Blinds and Shades

We are now a dealer of Skandia Window Fashions.... Kicking off 2011 with a sale on Wood and Faux Wood Blinds.... We also sell woven shades from The Woven Company.... If you're in NOVA/DC call us for an in home measurement and consultation... We'll consult with you to design beautiful window treatments that complement your living spaces.

SAVE up to 10% on Wood and Faux Wood Blinds

Woven blinds
image: Horizon Blindows

Woven blinds with valance
image: Horizon Blinds

Aluminum blinds
image: The Shade Store

Vinyl mini blinds under beaded sheer
image: Red River Interiors

Woven blinds under custom drapers

image: The Woven Company

Wood blinds - 2" or 3"

image: Skandia Window Fashions

Faux wood blinds

image: Skandia Window Fashions



My top arts events from 2010

Every year I sew together a patchwork of my 10 favorite local arts moments and happenings from the past 12 months. A little bit of this, a little bit of that from the mix of shows, exhibitions and other bright spots from my year in the arts.

Enjoy, disagree, discuss. Chime in with your own faves by emailing me at rwallace (at) paweekly.com or commenting at Palo Alto Online.

Stellar singer: Sasha Cooke, Music@Menlo
Two years ago, I was wide-eyed by Sasha Cooke's performance as Kitty Oppenheimer in the opera "Doctor Atomic" in New York. But as fabulous as the Met is, you do have to sit kind of far away. This summer, I saw Sasha up close at Menlo School, singing the dark and darkly humorous lullabies of Benjamin Britten. The mezzo-soprano (pictured above right) was passionate, angry and tender, with a voice that was simply sublime.

Super set: "Auctioning the Ainsleys," TheatreWorks
The grand family house where all the action took place in this new Laura Schellhardt play was not only striking; it also seemed a virtual miracle. How can you fit a two-and-a-half-story mansion in the Lucie Stern Theatre? And do it with such black-and-white panache. Weekly theater critic Kevin Kirby described the set best: "a Victorian interior from a New Yorker cartoon."

Super Steve: "Off Center" painting show, Pacific Art League
Painter Steve Curtiss calls himself an introvert. But he's a charming interviewee, and his canvases are anything but shy. His humor was ever evident at a spring show of his paintings at the Pacific Art League: Titles included "Thoreau Moves to Los Altos Hills" and "Gravity Goes Out in Palo Alto." Curtiss will have a new solo show in April at Gallery 9 in Los Altos.

(My list continues after this image of Steve Curtiss' "Still Life With Fries.")



First-class class: "Writing Historical Fiction," Stanford Continuing Studies
Continuing Studies offerings are always top-quality, but this winter 2010 course was the best writing class I've ever taken. Writer/teacher Stephanie Soileau created a syllabus filled with fascinating writing assignments and a classroom filled with encouragement, creativity and community. I hadn't managed to find a Palo Alto angle on Eleanor of Aquitaine, but after this class I bet I could.

Fine family show: So Percussion, Community School of Music and Arts
Kids got to play African drum and vibraphone, bounce and clap, grin and run around. When the So Percussion quartet came to Mountain View last January to play a family show at CSMA, the musicians knew exactly what their young audience would love. Meanwhile, we older folks just enjoyed the rhythm.

Paramount play: "Opus," TheatreWorks
One of the top perks of my job: getting to interview a playwright before I see a play. After talking to Michael Hollinger, I had a feel for his writer's journey even before I stepped inside the Mountain View CPA to see "Opus," which depicts the drama, artistry and passion of a string quartet. And the production was captivating, from the finely tuned acting to the minimalist scenic and lighting design. The script wasn't bad, either.

Otherworldly watercolors, William Trost Richards show, Cantor Arts Center
Visiting these sweeping paintings was like stepping into the 19th century. Glowing skies and meticulously detailed leaves were lovely features of the landscapes, and the Cantor folks kindly put two comfy chairs in front of one ocean scene.

Sleek scenes: Tarmo Pasto, Pacific Art League
A pleasant surprise hiding upstairs in the Norton Gallery this August. The elegant lines of Tarmo Pasto's modernist landscapes contrasted nicely with the gazing-out-the-balcony charm of the space. The late Pasto was a longtime educator in Sacramento.

(The list continues after my photo of Pasto's "Yellow Ridge" in the Norton Gallery.)




Winsome waitress: Kristin Stokes, "Fly By Night"
TheatreWorks veteran Kristin Stokes gave another fresh performance as the waitress Miriam in this new musical at the company's summer New Works Festival. Her winning sweetness made at least a few viewers want to change the show's ending.

Rockin' requiem: Schola Cantorum, Summer Sing
I never had so much singing about death as I did with Schola. The audience got to join in with the Faure and Durufle requiems as part of the chorus' summertime series, and thanks to patient conductor Amy Hunn, it was just like being back in the college choir, discovering the music for the first time.

Back in Bach

Teenage Bach aficionado Hilda Huang is on the scene again, this time soloing with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in a San Francisco concert in January. When I sent a reporter and photographer to Hilda's Palo Alto home in 2008, I noted that she was the only 11-year-old I knew who had her own harpsichord.

Apparently these things pay for themselves. Hilda has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Carmel Bach Festival; won the top prize in the seventh international J.S. Bach Competition in Wurzburg, Germany; and conducted the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra.

Hilda was also featured in filmmaker Michael Lawrence's documentary "Bach & Friends," in pretty good company: Joshua Bell, Bobby McFerrin, Philip Glass and Bela Fleck, to name a few. You can watch a clip from the film here.

At 1 p.m. on Jan. 21, the young harpsichordist/pianist will perform with PBO at a free student concert; she'll be featured in Bach's Concerto for Harpsichord in D Major. She's said to be the youngest soloist ever to perform with the group. Admission for the Herbst Theatre concert is free for school groups. To register and get more info, email dwilson@philharmonia.org or call 415-252-1288, extension 304.

Pictured: Hilda Huang. Photo courtesy of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra.

HONEYSUCKLE

The color for 2011 is Honeysuckle.... Its vibrant... warm and just as strong as red without being too red. It can be a dominate color in a room or if you're a little color shy... try it as an accent color.  

This color translates  well to decor

image: HGTV

Mighty sculptures from little saplings grow

I am already looking forward to an interview that's five weeks away. Wouldn't you, if the artist made giant fanciful sculptures from tree saplings?

Environmental sculptor Patrick Dougherty is scheduled to come to Palo Alto in January for a three-week artist residency (Jan. 11-28) at the Palo Alto Art Center. During that time, he'll be creating an installation specific to the grounds of the art center. The public gets to watch, and attend a lecture by the artist at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 27.

Dougherty has turned his visions into hundreds of installations in arboretums, universities, galleries and other sites in various states and countries. Sometimes the creations look like baskets, huts, castles or faces.

Can't wait to see what Palo Alto will inspire.

Pictured: "Summer Palace," a 2009 work by Patrick Dougherty at Morris Arboretum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Photo by Rob Cardillo.

What are you doing New Year's Eve?

According to some random website, the hottest trend this New Year's Eve is the updo. This website does not help me at all in my quest, which is to find NYE events in Palo Alto and its environs so that I can write a New Year's event story. I think I need a new search engine.

Is it me, or are there fewer festive options in the immediate Palo Alto area this year? Perhaps it's the economy. We can always blame the economy. There are a few cool-sounding options, including the concert/musical-comedy performance by the indie-rock band GrooveLily. But I'm looking for more.

If you've got some ideas for local NYE events, shoot me an email at rwallace (at) paweekly.com in the next week. But, please: no hair tips.

Pictured: GrooveLily. Photo by Jon Spaihts

Starmade shadows and ash groves

Don't get me wrong. I love holiday music. I arrive ridiculously early for sing-along Messiahs so I can sit up front. I once sang "O Holy Night" at a vocal recital. In the summer. But after spending hours listing bell-bedecked holiday concerts for this year's roundup story, I was ready for a change.

No art songs, as far as I know, are about tinsel. So the thought of the Fortnightly Music Club's concert on Dec. 12 is rather refreshing. No carols, no dreidels; just a lovely-sounding selection of works by Jean Francaix, Mozart and Schumann -- and then a program of English, German and French art songs performed by baritone Geoffrey Cooper and pianist Melissa Smith.

I've sung one of the songs, Samuel Barber's gorgeous, haunting and challenging "Sure On This Shining Night." (It was a different recital. I swear.) But I had a lot of fun this afternoon getting introduced to some of the others, thanks to the miracle of YouTube. My favorite was Benjamin Britten's arrangement of the Welsh tune "The Ash Grove" -- I heard renditions both sweet and sprightly. Not sure how traditional the Greek-flavored Nana Mouskouri one was, but I would call it particularly earnest-sounding.

The program also contains John Woods Duke's "April Elegy," Hugo Wolf's "Fussreise" and three Gabriel Faure songs. The free concert is at 8 p.m. in the Palo Alto Art Center auditorium, 1313 Newell Road.

Pictured: Samuel Barber in a photo by Carl Van Vechten, taken from Wikipedia.

30% Off Robert Allen Fabrics

We've had a good response to our Robert Allen/Dwell Studio fabrics. We've been inspired to offer 30% off on all  Robert Allen fabrics during the holiday season. Email your fabric and color choices and we will send you a quote.  There is a 4yard minimum. If you have upcoming drapery, upholstery or pillow fabrics to purchase... now is the time.  All orders ship UPS ground. It's that easy, so happy shopping.... and Happy Holidays.... Fay

Vintage Style

This West Palm Beach house was built in 1926 is up for sale. It's exterior says Spanish vintage but it's renovated interior is contemporary.  It's a classic beauty and there's not much for me to add so I'll just let you enjoy. 

images: NY Times

 living room

sunroom

 master suite

 

 master suite

 guest room

Landscaped yard with stone fountain and covered dining room.

Landscaped yard with stone fountain and covered dining room.

Husbands and Wives

When it comes to the bedroom most husbands don't want to feel as though it's been decorated without him in mind. I haven't met the guy who's comfortable in a frilly pink bed covered with  fluffy lace pillows. After all, he sleeps there too.  So, what I do suggest to bring him into the fold is choosing fabrics and colors that he can live with. Why this bedroom works for husband and wife has a lot to do with color and fabric. The blue is a soft ethereal shade that brings softness to the room. The fabric choices  are complimentary. The plaid brings in the masculine side while the brown velvet on the duvet is for her. The pillows are in many shapes and sizes. Accessories round out the room with chunky night stands and feminine lamps. I like pretty in the bedroom but when it's shared by the man of the house it can't be pink.

image: Red River Interiors



Casa Midy Chairs

I love chairs and I especially love these from Casa Midy in Mexico. Check out their web site for more of these hand crafted works of art. If you love them as much as I do... let me know.  I'll ask George to send a quote.  All items are special order so they do take time.



Bits and tidbits

Some notes from the arts editor's desk on this fine Monday:

• This Wednesday, Foothill College hosts a free screening of the film "Food, Inc." at noon. I can't stop giggling at this line in the press release: "Snacks will be provided." Is that wrong?
  
• Someone sent me a copy of the CD "Broadway's Carols for a Cure." I'm devastated that there is no Palo Alto angle for the cast of "Mamma Mia" singing "O Holy Night."
• After writing about the new play "Bashert!" in last week's Weekly, I took my mom to see it this weekend. We were completely charmed. Bravo to the cast and creative team, especially Palo Alto playwright Caryn Huberman Yacowitz.
• I've still got gypsy jazz music dancing in my head after catching The Hot Club of Palo Alto performing in Menlo Park yesterday. Weekly story to come soon.
  
• The chiaroscuro woodcuts currently at the Cantor Arts Center look very cool. Newsprint would not be kind to them. Sometimes I don't like newsprint.
  
• Really, if anyone should sing "Do You Hear What I Hear?", it's the cast of "American Idiot."

Pictured: The movie poster for "Food, Inc."

Menlo woman opens new art gallery

If I have to write about another art gallery in this area closing, I might dump a bucket of paint on my keyboard. And I wouldn't even get anything artistic out of the splashes. I can't paint with anything but words.

It's been a low few years for local galleries, to say the least. So it was really (sigh) nice to read about a local woman creating a new gallery, even in the big city. Last week, our sister paper the Almanac reported that Joan McLoughlin of Menlo Park was just opening up her McLoughlin Gallery on Geary Street in San Francisco. The spot is focusing on "established European contemporary artists and local emerging artists." It hosted its first opening reception last weekend.

So far, McLoughlin -- a longtime art collector who worked for several years in medical start-up companies -- has an eclectic and modern mix of creative types. There's Iran-born Dalia Nosratabadi, who photographs landscapes and other scenes reflected in puddles of water. French pop-art artist Renaud Delorme creates collage-painting hybrids that often incorporate found objects such as toys and computer bits.

My eye was particularly caught by Christine Comyn's portraits. The Belgian artist depicts women with an elegant, historic flair that has recently been inspired by Marie Antoinette. But the medium is modern: Many pieces are digital compositions on Plexiglas.

Pictured: "Adieu le plus aime," a digital composition on plexiglas by Christine Comyn, from the McLoughlin Gallery website.

Powerful profiles

Doug Fort fell into the gang life at age 13, after, he says, "crack came into our community." Today he works in violence prevention.

His is one of five stories told in video profiles, all talking about life and loss, violence and rebirth in East Palo Alto. For those of us who remember the frightening stories coming out of the city in the early '90s, the stories are grim and powerful reminders.

Made by high school filmmakers, the videos are paired with seven spoken-word pieces by youthful poets in a project called "Alive and Free." The idea, as described on the project website, is to "shine a light on exemplary folks who found a positive pathway threaded through the violence, or who had turned their lives around from the lure of gangs, easy money and violence."

One thing that struck me in particular is how calm Doug Fort was during his video interviews, how easily he spoke about the pervasive violence that must have left a terrifying imprint.

The profiles and spoken-word videos can always be watched online, and they'll also be shown on the local Channel 27 on Friday, Oct. 22, at 6:30 p.m. The project is a joint effort by the Midpeninsula Community Media Center and For Youth By Youth.

Pictured: A peace-march photo from the "Alive and Free" website.

Classically trained folk

Been enjoying listening to the modern folk music of Boise musician Audra Connolly, who's set to perform this Saturday night at Red Rock Coffee in Mountain View. Especially in her song "Blue Eyes," Connolly has the sort of cool intelligence in her voice that I used to hear in Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies, or Tracey Thorn of Everything But the Girl. Takes me back to the music of my college days.

Connolly is classically trained, with a degree in piano performance from Boise State, and you can hear that knowledge in her music's deft complexity. "Dear Friend" is lyrical and layered, while the melody of "Love Conditional" twists and climbs up and down like a honeysuckle vine.

It's the kind of music that calls for repeated listening to hear something new -- like the bassoon and marimba she's woven through her first album.

Pictured: Audra Connolly in a photo from her MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/audraconnollysongs.

DwellStudio

Robert Allen and DwellStudio have partnered to create luxurious printed and woven residential fabrics with a bold and innovative color palette. This collaboration brings a distinctive modern aesthetic and  an update to classic graphic designs.  Although highly contemporary I wouldn't hesitate to use them to add punch to a traditional setting also.  These fabrics are wonderful...they feel good to the touch and are natural fibers.... Try them in your next design project.

Gate-Apron 

Gate/Citrine from Robert Allen - Cotton/Linen blend  Retail $65.00/yd

Sale $39.99/yd

Gate/Jade from Robert Allen

Charcoal

Try mixing the graphic and vintage prints. You can find the bedding at DwellStudio and the fabrics from Robert Allen.  All of these fabrics are natural fibers of linen/cotton blend or 100% cotton.... See a fabric you like... let us know by email. We sell fabric and discount all fabrics.  



Vintage Blossom/Dove by Robert Allen - 100% Cotton -  Retail $44/yd

Sale $29.99/yd

Vintage Blossom/Citrine by Robert Allen

Boteh/Camel by Robert Allen - 100% Cotton - Retail $44/yd

Sale $29.99/yd

Boteh/Jade by Robert Allen

But will she shave her head?

Los Altos actor and TheatreWorks regular Molly Bell has quite the cast of characters on her resume: the girl who romanced "Bat Boy," a Victorian-era teacher and the young speller Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, to name just a few. But, really, what can top portraying Britney Spears?

Bell is playing the Southern-fried pop tart one more time, when she and collaborator Daya Curley bring the musical they wrote back to the Bay Area. "Becoming Britney" had its world premiere in 2008 at the New York Fringe Festival, where Bell won an award for outstanding acting. Now the show is hitting the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, with performances from Oct. 28 through Nov. 14.

A highlight of the PG-13 show, according to the New York Post, is "when Britney, amusingly played by Bell, warbles with husband K-Fed (Keith Pinto) like a trailer-trash Nelson Eddy and Jeanette McDonald." Tasty.

Curley, also a longtime local performer (and, full disclosure, one of the finest comic actors I've ever shared a stage with), directs. Choreography is by Mandy Bell and Lisa Navarro.

Overall, Curley and Bell have this to say about their theatrical creation: "We have something sarcastic and inappropriate to share ... and we don't see why we shouldn't make our annoying, harping, sophomoric voices heard."

Pictured: Molly Bell and Daya Curley pretending to work, in a shot from their "Britney" website, becomingbritney.com.

Trending Red

As most of you know I absolutely love red. It's vibrant, exciting, warm... a show stopper when applied with restraint.  What I appreciate most about this room is the red sofa doesn't overwhelm the space.  It makes a statement that adds to the sophistication of this room. The lighting and tonality also set the mood. They add elegance.  I imagine myself draped across the sofa... It's inviting, pulls one in... and isn't that what you want to feel in any hotel suite?

Conservatories

K nown throughout the world for their illustrious gardens, the English developed the recognizable style of their famous glasshouse during the latter part of the nineteenth century. But, the greenhouse of yesterday has evolved into the conservatory of today.

Thinking about adding a unique space to your home? You can... with minimal construction cost. Why not add a conservatory? They're not just for horticulture any more. They add architectural  elements to an otherwise unimpressive structure. If you're handy try a DIY kit. There are many styles and uses for conservatories just as there are for any room. Conservatories bring in the light. They function as an outdoor room in most cases except the outdoor elements are eliminated. They can also function for a pool covering. Which ever style you choose... I always say... make it fun and make it your own.

Contemporary conservatory

A more traditional style and function

Have a conservatory in the city... add one to a townhouse

The pool pavilion is a great way to extend the pool's use during the winter.

Conservatories with low pitched roofs and a more substantial looking structure, originated as buildings where orange trees were grown.

Conservatories are as much an architectural statement about the importance of design.

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