Author Archive
Looking for the hottest spots to check out in Seattle? Here are some places you won’t want to miss:
Sleep
A trendy haven for design aficionados and the aesthetically attune, Hotel Andra (2000 Fourth Avenue; 877/448-8600; doubles from $229) in Seattle’s Belltown district brims with sleek Scandinavian design. Don’t miss the hotel’s inventive restaurant, Lola, which serves up creative combinations of Greek and North African cuisine.
Looking for a handy little travel aid kit? When packing up all those pesky provisions of medicine and travel-sized toiletries for a recent trip, I came across a compact travel aid kit filled with all the necessary travel bits. I’m talking bandages, antiseptic, earplugs, a pill tube, a miniature sewing kit, buttons, tweezers, tiny scissors, a compass-thermometer and a bunch of other useful items all in one place (and weighing only 3.5 ounces)!
Travel Aid Kit
Rick Steves’ Travel Store
$19.95 (currently on sale for $15.95)
Painting with explosive use of color, Francoise Nielly lives and works in Paris, although she grew up in the south of France.
1. Crystal Cave Rock Ring: Glitzy to the max, this one of a kind glittering ring makes a rockin’ gift!
FredFlare.com, $20.
2. Silver Orbital Drop Earrings: These versatile earrings are funky and flashy at the same time.
Jones New York, $28.
3. Fish Hotel: How cool is this fish tank?
Crate & Barrel, $29.95.
4. Festive Christmas Tree Hat: The perfect hat for a tree trimming party, right? So adorable!
FredFlare.com, $34.
5. Curvy Chrysanthemum Vase: This flowery vase has an organic underwater spirit to it.
Anthropologie, $28.
6. Peas USB Hub: How cute! A four-hub USB 2.0 plug for all your devices.
MoMA Store, $32.
7. GingerDead Men Cookie Cutter: Now you can bake your very own undead gingerbread men.
FredFlare.com, $9.
8. Sushi Memo Set: Scribble all your raw thoughts on this paper assortment of sushi. Toro, maguro, tamago, and salmon sushi, respectively.
MoMA Store, $18.95.
1. Color Wheel Stick Umbrella: Brighten a rainy day with this color burst umbrella!
MoMA Store, $40.
2. Bubble Necklace: Part gaga, part sophisticated artisan necklace, this piece was designed by Marina and Susanna Sent who come from a long line of glass designers hailing from Venice, Italy.
MoMA Store, $115.
3. Generation by Knoll: For the ultimate in office comfort, plant yourself in the Knoll Generation Chair. Designed for maximum flexibility, this chair is bendy and nimble beyond belief, sustainable, and stylishly cutting edge.
Knoll, $1,195.
4. Horse Head: Love horses? This life-sized bust will jazz up any room and serve as a perfect conversation starter at your next cocktail party.
Z Gallerie, $129.95.
5. Vasa Cubes: Colorful and fun, these dazzling prism cubes were created by the Yugoslavian-born sculptor Vasa.
MoMA Store, Set of 6: $350.
6. Sequoia Console Table: This shimmery table crafted from the root of an Acacia tree is hand painted in silver, with accents of silver leaf.
Z Gallerie, $999.
7. Pantone Mugs: A classic graphic design staple, these Pantone mugs come in tons of custom mixed colors.
Pantone, $54-$90 for a set of 6 (price dependent on color schemes).
8. Tea Time Chandelier: An Alice in Wonderland-esque tea party chandelier with 18 vintage teacups dangling from spoons attached to silver serving trays.
Anthropologie, $1,800.
Our Absolute Favorite Holiday Tune this Season:
“Frosty the Snowman” by Zee Avi. This isn’t your typical Frosty tune, Zee has reinvented this classic with an unbelievably fresh twist.
I love Moroccan cuisine. Pastilla, or meat pies encased in puff pastry and covered with powdered sugar and cinnamon, savory lamb tajines, and hot mint tea don’t even begin to scratch the surface of this complex culinary culture. My food obsession led me all the way to Morocco where I followed my taste buds right into the Moroccan kitchen.
It’s December! This wig shop on upper State Street in Santa Barbara caught my eye…it’s finally that time of the year!
Joey Chou is a multi-talented artist who produces imaginative and beautifully rendered illustrations. His artistic style is extremely happy and cute, so it’s no surprise that he’s done lots of concept work for companies like Disney, most recently illustrating the “It’s a Small World” book. His range of characters and themes is impressive to say the least.
Zanzibar is an exotic enough destination in itself, but things just got even more interesting. Check out this restaurant on a rock in the Indian Ocean.
For many artists, travel is a huge source of inspiration. This inspiration is readily felt in the multi-layered paintings of Joan Perlman.
