SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVING IS........   What is it about the beginning of summer?  Does it go back to school being out as a kid?  I don't know about you, but it is the most relaxing time of the year for me no matter what is going on with business.  There are three glorious months to look forward to no matter what you are doing or where you are going.  I am equally happy in my own backyard or on a beach in the south of France or hanging out on Lake Como as long as I have all of my favorite things around----namely, my family and my dog!         SOME OTHER THINGS THAT MAKE ME GRATEFUL THAT THIS TIME OF YEAR HAS ARRIVED:   Robins and cardinals in our garden----they arrive much earlier, but become amazingly plentiful at this time of the year.        Fish----from Copper River Salmon to really fresh red snapper from the gulf----it all tastes great this time of the year.   Domaine Ott Blanc---a refreshingly light wine from the south of France that reminds me of St. Barth's...the French like the rose version, but I prefer blanc.   Deviled eggs----only the ones I make----they are so perfect as hors d'oeurves before a lovely supper on the terrace.  The reason that they are so delicious is that they are simple---a little great mayo (either homemade or Spectrum) and a dollop of Durkee's Famous Sauce and a little salt.  Yummy!!   Fireflies just before dark---as a child, I used to love catching them and putting them in a bottle with holes in the top.  Now when my grandchildren want to do the same thing, I tell them not to.   Lamps outside to be turned on as soon as dusk falls.  Just be sure they are under an overhang or awning or loggia.         Outdoor drinks carts for lemonade or martinis.                                  A stack of books to read for the summer----or for travel, a Kindle since I can't carry all of them with me.   Wildflower---this book by Mark Seal gets 4 stars from me.  He writes a compelling story about Joan Root and Africa from 1960 until her murder in 2006.  Truly well written and researched.  A must read.   A Short History of Women by Kate Walbert----the story of a family focusing on the women past and present....great reviews.   The Bolter---by Frances Osborne, the wife of George Osborne who may be England's next Prime Minister about her great grandmother's adventures from pre "Great War" through her escapades in Kenya's "Happy Valley" in the 1930's.   Shanghai Girls by Lisa See---a story of sisters from Shanghai in the 1930's immigrating to L.A.  This one will certainly be a movie from what I am reading.                    Fourth of July weekend with my family at our house in the country---this year all of the children want to ride in the parade which consists of horses, bicycles and fire trucks along with a few motorcycles.   Lake Como----we'll be there in late July until early September.   A complete vacation from watching the news on tv....just checking out The Daily Beast every other day to keep up---love this website.  It's like reading the news in Vanity Fair on a daily basis.  From hard news to fashion to art....Tina Brown knows how to report on all things that interest me.  You can read in depth (or not) on her "Cheat Sheet".     Movies----I think the best ones come out in the fall, but there are always blockbusters in the summer.  However, I'm looking forward to seeing Meryl Streep as Julia Child in Julie & Julia.   So, kick back, read books, enjoy being outdoors and RELAX......

JEWELRY!!!! Jewelry by Elizabeth Showers I love to compare design objects to other things in life...chairs often look like people because a great character chair has such personality. A Klismos chair reminds me of a really laid back guy, a Louis XV chair reminds me of a great looking lady with pretty legs. You get the idea. The next time you look at a chair, think about it! There is only one way that I describe wonderful lamps---JEWELRY---as they are the true jewelry in any room. They come in all shapes and sizes just like chairs. Changing lamps in a room can do more in a minute that almost anything else. A great example of this is the sparkle of glass lamps. There is nothing else that adds this element to an interior. Glass lamps can be masculine or feminine depending on coloration and shape. The one on the left has very straight lines and would look great in a man's study or library. The one on the right would be appropriate for a lady's dressing room or a formal living room with light colors. I often use bronze lamps----they are oh so of the moment in Paris right now----as they add weight and a sculptural quality to any décor. We are working on a handsome house in Phoenix with stone walls. The house will look totally appropriate in the desert. Colors throughout are an extension of what's outside----sand, sage and pale blues. We are using bronze and nickel lamps in most of the spaces and also mixing in colorful vintage ceramics. When there are lots of beautiful glass accessories in a room, I love to use ceramic lamps. They add color and form---no sparkle, but that isn't necessary if there are glass pieces present. Just remember, there is nothing you can do to change your décor faster than to change your lamps or dated lamp shades! There is nothing that can spoil an interior faster than bad lamp shades, and conversely, nothing that can glamorize an interior faster than good ones. Here are some of my all time favorite lamps..... So, if you're not redecorating an entire room, remember these jewels...instant gratification for achieving a fresh look! More to come soon...

SMALL BUT IMPORTANT

The cigarette table -- no, I don't smoke and hope you who are reading this don't, but this is what they were called originally and I still prefer this to "accessory table" -- is certainly small, but one of the most important pieces of furniture in a room.

I agree with Sister Parish and did before I ever knew what she thought-- one must have a chair by every table! It makes me crazy to see a room with a chair floating across from the main seating area all by itself with no table to place a cup of coffee, glass of wine or a book. Even when two chairs are flanking a sofa and there is a coffee table and lamp tables, if the expanse is wide, I use small tables beside the chairs. It's such a thoughtful thing to do for your guests.

Sometimes, they come in nests which are great when you entertain and serve buffet. The French invented these little treasures for this very reason! Move them around in front of any chair or bench and you have a place to rest your plate and a glass. Very often, I will recommend that a client buy a nest and separate it in the same room as 3 tables in a nest -- the French love this idea -- are too unwieldy together.

They come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes are pieces of art that can be used as a table. Here are some of my favorites that we have in our showroom right now...

I also created several of these tables for my furniture collection because I simply couldn't find many that I liked other than antiques or vintage pieces. One of my favorites is the Ava Magazine Table.

This little jewel has it all! You can rest a drink while you have your newspaper or magazine handy. It also is so narrow that it can fit nicely between 2 chairs when you don't have much space for a table. It is the height of glamour, too, don't you think? It is made of forged iron with a gold leaf (not faux) finish--a piece to keep forever. This is what sustainability is all about.

Here are a few others from the Jan Showers Collection...

Eliza Table Como Table

Amalfi Nest of Tables Edie Table

Enjoy your summer relaxing with a good book, and by all means, a little table for your mint julep or glass of champagne and a good summer read.

ON MY SUMMER READING LIST

Christopher Buckley's "Losing Mum and Pup: a Memoir"-- this promises to be a look inside Bill and Pat Buckley's world as well as the effect that those two powerhouse personalities had on their son. I love Chris Buckley's sense of humor, anyway, so it should be bittersweet and funny.

Jay McInerney's "How it Ended: New and Collected Stories." McInerney's writing is reminiscent of F. Scott Fitzgerald and John O'Hara in that he writes about society in the way they wrote in their time. This collection of short stories should be fun to read and put down, then come back when you're in the mood.

FACEBOOK

We have finally created a company page on Facebook and intend to post great new ideas and photos from the world of design.

www.facebook.com

EASTER We celebrated Easter at our house with my entire family which is a tradition of many years. The cookies were made by my niece, Allison Sykes, who has started a business making the most incredible cakes, cookies and cupcakes. They are not just works of art....they are delicious. She will have a website soon, and I will post it when it's up and running along with some photos of her cakes. Allison has my mother's perfectionist gene regarding cooking and entertaining! The picture below was the centerpiece that Ron Schulz and I did for the main table. We wanted it to be whimsical, simple and fun. The little chicks are my favorite. My daughter, Susanna Moldawer, found them several years ago at Target in Houston. I love them because they look like antiques....they have bobble heads and bodies. I love the lilacs, too. WESTWEEK IN L.A. Westweek has become the one of the (if not THE) biggest markets in the U.S. in the past decade. It is always the last week in March and designers, editors and manufacturers from all over the world come to the Pacific Design Center on Melrose to see what's new and wonderful in the interior design world. With the economic situation as it is, we expected attendance to be off this year. However, it was very well attended and surpassed everyone's expectations. JS Collection is in the front window of David Sutherland's showroom which is situated in one of the most prime locations in the PDC on ground level. Our space in the David Sutherland Showroom While in L.A., Jim and I enjoyed visiting with other manufacturers who were there and loved seeing their new pieces. Jonathan Browning, Kyle Bunting and Ann and David Sutherland were all in attendance. Perennials has the most exciting new outdoor fabrics that I intend to use indoors as well. My favorite is Plushy which is like a cross between a velvet and a mohair. LOVE this new opportunity to use a fabric that is both beautiful and durable and WASHABLE. L.A. RESTAURANTS We never go to L.A. without driving out the Pacific Coast Highway to have dinner at Giorgio Baldi. They have the most incredible Italian food I've ever tasted outside of Italy. It is owned, operated and run by the Baldis. Giorgio is the chef/owner and his daughter Helena runs the front and is the ultimate pro. It is worth a trip to L.A. to eat here and is in my top 5 favorite restaurants in the world....can you tell I like to eat?! Even though I wouldn't classify it as a see and be seen place, I always seem to see someone like Nicole Kidman or Benecio del Toro or Ridley Scott having dinner in their neighborhood. The bar at the Bel Air is one of my favorites. We've been staying there since the 70's. We enjoyed having dinner there one night with David Phoenix, a wonderful designer from L.A. INTERESTING BLOGS AND WEBSITES It's fun to get links to these. Hope you'll enjoy them....not all are just design. GOOP---Gweneth Paltrow's website. I like the format and most of the time, the content. THE SARTORIALIST----this one is primarily fashion, with great photos taken around the world when there are fashion weeks and events. This blog has won all kinds of awards. PIGTOWN DESIGN----I like this blog as she has such a love for really good architecture. The site's author, Meg Fairfax, also has great book recommendations that are primarily design related. REBECCA SHERMAN'S "HOUSES, GARDENS, PEOPLE"----former editor of Dallas Papercity and D Home is now on her own writing pieces for national and local magazines. I love her writing and her blog. THE DEVINE LIFE----a blog about design events and happenings in New York. ON MY MIND THIS MONTH...... CRUSHES A COLOR THAT HAS NO NAME----I started to call it lavender, but that will bring the color of the lavender flower to mind and it's not that color. It is really a mixture between lavender and lilac. I was inspired by this photo of Carla Bruni in the one of the rooms of the Ellysee Palace. A few days later, I found these lamps (click below to see them on 1st Dibs) and we did a room in my showroom with this color, gold and ivory. Yummy! IVORY---Love all shades of it and especially combined with white. Donald Kaufman #3 is a great ivory and so it Benjamin Moore Lancaster Whitewash. EMILY BLUNT---She stole every scene in Devil Wears Prada and is one of the 3 best young actresses working today----Anne Hathaway and Amy Adams are the other two....in the mold of Cate Blanchette and Meryl Streep....all chameleons. WHITE COWHIDES---they freshen any room in the house and add a sensual element. Use several in one grouping for impact. GRACIE WALLCOVERING---always incredibly pretty---it is shown here installed on a project in Dallas. TOMMI PARZINGER----I always love lamps and chandeliers designed by him. Found these 3 pieces when in L.A.. He also did small, interesting tabletop pieces. They have such presence no matter how small. BEL-AIR----Probably the prettiest neighborhood anywhere---it's magical. MARCH ISSUE OF ELLE DECOR----great projects! PEEVES CABLE NEWS----I am a news junkie but the repetition and negativity are not helping the economy, rather, hindering it. There should be more creative programming on these channels. There are exceptions, of course. For instance Fereed Zakaria's GPS on CNN Sundays at noon. He and his guests discuss foreign affairs and policies that shape the world. ROOMS THAT HAVE NOTHING BUT FULLY UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE----so boring! BIG SHOULDER PADS---oh no---not again! Just take a look at any photo from the mid 80's----not a great look then and certainly not now. BAD ARCHITECTURE---I know, I say this a lot, but it bears repeating because I just keep seeing it in every city when I travel. That's it for this month!

SPRING This is the time of the year when I love the fragrance of hyacinths.....they always say "Spring is just around the corner". This year, the weather has been perfect for my camellia tree as well. I think they are the most perfect flower I have ever seen and they are so rare where we live. WHAT'S NEW AT JAN SHOWERS When we were In Paris last fall, we found so many exceptional lamps. Finding great antiques has as much to do with luck as it does with having a good eye. Lamps are such an easy way to change a room instantly AND one of the least expensive ways as well. I have seen rooms completely transformed by simply adding new lamps. One of my favorites is the pair by Bagues pictured below. They are gold plated with white opalescent glass from the 1940's. The other lamp shown is also opalescent and is the most delicious green. It is Venini from the 1930's. NEW YORK We have lots of news from New York since we've been there to install the window display at the D & D and to do final edits on "Glamorous Rooms". The window looks fresh and crisp with a definite hint that spring is around the corner. With the walls covered in John Hutton's Spice of Life in Cumin, which is a wonderful golden yellow, and four of our favorite pieces from my furniture collection, the window is a standout in the main entry of the D & D. The pieces are from left: The Leland Drinks Cart with a Venetian Series # 2 Moonstone Lamp and other fun bar accessories and glass; the large Claudette Bench in warm silver leaf upholstered in white cowhide sits in front of the Helen Mirror which is my favorite mirror in the Collection with its gold eglomise Greek key border; and the Daphne Chair which has a great modernist vibe but mixes in any interior. I have one in our living room in Dallas. . While in New York, we had enough free time to go to several special shows at the Guggenheim, The Met as well as The Winter Antiques Show. We also had a truly memorable evening when amfAR honored our friends, Cindy and Howard Rachofsky for their tireless work and dedication to the Two X Two event in Dallas for the past 10 years. The Guggenheim show "The Third Mind" is interesting and often stunning. We were blown away by the James Lee Byars installation piece. It is the size of a two car garage lined in gold leaf. Absolutely mesmerizing! We love to have lunch every Friday when we are in New York at La Grenouille. Jim and I enjoy the food, the people who work there and most of all, the amazing flowers all done by the owner, Charles Masson. He brings many of the huge branches in from his estate in Maine. There is not one time of the year that they are not breathtaking. I would love to see Charles actually putting them together. They are so beautiful that at book has been published, The Flowers of La Grenouille. I am a big fan of their cheese soufflé and Little Neck Clams Corsini. Jim always orders their Dover Sole. If you don't have time for a two hour lunch, then step inside to the small bar so that you can see the flowers. It is the last of the old school great French restaurants in New York with La Caravelle, La Cote Basque,Lutece all gone. Of course, Daniele Boulud's restaurants are wonderful so there are good new French restaurants, but Grenouille is a treasure not to be missed! The Carlyle is our favorite hotel in New York. It is so typically New York and when we arrive, it is as though we were only away for a few days. The staff is incredible and they love our dog, Sweetie. It is managed by Rosewood and they do a superb job. Bemelman's Bar is the best bar in the city with murals painted by Ludwig Bemelmans who is famous for his illustrations in the Madeline children's books. GLAMOROUS ROOMS We are in the final editing stage of my book. It will be available in mid October. I think the cover is dynamite thanks to the talented people at Abrams. The readers of my Notebook are the very first to see the cover image---Michael Kors, my talented friend, is writing the foreword. BOOKS Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thompson---if you love art and are interested in the art world, you will enjoy this book. It covers every aspect of that world from auction houses to art fairs to the Venice Biennale, and is very well written. Netherland---this book of fiction by Joseph O'Neil has been compared to Scott Fitzgerald's Gatsby and there is some truth in that assessment. This story is about a Gatsbyesque character placed in New York after 9/11. It was on almost every critics Top 10 list in 2008. --- A great read by a great writer. DOMINO CLOSES We are all saddened by the closing of Domino by Conde Nast. All of the girls in my office have been in mourning since we heard the news as have both of my daughters. I know several of the young, bright editors and thought they were doing a terrific job filling a niche that wasn't there before Domino. I know that all of them will be successful in whatever they chose to do. The dean of decorating, Albert Hadley, called it "the new decor bible for how we live today" and I completely agree. This morning I read the last issue (March) with my cup of tea, and was inspired by so many things ---- "Great Style at Any Age" is wonderful, a 1972 Vogue picture of a model preparing to board a plane at Charles de Gaulle back in the days when one dressed for air travel (p. 53) was a smart lead into a modern travel story. Buy the last issue and weep. COMING UP... WESTWEEK We will be in L.A. at the David Sutherland Showroom for Westweek. It starts on March 24 but we will be there preparing our new display the week before. Westweek has become THE market in the interior design world. Editors, buyers and manufacturers from all over the world come to see what's new and fresh. We all need inspiration and Westweek is a great place to do just that. My next entry will have photos of our new space in the front window with all of our new JS Collection pieces... as well as lots of new design ideas from other manufacturers and showrooms. FINAL NOTE Many thanks for all of the lovely emails I received from people who enjoyed the Notebook. It's fun to write, and, as promised, we will have new entries each month!

JAN SHOWERS COLLECTION Two of my favorite new pieces are the Harrison Coffee Table and the Elizabeth Chandelier (named after my daughter, Elizabeth Showers, who designs the most exquisite jewelry... this chandelier reminded me of her). I never thought I would replace the French 40's gilded metal coffee table in my living room in Dallas, but I could not resist this chic and incredibly glamorous table. The genesis of the design came from a table I found in Paris over 2 years ago on a buying trip. As you can see, it has four components.....cast architectural bronze (it is also possible to nickel plate it), Lucite, mirror and glass. The truly fine bronze pieces from the 1960's and 70's are tres tres chic in Paris right now. The reason for this is that high quality French 40's furniture has become more difficult to find, and the fact that a good antiques dealer is always looking for fine quality from every decade. A room full of furniture from this period would be cold and uncomfortable, but a piece or two mixed with wonderful woods creates such a fresh new look. I am constantly looking for ways to freshen a room and add more polish. As always, my standard for designing any piece of furniture is that it has the ability to mix with classic fine design. NEW PARIS SHIPMENT Our new shipment from Paris that we bought in late October arrived in Dallas a few days before Christmas. We are in the process of refurbishing everything and will have our Preview in late Spring. There are some exceptional pieces on this shipment. Two of my favorites both happen to be coffee tables...one with a gilded iron base and onyx top, the other an Empire style ebonized table with mirrored top... very glam! Jim and I stay in the area around Place Vendome and have loved this area for years, having stayed at the Hotel Costes, The Ritz, The Park Hyatt and the Intercontinental. We have tried hotels on the Left Bank, and though they are charming, we gravitate geographically back to "the old neighborhood." One can so quickly get almost anywhere from this area by walking, whether it be the Tuilleries, the Palais Royale (probably my favorite spot in Paris!), the Left Bank, the Opera area as well as great shopping on Rue Faubourg St. Honore. This time we stayed at the newly refurbished Meurice facing the Tuilleries and it was wonderful. Phillip Starck recently did a makeover of the lobby and restaurant in a very unusual way that works. It is inviting and has an old school quality while at the same time looking fresh and modern. We love to eat at Le Voltaire and Hotel Costes is still great for simple food and a fun crowd. A small, very out of the way place that I learned about from one of my French friends is Petrelle near the Gare du Nord. It is quite informal and the chef, Jean Luc Andre, is the owner. His father was a chef for the Cunard Line. He is charming and so inventive. Lots of Parisian fashion people love this place! SHOWROOM If you are a customer of our antiques showroom in the Dallas Design District, you know that we create new vignettes at least three times a year. Redesigning the showroom is such fun and one of my favorite projects. Every time we receive a new shipment, we completely change the look and layout of the showroom, so be sure to check with us on a regular basis to see what's new and exciting at Jan Showers. Seasonally, we present new color schemes, and play with new textures. Ever-changing rugs and hides, graphic silk and suede pillow designs along with wonderful lamps help to create an entirely new feel on a regular basis. Luscious rugs from Tajzoy, Matt Camron, Stark and Odegard are used throughout the showroom and are available through Jan Showers. DESIGN PROJECTS Last year, we completed 6 large projects at Jan Showers & Associates. Each project was unique...that is what makes residential work so exciting and challenging. I am including a few photos from these projects to share with you. GLAMOROUS ROOMS Much of my time in '08 was spent on the book that Harry N. Abrams is publishing on my design work. It is called GLAMOROUS ROOMS and will be released in October of this year. Rather than write a book that describes specific design projects, we decided it was time for a book about ROOMS. So, we have chapters with wonderful photography of entry halls, living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and private spaces with an introduction about my background and how I came to be a designer. A side note: Recently, I found a "book" I made when I was probably 8 or 9 called ROOMS. In it were pictures and drawings that I cut out of my mother's Shelter magazines and arranged in chapters of rooms. My mother saved it and I found it in a box of things that I guess she thought were important or noteworthy. It has been such a pleasure to work on this book with my editor, Eva Prinz. Eva edited the Tony Duquette book for Abrams last year. Prior to joining Abrams, she edited Tom Ford's book at Rizzoli as well as the newly edited Elsie de Wolfe book. The art editor for my book, Michelle Ishay edited Kelly Wearsler's first book, MODERN GLAMOUR. I am so fortunate to be working with these extraordinarily gifted editors. There will be multiple book signings in 7 cities across the U.S. They will be posted on this website as soon as we know the dates (all will be after October 15, 2009). In fact, we will have a calendar of the appearances posted in March. Also will have a photo of the cover in early spring on the website. TRAVEL This week we head to New York both to work on GLAMOROUS ROOMS and to style our new window at the D & D. We have one of the front hall (main entrance) windows for the months of February, March and April, so be sure to stop by and see it when you are in New York. The D & D is on Third Avenue between 58th and 59th. We are upholstering the walls of the window in John Hutton's Spice of Life/Cumin which is a warm golden yellow. Everything that is going in the window is white/gold/silver. We will post a photo of the window on the website after I install it next week. INSTANT GRATIFICATION Our INSTANT GRATIFICATION program has been very well received. This program consists of our top selling pieces that are available NOW!! We are offering a 20% discount from January 2-February 28 (all orders placed with deposit by February 28) on all of these pieces. They are shown on my website and, of course, all of our showrooms have Instant Gratification brochures available. PEEVES 5" AND 6" HEELS---no one looks great walking in them. WENGE WOOD---it's high time that the consumer realize the difference between this and truly fine woods such as rosewood, mahogany, merisier and sycamore, as well as the amount of time that goes into a truly fine French polish or bench made piece of furniture. Besides, who wants their house to look like a million hotel rooms? RETRO GONE WRONG---Revisiting the bad aspects of the sixties and seventies when it comes to furniture and most especially, lamps. BIG HAIR HOUSES---and bad architecture in general CRUSHES MAD MEN---watch it!! So great for art direction and costume design AND a great story line. I am addicted! Michael Kors says that his entire fall collection was inspired by this show. NONNA---a wonderful new restaurant in Dallas where chef Jules Barsoti prepares pasta dishes that rock! MY MAC AIR OLAFUR ELIASOON EXHIBIT AT THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART---captivating and enveloping. MICHAEL KORS FALL COLLECTION---as already mentioned, inspired by Mad Men. It was so chic and classic. I bought pieces that will look smart years from now. I think Michael and I have a similar design aesthetic. We are both old school with a twist. I have a fabulous wood bead skirt of his from the 80's that I wear every summer, along with camel coats, and jackets. I NEVER eliminate his sweaters and skirts from my closet. THE IVY---in London. Jim and I have been going there since the late 60's and it is such fun. We go whether going to the theater or not. They now have The Club at the Ivy upstairs, but I still prefer downstairs. Their roast chicken is as good as L'ami Louis' in Paris! RICHARD AVEDON PERFORMANCE---Such a handsome book. His photography is art. MARILYN CHANDELIERS--- Robin's egg blue turquoise and diamonds set in 18k gold. These are the newest earrings from my daughter's jewelry line, Elizabeth Showers. Elizabeth made these with me in mind for her collection, so Jim gave them to me for Christmas TWO X TWO---Benefiting the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR. This is my favorite social/charity event of the year. It raised $4 million in one evening for both organizations in 2008. And, since it was the 10th anniversary, it was spectacular! My daughter, Elizabeth Showers and I are delighted to be chairing it in October this year and we and looking forward to another amazing evening. KYLE BUNTING RUGS---truly works of art! Go to his website www.kylebunting.com. My favorite is "Surrender" in cream, which is shown below with our new Baxter Coffee Table, Stella Sofa and Chiseled Lamp. KING TUT EXHIBIT--- at the Dallas Museum of Art T HE DAILY BEAST---Tina Brown's new website. It looks great, has real news along with Vanity Fair style pieces. I check it out first thing in the morning. STAY TUNED FOR OTHER NEWS, SOON TO BE POSTED ON JAN'S NOTEBOOK AT WWW.JANSHOWERS.COM

FALL EUROPEAN BUYING TRIP   Jim and I just returned from two weeks in Europe. We were in Paris, Rome and Venice on this trip. What a wonderful time of the year to be there....so many wonderful expositions and exhibits in Paris. Be sure to check out the restored Musee de l’Orangerie in the Tuileries which just reopened after a 6 year renovation. The Musee des Arts Decoratifs (a part of the Louvre) also reopened in September after a 10 year restoration. Other favorite spots that we never miss in Paris are the Palais Royale.....it is so serene and filled with such history.....amazing shops and good restaurants as well. A visit to one of the Laduree’s is also so Parisienne....I love the one on Rue Bonaparte across from some of the best antique shops in the city. Laduree’s macaroons are the best...but the packaging is the prettiest of any with maybe the exception of Hermes. I think I prefer Ladureé’s because the colors and shapes are so varied....fun gift items to bring home.     The energy in Rome is so contagious....with fabulous shopping, sightseeing and strolling. We loved the Hotel de Russie. It certainly lived up to its reputation.....I was so inspired by the colors of paint used in the hallways and guest rooms.....very Italian, yet modern. The garden at the de Russie was our favorite dining spot as well. The famous Via Veneto has been revived and restored and it was fun to stroll and imagine Simone Signoret, Frederico Fellini, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton having drinks on the legendary street. Fellini’s film, La Dolce Vita was inspired by the Veneto. October is my favorite time to visit Venice....not too many tourists and cool weather....if you love to walk, Venice is THE city. There is no other way to get to many places and it is an intriguing, mysterious place. I love the area around the Guggenheim across the Accademia Bridge. It’s fun to stroll on that side of the Grand Canal...not as crowded and so many lovely palazzos. We spent a lot of time in our factories on Murano and will have several new lamps as well as a new chandelier after working with the maestros while we were there. Our shipment will arrive in mid December and has lots of exciting pieces....we focused on large coffee tables, buffets, bergeres and fauteuils on this trip. Many of the pieces will not require restoration and will be in the showroom upon arrival in early December.   FALL IN DALLAS   We arrived in Dallas just in time for Second Act benefiting the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts.....with Elton John....then Two X Two had a hugely successful evening at the Rachofskys......raising a record $2.77 million. The quality of the art was extremely good this year with two of the most incredible Robert Mappelthorpes! There were some lovely design items as well. This is an event that simply gets better and better each year and sells out within two weeks of the invitations being mailed. The event benefits The Dallas Museum of Art and Amfar. Kim Schlegel Whitman then hosted “Breakfast With Tiffany” featuring Stephen Burlingham of the Tiffany family and his new scent “Truly, Madly, Deeply” which has a such smart packaging and is so subtle that I will definitely wear it.....it has hyacinth notes but is not overpowering. Mr. Burlingham worked 10 years to achieve the right balance and the perfect container and presentation box.   WHAT’S NEW AT JAN SHOWERS   There are several new pieces in my furniture collection that we are so excited about.....the Palazzo Banquette is the winner with all the people who attended the Preview in September. The new Cole and Coco Barstools and a very chic dining chair, the Nina Chair are all special favorites, too.     And, in the antiques showroom in the Dallas Design District, we are so fortunate to have a really amazing buffet from Dominique.....it is truly a rare and wonderful piece that would work well in so many areas......it references the 18th century and I would mix it with many different periods.   On one of our new projects, we are using custom colored Patterson Flynn & Martin Kelly Wearsler rugs as well as the a custom Fromental wall covering for the dining room....all very modern classics.     FASHION   On the fashion front, Cameron Silver of Decades in Los Angeles continues to have wonderful vintage pieces from croc bags to evening gowns, furs and jewelry. And, what a lovely man to work with.....he is in Dallas a couple of times a year at 4510 and it is always fun to see him here as well as in L.A. Whether you live in Dallas or can visit......you should see the Downtown Neiman’s store this holiday season. It is so festive and truly stunning this year. And, I might add, with wonderful gift ideas for the season. We shall be decorating the Jan Showers Showroom for the holidays the week after Thanksgiving.....if you are in Dallas or in town, take a moment to come by. And lastly, my daughter Elizabeth has created a very chic pin called the “Hope Star” pin to pay tribute to those fighting anorexia, other eating disorders and to promote healthy body image. We are both involved in The Elisa Project which is honoring Tracey Gold this year as guest speaker at their luncheon at Brookhollow Country Club on November 8. It is possible to purchase the Hope Star pin on Elizabeth’s website www.elizabethshowers.com and it comes in both silver and gold finishes. In the next update, we’ll have a report from New York......theater, art exhibits, The Modernism Show at the Park Avenue Armory and of course, much about interior design and what’s new and exciting in our world.