House & Home
Found @ Etsy » Fall for Autumnal Vintage
The air’s turning brisk, the leaves are changing, school is back in session… it must be autumn! I’m already missing those long, lazy days of summer, but there’s something so delicious about the season of cozy wool sweaters and steaming mugs of tea. The onset of chilly nights calls for a bit of warmth around the house, and these fabulous finds over at Bright Wall Vintage are just the ticket for creating that autumnal charm.
Kawaii! » Haute Honey Pot
Jaime Hayon is on the fast track to completely winning over my heart. First there was his Green Chicken, with its childish, nonsensical spirit, and now, in collaboration with French glassworks legend, Baccarat, Hayon has created these spectacular crystal and porcelain vessels for a collection simply titled: Baccarat Zoo. Their tongue-in-cheek opulence is right on the money (a hefty wad of money).
Welcome Home » We All Live In A Yellow Submarine
The forecast for the week looks dreary. Rain rain rain. Not that we mind the change of pace: curling up inside, dressing Henri in his bear hoodie, drinking tea… With the sun hiding behind the clouds, it’s time to make sure those reading nooks and cozy couch corners have just the cheery glow.
Go for the Gold » Brass Takes the Cake
Although brass is not a traditional medalling metal – and although paperweights belong to the class of less-than-necessary desktop equipment – we’re awarding gold to these exceptional objects by Japanese designer Oji Masanori. The solid brass polyhedra will oxidize over time, building up a gorgeous patina. They come in three different shapes, each with a satisfying heft and unfussy integrity. These paperweights are clearly made for more than holding down a stack of bills: they’re meant to be admired and held in the hand and set down on the top page of your finished novel, for example, by the window on a breezy day. Buy the set from one of our favorite shops for all things home, Toronto-based Mjölk.
Go for the Gold » Grin and Bear It
Care about the planet? Might as well be cute about it. Let your green credentials shine with this golden shopping bag by French designer Frédéric Perigot. It tucks away adorably into a little matching golden bear when not in use. We’d bust it out to shlep around our farmer’s market provender – or, better yet, to hold a heptathlon of Olympics-watching treats: Ritter Sports bar, Kind snacks, Volvic, TJ’s trail mix, watermelon, gum and Ella’s Kitchen squishies for the little guy.
Go for the Gold » Bust out the Bubbly!
Congratulations, Michael Phelps! You’ve just won your 19th medal and become the greatest Olympian ever. So now what? Bust out the Champers and get celebrating! Of course, your victorious glass of bubbly demands a vessel that’s suitably elevated. You want nothing less than Sieger’s Sip of Gold collection. These sumptuous Fürstenberg porcelain Champagne goblets come in glossy white, black or silver – and with their rim and interior gilding of 24kt gold, they should quench any Olympian’s thirst (for decadence). Yes, even yours. Snag ‘em here for a modest $200 a pop.
Fashion Scout » Family Ties
No, skinny ties and bow ties are not played out, thank you very much. Not when you’re wearing one of Gene Meyer’s original silk woven designs, anyway. The brand’s ties appeal to today’s nattily dressed men, but infuse Mediterranean colors and geometric patterns that call to mind, say, Capri in the 1960s. Which makes sense, considering all Gene Meyer’s ties have been made in Italy since the company began manufacturing over 20 years ago.
I ♥ Art » Desert Treasures
I rarely pine for a work of art. I must sheepishly confess that you’re more likely to find me daydreaming of a big leather bag than a painting. Not to say that I don’t ♥ art: Matisse, Brancusi, Ernst, Morris Louis, and so on… I just… I don’t need to own them the way I need to own a Reed Krakoff Boxer bag. You know. But Alma Allen? I’ve been jonesing for this Joshua Tree-based artist’s delicate little sculptures: thinking about which I would own if I could, the precious spot on my desk where it would live, how would it feel in the palm of my hand, how I probably wouldn’t be able to stop at just one…
Duck Duck Goose » Think-Inducing Toys for Tots
As motherhood inches nearer, I find my mind is preoccupied: where to put the crib, what to put on the iPod for our (hopefully short) stint in the birthing wing of Roosevelt Hospital, whether little Pipsqueek will be as boisterous as his/her cousin Lir, the baby’s college fund, where we’re sending the little munchkin to preschool…
Kawaii! » Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake, Baker’s Man. Bake Me a (Cup)cake as Fast as You Can!
I hold a very dear place in my heart for cupcakes. My own bergamot lavender cupcakes were a hit in the East Village when my friend Jodi of Sympathy for the Kettle would serve them up with frothy matcha lattes and endless pots of Ti Kuan Yin. Lately, I’ve had the growing desire to get back into the kitchen and bake up a storm (motherly instincts?)…
Eco-Friendlies » Chop-Chop!
The kitchen is such a happy place in our house: full of anticipation, tempting aromas and (mostly) great results – thanks to head chef YZ. I’ve always had quite the weak spot for kitchen supplies but, with my klutzy husband breaking most of the japanese glassware and ceramic treasures of my past life, I realize that my attention should now turn to accessories of a less breakable nature. Already a big fan of beautiful wood objects, cutting boards are a great culinary object to focus on.
Welcome Home » King of the Cupboard
I’m not going to suggest I spend my weekends canning or preserving peaches — this isn’t that kind of blog — but I can’t help loving a classic glass jar. Forget the fussy, sticky, sweaty days of making marmalade. Jars are perfect for everyday storage around the kitchen, and for those of us without much cupboard or pantry space, they’re a great way to make the usually-hidden presentable. In fact, a neat row of jars filled with nuts or grains or pasta often adds a touch of dare-I-say rustic charm to a countertop.
Geekology » Attention Clutterphobes!
As a design geek living with a music geek, I spend my days lost in an endless gaggle of wires: nests of audio-cables, tangled mouse-cords and — what the heck does this attach to!? Three cheers, then, for Pasadena-based design firm Bluelounge, who are single-handedly cutting through the technological gordian knot with a range of savvy clutter solutions…
Found @ Etsy » Cuddle Up with the Cosmos
Stellarquilts Phobos V2 Quilt
I’ve always been a lover of quilts – watching my mother create exquisite ones as a child, starting my own collection once I moved to New York City and discovered the East Village Flea and the wonders of eBay, standing awestruck before each Gee’s Bend quilt during the Guggenheim exhibition a few years back…
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