Bunny Urn

Jump into Spring. Bring out your porcelain rabbits, fawns, bears, cows, chicks, and birds to decorate mantels, tabletops, and sideboards for spring.  Humans have had a love affair with animals since Adam and Eve, especially since animals were domesticated. Being around animals, even replicas of them, can be comforting, whimsical, and invigorating.  We think of nature, getting active outdoors, maybe taking the dog out for a walk!  Animal figurines add both life and lightness to a room, especially when their glaze reflects brilliantly. What’s more is children notice and appreciate them!

Faux Majolica. Real majolica dates from the Renaissance and is a rare, expensive find indeed. If you have the real thing, your family has probably been guarding it with their lives for years!  Many faux majolica pieces, including animal figurines, were made in England in the 19th century.  These pieces are quite collectible.  China makes replicas in the 21th century which can be happy additions to your décor without being bank busters.  The lovely and unusual piece in the photo is, I think, inspired by Victorian majolica.  However, unlike authentic majolica, my bunnies are more stylized, not quite as realistic as early pieces would have been.

Create a Scene.  Assemble flowers, sticks, straw, ferns, pine cones, ivy, branches, berries—i.e., whatever real or faux bits and pieces of nature you can find to create a setting for your animal.  If you are having a dinner party, consider surrounding the backside of your buffet table with your natural scape.  Or, create a centerpiece for your dining table that features the animal figure, perhaps raised slightly above the fillers you decide to nest him in. I love the way that my sister-in-law, Ruth, has displayed her wonderful black bear, reared on his hind legs in her entryway.  In his backpack basket are traces of flora and fauna, i.e., pheasant feathers. He appears to have paused to sniff the air for danger, before bending down to smell the bright red flowers filling a separate, shiny gold ceramic bowl.

Exotic Animals.  Instead of decorating with domestic animals, consider using ceramic versions of tigers and elephants and monkeys! Though these animals don’t necessarily connote spring, they do suggest wild, faraway places.  My daughter amassed a small collection of beautiful black panthers.  I think they would look stunning in a sleek, sophisticated New York loft gracing a glass coffee table next to a tall glass cylinder only a quarter filled with water and a single banana or palm leaf.  Monkeys have been popular on fabric prints for decades.  It would be fun to couple monkey fabric-covered pillows on a rattan peacock chair with a monkey figurine on a nearby tray sporting a tea setting.

Get Creative.  After Christmas and before spring actually arrives, we sometimes need a pick-me-up in home decorating.  Consider finding inspiration in those porcelain animals you may have forgotten on a bookshelf or in a cupboard.  Bring them back into thought and plain site.  Invite them to play house with you!

Peacock Antipasto Salad

Play with Your Food! Get creative by yourself or enroll the family in decorative plating. My sister-in-law, Ruth, is known for her beautiful salad compositions. She is my inspiration! Food has to smell good and look good first before it ever makes the taste test. Dining at home is often done family style, starting with a big bowl of tossed salad being passed around the table. Some folks, kids and adults alike, will take one leaf and pass the rest along—with no returns, please! Try serving a composed salad to your family for a change. Ask the most finicky eater to concoct individual serving plates of salad that look as beautifully tempting as possible! Tell him he has succeeded when he wants to eat what he has created.

Plating 101. Think of your salad plate as a canvas, the resulting salad as a mini-meal, and the ingredients as both color and sculptural elements. The red plates in the photo were chosen to complement the mixed salad greens and asparagus, red and green being complementary colors on the color wheel. Or, red tomatoes, cherries, strawberries, and red pepper would look vibrant on a bright green plate. Bright blue plates look spectacular with oranges, persimmons, cantaloupe, orange peppers, and carrots. Or, serve blueberries in an orange bowl. Yellow plates show off purple grapes, plums, eggplant, purple potatoes, and heirloom tomatoes. Or, pile pickled lemon rind in a violet cup. All this color coordination makes for instant temptation!

Sweet, Sour, Salt, Bitter, Umami. When looking for salad ingredients in your pantry and refrigerator or at the market, go for flavor, flavor, flavor! By itself, iceberg lettuce tastes like texturized water, not a big wow. Greens like arugula, endive, spinach, and dandelion, when mixed with romaine, butter, red leaf, or salad bowl lettuce, though beautiful in color and adding a hint of bitterness, are again not a big wow. A mask of sour or sweet dressing won’t fool the finicky. They know they’re still being asked to eat weeds! However, when you add even a little crumbled blue or feta or cheddar cheese, shards of parmesan, and/or salty bacon or salami bits (all umami flavors), you get a big pow!

Tease Appetites with Texture. All kinds of vegetables, fruits, breads, eggs, cheese, meat, fish, fowl, legumes, and pasta can be added to a basic salad of greens to give it interest. But, in a composed salad, the separate ingredients must remain identifiable. It is left to the diner to chop and mix them further and even add a dressing at the last. A composed salad lets the finicky eater see what he is getting, no trying to hide that spinach! I happen to love garbanzo beans, marinated artichoke hearts, chopped olives, capers, sliced red onion, cold cucumber chunks, ruby red shredded beets, blanched broccoli, and crisp bosc pears. Put any or all of these in little hills in a bowl with half a baby red leaf lettuce and some goat cheese, and I’m on my way to heaven. Give me a fresh lemon to squirt on, green olive oil to ooze over it all, a shower of kosher salt, and a blast of cracked pink peppercorns. Wow!

Share the Fun. Invite family members to take turns being in charge of salad compositions. Keep a recipe card to record each composer’s symphony. Encourage repeat performances with a “Bravo!”

Tabletop Wire Chandelier

Wire Works. Do you have wireware working for you in your home? Not to be confused with an Internet website company, wireware is the name given to both charming antique wire baskets and modern-day plastic-coated spice racks and shoe caddies! In the good old days and today, housekeepers have had to find ways to stay organized, keep perishables visible, store transportable items temporarily, and not spend a fortune doing so. Over a hundred years ago, basketry made of reeds, leaves, sticks, and twigs gave way to those lacy, sometimes collapsible structures made of different gages of wire.

Antique Wireware. Hang on to those old wire baskets that may be lurking in your grandma’s corner kitchen cabinet, attic, or garage. They may be worth far more than you realize. Some are very delicately wrought with many curves, parallel lines, and circles in fine dark wire. Others, of sturdier stock, rather zinc-colored, also seem to be designed for ornament rather than pure function. That’s not the case with modern structures, however. That white pantry, bedroom, and bath wireware, probably made in China, is in every big box store in the country. It’s hard to believe that it could ever be coveted by collectors for its beauty in a hundred years! Old wireware looks hand- rather than machine-made.

Farm Inspirations. Probably one of the earliest wireware products was the birdcage. Early wire baskets were used to gather and store chickens, eggs, and fruits. A few Easters ago, we blew out more eggshells than we could color, so I kept them for the next year. But, we never got back to coloring those eggs, so I kept them in a copper wire basket, because they looked so pretty in my kitchen window. Though I don’t collect eggs from under any chickens, seeing those eggs everyday makes me feel more connected to a simple country life in the city! Periodically, I just pass the basket of eggs under hot water in the sink to wash off the dust and drain dry. Wire fruit baskets often have a pedestal.

Wire Globes Are Hot! Agoura Antique Mart and Bungalow are two of my favorite antique stores in Agoura Hills, CA. They both are currently featuring large onion-shaped baskets that are meant to be hung from the ceiling. They’re asking around $145 or more for these weathered, rusted blue and black beauties. Even when not used as birdcages, they do add dramatic rustic character to a room. They would be especially pretty in a garden setting.

Container Art. A very nice neighbor gave me an excellent deal at her garage sale on the lovely white wire chandelier in the photo. She told me what she bought it for originally, so I gave her double what she asked for. She was far too generous at that! It is meant to be hung, but it works for me as an elaborate candelabrum on my kitchen table for parties. At Thanksgiving, I filled it with gourds and pumpkins. At Christmas, I stuffed it with a faux pine bough to look like topiary, set in a wreath (as pictured). Now, it is filled with a faux ivy vine. Try decorating with artistically fashioned wireware for a bit of French farmhouse charm. Look for votive glasses wrapped in twisted, beaded wire. Or, try making a basket yourself following instructions at http://www.make-it-do.com/tag/make-a-chicken-wire-basket/!

Yellow Florist Mum

Dragon Food. Celebrate this Chinese New Year, January 23, 2013, with a spicy menu befitting the Year of the Dragon. If you’re not fighting for a place on the busy trains trying to move 250,000,000 people around China to be home for the holiday, be glad! You can still join in the gaiety by preparing 3 simple dishes that evoke the flavors, textures, and color of Chinese cuisine. Decorate a bit and challenge your family to attribute meaning to the foods they eat or invent a fanciful name for each dish.

A Dish by Any Other Name. I love the name Lion’s Heads given to ground pork meatballs served on a “mane” of cooked cabbage! Doesn’t it seem that the eaters of these tasty morsels should thereby gain a special strength and also, maybe, a sense of humor? Somehow, meatballs and cabbage on a menu doesn’t have the same draw! Phoenix-Tailed Shrimp for dinner is bound to bring back an appetite dulled by a quick quarter-pounder for lunch. Traditionally, shrimp is on a Japanese wedding menu because shrimp mate for life!

Assigning Symbolism. The gorgeous mums in the photo were a hostess gift from my daughter’s soon-to-be mom and dad-in-law. A plant that flowers during the New Year celebration of family and thanksgiving is said to foretell a year of prosperity! Flowers are symbolic of wealth, the reawakening of nature, and the wish for happiness during the ensuing year. The Chinese New Year begins on the first day of the New Moon and ends 15 days later with a Lantern Festival and parade. Who wouldn’t want to receive such a sweet and meaningful present! We feel blessed! Bless your family with this special meal.

Pearl Meatballs. Put ½ c. of sushi style rice in a small bowl with 1 c. water to soak for 2 hours. Remove rice and dry on paper towel. Mix 1 lb. finely ground pork or turkey with 4 diced, reconstituted dried mushrooms; 1 beaten egg; 1 tbsp. soy sauce; 1 ½ tsp. salt; ½ tsp. sugar; 1 tsp. finely chopped, peeled ginger root; 6 drained, finely diced water chestnuts, and 1 finely chopped green onion. Wet fingers and make 2 tbsp. meatballs and roll them in the dried rice. Put 2 or 3 cups in a pot with a tight lid. Place a safe dish on top of the cups with a ½” opening around it and pour water in pot almost to the plate. Put meatballs on the plate. Bring the water to a boil, cover pot, steam for 30 minutes, and serve immediately.

Spicy Dragon’s Breath. Trim 1 lb. green beans or thin asparagus. Put 1 tsp. salt in bottom of wok, add 2 tbsp. peanut oil, heat to 375º, add veggies, stir fry until done (3 min.), add pinch of sugar and pinch of cayenne pepper. Remove and keep warm.

Sure-Fire Shrimp. Clean 1 lb. raw shrimp, removing shells and veins. In same wok, heat 2 tbsp. peanut oil. Have ready: 1 tbsp. chopped, peeled fresh ginger root; 1 tsp. chopped garlic; 4 roughly chopped green onions; 1 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry; 2 tbsp. soy sauce; 1 tsp. sugar, ½ tsp. salt; ½ tsp. crushed red pepper; 2 tbsp. tomato paste; 1 tbsp. cornstarch in 2 tbsp. cold water. Heat wok to 375º and stir fry shrimp until pink and firm (2 min.) and add rest of ingredients, finally the cornstarch. Serve at once with white or fried rice. Gong Hey Fat Choy (Happy New Year)! Note: these recipes are slightly modified from those in that wonderful old Time Life recipe series: The Cooking of China. You may be able to find a copy in the used cookbook section of your local library for more wonderful, authentic recipes.

Yard Art at Rue de Lillie, Sunland, CA

Indoor/Outdoor Garden. The storybook charm of window boxes derives from two lovely views, one from inside and the other from outside. Although you may be tempted to fill your box with silk or plastic flowers, please plant real live plants instead. There is no comparison for beauty. When annuals have faded, remove them and insert new specimens. Think about how the plants will look not only outside, with hanging trails, but also inside, with tall, colorful, interesting blossoms.

Double Duty. A sturdy window box that hangs or sits on the ledge of a window sill must be secure enough to hold weight and withstand winds. It lasts longer if there’s a liner box within the showcase box to protect the wood from standing water and rot. The liner might be plastic or metal with drainage holes that line up with the holes in the outer box.

Frame the Window. There’s more going on around the window in the photo than just the long window box. This paned window looks out from the office in the back of Rue de Lillie, my favorite French antique shop in Sunland, CA. All around the window and around the porch are pieces of yard art for sale. This “busy” collection is not just because there are a number of items for sale to display. This kind of architectural decorating is typical of an eclectic, country look, where almost no blank space is allowed to go unfilled! If you have a love of old, naturally weathered artifacts, the garden is the perfect place to enjoy them.

Plant Choices. Do try ornamental kale in your window box, green-tinged ruffled white or purple specimens. They’re showy, hardy, and fairly long-lasting. White kale paired with red cyclamen or red begonias or poinsettia makes a stunning Christmas display. Over time, the kale will get tall and leggy and will bloom with tiny yellow flowers. Then, it looks a little wild and winsome. You might be tempted to alternate white and purple kale like a string of pearls. However, it may be more dramatic to make two rows, one all white, and the other all purple, with a taller upright row of pink or yellow snapdragons or bright orange or yellow marigolds behind them.

Herbal Filler. The romantic grouping of purple kale and blue hydrangeas in the photo is enhanced by what looks to be basil plants tucked in and around. Given partial sun, as the window box is, all three types of plants seem to do well. Rosemary, sage, and thyme are other choices. It’s wonderful to be able to clip fresh herbs, as needed, for salads, soups, hors d’oeuvres, roasts, and vegetables. Consider making the entire window box your herbal garden. Let them fill the box as they will. Or, it is possible to train and prune the herbs into topiary shapes.

Box Choices. Whether you make or buy your window box, choose one in keeping with the style of your home. A sweet white, green, or red wooden box goes with a white, framed cottage. A rough-hewn box of old timbers would look good with a lodge or cabin-like finish. Metal boxes in copper or black iron accent brick and stone exteriors in the English carriage or castle styles. Wooden boxes painted peacock blue or chartreuse or terra cotta signal country French or Mediterranean flair. Window boxes on a house are like a fashionable hat on a fine lady. Not everyone can wear them, but they certainly turn heads!

a la Maison Furniture

Sofa Sense. How do you decide what couch to buy or keep? I’ve written on this subject before, in fact, in my first blog! I return to the subject because I still struggle to recognize that couch I could live with for a long time. Are you certain of your style and comfort preferences? Sometimes it takes people years to discover their style. It’s a pity to realize that you’ve bought a large, expensive piece of furniture that’s not really something you love. You may feel stuck with it. Should you keep it or get rid of it?

Cost/Benefit Analysis. If money is no object, get rid of that piece that offends your senses!  Give it away or put it on the sidewalk with a “Free” sign.  Please, do not throw it in a creek bed! (Someone threw their old sofa in our local drainage channel!)  If money is dear, consider re-upholstery, re-stuffing, ridding yourself of part of the piece, selling it at a garage sale, or trading it! Sell other pieces of your furniture and the offensive couch to save up for the couch of your dreams.

What’s Your Style? My style tends toward country French and European. That is why I love the furniture at one of my favorite shops, á la Maison, in Westlake Village, CA. When you walk through this lovely designer showroom, you learn what goes together for that French look. The couch in the photo from this shop features giant black and white checks. I tried sitting on it. It’s roomy, cushy, and not too deep. I see that it can go with wood, stone, cloth, glass, and ceramic accessories beautifully.  The overall look for me says bright, cheery, and inviting.  People like to hang out in my kitchen, and so do I.  Could I use this country French couch in other rooms of my house? Yes, if I have a consistent country theme going on. Problems arise when you have too many different styles going on in proximity. The rule of thumb is, I think; keep the level of formality and period compatible. Although, sometimes an element of “out-of-place” surprise is captivating: for example, Chinoiserie! Here’s a charming video that describes Chinoiserie at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmBaKKNIFN0. The French and English became enamored with Chinese-esque art for four centuries. You may have seen it in French toile fabrics.

Compatibilities. I love the combination of craftsman style oak furniture with western and southwestern furniture and accessories. A leather couch would look great with these styles. Classical style mediates Victorian frou-frou, e.g., an elegant Romanesque chaise in velvet. Garden furniture, such as an overstuffed glider, gives more substance and character to shabby chic wooden finds painted white. Clip and paste magazine photos of décor you like in a wish book. In time, you will be able to indulge your unique style.

Lisa’s Shower Party Plate

Mothers-on-Call. Who knows best how to throw a party?  Moms. A lovely lady I know is a member of a community of 8 mothers who were always there for their children, from elementary school …on.  They supported their children’s school events, fundraisers, sports activities, and bake sales.  These ladies remained friends all through their sons’ and daughters’ college years, too.  So, when it came time for their families to grow, they pooled their considerable talents into feting parties to celebrate engagements, brides-to-be, and expectant mothers.

Divide and Conquer. With possibly 4 or 5 showers to plan and execute a year, this team of creative caterers determined how to split up and specialize in the numerous, required tasks. My particular friend provided the spacious, gracious garden, tables, chairs, and service.  Another made matching hostess aprons for all the moms. One lady took on having invitations printed and sent. Another took care of floral arrangements. They shared menu planning and food preparation.  They all pitched in to actually put on the “show(er).”  Indeed, their productions for 20 to 30+ people are coveted events. “When will it be my turn?” a daughter may wonder longingly.

Old Hat. These gals have the party process down pat!  They know just how to time everything, when to get started, what works best, how to handle the little things that could go wrong.  They could write a book!  I have a professor friend who designs games for people of all ages to help them learn and solve problems.  He tells me that the people who design games get far more out of them than the people who play them. I think these party designing ladies must be having the most fun of all!  One thing they do is employ different themes, especially chosen for the honored guest.  For example, one bride’s party was given an old Hollywood glamour treatment, in keeping with the bride’s gown and wedding theme plans.  Changing themes and “playing together” keep the party planning process fun!

Sophistication. Thinking about how many showers were going to be required, my friend decided early on to use glass plates. She assembled vintage, ribbed glass luncheon plates with divided sections, one of which holds a matching cup. You may have some of these plate and cup sets passed on to you by your mother or grandmother or aunt. If so, take them out of storage and use them. They look handsome, a bit old-fashioned and yet somehow modern. No matter what dessert is served, it will look more elegant on glass than paper.

Dessert Menu. The photo is one my friend took of a bridal shower dessert plate her team presented this year. I am struck by its delicacy, textures, variety, richness, and flavors. This is definitely a work of art for eye and palate!  Exquisite!  Lessons here include: less is more and presentation is everything! The dusting of powdered sugar over this coconut confection is like a visible sign of the sweet blessings all these generous ladies have showered on their beloved children.  Such friendships are golden.

Man-Size Meal

French Football Fare?  Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?  Here’s a French take on one of the classic all-time favorites of men, the roast beef sandwich.  You’ve probably heard of a French dip sandwich: thinly-sliced hot roast beef piled on a bun and served au jus, with beef juice.  Dipping the sandwich into the juice is really a guy kind of thing to do, and it tastes so good!  Here is my “Frenchified” version of the sandwich to be dipped into homemade French onion soup with a side of ratatouille. This make-ahead meal works for a hearty party indoors watching football on T.V. or outdoors, after a game of tag football! It just seems like fall food.

Not Your Mom’s Rump Roast. My mom’s French dip sandwich began with cooking a rump roast in Campbell’s onion soup, adding green pepper strips. My French dip starts, instead, with a couple of tri-tip beef triangles, a package of ciabatta rolls, sliced provolone cheese (all from Costco), with spicy brown mustard (Grey Poupon is special) and a jar of sliced, pickled pepperocini peppers. Make a rub of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder to taste. Spread olive oil over the meat and sprinkle on the rub. Let the meat sit out for an hour. Heat the grill to hot and cook the meat to your liking, about 5 minutes per side. Let the meat cool on a dish. Put the juices into a cup to add later to the onion soup. Chill the meat overnight to make it easy to slice thinly the next day.

French Onion Soup. Cook 7 cups of sliced sweet onion in olive oil for about 30 minutes. Add 2 cans each of Swanson’s beef broth and chicken broth, plus 2 beef bouillon cubes, and the reserved beef juices. Cook for 30 minutes more. You don’t have to, but I like to add 2 tbsp. of Balsamic vinegar and ½ cup of dry red wine with the broth. Made a day ahead, it can be re-heated just before serving the sandwiches.

Sandwich Preparation. Split the rolls in half and put mustard on one side. On the bun, lay down 1 slice of provolone, pile on the sliced beef, sprinkle on pepperoncini slices, ½ slice of provolone, and the top slice of the roll. Brush melted butter on the outsides of the roll and place it on a hot panini maker or frying pan. The idea is to press the sandwich as flat as possible to heat quickly. When the cheese is melted, it will ooze out, and you know it’s heated through.

Ratatouille. This dish sounds fancy, but it is simply vegetables sautéed in olive oil. One eggplant can serve 2 to 4 people, depending on how hearty their appetites are. Scoop out the eggplant and chop it. Brush the inside of the shell with olive oil, salt it, and bake in your toaster oven, oven, or microwave until it starts to turn color (gray instead of yellow). Chop 4 zucchini, 1 onion, 1 red or green pepper, and 2 garlic cloves. Sauté all the veggies in oil. Add basil, oregano, marjoram, salt, and pepper to taste. Add 1/3 cup bread crumbs and stuff the eggplant shells. Reheat the stuffed eggplants in a 325⁰ oven with ½ cup water in casserole dish for ½ hour before serving. Optionally, sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan cheese. My guys liked to dip their ratatouille bites into the French onion soup, too! Red wine beats beer!

Country French Decor

31143 Via Colinas, Suite 508.  Contemplating a new or remodeled kitchen, bedroom, or bath?  Find a kindred spirit in Westlake Village, CA, who can conceive and complete your dream rooms!  Surprise, she is both a general contractor and an interior designer! And, Mary Radenbaugh is not only a mom; she looks like a beautiful model or actress!  Her forté is country French style, my personal design favorite.  Her lovely shop showcases her cabinetry and furniture creations and offers delightful, brightly colored “Provençal” accessories. The look is cozy, yet very luxurious.

Bewitching!  Now there’s a word!  Remember how Elizabeth Montgomery on the T.V. series, “Bewitched,” was able to create whatever she wanted by simply wiggling her nose? I haven’t seen Mary do this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she could!  In business for 8 yrs. in the Via Colinas Design Center, she makes trips once or twice a year to France to spirit back gorgeous antiques for her shop and clients.  But, if there aren’t enough antiquities to go around, then she recreates them!  Whatever you want, she will make! I was taken by a curvaceous, plump, pale gold settee, a one-of-a-kind Louis-looking period treasure for $3,800 in the store.  When I asked Lyndee, Mary’s very competent shopkeeper/daughter, if Mary could copy the couch, she answered, “Absolutely.  Anything. Wooden panels, walls, ceilings, tables, chairs, cabinets, fireplace surrounds, bedframes…!”

Kitchens for Women.  I just love the 2 kitchen set-ups currently in Mary’s shop.  The first, upon entering the store, is petite, L-shaped; the second, more elongated, U-shaped.  They look like they were designed by a woman for women.  They’re both practical and fanciful.  I could never understand how bras and kitchens could be designed for women by a man, when it’s women who wear and use them!  Who should know better what is needed and what inspires!  Mary’s kitchens are beautiful works of art, full of sumptuous moldings, marble, and decorative tile.  The rest of the house would have to live up to the kitchen to get me out of it!  The photo shows just one of the smaller comfy, charming tables she’s set, though there’s a 72” round on display, too.

Beds and Baths. I would love to breakfast in a bedroom featuring one of the 3 beds in the shop.  They look so comfortable, piled high with feather pillows in white toile prints on red quilted spreads.  Surrounded by armoires artfully displaying books, linens, and fragrances in glass containers, I might just hold court there!  If I needed a change, I’d just plop down on her inviting large-black and white-checked couch and put my feet up on that dear old trunk  I was crazy about her oval mirror above the oval sink in black cabinetry that both looked like fine furniture.  The mirror was gone the last time I visited. I felt sad. As long as it was there, I could dream that it might be in my home some day!

Floral Fashions. Mary is not afraid to use color! Her shop features many accessories in reds and greens, especially during the holidays.  You must see how festive it is now!  But, all year long, you will find very high-quality, gorgeous silk flower creations in the French manner.  That is, the colors are intense; and the number of blossoms, fruits, and fillers is extravagant.  They are arranged in patterns and in very interesting containers, such as a stripe-beribboned basket or a large old red wall-mounted tin.  There are so many fine lessons in decorating to be had in Mary’s shop . I’m in love with her red pepper mills!  As you can tell, I am transported whenever I visit á la Maison. I’m sure the French never had it so good!

Glass Christmas Ornaments

1116 State Street. In business for almost 30 years, 15 years on State Street, Lewis & Clark is quintessential Santa Barbara!  It’s a one-of-a-kind shop that defies categorization. Their business card simply reads, “ANTIQUES AND FINE THINGS.”  In an age when beloved shopping villages are invaded by ubiquitous franchise stores in every California town, it is vital that we patronize the truly unique shops. Even their second shop on 1286 Coast Village Road is different from their State Street store. Who wants to travel to a different town only to see the same old thing you see at home every day? Not me. I love Lewis & Clark!  It is often the only reason I go to Santa Barbara, other than the city’s legendary beauty!

Great Adventure. I’ve always been intrigued by the store’s name, Lewis & Clark.  I studied those 2 intrepid explorers and trappers in 4th grade history back in Indiana.  For me, the name symbolizes a link to the past, new routes, old trails, wonderful woodlands, things lost and found.  The shop is like that, too, aptly named.  The little girl in me stands in awe outside their large display windows. Enchanting vignettes feature woodland creatures, fir trees, little houses, and gnomes—all the makings of a fairytale experience.  What more is inside?  I can’t wait to see!  The interior does not disappoint!  Immediately upon entering, “you’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!”  The brick floor in herringbone pattern clinks underfoot, and your eye is drawn toward more woodland scenes and prints near the ceiling!

Not Mother Hubbard!  The old nursery rhyme about the cupboard being bare is the complete opposite of this shop! Every nook and cranny is filled to the brim with painstaking care to display exquisite, dainty art.  The Reifel ladies, Elizabeth and Lisa, find the “10 best things” at tradeshows for their shops, developing relationships over the years with small, specialty vendors.  Lisa’s daughter, Maggie, is getting involved in the business, too, working their website.  Lovely wooden cabinetry with glass doors houses iconic religious art, china, linens, rolls and rolls of silk ribbon, and delicate vintage-looking jewelry.  Once I bought a gold necklace here with little dangling red hearts for my daughter’s for 4th birthday, giving her an Alice in Wonderland party.

Christmas in Germany. Every year Lewis & Clark is closed for 5 days while the ladies busily re-decorate and re-stock for Christmas. The photo shows a small sampling of the tiniest glass ornaments now available. Larger ones are very colorful, fanciful, and many are trimmed with glitter.  A beautiful, shiny rendering of Mary in blue robe caught my eye. Every subject is covered!  There are moons, suns, peas in a pod, Rudolph, a school bus, frogs, rhinoceros, a Dodger shirt, cherries, butterfly, and ballerina, on and on.  There is an ornament especially appropriate for each person on your gift list. German ornaments abound, as do miniature Christmas trees, and “snow-covered” churches.

Saints and Angels. It seems fitting wooden angels and monks should be featured in the heart of Santa Barbara.  Especially at Christmas, but any time of year, these beautiful statues and accompanying architectural elements would make lovely vignettes on a sideboard in the dining room. Or, they could be centered in a garden niche surrounded by plants, cones, fir, and shells.  There’s an artist’s hand and spiritual seeker’s heart that infuse this delightful shop.  Lisa would assign these attributes to her mother.  Like Lisa, I just love pretty things.  She’s devoted to her shop, and so am I.