DRUNKEN SANTA’S, NY PART 2

 

Greenwich is now safely done (read Greenwich Coffee, NY part 1 blog) and my Little GIBSON buddies and I are ready to take a bite out of the big Apple. The city is glowing with Holiday spirit, Lights, X-mas trees, Nativity scenes and of course Holiday colored graffiti. PS, it was not me who ditched the baby Jesus in the manger, but I did try to take his place for this photo op. 

Business before pleasure so we make our first stop to Profiles , www.profilesny.com our reps at The NYDC, 200 Lexington. Richard, David, Amy, Alma, Christine and of course (the legendary) Jim Druckman have prepared a meal fit for a Queen, I mean King. We discuss the finer points of design, retail furniture trends, musical chairs/showroom changes, and the current economic landscape /Druckman report, over wontons, spring rolls, Kung Pao Chicken and delicious sweet and sour pork, PORK!!!! After a few more cups of diet coke to wash down the scallops in garlic sauce, we pontificate our final motivational sales pitch, review the various walnut, light walnut, tobacco walnut, light tobacco walnut, etc finish options and make our final furniture wish list.

Bellies filled, astute design concepts shared, and walnut finish crises resolved, we now head into the frigid (19 degrees), tourist filled streets of NY. 

High styling it on 5^th Ave, our Holiday spirits and a bit of cash are lifted while shopping and perusing the AVE. There’s no place like NYC in Dec.

After a good night sleep we wake invigorated to see what treasures the day of flea markets and holiday shopping bring. We are now under the command of Tracy’s wife Michelle who is in the city at the same time sourcing for Forever 21.    Michelle is a design director and has created BOUTIQUE for FOREVER 21, check it out next time you shop www.forever21.com (search for Boutique collection) We were instructed to dress warmly, bring extra empty shopping bags, cash, our haggling skills and be ready by 7am. Michelle’s boot camp like regimen was greatly rewarded with her amazing knowledge of vendors, sources, and elite under the radar shops (whom I cannot reveal, but thanks Bruce Weber, great to see you again). Robb and I for the life of us do not know how Tracy keeps up with her. We did discover how though on day two of “shopping safari “when we found Tracy camped out in starbucks nursing a cappuccino like a wino licking a bottle. We found some amazing things and I think Robb finally picked out his Holiday outfit.  

To end our 48 hour NY shopping marathon, we decided to head to the village for a piece of pie.

The holiday SPIRIT took on a whole new meaning as hundreds of Santa wanna be’s in full Saint Nick regalia, were getting there “spirit on” outside of the many “spirit” houses in Greenwich.

I guess even Santa deserves to partake of the bottle from time to time (maybe a bit easy next time as much hair and beard holding back was required if you know what I mean). He is busy travelling the whole world in one evening. We barely survived a small island in 48 hours. LA BOUND finally. HOME here we come

GREENWICH COFFEE, NY part 1

If anyone read my last blog it too was about a trip. This is as well but I will not go into details of the preflight snacking situation. As usual the 5 am alarm goes off too early as I anticipate the arrivals of my little buddies, Tracy and Robb, who will accompany me to Greenwich. It is def a Dunkin Donuts morning at JFK .   I am quite excited to be working on an install with one of my oldest and dearest clients, who I have code-named UB (you will have to ask me personally to un code this).

We arrive late afternoon to the beautiful house of UB, as she graciously slides down the stair banister in greeting yelling out GG, GG, where are you GG. We then are quickly escorted out to dinner. At The Box Car Cantina we quickly make up for lost time while kicking back a few SUPER CHIEFS (Margarita’s). My good time ends into a blissful sleep on my third floor private ensuite accommodations.

The morning starts with a jolt at 8:00 am as the house is converged upon, by hundreds (well maybe not hundreds, but many) workers. We have scheduled electricians, painters, installers, movers, and various other construction types. Meanwhile the three dogs are barking incessantly RUFF RUFF GRRRRRR RUFF RUFFF. It really is organized chaos. Thankfully Tracy has it all organized and is conducting it all like a beautiful orchestra. The House is looking great and we are ready for some serious shopping. Tuesday is all about Stamford art and antique shops. We are stunned at our great assortment of art, accessories and furniture. Our delivery company is picking up from 4-5 different vendors. We cannot wait to see it all in the house. Wednesday, more antique shopping in Stamford and a jaunt to the Big Apple to visit ABC Carpets. Of course while driving we are virtually stopped on the highway, now serving as a parking lot. We are going nowhere and nowhere for quite a while. While, my little buddies and UB are happily singing along to Lady Gaga, the mood changes. Tracy decides Mother Nature is calling and unceremoniously exits the car and on to the highway running past all the stopped cars. As he scampers off into the woods, UB and I are terrified. My clutched pearl necklace has basically broken as I live in fear we may start driving soon and Tracy will not be able to catch up. We are dangerously at a bridge as well so Tracy must make it back now or he may be LOST FOREVER, OH DIOS MIO……… phew disaster averted as my little buddy makes it back safe and sound.

Later that evening returning to the safe confines of Casa UB, we decide to have a quick impromptu cocktail hour with a few local friends. As the privileged guests arrive I note each has made a coffee run. How nice, a little java to warm the bones. I must have Naïve stamped all over my head as I note more and more refills of “coffee” are being made in the kitchen. As I sneak a peek while the guests are getting their final “Greenwich coffees” for the road I am aghast to see it is virtually pure vodka in a coffee cup. WHAT!!! OMG, why I have I not thought of this earlier. I LOVE GREENWICH!!!

Friday comes, the house looks AMAZING, UB is ecstatic. Me and my little buddies are very happy with how beautiful the house looks but exhausted. Design job completed. Check out some photos and be prepared for

 

NY part 2, “THE CITY OF DRUNKEN SANTAS”:    

Talking turkey with Gary Gibson

 

I don’t know about you but 7am is WAY too early to think of boarding a plane. Drastic measures must be taken to be sure this day before Thanksgiving will start on the right foot. Only the architectural wonders of those Iconic Golden arches can calm my preflight anxiety. Thankfully my drive to the airport routes me directly through these arches without even needing to turn off the car engine. After a quick linguistic grapple with a gender unspecified voice through an order box, I am sure my taste buds will finally be awake. Nothin’ quite like a warm and toasty McMuffin to soothe my early flight ailments and hunger pains.

I like a friendly chit chat like the next Harry, Mary and Moe but little Miss perky 14C is truly riding my last nerve. I am thankful I brought along a few fabric samples as if this needless talk of Twilight the movie continues, I am quite sure a silk velvet will amply fill her pumpkin Pie Hole (see I have the holiday spirit)

Finally make it to lovely Aurora Oregon and am greeted by my sis (photo), Mom and niece. Why even Marge  and Large seem happy to see me!!! 

FAMILY TIME BEGINS…… Ok it was almost a full hour with the family. Now I am at my Art studio struck with inspiration.  Well at least I am inspired to clean it up and get ready for when I am geniously inspired.

 

 

 

 

After moving into the Cabin 6 years ago, I am finally organizing, lighting it correctly and making sure all my supplies are on hand at a given moment. You never know when whimsy strikes me. Usually I can break into a quick little two step or rumba while at the showroom but now at the cabin I can really let my inspiration take form onto canvas.

Check out some more before and after photos:

    

As much as I would love to share the details of a GIBSON FAMILY Thanksgiving dinner, football watching, board games, scrabble, lawn tennis and general scratching, ultimately my biggest inspirations comes the day after Thanksgiving. With my overzealous and cheery hiking mate, brother-in-law Bret, we are ready to venture out into the cold damp dark Oregon day. Bret suggests we visit Donald for a few beers. Sure, whose  Donald I say???

    I am all about the beers but cannot figure out who Donald is?  After wondering down pebbled streets lined with much floribunda, creeks, a few friendly critters (this is a shout out to my trucker friend Gabe enthusiastically wishing us a happy Thanksgiving WOO WOO- still thankful we were not shot) I finally discover Donald. Apparently Donald is quite the tourist attraction as it is the city with train tracks, antiqued buildings and a nod to  industrialization.  With such clearly marked signs, we have happily found the place to have BEER. Now I made it here but at this point I am a bit tired, wet and perhaps a wee bit beery I mean blurry eyed and think a ride home would be great. Gabe’s already made it past us in his 18 wheeler so I am going to have to call Gay. Thanks Sis for picking us up.

UNTYPICAL TYPICAL DAY

Another typical day starts at Gibson.  Grab my morning drink and fag.  But oh NOOOOO this is no ordinary Tuesday morning.  Clock reads 7:45 am and now I realize it will be a long long long day ahead.  When I finally find my reading glasses, my computer outlook calendar assaults me with PHOTOSHOOT.   PHOTOSHOOT SHIT!!!   I gather my stuff off the floor and curse the new guy for  planning this torturous day.

Door opens, greeted by bright skies and an even sunnier Katy Pritchet

 

www.featherstoneimaging.com

Cute as can be but can she take a good photo??  She seems quite intent and happy to stay busy snapping shots in every inch of the store.  She and the new guy seem to be happy scurrying around.

As the day continues, I am dragged out to the front of the store as passersby's laugh, yell profanities, and simply look puzzled about what we are doing with rope, amusement rides, and a hockey mask.  Great idea for a photo shoot??? Not so sure.  You decide………..

The day finally ends.  Back to my cocktail.  MMMMMMMM

Good design is weatherproof. . .

 

Buttoned up with raincoats, umbrellas, hats (I offered Tracy a very masculine vintage sailors’ hat which he declined. . . go figure.) and of course the obligatory starbucks, Tracy and I head off into the cold , wet dark, abyss. When I say abyss, I mean Wilshire Blvd at 8:30 am. Ist stop, ”the house that Jack built” jobsite. Immediately I realize we have the wrong form of transportation. A rowboat with two oars would have been much better as their yard is wetter than the Amazon. 

 

 

Tracy kindly assures me that there are no alligators here, too bad I could use a new pair of shoes. Note Tracy’s excellent balance and coordination skills in photo.

 

 

 

 

 

Wet as river rats, we finish our morning install. . . house looks GREAT. Time to get back into the the Gibson Arc and continue the road trip. The next stop was Steve & Eydie’s, now dubbed, Blue tarp lagoon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wet and muddy cannot even describe the view. We can use a drink, when is the wine cellar going to be ready????

 

 

Good design is weather proof

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Gibson’s Top 5 for Fall

With shorter days ahead, you’ll be wanting more light around your abode.  A great lamp is what you need, and the Gibson Studio Table Lamp is a chic and versatile choice for any home.

 

As the temperatures drop, warm up with one of the many beautiful throws at Gibson this season from our very own textile artist, Michael Koch. 

 

 

 

 

 

Throw some logs on the fire, then make yourself comfortable in the Wallach Club Chair from the Gibson Studio Furniture Line. 

 

While relaxing in the warmth of your home, why not pour yourself a nice glass of vino from one of our unique art glass decanters.

 

 

Whether you’re needing essential storage or simply a cool furniture piece to display your wares, one of our industrial carts will surely add a stylishly functional touch to your dwelling.

 

Drop by our showroom for some inspiration this fall!

Technorati Tags: lamps club chair Gibson furniture design storage industrial textiles throws glass interiors