Currently

Book
Joyce Maynard- At Home In The World. The writer's memoir, juicy because of her relationship with J.D. Salinger.

Song
An album, actually. Elton John and Leon Russel- The Union.




Perfume
Today was the first one in a while I wasn't testing/wearing one of the Outlaw Perfumes. Wore Tom Ford Private Blend Tobacco Vanille.

Makeup
Blush. I'm on a serious pink cheek kick.

Frequently Worn Outfit/Item
Long DVF ruffled cashmere cardigan. Black.

Food/Drink
tea, pasta, grilled cheese... the usual.

Guilty Pleasure
Admiring some of my makeup brushes. Profound, I know.

Joy
A new camera.

Bane Of My Existence
My Droid is having charging issues and I'm not due for an upgrade yet. I've been pursuing the Verizon Wireless site, looking at the new(er) models and telling myself  "These are not the droids you are looking for". Yes, geek humor.




Anticipation
Oddly enough, the holidays.

Wishlist
A pair of ultra-fabulous flat black boots that are knee-high but designed with short women in mind. The Alexander McQueen pair, once I found them in my size turned out to be an inch too tall. They are still the most gorgeous thing.

Random Thought
I have quite a few, actually. Enough for a separate post. For now, I'll just say that the Outlaw Perfume Project has been quite mind-blowing. I don't want to ever forget what a real perfume smells like.

What are your current loves, recommendation and banes? Please share.

Photo by me, November 2010.

Why don't you...Why don't I...

I've been getting more and more requests to post more photos, particularly pictures of myself wearing the products I'm reviewing. There are also numerous calls for tutorials- videos and/or how-to posts. I guess it's about time I explain why I don't do it.

I'm not a makeup artist and I don't play one on YouTube. Of course, I'm pretty good at wielding a brush and doing my own makeup. I can also do a very decent job making over some of my nearest and dearest. I'm familiar enough with their faces and know what works and what would make my sister remind me she's still the stronger one and can do me a world of bodily harm. But I can't tell you how to do your makeup. Sometimes I make suggestions, but for the most part it comes down to your very specific coloring and facial features. The specific of applying two or three eyes shadows on Asian eyes are extremely different than how to do it on mine. Look at my photos- I have deep-set eyes with very visible lids. There's no way that a method that works for me would work for many of you. Even when it comes to eyes of similar shapes there are minute but important details every woman needs to figure out for herself.

Let's talk about skin tone. The warm vs. cool grouping is way too broad. We all have several undertones, some contrasting, and trying to generalize too often ends with a person buying the wrong foundation shade. Just think of the various shades of Asian skin tones that look absolutely nothing like each other. The same goes for African-Americans. And look at my own "white" skin- at most makeup counters the first foundation or concealer shade a SA  suggests usually turns out about 1.5 shades too dark. Why? Because while I'm generally categorized as "olive" there's also a little yellow and pink in some indescribable ratio. I can't wear pink foundations, of course, but many of them (MAC, Trish McEvoy and Bobbi Brown are good examples) are too yellow or just look off. I tan easily and can get quite brown, but I try my best to avoid the sun, so I'm actually some weird pale olive color. And this fact influences the way I wear all of my makeup. Normally I apply a touch of bronzer or blush to my décolleté to even things out. I intentionally avoided it when I took the photo yesterday so you can see the green and the difference.

I'm not even talking about the technical aspects of taking a huge amount of pictures that showcase the products or the makeup "look". I can tell you that for the simple daytime makeup  I'm showing here I had to  apply almost double the amount of color I'd normally do and it still looks a bit washed out compared to what I actually saw in the mirror. These two pictures were taken about two minutes apart in separate rooms that face the same direction. The natural light still looks different and so does the makeup. It's a lot of work for very uneven results, which is why I stick to closeup swatches on my wrists.

So there you have it. (Almost) 40 years old, green skin, dark circles no amount of Touche Eclat can fully erase. Would you want a tutorial from this woman? (that was a rhetorical question!)

Top photo of a makeup artist at work courtesy of WWD.
Everything else here is mine, of course.

Currently

Book
Once I gain some attention span back I should get to B&N for Tim Gunn's book. It's been out for weeks now.

Song
Wilco- I'll Fight




On TV
CNN, what else?

Perfume
Etat Libre d'Orange- Like This. Perfect for this weather.

Makeup
Blush. I've been experimenting.

Frequently worn outfit/item
Gray cashmere hoodie over just about everything.

Food/Drink
I really want some miso soup.

Guilty Pleasure
Sleeping in.

Joy
It's all good.

Bane Of My Existence
See above.

Anticipation
The weekend. Just because.

Random Thought
Some things put even Kim Kardashian's nude cover into perspective.

Wish List
A new camera. Any suggestions on what I should get?


What are your current banes, joys and recommendations? Please share!



Top image: La Esperanza, webshots.com

Currently

Book:
Just started Alison Arngrim's memoir Prairie Bitch. No opinion yet. Tim Gunn's new book is coming out today. For some reason, I'm not optimistic.

Song:
David Gray's latest album

Perfume:
Shalimar Light and Coty Chypre.

Makeup:
Chanel Teint Innocence compact foundation.

Frequently worn outfit/item:
Getting as much use of my summer dresses as I can before the weather turns too cool

Food:
Fresh figs

Drink:
Water. Tea. The usual.

Guilty Pleasure:
Whole Foods marshmallow.

Bane of my existence:
Time

Joy:
Kittens. And grown cats.

Anticipation:
Time with my two nieces.

Random Thought:
Naomi Watts doesn't strike me as an Ann Taylor person. But what do I know?

Wish List:
To be in Paris.

What are your current loves, banes and recommendations? What's on your mind? Please share.

Photo: Paris, 1950 by Robert Capa

Currently

Book
Julie Metz- Perfection, a memoir of betrayal and renewal. Young and widowed Metz discovers that her husband had multiple affairs. Touching and honestly written.

Music
I recently downloaded some Patsy Cline classics. Everyone needs a little country.

Frequently Worn Outfit/Item
A little dark denim minidress in a classic sheath cut cinched with a red patent belt. Sounds odd, but it works.

Perfume
Vintage Caleche, vintage Joy, Vintage 1000, Vintage Chanel No. 5. I can go on and on.

Makeup
Guerlain fall collection. The eye shadow compacts are the most beautiful thing on the market.

Food
Rustic bread with butter, fresh Gouda and slices of just-picked tomato from my garden.

Drink
Strawberry-banana smoothies.

Guilty Pleasure
eBay

Bane Of My Existence
You know, other than a general grumble about the caloric content of milk chocolate, my life is blissfully bainless at the moment (give it a day or two, though).

Joy
Kittens!

Anticipation
My sister and family are coming to visit in two weeks.

Wish List
Glamorous items such as a stainless steel laundry sink. Oh, and this:

Random Thought
How long before PETA goes after the Duchess of Cornwall for her bee venom face treatments?

What are your current loves, joys, banes, etc.? Please share, recommend and complain.

Art: August by Dmitri Danish
Chanel Matelasse watch chanel.com

It is a dark and stormy night

The perfume review I planned for today of a Killian something or other will have to wait. I'm just not in the mood. Today's explosive thunderstorms are good for my soul (except the part where I was driving through the edge of one earlier this evening). It's an oddly calming weather.

I'm not going to rehash the subject of comfort scents. It's been done enough and I'm not feeling any of them at the moment. The perfumes I've been wearing the last week or so had to provide strength and resolve more than comfort and my choices have surprised me. I mentioned earlier today that last week sucked major monkeys. One of my older cats, Thomas, died on Thursday night after a year of living with lymphoma. We knew it was coming and he passed away at home, which is a slightly better option. But the days leading to it were very difficult. If that wasn't enough, on Saturday afternoon we took Giselle for her yearly shots. By that night she developed a high fever. Even though we knew it's a fairly common reaction, the Blond and I have a low threshold for these things right now, so we rushed her to the emergency clinic, where a well-meaning Doogie Howser, DVM wanted to test her for everything under the sun and preferably admit her for at least 24 hours. Seriously. While neither one of us plays a vet on TV, we knew all she needed was an IV of fluids. It's us who could have used some serious medication, but I'm pretty sure young Doogie wasn't authorized to prescribe any.

Giselle is alright, of course. The IV took care of the fever and by the time we brought her home on Sunday afternoon she proceeded to eat her weight in Royal Canine and then chased the other cats around before cuddling with us for the rest of the night.

So what perfumes did I wear throughout the turmoil? Oddly enough, non of my comfort scents. Instead, I turned to classics with a steely backbone. Chanel 5 in every formulation but mostly vintage extrait helped me not just keep going but also keep up appearances. Chanel 22 (current version) at night provided a little more softness and lulled me to sleep without coddling. A fairly recent love, Givenchy Insense, was another good choice (Luca Turin said this one is melancholic and mysterious), despite (or because) its masculinity. Vintage Miss Dior, both EDT and extrait, accompanied me throughout the weekend.

Today I've been in the mood for iris. I played with several of the ones I have, but now that I'm cuddling with my fluffy gray Peter who's purring loudly in my ear (the Blond has Gracie on his lap), I wish for a bell jar of Iris Silver Mist. It just goes well with the mood and the weather. Tomorrow I might go back to my Guerlains or maybe a Tauer that would make me feel like myself again, but tonight it's still dark and stormy, so I'm going to rummage through my vintage bottles and wear something appropriate to bed .

Photo of a thunderstorm over Northern NJ by quintanomedia.com, 2009

Currently

Book
Gone with the Windsors by Iles Brody. An old biography of the Duke and Duchess of Widsor. I found it at a fabulous used bookstore in Kingston, NY.

Song
I was looking for Cake's Wheels (has it already been 5 years since that song came out?!) when I happened upon this one. Such a great cover.


Frequently worn outfit/item
Hats. I need all the sun protection I can get.

Perfume
I'm obsessed with vintage Dior at the moment. The real thing, not the dreck they've been putting in their bottles in the last few years. Just got a bottle of Diorella.

Makeup
Blue mascara. It looks great with summery sand and bronze eye shadows. There are several excellent ones on the market, none of them looks like a residue from the 80s. I'm actually planning a blue mascara face off post in the near future.

Food
If it were up to me, I'd eat nothing but watermelon from now until September.

Drink
I could use one, actually.

Guilty Pleasure
Watching crap TV while working out.

Bane of my existence
Packing peanuts. Whenever the cats get their paws on some, they shred them to tiny pieces that get everywhere and cling to everything.

Joy
Emails and comments from readers, even when I'm behind on replying.

Anticipation
Taking my niece to the Bronx Zoo.

Wish List
A lot more energy and motivation to get things done.

Random Thought
Is J Crew employing blind aliens as their pattern makers lately? I'm not even talking about the quality that has been going downhill at an exponential rate. It's the odd way the garments are cut and (don't) fit.

What are your current loves, banes and thoughts? Please share!

Art: Summertime Blues by Mark Goldstein

Currently

Book
There's a Grace Kelly biography waiting for me.I'm still not in the mood for fiction.

Song
I'll listen to anything as long as Martha Wainwright is singing it. And I can't wait for the new Rufus Wainwright album this week.



Frequently worn outfit/item
Floaty silk chiffon tops. As always, DVF makes the perfect ones.

Perfume
Histoires de Parfums Tuberose #3 L'Animale. A perfect answer to all those anti-perfume perfumes. Jennifer Aniston should be forced to bathe in it.

Makeup
Concealer is my friend.

Food
I have very little appetite lately.

Drink
Give me my tea and nobody gets hurt.

Guilty Pleasure
Sleeping in.

Bane of my existence
Pollen.

Anticipation
Another nephew this summer.

Wish List
This John Delmatoff necklace:

Thought
My tolerance for hypocrisy, BS and people in general is at an all-time low. It's not necessarily a good thing.


How are you doin'? Please share your current loves, hates and thoughts.

Top image: Tina Modotti, photograph by Edward Weston, 1923
Necklace: johndelmatoff.com

Currently

Book:
Melissa Gilbert- Prairie Tales. Half Pint isn't a great writer (some sentences make me want to reach for a red pen and start correcting), but she makes up for it with truly interesting stories about Hollywood in the 70s and 80s, sex with Rob Lowe (admit it, you want to know) and being introduced to Groucho Marx.

Song:
David Kitt- Song From Hope St. (Brooklyn, NY). I don't know why this guy isn't much more famous here in States.


Frequently worn outfit/item:
A one button black cashmere sweater/jacket. Goes over everything.

Perfume:
L'Artisan Havana Vanille.

Makeup:
Cream blushes. I'm testing several, mixing and matching.

Food:
Whole wheat bagels with Danish butter. Oh, my thighs...

Drink:
Coach Farm cultured goat milk with strawberries or blueberries.

Guilty Pleasure:
eBay.

Bane of my existence:
Lack of inspiration for tonight's Oscar red carpet blogging. I hope someone does a Bjork.

Joy:
The cats.

Anticipation:
Daffodils.

Wish List:
Guerlain Tonka Imperiale. I'm smitten.

Random Thought:
My first cellphone from 1996 and my current one (a Motorola Droid in a bubblegum pink case) don't even look like the same species.

Image: Zig Brunner, 1918 from La Vie Parisienne

What are your current thoughts and recommendations? Please share.

Currently

Book
The books are finally unpacked and sort of arranged in a meaningful order. I was in the mood for some mind-numbing chick-lit, but after buying a Christmas present for a friend, I think I'd go with some vintage sci-fi instead. I also have a beauty post planned that combines my love of makeup and sci-fi. I'm serious.


Song
The entire Strict Joy album by The Swell Season.


Frequently worn outfit/item
Anything cashmere.

Perfume
Vintage chypres. The more oakmoss the better.

Makeup
Just bought several items from Chanel's spring collection. Gorgeous.

Food
Rose-scented Turkish delight from a local Middle Eastern deli. I don't blame Edmund for selling out to the White Witch.

Drink
Hot chocolate with mini marshmallows. I had some the other day at Whole Foods and wanted to hug the girl who was making it.

Guilty Pleasure
Those stupid games on Facebook. I need to get rid of the farm.

Bane of my existence
Knowing with absolute certainty that there's another visit to Ikea in my near future.

Joy
Sitting in the cozy house and looking at the snow.

Anticipation
Putting the finishing touches on some rooms.

Wish List
Health for some very loved ones.

Thought
There are those moments that make the house your home for real: putting some old fridge magnets on the new fridge, dropping those blue Vanish tablets in the toilet's tank, cleaning the first hairball from the floor...

What are your recommendations, thoughts, joys and banes? Please share.

Image: Spring Hats by Yale Joel, 1950. From myvintagevogue.com.

Currently

Book
All the books, and I mean each and every last one, are still packed in 50 boxes. I've almost forgiven them for the nearly sleepless night it took to pack them; a night in which The Blond and I cursed Barnes, Noble, Jeff Bezos and every author ever lived for supplying us with these books.


Song
Mess- Ben Folds


Frequently worn outfit/item
Black yoga pants. Glamorous.

Perfume
Purple Patchouli from Tom Ford Private Blend.

Makeup
Le Metier de Beaute black eyeliner pen. A holy grail if there ever was one.

Food
Soup. Homemade, Whole Foods-made or the miso soup from the local vegan Asian place. Just give me soup.

Drink
Nothing compares to the first cup of tea we made in the new house.

Guilty Pleasure
Starbucks eggnog latte.

Bane of my existence
The thought of all the boxes still waiting to be unpacked.

Joy
The new house. Every last bit, even those that still require work.

Anticipation
My brother-in-law is visiting this weekend.

Wishlist
The two paintings above, Earth Song I and II by Ana Tzarev. They are going to look lovely on one of our walls.

Thought
Insert your favorite Tiger Woods joke here.

What are your recommendations, joys and banes? Please share.

The Moving Chronicles- Part 6

The aftermath.

There's nothing better than the first hot shower in your new house the night after you move. Even if everything is still boxed and you only fish for the basic essentials, it still feels wonderfully indulgent. Not to mention having clean hair (I used the husband's Head & Shoulders with my L'Occitane Shea Butter conditioner and his Vetiver Extraordinaire shower gel. Heaven).

Moving the cats was 8/9 smooth. We started with The Orange Menace at 6 am, before he had a chance to get his attitude. Since it's impossible (and might cost you an eye or two) to stuff him into a normal cat carrier, we used a large (almost wardrobe size) moving box. The Blond dropped him inside with catnip and some food, quickly taped it shut (there were enough holes for breathing) and ran to the car. Two minutes later the beast was releases in the new house, where he sulked and plotted his revenge.

The big problem was Sir Peter Fluffball. He got away and hid under the bed before I had the chance to grab him. We decided to let him be for the time and deal with the other cats first, which worked fine. Peter would still not come out, so we had no choice but wait for the movers to arrive. What happened was that Peter ran out so quickly I was terrified for a moment he escaped outside or to the basement (all doors were open at that point). But he was just under the entertainment center, from which he was eventually removed, grabbed and stuffed into a carrier, to the great amusement of the Moishe's guys. I hated that he was so miserable, but there was nothing much to be done about it.

The cats spent the rest of the day in the basement (we prepared it for them) until the movers, the DirectTV and the Internet guys all finished their work. Gracie and Betty were the first ones to emerge and take the grand tour. As of tonight, most of them have adjusted. Peter is still unhappy and Buffy spends most of her time behind the washer in the basement, but I'm pretty sure they'd come around in a day or two.

I went to sleep last night wearing Diamond Water by JAR, as the two Precious Ones were in my purse (all the other bottles were carefully transported by us and are well). It made me feel like the happiest and luckiest woman in the world.

I had a lot to be grateful about this Thanksgiving, from the new house to my friends and readers. I can't thank you enough for all the comments, emails, texts and Facebook messages. It means the world to me.

Photo of Giselle checking her new surroundings by me.

Moving Day

Not many coherent thoughts at the moment. My next post will be from the new house.

The Moving Chronicles- Part 5

Serenity now.

One day till moving. We're in the homestretch, and you know it's bad if I'm using the word "homestretch" or any sports reference. All that's left to pack are half the books and all the little odds and ends that are driving me crazy.

Tackling mountains of stuff is a difficult experience. It's very different than previous moves when we were in our early, mid and late twenties. I've been trying to tell myself that it's perfectly normal- we're pushing forty, of course we've accumulated all these things, from books to kitchen equipment. And clothes. And shoes. But there's always some guilt attached to your worldly possessions. Mostly, because they are, well, so worldly, and one can't avoid thinking of all the places and people whose problems go far beyond the proper way to transport a Kitchen Aid mixer.

Trying to stay calm. It's important not to make yourself feel worse, so I've been just as meticulous about my skin care routine. Last night was the closest I've been in twenty years to fall asleep with my makeup on. But I could hear my mother's voice in my head, informing me I'd get zits if I don't wash up right away. So I did it, scrubbed and slathered. My back still ached when I woke up this morning, but my skin looked fabulous.

Photo by me, of course. Kosh, the orange menace and Lizzy marveling at an empty closet.

The Moving Chronicles- Part 4

Things that suck about moving: It throws off your routine, shatters your comfort zone and wreaks havoc on your hands and feet.

I had to cut my nails short as they started breaking and splitting the second the word "boxes" was heard around here. I filed them as neatly as possible and applied a coat of something clear and glossy (OPI Start to Finish, if I remember correctly) and a second coat of something random I found while packing, just because. I also left out three different creams (L'Occitane, Shielding Lotion and my trusty Chanel, for anti-aging action), so I there's a tube wherever I turn. It's important.

My aching feet (eventually I'll learn not to run around in high heels at times like these) are being treated with Bliss Foot Patrol and my secret weapon: Vicks Vapor Rub. I'm serious. This stuff works wonders on all kind of foot issues and smooths even the roughest patches. Glamorous, I know.

Photo by me, with the help of Lizzy.

The Moving Chronicles- Part 3

Three nights and two days until moving...

One of you asked about moving the cats, which is, indeed, the biggest issue. The last time we moved we "only" had five cats, but the move itself was a lot more serious and included three nights at a hotel. Yes, with the cats. Fun times. We hope for minimal drama, but still, it's not going to be smooth, considering a couple of the creatures are prone to freakouts. We're going to start with the two most problematic ones early in the morning, get them into their carriers and quickly to the cars. A two minute drive straight into the garage in the new house, close its door and open the access to the basement (where the cats will stay until the movers are done).
Got Xanax?

I packed the perfume collection yesterday. It took forever and enough bubble wrap to cover a village. Kept a few items out for wearing and reviewing, but that's all. Today was harder. I tackled the bedroom and the bathroom while my fearless husband dealt with the kitchen, including the worst of the drawers and cabinets known as "bane of our existence" and "pit of despair". I packed away almost all the cosmetics and personal care items. Last week I said I have enough stuff for a mini-Sephora. I was wrong. It's enough for the biggest store they have. And then some. I wasn't really horrified, because at least I didn't have any "what's that and why do I own it?" moments, but the process was still daunting. My bathroom is now amazingly bare. Only a handful of bottles and jars are left. Is that how normal people live?

Thinking of unpacking and organizing is just as overwhelming, but new cabinets and dressers were purchased, including some very neat storage solutions. Alex cabinets from Ikea. Only moderately ugly, but they have these shallow drawers that are perfect for cosmetics, I'm actually almost excited about putting everything away and having a place for everything. Maybe I'll manage to organize my lipsticks by color!

The perfumes are packed in sturdy plastic bins, small enough that we can fit in our cars and move them ourselves (though probably too heavy for me to carry alone). A couple of bottles will go in my purse, so I can keep a close eye on them. Hopefully, I did a good enough job to avoid any damage. The two new perfume cabinets are waiting in the new house. Hopefully they are large enough.

The Moving Chronicles- Part 2

Some things are obvious. Just like the wardrobe rule about editing your closet and getting rid of any item you haven't worn in the last three years (the number of years varies according to the style luminaries giving the advice), this is even more true about makeup and other cosmetics. I'm pretty good about this- tossing out mascaras at the 3 months mark and not keeping anything that looks or smells past its prime. So I don't foresee a lot of bottles and jars tossing out, though my cleaning lady's daughter might find herself with a lot more nail polish than she would be able to use in a lifetime.

One of my biggest vices is bath products. Long before I had beauty blogging as an excuse, the area around my bathtub looked like a mini Sephora. You can imagine what happened since. So now I'm on a mission to use as much as possible of the bottles I have out, not to touch any samples of bath products I have around and to try and finish at least one shampoo bottle and one shower gel before moving day. We'll see how it goes.

Then there's skin care. Moving is stressful enough, so the last thing I need is a case of skin freakout. So no testing of new creams, cleansers and serums until I'm settled in my new bathroom and beauty closet. All the samples I currently have waiting are going to be packed first and unpacked last, to ward off temptation. And as for the current products in my rotation, I'm going to check if I have travel size and samples of the same things, so I can put away as many pots and jars as possible. If nothing, it'd make me feel more accomplished and productive.

If you have any bathroom packing advice, please share in the comments.

Photo: Janet Leigh in Psycho (1960). Found on the Daily Mail website.

The Moving Chronicles- Part 1

We're moving. No, the blog stays right here, just the husband, cats and I are relocating 8 blocks to the south. The house we bought is in the same town and the same neighborhood, so it's not that big of a change. But it's our first move in more than ten years and we're a bit set in our ways, which means things are going to get interesting.

Realizing closing is only a few days away, I took a good look at our possessions. We're pretty practical when it comes to furniture. Life with cats forces you into a certain frame of mind. You can't get too emotionally attached to your couch and the only ones arranging things on horizontal surfaces are the felines. As a result, we're not big into knickknacks and haven't owned any breakable decor items since a certain orange tabby disposed of the last vase.

What we have are books. Their number has tripled since we've moved here.

Kitchen equipment. The small collection of vintage enameled cast iron pans circa 1960 isn't going to endear me to the movers.

The beauty closet, which is no longer a closet, as the content has somehow spread throughout the house. Beauty bloggers are a bit insane.

The perfume collection. I've gotten a few sweet emails offering advice about packing it right, protecting The Precious and not taking my eyes off certain irreplaceable items.

And nine cats.

Oy.

39

Currently

Book
Americans In Space by Mary E. Mitchell. A novel. A thirty-something mother dealing with early widowhood. So far I really like it, despite the tearjerking subject.

Song
Simon & Garfunkel- A Hazy Shade Of Winter.

Frequently worn outfit/item
A vintage-inspired rain coat in green/black/white, bought last year at Juicy Couture, of all places.

Perfume
Parfumerie Generale Cuir d'Iris

Makeup
Red lipsticks and super pale face.

Food
Cakes from Patisserie Didier Dumas in Nyack. Paris on the Hudson.

Drink
I'm chugging water like a horse.

Guilty pleasure
A pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. I'm sure it doesn't qualify as coffee, but I like the weirdness. I just wish it weren't so sweet.

Bane of my existence
The kink in my neck- I can't turn my head to the right. It's been an extremely uncomfortable couple of days.

Joy
The extra hour of sleep.

Anticipation
Still all about the new house.

Wish list
Some vintage furniture I've seen in several stores around here. Apparently, I'm a big fan of mid-century Danish design. By the way, does anyone know where I can find that giraffe print from Pete Campbell's (Mad Men) apartment?



Thought
Could the craftsmanship of Ikea furniture be any worse?

Please share your recommendations, banes and joys.

Art by Craig Stephens