Palm Beach

 
I don’t know what I thinking when I planned on blogging from the road. Write? I barely have time to breathe. But here I am, a week into the Italian Rustic book tour and I finally have some down time. 5 hours of it. In the New Orleans airport. Don’t ask.

But before I get to New Orleans (and I will) let me back track a bit and start out with Palm Beach. I was kindly invited by the Preservation Foundation to give two talks. The first was a pretty fancy invitation-only affair, where I met and talked to some of their biggest supporters. The next day was an open event, which drew a big crowd.
 
Since their organization is dedicated to the preservation of the historic and cultural heritage of Palm Beach, it made sense. I was talking about the age-old tradition of rustic Italian architecture to people who are dedicated to preserving architectural heritage.I do realize that I am in the business of writing books that help people incorporate Italian building styles and techniques into buildings far away from the Tuscan hills. But even I have to say one of the funnest parts of toodling around Palm Beach was the chance to check out examples of ‘Italian’ architecture.

When I headed out from my friend Laura’s fab apartment to explore Worth avenue, she said “Make sure you also go down the little Via’s.” Now, since Laura has a house in Umbria, I just though she was slipping into Italian, substituting Via for Street (all us expats do that). But no, Laura really meant Via. For some reason that I can’t figure out, Worth Avenue has tiny little Italianate alleyways opening off the main drag
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This was my first time to Palm Beach and I really don’t know what I was expecting. Palm trees yes (and there were plenty) but small cobbled alleyways with cupid-filled fountains? While there is some fantastic architecture – and Mizner’s Everglades club just blew me away – these little shopping side streets seemed just a bit Disney-ish to me. But then, I guess that makes them all the more Floridian? But still, I like them.

 

That’s me, with Mr. Walsh, at the B&T

My favorite building on Worth, though, was the massively cool art deco temple to style, Tiffany’s. While all the other stores were literally gushing with brilliantly hued dresses and gems, Tiffany’s limestone bulk was somehow comfortingly imposing. Only come in if you mean business.

The thing to do in Palm Beach is go to clubs. But you can’t just go, you have to be invited by a member. And I was lucky enough to be invited to the most exclusive of the bunch, the Bath and Tennis (or B&T as we call it), by my good friend Courtney’s dad, who seemed to me to be the King of Palm Beach. He certainly seemed to know everything and everybody in town. And was so incredibly nice to take me on a tour.
 
Laura also took me to meet her friends at The Beach Club, which was a bit less formal than the B&T. Here we are. Note to self: next time around, think pink, not black.

But the main reason I’ll be going back is not because of the clubs, or the architecture but because my dear friend Laura spends half the year here. This was the view from the terrace off the guest room. Need I say more?