Merry Christmas!

Today has been a really great Christmas. For the first time, I didn't spend Christmas with family...but I actually did. My small little family of me, Joel and Nestor. We opened presents and ate Chinese takeout and went to a movie. Not the traditional Christmas, but a most relaxing and enjoyable one anyway.


I also found a great website for those holiday gifts that you may have gotten from someone who loves your dearly, but doesn't quite realize that you aren't into New Kids on the Block anymore...

The Bad Gift Emporium

You can even buy someone's trash that could be your treasure. Happy re-gifting!

Let it snow, let it snow...

A lifetime ago, I had a snow globe collection. It was tacky and kitschy and well, looked kind of like this:

(courtesy of my uber-talented friend, Brad Kayal)

But today I stumbled across the work of Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz and I am absolutely mesmerized. These globes are not only full of snow, but also tell enchanting stories. Some sweet, some morbid, but all equally captivating. I think they are exquisite and if I were to ever venture into the collectible world of snowglobes again, these are the only way I would go.




These are just a few of their beautiful creations. I highly recommend checking out their website:

Walter Martin & Paloma Munoz

Make your kitty pretty

I don't know about your cat, but mine is not into dressing up. She will not stand being adorned with anything. She doesn't even wear a collar (she's an indoor cat only), so I know for a fact that she would have a feline freakout if I tried to get her to wear this:

But I must say, this kitty is quite fetching. She is a "silver fox" to be exact. If this isn't your cats style, perhaps "bashful blonde" is more appropriate.


Check out their website if you would like to see "pink passion" or "electric blue". For a mere $50 you can have one of these and your cats undying hatred. What a bargain!

kitty wigs

Merry, Merry Christmas!

Normally, I go visit family during the coldest of holidays, but this year Joel and I are staying put. We will be missing our families immensely, but not the traveling part (which almost always temporarily ruins my Christmas spirit). So, for the first time in at least 10 years, I actually have a Christmas tree. Joel picked it out and I think it is perfect! We live in a pretty small place, so the tree is proportionate to our apartment and absolutely adorable. It has put me in quite a festive mood.

To rent or own, that is the question...

As most of you know I am real estate agent, but I do not own any property. I rent my apartment and love it. I love the fact that if something breaks all I have to do is call my landlord and in 24 hours or less, problem solved. But, on the flip side, I can't tear out my kitchen and put in a new one or remodel my bathroom. Of course, I don't have to pay a high mortgage payment or any condo fees, but I am also throwing thousands of dollars away every year by not owning. Anyway, this is an ongoing debate within myself and instead of actually making some sort of adult decision, I choose to decorate and renovate my non-existent home. For instance, if I were redoing my kitchen, this is the oven I would buy:

And I don't even cook! But look at how cool it is. It comes in a variety of colors and is from the company that makes the ovens for Subway (what a selling feature, eh?)

Turbo Chef

And if I were to get a new refrigerator, I would definitely get one from this company:

Smeg

I mean, just look at these!

If the Union Jack is a bit much, they offer 15 other colors. Something for everyone.

Oh, and then, while I am playing pretend, I would install this floating fireplace.


balance fireplace

Just so you know, my imaginary home is awesome.

Current Obsession

I have discovered a company out of Montreal that makes the most beautiful, retro-inspired outerwear...Soia & Kyo. I love more than one of these coats and really can't decide which one I want!



Would it be completely overindulgent to get two?



Winters in Boston mean that jackets are actually part of my daily wardrobe. I can't wear the same one everyday now, can I?

Check them out here: Soia & Kyo

Wisteria Lane, anyone?

But first...hello! I feel like I haven't posted anything in such a long time. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I did and I think I'm 5 pounds heavier to prove it!

While I was visiting my Southern family in Alabama, my dad took me (and Joel) to see this new community that is being built up called "The Waters". It is basically an entire town being constructed from the ground up surrounding a lake (that's the water part, obvs). He took me to see it the last time I visited him, which was just about a year ago, and it looked like a skeleton of sorts. Now it looks like a really quaint little town.








The Waters


I'm not really sure how I feel about these "Stepford"-looking communities. In some ways, I find them charming, but it also seems like there is no real personality there. It is impossible for anyone's own individuality to shine through. It reminds of Celebration, Florida, a Walt Disney development that I was enamored with as a child. It looked like something out of a story book or a Disney movie. All the houses arranged in neat rows, in pastel colors with perfectly manicured lawns.



Celebration

But I went there several Christmases ago, with my childhood fantasy of what living in such a Edward Scissorhands world might be like. Let me tell you, it was like this: being in Florida at Christmas time, with people in shorts and t-shirts, walking around "Celebration Village" with holiday music blaring through strategically placed speakers, all the while spitting particles of fake snow out my mouth that I had inadvertently inhaled while gaping at the sight of such inane consumerism and bad taste. Definitely NOT what my childish mind had envisioned. Of course, that was Walt Disney's version of what an idyllic life should be like. At least the developers of The Waters have left out the speakers and snow machines. For now.

Stop your whining!

Not too long ago, I was watching a report about a church that was campaigning to get their parishioners to stop complaining. Not forever, just for 21 days. There was some sort of certificate that they were awarded if they completed the full 3 weeks without uttering a single grievance. There was one woman that finally accomplished this goal, but it took her over a year to do so. Basically, if you complain, you have to start all over again from day one.

Well, I kind of forgot about this news report until this weekend. On Saturday I was a total grump. Really not pleasant to be around (just ask my co-workers!). So when I got home, I decided I was going to try not complaining. Not for 21 days, not even for a week, just from about 4:30 - 6:00. Let me tell you, it was HARD! I never realized how many things I grumble about. Not big huge complaints, but something as simple as "it sure is cold in here" or "I'm hungry". I managed to make it until 6:00, but I did nap for 45 minutes of that 90 minute time frame. And the other 45 minutes consisted of me saying things like, "I feel so tired..I'm not complaining though! Just stating a fact." Somehow I don't think that counts as not complaining!

I challenge you to try not complaining for a whole day. Maybe most of you are not as easily aggravated as I am, and will therefore have no problem abstaining from a few rants about the annoyances of your day. Honestly, I really didn't realize how quick I am to complain about things until I made a concerted effort NOT to. If nothing else, I am now aware of it and I am trying to be generally more positive. But how anyone could go a full 21 days without one gripe seems almost impossible! I wonder if silently mumbling to yourself is allowed.

Warm me up...and my coffee...and my muffins...

Byung-seok You is a smart, smart man (or woman?). He (she) has invented an amazing device that I can't believe hasn't been thought of before. It is a ceramic "plate" that is formed to fit on top of your standard household radiator. The heat from the radiator heats up the plate and you can put your coffee, pastries or sandwiches there for a warm up.

Pretty ingenious really. Did I mention that I want one?
yanko designs

Cat-tastic!

Over the past few weeks, I have been noticing some pretty remarkable pet furniture. It sounds strange, I know. For the longest time, the only pet furniture I was aware of was what you could find in the Sky Mall magazine. Usually in a bad plaid with "Baxter" embroidered somewhere on it. But for the pet owner with discerning taste and design aesthetic, there are some really cool options out there. Such as:
This little kitty bed. It's just so stylish! The cool baroque cover is sold separately, in a variety of colors. Check them out here: Rondo cat bed

This one is just a bit more space-aged and comes in a few different colors as well. They have shorter ones that work for little pups, too! Check them out over here: Modern pet beds

These retro numbers would be great for a feline friend or a pooch. Bubble bed

And none of these would I find embarrassing to have in my home. Nestor's happy. I'm happy.

Hey there, Georgie James girl

I have recently dedicated some time to discovering new music. For the longest time I would listen to whatever my boyfriend at the time was into or what my best friends might play while we would be out and about. But now, at the young age of 35, I've started to actually seek out new bands on my own and I am really falling in love with music again. One such musical crush is the Chicago-based band, Georgie James. Laura Burhenn's vocals are beautiful and John Davis (formerly of the Dischord band, Q and not U) complements her flawlessly. I'm definitely no music journalist, so I just suggest you just check out their myspace page here...Georgie James!



And, if you are here in Boston join me at their show tomorrow night at Great Scott. I can't wait and I hope to see you there!
Great Scott

Martha Stewart would not approve

I am not a cook by any stretch of the imagination. Heating up the oven and flipping my chik pattie after 8 minutes is about the extent of my culinary talents, but somehow, even this, is too lazy for me.

First of all, I can't bring myself to eat anything with "blast" in the name. It makes me think of unpleasant moments post-dining that really aren't very appetizing. Not to mention, I'm not a fan of canned foods that come equipped with a spray nozzle. Like Easy Cheese, for instance. Yuck. This must be advertised at 3 in the morning, when people with sleep deprivation are really hungry and not thinking rationally. Who else would buy it? And it seems weird to me that it is organic. Why bother, you know? It's pancakes in a can, for Pete's sake! This is such a strange concept and kind of repulsive, although I will admit that I'm getting quite a hankering for pancakes...made from scratch, thank you very much.

If you want to try them click here: Batter Blaster and make sure to watch the demo...it's "amazing".

Never enough

Ok, I have a shoe obsession. This is no secret. So maybe I made you think it was just an abnormal infatuation with boots, but if I am going to be completely honest with you (which I am) then I must confess that my footwear fixation doesn't stop at the knee. Sneakers, flats, little maryjanes, even flipflops that I SWORE I would never wear, have found a home in my overflowing closet. So when I found these adorable Swedish-made lovelies online I was relieved (as was my wallet) that there wasn't a "buy it now" button anywhere to be found. Aren't they ADORABLE? WAIT! What about these?

Seriously, if you go to Sweden pick me up a pair in 7 1/2 (that's 38 EUR) and don't tell my wallet!

http://www.asawestlund.com/index.html

Pushing Daisies

Have you seen this show? If you haven't, you should. It is so clever and funny and bittersweet. The characters are engaging and there isn't one that I don't like, even the unlikable ones. The concept is odd...a man has been given a "gift" to bring deceased things (people, dogs, bumble bees...) back to life with one touch, but with only one more touch from him, the now living being will once again be dead. He finds a way to use his confounding gift...solving murders. Genius. But during his crime solving, he manages to fall in love with a woman he brings back to life, who also happens to be his childhood sweetheart and who he can never touch again, if he wants to keep her alive. Therein lies the bittersweetness that I mentioned earlier. Not only is the storyline engaging and the characters charming, the set design is wonderfully Tim Burton-esque. I'm smitten and after one viewing, I'm sure you will be too!

Sunshine-y Day

This is not what today is. Today is rainy and cold and supposedly we are being hit with a Nor'easter here in Boston. I can't really tell the difference between that and really crappy weather, but I'm no meteorologist. So, to help brighten my mood (and maybe yours), I thought I would post some pictures of really bright and cheerful places. For your viewing pleasure:



An apartment building in Tokyo. Surpisingly enough, not Tokyo Disney, just Tokyo.



An apartment building in Slovenia. I never would have guessed!



This is no Barnes and Noble. It's the Kid's Republic bookstore in Beijing.

Kid's Republic



An animal shelter in Amsterdam. Oh, to be a Dutch kitten!

And then, to round things out with the cutest, most colorful picture yet...my boyfriend's nephew, Isaac, in his Halloween construction worker costume.



I mean, does it really get any cuter than this?

Small spaces

I live in a studio apartment and even though it is a great size, by most Boston studio apartment standards, I am always looking for ways to better utilize what room I have. So, when I saw this "sofa hanger" I became quite obsessed.



I don't have room on either side of my sofa for ends tables, so this seems like the perfect solution! Look at it in action:



Genius! But I have to say that the $245.00 price tag seems a bit steep. Does the fact that it's German make it any more reasonable? Probably not. Maybe IKEA will come out with a cheaper, yet still incredibly stylish version?

Check it out here along with alot of other cool German made stuff:
Berlin Design

Only 61 shopping days left!

How ridiculous is that? It isn't even Halloween yet and I am thinking about Christmas. It all started a few days ago when I got my subscription to Blueprint magazine (not a huge fan of Martha Stewart, but I do love this publication). It was the holiday issue, with an adorable pink Christmas tree and a beautiful model wearing a super chic cocktail dress on the cover. It gave me the fever and after reading it from cover to cover I actually made a list of the people for whom I need to buy gifts. If that wasn't forward-thinking enough of me, I went so far as to PURCHASE a few gifts as well. It's not even November yet! If I weren't cognizant of my surroundings, I might actually think that someone has body snatched me. Let me explain...

Every year, I transfer all of my friend's and family's birthdays from my old calendar to my new one. While I do this, I think about how THIS year I am going to send presents to all of my friends or at the VERY least a card. And I try, I really do. I think about it the weeks leading up to each occasion. I will even go online looking for the perfect gift, but it never fails that the birthday comes and goes and I will not have purchased one single thing. With any luck, I will remember to at least call the birthday boy/girl. If only they would realize how much thought goes into their lack of gift from me. Thus the reason for me being so surprised and proud of myself for actually buying Christmas gifts well ahead of time.

Anyhoo, some of you may know my obsession with a website called Etsy. It is a virtual cornucopia of handmade artwork, jewelry, clothing and accessories. This is where most of my shopping is currently happening. I love it because most of the items are unique and certainly not mass produced. Not to mention I like feeling like I am helping out independent arteests.

Here are few things that I have gotten from Etsy:



This is by one of my favorite Etsy artists, Matte Stephens. My lovely boyfriend bought me this mod print for my b'day. Now I just have to get it framed!

www.matteart.etsy.com



I love this necklace! It was one of my staples for the summer. You can find similar items at Nouveaux Jewels on Etsy.

www.nouveauxjewels.etsy.com



And these are my new favorite earrings from Foundling. I love the black and white vintage fabric that they are made from. Plus, they dangle!

www.foundling.etsy.com

Have I convinced you to go to Etsy.com yet? I hope you like it, because more than likely, if you get a present from me, it will be courtesy of one of the fine artists on this website. Happy shopping!

Every morning with my sweet INNOCENT kitty, Nestor

Furniture for the loo

I love furniture design. Well, let me clarify that, I love GOOD furniture design. Now let me ask you, what does this make you think of?



And this?



And this, if your dog ate your mom's beloved diamond necklace?



Seriously, who thinks this is good design? Who would want this in their home? And then, if feces-inspired furniture doesn't do it for you, this could be more to your liking...



I'm sorry if I have opened your eyes to new and unappealing options for your home. To cleanse your palette, I will leave you with this beautiful lamp...



Now, isn't that better?

Boot-i-licious

If you know me, or my shoe collection, you know that I have an affinity for boots. I am constantly on the look out for the perfect pair (or pairs...there are too many to choose just one, don't you know!). I was trying to remember where my love of knee-high footwear came from and I think I can trace it back to about 25 years ago. Egad, I'm old. Anyway, I grew up in the south, the deep south of Alabama, where it's 95 degrees and humid as a swamp for 8 months out of the year. Boots were just not something that the weather allowed, but my maternal relatives were from and lived in Wisconsin. In my mind, a winter wonderland. So when my aunt and uncle suggested that I come visit one winter when I was about 10, I couldn't wait! I wanted to build snowmen and make snow angels and throw snow balls. Just about anything you could do with snow, I wanted to do it! And of course, it was a necessity that I have a pair of boots. My mom took me shopping and I got a beautiful pair of knee-high leather boots, with just a tiny block heel. They were perfect. I wore them the day of my flight. The flight itself was uneventful and I don't really remember much of it, but I do remember stepping out of the airport, braced for the beauty that is a world covered in snow. And there it was, a small pile of dirty brown slush. That was it. For the entire trip. I wore my boots everyday, hoping that their presence would encourage God to drop a little white stuff on Wisconsin. I swear this was probably the only winter EVER that Wisconsin didn't get snow. Alas, I went home with my boots and no stories of snowball fights or blizzard like conditions, but with a distinct desire for more fashionable footwear.

Now, living in Boston, I have more than enough excuses to fulfill my boot fantasies. And boy do I. I think I have about 10 pairs currently and my most recent purchase is definitely one of my favorites.

Check out the color! I love it!!

You can find them here: www.camper.com

I was looking at one of my many daily blogs and came across a couple others that I may have to add to my collection.

This picture came out kind of small, but you get the gist.
I'm hoping by posting about the things that I want, it will actually keep me from going out and buying them. Or at least postpone it a little! And of course, it works like a little wishlist from me to you. *Nudge, nudge, wink, wink*

Hair ye, hair ye...

I get such a kick out of the names of strip mall hair salons. I haven't actually seen one like the title of this post, but I would imagine stylists of a salon named as such would be dressed in Elizabethan garb and would drink water from goblets. Here are some of my favorites:

The Hairport
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Curl Up and Dye
Hair and Now

I know there are more, but I can't think of them this late on a Friday night. Every time I drive past a "punny" salon name, I mean to write it down. Maybe this new endeavor into blogging will help me to keep track of them. If you know of any feel free to comment. :)

Speaking of all things hair-y, I'm getting a much needed haircut on Monday and, as I normally do when I have such an appointment, I am obsessing about which hairstyle will be the PERFECT one for me. During my daily web browse, I came across the ridiculous, yet utterly addictive, website through Instyle magazine where you can upload your face and pick any number of celebrity styles to cut and paste on your noggin. You can also change the color and give yourself incredibly realistic (ha!) highlights or lowlights depending on what you fancy. So during one of my busy days at work, I chose 3 celebrity styles that could be the new me...






It's hard to choose, right? I'm afraid I still have some hard choices to make.

I highly recommend this website though, if for nothing else than some serious laughs.
http://www.instyle.com/instyle/makeover/

So, so slow...

This time of the year for me is like torture. One of the reasons that real estate appealed to me is because I can't stand sitting behind a desk all day, but once the fall rolls around that is all that I do. Sit, drink coffee, sit, read my daily blogs, sit, eat lunch, sit, try to complete a crossword puzzle...By the way, NEVER buy the New York Times Sunday brunch crosswords unless you want to feel like one of the dumbest people on the planet. Seriously, who knows what Zoroastrian literature is? Or the state bird of Minnesota? I've resorted to looking up clues on Wikipedia in an attempt to fill in at least some of the blanks.

But I digress...all of this sitting, aside from making my butt sore, is allowing me the opportunity to peruse the web like never before. I came across these little guys while shopping for a friend's birthday gift and I think I may need to collect ALL of them. Cutest. things. ever.

Here are some of my faves:





You can check out all of them here:
http://www.kamibashi.com/dolls/stringdolls/index.html#sd1064

I want to go camping!

Well, not really, but I came across some Orla Kiely camping gear that is pretty hard to resist. Who wouldn't want to sleep in the great outdoors in one of these...

snuggled in one of these...

Telling ghost stories and lighting up your creepy, shadow face with one of these...


Ok, maybe I would rather set the tent up in my living room, turn all the lights off and PRETEND that I am camping outside...but that is only because I love indoor plumbing so much. If only Orla Kiely would make a fashionable outhouse.