Take a Moment for MJ

Honestly, I had sort of forgotten what an incredible performer Michael Jackson was since in the last ten years I've only associated him with small children and that one Law and Order SUV episode that was clearly inspired by his latest child molestation trial.

The guy was incredible!!! Check out this tease he puts on in Tokyo in 1987. I'm dabbing my brow by the time it hits 55 seconds.

Morgan Levy Photography

My good friend Sara has been on a Fulbright scholarship in Bogota, Colombia for the last year. Another friend Morgan Levy, an incredible photographer, went to visit her in February. These are a few pictures from her trip, which I enjoy both for personal reasons and for their beauty— Morgan has a wonderful eye.

A reminder that you never know what you'll find when you travel. All the more reason to hop on that plane.


Wayuu Abuela and Sara


Salt Mines, Uribe, Colombia


Baby dolls, La Macarena, Bogota

Authentic Provence

You know how wedding planners ALWAYS tell you to "get the tent" just in case it rains, and it bums you out so much, because it ruins the ENTIRE PLAN you've had since you were 16?

Enter Authentic Provence- purveyors of all things authentically provincial, and some amazing amazing pavilions and tents that won't detract from your fantastic ceremony or after party or just any old party your throwing.

All tents are framed in either bamboo or galvanized metal and can be customized per clients request. They are water-resistant and imported from Italy.

My favorites below. DREAMY.





AGGRESSIVE (LY AWESOME).

Dressing Like a Cartoon

My college friend Diana did this thing (intentionally) for several weeks at school where she wore the same outfit everyday (gray eighties sweatshirt and navy blue shorts). Honestly, I'm not sure if she actually wore THE same outfit everyday or if she owned multiples of these items, but she never smelled bad and looked great so I didn't ask.

At first I was so UN-interested because getting dressed in the morning is like, THE most fun creative activity. But then she made the point that not only was it easy, it was cartoon-ish. Every cartoon character has a uniform that defines them (Charlie Brown, Sheera, Doug). So Diana was sort of like, experimenting with cartoonism, which was totally bizarre but I came to the conclusion that it was THE GREATEST IDEA.

These pictures on Garance Dore are the inspiration for my future cartoon uniform: Canadian tuxedo, in EVERY POSSIBLE COLOR.

Fmr Sen. Sam Nunn on Meet the Press (No, Really)

I just want to give a shout out to former Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA) for spicing up his wardrobe on yesterday's Meet the Press: crayola-ish, hot-red tie matched with the baby blue button-down and the BROWN jacket.The nuclear threat out of Iran and North Korea is fascinating, and the color combo in Sen. Nunn's wardrobe made his comments just that much more enjoyable yesterday. Here's to personal style...

P.S. David Gregory looks really bad in HD.
P.P.S. If I had styled Nunn's look I would have added some tortoise shell glasses to complete the look, duh.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Oliver Peoples, Emerson El Mirage Tortoise Eyeglasses.

Tucker by Gaby Basora

It's official. I'm in love with Tucker, the new line by Gaby Basora. Simple cuts (slip dress, camisole, short-sleeve or long-sleeve blouses) in your choice of some incredible, understated prints.

Hotel Delano

Paul and I spent the day in Miami yesterday, and boy, for an hours drive away it felt like we were half-way across the world. Such a difference from the pace and people watching of West Palm Beach. My favorite part of the day was spent at the Hotel Delano, designed by the renowned Phillipe Starck. See pictures below. By all means, a design destination.



So Alice in Wonderland...



Fell in love with this cafe table and matching liquor cart..


Evidently they play classical music under water in the pool...

Old Magazine Ads and Fashion Editorials

Found these in a bunch of old magazines in an Antique store on my last trip to Big Sky, Montana...









If I remember correctly, this was some advertorial about the future and "computers". These cardboard boxes are different interpretations of the computer of the future. How the little girl fits in I do not know.


Ali McGraw, je t'aime...

Paint Therapy: My Bathroom before and after...

My mom and I have always said how we would love to be brick layers in our second lives. The process is so simple and therapeutic, as is knitting, and...painting. I was down and out this weekend and in an attempt to keep my mind in a positive place, my boyfriend Paul and I painted my bathroom. Let me just tell you, it was a long time coming...

Before (heinous HOT PINK)...



After (Thin Ice by Valspar)...




Bath Mat (also used as outdoor rug) by Dash and Albert. Shower Curtain by Shabby Chic.

Broken Dolls

Archival print by Kate Phillips for sale on Etsy.

Broken dolls are really creepy. I had a pair of my moms dolls from childhood (arms amputated) in a little rocker in my room growing up and my friends always made me turn them around to get rid of their stare (see below). Maybe everyone is scared because of the "play things coming alive at night" storyline (think Chucky).

In any case, I like old dolls for the same reason that I like antiques and animals up for adoption— their make-up has been loved off, their arms broken, and now they need a home. It's fun to imagine the lives they've lived.

Yesterday I found this AMAZING mid-century painting of a child and her broken doll that I am in love with and hanging in my bathroom. I think it's got less of the creepy factor because it's 2D.

On Assignment: Yolo Boarding

I just returned from Grayton Beach Florida where I was on a freelance assignment re: Yolo boarding, the new stand-up paddling craze taking over parts of Florida and California. Here's a glimpse of the photo shoot...



\
Photographer Colleen Duffley at work.

To learn more about Yolo boarding, check out www.yoloboard.com. Photos Courtesy of M Public Relations.

Liza Sherman Antiques- NYC

(My favorite, the Senegalese Oil Barrel Shelving Unit, price upon request).

Strolling through the West Village on my recent weekend in New York, I came across Liza Sherman Antiques- a good mix of industrial, french country and ethnic. The chandeliers are particularly awesome. Check it out.


French drafting table, $6,200. Stage lighting, pricing varies. Late Edo Japanese Handpainted Banner, $3000.


Cumulus Bamboo Chandelier, $1950. Bubble Chandelier, $3800.


Pair of Karl Springer lamps, $2200.

Nude Women

I once had a friend explain the "tattoo debate" to me this way:

A person is in one of two camps. The first camp looks at the body as a blank canvas, a place where they can create something new. The second sees the body as a work of art in itself, something that shouldn't be tampered with.

I saw this painting at a store on Dixie and fell in love with it. The woman's face and figure are so modern. They seem in many ways to contradict the traditional (draped cloth) set up of the painting. In any case, made me think of the aforementioned argument, body as work of art.

Derby Chairs...