Hotel Tour: The Ace Hotel & Swim Club

When we first arrived in Palm Springs I didn't know what to make of this small village. It was late and there wasn't much to see so we settled into the Ace Hotel, unpacked, explored the grounds and ate dinner and marshmallows by the communal fireplace. We met (somewhat drunk) locals staying at the hotel because their home was being renovated and chatted for a while. We listened to their stories and we talked about kangaroos, as you do.

Fashion Friday: Wiggle Dress

When I bought this house at auction I hadn't viewed it in person and of course, I was worried about what I had bought! I remember visiting it for the first time and the view from the balcony blew me away. I knew we had made the right decision. I still enjoy the view. Day or evening - it is one of my favourite spots.

New furniture arrived for the balcony this week and I'll share more next week - it's beautiful! In the meantime these photos were taken tonight while we waited for a lift to arrive. That might explain why they are pixelated. I wore a new wiggle dress to my dinner date with David. I literally have to wiggle to get into it but once it was on I felt incredible.

House Tour: Frank Sinatra Twin Palms Estate

Never before have I been to a house tour that is buzzing and full of people. Design enthusiasts, industry professionals, photographers, fellow bloggers and Sinatra fans - it was a great crowd with some people dressed in retro outfits to get into the spirit of the era. It was fun to see!

It was also a challenge to photograph the estate with so many people around and I'm pleased to be able to share these with you. You don't won't to know the lengths I went to so that I can take these photos sans people in them!

Click the link below to see the complete house tour...

I said yes

Can I pop in before the start of another week to share some good news? I've been keeping a little secret. If we are friends on facebook or instagram you may already know. It's pretty cool.

In the heart of Times Square, cameras flashing, so many people. And then my favourite people...

Fashion Friday: PS. I love you

Coat: BCBG Max Azria // Skirt: Gorman // Boots: I've owned these for a few years

Palm Springs was everything I imagined it to be. The low-line architecture against the tall desert mountains. The palm trees. Postcard perfect.

I have more to share from this resort city and its architecture but it's Friday and that means I show you photos of me wearing clothes and smiling.

Okay, this won't be solely a style post as I really want to show you where these photos were taken instead...

Museum Tour: Vegas Boneyard (a.k.a The Neon Museum)

One of the main reasons I wanted to visit Vegas was to get a bit of a feel of 'old Vegas' and there was no better way than heading to The Neon Museum where the old Vegas signs go to die.

If you are a fan of typography or simply like signage then I think you might enjoy these images!

The scale of these pieces are amazing. We were given a history of where the signs used to live and how they ended up at the museum. We were also given tips on how to work out the age of the signs through the way they were constructed and the materials used.

I recommend the tour if you are in the area. I only wish I could have taken some of these signs home with me! They would look pretty amazing in an interior space.. or.. hey why not, on top of the roof of my house, ha!

Thank you to The Neon Museum for the permission to share the photographs that I took during the tour.

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This post is dedicated to my friend Emily Sephton.

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Hotel Tour: The Drake

Two nights in San Francisco really wasn't enough time to get properly acquainted with the city but it did give us an introduction into its fun and quirky side. We stayed at the Sir Francis Drake, known as "The Drake" but also known for the friendly Beefeaters who greet you at the door.

Painted Ladies in San Francisco

Today we are moving away from mid-century design to the Victorian era and the second most photographed location in San Francisco (this is the first).

The Painted ladies are a row of Victorian houses painted in pastel shades that enhance their architectural details. I hadn't heard of them prior to seeing them in San Francisco but I realise now why they looked familiar - they were in the opening credits of the TV series 'Full House'.

Did you watch the show? Do the houses look familiar to you?

House Tour: Stahl House

One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the Stahl House and these are a few photographs taken on a tour of the property. I broke one of the lens of my camera just before arriving so I'm pretty happy to have some shots I can share. They were taken with my least favourite lens in the world and a lot of playing around with manual settings but you aren't here for that (rather uninteresting) story. You are here for the tour!

Let me start with the breeze blocks at the entrance. Why are you so sexy? Is it only me that adores them this much? I don't care how ridiculous this makes me sound.

More pictures after the jump...

Hotel Tour: Staying at The Avalon Hotel

After a 14 hour flight, the first stop on our US trip was the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills. It is a hotel I have admired from far by looking at photos of Kelly Wearstler's work so it was nice to see it in person. It was a little tricky to find the hotel which is tucked from view behind trees but I believe it is part of the allure of the hotel - a bit of a hidden treasure.

My friend Emily

I'm back in town. It is with a heavy heart that I write this post.

While I was away my close friend passed away.

Emily Sephton was a friend of mine for years. She was wife to Anthony and mother to two beautiful boys - Jesse who is 3 years old and Archer who is 4 months old. She meant the world to so many people and we love and miss her so much.