A shop I would make the trip for. The stuff they sell is beautiful, but the web site and the photography are simply magnificent. I am drooling. From the hand blown glasses, silver serving spoons, to their arrangements. If I get married, I will be registering here!
Oh my! I love spotting beauty. Not difficult to do here however, everything is spectacular! Sometimes I wish I could be a decorator. It would be so much fun to constantly be changing the interior… Red Coral Floor Lamp, Hammershell Vase, Purple Silk Uzbekistan Suzani, & Tulu Long Hair Red Rug!
I love this stuff. I shop in a lot of ethnic markets, but this I can buy at Sur La Table nearby. The preserved lemons are just as good as homemade, and I use them in everything. Just don’t put your hands in the brine… use a knife and don’t touch the product until you have extracted what you need and are finely chopping. Expensive. But worth every cent! I always have this on hand!!!
We are rapidly becoming a more visual society with an ever increasing amount of varying voices being heard. It’s exciting and motivating for us creative, visual types. Not that a lot of bad design doesn’t exists too. But at Beautiful Decay they continue to create, “beauty”.
About a year ago on one of my excursions to Santa Monica, I discovered this wonderful little store created with gift-giving in mind. It’s a lovely little place with wonderful finds. Here are a few things that I loved (check out their site and their chocolate gifts).Rubber geometrical giraffe spotted upholstered boots, unique 100% cotton jammies, exotic floral blue sateen robe, or candles.
This is a great site for kids stuff!
Pooki & Co has cute dolls & accessories, with names like lola & pablo.
They will feel all grown up with this marrakesh style table & pillow set - for the international kid! Keep them warm with these darling blankets.
The Kite Runner: by Khaled Hosseini. This is the best book I have read in years. When I went to hear Khaled speak, I was moved by his authenticity and open heart. I have recommended this to everyone. It can be painful, but the story telling is so elegant and luscious. It’s a must read! Other books about Afghanistan that’ll move you are “The Sewing Circles of Herat: A Personal Voyage Through Afghanistan” & “The Bookseller of Kabul”
A Three Dog Life: by Abigail Thomas. Out of tragedy comes this memoir of the author coming to terms with a freak accident which disables her husband. It’s beautifully written and so revealing. I couldn’t put it down, and immediately wanted to read everything she’d written.
Interpreter of Maladies & The Namesake: A Novel by Jhumpa Lahiri. Although I read Interpreter a few years ago, I have added it to the list, because Jhumpa’s follow-up novel was also amazing and I feel this would make a great gift set for anyone who loves words. Indian writers have the best command of the English language, in my opinion.
On Display: Displaying Your Treasures With Style & Global Style: Exotic Elements in Contemporary Interiors by Lesley Dilcock, Catherine Gratwicke. Excellent coffee table books for the lover of “Funky Stuff” in your life! Both of these visually delightful books are sure to inspire!
Here are a few favorite music picks of the year, which are sure to make any music lover happy. It’s eclectic, fun and vibrant. We’d love some feedback and a few ideas from you too. Write us!
Underworld: A Hundred Days Off. Sola Sistem makes this worth the price. But it’s all good. Ambient. Minimal and groovy! You’ll feel cool just listening.
Asian Groove. Anyone that knows me knows I love exotic. This is a fun asian CD I picked up on my last trip to NYC. A few dance tunes, but great car music… or housecleaning accompaniment.
Nortec Collective: Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 3. Fun! Play it loud and dance or listen in the car and drive fast! This album is perfect, start to finish… and available on iTunes. Even though I hadn’t heard of them, they do make an appearance on the new Babel soundtrack! (Which has some great tunes on it too!) Get up and shake it!
Neko Case: Confessor Brings Flood. Called, “instantly recognizable and uniquely commanding”Neko’s voice is intoxicating and hypnotic. Listen 2 or 3 times and you’ll be hooked too. This was one of Kat’s recommendations.
The Idan Raichel Project: Raichel joins forces with musicians from Israel’s Ethiopian, Arab, Yemenite and Caribean communities to create enchanting fusions that have made him one of the biggest success stories in the history of Israeli popular music. Ancient tradition and contemporary technology create a cross-cultural recording project. If you can see them live, do, they’ll make you understand the concept one love!
Telepopmusik: Genetic World. Breathe made this CD famous. Electronic Dance genre. Fun, creative and original. I have played this over and over, and still love it. Fresh & great to work to.
Plush: Compelation CD. While it fits comfortably into “chill music,” Plush stretches beyond the norm, mixing acoustic material with a wide variety of styles. Through a combination of jazz, light house, funk, and even watered-down two-step. Great dinner party music.
Jolie Holland: Escondida. A sumptuous affair that extends indie country and folk into the realms of old-school jazz and country blues. Every once in awhile you come across someone this original and unusual. This is it.Her voice makes me want to sing.
Crash Soundtrack. Mark Isham’s highly emotional score for the film CRASH will move you in ways you never expected. Beautiful cinematic passages collide with ethnic voices evoking the powerful imagery of the film. Love the film! Love the soundtrack! Great with a glass of wine and a roaring fire and someone to crash into.
