Monthly Archives: December 2011

pre-holiday weekend fun…

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i hadn’t gone up to midtown to see the twinkling holiday decorations or store windows for a couple of years. on friday, after a lovely dinner right next to the fireplace (here), mk and i went for it… the crowds are a kind of a drag but you have to just go with it. pretend you’re the only people on the street.

my favorite windows were at Bergdorf Goodman… love the giant birds wearing feathery dresses, and the girl with the loooong neck standing next to a giraffe. the Gaga windows at Barneys were also a sight to see… do you want to live in a room where everything is made of hair? where there is a swirl of hair in a picture frame made of hair? rest on a hair sofa and gaze out a window framed in hair curtains? bizarre-o but cool.

want to see where the evening ended? look here.

and… you have to watch this:

(bottom two photos are windows at Barneys; photos above are windows at Bergdorf Goodman. taken with my iPhone)

gift guide for: mr. urban nerd sophisticate

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ideas for what to get that city-dwelling guy in your life who kinda already has everything he might need… he’s slightly nerdy at heart but has developed a sense of style and quirk over the years, perhaps. if that sounds like anyone you know, then take a look!

1. shoulder bag; 2. contrast color cashmere scarf; 3. watch; 4. a pair of very cool shoes; 5. striped long-sleeve tee; 6. new glasses; 7. luggage tag; 8. star wars journal; 9. portable flash drive; 10. warm hat; 11. eco-socks

nothing’s better than: a weekend brunch

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i’ve been dying to try it, and last weekend it finally happened.

brunch at the fat radish. i’ve been obsessed ever since eating a rhubarb trifle from their table at the hester street fair earlier this summer.

it was so good. as i shoveled that trifle into my mouth some man took my picture. he said he worked for the NY Times and could i sign this release form? they were working on a story about how popular street fairs and flea markets have become. duh.

they didn’t use the photo for the article. (i must have been chewing with my mouth open!) still worth reading, though.

back to brunch. potato and cheddar cake over sauteed brussel sprouts with a little bacon and a perfectly poached egg. spiced poached pears with a little homemade ricotta cheese. perfect meal… beautiful space with whitewashed brick walls and gorgeous, sophisticated holiday decorations. love.

gift guide for the cheeky animal lover

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gifty ideas for an animal lover with a sense of humor AND a sense of style?  yes, please.

there is a lot of this out there:

don’t do this to your friends or relatives who like doggies kitties bunnies whatever. they won’t forgive you. i’m serious.

1. karl pillow; 2. bookends; 3. set of tumblers; 4. Iti cat lounger; 5. mugs; 6. wall sconce; 7. pig butter dish; 8. madison ave. tote bag

holiday home decor

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ho, ho, ho! the first bklynprairie holiday gift guide is here, for your eyes only… enjoy!

there have been years when i’ve put up a string of snowflake lights and called it a day. but really, if i had my way and all the extra time, energy, and money in the world, i’d be more inclined to go all out. any of the above would suit me just fine. at least for starters. and i guess it’s pretty clear… i like felt.

clockwise from top left: wooden tree, candelabra, nativity scene, lights, glass ornaments, paper gnome, snowglobe, felt wreath, felt flower ornaments, felt garland.

 

 

snack of the week: s’mores from S’amore

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this saturday, i made my first stop at Brooklyn’s DeKalb Market. it’s a mix of food and retail vendors selling their wares out of salvaged shipping containers. great idea, right?

except that now i have what could become a serious problem – constant cravings for homemade s’mores from s’amore.

i had the classic combo – homemade honey graham cracker with homemade vanilla marshmallow and a little bit of chocolate. the marshmallow gets toasted with a little mini-torch, and damn if it’s not the best thing i’ve eaten in the last 4 days.

the great thing is that you can choose from all kinds of marshmallows… vanilla, peppermint, chai…and different kinds of graham cracker… chocolate, salted caramel, pumpkin…and instead of a square of chocolate, you can have nutella, a peanut butter cup, or cream cheese frosting! (these are just a few options – see more here!)

the other great thing is that two NYC gals started this business. love that!

(photo courtesy of samorenyc.com)

hunting for chairs

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the industrial dining table from West Elm has recently been purchased for the dining room.  it looks like this:

but without the rug and curtains and pine trees. i live in brooklyn.

now the question is… chairs.  i have three Eames chairs from DWR… not fiberglass though, they are the newer version, made of “eco-friendly polypropelene”. (is there such a thing?) one is the DSR side chair in white and two are DAR arm-chair style in aqua. maybe i make life simple and just get three more white side chairs, and put the blue ones at each end.

or maybe i do something like this:

rustic, modern, farm-house-y… i hadn’t looked at anthro’s furniture section for a while. nice options.

or maybe i stay (more or less) in mid-century modern land, like this. i could update my white DSR chair to have the dowel base instead.

the Steelwood chairs are the chairs in the dining room at ABC Kitchen. the photo doesn’t do them justice, they are soo much more interesting in person.

top photo: Industrial Dining Table from West Elm

middle photo, clockwise from top left: Dalloway Armchair in gold, Dalloway Side Chair in sky, Redsmith Dining Chair in red, and the Earnaness Chair

bottom photo, clockwise from top left: Wegner’s Wishbone Chair in light blue, Jacobsen Ant chair in black lacquer, Steelwood chair in white, and the Eames Dowel Leg side chair in white

this could be life-changing…

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has anyone been seeing ads for the Cricut lately?  i don’t know if it’s a brand new product, but it’s new to me. you can get cartridges with all kinds of pre-set designs, size and position them as you like, and then this little gadget cuts them out for you. in whatever quantity you want. magic.

on a related note, i bought the book Paper + Craft several months ago, sure that i’d be throwing festive soireés with all kinds o’ fancy paper crafty touches… placecards. goodie bags sealed with customized stickers. that kind of thing.

it hasn’t happened. i guess the idea of cutting out designs one by one for my whimsical straws, placecards, and paper lanters was just too overwhelming.

i haven’t seen any of this upclose, and have no idea if the pre-set designs are, well, any good. but i see potential, especially if eventually i can create and upload my own designs.

might have to add this to the christmas list….

holiday in: black white red gold

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and a little turquoise.

these are good gift ideas, people. for me definitely, and maybe for someone you know, too. someone who likes cooking and needlepoint and travel and big rings.

i don’t really show the holiday spirit by wearing embroidered snowman sweaters, even as a joke. but i will add some pops of red or hot pink and some metallic sparkly goodness to my largely black and grey wardrobe. just looking at all this stuff on one page is making me happy.

stay tuned for gifty ideas for food fanatics and your urban nerd boyfriend. and for some nifty decorating ideas.

until next time…

(1. cutting board; 2. cozy sweater; 3. warm booties; 4. suitcase; 5. essential cookbook; 6. the milk bar cookbook; 7. frenchie ring; 8. zodiac pillows; 9. sparkle clutch; 10. fab scarf)