Suzanne Kingsbury Visits The Desha Show

Thanks to author Suzanne Kingsbury for this fine commentary. You are an inspiration. And also, you crack me up, girl.                                                                                    

Finding Your Sweet Spot (I promise this is only a little x-rated!)

November 3rd, 2011 by suzanne

Here I post a weekly diary entry from my grandmother, Maggie, who lived on Saint Mark’s Place,Manhattan, in 1937, and a blog entry from yours truly, who lives in Brattleboro, Vermont, 2010.

The most fabulously incredible thing is happening in Brattleboro, it’s called the Desha Show, a talk show interviewing people who are living in their sweet spots.  So, if you were ever wondering why doesn’t the spot I’m in feel sweet?  Well, you can find out how others got to their sweet spots on the air with Desha Peacock as hostess extraordinaire.

The show just this second launched its fourth episode featuring Ayda Robana, culinary chef to the stars and owner of Om Sweet Mama’s in Santa Barbara (where else?). On other episodes she has interviewed Cirque du Soleil performers and wild comic book writers and my goodness absolutely anyone who has shot for the moon and landed among the stars including ummm a novelist/editor you might know, but I won’t mention any names.

This particular show is cut through with scenes from the Desha Show fun-raiser, the absolute highlight of everyone’s summer, a sparkling celebration under the cradle of a quarter moon right here in my own hometown of Brattleboro, Vermont.  Piles of artists and performers and writers and fans came from as far away as California, and the lawn was decked-out in shabby chic décor that would have made Rachel Ashwell proud. We all drank watermelon mojitos and beautiful people milled around everywhere.  Ayda cooked grilled shrimp and lamb meatballs and hundreds of other delectable tapas while Red Heart the Ticker played a sexy set and then House of Wolves lullabyed us before he ran away on his European tour. He really does sometimes lullabye, it’s very sweet spotty.

Everyone there was living in his or her sweet spot at least for that night.  And while I was standing with Margie Pivar admiring her splash-of-pink dress and talking about her screenplay which was just this minute picked up in Hollywood, I thought how my grandma Maggie would have loved this party, wearing a fancy shift on a summer night with an open bar at her side. As we know, Maggie wallowed in her sweet spot and was friendly with all the other 1940s sweet spotters, and I just had to run right home and dust off the diary and the blog, which has been in deep deep remission (a topic for another time) and finally finally finally check in with Grandma Maggie on Saint Mark’s place as she drinks her champagne and eats her coconut cakes and to say thank you thank you to all you sweethearts (and sweet spotters) who dare to stop your busy lives and follow her…

Click here for the  Desha Show!  And then like it on facebook! Why not?  Or hang out withRed Heart the Ticker and House of Wolves right here…

Watch Episode 4 of The Desha Show: Ayda Robana

Enjoy Episode 4 of The Desha Show with chef to the stars Ayda Robana with special footage of The Desha Show FUNraiser and musical entertainment from Red Heart the Ticker.

For more pictures of the FUNraiser, check out this post.

Thanks for stopping by, I'd love to here from you, leave me a note in the comments section below~ xo Desha

Episode 4 on BCTV tonight!

The Desha Show presents Episode 4 with Ayda Robana tonight, Friday, October 28th at 7pm.
Tune into BCTV tonight! No TV? You can watch it here tomorrow or watch it streaming on BCTV!

Color! Color! Color!

Do you love color?

Did you know many of us see colors in a different way and that men are typically more color blind than women? Yep.

I'm thinking about color a lot lately-

Colors can evoke emotions and we need to think about this in our wardrobe, in our homes and even in our businesses.

I'm curious, is there a way to study color? Could there be a degree in color symbolism in design?

Now, that's something I'd like to study!

I did take a one day workshop on Fashion Feng Shui and that was pretty cool. Maybe I'll do a little post on that one day... but I truly want to know more about all things COLOR!

I've noticed I tend to go for neutral shades on my walls and furniture, but like to add color with accessories, art, and fabric. I tend to do the same thing with my wardrobe. As I think about a design for a business card and website, I lean towards neutrals and pastels. But, there's so many beautiful colors- how does one decide???

I'm taking a course on designing a personal website and my professor told me about COLOURlovers, where you can create color palettes, patterns and share ideas. Check out this example of a color palette that is just lovely over at Chance of Rain.

There's even a page on business branding and it gives you the colors of sites like Etsy, for example.

pics found on oh my dear threads

For more color inspiration, check out  A Creative Mint and her Color Me Pretty posts on decor8.

Also check out Starlet from Can you Come Home, who takes color inspiration from food and turns it into the coolest fashion spreads!

Okay, this list could go on and on, but I'll end with one of my favorite new blogs- Anastasia Drawing and Dreaming- she has amazing taste in fashion and has a section on color, too.

What about you?  Where do you find color inspiration? Do you use the same color palettes for your home, clothing and business? How do you pick your colors??

Do tell.

A New Way of Showing Fashion in NY

As part of my FOCUS ON FASHION series this month, I'd like to talk tweed on bikes.

My friend Shari, owner of one of my favorite stores in Brattleboro- Altiplano, just sent me a link to this GREAT VIDEO that I want to share today. It's a piece that Bill Cunningham put together for his "On the Street" segment for the New York Times.

300 New Yorkers put on their best tweed and vintage wear from the 30's and 40's and instead of walking down a runway, these everyday folk biked through the city- how cool is that? I could see something like that here in Brattleboro-

Ladies, I know you'd do it. Men, are you ready to dress in your best vintage tweed, sport a little bow tie and maybe even drink tea from a china cup? I BET YOU ARE!


Click here to watch the short Video



Being on the radio is super fun!

Thanks to Steve West of Live and Local for having me on his radio show yesterday.

You know what?

Being on the radio is super fun! Talking with Steve was sort of just like hanging out with a buddy, talking about interesting things. He's really good at asking the right questions and getting to the heart of what you as a guest want to say, so I really appreciate that- thanks Steve!

We talked about The Desha Show- about episode 3 with Marshall of Cirq de Soleil and how he is such a joyous person, but has definitely had his turbulent times. If you haven't seen that, you can watch it here- I really love this episode. (scroll down to see it).

Episode 4 with Ayda Robana is coming soon! It's airing on BCTV this Friday, Oct 28 at 7pm. And I'll post it here on Saturday.

We also talked about how excited I am for the  huge fashion show coming to Brattleboro on Nov 19, and how people need to start planning their outfits now! Especially Steve and Joe Bushey (who graciously filmed the radio show)- ALTHOUGH they both showed up in FLANNEL- can you believe that??? (he-he).

xo Desha

Desha on the Radio!

Tune into WKVT tomorrow at 11am, where I'll be returning to talk with Steve West on Live and Local! We'll discuss the release of the latest episode of The Desha Show with Ayda Robana, releasing on BCTV this Friday, Oct 28 at 7pm! You'll also hear about the Brattleboro Fashion Show coming Nov 19, and other good news!