Place. Hawaii

Where is Paula Rath?

2011-11-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

Paula at Chic in City

Fashion and fitness writer Paula Rath ruled with her articles in the now defunct Honolulu Advertiser for 15 years, covering every style story in Hawaii and making a name for herself in the business. But when the venerable newspaper folded, she was not picked up by the competing Honolulu Star-Bulletin (now Honolulu Star-Advertiser). Left in the cold were many avid followers wondering what would be next for her.

That was in June 2010. Paula considered taking time out to “cool it and figure out what came next,” but her husband, retired orthopedic surgeon Jerry Mayfield, merely laughed.
Used to a lively pace, within a week she was crawling up the walls.

Like so many of the newly retired, she considered writing a memoir for her son. “I wanted the freedom of working for myself and being there for Jerry,’ says Paula. But never one to sit still, Paula began planning a new direction. She started a blog. She had it designed by a professional, went out and found advertisers, and picked up where she left off. You can follow her at www.paularath.com.

We have always loved Paula at PLACE for her enthusiasm and support. She is always at the forefront of style trends and has been consistently supportive.

Paula was nervous about blogging about her travels with Jerry, thinking that her followers only wanted to hear about fashion. She soon realized that she was reporting not just on what fashionable people wore, but where they traveled, what their homes looked like and where they ate. It opened up a new world.

Her own career is pretty glamorous in itself, starting with a gig at CBS News in Hong Kong during the Vietnam War, followed by a newspaper in Botswana and magazine in Nigeria. She even once lived on a small Greek Island before it was discovered and overrun by tourists.

When her son left home for school 15 years ago, she suffered such separation anxiety she knew she had to get to work. This led to a series of jobs in public relations and advertising, and even a stint on local television.

She finally landed as a student in the fashion program at Honolulu Community College, learning everything about fashion from the inside out – draping, tailoring, grading, sketching and pattern creation. Upon graduation, while still keeping her PR day job, she opened her own fashion house in Kakaako making one-of-a-kind creations.

This eventually led to the job at the Honolulu Advertiser. She encourages young people today to learn the basics before they try to launch their own careers.

But fashion is her passion (shared today by painting). When asked about fashion trends, Paula says that while she follows them, she rarely adapts them in their entirety for herself. Each season she will select only one or two that suit her own look and body type.

“Long skirts are back. I think leggings under a short dress are timeless, and tunics will definitely continue.”

We have devoted an entire room to tunics at PLACE

As far as color, cobalt and royal blue are very happening. She loves the shibori-based prints that have replaced some of the Indian block patterns in popularity.

Cobalt and royal blue are very happening

“It’s about layering in texture. It makes your clothes versatile and it’s been around for several seasons. Layering adds interest and doesn’t necessarily have to ad heat.”

Slim legged pants and jeans work for most body types, she thinks. Even for older fashionistas.

Paula says that lightweight scarves are very big right now, but is sad they’ve never really caught on in Hawaii.

Scarves may not have caught on all over Hawaii,
but we LOVE them and stock them at PLACE

She adds that there is a direction connection between wearable fashion and home accessories. “The colors and textures follow each other,” she says, noting that it all starts in the fabric mills where colors and textures for bedding, pillows and sofas begin at least a year in advance of anything hitting the stores.

Her new fashion jewelry favorites? Watch for the chunky, bold, gold-toned jewelry of Jose and Maria Barrera. You can also catch her writing on the Neiman Marcus blog, www.neimanmarcus.com.

Say yes to chunky bold gold-toned jewelry
like these Sandy Simonian bangles
featured at PLACE

We salute you, Paula!

Platewise - A New Green Alternative!

2011-10-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

"Eco-chic, eco-nomical and eco-logical."

All of us at Place are excited to offer you a new, revolutionary dinnerware option - Platewise! From company Front of the House, Platewise plates, bowls, glasses and other servewares are constructed from natural bamboo fibers and are free of melamine, a harmful toxin found in many generic dinnerware products. Stylish, lightweight and durable, Platewise products look great while keeping a sustainable conscience - everything is biodegradable and will decompose once placed in a landfill!

"[Platewise products] are ideal for high volume, low-maintenance purchasers or for those who simply want to add a fresh, sophisticated yet natural element to plating."

Perfect for new families to avoid the potential danger of glass dinnerware,

weddings, parties, or your own home!

Platewise dinnerware products are available for $9.00 - $30.00 at the Place showroom.

Credit to HotelInteractive.com for the review quotations.

Jade!

2011-08-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

Featuring the intricate, handcrafted

artistry of San Francisco's Eva Dang.

New earring designs made with ancient jade, mixed with pearls, sapphires and carnelian.

Come in today to see these little treasures bridging East and West!

Turban Time!

2011-07-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

Slightly delayed, yet as promised, we've rounded up our team to be styled in Moroccan turbans by Mākena. You can vote for only one to get the 100 camels!

Here's Mākena, the turban stylist and summer recruit for freight management.

Her best friend, Danielle, is home for the summer, from Boston Univeristy, and managing the incoming boxes and crates from exotic places.

Kirsten Merrill is now managing the store and providing Interior Design expertise to customers.

Cheryl Mikel, who you all know by now, has disguised her cheerful self with a lovely scarf from PLACE.

Eliza has just joined us and she brings many "skills and disciplines" to the team, given her accounting and Law background.

Michelle, our accountant, is the most mysterious and normally not on the showroom scene.

Sea Dreams

2011-06-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

Mary Philpotts McGrath of Ka'ea Studios creating "Sea Dreams" series at Linekona

George Woollard of Ka'ea Studios at Linekona preparing ink for the "Sea Dreams" series

Artists Mary Philpotts McGrath and George Woollard of Ka’ea Studios are hard at work on 10 large panels of original prints to be installed in the new Aulani resort where Disney is creating a spectacular spa. The work is called “Sea Dreams,” for a lovely song written by Mary’s mother, Muriel Flanders, back in the 1920s. To Mary, the song tells of the fresh water springs in the pools at Lanikuhonua, the fabled cove close to the resort.

Prints by Mary and George are available at PLACE. Check them out online at

http://www.placehawaii.com/

Thanks, Edd, for the fun photos!
Aloha, Mary

"I'm going to write blogs!"

2011-06-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

Mary Philpotts-McGrath:

I’m going to write blogs! Not routinely, as that’s inconsistent with my “persona.” I live in the Nu’uanu rainforest with my daughter, Marion, and her family right next door. Her daughter, Mākena (an NYU sophomore), is home for the summer and heading up our blog team. You can view her recent trip to Morocco and Paris in her blog post below, entitled "I'm Back!"

Mākena wearing a Berber turban in Morocco

Our staff is soon to be photographed for you to see, styled in Moroccan turbans by Mākena. We're fascinated with this portrait (to the right), so much that my friend and "cohort", Kathy Merrill and I will hop on a plane next month and shop for exotic wearables in fabulous colors, patterns, and prices. We'll post our finds for you!

I'm Back!

2011-06-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

Mākena dishes on her travels to Morocco and France!

Travelling-lover, Mākena Miller, is the daughter of Marion Philpotts-Miller and Grand-daughter of Mary Philpotts-McGrath, and while she’s not attending NYU: Tisch School of the Arts for Drama she’s a summer employee at PLACE, the Design Atelier by Philpotts.

As-Salāmu`Alaykum! Bonjour! and Aloha! I’m back from beautiful Morocco and France and my three week summer vacation was amazing! After visiting the enticing Medina in Marrakech, riding camels in the Sahara, and shopping in Paris I’ve returned home a new woman! Its great to be back and working at PLACE, in fact a lot of the apparel I wore during my trip was from this design atelier.

Take a look!

Mākena wearing a Berber Turban

Bahia Palace, Marrakech Morocco Dadés Valley Gorges

Teal Tunic with white embroidery from PLACE by Philpotts

Shopping and sipping mint tea at a Berber tent in Ouarzazate

Riding Camels in the Sahara Jamaa el Fna square in Marrakech

Ait Benhaddou, Morocco

Blue and White Patterned tunic from Place by Philpotts

Pre-School in Hamilia, Morocco

Kissing "Bob Marley" in The Sahara Desert

Jardin de Louxembourg Paris, France

Pont Alexandre III The Bastille Paris, France

Jewelry Designer Sandy Simonian

2011-06-20T19:24:00.000-07:00

Lizzie de Reus has just discovered a jewelry designer in Honolulu whose work we think is brilliant. Her name is Sandy Simonian. We hope to do a trunk show soon at Place to showcase her work.

In Sandy's light-filled studio, perched on the edge of an extinct volcano in Honolulu, she takes in the view of the Pacific Ocean while designing exquisite jewelry. Influenced by her travels to exotic locales such as Africa, India, and Papua New Guinea, Sandy has collected everything from diamonds and gemstones to primitive old shell currency and antique ivory. To create her organically inspired pieces, Sandy reinvents the objects making them reflect today's new sophistication and chic style. Many pieces use old tribal treasures and unusual, handmade ethnic beads. Others include vintage and antique charms and pendants.

Sandy's collections will appeal to any stylish woman who enjoys owning and wearing distinctive, atypical jewelry made by a true artist.

Our Hilo Hana Workshop!

2011-06-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of happy laughter and learning with the Hilo Hana dynamos last week! Founders and foragers Ty and Clay shared information on harvesting invasive plants and creating wonderful containers from their flora. We intensely listened to the descriptions of their driving to remote beaches for drift wood, from which they made a whole new array of sculptures to hang or style into centerpieces.

Pictured are Ty and Clay creating a "basket" or "ball" from an invasive vine. They will be back before the holidays to do an intensive two-to-three day workshop during which anyone who registers can create gifts of vine wreaths and basket centerpieces.

If you are not on our mailing list, register now by sending a message to places@philpotts.net, and we will keep you up-to-date on upcoming workshops, events, and special offers at Place!

TAKING GREEN TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

2011-05-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

MEET OUR NEW ASSOCIATE

2011-05-23T14:42:00.000-07:00

Aloha and welcome to the PLACE Blog. My name is Lizzie de Reus and I will be helping you navigate your purchases on the PLACE website. I am part of the PLACE team and will be taking your orders and answering your questions, making shopping on the our website more customer friendly.

Here is how I came to be with you. I have been living on the Big Island of Hawaii for the past 10 years with my architect husband, Mark, and our daughter, Sophie. Like so many stay-at-home Moms living in a small town, I felt I needed the stimulation of a city. I phoned my friend, interior designer Mary Philpotts McGrath and asked for help. Knowing that I had become very adept at shopping online, Mary put me on her new website launch team.

I was so excited about my first week of work at PLACE and being in the big city. The studio that would become my new home each a month was rented sight-unseen. I was over the moon. I arrived at Hertz, where I was asked if I wanted an upgrade. “But of course”, I said, “as long as I have GPS”. I was told to go to slot 35; I found myself slowly approaching a small ship, so big it stuck way out from slot 35. It was a Lincoln Town Car. Could I drive this thing around Honolulu? I went for it.

I was excited to see the studio I had rented (the pictures portrayed a darling little studio,nestled into Pacific Heights). The landlord told me this area was where all the consulates were located and I imagined myself strolling through the neighborhood, looking at all the flags from different nations…NOT!

My faithful GPS got me to Pacific Heights Drive where I found myself steering my ship up a steep hill, careening out my porthole to read the street numbers. I finally found it. There was absolutely NO parking, not even for a Mini Cooper. I found a parking place a mile up the hill, docked my ship, and headed down in my 4-inch platforms, lugging my suitcase, laptop and carryon.

I reached the gate, slowly opened it and looked up to a building that was falling apart. To my right was my studio. I was in a state of shock. I slowly climbed three flights of 2-ft tall cement steps, unlocked the lock box and walked in. Reality hit hard, almost knocking me out of my shoes. The place was only big enough for me to make a 360 degree turn. The bed had not been made, the mattress was disgusting, the pillows stained, and I won’t even mention the comforter.

I turned on my heels and walked out the door, placed the key back in the lock box, and called the landlord. How did he make the pictures look like that? I was devastated, exhausted, and mad. My first thought was that I needed to check into a hotel; my second was that my husband would kill me.

SPRING into SUMMER!

2011-05-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

Mary & Marion's homes featured in Traditional Home Magazine!

2011-05-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

Check out the full articles: Mary's Home & Marion's Home

Check us out!

2011-05-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

New York textile designer John Robshaw's blog offers a glimpse into his inspiration and favorite things...including our very own PLACE, which he made sure to fit into his last Hawaiian vacation.

As always, John Robshaw's gorgeous line of bedding, pillows, and accessories can be found at or special ordered through PLACE!

Pooch Place by PLACE.

2011-05-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

A pooch palace worthy of anyone's princely pet...

Look at what our interior designer Mary Philpotts McGrath and fabric artist Pat Wassel have cooked up for an auction at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel to benefit the Hawaiian Humane Society. They've created a boudoir habitat worthy of the most pampered pet. The attention to detail is right in keeping with the traditions at PLACE. (We have lots of things for people too!).

New tunics!

2011-01-22T03:02:00.000-08:00

Forth edition of the Award-winning Bestseller

2011-01-22T03:01:00.000-08:00