Thursday, July 9, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
500 Pieces of Prudent Advice for My Baby Daughter
Lately I've been reading Jaime's blog. Though I am 27 I find her posts useful. Some are things I will integrate into my life like #116: At the close of each day, fill your head with thoughts of how lucky you are. Some things I'm proud that I'm doing, for example #161: Live alone for a period of time. And some are things I would like to share with my daughter one day like #154: You can talk to me about sex. And I love the art and quotes that are mixed in. Here is one quote that I saved from post #2: Try to know what is bubbling around inside your heart.
Your heart is a great river after a long spell of rain, spilling over its banks. All signposts that once stood on the ground are gone, inundated and carried away by that rush of water. And still the rain beats down on the surface of the river. Every time you see a flood like that on the news you tell yourself: That's it. That's my heart. —Kafka on the Shore, Haruki Murakami
If were to offer anything, I'd say that it's okay sometimes to not know who you are. Life will bring challenges to question your beliefs and values and it's okay to defer, to surrender, to change, to progress, to digress. In the end if you have grown, then you have lived.
Artwork: Proteus 1984. Cy Twombly.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Quote of the Week
I am currently reading Rilke on Love and Other Difficulties by German poet Rainer Maria Rilke. This is my second time around and there’s still so much to digest. Here are three Rilke quotes that seem most relevant to me at the present moment:
“It is not inertia alone that is responsible for human relationships repeating themselves from case to case, indescribably monotonous and unrenewed: it is shyness before any sort of new, unforeseeable experience with which one does not think oneself able to cope. But only someone who is ready for everything, who excludes nothing, not even the most enigmatical will live the relation to another as something alive.” Yes, Rilke is talking about human relationships, but oftentimes, my relationships with others can be as muddled and confusing, as painful and joyful, as my relationship with my self. With everything that happens or doesn’t happen, I cope again and again. Each time I see more of myself. I may be shy and wide-eyed, a little fearful, a little unsure, but I survive, I grow, I strengthen, I love. I embrace and I let go. I refuse inertia—and, in doing so, I think I may have found my best and most fulfilling relationship yet.
“Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.” I’m not sure what frightens me, or maybe I do and don’t want to confront it. This is a scary thing... maybe one day I will have the courage to do this.
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” This is a guide to how I want to be. I want to remember in moments when I’m caught up in the details of not knowing what and when and why and how that I need to go back to the notion of trying to live in the unknown—and that, in fact, hopefully will lead to the answer.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Missing Domino
Last week, I received my first issue of Glamour the offical replacement of Domino. Sad face. I'm glad that English Muse is posting Domino favorites from the past. Pictured is Carolina Jr.'s Madrid apartment from the premiere issue, Spring/Summer 2005.
Downtown Cool
I would define my style as easy breezy and California cool. Now, I'm craving a bit of rock star glam. If I could I would wear flip flops and tanks everyday, but all of a sudden I think I'm channeling M.J. I am loving anything shiny with sequins, beads, studs and of course black. And if I could I would purchase Erin Kleinberg's entire fall 2009 collection. It's the ultimate mix of luxury and comfort. Rock on!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Essence of Summer
Beautiful photos from The Sartorialist.
I tried to explain that if they want to become a fashion designer they should try to take photos that will inspire a certain feeling of a season, or a gesture, or a mood. The pictures that I took above are, to me, the essence of Summer. If I was a designer I would look at photos like this at the beginning of the spring design season, just to remember what it is that everyone loves about the sun, warmth, and vacation. —Scott Schuman
Vintage Style
I'm loving these vintage inspired pieces from Kristina Franco's Etsy shop, Allen Company Inc.
DIY Project: Bridesmaid Gift Spruce-up
I'm always looking for neat ways to dress gifts. Here's an idea from Ellie Snow. (Via Design Sponge)
The Science of Sleep
In Prelude to a Kiss Meg Ryan admits that she has a terrible memory and insomnia. Well, so do I. Perhaps this is a solution to restless nights, Zeo Personal Sleep Coach. Developed by scientists, the product tracks, analyzes, and guides you to blissful nights of zzz’s. Here’s how it works: Before bed, put on the jazzy headband that records patterns using sensor technology. In the morning, check out the bedside display, which is connected to the headband wirelessly and evaluates your REM, light, and deep sleep. Then head to the website, which recommends techniques, tools, and tips based on your personal data to address the things affecting your rest. Soon enough you’ll be jumping over rainbows on the back of a unicorn while making sweet love to Edward Cullen. (Via Daily Candy)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Map It Out
This Wednesday, just in time for our favorite patriotic holiday, Maptote's new USA bag will be available on Target's Red Hot Shop website. The double-sided tote features the East Coast on one side and the West Coast on the other, with graphic, screen-printed drawings of major cities and landmarks in between (Las Vegas, for example, is denoted by a slot machine and Georgia is a ripe peach). The bag, the newest in the Maptote series, is made by Brooklyn-based designers Rachel Rheingold and Michael Berick, who have combined their love of fashion and cartography. The dark-denim-and-red-ink combo has a summery-cool look, and the tote is a great replacement for those bland beige bags you've been using for groceries.
Available starting July 1 for $24.99 at Target.com.
(Via New York Magazine)
Absolutely Awesome Baby Announcements
The announcement was designed by the parents, Tosh and Victoria Brown, and letterpress printed in four spot colors on Crane Lettra paper by The Mandate Press. The overall design kind of reminds me of The Royal Tennenbaums, don't you think? Either way, I just love the simple, yet completely non-traditional and unique, design of this baby announcement.
Check out more photos over on The Mandate Press flickr stream - the good folks over at The Mandate Press also recently launched a new website where you can find a lot more of their fabulous work, check it out right here! (Via Oh So Beautiful Paper)
Wired
Love this... wire storage collection at West Elm. The little pencil pail is $10, the waste bin is $29, and the magazine basket is $49.
(Via Design Sponge)
Quote of the Week
There are two things on my mind. First, the unexpected and sudden death of Michael Jackson. As a little girl I loved Michael Jackson. My parents can attest to this. My mom says I'd run to the TV whenever M.J. was on. To me he was magic. When I was old enough to have my own stereo, my dad who is a music aficionado, purchased my first cd, which was "Bad". To be honest, I don't care one bit about his controversial life. To me it's all speculation. "Before you judge me, try hard to love me" are lyrics from a song called "Childhood". I think this is something everyone wants. He had a difficult life. Let's let him rest in peace.
Second, today is my dad's birthday. He is probably one of this most selfless people I know. I like this quote for him. "The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day." —David Foster Wallace
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sonia Delaunay
Right now I'm inspired by Sonia Delaunay's textile designs. See more at At Swim-Two-Birds.
Little Gold Letter
For 2009, Idea Subscription
This is a great concept. For all of 2009 David Horvitz will send out small texts of simple instructional ideas through a mailing list to which you can subscribe. He will also post screenshots of them on his tumblr page. He will does not do this everyday, only when he feels like it and has access to the internet. But he wil attempt to do them everyday. You can also receive these in the postal mail.
This post is from Vic. I relate so much:
I am feeling a little lost for inspiration at the moment. Or maybe a little lost in general. Things are changing, always changing. I am about to turn 28 and I have no idea where I’m going or what I’m doing. And this is fine, of course. In fact, sometimes it’s great and I wouldn’t want it any other way. But there are moments when I think about the strange order in which I do things, in which I’ve done things, and I wonder how it got like this. How did we get here? And I don’t mean just you and I, I mean everyone. How did you get here? What are you doing?
But then I look at this photo of Oprah and I realise that everything is going to be ok. It has to be. After all, this is all there is.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
