Take a Nap on the Moon...

Korean designer Lily Suh @ Zoono of I3lab (link jammed at the moment) created the 'full moon odyseey' floor mattress. Now wouldn't that be such a great place to take a nap!



(via designboom)

Babylonstoren

For the past several weeks when my mind escapes to wanderlust mode, it envisions traveling to this jaw-dropping beautiful historic Dutch farm/hotel called Babylonstoren near Cape Town. I love the idea of going to stay on a beautiful farm with a restaurant serving up the bounteous harvest. Definitely added to my travel wish list. Dreamy isn't it?!

All photos: Babylonstoren (spotted on Full House)

Quasi Cinema

Using sewed personal photographs on fabric and wood Lucas Simões out of São Paulo created an awesome quasi-cinema installation. The composition of his photos recreates a sense of motion and simple but powerful cinematic-like art. How cool is this? Read more about it here.



(via Colossal)

Music Monday : The Cinematic Orchestra

Over the weekend I watched Ingredients, an interesting film about the local food movement. The film gave me a different perspective while at the Farmer's Market when splurging on a variety of yummy heirloom vegetables. It made me respectfully happy to give money directly to those hard-working famers. In the film, I was also struck this particular song, it gave me goosebumps, it is called, "To Build a Home" by The Cinematic Orchestra. It is a great one, hauntingly beautiful great.

Find this tune here on Amazon or itunes*.

Have a fantastic weekend!

I hope you will have a wonderful weekend! Here are a few things to leave you with...

1 - Erin shared a peek at photographer Annie McElwain's home. That photo board is awesome!

2 - Missoni + Target coming soon, (September 13th) should be interesting...

3 - Last night for dinner I made Kelsey's yummy pasta recipe and it was delicious! Taking time to meal plan really does paid off! I tried lots of new winning recipes this week (including this one) perhaps I will share a favorite foods post next week.

Happy Moments...

I came into a room of giggling girls and new hairdos from 'Fred the hairnight dresser' the other morning. I loved that our four-year-old climbed into our eleven-month-old's crib to do as she states, "make her happy" which involved tickling, singing, and peek-a-boo.

Fall Fashion : Club Monaco

The elegant clean lined looks from Club Monaco Fall look book have me swooning. Wow, they have a gorgeous lineup, inspiring.

5 good songs to work out to

Since we are briefly on the subject of workout gear from the last post, what about some workout music? Here are five songs I recently added into my mix of workout jams. What are you listening to? Upbeat power songs sure do wonders in motivating me and getting my heart moving and of course cool down jams are a must too -- (like Islands above). Shout 'em out, what are your favorite power or cool down songs to work out to?

Speaking Digitally : Workout Gear

When it comes to workout gear there are tons of fantastic gadget options out there, it seems like the market is exploding with sweet stuff to enhance your exercise regime.  Let's talk about the cool ones that have recently come out or are coming soon. Here are a few that stand out and are on my upgrade list. Add to the list in the comments if something works well for you too.



1: SportShell Convertible iPhone Case: I have been searching for a better clip system for my iPhone to workout with and this little multi-functional clip system looks like one of the best I've seen around. Clip it on to the strap and bam, off you go!



2: Polar WearLink Transmitter + Nike+:  If you want to see what is going down with your heart and how hard you are working out, I've heard this one works really well (you can wash the band too - not plastic) and it also syncs with the Nike watch and iPod & iPhone gear.



3: Nike+ SportWatch GPS: My brother-in-law has this watch and I've played around with it a bit, it is cool looking and rocks. It tracks your runs with ease giving you lots of information about your distance, pace, elevation, calories, heart rate etc... I hope they come out with a little more feminine sized watch in the future because it is a tad bulky for my wrist, but still super cool.



4: Go Smart: These pedometers are great. You will often find my husband Mac and I wearing a pedometer striving to hit 10,000 steps a day - some days it is a fail, but it is motivating to see the number each evening. We've had many models over the years but have continually liked the Omron brand. I'm sure if you are in a big city getting 10,000 isn't a problem.



5: BodyMedia Armband BW: BodyMedia recently came out with a new armband that syncs directly to your phone and computer. It tracks your calories for the day, your sleep duration and efficiency and more. I have tried their previous model and it was enlightening to see the stats of my day.



6: Jawbone UP : I am curious and anxiously awaiting to learn more about UP which is due to come out later this year. It is a revolutionary new system that tracks your movement and looks pretty slick.



7: Jay Bird Wireless Earbuds : These wireless headphones are remarkable, I tried them on and was surprised at the sound quality and how I would never have to worry about twisted cords or having them fall out of my ears.

David Poppie: Ebb & Flow

Artist David Poppie has an upcoming show in New York City this fall called Ebb & Flow that showcases his stunning work made out of colored pencils. The intricate pops of color are amazing. It will be at the Pavel Zoubok Gallery, September 8th - October 8th. 

Sponsor Highlight : Public Bikes

Public Bikes are incredibly cool. Not only are they beautifully designed but these European-inspired bikes also come 99% assembled to your door ready to ride! What I also think is really great is that they have some awesome accessories to snazzy up your wheels in style. I give Public Bikes major props for really thinking things through with a design-based vision. It makes me smile... real big. Way to go Public and welcome as a sponsor.

 *If you are interested in advertising on Black Eiffel - email blackeiffel@gmail.com for rates.

Sleek Space

The clean sleek lines and big open light of this renovated duplex apartment in the East Village is a modern well-designed beauty. A couple of my favorite features include the shallow reflecting pool dual purposed to
capture water droplets from the garden wall, and to hold a
variety of colorful goldfish!  I also love the Mondrian reference they refer to with the wall-panels which have hidden awesome pops of color. This residence is designed by Pulltab Design who does brilliant work.

Photos : Elizabeth Felicella // via you are the river

The New Gypsies by Iain McKell

The New Gypsies series of photographs by London based photographer Iain McKell are hauntingly fascinating. Iain spent the last ten years photographing various travelers from all walks of life who choose to seek out alternatives to western capitalist society by living simple and close to nature. The work is quite extraordinary. He will be showing in the Clic Gallery in NYC from August 29 - October 2 and also has a book out.



photos by Iain McKell

Have a fun weekend!

It has been a tricky week, whew, you know the kind right? I am glad it is Friday! Here are a few of my favorite things I saw this week that brought a smile to my face...



My sister shared with me these fantastic video clips of 3 guys traveling the world and compiling all of their footage. Talk about increasing my wanderlust! This above one is Move, but you can watch  Learn and Eat too - they are all good. They are directed by Rick Mereki commissioned by STA Travel Australia.

Suitcase eyes from Muji, awesome! Available from select Muji stores. (via swissmiss)

These recipes look so good! 

Salmon with peach salsa from Caroline.

S'mores with a French Twist from Stephanie.

Tortellini with Lemon & Dill from Kelsey

Have a great one!

Also.. thanks to Blogger for making me a blog of note, and Say 100 and Dana Wood for the kind mention! I am honored.

Rad Cookies by Manjar

These quirky cool designed cookies by Manjar are some of the best I've seen in a long time. They made me look twice. Those cute cameras!

Photos from Manjar // via A Merry Mishap

Elegant Macarons : Theurel & Thomas

The design concept for Theurel & Thomas pâtisserie in San Pedro Mexico made me gasp. Anagrama did an amazing job designing the branding to exclusively highlight the macarons in a beautiful way, and to top it off they continued it into the retail space. Gorgeous!

All photos from Anagrama

Speaking Digitally : Personal Finance + YNAB

Personal finances used to consume massive amounts of my time and I often found myself frustrated. I tried many methods when it came to tracking our finances including: various financial software, customized Excel spreadsheets, pen and paper etc... and I was never completely satisfied with a solution. I continually looked for other ways of doing things by asking friends what they did, and researching alternatives.

During New Year's Resolution time (isn't that when you always want to get things in order?) my interest was piqued when I started to read stellar reviews for software called YNAB which is an abbreviation for "You Need A Budget" and I was curious to see what it was all about. I decided to download a free trial copy and voila! After learning the ropes, and methodology, I finally found our personal digital finance guru aka 'assistance in being more disciplined at budgeting'.

I have been using the 'YNAB' method since January and it has made a huge difference. Their emphasis is to assign every single dollar a 'job' so you know exactly where it is going. Some of you are probably down right pros at keeping meticulous financial records and a nice looking budget, but if you need some help give YNAB a whirl (you can even test it out for free it is compatible with everything). It has done great things for our financial outlook and peace of mind.

Photos : Money Origami Shirt photo  // Piggy Banks : 1 2 3 4

(Head's up : I obtained a review copy of YNAB back in January with no strings attached, I would purchase it in a heartbeat.)

Dancer vs. Ballerina

Often inspired by dance, this fantastic JUST DO IT Russian ad from a few years back merges two of my favorite forms. Does it make you want to jump up out of your seat and bust a move or at least take a ballet class?

Want to see more dance? Check out this post.

photos : 1 Equador , 2 Weiferd Watts

Wandering About : Barcelona

Another new series I'm starting is called 'Wandering About' where I will explore dreamy places around the world through the senses. First up is Barcelona, Spain.



Tasting : Cuines Santa-Caterina
Smelling : Fresh Spices in La Boqueira  and Mercat de Santa Caterina
Seeing : Casa Batlló
Listening : Jarabe de Palo - Bonito

Feeling : The wind on a chartered sailboat ride

Staying : Market Hotel


What are you favorite spots to share if you had one day to spend in Barcelona, what shouldn't be missed?


Photo Credits :  1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Haka Building - Thinking Outside the Box

The creativity that Doepel Strijkers Architects invested to create this recycled office space in the Netherlands is visionary and ingenious. Not only were they ambitious in reusing found materials but they also introduced a social component of hiring ex-convicts to make the objects. What an empowering model that designers can look to as stepping outside of the box in a unique and empowering way. Read and see more here.

What do you think?

photography by Ralph Kämena - from Doepel Strijkers // via Atelier A+D

Solar Power Pops

This is awesome! The super talented Kelli Anderson designed the infographics for a bright orange popsicle solar powered truck distributing free popsicles in New York City. The job lead by Jason Anello cleverly educates and advertises about solar power for the company Sungevity. Rad.

(Spotted on Kelli Anderson's blog.)

Music Monday : Bombay Bicycle Club

The young British band Bombay Bicycle Club has been on my radar for a while, I love their sound and am happy to see their new single out called 'Shuffle'. It will be on their upcoming album "A Different Kind of Fix" which drops August 29th (at least in the UK). A great upbeat song for the winding down of summer! If you are in UK you can download the track on itunes now.

Watch it on Youtube or give it a listen on Soundcloud.

Photo from Bombay Bicycle Club's facebook.

Ahoy! Attack of the Icebergs

Crikey! Did you see this? From what I understand, a mondo iceberg four times the size of Manhattan broke into pieces off the coast of Greenland last year, and now nearly a year later they are seeing it appear off the 'iceberg alley' shores of Newfoundland! 

The top photo is a slice of ice that hit Newfoundland's Goose Cove temporarily blocking the harbor until it broke and melted a bit. 

That largest iceberg piece? They call it 'Petermann's Ice Island' which NASA has been watching and it has yet to hit the shores. Pretty surreal, huh?! I am continually fascinated by the mighty nature and beauty of icebergs! (See previous post) You can see a video clip for the magnitude of Petermann's Ice Island here.

(via @sophistimom twitter - sophistimom)

top photo - Gene Patey // bottom photo - Jeff Schmaltz for NASA

Have a gorgeous weekend!

Here are some brilliant things that made me smile this week.

1 : Perfect idea for a beach tent from Australian shop Hollie and Harrie via Lovely Morning.
2 : Gorgeous photo and message from Bonnie // photo from J. Crew catalog, May 2010
3 : Furoshiki Wrapping Cloth via Frolic

Have a most lovely weekend!

Mother of Beauty : Eva from Sycamore Street Press

Several months ago around Mother's Day I asked a few of my favorite creative online mothers to answer a few questions about motherhood. I am excited to share what Eva from Sycamore Street Press had to say! Her and her husband Kirk are super creative, talented and run the letterpress shop Sycamore Street Press in the beautiful mountainous valley in Heber City. They had a sweet baby girl, Ingrid back in November, recently launched their new letterpress collection, and are teaching letterpress classes with slots now open in September now too! I think Eva is such a cool and lovely person and I really enjoy what she had to share, hope you do as well...




1. What is your favorite part of being a new mom? Is it different than you thought?

My life feels complete. When Ingrid came along, something just clicked. I love the small moments. Like when she finishes nursing and looks up at me and starts to coo. Or when I go to get her up from a nap and am greeted by the biggest crinkly nose grin ever. I could just melt. I suspected it would be like this, but I still couldn't have imagined how much joy one tiny human could give me!

2. What is your daily schedule like now and how does blogging fit into that?

The first few months were like a marathon with unexpected twists and turns and an always receding finish line. But once she hit about 4 months, things calmed down and we were able to get on more of a schedule. It's been so nice! Ingrid wakes Kirk and I up every morning around 6:30 or so. I nurse her and we both play with her in bed for a little bit before we start the day. During her morning and afternoon naps, I try and get as much work done as possible. But often it feels like I am just getting started when she wakes up! While she's awake we play, read books, do housework, etc... And I take her and the dog on a walk down our country road, weather permitting. She goes to bed early -- about 5:30. When she does, I really get down to work. Lately, we've been really busy preparing for the launch of our 2011 collection, so I'll often be up until 11 or 12 editing images, writing descriptions, blogging, returning emails, etc... But of course, it can vary a lot from day to day! And I actually wrote an in depth "day in the life" post on my blog.

3. How do you find or seek after balance with being a mom and running Sycamore Street Press?

It's tough. I can have a hard time focusing on the task at hand. When I'm caring for Ingrid, I'll sometimes try to answer a few emails (much to her consternation). But in the evening when I'm at the computer working, I'll end up opening iPhoto so I can look at all the pictures of her!

Overall, though, Ingrid has really helped me live a more balanced life. Before I had her, I was such a workaholic. These days I take more time to spend with family, friends, and in nature. Sure, I don't get as much work done for Sycamore Street Press as when I spent 12-18 hour days at the studio. But I'm starting to realize that in the grand scheme of life, it's a good thing!

Another big step for me in finding balance is to get help. Since SSP began, I've teamed up with my friends Amy Shaffer, Kristin Mills, and Stephanie Ford to create the designs for our letterpress goods. Then, a couple of years ago, Kirk joined me full time in printing and running the business. It's made all the difference. This summer, we're looking to bring on a couple of interns as well. As for the domestic side of things, once or twice a week one of Ingrid's grandmothers will come and watch her. And I've started having someone come in and clean our place for a couple of hours each week. I'm not gonna pretend that I do it all on my own. I feel so grateful for the help I have!

 p.s. Have you seen this toast that Amy Poehler gave recently about how she's able to "do it all"?
 

4. What qualities in your own mother and/or women around you do you admire most?

Love. First and foremost. The way they'll do whatever it takes to help their children and family. My mom has always been that way. Also -- even with 4 kids at home, she was still able to find some time for creative projects. Painting, knitting, gardening, cooking, decorating... I grew up seeing my mom do these things, and it definitely influenced who I am and what I do today.

5. What is really inspiring you at the moment?

The resilience of the Japanese people. Instagram. Ingrid... and her mostly thrifted, gifted, or handed down wardrobe. Lykke Li. Our morning walks through the juniper tree forest. Spring, and all it's beautiful blossoms. Secrets from a Stylist. The fuss and flurry of launching a new collection. Pippi Longstocking. Miss Moss...

Thanks so much Eva!