Life Library, The
My relationship with lists has been duly noted (see Daisy Princess Paperie). I make lists for lists…or to steal a line from my twin sister and her boyfriend that they stole from some Cameron Diaz movie – making a plan to make a plan. With age comes acceptance and as I grow older, I’m trying (honest) to truly embrace the Type-A that I am. And every once in a while a product comes along that leapfrogs my military-precision organization skills to a whole other level – that product is The Life Library.
I recently interviewed its creator, Jean Martin. Here’s what she had to say:
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Design*Sponge
Design*Sponge is one of my favorite go-to websites when it comes to matters of the home. Its before and after projects have stunning results, always teach me something and make me have enough confidence to believe I can actually tackle some jobs around the house myself.
In addition, I’m always inspired by the images on the site – from vials of sand or spices used as decoration, or cool fabrics to breathe life in a struggling piece of furniture; the concept is all Grace Bonney. I had a chance to connect with its founder from her locale in Brooklyn and I’m so happy I did. Q&A follows…
Bikini or Bust
Oh snap, it broke – my awesome black and white striped two-piece Target swimsuit. Just after I’d strutted out in that little number and bent down to set my towel out – did the ‘fraidy cat arch and kerpow – it exploded. There I was – stranded like a beached whale, flip flopping – not knowing which way to turn. All because I was seduced by a cute, inexpensive little number on those siren-song racks at Target.
Talk about mortified. Talk about oh shizz. I just busted out of my bikini top! Do I even tell my husband? Will he look at me different? But I have to, because I need his shirt to cover up while I scurry back to the condo to inventory the damage.
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Cupcakes and Cashmere
You just might know Emily Schuman. Maybe you heard her name via the amazing fashion advice she gives in Glamour.com’s Smitten column. Or maybe you caught a glimpse of her “working” in the background of The Hills reruns. Or possibly you know her as I know her – as Cupcakes and Cashmere – her fashion blog, where she combines frugal finds mixed with high-end design.
I’ve been a fan of her site for a while now, and wanted to share a bit of it with you…so, here’s the Q&A with the Los Angeles chic lady herself – where we talk food, flea markets, and spotting fakes.
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Spring Break Bound
Spring break is here and I’m off to the beach later this week. It puts me in mind of the Spring breaks of my college years (at least the parts I can sorta fuzzily piece together) where my girlfriends and I would load our massive suitcases with platform sandals, satin dresses and tube tops – not to put too fine a point on it, we’d slut it up. Hilarious when you consider that we truly believed our sartorial choices were classy; even when I ate it big, tumbling down an entire flight of stairs in a denim mini skirt (eek!) I managed to not spill a drop from my yard glass! That’s class, folks. Sadly, I’ve never really grown out of my tripping habit.
But these days, my suitcase is filled with kinder fabrics like cotton and jersey and I’ve traded my dolled up ways for a simpler approach. So, here are a few of my beach essentials for the perfect warm getaway…
Keep Calm and Carry On
Since 2000, the WWII-era propaganda images that appeared on a number of posters loosely known as the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ series have been experiencing a steady resurgence in popularity. The original poster, produced in 1939, is a perfect reflection of the then and now-famous power of British resolve with those five simple words – keep calm and carry on – neatly typed beneath an image of the royal crown. Although there were others, and I love them all, this one is my favorite with its simple message to not panic. It’s an image I want to wrap myself in daily and one that is currently striking a resounding cord with people around the globe.
While the original poster was mass-produced (it’s said that 2.5 million were made), it never saw the light of day; two others that were also created suffered a similar fate. And they might have remained hidden in the proverbial closet except for one man who, it has been reported, found one of the posters in a box of old books he bought at auction. That discovery was then copied and eventually led to it being featured as a holiday gift item in a British newspaper supplement – and the imagery took off.
So what was the original intention of the series and why the strong connection to it now, some seventy years later?
I got the opportunity to interview the amazing Hayley Thwaites and Lucas Lepola of the Keep Calm Gallery in London. The gallery is run online, out of their home and features not only the ‘Keep Calm’ prints, but several other propaganda posters as well. Below is the interview, where we talk art and politics. Both, I think, are perfectly socially acceptable dinner party conversation.
Bella il Fiore
While I won’t admit to being a full-fledged product junkie, I have been known to blow a perfectly good afternoon wandering through the aisles of Sephora or Ulta.
That’s why I’m surprised that I’m likely the last person to find out about this rocking company called Bella il Fiore…the company is one part makeup, one part lingerie, one part bath and body – all parts hip and girlie. The perfect posting for any pre-Valentine’s Day gift hint lists.
Bella il Fiore founder Jennifer Maloy and I had the opportunity to chat – here’s the Q&A.
Daisy Princess Paperie
Life is immeasurably enhanced when we take close note of it – literally and figuratively.
I’m not talking CliffsNotes or e-mail here, I’m speaking of that indefinable wonderfulness when one practices the art of honest to goodness pen to paper quality writing of actual words and letters. As an obsessive (I’m the first to admit it’s a borderline neurosis) jotter and list maker, I pay close attention to all the paper in my life – from the paper I use to write those endless notes to the gift wrap, business cards and stationery I use – anything that potentially ends up in the hands of others (or just my own for that matter) is a reflection of me.
Thankfully, there’s Daisy Princess Paperie – they’ve extracted the stuffiness and formality from otherwise beautiful papers and emerged with a full line of whimsical, yet sophisticated paper goods…and had me at notepad.
Here’s the Q&A with Daisy Princess Paperie.
Gigi Favela
Most of the time, I try to let the experts guide me when it comes to what’s in my closet. Because if left to my own accord, I might end up wearing up wearing a pair of jeans, a tank top and Havaianas everyday (not the worst thing in the world, I suppose).
My fashion reference bibles are Nina Garcia’s The Little Black Book of Style and Rachel Zoe’s Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty, & Everything Glamour. One thing that both Garcia and Zoe agree on is to pay the bucks for wardrobe classic staples and spend less on trendier items. The theory is that if you invest in the good stuff, the styles will eventually come back around and you can rewear them because they’re that well made and classic. I was thrilled to be enlightened to read that shoes are in fact, a staple.
So about those shoes…a friend of mine went to high school with Monica Favela, designer and owner of Gigi Favela, purveyors of to-die-for gorgeous Italian shoes. Using the six degrees of Kevin Bacon method and the magic of email, I scored an interview. Here’s the Q&A.
London L Surf
It’s always around this time of year when the Holiday hub-bub is just about over that I get the urge to travel. Specifically, taking a trip that involves a beach. For now, I must only write about it than actually experiencing it myself. So, here’s a wishful thought for surfing in the new year…
For me, surfing, much like life, is mostly about balance. That thin line of being steady, in control and powerful, dueling in sharp contrast with wiping out in one quick misstep. I recently discovered an amazing product that combines the notion of surfing with the design aesthetic of custom artwork – London L Surf.
I was fortunate enough to chat with Brittany Tripp, designer of London L Surf, a custom surfboard company out of Costa Mesa, California.
