My new favorite iPhone app is the remote

I've been a little slow getting on the iPhone kick. I've had my iPhone for a bit and I love it, but haven't really explored the apps yet. But, Friday night on the train on the way home, I started messing around in the apps store and found the REMOTE! Holy cow, how cool?!? I've got my Mac now almost constantly plugged into our surround sound system and control all of my itunes using the REMOTE on my iPhone. How did I live without this before? Seriously, I don't think that I listened to music as much as I have in the last two days. We had friends over last night and it was so nice to be able to run our little party mix from anywhere in the house. The best things in life are free!

Facebook makes me smile

I will be honest, I'm really bad about checking Facebook (almost as bad as I am about writing on my blog). I even get the little alerts saying that someone's written on my wall, or wants to be my 'friend', but if it were really that important, don't you think that they would have called? And if they were really my 'friend', wouldn't we already be friends thus eliminating the need to be Facebook friends? So I rarely go on.
But I went on today.
And it made me happy.
I got to see the latest pictures of my best friend from college's kids. They're growing up so big and looked absolutely adorable sitting on the front step with her surrounded by their little carved pumpkins. K from the lake had posted her latest ultrasound pic announcing to the world that they're preggers with Baby #2 - and due about the same time as we are. My cousin A had all of her Sr. pictures up - she's so freaking fabulous, I wish I had been that cool when I was her age.
I had little notes on my wall from my friend J who I haven't talked to in ages, M wanted to know if I was coming home for Thanksgiving, H wanted to grab dinner one night in the city. Some people say that social media is harming real relationships. How can that be when after visiting my page I felt so loved?!?

Back to school with cute lunch boxes

There's something about the whole back-to-school thing that makes me want to buy new pens and journals, a new calendar or in this case, a cute new lunch box. These little retro style lunch boxes remind me of the sound that I would make scuffing my shoes through fallen leaves on the way down the street to the bus stop on crisp fall mornings. Ahhh, the good old days, at least there's an easy way to recapture them.

Preppy Girl Personalized Lunchbox - $ 29.99 Preppy Girl Personalized Lunchbox This cool and stylish lunch box is fashionable and fun! Hip and fresh designs featured on an old school metal lunchbox. Each one is printed to be water resistant so they'll stand up to lunchroom wear and tear. They are lead free and food safe. Lunchboxes are also perfect for holding little toys or even hairbows! Measure Approx. 8'x7'x4'

Loving everything Japanese

Is there such a thing as a Japanesophile, a lover of everything Japanese? If there were such a thing, my friend Karin would qualify. Not only has she been to Japanese more times than I can count, but she truly delights in Japanese art. On one of her trips, she took a class in Japanese pottery making, she's always bringing back exquisite Japanese paper and other little treats. So, when I found this set of rings (each only $16!) on Carrot Box, I knew that I'd found her the perfect gift. Ichi Ban!

Whimsical fabrics that would make for great pillows

I'm a bit of a pillow fiend. See, we have a white couch... I know, who in their right mind has both a white couch and a dog. Well, let's just say that there's a dog bed on one side of the couch and a dog blanket on the other. Our little Jack Russel Terrier spends more time on that couch than we do. Anyway, with a white couch, you definitely need a few accent pillows I'm always looking at fabrics with an eye towards making my own (so far, I've made one). Trouble is, when I go to the fabric store, I end up agonizing over my decisions to the point that I go from having a basket full of hundreds of dollars of fabric to putting it all back and walking out empty handed. Today I was perusing Architectural Digest and they had a little feature on the Spring 2008 collection by Clarence House. These fabrics are so cute! The perfect combination of vibrant colors and whimsical design. Now, if Joanne Fabrics carried this, I might not be able to help myself. Enjoy!

Making Bath Time Fun Again

Remember when you were a kid and you used to have so much fun in the bath? My sister and I would stay in the tub until our fingers and toes turned pruney and the water got cold. Then of course it was kicking and crying to bed, but that's another story! The point is, bath time was fun time. There were bubbles and toys and you did crazy things with your sudsy hair and then in the end you got wrapped up tight in a big fluffy towel that smelled of clean laundry.
Now, it's up and a quick dash to the shower. There is no crazy sudsy hair play, no crayons that write on the shower walls, you're in, you're out, you're on your way.
Thank goodness The Bubble Roome has decided to bless us with their latest line of suds. Clean invigorating scents like Spearmint and Eucalyptus combined with old-school packaging reminds us to slow down and take a minute for ourselves. So, maybe it's not play time anymore, but who says we can't start our day off with a little aromatherapy!

Save My Shoes!

I can't tell you how many times I've busted one of my heels in the NYC sewer grates. It's to the point now that I only carry my shoes in my bag and wear sneakers or flops when I'm walking around. I'm serious! However, now I don't have to - enter Smart Heel heel protectors. Founder Stacie Urbach came up with a gem of a product - for $11.95, your Jimmy Choos, Manolos or in my case, my super cute peep toe velvet red suede Guess stilettos (which to date have hardly left the closet) are safe - at least from the streets!

Great gift for Father's Day

Father's Day is a week away for those of you who are as bad as I am keeping track of my calendar. I find it difficult to shop for my Father as it is. Yes, he likes to grill, but frankly if he sees another batch of mesquite chips or smoking planks, he's likely to knock me over the head with them. And, he likes to work-out, but it's not like I'm going to get Dad a pair of dumbbells or something for Father's Day. Besides, he likes to go to Spin class and Yoga, so where's the fun in that? I did however, today find the coolest new thing - it's a belt made out of a bike tire. How awesome it that? Since being featured on Etsy, these $20 belts are flying off the shelves, so if you're interested, contact Julien directly!

Soft vintage-y tees

Whenever I go to Target, I end up dropping at least $100. Today, I ended up spending only $40 which was great, especially because that purchase also included this fabulous looking tee. It's soft, slightly faded, tissue thin and with it's Miss Firecracker Contest Finalist reminds one of a 4th of July fair in the middle of Texas.

Cute Custom Monograms

If you need a monogram, this is the place for you! Sometimes I wish I were still planning our wedding. Don't get me wrong, we had the most beautiful wedding and I wouldn't have changed anything for the world. BUT, I'm always coming across great little sites that have gorgeous invitations, or in this case, today I luckily stumbled across some fabulous custom monograms by Lucky Designs starting as low as $15.00. Little Mrs. Lucky also has a fantastic blog devoted to all things wedding. It's a great resource for all kinds of do-it-yourself projects. Enjoy!

Brown Bagging has never been so stylish!

So one of the things that I've been doing to cut back is to brown bag it to work every day. Usually though I'm not carrying my lunch in a paper sack - it's usually in a leftover plastic grocery bag. Really stylish, huh?!? Today I found these super stylish lunch bags from Give Simple. Say the gals online, this bag is made of abrasion-resistant neoprene which while extra durable isn't bulky and in fact folds flat to pack away in your bag or suitcase. Plus, it insulates your lunch for up to 4 hours which for a gal like me who sometimes forgets to put her lunch in the office refrigerator is perfect! The Gourmet Getaway Lunch Tote is $25.00 and available in three cute patterns.

Not Your Home Depot's Tile

We're looking to remodel our kitchen and have been going to Home Depot and Lowe's to check out what they have. And they have fine, fairly basic tiles, but they've got nothing on these gorgeous tiles from Ann Sacks.
Ann Sacks has two fantastic studios in The City - one on 18th street and the other on 58th street. The tiles ain't cheap, I'll give you that, but when you're looking for something that's going to give you kitchen or bath just that extra bit of pop, Ann Sacks is a great way to go. And because they're so special and so unique, you could buy just a few and mix them in with some cheaper (aka Home Depot) tile to totally transform your look. That's exactly what my friend Karin did in her kitchen. She picked up some really bright, ornate green tiles and mixed those in with a cheaper tile that had the same sheen to it. She placed the green tiles in the center of 4 4*4 squares. If you were to go with something like the Bergerac tile shown here, you could use that as a backsplash behind either your kitchen sink or your range to create a beautiful focal point. You wouldn't have to use it to tile your entire kitchen, but again, just adding that single beautiful touch can really upgrade your style without costing you an arm and a leg. And, if you want to keep abreast of the new tiles that Ann is showcasing, sign up for her newsletter.

I'm Smitten!

with SmittenKitchen that is... She has a totally adorable (and lip smacking!) site totally devoted to cooking in a little kitchen in The City. She posts recipes, her favorite restaurants in The City and oh - the food photography. I'm starving and it's only 9am. Check out her meatball sliders and HOMEMADE soft pretzels. Love this!! Am bookmarking straight away...

Cool little treasure chest

I just came across a new site today as I was checking out the latest 'debuts' from Collective-E. Svasara has made some beautiful little containers to keep your 'treasures'. Each one is handmade from recycled wooden cigar boxes which are then covered - inside and out - with fabulous papers, rolled glass and colored stones. It's a perfect place for keeping jewelry or mementos (like the little rocks that my niece gave me from the bank of the river behind my parents house).

Love Brown Jordan's sleek, sexy patio furniture!

We all love lounging by the pool, but the chairs are always so uncomfortable. Dining alfresco is lovely, but outdoor furniture is always so drab. Enter Brown Jordan! How gorgeous is this?!? The detail work on the wrought iron is exquisite and there are multiple finishes to choose from. It's everything that you'd expect from fine furniture only made to withstand the elements. And instead of having to pick from the lesser of two evils - usually drab olive or taupe cushions, Brown Jordan has these beautiful indoor/outdoor fabrics that add a touch of class and a pop of color. Azure blues, pools of teal and bright whites transport you to the white washed beach resorts of Greece.
For more information - visit their website at www.brownjordan.com or check them out next time you're in The City at Gracious Home on Broadway. For those of us in the 'burbs, one of my favorite shops, Lillian August in Norwalk CT carries the line.
Hurry up summer!!

The Perfect SideBoard

We found the perfect sideboard at World Market - who would have thought?? My brother-in-law and sister-in-law purchased their dining room table and chairs from World Market a few years back and it's a great set. Really solid pieces of furniture, made out of rubberwood, they're comfortable and the whole look works well for their dining room. They paid oh maybe 10% of what we paid for our table. Yikes! Now, I happen to love our table, it's made out of refurbished oak panels that are 60+ years old, so no qualms about what we spent, but needless to say, it's been difficult finding something that would match said dining room table. And then, I found it on World Market's web site. Can't wait to pick it up next time we're in DC!

Wine Lush - a new favorite blog

Okay, I don't know who the gal is who does the WineLush blog, but she's great! She has seriously like a million posts and they're all about wines she likes, wines she doesn't like. She does these blind taste tests to see if she can tell the difference between one versus another - love it! And am totally excited about trying her Valentine's Day wine - a WineSmith Cabernet Franc.

Pottery Barn Design Style House

Pottery Barn offers these great design classes every now and again, but they're sometimes hard to come by - and if you're anything like me, my weekends are so precious that invariably I'll already made plans the weekend that they're doing something. But how excited was I when I found that they've taken those classes online at the Pottery Barn Design Style House. Yeah!! Now I can sit on my couch and get great ideas from how to hang photos, to paint colors, to decorating outdoor space or fixing up the perfect home office. It's like the design team has come to me!

Organic Bedding from Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn has recently introduced their new organic bedding. It's perfect timing given the recent warm front that has us all wishing (and hoping, and praying) that spring is right around the corner. Just look at this rich floral pattern! Doesn't it just make you want to dive right in? Plus, since the cotton fibers are organic, this new bedding is something that will help you rest easy.

The TSA has a blog!

How funny - so I'm going through the Augusta, GA airport this morning which literally took only 10 minutes to get from check-in through security and to the gate (more on that later). anyway, I saw that there was a sticker on the counter about the TSA blog and I was like what? The TSA has a blog? So of course I had to go and check it out. First posting is on why people in wheelchairs get screened which is kind of funny because I was just reading an excerpt yesterday from Hot, Flat and Crowded which bemoaned the fact that older ladies are getting scruitinized at the airport and low and behold, TSA found some huge container of explosives strapped to a guy in a wheelchair. Kind of reminds me of this TV show that my husband watches about border patrol! It's actually a pretty decent little blog containing a mix of information and weird stuff - from policies on shoes and liquids to Myth Busters and Aviation News of the Weird.
Who knew the TSA had a sense of humor.

Gorgeous soaps from Beekman 1802

Beekman 1802 is an estate and farm in upstate new york (sharon springs) run by Josh Kilmer-Purcell (NY Times Bestselling Author) and Dr Brent Ridge (with Martha Stewart Living). On their gorgeous grounds they raise goats and have a fabulous garden dedicated to seasonal living. I totally want to visit - and hello, the mansion would make for a fabulous wedding site! Anyway, I came across the site because someone on Twitter (I'm so sorry that I don't remember who) posted a coupon for their fabulous soaps (see picture). Check out the site - and the info on seasonal living. And, if you Twitter - try following DrBrent_ it sounds like he just made some fabulous macaroni & cheese

Domino Magazine is Done?!!?

How can this be?? Domino has been one of my favorite design magazines since they came out. From decorating advice to DIY projects to Domino's little black book of decorating. Apparently the last issue will be published in March. The magazine is closing its doors due to a loss of advertising revenue. Such an incredible shame. I looked forward to picking up a new issue at Grand Central each month - one of the best train reads out there. It will be sadly missed... The website's going down in March as well (according to a Reuters MediaFile post) so if you want to avail yourself of Domino's fab finds, hurry up before they're gone.

Vixen is my new go to polish!

I've been trying to find just the perfect 'go to' nail polish shade for the fall/ winter. I totally love the dark craze, but I hate the black shades that are oh so popular. I am a big fan of Essie's Wicked, but was looking for something that had little more red in it. Something that was a little less predictable - and a little less goth. Although given that I'm currently reading the 2nd in the Twilight series, maybe I'm just trying to tap into my inner vamp! But that's all besides the point. I was browsing through the polish selection at Target and there, tucked down on the 3rd shelf was a gorgeous, rich, dark black-ish red called Vixen. I practically squealed in delight! $4.49 later and I was out the door. I have gotten so many compliments on this fantastic shade. It works great for a manicure - even better for a pedicure (which on me always lasts longer). The gals on Makeupalley give it a 4.3/5.0. Enjoy!