Some May inspiration from Bunny Mellon, a special On My Radar with Mother’s Day Gift Ideas, and a Mother’s Day Event at Palo Alto Rails!
Bunny Mellon Style
Do you want to live like Bunny Mellon? She was a famous tastemaker and garden genius who helped design the White House Rose Garden for Jackie and JFK. She had her own gorgeous gardens and beautiful homes. She lived a life of exacting specifications, but with a certain kind of nonchalance, if that’s not too much of an oxymoron.. She collected wonderful antique garden pieces, baskets, and amassed a library of books- some very historic, dedicated to gardens and horticulture. Her home and garden style has been idolized and emulated by Tory Burch and so many others.
If you want the Bunny look, without billions, you need a dedicated spot for potting things, preferably filled with a collection of baskets hung from the ceiling and everywhere you can cram them in. She even had a basket house! You need stone pots, the older the better, geraniums and antique statuary bits here and there. Bunny loved topiary, terracotta potted flowers, trelliage ( lattice work), and toile. If you’re a fan of any or all of these things, look no further than the Tuckernuck website this month where they photographed lovely clothes in her home in Upperville, Virginia. In the layout they talk about her rooms and more and there is a lot of inspiration..
I love this garden themed dress with the fringe hem and the braided shift.. Both linked on pics..
For all the particulars she had about the way she lived, she also liked things natural, like lemons left on the ground where they fell… Perhaps we are soul sisters as my yard is littered with them currently!
Bunny also collected lettuce ware china and Tory Burch has a collection and Anthro has this new one here called Lilypad. So pretty!
Bunny also liked entrances to have a vantage point and rooms to feel comfortable and relaxed.. Fun Bunny fact- she served Lay’s Potato Chips (the unbroken ones), in pretty vessels for her guests.. She had me at Lay’s. More about this fascinating woman in the books- Bunny Mellon Style and Bunny Mellon Garden Secrets.
You can shop the whole Bunny Mellon inspired Tuckernuck collection here.
Maybe I need to start turning my laundry room into a basket room! Hmm..
I love a market basket with flowers in it! That would be a cute Mother’s Day idea…
On My Radar- Mother’s Day Edition
I love the idea of a market tote for a gift. For an extra pretty gift, add a bunch of flowers. The basic $58 one above is perfection, as are the long strap market version, a tote with floral embroidery, and the fun white accents… All linked on photos.
A cashmere wrap is the nicest luxury, but also something to use for years and years. It’s perfect for travel as your own personal blanket and then for cool nights out, and just as an everyday wrap over a shirt or as a scarf, as the French wear them. J Crew’s are very nice on sale now, and I personally love the camel and grey choices..
If you want a little color, these cashmere Luxy Wraps are beautiful and have a pretty edge to them. I just love this pink color..
For $29 these candles are beautiful and love the Summer Day candle with the little bag.
Another nice gift is the diffuser in Summer Day..I like these in the baths and laundry.
In the same summer theme, two lovely books to gift are- A Summer Place ,and Entertaining By the Sea...
I adore Lela Rose and her new book Fresh Air Affairs on themed parties is inspiring and fun.
How adorable is this Vietri Bud Vase for bedside garden roses?
Other luxuries…the modern version of Tory Burch flip flops, and the new fragrances by Tory. I love Electric Sky the best which is soft and sporty..
I am a fan of sterling silver pieces from Ippolita, which are all hand made. The all feel beautiful to touch. I have a few and they are my favorite jewelry. These drop earrings are beauties..
Lunch out or breakfast in bed..
The last few years for Mother’s Day, I’ve been asking to have a nice lunch out with my family at a pretty spot. I like to go on any day before or after -not the actual day, if possible. One of my favorites that is a treat is the charming Village Bakery in Woodside! Make sure you ask for an outside table if it’s nice, and go shop at Emily Joubert’s beautiful garden and home shop which is adjacent afterwards. Sometimes I’ll pick out a pretty plant or book there for my present…
When my boys were small they would all make me breakfast and bring it in bed. I still treasure their homemade cards more than any gifts in the world and have all of them! Those years went too fast.
Meet me at the Rails Mother’s Day Event at the Stanford Store next Saturday!
I love the California clothier Rails and I am excited they asked me to join them and share their special Mother’s Day Event at their gorgeous new store in Palo Alto. The store has much more of their beautiful California clothes and I will be there in the morning for a few hours if you want help putting together an outfit, buying a gift- or just find a Mother’s Day gift for yourself?
You will get 20% off your purchases that day.
This event runs all day with refreshments, light bites, and succulents as a Gift with Purchase.
I hope to see some of you there! I’ll be in store 11-12:30! Please come by if you are in the area to say hi and see the new store. It’s near Bloomingdales and Lululemon near the east entrance of lovely Stanford Shopping Center. Check out the Rails collection here.
The Coronation
Will you be watching this weekend? I have mixed feelings. The NYTimes has a coronation recipe section for this event with excellent versions all my favorite English foods – Coronation Chicken Sandwiches, crumpets, Strawberry Pavlova, Eton Mess, and Victoria Sponge, and many more- all by famous British chefs.
I’m also interested to see what Mrs. Biden will be wearing and so far she looks chic in pink meeting the Prime Minister’s wife Akshata Murty, who also has a lovely dress..I’m all about the fashion this weekend and who is attending.
My dad still remembers watching Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953. They were one of the few families on the block that had a television and he was in grammar school and remembers friends and neighbors coming to watch it!
It’s a busy weekend with the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo too. It sure doesn’t feel like May here with more dark and rain. Let’s hope we get sun by next weekend! I am ready to put in my tomato garden and wear some springlike clothes and I bet you are too.
Cindy and I had May’s Signature Style this week, and the theme was ‘Summer Wish Lists.’ See what we are thinking of for summer days here if you missed it.
On last weekend’s post, I shared a book all about finding French Joie, a chic woven tote, rattan hurricanes and the cutest inexpensive sandals you need for summer.
Have a lovely weekend,
Kim
Please visit my pals Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs..
MAKE MINE A SPRITZER
PINECONES AND ACORNS
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