Ready for a snack?
Something fruity, perhaps? Or a rich chocolate bite?
Don’t sink your teeth into these morsels — they are ‘Crunched Pillows’ by Bonjour Mon Coussin, a food-obsessed online store started by Claire Eglizaud and Paul Moreau in 2007.
She’s a fashion stylist; he’s a graphic designer. And the clothing, bags, purses and home items featured on their site are a foodie’s dream come true.
And if you want to literally dream in chocolate? Well, you can make that happen, too.
Posted in Design, Foods, Home, Humor, Internet, Life, Shopping
Tagged Bed Toppings, Bonjour Mon Coussin, chocolate, chocolate bedding, chocolate dreams, Claire Eglizaud, Crunched Pillows, fashion stylist, food bags, food clothing, food home items, food purses, foodie, Foods, graphic designer, home, Humor, Internet, life, online store, Paul Moreau, pillows, shopping, tarts
I like to do things a little differently.
But would I have the guts to have a Christmas tree…
…that was upside down?
This whackadoodle pre-lit fir tree is available on Hammacher Schlemmer. They trace its origins back to a 12th century Central European tradition of hanging a tree from the ceiling at Christmas.
Its unique shape also allows you to place your tree in small places, since the base is its narrowest point.
It kinda makes sense for someone like me — a New York City apartment dweller with very limited floor space. But just looking at it makes me a bit dizzy. I start having Poseidon Adventure flashbacks (and who wants to think about that film over the holidays?).
No, I think I will stick with my the traditional Christmas tree for now. And keep my dinner down.
Posted in Christmas, Design, Holiday, Home, Humor, Life, Shopping
Tagged Christmas, Christmas tree, design, Hammacher Schlemmer, Holiday, home, Humor, life, New York City, Poseidon Adventure movie, pre-lit tree, shopping, upside down Christmas tree
Are these sticky notes a ‘good thing?’
Of course they are. They’re Martha Stewart Sticky Notes.
You heard me. Martha is branding sticky notes now. Applying her custom colors — and what appears to be tiny notches — to the corner of everyday stickies.
They are supposedly super sticky — more so than the regular Avery brand that Staples carries. And Martha has handpicked the colors, so they will coordinate with any other Martha accessories you have in your kitchen or home office.
Because using sticky notes that don’t match your home decor?
That’s definitely not a good thing.
Posted in Business, Commentary, Design, Home, Humor, Life, Shopping
Tagged accessories, Avery, Business, custom colors, design, home, home decor, home office, Humor, it's a good thing, kitchen, life, Martha Stewart, Staples, sticky notes, super sticky
“Good-bye, Atlas.”
If you’ve been watching Project Runway this season, you’ve no doubt heard the contestants bid their New York City digs adieu as they head to the workroom each day.
Like most reality shows, Runway is chock full of product endorsements. Heck, each challenge is sponsored by an advertiser, and the producers usually make the design challenges a creative use of the featured product.
But for the Atlas, all they can come up with is shots of the apartments in use, and “Good-bye, Atlas” each time the designers leave the building.
Why not feature Atlas in a challenge itself? Have the designers use textiles from the apartment in looks that are true to their design aesthetic?
No, what am I thinking…
Having them lovingly say ‘ta ta’ again and again is much more effective.
Posted in Commentary, Design, Fashion, Home, Television, TV
Tagged advertiser, apartment, Atlas Hotel, commentary, contestants, design, design aesthetic, design challenge, Fashion, fashion designers, home, home bodies, New York City, product endorsements, Project Runway, reality shows, ta ta, Television, textiles, TV
What’s it like, living in a big city, everyone practically on top of each other?
These art pieces by Kudu-lah, on display at Stoopher & Boots in New York City, capture the feeling pretty well. Living in tight spaces, yet kinda on display. And often stacked together in high-rise buildings.
Don’t worry…
We still get out on the town.
Posted in Art, Commentary, Design, Home, Humor, Life
Tagged apartments, art, big city life, City, design, home, Humor, kudu-lah, life, New York City, privacy, Stoopher & Boots, tight spaces
Once upon a time there was an apple.
He dreamed of one day being an apple pie on a Thanskgiving Day dinner table. Or maybe an apple cake for a very good girl or boy’s special birthday.
Heck, he would have settled for a turnover at McDonald’s — gooey, crispy goodness on the run.
But what did life have in store for this apple?
Hotel lamp at the Hilton.
Oh well, at least he was in….
ORLANDO!!!!!
Posted in Commentary, Design, Family, Home, Humor, Life, Travel
Tagged Americana, apple cake, apple lamp, apple pie, apple turnover, apples, design, Disney World, fruit, furniture, Hilton, home, hotels, Humor, life, McDonald's, Orlando, Travel
The Oreo turned 100 yesterday. I cheered. Bet you did, too.
But last night I learned that the eerily similar Hydrox sandwich cookie is 104 years old.
Now I have a bad taste in my mouth.
The Oreo — which, let’s face it, has the better name between the two — came second. Was actually inspired by Hydrox.
But somehow Hydrox has always been perceived as the knockoff through the years. So much so that the cookie was removed from the market in 2003. Yet in 2008, in response to an online petition, Kelloggs put Hydrox back on the market, albeit temporarily, under the original Sunshine label.
Now? All I can find is some crushed Hydrox on Nuts.com.
How fitting.
Posted in Children, Cooking, Family, Food, Foods, History, Home, Humor, Life, News, Shopping
Tagged 100th birthday, 104th birthday, advertising, bad taste in the mouth, commentary, cookies, cooking, family, food, Foods, friends, home, Humor, Hydrox, Kelloggs, knockoff, life, Nuts.com, off the market, online petition, Oreos, sandwich cookies, shopping, Sunshine
I spent a lot of my childhood motion sick. Cars, boats, planes, you name it — we just didn’t get along.
But what if the very floor could give you vertigo?
Don’t laugh. It’s happening.
Researchers in Jersey City, New Jersey have found that high contrast black-and-white carpeting is making people sick.
We’re talking headaches. Visual distress. Even seizures in epileptics.
Man…that boat trip is sounding better all the time.
They aren’t exactly sure why a high contrast repeating pattern can give the illusion of motion and make viewers sick. But based on their findings, researchers do recommend that you give carpet more than a quick glance before you make any purchase for your home.
Your home? I think this information is even more important for all the planes, trains, and automobiles out there.
Talk about a double whammy!
Posted in Airplanes, Automobiles, Business, Cars, Commentary, Design, Furniture, Health, Home, Humor, Life, transportation, Travel
Tagged airplanes, automobile, black-and-white, boats, Business, carpet, commentary, design, epileptics, flooring, headaches, Health, high contrast, home, home decor, Humor, Jersey City, life, motion sickness, New Jersey, seizures, trains, Travel, vertigo, visual distress
While re-watching 500 Days of Summer recently, I found myself wondering…
What are my favorite buildings in Manhattan?
The lovesick architect Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, was able to find inspiration in Los Angeles. I live in New York City, home to some of the most iconic buildings in the world. What speaks to me?
The Lucerne Hotel
When I was looking for my first apartment in the city back in 2006, this Upper West Side building immediately caught my eye. The realtor had made an appointment for me at a nondescript high-rise across the street; I just wanted to talk about this beautifully ornate structure.
I soon learned it was a boutique hotel with a decidedly European influence — a French restaurant occupies the entire ground floor — and that had it just undergone a major renovation.
But at the turn-of-the-century, The Lucerne was a residence hotel. Eugene O’Neill is one of its more storied occupants. I’m sure it was less grand back then, but the man knew his architecture.
I wish the darn thing would go co-op now!
Posted in Commentary, Design, History, Home, Humor, Life, Travel, Walking
Tagged 500 Days of Summer movie, architect, architecture, commentary, design, Eugene O'Neill, European influence, favorite buildings, favorite places, French restaurant, go co-op, home, hotels, Humor, inspiration, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, landmark buildings, life, Los Angeles, lovesick, Manhattan, New York City, residence hotel, The Lucerne Hotel, Travel, turn-of-the-century
Save the salt for our chips, please
When I arrived home last night, light snow was falling on New York City. The street was quiet. My footprints (and luggage tracks) were the first to disturb the sidewalk snow. It was a welcome scene.
This morning’s cityscape was very different.
And yet building owners continue to spread it quite liberally, every snowy morning.
Our good friends at Morton Salt make an ice melt that is salt free, chloride free, and organic. It doesn’t irritate dog paws or tummies and melts below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does it cost a bit more? Like most green-friendly products, it is a bit more expensive. But stacked against the high price our pets and the environment pay, I’d say it’s well worth it.
I’m going to talk to my building super today.
“You say traction; I say corrosive chemicals. Let’s call the whole thing off!”
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Posted in Commentary, Dogs, Environment, Green, Home, Life, Weather
Tagged building super, contaminated ground water, dog paws, Dogs, doorman, environment, friends, green, home, ice, ice melt, life, Morton Salt, New York City, pets, sidewalk salt, snow, weather