i love when amazing things come in amazing packages.


natural soaps and body lotions from marseille, france
are my new favorite thing.
high in quality and feel, beautiful scents and stunning packaging.
(available at lekker home and basic french)

i'm a hardware store shopper.

there is nothing i love better than re-purposing hardware and construction items.

so, i was thrilled when i saw these billy kirk overnight bags over at auto.
just like a tool bag, only somehow even more utilitarian chic.

oh the draw of the blog...i can't resist.

i'm now back for periodic posting.
however, it may be slightly less often than before.

i am waiting very impatiently for the new, nylon book of global style.

(oh and recently, style bytes did a great street fashion round up.)

did you miss me?

i apologize to anyone that's e-mailed me in the last week or so. i've been a little too overwhelmed with life/work stuff to wade through my blog e-mail. but i promise to get back to you soon.



lovely design now has these great little packets of paper...perfect for paper crazy me. i am also thrilled by the new black walnut version of their excellent address file.

shoes, shoes, shoes.
these are the stuff of dreams.
except they are real.


i know, steve madden isn't always the best quality...but i really love these.



these are great. so great.




new to me, terra plana makes wonderful shoes.
these are a couple of my favorites.




this week, the boy finished graduate school. i am so so proud of him.
he recently presented his project, only what it is at the nyu itp show. while i was there checking out his great work, he showed me another really interesting project by a classmate, hypothetical drawings about real people. worth checking out.




this book of photography caught my eye this week.



...as did this one.

and, oh yes... how could i forget this one too.

okay, well, while i'm at it - douglas coupland's new book sounds very very interesting.



stamps are so fun to play with. what about this set too?



i'm soothed by the colors and texture of this pillow by lauren sanders.

and in other news:
small, simple, using what you have, appreciating the value of things.
...i think i might be (already...or becoming...not sure) a devotee of lohas. naive does a great job of explaining what it is over on her blog.

interesting things...
+ the goods
+ the guild
+ the brilliance



if you want to see some great dance, you should grab tickets to see miguel gutierrez at dance theater workshop and sam kim at the mulberry street theater...both are a must see.

next time. next time.

(the above images are actually wall prints silkscreened on balsa wood from salvor. they're new and when i saw them for the first time in the salvor studio a few weeks ago, i was instantly smitten. they are so wonderful in person. get one here.)

accidental interview #3
...a periodic presentation from hoping for happy accidents

alisa grifo is in constant creative pursuit.

alisa is the proprietor and curator of the salvor kiosk, a shop that offers interesting items from a different country every few months. hidden up at the top of a dark stairwell above a busy soho street, the salvor kiosk is a must-see shop in nyc. in developing the stock of products for the kiosk, alisa is committed to supporting small companies and dedicated artisians, as well as offering items that remind us of the beauty in the mundane. each collection of items is like a travelogue, a kind document of daily life in a different country.

a parsons and george washington university gradute, alisa is also an artist and a designer who has worked with everyone from needcompany to moma to the folks at metropolis magazine.

she's a world traveler and an art lover...
instantly warm, thoughtful and engaging.
in short, an inspiring person.
...and she is someone that i'm happy to accidentally know.

what inspires your art? your work?
people, food, smells, nature, anything with the human touch

happiness is...
peace

browsing often...
any market...flea, farmers, etc...where i can talk to the seller/maker directly

wishing for...
happiness

listening to...
+ stereolab
+ anything ross, my co-worker plays, it's all great! he has
an amazing collection!

escaping with...
+ travel stories!
+ bios
+ 20th century history
+ studs terkel's "working"

morning...
yoga

noon...
work & shop keeping & daydreaming of places

night...
eat!

what are you looking forward to?
my next trip, the next people i meet on it, the food i eat while i am
there

the future is...
listening

the past is...
email

your happiest accident...
meeting my husband and salvor kiosk

my house smells of lilacs.
rich, green, heady, familiar. its kind of wonderful.

other wonderful things...



i've written about voda soap before. i'm a long-time fan. but something about the swirl of spring reminded me of their unbelievable handmade soap again...


the jack smith documentary is finally out.


love the bags by red flag design.



i've always been kind of partial to the blankets and throws by utility canvas, but their bags and clothing really got my attention this week.


i have a crush on puma's nuala line.

you aussies are so lucky. you get remo and michi girl.


now that i think about it...the french are pretty lucky too...

oh, and a new accidental interview will arrive on monday.