Book Club: Megalomania

Have you noticed how everyone is downsizing, simplifying, and fleeing extravagance as if it’s a biblical plague? Hmmm… think it’s the economy perchance? While I’m all for being thrifty, I still like to celebrate life’s gluttonous moments. That’s why I like Megalomania: Too Much Is Never Enough by art book publisher extraordinaire Assouline. Author and architect Philippe Tretiack tackles the people and places that flaunt their excess with abandon and turns a snarky eye on them. It’s not only over the top fun full of beautiful, compelling photography but also an insightful commentary on human nature warts and all. You can find a copy at Oak Lawn gift shop Nuvo.

Is Domino Magazine Going Bye Bye?

Shelter magazines are usually recession proof. But this isn’t any normal recession. Rumor has it that magalog (that’s the bastard offspring of a magazine and catalog) Domino might be on the ropes. This comes on the heels of O at Home signing off. Sigh. I still miss House & Garden.

Legendary Realtor Ebby Halliday launches new career as a writer

So typical for a 97-year-old. Not.

Julio Quinones and Laura Miller = Cover story in Traditional Home

Wow. Beautiful.

Be a Star on HGTV

New show Bang For Your Buck is filming its first season for the cable network and is looking for “fun and enthusiastic homeowners” in the greater Dallas area who would like to showcase their fabulous renovation on TV. The show needs homeowners who have spent $30-90k on their kitchen renovation and it must have taken place no more than three years ago. Interested? Contact Keri at 303-712-3137 or kgrogan@highnoonentertainment.com.

I’ll take Dallas

I asked earlier how the local design business is doing. A D Home blog reader sends this in: 

No insight on the Dallas design scene, but here is a market indicator from NYC/Upper East Side – the closing of the Charlotte Moss townhouse.

Dallas design business: what are you seeing?

Are we in sync with the economy? I talked to a prominent local designer late last week and he told me that he has more clients than ever. Went to Porthault and Yves De Lorme and business was about usual. Questions: 1) Are we in denial? 2) Is Dallas insulated? 3) Is it all too soon to tell? D Magazine has been around for almost 35 years now and we have seen it all, we know the strong survive, we know there is always a light at the end of the tunnel — but what kind of tunnel are we facing? What’s up in your world?

Come play the “D” game with us

Monday the whole company had its Q3 meeting and we talked about the D “Brand Study” that the Richards Group will be conducting for us over the next few months. They will be doing qualitative and quantitive studies all over Dallas to better understand how our brand is perceived. So here is the game: if “D” was a person, what kind of person would he or she be? My guess would be that when we are at our best our brand is a well-educated, stylish, knows-what’s-happening gay man, who is a foodie, great host, goes out on the town but isn’t desperate about it, keeps up with the Mavs, has a bit of attitude, and is the best friend you could ever have. OMG. I just realized: I work with that guy. Who do you think the “D” brand is?

More On Tony Romo

Well Christine, word is that Jessica Simpson will help Tony with his decor. And even if he is not the world’s best tastemeister, Mr. Romo knows how to drive a mean bargain about as well as he handles a pigskin.

Local Talent on Bravo’s Top Design 2

Thanks to former D Homer, Miss Paige Phelps, for alerting us that super-cute Plano resident, Shazia Kirmani,is a force to be reckoned with on Bravo’s interior design reality show, Top Design 2 (starts September 3). In 2006, at the young age of 28, Shazia’s east Dallas apartment was featured in D Home, and she was named the “it” gal of interiors. These pics (shot by Steve Wruble for D Home) of her old East Dallas apartment show you what this girl is capable of. Go Shazia, go!

Truth in Advertising

In the paraphrased words of Morris Day…this post ain’t for everyone, only the sexy people… Cue this.

Let me say from the “get-go” I don’t care who anyone “sleeps” with…as long as it isn’t me, it’s consenting, between adults, and as long as it doesn’t affect kids.  That being said, can’t “DOING IT” look better than this?

Frontburner has been all over this story from the beginning. It has all of the hype you can imagine…SEX…DRUGS…ROCK & ROLL, and according to Eric Celecste, fondue! However, no one in the “mainstream” media has dared to touch where I dare to touch (and I say that as a non-member of neither the mainstream media nor Dallas’ most notorious club). Dirty minds, all of you…

We here at D Home are in a constant quest to bring you the inside story (literally), the interior motives. Today is no different. I’m not sure what I was expecting from the inside of The Cherry Pit…velvet drapes? A smoke machine? Candles? Chick flicks? Comfort food? A cozy afghan? A bubble bath? Snuggling? (more…)

John Tesar’s Close-up

I’m not a huge fan of the morning programs—I will take the old gals on the Golden Girls over those on The View any day. But tomorrow, I’ll tune in to the Today Show, and you should, too. The Rosewood Mansion’s chef John Tesar will be in NYC showing viewers how to make a fish dish. If you’re like me, you might need a mimosa to get through the Ann Curry segments. According to Sarah, he’ll be on around 9:50 a.m. And funny enough, Sarah doesn’t love Ann Curry either.

Most Beautiful House in Dallas

For the September issue of DHome, we are taking on the monumental task of picking the 10, or maybe 20 most beautiful houses in Dallas.  Please help us! We want old, new, classic, modern, whatever just hits you when you drive by on the street. And if you have a great one - tell us why.

Green Acres in DHome

The new DHome is about to come out, and it is a beauty.  But, to truly enjoy the contents you might want to catch up on some old  re-runs - we have the local re-creation of Pixley right down the road towards Athens, and all, or most of the characters, are fondly remembered.  By the way, have you ever noticed a passing resemblance between Eva Gabor and George Cameron Nash?

Icon Makes Dallas Stop

Icon, is an overused moniker.  There are very few professionals who refine, define, and change their chosen professions.  Frederic Fekkai is an icon.  And, he loves Dallas.

Fekkai made a rare public appearance yesterday at Neiman Marcus, Northpark.  Along with Fekkai’s entourage, an adorable tweeny/teeny young man with his father’s eyes stood near Fekkai.  I thought it was poignant and befitting, this week after Father’s Day.  We can post all sorts of gifts, ideas, and silly banter, but seeing this boy look so admirably at his father, melted my heart. 

The Spawn was thrilled with a little afternoon pampering, and delighted in her new tortoise shell hairbrush (autographed in gold by Fekkai). I’m quite certain we were the only attendees schlepping their stylist with them to the event. 

I heard a fabulously funny story from a D Home insider, jump to get that, and some juicy scoop from Fekkai insiders. (more…)

Re: “Sex” and Anichini

Not to worry, Todd, Anichini is still here in Dallas at Casa di Lino on Oak Lawn.  And, Anichini diva Sharon Thompson is there to help you release your inner Carrie, or, was that Samantha?

We Mourn the Loss of Robert Rauschenberg 1925-2008

I met him once, in 1989. He was in town to accept an award. Awards and adulation didn’t seem to faze him, he was Robert Rauschenberg.

He was from Port Arthur, TX. He saw beauty in everything. He was one of us.

The $175,000 Bed

This can be yours for a mere $175,000 and is on display right now at William & Wesley, where designer and author Betty Lou Phillips is signing away her newest book. Meantime, go lay on 250 yards of precious Christopher Hyland fabric and look up at the candelier which is not included in the price. (Would it drive you crazy to pay $175K for a bed and then have some naughty couple, ahem, mess it up?)

Ebby Halliday’s Birthday

Was yesterday. And the bamboo-patterned chairs from her office done by the late interior designer Audrey Price are, for some reason, scattered all over Barney’s shoe department. Or at least they were for the fun D Magazine party at Barneys. I mean, when a girl wants to try on shoes, sometimes she just needs her own special chair…

RE: Chelsea Clinton

Martha Tiller called me last night to say that Rob Reiner joined Chelsea Clinton last night at SCENE…but alas I was on the road driving home from Johnson City and passing the LBJ Ranch about the time Martha called. Kind of freaky: Martha was Lady Bird Johnson’s press secretary. Is that an omen? Sure all went well but I would really love to see and hear the young Clinton offspring sometime. �

Dallas Women Win Approval of Olsen Twin

Sure, we’re known for our big hair or whatever, but for the most part, aren’t Texas women—and Dallas women, specifically—known for our sense of style? This was apparently news to Ashley Olsen. Her spokeswoman remarked of their trip to Dallas (and Forty Five Ten specifically): “We really had a good time. Ashley was surprised. The women were really chic. A lot of them had such great style. And we didn’t expect there to be so many women like that.” Check out the story in WWD.

What Has Kenneth Blasingame Been Doing?

Helping Laura Bush freshen up the White House, as documented in the new March issue of Architectural Digest. And we know Laura loves green. In fact, the Green Room is her favorite.

RE: The Economy

It did not seem down at all at yesterday’s 2008 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society luncheon and fashion show by Stanley Korshak — my oh my how the fabrics flowed, the bustles bustled, the hemlines dipped high and low in florals, basics, corals, aqua and tons of metallic. You know couture fashion trends precede home interiors. Heart of Gold recipient was precious Lynda Adleta, Adleta Fine Properties. More on her later at Dallasdirt.

HGTV or Desperate Housewives: Spend Valentines In A $50 Million Dollar Bedroom

Details on DallasDirt…

Bigger and Better

Our January-Feburary website is finally up. Have you seen our new issue in person? If not, it’s bigger and in many ways better — lots of clean, white space and full-page images. Check it out, then let us know what you think. Suggestions? We take those.