February's Here

The month of love is upon us.  As I mentioned earlier, I'm uncharacteristically OK with the passing of Christmas to make room for Valentine's Day.  I think I'll have a cupcake party to celebrate. 

Globe Trotter

You'll be sure to always spot your luggage on the carousel with this baby.

Is it Spring yet?

'Cause I think Kate Spade says it is with her latest print ad.  I can't wait for the stripes to roll out of her store entrance onto the sidewalk again.  What a fete of retail design genius!

wood

I love a big wood pile inside an apartment.  So snuggly and wintery.  Perusing the Ligne Roset site, I came across this image. 

Yeah, I'd live here.

Paul Octavious

My new desktop wallpaper.

cat years

I'm a cat person.  I can't resist most things feline.  After many years of solidly living in the digital calendar with his Palm Pilot, my father has moved back to a dayplanner.  This calendar might inspire me to flee the digital age as well.  Portability could be an issue...

pinch

I miss art.

the hunt for red capris

I like to visualize the perfect outfit for upcoming occasions.  I'd like to get a pair of red capris to easily mix with black and white tops while I'm in Taiwan.  This pair would be perfect were it not for the obscene price tag.  hopefully Target or J.Crew will come to my rescue.

Etsy Daily

Today's Etsy find is a result of searching for "tassle necklace".  Sometimes a Rachel Zoe marathon will inspire such things.  I miss Taylor.

Good Friends, Good Food, Good Design.

The trifecta of what I've been missing!  OK, I've got good friends up here, but for good food and good design, I had to soak it up this weekend while visiting Brooklyn.  We met up with some friends at Tabare, which was delightful, for all reasons previously mentioned above.  All the men ordered the same thing, which quickly became dubbed the "man sandwich".  It was manly (3 kinds of meat) and delicious.

I enjoyed having a delicious and reasonably priced meal in a well designed space.  The antique lighting fixtures and warm wood panels made for a cozy dinner on a chilly night. 

Sigh, I'll be back some day...

Bazaar Design

I though I'd pay tribute to the December 2010 Katy Perry subscriber cover of Harper's Bazaar before it's recycled into a paper plate.  Best cover of the year.

cover story

Everyone's obsessed with retro design, but these old covers of Arts & Architecture magazine are fit to be framed.  They have a very North by Northwest opening credits feel to them.

Luckily, these covers are available for purchase so that they may grace your abode.  I'll schedule it as a future purchase with future money.

cluster

One can never have too many necklaces.  This is the latest one to catch my eye.

Paper Art

Here's something I think I'd say, "if I had more time I'd like to do this".  But I do have time, and I don't do it.  Funny how that works.

Anticipating the Love

Somehow, I'm OK with the passing of Christmas this year and I'm looking forward to Valentine's day already.  I've enjoyed seeing all the heart motif goodies in stores.  This card is particularly sweet.

Mini City

I'll be traveling to Taiwan in a few months where I'll stay with local families.  I'm going to give them each a little Chrystler Building Statue as a representation of where I'm from.  Chiasso has a great set of different city landmarks.

Sale Time

This is a great time of year to find deals on things that don't normally go on sale.  That is of course if you've got any money left over from the holidays!  I'd get this if my credit card bill were a digit less.

Dream House

I'd like to spend a long weekend here.  Don't know where this is (can't let a little detail like that stop me) but the photo is credited to this site.

Am I too old for this?

I kinda love it either way.

Fatty!

This lil fatty would be fun to have around my neck.  His price tag is a little steep though.  Maybe I'll find an equivalent when I'm in Taiwan.

Thanks, Santa!

I got a lot of great presents from Santa and a few more from friends.  This was in my mailbox stocking when I returned home.

Happy 2011!

Is it me, or is it strange that it's 2011?  I think it always seems strange when it's a year that you don't have a milestone planned.  We got married in '08, I graduated in '10, Matt will graduate in '12, it's these odd years that are up to us to define.  So I've not really spent much time thinking about 2011, but now that it's here I will celebrate... by not drinking!  I'm giving it up until I go to Taiwan in March, just to do something nice for my body.  So bon voyage bubbly (just for like 2 and a half months), hello 2011!

Pug Love

If I knitted, I'd like to knit things like these.  The knitter calls this her "pug in a sweater".  Love.

Perfectly Placed

I saw these adorable place setting paper mats from Cake Vintage at Anthro.  Wildly unnecessary, but that's kind of the point.

Bergdorf, you've done it again

The best holiday window displays are always at Bergdorf Goodman.  This year was "Wish You Were Here" featuring all different modes of transportation.  Even the wind couldn't keep me from stopping to marvel.

This year they published a coffee table book on all their window displays.  It was $500.  I'll just have to stick to admiring these photos for now.

Inspiration by the Times

I was reading this article in the Times just before Christmas about neat freaks getting through the holidays (which I can't entirely relate to) and I loved this spread of tartan, greens and candy Mary McDonald laid out for her gingerbread decorating party.  Too bad I'm too old to be invited.  Maybe I'll swipe her aesthetic for a future Christmas decorating frenzy.

I can hardly contain myself...

... but I don't have to!  I've just stumbled upon a vintage Christmas blog that will shower me with visual yuletide ecstasy all year round!  The author makes wreaths out of vintage ornaments.  See delicious specimen below:

tis the season for cards

This year I designed my own Christmas cards to send to fam & friends.  These will tempt me next year.

Jelly Apple

Got mani pedis at a baby shower this weekend and got Essie's Jelly Apple.  It's the happiest shade of red I've ever seen!  Now I must own it.  Anyone know where to find Essie in Ithaca?

To the Point

A pretty, pointy structure.  More here.

Spacial Inspiration

I'll be moving in tomorrow, thanks.

Holiday Cheer

And in the "could you die?" category, Kidrobot brings you these for Christmas.

together

This rocker is perfect for cuddling up on cold winter days.

tree jewelry

This pom pom garland puts a kitchy twist on a classic.  Christmas, I can't get enough of you! 

Guns n Sequins

Wouldn't this dress be the most adorable thing to wear to the business school's winter formal?  Maybe not the most appropriate, but certainly the most adorable.

short and stout

I love these mini teapot tea steepers.  I found this great action shot of one of them from Batik.

Dreaming of a Sunny Christmas

These tartan shades really put me in the mood for Christmas!  You know, for all the reflection off the snow.

oh, baby

I'm in charge of the decorations for a baby shower that's coming up.  I did the necessary research on Martha, where I found these adorable and easy to decorate cupcakes.  Then I spend a significant amount of time at A.C. Moore.  There is definitely a hot glue gun in my future.