Jun Mitani

Super beautiful origami by computer science professor, Jun Mitani.  

 

 

The Common Pursuit

If I had been more focused as a young person--or become more focused by say, age 20, I would either have become either an industrial designer or a travel writer.  As it stands, I can tell you a lot about Art History, well at least I used to be able to;  that was my chosen path because it was simply something I was good at (remembering dates and names) and I could imagine myself as a gallery girl living in NYC and wearing stiletto heels-it seemed rather glamorous.

While I am probably never going to become an industrial designer, I still have both time and yearning to become a travel writer.  I read travel magazines (Afar being the best) and travel blogs all in the name of "research"--one must know what makes a successful travel article, right?  So this is one of the websites I read to keep that dream alive; The Common Pursuit handpicks some of the cooler places around the globe to rest one's weary feel while visiting exotic lands.

San Giorgio. Mykonos, Greece.

Charleston, South Carolina

My older brother is getting married in Charleston, South Carolina this weekend.  After much procrastination, Conner and I finally got our highly expensive plane tickets to attend (waiting till the last minute is a vicious, vicious malady we both suffer from at times).  The funny thing is that my brother is Jewish (step-brother) and his wife-to-be's family is from the Middle East.  Now the clincher is that her family doesn't know that my brother is Jewish and they are not to know until many years in the future.  The thing is that my step-father's side of the family look super Jewish!  There's no way around it.  And I just think this is a perfect recipe for disaster.

Despite that soap opera looming on the horizon, I'm looking forward to going back to the East Coast for a minute and hanging out by the ocean; it's been far too long since I've been.  I found this nifty New York Times article, 36 Hours in Charleston, to help us catch all the best of Charleston in between wedding festivities.

1) The Charleston Grill- a place to go have a quite martini and listen to some southern Jazz while we have some down time between the ceremony and reception.

2) Visit Magar Hatworks- mainly for eye candy since Austin is too hot to actually purchase a hat to wear here.  I mean, doesn't that picture above make it look dreamy?  I've got to go.

 3) Stop by Wildflour Pastry- because apparently Sundays are designated Sticky Bun Sundays and I plan to you know, ...when in Rome...

Face Jewelry: 60 Minute Special on Luxottica

This is a well known fact in the optical world...

Stained Ceramics: Bethan Laura Wood

With the cup moving from the table to the shelf, the focus of ceramic production has shifted from utilitarian to decorative. The art market’s continual search for perfection has stripped bowls, cups, and plates of their personal history. 

...

 British artist Bethan Laura Wood has designed her bone china cup series titled Stain to improve through use. Each cup is treated so that areas are susceptible to stain in a predetermined pattern. Through use, the pattern is revealed and the user’s individual drinking habits are built up over time.

~ excerpted from Perfection, Repair, and Use by Megan Fizell 

Made By Hand: Cut Brooklyn

I love some of the things that Joel Bukiewicz, a knife maker of Cut Brooklyn, says about the handmade; that entering a career as an artisan is not all magical and one of the most rewarding aspects is that of the handmade community; that our generation is more willing to invest more in things that have more meaning and will last longer (heirloom objects if you will); and that it took him a solid and dedicated year and half to come up with a viable product--it didn't just happen over night.

Iznik Tile Foundation

The Iznik Tile Foundation was begun with the goal of making Turkish tiles using methods that were implemented over 1000 years ago.  Super pretty.

 photo via The Spectacle Showcase

Rolf Eyewear

A unique eyewear family-run company situated in western Austria, Rolf Glasses, specializes in wooden frames that have specially designed screwless hinges.  Only natural materials and no metal for this crew.

 

 The folks at Rolf have recently created a new material for eyewear that combines rock and wood to make a killer--yet lightweight--frame, it's the Woodstone Collection.  Awesome.

Eating Austin: Chen Z

Conner and I have been making a point to try new restaurants around Austin since we have a tendency to go back to the same places over and over (Justine's, Maru Sushi, Alamo Drafthouse).  We read a review of a new noodle bar called Chen Z in the Chronicle.  Sooooo good.  It's been a couple weeks since we ate there and I can't recall exactly what we ordered but this shrimp, chicken, pork stir fry was awesome!  And the pork dumplings are phenomenal.  If you're ever in Austin for longer than a SXSW weekend, then make the trip up to Anderson Lane, it's worth it.

 

Mr Porter: Style For Men

I think there might be a new online store that is for stylish men what Anthropologie is for us ladies, Mr Porter.  They have an amazing selection of distinguished clothing and accessories, along with super short videos of people actually moving around in the clothes.  There's nothing like getting clothes in the mail and once you put them on they cling in unflattering ways when you move.  I love this idea of clothing videos.  Mr Porter also features small collections for What To Wear at say, a Creative Meeting or Beach Vacation.  I'm also a fan of their Journal which gives me insight into how to style my man.  Brilliant!

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

There's just no way that you couldn't love these little birds of paradise.  So cool.

From one of my new favorite blogs, Visual News.

The Art Of Making: Alma Flamenca

The Art of Making, Alma Flamenca from Deep Green Sea on Vimeo.
I found this amazing video about making Flamenca guitars. Beautifully shot.

Drift Eyewear

I went to the Vision Expo West in Last Vegas several weeks ago and I'm just now going back through all the cards, notes, and catalogs I picked up while I was there.  One of the cool new lines I found was Drift Eyewear, handmade wooden eyeglasses made in Chicago.  Here are a couple photos from Vision Expo East in New York.

M: Rendez Vous

Summer Cocktails: Amaretto Sour

Using some of the Amaretto left over from the Midnight Pupp from last week, I ventured to make the Amaretto Sour based off of a recipe from Jeffrey Morgenthaler.  This is my version...

 

photo via Cocktails Wiki

  Amaretto Sour

1.5 oz of Amaretto

.75 oz of Bourbon

2 oz Sweet & Sour mix (I like Uncle Dick's Top Dog)

Pour over ice and garnish with a lime wedge and a fresh cherry.  That's it!

Flower Photographs: Andrea Gentl

Super pretty photographs from the Anthology Magazine blog by Andrea Gentl.

Natalie Portman: A Girl's Girl

I have to confess that I really don't get the Natalie Portman allure.  My boyfriend likes her, and I admire his taste in non-conventional and smart-as-a-tack beauties, but for myself, I've never really been into Ms. Portman.  I had a couple lady-friends over for martinis the other day and for one reason or another Ms. Portman came up.  The two of them are totally into her and had to show me a video that despite myself, would endear her to me.  So I have to share it with you guys here.  And yeah, she's super smart (graduating from Harvard in psychology), she works really hard, and she's pretty funny...

Choosing A Color Palette

I'm trying to figure out my color palette for Finn Handmade and these are some pictures I found recently that I absolutely adore the overall vibe-from colors to a sense of nostalgia.  Through DeGraeve's Color Palette Generator I've found some potential ideas.

How To Throw A Dinner Party

We've officially warmed up the house; she's been broken in, in a grand fashion.  The idea was that we would throw one big party to begin with and invite absolutely everyone we know.  After that we could throw small dinner parties-where people can talk on a more intimate level, host house concerts, or hold how-to sessions-on terrarium construction or wood workshops.  Now at least all the people we know have at least seen each other, if not actually spoken yet; the familiarity has begun.

I've got a plans for a Dinner & A Song event coming up; 12 guests will dine on a lovely dinner and then enjoy a small concert that lasts 30 minutes or more, depending on how people feel.  I want to have the dinner party be a time for networking as well and since I've never thrown a dinner party where not everyone was previously friendly, I've been doing some research on how to make things run smoothly.  Here is some of the good advice I've come across so far:

On Seating Arrangements: 

It is usually a mistake to invite great talkers together. Brilliant men and women who love to talk want hearers, not rivals. Very silent people should be sandwiched between good talkers, or at least voluble talkers. Silly people should never be put anywhere near learned ones, nor the dull near the clever, unless the dull one is a young and pretty woman with a talent for listening, and the clever, a man with an admiration for beauty, and a love for talking. 

Most people think two brilliant people should be put together. Often they should, but with discretion. If both are voluble or nervous or “temperamental,” you may create a situation like putting two operatic sopranos in the same part and expecting them to sing together. 

~ Emily Post 

Arranging your seating is just one way to do this, but it's one thing I like to pay close attention to. I try, for instance, to always seat myself across from or next to the person I think will be quietest or most left out so I can pay attention and draw her out. People who I know will have no problem carrying a conversation are usually seated a little further down the table, and so on.

~the Kitchn

On Selecting The Menu:

Having people over to dinner is a normal part of life. I've been trying to just say, in my books, the key really is simplicity. Everyone always tries to do too much. You have to design a simple meal you're capable of making, and that's doable. And not try to do something that's impossible to do.

~Chez Panisse Chef David Tanis

On Guest Lists:

The best dinner parties are the ones where 60 to 70 percent of the guests are established friends, and the rest are new blood. 

~Ted Allen

Upon Guest Arrival:

Have drinks and snacks ready when guests arrive. This one is key. As long as everyone has something to sip, and something to nibble on, they are fine hanging out in the living room while I put the finishing touches on the meal. Lucky for me, we have an open kitchen that faces the living room, so I can still be part of the party while I'm cooking. And your hors d'oeuvres don't need to be elaborate -- I usually put out some good olives, a couple of cheeses, and crackers. Or a good homemade dip (like white bean hummus) and flatbread. Keep it simple!

~Anna Watson Carl