ergonomic beauty

images ligne roset

ligne roset, the modern french furniture and accessories company does an incredible job (thanks to advertising agencies like jung von matt/alster) mixing furniture with high fashion in artful ads.  striking women in beautiful clothing are staged alongside a piece, creating a scene where the furniture may appear secondary but in fact is the eye-catcher.  i personally love the the ligne roset style.  found by antoine roset in 1860, the company collaborates with leading designers to create ergonomic and visually attractive pieces (furniture, lighting, textiles, etc).  with over 200 stores (10 in the US), it's fantastic that there is one in la jolla, california.  seeing the pieces in person will only make you love them more!

glow

a girlfriend of mine that works for getty images in nyc recently sent me a link to a project she has been following, the glow.  working for a stock photo agency, she is inundated with images all day, but as soon as i opened up the glow, i could quickly tell why she was drawn to the site.  it captures a side of successful and beautiful women that is rarely revealed - a glimpse into the world of inspiring and fashionable moms.  these are moms that incorporate style into every aspect of their lives.  co-founded in 2011 by violet gaynor and kelly stuart (both had worked stints at elle together), the glow features original photographs that they shoot of moms and tots in their natural habitat with minimal staging.  the results are some pretty incredible images.  

images the glow

get wet

i sent this ad to a friend earlier today, as she plans to make her way to north county tonight to meet up with me.  the bright colors and springtime image seemed to fall in line with the weather and general feel for the day.  with only a handful of local establishments to dine & drink in a social atmosphere, it seems like a good choice for a wednesday evening- dj theron is awesome and zenbu isn't such a bad spot either.

zenbu, a sushi bar by day and a cocktail lounge by night, has a relatively small, dark interior space backlit by a huge fish tank.  relying on his own seafood company, ocean giant, to provide fresh fish daily, founder/owner, matt rimel, serves up delicious sushi and seafood dishes.  while there are many options on the menu, i personally love the salbacore roll: spicy crap, asparagus, asian pear, cucumber, daikon sprouts topped with seared albacore and avocado and finished with siracha, asian vinaigrette and orange zest.

it's not a feat to get to people to come to zenbu, but i was happy to see that theron was venturing out of downtown and giving north county a taste of his talent.  no doubt he'll work the crowd tonight with his beats.

inner truth

i love stationary, paper products and graphic design.  i find enjoyment in fonts, texture, and composition.  i think it's incredible how a message or a feeling can be evoked through a simple image or color.  after the farmers market one sunday, i found myself strolling through solo in solana beach with a girlfriend, and i came across a series a journals by knock knock that were so witty they were wonderful.  jen bilik had a similar appreciation, and in 2002 she found knock knock, a product design company, based in venice, ca. with a background in publishing and graphics design, jen sought to create products "distinctive in concept, content and design, immune to the disease of committee homogenization."  her products are unique.  the journals that i saw in solo were part of a series of inner-truth journals, covering various topics that provide a much needed place for unalloyed honesty.  the guided paperback journals feature playful and candid quotes and include a space for capturing ruminations.  these journals will inspire you to tell it like it is!

images knock knock

radiographs

taking photography a step further, some artists have used x-rays to capture layers of objects that the eye could not have seen alone.  my brother is a radiologist, and today the world has been lucky enough to have had him for 35 years.  in celebration, i have included some beautiful images from artists, nick veasey and leslie wright.  

images nick veasey & leslie wright

reset

images bon appetit & nourish

bon appetit magazine has, in its second year, released their annual food lovers cleanse.  after a couple months of gluttonous holiday celebration (albeit wonderful), it's time to get back to the basics and give your body a chance to restart.  the cleanse is a two week program, and although it began at the beginning of the month, you can clearly begin whenever you want (i will begin tomorrow, as today my football season ended).  unlike other cleanses that are painstakingly bland, liquid based, or leave you starving and cranky- this cleanse is made for people that enjoy food and the art of good cooking.  the recipes included are mostly produce based, with smaller portions of whole grains and protein - such as, halibut with clementine gremolata, pumpkin shrimp curry, sake braised clams with soba noodles and omelet with fennel-meyer lemon relish.  working with NYC dietitian, marissa lippert (who also happens to be one of my good friends from UVA - love you miz), they also set up a bunch of guidelines to follow for developing good habits.  the recipes are not as complicated as they were last year, which hopefully will eliminate some of the frustrations people experienced.  and with an emphasis on a make-ahead-pantry and leftovers, this will help with planning and maximizing time.  looking forward to eating my way into a healthy delicious fresh start.

white on white

images megan.christine

celebrated artist dale chihuly, widely known for his brightly colored innovative glass pieces, is showing a new site specific series, "white works," in denver at PISMO's cheery creek north gallery (28 october - 15 january). i recall making note of chihuly's work at the bellagio in las vegas, where the ceiling flowed with clustered brilliant bursts of color.  and then later i easily spotted his glass garden (crystal cranes) at the mandarin oriental in nyc.  i had looked forward to seeing his white on white series at PISMO, as it was a new direction for chihuly, void of color.  similar to his black series (2006) and his silvered series (2009), the works focused primarily on form. but, with the white series, he is also able to explore the use of transparency.  if you get a chance to go by the gallery, it's well worth it.  the pieces are phenomenal!

amy paul & pigment

images amy paul

my sister got in touch with local san diego artist, amy paul, and surprised me with a few of her pieces (which was too sweet).  i had told her about amy as i was trying to figure out something to put on the bare wall above my desk.  the images in her work, inspired by the ordinary, are placed within a composition that at times is abstract, with varying layers of color that is applied and removed to achieve the desired affect.  i first discovered amy years ago in north park, a space that is now pigment (her studio is located in the back), which she opened with her husband in 2007.  what started off as a gallery has now also become a boutique filled with design conscious goods - if you haven't checked out this place, you are missing out.  (pigment was also featured in the urbanist 2011 shopping guide)

something that matters

images megan.christine

i have a tendency to read multiple books simultaneously, a habit i formed growing up.  my mom actually recommended reading blake mycoskie's start something that matters, a book about earning a living pursing your passions and devoting yourself to a cause that inspires you.  it's an easy read, but really only skims the surface on any tangible business advice- although the stories are inspiring.  not only does the book cover blake's company, TOMS, an LA based shoe company that gives back a new pair of shoes to children in Argentina with each pair purchased - but it also covers other companies like method, TerraCycle, FEED Projects, Zappos, etc.  as an owner of multiple pairs of TOMS, i will vouch that they are light, comfortable and have some great prints.  i particularly like to wear them when i travel.  if you haven't tried a pair, you really should.... and the little kids versions are so adorable too (aren't they always).  i found some awesome plaid and sparkle patterns in hansen's surf shop in encinitas today that i was so tempted to my nieces.

images TOMS

fresh

image megan.christine

it's a fresh new year, and it's been rather delightful to be able to start off underneath a warm, sunny socal sky.  in my own attempt to de-clutter, refocus and reground....  i found this as a good mantra for today:

be regular & orderly in your life, so that you may be creative & original in your work

~gustave flaubert

someecards

my girlfriend who lives in sweden loves to post random someecards on her facebook account, and more often than not it's the potentially offensive cards for unusual occasions, like flirting, politics, or a breakup.  the free online e-cards were created by brook lundy and duncan mitchell, and they contain some humorous variations to the traditional greeting card, which appeal to the younger and open-minded audience.  there are so many to choose from that you'll find yourself scrolling through in sheer laughter.