Monday, January 18, 2010

At Home With Marcy Blum And Destin Coleman

I have a fat file of hundreds of photos I took this past Summer in New York, and have resolved to get them posted.

The front door of the Brooklyn home of Marcy Blum and Destin Coleman

This weekend we had Marcy and Destin visit us from New York.
This past Summer we had a whirlwind two weeks there to celebrate my 60th, and to compete in the US Tango Salon Championship. We stayed with several friends over the two weeks, and Marcy and Destin opened their beautiful Brooklyn (Carroll Gardens) townhouse to us.

The garden of pots in front of the house

The neighborhood of Carroll Gardens is fabulous! Streets of row houses, many with front gardens, Smith Street for trendy boutique shopping and great restaurants, close subway access, all of this (and more) makes this an easy transition for ex Manhattanites. The neighborhood feels like Manhattan did 25 years ago.

Marcy Blum was trained at The Culinary Institute of America-
So she loves when the quaint knife truck pulls up in front of her house

Marcy and Destin's townhouse has a couple of levels, and a small oasis of a back garden. The furnishings are collected and casual. They have a couple of dogs and cats. Destin is studying to become a vet.

The spacious dining room in the Blum-Coleman Brooklyn townhouse

They love to entertain, which makes sense since Marcy is the premier event planner. One of the things they looked for when they chose a house to buy, was a dining room.

The table is set with an eclectic collection - notice the snow ball!
Marcy and I share the New Yorker's affection for this word!


The hallway has a set of original paintings (with very unique frames) depicting the seven deadly sins. Can you name them all ha ha?

This one, "lust", looks like a vignette at the cool and hip secret swimming hole just steps from Marcy and Destin's front door.

You had to be invited to swim HERE


The master bedroom is upstairs. It has a charming Juliet balcony overlooking the garden.
Marcy and Destin gave up their bed for us when we visited New York -
When we left we left them a note spelled out in rose petals

The more important room on the upper level is the walk-in room size closet Marcy designed.
Marcy Blum's legendary walk-in closet - so rare in New York!

The open iron work overlooks the living room below. It's a nod to Destin who is a Louisiana native.


Back on the main floor is a formal living room open to the kitchen and dining room, with a huge front window overlooking the street and the charming garden in front of the house.

Also on the main floor is a little spot for reading and watching television, a room just off the entrance to the back garden.

Marcy, Destin, the dogs, and the cats love the back garden.


Marcy was in New Orleans to speak at a convention for event planners who came from all over the world to hear her. Destin came along to see friends here, and get his New Orleans fix!

Marcy Blum literally wrote the book (and many major magazine articles). I think some of my work might be in this book!

Save the date for the weekend of March 5-7, 2010 for a terrific seminar given by Marcy Blum and Preston Bailey. It is a must for anyone in the event business, or doing a start up, or anyone who has web based event or wedding or floral business. It's called Bailey and Blum (what a dynamic duo!).

13 comments:

  1. What a beautiful home and great friends you have. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. oh-so-fab!

    ps I have a giveaway on my blog. stop by if you can!

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  3. Having good friends and making memories is PRICELESS! They are treasures in life.

    xoxo

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  4. You are so lucky to have such great friends. My life would be a disaster without "my people" and you are one of them. Thanks for everything sweet lady!

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  5. How exciting! I love Preston Bailey! I am sure I would enjoy your friend also!!

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  6. Celebrate your 60th what?! You are not 60!

    .....I'm jealous of that dining room! I wonder if I can convince my husband it's time for some new stuff....hee....

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  7. Lovely blog!

    colormenana.blogspot.com

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  8. Lovely blog!

    colormenana.blogspot.com

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  9. Hi Valorie,
    Thank you for inviting us along for a tour of Marcy and Destin's wonderful home! What fun you must have when you're all together! Thanks also for sharing the great idea for a thank you "note" ... so creative and thoughtful you are!

    Regards,
    Bill

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  10. Mmm, Mmm, Mmmmmmmm! That ironwork wall overlooking the living room!

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  11. Fantastic! I love the paintings.

    -Cara @ live the home life

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  12. Love the home and the rose petal thank-u!!

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  13. Valorie,
    These are wonderful people! So generous! And their house is so charming and inviting!
    Good friends of you! Take care of them!
    xx
    Greet

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