Hello Again!

Please pardon the major interruption in blog posts! 2012 went by in a flash and was full of major milestones, career growth, and countless memories. In the midst of all the excitement To The Tens was abandoned, but will be making a major comeback in 2013. First up will be a design overhaul of the site. Please bear with me as TTT ramps up and looks a little shabby (hopefully shabby chic?!) until the end of Feb/ early March. A little recap of 2012 and tease of more goodies to come...

I worked with a super cute family in Brooklyn on their living room "spruce-up." Major bonus, they loved Martyn Lawrence Bullard's Sinhala Linen print via F.Schumacher. Obsessed!

Enjoyed an amazing girls weekend away to The Parker Palm Springs.

Continued to pull together our apartment and collect any and all things elephant. Is there such a thing as a crazy elephant lady?? Really though, an elephant bar cart is WAY necessary.

Turned 30 - yikes!

Became addicted to Instagram (username: pp_pal)...and that fabric.

And the major time suck/ labor of love that was 2012...I became a Mrs! 

Much more on that to come...

It feels good to be back! 

xo

PLP

(my new initials - double Ps!)

Take Me to Jamaica (with Ralph Lauren!)

This weather (now an ice storm, oy vey!) is forcing me to daydream about vacations to white sand beaches and endless amounts of sunshine. I think I have found my winter refuge in the Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Jamaica. Now if the prospect of a luxurious beachfront hotel in Jamaica is not enough reason for you to book a flight, here is a little more incentive for you - Ralph Lauren designed all of the villas. Yes, I thought that may be the little push we all needed!

Ralph Lauren designed "the overriding palette of the rooms in white to reflect the sand and light of Jamaica." 

Aerial views of Round Hill Bay. 

Views out from the hotel...

With an emphasis on comfort, this is the perfect place to escape from reality.

Ralph Lauren loves Jamaica so much that he has not only one, but two homes on Round Hill.

His "plantation home"...

 And his "beach home" (just down the hill)...

*photos from Architectural Digest

Oh, to be Ralph. Where would you jaunt off to this winter?

Take Me To the Redbury!

I am loving the decor of the new Hollywood hotel, The Redbury. Located on the iconic intersection of Hollywood & Vine, the hotel is a little rock and roll, a little boho-chic and super eclectic. From vintage rugs, to English flea market finds and tons of ethnic prints, there is no shortage of color or texture.

Catering to long-term stays, all 57 rooms are outfitted with a kitchenette and a washer & dryer - truly a home away from home...

Staying true to their rock & roll vibe, each room also has a vintage record player and vintage rock & roll posters lining the walls...

The hotel restaurant, Cleo, serves up classic "mezze" fare - think flatbreads, kebabs and tagine. Hotel guests can also order from fellow SBE owned restaurant, Katsuya if they are more in the mood for sushi. 

 Cleo seems to be a more toned down version of the hotel, but still maintains a vintage/funky feel. 

For LA residents, the outdoor terrace on the 2nd floor looks like the perfect spot for a pre-dinner cocktail or a girls night out. According to the website, the terrace will remain "unpretentious" and there will be no velvet rope or guest list type attitude...which would be a nice addition to the Hollywood scene. 

Back to reality...

Just back from Italy and am running in circles trying to upload photos, unpack and catch-up on everything. It was a fabulous trip and my friend's wedding was jaw-droppingly amazing.  Unfortunately, my camera broke on the 3rd night so I have been begging friends for their pictures which will hopefully give you a peek into my splendid week...

First stop: Florence
It was my first time in Florence and I was blown away by the architecture, art, culture, and most importantly the food and wine. We rushed to the Accademia to see the David when we first arrived and I was blown away. The highlight of the trip though was our time spent across the Arno at the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens, perusing antique and stationary stores, and downing pastas at local cafes. I always felt like I was less a tourist and more immersed in the locals life when on that side of the river and I was never disappointed.

Crossing the Arno...

A great shot in the Boboli Gardens...

The best pizza with salami on the trip and cheap prosecco by the glass - heavenly!

Why Italy is great: shopping and art all in one place!

2nd stop: Cortona (sight of the wedding)
For those of you who have seen Under the Tuscan Sun, you are familiar with Cortona in Tuscany. If you are travelling to Cortona by train you will see a walled-in medieval town perched on a hilltop high above everything else in sight. It is breathtaking from below so you can only imagine the views once you arrive at the Piazza Garibaldi which serves as the entry point and an amazing look-out spot.

Within the walls, Cortona is composed of pedestrian-only streets. The narrow cobblestone streets are lined with adorable patisseries, cafes, wine stores, flower shops, cookware and more. The restaurants were terrific and afterwards you could buy a delicious bottle of wine for 5 euros and drink it on the steps in the main square! It was definitely the perfect home base for the wedding party.

The sunflowers in Cortona blew my mind - they were huge and so vibrant!

The spot of our late night hang-outs...

A short drive away in the countryside of Cortona is Il Falconiere, a 17th century villa that is now home to the Relais and Chateaux hotel and vineyard owned by the Baracchi family. This was the sight of the wedding as well as a great wine tasting and vineyard tour. True to the Relais's name there is a falcon on sight, which was a highlight of the wedding for many of the male guests attending the wedding!

The sprawling Baracchi vineyards...

Inside the cellar, where the wine is fermenting...

Tasting straight from the barrel (not much taste to the wine yet!)

Enjoying wine in Il Falconiere's wine vault...

The falcon on the Baracchi wine bottle...and below as the boys cautiously pose with it and Il Falconiere's owner, Riccardo Baracchi. 

A peek into the wedding...

The church...

A great tradition in Italy is for all of the guests to exit the church first and when the Bride & Groom leave  the guests toss rose petals over their heads...

Arriving at the cocktail hour in style...

Cheers to the happy couple!!