curios

HOTEL JUNKIE: Chambers - New York, NY 10/24/2010

Fifth Avenue has been known for years as one of the most expensive streets in the world and the Chambers Hotel, which is right off of Fifth Avenue, is just as swanky as Fifth Avenue itself. With what I can only describe as casual elegance, the Chambers Hotel is understated but still very luxurious and you can see it in their use of materials from the finishes to the textiles.

The Exterior

The Lobby

The Restaurant

I am a huge fan of symmetry; drawn to it like a moth to a flame. So it's no real surprise to me that I find the balance of the Chambers Hotel to be so refined and calming. Typically clean lines and contemporary design don't really pull me in. However, with this hotel, there's still a feeling of comfort and warmth. There is an excellent mix of textiles that really convey that home-away-from-home feeling. You may disagree with me, but gosh darn it, that bed in the suite photo just screams to me "Come hither and staaaaaay forever."

Photos courtesy of Chambers Hotel.

Oyster.com 10/23/2010

Recently, while watching the news, there came a report about a website called Oyster.com. Apparently, hotels have been lying about themselves! What?? I'm in disbelief! (The two previous exclamations are dripping with sarcasm... I know, it's hard to read sarcasm via internet.) Well Oyster's pull is that they allow you to "see thousands of undoctored hotel photos, then book with confidence."

I think that this is a great idea and it looks as though they are already pretty popular. It's pretty awesome that they allow you to search hotels based on certain criteria such as: Romantic, Party, or Luxury among others... versus just the plain ol' Cost or Distance. So the next time you're looking to find a place to stay... double check with Oyster.com!

The best part about Oyster.com is that they have a FAKEOUT section! Which is hilarious because they're basically calling out all those poopy hotels that lied to you! Hahahah Enjoy!

HOTEL JUNKIE: Turtle Inn - Palencia, Belize 10/23/2010

Disclaimer: I Love Turtles. So it's safe to say that anything named after turtles, I'm going to LOVE.

On a teeny tiny peninsula in Caribbean Sea exists a delightful little resort called the Turtle Inn. What's really exciting are all the amenities that are available: the Belize barrier reef (I didn't even know Belize had a barrier reef!), wildlife sanctuary, and tons of caves and waterfalls to be explored. Another nice aspect of this resort is that they actively participate in conservation and sustainability. You can read more about it here. It only adds to the charm of Turtle Inn!

Oh! There have been sightings of turtles too! ;)

Photos courtesy of Coppola Resorts.

Marion Bolognesi 10/20/2010

This Brooklynn-based artist certainly has a way with her medium, which I believe is watercolor. With such vibrant colors, these images literally leap off of the stark white backgrounds. I certainly love Marion's work. Seeing images like these make me wish that my hands were more fluid and could create art like this. However, my nimble fingers were made to work speedily and type at 100+ WPM. Haha!

Freckles

For Colored Girls

Bjork

Photos courtesy of Marion Bolognesi.

Mood Mugs 10/20/2010

From left to right: Happy As Larry, Monstrously Moody, and Seriously Sleepy

These insulated mugs from thabto are ridiculously adorable and I want all three. They'd make really good christmas gifts too I think :)

Photos courtesy of thabto.

Oiti 10/17/2010

I really want this nifty magazine rack! It is entirely made of curved plywood and looks like a great space saver cause you can just roll it away when you have company :P

That Funky Boutique 10/12/2010

Good Morning Everyone! I woke up to a pleasant surprise in my email today about a wonderful designer by the name of Angella Eisman. Her online store is named "That Funky Boutique" and possesses the most adorable knitted rose pillows I've ever seen. These pillows are actually made of upcycled knitted sweaters. Cute!! Now, I'm a bit of a knitter myself and really want to take a stab at making this myself! I'll let you know how this turns out!

Detail of Small Pink Rose Pillow

"Shades of Charcoal Gray" Pillow

Photos courtesy of That Funky Boutique.

What Makes Me Sad? 10/11/2010

I have this picture in my files. I have no idea where it came from. However, I do know that the reason I picked this photo was because of the excellent globes of light coming from above. The lighting in this is the pièce de résistance and I think the whole space would have flopped and looked real mundane if it weren't for the lighting!

Whittemore House Salon - NYC, NY 10/11/2010

If I were to get my hair done at Whittemore House Salon, I think I would completely trust my hair stylist. Is that weird that good design = good experience? I know that this is not always the situation, but I feel that people would want to live up to all the good design happening in this place! Why would you want to pair bad service with uber excellent design??? Well anyway, I think that Whittemore House Salon has melded eccentricity with classiness in a very charming way!

Photos courtesy of Whittemore House Salon.

HOTEL JUNKIE: Postcard Inn on the Beach - St. Pete Beach, FL 10/11/2010

Featured in Interior Design Magazine, the Postcard Inn is definitely a keeper! Just seeing the images of this hotel makes me feel just a little perkier and also makes me wish that Southern California had it's own version of Postcard Inn! The whole place just exudes a very unpretentious, low-key nature, doesn't it?