10 Boots for Men - Fall Winter 2012

Church's

etsy

Dr. Martens

etsy

Fiorentini and Baker

moma

etsy

paul smith

etsy

etsy

ps I've updated my men's favourites on etsy

In his bag you will find

In all fairness, I grabbed the bag from him last night (no staging allowed) and he had stuff for a weekend event in it - hence the big camera. I was surprised there weren't any little papers (receipts, candy wrappers, etc); he usually leaves a trail of them.

The bag is a vintage Frye messenger.

A New Architecture for the Pacific Northwest

 

 The Rondette, 1967

• can be built on any site, in any climate
• customizable and interchangeable walls, windows and doors
• 'packaged' structure
• can be used singly or expanded with the addition of other units
• available in four models, from an eight-sided 335 s.f. 'efficiency' unit to a 12-sided 775 s.f. unit
• nine-sided one bedroom unit shown comes with a redwood deck
• elevated on poles to protect the forest floor

Did you know that a single footstep in one of Oregon's coastal forests is taken on the backs of sixteen thousand invertebrates and that one square metre of temperate forest soil can contain as many as two million creatures representing a thousand species?

September 1989 Vintage Ungaro

Fall Winter 1989

supermodels

How to Make Cedar Plank Lobster Tails

45 years is a long time. That's how long my parents have been married. This August, we took a drive up to Kelowna to make them a special anniversary dinner. I chose cedar plank lobster tails with roasted radishes because my Dad loves lobster, and my Mom loves radishes.

Cedar Plank Lobster Tails

What you need:

• 1 jalapeno pepper
• ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup good quality olive oil, plus more for grilling
• 6 uncooked lobster tails (7 to 8 oz each), halved lengthwise *
• 2 untreated cedar planks (7" x 14" or similar), soaked in water for 2 hours**

What you do:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the pepper on the hot grill and cook until charred on all sides, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then remove the charred skin from the jalapeno and cut the pepper in half, discarding the seeds. Finely dice the jalapeno.

2. Place the diced pepper in a jar with a tightly fitting lid. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar and sugar; cover and shake well to blend. Add the oil and replace the lid. Shake the mixture again until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Brush the cut side of the lobster tails lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the cedar planks on the grill, close the lid and heat for 4 minutes. Arrange the lobster tails, cut side down, on top of the planks. Close the grill lid and cook until meat is opaque, not transparent, and firm to the touch, about 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Serve the lobster tails with a drizzle of the lemon jalapeno vinaigrette on top and more on the side for dipping.

** I picked up the cedar planks at Rona. A pack of two was $5.80. You can also get them at William Sonoma - for twice the price

Roasted Radishes

What you need:

• 1-¼ lbs medium-sized radishes, trimmed and quartered
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups fresh watercress, washed and drained, thick stems removed
• 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, cut into a chiffonade

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, toss the radishes wth the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Transfer to an oven-safe skillet and roast until golden and tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the oven, add the watercress and stir until the watercress is slightly wilted. Stir in the mint and serve immediately.

Tip: Roasting radishes sweetens and mellows their flavour. For best results, choose golf ball-sized radishes and quarter them.

recipe adapted from Style at Home

So how old fashioned am I?

This is what I had in my bag on Monday.

Yes, that's chewable ginger Gravol. Hey, you never know when you're going to feel sick to your stomach.

The bag is by Vancouver designer Erin Templeton.

My Lamp Dilema is Solved

after

Found a shade - at my local Sally Ann. 

Lamp shade $4. Total investment $29.

before

From the Archives - How to Find a Pair of Boots

It's that time of year again, and I'm thinking about Fall boots.
I'm going to my favourite shop in New West for some inspiration, and then I'm jumping onto Etsy to add to my favourites. I already have an idea of what I want; it's just a matter of finding it!

Originally published September 20, 2010

After trying those Fiorentini and Baker boots two weekends ago, I had to revisit their inspiration, just to make sure. Last weekend, we headed to our favourite surplus store in New West to see what was in stock. I found both pairs I was looking for - the parade and combat boots (photos 5 and 6), plus a few cool ones for him. Is it just me, or is the boot in photo 3 a near-spitting image of the Barry Distressed Buttero boots - now sold out - or how about any of these for inspiration? Of course, neither of us walked out with boots, but I picked up a Canadian cadet overcoat - currently at the dry cleaner, so no photo.

Quote of the Week - Rachel Carson - Life

West Vancouver, Canada
image stacy reynaud

Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the Earth are never alone or weary of life.

image stacy reynaud

An Inspired Knock Off

Perry Ellis 1985

My orange high school locker was my inspiration board. It was 1985, and the orange background only enhanced the already kaleidoscopic menagerie of 80s fashion, Calvin Klein underwear ads and my bobbed hair crush, Marcus Abel. 

Fast forward twenty years to a Black Crowes after-party, and I'm debating the difference between knocking off and inspiration with one of the designers whose sexy ass black and white ads I'd always had hanging in my locker (no, not Calvin Klein).

Three months earlier, the designer's assistant purchased my entire collection of vintage leather jackets at the Manhattan Vintage Clothing show. I wouldn't have known otherwise, but being a nosy Canadian, I asked her if she would wear all those jackets. She replied that they weren't for her but for Designer X, who'd be knocking them off. Trust me, I know what you're thinking.

I do not regularly attend parties to accuse designers of knocking off vintage clothing. 

But here we go.

As a result of early 90s industrial dance sessions at Luv Affair (now a Shoppers Drug Mart), I have a terrible case of tinnitus. Therefore, when the designer introduced himself at the noisy party, I thought he said he worked for Designer X. But alas, he was, in fact, Designer X. 

Here I thought I was having a pleasant conversation with one of Designer X's assistants about the New York vintage show and how designers knock off vintage clothing. After all, he asked, "Where do I know you from? You look familiar." Seeing as I had a terrible time with face recognition, I thought I'd met him in New York at the show and was just going to ride that train.

I didn't know I was talking with the real Designer X until a groupie approached him. 

Damnit.

To backtrack on my words and apologize for accusing/debating with him would've been super uncomfortable. The conversation had already evolved past that. He didn't seem to care anyway and had enough integrity to admit he buys vintage clothing to get 'inspiration'. Needless to say, I continued chatting along my merry way, pretending I knew who he was from the start of our conversation. Of course I couldn't hear what either of us was saying because my focus was on how friggin' embarrassed I was.

In 1985, I won the Langley School District fashion design competition. 

I don't remember how I actually got into the competition. I remember being instructed to design something for Home Economics Sewing class, and my creation - a skirt - won. The venue, Langley Senior Secondary. The designers had to walk the internationally famous and notoriously challenging catwalk in their creation. I remember doing that. I also remember not paying attention when the winners were announced and having someone come and find me to let me know I was being summoned. 

I won a Mary Kay makeover!

Last night, I pulled out the January 1985 edition of Vogue, looking for some blog inspiration. The first page I opened slapped me with a fistful of memories. It was a Perry Ellis ad - an ad containing the winning skirt. I took the ad to a local sewing shop, searched out a pattern for a similar skirt and altered it a bit.

I didn't knock it off, I was inspired by it.

The striped skirt and winning ensemble. Note the nautical theme topped off by the hat.

PS Kids - if you're going to dance beside the speakers, take this old hipster's advice and be the geek who wears earplugs. Your parents were somewhat right, you will go deaf, but first you will be plagued by a torturing, constant ringing in your ears - even when you have earplugs in.

The Hibernation Home - House and Garden 1967

1967

While on a little road trip last weekend, I concluded that bears have SADS - hence hibernation. 

Humans need to take heed from our animal friends. Really, would you not rather sleep, chill out, snuggle, and stay out of the gross weather from November until March instead of forcing yourself up out of bed to go to work in the dark and come home in the dark, only to be surrounded by nothing but artificial light? 

I most definitely would.

I've asked my GP for a doctor's note/green card/prescription to move south from November - March (I figure the final three months of Vancouver rain from March to June will be ok) and although she didn't say no, she did give me a prescription for a Happy Light and told me to take up indoor activities like the climbing gym (how 1994), lunching with friends ($$$), and movies (sorry, bed bug paranoia).

The days are getting shorter. If you have SADS, like me, that looming darkness is slowly rising on the horizon of your mind, and The Cask of Amontillado will soon start to take on its own personal meaning. 

But alas, I have a new idea! I'll approach my GP with an alternative to the green card - the Pacific Northwest Hibernation House. A prescription for a home! 

My insurance plan will not have a problem purchasing a snippet of land and building this hinged panel glass house for me; after all, it's five times smaller than the average home in West Van. I've already researched where I can source most of the materials so that what I use will be mostly recycled. The flip-up hinged panels surrounding the entire structure are paramount to human hibernation. Upon the light of the new season, my home will gradually unfold and welcome back the Technicolour Springtime of the moody land I love.

My cat Tilley feels the same about winter.

For more reading on moody Cascadia (the Pacific Northwest), I recommend: Cascadia: The Elusive Utopia.

home image: House and Garden Building Guide, Spring-Summer 1967

I'm away

away - my vacation pic site

Starting today I'm on vacation for four weeks! I'm headed to the spa in Whistler for the weekend - that's my only plan. What happens next will be spur of the moment as plans give me anxiety. I've started up a Tumblr page to chronicle my vacation.

Nothing is up yet but book mark it if you want as I'll be sporadically posting vacation pics - and pics only  ->  stacylavaway.com

I'll still be posting on BL and on the BL fb page so please let me know you exist.

ps I deleted my Twitter account. 

Madonna on Fashion

You can't do head-to-toe Chanel; you've got to mix it up with combat boots. Madonna

Design Lover - Windsor Sack Back Chair

Currently Listening To

The Pentangle Basket of Light

Quote of the Week - Ralph Waldo Emerson on Amateurs

Every artist was first an amateur. Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Lamp Dilemma

I couldn't resist this big handmade vintage lamp at our local thrift shop. Unfortunate thing is, it doesn't have a shade. One would think it would be easy to find one - not so. Any suggestions?

From a day in the winter

English Bay may have their rock balancing guy but over here in West Van we have late night driftwood stacking person. The past three winters that I've lived here I've awoken to a morning beach transformed over night into a driftwood art exhibition. These photos are all from one morning's walk along Ambleside Beach. They spanned the entire length of the beach. On my list of things to do, (along with taking up pottery), is to take up abstract oil painting so I can capture scenes like those above or this:

What's on your list of things to do?


more images here

Design Lover - Hermes Pippa Portable Lounger

Hermès Pippa Chaise Lounge - 1987