Archive for December, 2009

A few of my favorite things… Because I believe you should always surround yourself with things you love.

1. Fresh flowers. Calla Lilies and [white] tulips are my favorite. I have orchids at home all year round // 2. My little one, Wally T Bueller // 3. YSl Gloss Volupté, available at Sephora, is beautiful. A mix of gloss and lipstick, it’s the farthest thing from sticky. I wear it sheer or layered for intensity. When I really want a punch of color, I wear it on top of CoverGirl’s Outlast lipstain, which has astounding staying-power but is the yuckiest tasting lipstick ever made. I love the ease of use, it reminds me of a Sharpie and, truth be told, the thing not only looks like a permanent marker, it tastes like it. But I love it. On the other hand, the YSL Gloss is yummy // 4. Vintage jewelry, all the better if they’re heirlooms but certainly don’t have to be // 5. My Alexander McQueen folktale, corseted dress is pure insanity // 6. My Audrey Kawasaki Okimiyage print was a present from my husband. I love her work // 7. Home-made meals and cloth napkins. Always cloth napkins // 8. Cocktail and dinner rings, from the silly and ridiculous to elegant and special, I love them all // 9. I always have scented candles around, specific scents for particular moods or rooms. My current everyday favorite is Mor Cosmetics‘ Kale & Watercress. The scent is crisp, fresh and peppery.

|| Photos by Tish ||

My husband and I like to try out recipes on each other before we inflict them on others. Christmas Eve was spent quietly at home, my husband — the best untrained cook I know — made Black Sea Bass with Sweet Parsnips, Spinach, and Saffron-Vanilla Sauce from the French Laundry Cookbook. My now favorite panna cotta recipe is the Vanilla and Cider Panna Cotta from the Dec. 2009 issue of Food & Wine magazine, which I made for dessert. I also baked gingerbread cupcakes to take to my in-laws’ for Christmas day.

I love decorating for the holidays, not so much taking everything down. I’m taking this moment to enjoy it all, before I need to pack everything away.

|| Photos by Tish ||

Happy holidays, may you find inspiration in the every day.

A [super talented] stylist I was working with introduced me to Tine K’s inspiring website.

|| Tine K ||

1. Squirrel ring, Free People // 2. Squirrel nutcracker, Jaime Oliver.

Photography by Keiko Oikawa.

Why not give the gift of coal? After all, most people on your list —thankfully enough— are both naughty AND nice.

White charcoal has been used as a natural purification agent in Japan and Korea for generations. Danish brand Sort of Coal focuses on bringing the natural purification power of white charcoal to Western culture. Sort of Coal’s range of handmade white charcoal products purifies the air without polluting the environment or attacking the senses.

Black porcelain-like sticks are used to stir tea, water and alcohol to remove chlorine and other impurities, after which, they can be recycled into soil where it acts as plant nourishment. Beautifully packaged, the products are more than useful, they’re also aesthetically pleasing to look at.

Sort of Coal founders Pernille Lembcke and Louise Vilsgaard, began importing top-grade white charcoal as an attempt to shift Western views about cleanliness: “We use chemicals and perfumes to make things clean,” Lembcke says. “We’ve forgotten that nature has its own way of purifying itself.” [T Magazine]

Air and liquid purification products are available in the US through Design Within Reach, while a full range of personal hygiene products, jewelry and sculptures can be found at the Sort Of Coal online shop.

|| Via Cool Hunting | T Magazine ||

Subtle and feminine detailing at Lyell’s F/W 2009 collection.

A dusting of holiday magic from Anthropologie.

1-3. Trust Junya Watanabe to take the winter basic and create sculptural representations. Junya Watanabe F/W 2009 collection via Style.com // 2. Long down coat with hood, belt and rib detail at collar, Mackage // 3. 3/4-length down coat with ribbed fabric at sleeve and bow detail in back, Soia & Kyo.

Farmerbrown’s Little Skillet, my weekday morning spot for soy latte.

|| Photos by Tish ||