Chic in LA: Chateau Marmont

If The Beverly Hills Hotel is like Doris Day, then the Chateau Marmont is more like The Doors. Instead of shiny and happy, it's dark and brooding and beyond cool. It was modeled after a royal chateau in the Loire Valley of France and since it opened in 1929, it has been the hot spot for celebrities and rockers to hide out and party. I originally thought about staying at the Chateau but since I just heard that it may be haunted, I'm glad that I stayed elsewhere! I'm more bright and sunny than moody and dark anyway! I did get to have an amazing first night dinner at the Chateau with Christian of Maison21, Lisa of A Bloomsbury Life, and Christian's very chic client Cristina. The food was delicious and we drank copious amounts of prosecco until I looked down at my watch and realized that although it was midnight in LA, my body knew it was really 3:00am in New York! That's when I turned into a pumpkin. Since I can no longer party like a rock star it's probably best that I didn't stay at the rock star hotel! But that's not to say I didn't have fun trying!

Photos from Chateau Marmont website, Google and Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic. By the way, that's Led Zepplin hanging out the window!

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It's Easy Being Green

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I'm posting all my favorite green images. And what better place to start than with a bar since most everyone will spend the day drinking. Not just any bar mind you but the cameo Bar at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica designed by Kelly Wearstler. Kelly said she doesn't have a favorite color but it does seem like she has an affinity for green. It always looks fresh and sophisticated in her interiors. It also makes me think that despite what Kermit says, it's actually pretty easy being green!

Kelly Wearstler

Kelly Wearstler

Miles Redd

Green Pencils from Flickr

Photo by Miles Aldridge

Kermit the Frog

Mary McDonald

Photo by Richard Foulser

Herve can der Straeten Residence

Mary McDonald

Tory Burch Residence

Christian Louboutin Residence

Miles Redd

Photo by Nikolas Koenig

Hotel Rivington

Photo by Lee Jenkins

It's not easy pushing a green car!

Scout Design

Chloe Sevigny Residence

Have fun today!

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Get Your Game On

We're expecting rain and high winds here in New York all weekend so that has me thinking about what I can do that doesn't involve leaving my apartment. Other than reading and watching television, board games are a another good rainy day activity. I grew up playing backgammon but haven't played in years so I think I may have to buy myself a board. Some of them would actually look just as nice sitting out as they would being played and it looks like a few other designers appreciated that fact as well!

Geoffrey Parker makes some of the best backgammon boards including this pretty blue leather attache option.

Looks like Ivanka Trump is also a fan of backgammon.

This backgammon board by Geoffrey Parker features William Morris paper and is my absolute favorite!

This old House Beautiful cover from 1935 illustrates the long popularity of backgammon!

Bamford and Sons also offers an elegant backgammon board.

In case you're bored or it rains while you're staying at the Parker Palm Springs Hotel designed by Jonathan Adler.

Artist Ara Peterson also makes beautiful and colorful backgammon boards.

Interior designer David Hicks featured an needlepoint backgammon board in one of his projects many years ago.

I wonder if Jonathan Adler was inspired by David Hicks when he created his own needlepoint backgammon set.

Seems Jonathan Adler is a big fan of backgammon because this green acrylic board is featured in another one of his design projects.

The elegant Swinford Backgammon set from Ralph Lauren Home is part of their spring line but is not yet available online. That gives you a little extra time to save up for it!

Emmanuel David wasn't content to just create a backgammon board instead he made it into a table.

The best part about backgammon is that if you buy a travel board like this one from Aspinal of London, you can play anywhere.

I would love to be playing backgammon in an Acapulco pool like these two in this Slim Aarons photo from 1978. That would definitely beat playing at home on a rainy day!

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