Have Degree, Will Travel

Bookcases, Bookshelves

2012-01-25T18:43:00.002-05:00

Disclaimer: I am writing this under the influence of one of those cold-y, flu-y, woozy-type sicknesses that one gets in the winter. I will strive for coherence.

In picking out furniture and decor, the eternal struggle of mine seems to be between my two great loves: Art vs. Books. I have a lot of art. I like to hang that art on the walls. I also have a lot of books. I go thin the ranks every so often, but I am the type of reader who revisits books as if they are old friends, and I cannot tell you how often I have gone to locate a book to reread and discovered that my foolish past self had thought me done with it and donated it. So I am a reluctant giver-away of books. Ergo: I have hundreds of books.

Many of the larger art books (of which there are quite a few--I am an art historian, after all) have found second lives stacked and used as bedside tables. But the rest--hardbacks and paperbacks large and small--are stashed all over the house. A couple hundred live in a trunk in the garage. I've done this because I was trying to avoid being the person with lots of bookshelves and room for nothing else. However, I have decided to heck with this, I am going to own my book habit. I was partially inspired by shots of the Eames house from Eames: the Architect and the Painter, which I finally watched this weekend. I love their shelves!

I'm on the hunt for shelves. I'm not looking for anything fancy, just your basic bookstore-type shelves. Nothing terribly ornamental. To be clear: I'm not looking to create pretty, curated examples of interior design, just a place to put books. I'm really loving open-backed shelves, too, if for no other reason than their much easier to dust, and much lighter to move. Here are some other examples that have caught my eye:

If you can tear your gaze from Matt Bomer's chest, go ahead and check out those shelves. I LOVE those shelves. (Here is a Bomer-less shot.)

Greg Wooten's living room, as photographed by Todd Selby. These are wall-mounted, obviously, which is an option that's a bit more permanent than I'd like at the moment, but I love the simplicity and the arrangement.

Ideally, I'd like something out of the Ikea box if possible, without breaking my very meager bank. Very likely an impossible project, but I'll be giving it a try!

The People I Saw, the Meals I Ate

2012-01-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned here before that one of my very best besties, a lady named Laura, lives and works in New York City. So, I try to find a weekend once a year or so to drag my carcass up to her and let myself be entertained by the city (not to say that I only see her once a year--her parents still live a half a mile from mine, after all). This year, I bribed my boss with the promise of the tackiest souvenir I could find him and took the Friday before MLK Day (not to be confused with MILK Day) off to give myself lots and lots of New York time. Laura requested a blog devoted to our experiences, so I am providing. She gave up half her bed for the weekend, after all.

In the past, my New York weekends have been about seeing museums and finding photobooths (spending time with Laura goes without saying). I still love museums and photobooths, but this visit was more about seeing awesome people and eating great things.

Friday: Spent most of it on the bus, in the seat with the broken outlet. I watched an old animated Tintin movie I rented from iTunes, praying my laptop battery would hold. I finished with 10 minutes to spare. Once in the city, Laur and I sped off to Brooklyn to a book release party I was determined to attend (we're in the above photo, sort of behind that other dude).
People Seen: A Ton, including Yuko, Anath, Conrad, and John.
Meals Eaten: Carrot Ginger Soup at Alchemy (A)
Bodega Kitty: Yes

Saturday: the theme was walking and photobooths. Mostly walking. Searched for a mug, sadly in vain, then hogged the photobooth in the Ace Hotel for awhile. Were madly impressed by the place. Walked a million miles to linger over brunch with good friends, then walked a million more for pie and more photostrips. Happily took the train to Union Square to peek into Books of Wonder, then took in a flick.

People Seen: Peter, Jordan, A Bunch of Kid's Publishing Folks, Simon Pegg

Meals Eaten: Croque Monsieur and Mimosa at Le Parisien (A+), Michigan Sour Cherry Pie at Bubby's (A)

Photobooths: Two

Souvenir Mugs: :(

Sunday: the theme was books and scones. Scooted down to Harlem for an early brunch with an awesome Twitter friend, visited with her pups, then accidentally got off at the wrong stop for the Met, so we walked across Central Park (a first for me). Tried to see several special exhibitions at the Met, couldn't find all but two (lots of galleries were closed, cutting off our routes across the 2nd floor). Hopped over to Alice's Tea Cup for a Mad Hatter Tea. Ended the evening at the Strand.

People Seen: Pamela, Chip, Ringo (pups are people, too), somebody's suit-of-armor boyfriend

Meals Eaten: Blackberry Cherry Pancakes at Kitchenette (B+), Curried Chicken Salad & Cucumber Watercress sandwiches (C & A), Tomato-Basil, Mixed Berry, & Buttermilk scones (A+, B+, & A), Lemon Tart (A+), and Trafalgar Square Tea (A) at Alice's Tea Cup

Books: 18 Miles

Scones: So Many

Monday was spent on the bus, with a functioning outlet, watching Jane Eyre and eating leftover Alice's cookies. Since then, I have apparently been attempting to recreate the weekend, mostly through scones. My tomato-basil effort turned out weird, my buttermilk (using the Alice's recipe) are better.

All in all, a very successful weekend! Thanks for the food, art, books, folks, and pretty little flurries, New York!

Just the Ticket: Tintin

2012-01-21T17:20:00.000-05:00

I'm a little behind here, and not just because I'm a month behind in writing this review--it's also been a month since I saw Tintin. Or nearly, anyway. My brother and I saw it on Christmas Day. Since then, because I am me, I have deprived all of the children in my county by requesting all of the Tintin books from the library. All of them. Reading them (I'm only halfway through, but I've read all three books which are included in the movie) has increased my love of the characters and franchise, but even more than that, it's increased my appreciation for how deftly the writers stitched those three stories together. This seems appropriate, as the writers were the real reason I wanted to see Tintin to begin with.

There was some concern that the choice to use motion-capture animation would drive the film straight into the Uncanny Valley, and I would be lying if I told you that there weren't moments when I felt I was teetering on the edge. They all seemed to have to do with Tintin himself. As the character with the most human (or at the very least non-cartoony) face, he was already at risk of feeling not quite human enough. I noticed it mainly at the end of scenes, when his face held an expression just a beat too long to feel really human. Did it give me a shiver? Yeah, it did. Was it also more than made up for by the other characters, in particular Andy Serkis' Captain Haddock? Heck yes.

There is a reason why Andy Serkis is the go-to guy for motion-capture animation and that is because the man is damn good at what he does. (And not just when he's covered in those little balls, either.) He is a skilled actor and mover, and Captain Haddock was in the best of hands. I will admit to being a bit biased, as Haddock is my favourite character in the books and I loved what the film did with him.

But the film is at its strongest when the emphasis is on action. Far from the uncanny valley, the viewer gets swept up in sequences which are fun, pure and simple. The impression is of Indiana Jones had Spielberg not been burdened by concerns such as gravity. I found myself laughing in delight at the sheer joy and impossibility of the scenes.

My biggest criticism was of the ending, which is always a sad way to leave a film. Without giving too much away, there's a scene in which the villain is vanquished, which feels very gratifyingly resolute. The film could have ended there, or just afterwards. Instead, we're left with an ending that feels weirdly somewhere between an epilogue and a prologue. Don't get me wrong, I'm a lover of both (you want to give me more story? Okay!), but this just felt disturbingly un-resolute. Almost as if the film's editors weren't entirely sure where to wrap things up, so they picked a random place and sent it off. I understand that it may have been to whet the audience's appetite for a sequel, but my appetite was already whetted by the movie on the whole--ending it that way felt unnecessary.

On the whole, I loved Tintin. I would love to see another film, especially if they adhere to the source material as well as they did this time around. Reading the books, it was interesting to see where the writers chose to break away from the original, and gratifying to agree with them in every single instance. Stephen Moffat is one of those writers and, as I've seen in his work on the wonderful Sherlock, he's very skilled at creating something new while paying homage to the source. With the same crew, I have great faith that subsequent films would be just as much fun.

Just the Ticket

2012-01-07T10:15:00.000-05:00

I consume a lot of media. Movies, television shows, video games, books, blog posts, you can name most things and find that I absorb it on a regular basis. When I find something I really enjoy or that strikes me more than most, I tend to go out and absorb more of it; i.e., reading every book written by an author I discovered, doing intensive research on the making of a movie I liked, etc. And then, once I've pulled all of this information into my brain, I let it mull. It rolls around and around, sometimes getting spit out at nearby listeners, but mostly turning into something cohesive that I then fold neatly, place in a box, and file somewhere in the recesses of my brain to do absolutely nothing with.

I've received the comment more than once that I should actually sit down and review these things I consume, rather than just placing them in my personal bin, and for the most part I've brushed these off. But it's a new year, which always seems to beg new adventures. I'd like to challenge myself to think more critically, and a review project seems like just the ticket. And that's what I'm calling it: Just the Ticket. I have a tendency to save all of my ticket stubs from anyplace that gives me one, thinking I'm going to do something with them. This is my way of doing something with them.

There are a few rules I'm going to be following:

1. Keeping it fresh: I'll be looking at things I've only recently seen for the first time. I'm not going to go back and review all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, just because I've seen it (though never doubt that I could, folks. Never doubt).

2. Just right: I'll aim to keep these from being either too long or too short.

3. Don't pull punches: I'm also not always going to be nice about things. This is about being critical, and there are plenty of things that I don't like. I'm not going to sugarcoat them.

4. Vary it up: I mentioned up top that I consume all sorts of media; I'm not going to limit myself in what I review. So prepare yourself for a variety. It will probably be weird.

5. Spoiler alert: I'll do my best to avoid spoilers, but I'm not going to skirt around them if I need to make a particular point. I'll try to note on each review whether they're spoiler-free.

I doubt I'll post on any sort of schedule (when do I ever?), but I'll aim for some degree of regularity. Just to keep me honest. And speaking of, full disclosure: though I've been thinking about doing this for a long time, Dustin Harbin's Review Project partially spurred me to action (which you should also check out, especially if you like awesome drawings). I can't promise these will be great to start with. In fact, I can almost guarantee they won't be. But I hope you'll enjoy taking this ride with me!

Door of the Day

2012-01-02T10:47:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm still swooning over glossy black doors. But this one is extra swoon-worthy--it's the front door of Holly Golightly's apartment in NYC, which is for sale! Though the building doesn't seem to include the fantastic stairwell, which was always my favourite bit of the film design-wise (well, that and the bathtub couch).

New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T11:03:00.001-05:00

Just took a quick break from thank you note-writing and video game-playing to share this wonderful New Year's ditty with you, courtesy of Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. For the full effect, you should click on the little snowflake below the progress bar at the bottom of the window--trust me! Earlier this month, my best bud shared an elevator with Mr. Gordon-Levitt in the publishing house where she works. She said he was very kind as she told him, knees shaking, that she loved him in Inception. Which I think is simply lovely.

Here's hoping the new year brings us more charming musical collaborations between these two!

Snuggly Weekend Links

2011-12-30T12:17:00.000-05:00

Hey-o, folks! Do you have mad plans for New Years? I do! They are to light some mango-scented candles and play Uncharted, because that's just how I roll. But if you are planning to spend Saturday with living, breathing human beings, that is totally OK, too! In the meantime, here are some rad links to snuggle up with until the ball drops:

- Daniel discovers the Hyrax

- Jonathan Mann looked at the terrible Christmas Day tweets from kids who didn't get an iphone, and thought: this is a song. And it's wonderful.

- Nerd Alert: the official Legend of Zelda timeline is just as confusing as you thought it'd be.

- I have officially fallen for this paint color. I want it everywhere.

- Artist Noelle Stevenson decided that the internet needed a place for all of its drawings of animals looking stupid. This is that place.

- The lesson here is clearly that frogs are awesome and you should probably not taunt them.

- If you've ever thought, "I have a question about fashion and would like the answer to be illustrated!" then Carly Monado's "OOOH, Girl" is for you. The above illustration is from this classic.

Have a great weekend, and a peachy keen New Year, y'all!

The Alba Series

2011-12-26T12:48:00.000-05:00

In addition to patterns, I've been on a photography kick lately. I went a-wand'ring through 20x200 and was caught by these works by Laura Bell, taken while she was living in Edinburg, Scotland. There's a sense of wistfulness to them, and I adore the circular framing, especially on the above, called "Ferry from Ardrossan Harbor." It feels as if you're peering through a porthole.

"Arthur's Seat"

"Blackford Forrest"

All three prints are available on 20x200, in editions of various sizes.

Door of the Day

2011-12-26T09:14:00.000-05:00

Love the color, love the framing. Snapped by Josh Wentz.

Listening to: Muppet Christmas Carol

2011-12-24T09:33:00.000-05:00

My absolute, hands-down, favourite Christmas movie is A Muppet Family Christmas, which my mother taped off of live tv on Beta sometime in the 80s. That Beta tape was then converted to a VHS, which we watched every year (vintage Toys 'R Us commercials and all) without fail until sometime recently when it was replaced by the DVD. However, we realized this year that the DVD is sadly and heavily edited (something about having the rights to broadcast certain songs on tv but not release on video or DVD, which seems extremely silly), so I've been watching my second favourite Christmas film: Muppet Christmas Carol. Watching it, I've been reminded of how wonderful the film's music is, with original songs by Paul Williams. The soundtrack isn't available for download (though you can bet I've ordered the CD), so I've been listening via Youtube. Here are the songs gathered in one place, for your Youtube listening ease:

"Scrooge"

"One More Sleep Till Christmas"

"It Feels Like Christmas" - possibly my very favourite Christmas song

"'Tis the Season" - the teeniest, happiest little song

"Bless Us All"

"Thankful Heart"

Our version includes the controversial "When Love is Gone," but I've left it off of this because it isn't precisely a Christmas song. It is, however, quite good (and for the record, as a 7-year-old, the song never felt "too adult" for me). Happy Christmas Eve to all! Will you be humming "One More Sleep Till Christmas" all day? I know I will.

Funnelcloud Prints

2011-12-22T22:55:00.000-05:00

I find that the art that has been catching my eye of late is chock-full of patterns and bright colors, ideally lots of both. So it's no surprise that I went ape over these Funnelcloud Studio prints. Funnelcloud is Rachel Roellke, who lives just one town over from mine! What joy! Scroll down for more happy prints:

One perk of her being a local is her fantastic patchwork Virginia print. Is it weird that I love the shape of my state? It seems somehow silly and yet also stately. She also has DC and Maryland versions, and is taking requests for other states! As much as I love the colors in the above prints (and lots more), as both a collector of river stones and builder of cairns in the wild, I fell head over heels for these:

Even in grayscale, those patterns just leap out at you. And the shapes! Is there a Funnelcloud Fan Club? If so, sign me up.

Christmas for the Dogs

2011-12-19T23:28:00.000-05:00

I don't have the sort of disposable income that lends itself to showering my dog in gifts, but if I did, let's just be clear: I totally would. I was tempted to make gift guides for a bunch of folks this year, but most of them read my blog, so I refrained. My dog, however, cannot read. Your loss, dog. So here's what I would buy my perpetually joyful, occasionally anxious, constantly hungry, sleek and pretty black beast (and, to be fair, the rest of the canine parade in this house) for Christmas, if I could:

1. A rawhide bone it would take her more than 20 minutes to devour (bonus for the hilarity which would inevitably ensue when she attempted to carry it triumphantly through the house).
2. A colorful, versatile rope toy which can be tossed (Vista's preference) or tugged (Leilani's forte).
3. The miraculous Thundershirt, to sooth her separation anxiety.
4. A bouquet of Loofa toys, the best plush dog toys on the market (so sayeth the dogs).
5. A Slow 'Em Down pet bowl, to provide a challenge so she'll actually eat her food rather than inhale it.
6. Lots and lots and lots of tennis balls, her absolute favourite toy.
7. A pretty, strong leash to match her collar.

The thing I love about all of these goodies is that they're fun for both of us (well, the leash is mostly for me, but let's pretend). I've heard great things about the Thundershirt, and something tells me we'll end up with one sooner or later, since we have two dogs of similar height and weight who suffer from very different forms of anxiety (in addition to Vista's sometimes violent separation anxiety, Leilani is a very loud, seemingly vicious anxious barker). Sadly, my girl's only getting one item on this list this year (hint: it's the thing which will keep her from choking to death on her food), but if Santa brought us bottomless pails of tennis balls and rawhide bones, no one would complain.

How do you celebrate the holiday with your pets? Our menagerie traditionally get one big bunch of toys to share (read: destroy before the end of Christmas day). Last year, their cousin dogs gave them each a Loofa toy, which were the biggest hits. Summer, Devourer of Tissues, mostly steals bits of wrapping paper all day long.

Winter Warmth

2011-12-18T12:05:00.000-05:00

The last new winter coat I got was the Christmas before I went on a school trip to London, in January of 2007. As a result, I cannot think of winter coats without thinking "Could I wear this in London and not die of hypothermia?" People, brains are really weird. And also, you know, it's been awhile since I got a new coat. Last winter, I discovered a mystery men's black puffy parka which had presumably been left behind in my parents' house by one of my brother's friends, and I commandeered it. It's warm as heck, but faaaaaaar from fashionable. Here are the coats (with bonus hats, gloves, and scarves) which have caught my eye this winter. I love warm colored winter things, they bring so much cheer to cold, bleak days.

We'll see if any of these makes it into my closet before the first snow. So, what do you think? Are you the sort of person who buys a new coat every winter? I always seem to go years between new coats.

Sources:
Hooded top, £125
J Crew toggle coat, $325
Duffle coat, £235
Funnel neck coat, £175
Jack BB Dakota double breasted coat, $70
Wrap top, $88
J Crew cashmere glove, $40
Beanie hat, $38
Fair Isle Scarf, £39

Eames Love

2011-12-10T18:46:00.001-05:00

Speaking of LA, have you seen this little film of Ice Cube talking about architecture in Los Angeles? It's kind of fantastic. He apparently studied architectural drafting before going into rap. He speaks specifically about Charles and Ray Eames, and I love his observations. "They was doing mash-ups before mash-ups even existed."

Check it out! And for more of the Eameses, tune into PBS American Masters on the 19th of this month for a showing of the documentary Eames: The Architect and the Painter. It looks utterly fantastic!

Thanks to Anna of Door Sixteen for bringing both of these lovely things to my attention! She caught the doc at the IFC Center in New York and loved it, which makes me all the more excited to see it myself.

Los Angeles Love Affair

2011-12-10T17:06:00.001-05:00

During my year as a VISTA, I rented 500 Days of Summer and watched it, bundled up on my couch in our, cold, cold house. I enjoyed it, for various reasons, one of which was that it was a movie that took place in Los Angeles without taking place in HOLLYWOOD. I've never been to LA (or California at all), and I absolutely loved seeing the city portrayed on the screen in that way. I mentioned as much to my friend and fellow VISTA who happened to be from LA herself. The following conversation ensued:

Jamie: You know, I used to blog about that.

Me: About what?

Jamie: About all of the awesome stuff in LA that isn't Hollywood.

And then we dragged out my laptop and spent forever oo-ing and ah-ing over her past posts. Even better than seeing a city through the lens of a movie camera is discovering it through the words of someone who loves it dearly. And so it was with great pleasure that I discovered that Jamie, back at home in California, has restarted the blog, Los Angeles Love Affair. She specializes in the weird and fun, things that most folks have no clue are even there if they haven't spent their lives exploring it. As Jamie is about the most adventurous person I've ever met, you can expect a LOT of fun and weird.

Do yourself a favor and get lost in Jamie's Los Angeles. Take it from someone who's never been there: it's awesome.

Happy List

2011-12-09T23:28:00.001-05:00

It's been awhile since I've made a good old-fashioned happy list. Here we go:

A Very She & Him Christmas Currently cycling through 3 albums on repeat. This is the selection when I'm feeling Christmassy. Retro, mellow, festive as heck.

Old Navy Sequined Ballet Flats Okay: confession. I don't actually own these. I enforce a pretty strict shopping-for-myself embargo in December. But the embargo doesn't prevent mad shoe lust.

Vitafusion MultiVites These are so yummy I would eat them all day if the bottle didn't strictly instruct otherwise. I hate taking pills, but gummy vitamins for adults? Yes and yes.

"Man or Muppet" from The Muppets So thrilled they made this a music video. The Muppets album is the 2nd one on the current rotation, and "Man or Muppet" is by far the stand out track. (Also: how great is the Jason Segel Muppet??)

Warby Parker Langston Frames I admit it, I broke the embargo once. But these are my first new pair of glasses since 2004 and the previous pair vanished in May. These are needed. They're not here yet, but oh-so eagerly anticipated!

Alice Rebecca Potter Winter Stripe Patterns I love the idea of putting a simple pattern in a frame and hanging it on a wall. Fortunately, Alice Rebecca Potter's clever patterns are available as prints on Society6 for your framing convenience. Love.

Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony 3rd on the rotation: this CD came with the new Zelda game (nabbed just before the embargo went into effect) and I love it so, so much. Koji Kondo composed all of the themes for the Zelda games, and I find myself going back to the Wind Waker theme over and over. I suspect this will end with a complete replay of that game.

Honorable mentions: dogs who keep my feet warm at night, mint fudge brownies, the cat who stares into the fire for hours on end, mad pinning, stalking bottle brush trees on etsy, an impromptu game of MarioParty with my brother.

So that's my list! It could be much, much longer (a lot makes me happy at this time of year), but I fear any more would give some gifts away. What sorts of things are making your heart happy these days?

Hovercraft

2011-12-07T10:06:00.000-05:00

I was browsing Flickr and I came across this illustration, from a series titled How Could You, by Tatsuro Kuichi. This is, essentially, a portrait of my dog. The only difference is the collar. I call her a hovercraft, because that is what she does: she hovers, she lurks, she frets. Are you going somewhere? Where are you taking that box? ARE WE MOVING AGAIN???

Christmas decorating is tough on dogs. Apparently.

The other parts of the series are equally sweet (and spot-on like Vista). I especially love this one:

Arthur Christmas

2011-12-06T17:53:00.001-05:00

I didn't include it on my list because I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to see it, but last night a friend and I found ourselves with the evening free and a desire to catch a movie, so we saw "Arthur Christmas." I think most have written this off as one of lots of the throw-away holiday movies that crop up every year, and I am here to tell you that that is a grave, grave mistake. I knew we were in for something special when I recognized Aardman in the credits (the folks behind Wallace & Gromit, as well as many other things). Obviously, this isn't claymation, but the sweetness and charm we've learned to expect from Aardman was present in this, in spades.

Combine that with clever writing and a truly, truly stellar voice cast (James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, James Broadbent, Bill Nighy, and more), and you've got a sweet, fun, funny Christmas movie that would warm even the hackles of the Grinch's cold heart. I should mention that the friend I saw it with can be kind of a Grinch himself, and there was one point in the film where he completely lost it laughing.

Do yourself a favor and don't write off "Arthur Christmas." See it. Take your family, take your kids, take your grouchy coworker, or go by yourself. And don't be surprised to discover that this is the heart-warmiest thing you see this holiday season.

Door of the Day

2011-12-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Oh, colored doors, I haven't given you over for black entirely. I could never quit you, colored doors. Just never.

Especially not when you come with insanely awesome custom hardware. Snapped by The Selby at the home of Marlene Barnett.

Loving: Bottle Brush Trees

2011-12-05T13:31:00.000-05:00

I don't really have any of my own Christmas decorations. I tend to buy what I need at drug and dollar stores, and then those things always seem to get left behind when I move on. But I've been thinking lately about building my own set of decorations, and I've been madly inspired by bottle brush tree collections.

This one belongs to Andrea of Hula Seventy, and I am insanely envious of it. Especially those big pink lovelies.

These are Madelyn Mulvaney's.

This violet collection belongs to Amy Dame of Glitter, Vinyl, and Thread.

These could be fun stocking stuffers, don't you think? Each year, a new little tree to add to the collection. This would work for any holiday collection, too--ornaments, snow globes, etc. I, however, am sticking to my bottle brush dreams.

Door of the Day

2011-12-05T10:22:00.000-05:00

I wish it wasn't obscured and you could really make out that lovely circle design, but yes. More black doors. From the House Beautiful spread on Mark Sike's home, via i suwannee.

Layering Love

2011-12-04T11:54:00.000-05:00

When I get bored, one of my favourite things to do is browse house tours on Design Sponge. I was doing so Saturday as therapy after a brain-killing trip to the mall, and I fell in love with Kate Hayes and Jack Ehrbar's home. The maps, the stacks of books, the giant Mikael Kennedy print (here I am revealing just how derivative my taste is--ah, well), that fantastic little nautical lamp. Most of all, I fell for their rugs.

I feel like it's tricky to make layered rugs look good without feeling lumpy, but this room goes right past "good" and settles into "comfy." That's success. I tend to shy away from buying rugs, I guess because the cost often seems prohibitive for something that just lies there, but I've realized recently how much I really love them. A great rug can be exactly what you need to add just the perfect amount of interest and intensity to a room. Here are some of my favourite styles of rug (digitally layered because: why not?):

Clockwise from the top left, that's Madeleine Weinrib's Ikat Blue, the Tan-Tan Rug from Anthro, MB's Red Zig Zag, Ikea Stockholm Rand (MB's Buche is a similar, pricier option), MB's Pink & Orange Lulu, and the Rens Sheepskin from Ikea.

I love the look of stripes up against zig-zags up against kilim and ikat designs. For the record, I would never actually layer rugs like that. I think the reason the layering up top really works is that the anchor rug is a lighter color and calmer design. My little mock-up is WAY too busy. It's also REALLY expensive, which is why I do most of my rug browsing on eBay, Craigslist, and in my mother's basement.

But that's why God gave us the internet: for madcap daydreaming about perfect rooms.

Bonus: I love Jamie Meares (of the fabulous Furbish Studio)'s Rugs 101 post. It's a really, really great place to start.

Door of the Day

2011-12-04T11:13:00.000-05:00

You thought I was kidding about black doors, didn't you? But no, I am legitimately loving them. Against a pale wall, they seem like giant exclamation points.

From Daniel's insanely, unfairly awesome Nest.

Door of the Day

2011-12-03T22:52:00.001-05:00

I've always been nutso for colored doors, but lately I see a red door and I want it...painted black. Yeah, I went there. I did.

But seriously, people. Black doors. So class.

Taken in Amsterdam by tenoot.

Mikael Kennedy

2011-12-03T21:26:00.001-05:00

I am in love with Mikael Kennedy's photographs.

Remember when I said all an artist had to do was paint me some waves and I was hooked? Totally goes for photographers, too. And if you capture the shoreline, make it bleak, bleak, bleak. Some might find that depressing, but it never fails to take my breath away. Kennedy does just that with all of these, from his Odysseus series.

Can't you just see that last one, blown up nice and big, dominating a big white wall? I have the perfect place for it. Come to me, waves. Oh, and did I mention? These are all polaroids. Yum.

Sweater Swoon

2011-12-03T13:31:00.000-05:00

I would like to write a sonnet to this sweater. And this one.

I honestly can't decide which version I like better, but it doesn't matter because in a perfect world I have both of them and wear them everyday, switching off the colors, until they are rags. And even then, I will stuff them in a drawer and occasionally take them out, hold the soft, heart-speckled pieces to my cheek, and reflect on the good old days.

Thanks to Katie Armour for bringing these lovlies to my attention and changing my life. I like them, a very little bit. If you couldn't tell.

From Topshop!

December Movies!

2011-12-02T17:14:00.001-05:00

Have you ever gone to the movies on Christmas Day? We do sometimes, and I sort of love it. It's always a little bit quieter than usual, and everyone there seems to be smiling and content. I'm not sure if I'll catch a film on the day this year, but here is the list (in no particular order) of stuff I am going to see the heck out of this holiday season!

1. The Muppets - I have already seen this, but it's going on the list because I loved it THAT MUCH. See it, love it, buy the soundtrack, and have "Man or Muppet" stuck in your head for the rest of your life. You will not regret it.

2. Hugo - I've heard mixed things about Hugo, but one thing every review I've read has agreed on is that this is a gorgeous film. I get the feeling it's going to be a film I want to live inside of, and I love those. I know I said no particular order, but this will be the next one I catch. And I'll shell out the clams for 3D while I'm at it.

3. The Artist - Sometime in elementary school, while I was home sick from school, I happened to switch on Turner Classic Movies. Greta Garbo was the artist of the month, and they were showing all of her films. Before I knew what had hit me, I had been seduced by old Hollywood, giving birth to an obsession that lasted several years. By the age of 12, I had seen more obscure black and white films than your grandmother. I can still sing the One Reel Wonders jingle from memory. I'm not saying that's the main reason I'm dying to see "The Artist" (I heard a fantastic interview with the director on NPR, the lead actor and dog both won awards for their performance at Cannes), but, yeah. It's a factor.

4. Tintin - I didn't grow up reading Tintin stories, but I wish I had. Detective, dog, mysteries? Basically a formula for something I love. While I'm not crazy about Motion-Capture Animation (it tends to fall too far into the Uncanny Valley for me), there are so many people whose work I love involved with this movie that I am willing to overlook just about anything, honestly. I'll definitely be checking this out later this month. Still undecided on whether to go for 3D, however.

5. Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows - People, I saw the first film in the theatre four times. The question here is not whether I'm going to see it, it is how many times. And whether I'll feel the need to go home and shower and sleep between viewings. I just...really like Robert Downey, Jr. And yes, it'll probably be all Guy Ritchie flash-bang-explosion a lot of the time, which is not usually something I go ape for, but I don't care. There is something about this franchise. I love it.

6. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Oh my, I can't wait for this movie. Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Mark Strong, and Ciaran Hinds? In an espionage film? A period espionage film? Yessir, sign me up. I am especially looking forward to Gary Oldman's performance in this. I've heard he's fantastic.

7. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - I was working in a bookstore the summer that everyone and their mother went crazy for Steig Larsson, so naturally I stayed away from the series. It's a thing some of us bookstore folk do with the madly popular books. I haven't read Eat Pray Love, either. I'm a little bit excited for the movie, however. I adore Daniel Craig, the premise sounds interesting, and I actually like the idea of seeing the film without having read the book.

8. We Bought A Zoo - This one is a little bit about Matt Damon's face, I admit it. I like it when he plays the family man. But I like the premise, too. I probably won't get to this until after the new year, but I am excited about it. This one will be a Mom and Me date, I guarantee it.

There's a lot of good stuff to choose from this time of year! What are you looking forward to seeing this month?

Ottoman Hunting

2011-11-25T13:24:00.001-05:00

So I have this chair. It belonged to my grandmother, and in West Virginia it became Vista's favoured perch. However, it now lives in the same room as her bed, so she doesn't use it much (also, I tend to pile clothes on it). However, I would like to use it. Specifically, I would like to read in it. It can be tricky to find places in this house to settle in with a book, and I'm a needs-silence sort of reader. I usually end up in bed, but lately that's been giving my back fits. So, I would like to use my red velvet chair. This, naturally, has led to a mad search for an ottoman. How's a girl supposed to read with her feet on the ground?

Here are some options I've dug up. I'm leaning towards the CB2 knit pouf, but man, that yellow Moroccan fellow is pretty great, too. What do you think?

Sources:

Mustard Moroccan Leather Pouf - Furbish
knitted pool pouf | CB2
Lind Ottomans - Room & Board
Handmade Kilim Puff Ottoman | Overstock.com
Uzbeki Suzani Ottoman - Found Object

A Holy War

2011-11-19T09:44:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, while I was raking leaves and leaping into them, the dogs were at loose ends. Everyone was in the yard, but nobody wanted to play! What kind of world were we living in, anyway? Who do I talk to about this? IF I HAD TWO THUMBS AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE I WOULD WRITE MY SENATOR ABOUT THIS.

And then they found the Holy Grail of Sticks.

The Battle of Stick raged for years, dragging on as bleak days became endless, cold nights.

Pax was called just twice, once when they dropped it in some leaves and briefly could not find it, and a second time because, well, even in wartime, butts need to be scratched.

Finally, at long last, a victor emerged:

And so began the process of reconstruction for this poor, war-torn land.

In Which I Rake Some Leaves

2011-11-18T17:34:00.001-05:00

Fill ten bags, I was told. That was my mission. "Ha!" I thought to myself, "If you think I'm not going to attempt to make the largest pile of leaves I can, then I don't know what sort of child you think you raised."

I was scolded, as I attempted this. "You're just creating more work for yourself!" "This is a chore, Kelly, it isn't meant to be fun." But this was nothing compared to the reaction to my decision to jump into one of the piles. I was told that adults don't jump into leaf piles because we're heavier, and I was going to hit the ground and hit it HARD.

Did I? Yes. Did it hurt? Hell yes. Did it stop me from doing it a second time? OF COURSE NOT.

Did the dogs attack me as soon as I hit the ground? Duh.

In conclusion:

Duvet Devotions

2011-11-18T01:03:00.001-05:00

There are two things I love, and love devotedly: stripes and bedlinen. I searched long and hard for my current duvet, and it has served me well, but it's also gotten a bit beaten up. This is a laughable statement if you've ever watched a movie on my couch while I cocooned under one of my raggedy comforters (one bought at age 2, one at age 18--somehow in equal states of comfiness and disrepair), and to you I say: Shut up, I want some more stripes, okay? I love this West Elm duvet, in grey or blue (and where was the yellow two years ago while I was madly searching for one just like it?). I'd probably have to paint my walls something warm and ochre-y to avoid making my window-filled bedroom feel arctic, but that's alright. I love stripes more than I hate painting.

I'd pair it with some pretty, soft Toast sheets and snuggle in to hibernate the winter away. Be quiet, you naysayer. In my fantasy, none of my black-furred animals shed at all.

Door (Archway) of the Day

2011-11-15T10:06:00.000-05:00

I LOVE this archway, in interior designer Robert Kristiansen's summer home outside of Oslo. There's something about it that simultaneously welcoming and dramatic.

Bonus from the same home: this little alcove bed is in a hallway. What a clever use of space! Apparently beds like this are fairly common in Norwegian homes. Ten points to Norway.

Aweigh!

2011-11-15T00:25:00.001-05:00

MNKR was featured on Fab.com today, and I had 20 free dollars! from joining Fab that I'd completely forgotten about. So, naturally, I bought the first nautical thing I spotted. That is one bitchin' anchor necklace, y'all, and I am going to wear it like the sea-loving hippie I am.

I'm liking Fab, so far. It's like a Gilt Groupe for people who shudder just looking at the word "gilt."

Further Shore

2011-11-14T11:51:00.000-05:00

People, I just really like the ocean.

Words by Edward Sandford Martin, drawings by Henry McCarter. From Century Magazine, August 1898. Found at Golden Age!

Mo' Pets, Mo' Problems

2011-11-13T23:11:00.001-05:00

One of the reasons I've been playing absentee from the internet lately is because every single one of our dogs has had health problems. All of them. All three. Thing 1 injured her leg and had to be carried up and down stairs (Thing 1 weighs 45 lbs and has long, gangly legs). Thing 2 required a million billion expensive vaccinations for things we never had to deal with in the mountains (no heart worm! no parasites! only fleas and ticks in July and August!), and the series of shots left her tired, achy, and nauseous. Thing 3 had ear infections in BOTH ears which resulted in nerve damage and partial paralysis to the right side of her face (she can no long close that eye and has a perpetual head tilt), and during the treatment we stumbled across a heart murmur which, one very expensive trip to the pet cardiologist later, we learned would require agressive treatment.

His Highness the Cat just has hairballs.

But everyone is up and about again these days, though Summer remains a little tilted. We spent all day raking leaves and playing with sticks in the yard, and I actually remembered to grab my camera! Those will go up soon.

Comic by clever Canadian Ryan Pequin.

Anyplace

2011-11-10T23:58:00.001-05:00

There's something about the repetitive motions of sweeping and wiping down countertops that makes me want to sing. It's like I've created my own metronome, and my mouth automatically responds accordingly. For whatever reason, this is the song that most often pops into my head while I'm at work. It's one of my all-time favourites, even though it expresses a very un-Kelly sentiment. I am more an "Anyplace With Four Walls, a Roof, My Dog, and 600 Books Is Home" sort of person. But Audra sells it.

At the library, which I think of as my other job, I don't get music stuck in my head. I do, however, converse with the books I'm interacting with. In fact, I speak almost constantly while I'm there, murmuring book titles, names of authors, dewey decimal locations, and the like. Today I had a long, under-the-breath argument with a stack of books which refused to stay where I put them. I'm sure the library patrons love me.

I know the librarian loves me. I can tell because she calls me Julia, which is far more beautiful than my given name.

Dream Car

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Dream car update: this is still it. (Source)

Let It Serve to Trample On

2011-11-06T10:37:00.000-05:00

I don't know what it says about my mood that all I want to do lately is take walks and read poetry. Autumn always tends to put me in a poetry mood. Today's choice was Songs from the Portuguese. Here, have some Elizabeth Barrett Browning:

What can I give back thee, O liberal
And princely giver, who hast brought the gold
And purple of their heart, unstained, untold,
And laid them on the outside of the wall
For such as I to take or leave withal,
In unexpected largesse? am I cold,
Ungrateful, that for these most manifold
High gifts, I render nothing back at all?
Not so; not cold, --but very poor instead.
Ask God who knows. For frequent tears have run
The colors from my life, and left so dead
And pale a stuff, it were not fitly done
To give the same as pillow to thy head.
Go farther! Let it serve to trample on.

The photo, by Zanthia, is unrelated except that I want to go to there. Do you have a favourite poet you turn to when your heart feels sad?

Waves, by Dulac

2011-11-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

As proof of just how much I needed to get the previous post out of my system, I realized that I had been hanging onto this post about Edmund Dulac in Google Reader just in case. Because what else am I going to do but blog about it?

You know how people like to say "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like"? Well, I do know quite a bit about art, and I also know that all an artist needs to do to win me over is show me a convincing ocean. Give me waves, give me foam, give me roiling seas and dramatic clouds, and I will love you forever. This are but a few reasons I love Dulac so much.

Stolen, as always, from Golden Age.

Fessing Up

2011-11-04T00:18:00.003-04:00

Hey, folks. I decided that the way to really get back into blogging was to participate in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) and then discovered that I was frozen, completely stuck on thinking of things to post. After chewing on it for a while, I've come to the conclusion that since everything happening in my life right now stems from a single event, I'm going to need to tell that story before I can move forward and think about anything else. I hope you don't mind.

My plan, when I moved back home after my year in Americorps, was to find a job that paid enough to cover the cost of rent on an apartment in the district and day care for my crazy-ass dog. That was it. That was the plan. If it also meant I could afford to finally upgrade from my 4-year-old brick of a phone and maybe get that Playstation 3 I've lusted over for years, then, well, I wasn't going to argue. It took some months, but I found a job. It wasn't necessarily what I saw myself doing when I was but a Kelly sapling, but it was with an exciting company and the benefits, oh, the benefits!! Besides, it was very similar to a job I'd previously held. Piece of cake.

By the second week, I'd developed anxiety attacks so bad that I required a trip to the ER and sedation. Even taking anti-anxiety meds, just thinking about going in to work gave me the shakes so bad I had to quit. And there I was, back to square one, broke, jobless, shaken to the core, and pissed. Man, was I pissed. It was a simple plan. Get job--> make money --> move out--> find doggie day care--> live happily ever after. Was that really so hard? Apparently it was, for my feeble, feeble brain.

I've wrestled with depression my entire life (I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder at age 9), but anxiety on this level is something new. I'm not used to my body turning against me in this way, and my reaction was to be incredibly angry with myself. It kept me from being sad all the time, which was productive in a way, but it also kept me from actually going back to square one and trying to restart my simple plan. Instead, I angrily spun my wheels and railed at the universe, frustrated with my own innate lack of motivation and with my doctor's repeated heavy hints that I should think about going back to school.

Hell with that. I'm 26, which feels unutterably old these days, and no further in my life than I was at 21 (albeit with the addition of the aforementioned crazy-ass dog). I want to move forward, not back. And the last attempt at school, that didn't end so well, did it? So instead of doing what everyone around me was urging me to do, I took a job at a family friend's deli working the lunch counter and started volunteering at my local library. I highly recommend the library for battling anxiety. There's something very soothing about sorting and scanning books.

And so, here I am. Admittedly, there's nothing physically easy about working at job where you're on your feet for hours on end, everyday. Most days I feel like someone has beaten me with a baseball bat (hauling books around isn't easy on the old knees and back, either, plus I've got this injured 50 lb dog who isn't supposed to use the stairs). Yet, oddly, the cafe and library combination has done what I thought was impossible at times, and calmed the roiling sea in my head. And, actually, helped me to start thinking about moving forward. I'm even considering (gasp!) school.

This isn't a "happily ever after" by any stretch of the imagination. It isn't even a "once upon a time." Honestly, I'm not even sure we've cracked open the freaking book. But there is a story to be lived and told, and I'm a small step closer to figuring that out.

And that's that. I solemnly swear that the rest of my posts this month with be neither so long nor so self-involved. Thank God.

Love,

Me

ps: Unlike some who find inspiration in sadness and hardship, it turns me into an uncreative lump. I haven't touched my camera in months. Thanks to my brother for letting me use this lovely, lovely photo he took on a recent trip to Deep Creek, Maryland.

door of the day

2011-10-18T11:17:00.000-04:00

I saved this one for last because it's my very favourite. All of these were from SophieMuc's Bungalow series and were converted dorms from the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. They were demolished a few years ago.

door of the day

2011-10-17T11:16:00.000-04:00

Love that red! From SophieMuc's bungalow series.

door of the day

2011-10-15T11:14:00.000-04:00

I should probably actually be calling these facades of the day, but I am not. By SophieMuc.

door of the day

2011-10-14T10:55:00.000-04:00

Another lovely bungalow from SophieMuc.

door of the day

2011-10-13T10:47:00.000-04:00

I love this piece from the series by SophieMuc of brightly painted former Olympic bungalows from the 1972 Munich games. Expect more from this in coming days.

what's salt and pepper without cumin?

2011-10-06T10:41:00.000-04:00

I've begun work in earnest, which I'm discovering means that I have no time for anything else except for sleeping. It's a little discouraging, but that's probably only because I haven't been paid yet. Once that kicks in? Yeah, I'll be fine. Here are some things from the last couple weeks.

The weekend before I started training, Adam and Catherine came to my neck of the woods to hike a bit in Great Falls Park. This delightful muppet and I joined them. The falls were as high as I'd ever seen them, after the insane amounts of rain we'd had.

You didn't think you'd get away without food, did you? It wouldn't be a Kelly blog if it weren't about food and dogs. I actually made this right in the middle of my first week of work--we didn't eat until 9 pm, but it was worth it.

PW's Sour Cream Enchiladas (incorrectly made--which, this being me, of course means I accidentally added too much cheese) and some seasoned black beans. This was a yummy, cheesy, cumin-y meal and just looking at these photos is making me miss the part of my life when I was eating it. Mmm, cumin.

ps:

HIMYM, anyone?

The Roster

2011-09-25T13:50:00.001-04:00

Since moving back here in May, I have been unemployed. The combination of unlimited free time and almost no money has meant that I have spent most of my time in my parents' house (woo yeah adulthood!), primarily cooking, but also making close, almost scientific, observations of my dogs. Since (I am thrilled to say) that as of tomorrow I will no longer be unemployed, I thought I would take this opportunity to sum up my findings.

Name: Leilani Moose
Breed: Black Lab/Norwegian Elkhound Mix
Age: 4
Status: Alpha
Nicknames: Thing 1, Lani, Lani Moose, Lei-lei, Sweet Girl, Moose-moose, Twitchy Witchy Girl
Favourite Thing: Growling suspiciously at children and small rodents
Nemesis: That Damn Chipmunk
Greatest Fear: That she'll have to spend the rest of her life with these numbskulls
Claim to Fame: Systematically disemboweling stuffed animals and scattering their limbs throughout the house

Name: Vista Pocahontas
Breed: Cocktail of various black dogs and probably also an antelope
Age: 2
Status: Beta
Nicknames: Thing 2, Vizzy, Vishnu, The Crazy One
Favourite Thing: You
Nemesis: "What did Lani say? What? The chipmunk? MINE IS TOTALLY ALSO THE CHIPMUNK"
Greatest Fear: That you will go away and she will never see you again
Claim to Fame: Can leap upwards of 4 feet in a single bound

Name: Summer Tangerine
Breed: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Age: 6
Status: Potato

Nicknames: Thing 3, Summer Bummer, The Dumb One, Doofus, The Little One, Little Face

Favourite Thing: Eating tissues

Nemesis: The Cat

Greatest Fear: Storm drains

Claim to Fame: Communicates in a peculiar language consisting of snorts and sneezes

door of the day

2011-09-15T14:30:00.000-04:00

I was scrolling through the latest post on Young House Love, when that incredible door caught my eye. I sent a quick prayer to the Internet gods that John and Sherry would take a close-up of it, and they quickly provided. In fact, not only did we get a close-up, we got an explanation.

Of course, the most popular conversation piece in their new home is this custom cabinet. Most of the houses in the development have a little builder-basic white closet here, but the previous owners went all out and had a piece designed using reclaimed wood and ironwork from Caravati’s (a local architectural salvage place).

That's my kind of cabinet, man. And a really great attitude to have about a new house. Not married to the plain white everywhere you look? Throw up an old, funky blue alternative.

more kitchen adventures

2011-09-15T11:12:00.001-04:00

More adventures in "Kelly is Poor and Can't Cook!"

More photos of food. These days, all I do is take photos of food. This was a breakfast last week. Mmmm, honeydew. If you don't eat honeydew by squeezing a lime wedge all over it, then you don't really eat honeydew.

I got an itching for sugar last week in the middle of torrential rain and floods, but I wasn't willing to leave the house to fetch ingredients, so I made Snickerdoodles. I used this Mouth from the South recipe, for the most part. I ran out of vanilla and refused to even walk across the street to borrow some from a neighbor, so we went without. I don't think the cookies suffered unduly.

The verdict on these cookies was delicious, but I caution you thusly: you may think the recipe makes snickerdoodles, and you wouldn't be wrong. However, you should know that what it actually makes is MORE SNICKERDOODLES THAN YOU HAVE EVER SEEN AT ONCE IN YOUR LIFE. My total came to 71. 71 snickdoodles. That is...a lot of snickerdoodles. I stuck with the recommended one-inch ball of dough, and the cookies were a bit crispy. I prefer my snickerdoodles soft enough to sleep on, so I just snuck them in the microwave for 30 seconds whenever I felt like munching on one or two. Perfection.

Do you notice how dark these photos are? I took lots more, but they were just too dark or obviously flash-y. I baked these cookies in the middle of the day. During our week of storms, the middle of the day looked like the middle of the night.

And, just for honesty's sake, this is what it looks like when I bake cookies:

I tell myself that everything would be pretty and neat if only I had a stand mixer, but I know that's a lie. Where Kelly and flour intersect, chaos will always follow.

recent snapshots from the kitchen

2011-09-04T09:07:00.001-04:00

Another episode of "Kelly is Poor and Can't Cook."

I've been drinking a fair amount of smoothies. I use the tried-and-true "dump a bunch of fruit into the blender with some ice" method. And yes, I prefer to drink them through a bendy straw.

Making cauliflower florets for this ridiculously delicious cauliflower gratin. Seriously. You should make this. I paired it with pork loin in a simple marinade (mine was a teeny bit different, but I started with this). Totally bragging here, I kicked this dinner's B-U-T-T.

My take on The Pioneer Woman's Pancetta and Leek Pasta. I say "my take" like I deliberately thought out ways to make this meal tastier, but as it turns out, I just don't know what a leek looks like. Or how to read grocery store produce signs. So I made mine with green onions (a whole bunch--6 or 7 total, I think), used half and half instead of cream (it was on hand), and only a fraction of the amount called for besides. The recipe did not suffer for my mistakes: this was also a freaking yummy dinner.

I am slowly by surely figuring out how to photograph food. I think. Maybe.

(Side note: Are y'all watching the Pioneer Woman's show on Food Network? I don't generally find cooking shows terribly interesting, but I may be hooked on this one. The cute kids and handsome cowboys don't hurt, of course.)

room love

2011-09-01T10:47:00.000-04:00

Would you check out this room? There is absolutely nothing I don't love about this room.

I think it's somewhere between those blue chairs and the big star pillow on the couch.

In Abigail Ahern's home in London, courtesy of The Selby. The whole house is lovely, but oh! that room.

warming my pillow

2011-09-01T00:25:00.002-04:00

Every night I come upstairs, turn on my bedroom light, and this is what I find. This is not my dog. My dog has given me over for my mom (I don't blame her; I'd probably make the same choice if it came to it), and isn't interested in hanging out with me. Not that I think this dog (who belongs to my brother) is actually interested in quality time. Mostly I think she just wants her own bed.

It's okay, Dog. I hear ya.

door of the day

2011-08-31T07:30:00.000-04:00

Another Portuguese beauty from Luis Bragado.

door of the day

2011-08-30T14:45:00.004-04:00

Every yellow door I see makes me more determined to someday have a yellow door. Snapped in Portugal, by Luis Bragado.

Herbed Almost-Egg White Omelet

2011-08-30T11:24:00.002-04:00

This is part of a new series I'm calling "Kelly is Poor and Can't Cook."

Historically, I have not been a big eater of breakfast. Which is sad, as breakfast foods are about my favourite across the board. However, if there's one thing an early-morning walk does, it's awaken a hunger for breakfast. At first, I relied on fruit smoothies after each walk, as I discovered that I had conditioned myself to want them after years of rewarding myself with a smoothie after every college workout. Of late, however, I have been going with the tried-and-true method of digging through the fridge until inspiration strikes. Yesterday, it struck in the form of a turkey sausage English muffin sandwich. Today, I noticed the spinach.

I'm not a huge fan of eggs (I tend to get creeped out by their runniness--it's dumb, I know), but egg whites were a whole different kettle of fish (not really. There are no fish in this recipe). I called this an almost egg white omelet because it was the first dish I've made using only egg whites rather than yolks, and some yolky bits made it in. Anyways, here's my recipe, slightly adapted from the original. I say "adapted" because it sounds fancy, but what it really means in "I added more cheese.")

Herbed Egg White Omelet

3 egg whites
1 tablespoon skim milk
1/2 tsp Penzey's Sunny Paris Seasoning
3/4 cup chopped fresh baby spinach
1 tablespoon shredded sharp cheddar
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Combine eggs, milk, and herbs in a bowl. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray, then put it over low-medium heat. Add spinach. Once the spinach starts to wilt (this happens pretty quickly), pour the egg mixture over it. As the edges set, use a spatula to lift them and tip the pan to allow remaining liquid underneath. Honestly, I didn't need to do much of that. My eggs pretty much stayed where I poured them. When everything's set, sprinkle cheese on top and fold in half (or thirds, as I did).

All in all, I was pleased with my very first omelet. The recipe called for any type of mixed herbs, but I liked this with the Sunny Paris, which has shallots, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, basil, tarragon, chervil, and bay leaf in it. If you have a specialty herb store anywhere near you, you should check and see if they carry Penzey's. Good stuff. I wish we'd had green onions in the house, or I would have added them to the omelet, too. Ah, well.

Overall, it was a light but filling meal.

end note: You might have noticed there are photos in this post, after I whined about not having a camera. Well that is because I stole my mother's for this. You might also notice that none of the photos are in color. That is because my mother's camera produces the worst color I have ever seen. On the up side, however, while rummaging for the upload cord, I found my camera's charger. Yay!

door of the day

2011-08-29T22:39:00.005-04:00

It's not subtle, but I like it anyways. This is the entrance gate to the Milltown Park in Dublin. Taken by The Dublr.

state letterpress prints

2011-08-29T14:52:00.002-04:00

Just when I decide to buckle down and start long-form blogging again (I've remained very active on Twitter and Tumblr), both of my digital cameras go kaput. On the same day. One of them isn't dead-dead (the battery's dead and the charger is missing in action), but the other one ominously produced a spark the last time I unplugged its upload cord and has refused to take photos since.

Fortunately, there will always be folks producing beautiful things that I can write about sans photos snapped by me. Like these fantastic state letterpress prints, for example! Do you live in a state that you like quite a lot? I do! Which is why I love the Virginia print (which is made even better by the presence of my alma mater's school colors). Here are a few other, non-Virginia states (click photo for link):

Also awesome: snow globe prints!

door of the day

2011-08-26T12:14:00.004-04:00

I snapped this back in May in Manteo, NC. It's a great door.

my daily walk

2011-08-25T10:42:00.001-04:00

Our recent trip out to Wyoming and Montana was for the primary purpose of retrieving my brother, who has lived in the Jackson Hole area for the last year, and help move his stuff and his dog back home. While we were out there, we took a mini-vacation (though I don't know if it's considered "mini" to drive 10 hours in 2 directions) to Glacier National Park. Glacier is gorgeous, but largely inaccessible to cars. So we hiked. I like hiking, but this involved a fair amount of, you know, scaling mountains. It came to my attention that I'm not in the greatest of shape.

I am not an athletic person. I don't find great enjoyment in moving my limbs for the sake of moving my limbs. Scaling rocks to get a better look at the ocean? I am all over that. There's an immediate payoff there. But I have trouble seeing far enough into the future to think "All I have to do is swing my arms around this way for this length of time everyday and eventually I will have greater stamina and my upper arms will look less like uncooked pork loin." I may know that it's true, but my brain has trouble believing it. Also? I get bored. Easily.

However, while I was hauling my pork loin arms up a mountain in Montana, I realized that something had to change. What if there was a zombie attack and I had to run for my life? I would be the first to perish. The trouble is, I cannot afford to join a gym. My brother suggested running. I hate running. Hate it with a fury that no amount of peppy pump-up-the-volume movie montage music can tame.

So I mused on it all the way back across the country, and I came to a conclusion. I have two things going for me: this critter (who has the stamina of Captain America and never, ever tires), and a 3-mile trail conveniently located across the street from my house.

And, I mean, it's no Montana, but it's not a bad-looking trail. It looks a lot prettier on the map because you can't see the 12-foot-tall deer exclusion fence that surrounds the park, but the trail parts are tree-lined and sheltered, and the neighborhood parts are pretty and generally free of traffic. Also, it's very hilly, which, I think while sitting on my big ol' butt in my parents' comfortable house, is even better. That opinion changes once I've dragged said butt out and am attempting to move it up what my mother so aptly calls "Heartbreak Hill." By then, I'm miserable, and every step I take serves as a rhythm to back my internal refrain of "Never doing this again. Never doing this again."

And yet, for some reason, the next morning I hit my snooze button three times, wash my face, feed the dog, and then head out for the same dang walk. I'm not sure what that says about me, but I hope it's good.

back from the brink (Montana)

2011-08-24T10:36:00.000-04:00

Hiya, folks. I know I have been a neglectful blogger of late, but I like to be cheery when I blog, and it's tough to be cheery when there's little to feel cheery about. Unless they are doors. I have no trouble feeling cheery about doors. However, I'm feeling pretty great about covering 12 states in 12 days in a car with my parents, brother, and sometimes a dog and not going stark, raving mad. On that note, I thought I'd share the photos I'm proudest of from our time in Glacier National Park in Montana and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

I'm happiest because this was the first time following the post-VISTA move that I dug out my camera and had a good time with it. The last 3 photos were taken of Mormon Row, an area I highly recommend checking out if you're ever in Grand Teton.

Bonus: a video of us hiking around Lake Josephine in Glacier.

door of the day

2011-08-07T22:28:00.003-04:00

The entrance to Cabaret de l'Enfer, a popular nightclub in 1890s Paris. I believe this was taken by Eugène Atget in 1911. Found here.

For more information on the Cabaret and some of its many tricks and secrets, check out this blog post.

door of the day

2011-08-06T10:52:00.002-04:00

Another Art Nouveau beauty snapped by enframed, this one from Berlin. Have I mentioned that big circular gate designs make my heart beat faster? Because they do, oh yes.

door of the day

2011-08-05T17:32:00.000-04:00

This lovely thing guards the entrance to the Ministry of Finance in Oslo, Norway. You thought I was going to finish that with Ministry of Magic, didn't you? I'd believe it.

Taken by enframed, found here.

door of the day

2011-08-04T09:38:00.003-04:00

Today's is very special. It is a photomanip, but such a good one I couldn't say no. This is the original. Artist Geodex added color, the light, and the sign, and voila! Instant TARDIS.

door of the day

2011-07-30T18:27:00.006-04:00

This little blue beauty hails from Bath, England, where my friend Amy is currently languishing. She may or may not be the luckiest person I know.

door of the day

2011-07-27T15:34:00.002-04:00

Amazing. From this house tour.

door of the day

2011-07-16T17:18:00.003-04:00

Fantastic door on an abandoned building in Tbilisi, Georgia. Taken by Daniel Putik.

door of the day

2011-07-01T11:00:00.001-04:00

Love the design and the asymmetry of these beauties. They could be yours for the low, low price of $8.5 million and a willingness to live in Wenham, Massachusetts!

door of the day

2011-06-29T20:51:00.000-04:00

Oh, that little red door! I love it. Snapped in Estonia by Miss Mandarina.

door of the day

2011-06-26T13:20:00.000-04:00

Oh my, that glass. Mmm. Photo by Sergio Occhiuzzo.

door of the day

2011-06-25T17:18:00.000-04:00

I love it when Tory sends me doors. I get a mysterious email with a general location in the subject line and a photo attached. No text in the body. No details. We are like two door-loving ships, passing in the night.

This one is somewhere in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, D.C. Thanks, Tory!

door of the day

2011-06-06T14:30:00.000-04:00

Lovely shot of a Venice door by Tracey Capone. Prints available!

door of the day

2011-06-05T17:29:00.000-04:00

This lovely thing was sent my way by my disgustingly well-traveled bosom friend (do folks still say that? It doesn't matter anyway, since that's what she is) who is doing a whirlwind 4 European cities in 4 weeks law school study abroad. This lady is clearly a Brit. She was spotted by Christy and snapped by an accommodating fellow called Josh.

door of the day

2011-05-27T10:54:00.000-04:00

Today you get many doors! By swardraws.

door of the day

2011-05-25T01:36:00.000-04:00

By Ryser915.

They say blue doors are good luck. I lobbied hard for one when my family moved into the new house over a decade ago. I lost, and the door is red.

door of the day

2011-05-22T10:20:00.000-04:00

Yes, please, doorknob. Yes, please. By Francis Mariani.

door of the day

2011-05-21T11:18:00.000-04:00

By Francis Mariani.

If you're wondering what you did to earn so many doors in a row (I'm posting them all at once, though they're updating one a day), the answer is absolutely nothing. You may send your gift baskets to my persistant insomnia (it prefers cheese to chocolate).

door of the day

2011-05-20T13:13:00.000-04:00

Snapped in Italy by Pug!

door of the day

2011-05-19T01:12:00.000-04:00

By Francis Mariani, who has the best eye for spotting door details.

going home

2011-05-14T19:16:00.000-04:00

I have been an extraordinarily bad blogger lately, and I know it. Today was my official last day as an Americorps VISTA. Tomorrow I will go back to being just any old educated person without a job or health insurance. So that's something to look forward to.

I'm in a mess of packing over here, and I'm still tumbling the last year over in my head. What it comes down to, I think, is that there are all sorts of people in the world. There are people who bloom beautifully where they're planted and make friends with every single other plant in the garden. I'm not one of those people. I bloom where my loved ones are, and spending the last year away from family and friends has been difficult in a way I had not anticipated.

This is not to say that I have not made friends over the last year--I have; really, really lovely people. But tomorrow we're packing up the trailer and I'm going home. Back to my garden.

I don't know when I'll be blogging normally again (although with me there isn't a great deal of 'normal' at all, is there?). I don't adjust very quickly, and moving home is definitely going to be an adjustment. In the meantime, I will probably be lurking around Tumblr. Maybe I'll see you there?

birthday boy

2011-05-10T14:11:00.000-04:00

This little dude is 23 years old today. TWENTY-THREE. And while I have long maintained that this photo captured the pinnacle moment of my brother's coolness, at 23 he might be a little bit cooler. Just a tiny bit.

Though I do miss the hat.

Happy birthday, Casey!

door of the day

2011-04-28T18:34:00.000-04:00

Delicious.

jersey shore gone wilde

2011-04-28T12:00:00.001-04:00

I am posting this on the off-chance that you haven't yet seen or heard about it--two actors in the cast of The Importance of Being Earnest performing excerpts from Jersey Shore transcripts as if Oscar Wilde had written them. It is, in short, absolutely brilliant.

Aside from the sheer hilarity of it, I discovered something interesting while watching these with a couple of friends last night. My companions had both seen a fair amount of Jersey Shore, but were unfamiliar with Wilde. Their reactions (in addition to manic laughter) were generally on how the British accent made certain quotes sound more or less ridiculous than the Jersey accent. I was coming at it from the perspective of someone who has seen and read a great deal of Wilde but had never seen an episode of Jersey Shore, and my reaction was nearly always "Holy hell, that actually sounds like something Wilde would write." Which my companions found extremely difficult to believe ("Seriously? Oscar Wilde? I thought he was, like, stuffier." and, pointing to the image of him on the video "THAT guy??"). I suggested they both check out some of this plays.

There are four videos in addition to this one. Check them out here: second, third, fourth, fifth.

listening to (and watching)

2011-04-23T01:17:00.000-04:00

Today there is only one, and that is the Beastie Boys. The song is fantastic, the video is clever as hell, and man-oh-man is the cast ever star studded. Listening to this was akin to going back through a photo album and discovering that the way I remember some things is slightly different from the way they actually were. And that both ways are equally awesome. If that makes sense. (It's after 1 am on a Friday night and I am an asleep-by-11 girl, so it might not make sense.)

it's the kelly and rich show starring kelly

2011-04-21T13:24:00.001-04:00

It's that time of the week again! That's right, it's "Fall Down the Real Estate Rabbit Hole" time! Woo! The New York Times will soon be slipping behind the good ole paywall, so I'm taking advantage of my free access in the meantime. It's not that I don't like the NYT enough to pay for it, it's more that if you mention the word "subscription" near my wallet or checkbook they let out the most horrific screams. And I don't need that noise in my life.

So. It's time for another conversation with The Rich Person Who Lives in Kelly's Head. Alright, Rich Person--can I call you Rich? No? Too bad. Alright Rich, here's house number one:

A lovely little historic Craftsman in Birmingham, Ala. It's a pretty gray color, it has a nice big porch, it was built in 1929 and still retains much of its original built-ins--and I know you like some original built-ins, Rich--all to the tune of $170k.

No? Really? What's that? You don't know anyone in Birmingham or the entire state of Alabama for that matter and it's going to take a lot more than a big red door to entice you? Oh, well what if I showed you THIS photo:

Is it? Are we? YES THAT'S RIGHT PEOPLE WE'RE SOLD.

Now, this next one's something of a humdinger. It's a three-story house built to resemble a grain silo! What's a grain silo, you ask? Ugh, come on Rich, your wealthy naiveté is showing. A grain silo is a large cylindrical building where grain is stored, you ignoramus. So are you ready for this? Cylindrical house. Go:

What do you mean you've seen better? What other cylindrical houses have you seen? Okay, there was that one cool German one I showed you once, but this is different, it looks like a grain silo! Plus it's in the Catskills, it's near a ski resort, it's an easy drive to New York City, and--oh right--360 degree views from the bedroom, all for $163k.

Are we arguing now? Fine, we're arguing now. What have you got for me? Okay, you don't know anyone in the Catskills, if you wanted to move to NYC you'd just move to NYC, and you lived close to a ski resort for a year and never went skiing once. Is that all? Right, of course, the difficulty of decorating curved spaces. Are you done NOW? Because I have to show you THIS:

Are we sold? WE'RE SOLD! I knew I could count on your creepy love of mid-20th Century ranges, Rich!*

*I knew this because I share it. Because Rich is a person who lives in my head. This is a post about real estate cleverly framed within a conversation with an imaginary person (a different version of me) who has money (lots of it).

Oh God, I've gone mad, haven't I?

door of the day

2011-04-20T11:13:00.000-04:00

There ain't no door like an Art Deco door.

Photo from the Villa Empain by Peter John Dean.

Seriously, let's go to Brussels now.

door of the day

2011-04-19T13:45:00.000-04:00

Whenever I bemoan that people don't do doors the way they used to, this is what I mean. This incredibly simple, clever door.

Door is in Brussels. Photo by Fonk, who has a mouth-watering album of Art Nouveau architecture.

a report on the galapagos

2011-04-18T12:42:00.001-04:00

I went to the Galapagos Islands, and you should too! I'll be honest, I did not have a clear idea how this trip would go, mainly because I'm an art historian and when I travel it's generally to visit art, ruins, monuments; things that man built. The Galapagos, by necessity, is pretty man-free (only 4 islands in the archipelago are inhabited and only one has what one might term a town). Well, happily, the trip surprised me and I would be willing to go back again and again and once more forever and ever.

There is just something so freeing about being in a place so free of man's influence, populated by fearless animals who clearly view you as something not even remotely approaching a threat to them. Some of the wildlife was curious, some wary, but for the most part they just didn't care. "Eh, you've seen one awkward, two-legged ape thing, you've seen them all," you could clearly see the Marine Iguanas thinking.

But now here's what you came to see: the beasties.

Galapagos Sea Lions. These were EVERYWHERE. We saw lots and lots of pups, too, and got to witness the classic "MAMA FEED ME" tactics every creature must employ.

Lava Lizard. Saw lots of these, too, but they have different colors on different islands. This guy was on San Cristobal.

Marine Iguana. The only ones with these gorgeous colors were on Espanola Island. Everywhere else, they were the same inky black as the lava rocks.

Sally Lightfoot Crab. We saw these all over, too. The adults were all this fantastic red, and the babies were pure black (you can see one in the lower right of this photo). This camouflages the young from the adults, as (fun fact!) they are all cannibalistic.

Of course, the famous Blue-footed Boobies.

This is a juvenile Nazca, or Masked, Booby. He was right on the path on Espanola, and was as curious about us as we were about him. Love those big bug eyes.

And adult Nazca Booby on Genovesa. These guys were my favourite of the boobies.

Red-footed Boobies on Genovesa. These guys are the only ones which perch in trees--they've developed a prehensile toe in order to do so.

A Giant Tortoise, of course! There are very few of these guys in the wild, as they were hunted nearly to extinction (entirely to extinction on some islands). This guy was in the Charles Darwin Research Center on Santa Cruz.

We made friends.

A Land Iguana, also on Santa Cruz. These guys were GORGEOUS.

There is a very small flamingo population in the Galapagos, and they can be hard to spot. We saw three, including this guy, who flew in over our heads to land in a lagoon.

There is also a very small (less that 1,000) penguin population--we saw about 20, which was quite a treat. We even snorkeled with them!

We saw lots of amazing things underwater, but most moved too quickly to get good shots of. I sort of stalked this Sea Turtle in order the snap this.

Here's the ship! The National Geographic Endeavour. We were quite fond of it.

My fantastic Aunt Anne and me on Bartolome, with lots of volcanic outcroppings behind us. We only visited the older islands, so we didn't see any of the young, active volcanos on the western islands.

All in all, it was the trip of a lifetime and I'm SO grateful that I had a chance to go. We traveled with Lindblad, which has a partnership with National Geographic. Our experience was wonderful--the ship was great, the excursions were great, and the naturalists were downright wonderful. And--always good--the food was fantastic. I'll recommend this trip to anyone who'll listen, and if I had all the money in the world, I would definitely take other Lindblad cruises (like one of their Arctic ones, for example). I know some people have mixed feelings about cruises, but this was nothing like my first cruise experience, where we were essentially in a gigantic floating hotel. Lindblad ships are much, much smaller, and the whole experience feels so much friendlier and more intimate (in our case, the staff and crew outnumbered the guests).

This is a trip that I'll be carrying around inside of me for a long time to come, I think.

Note: all photos aside from the adult Nazca Booby and the Sea Turtle taken by Anne Grier (except for the one we're both in, of course).

door of the day

2011-04-16T10:11:00.000-04:00

So I went to the Galapagos Islands and came back again. And it was amazing. Here is a door from Puerto Ayora, the largest human settlement in the archipelago.

toys and words

2011-03-29T16:12:00.000-04:00

On the list of recent things that have really been rocking my boat is the work of Aled Lewis, who composes these genius little scenes with toys and clever word balloons. Some are available as prints! (I want all of them.)

door of the day

2011-03-27T21:30:00.000-04:00

Yes, this is a hidden door. A hidden bookcase door. Also known as that which dreams are made of. Well, my dreams, anyway.

Photo by Jonathan Wallen, from Peter Pennoyer Architects. Door is in the House on Penobscot Bay, designed by Peter Pennoyer & team. Found via.

countdown

2011-03-27T12:54:00.000-04:00

So in less than a week I depart for 10 days in the Galapagos Islands. Whoa! you might be saying because I somehow managed to keep this a delicious secret all to myself, which is incredibly un-like me. Well, I mean, not ALL to myself. But I haven't blogged about it, which seems something like the same thing. The reason for this inadvertent discretion is actually very simple: it doesn't feel real. I'm hoping it starts feeling real sometime around the time I board the flight to Miami. That would be ideal.

Anyways, last weekend I went to the (relative) metropolis of Charlottesville, VA to meet my mom and do some trip shopping. Up to that point, my trip preparations consisted of ordering a pair of last-season Tevas (Tevas have seasons--who knew?) for half-price on ebay. Mom figured I should get some shorts, which was probably wise on her part. Partway into the shopping trip, I realized that what I really wanted was a simple, summer dress that I could wear on the boat. Since I am notoriously bad at finding everyday dresses (whenever I go looking, I somehow end up with a special occasion dress), this was a tall order. Happily, I lucked out.

Meet the Maritime V-neck Dress from J. Crew. A bit pricey on my budget (which is generally limited to thrift stores and clothing swaps), but an attempt to walk away from it ended up with me driving back across town hours later to snag it. It's cotton, lightweight but not insubstantial, and it has POCKETS. Perfect cruise dress? I think so.

I should note that the only way I can afford this trip on my (again nonexistent) budget is through the generosity of my fantastic aunt. Thanks to her, I'm going on a 10-day expedition for the price of the round-trip plane ticket. Now that's awesome.

porter chair love

2011-03-21T14:43:00.000-04:00

These chairs would be very happy in my home. Really, I'd take just one of them. Porter chairs forever.

door of the day

2011-03-17T21:21:00.000-04:00

No clue on the photographer, but if you've got a few dozen mil in pocket change and a desire to march through that door onto the Palm Beach coast, there's more info here.

colorpack love

2011-03-12T16:46:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, before I knew I'd be traveling to the Galapagos, I bought a vintage Polaroid Colorpack II on Etsy. I have a Polaroid 600 series, which I love, and I've had mixed success with Impossible Project film, but it's pricier than I can afford these days. The Colorpack II has options, and I like having options. It works with Fujifilm, which has color and black and white varieties, and Impossible makes film for it, too, if ever I have some extra cash and want to give it a try.

I started out with a box of Fujifilm FP-100c color film. My first efforts were just sad, really. I'd never used peel-apart film before, and it just felt like the camera and I weren't speaking the same language. Today, out walking in the park with my dog and a friend, something finally clicked. The results are gorgeous and I am completely in love. And so the Polaroid obsession continues.

an abandoned men's club gets a new, neo-gilded age life

2011-03-11T23:43:00.000-05:00

This started out as a door of the day. I stumbled across and fell in love with the above photo on tumblr, then, determined to find its source (call it my latent grad student tendencies, but I hate posting anything lacking proper attribution--plus the artist always deserves the credit) I ran it through TinEye (a reverse image search engine and ohmygoodness my new favourite thing), which took me to this incredible house tour and I fell in love all over again.

The Harmony Club was built in 1909 by a prominent Jewish businessman in Selma, Alabama and established as a social club. It spent the 20th Century as a men's club, serving as a meeting place for the local Elks chapter before being boarded up in the 1960s. In 1999, it was bought by David Hurlbut, a man who describes his aesthetic as "neo-Gilded Age steampunk," which is the most incredible thing I've ever heard. It was a shambles when he moved in, and I love how he's carefully maintained the original elements, going so far as attempting to preserve the flaking paint on the walls rather than painting over it outright. The result is cavernous, yet somehow cozy.

The place still has its social club moments. The third floor ball room is used for movie nights and an annual Beaux-Arts Ball (and doesn't that sound like the best time?). "A lot of people call us the Studio 54 of Selma,” Hurlbut says. Awesome.

Original article on Yatzer, and the NYT. Photos by Robert Rausch for the Times.

door of the day

2011-03-11T10:45:00.000-05:00

Snagged from the NYT tour of an 18th Century house. This dutch door is original to it. Best of all? It retains the original hardware!

land's end's glory days

2011-03-10T19:14:00.000-05:00

It's with no small amount of heartbreak that I've been following along with the story of the demise of Land's End, the Long Island estate which supposedly inspired Daisy Buchanan's East Egg home. To be fair, though I have a soft spot in my heart for The Great Gatsby, I view the demise of just about any residential grand dame with heartbreak. And as it was designed by Stanford White, who was arguably the most famous American architect at the turn of the 20th Century (certainly in New York), this lady has a serious grand dame pedigree.

Built in 1911, Land's End played host to parties in the 20s and 30s which saw the likes of Winston Churchill, Ethel Barrymore, the Marx Brothers, and, of course, F. Scott Fitzgerald himself as guests. It was clearly once an estate to be envied, and having only the photos of its decay to recommend it has been tragic. To add insult to injury, the property has been purchased by a developer who plans to populate it with multi-million dollar McMansions. Just what the world needs more of.

I'd love to see photos of the place from its heyday, but honestly, these few, from a publication issued sometime in the 70s or early 80s, are infinitely preferable to those of its decay. So look, and enjoy, and try not to imagine the look on poor Jay Gatsby's face on the day of its demolition, standing in West Egg, watching it crumble.

the boy amelie

2011-03-10T16:53:00.000-05:00

If you love stories of people doing kind things, the movie Amelie, photos, travel, people...basically, if you are a human person with a beating heart, you need to watch these little films. If they don't completely enchant you, then I seriously doubt you actually are a human person with a beating heart.

Todd Bieber (who is making me rethink my knee-jerk negative reaction to hearing the name "Bieber") found a film canister in New York's Prospect Park during one of the city's big blizzards this past winter. Seeing as how he had recently made a vow to seek more adventure in his life, he decided to develop the photos and try to find their owner. Also, seeing as how he is a videographer, he did so by making a short movie about it. And then another. And then, after the owner was found, a third and final film. Because along the way he had made contact with hundreds of strangers, many of whom he met when his quest to reunite the film with its owner took him all the way to Europe.

Watch these videos.

via Pret a Voyager, who probably loves Amelie even more than I do and makes me wish I had the courage to up and move to Paris, too.

door of the day

2011-03-10T09:27:00.000-05:00

Snapped in Afganistan as part of this fantastic series by Finbar O'Reilly (and doesn't he have the most wonderful Irish name? Love it).