Welcome To My House, April 7th

You know that song Welcome To My House by Flo Rida? “Welcome to my house. Baby, take control now. We can’t even slow down. We don’t have to go out. Welcome to my house. Play that music too loud. Show me what you do now. We don’t have to go out. Welcome to my house. (Hey) welcome to my house.” Sound familiar?

Well if you weren’t aware, lots of fashion designers refer to their line of clothing as being “From The House Of.” The origins of this concept started in the 19th Century in Paris (of course). This actually stems from the French word “maison” which translates to “house” and has been used to describe businesses, especially those in fashion. It’s also the case that back then, famous designers had huge multi-use mansions with dedicated business floors. They selected living quarters immediately above the business offices so they quite literally didn’t have to leave the house. What a commute! So the House Of Dior and The House Of Saint Laurent were actual places.

I’ve visited La Galerie Dior in Paris, now an amazing museum, which was at one time the home of Christian Dior plus three ateliers and an impressive staff of 85. (Christian in da house!) It was nothing short of spectacular. Even Diane von Furstenberg aligned her namesake brand with this practiced Parisian protocol by building her uber modern penthouse atop her flagship DVF Store in the Meatpacking District in NYC! How cool?

And speaking of famous houses, who can forget the House Of Lannister, House Of Stark, or House of Baratheon from Game Of Thrones? Each house had a distinct geography and their own King or Lord who ruled over and protected their lands. They had unique customs, foods, weather, and emblematic dress. Armed bannermen and a dedicated, loyal army defended each House. Each sect had a particular symbol boasting their lineage represented by a bold crest. Members of a specific House would even introduce themselves as “Ned Stark of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of The North, First of His Name, and Hand to the King,” for example.

But nobody had a longer title than Danny. Daenerys Targaryen introduced herself with a succinct: “Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons.” How proud they were of their House and heritage! But jeez– thank god they didn’t have business cards back then. Can you imagine? They would have been written either on a full scroll or scribbled in mouse type to fit all those titles.

And this got me thinking. What would my name be now if we were to suddenly abide by this descriptive introductory custom? So here’s what I came up with… “Lady Jen, formerly of House Rabinowitz, The First of Her Name, Leader of the Hungry, Blogger of the East, Seeker of Travel, Maven of Paris, Captain of Crunch, Commander of Calories, Cantor of Creativity, Noble Networker, Empress of Jen’s Little Black Bookdom, and Queen of Deposits.” So take that, Danny! And what might we call you??

Then there are Houses of Worship. Grand structures with big glass windows, soaring ceilings, and podiums housing coveted artifacts, shiny idolatry, and lavish surroundings. They all attempt to be welcoming but impressive at the same time– an inspiring sight for anyone to enter, not only for those who believe, but for those who want to be indoctrinated and converted. On Saturdays and Sundays boisterous emotional crowds might make dedicated pilgrimages and gather inside in groups to observe, marvel, and pay homage to these great Houses. Sometimes strict believers line up just to enter these sanctuaries of worship, motivated to make sizable contributions to ensure the House’s continued survival. And we call these particular Houses luxury stores! Where everyone can pass through the pearly gates of metal detection, but alas, only the anointed few exit with bountiful gifts bearing the House’s name and insignia. And may we all say… Amen!

There’s another song also with the title Welcome To My House by Jesse Howard and NuBreed. “Cause these are my people, And this is my land (this is my land). This is what we prayed for, And this is God’s plan (this is God’s plan). And if you ain’t from here, Then you won’t understand (you won’t understand). This is my country, yeah, this is who I am (this is who I am). So welcome to my house (welcome to my house, my house).” Indeed!

When family and friends visit my house I want them to feel… well… right at home. I want them to be comfortable, relaxed, well fed, entertained, have a sense of safety and a feeling of belonging and I of course want them to have a little fun. I want to provide all the comforts they might expect at their house, but with my thoughtful twist on hospitality. Like super lux bedding. Or the chocolatey whiff of my famous fudgy brownies wafting through the air after dinner. Or the surprise of specialty imported bath products that I purchased just for them. I want to create that familiar but unique home away from home atmosphere so that all guests feel like my oasis is their temporary refuge. After all, living in a City of 8 million people can be overwhelming. So I make the big City feel cozy and manageable with soft surroundings and scrumptious snacks.