don't always believe your eyes...

Something tells me that if you put these two together, your barista is going to be so thrown off.


If you're one of those ppl who HAS to have at least 1, 2, 3, heck, 5 cups of coffee a day, and you don't carry a thermos 'cause you like looking cool w/ a paper cup and sleeve, why not reduce your carbon footprint with something like this?

The "paper" cup is actually a porcelain cup with a silicone top, while the "cardboard" coffee sleeve is formed from reclaimed architectural veneer offcuts, and comes in a variety of exotic woods. After you're done carrying your hot coffee around, the cuff also doubles as a cuff bracelet!


Smart and entertaining, yes, but practical, not so sure. Try it out for yourself.

"I Am Not a Paper Cup" - porcelain and silicone cup - $22

Bentwood Coffee Cuff - $68CAD

Coming up Roses...not!

I have long been an avid fan of anything that smells remotely of jasmine and/or lily-of-the-valley, so I must, I MUST recommend this fabulous home fragrance. I use it in my office at work, and thankfully, it's a wonderful, clean, sweet smell that isn't too heavy. It makes my office smell like fresh lilies all day long. From West Elm (they have some other fabulous scents, too, such as Lavender Mint and Grapefruit/Mandarin), I chose White Flower because it was just too perfect for what I was looking for.

Fragrance is a funny thing in that everyone is different in what they like, and it's easy to annoy someone with a scent that someone might think is too much and they start to develop migraines, but thus far, this scent is nice in that it's not so over-powering that the scent drifts out of my office, and it keeps me serene and calm and happy. If you are near a West Elm, def. walk in and get a good sniff; you won't regret it (or have headaches!).

West Elm Diffusers and Sticks - White Flower - on sale for $19 (retails for $24)

mantra for life

While "Keep Calm and Carry On" has always been my mantra in life (I am most calm during crises), I love that this was also the mantra used in a poster that was created during WWII in Britain, but was never issued until it was discovered and reprinted by Barter Books in the UK.

That being said, I definitely want to buy it, but in what color? The classic red seems most appropriate, as it brings to mind the color of England (double decker buses, telephone booths, guard uniforms), and the red was there as sort of an alarm to remind folks to calm down (maybe in case of an air strike?). However, some entrepreneurial folks have created silk-screened versions in all different colors, from duck egg blue to metallic gold. These are softer, more muted colors that are most would fit in great with my bedroom, which is more on the white/sky blue theme, or even my office, if I chose to decorate that space.

Also, going with just the red poster from Barter Books is a lot cheaper, since it's a mere reprint. The silk-screen versions are all a lot more expensive, but I actually might prefer that, even if I'm going for the red.

So what will it be? Help me decide! Red, gold, or blue? Go cheapy-cheap (£3.60) or go for the upgrade (£18.00)?


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Hermès Bathtub

While Hermès is known more for their handbags, fashion, and accessories, they also do a lot of bespoke work, which means that they create many one-of-kind pieces that aren't necessarily obvious to the mind. I tend to take more showers than baths, but I was still very much in awe of this Art Deco bathtub, which is encased in Hermès engraved leather, with horses and bridles cavorting gaily throughout. The equestrian theme doesn't come to mind when I think of bathtubs, but then again, I'm not the target audience here, am I?


As a practical person, my question would be, how do you keep this tub in pristine condition if it's going to get wet from water splashing down the sides, bubbles floating on to it, or just plain humidity from a hot bath? (I guess I'm a messy bather.) If those issues don't concern you, and you have a cool $55,000 to spare, then this bathtub is an exquisite piece for the homeowner with much to spend, and fondness for Hermès.

Environment Hermès Leather Bathtub - THG Paris - $55,000

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tickled pink

Pink is one of those colors that conjures up visions of baby girls, rose petals, Barbie dolls, Paris Hilton (ugh), etc...you get the picture. So when grown men have to design around the color pink, what do you get?

I have long been a fan of Karim Rashid, an international designer whose designs are best described as clean, minimalist, fun, and visionary. He's most well-known for his collaborative efforts, where the pieces are usually limited (and very much out of the average person's budget).

Last year he worked on a pink loveseat for the Champagne House Veuve Clicquot, in celebration of their Rose Champagne. I immediately thought that the loveseat was the most darling and romantic piece of modern furniture I had ever seen. The pink color is not disarming at all; in fact, it's quite charming, and doesn't emasculate the man sitting in the chair. If anything, it was a bold presentation, and I just loved it! (How I wish I could afford it!)


This year, in their second collaboration together, Rashid has designed an isotherm bottle carrier for the Rose Champagne, called Globalight. I am very drawn to the pink glowing light, which emits a warm, romantic light for a couple having drinks together, while the carrier keeps the Champagne cold. It doesn't stand out as obviously as a piece of furniture, but the space-agey feel of the bottle carrier is what makes it unique.


The one observation I can make here is that Rashid really loves those egg shapes. From the shape of the seats to the bottle carrier to the Grobal planter, he is definitely drawn to oval/oblong shapes!

Veuve Clicquot/ Karim Rashid Pink Loveseat - $10,000

Veuve Clicquot/ Karim Rashid Globalight - $4,500

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why yes, I DO have a green thumb

For the last few weeks, I've been looking for the perfect pot to hold this languishing jasmine plant that was given to me by my honey's mom. I kept meaning to bring it into my office at work, since there's plenty of light there, and jasmine has such a beautiful scent that it is perfect as a natural fragrance for the indoors (compared to placing diffusers w/ artificial oils, and def., no candles in the office!).

After many weeks of searching for a perfect, modern, contemporary planter that wouldn't break the bank, I purchased a pretty fuchsia glass bowl several weekends ago to place my plant in. However, I've been having second thoughts 'cause the bowl is actually too shallow to hide the top of the draining pot that the jasmine is in.

In comes these cute pots that not only look stylish and modern, but can help you water your plants, too!

The simple, egg-shaped design means that the focus is only on your plants. Rather than the fuddy-duddy planters of yore, this little pot has no drainage saucer, and is an all-encompassing unit. As a person who may have to travel frequently for work, I also like the benefit of not having to worry about my plants starving for water, since there is a reservoir that you can pour water into, and the roots will automatically be quenched when the soil is dry.

I'm seriously considering the larger pot, but there are some little ones, too. I love the light blue version. Reminds me of a robin's egg. :) My jasmine will finally have a home!


Karim Rashid's GroBal ($24.95) and Grobal Baby ($14.95) at GroBalWorld.com

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