Eye Eclectic

Monocle has opened a shop

2009-02-21T14:13:00.000-08:00

Perhaps is it bad timing, but the magazine for very expensive tastes has opened a shop in London with plans to open another in the United States in L.A.

Story in the New York Times travel section.

Blossom Dearie

2009-02-11T18:29:00.000-08:00

We lost a beautifully unique voice this past weekend. I thought it only fitting with the sentiment of LOVE in the air (and let's face it we could all use a little LOVE right now--no matter how cynical you may lean). Sit back, relax and listen to a little Dearie against the backdrop of Breakfast at Tiffany's.

These are some lovely lyrics about love. Wouldn't you agree?

If you've never been in love
And you're longing for the happiness it brings
Try your wings

If you're hungry for the sound
Of a lover saying sentimental things
Try your wings

Even the tiniest bluebird
Has to leave its nest to fly
What a bluebird can do
You can do too, if you try

If you've always had a dream
But you've been afraid that it would not come true, hitherto
Fall in love and you will find
That it's just what you've been dreaming of

A first love never comes twice
So take this tender advice
When it comes, try your wings
And fly to the one you love

If you've always had a dream
But you've been afraid that it would not come true, hitherto
Fall in love and you will find
That it's just what you've been dreaming of

A first love never comes twice
So take this tender advice
When it comes, try your wings
And fly to the one you love

Thank you Blossom for some beautiful music

I would like to "speak easy"

2008-12-27T09:42:00.000-08:00

(photo from Esquire's Best Bar's in America)

A speakeasy refers to a patron's manner of ordering alcohol without raising suspicion — a bartender would tell a patron to be quiet and "speak easy". I am always on the lookout for unique places to visit in other cities. Bourbon and Branch in San Francisco has been added to my list of must stops. Besides passing a few hours in this establishment I would not mind taking their classes on Cocktails 101, Rum, and Absinthe at their Beverage Academy.

(Photo of Russell's Room from Chow's coverage of the Tenderloin district)

Written up here.

Might have to hit Dottie's True Blue Cafe too.

I want some muscle

2008-11-23T07:12:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8

I know this is not environmentally correct nor do I have any need to have a muscle car in my life, but I love the look of the Challenger SRT8. I spotted a creme one on the road the other day and I can't stop thinking about it. I want to drive like Bullitt for a day!

Everybody has a story

2008-11-23T06:33:00.000-08:00

More info here.

Yes We Can!!

2008-11-02T11:24:00.000-08:00

Via Funky 16 Corners

The work of real MAD Men

2008-10-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

Mad Men: Smoke gets in your eyes

The New York Public library (NYPL) is currently hosting a retrospective of cigarette advertisements from the 1920's -1950's called Not a Cough in a Car Load: Images Used by Tobacco Companies to Hide the Hazards of Smoking. The purpose of the exhibit is to "tell—principally through advertising images—the story of how, between the late 1920s and the early 1950s, tobacco companies used deceptive and often patently false claims in an effort to reassure the public of the safety of their products."

If you can't visit the exhibit in person check out the catalog of images online.

Makes me want to watch Thank you for smoking again

Via ResourceShelf

Serenbe

2008-10-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

Inn at Serenbe front gate

A few weeks back I had some time to waste while a waited for the dealership to fix a known defect on my vehicle for a ridiculous amount of money. I am still bitter! So with time to waste (and some hostility toward an era in which warranties or quality no longer exist) I resorted to reading the "magazines" in the waiting room that were really just advertising and marketing supplements for local businesses. I was trapped so I flipped through the glossy when I came across a three page story (I mean advert) for the restaurant the hil on the Hill 30 minutes south of metro Atlanta with much of the ingredients coming from the community farm.

I had never heard of this restaurant or the 900 acre community called Serenbe nestled within a rather large green space called the Chattahoochee Hill Country which is owned by individuals working to promote a sustainable development within a vast preserve. The Serenbe community boasts about their homes built on the land without mass grading, a biological wastewater treatment system, vast green space, organic farm and restaurants supplied by the locally grown produce. I am intrigued to check out this community for myself.

Hopefully this place will live up to all the things it boasts and does not have a manufactured feeling. I signed up for their restaurants weekly menu updates and the offerings sound very tasty. I look forward to learning more.

The Farmhouse at Serenbe

Restaurants at Serenbe

Our Health

2008-09-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

Healthiest Nation - Move

The video was developed by BrightHouse, inc.

Learn more about the Healthiest Nation initiative

Personal Style

2008-08-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

Photo from New York Times

Iris Apfel was recently named on to Vanity Fair's 2008 International Best-Dressed list. A woman that knows what she likes in her choice of accessories, colors, clothing, mix of fabrics and the cut of her modern coif. Apfel has a bold style that is all her own. In 2005, the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute had a retrospective on her style entitled Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Barrel Apfel Collection.

A true original--I love a woman with a style all her own.

Loved her look

2008-08-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

Photos from the Associated Press (taken on October 6, 1996)

Summer's in the south are pretty unbearable. When you actually make it to August you just start to wondering how many more days until October and the fall? I have hit my wall and I am ready to wear fall clothing and to start seeing the leaves changing.

I love a fall wardrobe since the crisp air allows dressing without having to take into account the terrible heat and sweating. It makes me think of the wonderfully simple and classic clothing that Caroline Bessette-Kennedy was always photographed wearing when she entered the national stage as the wife of John F. Kennedy, Jr. I am sure she learned a thing or two about classic minimalism as a publicist at Calvin Klein. Some of her ensembles also seemed to take some notes from her departed mother-in-law Jacqueline Kennedy. She was striking with that Bergdorf blonde hair and fire red lipstick. It would have been nice to see her today and see how the look would have grown, but she is no longer here and we find other stylish women to watch. I still loved watching the style and fashion of Caroline and still covet these simple fashion choices.

The Hills Cinematography

2008-08-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

Songs about buildings and food painstakingly spliced together this montage of exterior shots that have become a staple of The Hills.

Say what you will about The Hills such as it is fake, contrived or just a waste of time. Taking all the derogative comments into account (which are true) I still enjoy checking out the sleek photography of Hisham Abed. He made the reality show look and feel more like a movie first with Laguna Beach and then with the Hills. In a New York Times article in May 2006 Abed explained that he used a color tone of red and orange to signify the romance within Laguna Beach, but changed to blue and silver to express the tension on the Hills. The scenes are set through the photography and editing without ever having to use a confessional interview to tell the story. In a nutshell the show is just a pretty postcard albeit lacking any reality. The fourth season starts Monday August 18th.

Goodbye Summer & Hello Fall

2008-08-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

Jeff Lewis Commonwealth home via realestatestalker

I am going to miss Jeff Lewis and his crew as well as the weekly wrap-ups from Scented Glossy Magazine. No one does it better than Ms. SGM. I would sign up for her Kanye 411 course in a heartbeat. Seriously if you have not read her rundown on Flipping Out or Housewives of New York you are completely missing out. Reading SGM is like listening to a best girlfriend talk about your favorite shows with lots of unadulterated glee!! I only hope that SGM will also be watching Rachel Zoe Project this fall and the sure to be amazing The Cho Show.

Jacqueline Kennedy's tour of the White House

2008-08-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy which originally aired on February 14th 1962 is available for your viewing pleasure online at the Mad Men website.

Happy Birthday Indeed!!

2008-07-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

I like coming home from work to a pile of boxes with gifts for me!

I can't believe this was in there!!!

This birthday bounty ROCKS!
I have many a thank you to make...

Eva Zeisel on 1st Dibs

2008-07-30T18:39:00.001-07:00

This photo is from a 2006 retrospective of Eva Zeisel's work at the Pratt Manhattan gallery entitled Eva Zeisel at 100: A Lifetime of Masterwork in Design.

Checkout a great online glossy article on Eva at 1st Dibs in the Creators section. 1st Dibs spotlights a great wealth of artist, designers and talent. It is all worth a long look.

Mad Men

2008-07-27T18:54:00.001-07:00

Looking forward to watching Mad Men. Last season I often forgot to turn on AMC, but this season I am going to try to never miss an episode. Loved this quote from Michael Kors on the program:

"Mad Men" is undeniably stylish—those super graphic titles, the Bernard Herrmann-esque score, the lighting…and then, obviously, I mean, the clothes. The show is like your terribly chic friend who was valedictorian. It gets you on every level."

Maggie Gyllenhaal

2008-07-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

I have been loving the looks Maggie Gyllenhaal has been sporting for the Dark Knight. I feel like she is definitely channeling Katherine Hepburn whether by accident or on purpose. She just looks so smart and sophisticated. I am so happy to see a leading lady that shows off more than a pretty party dress. Her clothes give her power and I hope more actresses follow suit.

Warner Brothers still from the Dark Knight

Dries Van Noten dress at the Dark Knight New York Premiere

I love this whole look from her appearance on the daily show from the necklace wrapped around her wrist to the dress, shoes, belt and her perfect bob. She makes me want it all!

Flash of Genius

2008-07-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Dr. Robert Kearns was the inventor of the first intermittent wiper with an electric motor, but spent his lifetime fighting to get his invention back. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for this man every time he saw a car on a rainy day. According to the Washington Post "In his final years, he drove around in two aging vehicles: a 1978 Ford pickup and a 1965 Chrysler. Neither had intermittent wipers." Looking forward to seeing this film in October.

A Custom Handbag

2008-07-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

I recently came across the website called Freddy & Ma where you can create a custom handbag. The site allows you choose the style of the bag, fabric (~375 fabrics), leather accent color, and the hardware. Have fun playing purse designer. The prices are a bit high, but you are getting a somewhat custom bag that you had a hand in designing.

My favorite bags are the ones for evening (Hazel, Tessa Envelope, and Jiovanna). I only wish they offered a hobo style bag in there everyday options. I would also like to see the interior of these bags to see what pockets and fabric options are available. The site does have customer service assistance for building the perfect bag so I am sure these questions could be easily answered.

If you want a deal on a bag there are some bags available in the sale section of the site. It is a neat idea and I plan to keep my eye on this site as options expand. Freddy & Ma also offers customized home accessories such as pillows and plates.

More Information:
An interview with the Brother and Sister team behind Freddy & Ma
Also check out Freddy & Ma's blog to see all the places where they have been spotlighted. I wonder how I missed this until now?

Do you own Your Stuff?

2008-07-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

Via Kung Fu Rodeo

This past weekend, I went to see Pixar's Wall-E and it was the first time in a very long time that I didn't feel like I wasted $10 on admission. This film is just so wonderful from visuals to storyline to message. I was prompted to give the film a chance when I saw the promotional postcards incorporating the propaganda images created during World War II and designs that came out of 1960's geometric futurism.

Grain Edit posted some more information on the artist, Eric Tan, and his terrific images to promote the film. I especially love The Future is Now! poster.

In the film people are forced off earth on a permanent vacation because the mounds of garbage they bought from Buy O Large and discarded has taken over the earth. In this theme of waste is this story about Mr. Jalopy the leader of the Maker's Movement. The mantra is to reuse and repair rather than discarding and buying more. A very interesting idea in the week Apple sold 1 million of another generation of their electronic empire and as I contemplate upgrading my IPod. Check out Mr Jalopy's biggest IPod ever and his blog to learn more about ways to stop being apart of the throw-away culture and take part in making things.

More information on Maker Movement:
Make Magazine
Maker Faire

Duffy

2008-07-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

When I heard the single "mercy" last year I found it to be a bit overproduced and didn't give it much of a second thought. Until I heard some interviews with Duffy last week on a couple of NPR shows. I was really taken by her smart personality. She was engaging and easily spoke off the cuff with the interviewer. I actually enjoyed her in studio "Mercy" performance on WFUV stripped down with a soul clap. I do wish the single sounded more like this and they kept the original video with the Northern Soul dancing (UK version). Duffy developed the songs with different collaborators including Bernard Butler, Jimmy Hogarth, and Steve Booker. I think Warwick Avenue is my favorite off the album.

I liked some of Duffy's mentions during the interview including UnChained Melody (Righteous Brothers produced by Phil Spector); Scott Walker, Classics and collectibles; Joy Division; and the Detroit Cobras (the band she would love to tour with cause "they're crazy"). She even knew the recipe to her favorite dish, Moules Mariniere, which I have to agree is one of my favorites too with red or white sauce.

The WFUV interviewer allowed Duffy to play DJ and pick the song to go out on and she picked Clarence Carter's Slip Away unfortunately they didn't play the full song just of a couple verses. I have to say I was impressed with both of her interviews and will have to give her a second listen.

**Oh and if the Detroit Cobras come to your town go see them.

Interviews with Duffy:
Duffy makes the classic sound special again on WFUV with Rita Houston
Duffy on the World Cafe with David Dye

Marais AC Chair

2008-07-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

Xavier Pauchard's Marais AC Chair is both handsome and comfortable. I had the pleasure of sitting in this chair at a local restaurant a month ago. I always assumed that the chair could not possibly be comfortable, but it was so nice and I don't recall ever feeling my ass go numb (a definite PLUS!). I would love to have a group of these chairs on my patio, but the price per chair is nothing to cough at in this economy so I don't expect to get one or more anytime soon. Unless a vintage one shows up at the local antique market for a steal.

As for the meal I had it was amazing! Hands down the best meal I have consumed in a long time. The chef, mixologist, and staff have an amazing love and knowledge for food, spirits, wine, conversation (our waiter had great advice and stories), and obviously design. You may want to know the name of this wonderful place, but I have been asked not to repeat the name of the restaurant by my dinner partner. It is greedy, but the place is just too good and we don't want to be denied another terrific meal so we are doing our part to keep this wonderful place on the down low.

See the problem is that new restaurant's in Atlanta tend to become unbearable when a buzz gets going and the word "hip" gets attached. Of course those people searching for hip will probably continue to try to get into the latest hotel bar and restaurant that seems to be the trend in this town. Which is fine by me as long as we can enjoy another lovely meal without the "hip" quotient.

**For more information on the Marais AC and other Tolix Furniture DESIGNwatcher has a great profile.

Oh My God - Ida Maria

2008-07-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

Ida Maria
More videos here

Eva Zeisel

2008-07-01T18:56:00.000-07:00

Eva Zeisel is a remarkable woman, designer, and ceramist that created the very first all white china set in the United States that was more about shapes and curves than decoration. Her work is well known for the curving forms. I found this short video from Todd Oldham with a quick look at her work.

Her personal story of how she ended up in the United States is something out of a novel. Go listen to her interview with NPR back in 2005. She sounds so sweet and humble when she states after sipping a drink from her own teacup "the handle could be bigger."

Raising the Curve: Designer Eva Zeisel