Jiun Ho

California Street Residence dining area

If your a regular at Beautiful Abodes you probably already know that every now and then I like to do a post on interior decorators who's work has caught my eyes.  One search decorator has this week, his name is Jiun Ho and his theme is most often directed at an elegant yet simple and relaxed state of living with most often, a classical hint to his overall interior designs.

California Street Residence sun room and decor in living room

California Street Residence decor

Here, he accents with the yellow wall artwork, the color goes beautifully with the gray.

Hartford Street Residence a view in to the living room from the staircase

I am in awe of his use of contemporary furniture pieces in a room that really seems to call a country-like setting, perhaps it is the wood floors, white banisters and sloping ceiling that gives it this country feel.  Then I noticed his use of the glass wall divider between the stairway and the bedroom space which tied the country-like space and the contemporary furnishings together harmoniously. 

Hartford Street Residence bedroom

Hartford Street Residence staircase

Hartford Street Residence kitchen

Hartford Street Residence dining room

Asian inspired sliding door panels gives the room a unique accent.

Steiner Street Residence dining area and a view of the kitchen

Much of the time Asian inspirations pop-up giving the modern room a somewhat ethnic warmth to it.

Steiner Street Residence bedroom

Steiner Street Residence a view of the entryway

Steiner Street Resident dining area

I've found that he likes to accent with red as he does in the room below.

Steiner Street Resident living room

Home of: Hank Azaria

Birth name:  Henry Albert Azaria

AKA:  Hank Azaria

Year of birth:  1964

Place of birth:  Queens, NY

Occupation:  Actor, producer, director, writer

Most famously known for acting

*pictures from Architectural Digest

Outdoor living room

  A gravel path along the side of the house

Pool with area with poolside loggia

A closer look at the poolside loggia

The kitchen

Dining area

The TV room

In the TV room a wall is covered by pictures of Simpson characters voiced by Hank Azaria

The living room

A closer look at a bookcase located in the living room

Azaria's home office which includes a poker table

Azaria's son, Hal's play room

The guest bedroom

The master bedroom

Azaria's dressing room

The master bathroom

Le Creuset vs. World Market Dutch Oven

Cost Plus World Market 5-qt Green Round Dutch Oven $49.99

This weekend I had the impossible urge to make home-made applesauce which meant that I was on the hunt for a dutch oven, which, I've been wanting for awhile actually.  My first stop, Cost Plus World Market, a 5-qt Cost Plus World Market Dutch Oven was $50.  I then walked across to Sur La Table, to compare prices, I found my way to Sur La Table's Dutch Oven section which was jaw-dropping and I don't mean this in a good way, how can the Le Creuset 3.5-qt dutch oven be $130?!

What it ultimately came down to was Le Creuset was french made, finished by hand, physically it was more beautiful, it was dishwasher safe with a tight-fitting lid.  Cost Plus World Market's dutch oven was... well, it's just a dutch oven, had to be hand-washed (no biggie) with a fitted lid but not "tight-fitting" as Le Creuset's.  The difference in the price was $80 and this comparing a 5-qt to a 3.5-qt!

To me the choice was obvious, I went for Cost Plus World Market's dutch oven in green for $50.  I made applesauce in my new dutch oven right when I got home, my new buy performed perfectly and I made two jars of helluva yummy applesauce AND it was very easy to clean!  Point being, unless it's doing something extraordinary it really shouldn't have to cost that much more than your average ware.

Le Creuset Caribbean Wide Oval French Oven, 3.5-qt $129.95 @ Sur La Table

Home Of: Courteney Cox

Birth name:  Courteney Bass Cox

AKA:  Courteney Cox

Year of birth:  June 15, 1964

Place of birth:  Alabama

Occupation:  Actress

Most famously known for her role in Friends

Pictures from Elle Decor

Entry way

Living room

Kitchen

Kitchen sitting area

Outside dining area

Master bedroom

Master bedroom

Master bedroom sitting area

Master bathroom

Master bathroom

Powder room

Pool room

Screening house kitchen

Screening house kitchen outdoor seating bar area

Tennis house sitting area

Outdoor banquet

Sitting area on the deck

Backyard deck area

Vesuvio!

As you already know I'm back from a recent trip to San Francisco where I had the most swell time.  A lot of that swell time was spent walking around and just... taking a looking around, enjoying the city life via long walks to visit China Town, The Japanese Gardens, Berkley and it's famous Telegraph street, City Lights Bookstore and so on.  While I was in a bliss of eye-candy from being in an all-around just, lovely city I ventured into an interesting yellow structure that housed a bar called Vesuvio, located right next to the very cool City Lights Bookstore, apparently the smell of great books calls for a nice drink afterwards.

Vesuvio has to be the cutest, little, semi-divey, totally vintage bar I've been into in my entire short life.  A large chandelier in the middle of the bar was lit by gas-flames, other hanging lamps were covered by old stain-glass designed shades, rows of old pictures and posters covered the walls, two old men were sitting next to the window playing chess, the bathroom was covered with hand created wallpaper made from old labels taken off bottles... it was this kind of place... and it called for a gin and tonic with lime.

Please enjoy the pictures!

Here is my gin and tonic w/lime

Here is a good view from upstairs of what Vesuvio looks like

When I walked through the doorway before I could even get to the bar I saw this snazzy cork board made of actual corks!  I'm in the process of making my own now and have bought a box of cheap wines, now I just need to drink up!  This will be a fun project indeed!