"Can you just be whelmed?"

I think you can in Europe.

I am watching this special program "Homes of Paris," on HGTV. Maybe I just haven't had enough Tab Energy this morning, but I am so not feeling it. These places are by far and away running circles around my hovel, however, I haven't seen anything that would make me want to devise a plot to assume the identity of the owner, whom I had locked in the wine cellar, so I could live in their place. I was really excited to see Prosper and Martine Assouline's place and then kind of bummed. I was waiting for a phenomenal library because let's face it if my last name were Assouline I would have a pretty spiffy collection of livres. I suppose they don't like to bring work home with them. One of the more amusing apartments had to be completely gutted starting with the drop ceiling. I just have a hard time picturing a drop ceiling existing in Paris. It just seems wrong and unnatural. Maybe I am putting French taste and style on a pedestal. Anywho still worth a watch because after all you never know what will inspire you.

The Age of Innocence

Let me begin by saying, I love Kelly Wearstler. Last night she got all Victorian on us with her puffed sleeves. In this photo from Bravo's website she looks like she could be a sassy turn of the century governess. This ensemble more than any of the other's she has debuted on the show really made me giggle when I saw it. Sometimes I think she is trying to make the contestants laugh so that she can get cross with them. OK, but seriously, even though it made me giggle I kind of loved it all at the same time. I really appreciate that she applies the same sense of the unexpected to the way she looks, that she applies to her interiors. I also love that she has the verve to wear some of that stuff, totally defiant, and challenging. I don't know if I could wear some of that stuff out of the house, but hey I don't look like Kelly either. Anywho, it totally amuses me and to be honest I more look forward to seeing what Kelly will wear (and how Margaret Russell will react, if at all) then to the rooms the contestants turn out.
In addition to Kelly's take on the Gibson girl, yesterday one of my fave movies was on telly, Oscar Wilde's, The Importance of Being Earnest. If Top Design were filmed live I might be tempted to say Kelly had watched it also and had been inspired. OK now this is so silly but wouldn't Oscar Wilde and Kelly Wearstler be really fun dinner party guests together? I imagine lots of Lillet, lots of high fashion, lots of wit, and roaring with laughter all evening in the garden.

Coffee Talk

What girl doesn't love a good makeover? I think it is probably in our chemical composition to absolutely loooove makeovers. Make overs for people, pets, homes, whatever. If there are before and after pictures count me in! Since I spend a lot of time at home, correction: all my time at home, I get to watch a lot of television programming. Naturally I am drawn to ones that focus on interior design and you know, I'm feeling a little underwhelmed (this includes the much anticipated Top Design). Sometimes I see the "exciting" after and I actually say to the screen, "That's the after? Blah." But like any bad habit, I can't stop. These design shows have made me wonder two things and I would love to know your opinions on them;

1) Is it worse to have bad taste or no taste at all (for definition purposes we will say that people with bad taste seek out icky things while people with no taste don't really have a preference)?

2) If you did have only $1000 to spend on a room what would you spend the money on to make the most dramatic change?

In the words of Linda Richman, "Discuss."