish design, called, appropriately, Swedish Interiors. A smash hit, a second book was in the planning stages before the first one was barely distributed. The newest book, Swedish Country Interiors, is now available to preorder at Amazon and will be on sale in the next month. I can barely wait – a little birdie told me that one of the featured houses will be Wisteria's owners, The Newsoms, whose beautiful house was also featured in Veranda. Not surprisingly, a third Eleish van Breems book is now in the planning stages!
The cover of the new book due out next month, Swedish Country Interiors, available now for pre-ordering here.
This picture, on the new book's preview page at Amazon, is driving me crazy! How gorgeous is this? I can't wait to read the book!
Another picture on Amazon's preview is this beautiful shot of two Swedish chairs and a server. I love the traditional Swedish paintings on the walls.
This Amazon preview picture shows a wonderful Swedish antique corner cabinet – a traditional piece - along with a chair dressed in the blue and white gingham that is so closely associated with Swedish design.
The original Eleish van Breems shop in Waterford, Connecticut. At one time, owner Rhonda Eleish lived on the second floor. The duo has recently relocated to a larger, more efficient space in Washington Depot, Connecticut.
The original shop in Woodbury was set up just as a Swedish house would be.
Here, in the same spot as above, the foyer, this vignette changed as old pieces were sold and new pieces were acquired.
The Woodbury shop: one thing I really adore about Swedish antiques is the oval portraits.
The Woodbury shop: I love these chairs! The best thing about Eleish van Breems is if you can't find the antique you want, they probably have a reproduction of it in their line!
And now for something completely different! No longer tied down to their store in the 18th century house, the partners have moved to a showroom where they have more office space, room for a library and room to showcase all the other furniture lines they carry besides their Swedish antiques. One such line is Swedish modern from Fritz Hansen.
For a time, Edie van Breems lived in a wonderful old house that she had totally renovated and which was much photographed. Here is her former living room with traditional Swedish antiques clad in blue and white cotton. Notice the mirror with the attached candle sconces. Because Sweden is so dark much of the year, every bit of light is sought out – the candles' reflection in the mirror doubles the amount of light given off!
Edie van Breems dining room with its antique Swedish crystal chandelier and assorted chair styles. Notice that gorgeous sofa - divine!
The breakfast room in Edie van Breems' former house. Here is the popular Swedish Mora clock, one of the most recognized Swedish antiques there is.
Eleish and van Breems first book, Swedish Interiors, was filled with pictures from a wonderful mix of houses. Some were furnished strictly with antiques, while others were furnished with modern Swedish furniture. Next - I'll show you a few of my favorite chapters from the first book.
One of my favorite chapters in the first book was the story about this house located in Louisiana. The interior designer is one of the best there is, Gerrie Bremermann from New Orleans. The owner collects Swedish antiques and the entire house is filled with his bounty. Here is a small sitting room located off the larger living room. I just love the coolness and calmness of this space – so typical of a house with Swedish interiors.
The upstate New York home of the owner of Face Stockholm - a popular Swedish make up line. White slipcovers and Swedish antiques make this a charming, inviting home.
This is the New York space of Lena Kaplan who owned White on White, a shop specializing in Swedish design. The shop is now closed and she operates Studio White on White in a more personalized environment. I love how the painted floors match the table and chairs!
Another wonderful chapter shows the former Palm Beach house of Lars Bolander, a Swedish interior designer and shop owner. Cote de Texas featured Bolander here. His sense of style is wonderful and totally uniquely his own.
Another pioneer of the Swedish antique importing business in the states is Linda Kennedy and her husband Lindsay. Together they formed Chloe Decor which became one of the more well known Swedish antique dealers. Today, Linda sells the antiques on a wholesale basis but she concentrates mainly on her new floral design business. At the time when they lived in this house, it was a stage for all their antiques, which were actually for sale!
In Linda's house: I love these desks with the diminutive Mora clock affixed to the top of them. I would love to own one of these for my office!
The 1760 Rhode Island house of Libby Holsten. Once a lover of both Italian and French antiques, upon reading a book about Swedish design, she threw herself into collecting as many pieces of the furniture as she could.
Holsten's beautiful Mora clock sits aside a French grisaille.
Holsten's music salon in her Rhode Island house filled with antiques. Here she mixes French antiques with Swedish which is perfectly natural to do. After all, Gustavian furniture was based on French designs at the time.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about Eleish van Breems. To preorder their new book, Swedish Country Interiors, go here. To order their first book, Swedish Interiors, which I previewed today, go here. And to reread a story I wrote about Gustav and Sweden, please go here.
Lavender growing at Darlene Marwitz's farm - Villa Texas Lavender Farm - on the banks of the legendary Texas river, the Pedernales. Marwitz also owns the charming Fredericksburg shop - Lavender Market
It's hard to believe but this picture was actually taken in the Texas Hill Country – outside of Fredericksburg off the banks of the Pedernales River. Just saying those words – Fredericksburg, Pedernales, Hill Country – does something to Texans. The words conjure up Willie Nelson and Longhorns and Shiner Bock beer and football in the fall and mesquite trees and Highway 16 and tubing down the river all rolled into one. Lately though, it includes visions of lavender too. Blanco, a tiny town in the Hill Country, is considered the capitol of Texas Lavender. Texas lavender? The purple plant is relatively new to Texas – the first lavender farm, Blanco's own Hill Country Lavender, was only recently founded in 1999 after a few Texans thought the terrain resembled Provence. But the lavender farming idea took off and many small-to-large farms now dot the back roads with fields of beautiful purple plants blooming from May to July. At the several different lavender festivals that go on during the season, including one that's held in the fall, you can pick your own lavender, listen to lectures about the virtues of the plant, even eat meals cooked with lavender. Taking its cue from the Texas Wine Trail there is also now a Texas Lavender Trail where you go from farm to farm to farm and just enjoy the visionary delights of the blooming purple fields.
Cheese, bread and grapes in the lavender fields at Villa Texas Lavender Farm
Farming the beautiful fields is not an easy task and tales of droughts and floods that ruined this year's or that year's crops are legendary. But, the lavender business is thriving in the Hill Country judging just by the number of new farms that keep cropping up here and there. One farm owner, Darlene Marwitz has a field of her own dreams, Villa Texas, somewhere between Fredericksburg and Kerrville, on the banks of the Pedernales River. Fredericksburg is a small town smack in the middle of the Hill Country (though it is weirdly flat in town) and is a quaint shopping destination popular with antique seekers. Darlene and her husband David spend weekdays in Austin but weekends are spent at Villa Texas, and Darlene also owns a delightful little shop in Fredericksburg. A lover of all things Italian and an expert on architecture, Darlene opened Lavender Market where she sells a variety of items besides the purple stuff, such as Dash and Albert Rugs and the Baggallini line. There is also an online web site to order product from. The majority of the lavender products that Marwitz sells is produced in the Texas Hill Country, of course, at the nearby Hummingbird Farms.
Villa Texas Lavender Farm
My love of the Hill Country is as deep and wide as Texas, so I was thrilled when the Lavender Market contacted me with an offer of a giveaway for my readers! The giveaway products the Lavender Market chose are from Hummingbird Farms which grows and distills its own nine varieties of lavender on site – while the products are made in Dallas. Debi and Jack Williams own Hummingbird Farms, located on Highway 290 between Johnson City and Fred. Besides their five acres of lavender, they tend to longhorns, dogs, horses and other assorted farm animals. Debi writes the delightful Lavender Chick, where she blogs about the trials and tribulations of being a lavender farmer's wife. Hummingbird Farms, though new to lavender, is an old famous Texas farm, where the pioneering Seguin family first tilled its land in 1897, followed by another legendary Texan family – the Schaefers. Today the Williams carry on that tradition. The Lavender Market proudly sells Hummingbird Farms product because it is some of the finest in Texas and their lavender is distilled right on the property – a rarity for most Texas lavender farms. In fact, it was easy for the Lavender Market to choose the giveaway – Hummingbird Farms products are their favorite:
Hummingbird Farms: Aromatherapy Body Wash in a 12 oz bottle.
Hummingbird Farms: Aromatherapy Body Lotion in an 8oz bottle.
Hummingbird Farms: Liquid Hand Soap – lavender essence, aloe and shea butter, 12 fl. oz.
And Lavender Market will include lavender Earl Gray tea packets, and lavender towelettes!
In addition, even if you don't win the giveaway – during the month of August, all readers will receive 15% off all their purchases at the Lavender Market's online shop HERE – plus any purchase over $24 gets free shipping! Feel free to offer this discount to other family members and friends. Just be sure you use the code: cotetx7.
Hanna, The Marwitz's Dog and Lavender Market's Weekend Shop Dog. What a sweet, sweet face!
Hummingbird Farms' main house on the road between Johnson City and Fredericksburg. The Lavender Chick has written many times on her blog about her house that was inspired by A. Hays Town, Louisiana's favorite architect. Hummingbird Farms grows and distills the lavender for the aromatherapy products they sell at Lavender Market.
Recently, Hummingbird Farm's Lavender Chick proudly showed off her new lantern hanging over her famous bathtub. Love this!!!!
The lavender fields at Darlene Marwitz's Villa Texas Lavender Farm on the Pedernales. Isn't this just too gorgeous??!!!
Harvest time at Villa Texas Lavender Farm on the Pedernales River.
Butterflies are strongly attracted to the lavender's oils. Photo taken at Villa Texas Lavender Farm.
One of the original lavender farmers in Texas recently published her memoir. The plot: author Jeannie Ralston, a NY magazine editor meets Texan Robb Kendrick, a National Geographic photographer, gives up big city life and becomes a lavender farmer. After many years toiling in Texas – the Kendricks move to Mexico.
Read the first chapter on Amazon here and I defy you not to buy it!
If you are planning a trip to Fredericksburg, please visit Ann, who writes Hill Country House from Fredericksburg. Ann is the blogosphere's resident spokesperson on all things FRED (and my ex sister-in-law!) – so be sure to email her with any questions you might have about a trip to that area or just visit her blog to read all about decor and architecture in FRED.
And My Notting Hill just visited Fredericksburg and stayed at this charming cottage, The White House. Go here to read all about it. It has to be the cutest place in FRED! Maybe not, though – FRED is filled with darling B&B cottages to rent.
To read all about the history behind Darlene Marwitz's Villa Texas and Lavender Market visit the main web site here. There are lots of additional pictures of Villa Texas and a history of the inspiration behind the lavender farm and market. Darlene's interests are varied, a true Renaissance woman, who writes her own blog on her many travels to Italy.
In Fredericksburg, Lavender Market is located at:
339 East Main (across from the Nimitz Museum) in Fredericksburg, TX. The phone number is 830.997.1068.
To visit during peak growing times, the two main festivals are the way to go:
FREDERICKSBURG LAVENDER TRAIL: www.beckervineyards.com, www.fredtexflavors.com and www.fredericksburg-texas.com
BLANCO LAVENDER FESTIVAL: www.blancolavenderfest.com.
Be sure to sign up for the giveaway. Just leave me a comment telling me what one product you would get if given a gift certificate and I will pick a winner on Wednesday! Good luck! The giveaway offer is open only to readers from the United States and Canada. And remember that during August all Cote de Texas readers get 15% off all products found on the Lavender Market's online shop here. Free shipping for orders over $24. Use the code Cotetx7.
Thank you so much to Lavender Market for this giveaway, it is much appreciated! And be sure to leave a comment – you have until Wednesday! Good luck!!!!
Just a reminder – This week, The Skirted Roundtable welcomes Anna Spiro from Absolutely Beautiful Things. To listen to the adorable Anna, go here. You will enjoy every moment of it, I promise you! She is even cuter than her pink and white interiors!!
Narrowing down the list of design elements that I love to just ten items proved difficult – so in the end, I combined a few to fit everything into a neat list of 10. By contrast, choosing the first three items was very simple - they are so connected I even toyed with the idea of making them just one element: linen, slipcovers and seagrass. Most of the pictures of examples I show will usually have these three items together. The linen slipcover with seagrass rug is a look that I adore and am strongly drawn to – there is no explanation. Either you understand the attraction or you don't. I can and do appreciate all styles of design from contemporary to the hip Hollywood Revival fad, but in the end, the one look that makes my heart skip a beat is linen slips with a seagrass rug. This look has appealed to me for so long now, I suspect it always will. In my very first apartment - over 30 years ago - I had a white Haitian cotton sofa (remember those?) with a crisp blue and white cotton print. And for my first house – I used a cream and taupe striped linen with slipcovers on just a few chairs, and a coir rug. As this was almost 19 years ago, I didn't have the resources for sofa slipcovers or seagrass – that wouldn't happen for another few years or so until the opening of Renea Abbott's Shabby Slips, which really helped promote the slipcover craze in Houston.
White slipcovers and seagrass – a Houston tradition. Design by Lisa Epley.
Some many years ago, my friend hired interior designer Carol Glasser and promptly put down wall to wall seagrass in her older River Oaks house – both upstairs and down. The beauty of all that newly laid seagrass made an lasting impression on me. It smelled so fresh and still today – not much beats the scent of fresh, green seagrass. Houston is a seagrass town and I credit Glasser for first championing the look. Other great Houston designers were also early proponents of the natural textured rug – Pam Pierce, Babs Watkins, and Ginger Barber, among them. These four women, who without a doubt are some of the biggest talents in Houston design, share a certain aesthetic that relies heavily on slipcovers, linen, seagrass and antiques – both English and French. All four eschew anything false – all fabrics are natural, the antiques are not reproductions, and there is a mix of the high and the low. All four will confidently use a cotton check in the living room, along with seagrass, mixed in with priceless antiques from Europe and the finest of silk curtains. Their look is basically casual yet it is still quite elegant, a careful blend of rough textures with fine lined antiques. It's a look that Gerrie Bremermann in New Orleans spent a career perfecting – in fact Bremermann often seems to be a Houston designer. And though all these designers certainly use other flooring options – plain colorless or muted striped dhurris, priceless Oushaks, or wool patterned carpets, seagrass remains a mainstay in their design. Regardless of the other choices available, Houston is firmly a seagrass town. I have long heard this rumor, which I believe to be true judging by the pictures from the Houston Real Estate web site:
Creative Flooring, a tony rug shop in Houston, sells more seagrass than any store in America!!
True? I have no idea, but certainly believable. Creative Flooring is owned by the gorgeously handsome (!!) Greg Manteris who just happens to be wed to darling Renea Abbott, owner of Shabby Slips – another very influential designer in town - so funnily enough - through their marriage they have cornered the slipcover and seagrass market. They need to have children – I can't imagine how beautiful they will be!!
The very talented Carol Glasser in her former house with wall to wall seagrass. Glasser was one of the first in Houston to introduce seagrass.
Why seagrass? I receive many emails with questions about the product, probably as many as I get about slipcovers, if not more. So, why seagrass? To me, seagrass is an exceptional material, far superior to sisal – and yes, there is a world of difference between the two. Seagrass is made from sea grass of course – mostly found in China where the majority of the rugs originate. Since it is grown in water, the product is basically non-absorbent and is a strong, sturdy fiber. The absorbency aspect is very important: seagrass is not easily stained. If something is spilled on it – coffee or coke – it can easily be cleaned with a damp towel - and it will eventually dry without leaving a spot or watermark. Sisal on the other hand is made from the agave plant. Spill something on light colored sisal and you might as well throw it out. If you try to get a coffee or coke spill out with a damp towel, you will get a lasting watermark stain. The only way to prevent the watermark on sisal is to wet the entire rug – not a viable solution. Other favorable seagrass qualities are they are great for a low dust and allergy free environment. Seagrass is static free and does not attract dust or dirt. You can vacuum it like any other rug. They are durable, yet very inexpensive – much less than sisal - another selling point. Seagrass, when fresh will be decidedly green, yet as time goes on, it mellows to a more khaki color. Additionally, this variegated appearance helps to make it appear cleaner, as opposed to sisal's more even color appearance.
Seagrass in its different weaves – the middle picture is the 'plain Jane" of seagrass and the one I like the most!
Sisal is identified by flat, thin rows tightly woven together. Stains and watermarks are legendary with sisal. Though the maintenance is high with sisal, it does have a place in a dressier room. It is a more elegant looking rug than seagrass and it comes in many colors. The diamond patterned sisal is an extremely popular rug
Seaming: Seagrass only comes in 13' wide rolls, which means for larger rugs and wall to wall applications, the seagrass will need to be seamed. Many enquiries I get are about this seaming process. A customer not familiar with seagrass will go to a carpet store that is even less familiar with seagrass and the employee will say they can't guarantee the seaming – that it will be visible – and will try to dissuade the purchase. I can guarantee you that you will not notice the seaming in a seagrass rug. Ever. If the seams do come apart, which is a possibility – the installer can return to glue them back together. Seaming is a non–issue, though many shops try to make it one. If you come across this attitude – find another installer, one who knows about seams.
Seaming on the job. For the Tanglewood House, all the cutting, binding and seaming was done at the house which slowed down the installation process considerably. But, it was a rush job so I was thankful just to get it completed.
Binding: Another issue is the binding. Personally I like binding to match the seagrass in color. To me – a colored border becomes too much of a contrast and the binding becomes the unintentional focal point. While seagrass stays relatively clean looking throughout its life (can you say the same for carpet?) the bindings can show wear and tear. After a few years, if your binding gets high traffic, the installer can return to your house and rebind it for a small fee, leaving you with a fresh looking rug.
Pottery Barn likes to sell seagrass with colored bindings. Notice though how the red binding becomes a focal point here. I prefer the binding to match the natural color of the seagrass.
Wall-To-Wall: Besides being used as area rugs, seagrass is wonderful laid wall to wall. Once laid, I recommend a quarter round molding be placed over the rug to keep the edges down. It's not mandatory though and indeed in some applications, molding is not an option. Again, with wall to wall seagrass, there will be seaming, but the installer should properly place the seams where you will get the most use of the entire roll without much scrap left over. Wall to wall seagrass is much cheaper than many carpets and this is a great selling point.
Perfectly installed wall to wall seagrass – quarter round molding placed over the seagrass.
The Comfort Factor: Is it comfortable? Seagrass is not the same as plush wall to wall carpet. Nope, it is not. But, taking in account that all natural fiber rugs are scratchy, itchy, and uncomfortable, seagrass is by far the least offensive. It truly is bearable and not really so unappealing that a youngster won't crawl on it. Laine, my too-adorable great-niece, was over and had a great time crawling around on the seagrass without any complaints at all! Sisal, and especially coir, are far more uncomfortable than seagrass, in most people's opinions. Coir, made from coconut is such an awful product, I wouldn't recommend it for anything other than outside areas around pools – it is very water soluble. But, saying all that, recently a new product has come to market – Soft Seagrass - which is touted as being extra comfortable and softer than traditional seagrass. I tried it out recently and it DID seem nicer to touch – so if the comfort factor is a sticking point, look for this product.
This mother in River Oaks put down several round soft rugs in her baby's room to soften the horrid seagrass! But, this is a cute idea if you are concerned about your baby's tender knees.
Custom Cut Seagrass: When buying a seagrass rug, I always stress to get a custom cut rug. That is, have an installer come to your house and make a template of the room where the rug is to be placed. The rug should fit around the perimeter of the room – following all the curves and corners of the room about 3 to 10 inches away from the wall. The amount of wood you want showing is a personal preference. Myself, I prefer the rugs to be just 2 to 5 inches away from the walls. When cutting the seagrass around a fireplace hearth – the rug should fit snug up to the hearth – no more than one inch away from it. Any competent installer will know all this. While custom cut seagrass is a little more expensive than say an 8 x 10 rug from Pottery Barn - the difference in appearance is tremendous and worth every cent. A custom cut rug is just much finer looking and should be the chosen option if at all possible. If a custom cut seagrass is not in your budget, then get the largest sized area rug your room will hold. Good sources for standard rug sizes are Pottery Barn and www.homedecorators.com. In Houston, I order seagrass from two suppliers: Marc Anthony Rugs here. If you do call Marc Anthony, be sure to tell them Joni sent you! And of course, Creative Flooring (713-522-1181) has an extensive supply of all types of natural fiber rugs, including seagrass.
Perfectly custom cut seagrass – notice the space around the wall – just a few inches of wood showing. And notice the way the rug is cut around the fireplace hearth – it follows the hearth, but it is cut 1/2 to 1 inch from the hearth (be sure to cut the rug closer to the hearth than you did to the walls – a very important detail.) Designer: email@example.com.
A STRONG argument in favor of custom cut seagrass. In this showcase house, a standard seagrass was used instead of a custom cut one. Notice how on the right side the carpet is pulled almost onto the wall in order to fit to fit the left side around the fireplace. Yet, the large space to the left and right of the fireplace is left bare! A properly cut seagrass that actually fits the room would be so much more appealing. Of course, this was done in the show house for budgetary reasons, but if you can avoid this in your own home, do.
I have lived with seagrass for over 15 years now and can't sing its praises enough. It seems the perfect floor covering, easy to keep clean, and it maintains its appearance with little or no wear or tear. It's perfect for a casual decor or a fancier room and since it's flat you can layer a dressier area rug over it. I have had no problems with my rugs. The seams have all held and pet stains are easily removed as opposed to sisal or coir. No one in my family has ever complained about the feel of the rugs, not my crawling daughter, or my husband who likes to lay on the floor with a pillow and watch TV, or my dogs who can usually be found snoring on the seagrass. But mostly, I just love the way it looks, the way it smells, the way its natural texture is the perfect foil for silk or velvet or linen. Wall to wall, it is at is loveliest. Is it a fad? Hardly. Natural fiber rugs have been used since the 17th century and in Europe, England especially, they have been a mainstay in houses for generations, far longer than in America. Seagrass is definitely here to stay. If you want to take the seagrass plunge, but still have reservations, try it out with a small area rug from Pottery Barn and use it in the entry or the laundry room or the bedroom. You won't be disappointed!
Following are pictures of natural fiber rugs. While seagrass is my favorite of course, the other fibers available can be quite beautiful – sisals – especially the diamond pattern, rush, and jute, which Pottery Barn is heavily pushing. When choosing a natural fiber rug, while seagrass is the most well rounded rug, others may be better suited for a specific interior, just choose wisely. Avoid sisal and jute when water might be an issue, such as the kitchen or bathroom. Avoid rush where there is heavy traffic. Don't buy coir if comfort is a concern. In the end – go with your heart. All natural fiber rugs are relatively inexpensive unlike precious Oriental rugs, and therefore they are easily replaced!
Gerrie Bremermann used seagrass in an elegant living room – mixing beautiful French antiques with the casual seagrass rug. Gorgeous!
In this large living room, one long seagrass was used for the entire room. Notice how the natural color of the seagrass adds another element to the palette.
Wall to wall seagrass in a Houston bedroom – a typical look for Houston designers: monochromatic, pale colors, a mixture of French antiques and painted pieces, slipcovers, upholstered headboards, and curtains with natural textured shades. I adore the lantern over the wine tasting table – charming!!!!
Here Jeffrey Bilhuber used two seagrass rugs, one for each side of the sofa I suppose! Linen slipcovers and seagrass seem linked to each.
Because seagrass is a flat weave, area rugs can be layered on top of them – creating a dressier look if desired.
Lars Bolander frequently uses seagrass – as he did in his former house.
In this house, Ginger Barber paired slipcovers and antiques with seagrass – a signature look for this popular Houston designer.
Exquisite French antiques and wonderful painted bois paneling mixes with the natural fiber seagrass rugs.
Here a zebra rug is layered on top of the seagrass in an upstairs family room.
Seagrass custom cut to fit all the corners of the room – again the Houston look – are you beginning to recognize it?
Phoebe Howard used seagrass in a dressed up family room.
Sir Evelyn Rothschild's townhouse in London is covered in seagrass. Like I recently told a reader whose husband didn't think seagrass was dressy enough for their house, if it's good enough for the Rothschilds…
Seagrass, calm and cooling in this bedroom. I just love this look! Did you recognize the Houston factor here?
Sisal is not recommended for stairs because of it being slippery, but so many people I know put seagrass on their stairs with no problems at all. Above – seagrass is held into place with iron rods. Though pretty, the rods really are not necessary when using seagrass on stairs.
In this charming dining room – I think I would have cut the seagrass around the cabinet – it looks unbalanced this way, I think. Darling room – I love the curtains. Yes, Houston!
In Peter Dunham's office, he used seagrass, wall to wall – but it looks like no quarter round molding was added. I love going into a shop where seagrass is laid wall to wall. Whenever I do, I know I am going to love its inventory! I adore this room. This picture came from the new web-magazine – www.balustradeandbitters.com. Be sure to read their interview with Dunham – it was fascinating!!!!!
Even Miles Redd gets on the seagrass bandwagon. Though this is classic and not the typical Redd look – this is one of my favorite of his projects – I absolutely love this bedroom – the painting, the wallpaper!!!
In the Octagon House, Tami Owen layered a pale rug over wall to wall seagrass.
Wall to wall seagrass in a Houston bedroom – the former house of Carol Glasser – stripped of all its beautiful Bennison linen.
And the same master bedroom when Carol Glasser lived there – wall to wall seagrass, of course. Which do you like better, the pared down room, or the Bennison-to-the-max room?
Here the traditional seagrass was cut in an octagon to follow the shape of the room and table.
In this client's living room, I used seagrass, custom cut. Notice how closely the seagrass was cut around the fireplace hearth.
Charles Faudree used seagrass in a living room in a beach house – along with trendy suzani and zebra fabrics!
The antique shop 2620 is one of my favorite haunts in Houston. When seagrass is laid wall to wall in a shop, I'm for sure going to love it's stock! This area of 2620 is Caroline Ellsworth Antiques here – a fabulous place to look for fine antiques. Hmmm….I am trying to remember if I have ever seen a prettier chandelier. Nope! Lately I am obsessed with chandeliers made of gilt wood mixed with crystals for some odd reason.
Lars Bolander's Swedish house, wall to wall seagrass, layered with a cow hide.
A charming bedroom in a 100 year old Galveston house mixes linen bedding and wall to wall seagrass.
In this fancy family room, Charles Faudree used seagrass with important French antiques, showing how perfectly the two go together!
Robert McAlpine used Italian antiques and seagrass, another great pairing. Love this man!
The master of embellishments, major talent Barry Dixon used seagrass on a contemporary stairway – notice the trim, nail heads! Amazing. He continue the seagrass through the living area – also bound in nail heads.
At Charles Faudree's country house, he used seagrass and checks along with French and Swedish antiques.
At David Easton's weekend house, he used seagrass in this master bedroom. That mirror is so gorgeous! Easton's country house was a inspiration for many designers – when he sold the house, he held an auction and everything in the house went under the hammer, everything!
At a Florida guest house, Suzanne Rheinstein used classic seagrass mixed with beautiful French antiques and her famous racetrack ottoman.
Windsor Smith uses seagrass in her own living room – along with white slipcovers and exotic furniture.
Atlanta Interior Designer Dan Carithers used seagrass in this very, very beautiful living room, filled with unique antiques. The fireplace is stunning – and the sconces are wonderful – I LOVE this room! I know I say that a lot, but I LOVE this room!
Miles Redd does slipcovers and seagrass in a country estate.
Seagrass sets off a small nook on the stair landing. Notice the gorgeous wood floor boards – hard to cover those up! Designer Matthew Patrick Smyth.
Ginger Barber, one of the original designers in Houston who used seagrass, in her own home she custom cut the material. Notice around the hearth – how close the rug comes. Perfect!
In this client's home I layered a very pale antique rug over a custom cut seagrass. The rug adds a touch of dressiness to the living room.
In the Bennison House, notice how the custom cut seagrass was handled between the two rooms. The area between the door opening was left bare. Again, perfectly handled. Love the dog's lovie.
One of the my favorite rooms in Southern Accents this year – a large seagrass covers most of the living room and is the perfect backdrop for all the white slipcovers and zebra rug!
This room was shown with slipcovers that had shrunk in Design Elements #2. Here is the gorgeous linen fabric that was hiding under the shrunk slipcovers. Wall to wall seagrass goes extremely well with tortoise shell blinds. Design by Carol Glasser.
Seagrass on stairs – again custom cut, just a few inches from the wall and the binding is done in a neutral color.
Trend laden apartment by Alex Papachristidis. Fortuny and ikat and suzani – love it!!!
Houston interior designer Lisa Epley's own bedroom – white slipped chairs and seagrass – that winning combination. Seagrass surprisingly looks really good in a dark gray room.
This bedroom made the cover of The World of Interiors: a wonderful old country home in England, with of course, seagrass!
A look to love – French settee, blue and white checks, seagrass and high heels! Suzanne Rheinstein.
The Queen of white linen slipcovers and seagrass, Lauren Ross, in her Austin house (any excuse to show this picture again!)
The following pictures show natural fiber rugs other than seagrass. Each different natural fiber rug has a certain appeal. To me, of course, I prefer seagrass for all the reasons stated in the first paragraphs, but that said, I do love all the natural rugs in general. The apple matting type is especially appealing to me aesthetically. Sisal is wonderful in a dressy living room. And the diamond patterned sisal popularized by Stark is made for someone who wants something more interesting than just plain sisal or seagrass:
This rug is apple matting – a thick natural fiber rug made out of rush – with lots of beefy texture. Apple matting is more popular in England where it has been used for centuries, but it is slowly becoming more popular in the states. Love the lanterns and slips too!
And the living room next to the above dining room, both rooms by Peter Dunham.
Years ago Suzanne Rheinstein used apple matting in this living room.
The other side of Rheinstein's apple matting living room. Notice the exquisite antiques and fabrics – all dressy, yet paired with the simplest of floor material. Just gorgeous!
More rush or apple matting. Again, dressy antiques, highly textured rug. This thickness of this textured rug makes a huge statement.
In this elegant bedroom with Robert Kime linen on the French chairs and hand painted silk wallpaper, a natural fiber rug was used – not sure if this is apple matting or jute, but whatever it is, it is a beautiful choice.
Sisal is a good choice in sleeker, more contemporary interiors. Here, a room by Matthew Patrick Smyth shows sisal mixed with velvets and linens.
Here in a dressy setting, this light sisal rug seems to be the correct application.
In Florida, Tom Scheerer used two Stark rugs in an eclectic living room. I love his choice of yellows and pale blues. Such a pretty "beach" house!
Dressy sisal used in the dining room with hand painted wallpaper and slipped chairs mixed with leather chairs in an interesting combination.
In this beach house, Charles Faudree used a thickly woven rug placed atop black hardwoods for a high contrast effect. Isn't this beautiful?
Gerrie Bremermann uses the Stark diamond sisal rug in this living room. Though sisal and not seagrass, this look is just as effective and slightly dressier. Glorious painting by Amanda Talley – also currently blogging here. I think Amanda's painting makes the room, don't you?
In this apartment that I designed, I used the diamond patterned Stark carpet in the library.
Another diamond pattern sisal in an elegant dining room with hand painted silk wallpaper – divine!
Another sisal diamond patterned rug used in this library. This rug has black thread running through it which ties in with the decor nicely.
Sisal comes in different colors which is a selling point over seagrass. Here John Stefinidis used the diamond pattern in creams and red.
Even in a gray room, this natural fiber diamond patterned rug looks wonderful.
Gerrie Bremermann combined the Stark diamond sisal rug in this family room – with a flat oushak is in the living room.
Alex Papachristidis uses creamy sisal in this NY apartment. I love the zebra layered over the rug but the gold framed prints and the sconces are the true focal points. The sofa and chairs aren't too shabby either!
Jeffrey Bilhuber used this natural fiber rug – this one looks like it might be a natural fiber/wool blend. I love this room of his – one of my favorites in his portfolio.
A stunning beach house with sisal carpet. The color of the sisal blends into the headboard's caning and the wall color.
Another sisal rug – which matches the color of the chair – Barclay Butera.
Hard to imagine any other floor covering except sisal in this room! I love the orange pops of color in the pillows.
Rush matting – used in extreme juxtaposition to such finery!
The same type of matting used by Bunny Williams at her weekend house.
The living room at Grey Gardens, remodeled by Sally Quinn. Original to the house, the rush matting was found in the attic, sent out for repair and reused by Quinn.
And finally, my own family room, with its seagrass. Each room in my house has seagrass rugs. It's hard to imagine I will ever change and use something else, but who knows? Anything's possible. As for my pillows, the decision on what to do about them is on hold until September. You all gave me wonderful ideas and I am going to use one of them! Just not sure which yet. Be sure to watch here for the fourth installment of Top Ten Design Elements, coming soon! Does anyone have a clue what it might be?
And – the new Skirted Roundtable with the absolutely adorable Anna Spiro from Absolutely Beautiful Things is up and ready to listen to here. Enjoy it – I know you will – she is sooo cute!!!


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Cisco Sees Growth Opportunities in Europe
Nov. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Chris Dedicoat, president of Cisco Systems Inc. for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia, talks about the company's fiscal first-quarter profit reported yesterday and business outlook. He speaks with Francine Lacqua on Bloomberg Television's "On the Move." (Source: Bloomberg)
Most Recent Videos
Kiwi Climbs to Two Week High
23:28 - Bloomberg's Juliette Saly reports on the latest stories moving the FX market on "First Up." (Source: Bloomberg)

subset: commoncrawl


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We featured a high-tech swimsuit earlier that is boosting the performance to today's swimming athletes. This suit ("Germination Day Eight") by LucyandBart won't make you swim faster at all - their way of enhancing the human body is more about low-tech.
LucyandBart is a collaboration between Lucy McRae and Bart Hess described as an instinctual stalking of fashion, architecture, performance and the body. Lucie and Bart share a fascination with genetic manipulation and beauty expression. With their project Evolution they are searching for low-tech prosthetic alternatives for human enhancement.
P.s. We spotted their work in the latest GUDBERG magazine which reports about the upcoming Design Hotels Future Forum (October 15-17, Berlin) which will be exploring the relationship between the human being and design.See more "bodywork" after the jump.
"Exploded View" by LucyandBart
"Exploded View Part Two" by LucyandBart
It was two years ago that we first showed you Tom Sachs' "Love Letter to Plywood" video, and we didn't realize he'd since updated it. The video is part of his "Energies & Skills" series on studio practices, which are "required viewing for Tom Sachs' studio:" They comprise guides to
No hardware necessary!
The project began after Bocci's creative director coerced a pilot friend into showing him his airplane. "My friend is showing me the engine and there's this fabric bag," Omer Arbel says. "It struck me immediately. It was pristinely white in this engine of all gray or black pieces."
It's like Velcro for liquids
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Jadeveon Clowney LB HOU 1 day ago
Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney hopes to return by Aug. 17 after undergoing microfracture surgery in December, according to NFL.com. Clowney was placed on the physically unable to perform list, but the team is optimistic he will be ready for the season.
Stephen Hill WR CAR 1 day ago
The Carolina Panthers waived wide receiver Stephen Hill on Sunday after he was diagnosed with a torn ACL, according to ESPN.com. Hill suffered the injury during practice Saturday and had to be carted off the field.
Sam Bradford QB PHI 1 day ago
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, who suffered his second torn ACL in as many seasons last year, is no longer wearing a knee brace and expects to play in the team's first exhibition game, according to the Philadelphia Enquirer. If Bradford is healthy, he is expected to start over Mark Sanchez this season.
Martavis Bryant WR PIT 2 days ago
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant requires a minor procedure for an elbow infection, and he will be sidelined for the next 10 days, according to Fox Sports. Given the timeline, Bryant is in danger of missing the team's first preseason game, which will come Aug. 9 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Carson Palmer QB ARI 2 days ago
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer has been cleared for all drills ahead of the opening of training camp Saturday, according to Fox Sports 910 Phoenix. Palmer missed a majority of last season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee in October, but head coach Bruce Arians announced that Palmer will not be restricted in any way during training camp. "He's totally cleared," Arians told AZCentral.com. "Once he went through minicamp with flying colors … he'll get his normal reps. It'll pretty much be no different than we've done it in the past. We'll see where he's at and what he needs in each game. Same thing with (backup) Drew (Stanton). I know they can play on Sundays, but they still have to be game-speed ready." Palmer threw for 1,626 yards and 11 touchdowns before suffering the injury in Week 9.
Devin Smith WR NYJ 2 days ago
New York Jets rookie wide receiver Devin Smith could miss the regular-season opener against the Cleveland Browns because of broken ribs he suffered in practice Friday, according to NFL Network. The team had already indicated that Smith was expected to miss a majority of training camp due to the injury, but his absence may be delayed even further. Selected in the second round of this year's draft, Smith is part of a big offensive makeover for the Jets this season under new head coach Todd Bowles, who also brought in Chan Gailey as the team's new offensive coordinator. In addition to Smith, the Jets traded for wide receiver Brandon Marshall from the Chicago Bears, while also adding running backs Stevan Ridley and Zac Stacy, the former of whom is recovering from a torn ACL. Smith's absence is likely to move Jeremy Kerley to the No. 3 wide receiver spot behind Marshall and Eric Decker.
LeGarrette Blount RB NE 2 days ago
New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount passed his conditioning test and returned to practice in full pads Saturday, according to ESPN. Blount was placed on the non-football injury list to open training camp after reportedly failing his conditioning test. He needed to run 20 50-yard sprints in under eight second each, and he only did 12. Blount is in line to be the starter this season after Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley left in free agent this offseason, though Blount is suspended for the first game of the regular season because of a violation of the league's substance abuse policy. The suspension stemmed from an arrest last August for marijuana possession, back when he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His legal case was resolved in December, but the league's punishment remains in tact, allowing Jonas Gray and Brandon Bolden to likely get additional work in Week 1.
Devin Smith WR NYJ 3 days ago
New York Jets wide receiver Devin Smith will miss the majority of training camp after suffering broken ribs on Friday, according to NFL.com. Smith, who the team selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft in April, was being held in the hospital overnight as a precaution, but the injury is not believed to be a long-term concern.
Paul Richardson WR SEA 3 days ago
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Paul Richardson was placed on the physically unable to perform list Friday as he continues to recover from a knee injury, according to 710 ESPN Seattle. Richardson suffered a knee injury during the team's playoff run last January and is without a timetable for return.
Joique Bell RB DET 3 days ago
Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell is currently without a timetable for his return as he continues to recover from injuries to his knee and Achilles, according to the Detroit Free Press. Bell is said to be slightly ahead of schedule in his recovery, but the team will make sure he is fully healthy before removing him from the Physically Unable to Perform list. "I'm not sure how long it's going to take," head coach Jim Caldwell said. "I do know one thing -- that he's coming along quickly and we'll see what the doctor says. The doctors take a look at them, they make a determination of when they can go and we go from there. From a schematic standpoint, he understands and knows how to run the ball. He knows the system, and we're just majorly concerned right now with obviously getting him healthy. And he's well on his way to that." The 28-year-old compiled 912 total yards with eight touchdowns last season and is expected to lead the team's backfield in 2015.


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The ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui puts a great deal of emphasis on the entryway to the home. It is considered the "mouth of chi" where all of our opportunities come to us. This may seem like a…299 comments
In this video I teach a Kundalini meditation called Purify the Subtle Body. The subtle body is the part of us that attracts opportunities, positivity and good news. This meditation strengthens your …42 comments
I used to think that Living the Dream was my goal, that when all of the pieces fell into place, I would be there. I would be doing work that I love, and my people and I would be healthy and happy. I w…14 comments
In this week's Spirit Junkie vlog I riff on manifestat~ing. The key to manifesting your desires is to tap into your love energy and inspiration. Energy attracts like energy. Therefore if you feel th…31 comments
From the Author of Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World Welcome to my series on Feng Shui room by room - Feng Shui for the Office. Creating an inspiring work envir…92 comments
I am not sure she is saying "bless you". She looks perturbed to me.
good advice
Tara W. - do you let it go out at night?
Oh yes, she is in looooooooove :-)


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I Have Cancer
Personal Stories, Advice, and Support 509 People
I hope I fight it and I get out of it strongerthan ever. One more round of chemo today. I hope it'll all be okay. I hope this time it works.
yourcutelittlejo 16-17, F 1 Response 1 Jul 26
I'm 13 years old and have brain cancer withTUMORS on my legs and 3 on my neck
photographyismylife 13-15, F 3 Responses 1 Apr 10
Here We Are Again.....This feels like such familiar territory, yet still so far away. I am 42 & on my 2nd cancer diagnosis as of tonight....it feels surreal to say this. I don't want to do this again, this time I am so alone and I feel tired this time. It is pathetic, that I don't even have anyone...
It's getting worse my brain cancer is onlygetting worse and I need to do chemo for the 9th time this year I'm only 12
photographyismylife 13-15, F 3 Responses 0 Jun 19
No more sex for me, I guess I will have to tuneup my tongue!
Toyota12 66-70, M 1 Jul 2
Brain sugary scheduledfor 430am. Any prayers are appreciated. Thank you my friends.
Mollielollipop38 26-30, F 39 Responses 39 Mar 23
It's so boring sitting in the hospital bed.So i turn everything around and when they see me in the halls i cant help but laugh and make everyone else laugh and smile. It's so fun to give everyone some entertainment while staying in the hospital. :) i made some good friends with them and we all have fun goofing around and...
WishItWouldAllEnd 16-17, M 2 Responses 9 Jan 7
Well it seems I won't be winning this fight myoncologist saw almost no more improvement and even new growths regardless of the aggressive chemo I endured
i'm going to take test of cervical cancertomorrow morning. Last time i went to hospital for surgery was three months ago. I'm getting nerveous now. And i just got messages after i posted this to ''cervical cancer''group from perv after he read this and left nice comments. How could you do that to people who...
So..today is pretty emotional I just came backfrom the hospital..and I found out my cancer is getting worse..I might not have that long..what I really want more than anything before I go is to be able to meet billy Joe Armstrong..from greenday his songs inspire me and they have helped me a lot in life I am completely in...
Just found out recentlythat i have neroblastoma stage four lukimia and a large tumor in my stomach and right knee. I have been getting chemo but its not helping much and all i do is get fevers and puke from it. The past couple days iv been puking blood. Its hard im doin this alone my parents and...
SoccerLover23 16-17, F 12 Responses 7 Nov 19, 2014
3 weeks ago I was diagnosed with osteosarcomaof the femur with mets in my liver. I had surgery to remove the mets in my liver 3 of the 4 were removed but the 4th could not be removed. In a couple of days I will start 8 weeks of intensense chemo. At the end of the 8 weeks if the tumor in my femur has not shrunk at the rate...
0maddi0 16-17, F 1 4 hrs ago
I just found out I have cancer of the blood,it was caught somewhat earlier so we can begin treatment asap. I probably won't be on for a while so to all my friends on here (sorry) but I'm staying positive I WILL beat this!!!
Jwolf1342 18-21, M 2 Responses 4 Jun 8
Im sick as hell again.Sorry i havent been around
Mollielollipop38 26-30, F 14 Responses 5 Apr 26
Cancer got me so weak.. I don't walk anymore, I use a wheelchair. And my hair is falling down. I think I'm dying soon ...
imjustmex33 16-17, F 10 Responses 5 Apr 25
Where to even start withsuch a thing? Yes, I've small cell lung cancer. There's no stages (1-4) for lung cancer, just if it's spread or not. Fortunately, mine has not because I've been taking the 'good' cancer drugs. Really, so much to write about this. Mostly, please forgive me when I drop out of...
Kinzah 31-35, F 45 Responses 48 Mar 3, 2014
What Cancer Actually *can* Take From You.Back in September, I was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer called IBC. They don't mess around with you, they throw you right in to treatment, and I responded very well. But, I lost my best friend, and a few other friends over it. I guess they just can't...
DiscoveryChick 41-45, F 9 Responses 6 Apr 14, 2011
Well I have chemo tomorrow...I'm really scared...
I have been battling nowfor 6 years. Lung and breast cancer...
sabrina1225 31-35, F 1 Response 1 May 31
just got off the phone with my docand he said that the tumor is getting bigger and is not responding to treatment ,, so i am left with to potions ,, surgery or hormonal therapy ,,, and honestly ,, even tho. surgery is 98% successful ,, i just can't afford to look ugly.. i mean i am already ugly enough .. so i am...
tinathefreak 18-21, F 9 Responses 6 Feb 3, 2014
Another round of chemo - done.Long day.
Cancer... And You Thought Your Life Sucked...Well here it goes… I can finally talk about it in complete detail. Everything here is too chaotic to make up and should I be lying about anything in this note, God will smite me in a most excruciating manner. In October, 2007 I started to have these back pains. Nothing...
Ajeric 22-25, M 11 Responses 10 May 21, 2010
Today is a bad day for me with pain.My head hurts so badly. Im going to rest. Please pray if that's your thing. I rang the doctor. He should be here anytime.
Mollielollipop38 26-30, F 7 Responses 6 Jun 11
Nearly eight months ago I found out I was (andam) pregnant. A couple weeks after that, discovered I have cervical cancer. Later was informed that I am anemic and suffer from diabetes. When will the bad news stop? Still keeping my head up because even though I'm realistic mentally, I am optimistic emotionally! I'm not sure...
oqtimusqrime 22-25, F 5 Responses 4 Apr 9
I recently found out in March (after some veryscary symptoms) that I have Stage 2 Breast Cancer and I am currently going through Radiation Therapy. It sucks the energy from me and I am sick most days because of it. The entire thing is absolutely terrifying.. because I'm uncertain of what's going to happen. I have days...
M0RGUE 18-21, F 5 Responses 6 May 20, 2014
I'm actually 13 I have cancerand lost complete feeling in my legs I'm in pt but it doesn't seem to be working but I will not stop till I get my life back
musicspeakstome 18-21, F 0 Jul 23
She had emergency surgery last nightand is on a ventilator at this time. I'm not allowed to open messages except 2 people because I'm just 14 my uncle said it probably would not be appropriate.
Mollielollipop38 26-30, F 14 Responses 12 Apr 14
assassin66 18-21, M 5 Responses 10 Dec 20, 2012
Hi all, Diagnosed with esthesioneuroblastomarecently. Surgery took place a few weeks ago. Having a few more tests to determine if radiation is the next step. Trying to stay positive, and I am exhausted.
AllisonBCT 41-45, F 1 Response 0 Jul 15
Another bad day again today ... Really sick and feeling just drained and dizzy Hope everyone has a good weekend
Jusjellybean 18-21, F 10 Responses 6 Jun 12
I Have CancerWell in 6th grade I was diagnosed with cancer. It was a tectal plate glioma(tumor on my brain stem. And I lost all my friends bc of it.i was abandoned by them and I felt alone all the time. I have been through hell to be honest. I'm 18 now and I want to help any teens like me...
Tyler1995 18-21, M 14 Responses 41 Nov 17, 2013
I have a type of leukemia,Acute Lymphoblastic. Pretty much cancer in bone marrow. I'm a high risk. It gets you thinking about stuff. I had to quit my job and can't go to high school, I had to start online school because I just don't have it to go. I get real bad headaches and can't keep food down and get...
Btimez3 16-17, M 11 Responses 19 Sep 11, 2014
Got rid of chemo exactly on the Fourth of JulyI think it's a sign!!
photographyismylife 13-15, F 1 Jul 6
A week ago I had my appendix out withand appendectomy. Last Thursday, I was told I have cancer in my appendix. I was also told that it is a very very rare cancer. Of all colon cancers, one in the appendix happens .5% of the time. What is it with me that I get all the diseases that are very rare???
emoenjr 46-50, M 1 Response 0 Jul 19
Life can be cruel sometimes It can bechallenging And it also can be upsetting But in life you meet people who you would die for, you meet people who you can make happy, and I think it's important to make people happy no matter what mood you are in because you never know what a smile can do I found this photo...
Jusjellybean 18-21, F 10 Responses 19 Apr 14
Why should I keep fighting no one likes my Ishould just give up and let the cancer do its thing
Peedripping 18-21, F 18 Responses 7 Jan 20
Sometimes I thank godfor giving me cancer. I hate my life but I was always thankful for it.. I know that even though it's really.. REALLY hard right now everything should get better. Maybe this is how it's gonna get better. I can beat this and become stronger thanks to it. Thanks God! I know you...
Hello there. She isnow in recovery. They have confirmed they got 100% of the tumor. We are waiting to see how this will affect her since they took so much of her brain. Im worried my mom wont know me anymore.
Mollielollipop38 26-30, F 20 Responses 21 Mar 23
It's Was HorribleI was diagnosed with cancer when I was 16 in 2010. Its was stage 4 of 2 two types of cancer. I will not say what types or where it was but I will say that I did have a tumor on my lung. Basically I went through some tough tough tough chemo ****. It just sucked the life out of me...
drama591 18-21, M 7 Responses 7 Jan 2, 2013
Diagnosed with chondrosarcoma (a bone cancer)in my left pelvis. I have surgery scheduled for November 20th 2014. Nerves are building, but hopefully in the long term it will help remedy this pain I feel.
ViciDraco 31-35, M 2 Responses 6 Nov 6, 2014
If You Find a Lump Anywhere - Go to Your DoctorEarly 2007 I noticed a very small hard feeling under my skin on my left leg. It was about 1cm in size. I forgot about it for a few weeks and eventually went to the doctors. He took one look at it and said 'no need to worry, it is just a gathering of tissue'. I felt so much...
DAVIDinIRELAND 41-45, M 11 Responses 8 Jun 9, 2008
I think they are gonna admit me again.I keep throwing up
Mollielollipop38 26-30, F 6 Responses 5 Jun 14
I found out the other day.Being a regular drug user, I never paid attention to the occasional case of hematuria. Prolonged ketamine usage will do that to ya. Now, I really wish I would've gone to the doctor sooner rather than ignoring it. I went in for a normal physical exam, and upon hearing about the...
Franse 22-25, M 1 Response 2 Jul 20
I am candys sister. She went to be with Godabout an he ago.
Mollielollipop38 26-30, F 27 Responses 8 Jun 24
Hey everybody. So I'm new hereand I am diagnosed with Mixed Oligoastrocytoma. I just found out and it feels so.. bad? I don't know. I don't know what will happen in the coming days but I'm trying to be positive. I hope you have a good day.
yourcutelittlejo 16-17, F 3 Responses 2 Jul 18
I have lymphoma and have gone through 6 chemosessions so far... each session takes 2 days. I am now waiting for a CAT scan to see how things are going. It took 4 sessions to get the drugs right, so I wasn't sick all the time. Of course... my last chemo gave me cellulitis, destroyed a vein and I had to go to the...
Rinkigingus 36-40, M 4 Responses 9 Dec 13, 2013


text:
Twenty-four years ago, Hellboy took mild-mannered Professor O'Donnell to the secret library of a recently dead necromancer. Since that day, O'Donnell has been the Bureau's expert on the powerful ancient forces intent on ending the age of man. Find out what O'Donnell saw in this supernatural thrill ride.
Ewing and Rocafort's "Ultimates" Stand Guard Against Alien Empires & Cosmic Entities
Comic Books


text:
Will not tolerate corruption: Congress
New Delhi: Amid intense speculation over the fate of Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, the Congress Friday said it would not tolerate corruption.
"We will not tolerate corruption if anybody is found mired in it," newly-appointed Congress spokesperson Bhakta Charan Das told reporters when asked about Bansal`s fate.
"Corruption is a serious issue for us," he said.
Till Thursday, the party had defended Bansal, whose nephew was caught accepting a bribe of Rs.90 lakh for the appointment of an official to a senior Railway Board post.
Congress sources hinted that the case of Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, who is also facing heat for tampering with a CBI report in the coal scam probe, was different from Bansal`s.
"The issue in Ashwani Kumar`s case involves whether or not he had the right to do what he did ... The issue in Bansal`s case involves a corrupt practice," said a Congress leader
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June 1, 2015
American Torture Story
Majid Khan was tortured, including being subjected to forced rectal feeding, by US officials. Don't let them bury the truth!
Take Action Now
December 16, 2013
Veteran activist Zhang Lin faces a possible five year prison sentence. He was detained for peacefully defending his daughter's right to education. Zhang Lin has several health problems.
November 6, 2013
The son and mother of a Shanghai petitioner, Shen Yong, are under tight surveillance and at risk of torture and ill-treatment after Shen Yong was allegedly beaten to death by police in China.
October 22, 2013
Two houses in Beijing were destroyed without advance notice to residents, and an official warned the remaining residents that their houses will be demolished by 26 November 2013.
October 11, 2013
Yang Maodonga has been arbitrary detained for more than 65 days and is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment.


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Tuesday, April 06, 2010
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Victor Oladipo has Dunk of the Year nominee in Indiana's win over CCSU
Dec 9, 2012, 1:14 PM EDT
Indiana cruised to victory, 100-69, Saturday against Central Connecticut, but Victor Oladipo stole the show with his one-handed slam over a Terrell Allen. You can see it in the video below, courtesy of IU Athletics, beginning at about the 0:19 mark.
Now, there is plenty of blame to go around when a dunk like this happens. Oladipo more or less has a clear lane to the basket from the half-court line, giving him a full head of steam attacking the rim. It was a valiant effort by Allen to try for the block, but that's the risk you run when trying to block a shot like that.
Check out the dunk and the rest of Indiana's highlights below:
Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John's. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_
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The raw and the cooked
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|Archives - August 2009
|Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The beans that fuel Portland's high-octane coffee scene connect Oregon with the globe. Is this growing industry a cup half empty or half full?
By LUCY BURNINGHAM
Wife-and-husband team Arianna and Rik Hartstrom (bottom) in their Costa Oro warehouse (top) in Portland. The warehouse is the only dedicated green coffee bean warehouse in Oregon.
For wife-and-husband team Arianna and Rik Hartstrom, running the only dedicated green coffee bean warehouse in Oregon means ensuring these types of "specialty" coffees, a broad term for the high-grade coffees that constitute just 5% of global production, stay dry, cool and protected from light.
Handling coffee correctly is just one part of a business many in the industry doubted the city needed seven years ago, when Arianna Hartstrom founded Costa Oro.
"People told me Portland wasn't large enough to support a green bean warehouse," she says. "But in talking to coffee roasters, we knew the city was lacking a point of distribution."
For roasters paying higher prices for fair trade and organic coffee beans, entrusting non-specialized handlers with their coffee was an unwanted, albeit necessary, risk.
In Costa Oro's first few years, the Hartstroms would meet roasters in convenience store parking lots and personally transfer bags of beans to their cars and vans. Back then the warehouse handled a total of 500,000 pounds of beans in one year, the equivalent of 12 shipping containers.
These days the Hartstroms no longer have time to meet local roasters under a streetlight at a Plaid Pantry. In 2008, the company moved 10 million pounds of beans and opened a transportation division, which offers freight transportation discounts on bean shipments. Even so, many local roasters still personally pick up the essential, single ingredient from the warehouse. They lug the green coffee into their trucks and vans, one sack at a time, which ultimately saves them money on shipping costs.
While Costa Oro's warehouse represents just a fraction of the beans coming through Portland, its clients reveal the mechanics of the local bean trade, and its continued growth reveals even more potential for the bean business.
Top: Nick Bjonskas at CBI monitors coffee as it is transferred from the roaster to the cooling tray. Middle: Bjonskas pulls a sample mid-roast to check color. Bottom: coffee beans in the post-roast cooling process.
Moving thousands of pounds of green coffee has become increasingly common in Portland, a city where established large roasters and newer micro roasters rely on the availability of beans, which are as important to operations as cattle are to beef ranchers or hops to breweries. Without a steady supply of green beans, expensive roasting drums would sit idle, diminishing the supply of high-quality coffee not only in Oregon but nationwide.
It's the hidden supply side of Portland's famous coffee scene, which is defined by a high density of cafes serving coffee made from locally roasted specialty beans. The explosion of coffeehouses is driven by a thirst for quality, socially and ecologically sound coffee, says Ric Rhinehart, executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. Micro roasters are the most obvious signs of the trend.
"Consumers of specialty coffee are the kinds of people who live in Portland for the green environment, access to technology and involved community focus," Rhinehart says. "They define the specialty coffee demographic."
But despite the increasing local demand for green coffee beans, receiving beans in Portland is neither easy nor affordable — one of the few, but costly, speed bumps for the growing roasting industry.
For the most part, the problem affects micro roasters, who work with small batches of beans. Most of them never order enough green coffee to fill a whole container, although full containers drive much of the global shipping industry. Small shipments usually mean bypassing lower-cost steam line shipping for rail or road, which adds to the cost of receiving raw beans.
Larger Portland roasters deal with a different set of problems. For steamships, reaching Portland requires a 100-mile journey up the Columbia River, a costly journey for shipping companies accustomed to visiting ports like Los Angeles and New Orleans. And even when beans arrive from relatively nearby ports, most often Tacoma or Oakland, roasters pay more to move freight from the West Coast than the East Coast.
In 2008, the Port of Portland cleared $32 million worth of coffee beans, just 1% to 2% of all coffee imported into the United States last year, which made Portland the 18th-largest coffee port in the country. (Newark, New Orleans and Los Angeles held the top three spots.)
Andrew Hetzel, a coffee consultant based in Kona, Hawaii, says the added cost of shipping to Portland is offset by the low cost of doing business here.
"If I were a trading company looking for a warehouse location in the Pacific Northwest, I wouldn't be surprised if I picked Portland," says Hetzel. "There's a low cost to do business in Portland and there's the advantage of being convenient to major industry players."
Without importers, the lubricant in the green coffee supply machine, raw beans would slog from farm to cup. Instead, they chug.
Beaverton-based importer Bruno Souza, president of Brazilian Estates Cafe Corporation (Beccor), works a cell phone like a stockbroker on the trading floor, hungry for deals and anxious for information. Bouncing between Portuguese and English as he flits between calls, Souza tracks fluctuations in the price of coffees around the globe, which includes analysis of the dollar and weather patterns in South America.
In 2002, Brazilian-born Souza moved to Portland from Texas and brought Beccor, which imports mostly Brazilian coffees from dozens of farmers, one of whom is Souza's father. At age 89, the patriarch still runs the family's coffee farm, which grows and harvests some of the beans that end up in the Costa Oro warehouse.
At times, Bruno Souza visits Costa Oro to pick up samples of the beans he's peddling around the country. The warehouse currently handles beans for 15 importers and 75 roasters. About three-quarters of those roasters are based in Oregon, but Beccor is the only local importer.
In terms of importing, it's a fairly unique setup. A majority of importers never see the large jute bags of coffee they own and sell, but coordinate shipment and, most importantly, retain financial responsibility for the beans until they arrive at their final destination from a remote location. As another local exception to the rule, Hillsboro-based Karnataka Plantation Coffee imports beans from India and stores them in a private warehouse.
For a bean importer, coffee looks much like any other global commodity, especially oil. Selling at the right moment yields maximum profit, and supply and demand dictate the market. It's a job that could be done anywhere in the world, but Souza says he chose Portland because he considers the city "the bean town" in the United States, which helps his reputation elsewhere.
Jute bags of green coffee wait for one of the two large roasters in the Coffee Bean International facility.
"In Portland you have a coffee culture," he says. "People drink coffee here even in the summer, and the cafes are small and friendly."
Consultant Andrew Hetzel argues that the four importers who currently operate in Oregon chose the location more for lifestyle and potential profit margins than any coffee reputation. One of Portland's highest profile importers — Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers — has become one of the world's largest importers of sustainable, specialty coffee — but doesn't bring large amounts of beans through Portland. But the company still profits by being based locally even though it supplies beans to mostly non-Oregon companies, says owner David Griswold, who relocated the company to Portland's Ecotrust Building from the Bay Area in 2000. "Stepping into Portland allowed us to join a community of like-minded people who are interested in food systems," he says. The company had $21.8 million in sales in 2008, and Griswold says business has grown 30% since moving to town.
For about 25 local micro roasters, who also experience financial benefits from operating in Portland, working with Beccor (which supplies beans to about 100 roasters around the country) and Costa Oro makes a difference.
"It's nice having that first-hand, personal contact with someone locally, and it creates easier access to coffee," says Din Johnson, owner of Ristretto Roasters in Portland. Johnson also says that by ordering beans stored locally, he's increasing chances the warehouse will have better bean selection in the future.
"It would be beneficial to have more coffee here for small roasters," he says. "There's no way we have local access to the variety you'd have if you lived in the Bay Area."
Portland's largest roasters work with such high volumes of coffee, they never worry about small-batch shipping costs and local bean storage.
For example, Portland-based Coffee Bean International (CBI), a specialty wholesale roaster that sells beans to large corporate retailers, including Nordstrom and Noah's Bagels, as well as 1,000 independent coffee houses around the country, roasts 15 million pounds of green specialty coffee beans annually. At any given time, the company is processing 2 to 3 million pounds of beans in its 130,000-square-foot, silver LEED-certified facility close to the airport. But despite CBI's numbers (its 2008 revenue exceeded $60 million) and a 37-year history in Portland, the company doesn't have much name recognition with local consumers, says president and CEO Patrick Criteser.
Top: Mark Stell of Portland Roasting inspects roasting beans. Bottom: Andrew Davis of Portland Roasting checks green coffee beans for defects before loading them into the roaster.
"Most people haven't heard of us because we private label roast," he says. "We work to promote our clients' names, not our own."
But within the green bean industry, CBI holds plenty of sway. "CBI has greater potential influence on coffee trends as a result of its large volume of operations," says Andrew Hetzel. "Therefore buying decisions made by roast master Paul Thornton have a greater impact on the industry than smaller specialty roasters."
Boyd Coffee holds similar clout. While the company won't disclose how many pounds of beans it buys annually, $100 million in sales equates to large-scale bean buying.
Headquartered in Oregon since 1900, Boyd's roasts all its beans in Portland. Randy Layton, Boyd's vice president of coffee operations, estimates the company receives 80% of its beans through the Port of Portland, a rarity in the local marketplace resulting from high volume. The company imports mostly full containers of coffee beans at a rate of at least one container each day.
Oregon's smaller "macro" roasters (Roast magazine created the term to define a roaster that handles more than 100,000 pounds of beans a year) hope to grow their businesses, but never expect to become as large as Boyd's or CBI.
At the Portland Coffee Roasting facilities in the city's eastside warehouse district, where simple hinged doors separate a roaring roasting room from sacks of green coffee and carpeted offices, managing partner Mark Stell wears a button-up khaki shirt and matching pants, making him look more like a safari leader than a coffee roaster. The getup seems appropriate, though, for a man who frequently travels to remote coffee farms around the globe.
Coffee Bean International CEO Patrick Criteser tastes a variety of samples from new growers in a state-of-the-art cupping lab.
Direct bean buying has become a popular practice with most roasters in Portland, where consumers have a heightened awareness of food sourcing and fair trade issues. "We try to mimic our city's reputation for sustainability in how we order coffee, and we market ourselves accordingly," Stell says. "If people were looking for coffee from Portland and it wasn't sustainable, it wouldn't do well."
Currently, Portland Roasting divides its nearly 1 million pounds of annually roasted beans between a variety of local and national clients: grocery stores, universities, cafes, office coffee distributors and food service companies. Stell hopes to expand into even more grocery stores and national outlets during the coming years.
Every local roaster shares Stell's aspirations of growth to varying degrees. Some hope to open new cafes or sell more whole beans, while others dream of becoming the single coffee supplier to major hotel chains. But no matter what the scale, roasters have the power to shape Oregon's green coffee trade.
For Costa Oro, the success of new and expanding roasteries means the difference between an empty warehouse and one packed with sacks of beans.
"The roasters are driving the boat," says Arianna Hartstrom. "If they want to have beans come to a certain outlet, they'll tell their importer, and if that importer doesn't want to do it, they'll find someone else."
More beans also means more business for local importers, baristas and others supported by the trade who all work to meet the demands of a reliably thirsty public. Because giving Oregonians steaming mugs and tiny espresso cups filled with coffee today isn't enough. Tomorrow, they'll want more.
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