After strongly recommending the brie and cranberry panini (and doing so with full knowledge of Doonan’s staunch opposition to all things panini; it’s just that good) and perusing the goods, I launched into some hard-hitting questions for JA.

Here’s what I learned:

• 1. Jonathan Adler loves Big Sur. He loves it, lives it, breathes it — well at least 50% of  the time. Oh and (given my own fondness for this particular stretch of Northern California), he strongly recommends I add The Sandpiper to my Netflix queue stat.
• 2. The other 50% of the time he’s drawing on his preppy east coast upbringing.
• 3. He’s spent the bulk of his life reconciling these two completely opposed aesthetic sensibilities, which accounts for the Dorthy Draper meets Ladies of the Canyon mash-up happening in his designs.
• 4. Every vase in his line starts on his pottery wheel. He still throws pottery. Frequently. He calls making pots “his only skill.”
• 5. He has an older brother and sister and refers to himself as the “youngest, dumbest, and happiest” of the trio. (I say he’s charmingly self-depreciating.)
• 6. He still wears Birkenstocks (they were a mainstay when he first met his husband 17 years ago), and his preferred style is the Milano in hunter brown.
• 7. He loves pop country — Eric Church is currently on heavy rotation.

I told you…I grilled the guy. I went all Woodward and Bernstein on him.

I also took a boatload of snaps of the new space, which you can view after the jump. Enjoy.

We celebrated the one-year anniversary of D Home’s blog with a bit of a bash at Nest last night (photos of the scene forthcoming), and, being the decor obsessed gal that I am, I arrived early so the ever dapper Donald could show me some of his latest finds.

I was not disappointed, as there are some mighty good finds populating the shelves. Highlights include the blown-out “kitchen” section filled with organic wood serving platters, hefty ceramics, and a trove of gorgeous cookbooks; loads of room transforming pillows (including those neon Springbok numbers above) and colorful, chunky throws; local photographer Sibylle Bauer’s gorgeous painterly photographs; clever kids gifts; and ample shots of brass and copper and gold to glam things up.

All amazing stuff for sure, but I stopped in my tracks when I spied the hand-crafted jute bags embroidered with the visages of Sigmund Freud, Amy Winehouse, Adam & Eve, and a young Michael Jackson. Donald had them created especially for Nest by artisans in Paris, and only two of each were made. They are wholly unique, incredibly cool, and only $165. I want one in the worst possible way.

I was tooling around the Sur La Table on Travis yesterday, sleuthing out  goods for an upcoming story, when I stumbled upon the massive, six-volume, Lucite box encased awesomeness that is Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking.

No matter that I have zero interest in molecular gastronomy and therefore have no intention of actually cooking anything from the collection’s 2,438(!) pages. Who cares that I’m not the least bit intrigued by the promise of owning, “the most comprehensive guide yet published on cooking sous vide, including the best options for water baths, packaging materials, and sealing equipment; cooking strategies; and troubleshooting tips“?

And we can just disregard the small issue of the $625 price tag, ok?

Friends,  I. want. these. books. (And the Lucite box they’re housed in.) Bad.

I want them for their endless pages filled with artful, gorgeous food photography. I want them for their ability to make me feel like an über-modern, cutting-edge foodie just by their potential proximity to my earthy, well-worn, slightly hippie Chez Panisse cookbooks. I want them because the covers are insanely cool. (I’m not afraid to admit it…I sometimes buy books solely for their covers.)

Did I mention that they come in a Lucite box?

We gave you the scoop on StellaDallas’ new design district digs in our May/June issue, and tonight provides the perfect excuse to pop over and check out the goodness firsthand at their grand opening party. The shindig gets started at 7:00 with cocktails, snacks, tunes, prizes and (best of all) a 20% discount on the entire store all night.

Time to stock up on those ultra glam Missoni beach towels, yes?

Mark Molthan is a pro. He has been voted one of D Magazine’s Best Home Builders for the last seven years. Mark entered the world of home building in 1993, shortly after graduating from Southern Methodist University. After getting some experience, he started Platinum Series by Mark Molthan in 1999. To date, he has built more than 1,000 homes. His approach to building is simple: he combines enthusiasm, expertise, and the ability to customize according to a clients’ priorities.

While Mark is passionate about his field, he is a bit wary about being categorized as a “builder.” He notes that there is sometimes a negative connotation of the term since so many people have bad experiences building homes. “I am a steward of your finances,” he says. “Clients entrust us with their money to deliver a product.” Mark buys the best materials at the best prices to ensure that his clients are making smart investments. He is constantly implementing money saving techniques. “My clients pay me for my expertise to make sure that I save them money,” he explains.

Q&A

How many months does a project take?

Twelve to fourteen months. But I work very closely with clients and establish relationships that sometimes continue long after the finish date of a home. The first person I ever built a home for is my biggest fan on Facebook. I want it to be a fun and enjoyable experience for the client more than anything else.

How do your clients convey their vision to you?

Several clients will tear pages out of magazines, or I tell them to create a concept board using Pinterest or Houzz.com.  All I need from the client is mood. We can look at the images together and they can walk me through what they like. Eventually we will have that “aha” moment and I am able to take their vision and make it work.

How do you keep your clients from being overwhelmed during the process of building a home from scratch?

We break it down for them. Step by step, we focus on one task at a time. The very first thing we decide on is appliances and we follow a checklist after that. There is definitely a method to the madness.

During the next several weeks, expect more from Mark Molthan in his weekly “On the House” column.

I am in awe of Kelly Carter’s “mixing” prowess.

Her dining nook (featured in the May issue of Lonny) is a specimen of deftly merged high and low (I spy IKEA bumping up against Casamidy). She pairs baroque gilded goodness and parquet floors with mod clean lines and a pop of acid yellow like they’re jeans an a t-shirt…No biggie. And then she backs the whole enterprise with some Osborn & Little action and, boom, calls it a day.

The end result? A room I can’t get out of my head. Well played Kelly Carter.

I read recently that Albert Hadley loved carnations and gladiolas. No matter that they weren’t the least bit “fashionable”, they were his go-to stems. But then again, Mr. Hadley transcended fashionable.

Given that we’ve previously established in this space my carnation love and my belief that Albert Hadley was a design God, this bit of news about his fondness for frumpy flowers had me feeling pretty darn good …

That said, despite Hadley’s seal of approval, I still can’t get behind the gladiola. I blame this on a long stint working for a florist as a teenager, during which time I made so many massive, altar-bound gladiola arrangements (complete with white wicker baskets and big chunks of oasis) that I’m fear I might forever be incapable of viewing this particular bloom as chic.

Baby’s breath (or Gypsophila), on the other hand, is another story. The pretty, ethereal stems are rarely seen outside a bunch of red roses and leather leaf greenery in the cooler at Kroger (in fact I may have received this exact bunch of flowers yesterday, but I’m not saying for sure). Its bad rep is decidedly sullied by consistently lackluster execution. But out of context, bunched together in a pretty little container, baby’s breath is an entirely different animal. Chic even. I think Mr. Hadley might even approve.

The Rhode Island School of Design grad’s hand-molded, hand-glazed dinnerware and tabletop accessories are inspired by the natural shapes of coastal life. And the resulting pieces are as beautiful as they are functional.

Evans will be around from 3-5 to chat about her work and sign pieces. Seems like a lovely way to end the work week, yes?

Chihuly is going down at the arboretum, the Performing Arts Center is in the midst of its Patio Sessions, Barefoot at the Belmont is underway, and heck it’s almost Mother’s Day.

Friends, it’s time for a picnic.

But not just any slapdash affair, no, I’m talking about a proper, grown-up enterprise, one that’s worthy of live music under the stars and elaborate glass art action and celebrating moms. In my perfect picnic scenario, there’s wine chilling in a cheerful yellow cooler, sturdy bamboo plates and utensils and real napkins tucked into a straw tote, pretty plastic wine glasses, and a cozy blanket for lounging…

Of course, yummy things to eat are key to the equation, but I’m letting my friend (and one of our resident foodies), the lovely Carol handle that department. In matters of food, she is my go-to girl. Take a peek at the deliciousness she’s engineered.

Here’s the low-down on the goods:

• 1. Yellow picnic cooler (available at Crate and Barrel)
• 2. Straw tote (available at J. Crew)
• 3. Picnic blanket (available at Anthropologie)
• 4. Vintage cloth napkins (available at Forty Five Ten)
• 5 & 6. Bamboo plates and utensils (available at Whole Foods)
• 7. Plastic wine glasses (available at Sur la Table)

In a (vast) sea of lifestyle blogs, Sally and Molly Miller’s site, A Piece of Toast, manages to stand-out from the pack. The Dallas sisters, an educator and a buyer respectively, possess impeccable taste and a knack for sussing out the loveliest of  people, places, and things. And their friendly, conversational voice has earned them a loyal international following.

We managed to convince them to share some of their goodness here this week, and happily they obliged (in full disclosure, it wasn’t a hard sell, as the duo is also incredibly nice).

After the jump, the Miller sisters share a few of their favorite things. Enjoy!

• 1. Leaned artwork. I got over the idea of a gallery wall pretty much as soon as the fad started but I die for the idea of having a bunch of artwork overlapping and leaning on one another. Weather along the baseboards, on shelves or atop a dresser or desk, the look is disheveled and effortless – and makes switching things around easy.
• 2. Dude, Sweet Chocolate. Everything – from the name, flavors, presentation, and location – makes me love this Bishop Arts District sweet spot. Such a great gift for out-of-towners or to treat myself. Things always taste better when bundled up in impeccable packaging. Always.
• 3. Feather “Juju” African Headdresses. You have to pay a price for the hand-made and authentic variety but my dream is to have three white ones hanging above my sectional sofa one day… Ever since seeing them in my favorite house on the Dallas Modern Homes Tour I cannot stop plotting a way to have my own. They’re tribal-esque without being over the top and the texture adds perfection dimension while taking up a good amount of “what do I do with this massive expanse of wall” space. (Image above via Table Tonic.)
• 4. Natural Light. Is there anything better than a space (especially a home) with gorgeous natural light? It just makes everything look and feel better and makes taking interior photographs much easier. Crossing my fingers that my someday home has floor to ceiling windows…
• 5. Lana Diamond Hoops. I am crazy for dainty jewelry and hoop earrings and to me, these are perfect. My birthday is in October… Kidding. But really, I love how artistic and subtle Lana’s jewelry is – true everyday pieces that can be dressed up or down.
• 6. Style Photography. I adore Pinterest – and our boards grow by the minute – but I am most fascinated and drawn to street style and fashion photography. Talents like Jamie Beck, Scott Schuman, Garance Dore, Hanneli, Stockholm Street Style, and so many more always (always, always, always) make me look at fashion and style in a different way. (Image above via Saisonniers.)
• 7. Hand-written Notes. I say it often, but I love these “Thank You” cards by Rifle Paper Company so much that I fear the day the stop printing them. Nothing says you care like a hand-written note on a gorgeous (and gold!) card.
• 8. Union Bear. One might not know it but Dallas has as many good pizza spots as it does Tex-Mex! I’m always adding to my list of favorites (Cane Rosso, Neo, Fireside Pies, Coal Vines, etc.) but Union Bear just joined the ranks. I’m a sucker for good graphics and I love the food as much as I do the branded environment, menus and website! Trust me, the “Pig Honey” pizza is incredibly inspiring for your taste buds…
• 9. Blu Dot Strut Tables. I just blogged about these tables (here) and now I can’t stop thinking up ideas for why I need to replace my current coffee table (an old but amazing hand-me-down) with an ivory version… Everyone is doing lucite these days (which I also love) so this is me being rebellious!
• 10. The Fashion Coloring Book. What’s more inspiring than a coloring book (with adult fashion) and a 64 pack with a sharpener?