Taschen’s Modern Architecture A-Z
Although I’m really not crazy about the cover design (at all) (why does it look like an Encyclopedia WorldBook layout from 1987???) (so out of character for Taschen!), I still would love to get my hands on their new comprehensive look at architecture of the 19th and 20th centuries, which includes essays giving the buildings historical context and bios on the architects.
It’s bound to include quite an educational experience (pun on “bound” not intended, but amazing how that worked out.)
[Curated.]
Zhuang Hong Yi
Paint-covered hand-made rice paper flowers by Zhuang Hong Yi. Enough said.
At Keszler Gallery.
Loving >> Sleeping Porches
Sleeping porches– a wonderful staple of summer nights in the south. I’ve yet to see a sleeping porch (or really a screened porch at all) in California, I guess because it gets cold at night anyway and the house cools off, so you don’t need to sleep outside, and there aren’t mosquitos, so you don’t need a screened porch. But regardless, I miss sleeping porches.
Especially this kind above, with multiple beds, where the parents stick all the kids at the lake in the summer. How fun does that look??
Happy 4th y’all.
Listening To >> And Obsessed With >> Miike Snow
Above, the first song off the album, “Animal.” Just give it a listen. It’s so ubelievably catchy well-produced, I can’t imagine you won’t like it. I don’t even feel like I need to give a description to entice you, but here’s a hint, if you like Vampire Weekend, Discovery, Passion Pit, and Peter Bjorn and John, or any combination of the above, you’re pretty much gauranteed to like them.
Oh, and there’s no one name Miike in the group. Not even a Mike. It’s comprised of three producers from Stockholm, two of whom worked with Britney and Madonna. Don’t you think it shows that it’s three producers?? The produciton is out of control.
LustList >> Deborah Lippmann Nail Polish
I’m sure anyone who is a regular reader of this blog has noticed that I’m a pretty particular person, and those of you who know me outside of the internets probably know that this particularity extends to nail polish colors.
After growing up in a place where a French manicure seems like the only kind of manicure anyone ever gets (other than really bright toe colors for spring break/summer), I was convinced I hated painted finger nails. French manicures are a major pet peeve. I just can’t relate. I could go on about this, but I don’t want to offend anyone, and I do realize this is a personal peeve.
But then, I discovered the bright red, short-nailed look, and fell hard and never looked back. Red on the fingers, light light pink on the toes (occasionally on the fingers), but never anything else. For some reason I think these are the only colors that suit me. Other people can rock the purples and neon pinks, but I just can’t pull it off.
So of course, I am obsessive about the exact shade of red and light pink. Blue-undertoned straight-up red, slightly darker in winter, and pink so pale it’s almost neutral. No opalescense or pearliness. Straight pigment.
I can spend outrageous amounts of time in the store testing and picking the shade, and then I keep them in my purse so I always have them on my when I go to get my nails done. I simply can’t risk the nail place not having the right shade. (Do I sound high maintenance here or what? I prefer to call it “particular.” I swear there’s a difference.)
All this to say, I fell in love when I discovered the Deborah Lippmann line of polishes sold at Barney’s. She has multiple great reds and light pinks (including great orange undertone reds I wouldn’t usually go for), as well as other shades that despite my red-or-light pink-only rule, I am seriously tempted by.
So there’s gauranteed to be a color to suit everyone’s fancy, not just red/light pink people like me. The colors are so great that I found myself wondering if I could branch out to aubergine without having an identity crisis. I’m even tempted by the glittery gold… one time I wrapped gold foil around the tips of my fingers, loved the unabashed glam of it, and decided if I ever found a super gilt-y gold I’d have to try it. Somehow I think it’s a reasonable addition to my narrow repertoire.
Plus, they have great names like “My Old Flame,” “Prelude to a Kiss,” “Call Me Irresponsible,” and “Whatever Lola Wants.”
[Above, Giovanna Battaglia, former house model of Dolce & Gabbana, who I happen to have a major girl crush on, sporting red nails.]
[At top, sketch by Garance.]
Available here. (Expensive, yes, but seriously it takes forever to use up a bottle of nail polish.)
And in case you’re wondering, favorite reds are Sally Hansen Salon Lacquer “Hollywood Scarlet” for winter and Essie “Pepperoni” for summer (although horrible name, I know).
July 2, 2010
Curated by:
Eliza Coleman
Section:
LustList, Style Files
Labels:
LustList, nail polish, style files
Curated by:
Eliza Coleman
Section:
LustList, Style Files
Labels:
LustList, nail polish, style files
Not Kidding >> Bookshelf Porn.
A whole site dedicated to bookshelf images “for people who heart bookshelves”!! Appropriately named Bookshelf Porn.
However, the images are not organized by any particular theme, which sort of bugs my constantly-categorizing mind. If you want to see some nicely categorized bookshelves, check out past posts on built-in bookshelves that wrap over sofas, doorways, etc. here and here, and a post on art over bookshelves here.
Summer Lovin >> Tomatoes. Tomatoes in a tart shell with herbs and goat cheese.
This week, I’ve been freaking out with excitement over my two new (birthday present) kitchen gadgets: a Cuisinart food processor, and a Kitchenaid stand mixer. Oh my gosh even writing that sentence, proclaiming myself as the owner of these two things, makes me feel giddy. I feel like my kitchen (and thus moi) just went through a major rite of passage.
I daydream about the ease and speed with which I will now be able to make dough, pesto (no more mortar and pestle!), fluffy whipped cream, perfectly smooth crepe batter, etc. I imagine myself flitting around the kitchen in a cute apron doing other things, like making flower arrangements, while the machine works for me. Even though I am generally cooking in sweaty running clothes topped by my dad’s old oxford shirts, rather than a skirt and apron, and making a huge mess all the while.. not nearly so chic. But that’s why this is the daydream version.
ANYWAY, sorry, that is mostly irrelevant, except to explain why I was so excited to find this tomato tart recipe from the estimable David Lebovitz. Well for one thing, I almost had a fit over how delicious the roasted tomatoes were that I made earlier this week for my pesto pasta and urgently wanted more things to do with the wonderful summer tomatoes, but for another, it gives me an excuse to use the food processor (for the tart shell)!
It is simply a tart shell, tomatoes, herbs, and goat cheese. YUUMMM. It is basically a big party to show off the tomatoes.
Also, if you read David’s blog entry about making this with his friends in France, it all sounds so charming that you practically have to make it, just to try to relive some of that wonderment. I’m going to serve this with rose over ice, just so I can try to recapture his experience. No I’m not kidding.
Finally, can we just talk about how wonderful the packaging for the flour is in France?? I’m obsessed with it– the two-color palette, the fonts, the Matisse-esque birds…
Recipe and story on David’s blog here.
Apolis Activism + Kanvas by Katin
Apolis Activism’s latest project:
Bringing classic board short company (originally boat-cover-makers) Kanvas by Katin up to date with a men’s chambray trunk. As usual, it’s all about the quality. Love it.
And, as usual, great video with a great story!
Also, I didn’t realize these guys could surf!
Love them! Available here.
July 2, 2010
Curated by:
Eliza Coleman
Section:
Masters and Their Crafts
Labels:
masters and their crafts, style files, summer
Curated by:
Eliza Coleman
Section:
Masters and Their Crafts
Labels:
masters and their crafts, style files, summer
Trophies + Maps
Old books, old trophies, and maps. Love it.
Image from Roberta Grove on etsy.
Via Parcel Post
