-
Money Money Money
Even though Joe and I spend a lot of time puzzling over/tweaking/rewriting our budget, and we try to buy decisively (I always think of that word in capital letters, DECISIVELY), of course I’m still shocked at the end of the month at how it all added up. And the absolute worst thing is when I can’t even remember what I bought in the first place.
I think that might explain why I find Kate’s Obsessive Consumption drawings one part cute, one part edifying and one part genius (does three parts make a whole? Or do we need one more?). Kate posts sketches of whatever she bought that day–milk, pens, new t-shirt–making light of the fact that she seems to buy something new every single day, but also acknowledging that a small part of her put energy into finding exactly what she needed, and that shouldn’t go forgotten or ignored.
Plain old unabashed materialism is always boring, but you can find out a lot about a person by hearing about what they spend their money on. It’s always fun to hear people talk about their favorite possessions, or something new they just bought, especially if they are the type that agonizes the details and makes mental charts of the positives and negatives for each new purchase.
-
Atlas Obscura
I like what Atlas Obscura is pulling out of the woodwork for their Atlas Obscura Day (NB: the Boston component is already sold out, capacity was 15 people). Eccentric museums, little known city-artifacts, and private collections should always be organizing exposure like this (Harvard & Oxford, we’re judging You right now). Those exposed might turn into donors some day, right?
Atlas Obscura is a nicely designed, user-written site that brings strange and unexpected tourist attractions across the world to light.I think it’s successfully done, and my Midwest friends should submit their own Abandoned Railways and Crop Circles to make sure they are well represented. Around Boston, I often feel a little weird about bringing out-of-towners to my favorite parts of the city (“So, this is that intersection that I like”), like the Round House of Somerville, and the Mount Auburn cemetery. This guide helps justify my feelings behind what is really nice to see when you’re in town. It’s yelp for the uncynical. It’s wikipedia for those who are actually showing up.
-
The Martyred Saint: Cards
The grim news is that Mr. Valentine was actually martyred on February the 14th, which is why he is a saint, despite the catholic effort to get him the h. away from the PR department. Fortunately, as you read this, you still have two weeks to figure out what you’re going to do in his honor. Please don’t take this posting as a suggestion that I have my act together, because I notoriously show up with my perfect gift two weeks late, and no one can remember why I’m giving them a gift. (In my defense, it really was the perfect gift at the time.)
For the last couple years Kate Spade has had all sorts of special-artist-designed Valentines. The one above was one of my favorites, an everyday-love-message. I’m hoping they are going to release more selections this year, but no news yet!
I think Julia and Paul Child’s card is a great illustration of the useful art of stamping, and I would like to rework it as a Christmas card, without creeping out my entire extended family when they get it in the mail.
-
Valentine’s Day: Public Art
For Valentine’s last year, Joe put up a handmade banner in our living room using baker’s twine and pre-printed pennants (I don’t have a photo, but I can tell you it was set in Futura). Of course I was completely wooed and impressed and had to run back into our bedroom to write three more eloquent poems to make up for my lackluster card.
But I think banners are remarkably successful at catching our eyes and emotional attention. “Make an Encouraging Banner” is one of my favorite assignment’s of Miranda July’s wonderful Learning to Love You More project. You can go to the site and click through the dozens of reports from people that completed the assignment. Here are two of my favorites.
Natalie Jost kindly explains for the rest of us how to crochet your own banner on her blog. Below is her example. Wouldn’t it be nice to make one that always came out of storage for people’s birthdays?
Three years ago I sent a dozen pre-addressed and stamped envelopes to You Are Beautiful with my friends’ addresses on the envelope, so they each unexpectedly got three You Are Beautiful stickers in the mail out of nowhere. (you can still do this, and it’s very karma-exciting to know that your friends are anonymously receiving encouragement.) I think their shipshape silver-and-black sticker is perfect for making the phrase seem matter-of-fact and completely legit.
Finally, speaking of locks, it possibly does not get more publicly romantic than the padlocks left by lovers around the world who want to make a public fixture of their current affection? The New York Times has published a couple articles about one of the popular locations in Rome, but the lovers’ locks can be found across europe and asia. The photo below is from Hungary. I think we need more of these in over in the US, if only to balance out how frequently we have to hear the annual depressing divorce statistics.
this photo was taken by Jarod Carruthers, who then loaded it to flickr to share with us.
-
Magic Markers
I did a little babysitting today and left reminded of the satisfaction of coloring with magic markers. (It’s remarkable how the trademarked adjective “Magic” is the only established name for those things.) So when I was checking tonight to see what new delights the folks at The Curiosity Shoppe were purveying, I thought this European vehicle coloring book was particularly tempting. It’s possible, but not likely, that coloring a Vespa line drawing might make up for not actually owning a Vespa.
-
Now Previewing
I watched this Steven Alan short story/Spring clothing preview a month ago, but with the desperation of January setting in–the clouds, the swirling grey, the dirty slush–it turned into a preview for the summer season itself.
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/6631659]
Was anyone else let down when 30 Rock moved the episode to Boston instead of the suggested Florida last week? I really wanted to watch some warmer weather.
-
A Few Good Party Supplies
In my Saturday morning sporadic and incomplete reading of the New York Times, I found this hazy picture of a wedding reception held in a Chrysler car dealership showroom in 1984. Balloon arches! When was the last time you were treated to that sight?
Though I don’t see this much in Boston, in the Midwest I used to drive past car dealerships regularly, and even though they are not very popular right now, dealerships really are the last businesses to believe in the power of a few good party supplies.
They use flag banners in multiples,
and splurge on big balloons,
and even have the occasional festive penguin.
#1 from HereontheRoad, #2 from Samlanterman, #3 from DianaLBrks. Click on the photos to go to their sites on flickr.
-
SearchStories Styles
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnsSUqgkDwU&fmt=18&rel=0]
I am unquestionably a sucker for and supporter of good advertising. Rest assured, I am not skeptical enough of corporate America and their devious ways. I love to be delighted by a good commercial. Google released this video in November, but I just finally clicked on it today. When we talk about a certain writing style that follows thought-to-thought-jumps without a break we call it: stream-of-consciousness. I think this is fun to watch as a visual stream.
-
Finding Espresso
I am often mourning the trouble one must go through to find a good espresso in America. I know that’s very obnoxious to complain about. “Oh great,” you’re probably thinking, “now I have to pretend to agree that coffee is bad here.” And really I can’t complain because I live only a twenty minute walk from the North End, where you at least strike a good chance of running into spectacular espresso.It’s not that it is bad it is just that it is unreliable. How many times have you counted on a delicious cappuccino and then the barista was harried and when you finally got your drink, it tasted totally different than you expected? But that all makes sense once you watch the video below, because it is hard to get a good espresso when there are twenty people in line, all of them glaring at you while you try to focus on the art of it all.
[vimeo 8709313]
Photo #1 is the menu at Zibetto Espresso Bar, 6th Ave, by Arancia Project. Zibetto is a delicious cafe in New York City and even has its menu in Italian, but can often be found swamped by men in black suitcoats in the late afternoon because it’s right near central park and fancy hotels. The video is from a link by Chris Glass.
-
Pointillclassy
I don’t believe in spending big money* on sunglasses due to several tragic mishaps, but I’m very tempted by these peppy remakes of classic wayfarers. Maya Hayuk hand-painted all of the styles, and I keep wondering if I could just buy a bunch of nail polish, pair of knock-offs, and make my own?
*$140, 50% goes to charity, buy at Sunglass Hut using the link above, though most are sold out at this point. All the more reason to make our own!