garland alternative

what a cute idea!



from ormolu

eanie, meany...

How to choose?! The skating reindeer would be perfect for the season, but there's something inherently irresistible about a dinosaur in fluffy bunny slippers.

Christmas comes 5 days early...

...when Rodarte's collection for Target hits the stores on the 20th. I got to preview the collection thanks to New York Magazine. If there are any pieces left in the stores for me to purchase, I will be styling them differently than they're shown in these photos.

spreading cheer

These cards from pocketstudio are probably out of reach for your list of 50, but for a special someone they'd surely pass the joy around.

cats and dogs

It's been raining ferociously for the first time in a while. I used to have a collection of adorable umbrellas, but they've disappeared within the depths of my closets each time I've moved. I wouldn't mind shielding myself from mother nature under this Lulu Guinness lovely.

footwear fantasy

These shoes would be delightful to discover under the tree.

manolos

& bows

American Dreamstate

I love this image from Leah Giberson. Could this have been from any other place but the good ol' U.S.A.?

tastes like Christmas!

As a kid, one of my mom's many aunts would always send us a fruitcake for Christmas. It was always moist and delicious, so I've never understood the joke that is the Christmas fruit cake. I can only assume that everyone else has been experiencing a sub par version.

Today on Martha, I caught her segment on mini fruit cakes. They are loaded with booze and glistened out of the oven. Seriously, what's not to like? Here's the recipe.

Tonight!

The Rockfeller Christmas tree gets lit tonight! I love the tree and all the decorations all over the city. I can't wait to have my annual Christmas date this year!

There's many other less famous trees around the city. This NY Mag article is a good check list.

warpeD

For those without a fireplace, this lampshade would be nice to cuddle up by on those cold winter nights.

Noel!

Today is the beginning of Advent! This means I probably should have found myself an adorable Advent calendar a few weeks ago, but at this point I'd better take myself over to the friendly neighborhood Wallgreens to pick up something cheesy. Here's a a sweet version of an Advent calendar en Francais. Seems like it would be easy enough to make if I weren't heading into finals.

New Faces

When I lived near Northampton, MA, I enjoyed dropping by Faces. Now that I'm in Brooklyn, I think Fred Flare in Greenpoint will do well to pick up the slack. It's got oodles of amusing and inexpensive goodies.

In the 'hood

The cover page of today's real estate section featured a photo that I recognized right away. This block- Washington Ave between Willoughby and Myrtle is one I travel often, it's right around the corner from my house. There's many great wood frame homes in my neighborhood. This article shed some light on their history. I love living here.

Here's how the newly famous facade looked today when I walked by:

home sweet, tiny home

I wonder if the people from Impactist would consider making my models for me? They seem to have a knack for it. If I were designing a home for a gnome I'd definitely give them a call.

What's the deal, Urban?

I was at UO today with my man and noticed some things I'd like to add to my Christmas wish list. As straight men can't go by description alone, I logged on to the UO website to make matters easier for the poor fellow. ALAS! The items I saw in store eluded me online. However, I did make some worthwhile discoveries (see below).

Pins and Needles Lace Fingerless

Ecote Strapless Dress

Hard Heart Purse

Bring it on, Winter

I think these Sorel boots are just the thing to keep winter enjoyable well into March (please, God, not April). Frostbite will be conquered and fashionability will be maintained. What else could a snow bunny wish for?

the drama's on the wall

What a cute idea, especially for a children's room. No mess, inexpensive, little bits of scenery for the interior from walldecors.

What's your favorite color?

Whatever it is, you can now express yourself by coloring your clothes. The Colour-In-Dress is like your own wearable coloring book. Add a little here, a little there, and your dress evolves each time you wear it! I like this idea in theory, but am not crazy about the print or marker selection. Guess I'll just have to design my own...

Surprise!

So, I broke down and ordered the Liefsdottir coat I've been drooling over when it came up for sale on Gilt Group for less than half off. When it arrived I made the most delightful discovery- an "L" themed lining! Had I known that I might have considered paying full price (in an alternate reality where I'm a pro football player who frolics amongst leprechauns and unicorns). See below for full visual explanation of delightfulness:

Taste of Fall

We've had a lot of pumpkins come into our lives this fall! Many dishes have arisen from these pumpkins, including two I got to savor today. Pumpkin pancakes started the day off sweetly, and pumpkin risotto brought it to a savory close. We've also enjoyed 3 varieties of pumpkin soup. The classic (I always insist on the classics) and the inventive have contributed to a delicious Fall.

Cassavetes

I've been implementing a John Cassavetes film festival in my house recently. Although, I don't always agree with the writing (or improv as is often the case), I do enjoy the performances he elicits from his wife, the stunning Gena Rowlands.

Wish List

Now that the Rockefeller Center tree is up (unlit, of course) I figure it's time to make my list for Santa. ModCloth is making it easy to get started. I love their selection, and their prices are within reach, but I wish they had pics of people modeling the clothing to get a better idea of the fit.

Here are a few items in the running.

This guy

He makes me happy. I'm not a Star Wars fan (or Star Trek or whatever the eff it is) but what's not to enjoy about this big fuzzy blob snuggling a bunny? Love.

Bear and Bird

BOWS!

The common denominator in all these looks takes me to my happy place. Alexis Mabille is in my fantasy closet.

Happy Days

I need some cheering up. To kick off the cheer I will blog about things that make me happy. First topic: COOKIES! One of my favories is rainbow cookies. I've found them to be consistently good from bakery to bakery. Always moist, delicious, and colorful.

Another favorite is the classic NYC black & white cookie. These can differ quite significantly from place to place. I used to enjoy the local Grand Union (defunct NY supermarket) variety as a kid, and now my local favorite is from Bergen Bagles on Myrtle Avenue. I've even gotten my upstairs neighbor addicted.

Prentice Hicks

My Mother-In-Law lives in Chattanooga and has a lot of great local shops at her disposal. She's given me a number of these goblets from Prentice Hicks in different colors. They make drinking even more enjoyable. I took this photo over the summer when I was giving myself ridiculous manicures to have something cheerful to look at while at work. I may need to give the gold tips their encore this week.