Diva-scovery: Reiseantiquitäten & Kunsthandel in Berlin
Antik Centre Suarezstrasse
Suarezstrasse 48/49
Berlin, Germany
to 10px; WIDTH: 339px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TMmZOrM4gQI/AAAAAAAAFLs/4dtkt2YIO40/s400/Karte%2520suarez.jpg” border=”0″ />Her location may have changed, but her gorgeous inventory hasn’t! It is still divine and I’m still salivating over the beautiful antique travel accessories!
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TMmY7tSpf7I/AAAAAAAAFLU/teC0t0QmOVo/s400/globes.jpg” border=”0″ />My collection of antique globes actually started here in Priti’s shop, well before I moved to Berlin, when I was simply passing thru as a tourist. Since then I’ve picked up a few more globes chez elle when the opportunity hit!
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TMmY7sWEC-I/AAAAAAAAFLM/NGXXsppev8U/s400/ansicht3.jpg” border=”0″ />Meanwhile, her selection of handbags and briefcases is 1st class!
to 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TMmY8P9R5rI/AAAAAAAAFLk/xLMl7CDeDB4/s400/sport.jpg” border=”0″ />And my husband is practically gaga over her sports antiques!
Happy Travels!
Rau Antiques – The Armory Show NYC
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>The lesson of the day is that the contacts in a Diva’s “Little Black Book” are worth their weight in gold – or rather make that jewels, fine art and authentic Versailles furniture! I’ve just added a contact to my address book that will have you swooning.
to 10px; WIDTH: 288px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TJXKtv6TDuI/AAAAAAAAFHc/aFBTG8-OTPM/s400/Rau3.jpg” border=”0″ />A scheduling conflict had my smile turned positively upside down to miss both the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris and The Armory Show in NYC. You know my motto reads “Love antiques, will travel for world-class antique fairs and flea markets”…so you can imagine my sorrow at having to sit out not just one, but two. While moaning to friend and business contact Saxon Henry of Roaming by Design over my misfortune, Sax had the perfect solution to my problems. While she couldn’t clone me so I could be in two places at once, she could introduce me to a friend of hers who just so happened to be attending both events this fall. The next best thing to being in both Paris and New York is knowing someone who will be – someone who could fill in both me and my readers on the crème de la crème of these antiques events so that even when I’m home on the range I won’t miss a moment of the action.
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TJXKsMoJo0I/AAAAAAAAFHE/HMbAFQxza38/s400/Champagne-in-Paris.jpg” border=”0″ />Enter “Candid Kellogg,” the soupcon of style, whose jet set life has me wanting an upgrade on my frequent flyer account. As I type back at the office in Berlin, Candid Kellogg is living la diva loca in Paris, sipping champagne and making me green with envy… Just like “snap, crackle, pop,” Kellogg sets aside her crystal flute to share with Diva Readers a contact from her little black book to yours.
Candid Kellogg writes:
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 185px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TJXKtyk81yI/AAAAAAAAFHk/chIus-HNS18/s400/Rau+Antiques.jpg” border=”0″ />“As the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris winds down this week (ending on September 22nd), and you find yourself returning to the other side of the Atlantic looking for a museum-quality Monet, Norman Rockwell, authentic Versailles furniture, or a quirky Enigma Machine, then step into the Rau Antiques booth at the Armory show this fall, September 30 to October 3.
Bill Rau, the third generation owner of this venerable, prestigious antiques and fine arts gallery based on Royal Street in New Orleans since 1911, has a master’s eye when it comes to acquiring spot-on antiques and, lately, pedigreed fine art, a category that has shown a marked increase in the past 18 months.
Rau Antiques is a sprawling 30,000 sq ft gallery, with a neighboring townhouse called Le Salon, which offers the connoisseur and visitor to New Orleans an impeccable and historical tour of 18th and 19th century decorative arts.
to 10px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 161px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TJXKtc9yg7I/AAAAAAAAFHU/nN8zCEi88OY/s400/Rau1.jpg” border=”0″ />Just one of the items in his extensive collection that has me drooling is a Paul de Lamerie Sterling Coffee Pot. Incredibly rare, this sterling coffee pot, crafted by leading Georgian silversmith Paul de Lamerie, features finely engraved and repoussé decoration in this lavish Rococo example with shells, lion masks and richly detailed foliage. De Lamerie, considered for more than 250 years as the pre-eminent English silversmith of all time, he created some of the finest Georgian silver ever made, and also fused English Queen Anne elements with French Rococo style. He is simply unrivaled, and works similar to this coffee pot can be found in museums and important private collections around the globe. Hallmarked London, 1742. 8 1/4″ wide x 8 1/2″ high”.
If Candid Kellogg has you salivating for more fine art and antiques, you must visit Rau Antiques Booth at The Armory Fair this fall.
September 30 – October 3, 2010
Antiques and Art at the Armory features more than 50 dealers from around the world, specializing in high-end antiques and art. The show is vetted to ensure the highest quality and assurance of authenticity.
Special thanks to “Candid Kellogg” and her touch down from Paris! And stay tuned for more!
Until Next Time,
Save the Date Berlin: The Art of Entertaining
When I learned that CHEFinBERLIN was offering an “Art of Entertaining Workshop” I knew you needed to know about it!
27 September @ 13:00
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 317px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TIEMmUrZ5cI/AAAAAAAAFF8/5RQUa3jwvmY/s400/Chef+in+Berlin.png” border=”0″ />You’re planning, shopping, cooking and working on the details for your perfect dinner party. Excellent table service is also an important component of entertaining. Will it be buffet or plated service, which side do you serve from, how do you place your glasses and arrange the cutlery? Learn how to set your table properly, make different napkin folds, carry more than two plates at a time and other excellent tips from Berlin’s top restaurant instructor, Robert Plucinsky. Using amusing props and a light-hearted approach he teaches service hospitality for home and business. Please join us for this unique opportunity.
►Cost: 20 €
Please email to:CHEFinBERLIN@me.com”>CHEFinBERLIN@me.com for registration details and address.
Ciao for now!
Treasures on Tuesday – Eat Your Colors
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>My friend Jill DiGiovanni of “Chef in Berlin” – a Berlin Germany based Caterer and English-language cooking school – loves colorful food! Jill writes, “I really like colorful food ~ vibrant squash, heirloom tomatoes, black garlic, peppers, beans, flavored salts (the list is endless).” But when I told her about the Antique French Barbotine Knife Rests for sale in my online shop “Treasures” by The Antiques Diva™, “Chef in Berlin” said she had the perfect dish to pair with this great turn-of-the-century treasure from the South of France. Chef in Berlin exclaimed, “You MUST try Truffle Potatoes!”
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 364px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TE7q9Z0LZwI/AAAAAAAAFD0/rdThtIdZrxM/s400/web.jpg” border=”0″ />“Chef in Berlin” explains:
“Germans call them truffle potatoes. Upon opening the pack it’s easy to see these are from the ancient Andes culture called Peruvian purple. They have a very long history stretching continents. The skin is dark, almost black and spotted with many eyes. Inside is a vibrant purple flesh. After cooking them the skin becomes almost dark grey and the flesh is an amazing deep purple. These Peruvian purples are the mealiest of all the fingerlings. They are great roasted or fried. Mix them with redskin and white potatoes for a vibrant potato salad. I like mine with a simple vinaigrette tossed with steamed green beans. I recently saw them on a menu at CAFÉ LOFT in Potsdam. They served them boiled with quark (German sort of cottage cheese). However you serve them they’ll make your next meal dazzle with color. Not only that, they taste ummm really much like a normal potato!”
“When purchasing make sure to buy ones that are plump and not shriveled, no sprouting eyes, soft spots or blemishes. Don’t store them in the frig because the starch will turn to sugar and they will become sweet. They’ll keep at room temp or in a cool place for approx 2 weeks. Your extra tip for today is to keep them away from onions and uncooked broccoli because they will decay more quickly from the gas that those veggies give off. That not only goes for potatoes but, in fact, any type of veggie.”
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TE7q9iGdpQI/AAAAAAAAFD8/eQcgJLganuk/s400/web2.jpg” border=”0″ />Chef in Berlin German Truffle Potato Recipe for 2:
- 6-8 potatoes (in general they are all small potatoes)
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsely (or any mix of fresh washed herbs)
- salt and pepper fresh ground from the mill
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TE7qXi451xI/AAAAAAAAFDk/lJgfvwR_3l4/s400/antique+barbotine+knife+rests2.jpg” border=”0″ />$45 (or 35 Euro) – And Remember at “Treasures” by The Antiques Diva™ prices include international shipping!
Until Next Time,
(Seen right at La Maison du Chocolate in Potsdam)
Guest Blog: Souvenirs de la Reine: Shopping for Blue Onion Pottery in Berlin
to 10px; WIDTH: 227px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 302px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TChV4kQRPHI/AAAAAAAAE7w/Pee5tNbHvmY/s400/blue2.jpg” border=”0″ />So it’s no surprise that many of my antiques are blue. The white shelves surrounding my fireplace are carefully arranged with my blue travel treasures:
- blue and white tulip vase from Delft, Holland
- cobalt blue vase studded with silver I found in a souk in Marrakesh
- petite blue oil painting of Paris
- blue and cream Dutch KLM house found in an antiques shop in Amsterdam
- blue swirl glass bowl from Kosta Boda I found at their outlet store in Sweden
- pale blue Limoges oyster plate I found in Savannah
- dark blue fleur de lys on white platter from Madrid
- blue and white taper candles from France
- cobalt blue and white cake plate from Royal Copenhagen I found in Copenhagen
to 10px; WIDTH: 302px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TChV5U5PW8I/AAAAAAAAE8A/33YhuR8DHe0/s400/blue+3.jpg” border=”0″ />Are you seeing a pattern? So on a recent visit to The Antiques Diva in Berlin, I had a mission: a piece of my favorite German Blue Onion Zwiebelmuster pottery. I have pieces in both the German Meissen pattern and the Czech pattern, I’m all inclusive!
And not only did I want Zwiebelmuster, I wanted antique. And more specifically, I wanted a lidless Zwiebelmuster crock to put on my stove and hold cooking utensils. The Antiques Diva was on the case! Our first stop (after Starbucks for my daily addiction of a Tall Skim Chai Latte, extra hot bitte) was the Berliner Antik und Flohmarkt. And as we wandered the stalls, the Diva introduced me to a vendor specializing in blue & white. It was love at first site. And as I browsed the crowded shop, I found my newest treasure:
to 10px; WIDTH: 322px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 243px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TChV5BVDleI/AAAAAAAAE74/zHPXAJimRjU/s400/blue4.jpg” border=”0″ />If you look at the two crocks I’m holding, you can see they both say the word cocoa in German: Cacao. and Kakao. As I had only seen cocoa spelled with a “k” auf Deutsch, we were treated to a little history of German grammar lesson by the proprietor. Herr explained, “In the early 1900s, the German government implemented the Deutsch Rightig Sprechen und Schreiben. These new grammar laws standardized the spelling, pronunciation and punctuation of the German language throughout the country. As a result,Cacao. became Kakao.”
Who knew?to 10px; WIDTH: 302px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TChV5hQQLrI/AAAAAAAAE8I/UE3NA9O2ZvQ/s400/Picture1.jpg” border=”0″ />If you, too, love the Blue Onion pattern, you may be interested to know:
- it’s not an onion at all, in fact it’s a pomegranate!
- this pattern was copied by Meissen from Asian pottery in the mid-18th century, and soon copied by other pottery manufacturers, most famously Czech factories, who produced a much more affordable version
- Meissen Zwiebelmuster is treasured by traditional German housewives. In fact, when I travel Germany visiting my many family members, I’m always served kuchen und kaffee on their treasured Zwiebelmuster
- Blue Onion is readily available in the US online at ebay or Replacements
La Reine’s Shopping Tip:
You can find your own blue “Treasures” by The Antiques Diva by shopping her new online brocante. Recent blue treasures include vintage Delft pottery, tiles, and vases.
Happy Shopping!
La Reine
PS. Enjoyed today’s post? You can read more a La Reine’s great blogs at She’s Shopping Now!
Diva News Network with Special Guest: Chef in Berlin – Making Tea Time Treats
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>In this special Diva News Network I invited my good friend Jill DiGiovanni to be a special guest on DNN! Together we’re going to show you some behind the scenes details on preparing some super simple recipes for doing an Afternoon Tea Party – Diva Style! Jill is the brains and beauty behind the international cooking school (and exclusive caterer) Chef in Berlin.
Diva News Network with Special Guest Chef in Berlin
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Happy Entertaining!
The Antiques Diva™
(Photo Credit Right: CrissCross)
PS. I’d love to see how you entertain! Send me some pictures to post on my site of your next tea party! toma@antiquesdiva.com
Diva News Network: Tea at the Hotel Adlon
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>Often blog readers write and ask me for travel advice – they ask for hints and tips of diva-worthy and luxe outings to do while criss-crossing Europe. Today I thought I would share with you one of my favorite Sunday afternoon excursions when I’m at home in Berlin. I love nothing more than taking tea at the Hotel Adlon located on the famous Unter den Linden nearby Brandenburg Gate, The Jewish Memorial, a hop skip and jump away from the Reichstag and mere blocks from my Mitte alt-bau apartment. This famous 5-star hotel is rich in history!
For tourists in Berlin, the lobby of the Hotel Adlon is an excellent place to take a break – be it for coffee, tea or cocktails – while out touring the city or as you’re entering and exiting the hotel from your room upstairs. Ensconced in luxe-surroundings you can imagine Berlin as it used to be…and people-watch indeed. You never know when you’re going to see a celebrity! Remember when I bumped into Bono at the Hotel Adlon last year? And just a few months ago I saw the entire crew from Ghost Writer as they hopped into their chauffeured cars for the Berlinale film festival! And remember that infamous scene when Michael Jackson dangled his son out one of the hotel’s windows during a visit in 2002? You never know who or what you’ll see at the Adlon! In fact, keep your eye out for me – it’s one of my favorite locale haunts!
Until next time,PS. It’s Tea week at “Treasures” by The Antiques Diva™ – See what sensational tea-themed items we have in store for you!
Dutch Mania: From Delft to Bicycles
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>My good friend Shirley Agudo – an international author and photographer – happens to have a serious case of Delft Mania! Her kitchen is filled to the brim with a sensational collection of Delft that captures the essence of Holland! Of course, it should come as no surprise that she’s caught the Dutch craze for blue & white – she’s down-right addicted to all things Dutch! A long-term American expat living in Holland, she’s also captured the essence of Holland in her book Bicycle Mania – a wonderful read about the Dutch bicycle obsession!
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 191px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TBDjaTQN02I/AAAAAAAAE4g/qy5TAwvpoCs/s400/invite.jpg” border=”0″ />Shirley and I met when I was living in Holland and we bonded immediately over tulips and pancakes, but now, just as I moved from Holland to Berlin, Shirley’s following suit! Okay, sadly for me, she’s not moving to Berlin, but she is here to visit me this weekend for the international launch of the 2nd edition of her book Bicycle Mania right here in Berlin!!! Shirley is going uber-international with her gallery opening this Friday night at Urban Cycle Gallery in Berlin.
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TBDhsNC6P6I/AAAAAAAAE4A/N6qrItbW9nI/s400/BicycleM_FINAL-2-74.jpg” border=”0″ />Join international author and photographer Shirley Agudo this Friday night in Berlin at
Urban Cycle Gallery
Fehrebellinerstrasse 17
10119 Berlin
Photography Gallery Opening
June 11 – 7-10pm
Never fear, should you miss the fete this Friday, you can still see the exhibit! It’s on from June 11-26 and is a guaranteed good time!
Until next time,
(seen right with author/photographer Shirley Agudo in Berlin last month)
The Better To See You With, My Dear…
“They are vintage… don’t you just love them? I figured if I had to wear glasses, I might as well wear frames with personality!”
Next time you’re at a flea market and see a basket blooming with frames why don’t you take a gander and see if you can find a pair that you could bring your ophthalmologist to fit with new lenses!? And by the way, doing so might just save you a bundle – most of the frames in this pot were marked around 2 – 5 Euro!
If you want to save money & create your own one-of-kind style, going vintage is the way to go! Of course – I think my husband, The Wine Guy, and I are taking the “vintage spectacle thing” a tad too far….
Seeing is believing,
The Antiques Diva™
P.S. Stay tuned to “The Better To See You With, Part Deux” later this week….
Soup’s On: Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
from “Treasures” by The Antiques Diva™
Dear Diva Readers,
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>Soup is a staple in the Diva Household. After a hard day’s work hitting the flea markets, I love nothing more than to return home and dish up a steaming bowl of Roasted Tomato Soup. Often we serve alongside this dish a modern, diva-inspired twist on the classic American toasted cheese sandwich, substituting Kraft singles with brie or camembert! This substitute was made out of necessity when we first moved to Paris and couldn’t find American cheese – but now it’s one of our favorite comfort foods for casual weekends at home! While tomato soup of any kind is down-right tasty, following is my favorite Tomato Soup recipe courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa!
tomato-basil-soup-recipe/index.html” target=”_blank”>The Barefoot Contessa’s Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
• 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 quart chicken stock or water
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.
In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
to 10px; WIDTH: 229px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S-EoYmHRcNI/AAAAAAAAEsk/0lHhpwtXceo/s400/Chef+in+Berlin.jpg” border=”0″ />Located in Berlin? Take Cooking Lessons with Chef in Berlin!
Jill DiGiovanni, a Berlin-based Canadian chef with over 25 years experience, is now offering cooking lessons and promises to share her wisdom, teaching you to “Cook like a Pro, while eating like a Queen!”
BASIC KNIFE SKILLS – Thursday May 6 from 18:00 to 21:00
NO COOK PASTA SAUCES – Wednesday May 12 from 18:00 to 21:00
APPS & SWEETS IN GLASS – Thursday May 20 from 18:00 to 21:00
MAKE AHEAD GOURMET – Wednesday May 26 from 18:00 to 21:00
Price per Class – 35 € per person
Contact to:CHEFinBERLIN@me.com”>CHEFinBERLIN@me.com for class outline, list of tools required or any other questions! No experience required (seriously!), class size limited to 10 participants. Tell your friends and come together – it’s fun!
TREASURES ON TUESDAYS!to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S-AiDRA6qVI/AAAAAAAAEsU/edIv7ffAk1c/s400/224.JPG” border=”0″ />Soup’s On! Serve up something sensational with this Vintage Silver Plate (marked) Soup Ladle in green felt-lined box. Purchased at the famed French Flea Market – La Foire Nationale a la Brocante et Aux Jambons in the Parisian suburb of ile de Chatou, this ladle originates from the late 19th to early 20th C and is as functional today as it was nearly 100 years ago!
“TREASURES” by The Antiques Diva™
European Antiques, Vintage Finds & Objects of Curiosity!
http://www.treasuresbytheantiquesdiva.blogspot.com/
Bon Appetit!
The Antiques Diva™
