Fourth of July Week

Heading upstate for the 'Fourth of July' week. My next post will the week of July 6th.
So until then....enjoy yourselves!

Dubai Museum

UN Studio, a Netherlands based firm, has been selected to design a UAE museum in Dubai that will house the region's local art. In addition to Dubai's bragging rights for such things as the world's tallest building and an indoor ski resort, Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum would also like Dubai to be a "cultural hub within a global city".

Hip to be Square

An 84-year-old farmer had the idea of growing square shaped watermelons to help solve the problem of "lack of space" when placing the original round variety in Japanese refrigerators. "A fat, round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator, and the usually round fruit often sits awkwardly on refrigerator shelves."
30 years later, Japanese farmers are still inserting the melons into square, tempered glass cases while the fruit is growing on the vine and are selling this square variety in Japan and now the UK.....will the US have them next?

Just Cute

....Loving the Spring/Summer children's collection from 3.1 Phillip Lim....

Palettable

Fishs Eddy and Pantone have created a color swatch, place setting collection. I can't really see owning an entire place setting but I do like the Spring 08 mugs for the office.....

Tokyo Life

Tokyo Life : Art and Design is an insider's guide to the cultural creativity of a city that it recognized all over the world as being a vital source of inspiration in design and visual arts. The works of influential Japanese painters, architects, fashion designers, filmmakers and photographers are highlighted in the book. To get a copy, check out the MoMA Store.

New Mui Mui Ad

Vanessa Paradis is the new face of Mui Mui. The Ads were shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot and I have to admit the color tones used in the photos look pretty great.....

This weekend

For those of you that will be in NYC this weekend...head to Coney Island on Saturday for the Mermaid Parade and then following is the Mermaid Parade Ball .....or how about heading to Times Square for the Bubble Battle on Sunday....check it out....

And The Winner Is....

Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs


From left, Mary McCormack, Kate Shindle and Laura Linney

Broadway's highest honors, the Tony Awards, took place on June 15th. For a list of winners, check out the website. Above are some Red Carpet highlights.

Craft Fair Finds

Selling cupcakes


Nervous System


Freshie and Zero

It was hot this weekend at the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn but I know I wasn't hallucinating when among the artists selling their wares, there were also people holding up signs and giving out "free advice", "free sunblock", "free poems" and "free compliments".....and in case you were thirsty, Fizzy Lizzy was giving out free samples of their all-natural juice spritzers. Feeling peckish? How about buying a cupcake to support Barrack.
Among the 200 + vendors, the highlights for me were the handcrafted jewelry from Nervous System and Freshie and Zero.

This weekend

For those of you in NYC, the Brooklyn Renegade Craft Fair at McCarren Pool will be held on Saturday and Sunday. 200+ vendors will be hawking their handmade fashion, accessories and housewares.

Recycled Glass Vases

I love these lopsided, recycled glass balloon vases from VivaTerra. They just scream "Summer's here!" to me.

Tory Burch Soho

The new Tory Burch boutique in Soho has a distinct late 60's, early 70's, country club vibe. Known for her hippie chic style, the New York City store does not disappoint.

Round Up

Well, it has been a month and I am back from my trip. Quite a few events took place during my absence....of them, I would like to mention the death of Yves Saint Laurent who exploded onto the fashion scene as Christian Dior's successor in 1958 and retired in 2002. During his career, he was recognized as changing the way modern women dress. His first collection was know as the Trapeze collection and is appropriately influential to women today.



Also, the annual Council of Fashion Designers America Awards was held at the New York Public Library. Fran Lebowitz (left) was the emcee and Diane Van Furstenberg (right) as the CFTDA president, opened the ceremony with a tribute to YSL.



Worth mentioning are the award winners: Francisco Costa (women's design), Tom Ford (men's design), and Tory Burch (accessories).
Swarovski also presented awards to younger designers: Rodarte label designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy for womenswear, Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders for menswear and Phillip Crangi for accessories.
Of all the soundbites from the evening, my favorite has to be the following quote from Fran Lebowitz, "Despite whatever reputation I have, wholly undeserved to the contrary, I would never insult someone right to their face," she said. "I believe in talking behind peoples' backs. That way, they hear it more than once."