My little Benji—one of the top loves of my life—turns ten today! After years of "guarding" the LEO Design cashwap counter at 543 Hudson Street, he has adapted well to worklife behind a couple of antique shop counters in the Pittsburgh region. After a bit of initial exploration and expectation, he usually crawls into his travel crate where he can nap the afternoon away (as he did in Greenwich Village). When I'm working at home, he curls-up under my worktable, occasionally inserting himself into one of my merchandise photo shoots—and always remaining ready to announce furiously the rattle of the postal slot.
Benji's a bit older now, showing the faintest signs of age, though people universally remark that he does not look his age. There's still a lot of puppy left in him. It's funny: when someone asks his age, and I reply, "He's almost ten," the questioner often falls into awkward silence, eventually stumbling over something like, "Well, poodles live to an old age. No need for you to worry." Benji's appearance-of-age can also vary greatly based on the freshness of his haircut. When he's trimmed in his classic "puppy cut," he has a leaner, younger, more athletic look—even a decade on.
Shown above, Benji relaxing on a Nineteenth Century child's chair with arched splats and a fiber rush seat. Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome chair.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248