olive visits: martha's vineyard: wesleyan grove

Stumbling upon Wesleyan Grove is like entering another realm. I really have never seen anything like it and felt almost like time traveling. Wesleyan Grove is was orginally a Methodist "camp meeting" where they would hold sort of a convention for Methodists. Tents were the original form of habitat before the permanent structures were built, hence, "camp meeting." The community was designed in the early to mid 1800s by a professional planner and landscape architect which is evident in the layout of the village.

All of the cottages features ornate architectural details which was popular in the mid 1800s after the scroll saw was invented which made these forms possible. The cottages are dubbed "gingerbread cottages" as a result although they are vernacular versions of  the gothic revival and  stick-style.

The cottages surround a park with a "tabernacle" or place of worship, in the center. (above)

Today, the community still retains some of the original families who were involved in the camp meeting community but most of the cottages are rented out to various people through out the year.

back to reality.
-L-

completing projects from december

So every now and again, I have these visions or see great ideas on other blogs or in magazines and I get motivated to create wonderful things. The motivation will usually last about a day and then I move on to something else. I had these two projects laying around since about December. I had all the supplies I needed, just needed a free weekend which I conveniently had this past weekend. I spent all day Saturday working on my faux bamboo desk, and the ever so popular, bubble chandelier as featured in Readymade.

The desk was purchased at Salvation Army back in January or February. Since I am moving to a bigger apartment, I decided to complete this project as I would finally have a place to display it.  I took the advice of fellow blogger Jenny at Little Green Notebook and used the Rustoleum Safety Red spray paint.

{before: circa 8:00 AM}

{during: after first coat, starting to transform}

{complete: 12 hrs of work, 4 cans of paint, and 3 coats of poly later, a true masterpiece}

I had originally planned on reupholstering the benches, but I don't know how to do the piping, nor do I have a sewing machine. I am considering having them done by a professional, however I am clearly hesitant to do that. I actually don't hate how the teal looks with the red even though its a bit dingy and faded. 

While I was waiting for the paint to dry in between coats, I got bored and didn't feel like doing anything else productive so I remembered I had all the supplies to make the bubble chandelier so I got started on that. One of the balls broke in the construction process but I managed to glue it back together, but you can't really even notice it. 

{let there be bubbly light}

I'm so happy I finally got these projects done and will have a place to display them soon! When I am fully settled in my new apartment, pictures will be posted of the objects in their natural habitat.

Just another manic Monday.
-L-

olive covets: apothecary cabinets and card catalogs

{image via designsponge}

So I may or may not have a list of furniture to own in my lifetime. On said list, among a few other key pieces, are an apothecary cabinet or a card catalog. They are too similar to own both, so yes, I only want either or. I was inspired to post by the above image from the ever so popular "Design on a Dime: 2010" challenge. Once a place to keep library cards and medicinal concoctions, these pieces are now pretty obsolete as far as their orginal uses go. Now, I imagine having one in a bathroom to keep all your different hair, makeup and shower products, or in the office, another space which is always in need of good storage and organization. The only other practical use I see for them would to be an endless set of junk drawers, or you could get really crazy and put your bras and underwear in separate drawers organized by style and color... At What Cheer Antiques in Providence, they have an enormous apothercary cabinet in their shop in which each drawer is labled and contains trinkets for sale like vintage buttons, postcards, door hardware, and keychains. These were my favorite examples I found browsing the internet. Enjoy!

{apartment therapy}

{from the blog, Being-red}

{elledecor magazine}

{poetic home}

Perhaps it's just the combining of the idea of adaptive reuse and interior design that I love so much and that it's not typical "furniture" that you would find at any old store. I prefer the darker toned pieces in these images for some reason. Maybe because apothecaries and libraries lend themselves to a more dimmed environment. I just wish I could find one on Craigslist or at the Salvation Army for a good deal.

Happy Friday

 -L-

i like to call it peacock blue

I think I'm going to paint my bedroom this weekend.  This is a rather sizeable task, as my room is pretty large, and will require me trying to move my four-poster bed away from the wall by myself (this might not be feasible).  I knew I wanted to paint it some sort of darker blue, but navy was just too severe, so I searched around the blog-o-sphere for inspiration images of rooms I thought would convey both color and the overall look I'm trying to achieve.  I knew I wanted my bedroom to be glamorous and convey old Hollywood glam without being too trendy.  Also, because I love design so much, I have a tendency to change my mind frequently about colors, and bedding.  Yes, I admit, I have a bedding problem.  I'm working on it.  Don't judge me. Anyways, I wanted to find a color that I would like for awhile, and be able to easily change accent colors and different fabrics with.  Here is what I found:

[photo credit:  simply seleta]

I love the simple canopy in the first image.  The second image (can't find the photo credit for this one-saved it in my file of images a long time ago), I love the gallery wall of mismatched frames and artwork.  LOVE the tufted chair, HATE that sofa.  ;)  At first, I thought the blue might be a bit overwhelming.  However, I have a chair-rail in my bedroom that is about three feet from the floor.  I'm painting above the chair-rail blue, and just a simple white below. Favorite white paint is,  "White Dove" by Benjamin Moore.   This will tone down the overwhelmingness a bit, and really accentuate the gorgeous crown molding in the room.

Also, thanks Luc for coining the term, "Peacock Blue."  I kept referring to it as navy, but it wasn't doing the color justice.  Plus, It just sounds really good, and super fancy-exactly what I'm going for.

-G-

 

restoration hardware look, walmart price

After a trip to Lowe's with Gretchen to get some fabulous peacock-blue paint for her new bedroom, we decided to schlep it and go to Walmart. The normal routine would be to go to Target, but Walmart has recently upped their style points to try to compete with Target, so we decided to switch things up and go there. Gretchen got a table lamp for her new "pop" style desk and I got a brass table lamp for...who knows what.

{Gretchen's Lamp-$25.00}

{Restoration Hardware Lamp-$169.00}

{pottery barn-$139.00}

{Walmart lamp- mine has a brass finish-$19.00}

Although the lamp bases and shades are different, they have the same look with the adjustable dial on the side and I actually prefer the Walmart drum style shade. The one I got is more similar to the Pottery Barn example. There were a couple of other cute and cheap options if you're looking for afforable lighting resources.

{wood base lamp-$25.00}

{open frame style-$25.00}

The above is similar to this lamp from Crate and Barrel:

{Crate and Barrel open frame-$279.00}

Lesson learned: Although Walmart can be a daunting experience, it's always better in good company. Not to mention, you can get great deals on lamps and also buy mouthwash and a waterbottle while you're at it.

Walmart-don't go it alone.

-L-

l.a. getaway

{we are family...}

I finally made my long awaited (3 years in the making) trip out to visit my sisters in Los Angeles. It was my sister Emma's 26th birthday, so I figured it would be a good time to go out and visit. (surprise!) This should not be a surprise however; what I have returned to blog about is no other, than the amazing food and restaurants I went to. My favorite places were not fancy, but rather casual, fresh, and quirky. If you ever make a trip out west, do stop at ALL of these places.

Warning: If you are hungry or dieting I would advise against reading this post as it defies all rules of healthy eating and may provoke sinful urges to indulge.

Lemonade

{Grace feeling well nourished yet freezing after a meal at Lemonade}

Grace picked me up from LAX and I was tired and starving after a 6 hour flight. Lemonade was the remedy. Lemonade is a cafeteria-style cafe where you choose from "items" and "proteins" and create your own meal from the assortment of salads, meats and desserts, and of course, gourmet lemonades. I got 2 items split, so 4 different samplings from the salad bar, all of which were incredibly amazing. A  broccoli and feta salad, ahi tuna and watermelon radish salad, soba noodle and lobster salad, and a chicken salad with tarragon. The meal was completed with a cucumber mint lemonade. The great thing is you can try so many different things without completely stuffing yourself, but you can also go completely overboard if you wish. I could eat here every day.

{"items" at Lemonade}

Father's Office

{Office burger}

The first dinner stop we made in my culinary tour de LA was a "gastropub" called Father's Office. The place was crowded, and there is no real order. You hover over people and try to get them to leave so you can sit there. (very discomforting to me, however this happens at a lot of places in LA and by the end of the trip I was a pro). There is a whole wall of craft beer taps to choose from of which I maybe had heard of 3 of them. With a beer, comes "the best burger" fully loaded with caramelized onions, bacon, lettuce, and a barbeque sauce of sorts. The beef was of course accompanied by the potato. Us Gardner girls got the regular fries, and an entire basket of sweet potato fries which were incredible. No ketchup in this joint...but none needed. The fries are served with a delicious garlic aioli sauce.

On the Waterfront Cafe

           

     {Side A }                                                                                 {Side B (Emma Missing)}

For Emma's birthday celebration with all of her friends, we ended up at the biergarten at On the Waterfront Cafe. The main meal served here was beer, with a side of pretzel and french fries. The appeal here was not the selection of food, but the experience and environment. We fit 12+ people at a single picnic table, kept the pitchers of Erdinger Weizenbier coming, and enjoyed the people watching of Venice Beach. It was the same situation where you had to wait and hover over people until they left and you could attack and take over their table. A very entertaining spot.

Abbot's Pizza Co

{Venice storefront}

My last day in California was spent wandering Venice Beach on a beach cruiser despite the foul weather. I ended up at Abbot's Pizza for lunch where my sister's claim they have the best pizza. I took their advice, and ordered a slice of the "salad pizza" which is described as follows:


Chopped Mixed Greens, Onion, Basil, Topped with Feta Cheese and Avocado on a Sour Crem and Olive Base with Lemon Dressing

And looks a little something like this

{salad pizza}

The pizza was clearly not "pizza" but was incredibly delicious and I honestly could've eaten at least two more slices. If you go there, the salad pizza is not on their menu at the Venice location, but trust me, just order it.

In-N-Out Burger

{Emma and I pre In-N-out experience}

My last meal of my left coast experience was at the ever so popular In-N-Out burger. I was advised by those who have been there before so I was set and ready for my experience. I was told to order a burger "animal style" as well as fries served the same way. This "animal style" essentially means added fat and deliciousness but it was completely worth it. They add caramelized onions, special sauce, and melted cheese to your burger and fries. I see nothing wrong with that. Hey, it was my last meal on vacation. Also could've eaten at least 2 more burgers... We were in a rush as a had a flight to catch (across the street) so in and out and off to LAX with my black and white milkshake I went.

If you are headed to the Los Angeles area anytime soon and are trying to find places to eat, look no further then Lucy Gardner's Blog Guide to Gaining Weight in LA.

Back East, trying hard not to eat burgers,beer or french fries...
-L-

a little bit o' this, a little bit o' that

*Warning*  This post will quite literally be, all over the place.  I have a lot of little things to share, and don't really care to structure them in a concise manner.  So, here I go...

First, a couple weekends back, I had the pleasure of dining out with two good friends-Sara and Mat.  I still have yet to discover "good eats" in my town of Warren.  Granted, there are a lot of little dive-y type places, and good pub food, and many a place for good chowdaH, but I didn't realize a great restaurant was right around the corner from me!  They took me to Tav Vino, which is three blocks down from my apartment on the water.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

Tav Vino is simple and cozy-I love the open framework on the ceiling and the banquette seating along the windows.  If you're ever down in the East Bay, I defnitely recommend this restaurant.


Next, I have a little DIY project that is super easy, and will make a statement in any home.  My new hairstylist is quite the decorator (think Hollywood-glam), and this was in his home, in his guest bathroom:

Faux taxidermy!  Like I said, this is a super-easy project to do.  Head to Michael's or your local craft-store, pick up whatever wood plaque shape appeals to you.  Paint or stain it (or leave as is).  Find a branch outside you can cut to size, and screw onto said plaque.  Find a faux animal of sorts, this can be really anything- bird, reptile, insects, etc.  I happened to stop in Frog & Toad last weekend (one of my favorite gift stores in RI-but that deserves another blog post entirely of its own), and they have some fantastic faux ravens (similar to what is pictured above) that have feet that bend-which would be great as you can bend the feet around the branch.  If you stop at F&T, say hi to Asher for me!  Frog & Toad facebook page found here .  If you decide you want to attempt this project, send your results in to olive!  We'd love to see your creation!

Last, but not least, when getting off the commuter train in South Attleboro this week-when what to my wandering eyes should appear:  A butter, wooden Wagoneer!  Ha, that rhymes....Luc, this is for you: 

Oh, and one more thing (see-I told you this post was going to be all over the place), my Christmas Cactus is blooming!  I'm especially happy because this happens to be my great-grandmother's cactus that my mom brought me clippings of on her visits out to see me. Thanks Mom, I thought you would enjoy seeing how healthy it is!  Feel free to bring some more on your next trip out......:)

-G-