And We're Off...

We are on the road today, Austin-bound! In case you forgot, here's what we packed, among a few other essentials:

Illustration by Oliver Paradis

We spent most of last week and all weekend packing up, then cleaning the apartment. We actually moved our stuff into the truck on Monday afternoon and took it out to New Jersey for safe keeping in the driveway of my parents' cabin, where we've been sleeping since Friday, then we were back in NYC yesterday because we both had last-minute things to take care of. We slept in New Jersey again last night and my parents joined us for a final goodbye. We're on the road now and I can't BELIEVE it.

The transformation of our apartment has been pretty stupendous!
(Click on images to enlarge)

Hall before:

Hall after:


Kitchen before:

Kitchen after:


Living Room before:

Living Room and Office after:


Bedroom before:

Bedroom after:


Bathroom before:

Bathroom after:


So much went into making this apartment not just livable, but one we loved and are sad to leave, from making our own headboard to, transforming the bathroom with stripes, carving out the office space and sewing up a storm in an attempt to cover unsightly things, like supplies and pillows to creating a pot rack and coming up with a worthy solution for our spices.

This is what the place looked like on Sunday night:



Pretty scary!

By Monday afternoon, it was empty and clean. Luckily for us, the new tenants wanted to keep the stripes we painted, as well as some of the things we added (the office desk and shelves, blinds, pot rack, etc.), which made our lives a whole lot easier! We hope the apartment treats them as well as it treated us.

I will not have regular access to a computer for about five days, but I've scheduled posts for the upcoming week, so as not to leave my dear loyal readers hanging in my absence! We will be taking pictures on the road, so I should have lots to share with you when we've landed. I look forward to reconnecting with you on the flip side! xoxo

Trend Watch: Fur

Outfit by DSqaured2, courtesy Style.com

It's impossible to ignore the fact the it is now winter, at least in the North East of the U.S. (Australia: I'm jealous.) As I type, I'm looking out the window seeing the tiniest flurries floating around, and I know it's already snowed in some states. Yikes! Winter is tough, fashion-wise. It's difficult to choose outfits that work both inside and outside, a particular challenge in cities whereby most inhabitants spend a fair amount of time on and off public transportation. Wearing a giant, puffy down coat will keep you toasty on the way to the station, but once inside the train, all those feathers get really stuffy, and it's not like you can peel the coat off and get comfy when you're crammed up against 50,000 other warm bodies (some creepier than others). But the real tragedy is that all the down puff obscures what you're wearing underneath (which may or may not have taken twenty minutes to put together)!

Fur has a long, and controversial past – as a p.c. pre-teen I was staunchly anti-fur – but there's no denying that it is CHIC. Adding a splash of fur to winter outerwear is the easiest way to ramp up style without sacrificing warmth, and, from what I can tell in New York, I'm not alone in this belief. Fur is everywhere! Real, faux, full-length coats, vests, collars, trim – it's everywhere and it looks fantastic!

Yves Saint Laurent


Dynasty Clutch by Angel Jackson


Versatile vest by Fendi


Mink and velvet "Ava" necklace by Louis Vuitton


Gorgeous coat by Altuzarra


Nesta fur-trim bootie by Manolo Blahnik


Bottega Veneta coat - at once cozy and chic


I love the elegance of this simple outfit, and the fur collar adds a fun, unexpected, but very chic twist.


Darrington clutches by Michael Kors


Electric blue at Versace

It's one thing to see a trend on the runway or in magazines, but how regular people bring it to the streets is a whole different ballgame. On The Street fashion guru, Bill Cunningham recently shared his favorite fur findings on the streets of New York in this video for the NY Times, and it's worth a look.

I bring it to the streets, with my favorite winter coat; a vintage 1960s fur-trimmed number I picked up in 2008 at a favorite shop in Soho that has since closed. I coveted it for a few months and when I saw it come down in price I snapped it up. Boy am I glad I did; it has made me feel so much less drab and sad for the last few winters!

Yes, I was photographed outside of Buffalo Wind Wings (in Brooklyn, no less)! Don't hate.

This being primarily an interiors blog (that touches on graphics), I can't, in good faith, ignore how the fur in apparel fashion translates to home fashion! We've been seeing furry, fuzzy pillows and throws for a while now. Prices run the gamut, but they all make a home look and feel warm, despite the freezing temperatures.

Photo courtesy Lonny


Living room by Patric Johansson for Elle Interior


Another Lonny gem


Chic interior by Ryan Korban - a fur throw and fur upholstery, which is a great take on a classic modern chair


Via Elle Decor

Heather Clawson, of Habitually Chic wrote a great piece on Carolina Herrera, illustrating how fur intersects in fashion and interiors.

Bringing the style into your own home is easy – stores high and low are offering great furry options; from Ikea sheepskin rugs to West Elm to Williams-Somona Home to trade-only vendors like Donghia, there are fur accents for everyone!


West Elm


Williams-Somona Home


Donghia

Happy Chanukah 2010

Letterpressed envelope printed with antique wood type by YeeHaw in Tennessee

Yesterday at sundown kicked off the first night of Chanukah, the eight-day Jewish "festival of lights" commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, following the Macabees' successful rebellion against the Seleucid Empire, when the wicks of the menorah are said to have miraculously burned for eight days, even though there was only enough oil for one. That is miraculous! (Note: there are lots of spelling variations of the word Chanukah.)

In the past, the holiday was downplayed by classical rabbis, as some felt the emphasis on the miracle oil was a diversion from the various struggles that lead to the downfall of Jerusalem. But, Zionism and the issues surrounding the state of Israel brought the holiday back into the limelight, especially among North American Jews in the late twentieth century (secular Jews included), who wanted an alternative to Christmas, which often coincides with Chanukah. Askenazi Jews traditionally gave "gelt" (Yiddidh for money) to children during Chanukah, but most families now give gifts, much like Christmas gift-giving.

Chanukah starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which can fall anywhere between late November and late December. This year, Chanukah really snuck up on me by starting on Dec. 1! If it snuck up on you, too, never fear: there are seven more days for holiday gift giving or card exchanging!

Most Jewish people (whether they are observant or not) have a menorah or two lying around the house, but now they come in varying shapes and sizes, many of them sculptural and unique–who couldn't use a few more?

Peacoack Menorah from decorating's Jewish darling, Jonathan Adler


Manzanita menorah from West Elm

I can't get enough of this carved walnut menorah by Niles Snyder

Via Remodelista


Years ago, when we lived in San Francisco, my mom gave me this modern and highly versatile menorah from MoMA, by father and daughter team Herbert and Jeanne Atkin


Walteria Menorah from Modern Tribe

While store-bought and/or traditional menorahs are beautiful, there's no reason you can't make your own! Check out these great handmade options:

Oh milk glass, why do I never tire of thee? Via Re-Nest

Via Martha Stewart


For all those plumbing/piping/construction enthusiasts, via Re_nest

You can never go wrong with some stylish dreidels

Another Jonathan Adler gem

Or less traditional ones that are covered in glitter! Who doesn't love a dose of glitter for the holidays?

Via Martha Stewart

These porcelain menorah earrings are perfect for a festive lady of the house, who's no doubt been slaving away to make you a meal, but won't admit it:

By Holiday Designs, in South Florida


Letterpress card by Letterpress Light, of Washington, DC


Cute letterpressed card by Fourteen Sisters, of Beverly Hills, CA

Tomorrow night, we'll head over to my parents' house for a casual celebration, where we'll likely consume copious amounts of latkes. We're all pretty busy right now, so they'll be store-bought, but Debra, over at Smitten Kitchen recently shared her delicious-looking apple latkes:


She's also whipped up more traditional potato latkes, as well as zucchini.

I think my contribution will be Sufganiyot, a jelly doughnut-like dessert.

Martha Stewart's rendition

If you're hosting your own Chanukah celebration, don't forget that blue and white and the colors du-jour!


Table styling by Carolyn Roehm

Foxy Salon, Brooklyn NY

When we moved to New York in 2005 it didn't take long to find a hair salon I loved. I went there for five years, and while I thought the stylists were great, I went through a lot of them because each one lasted up to two years before they disappeared (and most didn't make it to two). I always wondered why no one stuck around longer, but since I never had a bad haircut, (it didn't seem to matter who cut my hair) I didn't lament it too much. A little more than a year ago I started seeing Ria, a phenomenal stylist. We chatted, she cut, I sat, etc... Even Oliver started to see Ria, after years of self-grooming in the tub! One day last summer, we called to make an appointment and we were informed that Ria was gone. GONE? What the–? How the–? Gone. Despair ensued, but we made appointments with other people at the salon, because, like I said, I'd never had a bad haircut there. Well, Oliver scored Tana, who did a great job on his hair, while I got stuck with a psudeo-hipster newbie with enough hubris to fill a room. He was happy, I was disappointed and out too much cash. 

A few days after the cuts, Oliver and I were letterpressing Suzanne's business cards (he pressed; I photographed) and I decided to take a break and check out a nearby vintage furniture shop. Would you believe that I ran into Ria? I damn near mowed her down with excitement. We talked about my too-short, not-so-hot haircut and where the eff she disappeared to. As it turned out, Ria was in the process of opening her own salon and was planning to send out an email about it to her clients as soon as it was ready. Shortly thereafter, we got the email that Foxy was open for business and we soon made ourselves appointments, me with Ria; Oliver with Tana. THANK THE LORDY.

Yesterday was the big day, and let me tell you, these ladies did not disappoint. Ria has opened an adorable spot on Graham Avenue in Brooklyn. I highly recommend a visit, but you don't have to take my word for it. Check out the write up in Time Out New York! (There might be a New York Magazine write-up in the future, too, so look out!)

That's Ria, at the front desk. Note the cute fox illustration on the glass!


Tana at the front desk

The salon is decorated with vintage mirrors, an eclectic mix of reclaimed furniture and sconces, and a forest-y backdrop. Details like framed illustrations, photos, potted plants and terrariums make it all home-y and warm, especially on a soggy, rainy day like yesterday (and today). 

I am pumped, post-cut!

Sadly, we won't be back to the salon for a while, although I plan to go when we visit NYC) but I highly recommend Foxy to all New Yorkers looking for a great cut from ladies with a heavy list of credentials, outstanding personalities and extremely reasonable prices. This isn't a salon just for women; tons of men get their wigs split at Foxy, too, so don't be shy, fare male readers!

Foxy is located at 331 Graham Avenue, just off the L Graham stop in Williamsburg