Archive for November, 2009

blogger’s gift guide : for her : from everyday luxuries to extravagant finds

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Spoiling someone may just be on your agenda this season. If that’s the case here are a number of items she wouldn’t buy for herself but would gladly accept from you. These indulgences range from glamorous to timeless to techie and won’t muster any thoughts of He Went to Jared.

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[from left to right, top to bottom]

PAPER N STITCH : Hot Pink Cobalto Calcite Druzy Ring. $615. The one statement piece she could ever need. She’ll wear it again and again.

K.I.D COLLECTIVE : Flip Ultra HD Video Camera : $159. Perfect for all you bloggers out there. This tiny little camera will capture all her favorite moments and it downloads directly to her computer.

PAIGE NYKOLE : Fuji Instax Instant Camera : $130. Great looking instant photos from the stylish looking sister of the Polaroid.

K.I.D COLLECTIVE : Colby June Bronze River Rock Bracelet : $265. Handmade by Colby herself this stunning bracelet is the perfect combination of modern and rustic.

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[from left to right, top to bottom]

PAPER N STITCH : Makr Lace Wallet : $120. An intricately detailed wallet for someone with a girlie side.

K.I.D COLLECTIVE : Madewell Mini Messenger : $128. You’ll have a hard time deciding which color to choose on this classic messenger. Call 1.866.544.1937 to order.

PAPER N STITCH : Vahalla Brooklyn Leather Travel Bag : $349. This classic carry-all will take you everywhere. From plane, to train, to car. Travel in style.

K.I.D COLLECTIVE : Po Campo Rack Bag : $160. A stylish bag for her bike.


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bloggers gift guide : for her : under $100

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Looking for something for your mom, sister or BFF? These gifts would make any girl happy because of the timeless appeal. Who needs trends when you have something that will look great for years to come?

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[from left to right, top to bottom]

PAIGE NYKOLE : Paperfinger Custom Return Address Calligraphy Stamp. $65. A simple way to dress up the average envelope.

SIMPLY LOVELY : Local Library Fool’s Heart Gold Necklace. $34. Don’t be fooled, this simple little gold heart has an edge and would win just about any gal’s heart.

K.I.D COLLECTIVE : Tocca Stella Eau de Parfum. $68. I’m not much of a perfume girl but Tocca makes this light grapefruit and blood orange combination called Stella. It’s perfect for curing the winter blues. Plus the bottle will look great on her bathroom counter.

SIMPLY LOVELY : Martin and Osa Washed Wool Scarf. $54.50. A pretty, sparkly washed wool scarf.

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KID COLLECTIVE : Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller. $25. A collection of family style recipes reflecting the casual spirit that’s anything but plain. From the owner of Per Se and the French Laundry.

KID COLLECTIVE : AK Vintage – In Open Air Earrings. $75. Feathers made from vintage leather gloves will add a little edge to any outfit.

KID COLLECTIVE : Leather Driving Gloves. $69. Not just for driving, you can’t go wrong with a great pair of black leather gloves.

KID COLLECTIVE : Box and Flea Bandana. $40. A reinterpreted take on the traditional bandana.

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blogger’s gift guide : for her : under $25

Monday, November 30th, 2009

I don’t know about you but I always love to find the perfect gift for someone. The thing is, I’m not always so great at it. I usually crack under pressure and last minute-ness and buy something less than perfect. To avoid buying a just-getting-by-gift, this year, I decided I would get a little help from a few of my favorite bloggers to make not only my gift giving a little easier but hopefully yours as well.

This year we put together what I think is an incredible array of gifts ranging in price and style. Check back every day this week for gift ideas for him, the little ones, home finds and ways to give back. Also, check back later today for gifts under $100 and an entire post dedicated to those who were very, very nice. Today’s post kicks off Cyber Monday and is all about gifts for her.

Thanks to all the ladies for taking time to pull these ideas together. It was so exciting to see your gift picks and all the thought you put into each gift. You’ve already made my shopping so much easier. Hopefully this will help you too.

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PAPER N STITCH : 2 Layer Center Ring : $25. Will go perfect with that holiday dress or even a pair of jeans and a tee.

SIMPLY LOVELY : Paris Map Tote : $15. Ideally with some good chocolate, and Julia Child’s, My Life in France tucked inside.

KID COLLECTIVE : Designers I Met and Liked : $12.50. This collection of notepads runs the gamut. From Actors I’ve Met and Liked to Wives I’ve Had and Like, there’s bound to be something for everyone. The entire collection is available at Archie Grand and also available in limited styles at Rare Device.

PAPER N STITCH : Betsy Johnson All Dolled Up Sock : $15. There’s nothing like a lacy sock to dress up an outfit.

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PAPER N STITCH : Button and Feather Headband : $14. A fun and flirty headband that will add a little vintage flare to your getup.

KID COLLECTIVE : Willbarch Happy Hour Necklace : $18. Simple, elegant and architectural. The commentary describing the necklace should have any single lady hitting the purchase button.

KID COLLECTIVE : Pangea Organics Body Lotion : $18. This refreshing smell is perfect next to the kitchen sink to get rid of those dish pan hands. Not to mention any garlic that’s still lingering.

KID COLLECTIVE : Craft Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco : $16.95. The perfect how-to guide will get any crafter organized and off on the right foot to starting their own business doing what they love. Maybe a New Year’s Resolution?

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new york, new york

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

There is so much inspiration in New York City. It’s literally around every corner, on every person and in each bite. I’m already thinking about my next trip. Maybe next time, I’ll have a camera. Below are a few highlights from the trip. I hope you all enjoy your long holiday weekend.

The lobby and rooms of the Ace Hotel are fantastically curated and while not the ideal hotel for everyone due to the oddities, Jevan and I found complete comfort where old and new collide. Drink the Stumptown Coffee, have an Old Fashion in the bar, check out the taxidermy, look for the mummified cat (check the bottom left drawer in the lobby), and cross paths with rent stabilized tenants that wouldn’t budge (good for them) when the hotel took over. Rumor has it they only pay $200 per month. I’m serious on all parts, even the kitty.

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Images from top left: The Ace Hotel Lobby, Chinatown Ice Cream Factory , Brooklyn shopping at the Future Perfect, Lower East Side shopping at In God We Trust, soup dumplings at the Shanghai Cafe, beer and brats at the Radegast Hall and Biergarten

We spent little money for food while in the city. Strange but true. Most of our choices were modest but completely delicious. Some highlights were the Soup Dumplings from the Shanghai Cafe, lychee and almond cookie ice cream from Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, a shared bowl of Ramen at a little noodle place on St. Marks, and a Brat and Fries at the Radegast Hall and Biergarten. Our first night in the city we had a tequila at Los Feliz. What seems to be a tiny little Mexican joint in the Lower East Side serving tacos and good tequila. Later we found out there were two levels below us. On the fringe of Chinatown is the East Side Company Bar. It’s a speakeasy of sorts, as the only sign you’ll see is a tiny gold label on the door. It’s dark, intimate and has tin ceilings and candles everywhere. Walking in you get a faint whiff of, get this, honey, it’s part of the bartender’s mise en place. The drinks reminds me of the cocktails of years past. I had a sazerac and it was near perfection.

new york_02Images from top left: Tim Burton Sketch, East Side Company signage, Los Feliz Taqueria, Tim Burton sketch.

If you’re like me regardless of how many times you go to NY, a museum trip never disappoints. This time we checked out the Tim Burton exhibit at the MOMA. Little did I know Tim Burton was and is such a prolific artist. There were hundreds if not thousands of sketches chronicling his entire life.

Photos: [Ace Hotel - New York Times; Chinatown Ice Cream Factory via Qype; Radegast Hall and Biergarten - Melissa Hom; Los Feliz - Jim Knapp]

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celeste prevost – a day in the life 04

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

I’ve never actually met Celeste but I feel like we know one another pretty well. It’s funny how the Internet works. Celeste is the one who is completely responsible for the way this blog looks, from each and every icon to the layout, she created it all. Last spring I began looking for a graphic designer to help me develop a graphic identity for this blog and my interior design business. I had no idea where to begin or how to mesh the two but knew it was time to get rid of the standard blogger header I was using for the previous 5 months. After a little research I came across Celeste and her icon love. I’ve always had a thing for pattern and love all her previous icons. And, as it happens she loves creating icons so it became a natural fit.

Celeste won’t tell you but she has a stellar body of work ranging from familiar names like Nordstrom BP and Denver Water to smaller brands such as Thymes and the Shoppe. What she will do is listen to exactly what you’re trying accomplish and put it on paper, or rather the computer. It was completely wonderful to work with her in developing my blog’s identity and I felt she would be an inspiring addition to A Day in the Life. Check out her portfolio at Design is Fine when you get a second. And her day below.

CELESTE PREVOST
Graphic Designer, Minneapolis, MN

7:05 AM Wake up shower, clean the body, get dressed.

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8:00 AM Cereal. Peanut Butter Bumpers today, ha! Such a kiddie meal for breakfast.

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8:45 AM Gather my things and walk the 4 blocks to work into Uptown, Minneapolis. LOVE the weather, it’s been perfect for the last couple weeks.

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8:58 AM Arrive at the office, start NPR and begin to prepare for a couple meetings with Thymes in the next hour.

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9:57 AM Catalog redesign review and new product line launch meeting today at Thymes. Critique, share thoughts, get feedback… and repeat.

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12:30 PM Back at the office and hungry. Walk over to Lucia’s to pick up lunch. Today: black bean chili with habanero sour cream and a chocolate chip cookie! The menu changes weekly but black bean chili is under the ‘things we always have’ category.

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1:37 PM After lunch, a coworker and I meet with a printer to get details on printing limitations for a set of hoodies we plan to print for the holidays. Of course, after talking we’re going to have to rethink some things…

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2:00 PM Back at the office. Work, work, work.

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4:55 PM Walk home… in the dark. Nice and breezy outside, a perfect fall night.

6:22 PM Dinner with the dude and a quick trip to the mall to pick up his repaired computer.

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8:00 PM Home Time! Eat some frozen yogurt. Watch some movies. Cruise the Internet and catch up on freelance projects…

11:20 PM Goodnight.

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the odysseus

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

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Stunningly dark, dreary and completely gorgeous photography by Mikael Kennedy

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turkish delight

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

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Cold weather inevitably makes me think of the beach. I’m not sure why because the thought of putting on a bikini at this moment makes me want to hide in my closet. Something about my skin being the color of skim milk. And winter is kicking in, so that means my extra layer of winter warmth is as well. While day dreaming of the beach and me in a sweater (because of the aforementioned skim milk skin and winter fluff) I remembered I never posted photos or told you about how wonderful the Mediterranean coast of Turkey really is.

Jevan, Meggan, Beau and I all took a little commuter flight from Istanbul to what we thought was a tiny town called Antalya on the Med. Little did we silly American’s know this town, and I say town in the loosest of terms, is nearly 1,000,000 people. After renting a car and being laughed at for not knowing where we were going, we finally navigated our way, with the help of countless Turkish folks, to Old Town. Old Town is charming with it’s cobblestone one way streets and proximity to the coast. We spent one night here and headed out the next morning in search of beaches and ruins. We drove west following the Mediterranean for a couple of days. On our last day before returning to Antalya we came upon the beach below just outside of Kaş, Turkey. It’s called Kaputaş Plaji and surrounded by cliffs and water. Hands down the most gorgeous beach we saw.

We were only able to stay one night in Kaş, a bohemian of a town, but if you are looking for a great beach town go straight to Kaş. It’s far enough away from any major airport so the tourists are minimal but there are plenty of shops and restaurants to keep you occupied when sitting on the rocky beaches has you bored. I could have spent at least a handful of days wandering the streets, rug shops and beaches. Beau and Meggan also have some incredible photos up from our trip. You can check them out here. Actually, check out all their photos. National Geographic should be knocking down their doors.

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Don’t forget to buy a few Turkish towels. This shop has every color and size. This was the only thing I bought when in Turkey other than food and drinks.

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I don’t care what anyone says, street food is the best way to get a feel for a culture. Try all the street food in Turkey. It’s some of the best we had. This little street cart is called Bi Lokma, translated to Mama’s Kitchen. It’s actually just down the steps from the restaurant ,Mama’s Kitchen. I’m not sure if this is Mama or not but have a good feeling it is. These are the Turkish version of donut holes.

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GOURMET – the last hurrah

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

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I nearly fell out of my seat when I started flipping through the last Gourmet issue. OK, so that’s a bit of an exaggeration but talk about overboard. A rural Pennsylvania Thanksgiving had me drooling two weeks ahead of time for a holiday that I rarely get giddy over. Maybe it’s because I was a vegetarian for 9 years and the thought of a plate full of heavy sides leaves a little to be desired. Regardless, the magazine went out with a bang and you really should pick up a copy. You won’t find this goodness on their website.

P.S. I can’t help but think Roland Bello, Gourmet photographer for this article, is pure genius. How could you not love that job? Taking pictures of yummy stuff. Where was that class when I was in college?

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baby it’s cold outside

Monday, November 16th, 2009

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…and these sweaters should do the trick. They can be found at Society for Rational Dress, Fall 2009. I would wear every single one of these, especially the first, in case you were wondering.

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i can’t wait

Friday, November 13th, 2009

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Do you ever have a moment when you realize, your life is good? It’s so easy to get caught up in the negative hullabaloo of the world we often forget how good we really have it… am I off base here? What I’m trying to say without scaring you with my sappiness, is in a world with a lot of bad stuff happening, it’s good to sit back and see the upside. I’ll even go first. I’m married to the most wonderfully supportive man. I’m healthy, I have food on my table and a roof over my head (although I often question my home’s 1908 bones), I’m starting my own business doing what I love, I have a fantastic group of friends and family and am slowly gathering a steady readership full of fantastic people like you. Wow. I finally feel like things are coming together after a rough few months. I’m happier than I’ve ever been and writing the good things down truly made me realize how lucky I am. Try it.

As a birthday gift, Jevan surprised me with a quick trip to New York. We’re hitting up the Pop Up Flea next weekend. Buddies Sam and Mark will have a Tanner Goods booth. Hopefully I’ll get to see Erin and Lauren. Remember those lovely ladies? And of course Rory and Dan! I can’t wait to tell you all about the grits Rory makes at 4AM. It’s been too long.

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I’m putting together my list of must-sees but I don’t know the city all that well. And. Well, it’s really big. What I’m getting at is, you New Yorkers happen to be at the very top of my readership, and maybe, just maybe, you could share a favorite place to eat, drink, play or shop. It doesn’t have to be the fanciest or hippest spot either. Just something you think I might like. Or maybe something you love. I would be super flattered. Even if you don’t live in the city, I would love to hear from you. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Snow is predicted for mine!

[Photo: My New York Minute and The Pop Up Flea]

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