Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Urban Outfitters - Xmas too Edgy?

I keep thinking I'd like my Christmas decorations to be a little more interesting, maybe a little more modern, but has Urban Outfitters' crossed the line in trying to put a little edge on Christmas? I don't find this gun ornament offensive, but I do find it ugly and pointless. With the quality and aesthetics of this glittery gun, I don't think U.O. can claim this is about design.

I love the idea of the edgy black ornament, but it can be and has been done better.



This crown ornament is out of stock online, but available in the West Elm store at Mockingbird station.

Via Adfreak

The Lucky Online Gift Guide

Lucky Magazine's site has a small gift guide which includes a few fun items for the home under $50



Naoko Tea Maker, $49.95 at Bodum



Espresso Cup and Fig Leaf Saucer, $24 at The NY Botanical Garden Shop.

Baker's Edge Brownie Pan

Excellent news for those who enjoy the delicious, chocolatey, crispy, buttery brownie crust. Baker's Edge has created a pan that gives you more edges to savor. No more fighting your family for the corner piece, this pan is all corners. Available at the Baker's Edge site as well as Amazon.com.

Via not martha

Monday, November 27, 2006

10% off at Bluefly Starting Tomorrow

From the Dallas Shops blog:

We love www.bluefly.com for its below retail priced selection of DVF, Frette, Pucci and more. Today though, we really love the fashion and home site.

From now until 6:30 a.m. tomorrow, it's marking down (almost) everything an extra 10 percent. Don't worry about whipping out the calculator, reductions are reflected in the sale merchandise prices.

We suggest checking out the Dwell bedding section...
--Brittany Edwards

Dish-up's Take on the Plain, White Plate

Ran across these very interesting dishes on the Stylehive Blog. They wouldn't be any more interesting than any other modern take on the plain, white dish if it weren't for the fact that they can store on their sides. I'm not sure that storing dishes on their sides instead of in a stack makes better use of space, but I think it might look quite nice in a kitchen with open shelving or glass cabinet doors.

Dish Up
Designer: Chaiyut Plypetch
Price: US$39.00 at Generate

Corrections: Contact Info for Rakku

If you are looking for the Rakku shoe wheel I posted a few weeks back, please use the updated contact information below:

rakku@rakkudesigns.com
800-51-RAKKU or 800-517-2558

Cyber Monday

Didn't get enough deals over the weekend? Shop from work on the sly today for additional savings as it is Cyber Monday - kick-off of the online holiday shopping season. For a list of savings from Shop.org, check out the Cyber Monday site.

Holiday Cookies



I've always felt that we get started a little too early thinking about the holiday season. The last several years, I've seen Christmas decor out next to the scant Halloween displays in late September. I've also never been a fan of fluffy Santa figurines and resin angel statues. I like my holidays a little more toned-down. But I do love holiday baking. Nothing conjures up fond childhood memories faster than a house warmed with the smell of holiday sweets.

To that end, here is a link to the Martha Stewart Cookie Glossary to get you started. I always float the idea of a cookie exchange at my office. You'd be surprised how many people are actually interested. It's a fun way to put together gifts if you enjoy giving baked goods but aren't in the mood to prepare 10 different cookie recipes at home by yourself.

Online Coupon for Casa Mexicana

From the Dallas Shops blog:

Experience the sounds, the colors, the smells and the taste of a Feliz Navidad. Starting today, the day after Thanksgiving, Casa Mexicana will be open every day until December 25.

Mention this blog posting and receive 20% off one item in the shop.

Casa Mexicana, 2710 Live Oak, 214-747-7227
Monday-Saturday 10 am - 6 pm; Sunday 12 noon - 5 pm

Photo: From left to right, Tom Hickey and Larry Sanders, owners of Casa Mexicana shot by Kye R. Lee
--Christopher Wynn

Off Topic: Dallas' Top Ten Restaurants

A list of Dallas' top 10 restaurants was posted to the D Home blog over the weekend. I obviously don't get out enough, I don't recognize half of these. Sounds like a good excuse to eat out.

Top 10 New Restaurants of 2006
By Nathan Stull, Dallas

What were the top new dining spots this year? Make reservations at the hottest restaurants that opened in 2006, read users' opinions and create your own list to share.

The Top 10
1. Bijoux 5450 W Lovers Ln, Dallas, TX Chef-owned, Park Cities eatery draws inspiration from classical French cuisine.

2. Shinsei 7713 Inwood Rd, Dallas, TX Celebrity chef spouses Tracy Rathbun and Lynae Fearing operate this pan-Asian fusion restaurant and sushi bar near Park Cities.

3.Trece Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Lounge 4513 Travis St, Dallas, TX Knox-Henderson Mexican restaurant's name is Spanish for 13.

4. Craft 2440 Victory Park Ln, Dallas, TX Chef Tom Colicchio opens famed Manhattan eatery in first Texas W Hotel.

5. Bice Ristorante 400 Crescent Ct, Dallas, TX Internationally renowned Italian chain operates a Dallas location in elegant Crescent Court.

6. Kitchen 1924 1924 Abrams Rd, Dallas, TX Intimate and casual restaurant nestled in the Lakewood offers a neighborhood feel and appetizing new
American dishes.

7. Grill on the Alley 13270 Dallas Pkwy, Dallas, TX An Art Deco motif provides the backdrop for upscale American food at this Dallas Galleria restaurant.

8. Amuse 1326 S Lamar St, Dallas, TX Late-night menu and Southside on Lamar location draw trendy downtown revelers.

9. Coal Vines 2404 Cedar Springs Rd, Dallas, TX Tiny matchbox of a spot in Uptown serves authentic New York-style thin-crust pizza.

10. ZEA WoodFire Grill 8100 Dallas Pkwy N Ste 115, Plano, TX Casual but upscale American restaurant, part of a small chain birthed in New Orleans, specializes in grilled and rotisserie meats.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

More Guy-Approved Gift Ideas

Here are a few more gift ideas under $50 for the guys on your list:










A laptop case or bag

A decanter

A nice bottle of liquor or wine (mentioned by almost every guy who responded)

Bar stuff

A new wallet

A watch (hard to find anything good under $50. Pictured above, the Edge from Fossil. $65)

A framed poster of his favorite movie

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Setting the Table

A little refresher from Apartment Therapy NY. Once you get into their post, click the Farmer's Almanac link for a key to decipher the diagram.

Black Friday Deals

I've never been a fan of Black Friday shopping. It seems the deals are never that great and the crowd is always insane; however, my brother has tipped me off to some sites that offer sneak peaks at the Black Friday deals of major retailers. The best deals seem to be on electronics.

http://bfads.net/
http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/
http://www.blackfriday.info/
http://www.dealtaker.com/blackfriday.html

Classic Serve-ware at Crate and Barrel

Classic Century Footed Serving Bowl from Crate and Barrel. $42.95.

Via Apartment Therapy Los Angeles.

'Tis the Season to Pop a Cork

A great post from Apartment Therapy on the top 10 wine openers.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Guy Gift Ideas from the Experts

Thanks to the guys who are sending in ideas. Here are a few suggestions for gifts straight from the guys' mouths:


Road Rage Flash Cards, $19.99. This was one of the few samples of this product fit to print. The idea: express your annoyance with the drivers around you via this handy flip-book of germane phrases.


Sega-Genesis 6-in-1 Plug and Play TV Game, $29.99. Includes throw-back games Sonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe, Altered Beast, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, Kid Chameleon and Flicky.

Barneys' Pricey Candy Trees: DIY

Barneys is a usually a great place to find a parking place at North Park mall so I've been passing through the store quite often on my holiday shopping trips. The store has a great selection of unique housewares that are relatively affordable. Yesterday I saw these gum drop and lollipop topiaries at Barneys for $88 - $125!


They're cute, but that's a little pricey. If you're feeling crafty, these are pretty easy to put together with materials from your local craft and grocery stores. For the gumdrops, simply use toothpicks to attach the candies to the form. For the lollipops, the sticks will do the job. I made a gumdrop wreath a few years ago. I had to buy 7 bags of gumdrops to get enough white ones to make a 8" wreath, but it was a fun distraction for a do-nothing Thanksgiving weekend.

The cone-shaped topiary will be simpler to put together

Supplies (almost all available at a local craft store such as Michaels, Hobby Lobby or Joann's):

Foam forms
A base
Various ribbons (if desired)
Craft glue
Candies of choice (may need to stop by the grocery for these)
Craft paint (if desired)

For the base of the cone, a painted wood disc or a large, flat glass candle holder would work. Simply glue the cone to the base.

For the ball-shaped topiary, a small pot with stones for weight and craft foam glued inside for support of the wooden dowel would work. This one will be harder to support because of the weight of the upper ball and may require some experimentation. I found more detailed instructions on this version here.

Do Marketers Know What Guys Want?

For that matter, do I? Answer: Probably not.

Thanks to an anonymous comment about whether or not guys actually use bowls (incidentally, they probably don't), I decided to check some retailers' sites for gift ideas for "him," in hopes of educating myself as to what to get the guys on my list. The first item on one retailer's list was a crock pot (??) followed by kitchen items and old stand-bys like a watch and a road-side emergency kit.

If you're trying to buy for a guy in the under $50 range, what are your choices outside of ties and car-wash kits? You could always fall back on a gift card, but that feels so generic.

If there are any guys out there - HELP!

Need More Chairs?

Need more seating for the holidays? Here are a couple of inexpensive options.


The Terje folding chair from Ikea, $12.99


Set of two bamboo folding chairs, $49.99 at Target.com

Friday, November 17, 2006

Modern Paint By Numbers

The Tate's online store is offering a modernist paint-by-numbers kit for £25. Sounds like a fun way to keep yourself busy this winter and a cheap way to add a little art to your home.

Via Apartment Therapy