Camellia Tree

Metro Shelving

2009-03-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

I recently needed shelves for my closet. Never one to buy something that is throw-away, I bought Metro shelving from the Container Store. (Go to "Shop by Category"-"Shelving"-"Metro Convertible"- and from there, I clicked "Design Your Own Metro Commercial Solution").

For one closet I bought enough posts, shelves, and floor protectors for two complete shelves, which I figure I will have for the rest of my life. If I move, maybe they will go in the basement, maybe they will go in another closet- but they will definitely move with me, seeing as I paid 300 bucks for the two of them.

There's a New York Times article on these shelves, which are durable, practical, beautiful, and can be used in many different ways.

And here it is reprinted, just in case:

POSSESSED; Shelves That Bear The Weight of Time

By DAVID COLMAN
Published: Sunday, August 19, 2007

IF you are tired of your morning commute and long for some middle ground between home and office, you are not alone. Look through the pages of Phaidon's mammoth new design survey, ''Contemporary World Interiors,'' where you will find hundreds of jaw-dropping, gravity-defying spaces by today's A-list of design -- Frank Gehry, John Pawson, Marcel Wanders, OMA, Herzog & de Meuron, to name but a few -- and you see that the greatest minds in design share your concerns.

Susan Yelavich, an assistant professor at Parsons the New School of Design, spent years compiling the book, and to her eye what unites the book's many projects is how they manage, even in avant-garde ways, to bring warmth and wit and domesticity to the grandest commercial projects. In other words, how they endow an industrial space with the human element of a home.

Ms. Yelavich has gone through this process herself, in an admittedly haphazard way. In 1977 she moved into a forlorn industrial loft in SoHo, and with her husband, Michael Casey, an artist and general contractor, she proceeded over the years to mold it into a space in which the starkly industrial and the cozily domestic struggle for a yin-yang balance.

''Can-do only takes you so far,'' she said of their amateur approach. ''There are awkwardnesses that I pretend are fine, but other people probably flinch. You know, the washing machine is behind the dining room table because the pipes are there.''

When she was asked to write the Phaidon book some five years ago, she realized that her home office at the center of the loft needed upgrading. She did not plan to acquire what may be the ultimate hybrid of domestic and industrial style; she just needed shelves. So she did what a loft owner does: she went to a Bowery restaurant supply and bought Metro shelving.

Patented by Louis Maslow in 1951 (he founded the Metropolitan Wire Goods Corporation in New York in 1929), the Erecta Shelf system was designed as a modular easy-to-assemble line for the home, available in black paint over steel or brass-plated steel.

But the line did not take off. In 1955 the company retooled to offer chrome-plated shelving designed for food service and medical applications. The result was a hit. Then in the early '70s, design-happy European consumers began using Erecta shelves in their pristine kitchens, a trend that caught on later in the decade in New York, where lofts, and industrial chic, were taking off. By the '80s, the Erecta shelf, known as Metro shelving, was It, the proud mark of the urban frontiersman who was not looking back.

''I realized when I was getting them that this was a memento from the '80s,'' she said. ''There was a sense of picking a cliché.''

But the shelves have stood the test of time. ''What I am interested in is the tension between the ideal and the real,'' Ms. Yelavich said. And the Erecta shelves suggest both the hardheaded pragmatism Ms. Yelavich exhibits for her work -- they are, she said, ''the sturdiest things in the apartment'' -- and the high-flown design idealism she writes about. (Despite the supreme look of utility, the wire shelves are less than practical when it comes to holding books upright and intact, but Ms. Yelavich worked around it, stacking them horizontally).

''They're perfect,'' she said. ''You know, I am a huge reader, and a lot of time is spent in my head, on the couch. So I don't just look at things. I read them. That's the tension with things in my life.''

Happily, her shelves are an open book.

Thonet's No. 14 Chair

2009-01-25T11:34:00.000-08:00

This article, by Alice Rawsthorn, was in Design and Living, Winter 2008, published by the New York Times.

Reproduced below, just in case.

Six Easy Pieces
Thonet's No. 14 chair, still modern after 149 years. By Alice Rawsthorn

It consists of six pieces of wood — two circles, two sticks and a couple of arches — held together by 10 screws and two nuts. Together they make the wooden chair known as Thonet Model No. 14, which, although no one has ever actually done the math, is thought to have seated more people than any other chair in history.
The No. 14 was the result of years of technical experiments by its inventor, the 19th-century German furniture maker Michael Thonet. His ambition was characteristically bold. He wanted to produce the first mass-manufactured chair, which would be sold at an affordable price (three florins, slightly less than a bottle of wine). Many of his rivals had tried to make similar chairs but failed.
Thonet succeeded. When the No. 14 was introduced in 1859, it was the first piece of furniture to be both attractive and inexpensive enough to appeal to everyone from aristocrats to schoolteachers. By 1930, some 50 million No. 14’s had been sold, and millions more have been snapped up since then. Brahms sat on one, as did Lenin, and millions of us have perched comfortably on them in cafes. Another admirer was Le Corbusier. ‘‘Never was a better and more elegant design and a more precisely crafted and practical item created,’’ he said. More recently, the Dutch designer Maarten Baas staged his own homage to Thonet by setting fire to a No. 14-style wooden chair. The charred result was auctioned at Sotheby’s last month.
What makes the No. 14 so special? The answers tell us as much about our attitudes toward design, and how they’ve changed over the last century and a half, as the chair itself.
First and foremost, it fulfills its designated function, as every well-designed object must do. Second, it looks and feels great. ‘‘It’s one of the most beautiful chairs there is,’’ said the German furniture designer Konstantin Grcic. ‘‘And it has exactly the right weight. When you pick it up, it feels perfect.’’ Third, it was startlingly innovative. Thonet perfected a process of bending wood into strong, smooth curves that had eluded his rivals. By making the chair from the fewest parts possible and standardizing their shapes to help unskilled workers assemble them and pack them neatly in shipping crates, he devised a blueprint for efficient mass production.
Fourth, the No. 14 is timeless. It seems to suit every era, which is why Le Corbusier chose it to furnish some of his early-1920s modernist interiors, and it is still the default seating for brasseries. ‘‘It has the freshness of a new product, because it has never been bettered,’’ said the British designer Jasper Morrison. Fifth, it improves with age. ‘‘As the screws and glue loosen, the structure becomes softer,’’ Grcic said. ‘‘Michael Thonet probably didn’t intend that to happen, but it’s a beautiful sensation. I’ve tried to do it with new chairs, but it’s amazingly challenging.’’
Then there’s the history. The No. 14 made industry and modernity seem sexy, rather than associated with belching chimneys and shoddy goods. It also established Thonet’s company, which was run by his five sons after his death, as one of the great industrial dynasties of the late19th century. It employed thousands of workers in enormous factories that were the equivalent of company towns, with schools, libraries, nurseries and shops where goods were sold in its private currency.
The No. 14 can even claim to have been a pioneer of sustainability. The early models were made in a factory in the village of Koritschan, in what is now the Czech Republic, from beechwood grown in nearby forests. Even when extra supplies of wood had to be shipped in from farther afield, Thonet limited its carbon footprint by making its own tools and machinery.
Baas’s charred homage to the No. 14 isn’t the only recent tribute; Sanaa, the Japanese architecture firm behind the New Museum, has created a metal chair in a similar shape. Ikea developed a supercheap hollow composite version called the Ogla, which has been one of its best sellers since 1961.
While Thonet itself fragmented years ago — there are now three Thonets, each making slightly different versions of the original designs, in Germany, Austria and the United States — the No. 14 may have lost some of its populist sheen. The model sold at Moss (made by Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, which is owned by the Italian company Poltrona Frau) costs $625. This may be rectified by the German Thonet, which is collaborating with the Japanese retailer Muji and designers like Grcic and Morrison on a new collection of affordable chairs inspired by its vintage models. The results, which were unveiled in Tokyo last month, included a new take on the No. 14 developed by the British designer James Irvine, just in time for the chair’s 150th-birthday celebration next year.

Must-Haves for the Kitchen per the NYTimes

2009-01-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

Love this article. Olive oil in a hand-pumped sprayer instead of mystery oil in an aerosol can. Simple concoctions instead of bottled salad dressing. Lemons. Dried beans. Frozen vegetables. A variety of different grains. Maple syrup. It's the kind of stuff people would be buying anyway if advertising didn't exist. Simple, inexpensive.

Watches

2009-01-05T20:25:00.000-08:00

Here is the watch I wanted:The Cartier Tank Francaise watch. (I have great taste.)

Here is the watch I got:

The Victorinox Alliance. This was significantly less than the Cartier version, and the lady at Nordstrom said the face wouldn't scratch, which is what I was aiming for- something that would last.

About Grout

2009-01-03T18:19:00.001-08:00

Added to my short list of most-excellent home-repair people: About Grout. They re-grouted and re-caulked my shower to a lovely, gleaming, uniform whiteness. Perfect lines abound. Cute to boot.

Euro Street Style

2008-11-30T19:48:00.000-08:00

From Lucky Magazine: Parisian street style.

Update: The New York Times Magazine this week has an article on "street-style photoblogs", and from the sound of it, they like Garance Dore as much as I do (which is to say, a lot).

Besides Garance Dore, they also list many other street style blogs they like.

Shea Butter

2008-11-30T19:37:00.000-08:00

100% pure Shea Butter. There is no better moisturizer, this from someone with very dry, sensitive skin. All natural, so it doesn't irritate. Great for lips, too, and as a hair gel.

Zagat

2008-10-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

A Zagat guide is indispensable for urban dining, so it's really not surprising that the good people who created the Zagat guides, the Zagats (in the photo above- photos by Nathaniel Brooks for the New York Times) have a really cool house.

It was featured in the New York Times on October 9, 2008.

Just look at this kitchen. First, there is a gas stove. Enameled cast iron pots and a lovely tea kettle sit on the stovetop. The butcher-block counter has a warmth to it. And then there is the cupboard full of cookbooks, and a counter full of wooden salt and pepper grinders and miscellaneous cooking supplies. All the ingredients one needs for the good life.

Norma Kamali Swimwear

2008-10-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

If this isn't the most gorgeous swimsuit ever made then I don't know what is. It has that old-time glamour thing going for it, is slimming, and covers up the important stuff while still managing to be sexy. Apparently Miranda wore a red version in the "Sex and the City" movie (but I so love it in black!). At $350 I'll be saving my pennies to buy this one.

Ballroom Dancing

2008-10-10T22:29:00.001-07:00

Music and dance bring beauty into people's everyday lives.

When I was twelve I went to my great- great- aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary party. My cousins and I served coffee and were the only people under the age of 60 there. I will never forget watching those people dance.

If you live in Seattle, or near enough to come here every week, you should sign up for classes at Century Ballroom, IMHO one of the most beautiful spaces in Seattle. You can take Salsa, Tango, Swing, etc. (The photo is from their website.)

Twyla Tharp at PNB

2008-09-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

Friday night I saw "All Tharp" at McCaw Hall. Twyla Tharp is a genius.

On the right is a photo of her with a dancer from PNB (photo by Marc Von Borstel, from the PNB Uleashed Blog).

The show was pure bliss. On the cover of the program was a photo of Ms. Tharp. She is lovely in her faded Levis, white shirt, with her hair casually swept up.

A great ballet can make you fall in love with a piece of music. And so, right now I am deeply in love with Frank Sinatra. (Last year it was Philip Glass, Glassworks).

The Ten Best Games of All Time

2008-09-24T21:27:00.001-07:00

Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Croquet. You need a really big lawn.
2. Cribbage. You need a really cute wooden thing, and I think some cards. I obviously haven't played it in a long time.
3. Yahtzee. Super fun, you can play it all afternoon.
4. Monopoly. The best board game ever.
5. Scrabble. The second-best board game ever.
6. Card games- I have to throw in a few- war and go fish are clearly the winners here, but any card game is great cause you only need a deck of cards. THE game for minimalists.
7. Chess. I don't know how to play it. Very important to have a cool set made of marble or something, not some cheesy Simpsons set or something.
8. Checkers. Way better and way easier than chess.
9. Candyland. My sister ate the Plumpy card from our set. And people say there's nothing to learn playing this game.
10. Twister.

Recuerdo, by Edna St. Vincent Millay

2008-09-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

WE were very tired, we were very merry—
We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry.
It was bare and bright, and smelled like a stable—
But we looked into a fire, we leaned across a table,
We lay on a hill-top underneath the moon;
And the whistles kept blowing, and the dawn came soon.

We were very tired, we were very merry—
We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry;
And you ate an apple, and I ate a pear,
From a dozen of each we had bought somewhere;
And the sky went wan, and the wind came cold,
And the sun rose dripping, a bucketful of gold.

We were very tired, we were very merry,
We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry.
We hailed "Good morrow, mother!" to a shawl-covered head,
And bought a morning paper, which neither of us read;
And she wept, "God bless you!" for the apples and pears,
And we gave her all our money but our subway fares.

Ramtha

2008-09-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Fortunately, it looks like J.Z. Knight's channeling of Ramtha, a 35,000-year-old male spirit warrier, is safe from the evil forces of Whitewind Weaver.

If you think that's crazy, imagine placing a $12,000 set of china in unlocked cabinets in a retail store. See for yourself at Knight's store, J.Z. Rose in Bellevue Square. What a great selection of books she has on her website (especially loving the Beauty & Fashion and Home & Garden selections). There is even a separate section of her website titled Art Nouveau.

Crazy people always have great taste.

Babar

2008-09-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

There is only one thing better than a classic children's book, and that is a classic French children's book.

Here is an article in the New Yorker about Babar.

How To Build a Better Wardrobe, Chapter 2: Stocking the Basics

2008-09-08T18:16:00.000-07:00

The most expensive items in your wardrobe should be the things that you wear the most. Coats, shoes, bags, and whatever else you wear/use every day should be the best quality that you can afford. Keep them clean (get them professionally cleaned occasionally) and in good condition.

A few years ago I splurged on a pair of Chanel sunglasses which were (well, let’s just say they cost a lot). However, I wear them almost every day, I love them, and for me this was money well spent.

When I am considering buying a new bag, I ask myself, “Will I have this forever?” If the answer is no then I usually walk away because bags are a) incredibly expensive and b) ideally of high enough quality that they can last forever, so I don’t want to spend a lot of money on something that won’t be around for long. I’d rather have one or two really nice bags than a whole bunch of not-so-nice bags.

I think most of us have a uniform, which may be jeans or suits, for example. Mine is skirts since this is typically what I wear to work. We all deviate from this of course, but I think it’s helpful to identify what it is that is easiest for you to pull on in the morning and feel good about, and pay attention to those pieces as they will be what you wear the most. In particular, think about your uniform when buying things. For example, if you wear jeans most of the time make sure that your most expensive shoes are something you can wear with jeans.

For basics like button-up shirts, pencil skirts, and solid-colored sweaters, buying online (for example, at bananarepublic.com and jcrew.com) can give you better selection of colors, styles, and sizes than buying from the brick-and-mortar store. Only buy from a store that you have easy access to so that you can return things easily. I prefer not to buy pants or jeans on-line as I usually have to try a zillion of these on just to find one pair that works.

Bauer Pottery

2008-09-05T20:55:00.000-07:00

Loving this pottery by Bauer Pottery:

Above is the teapot in turquoise. This would make a great gift, especially with the creamer (not shown) and sugar bowl:

How To Build a Better Wardrobe, Chapter 1: Research

2008-09-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

Basic research into building a better wardrobe begins by reading (and when I say reading, I mean of course looking at the pictures) magazines and catalogs and clipping things that you like to get a sense of what your style is, and for inspiration. You can paste these clippings into a scrapbook, or what I like to do is put them into clear sleeves that snap into a three-ring binder for easy editing. Subscribing to magazines is usually way cheaper than buying magazines on the newsstand. I like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, but I also use catalogs such as J. Crew, and celebrity magazines are good, too.

Your scrapbook allows you to see which colors and combinations work best. Sometimes what looks great on a person looks really boring on a hanger. For example, I have in my scrapbook an outfit (from a J. Crew catalog way-back-when) with a black t-shirt, white Capri pants, and black ballet flats. While a black t-shirt with jeans risks being too boring, with the white Capri pants it makes a great look.

Basic research may also include shopping trips where you don’t buy anything. Although it might drive your guy crazy, there is nothing wrong with going out for a day of shopping and not buying anything. Shopping is not just about buying things- it’s about knowing stores' inventories, when sales are, prices at different stores, and what size you typically wear in each store, so that when you need to find something you will know where to look. Research may be done at any time- shopping trips with friends, lunch breaks from work, etc.

The people around you are also a wealth of information. Listen carefully to well-dressed friends for tips on where to shop and what to look for. Especially valuable in this regard is a friend who always looks great and loves to talk shop. Also, when out in public, pay attention to what other people wear. You can get some great ideas just from people-watching.

Lake Chelan

2008-09-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

The best Washington summer vacation to be had is at Campbell's Resort on Lake Chelan. About 3.5 hours from Seattle, Lake Chelan is the perfect little town for a weekend vacation. It's beautiful there in the Summer and Campbell's is the perfect place to stay. Right on the lake, with two pools and several hot tubs, the best rooms to stay in are on the bottom floor for easy access to the fun stuff. They just renovated and it looks lovely, but even if they hadn't renovated I'd be back next year. There's a full service restaurant and pub so you never have to leave (which is good because there's not many other restaurants in the area). There's also a Safeway just across the street which is nice because every year I forget my toothbrush. There are kids everywhere but in this magical land of Campbell's they are all adorable.

Be sure to hit Slidewaters, the best water park ever. In my next life I will have one of those retro blue and orange shirts that says, "Slidewaters Staff".

Jackie Kennedy Give a Tour of the White House

2008-08-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

Jackie Kennedy's tour of the White House, Valentines Day, 1962.

My Favorite Movies

2008-08-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

The Baxter: Cute romantic comedy, perfect for a date. Michelle Williams is great in this movie.

Breakfast at Tiffany's: Classic, everyone's favorite movie. All of the clothes in the movie would still look great today. Love the spare apartment with the bathtub sofa.

Blame it on Fidel: In 1970, an upper class French family gives up their comfortable life. Neat houses, great clothes.

Chocolat: Totally hot, cool house.

Fame: Fun, old movie. Awesome soundtrack.

Grey Gardens: Two eccentric ladies, members of Jackie Kennedy's clan, living in a run-down mansion in the Hamptons.

L'Avventura: Classic, Italian. Won the Jury Prize at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival. Antonioni's masterpiece. But most importantly, great clothes- a room full of women in little black dresses and pearls looks so classy. Only in Italy, or only in 1960?

La Vie en Rose: The life of Edith Piaf. Paris.

Legally Blonde: Reece Witherspoon. Surprisingly great fashion ideas, fun movie.

Rabbit-Proof Fence: Such a cute movie, with the cutest little Australian girls ever. A little bit sad.

Also, anything by Pedro Almodovar,especially: All About My Mother, Talk to Her, and Volver; the John Hughes Brat Pack movies- Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink.

Feist on Sesame Street

2008-08-29T19:02:00.001-07:00

This has to be the coolest video ever. Courtesy of Pink of Perfection.

Enjoy!

My Free Diet

2008-08-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

Over the last year or so, the numbers on the scale have started creeping upwards, and recently I decided it had gone too far.

I considered joining a popular weight loss group, but I am too cheap. So I'm trying another method: writing down everything I eat.

This method is mentioned in the book, "French Women Don't Get Fat," by Mireille Guiliano (which has many other great tips and tricks), however in this book she only advocates doing this for three weeks, to learn what your "offenders" are (those foods you eat a lot of that aren't helping matters). Studies show that a relatively easy way to lose weight and keep it off is to write down everything you eat, indefinitely.

The thing is, keeping it up is painful. It's a real drag. But having to buy all new clothes because I don't fit into the old ones is an even bigger drag, and I'm willing to fill up volumes with boring lists of breakfasts, lunch, and dinners to avoid this.

Right away it's easy to spot the more obvious offenders. Trips to the candy aisle at Rite-Aid have been axed. Then away went white bread (including pizza), pasta, pastries, cookies, beer, and other obvious carbs. Last night I realized that I cannot keep fun cheeses in the house- I may eat these on the occasional restaurant trip, but I cannot be trusted with a big block of Stilton cheese.

So what is left? I typically eat instant oatmeal for breakfast, a salad with grilled chicken for lunch, and dinner is random- eggs and toast, 1/2 a tuna sandwich, minestrone soup, or something of the sort. (I'm not a big dinner person). Snacks are either protein in the form of nuts or cheese (with strict portion control) or fruits and vegetables.

There is one other thing that is left, and that is Fran's 1.1 oz 72% Bittersweet Chocolate Bars. These are not cheap, but they are only 125 calories each, and I can get through a day of my diet food as long as it includes one of these.

Tupperware!

2008-08-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love Tupperware! Not available in stores, but you can get it online, and you can also get cool vintage Tupperware on ebay.

What I would really love to find are two Tupperware toys that I had when I was a kid. One was a juice set, with a mini pitcher like the one above, and four little cups (in 70's yellow, orange, brown, and green). The whole thing was housed in a rectangular container (I think it was brown) with a clear lid, and I think there were a few other things in it. The other thing was a baking set for kids, with a pastry mat, rolling pin, etc. Tupperware, if you're reading this, please bring these back!

How to Maintain Shoes

2008-08-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

My boss once was talking about the frugality of the generation before ours, saying that, "you know, they got their shoes repaired..."

I get my shoes repaired all the time. (I didn't say this then). In fact, I am in the shoe repair place at least once every couple months. Here's my rundown on how to keep shoes maintained:

1. Only buy good quality shoes that you love and that fit perfectly (and only buy smooth leather- suede does not last). When they are still new, before you have worn them, spray them with a leather protector (spot test them first).

2. Keep those good quality shoes that you love in good condition by periodically taking them to a shoe repair place to have them cleaned, conditioned, and polished. (You can also do this yourself. There are lots of products out there, but I love the pop-up containers of wipes with leather cleaner on them. They make it so easy to clean dirty shoes, bags, and other things made of leather. The conditioning and polishing is a dirty job and I think it's worth the $5 to have someone else do it.) I like to find a small place where I actually speak to the person who is doing the repairs.

3. The heel of a shoe (especially on high-heels) will wear down and need to be replaced from time to time.

4. If your shoes are pointy, the shoe-repair guy can put taps on them to extend their life.

5. If you get a little nick or tear in the leather, this can usually be fixed.

6. Shoe repair guys can do amazing things sometimes. If your shoes have issues, take them in to the repair place and explain what the problem is, and ask if they know of any solutions. From slippery shoes to wrong-size shoes, there is often a solution to the problem.

7. I like to store my shoes in the box they came in. It protects the shoes from dirt, dust, and deformation, with the added benefit that you can stack them all in a neat little pile on a shelf or so.

8. A word on athletic shoes: shoes that are not leather, such as most running shoes, can be machine washed. I have washed many, many pairs of running shoes and haven't had a disaster yet (although I can't make any guarantees...). Just throw them in the washing machine with some detergent on a warm water cycle and when they are done, put them in a warm place, such as next to a heater, to dry. DO NOT PUT THEM IN THE DRYER.

Oh, and one last thing, I always ask what the cost of any service is before I request it to avoid any bad surprises.

Here is a link to an article by Martha Stewart titled, Tips and tricks for keeping your shoes shipshape.

Book Review: 'What Would Jackie Do?'

2008-08-26T14:19:00.001-07:00

I love Jackie Kennedy, and I love this book, which I found trolling the stacks at the Bellevue Library.

Here are a few excerpts:

Chapter 5: En Suite Home: Perfecting Your Domestic Pitch

"...interesting objects are not mass-produced."

"Except for neo-contemporary looks, furniture should never smack of newness. There's something a bit ne'er-do-well about a sofa that looks never rested upon. Or an Art Deco dresser that's been over-restored to gleaming perfection. Similarly, a shiny new Steinway is vulgar unless you can dash out Chopin's complete works on it. "

"...when it comes to books, there should be no hiding place...Jackie preferred open bookcases for her dining room library and - except for special tabletop tomes - avoided arranging them with institutional precision."

"...keep your memories tidy. Arrange old photographs in decorative boxes or binders, marked by event and date...In New York, Jackie preserved pictures in lovely red Moroccan leather volumes."

Chapter 6: Building Your Inner Temple: The Art of Self-Enrichment and Fulfillment

"...you must never pass up the chance to attach yourself to intriguing people, experiences, causes - venturing outside your own comfort zone (and zip code) to find new levels of depth."

"All those horrid hours spent learning to conjugate verbs...pay off big time when you glide into an Italian store and order your Parma ham like a native...Jackie spoke French, Italian, Spanish, and even a little Greek..."

"Be a conspicuous (culture) consumer...know[] the must-see plays, operas, and other goings-on about town...seek[] out the best current literature, and revisit[] old favorites...learn[] exotic dances...audit[] grad school classes..."

"Know your way around the stacks, as in, the library."

Geraniums

2008-08-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

Geraniums are part of the uniform of buildings in Paris. They are so easy to care for and they bloom from spring to fall (and will live through the winter if you are careful).

This photo shows pink ones, but my favorites are red, and I recently saw a black window box planted with all white geraniums that was really beautiful.

This entry from the blog, "French Kitchen in America" has a cute photo of a Parisian building with geraniums.

NY Times Article: Shopping for Hard-to-Find Design Books with Kelly Wearstler

2008-08-19T21:34:00.000-07:00

Being someone who loves books and design and ideas, I loved this article, about a designer and the books from which she draws inspiration.

Favorite Classical Music

2008-08-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite classical music includes works composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven and Frederic Chopin. The Beethoven album that I listen to most are his Piano Sonatas; there are enough of these to last for an entire day of listening, so I like to turn these on in the morning when I start working and listen to them all day. The Chopin albums I like are Nocturnes, Waltzes Nos. 1-14, and Piano Sonatas.

Listening to classical music is very relaxing and makes you smarter.

I listen to these on Rhapsody because this allows me to listen to almost anything I want, anywhere I have access to the internet. But it's all available on CD, too.

Diva Dollz- People's Pick 2008 for Favorite Women's Boutique and Favorite Shoes and Accessories

2008-08-08T21:51:00.000-07:00

Diva Dollz, a new-ish women's clothing, accessories, and shoe store in Pioneer Square (really, it's part store, part museum), is very fun- it's fun to look in the windows, fun to try on the clothes, fun to talk to the owners, fun to get great deals on beautiful clothes.

Apparently, Hurricane Katrina is the reason the owners of Diva Dollz are in business in Seattle, and I'm so happy to see (according to the recent People's Pick results) that they are doing well.

Green Clean

2008-08-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, after a family reunion down in Auburn, the 421 household made a stop at Ikea, and I got the most wonderful book: "clean" by michael de jong (subtitled, "the humble art of zen-cleansing"). For a long time I have been wanting to rid myself of the chemicals that are my cleaning products, but to replace with what? This little book is nice because it's short (and only $7), so I don't feel like I am studying for my Ph.D. in cleaning the house.

Here's a few highlights:
First, you (mostly) only need five things: baking soda, borax, lemon, salt, and white vinegar. Cheap, so I'm on board. (Except, where does one buy borax? Not at Rite-Aid. I'm still looking. Update: I found it at Whole Foods.)

A couple of the greatest-hits recipes:

Equal parts borax, baking soda, and Ivory soap flakes for laundry detergent

Equal parts borax and baking soda for electric dishwashing detergent

Add to fresh flowers: two Tbsp. white vinegar, one tsp. sugar for each one quart water

1/4 cup borax and 1/4 cup baking soda for all-purpose kitchen and bath cleaner; add salt as needed as an abrasive

I'm on board with the eco-cleaning, as soon as I find borax (it seems like a lot of the recipes include borax). These recipes provide yet another use for the glass jars that I love so much, and because they do not involve any chemicals, I can use rags for cleaning different things and then throw them all into the washing machine without worrying about different chemicals reacting.

All these cheap and easy cleaning solutions lead me to wonder: why did I ever start buying those toxic cleaners to begin with?

The Conversation, with Ross Reynolds, and Summer Trips

2008-07-31T21:44:00.001-07:00

I was listening to my favorite radio show the other day, the Conversation (I love Ross Reynolds), and the program was about the staycation. Listeners phoned in with some great ideas for local stuff around Puget Sound. One place that several people mentioned is Holden Village up near Lake Chelan.

It's philosophy reminds me of a place that I stayed this summer for a yoga retreat, the Whidbey Institute. Unfortunately the Whidbey Institute does not appear to allow for individual stays, however Rebekkah LaDyne of Refreshing Retreats hosts her annual yoga retreat there. This was such a great weekend: delicious food, cute little houses and cabins (and camping!) in the forest, nice people, and of course the best yoga instructor ever.

Pacific Northwest Ballet

2008-07-27T15:22:00.001-07:00

The new season of the Pacific Northwest Ballet is starting soon! I just got season tickets for the Gallery Upper section. I contemplated getting Backstage Pass tickets, which are an amazing deal for folks 21-39. The performances are on Friday nights, however, which doesn't really work so well with my 7:30 am Saturday morning runs- Saturday night is my night of choice to party at McCaw Hall.

Moleskine

2008-07-05T19:43:00.000-07:00

Do you love to make lists? I sure do, and I compile them all in this little notebook by Moleskine. According to Amazon.com, "This silent and discreet keeper of an extraordinary tradition, which has been missing for years, has set out again on its journey."

Actually, I have two of these. One of them I keep in the bag I carry with me, and it has lists including: things to do, things to buy (separated by store, including groceries, drugstore, hardware store, etc.), music to get, etc. I like to be able to jot down notes when inspired, like when I'm travelling. The second of my Moleskine notebooks is a large ruled notebook, which I have turned into my house journal where I detail the things that I do (to? for?) my house. I try to include what I did, products used, companies who did the work, etc.

White

2008-07-03T00:38:00.001-07:00

There are certain household things that I like best in clean, uninterrupted white: dishes and tableware (above is Revol, white French porcelain which can be purchased from Sur la Table), tablecloths, bedding, towels for both the kitchen and bath (for the former, floursack towels), bathrobes, paint, tiles, sinks, curtains (esp. lace curtains, sheers, and cafe curtains), etc.

Personalized Pencils

2008-07-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

I love pretty much anything that is monogrammed, but I especially love these old-school monogrammed pencils from Lillian Vernon (they also have them in pastel). Kids love them and they make great stocking stuffers.

Penhaligon's London

2008-06-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

Since I've been posting some more serious things lately, I thought I'd post something on the softer side...so this is a post about perfume: specifically, Penhaligon's.

They have beautiful stores in Paris- dark and dimly lit with candles, and rows and rows of perfume bottles and a few little silver or leather things here and there.

Their most famous perfume is Bluebell, shown above.

Some Favorite Local Businesses

2008-06-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

For geraniums for the front porch, and maybe even some lavender to plant in the backyard:
City People's Garden Store
2939 E. Madison St.
Seattle, WA 98112
(206)324-0737

For all the random little things I need to fix things up around the house:
Madison Park Hardware
1837 42nd Ave. East
Seattle, Wa 98112
(206) 322-5331

European Design and the laissezfaire blog

2008-06-27T19:55:00.000-07:00

Found the laissezfaire blog recently, and am loving these European furniture companies:

Sweatpea and Willow
and I especially love The French Bedroom Company

Tools For Life, from the 'not martha' blog

2008-06-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

Pulled from the 'not martha' blog, here are my favorites of user entries for "Tools for Life":

Swiss Army watches
Zippo lighter
Swing Away Can Opener
Starr Bottle Opener
Swingline Stapler
Tweezerman Tools

And, generally, both Costco and LL Bean got several votes from people who mentioned generous return policies (and, by the way, LL Bean offers free shipping and free monogramming if you use the LL Bean Visa Card).

Cast Iron Pans

2008-06-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

Cast iron pans are superior to other pans in many ways. They are non-stick, retain heat well to brown food in a way that other pans do not, are incredibly inexpensive and last forever. Care can be somewhat tricky but I've found that now that I've got it down it really isn't so bad.

The key is to properly season the pans. I actually had to go through the seasoning process I found on a website twice with mine before I got the right non-stick finish. But the results are worth it.

Lodge has many different types and sizes of cast-iron pans (the Lodge site includes instructions for seasoning and caring for cast iron). I bought an 8" Lodge skillet at the Sur La Table in the Pike Place Market, and I use it for everything, including omelettes. I also have a larger one that I bought at Crate and Barrel.

Someday I might even cook stew over an open fire with one of those big cast iron pots (not the Le Creuset kind, although these are also wonderful, but the kind you get at the general store out somewhere on the Olympic Peninsula with a handle on it so it can hang over the fire).

New Uses for Old Jars

2008-06-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, we never threw away jars because my grandmother would clean them and use them for jams, jellies, and assorted other things. I love glass because of its reusability- whatever it was used for before, it can be cleaned and repurposed.

Photo from marthastewart.com.

Favorite Renovation and Furniture Stores

2008-06-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of some of my favorite renovation and furniture stores. I hope to continue to add to it as I find more places and possibly even add a GMap.

Antique Liquidators
503 Westlake Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: 206-623-2740

Rockler Woodworking
3823 Stone Way N
Seattle, Washington 98103
(206) 634-3222

Rejuvenation.com

2008-06-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

Found this site and, apparently, they have a store in Seattle:
http://www.rejuvenation.com/

I'll be visiting soon and shopping for new doorknobs.

Cole Haan

2008-06-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

The shoes here are sort of on the expensive side, but they last forever and look lovely when they get old. Also, they have sales- I think they have one right now- that sometimes reach 40% off or so. Great deals can be had on boots post-season. Sometimes the photos online do not do the shoes justice. I go to the store at U Village, and apparently there is an outlet up in Marysville although I have never been there. I only have one Cole Haan bag, and although I love the design I prefer the quality of Coach, and find that the prices on bags are about the same at the two stores.

http://www.colehaan.com/colehaan/home.jsp

Walkscore.com

2008-06-12T18:55:00.001-07:00

This website evaluates locations based on walkability.

Volkswagon Vanagon

2008-06-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

When I was a teenager, I imagined that someday when I had 10 kids I would have a red Volkswagon Vanagon like this one. The 10 kids idea has lost its luster but I still like the idea of the Vanagon.

Wabi-Sabi

2008-06-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of Wabi-sabi, which I first read about in the book, The Architecture of Happiness, by Alain de Botton. (I've linked to the hardcover edition here because I think it is such a beautiful book.)

And, related- here are some links to Seattle salvage companies:

Second Use Building Materials -- 7953 Second Ave. S. (west side of Duwamish Waterway); 206-763-6929

Earthwise Building Salvage -- 2462 First Ave. S.; 206-624-4510

The RE Store -- 1440 N.W. 52nd St. (just north of the Ballard Bridge); 206-297-9119

Seattle Building Salvage -- 2114 Hewitt Ave., Everett; 425-303-8500

"Drawing Home", by Lauren Hirt

2008-06-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

"Everything homeowners, contractors and students need to know to easily design and create construction and permit drawings"

http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Home-One-Story-Additions/dp/0977730212

Paris Vogue

2008-06-08T10:50:00.001-07:00

Love this magazine. You can subscribe to it on Amazon.com for about $150/year.

If you know a little French reading this magazine is great for sharpening your language skills. A college French professor of mine advised us to read out loud even when just reading to ourselves in order to practice speaking.