A couple weeks ago Amy Albert, the editor at Custom Home Magazine asked myself and my friend kitchen designer, Nadia Subaran, if we would be interested in working on a video showing how to use salvage and vintage pieces in a clients home. We had a great time, and we are even working on ideas for the second video.

We are so happy to be participating in this years DC Design House. It is definitely the best show house that we have been involved in. Every designer that participated stepped up their game and the level of design and finish is excellent. The library we designed has already been a great success. But, there is only one more week that the house is open so, find some time to go visit it between now and next Sunday, May 12th when is closes its doors to the public. Here is a sneak peek of our room and when you visit pay attention to all the great detail.

I just wanted to thank everyone who helped to make the second year of Dinners by Design a huge success. Thank you to the four other designers that opened their homes. Thank you so much to Andrew Law, Camille Saum, Skip Sroka and Rosemarie Howe. It was such a successful night that we already have 12 designers who want to participate next year. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

If you are a regular reader of my Blog you know that last April I hosted a fundraiser at my house for the Smithsonian Craft Show. It was a great success and so much fun. It was such a success it is now becoming an annual event and I am proud to say that this year you have the opportunity to have dinner at the homes of 5 of Washington’s top designers. I am so happy that designers, Camille Saum, Andrew Law, Rosemarie Howe, and Skip Sroka are joining me in opening our homes to raise money and to support the charitable work of the Smithsonian Craft Show. If you like to participate in this year’s event, click here

I just got back from spending a week on the island of Kauai, which defiantly is a vacationers dream and an outdoors-man paradise. There is everything to do on this island from surfing, and surfing, did I mentioned surfing, there is also great golf courses, snorkeling, kayaking, amazing hiking trails, swimming, every kind of boating you can imaging, paddle board, zip lining, deep sea fishing and surfing, and surfing….there is a lot of surfing. The island is broken up into five sections; the north shore, the east side, Lihue, south shore and the west side. Each section of the island is an adventure in itself. And besides outdoor adventures there are all sort of historic tours, botanical gardens, one of the oldest wooden churches in Hawaii, you can even tour the Kauai coffee plantation and of course there are some of the most amazing beaches you will ever want to visit from the Polpu beach park on the south side to the horse shoe shaped Hanalei bay on the north side. There is just so much to do it is hard to pack it into an eight-day trip.

We decided to forgo staying at one of the luxury resorts and instead rented the most adorable house that was 20 feet from our own private beach and it was the perfect way to spend the week. One of the things that I really liked about the island was how friendly and helpful everyone was. On our first day there we were hanging out in the town of Hanalei on the north shore and found it to be one of the most charming small towns on the island. After delicious hamburgers at Bubbas hamburgers someone told us we had to try the macadamia nut milk shakes at the Shaved Ice Paradise. Everyone that worked there was so friendly and gave us some great information on hiking trails and restaurants on the island. It was a great way to start the week.

If you are going to plan a trip to Kauai here are 2 things that no travel book will tell you; first off there is one major road that almost encircles the island, the Kaumualii Highway and it can have major traffic jams during the day so plan your adventures in advance and allow time to get from one side of the island to another, you may be surprised and yes there is rush hour traffic on Kauai. The other major thing to know that all the restaurants on the island except for at the major resorts close at 9pm, there is not much nightlife on the island.

One of the many outdoor activities that the island of Kauai is famous for is hiking and one of the best trails is the historic Kalalau trail. This trail takes you up a mountain, down a mountain, across a river, to a beach, up a mountain, through a waterfall and to a beautiful beach that is only accessible by the trail. It was quit an adventure and as an experienced hiker, it was challenging to say the least. There were so many people on the trail we ran into and my favorite person was Beverly, this 68 year old hiker totally whooped my ass on this hike, not only did she pass us at the start of the hike but she had already reached the beach and back and passed us again! She was amazing. After the long day of hiking we stopped by one of the local restaurants Kalypso where I was reacquainted with a classic happy hour drink, the pina colada. I swear I have not had one of these since I was 22 years old but I think it may become my drink of the summer!

I always say when you travel ask the natives about what things are off the beating trail that they know about, case in point; Tim the kayak guide that I hired for a day told me that I had to go see the Surf Board House and he was right. It was just amazing! The fencing of the house was outlined with a collection of vintage surfboards. Between the history, color and texture of this place it was one of the coolest things I had seen on the island. Have I mentioned they are really into surfing here?

I love to hear about new and unique places to hangout. A lot of people have been talking about, Heritage General Store in Chicago Illinois. It is Chicago’s original ‘bike’ cafe. Pouring Stumptown coffee, serving delicious baked goods and you can even commission to have a custom built bike as well, how great would that be?!

The Pope did not wear Prada, unlike the Devil. For years the rumor has been that Pope Benedict’s cute ass red slippers were made by Prada. But, the truth be told they were made by Adriano Stefanelli a third generation show maker who delivered his first pair of red slippers to the Pope in 2005. He was also the cobbler of John Paul the 2nd.

If you have not yet seen my friend designer, Frank Babb Randolph’s beautiful cover and editorial spread in the March-April issue of Veranda magazine you are missing out. Franks house is so gracious, so classic and so beautiful and most of all it is so elegant. I find there is such a lack of elegance in today’s world, it seems down right provocative.

You see, I secretly have a crush on Frank Randolph. He is truly one of the last great men with grace and style left in today’s fast pace and oh so too modern world. One of my favorite memories of Frank is running in to him at the Design Center when he was showing clients some upholstery. Frank was simply dressed in a cotton khaki suit with very classic Belgian loafers and with lavender cashmere socks, just the chicest thing I had seen. And I hate to admit I spent the next three weeks in dire search of lavender cashmere socks.

Recently I ran into Frank in Palm Beach. We were both checking out the latest finds on Dixie Highway in West Palm. The friend I was with just gushed, Who is that handsome man? As I replied to my friend Jack, Oh, that’s Frank Randolph, the classiest man in Washington.

Congratulations, Frank.

Much Love,
David.