DIOGO MAYO of SCALA REGIA on GIVING

So pleased to have Diogo contributing to this holiday's Little Augury list of special things to Give—or Get. Diogo has been a longtime blog friend and he has parlayed his successful blog SCALA REGIA into a simply stunning magazine. It's something to keep and revisit—my latest copy of the magazine holds pride of place in the living room. It's quite an achievement—each page beautiful, meaningful & memorable.

1

This is a wonderful novel by my favourite Portuguese novelist, Eça de Queiróz. I must have read and reread it about 5 times since I was 16 years old. More than being overflowing with dashingly visual passages, the pages of "A Cidade e as Serras" (The City and the Mountains) are bursting with fine irony and sense of humour. The rest I leave you to discover... Mine is a very worn-out edition from the 1950s that before belonging to me belonged to my mother and before her to my grandfather. It can, of course, be found on Amazon here.

2

I've been coveting this series of engravings - "Roman Heroes" - by Hendrick Goltzius for a few years now. Although his main work can only be found in museums around the world, his engravings, very popular in his day, can easily be spotted in galleries and antique shops. In case there's someone out there asking for the perfect Christmas present to me I will leave a link here...

3

Claus Porto is a centenary Portuguese brand that sells the most wonderful creams, soaps and colognes in the world. I am addicted to their colognes— "Oriental Bloom" is my current scent but their entire range of products is irresistible. Find Claus Porto here.

4

If you think that listening to "La Traviata" is already a staggering experience, you should try it with the voices of Teresa Stratas and Plácido Domingo with the spectacular, really SPECTACULAR, sets and costumes that Franco Zeffirelli conceived in 1983 for his jewell-like film rendition of Verdi's masterpiece. Find the DVD here.

5

I am a collector of Vista Alegre porcelain and the happy owner of several of their biscuit figures. Of course, there are still a lot of pieces that I lust after. Just in case...find it here. 

Diogo's own collection—Perfection.

As the actual date—hurtles toward us. Amazon is more than willing to "get it there fast," so you should be good on a number of Diogo's suggestions. Since books are irresistible—I'll start there. Another suggestion couldn't be easier—GIVE Scala Regia, here.

ho ho ho!

yes, it's that time of year—Again. I must say this year I am not really feeling the holiday spirit. Perhaps it's the state of the union—well no doubt it Is.
So here is a bit of what to give, to get. I have five contributors coming your way over the next week or two and I am kicking things off with my

FIVE THINGS TO GIVE, & THAT I WOULD LOVE TO RECEIVE

1. Amber ball from L'Artisan Parfumeur, here.

 what's not to adore about this? 

Suggestion—1 in every room

2. Japanese Scroll from Sakura Antiques

I never tire of their spare and knowing Aesthetic. 

This landscape painting by Wada Zanzo, on etsy here.

yes, I love etsy.

3. 18th c. style Manteau de Lit from Frocks & Foppery here.

The robe— made from a hand block print satisfies my love of the past, 

& my desire for absolute comfort.

4. A small bouquet of Anemones. 

Livia Cetti of The Green Vase here creates otherworldly flowers from paper. 

Make mine Purple, please.

5. A straw hat made just for me. 

When throwing shade is necessary —18th c. style.

 A bergere, at Ignatius Hats, here. 

what's your century?

Check back for Lists from:
Olivia Joffrey

Miles Redd 

Olivia Caponigro

 Schuyler Samperton

 Diogo Mayo.

Christopher Niquet: Giving

The Gift suggestions continue today.
Christopher Niquet shares his thoughts about Giving and Christmas Traditions. Christopher was recently captured by Scott Schuman "The Sartorialist" wearing red. "Saint Nicholas" at his elegant best.

Niquet has a monthly culture and style column in Vanity Fair France, and his first book Models Matter is out in the Spring of 2017.  He has been a stylist since the late nineties working for Self Service, Another Magazine, Dazed & Confused, US Elle and Purple, with campaigns for Karl Lagerfeld, A.P.C., Hermes and Zac Posen. (from Fashionista here)

"I am lucky to have a great cook as my partner, but during the holiday I can add to the menu and we always get a giant blini and caviar from Petrossian (here) in New York and replicate Diana Vreeland's caviar pie but with a twist no cheese or herbs, just sour cream and eggs." 

{Image by Oi-Cheong Lee from the Photographic Studio

for the Metropolitan Museum of Art]

Diana Vreeland's Caviar Pie
1 1/2 cups minced white onion, scallions or green onions
8 large hard-cooked eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces caviar*, 2 or more colors if desired

Spread the onion on paper toweling to drain. Mince the eggs and combine with mayonnaise; set aside. Beat the cream cheese and sour cream together; it should be very smooth.

Lightly coat a 9" round springform pan with butter or cooking spray. Spread the egg mixture evenly over the bottom and sprinkle the onions on top. Drop the cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls atop the onion layer and spread gently with the back of a spoon. (Wet the spoon, if necessary.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

Before serving, gently spread the caviar over the cream cheese layer in a decorative design. Use waxed paper or even string to outline your design. Accentuate with chopped chives, scallions or parsley, if appropriate.

"I love the Demoiselle pattern from Porthault in the plum color combination and love to gift a small pillow case for a plane or a pouch for your slippers as a gift." here

"I have been wearing Aromatics Elixir by Clinique for years and am trying to get my hands on their perfumers reserve limited edition. iI wear it as a perfume year long but like to use it as a room spray during the holiday." here

"I always pass by Kentshire on the top floor of Bergdorf Goodman for jewelry. I especially like this Art Deco brooch composed of a jade Buddha mounted on a Japanese sword guard." here

"I also like to buy books for friends, this volume compiling the works of editor Phyllis Posnick at Vogue called Stoppers makes the perfect gift as well as a vintage volume of Gay Talese's New York ; A Serendipity's Journey  here.

"And finally, it wouldn't be Christmass without flowers from Zezé (here) who luckily is right around the corner. He has been doing flowers for us for the past 5 years and he just always makes sure the arrangements are right for every room year long." 

From my own list, David's, Jane's, and with Christopher's, parallels for Giving obviously come to light. We love to celebrate the Season with special Foods, spicy Scents, and Books! As we wind down our list of Giving this year, more wonderful ideas emerge from Charlotte Moss in my next posting-Coming soon.

Follow Christopher on ig here

Giving: Jane Hess

Jane Hess aka Medora of Instagram, shares her ideas and favorites for giving this year. Her sense of humor and storytelling has garnered her a stellar following on the social media site. As "Medora," her oft times tongue & cheek comments, along with her keen knowledge of social history makes her Instagram feed a "stop and read" marvel.

"I love great soap with a beautiful scent and pretty bars. My favourite, from France, is Blanc Lila or White Lilac, a round white soap decorated with violets." here

"I love many different brands of scented candles but invariably the headiest and most lasting scents are from one of two French companies - Cire Trudon or Diptyque. Here, the latter's three Christmas offerings, which will seduce you and your guests into thinking they're surrounded by a forest of pine."

"I love what I call 'Araby' scents, such as this exotic one from Byredo here "

A Second Scent?
"Bluebell is Penhaligon's most beloved scent, redolent of spring in the English countryside. But I prefer one of its lesser known eau de toilettes, the refreshing and romantic Lily of the Valley here."

"If you need statement gloves and they must be the chicest, coolest and best, look to Prada. And because you don't want ever to matchy-match these mottled pea-green ones will go with everything."

great gloves at Bergdorf's here 

"Gucci rules the fashion world right now so if you want to get on the bandwagon consider a pair of the Italian brand's glamorous new statement leather pumps - perfect for holiday parties - with a lower bamboo effect heel and gobsmacking red cherries as embellishment. Head designer Alessandro Michele nails it again! here"

"To set a beautiful table is one of life's pleasures. I love the colourfully patterned selection of Indian table linens in pure cotton from Anmol Imports, based in Toronto, here "

Jane's book pick? "Fit for a Queen" here

"I adore these Porthault Linens Fleurs de Pecher in blue. I have the pink and they are charming here."

"I love love these and in real they are big and magnificent! Exclusive to Design Within Reach - a favourite store for modern iconic furniture and accessories, here"

Find Jane on ig here.  Jane is a former newspaper reporter, and magazine editor who loves having beautiful obsessions-fashion, the history of fashion, literature in particular Virginia Woolf and other English women writers, the Bloomsbury Group, et al. 
Now you know why I am such a "Medora" fan.

Holidays in the Country with Howard Slatkin

.

 As the holidays begin to snowball a bit- take a moment to go to the country-invitation by way of friend and interior designer Howard Slatkin. Howard's Christmas decorations in the country are elegant and natural. I can almost smell the pomanders-and the scent of Nest candles burning.

 Trees made of pomanders in the country home of Howard Slatkin

What special traditions have you made a part of your yearly holiday celebration?

In my family we like to make gifts to give each other and as none of us are especially talented with crafts it is a bit of a challenge but the point is the thought and care, not the perfection.  And that it is not about material items, not about money spend, etc.  as little commercialism as possible is my motto!  For example, every year my niece gives me a scrapbook album which her mother helps her with. Ali is fourteen now and she has made them for me since she was three. They are truly my most cherished and valued possessions.



When do you start decorating for the Season? Do you ever use faux greens-or the sort or are you a believer in fresh and only fresh?

I do not do much at home in New Jersey as we spend Thanksgiving at home in East Hampton and Christmas in Palm Beach, where somehow ever greens look a bit odd to me, with Palm trees visible through the windows.What I do for the month of December is use greens from the garden----- box and Holly especially--- and place them on tables and sometimes above mirrors.  I will decorate with home-made pomanders, so beautiful and so redolent of the spicy fragrance of the season. And of course Nest Fragrances burning in every room.

 Chinese export porcelain beasts guard a Nest candle

My favorite Nest scent is Bamboo---- it calms me almost immediately , it must have a direct effect on my dopamine. I suppose I am now addicted. I will light the bamboo candles before I turn lights on in a room.  

A  Nest candle burns amidst Chinese Export porcelain

For holidays I use two scents---- the classic Nest Holiday scent when guests come in December; it is an evergreen/spice scent and people love it and it says "holiday" to them and they always comment on it, so while it is not my favorite I bow to my guests ( as I do with food I serve----caviar, truffles, foie gras and lobster, not my faves, but guests are so happy to eat that stuff. Me? I want chicken pot pie or pasta!). I only let people I truly like into my rooms so their happiness and well being take priority ( somewhere I must have some Southern blood!)

My other December scent is White Narcisse as narcissus will forever be associated with holidays and happiness to me-----my mother always had pots and pots of paper whites  from the greenhouse in the front hall, in bedrooms and even one pot on each step. Bliss.

Is it a favorite flower to use during the holidays?

Yes- their scent and flower say "holiday" to me. And also hint that Spring is just a few months away. 

 Do you decorate a tree?

I put out some tabletop trees I have made over the years with vintage little fruits and berries and a glue gun.  I don't do anything in the New York apartment unless I am giving a dinner there in December.  

The trees with fruit I made myself----- with those vintage fruits I used to easily find at flea markets and shops like Tinsel Trading, but no longer seem to find.

Do you have a most cherished tree ornament?

I have one little tree I made fashioned with some bits and bobbles of jewelry of my grandmother and looking at it makes me think of her and I smile.

 One, of a pair, of icicle trees, vintage ones found years ago, that I have ornamented with pearls and emerald ornaments made from necklaces left me by my grandmother.


 Do you change up decorations-holiday and interior decoration for the Season from year to year?

As I am a traditionalist, I want to bring out the same things each year, ones that have become imbued with memories over time.

My fave holiday decoration of all, Bowls of Pomanders-made from clementines and oranges. Not only do I love the scent, but they I love the history and romance of them. Alas I don't make them, but my beloved housekeeper Dina makes them annually, which makes them even more special to me.
 

A Chinese export monteith with some pomanders

What is the best Gift to give? and to receive?

Whatever someone would most appreciate: cash, a jewel, a scented candle. And books, the best gift of all to give.  I will give ones I enjoyed during the year, sometimes vintage copies, and this year mine!  I love to receive home made cookies or jam, nothing of monetary value or from a shop.  Except books---- always the best gift.

The beloved Winnie Slatkin with her first present of the season!

What is your most vivid childhood memory of the holidays?

Going to the Metropolitan Museum with my parents to see their magnificent tree, then a ride in a horse and carriage to have lunch at Tavern on the Green and later off to Radio City to see the Christmas show---- such wonderment and special memories and the next day ice skating on the ice rink in Central Park and then  to see the tree at Rockefeller center (we would have lunch at Saks at the table by the window so we would have a postcard view of the tree and skating rink.  Bliss!

As a very special holiday celebration Howard is giving away his smashing book Fifth Avenue Style to little augury readers. The book debuted in October. Howard weaves readers through every glorious room in his New York apartment-from inception to reveal -by way of  beautiful photography from Tria Giovan. 

I was lucky enough to visit with Howard at the apartment this fall and each and every detail in his rooms has been executed to perfection. It is an extraordinary place to behold-and the book takes you through it all with equal detail.

There are several books to be had- 5 signed copies to be exact! I for one am dying for a signed copy myself-so 5 (for Fifth Avenue) of you are going to be ahead of me.

To garner a copy-I would love to have your comment (add it below at the end of this posting)- along with a snippet of your favorite Holiday memory. I have a favorite memory to share with you later in the week when the winners are announced.



(all photographs are used with permission of Howard Slatkin)