Get-a-way on a rainy day

This weekend Zach and I went up to our friend Emi's family's place near Westerly, RI.  It was a lazy, sleepy time with lots of good food and sleep.  Oh, and of course Olympics watching!  Although the weather was mostly overcast I still enjoyed being on the beach.  I think I'm meant to live on a beach.  However my friend Emi reminded me that there are hurricanes so I should be on a hill next to a beach.  Sigh, one day!

Into the night

These pictures were taken a few weeks ago while Mr. Z and I were walking around lower Manhattan, after a friend's party.  Summer late nights in Manhattan {seriously} have a special place in my heart.  There's nothing like it.  I think if I ever moved away, that would be the first thing I'd miss...  The characters lurking about in dark corners, the flickering yellow street lights, the crumbling concrete, and over graffiti-ed walls.

Summer style

It's about 90 something outside so it's hard to know what to wear.  I think Tiffany figured it out with her outfit today <3!

What I do during the days...

Since I spend most of my time at work, I thought I'd show you a little glimpse while our showroom looks decent.  In the next few days it will look like a disaster with fall shipments!  Can you believe we're thinking of fall already?!?

 

Lumber jack style

As I've said before, I've been on the look out for a denim jacket to turn into a denim vest, and finally found one at Urban Jungle in Bushwick.  It was a mission but well worth it for $10.  It's so useful to have one around to layer during the summertime, when you want that structure, especially over something softer like a sundress or flower shorts.  I know I'll be getting lots of use out of this during the summer and fall with long sleeves underneath...

 

Friday the 13th continued...

After vintage shopping, I met up with my girls and had a lovely dinner in the garden of Kif, a low-key Mediterranean restaurant.  We sipped rose and nibbled on lamb burgers, got bit by mosquitoes and saw a rat or two... ah New York.

And then an unexpected fortune happened...

Terri found a $100 on the ground as we were leaving!  Whoa - Friday the 13th style!

Friday the 13th

Yesterday I had a half day from work so I went over to my old hood, Bushwick, to do some cheap vintage shopping.  Specifically I was on the look out for a denim jacket I can turn into a denim vest.  For those of you who don't know Urban Jungle, it's exactly like its name.  There was a moment, when rummaging through the racks with no a/c, I thought - why am I here?!?

 However my persistence paid off in the end.  I found 3 gems and spent only $18!  I'll show you what I do with the jacket tomorrow...

 

Liberty print mini dress

This dress was supposed to be a romper - but I couldn't get the shorts part of it right, so I just made it into a mini dress.  It's really mini so I have to wear shorts under it.  But then... just today I got the idea to wear it with a short sheer skirt - since the skirt needs something under it anyhow.  I love versatility especially when it comes unexpected!

I suppose it would be a good day to night look, if you're into that kind of thing.  For some reason I {personally} don't separate what I wear from day to night.  Doesn't that sound strange for someone who makes a living out of designing clothes?  Usually when I change clothes after work to go out, it's because I want to get comfortable or the clothes I wore that day feel stale.  Does "night" really mean "comfortable"?

Happy weekend! (the second time)

The break in the middle of the week through me off a little, but I'm happy that it's the weekend again AND summer time!  Here's a funny moment between my cats - they're always fighting - cat fight!

 

Red white and blue

I had the best beach day yesterday, celebrating the day off Americana Style.  Hope you had a relaxing day too :)

Chair shopping

On Saturday Mr. Z and I went to CB2 in SOHO to visit a chair we saw online.  I like this orange chair but not sure if it will look right in our already colorful living room... What do you think?  I'd want to pair it up with the knitted poof in dark grey.

We are getting rid of the Eames chair for a more colorful and less lounge-y option...

Summer in the city - it's a jungle out there

It's hot hot hot in the city!  Lots of people are griping about the heat, and weather reporters are all saying if you are old or have a heart condition, you should stay indoors where there's air conditioning.  Does it seem like our summers are getting hotter and winters getting milder?  Could this be the effects of global warming?  Sort of scary if you ask me...

All I know is that I sort of love it when it gets so hot that everyone in NYC moves around like slugs - as if all bets are off and people are just accepting the slow delirium.  It's a Jungle out there.

Which is why I fell in love with these leopard print wedge sneakers by Rebecca Taylor.  We all know that comfortable shoes for walking around are a necessity here.  I've once said that shoes in New York are like cars in LA - your shoes and feet get a real beating on these streets.  These wedge sneakers are perfect for running around on errands ~so comfy~ and cute!

  

I found this cool free desktop background here:
 (I think I'm a bit obsessed with cats and Africa.)

African influence

If I had a lot of money to spend on a trip, I would go on a safari, possibly in Botswana, Zambia or... Kenya?  Africa is one of those places  that I want to visit but am intimidated to do so.  I suppose a popular place like Tanzania might be better to go first - but I'm guessing that with all of the tourism comes higher prices and the feeling of visiting an amusement park.  There have been times when traveling to other countries where I don't feel as vulnerable or out of place when I'm with other tourists.  However, most of the time I want the opposite - I don't want to see other tourists and at least feel like I am getting an authentic experience.  Though sometimes that's absurd because when I'm traveling, I am in fact a tourist and I suppose I would be getting an *authentic* tourist experience.  Here I go talking myself in a circle again... One day a safari will happen in my life!

I LOVE animals.  I can't help to think {when I'm observing my cats} how similar they walk, run, and jump like the big cats in Africa.  At least from what I've seen in the zoos and on the Discovery channel.  To be able to see the big cats and all of the other animals in the wild would be *amazing*.  Oh, and aren't these African Pygmy Hedgehogs cute?


For now, African influenced clothing will have to do.  I found this amazing kanga fabric at the Dekalb Market last weekend by Yamerra and made a summer dress out of it.  The fabric is really air-y with a dry {but soft} hand which keeps me cool in this summer heat.  I love the bold print and intricate border too.

Bathroom talk

This post took too loooong, but better late than never!  I was resisting posting this here partly because I felt weird about posting photos of my bathroom.  Who wants to see another person's bathroom?  I thought.  It would make sense if I was showing you a super fancy room with a vanity and a claw footed tub... but that's not the case here.  Could it be that you can tell the most about someone by seeing their bathroom?  What would my bathroom tell you about me?  Well, in any case it does feel quite intimate.

The reason I am showing you is because we had our bathroom cabinet [and other fixtures] made by our friend Daniel Goers of Autumn Workshop, who did a brilliant job.  It's amazing what a little paint and updating shelving can do to a space.  So here it is, my personal space.

 AFTER | BEFORE

 AFTER | BEFORE

The best part of this room is the natural light from the sky window.

<<<<<< Chevron >>>>>>>

I love chevron.  Ever since I dismantled my Windowfarm in the kitchen it's been feeling a little bare...  So, I've decided to do something fun with the plain white IKEA shades that were left by the previous owner of our apartment.  The best part of this decor idea was that it didn't cost a thing!  There happened to be a few different colors of spray paint from previous projects in the closet, so I mocked up the pattern, made a stencil, and spray painted away.  I discovered that spray painting is not the most enjoyable activity, but it was well worth it to look at this in the morning!

Spray painting on the ground is hard work!  I must be really out of shape because my legs hurt for *days*.

Here are some patterns I played around with for color combos...