Telex from Cuba

As a young child growing up in southern Miami during the 60's, many of my schoolmates were Cuban refugees whose parents had fled their homes following Castro’s uprising.  The Cuban culture and mystique has fascinated me as a result of this association earlier in life for me.  So, I recently read Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner. Ms. Kushner tells the story of American families living in Cuba prior to the takeover by the Castro brothers in the late 50’s.  Told through the eyes of a young boy and the son of an American executive in Cuba, Ms. Kushner tells the story of the sugar cane and nickel mining industries in Cuba and the Americans who manage the operations there.   Worth a read, for sure.

source

lemon & line

Love, love, love this bracelet from lemon & line.

Suzanne Rheinstein

This past week, I attended a lecture at the Jacksonville Arts and Antiques Show presented by Suzanne (the a in her name is pronounced with the schwa sound) Rheinstein.  Prior to her lecture it was announced that she would be donating her entire speaker's fee to the benefitting charity: a charming gesture from a gracious woman. Suzanne was, of course, promoting the sale of her fabulous and recently published book,

At Home: A Style for Today with Things from the Past

 

which was available for purchase and signing directly  following her presentation. I did not bring along my copy as it is a quite large book and I am not sure how a previously purchased book is handled when it comes to a signing.  A world traveler, Suzanne told the tale of her life which began in New Orleans where she was greatly influenced by the architecture and gardens there, especially  Longue View and the works of Ellen Biddle Shipman, the landscape architect. A slide show of her house in Los Angeles and her

pied-a-terre in NYC was shown, which included many glimpes of additional works, most of which can be found in her recent book. 

Tidbits gleaned from her words:

~The coir rugs in her houses are layed over, not glued down to existing flooring. They are edged in leather. They keep her rooms "grounded".

~Suzanne uses slipcovers to change out for the summer months, and they are gorgeous.

~Suzanne is fond of fabric applications to walls. No padding is used underneath, though often the fabric is painted with a latex, to give it shape and body, I suppose.  The transistions or edges are finished with tape, often fine grosgrain ribbon used by milliners.
 To learn more about Ms. Rheinstein, have a look at the 1st Dibs piece on her and her shop, Hollyhock.