Primavera, bella!

At long last, the first gorgeous early Spring weekend. Friday p.m.: the happiest of hours with the boys. Saturday: groceries, writing, curtains, aperitivos, dinner (grilled vegetable antipasti verdura, spinach raviolli from Bologna with Marsano tomato sauce, veal in white wine and lemon), DVD (Slings and Arrows Season 1). Sunday: cashmere v-neck, Ferragamo suede loafers (safe to bring out!), espresso, newspaper, 11:15 mass at Trinity, antiquing (an Italian miniature gold leaf mirror), bicycle riding, chatting with neighbors, poking around the new crocus...

Niche, you fool

One of the blessings of a pre-War house is a niche here and there. This one is perfect for books and a few objects.

A bronze Carl Milles, Head of a Caryatid, was purchased years ago at Millesgarden outside Stockholm. Normally the idea of a reproduction is, well... In this case the integrity of the museum and the production quality sets it apart. The box is an inherited piece. It opens to form a portable letter writing desk -- an early lap top. The terra cotta oil lamp is Roman, late 1st c., bought a year ago from a N.Y. dealer. Hard to believe it's real.

The books are a frighteningly accurate indicator of our aesthetic. Barcelona and Modernism, from the museum show. The Art of Bloomsbury. The Englishman's Room -- I remember this book from London in the late 80s and I could not believe it was still available on amazon. A signed, hardbound copy of the Gilbert and George exhibition Worlds and Windows at the Anthony D'Offay gallery in London. Vogue Living's recent compendium. Yoshitomo Nara next to Neoclassicism. Doyle's catalogue. Zing, which still sends me a copy even though I no longer review for them.