The Ellie Files

March 23rd was my mom's birthday. I always celebrate her birthday with a brunch of some sort. I don't remember my mom ever being a lady who brunches, but we both loved eggs benedict, so I figured I'll make a tradition out of it. So, this Saturday, I went to the Chateau Marmont with Ty in honor of my mom turning 49. It's crazy to think how young she was, still is. Not even 50, and I'm already lying about my age. I'm 23, and will be 24 in August. But I don't think I'm there yet and so I am going to be 23 again this year. I started lying about my age on my 1st 23rd birthday. It's not a vanity reason, I still look 15 but not in a good way. I do not think I'm ready to be a year closer to renting a car. I don't know the first thing about renting a car or loyalty programs, so I'm going to put that off for another few years.
Chateau Marmont was beautiful. I immediately noticed that they had the Anduze pots that my mom always loved, so there was my sign I was in the right spot. But, the only thing I can really think about when going to the Chateau Marmont is that John Belushi died there. I guess I also think about whether or not Lindsay Lohan had puked where I'm standing or not.
Aside from all the celebrities and the fact that it's 100% haunted, the Chateau Marmont has a pretty interesting history in regards to the architecture.
It was modeled after the Cheateau d'Amboise, which is believed to be Leonardo Da Vinci's resting place. He's either buried there, or underneath an airport parking garage, no one knows. In the 1930's, there was an act put into place called the Motion Picture Code and then followed by the Purity Seal in 1934. These two codes basically prohibited anything offensive or lude being shown on the screen as well as any wild behavior from the stars in their actual lives. Sounds so boring. If this wasn't abolished, everything we love today wouldn't exist. The only thing Kris Jenner would be managing would be a Denny's. So, with all the fun taken away, these stars needed somewhere to go to all be hot together. "If you must get in trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont."
And to bring it all the way back to last week, the bungalows, where Belushi died of an overdose, were designed by Craig Ellwood, the dude who did Case Study Houses.

Anyways, back to the woman who most definitely was a Chateau Marmont regular...
My mom once told me that she got robbed by four guys with AK-47's after a Chateau Marmont party. She was walking to the car with her date. He had parked a few blocks away because he was too cheap to use Valet and didn't trust anyone to drive his '89 Toyota Celica. On there way to the car, a big black Suburban pulled up next to them. My mom immediately held her Chanel bag a little bit tighter. Out got four guys in ski masks, pointing AK-47's at them, "Give us the bag and your wallet." My mom handed over her bag because she had $12 on her ATM card and the bag was fake. Her date dared to ask, "I'll give you my wallet, but can you let me get my SAG card out first? I have an audition tomorrow." I think it was at the moment, my mom told herself she wouldn't be in L.A. for much longer.

Because I was my moms favorite and I guess also only child, I got everything of hers, too bad the fake Chanel was stolen.... But I got her passwords. The past two years I've spent snooping through her emails, finding out everything about everyone. Most of her emails are exchanging stories or recapping phone calls, but then there's some good stuff. Like the drafts. I discovered her drafts this weekend. I don't know how my detective skills failed me to only think to go there now. But, it seemed like a birthday gift from her for me for her (I lost myself). The drafts were a gift that kept on giving. Little pieces of my mom that I hadn't seen before. It was a new to me. When you lose someone, you also lose the idea that you will ever experience anything new from them. So, this felt pretty remarkable. None of the emails were meant for me though, I guess I was important enough for her to never leave "You're grounded. Sincerely, Mommy" in the outbox.

Along with the email drafts, there are also unpublished blog drafts. They are jumbled and brief, but I wanted to share them with you all, because that's who they were meant for. So here's seven of them!

DRAFT 1

9/2/09

Assoulines new 'Gypset Style' book. I rode my bike in 102° weather in Paris to Saint Germain to get this book. Then rode home with it swingin' on my handlebars to get to my little cafè, order a vin rouge and settle in and look at it front to back. Clever book. I am partial to these nomadic bohemians as I just spent 3 months traveling around Paris, London, and Spain and enrolled my daughter in high school online homeschooling. Works for me! The author, Julia Chaplin, gives a history on gypsies and their evolution from the beginning to the now chic "Gypset Style" with the likes of Jade Jagger and Damien Hirst.

DRAFT 2

9/12/09

The Louvre during the War. I spent June and July in Paris this summer and saw many unforgettable sites but one in particular was really moving. It was one of those days that at the end of the day you say, "Wow, that was a great day." My daughter and I walked to the American Church in Paris, listened to a nice service, said our prayers, then headed to the George V Hotel for tea. Already a great day. We decided after our decadent teatime we needed some culture so we walked to the Louvre. This is why I love Paris. You can wake up and say, "Oh, lets go see the Mona Lisa today then go to the park." The good fortune I had with this opportunity to live in Paris for 2 months was never lost on me. I appreciated every second of it. So, we walked the Louvre for a bit and came upon an exhibit that was facinating. Just facinating. It was called, 'Le Louvre pendant la guerre.' The Louvre during the war. The exhibit featured photographs of the mass evacuation of the museum's most treasured pieces during the Second World War. The Mona Lisa was removed from the museum on August 29, 1939 and on September 3rd a decision was made to evacuate the most cherished works by the end of the day. Paintings, sculptures and statues were driven away from their home of the Louvre to chateax in the French countryside safe from the threat of bombings.

DRAFT 3

11/05/09

Exciting day here at the "villa."

I am staying here at my friends house for a bit. Poor me. She lives in New York and has decided to sell my dream house. So, I am helping her stage it a bit. Not that it needs any help. But, a few months ago, after the fires she did take some of her "accessories" back to NY. Now that the house is for sale, we need the "accessories" back in the house to make it look a bit more lived in. I would live here even if it was empty and had no heat mind you. But others are more picky so today is the day that the shipment arrives!!!! I have been eagerly awaiting this shipment like a 5 year old waiting for Santa Claus. I will post some "before" pictures today and tomorrow I will do the "after" pictures.

One part of the living room. I have already added the orchids and the big banana tree.

Other have of the living room. I added this tree too. I realize it looks beautiful as it is but I have seen it in its glory and it needs a little "ummph."

DRAFT 4

3/21/11

I was waiting for friends last night who asked me to meet them in the lobby of the Gansevoortd Hotel on Park in NY. As I sat there, I looked around and I thought, "What the....?" I and looked at the white pleather low chairs, the ultra high back upholstered chairs, and every other bit of mix 'n match decor, I thought, " Boutique hotels have gotten out of control." The idiom "give an inch, take a mile" comes to mind. The websters definition of boutique hotel is:  "Boutique hotel is a term popularized in North America and the United Kingdom to describe intimate, usually luxurious or quirky hotel environments." Quirky now apparently means, "ridiculous." Here's what I mean:

 The Gansevoort Hotel Park Ave in New York. Boutique hotel does not have to mean: Lets throw in every single noncohesive (is that a word?) piece of furniture that we can find and call it a "boutique hotel." By the way, I am all for boutique hotels. In fact I would really only stay in a boutique hotel but there is a fine line between boutique and stupid.

These are stupid:

The SLS hotel in LA. Seriously?

The Soho House in NY

The following are my ideas of  great boutique hotels:

Hotel Costes in Paris. I would like my ashes spread here, please.

The Bowery Hotel. This is good. Its unusual without being insultive.

 Gramercy Park Hotel

DRAFT 5

3/21/11

I've been thinking a lot about style lately.  I am working on a show about style hopefully to be picked up by a network so I have been actually putting some thought into this.  As I think about what is stylish, I am also thinking about what is NOT stylish. Then today as I watched my zillionth episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians I realized that Scott Disick is NOT stylish. Watch this video...

http://www.dailyfill.com/Video-Scott-Disick-Flips-After-Assistant-Buys-Wrong-Underwear-86271/

He is like the bully in high school who became a big bully adult.  His parents should be monetarily fined or something for releasing this idiot out into the world.  I am actually embarrassed that I even know his name. He is definitely NOT stylish.

DRAFT 6

5/5/2011

Ok, is no one going to say it??? Do I have to be the one to say it? No other blogger has mentioned it. What am I talking about, you ask?? I am talking about how crappy the Kipps Bay Showcase House is. Total disaster.  There were only 3 passable rooms. The other rooms looked like monkeys decorated it.

There were fake wisteria branches on the front of the house. I don't care who you are or where you are or why you are don't ever use fake flowers. Especially at a NY designers showcase house. Jeez.

Then came the entry. The pink table is cool but they should have stopped with the "funky" at that. If  I were the owner of this house and was left with those stupid boxes on the wall I would be p.o.'ed. I think it would have been better if they used the pink table and then built in a curved seating area with great fabric. And gotten rid of that crap on the walls.

 The next room was "The Library." This room had a bad case of "too much stuff." And too much bad stuff at that. A fake malchite chair. A fake malachite table with big fake grapes under it. Oh my god.

stuff stuff stuff

FYI....that is like a  plastery fake plant. Oh, and more stuff. The only good thing in the bookcases are the books by Assouline. Go Assouline!

 The next room was the dining room. I think this was original Chinese-y wallpaper which is fine but for gods sake don't add more Chinese to it. This designer added a buddha thing, then Chinese side tables and in the end it looked like a wholesale Chinese import warehouse.

ugh

Look, I'm all for a space age cutting edge laundry room. Actually, I'd be happy with ANY laundry room but come on!

Yep. This room was that particular color of blue that makes you want to kill yourself.

I swear to god, this was on the ceiling.

This is my nephews college dorm room. OOPS! No, it is the media room of the NYC showcase house. Jesus.

This is the room where I decided I wanted my money back.

There were 3 kinda sorta good rooms.....

This room was kinda cool. I like the old paneling with the hot pink walls.

 This is cool. It does not annoy me one bit.

This room by Campion Platt was cool. The walls were awesome. I also like the "curved in the corner" woodwork.

DRAFT 7

5/6/2011

Remember when I posted about that cool bike/wheelchair? Well a funny thing happened... I thought I would need that wheelchair when I was old, but it turns out I need it now. Since my last post, my life has been turned upside down. To make a long story short, when I was happily living my life in New York, working at my dream job at 1stdibs.com, a sweet Russian neurologist discovered, that I have ALS. I have never heard of it either. It's pretty awful, google it. I took a year off of blogging to research, cry, see every doctor from California to Paris, get a couple of operations, learn that OxyCodon really is hillbilly herion and really can make you turn suicidal in the middle of the night in ones bathroom, become gluten free, learn who my real friends are, discover what a duductable is, move into a great big house with a great big yard, move into a small cottage by the beach, learn that doctors dont know everything, got married, learn that my husband doesnt care how many shots, supplements and surguries, that it takes to make me well, he just wants me well, and try to naturally heal myself from a disease that has no cure. All of this while trying to somehow make it all okay for my daughter. I had no interest in design for a good year. Now I like it again, so I thought I would start blogging again. There has been so much change in the design world with all of the editors flip-flopping from one magazine to another. One month, architectural digest is the best Then out of the blue lowly house beautiful is the best. I used to feel That I Could not be honest While discussing design or designers. What if I needed a job from these people one day. Well that has all changed now that I will never be able to work again. So I really don't care I'm going to call a spade a spade. Let's start with this...