Riviera View

1 Rudolph Schindler Kings Road House 2 Richard Neutra Kaufmann House 3 Frank Lloyd Wright Ennis House 4 Charles and Ray Eames Eames House (Case Study House No. 8) 5 Pierre Koenig Stahl House (Case Study House No. 22) Saturday's Los Angeles Times ran an article written by Sean Mitchell on the all-time best houses in L.A. A panel of 10 experts contributed to the impressive list of modern homes running the gamut from Schindler to Neutra and Wright, however, there was no mention of Spanish Colonial Revival. Mitchell addresses the lack of Spanish Colonials by quoting one of the panelists who says, "...the Spanish Colonial is so ubiquitous, it's a group, not one individual house." Really? Could they not have a found a single George Washington Smith home? Or what about one of the Olmsted and Olmsted or Kirkland Cutter homes built right across the tracks from us in Palos Verdes? It's not that I didn't enjoy the article, I'm just saying it would have ...

I'm not ready and I'm beginning to panic...Here's the thing, it's half past midnight with five days until Christmas and I should be addressing cards, wrapping presents, baking, wrapping more presents, making lists, shopping some more and wrapping more presents, visiting neighbors with tins of goodies they will invariably re-gift, but...I just don't have it in me right now. How about you? Are you feeling it yet?

If I had the cash, this is what I'd wear to my holiday parties - with a pair of Spanx of course. Question is, which is better? Nude? Or Midnight Blue?

Studio Wall Silver and Onions Untitled Nude Palos Verdes Oil Sketch Small Red Still Life Hermosa Beach artist Olga Krimon painted the beautiful images above. The top painting titled, "Studio Wall" was a 2008 finalist in The Artist's Magazine's Still Life/Floral competition . In the background you see the studio wall, with the tacked up images, which is actually her garage wall. The still life arrangement, in the foreground, rests on top of her washer and dryer. Like so many other artists, Olga paints in her garage. The image is so blissful but when you think about where it was painted, it's a little funny too. You can learn more about Olga by visiting her website here .

The above photos were taken of a home we discovered this past Thanksgiving after driving through a little Northern California town called Mill Valley. On the market for a cool million, she's quite a charmer with her indoor/outdoor porches and amazing light. Would somebody please buy this house and put me out of my misery? We also stopped at Maison Reve in downtown Mill Valley. It was definitely worth the trip. Shop owner and designer Yasmine McGrane is charming and welcoming. And her store is adorable. Downtown was definitely an unexpected surprise: a little bit west coast hippie-chick mixed in with some east coast fashionista. For more photos of the home above go to www.20margueriteave.com .

It seems this is the color for 2009, according to the folks at Pantone . They've named it Mimosa, after the yellow blooms on the Mimosa tree, or the cocktail, if you'd prefer. Mimosa conjures up the color of the sun and all things warm and fuzzy. I could use a day in the sun with a cocktail or two. Count me in.

Interior designer Helene Aumont's home in Santa Ynez, California, decked for the holidays.

Hello, this is my first blog ever . Wish me luck. I sketched this peony a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.