Art House Project, Naoshima, Japan

A few years ago, Rama, Elodie, and I spent two magical days on Naoshima Island in Japan. We took a high-speed Shinkansen train from Tokyo to Okoyama, and another train from Okoyama to Uno Port where we caught the ferry to Naoshima. The journey was worth it for the ferry ride alone. But the charmed atmosphere continued as we ventured by shuttle bus to our hotel, Benesse House, a gorgeous modern structure featuring a contemporary art museum designed by Tadao Ando. We explored the sculpture gardens featuring works by Yayoi Kusama and Niki de Saint Phalle, and collected seashells and driftwood at the beach before enjoying a bento box dinner in our room.

My favorite part of the trip was the Art House Project — a collection of traditional Japanese houses converted into contemporary art galleries. The exquisite details of the Japanese architecture had been restored, but instead of the furnishings of the fisherman’s families who once resided here, we found surprising works of art. The most stunning piece was a light installation by James Turrell. I won’t give away the secret, but you can be assured that it left a lasting impression.

If I ever go back, I’ll stay with some of the locals and get a more authentic experience of what life on Naoshima Island is like. I’ll also go back for a second helping of the most delicious black sesame ice cream I’ve ever head. Have you ever been to Naoshima Art Island? I hope you get the chance to go.

Five Great East Bay Date Night Ideas

One of the best things about being in a babysitting coop is that you don’t have to blow half your date night budget on a babysitter. We just wrapped up a round of date-night swaps that we traded with four other local families — giving us four date nights (one per month) with free babysitting! It doesn’t get much better than that. Here’s what we did on our civilized, kid-free nights out.

Date Night #1: Dinner with Margaritas at Comal, Berkeley

This upscale Mexican restaurant in Downtown Berkeley has yummy Margaritas. I recommend reserving a table in the main dining room. We didn’t have a reservation, but luckily snagged a table in the back section, which was kind of chilly and breezy on the rainy winter night that we went. The dining room also features refined acoustics so you can speak at a normal volume and still have a nice quite conversation.

Date Night #2: Dinner with martinis and wine at Corso, Berkeley

An elegant Italian restaurant in Berkeley’s “Gourmet Ghetto,” Corso serves excellent martinis and features what I consider to be the best chicken dish in America (pictured). Unfortunately, the last time I had it it was slightly overcooked, but the time before that was exquisite! Baked in gobs of butter and served in its own tiny little pan this lovely little breast goes wonderfully with a glass of chianti classico.

Date Night #3: Dinner with martinis and wine at The Advocate, Berkeley

Sister restaurant to Comal, The Advocate is a cosmopolitan new option in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood. Not only is it a great date night spot, it also has a nice bar for fancy mom’s night out drinks. The kitchen churns out delicious dishes like the classic cheeseburger — one of the best in the Bay Area — and a seasonal flatbread like the “flowers, herbs, and honey” flatbread pictured above. Yes, I had this and yes, I felt like a fairy queen eating it.

Date Night #4: Dinner with cocktails at Burma Superstar in Oakland followed by ice cream at Curbside Creamery

Known for their “tea leaf salad,” Burma Superstar enjoys cult status as one of the best Burmese restaurants in the Bay Area (In addition to this restaurant in Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood, they’ve got locations in San Francisco and Alameda). But whenever we go, I can’t resist the sesame chicken and sautéed pea leafs. So good! Last weekend we also got the “sumosa salad,” which was yummy. I found that the “lychee cucumber mimosa,” which tasted strange at first, paired excellently with the salad’s savory flavors.

We still had an hour left after finishing up dinner at Burma Superstar, so we headed over to Temescal Alley — a really cute industrial chic area just off busy Telegraph Avenue. Most of the shops were closed, but a handful of families and other couples were lining up at Curbside Creamery. A single ice cream cookie sandwich split between the two of us hit the spot — and check out the picturesque brick patio where we sat in minty green chairs beneath a rose trellis. It’s one of my new favorite places.  I think we’ll have to go back soon with the little one in tow.

Date Night #5: Oysters and Champagne at the Claremont Hotel, Berkeley

While this wasn’t technically a date night, it was still a fun night out with my husband, mother-in-law, and 6-year-old daughter (it was actually her birthday!). But the setting was beautiful with the Claremont Hotel’s newly renovated interiors and spectacular views, and I think it would make a marvelous place for a date.

Do you have a favorite date night spot in the city where you live? I’d love to know!

[All images except the last two courtesy of the respective restaurants]

 

 

 

Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association’s Annual Spring Tour

One of the most delightful experiences I’ve had in the Berkeley community is as a docent for the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association’s Spring Tour. This year, I won’t be able to volunteer, but if you’re free this Sunday, May 1, don’t miss this chance to get an exclusive peek inside 10 historic Berkeley homes. Each year BAHA focuses on a different neighborhood. This year’s event centers on the region just south of the Municipal Rose Garden and features houses designed by celebrated 20th century architects like Bernard Maybeck and John Galen Howard. It will surely be a treat to see these gorgeous architectural gems, and the gardens should be in their full springtime glory! We weren’t able to take photos of the inside of the houses last year, but here are a few shots I snapped outside.

 

 

Preschool Style: Old Navy Fall Fashion

Elodie had a hard time pulling her size 3T kitty cat shirt off over her head tonight, so we ordered some new outfits in size 4T. All on sale at Old Navy.

1. Ponte Leopard Print Dress ($14) for days when she needs to be a “cheetah.”

2. Roll Sleeve Graphic Tee in Printed Bottom ($8) with Jersey Leggings in Denim ($4.47)

3. Roll Sleeve Graphic Tee in Gray Heather ($8) with Jersey Leggings in Black ($4.47)

4. Jersey Leggings ($4.47) in Fuchsia Generation and matching Long-Sleeved Tee ($4.47) for days when she feels like being Holly Shiftwell from Disney’s Cars movie.

Unfortunately, I’m not making any money from this post, but if anybody wants to sign me up for affiliate marketing I’ll take it 🙂

Berkeley Dream House: A Gorgeous Greek Revival

I spend a lot of time walking in my town. And I don’t just stick to my neighborhood, Elmwood, I traipse all over the place, from Downtown Berkeley to the Gourmet Ghetto, and up the hill to the Claremont Hotel area. As I go about my promenade I take in the stunning architectural eye-candy, in constant awe over the magnificent places some lucky locals call home. Among the grandiose houses of Berkeley, California, this stunning Beaux-Arts beauty perpetually catches my eye.

Awash in bright California sunshine for much of the day, its cheerful facade positively gleams each time I stroll by. It is without a doubt the kind of home I’d be delighted to come home to every day. Wouldn’t you?

Neoclassical architecture was all the rage in France in the 1800s when Napoleon Bonaparte came to power and kicked off the Empire Era. Inspired by the ideals of ancient Greece and also seen as a backlash to the more elaborate rococo style that preceded it, the characteristic ionic columns and stately balustrades quickly infused England, and eventually made it over to the United States. Antebellum plantation houses of the American South come to mind, and of course there’s The White House.

The interesting thing about Berkeley architecture is that it’s so mixed. A single block might feature beautiful examples of Neoclassical, Victorian, Spanish Colonial Revival, and of course Craftsman — a style the city is particularly known for.

Over the next few months I’ll continue to feature outstanding examples of Berkeley’s fabulous residential architecture. And though I pretend to be an expert, the truth is, I’m a complete novice, a pedestrian enthusiast if you will, so if you’ve got anything to add to the conversation, please do!

Outside Paris: Chateau de Chantilly

We are in France! On Thursday, while Rama set off for a concert in Belgium, Elodie and I embarked on our own adventure to visit some friends in the lovely town of Chantilly. Just a 25-minute train ride from Paris’ Gare du Nord train station, Chantilly is the horse-breeding capital of France and is home to a beautiful chateau. Since all that rococo detailing isn’t very conducive to sticky four-year-old fingers, we didn’t go inside, but instead spent a few glorious hours exploring the vast gardens. First stop: the cafe.

According to the English language brochure, a series of rustic, English-style cottages were built on the grounds in 1775 for the Prince of Condé. They now house a restaurant, so we headed over to taste the authentic whipped cream. “Chantilly” means “whipped cream” in French, and was actually invented here. Elodie’s chocolate chaud came with a wopping dollop of thick, rich, buttery, cream that tasted more like cream cheese frosting than ready-whip. Decadent indeed!

After our afternoon treat, which they call “gouter” en francais, we set out to find the children’s play area. Down a grassy path, over a wooden footbridge, and past a wide field, we were met by a flock of carved and painted wooden sheep. So sweet! The enchanting playground also featured a series of tiny wooden houses and grass-covered mounds of earth that formed a swirling pattern that was so fun to run on. An adjacent labyrinth was created for a prince’s birthday party. I read that when the children made it to the center of the maze, they found a table piled high with sweets and treats. We were nervous about getting lost in the labyrinth, so didn’t venture inside, but I once heard that if you run your hand along the right side of labyrinth, you will eventually find your way out.

Our friends are hoping to move back to the States soon, so who knows if we will ever go back to Chantilly, but we’re so lucky we had the chance to visit. And if we do make it back to that delightful town just north of Paris, we’ll certainly return to the chateau and while away an afternoon like happy French royals.

Père Lachaise in November

One brisk morning last fall Elodie and I ventured to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery to collect chestnuts. We had noticed the hundreds of chrysanthemum plants for sale at the local funerary businesses in our neighborhood (big bright bursting blossoms set out on the street always made me smile). And that morning, we were surprised to see gardeners planting dozens of them on the cemetery grounds. I later learned that the planting was in preparation for All Saint’s Day, or Toussaint as they call it in French. Celebrated on November 1, the public holiday is reserved for spending time visiting the graves of deceased loved ones. I adore strolling the cobbled paths of that crumbling cemetery any time of year, but the profusion of flowers that covers the newer graves in the first weeks of November make the month a particularly pleasant time to pay your respects to Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, and all the other luminaries lucky enough to be buried in one of the world’s most beautiful cemeteries. It’s also the time of year when we remember my great-grandmother, who would have turned 101 this year.

Here are a few photos from our walk that that beautiful fall morning in Paris.

Home T-shirts. I went with New York.

I’ve been missing New York like crazy. So I went ahead and splurged on a little present for myself. I ordered the T-shirt pictured at the top. Now some of my cousins will think I should have gotten the shirt on the bottom, because Rhode Island is after all my home state. Of course Little Rhody, that dear old Ocean State, will always be home, and I get goose bumps just looking at its beautiful shape with all its little bays and inlets. But in my heart of hearts New York is my home. It’s home home, you know what I mean? It’s where I became a person. It’s where I spent my twenties, wistfully following the ghosts of Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan’s 1960s, kicking around Union Square and Washington Square Park like a folk singer or a Factory superstar depending on the day and the current obsession. And when that phase wore off I modeled myself after Bianca Jagger, pining for a Studio 54 of my own while drinking champagne to the beat of the Bee Gees. New York is where I became a career girl, fighting my way off the subway each morning in an A-line skirt and riding the escalator up to my office in Times Square like an East Coast Mary Tyler Moore. It’s where I nurtured my craft, interviewing jazz pianists and saxophonists in teeny apartments, out-of-the-way restaurants, and park benches. It’s where I pliéd and relevéd every Thursday night with an extraordinary group of 25 to 85-year-old women, bolstered by the energy emanating from the grand halls of Lincoln Center down the street. It’s where I spent lunch breaks volunteering at the library at PS3, my little sister’s elementary school. It’s where I walked by Tom Wolfe on an Upper East Side avenue and chatted with Hilary Swank in an elevator, and Monica Lewinsky in a different elevator. It’s where I drank draft beer in a Lower East Side honky tonk bar and danced to country music with the guy who would become my husband. There. So even though I only lived in New York for nine years, plus a couple summers during college, I think I’ve just offered up enough evidence to entitle me to wear the shirt at the top. Now if I can just figure out how to trade in that “California” driver’s license I carry around. Because try as I might, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to call this place home.

If you want a home T-shirt too you can order them here. Don’t feel guilty about dropping the 28 bucks because part of the proceeds go to multiple sclerosis research. Which state will you get?

Condé Nast Beach Towels

How cute are these beach towels? They’re on sale at One King’s Lane today and I can hardly resist the urge to buy one for everyone in my family. Wouldn’t they make great Christmas presents? Although once the holidays roll around maybe it would seem weird to get such a summery item. Either way, I’d love to throw one in my bag and head out to Rockaway Beach right now.

I Love Newport Creamery

Do you recognize the restaurant pictured above? How many times did I walk past that curvy counter to find an empty booth in the back? Dad would slide in across the table and we’d order Awful Awfuls. Regular size for him, Junior for me. Or maybe we’d order ice cream cones to go one late afternoon in summer.

My dad and my godmother both worked here when they were teenagers. Or maybe it was around the time I was born. They were basically teenagers then anyway. I like to picture them in their green and white striped uniforms, taking orders from the regulars and serving banana splits.

Growing up, my great-grandma Bobo always had a gallon of Newport Creamy ice cream in her freezer. She would re-use the giant plastic bin with its signature stripes to freeze her famous baked beans or Portuguese soup. I never thought much of it, taking for granted how lucky I was to always be able to have a bowl of ice cream whenever I wanted at her house. I think chocolate chip was her favorite. But recently I came to the realization that she bought those gallon sized bins out of necessity. It must have been the most efficient way to offer the cold summertime treat to my dad and his six sisters when they were little. Once they grew up and didn’t ask for ice cream quite as much, the habit must have stuck.

Of the three locations on the island where I grew up, the one in downtown Newport was my favorite. Their website says it was called the Long Wharf location. It was just a few blocks from the Newport Yacht Club, where my grandpa kept his boat the Mermaid’s Tavern. I remember running over with my cousins to grab a quick ice cream while he was getting the boat ready to embark on a Fourth of July float in the harbor with the whole family on board for the fireworks show. Or maybe we were setting off for a day at Rocky Point, an adventurous journey to Block Island, or perhaps just a midsummer’s morning cruising around Narragansett Bay for a little ocean swim and snorkel. Wherever it was, it was surely a happy memory in the making. And it was always just ever so slightly happier, with an ice cream.

If you’re taking a trip to Rhode Island this summer, be sure to find a Newport Creamery. There are nine locations throughout the state. I’m planning to go for dinner at the original Middletown restaurant when I’m in town next week. I’ll probably get a hamburger and a chocolate Awful Awful. Junior of course.