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Helena Christensen at Home

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I think that Danish supermodel Helena Christensen is just too cool.  A real gypsy-globetrotter, she has her own super-cool shop, Butik, in NYC, and now a feature in Paris Vogue on her super-cool West Village loft.  Check out the photo spread (I'm in love!) in The Selby.  By the way, if you aren't familiar with The Selby, you really should subscribe by email (a funny quirk there:  if artwork involving an unclad female exists in someone's home, he will photograph it--I've started to think that having said artwork is a prerequisite for inclusion in The Selby!).  Anyway, I'm really glad to see Helena's funky country-brocante world-home style featured.

I Heart the Farm Chicks

I waited a while for this book to come out, then I snapped up a copy in its first week on Amazon.  I've followed the Farm Chicks for several years, especially their features in Country Living magazine.  So I knew that a cookbook by Serena and Teri would be something special, and I certainly wasn't disappointed.  In fact, after having the book just a few weeks, I've already managed to make six of the recipes!  That's right, I haven't just been ogling the photos!  But speaking of photos, here's a handful:





I can personally vouch for this Cherry Crumble Pie (though mine did not look this pretty!), as well as the Pumpkin Waffles, Roasted Chicken and Pesto Hoagies, a slightly altered Pesto Pasta Salad, Dark Chocolate Butter Cake, and--okay, maybe I've made five of the recipes, not six.  Well, I'm trying the Cherry Breakfast Swirl next weekend for sure...

I should probably mention that this is more than a cookbook, with recipes for breakfast, appetizers, lunch, and dessert (my only question: doesn't dinner feel left out?).  It's really a lifestyle book, with Serena and Teri's own "stories," decorating/craft ideas, and even a free apron stencil and free-subscription card to Country Living!  Gosh, you can hardly afford not to buy this book!

Now, in addition to buying the book, head over to their adorable blog.  I must try the breakfast scones soon, very soon!

A Break and Some Bookshelves

Sorry I've been away.  I took a bit of an unscheduled blog-break just before and during our Spring Break.  I had a darned good reason, I think--not travel, which is my usual excuse--rather, the Fam has been feverishly celebrating, planning, and researching our upcoming move in August to the countryside of far-western Germany!  We got the word just over a week ago and are quite excited, though we will miss Japan terribly.

Of course, I'm already thinking about our future home.  Wouldn't I love to have some wonderful bookshelves like any of these?  Oh, yes--I would!

RIP Domino mag...

Cozy Asian Boho Bright

A good description for this, yes?

It's from someone's Domino My Deco File, but I'm unfortunately unsure of the original source.  I do love it, and it's nice to see on a day when I'm looking for something to pull my out of my inspiration-less funk...

Cath maniacs unite!

Sure, there are plenty of people in the U.K. who love their homegirl Cath Kidston, but were you aware that there are a great many Japanese "Cath maniacs"?  Me neither!  But there are, as evidenced by the recent appearance of this great little mook that I couldn't help buying the other day.  Hey, it came with a free bag, and I do love free!

I was drawn in by lovely photos of Cath's home...




...and photos of her myriad products for sale--a handful of them here:

It's a great mook.  Hooray for Cath maniacs!  And go here for more Cath.

Birthday Present

My lovely lamp was found in a shop on Hollywood Road during our recent trip to Hong Kong.  It's made from an antique Chinese ceramic pillow (yes, pillow!), Thai silk shade, and Korean (or Chinese?) silk butterfly tassel.  This shop has gorgeous, earthy antiques and plenty of wonderful lamps similar to this one (believe me, it was hard to choose just one!).  We found an inexpensive shipping method available to us--I'm so happy the lamp and some other purchases arrived in Japan intact!

Incidentally, when we travel, I adhere to a wonderful philosophy Jane Brocket calls "travelling with a template."  This means travelling with a certain agenda in mind--one that provides a great opportunity for keeping an eye out for interesting things for one's home--cake tins, art books, buttons, tablecloths, clothespins, and yes--lamps--the choices are pretty much endless!  I love how Jane talks about travel as an extension of domesticity (page 256 in the British edition of The Gentle Art of Domesticity).  If you don't have this book, I'm afraid I have to insist that it's a must!

Bathroom Boho

I am so terribly fond of this bathroom in the October 2008 issue of Domino.  It's such an interesting mix of colors, pattern, and texture.  Of course, I can't help liking the Asian art (Chinese, I'm guessing) propped against the wall. 

Here's the actual magazine page on which the bathroom was shown, along with some great toiletries that are every bit as cool as the bathroom itself.  Papier d'Armenie air-purifying papers and Patyka organic body oil?  Yes, please!

Speaking of Domino--if you, say, went to their site some months ago and set up a "My Deco File," then pretty much forgot about it, only to find out that the magazine is now closing up shop and probably taking "My Deco" with it, you might want to hurry over there like I did, and capture some images ASAP!  So says SF Girl By Bay, in her fabulous blog about bohemian modern style.  Do hurry!

Boho Magazine

With all the magazines that have been folding lately (sniff--goodbye, Home Companion and Domino!), I'm happy to find something new that's relevant and worthwhile and that fits in with my own aesthetic quite nicely.  Hello, Boho!

I'm loving the emphasis on sustainable style in fashion, personal care items, and housewares...

especially since all of it is just plain cool!

Head over and get your own subscription right away (and know that it doesn't matter whether you're 24 or 42--you'll find things here to love and to be proud of supporting!).