Take Me With You | 5 Ways

I won't leave you in the Google Reader graveyard. The reader is toast as of July 1st, 2013. So, to follow my Bijou Living blog with another reader select that orange icon in the right hand column. Flipboard is also a cool platform to use.  Where am I posting when I'm not blogging? May I suggest subscribing to my other social media channels to keep totally up to date with my ramblings? You can do so right here: 

1. Twitter feed
2. Tumblr feed
3. Facebook feed
4. Blog feed
5. Email 

Whatever you choose, please know that I really appreciate you sticking around!

8 Hot Living Rooms

images via arkpad

6 Quotes from My Teens Grow Up

While reading some bad poetry of my youth last night I saw a common theme in quotes I admired from way back when. 

Here are some of my teen faves and how they've grown up:

1. If it's meant to be it will be. Don't just sit there, go and get it!
2. If you love something set it free; if it comes back it's yours, if it doesn't, it never was. I got married.
3. Hang in there, baby! Pull yourself together, damnit! - in Mid-Atlantic English accent
4. If at first you don't succeed, try try again. F*ck it. 
5. Carpe Diem.   
6. I think I can, I think I can.

One of my cousins must've had the cat poster in their bedroom when I was growing up because it remains indelibly etched in my mind.

Design Traps for Birds

True or false? Birds can't perceive right angles as indicators of obstacles.
True. Right angles, glass, transparent windows - all are architectural obstacles that birds cannot perceive. When birds sees clouds and sky reflected in a glass high rise or trees and shrubs reflecting off your living room window they merely think it's a continuation of the sky or their reflected habitat. Reflected vegetation is the most dangerous, however, birds also try to fly through transparent windows as they try to reach a perch seen on the other side. For more dangerous architectural bird obstacles read this great article by Christine Sheppard on Architecture Week or Bird Friendly Building Design on the American Bird Conservancy site.

images top: Dundarave bungalow -  a 'tunnel' and a window reflecting tall trees and shrubs

center: Staples Residence West Vancouver - a bird death trap. Transparent windows, tunnels and reflective glass

bottom: Cordova St. Vancouver - a combination of architectural eras. Which is the least bird-friendly?

1986 Vintage Gucci Flats

I've been hanging on to this Vogue 1987 vintage Gucci post for awhile and then boom - here they are on eBay. Of course, not in my size. The auction ends today and they're a size 10. Get them and tell me how cool they look okay.

Prada | Wes Anderson | Candy

I can never tell if these sorts of flicks are parody or pretension. 

Ah, mais la vie est la parodie, mon cheri. 

Needless to say, I like their suits and it reminds me of Truffault's Jules et Jim.

Prada, Roman Coppola and Wes Anderson team up for Candy L'Eau.

Annual Purge Yard Sale | Saturday June 8th

stacy reynaud

Coincidentally, I purged my closet last weekend and our pal Rachel has decided to have a yard sale this weekend. It's a purge so everything will be super cheap. I'm selling mainly clothes - and some Danish stuff. We'll be set up by the West End Farmer's Market.


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One - Two - Sold

You know the old 'truth', in the 'power of three', (my marketing instructor self speaking). Consumers love threes. Don't give us too many choices! Once you see something three times, act on it. Case in point, black cane rocking chairs. I was going to buy one for $50 from a lady in Kelowna two weeks ago but forgot, (the one above). Now in the last 24 hrs I find two saved on my computer.  Mom and Dad, are you coming down soon?

Tip of the Week - Iced Coffee

stacy reynaud
Put your left over morning's coffee in an ice cube tray in the freezer. The next time you have an iced coffee it won't get watered down with regular ice cubes.

A familiar pile of dirt - Another West Vancouver Home Demolition

Mansions of Vancouver Architect Dan White from bijouliving

  I'll give you a hint, I originally wrote about it in June 2010 and again in October 2011.  I wonder if I can get my hands on the blueprints now (West Vancouver City Hall wouldn't let me see them in 2010)?  Think the beautiful bird sanctuary of a front yard ended up in a Smithrite?  For more images, click one of the dates above.

My latest fix

You know me, I'm always getting into something! This time it's teak tables with tile tops circa early 1970s.

This makes me want to shoot one of me and my bff

It would be pretty hilarious.

Top Summer Colors for Men

The thing about technology is that fashion is becoming faster and faster, (note I did not say style). Back in January 2012, I did this post on men's color trends for Spring | Summer 2013. These were just three of my favourites. View more of what Pantone picked over at their site - which, in fact, is a very resourceful piece of the Interwebs.

Did you pick up anything in these colors? I haven't bought anything for summer yet! Probably because we're only at highs of 14  - brrr.

I'll take the female version of the center outfit (not the shoes) in the last row for myself - hoping that the sweater is a silk linen blend. Which wouldn't you turn down?

Pantone calls them Monaco Blue, Vibrant Orange and Sunflower

all images ©style.com

Essential Coffee Information

Now wouldn't this be a cool poster?

source Helen K

In My Other Life

I'm the program head (and member of faculty) for the part time marketing management program at BCIT. I'm also a tree hugger, as you've probably figured out by now. How did I get into marketing? It just happened. I actually hate marketing, or is it marketers? Or is it the campaigns? Remember, I'm also a born BC'er, as is Adbusters - and Greenpeace.

When I see a campaign like the new one from Greenpeace targeting Italy's largest fashion houses, the first thing that runs through my head is, 'OK Greenpeace, how exactly did that green rubber glove come into fruition?' Last time I checked rubber was harvested from trees - is it neon green when harvested? I thought not. Where did the dye go after the gloves were dyed? How many vehicles were used to transport the gloves? In all fairness, Greenpeace may have had a disclaimer on the gloves stating they were artisanal gloves produced by fairies - or in an ecologically sensitive manner.

Think before you approve.