Nice Lemons

Polly George Mr. & Mrs. Jones Squeezers

photo Polly George

I use a lot of citrus.  Whether it be for a nice hot, honey, lemon water or in my infamous '70s Fish' recipe it always tastes better without the pits.

Polly George has designed the Mr. and Mrs. Jones lemon and lime squeezers.  Pure and simple white shapes are the trademark of her studio and no two are ever exactly the same.

Practical - not so much.  Voodoo doll like quality - definitely!

Beauty Tried and True

I'm loyal to certain "beauty" brands - especially skincare.  I was first introduced to Laura Mercier Crème Brulee Hand Crème at the grand opening of Holt's in Vancouver last year. Although not a relatively new product, I stand by it! Crème Brulee travels with me wherever I go - even on the plane at 2 oz. With olive and grape seed oil your hands will never be more velvety.  

Another tried and true is Avalon Organics Vitamin C Rejuvenating Oil-Free Moisturizer (also travel friendly at 2 0z).  I was first introduced to this product in 2006 while spending some time in Pasadena, California.  My skin had been going through some changes due to diet, stress and dare I say it, age.  Avalon has replaced my dermatologist recommended Cliniderm. 

Those Patio Lanterns

...lighting up our lives, those patio lanterns, they were the stars in the sky...'; Kim Mitchell sang it out loud in '86.

Soji is continuing the tradition and lighting up our lives with a solar powered (wireless!) version of the stars in the sky. How great would your party be with these?

In case of rain, carry the party indoors under the moody light of Front's Glow lanterns. Designed specifically for Italian retailer Coin. 

Happy Dad's Day from the Dog

My husband and I are lucky enough to receive small tokens of appreciation from our pets on Mother's Day and Father's Day.

So, if kids aren't on your agenda but Max and Kitty are, why not recommend a De Baschmakoff Jump Hour watch to your furry friend.

Created by Prince François De Baschmakoff in 1970 and manufactured by LIP, France, the Jump Hour is a classic piece of raw 70s style that I can't resist. Read more at Moss.

Trends - Tableware

Gio Ponti "Diamond" Solid Sterling Flatware

photo Architonic

Food, to me, is something that makes me forget I'm hungry.

I was lucky enough to have a great woman of Portuguese decent in my life that taught me to make each meal a celebration.  A celebration of color. 

Thank goodness for great china, linen and flatware!  

Gio Ponti, may be best known for designing Milan's first skyscraper - Pireli Tower, however, he was also an influential contributor to post war industrial design.  Ponti designed the 1958 "Diamond" Sterling Silver Flatware collection for American silver manufacturer Reed & Barton. Described as having an exceedingly luxurious feel and staggeringly perfect finish, "Diamond" is the flatware for those who like their modernism top of the line.

I like to use vintage throws or bedspreads of Satin, Danish linen, or Italian wool as tablecloths. Sometimes I even use a vibrant cotton 70s flat sheet with a chiffon overlay.  If vintage isn't your thing, Habitat does some beautiful multipurpose throws.

 Habitat Rice Weave Silk Throw

Beatrice Wood, the Mama of Dada, created some divine ceramics known for their luster-glaze. Find some inspirational pieces at Etsy.

Beatrice Wood plate

photo Treadway Gallery

COCKTAILS IV

It's been strictly champagne cocktails this week.

Remember when Seabreezes were popular?  There's just something about Cranberry.

 Waterford Clarendon Ruby Flutes

Cranberry Kiss

2 ounces De Kuyper Cranberry Liqueur

Your favourite bubbly (I prefer Veuve du Verney)

Pour the liqueur into a flute glass.  Top up with bubbly or dry sparkling wine and enjoy!

Champagne Cocktail

4 drops bitters

3/4 shot C0gnac

1 cube raw sugar

Bubbly of course

Drip the bitters on the sugar cube and place in the bottom of the glass.  Cover the cube with Cognac and top with bubbly.

Dom Pérignon Champagne Sleeve

Perfect for a little Afternoon Delight.

The Dom Pérignon II champagne sleeve/cooler designed by Marc Newson (Lever House Restaurant, NYC).  Made from aluminum.  Keeps the bubbles cool and the goodies in your day bag dry!  

The White Plastic Garden Chair

photo Tescos

You know it and you know it well.  

The white plastic garden chair was probably the most known and most used outdoor chair of the 20th Century.

Frontdesign se has taken the white plastic garden chair into the 21st Century by giving it a leather seat cover and a price tag of 245 EURO or 382 USD.

Don't you wish you thought of that?

photo vlaemsch ()

I Heart Seattle

Rem Koolhass - Seattle Central Library

photo The Seattle Times

The Emerald City has fabulous architecture, food, music, style and an under utilized downtown - quite similar to downtown Los Angeles.

28,000 patrons passed through the doors of the Rem Koolhaas designed Seattle Central Library on grand opening day - May 23, 2004. Go see for yourself why one patron refered to it as 'wearing bright socks underneath a suit'.

Experience Music Project aka the 'Frank Gehry Rock Temple' was commissioned by software billionaire Paul G. Allen and is an homage to Jimi Hendrix - child of Seattle.

The Chapel Of St. Ignatius (Steven Holl), The SAM (Carl Gould), The Olympic Sculpture Park - don't miss them.

Frank Gehry - Experience Music Project

photo Architecture Week

Saarinen & Jacobsen Anniversary Editions

In case you missed it the first time around The Republic of Fritz Hansen is releasing a limited edition series (999) of Arne Jacobsen's 1958 Egg to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the design staple.

And while we're celebrating - let's not forget the 60th anniversary of Eero Saarinen's 1948 Womb Chair designed exclusively for Knoll.

Whatever happened to comfortable seating after the early 1970s?

image KnollStudio

Valentino Themes and Variations

photo The Met

Valentino is synonymous with the red evening dress. 

June 17 - September 21, 2008 Les Arts Decoratifs (Museum of Decorative Arts) in Paris will be presenting the first French retrospective of over 200 designs by Italian couturier Valentino Garavani.  

Known for dressing the international jet set, Valentino retired in January of this year after celebrating the 45th anniversary of the House of Valentino in July 2007.  

Valentino: Themes and Variations will be released on September 9, 2008 and is currently on preorder here.

The War on Design

Philippe Starck Louis Ghost Chair

There's a war going on right now you may not know about - it's in design. 

On one side we have designers like Philippe Stark and his theory that;

 'I have designed so many things without ever really being interested in them...Everything I have designed is absolutely unnecessary. Design, structurally seen, is absolutely void of usefulness.  A useful profession would be an astronomer, a biologist...Design is really nothing.  I have tried to install my designs with a sense of meaning and energy, and even when I tried to give it my best it was still in vain. Design is really a terrible way to express oneself.';  from Die Zit translated from German by mademoisellea.vox

 On the other, designers like Marcel Wanders.  Wanders argues that; 

'We as designers have to represent our public and their dreams instead of the machine and the anachronistic political dogmas it represents.  We have to challenge the industry so they will learn to follow instead of lead.  It is upon humanity, which the design of the future can only be built.  With love, passion and poetry we will take design to new heights.'; quote from Marcel Wanders

Marcel Wanders White Fishnet Chair

Rose Cabat Ceramics

A few weeks back I paid a visit to John Lawrence, BC art collector and antiquities dealer, to have a chat about Thomas Kakinuma and his influence on the Canadian ceramics scene.  While there I was inspired by the work of Rose Cabat. Cabat is famous for what she calls 'feelies' -  sensual ceramic shapes she creates in her Tucson studio.  

Born in Brooklyn in 1914, Cabat started throwing in the 1950s and continues to this day. Some pieces are still affordable while others are fetching five figures.

Like all things sensual, the beauty lies in the natural composition and inspiration - which she finds in her vegetable garden...

Brits Love Black Vinyl

According to a recent survey of 2,000 Brits, the technology they would most like to see saved from extinction would be -

The lp!

I knew I couldn't be the only one to feel the sadness in the sound of vinyl slowing to its last spin.

R.I.P. Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin