Elements oF Style: Summer Verandah

Turn your verandah into a charming sitting or lounging area this summer...

you can use this area to take a little nap,
read a book, writing note cards
or serving afternoon tea.
click on image to enlarge Chris & Mary Blackwell's property
Patre Pant, Jamaica.

Picture above shows using Victorian wicker antique furniture, blue and white cushions are using potato-printed fabric from Zimbabwe, Bali plantation chair and the head rest cushion fabric from India hand-printed fabric, floral hanging lamp came from NYC flea market, Persian blue glass vase.

For more info contact:
www.christopherong.com


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Photograph: Ying & Yang

New York ~ New York

New York ~ New York
New York ~ New York
New York ~ New York

To reproduce
please contact:
info@christopherong.com


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Beautiful Living: The Bath - Your Private Oasis.

... cleanse away all the unwanted negative energy and be a whole new person!

Going to spa is a luxury lifestyle! It depends on your wallets, it is a great way to indulge yourself, a great way to relax and take away some of your stress. However, balancing one’s stressful life in a big city, one needs to do more than just making plan to go to spa.

You could have a stressful day or rough week at work, it would be great that your appointment with a spa happens to be later today or tomorrow. If not, unless you know someone's someone who can get you an appointment immediately (tomorrow? 3 days from now? or next week if you are lucky!), and your schedule allows you to take off from work or business! Well then, you may end up venting your problems with your buddies at happy hour until late! And later dragging your tired mind and worn out body back home.

How about create an instant spa at home? Dip yourself into a warm sensual bath?

* Fill the tub with warm water*
* bubble bath, bath oil, bath salt, soap*
* Light a couple of perfumed candles*
* play your soothing music*
* a glass of your favorite wine*
* sprinkle some floral petals into the bath*

This is not the ultimate prescription to solve any problems you may have … but a beautiful-living idea to create an instant spa to relax; it is a fast and economical way, and it is right at your home.
Tips: In the bath, try to shut off your mind … close your eyes, sipping your wine, listening to your music, smell the beautiful fragrance of perfumed candle, the bubble bath oil soothes your skin and body. Simply indulge yourself in your own private oasis. This is a precious moment with yourself!

The whole process is relaxing and cleanse all the unwanted negative energy! And when you get out of the bath, you feel like a whole new person!

You don’t have to agree with me, just love yourself and be reasonable to give you a chance to relax!
ENJOY!

for more info on perfumed candles

contact:
info@christopherong.com



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Garden: Hidcote Manor Garden

Hidcote Manor Garden

Gloucestershire


Andrew was absolutely right about Hidcote Manor Garden, 

it simply took my breath away.

Hidcote Manor Garden is a landscape garden located at the northern end of the Cotswolds, with its pleasant 18th century manor house, 280 acres of farmland and a lovely view west over the Vale of Evesham to Bredon Hill. 

Hidcote is an English-Italian Arts & Crafts garden, created by American-born horticulturalist Major Lawrence Johnston, it is known to be an English-Italian Arts & Craft garden and is one of Europe’s most famous. The Garden takes the form of a series of outdoor "rooms", each with its own unique character and theme created by the creative use of box hedges, hornbeam and yew and stone walls.

This is the view looking through the gazebo, in the Southerly direction.

The long lawn beyond, which is bordered by tall hornbeam hedges, is called the Long Walk.

Since there are many "rooms", it is very interesting to browsing from one room to another. Some of the "rooms" are not big, but it always punctuated with a focus point, could be a pond, a topiary, or a color. It is simply a spectacular garden! One should have time to admire each room, ... stop and smell the roses or sit at a bench and listening to the birds chirping or simply gazing down The Long Walk. I could have indulged myself day-dreaming all day, then came Andrew's voice: Tea time!

Life is beautiful when you take time to smell your tea!

click images to enlarge
For more information contact:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/

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Elements oF Style: Breakfast Room

Breakfast is the most important meal of our daily life according to most nutritionists. So to stay healthy and beautiful, do not neglect your breakfast.

A breakfast room is very important, this is the room where you and your family begins a fresh and healthy day together everyday. Apart from having healthy breakfast on the table, the room should have a lot of sunlight, fresh flowers and fruits, and happy colors that energize you with great spirit and excitement to go out to the world.
I used soft and strong colors palette for this breakfast room in Palo Alto as shown below. The wall has a very pale minty green with dove white on the moldings, the high ceiling has decorator white. I used a red-and-gold toned palette fabric from Donghia on Dakota Jackson chairs, and echoed a similar color palette on the window treatments. Windows also have white sheer blinds from Hunter Douglas to control amount of light coming through, the sheer draperies for a softer effect. The round table from Lorin Marsh has a dark wood finished, the glass top allows the beautiful delicate carving along the edge of the table shown. The room punctuated with a Swedish alabaster hanging light fixture from Eileen Light Antique

Designer's notebook:

www.eileenlaneantiques.com
www.dakotajackson.com
www.donghia.com
www.lorinmarsh.com

More info on breakfast, click:

http://nutrition.about.com/od/nutrition101/a/breakfast.htm

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Fragrance: Gardenia

The gardenia was the star of my grandmother's beautiful garden ...

The gardenia was the star of my grandmother's beautiful garden. At the dragon festival, she would carefully fix a single snow-white gardenia in her splendidly coiffed black hair with a tiny red floral pin. The scent of gardenia lingered, and remains a fond memories of the most special occasions.

This candle will illuminate and inspire your
private moments, home and dreams.

click belowLaunch event at Takashimaya New York
click image to enlarge

Made in France

60 burning hour
This candle is available at
www.christopherong.com
Takashimaya New York
212 350 0111

contact below to order on line or find out stores outside of New York City
info@christopherong.com

Art oF Living: Christopher Ong's Curry Puff

Curry puff is a great snack in Malaysia.
You can have it for breakfast or afternoon tea or at anytime of the day.
I often serve curry puff at afternoon tea and I found out that it is great to serve as an appetizer!

Everyone has a busy schedule in NYC, one got to think of making something quick and yet special and most of all delicious!
Filling (this can be prepared a day or two ahead)
2 tablespoon oil
3 shallots/ peeled and diced ( can replace shallot with onion)
1 garlic, chopped
1/4 lb of minced beef or chicken
1 good size potato, boiled, peeled and diced
2 tablespoon meat curry powder, or to taste
salt, sugar and pepper, to taste

6 Puff shells (Pepperidge farm)

Heat the oil in a frying pan, saute the shallots and garlic until aromatic. Add minced meat and fry for a few seconds; add potato, curry powder. Stir to mix well, Cook, stirring occasionally and adding water (or milk) as necessary, until potato is tender. Season to taste.

Bake puff shells according to the instructions on the package. That take about 20-25 minutes. You can prepare this after guests settle down for one or 2 cocktails. When the puff shells are golden brown, use the fork to remove "top" and spoon the warm filling into the shell, put the "top" back and garnish with parsley and cherry tomato.

Voila!

Bon Appetit!