FABULOUS FIFTIES ROUNDUP

I have never gotten into Mad Men, but I can appreciate the chicness and modernity that permeated design and fashion during the 1950s. This round up aims to fall somewhere between Jackie O and Charles and Ray Eames with items inspired by a super stylish dinner party, complete with a gorgeous ride to get you there and the perfect party frock.

one | flensted three movement mobile, $69.50

two | kate spade billie heels, $345

three | vintage polka dot dress from millstreetvintage, sold!

four | jeepers peepers cat eye glasses from asos, $14.82

five | porsche speedster type 354A, $300,000+ (good luck finding one!)

six | vera vintage polka dot scarf from alessandrasvintage, sold!

seven | kate spade carroll park adelaide clutch, $298

eight | carlo hauner credenza from r & company, price upon request


Now I'm off to lay a patch with a hip cat. Later, Daddy-O!

THE WINTER BLUES: COBALT

What's your take on winter? According to Punxsutawney Phil, we are in for six more weeks of winter, so hopefully you are on board! I actually kind of love our recent weather with super cold days and beautiful sweeping snow storms. It's fun to bundle up and frolic in the snow!

Anywho, as I pull on my hunter boots for the umpteenth day in the row, I started thinking about winter fashion and how it can get in a rut. We need to bring some pops of color into the boringness of black, brown and grey that tends to seem into our wardrobes come November! Are you with me?

So here's my take on the "winter blues"—a round up of juicy cobalt gear that will brighten up your closet in a matter of moments. Hope you like it!

01. crepe shift dress, jcrew, $148

02. medium cloud loop scarf, rosetung, $180

03. heritage sleeve for macbook, herschel supply co., $14.99

04. super ciccio eyeglasses, madewell, $169

05. medis cobalt headphone, urbanears, $49.90

06. the mira heel, madewell, $168

07. collection cashmere v-neck sweater, jcrew, $188

08. butler please nail polish, essie, $8.50

WARBY PARKER LOVE

Last week I went to the doctor to have my eyes examined. Recently I found myself squinting to read street signs and the scores scrolling across the bottom of the screen on ESPN (blame it on the hours of grad school reading!). Turns out I need a tiny prescription to correct this, which I took as an opportunity to buy some cool glasses!

I have been in love with Warby Parker for a while—they have an impeccable design sense, the fabulous mission to donate one pair of glasses for every pair purchased and (as of this summer) have several beautiful new showrooms in New York. I headed over to their Greene Street store on Friday to pick up my glasses and nearly swooned. Not only were the display cases gorgeous, but they had fostered an old-world library vibe, complete with gold reading lamps, library ladders and color-coded bookshelves (yes!!).

They even have a (free) photo booth so you can pose for a quick picture with your new frames! Love!

After much discussion with a lovely sales associate (a sweet guy who goes to the New School and majors in media studies; I wanted to befriend him instantly!), I decided to get the Welty in Whisky Tortoise. They are a little bit bigger/hipper than standard rectangular readers but still cool enough that I my face will appear stylish. At least I hope so!

And the bonus? All of Warby Parker's frames, including prescription, are only $95. Win!

Even one of my favorite artists, Jason Polan (who is trying to draw every person in New York), has hit up Warby Parker! All the cool kids are doing it!

Check out all the Warby Parker goodness here and find a store here.

p.s. This is not a sponsored post (I don't do those), I just like to gush about good companies when I find them. :)

FLEET FEET

Comfortable. Light. High tech. Just a couple of ways of describing these cool new shoes being developed by Unbelievable Testing Laboratory and being made of Tyvek!! Given the amazing properties of Tyvek—a construction material—the shoes promise to be long-lasting, breathable and water-resistant. Sweet!

What are you up to this weekend? I am going home to Connecticut and contemplating a quick trip out to Cape Cod to hang out with some friends early next week. So, just in case I don't make it back to the blogosphere until late last week, here are some fun things for you to check out:

The Summer of George.

275,000 dominoes.

This would be perfect for a NYC-themed party.

If You Give a Mouse Rat a Cookie; ha!

Speaking of Parks & Rec, I love Aubrey Plaza and think this could be hilarious.

I stopped watching this show a while ago, but boy is this performance impressive.

Beautiful tumblers.

An interview with my grad school professor on his new exhibition at MoMA.

Well, don't these look tasty.

Montage and Chevron look really pretty.

I would like to own this.


Have a great weekend!



(Tip about the Tyvek from here)

WARBY PARKER ANNUAL REPORT

You know what's cool? Warby Parker glasses are cool (I own these). You what's even cooler? The fact that every year Warby Parker puts out a wonderfully designed interactive & illustrated annual report. Here's the report for 2012. I particularly like the Waldo-inspired glasses and the alternative site they built for dogs: Warby Barker!

Check out more coolness at their website here and their blog here.

LOTTA JANSDOTTER: GONE FISHIN'

             


I have written about Fishs Eddy before—its a fabulous store filled, literally from floor to ceiling, with fun and practical dishes and serveware—and thought we were overdue for an update. I popped into the store a couple weeks ago only to discover, to my delight, that they have a new line of products out. Namely cups, mugs, and linens designed by the wonderful Lotta Jansdotter. Who is Lotta Jansdotter you say? She is an incredibly talented (and beautiful!) designer whose creativity (and book production) knows no bounds. I have had this book on my shelf for a while now and anytime I need a jolt of inspiration I flip through it; it hasn't failed to get my creative juices flowing yet.

Check out the full line of products by Lotta at Fishs Eddy here and check out her full website here.

THE WEDDING FILES: REGISTRY REDUX, TABLEWARE

Today's post is a continuation of my week-long series on wedding registries. See my first post here.


One of the most popular (and useful) things couples register for is tableware: dishes (whether china or not), stemware, silverware, serveware . . . the list goes on and on. If you are looking to make your table look a bit more special—say modern with a touch of a eclecticism—check out my favorite tableware items that are sure to shine at the your next dinner party.




I am in love with this gilt edged dinnerware from West Elm. Bonus: at $19 to $32 your guests can afford to buy the whole set!




Simple, modern, and sophisticated this West Elm silverware is anything but boring or expected. $47 for 20 piece set




Going for a modern aesthetic doesn't mean you have to throw out every tradition or past style. I love Crate & Barrel's take on classic marble serveware. The fruit bowl (center) would be beautiful as a centerpiece with an arrangement of lemons or as a serving bowl with a bath of ice and a stash of cool slippery oysters. $49.95




For a more casual fete, try this swoopy set of serving bowls, also from Create & Barrel, to display snacks and crudite. $4.95 to $19.95




I would happily buy each and every one of these candlesticks and candelabra if I had space for them. Can't you just picture them gracing the top of a mantle? Gorgeous. From CB2, they will run you between $19.95 and $29.95.



It is always good to have items at different price points on your registry, so these super inexpensive but high quality platters from CB2 will be just the ticket for rounding out your wish list. Bonus: they can do double duty as desktop organizers, trays to corral jewelry or anything else your creative mind can dream up! Five piece set $22.95 or individually $1.95 to $14.95.




Feeling like a splurge and hoping your guests will invest in something that will last a lifetime? Go for this beautiful decanter set from Simon Pearce, a company that blows all its glass products by hand in its beautiful Vermont-based shop. $275

BLACK, WHITE AND GLITTERY

As winter starts to insinuate itself here in New York and a new year sets in, I find myself itching for things that keep it simple and get the job done. Though I have a perpetual love affair with any- and everything bright and colorful, there is something about January that makes me want to reach for that one chic and subtle failsafe in my closet (or cabinet!) that I know will always look great. More often than not, that surefire option involves black and white, gold and/or geometric pattern.


So here is a tidy little round up of things that are both lust list-worthy, practical and timeless. Perfect for a housewarming gift, Valentine's Day present, or just because!


1 /////  Yoshimoto Cube, MoMA Store, $65
2 /////  Lightweight Merino Wool Shawl Black Polka Dot, Virginia Johnson, $13
3 /////  Midas Collection Glassware, Design Within Reach, $42-$70
4 /////  Nylon Stripe Chad Laptop Bag, Kate Spade, $338
5 /////  Gemma Hatch Bowl, Crate & Barrel, $5.95
6 /////  Stephan & Co. Metal Bangle Seven Pack, Madewell, $38*
7 /////  Gold Flecks Tank, Anthropologie, $89.95
8 /////  Pyramid Post Earrings, Madewell, $18*


*Madewell, a new discovery of mine, has the best (and most reasonably priced!) jewelry. I would love (hint, hint) to see either of these things show up on my doorstep sometime.

NSS: RECAP, PART ONE

After a super long day yesterday and a bit of recuperation today (fighting a cold!), I am ready to share some of my favorite booths from the National Stationery Show. I won't bore you with all the details of my notes from each vendor, however I will regale you with tons of pictures! I will also highlight some of the most drool-worthy products I noticed . . . many of which I might need to head out and buy ASAP!

Cavallini & Co was the first booth I stopped at and boy did it deliver! Looking around I realized that I recognized nearly every type of product on display as something I own or been tempted to buy before. I have two of their tins of alphabet stamps (perfect for gift tags, notes, etc.) and several of their single sheets of printed paper. Everything they make is bright, graphic and beautifully designed . . . all with a vintage, encyclopedia-like style. Check out their products here and their sellers here.

Bob's Your Uncle did not have a booth of their own. Instead they had an amazing display through their super cool rep and distributor Aesthetic Movement (the A/M booth looked wonderful with its chalkboard walls). The display featured the entire gamut of the Bob's Your Uncle line including the melamine plates, paper goods, luggage tags, coasters, calendars etc. There were a couple of stand outs (some brand new and some new-ish, pictured above) that are now high on my wish list: brightly colored dotted and gridded notebooks (I want them so badly!), a 'to do' list with spaces for hour-by-hour appointments and a checklist, a note pad of board game score cards, and big bold animal flash cards. All absolutely lovely! See this and much much more at the Bob's Your Uncle website here.

A big, unexpected plus was encountering the Scojo eyewear booth. Being a graduate student who has up to 500 pages of reading to do per week, I have recently realized I need to get some reading glasses to save my eyesight from quickly going down the tubes. The MoMA Store just recently started carrying Scojo's "gel" readers (not sold online)--reading glasses with flexible sides that prevent the dreaded "glasses headache". I tried on the gels and several other styles but finally ended up buying a set of tortoise shell rectangular frames. They are the perfect combination of stylish and practical. Plus the vendor, who was an absolute sweetheart, confided that there are a lot of 'A-listers' who wear Scojo! Reasonable pricing, practical and cool: a win-win-win! Check out Scojo here.

National Stationery Show recap will continue tomorrow . . .