a geography of living

luxury goods come to mongolia

2011-07-29T11:52:00.000-04:00

What? Louis Vuitton and Burberry have stores in Mongolia? I might have been more surprised if you told me that they were setting up shop in rural Mississippi. When I lived briefly in Ulan Bataar six years ago (really, six?!), I wouldn't have imagined it.

The mining was already big business, but my impression then was that the wealth was being taken out of the country. It seems as if the rich/poor divide in Mongolia has grown a lot and fast. Even six years ago, the corruption was evident, so I cannot imagine that this wealth has grown organically or justly. Instead of being pleased with the seeming economic leap, I'm worried about average Mongolians' liberty.

Here's the Wall Street Journal article. It is not, as I had expected, about the high-quality native cashmere...

no excuses, no exceptions

2011-04-19T10:47:00.000-04:00

Ah! Lauren, I love you! Whenever you receive a package in the mail from my friend Lauren, you know it's going to be good. After reading about my love of watching Ina Garten but not cooking her recipes, Lauren sent me this:

That's the Barefoot Contessa book that I have always wanted. How did she know?! Lauren's handmade card, tucked above the top left corner of the book, starts:

Lauren herself is the best cook I know. Her food not only is divinely delicious, but also tastes like she put her love into it.

So what should I cook first? Something easy like a salad of radishes with butter and salt? Or more adventurous like ile flottante? Thank you, Lauren! You made my day!

Inspiration: Ina Garten

2011-04-02T06:15:00.023-04:00

Last year a major coup was convincing Alvaro that we needed to get DVR. The sole reason is so that I can watch Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa. It's a cooking show, and I do not cook. Well, I can, but I don't do it for fun, and because Alvaro is such a good cook, I have no real need to do so. When I do cook, I never use a recipe. So why the heck do I watch Ina Garten?

Because she's so lovely! First, she appears to eat what she cooks, which shows that she is a real person and has an appetite for life. Second, she's so cute! Third, she is so elegant, yet casual with impeccable taste.

I love her tablescapes, her house, her garden, and her view of her town. She cooks and designs very much in a geographic-inspired way - she's the epitome of all that's good about her region.

(Photo from the Food Network.)

prettiest back support ever

2011-04-01T06:25:00.012-04:00

When Alvaro and I went to Mexico more than a year ago, I finally bought a piece of embroidery, a typical craft of the state of Puebla. What made it even more special is that I found it at the Santa Rosa ex-convent, where mole, the chocolate-spice sauce, was invented. After eight months of keeping the embroidery on a shelf in our coat closet, I realized that once the baby came I'd never have time to make it into a pillow, so I finally got it done.

Well, *I* didn't exactly make it into a pillow. I bought a pillow on an incredible sale from Ballard Design, and, not owning a sewing machine and knowing that my hand-stitching would be too rough, I had it sewn on at the tailors.

It turns out that a broad audience likes Puebla embroidery; I recently saw pieces hand-made just like mine for sale at the Dean & Deluca store in SoHo - for a lot more... not counting the trip to Mexico. (And here's praise for a lumbar pillow.) The best part - it's so comfy!

last vacation

2011-03-30T06:06:00.028-04:00

During the past year, I saved up my vacation days for Mateo's arrival, which meant that we haven't gone anywhere far for quite a while. But at the very end of summer, we went to the loveliest lake in New Hampshire. We stayed at a friend's family's home, where we've been so lucky to visit for the four years.

I can't think of anywhere sweeter. Given the choice of a trip to the mountains or the beach, I'd pick a lake! It's serene, not extreme. When I was having trouble breast-feeding, I'd close my eyes and try to relax by imagining myself on this dock.

It's fresh, crisp, blue, green, and brown - such a wonderful escape from the city.

This is where I've been

2011-03-29T09:01:00.000-04:00

It's Mateo!

Ever since I got pregnant, I have been absorbed with the prospect and then the reality of our wonderful baby boy, who was born in January. What a gift!

sole full of soul

2010-05-16T16:23:00.001-04:00

I dreamt that I owned a pair of Tom's shoes, which seemed like a pretty good reason to go around the corner on 5th Avenue and buy them.

For every pair that you buy, the company gives a pair of new shoes to a kid who needs some in the developing world. Comfy and cute for me and doing good for someone else, too. Sole-ful. I'm wearing them all weekend long!

gift of color

2010-05-12T14:20:00.002-04:00

How amazing to find a package in the mail from Lois, a master basket artist. The most incredible part? When she was visiting our apartment last month, she noticed what my favorite colors are, and then she sent this perfect little basket.

Can you see that she matched the colors exactly to my favorite painting?

I feel so lucky! It's so personal and so beautiful. Thank you, Lois!

our neighborhood is number one! (?)

2010-05-08T07:43:00.024-04:00

New York recently rated the city's neighborhoods. They used a transparent system and fully admitted that readers have different needs and desires for their community, so they included an online interactive feature where you can prioritize your needs to find the right place for you. Here's the article.

Nevertheless, their overall conclusion was that the best neighborhood in New York City is Park Slope!

Looks familiar!

Park Slope does well in green space - Prospect Park - housing quality, creative capital, safety, restaurants, schools, and - surprisingly - nightlife. It fares relatively poorly in housing cost (you have to pay for all that goodness) and diversity.

The diversity ranking is one the best parts of New York City. My current neighborhood is, to me, quite diverse, especially compared with any other place in the nation where I've lived, but for New York, it seems that it could be even better. New York raises one's expectations about the tight co-mingling of people of different nationalities, races, religions, and socio-economic status. Tolerance is the norm here. I'm becoming a diversity snob by living in the city and would have a hard time living in another place where groups' communities rarely overlap.

Another reason to love the city. I'm coming around.

quick note

2010-05-05T07:13:00.000-04:00

When we moved in, one of the first wonderful, unnecessary purchases I made was my personalized stationary from Lion in the Sun stationary shop.

The other day I was walking by their window and saw this:

Zooming into the bottom left, we can see my stationary being displayed!

Fun! And I had so much fun picking it out that it's nice to see that the shopkeepers like it, too.

cycles of green

2010-05-03T07:29:00.001-04:00

Some of many parts of this home that make me feel so lucky are the three windows in the living area. We're on the third floor, so we get to look out at treetops and sky instead of the street and cars. Over the past nine months, I've loved watching the leaves change.

Last summer

Autumn

Winter

Spring!

FEED Guatemala

2010-05-01T07:34:00.001-04:00

Yippee! The FEED Guatemala bags have arrived in stores. Do you know the FEED Projects? By buying one of their bags, you provide food and nutrition to children around the world.

Malnutrition is the under-lying cause in over half of the world's daily 24,000 preventable child deaths. In Latin America, Guatemala has the highest rate of child malnutrition, and the proceeds of the the FEED Guatemala bag support UNICEF.

The bags were made by Guatemalan women using Guatemalan fabric through the organization Nest. There are two sizes: a tote, which provides enough nutrients for 3 children for a year, and a small pouch, which provides enough nutrients for 1 child for a year. Both bags come in dozens of fabrics in all different colors. I spent over an hour in the store with friends trying to pick which few were my favorites - I love them all!

They are available exclusively at Lord & Taylor, so hurry out now or hop online! This purchase will make you feel fantastic - not only when you look in the mirror, but also when you look in your soul. I'm thinking that I might need a few more!

greek coffee cup designer passes away

2010-04-30T07:37:00.000-04:00

Oh, it feels so coincidental! After just recently mentioning how New York-ish it felt to get coffee in the classic Greek diner coffee cups, the "Anthora," for our walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, I just read in the New York Times that the designer, Leslie Buck, just passed away.

From the New York Times.

He wasn't Greek - instead, an eastern European Jewish immigrant fleeing the Nazis - but, as the marketing manager for an upstart paper company, he understood his clientele, the Greek diners ubiquitous in the New York in the 1960's.

Maybe it's lucky that we came across the paper cup a couple of weeks ago. It has declined from its height of 500 million made per year and is now only made on special request. Let good design endure! Alas, with fewer Greek diners and a lot more specialty coffee cups, the times they are a-changin'.

like mother like daughter

2010-04-29T19:30:00.002-04:00

Last week my mom visited, and when she arrived and we saw each other, it was so unnerving: we look identical. There's always been a resemblance, but as I get older, I'm starting to look just like her. She's cute, so that's not the weird part! It was just strange to see myself in someone else. We were even both wearing all black and had our hair the same way that day. Here we are later that weekend.

Have you ever had this experience? Do you continue to grow to look alike?

melting pot as boeuf bourguignon

2010-04-26T07:22:00.029-04:00

My intention was not to write so often about food, but, jeez louise, I love it, particularly the good stuff. Luckily, so does Alvarito. At one point we decided that, besides values, our only two similarities are our loves of eating and traveling.

Today for the first time, my Mexican husband made Boeuf Bourguignon. Our melting pot:

Alvaro lived in Mexico until age 27, so he is fully immersed in the concept of the big afternoon meal, comida, especially on weekends. It's so nice to cook something new and grand and then savor it. This French-inspired one was particularly delicioso, delicieux - each bit involved so many flavors, such depth.

Diverse cultures, food, exploration, adventure, taste, family. A true meal.

divine hens

2010-04-23T07:05:00.001-04:00

Thanks to my friend Emily B., who's also a neighbor, we discovered Los Paisanos, an old-school Italian butcher in Cobble Hill. Every single thing we've gotten there has been absolutely amazing - the platonic ideal of meat. For instance, on Christmas Day, we had a rich, earthy, delicious Spanish stew with five types of ham and sausage.

In one weekend recently, we had a roast chicken for six people and then individual cornish hens with my mom. Alvaro, with the help of a Mark Bittman recipe, worked magic. I'm craving them now!

Heavenly cornish hen.

Divine roast chicken.

family on the bridge

2010-04-22T19:08:00.000-04:00

Here they are! Jane, you asked to see Mom on the Brooklyn Bridge, and here she is with Alvaro. Look at those smiles!

By the way, I don't know if you can tell, but they are holding classic Greek diner paper coffee cups! A very New York day.

Bridge

2010-04-20T19:03:00.001-04:00

Almost three years living in the city, and this was my first time on the Brooklyn Bridge. It's beautiful! It makes you feel good to be there. The view, the size of the structure, the tourists gawking with reason.

A spectacular place.

cycles, updates - guest bedroom

2010-04-08T06:27:00.000-04:00

Nothing's ever done, and that's just fine. It's done for the moment or as good as possible given the current circumstances.

When I bought a new duvet cover and shams for our master bedroom, I moved the others into the guest bedroom, and they actually look much better in here.

And these cool colors are a real improvement over the warmth of my (albeit wonderful) Tricia Guild duvet. The bedrooms now feel the way I want them - cool, tranquil - for ourselves and our guests.

accepting matchy-matchiness

2010-04-04T06:20:00.000-04:00

Matching seems to be out of fashion, but I keep coming back to it, so I might as well embrace it. I have to say that I adore British decorating, which is hard to admit even to myself. Rationally, I appreciate other styles more. However, what makes home and design fun is that it is impossible to ignore the emotional implications of choices.

When we got a new bed last month, we could no longer use our bedskirt that matches the shades. The thought of the toile shades just hanging there uncoordinated seemed unacceptable, so I got the matching comforter cover and shams. Phew.

Are there parts of your character that are hard to admit? Do you rationally like different items that you emotionally want? How do you reconcile the difference? Of course, design - whether clothes or decorating - is only one of the more visible manifestations of choice. How do you make peace with your preferences?

blue & white from russia

2010-04-02T06:23:00.001-04:00

This teacup was a gift for my birthday when I was twelve or thirteen from a close family friend who was like an aunt. How respectful of her to know that a girl could love something rather grown-up.

Generally, I don't keep impractical stuff. But I've always loved this teacup. Through probably a dozen moves, I've carefully packed and kept it. It just touched me, and I've gone on to love, collect, and use blue and white ceramics from so many countries, including China, Pakistan, Turkey, Spain, and Mexico.

To use it more often and to admire it daily, appreciate it more, I just pulled it out of the cupboard.

living beauty

2010-03-30T06:16:00.000-04:00

These tulips are rich with texture and color. Flowers bring life into a home. They make me stop to appreciate natural beauty.

beauty, simple and blue

2010-03-28T11:14:00.001-04:00

Friday was a hard day for me, yet it improved when all this beauty came into my life.

In one day, I got both this gorgeous cloth flower from EmersonMade, an artist's studio in New Hampshire, and this simple, elegant aquamarine pendant from St. Kilda, a shop around the corner from my house.

This my favorite color, and I think they're both breath-taking. Most things are useful or decorative, but every once in a while, something can be so beautiful that it enhances my life and makes me feel content and blessed.

a place to hang your hat

2010-03-27T09:08:00.000-04:00

A new coatrack here in our home. It's a touch to welcome guests and make them feel comfortable. Also a place for two Chinese faces I adore.

The first was given to me in college graduation line - while we waited to get our diplomas - by a girl I barely knew. She said it was for good luck!

The second is from my friend who lives in Beijing - she's beautiful, magical and fun.

shower for emily

2010-03-22T20:19:00.000-04:00

A shower for Emily, who is going to become a wife and gain a husband and delve into partnership and compromise and joint decisions and common goals and forever.

1 + 1 = 3

El Mirador, Veracruz - January, 2010

2010-03-06T07:54:00.001-05:00

For the last part of our trip to Mexico, we went to Alvaro's aunt and uncle's coffee ranch in Veracruz, the state that neighbors Puebla. It was such a special trip. Gracias, Ingrid y Nacho!

On the way, we passed Mt. Orizaba, Mexico's highest peak at 18,490 feet.

The ranch is very welcoming!

Every year, they plant a new fruit tree in the house's garden. There are oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, lemons, limes, figs, and more.

Bananas.

Mangoes.

As an appetizer for a lunch, we had cold pig's feet. The main course was the pig's leg.

Coffee beans on the bush.

The coffee is shade-grown. You can see the coffee bushes at ground level covered by a lush canopy of trees.

Together with the coffee.

I was so happy to run around outside and to be surrounded by varying shades of green. And the coffee was delicioso!

Cuetzalan - January, 2010

2010-03-04T23:36:00.000-05:00

Cuetzalan in the northern part of the state of Puebla and is designated as a Magical Village by the government of Mexico.

Cuetzalan is famous for its penachos, gorgeous headdresses made of feathers.

Even Jesus is decorated with one.

Palm decorations outside the main church.

In front of the church is a pole for the voladores de Papantla, the flyers from Papantla, who perform a ritual, religious, dangerous, and exacting dance of flying off the top of the mast. God is with them.

Lunch of enchiladas, chalupas, tlacloyos, and mole.

Frequently you find the Virgin of Guadalupe and the Mexican flag displayed together in a church.

Puebla - January, 2010

2010-03-04T23:11:00.001-05:00

Puebla, where Alvaro's family lives, is a beautiful city. Here are a few shots from our days there in January.

At the factory of Uriarte talavera right in downtown Puebla.

Uriarte is the finest talavera available.

Even the factory itself is beautiful.

She is always there to help, protect, and inspire.

Making quesadillas with huitlacoche (corn stalk truffle).

Dolls of Baby Jesus are prepared for Candelmas on February 2, a major holiday in Mexico. Families take their Baby Jesuses to church in recognition of the presentation of Jesus at the Temple.

Buildings covered in talavera tiles.

Typical candies from Puebla on the Street of the Sweets.

Large candles decorated with the Virgin of Guadelupe on the Streets of Candles.

I highly encourage you to visit Puebla! The buildings covered in talavera are stunning, and the city has a great feeling.

safe travels - mexico

2010-01-30T07:09:00.003-05:00

We departed from the bus station in Acapulco.

And we arrived safely at the bus station in Puebla.

In our travels, it seems we were protected by the Virgin of Guadelupe.

Mercado de Campesinos - Acapulco, Mexico

2010-01-29T06:58:00.000-05:00

On our first night in Acapulco, we ate dinner at a restaurant adorned with colorful spheres made from palm, a typical decoration from the state of Guerrero. I adored the decorations and asked a waiter where to buy them. He said that we could go to the mercado de campesinos in the center of town, so the next day I had Alvaro take me there. Markets are probably my favorite way to explore Mexico.

Wedding at the Beach - Acapulco, Mexico

2010-01-28T18:55:00.005-05:00

A couple of days ago, Alvaro and I got back from a great vacation in Mexico. It started with a few days in Acapulco, a land of decadence, for Cuau and Mariana's wedding. We spent the time relaxing at the beach, eating prawns, and drinking Pacifico beer (we were at the Pacific!).

I learn by going where I have to go

2010-01-17T11:30:00.000-05:00

The Waking

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

The shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.

Theodore Roethke, 1953.

happiness as a locale

2010-01-15T06:23:00.033-05:00

The geography of happiness - or the search thereof - is extensive.

Das Paradies, Jan Breughel the Elder.

Plato described his ideal world in the Republic. Christianity claims that the origin of man was in Paradise and we are striving to arrive at Heaven. Judaism and Islam has similar ideas to the Garden of Eden.

Les Bergers d'Arcadie, Nicolas Poussin.

Shangri-La and El Dorado have not yet been found. I have been to Arcadia, and I didn't feel any different there. The explorer Bougainville's explanation and then Gauguin's depiction of the South Pacific did not match even their own experiences of the place.

In literature, Candide decides after his extensive wanderings that his place of happiness is in his own garden. The Odyssey takes Odysseus all over the ancient world but ends at home. Sir Thomas More's Utopia was intended as an allegory, yet, in a search for hope, countless intentional communities - the Shakers, Oneida - have taken his story to heart.

We are all searching, and when we cannot find peace and joy inside of us, we turn outward.

glow

2010-01-12T06:52:00.000-05:00

In winter, I love to have the glow of candlelight and the warmth of home.

These candle holders are from Istanbul, and somehow I think they work well with the cross from San Juan Chamula, Mexico, the crystal from the Czech republic, and Rachel's painting.

I took the photo of the cross below in Chiapas, and I think it's one of the most beautiful representations of the shape and the intersection of a native culture and its conqueror. It has its own kind of glow.

representations of flight

2010-01-11T06:18:00.005-05:00

For Christmas, I received two beautiful scarves, both with a geographic theme: flight.

The first is a never-worn vintage silk piece from an estate sale. It depicts Sauvagines en Vol, waterfowl in flight.

The second is called Sur un Tapis Volant, on a flying carpet, in silk and cashmere.

I think they are so beautiful and have been wearing them almost everyday. In this cold weather, I am grateful for something light and lovely to drape around the nape of my neck.

new york 400: a visual history of america's greatest city

2010-01-10T06:55:00.000-05:00

For Christmas, my dad the history nut gave me and Alvaro a fantastic book that celebrates New York City's four hundreth anniversary, New York 400: A Visual History of America's Greatest City, created by the Museum of the City of New York.

It's one of those tomes that, the more you delve into it, the more exciting it gets. At first, it's overwhelming and simply a collection of four hundred images - maps, prints, and photos - of the city since 1609.

But the stories it tells of all of the city's peoples are fantastic. Each era is introduced by a short, interesting essay by a local scholar. I'll be enjoying this book for a long time to come. Thanks, Dad!

welcome, thonet

2010-01-09T17:00:00.001-05:00

Holy mackeral, I was so happy to find these reproduction Thonet chairs. I've always adored them, and I finally found them for about one-tenth of the real version's price.

Michael Thonet designed this model in 1859 about which Le Corbusier said, "Never has anything been created more elegant and better in its conception, more precise in its execution, and more excellently functional."

Our main room centers around the dining table. We wanted a bigger, expanding table now that we have space. Better for inviting more people - more parties! Good meals and welcoming friends and families are two of the most important parts of creating a home.

In order to know what a new table would look like, we first had to paint the room. Then we decided that a white, round pedestal table that expands with an extension leaf would help the eye to flow around the room.

We found this floor-sample, which was already originally affordable, for 30% off, and then I negotiated it down to a 45% discount - so satisfying.

As we figure out the entryway, I may need to re-arrange the placement of the table, but at least we have something great now.

morning

2010-01-08T06:43:00.000-05:00

Let me start by saying that I like my job very much. But the mornings at home are so comfortable and sweet that I have a hard time leaving.

When I wake up, I spend the first hour being lazy and drinking Ricoré. Then I head out into the cold.

rosca de reyes

2010-01-07T07:25:00.002-05:00

I'm a big fan of this holiday, Three Kings Day. In the morning, you get a little gift, and in the evening, you eat the special cake, rosca, at home with friends.

I picked this up at Inés Bakery. We were all so impressed that the box is holiday-specific!

It is topped with dried figs, quince and orange peels. Unlike a traditional rosca, this one has the Mexican flag on it in sugar! Alvaro had never seen this before; it's interesting that immigrants make their cake more Mexican than in Mexico.

Inside the cake is a little plastic baby Jesus. In Mexican culture, whoever gets the baby Jesus has to throw a party on Dia de la Candelaria, aka Candlemas, on February 2 and serve tamales. In order to show that we as the hosts were not avoiding getting stuck with hosting the next party, Alvaro and I took the first slices. They had to be big to show we were not afraid.

Rosca with Mayordomo hot chocolate. The placemat is from a sisal ranch in the Yucatan.

No one got the baby Jesus after the first round of cake, but it tasted so good that we went for seconds. Meredith found the little savior, so Alvaro and I know where we're going on February 2!

three kings day

2010-01-06T06:36:00.002-05:00

This morning, the magi Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar visited our home!

It was the first time I've celebrate Three Kings Day, aka Ephiphany. I didn't even know how many shoes to put under the tree; at first, I put out both of a pair, but Alvaro kindly advised that one was enough.

You can see that I received a big box from my favorite chocolate shop ever, which just happens to be around the corner from our home (another fabulous feature of this neighborhood), and Alvaro received a Starbucks giftcard, some hazelnut chocolates, and The Everything Pug Book.

The magi have arrived. Happy Three Kings Day, Feliz Dia de Reyes!

el idioma

2010-01-05T07:33:00.001-05:00

I've mentioned that I don't keep very many books, even though I love to read. Nevertheless, these books clog my shelves and taunt me:

Oh, el idioma español...

How exciting to marry someone from Mexico! Yet how ironic that I studied French for a million years! Sure French and Spanish are close - close enough that Alvaro can't understand a word of French...

A roundabout way for me to make a fool of myself: Alvaro wants to keep the Christmas tree up through January 6, Three Kings' Day. Yesterday I called Inés Bakery for the all-important Three Kings cake, rosca, and - surprise! - Spanish only.

Deep breath, and: "Por favor, quiero ordenar una rosca." I left my name and number and said I'd be there on Wednesday at 6 p.m. We'll see if my cake is there then!

In other embarassing news, the other day I was speaking on the phone to Alvaro's mom and told her that I was going to take off my coat because "tengo caldo." Thanks to my one year of Italian, I knew the word caldo - warm. In Spanish, it's soup. Ayudame, dios mio! I told my mother-in-law that I had to take off my coat because I have soup.

I know, I know, I should actually use those books. Somehow that insightful piece of advice hasn't motivated me in the last three years. So this year, I actively excluded el idioma español from my new year's resolutions. Instead, I'm banking on ósmosis!

winter's tale

2010-01-04T06:39:00.002-05:00

It has been cold, snowy and windy here, but we are cozy inside. The rug and pillow, I bought in Istanbul, and the blanket is from Pendelton. The harmony of histories makes me deeply happy.

explore with me

2010-01-03T15:06:00.002-05:00

My sister Jane explained that this mode of communication has a way for you to explore with me - to join in the progress of "A Geography of Living." So I activated the little Google "Follow" button on the right.

Jane points out that I'll know which friends and new cyber-acquaintances are traveling this path. It'd be more fun if you'd join! Please click "Follow" and be an announced reader and commenter! Thanks!

(Photo taken in Oaxaca, December 2008.)

satellite seattlite in the snow

2010-01-03T14:56:00.000-05:00

When you're from Seattle, you have a complicated relationship with snow.

View from our fire escape last week.

I like snow - a lot. But I think that it requires contingency plans. I've been known to go to the grocery store to buy a week's worth of food despite the fact that we live half a block from the store.

There is a reason for this ridiculousness. Seattle is all hills, and they're steep, which makes driving quite tricky. Yes, New York is flat. Seattle also never gets its streets plowed well, whereas New York is completely efficient. And I don't have a car here, and the subways are underground and generally operate without problem when there's inclement weather...

A photo of me last week. I'm staying inside today - it's snowing and five degrees with the windchill!

new year

2010-01-03T09:38:00.000-05:00

Happy new year! I hope that this is a wonderful, peaceful, and happy time for you.

Instead of new year's resolutions, I like to set three or four goals that I hope to accomplish by December 31 each year.

I write the goals on a postcard and keep it at my bedside table. Amazingly, I've achieved my goals of the past three years - except fluency in Spanish...

Setting this year's goals was rather difficult because, I am surprised to say, I am content with where I am. Nevertheless, after searching books for inspiration and taking a walk, I now have a few.

Thank you, Marie-Pierre, for this wonderful card and symbol of peace.

trimming the tree

2009-12-14T20:39:00.007-05:00

Eighteen friends helped us to to decorate our Christmas tree yesterday. It was so lovely. Hussham brought a trifle made with vanilla bean straight from Tahiti; Anne brought a cozy coffee cake; Anna made dark molasses gingerbread cookies; and more.

I adore every ornament. Here are just a few; I wish I could share them all!

A mariachi - reminds me of Alva.

This is made by Craftspring, my friend Anne's company. You can check out other Craftspring ornaments at Anthropologie.

In the 1970's, my mom made this and other bedazzled, fantabulous ornaments. I have all the ones that are remaining in one piece.

So many memories and so many friends - ah, the holidays!

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

2009-12-12T10:54:00.001-05:00

our half- christmas tree

2009-12-12T08:42:00.002-05:00

Somehow we ended up with a Christmas tree with branches predominately on one side of it.

I love it anyway!

flores de noche buena

2009-12-09T19:53:00.001-05:00

A few photos of flores de noche buena, poinsettias, from my trips to Mexico.

Guanajuato

Oaxaca

P.S. It wasn't my intention to post so much about Mexico recently, but I guess that since I live with a Mexican, it's on my mind!

El Nacimiento

2009-12-05T13:24:00.004-05:00

I'm starting to pull out the Christmas decorations! I found this nativity scene, un nacimiento, at a Christmas market in Oaxaca. It is the angel Gabriel, the three wise men, a few animals, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. It's sitting on a little tray that I found in Istanbul.

They all fold up and fit in the little box, which I had to include because it's wonderful, too. It has poinsettias on it, which are very important in Mexican Christmases. In Mexico, the flower is called Flor de Noche Buena - Flower of the Holy Night, named after the story of the little girl who wanted to give a gift to Jesus, but only could give weeds; however, when she lay her weeds at her church's nativity scene, they magically turned to red flowers. Alvaro's dad has poinsettias growing in his garden!

Article: "Savoring Puebla"

2009-11-20T22:16:00.001-05:00

Thank you to Susanna for sending a great article about Puebla, Alvaro's hometown. "Savoring Puebla" is at Smithsonian Magazine. It describes, in a clear, friendly style, Puebla's cityscape, culture, history and food. Now I know even more places that I want to visit. It's a great place, and I can't wait to go again in January! Be sure to check out the article.

All photos by Landon Nordeman, Smithsonian

ten things challenge

2009-11-16T07:00:00.005-05:00

I found a blog of a guy, David, who was moving, so he challenged himself to get rid of ten things per week for ten weeks. He's at Simple. Organized. Life. So I decided to get rid of ten items, too, but just this weekend. This is itself sort of a challenge for me because I try to keep only what I need.

But I found stuff!

Goodbye,
1. Extra back-of-the-door hooks (Goodwill)
2. Extra interview folder (Goodwill)
3. Lots of pens and pencils (Goodwill)
4. Various cords and cables - how did we use so many at our old apt?! (Goodwill)
4. Refrigerator door - wrong part sent to me during debacle (Freecycle)
5. Refrigerator handle - ditto (Freecycle)
6. 2009 Paris calendar that I haven't hung since we moved (recycle)
7. Don Quixote - sadly, I didn't like it (Goodwill)
8. Silk shirt that shrunk in wash (Goodwill)
9. Pajama pants (Goodwill)
10. Vacuum-storage bag (Goodwill)

You're probably wondering why I still had all this junk anyway... Oh, the feeling of liberation!

famous on Apartment Therapy (new news...)

2009-11-15T07:00:00.003-05:00

You know how I love the book, Apartment Therapy?

During last year's fall Home Cure on its related webiste, our Manhattan apartment got a mini-shout-out. And I'm so glad that this year, our new Brooklyn apartment did, too.

From Apartment Therapy

Inspiration: Carl Larsson

2009-11-14T07:00:00.003-05:00

My mom must like Carl Larsson, the Swedish artist, because we always had a couple of books about his paintings. I have kept my favorite, A Home, with paintings by Carl Larsson and a text by Lennart Rudstrom.

The book says that his bright colors were revolutionary for Swedish interiors at the time. They are my favorites: blue, green, red, white. He thought decorations - stripes and patterns - were pretty, and he covered almost every possible surface. He even would paint messages - in Swedish or English - on the walls:

"There was a little woman, lived with C.L., and if she is not gone, she lives there still - very well."
"To Karin, Aug. 1894."
"You know what I say? Be both kind and gay."

Carl Larsson started to paint his home during a rainy summer when he couldn't work outside. How lucky we are for that rain! Not only are the pictures beautiful, but they also capture their home life and tell an intimate story.

The family did fun activities inside and out, and you can imagine getting dirty by the lake, as well as reading quietly alone.

sunrise earth

2009-11-12T07:00:00.025-05:00

Western U.S. - Photo Courtesy of Compass Light.

A neighbor told me about "Sunrise Earth" on the Discovery HD Theater channel. It's a one-hour television program with no commercials each morning - 7 a.m. for me. All it shows is a sunrise and natural sounds from somewhere on Earth.

It sounds weird. There's no plot, and there's not even a lot of movement. But it's beautiful and peaceful.

The creepy thing is the reminder that you're sitting in your living room in your pajamas and not taking advantage of all that nature has to offer. But, I figure, that I could be here in Brooklyn without even thinking about and appreciating beauty, so watching the program is a bit better than that. It shows me places, plants and animals that I've never seen before.

Kidney Pond, Maine - Photo Courtesy of Compass Light.

I find it makes my morning a little calmer and a little lovelier.

painting success

2009-11-10T15:05:00.001-05:00

Hooray! Our apartment feels great. Now that there's color on the walls, it feels more special. It feels less like we're transient. I've never felt this settled before.

My family moved houses when I was eight years old, and I was so, so sad. After I grew to like the new house, we moved again (back to the old house, which my parents had just been renting in the interim). Then I moved constantly during college and had four apartment after college before this home.

It's just paint, and it just took three days. But it means a lot to me.

We're creating a home here. I can focus on being happy and content here, instead of always planning for another place, a future time.

color for our haven

2009-11-04T19:13:00.003-05:00

Decisions made. It's actually pretty hard to pick good colors! You've got to think about the space, the light, and the feeling you want to create.

In the main room, I wanted it to feel warm, but the color can't be too pinky or too yellowy, and it has to work with our cherry cabinets and the brick fireplace. Egads. In each bedroom, it has to work with the curtains, and in our bathroom, it has to work with the tile. Our bedrooms face north and the light is muted, so muted colors seemed to work best there.

So, starting Saturday, I'll be getting:

These are the colors for, in order, the living/dining/kitchen/hallway, the guest bedroom, our bedroom, and our bathroom. These images of the paint chips are from Benjamin Moore. I know it doesn't look like it, but "healing aloe" is a soft greenish shade.

The two most useful resources for me were the websites of Benjamin Moore, which has a great interactive section, and House Beautiful, which has a lot of great color suggestions and philosophy.

I'm crossing my fingers that it turns out alright!

warm and cool spaces

2009-11-04T07:00:00.002-05:00

I think I'm going to go with the bottom left corner.

As you can see, I'm sampling paint colors for the main room - warm neutrals for the main room and cool colors for the bedroom.

I think I'll go with the second from the top on the left. Does that look good to you?

There's an idea from the Apartment Therapy Cure about warm and cool spaces. The idea is that, in some rooms, you want to feel expansive, and warm colors encourage that. In other rooms, you want to retreat - hence, cool colors.

Warm spaces: Living area, dining area, kitchen
Cool spaces: Entryway, bedrooms, bathrooms, office

I can't wait until all of the painting is done and we can enjoy the colors' positive psychological effects!

what makes a real new yorker? - III

2009-11-02T07:00:00.009-05:00

I'm still delving into the character of this urban creation, this magnificent monster of a city.

Emily B. grew up in the New York suburbs, and has lived in Brooklyn and worked in Manhattan since graduating from college. Here's her view of what makes a real New Yorker:

- You must be able to walk fast in Midtown and grumble at tourists. However, you are quick to help tourists find their destination; we are very proud of our helping-out skills.
- You have the subway system down pat - even with service changes.
- You know the expensive, amazing restaurants, but also where to get a delicious taco.
-You like to leave the city on weekends.
- You have no desire or need to own a car.
- You think paying $2,000 for a one-bedroom is a steal.

Maybe I'm getting close!

futbol

2009-10-31T10:16:00.000-04:00

When Alvaro and I started dating, he was extremely busy with graduate school, and the World Cup had just ended, so I didn't fully appreciate the extent of his passion.

The first hint should have been on our trip to Spain when he visited the Barca stadium - not to see a game, but just to worship the field the players run on.

Also on that trip, we went to a game at Santiago Bernabao, a life-time dream of Real Madrid fans. (Because of Alva's Barca loyalty, we rooted for the opposing team, Zaragosa.)

For me, soccer is a window into another world and another perspective of the world. The tournaments, the teams, the players. Understanding the significance of the Glasgow rivalry of Rangers (protestant) versus Celtic (catholic) or why Spain has never won World Cup. I like watching the games, but I'm ambivalent about the outcomes. However, the 2010 South Africa World Cup, I expect to cheer for the USA, Mexico, and Spain.

Alvaro's view of the game is that it is democratic, el juego del hombre, because all you need to play is a ball. It brings the world together.

Today, Alvaro woke up to watch the Arsenal-Tottenham game, and then he's going to play soccer in a pick-up league. (We have the cable package that provides soccer matches from England, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the U.S., etc.)

I've always been amazed by Alva's love of the game, regardless of country or league. His national loyalty lies with Mexico, of course. But if Spain's playing, he'll root for Spain. Having lived in London and Dublin, he'll root for England and Ireland, too. For professional teams, he's loyal to Puebla in Mexico and Barca in Spain, and that's about it. Here are his soccer jerseys.

On our honeymoon, I read How Soccer Explains the World by Franklin Foer, and I highly recommend it. I figured that I might as well be conversant in the language of the game!

great article: "geographic awareness needed"

2009-10-29T07:26:00.000-04:00

Geographic awareness needed - Washington Times

Thanks so much to Emily C. for forwarding this article to me. Geography unfortunately regularly requires an explanation in the U.S. It's simply understanding our world and cultures from a spatial perspective.

From the article:

"Developing greater geographic awareness among policymakers and the general public is crucial if our society is to manage serious challenges like natural disasters, climate change and conflict more successfully. Failure in this endeavor is not an option, as we stand to lose our leadership credibility, quality of life, and ultimately, our security if geographic ignorance continues unabated."

Here here!

dreaming of the beach

2009-10-28T07:57:00.000-04:00

Here we are in the spring of 2007:

On the beach in Mexico. The warmth, the laziness, the decadence... We're going back! And I can't wait.

In January, we'll be attending a friend's wedding in Acapulco, which is a popular wedding destination because it's only three hours from Mexico City, so it's easy for family and friends to attend. We're going to stay in a fancy hotel for three nights. One good thing about Acapulco - if I twist my typical thinking - is that there's nothing else to do besides relax: no cute town, no pre-Columbian ruins, no crafts. Just the beach!

Then we'll head to Puebla to see Alvaro's parents and then, I hope, to Veracruz, where I have not yet been. Veracruz is supposed to be a nice town with great seafood. And if we go, we'd stay at a coffee ranch - wow!

Logistically, I'm so pleased that we're able to fly into Acapulco and then fly home to New York from Puebla. It's a big country, so this will save lots of driving. And it will spare us the hassle of getting to Mexico City's airport. However, I do love how the light pours through the walls at the new Terminal 2 there. Here I am in the fall of 2007 (just days before Alvaro and I got engaged!):

It's great to have a distant vacation planned in order to dream!

don't mess with a good thing

2009-10-19T07:34:00.001-04:00

I'm thinking about getting a bigger dining table. So I decided to re-arrange all of the furniture in the living area before Alvaro came home from work yesterday.

Here's what the room looked like before we moved in:

This is what it has been like since we moved in:

Yesterday, I did these changes:

But decided that the original set-up was the way to go:

I now know that the issue with the dining area is not the living area, but is, in fact, the dining area.

what makes a real new yorker? - II

2009-10-17T10:58:00.000-04:00

Relation to space is different in New York than in most other U.S. cities. An apartment is a haven from the busy, loud, in-your-face world.

I asked another friend, Michi, what makes a real New Yorker. She lived here a few years ago and now is back. Her reply:

You wait for the subway at the optimal place so that you leave the train closest to your station exit.
Colors feel loud, and your wardrobe gradually turns neutral.
You give up on purchasing in bulk.
Delivery and shipping are the names of the game.

Minimal personal space, maximal personal opportunity. A place to become oneself.

practical, yet personal

2009-10-15T07:05:00.001-04:00

Monograms, besides being unnecessary and preppy, are super fun! My old initials were EAR, which are particularly silly, and I was a bit too cheap to monogram. After changing my name through marriage, it took me a while to decide that my new initials are ERV. That decision seemed reason enough to celebrate with a practical purchase, an L.L. Bean extra-large, zip-top tote.

My version of a tattoo.

Gosh, I love the color red. Red car, red bike, red bag. Favorite colors: red, navy, aquamarine. I can't stand purple.

If the Marx Brothers had a dishwasher...

2009-10-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

Trying to help with the dishes, Alvaro, unbeknowst to me, opened the dishwasher door and only the bottom rack. I backed up, tripped, flew airborne, and came down on top of the dishwasher. Then I rolled off, and all of the dishes fell on top of me. I started laughing because it was a stainless-steel, slap-stick snippit worthy of the Marx Brothers.

Sadly but not surprisingly, I broke the dishwasher. When the Frigidaire warranty lady asked me what happened, I tried to explain that "a large object fell on it..."

We had to prop a chair against it to keep it closed.

It was sad to see our brand-new appliance broken. I was reminded of when my new, fabulous, red Volkswagen Golf was smacked by a big truck. Never wholly perfect again. Oh, well, that's what life's like.

Today - weeks after the Incident - the repairman came and did some stuff to it. Now the door closes at least. And it was somehow covered by the warranty! (I think...) We're crossing our fingers that the dishwasher will work for at least another year.

It closes now!

A dark force enters our apartment

2009-10-13T07:23:00.001-04:00

Yesterday morning I ordered furniture, and amazingly it was delivered that afternoon. How exciting!

The problem was that I hated the chairs and the ottomans.

The new pieces are the four chairs around the table and the two little ottomans on the left in front of the bookcase.

The room looked so dark. The new furniture sucked the life out of the room. It was like Death Eaters from Harry Potter had entered the space.

I had thought that the brown leather chairs might tie the room together with the brown leather sofa. While I never adored the chairs, I hadn't realized that their modern shape would look so very out of place; they are a much darker color than the couch. The little ottomans also were too big and too dark.

So I'm crossing my fingers very tightly so that the company will let me return them.

Now I'm thinking about what kind of table and chairs to get that will make the space warm and light. White? Maple to match to floor?

Are You Living the Life Advertising Thinks You Are?

2009-10-12T07:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday evening - the Friday before a long weekend - I had a few extra minutes before meeting Alvaro to help him buy a suit, so I went in a bookstore looking for that new design magazine Lonny. *Terrible* name, but it's suppose to be the replacement of Domino. Since Lonny wasn't for sale there (or at another huge bookstore...), I browsed and then bought O Magazine - Oprah's magazine.

How embarassing! Oprah is about self-help and middle-age ladies... right? So why did I buy it? I saw that some of the articles inside were written by Alain de Botton (I had an important life experience related to de Botton's How Proust Can Change Your Life at the Corner Bookstore in Carnegie Hill, NYC, at age 16); Anne Lamott (I had an important life experience related to Lamott's Traveling Mercies at age 21); etc. I thought I'd be able to justify it.

Then, this morning, I had a mid-mid-life crisis that involved writing in my journal to decipher why and how I had bought this magazine. And then realizing that the magazine was actually made for me. Yikes. I was feeling like Ms. Winfrey was understanding me. The book review section covered Sherman Alexie, Jonathan Lethem, Zadie Smith, Joanthan Safran Foer, Sanjay Gupta (crush!), Philip Roth, Orhan Pamuk, A.S. Byatt, Mary Karr, Alice Munro, etc. Jeez Louise (or, as Alvaro would say as he orally learned English, cheese Louise). Moreover, I would actually buy some of the products on the advertising pages.

In contrast to the advertisements in a magazine to which I subscribe, People en Espanol. I've got my justification for that one worked out: It's the only way that I, supposedly, learn Spanish. (I decided that after getting a graduate degree, I was done with studying, so I'm not taking Spanish lessons. This also merits attention: why not be a life-long learner? Why be so lazy? Ack. Then I think about the *year* in which I did not read any novels, and I realize that I can get back on the wagon eventually. Does my brain have a capacity?) The advertisements in People en Espanol include jello. I've tried to like jello. I've even bought it recently to try to convince myself that my pre-conceived notions about the substance are pure snobbery. But, actually, it tastes bad.

Am I a consumer profile?

If so, is that a bad thing? In many ways, it's nice to know that we're not alone - not simply as consumers, but in life. None of us are inventing life all over again. We're biological creatures, and we're cultural creatures. Others have suffered, loved, and enjoyed in similar ways that we as individuals have. It's comforting to know. Actually, I'm embracing this feeling of community more and more. In part, I'm positively influenced by my family and friends in Mexico. To me, it seems that the greatest difference between people from the U.S. and those from Mexico is that, in the U.S., we think individually, whereas Mexicans think communally. There's much more to be said and discussed about this, but, suffice to say, being part of a community can feel good. Living a stereotype is not always a bad thing (wow, that sounds so negative to my individualistic self, but I don't mean it to be).

Questioning is very healthy, and maybe all this musing is what Oprah means when she asks on the cover of her magazine, "Who Are You Meant To Be?" Oh, the Borgesian questions of the mind!

Any advice? Thoughts on Oprah? Thoughts on jello? Thoughts on community?

What Makes a Real New Yorker? - I

2009-10-10T07:04:00.007-04:00

New York, New York, it's a helluva town.

What does it mean to fit in? How do you know if you're in the right place? Is there a right place? Can this be optimized, or should we just make do wherever we are?

Many people think New York is a world-class city. They wouldn't live elsewhere, and they're happy to make sacrifices for the advantages of being here.

To me, I'm not a real New Yorker by a long shot. In no other place have I been so concerned about the grime; I like quiet; I don't take advantage of the arts, restaurants and emerging trends; and I don't assume that this is as good as it gets. However, Alvaro thinks that I am becoming a New Yorker for two main reasons: I'm impatient, and I love mass transit.

Given that we bought our condo, we'll be here a while, so I want to know: What makes a real New Yorker? I asked my friend Lauren L. and realized that I have a ways to go no matter how you define it. She responded:

Since I have lived here, I have heard two theories on what makes a New Yorker. One is quite straight forward while the other is a little more colorful. The less interesting of the two is that you have to have lived in New York for at least ten years to consider yourself a NYer. The more interesting one dons the label 'NYer' once two requirements have been fulfilled...a bike in your living room and actively seeing a therapist.

New York, New York, a helluva town.
The Bronx is up, but the Battery's down.
The people ride in a hole in the groun'.
New York, New York, it's a helluva town!!

From the musical On the Town
"Opening: New York! New York!"

Music by: Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Artesanas Faty

2009-10-08T07:20:00.003-04:00

Alvaro's dad retired and decided to try something new, so he started a specialty snack company: Artesanas Faty, named after Alvaro's mom and sister - both Fatima. It's a family affair: Alvaro's cousin Bea designed the label.

Since these botanas are made and sold in Mexico, where Alvaro's family lives, I only get to enjoy them when we bring them home to New York. Two weeks ago, Alvaro visited Puebla and brought back the loot.

Here are churritos (spicy crunchy snacks), cacahuates garinapiñados (glazed peanuts), and totopos (corn tortilla chips). They are delicious!

Weekend Brunch - What Remains

2009-10-06T07:04:00.001-04:00

Hungry, I forgot to photograph our schmorgasbord sandwich lunch (manchego, Danish blue, mozzerella, prosciutto, rosemary ham, mint sauce, mustard, et al).

This is all that remains, and I think it's a good sign.

And good friends. Michi brought over her old sunglasses, and Joel and Alvaro modeled.

Still Life with Pug

2009-10-04T07:00:00.003-04:00

When my sister sent my husband a birthday card of a pug, he fell in love with it. Now it lives on our dining table.

The tile on the right is under consideration for our backsplash. I'd love the whole area between counter and cabinets to be in Talavera. Swoon.

Cartography of Community

2009-10-02T07:06:00.007-04:00

Home is where the heart is, and a community is where the friends are. The best part of our new neighborhood, Park Slope, is that we have many friends here. For example, on Tuesday, I was having dinner with Edward at an outdoor café and saw both Lauren and then Emily as they passed by on their ways home from work.

The red A at the center - Grand Army Plaza - is Google's definition of Park Slope. Makes sense to me!

I just learned that Caroline and Neal are moving just across Grand Army Plaza from us, too! Yea!

While I'm not a real New Yorker, I am glad to be Here.

Going Places - on a New Bike

2009-09-30T07:01:00.002-04:00

When we lived in Manhattan, there was no extra space, so both Alvaro and I were excited to get bikes when we arrived in Brooklyn. My one criterion for both of us was that they fit in the guest bedroom closet. For me, I also required red.

Have you seen a folding bike before? They ride just like a regular one. Mine has smaller wheels, but a larger chain to compensate. Alvaro's is full-size. His just folds in half, whereas mine gets itty-bitty.

They both fit in the closet!

Mine, folded.

So far, I've been going around Prospect Park, around our neighborhood, and down to the Red Hook Ballfields for incredible Latin food.

What a lovely, carefree feeling to pedal and feel yourself whooshing. It has been since college that I've had a bike, and I realize that I've missed it. Summer's ending, so I think I'll take it out this weekend!

38% Coffee

2009-09-28T07:05:00.002-04:00

After years of a yen for Ricoré, Nestle's mix of 60% chicory, 38% coffee and 2% other, I grew a brain and ordered it online. It seemed a lot easier than a trip to Paris, although that would have been lovelier... Three cans arrived this week, and I have already been enjoying it.

Caveat: Given my negative feelings about Nestle (because they have been violating the International Code of Marketing Breast-Milk Substitutes - I work in the field of international development), it is a big deal for me that I put my palate above morals. (Also, I know that boycotts are usually ineffective, except for public relations...)

To make this hot beverage, you scoop three teaspoons of Ricoré into a cup of boiling-hot water. Or, for even more decadence, you use hot milk. And that's it - presto! It's delicious.

Are you sensitive to caffeine? As anyone who has sat near me at work or in graduate school knows, it makes me remarkably hyper. (Sorry, Caroline, Linda, Kendra, Casey, and Jennifer.) Therefore, a mellow 38% coffee feels right, too.

If anyone finds additional chicory beverages, I'd love to explore other versions. But for now, I'm very happy with Ricoré. I just finished a perfect cup, the right start to the morning.

Rainy Sunday Morning

2009-09-27T09:19:00.008-04:00

What could be cozier? I just made a cranberry-orange quickbread, I'm reading, and I'm listening to Norah Jones.

I bought the mits - made by Kuna people - in Panama.

I'd be satisfied if this morning lasts forever.

How Many de Velascos Does It Take to Change a Lightbulb?

2009-09-25T20:15:00.008-04:00

Do you have a strange lightbulb get-up in your shower? Ours is in a funny holster, but Alvaro valiantly tackled the dark situation. I held a flashlight.

The weird light.

Success!

Thanks, Alva!

Color and Creativity

2009-08-03T00:01:00.004-04:00

Why not?!?!

All photos by Fred R. Conrad for the New York Times.

From the home of John Patrick Shanley, the great writer of Doubt, among many others.

I can just imagine that all those happy colors increase creativity and joy.

Member of the Chez Larsson Fan Club

2009-08-02T12:00:00.002-04:00

I mentioned that Benita Larsson is an inspiration and that Cheryl Mendelson is an inspiration. Well, I went so far as to send a gift of Cheryl Mendelson's book to Benita.

Photo from Chez Larsson. (Michi gave me those fantastic William Morris cards!)

Benita graciously accepted and shared the book with her readers.

Inspiration: Benita Larsson of Chez Larsson

2009-08-01T12:00:00.001-04:00

Every day I look at home-related blogs, and my very favorite - by far - is Chez Larsson by Benita Larsson. Monday through Friday, I check it while I drink my coffee in the morning. Benita is impressive for so many reasons. I love her beautiful organizing, her strong, simple design sense, and her family's ease with living in a rather small house.

All photos by Chez Larsson.

She makes me happy daily!

Ready for Guests

2009-07-31T12:00:00.001-04:00

We are ready for guests!

The view of the guest bedroom from the hallway. The two small carpets are from Oaxaca.

The mattress and box-spring were delivered for the guest bedroom, but the frame wasn't. I've decided that I'll get wonderful bed for our room and move the metal frame into the guest bedroom. Until then, it'll still work.

I've had this Tricia Guild comforter cover for a dozen years, and I still love it.

Inspiration: Cheryl Mendelson

2009-07-30T12:00:00.001-04:00

Cheryl Mendelson's Home Comforts is the best book about home by far. It's a philosophy of why home is important, as well as an exhaustive manual of how to make it so. I've read the 800+ pages cover to cover; I've referred to particular chapters; and I've re-read the introduction dozens of times. Ms. Mendelson write gorgeously.

Get it, read it, believe it!

Living Room Curtains are UP

2009-07-29T12:00:00.003-04:00

For a while, I couldn't decide what kind of curtains to get for the living room. In fact, I wasn't even in a hurry, but Alvaro was. Because the radiators are directly below two of the three windows, we couldn't get drapes, so it had to be shades. Then I determined that I wanted them to be bamboo, so the next step was finding some. Gosh, curtains are expensive! Luckily, my mom read a New York Times article about a lady who happened to have bought bamboo blinds at Pearl River, so I checked the store out online. I ordered the jute blinds for a great price.

Once they were hung, however, we couldn't get the blinds to go up. Since the point of blinds is that they go down and up, this was a major problem. Fortuitously, among the friends who came over for brunch on Saturday were Cuauh with his enthusiam and Jean-Marc with his engineering background. After 45 minutes, they figured it out. Gracias, Cuauh! Merci, Jean-Marc!

They spared us so much extra time and expense, and I even like how the jute blinds look - both down and up.

Tablescape

2009-07-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

Today it's cosmos from the Borough Hall farmer's market and the glass bowl that my sister made in high school. It's bringing me smiles all day.

To Dy For

2009-07-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

Alvaro and I intended to leave our Upper East Side apartment sooner than we did. We ended up spending two years there instead of one. Because we thought it would be temporary, there were many things that we never bought because we expected to get them in the new place.

For the past two years, we had the smallest, worst vacuum. On Sunday, that all changed because I bought a Dyson DC24. I don't love to clean, but I do like a clean home. Moreover, I have dust allergies, so I really wanted a decent vacuum. I had heard such good reviews on Dyson products, and I heard Mr. Dyson speak once at the Yale School of Engineering, so I knew which brand I wanted.

While I won't say that I enjoyed vacuuming on Sunday, I can say that the machine works, and that in itself is remarkably satifying.

In addition, it's really small and light-weight.

It fits inside our coat closet easily. (I squished the coats over so that you could admire it.)

Grandma Cart

2009-07-26T16:17:00.006-04:00

In our old apartment, we had zero extra space, so we couldn't get a cart for groceries and other errands. Besides, you usually only see older people using them. Well, as soon as we moved here, Alvaro got one. Since he usually does the grocery shopping, he wanted to be able to carry large loads home. (If it's not obvious, we do not have a car.)

I've been making fun of him - until today. I went to get a vacuum with the grandma cart, and I felt so smug easily wheeling it home. Brilliant invention!

Inspiration: Childhood Books about Houses

2009-07-23T12:00:00.007-04:00

In retrospect, I realize that I've always been interested in design. I always read all of my mom's decorating magazines - House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, Home.

I even had picture books about it. And I still have them in my small collection of books.

We Were Tired of Living in a House by Leslie Moak Skorpen is about kids in a family who decide that it'd be better to live in a cave, at the seashore, in a treehouse, and on a riverbank. However, they realize that life is much nicer in a house with their parents.

Need a House? Call Ms. House! by George Mendoza is about architect Henrietta Mouse, who designs homes for her animal friends. A few are below, but the book has so many more good ones!

I still am inspired by the creativity and the functionality of the designs.

The Flavor of Home

2009-07-22T20:55:00.004-04:00

One of the many reasons that Alvaro is awesome is that he cooks. To me, food made and served at home is one of the pillars of heimlich. Tonight was yet another delectable meal.

Scallops with shitake mushrooms, scallions, onions, and garlic. Basmati rice with sliced almonds and dried cranberries. Snow peas with balsamic vinagrette and crumbled blue cheese.

Que rico, Alva! Gracias!

Research Project: Blue & White Pottery

2009-07-21T08:08:00.004-04:00

When I learned that Puebla's gorgeous Talavera pottery was brought by the Spanish and that Turkish pottery is an imitation of the Chinese original, I got interested. My uninformed guess of the intersection of politics, economics, art and craft:

Trivets I bought in Istanbul.

The Chinese figured out blue and white. The Turks loved it and brought it to Constantinople via the Silk Road. From there, it spread throughout the Arab world. The Moors took it to Spain. When the Spanish conquered the Americas, they wanted pottery there, so they brought the craft to Puebla, which already had a thriving native pottery tradition.

To me, this would be such a fun research project. Do you know any more about the topic? If I learn more, I'll be sure to share.

Blue & White is Just Right

2009-07-20T19:24:00.007-04:00

Nida visited this weekend and brought this gorgeous plate from Pakistan. I love that she got it when she was at home visiting her family.

How did she know that I love blue and white pottery?

Up close:

We use these various bowls, plates, and tea sets every day for serving food. In fact, they're practically the only serving dishes we have. Some are from Toledo, Spain, and others are from Puebla, Mexico, Alvaro's hometown. I even have an amazing blue and white antique Ming vase at my mom's house in Seattle that her friend recently gave to me.

Always, I'm drawn to blue and white. In addition, I love crafts because they combine the form and function. Thank you, Nida!

Inspiration: Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan

2009-07-17T15:11:00.005-04:00

Perusing the book store in July 2007 - a couple of weeks after I moved to New York, I found Apartment Therapy: The Eight Step Home Cure by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. He created the Apartment Therapy concept in and for New York, so it made so much sense to me in my new, small space.

I love that it focuses on making a home healthy, comfortable, welcoming and beautiful and not on decorating. I think that people often are distracted by decorating and pay less attention to the elements that give a home heimlich: home-cooked meals, clean sheets, a comfortable couch for reading, a quiet, dark bedroom for a good night's sleep. It addresses flow throughout the space; the bones, the breath, the heart, the mind of the place; achieving a good balance of warm and cool colors in appropriate rooms; and striking the right note for hard and soft surfaces. Moreover, I have fully adopted his "outbox" method for deciding which items to remove from the space.

We often are searching not just for a place to live, but a real home - the place of complete comfort and acceptance.

Function Meets Fun

2009-07-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

Our desks are by one of the large, lovely windows in the living room, and the optical mouse was not working. I guess it needed a dark surface off of which to reflect. I looked online briefly for a cute mouse pad, but did not find one, so I ordered one from Kodak Gallery. This is a photo from our trip to Oaxaca last December.

I adore the colorful decorations hung across the streets. They're so fun. Now I get to see them daily!

Famous on Apartment Therapy (Old News...)

2009-07-13T19:01:00.006-04:00

A while ago, photos from our old apartment appeared on Apartment Therapy. I love Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan's book, and ever since reading it, I follow "The Cure" online in the spring and in the fall. Here's when our apartment has been featured:

November 19, 2008:

November 24, 2008:

Do I dare post photos for the coming Cure in the fall?!

Crossing items off the list - Check!

2009-07-10T16:48:00.010-04:00

Amazingly, the developer from whom we bought our home offered to fix any problems we had after we moved in. Could this be too good to be true?

The helpful handyman came over for three hours yesterday morning and:

He hung all of toilet paper holders, towel racks and hooks.

(I hung the poster from Michi, too!) He also tightened the loose cold water faucet in the guest bathroom.

He hung the mirror on the back of my closet door (I have been two years without a full-length mirror; I'm scared to know what I looked like...).

He added grout to a spot in the master bathroom that was forgotten, and he sealed the grout in the guest bathroom with silicon.

He fixed the ceiling light in the living room. He gave us a new glass light fixture for the fire escape because we accidently dropped the previous fixture.

And he hung the curtains in the bedrooms.

If I'm allowed to complain a little, and this is my fault - not the developer or the handyman's - the curtains were suppose to go inside the window frame, but because the frame is metal, the handyman said he couldn't drill in there. So they're on the outside of the frame, and they looked sort of ridiculous. It'll be a temporary solution. At least I'm now sleeping a bit later in the mornings without the glaring sunlight.

We feel so lucky that these functional improvements are done. We are particularly blessed that the developer has done these repairs without charging us. Thank you!

Inspiration: Laura Ashley - mea culpa

2009-07-05T09:32:00.010-04:00

Earlier, I said something disparaging about Laura Ashley. While we've moved past the full-blown matchy-matchy rooms, some of her ideas and many of her fabrics are terrific. In my small personal library, I have two books of her work.

And you might notice that the books are on a Laura Ashley cushion that I still own and sit on while at the computer.

My childhood bedroom was decorated in Laura Ashley wallpaper, matching border, and bed linens. (That's my sister and me in my room.) I still have the matching pink and white striped pillow cases.

And I wore her dresses...

So I'll say it loud and proud, she's an inspiration.

Here's the Living Space!

2009-07-04T18:29:00.012-04:00

I thought I'd share how our living and dining areas are looking. According to Alvaro, we still need shades for the living area, but otherwise we are pretty settled in this room.

Here's the view from the door:

Note the big television! I hope that it was not the most obvious item in the room; I think that we re-purposed our shelves well to make an entertainment center. The painting is by my friend Rachel Teannalach.

A straight shot of the room from the kitchen:

Up close at the dining table:

I bought the tablecloth, which is from Nepal, in Copenhagen. The candle is of the Virgin of Guadelupe, and I picked it up on our last trip to Mexico. In addition, the bowl that holds the apricots is from Mexico; it's Talavera pottery from Puebla, where Alvaro grew up and his family still lives. Oh my, I just realized that the silver bowl is also from Mexico! It was a wedding gift. And don't you love peonies?

A closer look at the entertainment center:

From the mantle to the living area:

A closer view of the desk:

The little black spot in the top left corner is part of a bird mobile from Konrad's that I got a few years ago, and the painting is also by my friend Rachel.

That's it!

Recharge

2009-07-03T15:22:00.003-04:00

I feel like I need to recharge deeply, as if I needed to find a slower speed after two years of living in Manhattan.

Since I have today off from work in observance of Independence Day, I thought I'd try to get tasks done around the house, but instead, after lunch, I took a great, long, deep nap. Our bedroom, which, I admit, has potential to be much better, is a truly peaceful place.

For the past few months, I've been getting more headaches that before. Maybe it was the stress of buying a home or of the scary global economy. But I'm hoping that those headaches are a thing of the past and that this home is part of the remedy.

This Morning in the Kitchen

2009-07-03T08:10:00.009-04:00

Continually, my home makes me happy. Here are more little entertainments. First, our dishwasher actually gets the dishes sparkling clean - like in the TV commercials. (I don't think I can take a convincing photo of this, though.) Second, we have drawers - emphasis on the plural. In our last apartment, we had one small kitchen drawer that opened about half-way, and we kept the silverware in a cupboard. Now we have seven drawers!

And, finally, we have a bit more space for stuff.

All in all, it was a pleasure to make breakfast this morning.

The Little Things

2009-07-02T19:27:00.006-04:00

We're here! We're moved in, and it's great. Actually, we moved six days ago, but it has taken this long to get our internet connection working. I'm sitting in the living area, listening to the rain pour down and watching it through our large windows.

There are many, many parts of our home that are wonderful. An unexpected feature is the silly water and ice dispenser on the refrigerator. Neither Alvaro nor I have ever lived in a house with a fridge dispenser, and it seems frivolous. But, oh my goodness, it's fantastic! Who knew? It turns out that I prefer crushed ice, not cubed.

As I get settled, I'll share more of our home, but I just wanted to let you know that we're here, and it's good.

52 Boxes + 4 Big Bags + Furniture

2009-06-25T21:26:00.007-04:00

Tomorrow's the move. Tonight's the final packing. Alvaro's accounting skills are emerging, as he is numbering all 52 boxes.

Very exciting!