Road trip log: Day 3

Colorado Springs to Phoenix, check! We had a grueling day of driving yesterday through Santa Fe, Flagstaff and to our stopping destination where the thermometer was registering a whopping +110F. We’re taking a “leisure day” today and living the good life with Matt’s grandparents outside of PHX. Matt’s grandfather used to race Mini Coopers and Alpha Romeos in the 1960s (Does it get cooler than that!?). There are plenty of interesting relics in their home like the above photo of Dr. James Ryel in his 1965 Mini Cooper S after a win in 1967 at the Stardust International Raceway in Las Vegas. Tomorrow we’re going to head back to Los Angeles and we’re really looking forward to grabbing a Double-Double at In-N-Out for lunch! Woo hoo!

Road trip log: Day 2

Kansas City to Colorado Springs, check. It was nice to get the H out of Kansas which has nothing to offer on I-70 besides flatness and more flatness. The jagged front range of the Rockies were surely a sight for sore (and bored) eyes. I even got a little antiquing done in eastern Colorado before a major storm hit!

Road trip log: Day 1

We made it through day one, the Chicago to Kansas City leg, and it was all pretty painless. So, K.C. is surprisingly pretty awesome! We spent an hour or so walking around and there are parks everywhere, live outdoor music, and lots of al fresco eating. We're staying in the newly revamped Power & Light district (home to chefBURGER and Yummo frozen yogurt), it's kind of like a little pocket-sized Chicago, I like it! Plus there's a lot of cool street art, yet the city has an overt feeling of cleanliness. We didn't make it to any design stores or museums today but we saw the Gateway Arch in St. Louis designed by Eero Saarinen in 1947!

Giant Shuttlecocks

Matt and I have finished operation 1: pack up and move out of Chicago apartment. We are now on operation 2: play badminton and plan route for our drive to California. Our first stop will be Kansas City. I've never been but I'm looking forward to a night in "The Paris of the Plains". Why? Firstly, ChefBurger! But also, and given our recent obsession with badminton, I want to see The Shuttlecock installation at the Nelson-Atkins Museum in downtown KC. Shuttlecocks was designed by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen and installed in 1994. I don't know if we'll get there in time to actually walk around and touch the sculptures, but hopefully we can get a glance at them from the car, they are after all the world's largest shuttlecocks. Have a great weekend!

Upside Down

I think this might be the best song to swing a tape gun to in the universe. Today marked the last day of packing and I don't think I would have been able to get through it without a little Diana Ross. See for yourself!

Hecky's

Just stopped into Hecky's Barbecue for lunch while waiting for our car to get serviced before our drive out. Now I'm in a food coma and can't possibly tape up any more boxes for at least an hour.

I had one of the best 4th of July weekends I think I've ever had. I hope you guys enjoyed the long weekend too. This is a close-up of one my parent's very large American flags that hangs over their front door. It's old and made from cloth and I love it.

Pick up sticks

Check out my recent article on swizzle sticks in the August issue of Bon Appétit. Stir on, friends! (Photography by Nigel Cox)

Say it aint so

We are currently living in box city and listening to Weezer on full decibel. I'm not sure how much longer I'll have my desktop and I think Harrison has gotten herself trapped about three times by now—so I'm going to take a few days off from the b.l.o.g.—have a great 4th of July! I'll probably be chiming in from the road on our way out West!

Present&Correct

Last night our apartment went from still livable to very very sad as we packed away lots of our favorite stuff. It's amazing how different a place can look by simply taking away all the books. It was especially hard to do since we have house guests coming this weekend for the Fourth, but I'm sure we'll survive for another week. Understandably it's been a little hard to get excited and inspired about furniture, but how great are these air mail envelopes and mail accessories from Present&Correct!? Now that's something I can relate to right now. And even more awesome are their colored masking tapes. (via Yellow Owl Workshop blog).

Furr

Last Monday I started off the week with Elvis Costello's "Pump it Up". I'm hoping this week is a little less crazy. Here's a mellow tune from the Portland, OR. band Blitzen Trapper. Email subscribers click here.

Blue Notes

I don't know if it's me or what, but lately I can't walk out my front door without hearing someone talk about a sapphire engagement ring. And why not? They're chic, trad, and not the same 'ol same 'ol (not that I would trade the ring Matt picked out for me for any single thing in the world). Trend-setting style icon Princess Diana perhaps donned the most notable Sapphire engagement ring of all time—an 18-carat blue stone surrounded by 14 diamonds. Although some thought it was a bold move, diamond engagement rings have never been the tradition in England that they are in the States, in fact Princess Anne also had a sapphire. But, umm, even more cool, look at Di's double watch situation in the above photo! Rad.

Michael

What an artist. What a crazy life.

My Mom's Fred Perrys

While I was looking through old photos of my dad for the Father's Day post I came across this shot of my mom. Matt saw it pointed to the helmet in her hand and said, "Did your mom ride a motorcycle?" I responded with, "The correct question should be: Where are those Fred Perry shoes!?" Above: My mom in Bermuda hot off a Vespa circa 1977. Below: Fred Perry Oakfield Leather shoe ($80), the closest I could find.

Compost Post

Someone the other day asked me what I'm most looking forward to in terms of moving to a new place design-wise. I blurted out that I'm really looking forward to composting. I've been wanting to get going with it for a while (it just makes so much sense!), but the condo bylaws of our building don't allow it, even on the smallest scale. I saw this compost guide on Apartment Therapy and thought it was such a great resource that I'd post it here. Check it out!

Karen Walker Eyewear

I've been seeing this brand everywhere lately, on Lauren Conrad to Craig Nicholls (lead singer of The Vines) to the above photo of Zoe Kravitz (daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonnet). Karen Walker Eyewear is buzzing and I want this pair bad.

Pump it Up.

Your Monday morning service announcement.

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Happy Father's Day

My Dad was disappointed, nay, LIVID that he wasn't included in a short list of silver foxes from last week's post "Gray Watch". So, because it's Father's Day and because he happens to be the best Dad in the universe, here's to STG, an American classic.

Guerrilla Truck Show

Jake over at Chicago's RJA Design told me about the the 5th annual Guerrilla Truck Show that occurred last Tuesday in Fulton Market in Chicago. It's a brilliant idea is that helps artists and designers display their work at little or no cost by simply renting box trucks and turning the back of each truck into a portable gallery. How simple! The trucks are backed up to the docks on Fulton Market where everyone opens the back doors to create a fantastic pop-up art show. I couldn't make it on Tuesday but it looks like a lot of fun and was made possible by The DIFFA (Design Industry Foundation Fighting Aids) and Morlen Sinoway. Thanks Jake!






All photos by DIFFA Chicago

Ernest Alexander

It's always a challenge deciding what to get my stylish fiance when it comes to gifts. He was due for one last weekend when he graduated business school (with honors mind you!), and I'm confident my parents and I succeeded with an Ernest Alexander Fulton Waxed Olive Messenger bag ($245). It's a manly, practical and damn good looking bag, and as he said with a grin, "It's not a Filson." Apparently the Chicago Booth School of Business is littered with Filson messenger bags, not to mention vintage Vuarnet shades—which I really enjoyed seeing on graduation day.

Hanging glass bottle votive

I love this hanging votive jar ($16), made from a glass bottle that you could hang outside for dinner or just as easily leave on the ground. I found it on Urban Outfitter's website of all places!

Roger Capron at Sam Kaufman

I know it was just yesterday that I said I was going to try and focus on Midwestern design until I move, but I'm currently drooling over French sculptor Roger Capron's work available at L.A.'s Sam Kaufman Gallery, a great little spot on Beverly Blvd on my old running route. Above: Cube Vase circa late 1960s/early 1970s ($850). Below: "Taureau" Wall-Plaque circa the 1950s ($2,400); Ceramic lamp shade circa the 1960s ($1,200).

Prairie Vodka

It was a crazy weekend with Matt's graduation from business school. We ate and drank our hearts out at NaHa, The Gage, Spring, The Signature Room, and Gabriel's and it's absolutely time for a detox this week—but let's be realistic. As we clinked glasses with our families and friends people kept saying, "you're almost out of here"—meaning in less than a month I'll be blogging from L.A. (p.s. LAKERS!!!)! With that in mind I'm going to try and focus on Midwestern design and product for the next few weeks. Prairie vodka ($24 for .75 L) in particular looks really cool. The bottle design of course is fun, but the vodka is eco-friendly, kosher, and distilled from organic yellow corn and crafted in partnership with a co-op of over 900 Minnesota farmers.

Nicolo Taliani

Current lamp obsession: Lamp No. 1 by Italian designer Nicolo Taliani. Coming to the US very soon.


Have a great weekend!

French Garland

There's a great store tucked away on a small street in L.A. called French General that always has some great imports and hand-made housewares. I love this festive garland ($96 for 12 flags) that would be great for summer holidays and celebrations. Check it all out here. Matt just called me "Kenny Bloggins", so no special garland for his graduation weekend.

Gray Watch

Can we talk about the fact that 18 year-olds are dying their hair gray? Most notably model/British socialite Pixie Geldof who walked the runway with her silvery coiffure a few months ago. Young lads are in on the trend too—like the bloke below who is intensely paging Andy Warhol with his 'do.

Here's a quick look at some famous silver foxes...just for fun.

Re-finding RE-found

I've been looking back to some of my oldest and most favorite online shops this week and one that I had completely forgotten about, RE-found, has really added some great new products. The brick and mortar portion of the business is located in Corbridge, a small town in northeast England. There's no point attempting to shoehorn the range of RE's stock into a paragraph, but if you need a plaster Virgin Mary and a bottle of the best bubble bath in the world, this might be the place for you. Check out all their goods right here.

Whale Tote

Why are whales so awesome? WHY!? I love this tote from Marlow & Sons ($20)—just one more reason why Brooklyn is so cool. I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge with my friend Kim last week...in the rain...and the wind...without an umbrella. It was pretty hardcore.

Kanken rucksack

Ok, one more thing. This bag ($99). Love it.

Let's swing

Had to take a break from work to bring this to the blog. The Finland-based design company Tunto is making the best-looking swing I've seen in a long time. No plastic, no chains, just old-fashioned wood and rope. Amen. Available here in light blue and red for $250.