A little known fact about me is that I hosted an all-lady radio show during college (holla, KRUI!). As such, I was pumped to dig into my personal archives and contribute some of my favorite girl groups to the awesome female music blog, Lady Bang Beat. Check out my post here (and make sure to watch “Meeting in the Ladies’ Room” by Klymaxx — a kitschy ’80s favorite!).
Pump It
Posted by – July 23, 2011
Nothing says ’90s nostalgia like Technotronic. I had a hard time believing this was the actual video, but then I realized it was from 1990, so — yeah. Let’s go the gym!
An Ideal Summer
Posted by – July 17, 2011
What I wouldn’t give for a real summer vacation — lazy days, no work and endless ham sandwiches on a slightly inclined creek bed. We’d pick possibly poisonous berries, work on our tans and maybe hit up some casinos on the way home, listening to Queen with the windows rolled all the way down. A girl can dream, right?
Did I mention we’d be wearing cut-offs? Because that’s essential to the experience.
[Image by Nathaniel Russell]
Miranda July is Pretty Damn Sincere
Posted by – July 17, 2011
Miranda July has become the unwilling exemplar of an aggravating boho archetype: the dreamy, young hipster whose days are filled with coffee, curios and disposable enchantments. “Yes, in some ways Miranda July is living my dream and life, and yes, maybe I’m a little jealous,” wrote one Brooklyn-based artist on her blog. “I loathe her. It feels personal.” To her detractors (“haters” doesn’t seem like too strong a word) July has come to personify everything infuriating about the Etsy-shopping, Wes Anderson-quoting, McSweeney’s-reading, coastal-living category of upscale urban bohemia that flourished in the aughts. Her very existence is enough to inspire, for example, an I Hate Miranda July blog, which purports to detest her “insufferable precious nonsense.” Or there is the online commenter who roots for July to be exiled to Darfur. Or the blogger who yearns to beat her with a shoe.
…But unlike certain directors who fixate on marginalia, creating art in which the engraving on a character’s belt buckle takes precedence over the story, July’s seemingly superficial gestures service something greater: a pulsing emotional center. It’s odd that she has come to represent, for some, a kind of soulless hipster cool, because in July’s work, nobody is cool. There’s no irony to it, no insider wink. Her characters are ordinary people whose lives don’t normally invite investigation. So her project is the opposite of hipster exclusion: her work is desperate to bring people together, forcing them into a kind of fellow feeling. She’s unrelentingly sincere, and maybe that sincerity makes her difficult to bear. It also might make her culturally essential.
How anyone could hate Miranda July, I have no idea. However, I am an Etsy-shopping, McSweeney’s-reading kind of lady, so I guess I fall into the demographic in question. (Heh.) And call me crazy, but I want to believe in talking cats, pink sunrises and powerful moments in ordinary lives. Because deep down, we’re all living ordinary lives and trying to make the best of it, and I want to believe that there’s more to it than paying bills and making ironic statements out of insecurity and putting up false fronts. If she can show me the magical in my own life (and she has, in her fiction and her films), then I subscribe to the cult. Sign me up!
Please read The New York Times Magazine profile on Miranda. You’ll enjoy it.
Swimsuits, Past and Future
Posted by – July 11, 2011
I used to be a swimmer; I’d spend my summers hanging from the pool’s edge, wolfing Laffy Taffy, rescuing frogs, and slowly frying on a worn Snoopy beach towel on the adjacent, boiling tennis courts. I was ten. Then puberty hit and it all fell apart. Boobs, hips and height washed over me, and my body felt unfamiliar and not my own.
While talking with my friend Jaime, reflecting on New York City beaches, I realized that I haven’t even put on a swimsuit for three years. Three years! And I haven’t even been to any of those beaches! Not the mythical, taco laden Rockaways, the nudist-friendly dunes of Fort Tilden or any of the other sandy entrances to the Atlantic. It’s a shame, really. I miss swimming, and I’ve never even overcome my personal equator (waistline) while standing at the water’s edge.
Reflecting on these historic bathing suits — modeled during the late ’30s in a retrospective of past swimsuits (lots of stockings and pantaloons) and future, imaginary renditions — I’m reminded that I shouldn’t view the beach as a vaguely threatening expanse filled with broken bottles and judgment; I should revel in the fact that I don’t have to wear pantaloons! Or a bikini! And that bathing suits are not, in fact, inherently scary. If anything, they’re playful and fun and maybe even a treat. How often can you feel so unencumbered and float, weightless, in a massive sea?
I’ll take one of the bathing suits with a cape, please. Body confidence: in for 2011.
[Images via New York Public Library Archives]
Nantucket Cottage
Posted by – July 10, 2011
Isn’t this house a dream? The owner, a writing professor in Philadelphia, bought this 19th-century house in Nantucket and furnished it with all-secondhand finds to create what she calls an “instant heirloom house.” Fun fact: the home was once owned by Samuel Robbins, a first mate on a whaling ship who died at sea in the 1820s. I’m a fan of the many nautical, New England paintings and artifacts.
See more photos at The New York Times.
“We both love soup.”
Posted by – July 10, 2011
“We could talk or not talk forever and still find things to not talk about.”
Sometimes it’s nice to enjoy the silence, don’t you think?
Paws
Posted by – July 6, 2011
I can’t think of anything that provides me with more pleasure than the company of animals. These tiny pink pads against glass? Well, I’m kvelling. Find more cuteness in the Dreamcats Flickr pool — my go-to for my “enh!” fix.
Back in NYC
Posted by – July 5, 2011
After a rejuvenating vacation with family in Iowa (and tons of thrifting and Amish adventures — more on that later), I’m back in New York. It’s been pretty slow around here this summer, but I’m hoping to come out swingin’ now that I’ve spent some time away from the Internet. (But not Instragram!) Check out this abandoned, collapsed stone farm house my mom and I found deep in the country. It was so small, and there were some ancient appliances from the ’40s in the back. Poking around on gravel roads is my new favorite pastime.
Ceramics by Juliet Gorman
Posted by – June 27, 2011
I’ve been a fan of Juliet Gorman’s ceramics for quite a while; over a year, in fact. I’ve observed the Internet explode over her work — and rightly so, because it’s so damn beautiful! — and all the while I’ve sat on the sidelines, watching her style develop. You see, Juliet is not only my colleague at Etsy, but she’s also a friend. I absolutely admire her aesthetic, and I made a point to venture out to Renegade Craft Fair to snag a necklace (my new favorite and in constant rotation). At long last, her work is for sale on Etsy. Check out her shop at Digoyo.
Windsor Castle Fantasia
Posted by – June 19, 2011
Prepare yourself for doll house squealing. I’ve just come across the most ornate doll house I’ve ever seen: Queen Mary’s doll house, as the box above so eloquently states. Completed in 1924, it was made to a scale of 1:12, is over three feet tall, and contains models of tons of products made by companies of the time. (Did I mention that Queen Mary was an adult at the time of this doll house’s creation?) Many of the items in the house are 1/12 replicas of items in Windsor Castle, and tons of the little pieces actually work. It was constructed to serve as an historical document as to how how a royal family might live during that period in England. Which is very opulently, if the bathroom is correct (and in the 1920s, no less!). I’d love to see this in person.
[Via]
Victorian Sleep Mask
Posted by – June 13, 2011
I’m trying to keep myself from buying this amazing antique sleep mask from Ethanollie (look at the eyes!), so I thought I’d post it here, in the hopes that someone else would buy it.
And….go!
Teenage: My AOL Youth
Posted by – June 13, 2011
Curious about the origin of all this teen angst? Today I recollect my Internet-addled, kind of terrible youth at Teenage. Amidst asshole boyfriends and foster care girls spitting in my lunch, I found power in the Internet. I still do. Here’s a taste of the essay:
In a dichotomy of blond athletes in Starter jackets (the ultimate status symbol) and farm boys dirt racing in the school parking lot, I was lost: a blank slate. The only thing I really knew for certain was that this “Internet” thing held a lot of power. This was in the early days of chat rooms and IM, and I was soon an addict, abusing our dial-up and lurking to my heart’s content. While held in the (relatively) safe bosom of AOL, there were no preconceived notions about being a brown noser, socially inept, fat, tall, weird or “the new girl.” I was only Zubon13. I could be anyone. I could be anything.
Paul Strand’s “Manhatta”
Posted by – June 12, 2011
As a neophyte New Yorker (five years this August, and many more to come!), my love affair with my city is still going strong. Anything relating to the history and culture of the city is catnip to me — and I’m full of recommendations! If you’re into food, the history of New York restaurant culture — from oysters to steaks to the origin of spaghetti and over-the-top theme restaurants — you’ve got to read Appetite City. Interested in Brooklyn of the early 20th century? A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. E.B. White’s Here is New York is a given. And if you seek a feast for the eyes (and an avant garde approach to cinema), you must take in Manhatta. This short documentary, directed in 1921 by painter Charles Sheeler and photographer Paul Strand, takes a silent, non-narrative approach to city life. (Do yourself a favor and put the video on silent! Techno awaits.)
With the city as subject, the film consists of 65 shots sequenced in a loose non-narrative structure, beginning with a ferry approaching Manhattan and ending with a sunset view from a skyscraper. The primary objective of the film is to explore the relationship between photography and film; camera movement is kept to a minimum, as is incidental motion within each shot. Each frame provides a view of the city that has been carefully arranged into abstract compositions.
The surge of the morning commute looks pretty familiar, except with more hats. It’s good to know that some things never change.
What’s your favorite piece of New York media?
Shoppin’
Posted by – June 12, 2011
[Clockwise from left: Horse Hair Belt; Ulpu Earrings; Antique Wooden Elephant; Vintage Lace Wide-Leg Pants; Vintage Rocking Horse; Vintage Abacus Lamp; Kilim Cube Stool; 1940s Clarion Bakelite Radio; Coney Island Photographs, Circa 1940; Brutalist Wrought Iron Candle Holders]
I’ve been hoarding all kinds of goodies in my Etsy cart. I’m not sure if I’ll ever actually have the guts to wear lace pants, but damn if I don’t think about it often! (And what a nice breeze for summer.) Also, the horse hair belt? Incredible.
Thanks to an in-the-know commenter, I’ve been informed that the elephant above is a classic Schoenhut toy from the 1930s. I’ve since fallen down a Schoenhut hole on eBay — so many incredible designs, and all wooden! In addition to wooden animals (many circus-themed), they also made realistic dolls and miniature musical instruments, like this player piano. Their clown toy is the stuff nightmares are made of! Thanks for the tip, Robin!
Nightwood at Home
Posted by – June 6, 2011
Nightwood makes incredible furniture and home furnishings, so it’s no surprise that Myriah and Nadia’s apartment is a reflection of their aesthetic. I love the sparsity, the linen and burlap, and the dark walls of the kitchen. The bedroom is a dream come true. I aspire to find more mirrors and clear off some mantles.
See more photos and read about their place at New York Magazine.
Insect Ballet
Posted by – June 5, 2011
Igor Siwanowicz’s up-close-and-personal shots of praying mantises (and other bizarre insects) will make me think twice before flicking a stick insect off my shoulder. The battle stances, markings and chameleon effects are so elegant — like a tiny ballet taking place on leaves and branches the world over. See all of the photos at The Telegraph.
Today
Posted by – June 3, 2011
Yesterday was an incredible day. I’m without a worry in the world (for the first time — ever?). There’s only one song that fits these emotions.
Happy weekend, friends.
Glamour Glasses
Posted by – June 2, 2011
What’s that foolish old adage: “Boys don’t make passes at girls that wear glasses”? I don’t think that’s the case, if these stylish ladies are any indication. The hunt for new glasses is most decidedly on!
Summer Camp Memories
Posted by – May 30, 2011
I went to a sleepaway camp or two when I was a kid, mostly through Girl Scouts. However, we never stayed away from home for long — three days at the most. We’d make lanyards, canoe and flip ourselves on a rope swing over a pond. It was always fun, but I can’t help envying those who got the “real camp” experience, going away for weeks or months at a time. (Have I mentioned that I’ve watched Wet Hot American Summer about 100 times? Because I have.)
Scouting NY recently visited Camp Wishe, an abandoned summer camp in upstate New York. Started post-World War II, it was a children’s sleepaway camp until 1995, when it came under new management — and was immediately left to fester in the elements. Though many of the buildings are now in disrepair, I’m endlessly pleased to see that cabin markers and the campers’ cabin graffiti remains. So sweet, so sad! Read more about the history of Camp Wishe on their website, and see what remains of the camp on Scouting NY.
Heath Ceramics
Posted by – May 24, 2011
As a bit of a ceramics freak (seriously, I can’t stop buying it), I recently got into Heath Ceramics. I knew there was a history behind all this vintage pottery I was coming across on Etsy and eBay, but I knew little about the woman behind the company’s legacy: Edith Heath. As an industrial designer and potter, she founded Heath Ceramics in 1948. Its iconic designs, still modern and relevant today, are still produced in Sausalito. It’s one of the few mid-century American potteries still in existence, though now run by new folks. I’ve been pining for both new and old pieces, but finding that rare old vase or set of mugs — it’s a satisfying quest.
According to the SF Gate,
It was at the San Francisco Art Institute where she made her foray into ceramics. Driven to better understand the science of clay and glazes, Mrs. Heath successfully petitioned the UC Berkeley’s extension program to host a yearlong ceramic chemistry course.
When her husband, an engineer and inventor, converted an old treadle-powered sewing machine into a potter’s wheel, and later installed a gas-fired kiln in the basement below their Filbert Street flat, Mrs. Heath was able to practice her newfound craft, developing endless glaze formulations.
Mrs. Heath became a defining influence of 20th American design by creating distinctive ceramic dinnerware and architectural tiles. She is best-known for her pioneering glazes and clay bodies made to her own formulations with an avant-garde, minimalist look.
Edith’s designs immediately captured the attention of Frank Lloyd Wright, who requested Heath dinnerware for some of his projects. (Pretty incredible, as he was so famously particular and ornery. But brilliant. Have I mentioned I’ve been to almost every house he’s built in the Midwest? Anyway.) The positive response led to the founding of the same factory where work is produced today.
And those glazes: talk about beautiful The fading blues, creams and browns… I’ve been building my collection, and I can only hope I recognize Heath when I see it in the future.
Miss Chris
Posted by – May 23, 2011
I’m excited to present my friend Mickey Duzyj’s latest comic. Mickey’s interest in the race track, eccentric figures, and the lives of losers and misfits often crosses over into his work, and “Miss Chris” is no exception. This mystery minicomic tells the story of a chain-smoking, cross-dressing bartender with a dark past who works the bar at the local racetrack. Does a life of decadence conceal a monstrous injury, or can Miss Chris prove that his ugliness is only skin-deep?
And this is just the beginning. This story is the first of a longer series of stories about the racetrack, where more characters who work and hang out there will be revealed. Trolls in place of jockeys? Opium-addicted horses? I can’t wait.
Gauguin Re-envisioned
Posted by – May 22, 2011
I’ve fallen deep into a Gauguin black hole, which led me to this photo recreation of his famous “Spirit of the Dead Watching.” And yep, that’s Naomi Campbell, circa 1992. Beautiful.
[Via]
Bits of My Weekend
Posted by – May 17, 2011
Today I’m pleased as punch to share some moments from my weekend on For Me, For You. It’s full of Cheers reruns, cat ogling and party time. Livin’ the dream!
You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby
Posted by – May 17, 2011
I’m pretty fascinated by Virginia Slims’ advertising campaign of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s: “You’ve come a long way, baby.” I’ve seen enough episodes of Mad Men to realize that any feminist leanings of the ad agencies (or cigarette companies) was probably a farce, but I can get down with their message. Utilizing flappers, suffragettes and independent, Afro-wearing ladies as inspiration is just fine in my book, and if the cigarette in question is “tailored for the feminine hand” — well, yeah, that’s a little weird, but I’ll go with it.
Now the television commercials: that’s another level of amazing. The first is from Japan, the second a relic from 1967. It’s so strange to conceive of a time when cigarette ads were on tv!
Kitten Loves Its Cigarette
Posted by – May 12, 2011
I know I should be disturbed by this, but I just can’t stop laughing.
Furniture Lust
Posted by – May 12, 2011
Vintage twosome Daily Memorandum (“an intellectual’s Americana”) has been hitting it out of the park. The workbench? I’d use it as a desk in my imaginary garage. Or even learn to solder!
Each photo links to the furniture in question.
Textiles
Posted by – May 11, 2011
I never knew that I needed a huge, 1970s wall textile, but Morgan of The Brick House quickly enlightened me with her recent post on the subject. Rope, macrame, yarn: lay it on me. All of this orange and hemp-colored material will definitely not fit in my current apartment, but this just inspires me to go nuts with a cabin or an attic somewhere. I need to live out my textile dreams, I’m pretty certain.
“I don’t know anything. I’m just a big rock in the sky.”
Posted by – May 11, 2011
I worship at the altar of Miranda July, so when I found out she has a new movie, I was all in. Her new film, “The Future,” looks tailor-made to give me butterflies. And I will cry. And a cat with a broken paw?! Fuel to the fire.
Our Apartment
Posted by – May 8, 2011
My place has been getting some press! Check out our apartment tours on Design*Sponge and Re-Nest. Here are some of my favorite out-takes; see the rest on Flickr.
