We had such a great time at the opening of 1stdibs@NYDC in New York City! With 2,000 people in attendance, it was quite a party. We were able to chat with designers, artists, and many fabulous people, including Michael Bruno, creator of 1stdibs.com. Our space at the New York Design Center is beautiful, and we're excited to see our 2nd showroom off to a great start!
Want to see more?
Follow our channel on YouTube!
Read the New York Times article on 1stdibs@NYDC.
Watch more on the opening on EditorTV.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Jean-Marc Fray Expands To New York's “1stDibs@NYDC”
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| Jean-Marc Fray, Cynthia Fray and Michael Bruno. |
News Flash! We’ve just opened our 2nd showroom in New York City! In alliance with 1stDibs and the New York Design Center (NYDC), we are now part of the fabulous new “1stdibs@NYDC” - a 33,000 sq ft. antiques market envisioned and created by 1stdibs.com founder, Michael Bruno.
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| Our newest address... 200 Lexington Avenue. |
1stdibs has taken over the entire 10th floor of the NYDC building at 200 Lexington Ave. in New York, offering the space to a select few of its member dealers. We are thrilled to be a part of this exciting new venture, and can’t wait to show off our latest finds to interior designers and collectors in and around New York.
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| Jean-Marc Fray Gallery at 1stdibs@NYDC |
On Feb. 16th, Michael Bruno, Founder and CEO of 1stdibs.com, Jim Druckman, President of NYDC, and Michael Boodro Editor-in-Chief of Elle Décor magazine, held a private Grand Opening for 1stdibs@NYDC with an overwhelming 2000 guests from all angles of the design industry. Needless to say, the event was a smashing success and we had a blast meeting some of our New York clients, making new friends and just beholding this “visual feast” which promises to become THE destination for designers and consumers sourcing antiques, vintage furnishings and decorative arts in New York.
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| Jean-Marc is ready for opening night. |
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| Cynthia takes five before guests arrive. |
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| Grand Opening NYDC. |
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| Jean-Noel Fray, Michael Bruno and Nikki Escobar. |
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| The French Modernist Club Chairs are a hit. |
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| Tres chic guests share a moment at opening night. |
Jean-Noel Fray did a fabulous job putting together our sleek new space which features select pieces of our inventory from France and Murano glass from Italy as well as a stunning collection of works by artist Marlene Louchheim, introduced to us and represented by Deborah Page of Deborah Page
Projects.
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| Jean-Noel Fray - Opening Night NYDC. |
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| Deborah Page. |
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| "Elevations" by Marlene Louchheim. |
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| "Fragments #2" by Marlene Louchheim hangs beautifully near Murano glass sconces and Murano vase. |
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| "Dreams" by Marlene Louchheim. |
A bientot!
Jean-Marc Fray French Antiques
1stdibs@NYDC
200 Lexington Ave.
New York, NY 10016
Monday, February 14, 2011
Piet Mondrian and De Stijl
This winter the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France, opened an exhibition exploring the works of Piet Mondrian and De Stijl. Piet Mondrian was a Dutch painter and a key contributor to the De Stijl Movement of the early 20th century. He coined the term "Neo-Plasticism" to describe this style characterized by rigid lines and primary colors.
De Stijl, or "The Style," was a group of Dutch artists and well as a journal they published from 1917 until 1931. They sought to express a utopian ideal through abstraction, a fundamental reality rather than emotions. They simplified shape and color to their most basic, clearly defined forms. They worked with planes on a white background, adding only primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. Symmetry was avoided; balance and harmony were achieved through opposition.
Neoplasticism did not end with painting, but naturally flowed into furniture, interior design, and architecture. Straight lines and primary colors were used to achieve three-dimensional works of art. The Red Blue Chair was designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1917. Originally painted in the "non-colors" of De Stijl (black, gray, and white), it was repainted in 1923 to match the primary colors being used by Mondrian.
The Schröder House, also designed by Rietveld, was built in Utrecht in 1924 and is the best example of De Stijl architecture. Its facade is composed of intersecting, rectilinear planes in black, gray, and white, with primary colored accents. It has an open floor plan; in place of walls the house has rotating and sliding panels that can partition off space as needed by the residents.
De Stijl influenced fine arts, music, typography, furniture design, fashion, and architecture the world over. It proposed using geometry, asymmetry, and abstraction to express beauty. It had profound impact on the art and architecture to come in the Bauhaus, International Style, and Modern movements, and we can still see its effects today.
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| Dress designed by Yves Sant Laurent |
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| Piet Mondrian, "composition en rouge, bleu et blanc II", 1937 © Mondrian / Holtzman trust, coll. Centre Pompidou, RMN |
December 1, 2010 - March 11, 2011
Place Georges Pompidou
75004 ParisGeneral phoneline : +33 (0)1 44 78 12 33
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Poster design offer
We offer graphic design services.
Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and convey information.
Effectively designed posters attract audience and communicate a focused message. Our services help you outshine your competitors! Remember that! We take only four or five working days to complete a project for you. The first proofs are available within two working days.We offer excellent and cost-effective services , without compromising on quality standards. We bring innovative design to help our clients communicate their messages . Describe your project in an e-mail, send it to us, and we will send you a price list. See our e-mail below.
MyNorthShadow Poster Design and Poster Templates.
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Some useful links on graphic design and poster design: Graphic Design Principles and also some rules to arrange text and graphics on the page using Graphic Design Rules or read something about Design elements and principles on Wikipedia. Film Posters here
Monday, January 31, 2011
Places We Love: Les Fermes de Marie – Megève, France
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| Megève, France |
It’s WINTER, which means ski season in many parts of the world (like France), and apparently it’s been a great year for SNOW! So for all you snow bunnies out there, here’s a tip we thought we would pass on about one of our favorite hotels in France’s très chic ski resort, Megève: Les Fermes de Marie.
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| Les Fermes de Marie |
Les Fermes de Maries is a cozy Savoyard chalet-style hotel and spa, nestled in the heart of France’s most exclusive ski resort in the French Alps. This virtual “village” is made up of 9 individual but interconnected chalets, century old alpine farmlands, 2 restaurants and an award-winning spa.
Jocelyne and Jean-Louis Sibuet had a vision when they started refurbishing a traditional farmhouse over 20 years ago to create this enchanting, intimate, beautifully decorated and comfortable refuge for skiers and summer vacationers alike.
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| A chalet at les Fermes de Marie |
Jocelyne and Jean-Louis Sibuet had a vision when they started refurbishing a traditional farmhouse over 20 years ago to create this enchanting, intimate, beautifully decorated and comfortable refuge for skiers and summer vacationers alike.
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| Guest bedroom at Les Fermes de Marie |
It’s been years since our last visit, but friends and family have assured us that Les Fermes de Marie has lost nothing of its original style – if anything, its gotten better (the spa was not finished when we were there). Guests feel instantly at home, with an elegant bar, a library, cozy fireplace lounges and several inviting little nooks perfect for curling up with a book, gardens and two gastronomic restaurants.
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| Fireplace Lounge at Les Fermes de Marie |
The 71 luxuriously appointed and spacious rooms are decorated with charm, natural woods, old wooden beams, accented with antiques, carefully selected textiles… all tastefully done with a “French Touch”. You really do feel like you are at home, in a French chalet.
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| Treatment Room at the Les Fermes de Marie Spa |
And if that weren’t enough, they even have two "Chalets" that sleep 10, for family gatherings or other special occasions. Les Chalets des Fermes feature their own private spa as well.
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| Megève, France |
Les Fermes is 5 minutes away from the center of lively Megève, which is full of bars and restaurants (3 of which are Michelin star rated) and of course, plenty of shopping for the swish clientele this town attracts. It is definitely a mountain vacation destination - winter or summer - offering a magnificent setting for sport, relaxation, fresh air and total indulgence in the art of fine living.
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| In the village of Megève |
Bon voyage!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
CUISINE: Cassoulet
All this cold weather has us thinking about comfort foods, and one in particular – one of our all-time French winter favorites: Cassoulet – a fabulously rich dish de terroir that is chock full of things we love, like duck confit, sausage and, of course, lots of carbs.
Cassoulet is legendary, its origins dating back to the 14th century siege of Castelnaudary in southwestern France during the Hundred Years’ War. Surrounded by enemies and impending defeat, the soldiers inside the city walls pulled together their last remaining rations to create a communal dish filling enough to outdo their invaders. The battle, sadly, was lost, but this newfound dish, Cassoulet, went on to become a quintessential ingredient to the Occitan identity and its cuisine. Indeed, perhaps no classic French dish has fared as well, attained such iconic status and attracted such passionate connoisseurs as this simple casserole of beans, meat and herbs.
The Languedoc-Roussillon region of France has since become synonymous with its reputable cuisine de terroir (cassoulet, duck confit, and foie gras, just to name a few); and several cities in the area claim to offer the best cassoulet or to be in possession of the “one true” recipe.
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| Carcassonne, France |
I tasted my first “true” cassoulet in Carcassonne, and I will never forget it! It was a blisteringly cold day in January, the ground still hard from a recently melted layer of snow, newly frozen by a drop in temperatures. Our friends and us walked through the Ville Basse and then all around the ramparts of the medieval Cite de Carcassonne working up quite an appetite just trying to stay warm, our fingers and noses numb. Suddenly we found ourselves in front of a medieval looking restaurant that surely had been there for centuries. We caught site of a fire blazing in the chimney inside and hesitated no further.
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| Goose Rillettes |
It took a good 45 minutes to get our lovely lunches, but we warmed our souls while we waited with a bottle Chateauneuf du Pape and goose rillettes they brought before us - delicious! The cassoulets came out, individually, beautifully bubbling in their earthenware dishes straight out of the oven. We took our time (you have to its so hot) and savored every morsel. By the time we left, we were so warm and satisfied, we didn’t’ even notice it had started snowing again.
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| Duck Confit |
So here’s a recipe from Patricia Wells, if you’re in the mood for something rich and comforting on these cold winter nights. Bon Appetit!
Madame Mouriere's Cassoulet
Ingredients
• 4-5 legs of duck confit
• 2 pounds dried white beans (Great Northern are excellent)
• 1 pound fresh pork rind or bacon, cubed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup goose fat (see note) or butter
• 2 1/2 pounds fresh all-pork garlic sausage (Polish or German sausage is fine)
• 1 pound medium-sized onions (about 4) thin sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 1-pound-10 3/4-ounce cans imported plum tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs, blended with
• 2 cloves finely minced garlic
Preparation
1. The day before the cassoulet will be served prepare the beans. Rinse them well and pick them over to eliminate tiny stones. Put them in a Dutch oven or large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from the heat. Allow to sit 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in another large saucepan cover the fresh pork rind or bacon with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer for several minutes, rinse, drain and set aside. This is done to remove the salt, which would have a toughening effect on the beans.
3. By this time the beans should have swollen. Discard the liquid (to help make the beans more digestible), rinse the beans and cover them again with cold water. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and drained pork rind or bacon and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil vigorously for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until the beans are quite well-cooked but still a bit firm. Add the carrots and additional boiling water if necessary and cook an additional 15 minutes, or just until the carrots are cooked. The mixture should not be too dry. Remove from the heat, stir in a tablespoon salt and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. In a very large frying pan melt three tablespoons goose fat (or butter). Add the sausages all in a single coil, if you can, and cook them over medium heat for about 12 minutes on one side, about 6 minutes on the other side. (Remember which side was cooked for the shorter time. When the cassoulet is assembled, you will place the sausage with the less cooked side down, so the remaining fat will soak into the bean mixture.) You need not prick the sausage. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.
5. In the same saucepan, add an additional three tablespoons goose fat (if necessary) to cook the confit. Let it come to room temperature to soften the fat and remove all of the confit pieces, wiping off the fat as you remove them. Now saute the pieces of confit over medium-high heat until the skin is very crisp and turns a rich, deep brown. Baste off the fat as necessary. The duck should cook about five to 10 minutes on each side. Remove from the frying pan, drain and set aside.
6. Remove the bean mixture from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature.
7. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
8. In the same frying pan, add two tablespoons goose fat (if necessary) and cook the onions over high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the liquid and a clove of garlic and cook until the mixture is fairly dry, or about 30 minutes. The mixture should be a rich, deep red. Combine the bean and carrot mixture with the tomato and onion mixture.
9. Remove the bones from the duck confit and cut the duck into large chunks without removing the skin.
10. Assemble the cassoulet in a large, earthenware casserole. An oval casserole measuring 12 by 17 by 3 inches deep is a perfect size for this recipe. Rub the inside of the casserole with one clove of garlic and discard the garlic. Layer in this order: a single layer of the bean mixture, using about a third of it. Cover this with the cutup pieces of duck. Add a second layer of the bean mixture. Add the sausages in one layer with less-cooked side down. Add the last layer of beans. Finally, add the bread-crumb mixture. Be sure there is at least half an inch of growing space between the bread crumbs and the rim of the casserole.
11. Place in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the crust is golden and firm. Serve immediately.
YIELD: 10 to 12 servings
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| Bon Appetit! |
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Painting
The kind of the visual arts using technique of appling of liquid mixture of organic or synthetic substances, to various surfaces.
Portraiture, visual representation of individual people(sometimes animals), distinguished by references to the subject's character, social position, wealth, or profession. Portraits can include only the head of the subject, or the shoulders and head, the upper torso, or an entire figure (seated or standing)..
Art Studio Sergey Konstantinov
Paintings Bookshelves.18/43 in.Oil-board.Gold frame.
$15000.00 price includes framing.
http://sergeykonstantinov.blogspot.com/2010/10/art-studio-sergey-konstantinov_30.html
Portraiture, visual representation of individual people(sometimes animals), distinguished by references to the subject's character, social position, wealth, or profession. Portraits can include only the head of the subject, or the shoulders and head, the upper torso, or an entire figure (seated or standing)..
Art Studio Sergey Konstantinov
Paintings Bookshelves.18/43 in.Oil-board.Gold frame.
$15000.00 price includes framing.
http://sergeykonstantinov.blogspot.com/2010/10/art-studio-sergey-konstantinov_30.html
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