We are so proud of our former intern, Iisha, who was chosen as a volunteer to help decorate the White House for the holidays!  What an amazing opportunity and challenge!  I don’t know about you, but decorating my 1930s cottage for the holidays sometimes seems overwhelming, so can you imagine what goes into decorating a 55,000 square foot national landmark!

Each year a theme is chosen for the White House’s holiday decor.  I wish I could transform my holiday decor from year to year!   This year’s theme is “A Children’s Winter Wonderland” which celebrates the Christmas spirit as viewed through the eyes of a child.  Iisha flew to Washington D.C. on Thanksgiving Day and spent the next five days in a whirwind of holiday decorating, surrounded by tinsel and ornaments galore!  The White House provides the volunteers with decor, tools, and inspiration photos to help them complete this enormous task.  Iisha worked individually and as part of a team to decorate two rooms and a hallway in the East Wing of the White House.

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 Iisha with one of the many White House Christmas Trees!

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A Winter Wonderland!

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Iisha and the Obama’s dogs- Bo and Sunny

This year’s theme also honored the Armed Forces and their families.  The East Wing featured a Christmas Tree decorated with gold ornaments which represented our nation’s fallen heroes.  Iisha also had the privilege of being chosen as one of a few volunteers to greet military families on a holiday tour of the White House.  This was particularly meaningful for Iisha because her dad served in the U.S. Army.

On the final night of her stay, Iisha attended a volunteer reception where the first lady made a speaking appearance!  To top it off, Iisha met Genevieve Gorder, who is hosting an HGTV special on the 2014 White House Christmas decor.  The special will replay on December 24 at 7am/6 c on HGTV, so set your DVR and tune in!

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Be sure to check out #WHHolidays for some behind the scenes experiences of White House visitors.

Congratulations Iisha on this honor and thank you for sharing your White House holiday experience with Material Girls!

Have you been “Keeping up with the Kardashians” lately? Well, if you have, then you know the youngest sister of the Kardashian clan has put her Tarzana, CA mansion on the market!

It looks like after filing for divorce on December 13, 2013 Khloe is ready for a fresh start for 2014.
The 8000 sq. ft. home that the reality star shared with former NBA husband Lamar Odom for four years is for sale for a cool $5.499 million.
The gated Mediterranean-style home has 7 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, a den, home theater, office and 3 custom closets according to redfin.com.
The glam and over the top décor throughout the home is exactly what you would expect from a Kardashian. Take a look inside!

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Khloe’s talented Los Angeles based interior designer Jeff Andrews is responsible for this “glam-traditional” office.

 

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 The two office chairs were vintage chairs that Khloe already owned and were simply reupholstered. Its great to see that celebrities re-purpose furniture too!

 

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 The Marilyn Monroe dining room has rich neutral tones and looks cozy for entertaining.

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The dark browns from the kitchen continue into the family room on this spacious sectional. I love the custom pillows and saw this fabric on F. Schaumcher’s website.   If you noticed the same fabric  was used on the desk chair in the office.

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More custom pillows in the master bedroom backed by a chocolate velvet upholstered headboard.

SR14004993_5_0The gameroom Jeff designed has fun pops of orange and a zebra area rug- a super dramatic space!

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Her neutral bathroom is a mix of travertine stone and wood stained cabinets.

 

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Lots of palm trees and lush landscaping…what else would you expect being in LA?image (3)

The outdoor living area looks like a resort right in their backyard!  I bet she throws some nice pool parties here!

See more Kardashian and other celebrity spaces designed by Jeff Andrews on his website.

Aerin Lauder has released her first book, Beauty at Home. The inspiring coffee table book takes you into her stylish Manhattan apartment, Hampton home and Madison Avenue office.

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I’m so excited she has given us all a glimpse into these private spaces and personal tips on how to recreate her look in your own home.

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Being the granddaughter of Estee Lauder, Aerin is familiar elegance and sophistication.  She talks about her iconic grandmother throughout the book and what lessons she taught her.  Aerin has taken those words of advice and created her own “effortless style”.  The beautiful photographs in her book display many items from Aerin’s home collection.

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Beauty at Home is available on Aerin.com. You can also shop her home furnishings such as lighting, rugs and fabrics.

Is there any field famed designer Nate Berkus has not tried to conquer? There is no need to answer that because we all know he is popping up everywhere. Oprah has given him his own talk show, he has a bestselling book, and still has time to manage a firm. Host, author, designer- he wears many hats and can now add to that list because his new fall line for Target just hit stores!

This post is paying homage to all his career roles.

He has a great approach to how he conquers residential design. His philosophy is that the rooms should tell the story of who the owners are and reflect their personalities.

Imagine working at his Chicago firm in this open environment!

This just seems like the coolest space to make dinner in each evening. I love that he made the industrial finishes appear so warm.

The play with color, lighting, and shape makes this bathroom very fresh and fun.

The modern art pieces selected really help exagerrate the angles and length of the living room. And who else can make a silver bean bag not seem tacky?

I love the mix of textures and rich tones. The different patterns all compliment each other to create something visually interesting.

I am probably a little biased since I am a sucker for yellow but I wish this was my master walk-in closet!

You were warned about the yellow! Berkus also has fabric lines with fabricut and calico.

I can’t get over this print and color combination!

This honeycomb wall art is part of his new line for Target. Hexagons may turn out to be the shape of the year!

If you are looking for something riskier, this gold and black pillow for Target would do the trick to add edge to your room!

Since Nate is constantly reinventing himself, pushing his talent and clearly not afraid to try new things I cannot wait to see what he does next!

If there are two things I completely obsess over, it is great design and celebrity gossip. I too often get carried away catching up on the lifestyles of the rich and famous. So naturally,  I was thrilled to discover (via Elle Decor) Cameron Diaz had enlisted Kelly Wearstler (our idol) to bring a taste of Hollywood to her Manhattan apartment. Consider it, West Village meets West Coast.

Cameron just took on the role of Artistic Director for the fashion-accessories label Pour La Victoire and so she already knew the space needed color. A lot of the signature pieces in the living room, including the stunning chandelier, are vintage.

Wearstler considered Diaz as more of a collaborator in this design rather than a client since she was very involved with the process.

The rooms reflect her personality- “innately sexy but not overly flashy” (-KW).  Lighting plays such an important role in this design story and the richness of the emerald green cabinets, along with the mirrored walls definitely give off that movie star vibe.

The bedroom really showcases the glamour and true to high-end couture, no detail is overlooked. Even the chest drawers are lined with raw black silk!

I love the glass tiling and metallic finishes used in the master bathroom!

If this guest bathroom does not scream luxe, nothing will! The apartment transitions from rich tones in gold and green to subtler palettes reminiscent of 1970’s fashion and I am sure Team Kelly and Cameron have now created new trends to be inspired by and follow!

The countdown has begun!  There’s a brand new royal on the way, and the baby prince or princess is expected any day now.  July 11th is the official due date of the future monarch of the United Kingdom (third in line after the baby’s father and grandfather).  According to tradition, the news of the baby’s birth will be posted on a gold easel outside Buckingham Palace and there will be gun salutes, flag flying, and bell pealing.  With so much hype going around about The Duchess of Cambridge’s pregnancy, we can’t help but ask ourselves the question, “what does the royal nursery look like?”

According to acclaimed British interior designer Oliver Burns,  the nursery is expected to be of a traditional nature, which should come as no surprise.  Mr. Burns has actually prepared a few sketches of what he expects it to look like.

 

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The royal baby will have its own suite at Kensington Palace Apartment 1A, just like the baby’s father and brother.  The new Kensington Palace baby suite is said to have cost an estimated $1.5 million!  Im sure it’s filled with the finest of everything!  After all, would you expect anything less for the future king or queen of England?

We may not have royals here in the states, but, we’ve got the next best thing… celebrities!  And boy do they like to have babies!  Here’s a peak at some of my favorite celeb nurseries that just might give Kate and Wills a run for their money!

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Mariah Carey’s nursery is full of pink and green for her twins.  Check out that huge giraffe in the corner!  I’m loving the drapery treatments around the cribs!

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Jennifer Lopez’s nursery for her twins is pretty regal if you ask me!  The crown like canopies over the cribs and the chandelier and fixtures dripping in crystals would definitely make any royal baby feel right at home!

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Dr. Phil and his wife recently renovated one of the rooms in their home for their baby granddaughter.  Just look at those flowing blush pink silk curtains, and the damask wallpaper!   If my room looked like this at my grandparents house, I’d never leave!

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Kim Kardashion is rumored to have been looking at this bed for her new baby’s nursery.  All that silver leafing and detail! Wow!

I’ve always been a fan of Restoration Hardware’s baby nurseries.  If you ask me, I think they’re regal in their own right!

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Tim Gunn!

 

Last week I had the amazing honor and opportunity of interviewing the one and only Tim Gunn!  Watch the video here! Be sure to turn your volume up!

Tim has been one of my favorite TV celebrities ever since I watched the very first episode of Project Runway years ago.  I also look up to Mr. Gunn as a role model.  His career in design is truly inspirational.  He’s basically covered everything from architecture to fashion!  His perfect mannerisms, dress, and personality are nothing short of captivating.  And let’s not forget about his outrageously extensive vocabulary that he’s so well known for, as well as the famous ‘Make It Work’ quote that he coined!

In the interview, you’ll find that his love for architecture and design started with Legos as a child! Legos were a a favorite of mine growing up as well (and I’ll admit, I still like playing with them as an adult).  It always seemed that my brothers and I usually got a new set for birthdays or at Christmas.  Who knew such a simple toy could lead to design stardom! (in Tim’s case anyways!)

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He’s also written a few books along the way.  I highly recommend picking up one or two if you’re a book junkie like me!

 

Gunn's Golden Rules

Gunn’s Golden Rules is my favorite!

A Guide To Quality, Taste and Style

A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style will show you how to always have impeccable style that is timeless.

Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible

Tim Gunn’s Fashion Bible is a great go-to when you find your self in a fashion conundrum!

I hope you enjoyed my video interview with Tim Gunn!

A special thank you to Mr. Tim Gunn and Caroline Ambuhl of
Sullivan and Partners

When I was a senior in high school, one of the items on the required reading list was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.  After chapter 1, I was hooked.  It’s a beautiful story, and if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it before you see the movie (scheduled to premier May 10th).  The descriptions of the life of the wealthy in the 1920’s is mesmerizing.

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Original book cover of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby

A life full of partying, prosperity, and feeling the need to be free from the constraints of what was deemed socially acceptable at the turn of the 1900th century brought around the Art Deco movement.  A call for new fashion, new architecture, and new furniture and home decor!  Immediately everything went streamline, architecturally as well as decor.  Geometric shapes, and bold colors were all the rage.

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A real 1920’s beauty bedecked all in dazzling Cartier jewelry.

Baz Luhrmann is by far my favorite movie director and producer.  He can take a old classic story and turn it into something new and over the top like no one else.  You can totally see what I mean if you’ve ever watched Moulin Rouge, or Romeo and Juliet.  His adaptation of The Great Gatsby has once again totally hit the mark with his impeccable style and lavish ways of transforming something great, into something even greater.  If you ask me, I think he’s done a remarkable job defining the 1920’s era by putting a modern day spin on it.

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The stunning Leonardo Dicaprio as Jay Gatsby.

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Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan

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Now this is the kind of entry hall I’m talkin’ about!  This is where Gatsby hosts all of his lavishly epic parties.  It’s the perfect atmosphere if you as me!

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Welcome to the party!  The outside movie set of the famous swimming pool/fountain party scene.  Looks like a blast!

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Take a look at Gatsby’s bedroom.  The clean lines and no frills make it the perfect bedroom for such a dashingly dapper bachelor.

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Daisy’s sitting room exudes femininity with all it’s pinks and blushing hues, accented by soft whites and golds.  I’m loving that patterned rug and long fringed throw over that side chair!

Even Tiffany and Co. has gotten into the spirit of the movie.  They’ve designed an entire collection devoted to Daisy, the leading female role in the movie.  If you visit their flagship store in NYC, you’ll find their famous window displays bedazzled with 1920’s glamour in  honor of the movie.

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Daisy's Handpiece

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Looking for that special outfit to go along with your new diamonds and pearls from Tiffany’s? Just stroll on down to the Brooks Brother’s flagship store on Madison Ave.  They’ve transformed their store with a vintage 20’s ambiance that’s sure to make you want to pop open a bottle of bubbly!

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Still can’t get enough of that fabulous Art Deco style?  Take a gander at these gorgeous rooms!

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I love the soft golden back drop of this room.  The ebony furniture pieces make a dramatic contrast against it.  The marble floor inlay is breath taking, and look at that console on the back wall!  I’m in love with the Greek Key motif in white that borders its edges!

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One of my favorite pieces of furniture in a grand home like this one, is an entry table that sits in the center of a foyer.  It’s so stately!

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Let’s face it, deep down, everybody wants a grand sweeping staircase like this to walk down every morning.  I know I sure do!

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This Art Deco interior embodies the clean and simple shapes found in many period buildings.  Check out all that silver leafing on the ceiling!

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This Parisian apartment designed in in the early 20’s is still fashionable today!  Just look at the shape of the cocktail table, and the gilded screen behind the sofa!

Deco Wall Papers

I’ve always been in love with these simple and sophisticated prints from the 1920’s.  These wallpapers are still a classic, even after 93 years!

So, if you haven’t bought your ticket yet, what are you waiting for?! This is definitely a movie you don’t want to miss on the silver screen!

Last week we had the honor of being invited to High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina!  We were more than thrilled when we were contacted to host a tour of new vendors at the Suites at Market Square building.

Our first evening there really set the tone for the entire trip.  Material Girl Lauren, Material Guy Nathan, our friend Meg of LeSueur Interiors, and I made our first stop at the CR Laine showroom for a little get together with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.  While we were there, we met up with Material Girl Jill, and our fabulous friend Christian, of Maison21.  It was a great first night in High Point!  What could be more fun than having a blast with friends in a gorgeous showroom, while meeting other fellow designers and design bloggers?!

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 The Material Guy and I at CR Laine!

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Material Girls Lauren and Emily with Meg Lonegran! Check out that awesome Schumacher fabric on the wing chair and accent pillow!  It’s perfect with that sofa!

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Emily, Rachel and Meg with design blogger Nicole of So Haute!

Our first full day was just that…. a FULL day of shopping, checking out all the vendors we could possibly squeeze into one day, and spotting all the new stuff we could see!  We found a ton of new and exciting vendors that we can’t wait to start using in our designs!  There is so much to see at High Point Market, we feel like we barely scratched the surface!

Amazing new lamps at Visual Comfort-

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We brought home lots of great new vendor sources to use on our client projects!

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The Bungalow 5 showroom was amazing in person!

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We’ve always been a fan of glass knots as accessories.  These beauties are from Sklo.

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We met Tara Shaw of New Orleans, who couldn’t have beem more nice!  It was incredible that she gave us a one on one tour of her booth while we were there.

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We loved these guys too!  Their look is fresh and exciting, with great use of color and materials.

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On day #2, we hosted our Material Girl tour through the Suites at Market Square.  It was really special to be able to meet and connect with some of our devoted readers!  The vendors I targeted on the tour Nathan and I hosted were Festoni, The Detroit Wallpaper Co., CHC Art, Louise Gaskill Lighting, Tamarian Carpets, Saddleman’s of Sata Fe, and Tara Shaw.  We had a really good group, and we think they enjoyed their tour!  We know we sure did!

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Tamarian Carpets

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CHC Art

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The Detroit Wallpaper Co.

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Louise Gaskill Lighting

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Saddleman’s of Santa Fe

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Our tour group at Tara Shaw!

After our tour….. you guessed it!  More shopping and scouting for new vendors to add to our list!  We found some good ones!

Of course Aerin Lauder (and her new collection at Visual Comfort) was s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g!

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Regina Andrew had some great new lighting and accent furniture pieces that are to die for also!

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Loving this wheel bookcase from Noir!

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The agate series from Wendover are so colorful and each one is really unique.  We will be specifying these asap for a client.

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After another full day of shopping, checking out vendors, showrooms, and hosting tours, it was time for the famed Halo party!  What a great way to spend our last night in High Point!  We were finally able to get all the Material Girls that were at market all together in the same place, at the same time!  It was a blast getting to hang out at the fab Halo showroom and share a glass of champagne with our fellow Material Girls!

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From left to right: Nathan (Dallas), Emily (Dallas), Julia (Chicago), Jill (LA), and Lauren (Houston). We missed you Rebecca (New York)!

Our last day in High Point was short, but we were still able to squeeze in a few more places to see! Our first stop was Oly Studio’s showroom.  It was beautiful with it’s clean and crisp white color scheme.  Have always wanted to see their pieces all in one space and they certainly did not disappoint!

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The biggest highlight of the day we found at the Vanguard showroom.  As we were walking through, we turned the corner, and low and behold, there was Thom Felicia!  How adorable is he and his greek key belt? Love!

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Before we headed back to our hotels to pack up and head to the airport, we were able to have a fantastic roof top lunch over looking High Point.  A perfect way to end a spectacular trip to market that we’ll never forget!

We’d like to give a big thank you to the High Point Market staff and vendors who all helped make 2013 Spring Market memorable and successful! See you next year! 

Hello Tomorrow!

Traveling internationally used to be so glamorous.  I loved ABC’s TV show Pan Am, even though it only aired for a short while.  It depicted what traveling in style used to be.  I’ve always enjoyed travel, and the thoughts and possibilities of adventures and fabulous things that await in far off lands.  A few years ago I went to the movies with one of my best girlfriends, Katelin, and watched Sex and the City 2.  I was mesmerized by their flight to Abu Dhabi, and the airline they flew on….. Emirates!  I immediately had to find out all about it!  As it turns out, Emirates (I believe anyways) is the most fabulous airline in the world.  It’s reminiscent of Pan Am in it’s glory days, and they definitely bring back all the glitz and glam to international travel!

My Partner Tim flew to India two weeks ago, to start our journey into fatherhood.  He was there to meet with doctors, our egg donor, and surrogate.  Back in November, we were looking at flights for him.  I was shocked to find out that for just a little bit more than other airlines, he could fly Emirates!  Boy, was I jealous….big time!  The cabin design and amenities are incredible, and seem to be limitless!

Flight Crew

This is the flight crew.  They dress in this uniform for every flight.  When I went to pick Tim up from the airport on his arrival back to Dallas, I got to see them get off the plane and exit the gate.  They all walked in perfect unison, and looked immaculate after working a 16 hour flight!  Not a wrinkle to be found on their uniforms and not a hair out of place, or a stitch of makeup smudged!  They even carried their matching purses all on the same shoulder!

First Class Cabin

Just take a look at the first class cabins!  Everything is trimmed in gold, and there’s burled walnut everywhere!  Each cabin encloses with sliding doors for privacy.  Check out the built in mini fridge!

First Class Cabins

The design of the first class cabin is really extraordinary.  It makes you feel like you have your own little hotel room in the sky.  Check out the cute little lamps they all have!

Sleep In Flight

Each seat is designed to pull out into a small bed for sleeping.  Just ask one of the ladies of the flight crew, and they’ll bring out your sheets and make your bed up for you when you’re ready to call it a night!

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Of course Kim flies Emirates!  She looks comfy and ready for her flight to Dubai!

Sex and The City Fly Emirates

Here’s Carrie and Samantha having a little chat and admiring their luxurious surroundings.

In Flight Cosmopolitans!

Need to relax?  Enjoy a cosmo at the in-flight bar and lounge!  All drinks are complimentary!

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Mimosa Time!

The in-flight bar and lounge appears to be super swanky considering it’s on an airplane!  It’s sleek design and attention to detail make it a beautiful place to relax and visit with fellow travelers while your flying to your destination.

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Great Bathroom Lighting!

Fabulous Amenities!

And yes, you guessed it… There’s even a spa on the plane! A far cry from the tiny bathrooms that we’re used to on most aircrafts.  I don’t even think my bathroom at home has lighting this good!  It really is just like a flying hotel!

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Tea Time in Business Class

Business class isn’t too shabby either!  You can still fully lounge back in a large comfy seat and watch TV all the way to your final destination.  There’s plenty of storage built in for your carry on and other personals, as well as a large pull out desk area to catch up on any work while you’re in the air, need to email or chat via the web?  It’s no problem with complementary WiFi!

 It amazes me how they can get so much on something that flies 43,000 feet up in the sky!