A Look to Look Into: Blinding Brights

The blinding neon colors of the 1980s have returned in full force, a fact that is particularly evident by the fact that on my walk to work up fifth avenue I see at least twenty pairs of neon-colored jeans & skinny pants each day.

Although I love slim-legged pants in all forms as a general rule (see the Minnie pants I am wearing today). I cannot bring myself to make the leap to neon brights combined with slim or stretchy fabrics. For that reason, I was particularly drawn to this outfit worn by Elle Macpherson (as seen in the Huffington Post). She has kept the cigarette pant & the neon trend but avoided the dreaded neon thigh look, opting instead for brightly colored pumps. Well done, Elle! A look I will certainly be looking into to...

Reflections on Father's Day

I could not go home for Father's Day yesterday because I have a new job, few days off and limited funds for airfare.

I know I am somewhat biased but I have a fantastic father. He has worked hard to give all four of his children what he never had in life, both the material and the emotional (he lost his own father at the age of seventeen).

He was always our champion: he coached the sports teams, judged our debate tournaments, excitedly prepared for family vacations & never missed an opportunity to eat dinner with us, spend a weekend with us or simply have a conversation with us on the phone.

His life has been career & family with family always taking precedence.

Happy Father's Day, dad & thank you.

Bold Colors for the Bathroom

The traditional rule for paint color is small space, light color. Light colors are one of the tricks recommended to expand your otherwise tiny space.

I generally follow this rule (hence, my BM Pale Smoke Living area and BM Silvery Blue Kitchen) but I am considering going bold when it comes to my petite bathroom.

SYMPHONY BLUE is the color I am contemplating. The color was featured on a Domino magazine cover with Zooey Deschanel as well as in a Lonny magazine spread. Granted, in both places the color was used in a somewhat larger space than my bathroom but it is so cheerful and I think with some black and white vanity fair portraits, my white marble tile and possibly a white (or gold or brushed nickel or floating wood...another element to obsess over!) mirror, the color would end up really being an accent and not engulfing the room.

Thoughts?

Alternatively, I could go the safe route and paint it all cliffside gray/marilyn's dress (*both Benjamin Moore as well!)

 Cliffside Gray

  Marilyn's Dress

Oscar Nominations

Surprises?

Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids for Supporting Actress.

Gary Oldham in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (the Academy officially hates Leonardo DiCaprio).

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close a contender in a few categories.

Note:

I want Jean Dujardin to win best actor, not George Clooney!

So looking forward to the Oscars!

More than a Rebound: How I Got Over Being Dumped by Domino

I will never forget the day that I learned Domino magazine was canceled.

I received a letter in the mail that the magazine was no longer going to be coming to my house each month and that in its place I would be receiving Martha Stewart. I still cannot look at a Martha Stewart magazine on a newsstand without feeling the injustice: that magazine survived  white collar prosecution and public persecution of the woman behind the brand and Domino magazine closed without fanfare, breaking the news to me in a form letter.

An assistant at Domino named Michelle Adams decided that the format that gave Domino a loyal following was not a losing formula but one that simply needed to be reinvented for the digital age. The result? Lonny Magazine. The best part? I finally got over when Domino dumped me and left me with a stack of gardening editorials and craft templates.

Get to know Michelle Adams

Get to know Lonny Magazine

And the Oscar Goes to...

Tomorrow morning the 2012 Oscar nominations will be announced with The Artist as this year's frontrunner for best picture (with The Descendants at a close second). I also cannot help but root a little for one of my personal favorites from this year: Midnight in Paris from director Woody Allen. With TEN spaces for potential best picture nominees there may be plenty of other films receiving nods (Hugo, Tree of Life) but these three are the frontrunners in my mind.

I am also excited to see whether Elizabeth Olsen will garner a nomination for her role in Martha Marcy May Marlene although the best actress race will almost certainly be between Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady (who took home the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama), Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn (who took home the Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy/musical) and Viola Davis in The Help (a movie I watched for the second time last night and that never fails to make me cry).

A champagne toast to the fact that the Oscar countdown will finally begin tomorrow morning!

More Treats for the Home

Mustache Mugs at Kimay on Etsy

Picasso, the Acrobat—An Example of the Amazing Collection of Museum Prints available at 1000 Museums— A Collection of Art Prints from Museums all over the World

All that Remains of Domino Magazine other than its Still Loyal Fan Base—the Coffee Table Book available at Amazon

Gwyneth Paltrow's Cookbook for those of you Who did not get enough from Spain on the Road Again or the Goop "Eat" Section; Available at Amazon

Unique Cutting Boards on Etsy

Choisette Demi-Apron Sold on Etsy

Violet May Wall Art on ETSY

blanca gomez prints available on ETSY