My absolute favorite painting in the entire collection was this De Kooning:

De Kooning Pink Angels,ca 1945

* This painting will be on exhibit at Moma next Fall!

Helen Frankenthaler Magic Carpet, 1964

Sam Francis White, 1951

These were some of the most interesting:

Allen Jones Green Table, 1972

Duane Hanson, Florida Shopper 1973

Here are some images of the art in its space

The study with another Duane Hanson  of Fred’s father (his mother is in there too!)

The Sunroom

The Weismans ran out of wall space in their home, so in the nineties, they built the art annex shown here.

All photos courtesy of the Frederick R. Weisman Foundation

]]> http://www.stylecuratorblog.com/art/spotlight-on-the-frederick-r-weisman-foundation/feed/ 3 http://www.stylecuratorblog.com/art/favorite-new-findlost-art-salon/ http://www.stylecuratorblog.com/art/favorite-new-findlost-art-salon/#comments Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:36:28 +0000 SC http://www.stylecuratorblog.com/?p=2038 I lov, love, love the article in the May 2011 issue of Town and Country about Lost Art Salon. Lost Art Salon is a  gallery located in San Francisco that specializes in curating “salon-style” art arrangements for private clients. Their website has hundreds of affordably priced, small-scale pieces that the two owners will group together depending on specific preferences to create a gallery of art that looks haphazard but is actually very carefully planned. Here are some of my favorite picks from their site. And, by the way, I want this job!!

Available here

Today I was inspired by the art of abstract expressionist Norman Bluhm. I am slightly obssesed with his use of basic primary colors. These paintings are my favorite.

The paintings remind me of these Comme des Garcons small leather goods- the saturation of the colors make them pure eye candy!

Available at Barneys.

I’d like to think that Valerie Gordon of Valerie Confections needs no introduction. If you have ever tried her Almond Fleur de Sel toffee-you know why…she is an expert confectioner who has mastered the art of her craft.

Her philosophy behind her art is simple- things from our childhood can make us happy in our careers and life, source the best possible ingredients, and add a little bit of sweetness to entertaining or every day life.

She has kindly shared with me some Valentine’s Day entertaining tips that I, in turn, get to share with you.

1. Greet your guests with a cocktail or a glass of champagne when they arrive. Stay away from a sweet mixed drink — they will be getting enough sugar! For a cocktail, Valerie suggests a Manhattan or if you choose champagne, her brand of choice is Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose, which is perfect for entertaining.

2. Presentation is key. Make the buffet as dynamic as possible — use platters, cake plates, tiered servers, all at different heights and proportions to create variety on your tablescape.

3. Have one dessert showcase. Maybe it’s a trifle, a 5-layer cake or a tiramisu; whatever it is, make sure it’s BIG and requires self-service. This one item will inspire conversation and get everyone involved.

4. Remember that cookies are your friend. Whether they are purchased from a local bakery or from out of a bag, it’s easy to gather 3 to 4 different kinds of cookies to fill out your buffet. Valerie’s favorite cookies are from Susina Bakery & Cafe in Los Angeles, in particular the Mont Blanc variety.

5. Avoid the buffet traffic jam. Set up a couple of mini-buffets in other obvious gathering areas. One strategic plate of cookies and a candy dish with chocolates is all you need to manage the flow.

6. Give your guests a wrapped treat as they leave. You don’t have to make it yourself, you can buy it from a store, and then package it in a festive or vintage wrapping paper. Valerie recommends a wrapped and ribboned chocolate bar, as it will last for days and be a lovely reminder of the party.

All Photography Courtesy of Valerie Confections

And all the colors together the yellows, pinks, and blues all seemed very resort-y.  Which inspired me to put together a collection of resort wear in the same color palette.

Lem Lem Tunic/ Stella McCartney Sandals/ Tory Burch Pareo, Necklace, and Shell Cuff/ Angela Adams for J Crew tote/Chance and Co Pool Towel/ Missoni Bikini

I was really enthralled by the work of Wu Guanzhong. His limited edition prints where exhibited in two different galleries in Beijing. His style is rooted in traditional Chinese calligraphy paintings, yet he incorporates abstraction-a more Western form of expression. He is one of the few Chinese painters who bridged Eastern and Western art together. To learn more about his life and art check here…

* Click on the picture to change to the next slide

Top 5 Sights to See in Beijing

Great Wall-I suggest driving the extra half hour to the Mutianyu Section for no other reason than you take  a chair lift up and toboaggan down (SO.MUCH. FUN.-see outtakes!)

Tiananmen Square-Not a whole lot to see, but a historical site, nonetheless. It was built to hold a million people and it feels it-so vast and wide. It was fun to see the Chinese Soldiers march and change guard.

Forbidden City-We got there late and it was freezing, but the palace is beautiful. My favorite part was the garden of cypress trees and the stunning mix of Imperial colors-all of which signify wealth and power and could only be used by the Emperor.

A good example of the mustard yellow, Chinese red, and green at the palace.

Hutong-Hutongs are the narrow streets of old Beijing-only a few are left (they widened all the streets in preparation for the Olympics). We visited the Nanluoguxiang Hutong that was lined with cute little stores, cafes, and tchotchkes.

Dashanzi798 Art District-This art colony/district is about 20 minutes outside Beijing proper, but well worth the visit. There are the most interesting galleries and stores. It is the pulse of what is current in the city.  Unfortunately many stores would not allow photos, but I snapped a few-see below.  It was a nice modern balance to all the tradition and history of old Beijing.

Ok-so my favorite part of any trip-the food and the shops!

Dining is very hit or miss in Beijing. I would say that from all our meals-half were good to excellent. The rest-not so much.

Duck de Chine-WOW! What a restaurant. The space alone is awesome-rustic wood beamed ceilings, brick walls, low light, floor to ceiling windows. But the true star here is the Peking Duck-Beijing’s specialty and perfectly served here. The restaurant is tucked in 1949-The Hidden City-it seemed to be THE hot spot in Beijing-cool galleries, restaurants and a bar. WEBSITE

China Club-We got very lucky to be able to eat here. China Club is a members-only club owned by David Tang (we actually ate at the outpost in Hong Kong as well) The food was traditional Cantonese cuisine and it was pretty good. The setting was pretty spectacular also-it felt as if you were eating at the Imperial Palace. WEBSITE

The Source-It is a small restaurant attached to a family home-very typical in Beijing. Many people convert one room to a business or restaurant to make extra income and they live in the back . Eat here when you visit the Hutong. It is a set menu but they take into consideration likes or dislikes. The shredded fried duck was out of this world-I’ve never had anything quite like it and it will be one of those dishes I’ll search for over and over. WEBSITE

Shopping/Art

I stayed away from the markets and antique shops on this trip. Time was short and if you do not plan out your day-you will never get from point A to B in Beijing. What I did see where all the shops along the Hutong and the galleries in 798.

Hutong:

Woo-delicious cashmere scarves and blankets

FengNian Earthenware- a cheap little ceramic store with good finds. I bought a small celadon bowl for around 3 bucks.

Kodo: an interesting shop filled with French inspired housewares and supplies. No pictures allowed.

Dashanzi 798 Art District:

Soul Collective Art: Fun and interesting ceramics

Artbridge Gallery-there was a fabulous exhibition of the work of Wu Guanzhong. I can’t wait to dedicate an entire post to this artist-amazing!

This was one of my favorite prints:

Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts-perhaps my absolute favorite store in Beijing and it was basically a museum gift shop!

Ahh-the wacky and the weird, and the just plain dorky!

Street Food-Umm-maybe some of the most disgusting “food” items I’ve ever seen-it varied from scorpions and bugs to sheep’s penis….and I was nervous about the chicken.

The Tobaggan down the Great Wall-a little bit random and a whole lot of fun! I highly recommend this side adventure.

Statues-we came across a lot of statues-and we decided to take pictures of each other imitating them-we have definintely crossed to the dorkside!

Travel Tips/Info:

Where I get my information…

Luxe City Guides-informative, current, portable. I’ve used Luxe guides for many trips-haven’t been disappointed yet.

For this particular trip, I trusted a new blogging friend-Hong Kong Housewife. Natasha gave me great recommendations including Duck de Chine and the Mutianyu section of the wall.

I always use the concierge desk-they are informative and in this case-necessary! We stayed at The Peninsula-the spa was fantastic!

I wish I had known…..

Facebook and Twitter are banned in Beijing. I was able to access my accounts from my blackberry but was unable to log on via my ipad or computer.

How incredibly difficult Beijing is to navigate! A taxi is the only way to get around-we got denied a ride 3 times in row, got lost, and had to wait in the cold on different occasions. Taxi drivers do not speak English-it is imperative that your concierge writes your destination in Chinese and that you hold on to the card that has your hotel written in Chinese.  I suggest having your taxi wait for you during dinner, etc or hire a car.

Plan ahead-the only way to tour the city and not get completely frustrated is to have a true plan! Otherwise the city is too big and the language barrier too high to get around last minute. This is the main reason I never made it to any of the markets.

If I had more time….

Spin Ceramics-somwhere I read about and wanted to try but never made it

Family Li Kitchen-highly recommended set menu restaurant

Dali Courtyard-another highly recommended restaurant

The Orchard-a lifestyle boutique

and of course…all the fantastic markets full of  reproduction Chinese pottery, porcelain, etc..

OH NEXT TIME!

stay tuned for my next post that will cover the Hong Kong portion of my trip.

]]> http://www.stylecuratorblog.com/city-guide/travelers-notebook-beijing/feed/ 1 http://www.stylecuratorblog.com/fashion/tastemaker-elyse-walkers-resort-essentials/ http://www.stylecuratorblog.com/fashion/tastemaker-elyse-walkers-resort-essentials/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:35:54 +0000 SC http://www.stylecuratorblog.com/?p=1945 I was thrilled when super stylish Elyse Walker, owner of her eponymous boutique, agreed to share her top resort picks with me. Elyse is extremely well-versed in the language of fashion with over a decade in the business as a stylist and boutique owner. Her boutique is a Pacific Palisades Institution and she now has an e-commerce site and magazine that rivals Net-A-Porter!  Be sure to take a look-see over at her site-you won't be disappointed except for the fact that you might be tempted to buy something fantastic!