Travels in Wales - Part 1

Visiting or staying at Portmeirion Village on the coast of Wales is a not-to-miss experience. Sure, it’s where the cult classic, The Prisoner, was shot. But this quirky village is so much more: trails thread through woodlands, waterfront vistas are abundant, as are the diverse works of art on display.

No matter where you gaze, including through your windows, brings into view something fantastical.

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New Historic and Stylish Hotel in New Orleans

 The French Quarter in New Orleans hasn’t seen a new hotel in decades. No surprise, considering the city wants to keep this district historically significant. Now there’s a new player on the block that manages to meld historical significance with contemporary stylishness. This is my latest for Forbes Life on ONE11 Hotel. 

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Sale: Innovative and Creative Products That I Designed - Locally Made

Winter already seems particularly long this year. So I decided to hold a Winter Sale. (Kind of a way of celebrating the days growing longer.) Anyone using this discount code 17F47WX when shopping in my store will get 20% off on any of my products. (The sale is on until the last day of Winter, March 19.) They are all locally made, mostly in the New York/New Jersey area. Shopping locally and favoring small businesses — especially those owned by women — is important to me. That’s why I joined the New York City Fair Trade Coalition. To find out more about my products that I designed and created, click here for my interview with the NYC Fair Trade Coalition. You’ll learn about my 7-in-1 wallet, cross-body bag, fashionable multi-pocket vest for women, any-occasion photo greeting cards and, of course, the quirky AngryJ. Find out why AngryJ is a hit with adults. 

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A New and Uncreative Development in New York City

In Manhattan, the far West Side has a new addition, a sprawling development, and, after visiting it once, I prefer not to see it again. The almost 30-acre Hudson Yards has finally opened -- or at least part of it has opened -- to much fanfare. But, sadly, it’s a symbol of the disparity of income that’s become worse in the U.S. Visitors wait on long lines for a taste of paella or churros, or to climb the more than 150 flights of what’s referred to as the Vessel, that’s an ostentatious, interactive piece of art. Climbing the network of sometimes narrow stairways in this funnel-shaped installation, you shouldn’t expect to find anything except views of the Hudson River (and the mall and cultural center). Meanwhile, the high-end crowd browses the floor set up for the superluxe retailers, such as Gucci, Dior and Rolex in the multi-story mall. Those with less than stellar bank accounts may prefer to browse the floors housing more ordinary retail outlets. Yes, there’s a cloud-like structure, the Shed, that serves as a cultural center for dance, concerts and art exhibitions. But Hudson Yards feels cold, uncreative, and soulless with public spaces that offer little verdancy. (Maybe that will change with time.). Tens of billions of dollars were poured into Hudson Yards to attract wealthy businesses and condo owners. Let’s see whether the Hudson Yards is able to turn the far West Side into a must-see destination.

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Photos: Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a multi-faceted city, where luxe hotels like the Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt displays contemporary art on the wall of an underground gallery, and where the rough-around-the edges La Boca barrio shows off its surprising street art with sculptures hanging from the colorful facades. Where the city that bustles with non-stop traffic also is home to the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve where the only sounds are the twittering of birds. Where neighborhoods are peppered with small art galleries showcasing the myriad works of Argentinian painters as well as museums highlighting the country's vast art heritage. Where one moment you can be dining in a fine sushi restaurant and the next, strolling a verdant Japanese garden -- the biggest outside of Japan -- with places aplenty that are ideal for meditation.

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Photos: Whimsy in a New York City Hotel

For me, so many of the hotels in Manhattan fall into two categories: luxury brands and low-end hotels that feel dark and dismal. So, imagine my surprise to discover the new Moxy Hotel in lower Manhattan that's bright, fun, and affordable. I was already in love with Marriott's Moxy brand after visiting their recently-opened property in Chattanooga, Tennessee. What makes the Moxy such a breath of fresh air is that each property has an immense, comfortable public space full of art, quirky design features, and games. Finally, a hotel where you feel like you actually want to hang out in a "lounge" and feel comfortable, even if you're traveling by yourself. Sure, the sunny rooms are minimalist -- but they've got art features as well -- and few places to store whatever you brought with you, including your luggage. But who's going to spend much time in the room when there's so much to enjoy on their third floor? These are some of the images from the Moxy that's on Ann Street just off Fulton Street, near the World Trade Center.

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Beyond the Sea and Sand in Curacao - Art + Culinary Adventures

If you find yourself on the Caribbean island of Curacao, try to pull yourself away from the beach and head to the interior where Evelien Sipkes, a well respected ceramicist and jewelry designer, has her atelier, gallery, workshop and home. I spent quite awhile with her, discovering how she crafts necklaces, bracelets, rings and ceramics with inspiration from the surrounding nature. But, it's even more fascinating to discover that her creativity goes beyond these artistic objects. She's also a chef who hosts wine-paired dinners, high tea and lunches where she not only creates the culinary delights but also the table ware.  I recently interviewed Evelien for ForbesLife.

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New York City's World Trade Center Redevelopment

The World Trade Center site has certainly seen its share of dramatic transformations, decades ago it went from a landfill to an epicenter of finance with the twin towers as the centerpiece. Before the devastation, this was a complex with the soaring glass Winter Garden that was quite egalitarian: with shops and restaurants where most demographics could find something enticing. Then 9/11 occurred. And the long, drawn-out, much debated and argued about rebuilding process. And, yet, there were dining, shopping and drinking experiences that could appeal to almost every person. The waterfront property beckoned with its views of the Hudson and establishments where you could enjoy a mango sorbet at Ciao Bella, sip a glass of wine at an outdoor patio facing the Hudson at Southwest New York, shop at the Gap, pick up lunch at Blockheads Burrito, or meet a colleague for Japanese food at Yushi. All these shops and more were shuttered when the developer decided the place needed not only a new look, given the opening of the spectacularly overpriced Santiago Calatrava-designed train station, but needed to draw on customers that would otherwise gravitate to Madison Avenue. So now we have a site that feels cold and impersonal and highly elitist. Despite my negative reactions to most everything on the site with the exception of the stellar water views and expansive green spaces, I found some lovely design and architectural details to share.

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A Unique New York City Souvenir

How ordinary: a simple wooden cube.  At least that’s how it appears at first. But pull it apart into two pieces, lay these side by side and you’ll be facing the New York City skyline, complete with four of the city’s iconic buildings: Empire State, Chrysler, Flatiron and the newest, the Freedom Tower aka Tower One World Trade Center. And, when it’s back in its cube form, rotate it to view the two empty slots, representing the missing footprints of the Twin Towers.

Referred to as the New York Cube, this hand crafted work of art is the brainchild of Aid Rifatbegovic, an artist in Bosnia who’s noted for his sculpted wood objects. The cube is constructed of different types of recycled hardwoods and softwoods, such as oak, cherry, ash and various conifers. The woods vary from cube to cube; each piece is unique. And this medley of woods beautifully reflects the diversity of New York City. This New York City souvenir is so unique, even native New Yorkers -- like me -- find them appealing.

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My Newly Designed Website

Sometimes it seemed easier to find a competant, personable and smart hair stylist and colorist  -- never easy for me  -- than a web designer. I'd tried for years -- yes, years -- to find someone to redesign my website. And, yet, even after doing an extensive vetting process, I ended up with people who overcharged, set things up that didn't work properly, gave me the exact opposite of what I wanted -- what isn't clear about my saying "I don't want anything Goth or retro" only to see that they designed a site that was Goth- or retro-laden? -- or disappeared off the face of the earth, never answering email or voice mail.

I basically gave up. And then everything changed when I ran in to Mickey Luckens -- in Reykjjavik, of all places -- who's the Marketing Strategies for Neww York City-based Ujima Digital. He interviewed me, asking me questions about my goals for the site, the products I designed, my target audience, and bunches more. He was smart, savvy, analytical, and insightful, providing suggestions and advice that no one had ever offered, advice that was creative and innovative. But, one of the most important things was that he was outgoing with  an optimistic personality, and not a hit of condescension or pretention. And then he introduced me to Danielle Pearce, the actual designer. Again, I was worried that she wouldn't get it and that Goth and retro would somehow migrate into my  site. Not a chance. Daniellle designed a contemporary, clean, stellar site that shows off my store and my photography.  (Check out my newly-designed website here.) I found her to be a gem of a designer, who's  personable, creative and innovative (just like Mickey). In fact, I agreed with 100% of her suggestions which, for me, is a first.

I'm going to continue working with Ujima Digital as I  move forward with my site and  produce more products. (My unisex travel bag and clothing line as well as my plush  Angry J Creatures doll will soon debut.)

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Touring Gracie Mansion in New York City: Then and Now

A lot has changed since I visited Gracie Mansion just before Mayor Bill De Blasio took office. For one thing, there are no public tours on the schedule and when they'll return is anyone's guess. (They apparently have been suspended indefinitely.)

But, perhaps more importantly, New York  City's new mayor has taken to making some major design and architectural changes in and around this two-story landmark mansion that dates from the 18th century. Ringing part of the property now is a 10-foot-high fence to improve the De Blasio family's security and privacy, presumably. (And that's in addition to the six-foot-tall wall that already surrounded the house.)


The first three images below represent the public spaces on the first floor. The fourth is the exterior beyond the barriers. The fifth shows the new security fence. And the last two are the newly-designed rooms on the family's second floor.

Photo credit: William Waldron

Photo credit: William Waldron.

Photo: http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/gracie-mansion.page

Photo: Brigitte Stelzer

http://blog.westelm.com/2014/07/30/west-elm-gracie-mansion/

http://blog.westelm.com/2014/07/30/west-elm-gracie-mansion/

As far as the interior, on the last of the public tours, when we visited the living quarters on the second floor, I learned that, once a mayor is in residence, this floor becomes off limits. Of course, this mansion overlooking the East River stood vacant for 12 years, during the Bloomberg era. (Mike Bloomberg preferred to reside in his own mansion on East 79th Street.) But he spent millions of his own money, restoring and renovating this sun-filled Federal house where every room comes with a fireplace and is bedecked with a flourish of details. The oldest piece of furniture in the house dated from the 1600s; and a rare, five-leg, 200-year-old settee was found in a hallway. (Who knows if these antiques remain, though typically the public spaces can't be touched.) On the second floor at that time, a sunny suite has one of its two room is lined with floral wallpaper. This is where Nelson Mandela once stayed. A master bedroom was outfitted with an antique four-poster bed where wood pineapple carvings represent hospitality; and a guest bedroom contains faux bamboo (really maple) furniture.

Mayors make their own decisions as to how to decorate the second floor. And the De Blasio family clearly decided on a design path that is in complete contrast to the historic nature of the dwelling he and his family moved into. (Fiorello La Guardia -- one of New York City's airports is named for him -- was the first mayor to reside in Gracie Mansion where a mantle displays a Revolutionary War cannon ball found on the property.)  Interestingly, centuries ago, this part of the city was considered the country. The compass on the floor in an entryway refers to the shipping interests of Gracie, a Scottish fishing merchant. And one wall in the midnight blue room on the first floor is lined with a tall bookcase that comes apart in a half dozen pieces. (In fact, that's how it was moved into the room.)


The De Blasio's decided to go with a contemporary but hardly luxe design ethic, reminiscent of what one might find in a well appointed first apartment of a new university grad. Normally photography of the family quarters is banned but not in this case, most likely because West Elm in Brooklyn supplied the furnishings and are using this as a PR coupe. After seeing the pendant globe lights  and L-shaped purple couch with different colored throw pillows perhaps it's no great loss that the public won't be exploring the second floor.

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