Girls Day Out and A Visit with Kelly Wearstler

Is there anything better than playing hookie and spending the day with your girlfriends? 

My old friend and college roommate Diana was in NYC yesterday so three of us took the opportunity to have a real girls' day out.  Here we are at our fancy lunch at The Modern:

{ Erika patiently tolerates my constant camera action }

{ Me, hiding an emerging pregnant belly, and Diana on the right. Can you see how giddy we are? No kids, no work! Not today! }

After lunching, shopping and museum-ing, we ended our day with tea at Bergdorf's legendary rooftop lunch spot, BG Restaurant.

I've been wanting to come to BG's ever since I read that it had been overhauled by renowned interior designer Kelly Wearstler. 

{ just another day at the office... }

Wearstler has gotten a lot of attention over the past few years - her work is very out-of-this-world-over-the-top-Disco-Hollywood-chic.  Say what you will about her aesthetic, this lady really does have vision and flare. 

{ Via Design Crisis }

{ via Design Crisis }

{ Via Katrina Scott Design }

 { The Viceroy Hotel Miami, Via New York Times Travel }

I do admire her work, if only in a "how in the world did she come up with these ideas??" kind of way.  You can imagine how interested I was to see what she had done with the BG Restaurant, which is basically ground zero for New York's "Ladies Who Lunch".

Well, it was very nice!

{ via seeking decor }

I found BG's decor to be incredibly tasteful, and restrained. The baby blue and grass green colors and the chinoiserie wallpaper were very feminine.

{ Via moi }

{ via wonderland philosophy }

You could also see "pops of Wearstler" in the decor, most obviously in the sea urchin lights that were designed by Jean de Merry. And the gold and black lacquer details which really saved the whole place from looking too "fluffy". 

 { Via Wall Street Journal }

I don't know if Kelly Wearstler was the first designer to use the "French Hooded Chair" but this is certainly one of the more high profile uses.

 { Via Wonderland Philosophy }

Just as I thought to myself, "ohhh so pretty!" my friend Erika said without hesitation, "I just hate those chairs!  So ugly!".  Well, just goes to show you, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder!


A few extra design details... I just loved this 2-foot strip of black lacquer paint that ran along the ceiling, trimmed by heavy molding. It really set off the wallpaper and lent a sophisticated, polished feel.

I am also loving this BG monogram. It is so modern and chic: 

I spotted the monogram everywhere, even on the backs of the chairs and on the front door:

The entry hall on the way to the restaurant is covered in black and white photos of celebs and socialites that have visited BG over the years, hung on a wall covered in a buttery sea grass wallcovering.  Wonder where the wallcovering is from...it's exactly what I want for my new dining room!

What a terrific day with dear friends, topped off by gorgeous, world-class decor.  Wouldn't it be great if every Monday were so remarkable?