Five Things

Inspired by Meredith's post over on It's Like This, I thought I'd share five tidbits about myself that you may not know.

1. I am rather skilled at cracking eggs.  It's one of my hidden talents.  Nary a speck of shell escapes my watchful eyes or nimble fingers.  Egg whites only?  No problem.  Bring it.

2. If I find a song to be funny, then it gets added to this internal list of go-to, pick-me-up tunes.  In fact, it's my main criterion for non-ballad songs.  Favorites include "Potential New Boyfriend" by Dolly Parton, "Private Dancer" by Tina Turner, and "Stay With Me" by Rod Stewart.  Oh, and "Barracuda" by Heart.  The more dramatic, the better.

3. I hate Lucite furniture.  Hate.  I get it.  It's "modern" (sarcastic quotes) and doesn't take up visual space.  But it seems like such a dust and fingerprint magnet.  People tend to throw a damn Phillipe Starck Ghost Chair in a room and call it done.  My initial reaction is always this thought: Oh.  How clever!  I can't help it.  Then I think: You just spent $300 on a piece of molded plastic that's ugly as homemade sin.  Congrats!

4. I have a twin brother.  And in the ways that we're different, we're so different.  But I'm coming to realize that the older we get, the more we have in common.  Friends who have known us for many years now swear up and down that we have the same sense of humor.  That's hard for me to see, but sometimes it takes a third party to point out these things.

5. It's a rare day that I don't quote Home Alone, Clueless, or something from The Golden Girls.  Rare.  Like I often follow a food order with I'm not drivin', a la Kevin McCallister.   These are fine examples of entertainment media that I can count on to make me laugh, regardless how many times I've seen them or how accurately I can quote them.

Mini Field Trip: Shop(pe)s on Fatherland

On a tip from my Twitter friend/fellow Music City enthusiast (see his blog called Experience Nashville) a few pre-Christmas weeks ago, I headed back over to East Nashville to visit the Shoppes on Fatherland (Street).  These shops (I kind of hate that Old English spelling) are small buildings, all in a row, in a very unassuming part of town.  They sort of come up out of nowhere.

The first stop was a bath and body place called Pretty Pretty Pop Pop, which specializes in eco- and animal-friendly products.  

The store has a very clean but lived-in aesthetic.  If that makes any sense.

Here are some of their house-brand candles (by zodiac).

Lip balms, anyone?  I had to refrain from buying anything.  My pal Kate did not.

The next stop was Moxie, which showcases a mix of new and vintage items for the home and for giving.  They had some great toys, candles, and furniture.  If only I'd had the space to house the awesome mid-century couch and chair set that they had.  *sigh*

We also popped into High Garden Tea.  As you can tell from the picture, they're serious about their tea here.  It was meticulously decanted and stored alphabetically.  

Now, I'll admit that I was not completely bowled over by the whole experience.  Some of the shops seemed a little out of place.  It would be akin to sneaking a Hershey bar into a box of Godivas.  (There was a lack of consistency and quality is what I'm trying to convey.)

Overall, though, the stores that got it right more than made up for the others.  I'll definitely be going back...after my no-spend first quarter.  It's that time again.

Warby Parker Class Trip: Nashville

I'm so far behind on this post that it's not even funny at this point.  But alas--it must be shared.

A few months ago: Imagine my autumnal surprise to learn that Warby Parker, my beloved buy-one-donate-one purveyor of reasonably priced specs, was doing a "class" trip around the country.  And Nashville was one of the destinations.  (In case you haven't heard, we're the newest IT city.  Not like internal technology.  Like the shiz.)

They converted a schoolbus into a rolling optical library and took it on the road.  Locally they stopped at super-buzzworthy custom denim store Imogene + Willie.  See how they turned the front part of the bus into a chalkboard?  Maybe a bit overdone in interior design by now but super cool on a dang schoolbus.

See how they had all the specs lined up, just ripe for the pluckin'?  It was like heaven.  

They even had library cards to keep up with the frames you like the most.  Then there was a photo booth right outside the bus.  My coworker/friend Candice had gone with me, and we definitely cheesed for the camera.

 While I was right there, I decided to go into Imogene's, which now has a permanent Warby Parker try-on boutique.

 Right?!

The main part of the store has excellent style.  They have rolls of denim up near the ceiling, next to dozens of custom paper patterns.  (They make jeans to order.)  It's a bit pricey for me but a fun store nonetheless.

As if I could not have been more in love with WP at that point, I came home a couple of weeks later to find the following on my doorstep.

And inside....

What in the world could be better than a specs-y Santa sugar cookie?  I pretty much lost my mind at that point.

Gift Guide 2012: Paper Edition

Oh, you know I love this one.  Paper is my favorite thing in life, and with this gift guide I always try to think beyond "just" notecards.

A Linda & Harriett calendar.  I literally start every year with one of these.  A larger size than before and letterpressed to the hilt, this is paper at its nicest.  With designs that double as postcards.  $34

A reproduction photo of DuPont Circle from Blue Monocle.  This company makes reproduction photos and maps of places all over.  Choose a special place in the recipient's life.  from $25

An acorn notepad from 1canoe2.  This is just fun.  I love the deep green background on the cover.  You get 75 sheets and a whole lot of charm.  $13

An adventure print from Scout's Honor Co.  I love the typography and simplicity happening here.  This 5x7 size has such a nice price that you can splurge on a frame.  $12

Pony Express postcards from Rifle Paper Co.  It's really hard to go wrong with Rifle.  This is a set of 10 cards, and postage on these is cheaper than on normal cards.  It's a Christmas miracle.  $10

Striped letterpress notecards from Heartfish Press.  Stripes and letterpress?  Sold.  This is a set of six.  $16

Gift Guide 2012: House and Home Edition

For house and home, I like simple, useful items that don't cost a ton of funds.  This year I'm going fairly practical yet stylish, which may not come as a surprise to my regular readers.  :)

A Lotta Jansdotter square bowl by way of Fishs Eddy.  Oh, yes.  At first glance, this may seem to be a mere bowl for snacks, but think of the possibilities as a jewelry holder, coin collector, or paper clip cozy.  $16.95

A cheese tool set from Crate and Barrel.  Right now this acacia-wood-handled trio ships free.  Isn't it handsome?  For a cheese tool set.  $19.95

A nylon watch strap from The Knottery.  Did you think that this came from another retailer?  Like one that induces mass-hysteria in bloggers around the globe?  Well, this piece is half of what they charge.  $10

A set of six white restaurantware plates from tribute212.  You really can't go wrong with a classic.  These are the oxford shirts of tabletop dressing.  They go with anything and last forever.  $26

A bento box set from West Elm.  Let's brown bag it in 2013, shall we?  This makes the job much more stylish and green, with a watertight seal, reusable fork, and a sauce container.  Free shipping right now.  $22

A package opener from The Container Store.  I bought one of these about a year ago, and it has paid for itself many times over in saved frustrations.  Perfect for slicing into packages of all ilk.  $4.99

Gift Guide 2012: Etsy Edition

Who doesn't love a gift guide?  From the onslaught of magazine lineups to the buffet-like selection shown on blogs, they typically give great ideas and inspire my inner St. Nick.  As I did last year, I'm going to break up my gift guides into three categories over the next few days.  And again, my attempt is to offer a variety of options for a range of recipients, all at a reasonable price.

First up is Etsy.  It's easy and secure to shop, and you're bound to find limitless possibilities.  These are mine for this season.

A geometric necklace from SD Marie Jewelry.  It's made of brass and oxidized silver, and it's a subtle nod to the chevron trend that won't feel dated this time next year.  $35

A vanilla hazelnut candle from Oil & Wax.  Made of soy wax here in Nashville, this gem is a real treat.  I bought one a few weeks ago, and it won't be my last.  $16

A cheeky grammar print from Alphonnsine.  This piece serves as a gentle reminder and will go a long way in saving the English language in a world of text-messaging fiends.  $19

An octopus tote bag from Idiopix.  It's eco-friendly and has an octopus on it.  I feel like the octopus is the new bird.  $13.95

A bar of Stand by Your Mandarin soap from Music City Suds.  This is another Nashville original, which I love and have given before.  It's all-natural and scented with citrus.  $6

A return address stamp from Foryoo.  I love this idea for newlyweds, new home owners, or anyone with an established address.  They will, too.  $29.95

(Note: I received permission from all sellers to use their images and to link to their Etsy stores.)

East Nasty

This weekend I ventured out to East Nashville, which some folks lovingly call East Nasty.  That was really my first true visit there.  I'd eaten a meal or two across the bridge, but Saturday my pal Emily B. and I took our sweet time.  Below are some photographic highlights.

Perhaps my favorite stop was Wonders on Woodland, which is an excellent antiques store on Woodland Street.  Unfortunately, they do not have a website.  What I liked most was that this shop was highly curated.  It is not what Barb (my mom) would call a dig store.  I had office supply envy just inside the door.

Upstairs was this mantelpiece with artwork.  The one in the middle reminded me of Joni Mitchell.

Don't these chairs fulfill your every Mad Men fantasy?

This was a nice deco installation.

This pillow pretty much says it all, no?  It's an item at Old Made Good on McGavock Pike.  At this store, they take vintage items and often rework them to be quite whimsical.  They had a whole men's room, full of old hunting memorabilia, vintage gentlemen's magazines, and lots of plaid work shirts.

And it wouldn't be a complete post without a specs shoutout.  This was a super charming necklace on display at OMG.  (Isn't that clever?)

We also visited Eclectic Design + Boutique on Porter Road, where I picked up a candle from local Etsy seller Oil & Wax.  Hint: there's a great chance you'll see more on this soon.

I hope you enjoyed this min-tour through the East Nasty.  And I hope you're gearing up for eating turkey, giving thanks, and spending some monies.  Mazel!

Keep Smilin', Keep Shinin'

I figured that was a good title for this post, especially since I've been a terrible blogger as of late.  I'm going to try to be a bit more consistent.  For reals.

At work we've been gearing up for a big event, so that has kept me pretty busy, just like my love/hate relationship with the treadmill.  Right now I'm winning, though, so that's good.

And I've finally found a mirror for over the couch.  Here it is.  For now.

Over the weekend I went down to Franklin with my pal Anna Beth, and we stumbled upon this gem at the Winchester Antique Mall.  I picked it up for a song.  A friggin' song, I tell yaz.  And I have big things in store for it.  That will be revealed in a coming-soon post.

You can also catch a glimpse of my new cobalt blue pants, which I scored from J.C. Penney's, of all places.  Their new jcp line is pretty great and affordable.  Well, that's about all for now.  I'm going to try to be a better, specs-ier blogger.  I hope you're well.  Thanks for reading, as always!



The New Black

After all this sweatin' and scrubbin' that's been going on lately, I decided to have what Tom Haverford and Type (A)-shley call a treat yo'self moment.  In a non-caloric manner.

The Boscia Luminizing Black Mask is a great way to do it.  What is it, you ask.  Well, let me tell you.  It's a facial in a tube.  It's a treat for the senses.  It's a miracle worker.

Maybe that's a bit much hype, but it works.  It's a black, clay-based treatment that you apply generously to the skin.  Wait about 15-20 minutes, and (no kidding) it easily peels off in contiguous sections, leaving behind a glowing, debris-free blank canvas.

It's $34 at Sephora, but it will last quite a while.  Remember that you can always sample at Sephora, so if you're curious, just give it a little whirl.

A Refreshing Weekend

The last few days have been filled with rest, exercise, and a bit of shopping.  I finally (after about five years) tracked down ranunculus.  Because I was using my counter/bar for some Specs Appeal Papers, I moved the vase to the bathroom.  (See my toothbrush in the background?  Hehe.)

And then I came across this post from Dear Heart (formerly Dept. of the Interior).  Then I saw an Instagram update from Jane at Ill Seen, Ill Said.  It seems that we all had the same idea for flowers this weekend.  Great minds, right, Jane?  :)

Mine came from Trader Joe's, and I must say that I'm enamored.  They're so free-form as extensions on curly stems, but the buds are rather geometric.  Nice little conundrums, those ranunculus.  (See what I did there with the nuns?)

And shhh....I'm off work tomorrow, too.  Look out, J.Crew Outlet.  Look out, Hunger Games.  I'm going to round out this momentous weekend of we-meet-at-lasts.

Lust List: Gap Spring 2012

I have not even been blog-adjacent these days, but that does not mean that I've forgotten you, oh Specs-y ones.  Lately I've been working quite a bit and trying to get back in control of my fitness.  (You're my witness.) 

If all this treadmilling pays off, maybe I'd look super swell in some of the following picks from Gap.  Remember that you can always get a coupon or score a sale at Gap.  Never pay full price there.

Sometimes I feel like a broken record, but dang it--I love a striped T-shirt.  $19.95

I might just be crazy enough to rock that tee with these green pants.  LOVE 'em.  $59.95

This would be an excellent topper to the outfit I just assembled, if it happens to be raining.  Gap calls it an anorak, but we don't really have that word in Tennessee.  It's a rain jacket.  $188

So I don't really wear ties so often, but if I did....wow.  $29.95

Well, when it comes to my style, I'm nothing if not consistent.  This canvas bag is stellar.  Even though I'm not usually a big orange fan (again, a TN reference), I'm feeling it this time.  $69.95

Just Crew It

I'm kind of ecstatic about these shoes.  And, surprisingly, the prices are not that high.  Nike styles, exclusively at J.Crew.  I'm loving every pair but the red ones.  Neat, huh?