The French Love Michael Devine Fabrics

A much deserved congratulations to my friend, fabric designer, Michael Devine. The French edition of Elle Decoration has named Michael’s fabrics as one of their favorites in their Best of the International issue.

The hand printed linen fabrics are now available in France. If you are in Paris this week for Maison&Objet and/or Paris Deco Off, you can see Michael’s fabrics at Holland & Sherry 17 rue de l'Echaude paris 6. I will be stopping by the showroom!

Visit the Private Garden of Michael Devine

Visit the Private Garden of Designer Michael Devine
10 Broad Street Kinderhook, New York

Refreshments, Live Music & Gardening Tips
July 3rd, July 31st & September 4th
10:00am - 1:00pm (rain or shine)
Admission $10

Your contribution will help to purchase a bike rack
for Kinderhook's Village square.

For more information visit www.michaeldevinehome.com

Soup on Sunday: Michael Devine's Sorrel and Zucchini Soup

I love the dark green perennial herb sorrel with its slightly sour flavor. My friend Michael Devine recently shared his recipe for Sorrel and Zucchini soup that he learned when taking the Bistro and Brasserie course at the École Ritz Escoffier.

He serves it both hot and cold with an almond chive cookie on the side. A word of caution about sorrel—its lemony flavor is great, but it changes to a drab color when cooked. For a more vibrant soup, try mixing spinach and sorrel.

Sorrel and Zucchini soup

4 tablespoons butter
2 small onions, chopped
1/2 lb young zucchini, diced
1/4 lb sorrel or spinach, washed and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup crème fraiche

Garnish: blanched lemon zest (optional)

Melt butter in stock pot add onion, zucchini, garlic and bay leaf. Cook 12 minutes over medium heat, stirring regularly. Remove the bay leaf. Add sorrel and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender. Add stock and bring to boil for about 5 minutes. Add crème fraiche. Remove from heat, puree and pass through a chinois (a sieve with an extremely fine mesh). Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, swirl a small spoonful of crème fraiche through soup and garnish with blanched lemon zest.

Serves 4 - 6

Shopping + Podcast with Michael Devine

I have long been a fan of Michael Devine's whimsical fabrics and playful designs. My husband and I first meet Michael and his partner Thomas Burak in Paris during the January 2008 Maison & Objet. After a long, leisurely dinner followed by a few glasses of absinthe we were invited to New York for Thanksgiving. Over the past two years Michael and Thomas have become close family friends. Before heading home, I spent last weekend in Kinderhook, New York with two of my favorite men.

Michael and Thomas pulled out all the stops including a cocktail party in my honor. Michael recently created a wonderful assortment of signature trays that were used for passing hors d'oeuvres during the party. His adorable trays were a big hit with everyone last Saturday and they are now on his website, just in time for the holidays. And, best of all, standard shipping is free! You can see the cute tray in question and photos from the party below.

On Sunday we sat down before dinner and talked about fabrics, cooking and holiday entertaining. Listen here.



The cute pea pods are also available from Michael Devine Home

Social Diary in New York Day One

It was so much fun to finally meet the amazing Jessica Napp from Rizzoli and fellow Southerner and designer extraordinaire Thad Hayes. Thad is as gracious as the interiors he designs. The three of us had the most enjoyable morning. I will post a profile on Thad in the next few days as well as photos from his upcoming book launch party for The Tailored Interior. Unfortunately I will miss the event by just a few days, but Thad will be sending photos for all of us to enjoy virtually.

Jessica is so sweet, she showed up with a box of cupcakes for Eddie Ross and me to celebrate our shared birthday. The cute little confections came all the way from Carlos', a great bakery located in the heart of Hoboken, NJ. Master Baker Bartolo Jr. “Buddy” has been featured in numerous publications and his cakes were voted by the Today’s Show viewers as best in America.

Lunch with Luke Pontifell, Melissa Morris and Peter Pennoyer. Both the company and conversation were completely enjoyable. Lunch was delicious, and the charming surrounds of the Century Club, housed in a land-marked 1891 McKim Mead & White Beaux Arts building, was the perfect backdrop.

Michael Devine and Thomas Burak hosted a joint birthday dinner party for Eddie Ross and me in their beautiful home. Superb food and, of course, fabulous company! Fun, fun, fun!

Jaithan, Eddie and Michael

The amazing dinner table, complete with my favorite flowers.

Thomas and Ronda

Rural Intelligence

I am so proud of my friend Michael Devine. He is everywhere these days. Most recently he is featured in Rural Intelligence. Rural Intelligence is the brainchild of journalists Marilyn Bethany, who lives full-time in Columbia County, NY, and Dan Shaw, who lives full-time in Litchfield County, CT. Both have worked as editors and reporters at The New York Times and New York Magazine.

Rural Intelligence treats this uniquely sophisticated rural region of the country as one big neighborhood and provides a place for full-time residents and weekenders to come together to share their passion for culture and country life.

A big thank you for mentioning All the Best. I loved being described as an "influential website out of Scotland" and The LIST being called the equivalent of "Hall-of-Fame" status. Very cool! Thank you.

The LIST: Charlotte Moss + Michael Devine

Charlotte Moss' room at the Kips Bay Designer Show House swathed in Micheal Devine's Beekman fabric is just too pretty not to share. Charlotte and Michal are both design geniuses. I love the pleats of the fabric. Of course attention to detail is one of Charlotte's trademarks. Beautiful!

My Favorite Things: Michael Devine

Michael Devine with his Grandmother

My Favorite Things series was such a hit last year that I thought I would do it again this holiday season. Not only is it one of my very favorite songs, but also I love to know what others cherish and hold dear, especially at this time of the year. Having just kicked off the holiday season with Michael and Thomas, this seemed an appropriate first profile. I particularly love the photo of Michael with his “first style icon” as he lovingly referred to his Grandmother.

I have so many wonderful profiles to share with you over the next few weeks so be sure to bookmark All the Best. I would also like to know your favorite things. You can email me at allthebestblog@gmail.com or leave them in the comment section. I will compile at list of readers’ favorite things and post it on Christmas Eve. You can include a photo too if you wish and I will select a few to publish.

Michael Devine:

My favorite gift to give this year?
The notepad and pencil cup from my new signature collection in the patten Bagatelle. It's so handy—the pad is easy to find even on my messy desk.

My favorite gift to receive?
Every year Thomas has one standard gift to give me—a year worth of Aqua Di Parma cologne. It’s my favorite scent.

My favorite way to celebrate the holidays?
We have hosted a very, very small dinner on Christmas Eve with our friends Michael Rosenberg, Leonard Kowalski and Katharine T. Carter in the country for the last several years and now its tradition.

My favorite luxury in life?
Spending time with Thomas with nothing to do is a rare luxury. Especially in the country since the office is always just short distance away and there is always some work that needs to get done.

My favorite current book?
I just started Make Way for Lucia by E. F. Benson. I can't put it down, mostly because it reminds so much of Kinderhook.

My favorite holiday song?
I'll be Home for Christmas. It may not be my favorite, but it's most appropriate, especially to my dear sister and family in Illinois. It seems like I end up singing it to her every year. Next year....really!

My favorite party clothes?
My J. Press red plaid pants. I am ready for those the day after Halloween.

My favorite cookie?
Peppernuts made by my surrogate mother Karen Stransky, from back home in Grand Detour, Illinois. She sends them to me every year along with my favorite fudge. It's always a highlight of my holiday season.

My favorite city?
Paris, Paris, Paris!

My favorite place to shop?
FNAC any of them—I can spend hours in one.

My favorite movie to watch again and again?
Chocolate - The story and Juliette Binoche are beyond.

I Heart NYC

The 'Influence of the Design Blogger' panel went really well! It was exciting to see so many people from the design world coming together for the sole purpose of learning more about this exciting medium and powerful communication tool. We, the blogging community, really are at the forefront of something big and very special.

Bloggers Shane Reilly of Shane’s Studio and Decorati Access, Michael Devine of The Devine Life, me, Marisa Marcantonio of Stylebeat, and Grace Bonney of design*sponge

The beautiful Jerry Pair showroom. A very special thank you to Susan Frame, showroom manager, and the entire Jerry Pair team for your gracious hospitality and the lovely cocktail party.

Michael Devine of The Devine Life; Marisa Marcantonio of Stylebeat; me; Grace Bonney of design*sponge; Shane Reilly Founder of Decorati; Dan Cahoon President of Jerry Pair and Associates

Barbara Brown, Vice President of Jerry Pair and Associates and Thomas Burak

Michael Devine with his beautiful fabric line. John Rosselli & Associates will now be the exclusive showroom for Michael Devine fabrics in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Michael’s fabrics will soon be available from Decorati.

Shane Reilly, me, Michael Devine and Michelle Adams

It was so nice to finally meet the talented Michelle Adams, founder and designer of Rubie Green fabrics. Unfortunately our meeting was much too brief, but I hope to profile Michelle and her beautiful fabrics very soon.

One final note, if you are a designer and would like to start a blog of your own, Decorati can help. You can sign-up to blog with Decorati. Click here to find out more about their new blogging initiative. You can now leave your thoughts and comments on the Decorati Access site.

John Rosselli+Michael Devine+Decorati

John Rosselli & Associates will now be the exclusive showroom for Michael Devine fabrics in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Michael’s fabrics are still obtainable from Michael Devine Home and will soon be available from Decorati.

John Rosselli, a man of impeccable taste and style, opened his first antique shop in New York fifty years ago. The shop immediately became a destination for discerning interior designers and architects. In 1990 John opened a showroom in New York’s D&D Building. The showroom has become renowned for its savvy collection of furniture, lighting, upholstery, fabric, and wallcoverings. House & Garden magazine twice named John Rosselli & Associates one of the Top Ten showrooms in the U.S.

October 15-16 is the annual D&D Building Market Event in New York. In addition to Michael’s fabrics, John Rosselli & Associates will be adding Camilla David and Carolina Irving textiles. During the D&D Building Market Event there will be an opportunity to meet the designers at John Rosselli. You can visit the Decoration & Design Building website for more details.

I am thrilled to be apart of the D&D Building Market Event this year. On October 16th I will join Michael Devine, Grace Bonney and Marisa Marcantonio at Jerry Pair to discuss the Influence of the Design Blogger. The event is sponsored by Decorati. As I mentioned earlier, Michael’s fabrics will soon be available on their website.

Be sure to check out Decorati Access for my most recent interview with Madeline Gelis. Their online magazine just keeps on getting better!