Palm Springs Modern aka Desert Modern

Maybe they've built it as a future back packers hostel in the desert? I don't know, I haven't read the article but Will and Jada Pinkett Smith's "retreat" is 25,000 square feet - see Septermber's Architectural Digest. Please help me understand why?

If you follow Bijou Living on Facebook you have seen some vacation shots from our trip to Palm Springs, as well as the 1700 square foot home we rented. For us, it was the perfect size - even if 15 of them could fit in the Pinkett Smith "retreat".

Here are a few little modernist diddies from PS.


the home we rented














Stay tuned for some little modernist diddies from West Vancouver.

My small list of irritating words and phrases 2011

King - protector against all things irritating

Back in 2008 I made a list. I'm irritable tonight so here's an updated list. Thanks for listening.

1. ever - For example, 'He's the best singer, ever!' Once best and worst became the words most despised (ever) in online headings, ever stepped right up to take their place. Must be read with juvenile Valley Girl intonation.
2. secret - Secret to the secret secret. Top 10 Best Secrets Ever!
3. liking - I'm liking writing this list. Is bad grammar okay now? Or is this new grammar? Please see the table under stative verbs here.
4. _____ up - tweetup, mashup, startup, meetup, pony up (?)
5. Facebook me.

Quote of the Week - Alfred Hitchcock

Suspense is like a woman. The more left to the imagination, the more the excitement.

Tip of the Week - The Home

Put a few drops of essential oil on the cardboard ring inside the toilet paper roll before placing it in the holder. Use oils such as lavender, cinnamon, lemon, oregano, sage or thyme.

49

Norma Jeane Baker
June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962

Try this for breakfast

Somewhere on the Interwebs some food critic called avocados the 'mayo of the vegetable world'. Yeah, so?

Avocado-olive spread on Artisan Bake Shoppe's Ancient Grain bread.

What you need:
1 ripe avocado
2 tbsps lemon or lime juice
6 olives
sea salt to taste
sliced radishes (optional)

What to do:
Scoop the avocado pulp into a bowl
Add the lemon or lime juice and mash with a fork
Pit and finely chop the olives and stir into the avocado
Add salt to taste
Garnish with sliced radishes and serve with whole grain toast or crackers

Design Lover - I.M. Rosen 8800 Cabinet

for Pace
1978

Weekend

A Canon 60D was graciously gifted to me by my employer - I'll also note that my contract is up October 7th so if you need my expertise I'm available. Here are some pics from the past two weekends as I try to figure this camera out.

Morning blog roll

*HAUS-OF-GUTO*Beauty 101*Child of the Moon*chronicling geography*Could it be Madness-this?*fashionfazer*Fred Bell Paintings*Godammit I'm Mad!*harbourmaster*hunting and gathering*IT HUNTER*It's My Darlin- Seattle Street Style*JAK & JIL BLOG*LeDandy (of Northern California)*liberty and independence*Ménage à Trois*Only Cool Cats*owl vs. dove*PROVIDE*Prêt à Porter P*Room 26 Cabinet of Curiosities*Sea Of Ghosts*Sherrie Cola*THE COVETED*The Monday Issue*Thrift & Thread*wikstenmade*

I really should take the time to comment more on their great content. Thanks for making me late for work folks!

Are there more I should know about? I lost all my subscriptions a few months back and haven't been able to catch up.

Quote of the Week - Epicurus

Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes abundance.

Turn Me On

Vancouver

Portland

Palm Springs

Palm Springs

North Vancouver

Palm Desert

Palm Springs

Palm Springs

Palm Desert

Palm Springs

Healdsburg

Fairhaven

Fairhaven

West Vancouver

Point Blank 1967

North Vancouver

Vancouver

or off.
a selection of lamps from my travels

Mens Pant Hems - Lengths for Summer

stockholm streetstyle
jak & jil
stockholm streetstyle, Vogue Paris

From the Archives - How to Make an Industrial Chic Table

Originally published February 11, 2009

old garage door converted into a coffee table

image Stacy Reynaud

You won't hesitate to show your guests to the door when it's your table. An old solid door, whether industrial or rustic, can be converted into a table quite simply.

Materials:

• old door - demolition sales are a great place for inexpensive oddities
• screwdriver
• drill
• saw
• eight double-wide corner braces
• four wooden cable spools for legs - pick these up from the phone or hydro company
• four rubber 'feet' for each spool
• paint for the cable spool optional
• a sheet of polished glass for top optional

old garage door table with iron brackets for legs

Stacy Reynaud

Instructions:

1. Remove any hinges or hardware from the door if desired
2. Plan and measure desired height of legs
3. Place tabletop section face down and mark the placement of the legs
4. If using a large door like the one above, use a cable spool in each corner. You'll need to saw the spool down to the desired height.
5. Paint spool if desired
6. Glue rubber 'feet' to bottom of each spool to steady it if necessary
7. Place spools/legs on top of the door
8. Place two double-wide corner braces next to each leg on either side
9. Predrill holes for the screws, secure braces with screws

Do you receive my newsletter? It's a collection of tips, rants/adventures I don't post on the blog.

Related Posts:

How To Make A Cool Floor Lamp
How To Make A Headboard
How To Wallpaper With Newspaper

Someone Stole My Bike

I think this is the only picture I have of my bike - Jericho Beach circa 1999

It was a vintage orange all steel Raleigh women's bike with an image of a mountain by the logo. I bought it at the SPCA thrift store on West Broadway for $30. It had chrome fenders, white hand grips, a broken blue with white edge saddle seat, busted brakes, broken gears, there was one of those clear plastic red combination locks on it and it was extremely squeeky. I'd also replaced the tires with wheel chair tires. The loser stole it right from our West End apartment building's bike lock up so it was obviously someone who lived there. I think it was the Raver that lived on our floor because as soon as he moved out my bike was gone. This was ten years ago. I haven't stopped looking for my bike. I've thought I've spotted it a few times but no dice. What I'm going to do if I do find it. I will wait beside the bike until the person comes for it, that's what I'll do.