Of All Places!

After a whirlwind morning at the LA Design Center and a packed power lunch hosted by Elle Decor that was too crowded to eat, I went for a respite at Fig & Olive on the corner of Melrose. While waiting for a table, I spotted a display of books in the lobby. They were stacked on a table where a novice designer had carefully grouped too many books of the same title and color into bundles tied with craft string. However, the very last book caught my eye. "American Places" by Wallace Stegner was resting on the bottom shelf in the corner. Stegner is often referred to as the "Dean of Western Writers," and he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and the U.S. National Book Award in 1977. Realizing it was a first edition and containing photographs of some of America's most treasured natural resources and parks, I was smitten. I offered to buy the book, but the manager instead agreed to a trade of two books that I sell from my shop by renowned designer Mariette Himes Gomez. To Fig & Olive, thank you for letting me find "American Places"

was just another brown book that fit into the decorating scheme. To me, it is a treasure to add to my library. By George, I Found It!