You’re Invited! Join me in Chicago on Nov 19th!

Dear Diva Readers,

Save the Date!  Come join me in Chicago on Nov 19th at The Merchandise Mart!

I’ll be on a panel along with Chicago-based interior design principals Tom Konopiots and Michael Stornello of Vincere, LTD., interior designer Brion R. Judge of B.R Judge Design and antique authority and Pagoda Red owner Betsy Nathan.

And we have the great fortune of having Interior designer maven Justin Shaulis (of HGTV fame) as guest panelist and moderator!

The topic du jour?  A group discussion about collecting antiques and incorporating them into our modern lives and homes!

Come!  Listen!  Learn!  ENJOY!!

Chicago Antiques Diva Invitation

See you soon in Chicago!
The Antiques Diva®

Last Minute Diva! Merchandise Mart International Antiques in Chicago

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Flash Update from La Reine, the Roving Reporter!

top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>I have the fabulous luck to be in Chicago this weekend for The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Show, October 3-6. In addition to the antiques, art and collectibles being offered at this semi-annual show, the Mart is also host this weekend to Design Chicago showing all that is hot and new in design. The show features speakers such as designer Celerie Kemble and Margaret Russell of Elle Decor, and includes open houses at several of their showrooms such as Grange and Niedermaier. Luxe Home is celebrating National Kitchen and Bath Month with an Open House of their own on October 4, featuring HGTV’s Monica Pederson. Of course, being La Reine, I’ve already previewed the Luxe Home show with Monica on HGTV this month! Luxe Home features over 8000 square feet of kitchen and bath designs and products. While looking for kitchen cabinet knobs recently, I needed a coffee half way through just to keep everything straight the options were so many!

If you’re not already a bit overwhelmed by all the offerings, The Merchandise Mart debuted the new Dream Home 2008 on September 25, which will be open until December 20.

Talk about one-stop shopping…it will take me two days just to go through it all! Tickets for the Antiques Show are $15, a donation of $5 towards University of Chicago Cancer Research is suggested at the Dream Home. Gourmet food and beverages are available (I think I’ll need to rent a chair!)

See you at The Mart!
La Reine

Chicago – International Spring Antiques Fair

top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>You know I love living in Europe, but sometimes it seems I am on “the wrong side of the pond” at the wrong time! This week, April 25 – 28, Chicago is hosting The Merchandise Mart International Spring Antiques Fair, which is considered to be one of the top antique fairs in the USA and with the dollar weak and euro strong I am certain I could cash in on some genuine treasures if only I were there instead of here! Fortunately Spring has arrived in Holland and the sun has begun to show itself with some regularity, but right now as I write this blog, it’s raining cats & dogs and I’d give anything to be visiting my friend La Reine’s Chicago “pied a terre” right now!

I love Chicago! The lake, the skyscrapers, the shopping, the musical, the music group…. Mere mention of stuffed pizza brings me back to my husband’s corporate apartment his company kept for him on the Gold Coast while we were living in ton/summary/” target=”_blank”>Boston and he was commuting each week to the Midwest for meetings in tower.com/” target=”_blank”>The Sears Tower. But enough about me, you want to hear about this fantabulous antiques fair going on in Chicago this weekend! More than 130 vendors from around the globe will storm Chicago, bringing with them Asian Antiques, Decorative Arts, Folk Art, Furniture, Jewelry, Paintings, Rare Books, Maps & Silver… Pretty much it’s guaranteed that at The Merchandise Mart Spring International Antiques Fair you’ll find everything but the kitchen sink — and who knows, perhaps you’ll find that there too! Some of the best vendors in Europe (including a few from the torique/Default.htm” target=”_blank”>Puce de Paris as well as a LAPADA) are making the trip and setting up shop for a few days in the USA! If you’re feeling sad, bummed that you’re going to miss out on this event, don’t fear. It’s coming back to Chicago this Fall – October 3 – 6, 2008!

Hmm… I guess I’d best run. All this talk of Chicago has my stomach growling and I think instead of making dinner tonight I might just order takeout pizza and pretend I’m back in the good ole USofA! Before I dash, I’ve one last tip — Just today Country Home magazine sent out their weekly newsletter and they’ve an excellent article packed full of great Chicago addresses of one-of-a-kind antique shops & boutiques. If you’re heading to the fair this weekend, you might want to print & bring along this perfect guide for a weekend away!

Until next time,

The Antiques Diva™