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!!